letting the cat out of the bag

The last time we chatted I promised you some news so I might as well just blurt it out.

I'm opening up a shop here in St. Louis!

I have to tell you that it feels really weird to type that (and it will feel even weirder to hit publish) because this has been what we refer to in our house as a 'lock it up conversation' for well over a year - meaning no one outside the walls of our house was to know. But now that leases are FINALLY signed and construction is underway, slowly over the last few weeks I've started to tell others - clients, close friends, etc. - and no one has laughed at me yet so we are off to a good start.

This is a very long time coming and it has been even harder than I imagined. And my imagination can lean pretty doom and gloom so that should tell you something. Potential business partners that flake, potential landlords that don't return phone calls and an architectural review board that has had...challenging opinions have made this difficult to say the least. However, I'm not a quitter. A cryer during all of this for sure, but not a quitter. And finally we lucked out and found a great landlord and a unique spot so with the biggest hurdles behind me (knock on wood) we are officially underway and I finally feel comfortable sharing.

So this is my new home away from home. Ain't she a beauty? NO. The answer to that question is no. If you think this is bad, wait till you see the inside. But she has a lot of positives - location, size, and most importantly - free range to change whatever I want. Of course when I planned and dreamed about this whole thing, I had visions of a super cute little shop downtown with a fabulous store front. But the more time this little mint julep and I spend together the more we are bonding. And let's be real, who doesn't love a great before and after?! Can I get an Amen!

And speaking of mint, that is the first thing to go. In my ice cream mint is an excellent thing, on buildings not so much.

So what will be in this little cinderblock gem? I'll have my office, which means I can have client meetings, store all my goodies and finally use my dining room table at home for dining. Wahoo! And on the retail end I'll have tons of great vintage furniture and lamps that have been refurbished, refinished and refreshed as well as accessories, custom lampshades and pillows, art etc. The goal being to provide people with pieces that have the character and uniqueness of vintage items without the work of having to remove the funk (old upholstery, broken drawers, missing legs etc.)

I'll for sure take y'all along as renovations progress and as I prepare for opening day, which will hopefully be in mid-June.

So, that's my Friday news. What do y'all have going on this weekend?

If you have a life and it isn't on social media, does anyone notice it?

Hey, I remember you! Long time no see. I may have had to do a bit of internet sleuthing to 'remember' my password to login to ye old blog, but now that I'm back it is just like riding a bike. (You hit enter at the end of a paragraph, right? ha)

I've got some fun stuff to share with you but I can't jump into that without addressing my absence. That would be like trying to dance around the giant elephant in the middle of the room. And if you know me then you know, I don't dance.

The obvious question is - just where the hell have I been and why haven't I been blogging about whatever it is I've been doing?! I'll answer the first question by saying that I continue to work with really fun clients on really cool spaces and they keep this girl on her toes. I try my best to be with my babies who are less and less like babies every day. Tear. Eve is going to be starting Kindergarten in the fall, which would make many a mom sad but I just gleefully think about having both girls in school five days a week, all damn day. I'm one excited mom. I talk to the hubs about how we should have more date nights but never get around to planning said date nights. You know, the basics.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I haven't blogged because I'm... that horrible 4-letter B word. That is a copout. Everyone is b*#y. It's called having a life. Even my 5-year-old told me the other day how b*#y she was. It is all relative people, and I do not dare to think, nor do I want to insinuate that my daily schedule is any more difficult, more important or more fascinating than anyone else's and therefore gives me the excuse to not do something. Not gonna happen.

So this leads me to answer the second part of that question - why haven't I been blogging about whatever it is I've been doing? Now to be technical, I do Instagram all the live-long day (except for the past week or so, but I'll address that next time). But Instagram and a blog post are far from the same thing. So I'm just going to lay it out there. For me, blogging became...tainted is the first word that comes to mind. When I decided to join this blog world way back when it was for an honest desire to share my design thoughts and ideas with like-minded people who enjoyed ogling at well designed spaces and talking about fabric, paint and furniture placement. And I just like to write. It was no more thought out than that. I liked the community - sharing ideas, building friendships over similar interests, braiding flowers into each other's hair while we sang in a circle. OK, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea - it was fun. Just fun.

