A few more of Mary

Paint Colors

Choosing paint colors is such a pain. We currently have around 5 colors painted throughout the house in "test spots," and while we have narrowed down the main floor color to something similar to the light blue on the top image, we are still trying to figure out a darker color for the kitchen, bathroom, and possibly the dining and laundry room. T has a favorite, but I think it might be too "Easter egg."

These are some of the images via this this photostream that we were looking at for blue, gray, or white rooms:

Au Fil de

These fine art floral prints are lovely.
{See more here}

boopalina + bebe - eco modern mobile

I like this minimalist mobile.

Painted kitchen floors

via here

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...

This little one had no interest in staying still.

Skylar Collection

The shape of this sectional makes sense, especially for socializing.
In the right space it could be ideal.

Maybe the bird's-eye view is overly flattering?

Still Rockin'

We were at a loss for what to give a friend for his 40th birthday.

This print by Christopher David Ryan would have worked well,
especially for him.

The List

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The things I am working on this year:

-Discover the perfect rich chocolate cake recipe. An over-the-top, lots of fudge frosting/mousse filled layers, makes you want to moan it is so good cake that T always craves.

-Simplify. Eliminate needless spending. Put together a budget and follow it.

-Be in bed with lights out by 10. Try to be in bed by 9:30 and spend the next half-hour winding down and reading.

-No computer past 9 pm, it throws off my sleep. Limit computer time all around.

-Create a healthier lifestyle. Eat better, sleep better, spend more time outside, be more active, think happier thoughts, spend more time on positive and quality things...

-Health is a privilege. Do what is needed to merit it.

-Plan out menus for the week. Waste less food and eat healthier through planning.

-Do all cleaning, laundry, etc. on the same day each week. Put laundry away the same day it is washed.

-Start exercising in the morning. This will entail setting my alarm (sigh), but if I don't do it in the morning, it usually doesn't happen.

-Clean out my closet. Toss the things I shouldn't be wearing. Replace with a few items I should be wearing if needed. (Translation: You know the outfits you swore you would never wear? Lazy slobby things like huge sweats and ugly t-shirts? Un-flattering pants and tops you previously would have been humiliated to wear in private, but now wear to take your kids to school? It is a slippery slope and I am afraid that I have begun to slide. Even if I have days when all I do is play at home with the kids there is no reason I can't wear something that is practical and put-together. It isn't heels or nothing.)

-Do things immediately. I have always had a tendency toward procrastination, and recently realized that if I take care of thoughts or things that need to be done immediately, I am motivated to do what needs to be done, freeing me to move on to whatever comes up next. If I push things to the side, oh boy, the delay in completing them rapidly spins out of control until it is just too overwhelming for me to even think about, so I put them off some more or forget about them entirely. I can make my life much easier if I just take care of ideas and things as they come up - it is quick and painless.

-Be on time. If I have a few extra minutes before I need to do something or go somewhere I immediately think that that means I have a few extra minutes to squeeze something in. I forget that there is always something that will delay things a bit or take more time than planned. Usually thinking that I will be somewhere early means that I will arrive on time and be much more pleasant and not stressed.

- This is the year that my "little project" either happens or I am moving on. (For those that know about it, it is still a (very prolonged) go. I'm in the process of switching factories....)

-Relax and enjoy life. It flies by so quickly and there is so much that is worth soaking in.

A few neglected pictures

People pay to have lips that look nowhere near this full...

One of the gorgeous older sisters.

I want to get a picture of my kids jumping together.
Sort of a random moment, but such a good time.

Creative Child's Floor Covering

We have a pack of foam alphabet tiles that is really just collecting dust.
Using them to make a "rug" is brilliant.

image via desire to inspire

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Stop saving the best for later. Do and use good stuff now.

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Ranunculus

Ranunculus make me happy. I'd say they are my current favorite flower.

Hydrangea and peonies follow close behind.

Tulips will always make the top 5.

{Perhaps I should pass this post onto a certain man in my life?}

image via here via here

Mirrors and Circle Print

I was browsing West Elm's site and realized that I was liking the wall decor and rooms more than I was liking the product being showcased. I want to do something similar to the mirror display in the top picture.

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The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.

-William James

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Frame Riser

I am one of the many fans of Pottery Barn's new frame risers. The picture wall I have been saying I will do for the last year and a half will be placed on a wall that happens to have a thermostat, and the floating frame effect the riser offers will be perfect for covering it up. Now I just need to follow-through on the project...

