-- Snow Day(s)? --

Blizzard Watches?  Winter Weather Advisories?  Winter Storm Warnings?!?!  Yes, I said WARNING!  As in "The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow... sleet and freezing rain... The Winter Storm Watch is no longer in effect."

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Man, is it me or do they mean business?  All the CAPS ON WEATHER.COM sometimes scares me.  Is it to make us worry a little bit more?  Maybe it's a conspiracy with the retail stores to get us to go out and buy more before the storm of the century hits us...

I will say though that a couple of years ago, my parents got hit with a nasty snow storm and they were without power for 5 days.... it was like going back in time... no TV, no heaters, no lights... until they bought a generator, but even then it wasn't the greatest! 

I'm secretly hoping that tomorrow will be a snow day for me so I can get all my blogity blogs lined up and ready to go!  I didn't blog all weekend and when it came time to this morning, I just wasn't feeling what I had.  With the impending doom of a snowstorm that is headed our way, I'm guessing that there may be a little time over the next couple of days to catch up...

Until then, enjoy what my friends at the weather.com are saying about this Ice/Snow Monster Storm...
And stay safe and warm!

-- Message in a Recipe Box? --

Today I had a goal...
To clean off my kitchen table which over the last couple of weeks has become a dropping zone.  I'm not sure why...probably because we never eat at it so why not use it for something. 

However, in my totally easily distracted manor, I drifted.  I drifted far far away and almost back in time.  You see, I have 2 recipe boxes from my Aunt Anna.  When she passed, we ended up with a lot of random things in our garage at home.  That's my parents garage...our garage is another story for another day.  Anyways, I'd been through them before, but never THROUGH them. 

So, today it was the day!  They were technically part of the kitchen table mess so I tackled!  It was like going back in time.  Probably 1/3rd of the recipes included spam.  Another 1/3 included baking mix - to make EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.  And the last 1/3 were DESSERTS!  My ultimate fave...however too many of those included dates and prunes for my liking. 

I picked through them, and sorted the ones that I liked and the ones that I need to rewrite for my own recipe box and then I came across one on a yellow folded piece of paper. 

It was a letter from my Aunt Irma... weird... in my Aunt Anna's recipe box.  The even weirder part was that it was to some other people.  I guess it's not that weird, when we lived in Fort Wayne, they lived together, but still odd. 

I love to see typed letters on old paper and the expressions that were used over 30 years ago.  Dated 1979 it was about someone who had died.  Actually two people.  Agnes and Leo.   

Here's what it says:

Dear Connie and Margaret:

     Although I haven't heard from you since Leo's death, I'm sure you are very busy and find it hard to write... but this news of Agnes death yesterday is important for you to hear about.  When Joyce called me around 2pm yesterday, she said that her mom had passed away around 10:30am.  She didn't know about Leo's death because I didn't write her, thinking that I probably didn't have a valid address.  Fortunately, she sent me a Christmas card which showed the current address.  This is the same address that was given to Anna when she contacted them by phone this pas summer (Anne was home for Tim's wedding).  In this Christmas card, Joyce said her mom's health had deteriorated very fast the past year and at Thanksgiving she was put in the Pennock Hospital (in Hastings Michigan) and since the latest development was a blood infection.  So ends another life in the family.  I'm sending a copy of this letter to Anne and to Elsie.

     Connie, it must be hard to go on living when the one you've loved is gone, and to pick up life's shattered pieces and carry on.  But there is a way in the coming months... a ray of light because we do believe there is life beyond the grave where there'll be no more tears.

     Much love to you both...

          Irma

A little downer for a Friday, but interesting nonetheless.  I think my favorite is the very last paragraph... It's so heartfelt and real.  And it's just so simple.  I just think it's sweet.  I'm guessing this was a rough draft because there are some things crossed out on it and also, it was used to write a recipe on the back! 

Happy Weekend to everyone!  I hope you enjoy it!

-- Featuring a Follower - First Edition --

Although there are only a few of you, I'd like to let you know that I appreciate the fact that I know someone is looking, seeing, hearing about, or reading my blog.  I know sometimes it's a lot of random nothingness and I appreciate you coming back for more... even if it is just more random nothingness. 

So today I thought I'd "Feature a Follower." 

Today's follower is...

(wait for it, wait for it)

Michelle at Flourishing Networks

According to Michelle's "about" page, she is a creative photographer!  LOVE and Jealousy are seeping out of me right now!  She has the most beautiful pictures for sale in her Etsy shop!  Click here to see them! 

This one is from her blog. 



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 You know what else I love about her blog?  She's got the greatest pictures of FOOD!  It's making me hungry right now! 

So go on over and check out Michelle's Blog - Flourishing Networks! 

-- My Ikea Wish List --

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Does anyone else have a love hate relationship with IKEA?  I know I do!  I love to go and I hate that they are all so far away (and that they barely ship)!  And lets be honest...I could use almost everything in there!