And then over time it became about making money, affiliate links, following the oh-so important (eye roll) blogging schedule, getting professional pictures taken for a post on changing out a shower curtain and other general hysteria. In short, it wasn't fun anymore. I wasn't into blogging to make a career out of blogging. I blogged to escape from my career for an hour or two a day. So I dropped the mic and went on with my life. I would think about it from time to time and say to myself I really should write something. But it was like when you haven't run in two years and you think back fondly on that marathon you ran way back when - it is a nice memory but the idea of 'getting back into it' seems overwhelmingly hard. So I didn't.

And then about a month ago I ran into someone I hadn't seen in quite some time and we had a glorious catch up until she said - "So what are you doing now?"

A bit confused I said, "Still at my design business. Things are going great actually, I'm about to..."

"Oh." She stopped me mid sentence, "I thought you quit that. You know, since you weren't blogging anymore."

Oh hell to the no girl! She needed that mat from Office Space because she was doing some major jumping to conclusions. But I couldn't be mad for long because she had a point. One of my greatest joys in life is also what I do for a living (lucky to say that) so of course my general chatting about design stuff would occasionally cross over into chatting about my design business stuff which would then end up on my 'not about work but about fun' blog. How's that for blurred lines? So I had a talk with myself and agreed that I shouldn't give up something I enjoy doing - talking about design and writing - just because the forum in which I was doing it was no longer fun. Don't hate the player, CHANGE the game.

So I'm not going to worry about the rules of blogging. I'm going to blog like its 2008. When I've got something to share, I'll do it. Sometimes there might be a picture, sometimes there won't. (gasp) I won't worry about what time to hit 'publish' in order to maximize my readership or make sure to give my post a title that will increase my search probability on Google. And I won't be plugging anything except my damn self.

There it is my friends. I'm putting the fun back into blogging. Boom. So if you want to hang out, grab a drink and let's chat. And if you are long gone that's OK too. After all, I gleefully wrote on this sucker for months before anyone noticed.

Cheers!

This is getting too long so I'll share my new news next time. What?! A post with plans for another one?! I know, crazy right.

a moment of silence for my blue and white

I can still hear the crash. It's been a little over a week now but it hurts as much as if it just happened. My oldest was grabbing a bowl from the bottom shelf, and for reasons I still haven't gotten a clear explanation for, she grabbed onto the top shelf, putting all her weight on the corner and there by causing the top shelf to come. crashing. down.

Working downstairs when it happened, I heard a big thud, lots of breaking...whatever blue and white is made out of, and a quick "I didn't do it!" And then tears. Her's and mine. The hubs and I both arrived in the kitchen at the same time to see the carnage. All he said was, "Go downstairs. I'll take care of this."

Of course, it should go without saying, no one was hurt and that's what's most important (blah blah blah). But damn, my heart is hurt big time. Not only because I love my blue and white and have worked hard over half my life to collect all this stuff, but also because there were several sentimental pieces that were broken. The foot bath I was going to use in my wedding which I bought on a day that still ranks in my memory as one of the best. As well as the blue and white bowls I ended up going with for my centerpieces. (I couldn't get enough foot baths.) And a small blue and white jar I got at one of my first auctions. Things that cannot be replaced. Ugh, the humanity!

Now many would say 'see, that is why I don't have nice things with children around.' but I see that as a huge copout. I accidentally dropped a pair of scissors on my foot yesterday and took a big chunk out of my toe (true story), but that isn't going to prevent me from keeping scissors in the house. Life happens. I grew up with a house of treasures and antiques and believe me when I say many pieces were broken over the years. But my parents continued to collect and that home helped to develop my sense of beauty and joy. Kids climb things, things break, mommies cry. Life goes on.

Luckily this wasn't my entire b&w collection and now I don't have to feel guilty that I have too many pieces when I buy a new piece. So that's something. And in the grand scheme of life, this isn't a big deal. Upsetting, YES. Life altering, no. But just don't ask me about it, I still might cry.

