Cowhide Rugs - Tandy Leather

I've discovered the most wonderful source for cowhides here in Nashville! Tandy Leather has brindle, black and white, brown and white, and faux zebra. And they're only $200!! How great is that? As soon as I have a hardwood floor to put one on I'll be picking one of these beauties up for myself!

And the great thing is, there are lots of Tandy locations, so chances are there's one near where you live! 

Brigitte and Alain Garnier in Veranda

The March 2011 issue of Veranda features the home of Brigitte and Alain Garnier. This 'Belgian Beauty', as Veranda titles it, is really a stunner.

Be still my heart. This antique family tree stopped me in my tracks.

Taxes!

Image here.

We're getting a jump on doing our taxes this year! 10:30 am tomorrow we'll have it knocked out. But of course, in the usual fashion, things have to be more difficult for us. Apparently only some tax professionals are brave (or crazy) enough to deal with New York taxes!! But we found one. Wish us luck! :)

Mekong Blue - Scarves for a Good Cause

I love these beautiful scarves from Mekong Blue! These gorgeous accessories are woven by Cambodian women at the Stung Treng Women’s Development Center. This non-profit organizations helps to lift women out of poverty by teaching them a trade and paying them a fair wage. They're not just selling scarves, they are changing people's lives.

They currently have 21 great styles, all in 100% silk. These are some of my favorites. Be sure to check them out for yourself, or as gifts for others! Available at http://www.bluesilk.org/.

Images found here.

Turqoise Paint

I have the urge to paint something turqoise right now. It's really trendy, but right now I think I'd do it anyway...

But I may have to just settle for painting my nails...

Or maybe make some of these...

Images found here and here.

Short and Sweet

No brilliant post tonight. Just a little snapshot into what I've been working on today. I love that I'm in such a creative field.

Valentine's Day Cards, Literally

Image found here.

Another great craft idea from the Martha Stewart team! How easy are these? You take all of the "hearts" from a deck of cards, and then personalize glassine envelopes with a message of your choice. Add a decorative sticker and you're done! Are any of you making hand-made valentines this year?

Illusion

Images from NY Times.

Can you image renting an apartment that's already painted like this? To me, it's like living in an art installation! Joseph Giovannini, a designer based in New York and LA bought this old phone company garage in LA and converted the 20,000 square feet into 14 lofts. Each loft has 30 foot ceilings! Check out the New York Times article here. What do you think?

Anthropologie Meets Real Life

I got this great egg platter at Anthropologie because it goes great with my Fiesta dishes. Check it out next to my most recent paint palette! I love it!  

Here's my most recent painted project.

                             

Stylish Blogger Award

Thank you Anita, from A Dreamer's Den, for sending the Stylish Blogger Award my way! I've decided that the 7 things I write about myself won't be related to my job as a designer, or the things that I normally post about. They're the "normal" things. Here it goes.

1) I'm married to Kane, my high school boyfriend. We've been together since early 2002...just about 9 years. We've been married since October 2007. (He's feeling somewhat better today.)
2) I was the captain of the cheerleading squad in high school. Which now, looking back, it seems like a past life!
3) I'm not a big fan of animals. I know, it makes me sound a little harsh, but I'm generally pretty unapologetic about it. They make me sneeze, they make noise, sometimes they jump on you, and you have to pick up their poop. No thank you!
4) I'm not nearly as good at putting together an outfit as I am a room. Actually, most of the time I'm pretty bad at it...
5) I can't drink coffee. It upsets my stomach.
6) I've never dyed my hair.
7) I have the most random iTunes playlist of anyone I know. Bluegrass, Country, Oldies, Rap, Classic Rock, Punk Rock, and everything in between. I've got something for everyone.

Eventful Evening

I had some good material lined up for today's post, but unfortunately it's going to have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight I ended up escorting my sick husband to the ER instead! He'll be fine, but he's 24 hours into a nasty 48 hour bug that's harassing Nashville. 