I decided that I'd share with you my IKEA wish list because not only do I find IKEA affordable, sassy, different, workable, and better quality, but I'd like to fill my house with it like some of the designers and other bloggers do! 

So, here goes!

Ikea Wish List by babs625 on Polyvore.com

 

The dressers would be used in my bedroom which needs a complete set of furniture. 

The wardrobe would be used as a linen closet in a corner that I have in my upstairs loft.  I need a place to store all our pillows, sheets, etc.  I assume I'll need to use our closets at some point and would like them to not be filled with nonsense that could go in here!  I think I'd frost the glass too. I also found this wardrobe for just $179.  And here are all the others!

The Jorin herringbone rug!  LOVE IT!!!  I'm not sure where I'd put this right now, but I know I'd find a home for it as it's been on my list for quite some time now!

The chaise for either my bedroom or the office.  Both need a good little reading chair or chaise.  I think this would work well.  Plus, the no arms make it more versatile. 

Artwork, maybe for a nursery?  Or a guest bedroom?  I'm not going to lie...I just think this is a cool print.  Might even just give it to my sister when she graduates.  ;)  College graduates always need home goods when they graduate. 

Tin Boxes for the office or pantry even.  Obviously they are storage and they hide because they are not clear, but allow you to still label them.  I think they have a vintage industrial feel to them. 

Sherpa-esque rug definitely for either my guest room OR under my xmas tree next year as a tree skirt.  It's like snow!  Not really, but I still like it!  And, it's different. 

Do you have an IKEA wish list?  If so, share with me what you could use!

Happy Monday!

-- My Ottoman Redo --

A couple of years ago, I found an ottoman at Goodwill.  It sat in my garage for probably a year.  Mike always wanted to give it away or back to Goodwill, but I knew I'd get around to it at some point, right?!  So about two years later, I finally did.  I tore it apart and here's what I was left with.

I picked up a mess up paint at Wal-Mart for $5 and I was off.  I started to paint over the black that I'd hoped to do first.  This color was more of a taupe.  More of a neutral and also something that wouldn't weigh down the room because it was a big ottoman.

Here it is in my kitchen after being painted and the foam is sitting on top.  So far, so good. 

After I'd made the trip to Jo-Ann Fabrics to buy fabric, nail heads, and batting (total cost $30) it was time to make buttons for my attempted tufting.  Well, that was the easier part... kinda.  I started with a button cover kit.  Then you cut the fabric into a small circle and push the button in and voila! Matching buttons!

 



Then it was time for tufting and nail head trim.  I will say that I'm not completely pleased with the tufting and am tempted to pull it out, but we shall see.  I could not get the buttons very tight without them actually popping off.  So, I did what I could.  Below is me finishing off the nail heads...



 

And this is the last picture of me working on it and don't worry... Mike was just pretending to shoot staples at me!  I was FREAKING out!  But he never hit me... he kept shooting at the wall because I would jump and scream.  Like I said, it was FREAKING me out!

And here's the final product!

What do you think?

I have to say... I'm pretty proud of myself! 

-- Hang It Up --

I don't know about you guys, but Mike and I seem to have a huge problem hanging things like coats, scarves, etc up in their appropriate places.  We have a coat closet, but it's a bit small and really, who wants to hang their coat up the closet when they are just going to get it out again the next morning?  I mean, really. 

So... I decided we needed to have some hooks in our pantry/mudroom.  Our pantry is off of our kitchen and garage and has a place where the washer and dryer could go but we opted to put that upstairs.  This leaves a large open space.  This is basically the dog room.  I have dog pictures, the dog bowls, leashes etc. 

Not anymore!  I was going to hang the hooks, but Mike took over!  He hates me messing up the walls (which I tend to do). 

And here is the final outcome!  Mike got creative using 4 large hooks for coats and 2 smaller hooks for scarves, hats, and more! 

What do you think? 

Best part about this, the only cost incurred was for the hooks.  We had everything else! 

Happy Hump Day!

-- Carmel Antiquities --

So I had yesterday off from work and usually on my unusual days off (meaning not regular days off), I go exploring.  And by exploring I mean to the usual thrift shops and/or antique stores.  So why would this day be any different?

After I had exhausted myself with laundry, I headed for downtown Carmel (a cute little town) en route to a booth at the Carmel Antique Mall.  I've been seeing this "Syd & Harpers" on craigslist for quite some time now and my mom even mentioned it to me the other day so I thought, why not search it out.  They have this amazing settee that I've been dying to see... if only I had a place to put it.  It's on the bottom of my NEED list (but really in my heart it's at the top!). 

After I looked there and wanted everything but couldn't figure out a place for anything in my house, I just browsed around and came across a few other things.  These furs were just calling my name.  If I'd had someone with me, I'd have made them take a picture of me in one of them.  I love old furs... not sure why, but I totally do. 

