Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A new inspiration...
Have you ever seen something selling well, that you thought, I could make that. Well today I had one of those moments. I have been playing around with different graphics programs since I was about 8. I fell in love with Photoshop the moment I had a chance. Now I am a pretty big fan of Gimp, because it's free! So here is what I made today:
I hope you like it. I am very excited about it and there will be more to come!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Fun day at the store...
A couple of days a week, I work part-time at a local furniture boutique. I love getting to help people with their design projects, little or big. But I have to say, it's a lot more fun when you get the big ones.
Well the other day was one of those exciting days. A woman came in about, I don't know, 4-5 months pregnant, and was ready to start decorating her nursery. Now this is especially fun, and she's having twins, double fun! I love nurseries and kid's rooms. They allow you to be a little extra imaginative.
When she came in she already had a pretty good vision of what she wanted, she really just needed help finding the pieces and putting them together.
She had already purchased the cribs, and what fabulous cribs they are.
Well the other day was one of those exciting days. A woman came in about, I don't know, 4-5 months pregnant, and was ready to start decorating her nursery. Now this is especially fun, and she's having twins, double fun! I love nurseries and kid's rooms. They allow you to be a little extra imaginative.
When she came in she already had a pretty good vision of what she wanted, she really just needed help finding the pieces and putting them together.
She had already purchased the cribs, and what fabulous cribs they are.
And she had in mind she needed a bookcase. She had seen a piece in the store, that she really liked but something was holding her back. It just wasn't quite right.
So that's where I got to really dive in. We did some digging through a few catalogs and found that there was another piece in the collection that was just right. YEAH!
It's so great. It carries on the metal features from the bed, but adds a mod industrial touch. This piece can grow with the twins, or she can move it into any other room. It's versatile, practical, and oh so cool!
So after the excitement of that find, we were on a roll. She needed a chest to double as changing table and an accent table next to her rocker.
She mentioned she had considered some antique pieces. We discussed how sometimes antiques have drawers that are hard to open, doors that maybe don't quite align anymore. They can be fabulous investments, and create quite a showcase, but maybe not for a nursery. With this information, I also knew an import piece was not the way to go. There can be lovely pieces in their collections, but they also don't have the modern mechanisms that make drawers slide easier, make them safer and just make life easier.
At this point I knew exactly what to show her. I knew of a furniture line that makes things that look very similar to the reclaimed wood and hand painted imports, we love so much, but with the modern mechanisms and sometimes a few extra bells and whistles; lighting, outlets, etc. They offer a variety of unique accent pieces and I knew she was sure to find somethings she would love. So after just a few minutes of looking, she fell in love immediately with a chest. There was no question it was the perfect piece. And conveniently enough right there on the same page was a adorable two-drawer side table, perfect! So here is what she picked.
She mentioned she had considered some antique pieces. We discussed how sometimes antiques have drawers that are hard to open, doors that maybe don't quite align anymore. They can be fabulous investments, and create quite a showcase, but maybe not for a nursery. With this information, I also knew an import piece was not the way to go. There can be lovely pieces in their collections, but they also don't have the modern mechanisms that make drawers slide easier, make them safer and just make life easier.
At this point I knew exactly what to show her. I knew of a furniture line that makes things that look very similar to the reclaimed wood and hand painted imports, we love so much, but with the modern mechanisms and sometimes a few extra bells and whistles; lighting, outlets, etc. They offer a variety of unique accent pieces and I knew she was sure to find somethings she would love. So after just a few minutes of looking, she fell in love immediately with a chest. There was no question it was the perfect piece. And conveniently enough right there on the same page was a adorable two-drawer side table, perfect! So here is what she picked.
I think it's going to be great!The pieces are all so random but in each there is some common element that when they are all together, they will create a room like none other. She could have picked everything straight from the Restoration Hardware catalog, or Pottery Barn and ended up with a room the mass population has copied. But this room will be special, something she created herself for her special little ones. And I know she will be so proud of her work.
I suggested a warmer color on the walls to offset the cooler tones of the grays. And I think she's off to a great start. I can't wait to see pictures of the finished product.
I suggested a warmer color on the walls to offset the cooler tones of the grays. And I think she's off to a great start. I can't wait to see pictures of the finished product.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Patience, wait, no, that's not it...
I was looking for a quote for patience, and although this is not exactly what I was aiming for, I thought it was funny, and so true!
"Alcohol gives you infinite patience for stupidity."
-Sammy Davis, Jr.
Haven't you ever hung out with "some people" we won't name names, when you are the only sober one and thought, "Oh my god, I need to be drunk to stand these people".
And then I realized, patience is not really the word I was even looking for. I also realized, I don't always know where to put a comma, but I try, so don't make fun. So on to the real point of today's blog.
So my neighbor up stairs makes soooooo much noise. She stomps, and I mean stomps. I know you all can say, when you live on the first floor your gonna hear the person above, but this is crazy.
Oh, tolerance, that's my word, I think. So tolerance, I need more of that. I know those of you who really know me would agree. I am working on it.
"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."
-Dalai Lama
I like that.
So this girl upstairs....
she is a smallish girl. I mean as thin as I am, maybe thinner, but a bit taller. Ok, she is like a foot taller, anyways... She constantly stomps around that apartment, and it's not that big of an apartment. So stomp stomp stomp, back and forth, in a very small space.