What's broken at your house? Did you ever reconsider putting things 'out' with little ones around? Do you keep your broken pieces in an old shopping bag in your basement? Just me?

i will never stop collecting chairs

In the spirit of my post on my (former) mantel I thought I would address a clear hypocrisy. I know I just told you that it's good to acknowledge the elephant in the room and remove things that aren't working in your space. True. And, I know I've discussed many times my love of 'riding' and purging crap that you don't need. Very true. However, there is a time when all of those rules and truths go right out the window and that is when you encounter a killer chair. Curves, lines, wood, fabric, chairs have it all they are addicting.

Here we have just a SMALL sampling of chairs I have in my SMALL home that don't currently have a 'place'. I refuse to get rid of any of them, nor will I get rid of their siblings that sit in rejected groups in other rooms of the house. The hubs often suggests selling them but I scream "From my cold dead hands!" and he walks away shaking his head. Some of these do have in-the-near-future plans but others might be headed to storage for a vacation.

And damn it if I'm not on my way out to look at more chairs. Luckily I can often share my chair habit with clients and know that the beauties are living in a happy home somewhere where I can visit them. But I will never stop collecting. Never. And one day I'll have cause to hold a large gathering at my house where everyone will need a seat and I won't have to rent a single chair. So that's something.

Don't make me feel alone here, what do you hoard? Anything you don't have the room to keep but refuse to toss? Have any chairs I can take off your hands?

she went out for a pack of smokes and never came back

So as I was saying...

Ha, just kidding. Yes, it's been a while. How the hell are ya?! Did you think I'd fallen off the face of the earth? You gotta know I wouldn't ever leave you hanging like that. Have no doubt, I still think about you all the time and I've got tons to share. A million things have been happening, and at the same time nothing crazy is going on. Just regular life, like everyone else.

The inspiration for my living room changes

I will say this blogging break has been good for me to get a fresh mind, take a deep breath and find out where my design mind is headed and I can say that the times they are a changin. Currently three rooms in my house are in major flux. Well, 3.5 really. And those of you that have been around for a while know, my house is NOT big. 3.5 rooms, that's like 80% of my house or something.

#ProjectBrentwood

I've been lucky beyond words to be working with lots of great clients who are inspiring me not only in my work with them, but kicking me in the pants to make some changes at home. What better place to experiment than at home, right? It's the idiot in me - when I'm busy with work, I tend to pile more things on at home just to put the cherry on top of my chaos sundae. I'm seeing about getting some help for my condition, if insurance will cover it.

#ProjectChesterfield

So where am I going with all of this? That wasn't rhetorical. Really, what am I trying to say? I don't know either. Mostly I guess just HELLO! I'm still here and I'll be around a lot more. It's been a long while since I've had an unplanned, free-flowing, no specific topic post. Aaannnd, I think we now all see why. It's a big bag of muddled weird in this head.

#ProjectSouthCity

Thanks for all of you who emailed and texted me to check in. I really do have the best blog friends. Now give me the dirt. What have I missed??? Anything big going on? What's new with you?!

LBD hits the road - antiques and garden show of nashville

Who's up for a road trip?

I'm so excited for next week because I'll be traveling down to Nashville to attend the 25th annual, Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville. It's the largest show in the US - three full days of rows and rows of amazing furniture, lighting, accessories, gardens and horticultural gems. Anyone who follows me on Instagram, or who has read this blog for more than a hot minute has an idea of how thrilling this will be for me.

And what's even more exciting is that the show has invited me to come as part of their inaugural blogger event. Me and a handful of other lucky bloggers will be given full access to the show, speaking engagements and even a private blogger party with us and a bunch of amazing design and lifestyle leaders.

I'll be there with keynote speaker Diane Keaton (who has actually written books on architecture and is a serial home renovator), Suzanne Kasler, Alexa Hampton, Michael Devine, Jane Scott Hodges of Leontine Linens, Rebecca Wesson Darwin and Haskell Harris of Garden & Gun, Kreis Beall of Blackberry Farm, Markham Roberts and Christopher Spitzmiller! Are you kidding me?! I know, right!

I mean really. I have no words. Now to find something to wear! :) I'll be posting like crazy on Instagram the whole time and I'll be sure to do a recap when I get back.

So those of you from Nashville, give me the skinny - any other stores I should be checking out while I'm there? Restaurants? Anyone else going? Let me know so we can say hi!

stop. reset. move.

Good morning 2015. How the hell are ya?