The Dining Room Light?

This could be what I am looking for.

Room designed by Jayne Wunder.

via desire to inspire

I'm not a red person

I do appreciate the color red as an accent in my wardrobe: red shoes, clutch, coat. But in my home? No thank-you. So surprise, surprise when I found myself loving this kitchen. It is so cheerful. Maybe I like it because it is not a warm red and there is a rather flashy high gloss? Either way it is fabulous and such a nice addition of color.

poorly scanned via Spring 09 Renovation Style

Life is funny.

It changes. Things that mattered so much can lose their meaning, and things that were never paid attention, or even avoided, slowly become what is important.

I guess this is less about life being funny and more about me being funny, or more appropriately put, me evolving into what I like to think is a better, more experienced, and more aware version of myself.

I can't wait to see what changes are on the horizon.

Desert Beauty

Living where I live has sold me on never again living anywhere that isn't alive and green. So I had to laugh when this garden in the Arizona desert completely drew me in and left me inspired.

I've realized that I am losing interest in a traditional lawn and yard. I will always want one large area of grass to be able to play on, but other than that, grass is becoming a bit boring, too thirsty, and high maintenance. A big open yard is plain, paths and separated areas are appealing. Mulch in beds looks nice, but river rocks adds more interest.

I am curious to see what I would wind up doing to a yard if I had a house that something untraditional would work well with, especially if it was in the green setting I hope to stay in.

scanned via Garden Design March 09

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You can have anything you want if you give up the belief that you can't have it.

-Dr. Robert Anthony

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Bertoia Barstools

I need a kitchen that these barstools would look good in.

This room:
The windows, the high ceiling, the light fixtures, the light ....
....mmmm.

scanned via early spring renovation style mag

Marney Bean's Garden

I wouldn't mind walking outside my house to see this.
See more images here

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If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.

-Thomas Edison

I'd like to be astounded.

Happy Valentine's Day

T's valentine.

I'd love this on my wall

Canvas by William Ivey

One more veggie garden

I want to plop a chair in the middle of this garden and spend the day surrounded by all of it's deliciousness. I really have spring fever.

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"The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn."

~unknown

"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."

~Freidrich Neitzsche

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I always wanted a four poster bed...

Designed by Julio Quinones.

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Act as if what you do makes a difference.
It does.

-William James

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A little window tip for later

Take windows to the ceiling to be able to soak up every ounce of available light.

Kale in Pots

More ways to sneak in extra greens.

via old bhg

Edible Gardening

A friend's recent announcement of a move to sunny CA has me ready to stow away in her moving van so that I can enjoy the lovely weather and the joys of year-round fresh produce grown at home or from the many local farmer's markets.

Since I would miss my kiddos too much and they probably won't have room for me in their soon to be teenier California home I'll just have to start thinking about what I am going to plant this year in my ever-growing gardening experiment. Incorporating edibles into a more traditional landscape is a beautiful and practical way of increasing access to fresh produce, especially leafy greens that I can never get enough. Little A could live off of strawberries so I'll have to make a point of supplementing our tiny patch throughout the yard if the creatures don't eat them first.

Looking at these images has me wondering if anything could be more delicious and appealing than eating produce within minutes of picking it. I am enjoying fond memories of A insisting that there were more ripe strawberries somewhere and of the four of us sitting under our pear tree, contentedly eating just-picked pears. (My kids swore they hated pears until they had them like this, and now they are addicted.)

images via Garden Design July '08

Thick counter/table tops make me happy.

via old met home

Preserving Children's Art

I can't wait till we have enough artistic "favorites" from each child to create one of these art collages for each of them. It is the most genius solution to the never-ending struggle over what to do with all of the kid's masterpieces.

via tutus & turtles

via Le Love

Now the internet works, but nothing else does. Sigh.

I carefully measured and placed cork tiles on my wall precisely 1/4 in. apart only to have the adhesive provided not be adequate and every single tile fell off in the night. Now I am going to have to carefully replace them while hammering.

I just felt like having a 30-second pity party over stupid things before I got back to the reality of the life that I truly love and enjoy.

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1 1/2 weeks without internet is surprisingly liberating. I even cleaned out and organized my kitchen cupboards...

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