Thankful for Family

I need to backtrack a few weeks and share a few pictures from Thanksgiving. We love Thanksgiving at our house. And not just love it...but LOVE it. My mom has two sisters and one brother and everyone gathers at her house for a day of fun, food, and family...

did I mention my mom is a middle sister...

Gram with a few of her greats :)

my cousins beautiful daughter

how can one not love this BIG family

be thankful...

rachel :)

DIY Wooden Picture

As soon as I saw this video, I wanted to share it with the world! Best idea ever! And cutest video ever...enjoy!!!

Let me know if you do this and how it turns out!

Rachel :)

Thinking About Nudity...

You read that right...I'm thinking about nudes. As in the kind you hang on your walls. You know...the kind that show a little...ummmmmmm...something...

For the record, I heart them.  Seriously. When done well, I think they can be beautiful, capturing the essence of the human soul. My medium of choice is charcoal, although I like oil and acrylics as well. Last week I was in an antique store that sells on consignment. I found a charcoal of a nude woman that I loooooooooved. Really, really loved...

me, "Would you ever let me hang a picture of a nude woman on the wall?..."

Mr. T., "NO." "Absolutely not." " Double hockey sticks no."

It was basically a conversation as simple as that. Oh yes, we have very different ideas when it comes to art. Extremely different. While I'm not big on prints, for years I wanted this:

Gustav Klimt

Anything by Klimt makes my heart beat a little bit faster. I love his work and I think this is beautiful, loving and warm...Mr. T thinks I'm odd. Recently I've seen several original works on etsy that are just as wonderful...

etsy

 

etsy



etsy

I would love one or any of these...have I completely offended you? What's the general take on nudes...?

Rachel :)

Photography Challenge Day 7

Day 7. Bad Habit.

This is a picture of a gallery wall in my hallway. You are probably thinking...bad habit? hmmmmmm... Look closely at the four center pictures...that's right, there are none. It's still the stock photo that came in the frame. We won't even talk about how long ago...

That's my bad habit. I am queen of starting projects and never finishing. I can be oh so close and still fall a little short. I really need to work on focusing on what I want to accomplish and not stopping until I finish. I have been thinking about what I want on the opposite wall from this picture gallery...really...but not until after I pick out four more pictures...

Rachel :)

Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Smurfs and I made the trek across the state a few days ago to visit my wonderful sister and the cutest baby ever, my nephew, Henry. This was the Smurfs first time meeting their new cousin and we couldn't go empty handed. My sis loves the author Eric Carle and all of his adorable books. When Pottery Barn introduced their Very Hungry Caterpillar line, I couldn't resist coming up with my own version...

Pottery Barn Kids

I'm no artist, but fortunately my sister is the easiest person on earth to please. She was excited about the art and maybe even more excited about the art the Smurfs painted. They didn't want to be left out! I'm fairly sure you can figure out which one was painted by Smurfette and which one was painted by Brainy Smurf...

I also made the bedskirt for baby Henry's crib. It was my first attempt ever at a bed skirt and I was very surprised at the ease of the pattern.

It's our last weekend of summer vacation. We have had a super great summer and I am so sad to see it end. The Smurfs have graduated from making things with paper and cardboard to using real tools, sanders, and paint. It's always so much fun to be able to teach and watch them learn. Here's to a GREAT weekend!!!

Rachel :)

Organic Bloom

If you haven't heard of Organic Bloom yet, rest easy...you will! They are a framing company based in Oklahoma, run by a very cute 20ish husband and wife team. Their business exploded overnight and when you take a look at these pictures you will know why. The good news: they rock! The bad news: they only sell to independent photographers...

my personal favorite

You can learn more about them from their website, blog, or facebook page! All images via Organic Bloom.

Rachel :)

Little Changes

A few weeks ago Cassity over at Remodelaholic wrote this post about a room she decorated for an event sponsored by HGTV Home Flooring Line by Shaw Carpets. While the area rug was the least thing I like about the room, there was something in it I loved...

