Who knew? - Sundance Catalog

I was looking for a christmas stocking for James online the other day and checked out the Sundance Catalog website. It has been a really long time since I have received a catalog so I had no idea all the great stuff they have! Here are some of the great items -

I think this cabinet would be great in our Bathroom (post-remodel). It would be perfect for towels and all my lotions and potions.

This is $58, and I think would be fun and unexpected art for the kitchen or hallway. Something funny about a Question mark.

Nick wants these chairs for our backyard. We got a great teak table at the Smith and Hawken closeout sale. These are still a little too pricey, but someday.

Ohh. And these boots are on sale for $149. I got them for much more at Zappos, but love them. They look great with jeans and are very comfortable.

John Robshaw and HSN

A while back I was on the Home Shopping Network website ordering my signed copy of Mommywood (Sorry I am a Tori Spelling fan) and noticed that they had some good prices on their John Robshaw pillows. I mistakenly let the pillow I really wanted sell out, but when checking today I saw they had the yellow striped pillows for $15. Not 100% sure what I will do with these, but cannot pass up a good deal. The John Robshaw website also has some great pillows on sale with an additional 25% off, that if we were not on a budget I would be tempted. Next I need to decided if I need this Rachel Zoe ring (sorry I love reality tv shows).

RIP - mini mac

So after running my scheduled updates, my Mac mini has died. I am going to see if they can save her, or at the very least get me my photos back. So until I can get her back up and running or replaced I will be limited on blog posts. Sad thing is I have tons of new photos to share.

Love Ebay

I am having our peach club chairs recovered and been waiting for a sale at Calico Corners since the fabric we picked out is $60 a yard. While I was waiting I did a search on Ebay and found 11 yards of Robert Allen gray wool upholstery fabric (the exact yardage I needed). $73 dollars later all 11 yards are mine. This is a lighter color gray than I originally planned, but you cannot beat the price. Now that I have the fabric I am ready to get the chairs recovered, but the reupholster is booked until after Thanksgiving.


Also on Ebay I purchased these vintage show ribbons. I have a small collection that I have purchased (and even won in my younger years) that I am planning on creating a collage. This will be a long process before I have enough, but it is fun looking for more on Ebay at auctions.

FLIP! for Decorating

I left off my favorite book from my recommendation list. I love Flip for Decorating by Elizabeth Mayhew. I have been reading it every night before bed, yes I am even reading it before buying. The book explains fool proof formulas for decorating key rooms of your home. Since I am a complete novice at decorating it is wonderful to read a step by step process to layer a room together; the rooms do not feel stale or predictable. The book is written as a friend giving advice and not a decorator explaining their process. I am going to buy this book for all my friends as house warming gifts. (Check out a great video on Amazon of the book "Flipping" to build a living room).

I love new projects.

So I have thank you cards completed, James' birth announcements mailed and the garage sale was a success. That leaves room for 3 new projects. Having James makes it difficult to get anything done, so these could be the projects for awhile. Plus Nick still has the bathroom to finish.

• Project #1 - With my garage sale proceeds I am having our peach chairs recovered, but am waiting for a sale at Calico Corners before ordering the fabric. We are going to have them recovered in a charcoal wool. I have one estimate for the upholstery, but while I wait for a sale at Calico Corners I might get a few more quotes.
  
  

• Project #2 - Here is the new coffee table we purchased the other weekend for $8. It will be great for baby proofing since two of our current coffee tables have sharp edges. The plan is to repaint the base black and either have marble cut for the top or a make one out of wood. Once complete we will do a coffee table shuffle between the rooms to figure what what works best where.

• Project #3 - We are getting rid of our dinning room table. It is too big and the legs don't allow for enough leg room. Awhile back I purchased a faux bamboo table that has been sitting in the garage. I am going to paint it red just like this photo from Canadian House & Home. I plan on using my bamboo bench with set of bamboo chairs that are the exact same style as those in the photo. Might be a little too much faux bamboo, but hopefully the differences in finishes will stop it from being matchy-matchy.

My Book Report

I have gone through my stack of books from the library and here is my brief book report. Please note that I don't really read the books, mainly look at the photos and then scan the text. If I buy the book, then I read.

Next time I order from Amazon Recommendation:

• A Passion for Blue and White, by Carolyne Roehm. I love and have a copy of all Carolyne's books. They are a good balance of interior, entertaining and outdoors. Plus my mom would also like to read it.

Look for at "Half Priced Books" Recommendations:

• The Home Book and The Finishing Touch, from House Beautiful. If I had to pick one, I would purchase The Home Book. Both are a Best of from the magazine, but The Home Book has larger photos. It includes color samples recommended by decorators which I always reference when trying to narrow down color choices in our house (which ends up at Decorator's White, but still).

• Thom Filicia Style by Thom Filicia. I really liked this book. Thom would go on my list of potential decorators I would want to decorate our house if we won the lottery. There are images I have not seen before and some that I have (his lake house), but overall it pasted my thumb through once then go back and read.

Buy if they were really discounted Recommendations:

These books I just did not have very many post-its marking rooms or images I liked. Of course I cannot turn down a good deal, so would still purchase.

• Michael Taylor, Interior Design.
• Domestic Art, Holly Moore.
• Michael s Smith Houses.