Happy New Year!!

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year!!

Hoping that the last moments of the year and the newest beginnings of the next are filled with good times, great friends and family, lots of laughs and champagne.

Dreaming spectacular dreams and plan to make 2012 the most sparkling!

The Best Is Yet To Come

Can you believe it's almost 2012? Me either but a new year is upon us and it's gonna be bigger, more fabulous and even more awesome!

As with life, there's up and downs but I'm thankful to say that this year was filled with way more ups. YAY for ups!

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I'm looking so forward to seeing what 2012 brings... looking forward to seeing how I will evolve as a woman, wife and mother.

I'm hoping I can revisit owning my own business again.While I'm thankful to have a great career, I was over the moon having my own company. After all, I need to be a boss with my new fancy desk. (in progress)

On the home front, I will continue to decorate to my heart's content. It's been quite a learning experience and I'm loving every minute of it. I have some new updates to share...coming soon.

I'm planning to work on the front yard...thinking of adding a semi-circular driveway along with some new flower beds that contain pretty bunches of hydrangeas. We need flowers to soften up the front of the house. Also need to add some shutters to the second floor windows.

I'm sure there will be lots of new experiences and adventures upon the horizon and I can't wait!!

Warmest Holiday Wishes!

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Wishing my followers, readers and passerbys a wonderfully happy and safe holiday.

Christmas Goodies

I've been on Pinterest way too much over the past week. There's so much inspiration on there... I just can't take it...but I will.

Today, I was lured in by food and added two new items to my ever growing Christmas dinner "to make" list.

First up, some delicious bite size bake Brie.

My Hubby will LOVE these!

Next up, Cookies 'n Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

Sinful.

What desserts are you making?

Christmas Is Coming

Sorry about the lack of posts.. I've been so, so, SO very tired. No energy to do nuffin'. Just no strenf. But I finally got it together and finished painting the pantry, went gift and decor shopping, planned and shopped for the Christmas dinner (with Hubby's help), decorated the tree and most of one fireplace mantels. Maybe next year, I'll get around to decorating the other four fireplaces.

Every year, I say that I'm gonna get started early.. to have all my gifts done by the end of Summer and of course it never happens and I just wanna kick myself because my procrastination. But alas, I'm almost at the finish line and I can enjoy all of my last minute, hard work.

I've already started thinking of how I want to decorate the dining room mantle next year.. make it a dessert buffet.

LOVE this idea!! It's so cute and functional. I'm all over it.

Under The Christmas Tree

These would be nice under the Christmas tree... for ME!!

YSL in a neutral. Gotta have a neutral.

YSL in a fresh purple! Looks luscious.

Song Of The Day

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!! It's my favorite holiday besides my birthday. What? My b-day is a holiday in my mind.

I've started listening to Christmas music and one particular one has been on repeat. Wanna hear it? Here it goes.



It's an oldie but certainly a goodie!

What Christmas song is currently on repeat for you?

Super Base

I need a desk and it can't just be any desk. It has to be a "ME" desk. I have found said desk and I've been obsessing about it since I first laid eyes on it.

This Ram's Head dining table turned desk is the desk of my DREAMS!!

I squealed with delight the first time I saw this desk. I had no idea about the history, era or anything, I just knew deep, deep in my bones that I SHALL have this table as my desk, too.

Ibex bases

I love the strength that this table exudes.. it's elegant.. it's luxe.. it's fab and totally and completely me.

I love it's artistry and glamour.

LOVE!

I have been searching high and low for this beautiful table/desk. I finally found one at a charming vintage store, Again and Again. You have to check out the site and if you're lucky enough to live in the Dallas area.. you can stop by the store and see all the fabulousness in person.

Upon eyeing that table, I sent an email immediately.. around 2am this morning. I couldn't even sleep knowing that the table is almost in reach. I was so anxious, I didn't even wait the my requisite of 24hrs before making phone contact. It was serious, Folks. I NEED this table/desk.

I spoke to the super sweet owner, Leslie, she was so patient and answered my millions of questions about the table and a few other furniture items in her store.

I also learned that she custom reupholsters, lacquers and remixes her awesome furniture finds per the clients request. Which is great because I also have my eye on two hooded chairs and two scroll benches.

Back to the Ram's Head table.. unfortunately it's out of my immediate plans to finally make that desk mine. Boo! Maybe the co-signer will agree to a payment plan or acquiesce to selling just the table bases without the glass. It may not amount to a huge discount but every little bit helps.

Leslie was also kind enough to suggest a few other vintage stores that are located on the East Coast... Circa Who (great store) and  C. Bell (LOVE this new discovery). While neither had a Ram's Head table, they both carry some really cool stuff.

So, the quest continues... I have hope of finding this table buried in the back of some non nondescript vintage shop for a few hundred dollars. Stranger things have happened.

Bring On The Bling!

You may need to put on your Tom Ford sunglasses to view this post, the bling-age is blinding.

The excitement is mounting as work on the look of the butler's pantry. I want to keep the Victorian-ness but add my glam twist.

So, I already know that I want the black cabinets.. I will look for a gray-black paint.. probably make a trip to Lowe's tomorrow for samples.

Next up is new hardware for the cabinets. I found some really pretty pulls at House of Antique Hardware. This site reproduces America's historic hardware which was perfect for me because I wanted hardware that was keeping in the era of my house.

