A good thing about going to the dentist yesterday...
Finding out that my husband had scheduled his own dentist appt. on the same day at almost the exact same time that I had scheduled mine - coincidentally. Then, hearing him all giddy with delight look over at me in bed the night before and go..."We are going to be there together."
As his appointment finished up and he went to leave the dentist yesterday, he walks over into my room & up to my dental chair that I'm in and interrupts the hygienist that is working on cleaning my teeth. He whips out his wallet and starts to hand her some dollar bills. The hygienist looks at him strangely as he says..."Here are a few bucks...make sure to rough her up good for me." :)
Needless to say, he cracks me up. Always has. Ask anyone and they'll tell you that Brent is known for his quick witted humor. He has the ability to make me bust out laughing even in moments when I'm scorching mad at him. We've been sharing the same dentist for 15 years now and they are somewhat like family to us. Our actual dentists parents used to live right next door to us. Therefore, everyone in her office gets a big kick out of Brent. Our dentist and her staff have literally watched Brent and I grow up together. From young teens in love to thirty something old fogies with kids and still in love. In the end though, the best part about having to go to the dentist yesterday was walking out to my car afterwards and finding this note tucked under my windshield wipers.
As we approach our 15 year anniversary next Thursday, March 5th, I'm so very thankful that after all these years...he still takes time out of his busy day to remind me that I am loved. You mean the world to me babe. It was fun ROCKIN' out the dentist together yesterday. Even more fun was finding your hand-written chicken scratches on my windshield when I went to leave. I sssssoooooooo love you. I'm looking forward to celebrating our 15 years of good, great, awesome, the bad, the pretty, the ugly, and the mix of it all still yet to comewhen wenext hit the town next Thursday.
When sharing photos in yesterday's post, I got several people who emailed me asking about my "cross wall" that I used to have in my old house. You can view that link and this one to see it in the old house if you are unfamiliar with what they are asking about. Apparently many of you were curious about what I did with that wall when we moved. Well, the answer is yes...I still have the crosses and a cross wall so to speak. However, they didn't really go with the decor upstairs or on our main level of the new house. So...I finally opted to put them in the basement bathroom which sits and separates two bedrooms down in the basement. Again,with the darkness in color scheme down there, I thought the crosses would go best down there. I couldn't bare to give them up so I placed some of them in here. There are a few left over that I just couldn't fit inside this bathroom. However, I love them dearly and hope to find a place for them one day.
This bathroom has a Bombay feel and a bit of "love me some Spain" flare to it. Some of my crosses have that Spanish look to them so they go perfectly in here. It really warms up the space and gives it a homey feel of sorts.
And...I was bound and determined to get some images of that Gentleman's room in the basement so that I could give you the true look of that brown trim. Yesterday's post was really off when it came to the coloring down there. So...once it was mid-day and light out this afternoon, I tried again. These pictures below give you a better idea of the color I'm working with when it comes to that dang trim. Oh...and just for you guys...I finally got around to putting some things up on the fireplace mantle. HA HA! After looking over those shots I took yesterday and seeing how bare it was down there, I got to work today and pulled out some things from my supply room (accessories I haven't found a spot for yet) and started placing a few of them. It still needs some additional work but at least there is something sitting there "trying" to fill up the mantle now. Hee hee! The Gentleman's room has more of an old world - Ernest Hemingway feel or look to it. If you've ever seen a cigar room or cigar bar, then you'll know what I mean. It reminds us of that type of look. Needless to say...we don't smoke in this house so no need to call it a cigar room. And no, we don't drink either so the photos you saw of the bar last night and it's bareness are a true depiction of how empty and unused that area is unless we are entertaining. I'm actually having my best girlfriends all over this Saturday night and I do like how the basement is an "entertaining basement." There has been 150 people in and out of this house all at one time before and the basement really helps keep the flow going in that situation.
Again, no picture really shows the perfect reflection of what the basement looks like - color wise. You'd have to be here and in person to see it all visually with your own eyes. Hey...maybe we should have a big AGD bash here at my place. You guys in??? ;) Wink wink!
My next project will move to the upstairs level. Aside from painting Brennen's room and changing out his window treatments, I also need to tackle this playroom.
This space makes me crazy. I love it. It's a great room for the kids and all of their hoop-lah/toys. However, it needs something on the walls. It needs more character - more personality in here. With me placing Brennen's things on one end and Kenidi's things on the opposite end of the room, I can't decide how to accessorize or decorate in here. Any input, ideas, advice?
Yes, this would be my half nek-ked daughter watching TV way too close. But...don't you just love her little pointed toes and perfect posture in the shot below? I sure do.
As a side note...see that little white and pink baby buggy that Kenidi is sitting by in the photo above? Well, that used to be mine. It also used to be black in color with a toille black and cream fabric. However, a few years ago my Mom found it in her stash and took it to be redone. She had it painted white and then had someone make new fabrics for it in the pink and lace. Hard to believe that used to be mine all those years ago and now Kenidi plays with it. Such an heirloom. Maybe her little girl will play with it someday.