Check out the easel in the corner...can you say love!?! The subway art is rocking too, but I love the idea of displaying something on an easel. Hmmmmmmmm...once again, i was pretty sure I had a great, old easel in my attic. And yes, this would make the third time this month I had "shopped" there, which has been great on the budget.

  

  

Mr. T found the easel, got it out of its hiding spot, and put it proudly in the living room. After I cleaned it (and he reminded he 200 times who bought it - him!) it was ready to go. Which brings me to this great antique mirror my parents picked up when I was little. The glass was cracked, but my dad built the frame, and he and my mom glued pictures from my first few years to make a giant collage. My dad died in 1994 and I have always loved this piece from him. It was never in usable shape, but a few years ago my mom sent it to a very talented man that specializes in rebuilding and refinishing old furniture. He fixed up the frame and my mom gave it to me for Christmas then. It has hung on the wall since, but I think it has finally found a perfect home on the easel from Mr. T.

Rachel :)

This is dedicated to the one I love....

J. and I will celebrate our 9th anniversary on August 3rd.  It has been a wonderful, if chaotic, 9 years!  As J. says, "we live an alternate lifestyle that not many people understand". Before you go where MY mind would naturally go, he's a pilot who is on call 24/7/365.  We cancel more plans than we actually make, I think.  Family vacations usually consist of the boys and me and various friends or grandparents.  Whenever J. gets to go with us, it is an extra special event.  See the below picture as an example:

The family and Squidward at the Nick Hotel.  Good times, Good times.  

I've been thinking about what I should get him for an anniversary gift.  He is the hardest person in the world to buy for.  Considering his new hobby of swatting flies off of our dog with my "W" magazine, I thought about buying this:

Orvis Fly Swatter

Seriously, who wouldn't want a personalized leather fly swatter?

I shelved that idea when I saw this picture. I originally saw it on Young House Love.  I found the artist, Sherri Conley, on Etsy and contacted her.  She responded so quickly and was so helpful as I changed my mind 14 times about which size I wanted and if I wanted portrait or landscape (which I kept calling "horizontal" or "vertical" for some unknown reason.  I've been off meat for 8 days and I think I should just accept that I am a carnivore and my brain needs meat to function properly). 

Sherri Conley Photography

I also found this print on Etsy, which I think perfectly describes our "alternate lifestyle" in a very simple way.

Photographic print from EeeBee

I ordered it in silver sage rather than turquoise

After seeing both of these, an idea began to form.  There is nothing that I can buy him that he wants or needs. These prints share my feelings for him in a non-mushy way.  Also, I've been trying to figure out what I wanted to put on the mantle over my bed. I guess when it comes down to it, it's a gift for both of us.  

I still needed one more picture to hang between these two.  I took this last week when the boys and I were at my Dad's house.  

I want to crop it a little and give it a tint

It was a wonderful example of the culmination of our love! I'm sorry, did you just throw up on your keyboard? I ordered both prints yesterday and went to Aaron Brothers and picked out frames and mats.  If there is an Aaron Brothers near you, get there before July 31st.  All of their frames are buy one get one for a penny!  

As soon as everything has arrived and is framed and hung I will post pictures.  Even though this means that I will have to make up my bed!

XOXO,

M

Booyah!

There are times when words are not enough. Here is the evolution of the breakfast nook...

Just in case you WANT to read more, click here for where I found my inspiration:

http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/04/we-can-all-dream.html

here to read about the $50 bench:

http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/05/look-what-i-found.html

http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/05/kitchen-progress.html

here to read about the gallery wall:

http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/05/gallery-wall-inspiration.html

http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/05/making-of-gallery-wall.html

here to read about the $10 light fixture:

http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/04/light-for-kitchen.html

http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/06/moving-of-light.html

and seriously...if you're still interested...this is what happened to the washer and dryer:
http://accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com/2011/04/it-all-comes-together.html

Enjoy!!!

Rachel :)