Trophy Time

No, I will not be handing out end of the year superlatives.  But there will be trophies involved.  Ever solve one of those problems that you didn't realize was a problem until you found the solution?  Well I did last week.  My problem: A whole big wall with only a funky orange mirror on it.

My solution?  Well, white ceramic deer head trophies, of course.  Problem solved!

Who needs boring sconces when you can have faux animal heads glaring at your dinner guests.

They are a little quirky and I love them.  They help fill up space on that wall that I didn't even realized needing filling.  Actually this all began because I wanted the "large" deer head at Z Gallerie that was basically life sized and cost $250.  I wanted it so bad yet had no idea where it would fit in my house.  My compromise...2 small deer heads that only ran me $80 total.  And I might add, my office holiday bowling party winnings paid for these suckers.  So they were basically free!

So now I'm over the expensive deer head but now I'm kinda eyeing the $129 giraffe head.  He'd look really cute in my office.  I better start practicing my bowling. 

No actual animals were harmed in this post.

5 Days Until Christmas

Christmas is almost here.  I think I've just about finished all my shopping and I'm definitely looking forward to a few days of R & R with my family and friends.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas! 

Biscuit's Stakeout

Since Biscuit moved in I've grown pretty used to toys being strewn all over my living room.  She's actually the first dog I've had that played with toys.  My other dogs never really showed any interest.

In the last week or so I've noticed that my living room was a lot neater than usual.  Maybe only one or two toys on the ground.  I also noticed she was wandering out of the living room for long periods of time.  Turns out she's started a new playroom in my dining room.

She had nine toys moved up by the front window.  She now sits up there for hours staring at the squirrels in the front yard.  It's become an obsession.  She's normally sitting on the bench but I couldn't catch her in action.

Luckily she's only barked a few times and that was at a cat.  She just likes to spy on the squirrels.  Weirdo. 

More Thieving

I have no shame.  This week is bulk trash week in my neighborhood.  I can't help but scan people's discards when I drive by.  You never know.  I've rescued frames from dumpsters.  My now navy office chair was once just a lonely wooden chair on the curb.  I think of it as recycling.  Upcycling even.  Giving new life to stuff and saving space in our landfills.  Or at least that's how I sleep at night.  I say this because this past weekend I "stole" some curbside trash.  I passed by it a few times before running across the street, dressed in black, around midnight on Saturday.  I also made sure to turn all my porch lights off.  The last thing I need is the neighbors talking about me.

Behold!  Two nightstands that I don't really need...still damp with dew.  But they have such potential that I couldn't let them be destroyed.  They just need a little spray paint!  [Doesn't everything?]

The hardware and gold trim are pretty awesome.  Like I said, I don't need any nightstands in my house but I still might be able to use them.  They could be end tables for my low sectional in the living room.  Or possibly a storage bench at the end of my bed.

I have no idea what color I'm going to paint them.  I could do something really crazy, like Kelly Green.

Or I could just go with a crisp white.

At least this project is a cheap [read: free] form of entertainment for me.  As I mull over my color choices I just pray my neighbors don't come over to borrow any sugar soon. 

Needlepoint Saves Me $158.00

I have already discussed my obsession with Jonathan Adler.  I just love everything he does.  Unfortunately I can't afford 90% of what he does, but such is life.  [sidenote: Barnes & Noble has a line of JA designs especially for their stores and the prices are awesome!  Haven't picked anything up yet, but might after Christmas.]  Anyway...another thing I love in life is the movie Mommie Dearest.  This is in no way to be a reflection on my own childhood.  I just love me some demented Joan Crawford by way of Faye Dunaway.  So I was super excited to see this new pillow in Jonathan Adler's Needlepoint collection.

I love everything about this pillow.  Everything except the price.  $165.00.  No, even I know that's too much for a 9" throw pillow.  That's when I got the brilliant idea to learn to needlepoint and make my own.  I started out in early November after purchasing about $7.00 in supplies (yarn and the grid).

I just sort of freehanded it from what stiches I could see in the photo of the pillow.

I ran out of room for the third hanger but still think I did a pretty good job!  It took about 5 weeks (which may be why the hand stitched pillow is so costly) and I finally finished it last night.

I was going to turn it in to a pillow but now I think I'm going to frame it and hang it in my soon-to-be-redone master closet.  That renovation won't get started until after the new year but in the meantime I'll be starting my next needlepoint project.  This next one will become a pillow eventually.  So, sorry about stealing the JA design but I think of it as a nod of appreciation.  And once I win that lottery, I promise to hit the Jonathan Adler store for a shopping spree.

More Office Spray Paint Action

I finally came to a decision on my office chair and decided to just take it from black to navy.  Not a drastic change but one that matches better.

During this spray painting session I also managed to turn my arms, legs and hair blue.  I need to stop spray painting on windy days but it seems like every weekend is windy.  No worries, after a couple of showers I eventually got all the blue paint off my person.  I also tackled a random little table that has been floating around my house since I moved in.  It doesn't match anything so it never really found a home.

Since gold and navy were the paints of the weekend, I gave this guy a face lift to match my office.

Nothing too exciting but it definitely took this little table from country bumpkin to city slicker, added a little class.  Now I have a place for my drink as I read in my new comfy chair.

Going for the Gold

As of last weekend I have a new favorite spray paint.  Gold!  I picked up gold a few weeks ago to perk up some old iron pieces I have laying around the house and finally got around to using it this past weekend.  I went through my normal routine of starting with a couple of objects and then once I saw the results I kept walking back in the house to find more things I could paint gold.

I started with some mason jars and eventually added an old railroad nail and a candle stick.

These pieces are going to be part of my office.  The gold looks great with the navy and orange.  Eventually they will help with styling my bookshelf in the room.  For now, I just look and them and smile and then slowly scan the house for more things I can grace with my Rust-Oleum Midas Touch.

Target + Neiman Marcus

Yes, I was lined up at 7:30 am on Saturday for the much awaited Target & Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection to debut.  I would rank in below the great Missoni release mostly because it was a higher price point overall and the collection did not have a lot of decor items. But this does not mean I didn't buy anything.  I managed to get a Thom Browne blazer and a Marc Jacobs clutch and then my favorite purchase was the Tracy Reese dessert plates.

I liked them so much I bought 2 sets.  I don't actually plan on serving dessert on them though.  I think they are going to look fabulous on the wall in my guest room.  I want to hang them above the headboard (which doesn't actually exist yet).

I really think they are going to look great.  I need to buy some plate hangers and I potentially need to find a larger plate for the center of my planned hangings. 

 

I'm imagining a diamond shaped layout with the ninth larger plate being at the center of my 8 dessert plates.  I wish they had more decorative items in the collection, but at the rate things were priced it is probably best that they didn't.