Anywho, those are just some extra shots for ya. I hope I answered your couple of questions pertaining to the cross wall and where we keep all of Brennen and Kenidi's toys at. Don't say I never tell you anything. HA HA! Have a great night, Ang
I'm off to the dentist this morning. Oh Joy! Nothing like the whining sound of a dentist cleaning brush as they are digging a trench across your gum line cleaning your teeth. I don't know what I love more - gagging on the mint flavored flouride at the end of the appt. or the scraping of tartar off your teeth to the point where your gums bleed and look as though a murder has taken place. You know, when you basically leave a trail of blood out their front door when you go to leave. Ahhh...what a fantastic start to the day. HA!
Hey, let's look at it this way...at least I have matching shoes on today. ;)
As you leave the bright, open, airy, ocean blue and vanilla feel of the main level of our new home and head down the main stairs to our basement, this is what you see. (I apologize in advance for the images. I just couldn't capture pictures in the exact way the eye sees this space. Therefore, some are too bright - some are too dark - etc. Please bare with me.) Since moving into our new home 7 months ago, I've determined that the colors in the basement are the only thing that I do not care for within our home. The house is a brand new house but I feel like the wall colors and carpet color down here in the basement make it feel much older than it actually is. Unfortunately the colors were already done and painted when we purchased the home so there was no turning back at that point.
Please note...I have yet to do any decorating down here in the lower level areas. There are no accessories, scrawny trees, plants out of place -just sitting and waiting for me to either throw them out or find a new spot for them, etc. It's really just a hot mess down here for the moment. ;)
Meet the "baby poop brown" trim I've vented to you guys about down here. See the images below. They give you a great color confirmation of what I mean when I say that the trim is "baby poop brown." The room below is actually what they call the "Gentleman's Room." I realize that basements are meant to be darker and more manly most times. However, if I had it my way, I'd paint this trim down here a different color. Brent won't have it though. He really likes the basement area. He says it would be too much work to repaint the entire basement trim. He's right. I'll admit it. In the end, it's definitely fit for a guy. No doubt about it.
Now...let me say that the brown trim isn't so bad in the Gentleman's room with all of the Terra cotta colored furniture and the coordinating window treatments, walls, etc., or in the theater room, game room area, bar area, or even in the bedrooms/bathroom down here. I can 'deal' when it comes to those areas.
But...when the trim carries over into my AGD studio room...it gets really tricky for me to handle and just breathe thru it. See case in point below.
Again, I apologize for the color of the pictures. The carpet in the pictures here is way more brown than it truly is and same goes for the trim. The trim isn't this dark. But...I just can't get the camera to pick up the real color.
My goal with painting this studio space was to make it a bit more cheerful when I'm in there sewing or beading. I couldn't stand the darkness anymore. The pink wall paint did help the room tremendously in regards to brightening it up. However, I'm still not totally pleased with the outcome. If only this trim was white. If only...
I'm currently looking and on the hunt for an old vintage desk on Craig's list or in some thrift/antique shops that I can buy and paint a turquoise color. I will just take the 6ft. table out and replace it with the desk once I find it. Option #2 would be to make a funky table cloth to go over the 6ft table to match and go along with the greens, pinks, turquoise, etc. in here. My goal would be for the table cloth to be floor length and ultimately hide the underneath of the table itself. We'll see what transpires with that.
I do enjoy having the walk out basement access in here with all of the open windows. It really lights up the room during the day. It will be nice to open that door and those windows come spring and summer. I can actually walk out there and sit down and bead if I feel the need. Again though, if I had my way, I'd replace the bamboo window treatments with something more girlie. However, there is really no sense in wasting the money to replace them with that trim being the brown color that it is.
The green dresser/drawers you see in the image above are filled to the brim with beads and bead supplies. They have their own little area in there.
I do love how my big ol' massive wings painting turned out in here. It really is a statement maker. LOVE THAT! Thanks again Sherri.
As you all know, I have serious OCD issues when it comes to organization. This room was a yoga/exercise room back before we bought the house and when our builder had it staged as the model. Therefore, this closet was left open with a huge mirror on the wall in between the shelves. It is PERFECT for me because I can easily get in and out of there as I'm working on things in the room itself. The mirror also opens up the space and gives you the impression that it is much larger in size. Helps to lighten things again as well. I need all the "light" I can get down here. :) Either way, these shelves are a God send for me and all of my soldering, rhinestone, beading, stamping, hair bows, etc. supplies. I got the baskets to disguise all of the chaos.
Yes, I know. Go ahead and say it..."I'm a freak" regarding the organizing. Labeled things make my heart skip a beat. I love labeled and "owned" spaces. If you think this is bad, you should see the room where I store all of my fabrics. I probably need medication for this sort of thing. HA!
