Little Tile Big Impact

I've been working on a new SUPER gorgeous display kitchen for my friends at DesignLine Home Transformations for awhile now. It's going to be very clean and classic looking with white cabinetry and lots of special little details. There is a rather impressive hood that's getting some special tile for the backsplash area. Here's a sneak peek at the hood in progress

And here is a little look at the options for the tile

Which one would you pick?? I'll show you more in a few weeks when everything gets installed! Stay tuned...

A New {temporary} Addition

Last Friday our tiny 4 lb chihuahua discovered, on two separate occasions, a baby squirrel. The Husband, who is generally at war with the squirrels, saved them from utter chihuahua destruction. And when faced with the overwhelming cuteness of this....

decided to save them outright. Now we (really he) are parenting squirrels. After some research the Husband got them hydrated and warm so that there might be a chance the Mama squirrel would take them back even though their nest had been destroyed (but not by the chihuahua!) 

On Saturday, once the babies were warm & dry attempts were made to get the Mama squirrel to take the babies back. The attempt was actually strapping the little nest the Husband made out of a clementine box high in a tree near the old nest. Unfortunately, the Mama had moved on.

On Sunday the Husband announced that they had names. Now you can meet Tauny (the girl)

and Ray (the boy)

Here's a few more cute pics because who doesn't want to see pictures of cute baby animals.

We will be squirrel parents for the next 2-1/2 months slowly transitioning them for their life in the wild. I don't really know the details of what that will be. I think the Husband doesn't want to freak me out all at once! Wish us luck!

Bon Ami

Good Friends! The only way to start blogging again is to just start so here it goes. I recently had a little shopping trip to restock paper products and cleaning supplies for the house. I know, super exciting, right? While looking for something else I came across a product that I love but hadn't been able to find for years.

As the French say, Bon Ami** is a good friend. In our house it was called Bon-am-ee. It lived under my Mom's sink for all of my childhood and under mine for most of my adult life but I hadn't been able to find it for a few years. They've been making it since 1866 so apparently I wasn't looking hard enough. It's a magic powder that scrubs all the nasty stuff away without being a made of a bunch of scary unpronounceable chemicals. I'm a sucker for packaging too. Love the new (old) look! It makes me want to actually clean something!

What are some of your favorite go-to cleaning supplies?

**no one affiliated with Bon Ami has asked for this endorsement. They don't even know that I exist. I love it all on my own. Call me Bon Ami. Let's be friends!

A Little Spring Cleaning at the Edge of Spring

So I took a break. I stopped blogging, stopped reading blogs and generally stepped away from the computer for a few months...well almost - I cannot stop pinning! It's been a good time away and I'm trying not to feel too guilty about it. It wasn't planned, it's just that one day away led to another and the next thing I knew it was the middle of June! I do feel refreshed and ready to get back at it as well as share a little bit about what I've been working on while I'm away. In the meantime pardon the mess. After taking such a long unplanned break I've decided that the ol' blog needs a good overhaul/ spring cleaning.  I've already made a few changes and there will hopefully be a few more in the next week or so. 

A Little Something New

I've been completely distracted by spring and work and puppies and life lately.  I did buy that pillow that I saw while shopping for fabric a couple of weeks ago.  Every time I pass the leather (most comfortable!) chair where it lives, it makes me very happy.

Spring is Here!

Even though Spring came to stay a week or so ago, today it really is official! I'm living in that small window of perfection that only comes twice a year to the Richmond area. All the windows are open and we are living on the front porch with warm breezes and sunshine.  Any day now a fog of pollen will descend upon us like a mighty plague with the unbearable heat quick to follow. 

Lots of blooms and buds and happy hot chihuahuas around here.  There are also lots of projects to start and to finish. Hopefully we can get a good start on them before the pollen and the heat get us down.

And now for something completely different.  I can excitedly report that this arrived on my doorstep yesterday!

Now I need a case. What do you think is the best? A sleeve, an envelope, a folio of some kind? There are lots of different styles with very different functions and I can't decide what would work best for me.  Any suggestions/ recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Happy Spring!

While I Was Out

Last week while on a marathon shopping trip for a client I snapped a few pics of things that made me happy.  Now they can make you happy too.

Love these pillows! Spotted at the U-Fab here in Richmond, I think one of those Union Jacks might have to come home with me too.  

Also at the U-Fab, and making me me want to put tacks on something ASAP is the Pack-O-Tacs machine.

I want one of those machines!! And look at some of the lovely choices too.

Next up, a swatch of novelty fabric that caught my eye, not for my project but because it reminded me of my Sweet Husband.

It's Freddie Rocker by P Kaufmann.  But there was one guy in particular that stood out for me. Can you guess which one?

That's right, the Husband's doppelganger, the Bass playing Frog

And finally, while in Williams and Sherrill I saw this pair of green leather corner chairs. 

Loved the color and the tufting. Not sure they'd be the most comfortable to hang out in but (as my Sister says) sometimes you have to suffer for fashion.

Lastly, My sweet puppies have been making me very happy even if I didn't get the baby, Mabel out of the house in time this morning (sorry Husband!)

Big Sister Rosie

Little Sister Mabel

I have it bad for bowls

Okay, I've fallen off the blog wagon a bit (or more than a little bit!). Life has taken over a little but this is my attempt to get back to business!

So I have a problem with bowls...white ones specifically. I've (mostly) been able reign it in over the last few years because the Reslus Arms is short on space and the Husband always gives me the look when I bring new ones home. I've been very good until last week when I couldn't resist these porcelain lovelies from Target.