Then I came across this picture which I'm thinking would make for a neat accent picture on my wall of pictures that I'm hoping to do up the stairs.  I think it would be really neat in the middle of all kinds of family photos...

I also saw these for our yard next year!  Ha!  Yea, right... Mike was getting a little worked up that people were taking pictures in front of our halloween house last year... how do you think these would go over?!  ;)

This map was pretty cool.  I kind of have a thing for vintage maps which I know are very "in" right now, but I've always liked them.  You may remember the one I found at a Noblesville Antique Mall last year.  It sits at the top of my steps (until I get my walls painted and then it will hang).  However, the price tag on this one made me cringe.  Read the note below the picture... apparently it's very old!  Like 1777 old!  And was actually manufactured in England.  WOAH!

And then these just creeped me out a little.  This entire booth was filled with dolls.  The Scarlett O'Hara Madame Alexander doll didn't freak me out at all, but the amount of dolls that were in this case just wasn't right. 

So that was my MLK Jr day.  Then we went to Noodles and Co (YUMM) for dinner and then the grocery.  All in all, a good day!

-- Milestones --

Six months ago today, I married my husband. 

Wow... I can't believe it's been that long already.  I'm not very good at this stuff, but I do want to say a few things about Mike. 

He's a genuine, loving, caring, passionate, committed person.  He stays true to who he is always.  He's always on my team, my side, in love with me no matter what.  And he's always making me laugh!

We've had our moments over these last 6 months, but it's been the best six months of our six years together!  I love him with all my heart!  I love him and I can't wait to spend the next six months, six years, sixteen years, sixty years.... with him! 

Happy Six Month Anniversary to my Love. 

-- Reading --

Good Monday Morning Blog Hogs!

One of my new years goals was to read more.  Since I asked my sister for her set of the Twilight series probably about a year ago, I figured it was time to actually read them.  And what better time to read than today...a nice snowy-ish day off work. 

I didn't want to just jump on the Twilight bandwagon and I really wasn't sure if I was Team Edward or Team Jacob.  I'd watched the first movie and then I decided to watch the second the other day which solidified the deal that I needed to read the books. 

Have you read the series? 

PS Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day! 

"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.- 

--Thrifty Thursday (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) --

Well Blog Hogs...

I don't have any pictures yet because I haven't started.  I'm going to tackle {FINALLY} reupholstering and finishing my goodwill ottoman that I purchased!  AHH!!!  This could be a complete mistake.  And I'm pretty sure it will take me all weekend!

Last summer, I had spray painted the base black, but am now thinking I'd like to do something a little different.  I'm going to paint the base a gray color, do some neat knobs from Anthropologie because it has drawers in it, and then I'm thinking about covering the top in a Jacobean tan/gray print... What do you think?  Sound good?

Ok, well for now, check out All Thing Thrifty's ottoman redo!  It's awesome! I'm hoping mine goes as well! 

-- Holiday Music --

What?  The holidays are over?  There's no more holiday items in the stores?  It's been a whole 17 days (check my math) since Christmas?  Really?  Are you sure?

Because I could swear that I'm listening to a Holiday CD right now.  Yep, that's right, I am! 

It's one for all seasons....even if it is all Christmas music!  Check out Diane Zeigler's December in Vermont!  The best CD ever!  I love her!  She reminds me of Amy Grant in a way, but I love how it's just very simple and December in Vermont is my absolute FAVORITE song! 

Click here to listen to samples!

-- Favorite Designer - Sarah Richardson --

Well Well Well...
Today should have been a snow day and it wasn't so, I'm blogging for you! 

Every morning I open my blogger dashboard and then I open up each blog that I follow who has a new post and read them one at a time until I'm done.  I have a few favorites, but that is for another day.

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This morning I opened up Rambling Renovators (who I love) who posted something on my absolute favorite designer, Sarah Richardson!  I watch her shows religiously!  I found her one day when flipping through the channels and at that time it was Fine Living where Room Service was on.  She kind of reminds me of a Martha Stewart type... I could be the only one who thinks this though.  There's just something about what she designs that is so clean, simple, chic, sophisticated, and a mix of old and new that I love! 

Now, 1 cottage, 3 houses, and Design Inc later, I follow her still religiously through Sarah's House (with sneak peaks from Rambling Renovators who lives in CAN and sees her shows before they hit the US).  Have you ever watched her or fallen in love with her, her team, and her designs as well?  Please tell me I'm not alone! 

Here are a few pictures of rooms she's done.  My ultimate favorite thing about her is her mixing of patters and pulling out the least used color in fabrics to use on accent pieces, or the walls!

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So what do you think?  Do you like Sarah too?  Are you so excited for her new show Sarah 101 to start in the States come spring?  Do you have another designer you LOVE?! 

I'd love to hear!