I've also learned from the site, that my house is the Shingle style architecture, which came late to the Victorian era party and thusly, less ornate than the older sister and almost synonymous with Victorian homes , the Queen Anne.

Ok, so back to the pretty hardware I chose. The first photo is for the upper cabinets and the second photo, the lower cabinets.

3" On Center Hexagonal Cut Crystal Handle With Solid Brass Bases

 

Medium Globe Style Cut Crystal Knob With Solid Brass Base

Sooooooo pretty. I can't wait to see them in person!


Then, I headed over to Overstock for lighting options. I liked all of these and it was a plus that they all received great reviews.

Crystal 5-light Black Shade Chrome Semi-ceiling Lamp

Empire Silvertone Crystal 3-Light Chandelier

Chrome/ Crystal 4-light Round Ceiling Chandelier

Square Crystal Ball 8-inch Flush-mount Ceiling Chandelier

All of these options are beautiful and it's making it hard to make a decision. I am, however, leaning towards one of the first two chandeliers.

What say you? Do you have a fav? Or should I keep looking?

Hey Mr. Postman

I love when I come home to packages. Even though I know they are coming.. I am so giddy when they finally arrive.

I had come across a blog, which lead me to another blog, then an Etsy site and new web store, High Street Market.

Kelly, the owner of High Street Market carries the cutest, vintage things. There's a few things more things that I want to buy, especially these lamps:

The Ava Bamboo Table lamp

I adore that lamp and I'm looking forward to seeing a pair of them in my dining room.

I ordered a cute silver plated server and was greeted by it when I got home today.

No, thank YOU, High Street Market.

The server was very well packaged. I really appreciated that.

Unlike most things I buy vintage, this baby came polished to a high shine. I love that bamboo handle.

More fab bamboo handles. It comes with a glass insert but I forgot to take a pic.

A closer look at the handle. Love this detail.

So shiny and lovely. I can't wait to use it.

I also got another package. This one was from Zulily. I bought a Godinger silver plated gumball dispenser. It was on sale for $15.00.. I think.. My only complaint was that it took FOREVER to come.

It's really cute, small... about 9" tall and perfect for my desk. I usually like to keep a little something sweet within reach and I won't freak out when someone else reaches for candy. Candy dish = germy hands.

Wonderous White

Philip Mitchell Design Inc.

I'm in love with this image. It takes my breath away. Those creamy white walls and the panel molding is perfectly perfect.


I had been thinking about adding panel molding to my house and now I'm certain I will. It just adds such a luxe yet traditional feel to a space.


I'm finding the more I delve into how I want my house to look and feel, the more I refine my design/decor palette. I still love the Hollywood Regency look but I now I want to infuse with a luxe, refined Traditional look, with touches of French Regency, Neo-classical and a wee bit of Rococo.


I wonder if there's a DIY tutorial out in blogland for installing panel molding.


 Anyone know of one?

The Butler's Pantry

While the kitchen will have it's gray walls and glossy white cabinets and it's black matte Soapstone counters, I want to kick it up a notch in butler's pantry. I'm thinking of either black or charcoal cabinets and white walls and a little bling.

Draper-esque cabinet door?!? I can't WAIT for the kitchen re-no.

Love the silver leafed ceiling and "disco ball" lighting.

I like the thought of a glam butler's pantry because when you walk into the house the butler's pantry is straight back and within full sight. I think it should provide some eye candy.

Gray Kitchen

We have started painting the kitchen and I must say picking a gray has proven to be a little challenging. The first color that I chose was Olympic Flagstone:

 
It looked really great in the can but was reading a little blue on my walls...

Actually this photo that's opposite the windows.. it looks like a gray / lavender. But over by the windows, it looked gray / blue. It was giving me a Country Cottage kitchen feel and I wasn't feelin' that.

I've learned that taking lighting into consideration is very important. While this color doesn't work in my light filled kitchen, it would probably look great in one of that bathrooms that doesn't get much light. It would look like a rich gray, just like the swatch on the can, in a spot that isn't compromised by the natural light. I must say, this house is making me a student of everything.

Either way, I had to go. I liked the color but not for my kitchen. I wanted a true gray that didn't lean toward blue or green.

I felt so bad because the painter had almost finished the walls but I was cringing every time I would look at it. It had to be changed and quickly. I remembered that I had some paint samples of grays and wanted to see if any of those would work. So we swatched:

The first swatch was SW Classic French Gray... too dark. Might use this for my daughter's room though.

Next up BM Stonington Gray... I think it's a winner but I have to see the other two colors.

The third swatch was BM Silver Fox. It didn't look silvery nor foxy. It looked like like a medium taupe color with a slight green undertone. NEXT!!!

The final swatch was BM Revere Pewter (bottom right), that read a little taupe-y too.

We have a winner.... love the Stonington Gray. It reads true, it's not too light, has just the right amount of depth, it looks great in our kitchen. Can't wait to see it on all the walls.

Now that that's over, I can focus on new cabinet pulls and window treatments.

Santa Baby

If I could have one thing for Christmas, (besides world peace, ending hunger and disease) it would be to have a fabulous backyard with a small pool. I would be overjoyed.

Simple yet perfect.

Beautiful and serene.

Love!

A lush oasis.

Love the color of the water.

A vacation in your backyard. That's what I want for my family.

LOVE the raised pool surround. Never saw that before.. it would be great extra seating.

*sigh*

So pretty!

I wonder if I could turn my carriage house into a pool house?