The Husband's criteria for bowls are that they be wide and not so deep.

Check! And though I don't think he loves the textured detail of the beading, it's what had me saying Hello.

It's surprising how some little thing like cereal bowls can make me so happy (eh, not really)

It's definitely making me happy today.

Have a Little Heart

Happy Valentine's Day to You!! Thank you so much for taking a moment of your day to spent it with me.

photo by A Creative Mint

And Happy Valentine's Day to my Best Loves

  

Our Little Addition

We took a secret mission out of town yesterday to pick up our new little addition. 

Welcome to the family Mabel! 

Though Rosie is still not 100% sure about the new little sister we think they will love each other in a day or too.  

I've never had two dogs at once before.  Of course the two of them combined don't quite make the size of one real sized pup so I think we'll be okay.

Happy Tuesday everyone and Happy 70th Birthday to my Father-in-Law! 

Blooming in January, Really?

I stepped outside for a little bit on Sunday and noticed something a little odd hanging out by the fence:

In January!  I know we've had some warmer days lately, but daffodils, really??  It was a lovely little surprise. 

By the way, this pic is from my new personal photo a day project I've been doing. I'll share the details later this week.  What kinds of personal projects have been inspiring you lately?

A Little Something Pretty

I've been putting off my next post because there is so many more things that need to go on the To-Do list that I'm starting to feel overwhelmed and exhausted and I haven't even started!!  Let's all pause for a moment and look at something pretty.

Source: isleofviewblog.tumblr.com via Aimee on Pinterest

This is such a warm and cozy room.  I love some many things about it, but let's talk about that spectacular wall of art. I have the beginnings of another art wall in the hallway just off the kitchen that is a crazy mix of styles and color.  I still need more stuff to fill it out but as with most things in my house it's a work in progress.  The image above is such a wonderful inspiration because it shows how disparate pieces can really work together. But it also reminds me of how important the magic of finding just the right pieces that will actually work together is.  I might even be inspired to hang another frame or two.  

What's inspiring you lately?  I seem to have lost my mojo and wouldn't mind a creative shove in the right direction.

Making My To-Do List, Pt 1

It occurred to me this morning that just because I think of things to blog about that DOESN'T been that they have actually been blogged!!  And it's been over a week.  Not blogging can be a slippery slope of continuing to not blog.  It's time to actually write down some of the things swirling around in my head.

What I've been thinking about are all the projects, large and small, that I'd like to do around the Reslus Arms.  As I mentioned earlier, thinking and doing are not the same thing.  But if I make a list that is a start to the doing, right?  So here I go with some of the around the house projects I'd like to accomplish in 2012 (because it's January and we should all make these kinds of lists at the beginning of the year)

1. Organize the Linen Closet

via Martha Stewart, of course

Well, almost all the closets really, but the linen closet needs it the worst.  I need to purge a lot and better organize what I have.  I'll be honest through, no matter how hard I try I can't fold a fitted sheet to look as nice as Martha's.  It is definitely not a skill I have.  Next I'll need to hit up the coat closet, which has it's own set of problems. And I'd also like to tackle the office closet and my Lady closet but I don't want to get too head of my self.

2. Finish the Guest Room!

 

 

Source: fieldandsea.tumblr.com via Aimee on Pinterest

 

After the big switch in the house more than 6 months ago our tiny guest room has acted as a holding area for other rooms during the move, Christmas gifts & wrapping, my growing stockpile of knits that need to be blocked, etc.  Basically, it's currently functioning as a walk in closet for the rest of the house.  I'm determined to make it functional and beautiful before the next time we have houseguests (I think I have until March)  Thankfully, now I have a deadline I can now work towards.  Here's what I need to do:

• repaint the room - it was dinged up a bit when we moved the office out.  That means actually selecting a paint and then painting it.  After looking at the swatches below for months I think I'm going to paint it my favorite white (Benjamin Moore's White Dove).  Is that a cop-out? Maybe.  But I also really like white and think it will make for a nice little guest room

• Line the drapes and hang them - though I found them way back in September and I've purchased the rods AND I think I have enough lining material in my stash I still need to do the work
• Make a headboard - I've been waffling about the style of the of the headboard mostly based on my patience and skill level.  Should I attempt what I really want, pushing the boundaries of what I know I can do myself

            or should I stick with something a little more manageable and still really pretty?

Source: houzz.com via Aimee on Pinterest

• repaint the bedside table, hang some art, find lamps,etc - finish up the room.  There are some big things to do in that little list but I'm getting tired of writing and I know you're getting tired of reading this.

I'll continue the list next time (and maybe even the next time! It's a long list)   In the meantime I'd love to hear your thoughts about which direction I should go with the headboard.  Help me make that decision! 

2012 is Here

the cattle barn at my Grandparents over Christmas

Happy New Year to you all.  My new years plans were dashed by a sick stomach.  And while I was home alone with the puppy and my knitting trying not to be sad about missing out on all the festive fun (Congrats Emily & Robb!!!) I started making lists in my head of all that I wanted to do in 2012.

We have packed away the Christmas decorations and now I feel compelled to clean out the closets and the office.  I'm starting a new year long photo project (and I will finish it this year!!) and will be starting a new knitting project with my friend Leslie. There are things to be hung and put away.  There are projects to plan. I am hopeful about myself and my work in the year ahead of me. 

Welcome to 2012 friends.  I hope you find it a great one!