Ahh the first day back. This is always a hard/exciting day. As a mom I'm thrilled to be back on schedule and have a break from the constant bickering that occurs between siblings that have spent a lot of time together over the past two weeks. But as an individual (parents can be both despite what my children think) I am mourning the end of one of the best breaks I can remember in a long time. It was heaven. I did all of those things you imagine a vacation to be but feel too guilty to actually do. I had day(s) when I didn't get out of my pjs. I read books, not magazines but actual books. I spent one full day watching nothing but wonderfully bad TV. But we also went out on a lot of adventures, did lots of baking, went out with new friends and old friends and laughed each and every day.

I also turned off my computer on the first day of break and didn't turn it back on until this morning. Scandal.  I can count on one hand the number of times I checked Facebook and Instagram and the iPad was used mostly for watching Netflix. A much needed tech detox of sorts.

And as usual when you have a lot of relaxation, your brain tends to think about the things that in your busy daily life you push aside. One topic that popped up often was the blog. The blog (that would be this blog) that I love but over the past few months has felt a bit more obligatory and less fun. I've realized that a lot of those feelings come from my own push to follow the blog rules in fear of loosing my place, whatever that means. You know those rules: post several times a week, always post at the exact same time each day, always include pin-worthy pictures, always tweet and pin and Facebook, always always always.

But in trying those 'rules' I've realized two things: (get it, light over my head. ha)

1. When I follow someone else's rules, I start to plan and write thru someone else's voice.
If I were starting a business, I would take classes, read books and research the necessary formulas that have been proven to launch and sustain a successful business. But this blog is not a business. This blog is my own personal outlet that should follow the ebbs and flows that personally work for me. Do I sometimes share things about my business on the blog? Of course. Do I sometimes get work because of this blog? Proudly I say yes. But this blog is more than just a digital advertisement. I don't want to be selling all the time, and you lovely people don't want to constantly be sold.

2. If I don't follow those rules, the world will not end.
My goal for this blog is not to make millions of dollars so who exactly am I helping with these rules? The point of this blog has always been to talk about and share what I love (interior design) and do it with a community full of like-minded individuals. When the focus starts to shift to simply driving traffic (I believe) the content becomes hollow and all of that traffic will quickly dry up. No one wants to read post after post of pictures from Pinterest that they've probably already seen or post after post of sponsored content. Yawn. Does that mean I won't ever post pictures from Pinterest or work with sponsors? Absolutely not. But I can guarantee it won't happen just so that I have something to post about.

I say post when you have something you want to say. A passion should always be about the want, never the need.

And rather than calling it a resolution for myself, I'm calling it a promise to you. I'm going to work at keeping this blog the same thing that brought you to it in the first place. This could mean that I post four times a week or four times a month but it will always be genuine. And if the lack of a consistent 'schedule' from me leads you to not read this blog at all, then I suspect you weren't very interested in the first place.

I say we keep this love letter to design as pure and as FUN as possible.

And on a totally unrelated note, cucumber water is the bees knees. Give it a try.

getting in the spirit

Holiday Pinecone Trees we made two years ago

It's that time of year. The time to stress over things that are meant to bring joy, not grey hairs. You can count on articles, news segments and how-to-lists on how to deal with holiday stress just as you can count on your Facebook feed to get flooded with Elf on the Shelf pictures each and every season.

All the articles say the same thing, but yet none of them every seem to help. But I'm here to tell you what to do to not just survive, but enjoy...

Last Year's Christmas Tour

Ha! I wish! If I knew that trick Oprah would bring back her show just for me to spread the word. Nope, I have no trick or great idea. Just like everyone else, I take on too much, complain too much and then feel too much hysteria to enjoy this 'magical time of year'.

Each year I try something different with varying degrees of success. This year I'm trying not to worry so much about getting it all done at once, but slowing down and taking my time. We got our tree this weekend and worked on it for a while, then took a break when we all started to drag and watched a movie instead. It'll get done. A pleasant mommy is more important than a decorated tree.

DIY jewel colored votives

Now that's not to say it won't get done, I've just decided that I don't need to work at a breakneck pace. No one is keeping score...right?