Ok, so I thought of a way I can put you in the moment. First, I measured and from the furthest two points in this place you can only cover 20ft. Ok well my second test didn't go quite how I planned. I sat quietly and watched the clock for 1 minute and thought I could track how many times she went back and forth, but of course for that minute she had slowed down, but it was still 4 times. Not sure that helps at all.
She is up early, at like 7am... stomping. I am not sure she ever leaves, because I hear her at all different hours of the day. And then she's up late, I don't know like 2am, once I can even remember hearing her at 4am. And once in the middle of the night it sounded like she dropped a boulder... It woke both me and my daughter.
Everyone who comes over comments on it, so I know I am not crazy. What is she doing up there? What is she always so mad about? Does she ever sit down? Sleep? Does she have really big feet? Maybe she only wears Doc Martens, steel toe. Sometimes we sit down here and just make up silly scenarios of what she might be doing up there.
A good one was.... naked yoga .. but I don't think that would require alot of stomping, unless she keeps falling down. Maybe naked aerobics.
Let's see another was... she must play the Wii, like alot! No that wouldn't explain the back and forth.
Hmmmm... I really just don't get it, my best guess is she must be a compulsive cleaner. Poor girl, if only she knew, we just sit down here and talk about her. That I curse her and shake my fist at the ceiling, often. That her stomping is a sound so annoying, that I can't even block it out. Enough so, that I made it the focus of my blog today.
Have fun with this... tell me what scenario you would imagine...
"Alcohol gives you infinite patience for stupidity."
-Sammy Davis, Jr.
Haven't you ever hung out with "some people" we won't name names, when you are the only sober one and thought, "Oh my god, I need to be drunk to stand these people".
And then I realized, patience is not really the word I was even looking for. I also realized, I don't always know where to put a comma, but I try, so don't make fun. So on to the real point of today's blog.
So my neighbor up stairs makes soooooo much noise. She stomps, and I mean stomps. I know you all can say, when you live on the first floor your gonna hear the person above, but this is crazy.
Oh, tolerance, that's my word, I think. So tolerance, I need more of that. I know those of you who really know me would agree. I am working on it.
"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."
-Dalai Lama
I like that.
So this girl upstairs....
she is a smallish girl. I mean as thin as I am, maybe thinner, but a bit taller. Ok, she is like a foot taller, anyways... She constantly stomps around that apartment, and it's not that big of an apartment. So stomp stomp stomp, back and forth, in a very small space.
Ok, so I thought of a way I can put you in the moment. First, I measured and from the furthest two points in this place you can only cover 20ft. Ok well my second test didn't go quite how I planned. I sat quietly and watched the clock for 1 minute and thought I could track how many times she went back and forth, but of course for that minute she had slowed down, but it was still 4 times. Not sure that helps at all.
She is up early, at like 7am... stomping. I am not sure she ever leaves, because I hear her at all different hours of the day. And then she's up late, I don't know like 2am, once I can even remember hearing her at 4am. And once in the middle of the night it sounded like she dropped a boulder... It woke both me and my daughter.
Everyone who comes over comments on it, so I know I am not crazy. What is she doing up there? What is she always so mad about? Does she ever sit down? Sleep? Does she have really big feet? Maybe she only wears Doc Martens, steel toe. Sometimes we sit down here and just make up silly scenarios of what she might be doing up there.
A good one was.... naked yoga .. but I don't think that would require alot of stomping, unless she keeps falling down. Maybe naked aerobics.
Let's see another was... she must play the Wii, like alot! No that wouldn't explain the back and forth.
Hmmmm... I really just don't get it, my best guess is she must be a compulsive cleaner. Poor girl, if only she knew, we just sit down here and talk about her. That I curse her and shake my fist at the ceiling, often. That her stomping is a sound so annoying, that I can't even block it out. Enough so, that I made it the focus of my blog today.
Have fun with this... tell me what scenario you would imagine...
Not sure of copyright laws,
so I am stating
" this picture is not mine".
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Recap of our Girl's Day
..."It's the best day ever (best day ever)
It's the best day ever (best day ever)"...
It's the best day ever (best day ever)"...
-Spongebob Squarepants
A much needed day off with my girl!
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."
John Lubbock
I have been working my little hinny off lately. Must make money, must make money! I am a sucker for picking up shifts and can never tell people no, so I over worked myself last week (and the week before that and the week before that) and now I am taking the day off. I kept my girl home from school. Our plans are to eat pancakes and go swimming! I am looking forward to spending time with my baby:)
"A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend."
Author Unknown
She is my best friend!
John Lubbock
I have been working my little hinny off lately. Must make money, must make money! I am a sucker for picking up shifts and can never tell people no, so I over worked myself last week (and the week before that and the week before that) and now I am taking the day off. I kept my girl home from school. Our plans are to eat pancakes and go swimming! I am looking forward to spending time with my baby:)
"A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend."
Author Unknown
She is my best friend!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
We are all extra-ordinary women... we should be acknowledged for that!
How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Friday, July 15, 2011
Words to Make You Tough
"You must learn how to make it on the broken pieces." -Louise Williams Bishop
Words to Encourage
"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. "
- Henry Ford
- Henry Ford
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Feel Good Words
"No one is useless who has a friend, and if we are loved we are indispensable."
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
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