How about this little lady who's obsessed with her Jackie O sunglasses? No, this was not a session, just a friend visiting during the afternoon one day.

Is this girl cute or what? (Oh, and you can see my new area rug behind her in the first shot ;) ).

I know, life is tough. Decisions, decisions.

And for giggles let's just throw in the completely unrealistic idea that I won't end up doing, but would like to dream about. Sigh, Wisteria.

Or like this smallish profile stand:

Then there is a more traditional idea, something like this. This poses a problem on one front, however. One of the challenges is that because of the size of the space, whatever the TV is on is rather close to the coffee table, so these two pieces need to be different heights - and this one is approximately the same height as the coffee table. Blerg.

From Pottery Barn, extremely reasonably priced:

See what I mean!?! All over the map. Can you guess which one I'm leaning toward?

No... not BEIBER FEVER! Please, have a little respect, people.

Um, fridge-organizing GENIUS!!!!....

Yes, things have been sort of busy lately but still not anywhere near what the last year and a half has been like up until this last December.

And for the bedroom.....

I've long had an internal battle about headboards. Internal in my mind, that is.

Did anyone else catch the 20% off sale that Z Gallerie had from the 11th - 15th?

2. Obviously I need a large silver bowl for display. Obviously. You do too.
3) A small mercury glass hurricane lamp? Don't you think my mercury glass 3 foot tall vase would need another friend... a hurricane lamp?

4) And what about... okay, enough about the glass, just know I love it as much as it sounds like I do.
5) And yes, believe it or not, I am in the market for another Little Table. I know, I know, some will say I have simply fallen off the wagon, only to repeat the mistakes I made before going into a 2-year period of Little Table sobriety. But I SWEAR I need one for beside my best so I can move my actual nightstand across the room and build out a little sitting area. See what I mean? Major need.

... so I hope you've ordered your copy of "Holiday with Matthew Mead."

It's only the best magazine on holiday decor, some gifts, styling, foods, and of course... host(ess)ing. He calls it a book-a-zine. Whatever it's called, I'm telling you it's something you definitely need. It's only THE most hip holiday designing that I'd put in that "within reach" category, meaning... affordable or easily mad affordable, realistic (style-wise), and well put together.

Get your copy so you can get your 2010 holiday decorating on!

It's been quite a week. And quite a few months.

Good things have happened the last 8+ weeks with a few crazy moments, not a whole lot of sleep, a lot of stress... but also a lot of fun.

I'll be taking a much needed breather in a few weeks, FOR a few weeks. Fantastico. So many things are ahead in the next two months that make this my favorite time of year: Thanksgiving, cold weather, Christmas, Christmas cards, the whole shebang.

Today is the day for Christmas cards so I'll be putting that order in this afternoon, oh the decisions! It's down to three different versions so I'll share the outcome and the final contenders after the choice has been made. Then on to the writing and the sending!

Other than that the decor updates for the house are few. A Home Goods has gone in up the street from me and it is a big one. Danger, danger! So there have been a few new towels and such but nothing outstanding. I did, however, purchase a rug for my room which is slowly coming to the end of being complete decorating wise. I'll post some pictures after I get it out and make sure it works.

My hopes for an excellent last month or so for you. Can't wait to get in to the season now that my times has freed up some, and catching up on all your blogs & my magazines!

I suppose this is what happens when you title your last post "Monday Night..." anything.

I think it's time for a new bed.

I've been avoiding this purchase for some time, being that my mattress is entirely comfortable, and frankly a new mattress, box spring, and bed are a pretty heft purchase. But, the last time Mom was in town, we figured out exactly how old my mattress was and.... let's just say... it's time.

I'm not sure why, but since I really like my sleep - and get entirely not nearly enough of it - this new mattress purchase feels like a really big deal. I've been sleeping in the same bed for a lot of years and it feels like a big upheaval! I'm actually hoping that the mattress I bought two years ago for my guest bedroom is still around and comes in a queen because THAT mattress is so comfortable that sometimes I sleep in the guest room! (Sorry, visitors, no, it's not only yours...)

The mattress is one thing....

... the bed is another. What in the world do I want to accompany my mirrored furniture, wood floor, and wonderfully taupe and grey walls? Right now I have this bed frame in mind, but in a dark wood, not in white. My lovely lovely lovely quilt that I am still absolutely obsessed with is a bright white, so the loveliness of the bed frame would certainly be lost with the white quilt. I just don't know! Decisions, decisions...

So the wedding I was planning finally happened, on June 12, and went off witout a hitch! Well, maybe a little hitch here or there, but nothing major at all. In the following week there will be more pictures to post on the decor, ceremony decorations, inside the Woodlawn Manor, programs, and during the reception.

But here, just for the sake of time, is a little preview!

I've talked about my colors with you before, right?

Base neutrals: grey, brown, and white. Accent shades, in order of dominance: teal (dusty & bright shades), green (apple), yellow (strong but not bright).

When I bought this townhouse, it was all pale yellow inside. Yes, they had repainted it for the sale, but it wasn't really even a shade of ivory or white, it definitely would have been on one of those little yellow paint strips! At the bottom... but still! To have the entire house one color would simply have driven me batty, so the first thing to do... paint. And paint. Oh, and maybe paint some more!

I chose a light - but still substantial - dusty grey for the downstairs main living/dining area, and carried it up the stairway to the upstairs hall. Some people balked... "grey?!" they said with a little hint of, "ew, so boring, why GREY?!"

At the time I happened to be on a grey/brown combo kick, but looky who was RIGHT ON THE MONEY!! Not that this front page of Z Gallerie proves I am, eh em, ahead of the curve, but... okay, it does.

Pat, pat, pat my own back...

But really, let's take a look - grey has made a huge resurgence as a main neutral instead of the yellows, taupes, and ivories, and every time I look at my walls, it makes me realize it all fits together so nicely! A few of my favorite grey pieces are below - not all decor!

A little top I bought from Old Navy recently because I just loved the grey and yellow combination so much:


Hellllllo chair that I'm in love with and want to hug and kiss and sit on in black skinny pants and my grey and yellow tank (over the top? Yeah, well, welcome.)

Z Gallerie's Labyringht bedding, which they have carried in a variety of colors, also now in grey:

Oh how I'd love to wallpaper the wall that runs upstairs to my second floor - just on that one wall, all the way up. Heaven. For now, I will just keep coming back to this post and to Brocade Home's site to gaze at it:

A nice little Ikea cushion, grey and yellow as well, only about $30:

Talk about a dream shoe. This is a metallic silver from Butter that looks just lovely - so lovely I could never get them for fear I'd sit around looking at my feet all day instead of working!

And finally, who can forget my newest obsession with grey nailpolish?!