So let's be honest. How does this time of year make you feel? Do you make an effort to slow down and enjoy? Do you take it all on and use it as a chance to spread more holiday cheer? Do you just leave town?

it is not 1999

This weekend I partied like it was 1999. In that I acted as though I could handle a long night of fun the way I could when I was a young, spry, professional party goer. Ah, the 90's were good. Well, here is what I've learned about that - 1999 was a long time ago. And news flash, I'm old. I don't bounce back the way I used to shall we say. But it was well worth it. The hubs insisted we couldn't let the house's big moment go by without a celebration, and I'm always up for a party, so celebrate we did. Friends, clients, family, neighbors - everyone was there and a good time was had.

So Elizabeth, tell us all about the party. That's what a good blogger would do. Well, I would if I was a good blogger but even with the best intentions these are the only pictures I got.

Oh and this gem. Sad. Just sad. And it has led me to discover my one and only New Year's Resolution for 2015 - I need to get better about taking pictures. Not just for the blog, but for life in general. There is a life that I live and share with people I love and if I'm not careful I'll have no record of it when I'm old and forget where my teeth are.

I do want to thank everyone who came over to celebrate. We had a good bunch over and the house was full of noise, conversation, laughs and clicking glasses - just the way I like it.

So there are my two lessons for the week - I now need at least two days to recover from a big party (pathetic) and I need to take more pictures.

Are you good at capturing the fun moments?  Do you take a ton of pictures at even the smallest events? Do you want to come over for my next party? I'm thinking something in the spring. I'm already looking forward to spring.

i've been waiting for you all week

Oh Friday. You have no idea how happy I am to see you!

Y'all, this week was Brutal. Yes, with a capital B. Glass shattered, fabric was wrong, furniture broke and tantrums were thrown. But all of that will be washed away now that you have arrived Friday. #TG&TF (thanks Chez V for coining such an awesome hashtag).

This weekend I plan to do a little shopping, some sourcing and celebrate the hubs birthday. And then I'll be back on Tuesday where I will FINALLY be able to share my big news!!

Happy TG&TF! See you on Tuesday!

20 facts

Well there seems to be an unintentional theme going this week at LBD. I was tagged on Instagram by my dear Shelley at Crazy Wonderful to share 20 facts about myself. So in keeping with Monday's post, let's share some more today, shall we?

1. I'm left-handed and therefore I am not too great at using scissors.

2. I quote movies. Everyday all day long. The hubs and I talk in movie quotes and now even my girls have started quoting movies. It can't be explained. Most of the time people have no idea what I'm saying.

3. I got a perm the summer before my freshman year of college and I realized it was a mistake the day after I got it. I spent the summer washing my hair and trying my best to brush that sucker into submission.

4. I'm horrific at small talk. I don't like it and I don't do it well. So it worked out well to have married a man who is king of small talk. He can just do it for me.

5. Music is very important to me and Pandora is on all day everyday.  We listen to a lot of different things but my girls' favorite station is The GoGo's. I had three older sisters who had vastly different tastes in music and because of this I have a wide range of likes when it comes to music and I want my daughter's to have the same. Nothing makes me prouder than my girls knowing Eleanor Rigby, The Gambler and a lot in between.

6. I've been to each and every state in the lower 48. All by car. (a layover in an airport somewhere doesn't count). And of those states, I've been to 40 state capitals. We were a road trip family and my mom has a thing for state capitals.

7. I only have one pair of jeans. I'd much rather be in a dress or skirt. Or PJ pants quite frankly.

8. If I hear "I want a snack" one more time, I very well may loose my mind.

9. Patience is not something I have a lot of. Kids have helped with that a little. A little.

10. No one makes me laugh more than my husband.

11. My freshman year of high school my civics class attended a local political debate. I stood up and asked the opponent a pointed question and he told me, with microphone in hand, that if I wasn't careful people would start calling me "the B word." My teacher told me that women will face that when challenging a man but to stay strong and speak my mind. That teacher was a 60 year old man and he gave me my best women's lib moment.

12. I am a working mom, but I stay at home. And because of this, I don't feel like I fit well into either 'mom group'. This makes small talk at the playground difficult. Well, that and #4 above.

13.  My girls are smarter, stronger and funnier than I had ever imagined and I feel like I can't take any credit for that. They came that way and I can't wait to see what they become.