Now he's happily pumped full of fluids, pain medication, muscle relaxers, anti-nausea medication and a couple of other goodies.

The good news is that I am very impressed with Centennial Medical Center in Nashville. They were efficient and professional. The bad news is they politely informed me that I will probably have the same nasty bug within the week...

Susan Ferrier in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles

Susan Ferrier, from the Atlanta outpost of McAlpine Booth and Ferrier, has the February cover of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles! This beautiful job speaks for itself. I love getting to be a part of this great company! Also, be sure to check out McAlpine Booth and Ferrier on facebook.

Images from Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.

Top Three Books of 2010

As I mentioned in my last post, I didn't read quite as many books in 2010 as I wanted. But, out of the ones I did read these three were my favorite.

1) The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Read my post here.
2) Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Read my post here.
3) The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee. Read my post here.

Now, on to new books! Tonight I'm starting Cleopatra, A Life by Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff.

Image found here.

Better Late Than Never!

I should have done this 10 days ago, but better late than never. These are my main goals for 2011.

Read more books. Reading is my escape, but in 2010 I would often go days and sometimes weeks without picking up a book. Not this year!

Paint more. Maybe even get a little better at it!

Take a really great trip. We didn't take one in 2010 since we made a big move back to Tennessee! Now to decide where we want to go...

Develop and expand my blog. This little project has been up and running for one year now. It's time to take it to the next level in year number two.

Last but not least, buy a house. This one's going to be tough, but we're going to try our very hardest!

All images found here.

I've Been Painting Again!

I'm calling them my mini landscapes. They each measure 5" x 5". I thought I'd throw my hand in for reference.

(You can see my Essie Dive Bar nail polish from my last post.)

These two are my favorites.

Essie at Walmart!

Image found here.

Wal-Mart isn't my favorite store in the world. But sometimes you've just got to go. I was really excited to see that they now carry Essie nail polish for $7.75 a bottle! They have some colors that are exclusively available at Wal-Mart, like 'Dive Bar' which is an awesome blackened teal. I'm wearing it and I think it's my new favorite!

A Home for The Window

I decided the best home for my photo window is above our bed. I like it, but I don't love it. That's mainly because our bedroom is still such a work in progress, with a mish-mash of things I've accumulated over time. I'll let you know if I decide to move it again!

Also, some of you may be wondering about my incredibly bright yellow pillow...it was an extra from one of the first jobs I worked on as a designer in New York. Yellow wouldn't have been my first choice, but beggars can't be choosers I guess! Here's a picture of that job.

Saturday Art Project

I found some great linen canvases on sale at Plaza Art here in Nashville, so I picked one up to experiment on. My Saturday afternoon art project turned out pretty well...at least for my first attempt at this style! Now I just need to decide where to hang it.

Mini Snowmen!

Image found here.

We're supposed to get a little bit of snow in Nashville tonight. Hopefully we get enough to make some of these mini snowmen! Those Martha Stewart crafters are so clever...

Window Project

Over Christmas I rescued this window creation from my parent's attic. It used to hang in my room several years ago. We bought it at an antique mall for a few dollars, added a wire to the back, and attached the photos and post cards with contact paper. My new project is finding what new photos I want to put on it before I hang it in our bedroom...

Two Tone Tights

About two and a half years ago, when I was still living in NYC, I started seeing awesome two tone tights on the streets. Of course, they were Chanel. And they were about $300 a pair.

Low and behold, I'm shopping in Urban Outfitters in downtown Nashville all this time later and there they are! It only took two and a half years, but I finally got a pair for $12! (Just minus the C's)

Christmas Morning Recap

Kane and I hosted our first Christmas this year, and let me say it is pretty great to wake up at your own house and have everyone come to you! (A little selfish, but true.)

Our Christmas tree loaded up with presents!

Kane with his grandmother, Didda.

Rhonda, Brad and Didda.

Kane and I with my concert tickets! Try to disregard the mess behind us!

Girl Logan with her first Christmas stocking ever.

And Boy Logan with his.