14. I was in a sorority in college and I loved every minute of it. Many of my dear friends are from that time in my life and the whole experience was positive from start to finish.

15. After college I was going to move to Ireland and open a bar called the Lactose Intolerant Monkey.

16. I met my husband in a bar in college. He was a bartender and I never paid for beer again.

17. I did go to Ireland after college, but came back due to #16.

18. I always imagined myself as a big city dweller, but I quickly realized that I am truly a small town girl. As long as I have a big city near by to visit once in a while, I'm happy with a quieter life.

19. I don't think TV is evil. How can something that created The Golden Girls be evil?

20. I like to prank call my husband during the day sometimes. Everyone needs a laughter break at work.

irons in the fire

Happy fall y'all! OK, so maybe fall hasn't officially started but my pool is officially closed and my swimming suit is put away so in my mind, fall has begun.

Thanks to all who gave their two cents on a paint color for my little table. You had so many great ideas I kinda wish I had about four more tables so I could try them all out. I did make a decision though and got the sucker painted before the rain set in.

I hope everyone had a fruitful Labor Day weekend (if in fact you celebrate said holiday). I got a ton of work done, both on my house and for others. Here is a sneak peek of some of my work in the office. She's so close to ready for her close up. Soon my friends.

And I learned a valuable lesson - put something on Craigslist for free and suddenly you are more popular than Kim K. I had 43 text messages and 25 emails within the first hour. I felt like I was manning the phones at the Jerry Lewis telethon. And a tip for any of you looking to wheel and deal on CL - if the listing says TEXTS ONLY, NO phone calls, don't leave me several voicemails. They will be promptly deleted.

Today is a big day in the Little Black Door household as my baby starts pre-school today. So I'm off to take lots of pictures and then pretend to leave her confidently at school only to sneak behind a bush so I can peek at her thru the window.

Why do they grow so fast?

happy new years eve

I know the calendar says otherwise, but the first day of school always feels like the start of the new year to me. A fresh start. It is always an exciting time of year. And since tomorrow Amelia starts 1st grade (which she told me meant she was no longer the baby of the school) that means today is New Years Eve!

So we will celebrate.

Get a few last hours of pool time in

and soak up every last minute of this beautiful summer. It has been a great one and we are all sad for it to end.

I also want to say that although this isn't a place where I usually discuss politics or social issues it is hard for me not to say something about what has been going on in this town that I love. It has been a hard week for everyone in St. Louis and if you pray, meditate or whatever has meaning to you, I ask that you send positive energy and reconciliation to my neck of the woods. This isn't a regional problem but a national issue and I'm hopeful that something positive will come from what seems so incomprehensible.

May the New Year bring new beginnings.

back to life

Back to reality. We are back from our wonderful annual trip to Florida and this year has been more of a challenge to get back into the swing of things than ever before. This year was our best year yet. Eve is old enough now that we don't have to break our day with an afternoon nap and the girls play so well together (most days) that they can entertain each other while I can occasionally sit still for a whole five minutes. Everyone is swimming like a fish and this year we got to celebrate my birthday, and America's, on the beach - where all birthdays should be celebrated.

But most importantly I unplugged and it was wonderful. Aside from the random Instagram here and there, I was offline. Blissfully offline. As much as I love this community I'm so lucky to be apart of and the work I get to do every day with my wonderful clients, it is important to let your mind breathe once in a while. I even passed up my yearly trip to Scott's this year on our way home as I was just too relaxed. Crazy.

We did tons of diving and digging and our annual sea shell collection will have lots of dollars in the pot.

Exploring is always on the schedule

as well as several daily walks on the beach.

Hmm. I can't imagine why I miss it already. So excuse the cobwebs while I try to get back on schedule. Luckily we have many birthday parties, reading projects and school shopping to snap us back to reality.

How do you get back to normal after vacation?

rest and relaxation

It is that time of year my friends. My favorite time of year - vacation time! We are down in Florida enjoying some quality beach time, family time and most likely some thrifting time as well. Follow along on Instagram to get all the latest.

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See ya in two weeks!!

why finish one project when you can start another

The week has begun and I'm sure I'm not the only one who could use another day. I think its time to start mandatory three day weekends in the summer. Who's with me?

I hope all that celebrated had a wonderful Father's Day. We had a great afternoon with the hubs and my dad doing what they love - watching the US Open. And there was a Father's Day miracle when I was finally able to snag some peonies from Trader Joes. I had thought they were an urban myth but I ran in yesterday and there they were in all their white and pink glory. I'm sure everyone in the produce section thought I was crazy as I squealed when I saw them.

Another miracle is that progress has been made on the office. I'll share more with you later this week, but needless to say when the pool is calling your name, it is hard to spend time in the basement.

While I was hard at work, I ran to grab something from the hall closet. And I don't know if it's all the pool water in my ears or what but I could not take that black hole any longer. It is one of my goals for the year to get this closet in order so no better time to start than while you are in the middle of another project, right?!

Luckily the paint was drying in the office so I had time to kill. Off to Home Depot for color ideas and I was off to the races. More to come once everything dries.

So how was your weekend? Finish any projects? Start any new ones? Did you see Zach Johnson's hole in one?!

calling a spade a spade

I finally admitted something to myself this weekend.

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I had given myself a long list of yard work that needs to get done and I did exactly 20 minutes of it before deciding that the pool was a better idea.

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It was at that time that I finally admitted to myself that I hate yard work. Now I know you are thinking, "duh, big revelation. Everyone hates to weed and lay mulch and cut the grass." But I'm not talking about the basics. I have grown to hate planting things, even going to the nursery is no longer fun.

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The irony of all of this is that I swoon over beautiful landscaping. The smell of mulch puts me over the moon with excitement. I love taking drives in the summer to look at everyone's beautiful yards. And when I travel, the different plants and vegetation are things I comment on so much it starts to drive my family crazy.

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I just don't want to do any of the work.

When we first moved into our house, I loved working in the yard, then I tolerated it and now I avoid it at all costs. I want a beautiful yard, I really do. I just don't want any part in creating it. I'd rather be at the pool. So this is the summer I think I'll finally admit that I want no part in improving my yard. I will wait for the landscaping fairy to wave her magic wand on my yard and in the meantime, I will do my best to maintain what I've got.

How about you? Do you love working in the yard? Have you ever had something that you loved to look at but dreaded to actually do once you realized what is involved? Any chance there really is a landscaping fairy?

back in the swing of things

Happy Tuesday/Monday all. I hope all of those that had one were able to enjoy the long holiday weekend. Between vacation last week and then the holiday weekend this week I don't know what time OR day it is. I'm completely out of whack. Anybody else feel like this as well?

Speaking of vacation, the hubs and I had a beyond wonderful time. We spent time in Sedona, AZ as well as a resort/spa in the desert south of Phoenix. It was spa, pool, hike, pool, explore, spa, pool, spa for five glorious days. I discovered the bliss of an amazing facial and we have made a pact to vacation without the girls at least once a year from now on. A damn good way to celebrate 14 years of marriage to this guy.

Now its back to the real world. Work, the last five days of school, and a mountain of laundry that I've been neglecting. Where is that maid I keep wishing for?! Be sure to check in tomorrow as I have a BIG announcement to share, aka exciting news.

So spill it. How was your weekend? Spend anytime at the pool? Why have you never told me how wonderful facials are??!!

rest and relaxation

Do I sound really far away? I feel really far away.

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The hubs and I have escaped to the desert for some quality spa and pool time and anniversary fun. I'll be back on Thursday but in the meantime, see what I'm discovering about the desert by following me on Instagram.

Cheers!

technology is laughing at me and a guest post

I need a drink people. A nice stiff G&T for breakfast sounds right. This week I've had to put my trusty laptop to rest. (hand over heart) She was a good little red laptop and I'll miss her. But luckily the smarty pants at the Apple store were able to save most of my data and I now have a new computer. Not really what I wanted to spend $$ on, but damn is she pretty. So while I figure out my new world of computing I'll be taking the day off from Fess Up Friday. And if I owe you an email. its coming, as soon as I figure out where my email is.

But have no fear, I am not leaving you empty handed. Head over to my friend Julia's at Cuckoo 4 Design where I am talking about my very sweet pup Zoey. Enjoy the crazy amount of photos of puppies and babies and I'll be back next week!

Happy Weekend!