People often ask me if this room stays that clean all the time. The answer is...most times, yes! I cannot work in a cluttered and unorganized area. I'm the type that would want to run and jump off a cliff rather than work in a space where things are thrown all over and strung out everywhere. When sewing, it is easy to get messy. You usually end up with fabric remnants, threads, etc. everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE! In the end though, I have to go pick it all up, save what needs to be salvaged, and then grab a sweeper to remove all of the fallen threads on the carpet. If I don't, I could seriously go into convulsions at any given moment.
So, there you have it. The studio is done. I wanted a bright and cheery space that was a Hodge podge of "me." Of AGD. I wanted a whimsical room that resembled something like cupcakes and palettes of fabrics all rolled into one spot. I'm secretly pretending that the baby poop brown trim is just the chocolate cake to the body of all the cupcakes. :) I'm slowly but surely making it mine and "owning" the area. Now...if I could just find a really ROCKIN' old vintage desk to paint turquoise for in there, I'd be doing great. Thanks for letting me share the paint job either way. I'll be sure to share Kenidi's room as well in a couple of days now that it is literally seconds from being done. Her room makes me proud! I get all giddy inside about her space.
Here is a sneak peek for ya'll today. Sorry I'm late on posting this. I had a hair appt. this morning so that Jason could ROCK the "do" like he always does. I rolled myself out of bed and noticed the sunshine right off the bat this morning and immediately thanked God for what was sure to be an incredible day. Little did I know that the good Lord above would send me into the hair salon wearing two different black boots this morning as a sick joke. Like my Mom always says, "God sure does have a sense of humor." Yes, Jason was cutting my hair and all of a sudden I looked down and couldn't help but notice in the full length mirror that I was wearing two totally different shoes. I belted out a nice and poignant - "OH. MY. GAWSHHHHH!" Jason looked up and I was all..."I'm wearing two totally different frappin' shoes." We both got a good laugh out of it as did some other hair dressers and customers in the salon. Thankfully, no one seemed to have noticed until I pointed it out. We were cracking up. I could feel my face shooting to blood red and 115 degrees as I sat there the rest of my appt. Needless to say, I'd already been in there like that for an hour by this point. Lucky for me, it was pretty dead in there this morning beings that it was so early. Therefore, my brain lapse today was the entertainment of just a few rather than a full salon of people. Praise God!
I left there 2.5 hours later. As I walked out the salons front door and felt the sunshine hit my face and heard the birds chirping, I thanked God for allowing me to have a sense of humor and for giving me the ability to laugh at myself rather than be mortified. I haven't been able to stop laughing about it all day long. Needless to say, I'm finding the fun in it all & thanking God for a great haircut, an extremely talented hair dresser, and for my two very mis-matched pair of boots. I'm thanking God today for the smiles, the belly laughs with others as tears rolled down my face from cackling so hard, and for his sense of humor in it all.
I pray you have enjoyed your day as much as I have. For now, I'm off to go edit some images.
PS...Yes, the boots were the same height even though one boot was a pointed toe black stiletto heel and the other was a black rounded toe wedge heel. They looked nothing alike but miraculously didn't feel different from one another when on my feet. The joys of grabbing shoes from your closet in the dark. :) Life is good!
OHHHHH BOOOYYYYY...next Monday nights "The Bachelor" episode/season finale' is going to be a juicy one filled with nothing but drama fo' yo' Mamma. For those of you who follow the Bachelor/Bachelorette, who are you routing for? Are you hoping for Deanna to come back and whisk him away even though she let him go last season?
Or are you like..."snooze you loose" with Deanna and now wishing for Molly to win his heart? (shown below)
Or...maybe you are like me and pulling for Melissa (in the picture below) to win him over.
What is your prediction? Who will it be? I'm secretly hoping that if he doesn't pick Melissa that he will go a second round with De Anna. I know - I know...I'm a real sucker for fairy tales. I'm just not feeling Molly for some reason. Her and those side pony tails she wears are really causing me some nightmares. ;) In my nightmares, I have visions of reaching up with a machete and chopping the thing off. Scary, eh? I thought so too. Molly said on one of the episodes that she "could" get ready in 5 minutes with a pony tail and lip gloss. Ummmm....yeap, that is apparent. We see that. Definitely see that! I realize that the side pony tails are supposed to be coming back but skinny jeans came back too. However, that doesn't mean we should all run out and buy a pair. I once heard somewhere that you should quit wearing side pony tails once you pass the age of 5. I would have to concur with that opinion.
I can't believe that they are bringing De Anna back to begin with. I'm sure it is a possibility that its just all for their ratings. Guess we'll have to wait and see come next Monday, eh? No matter what, it is going to be interesting. I'd love to hear what all of you are thinking will happen regarding who he is going to pick. Who is your fav?
xoxo, Ang
PS...I apologize for not getting the new spring/summer sneak peek set up tonight. Kenidi's school called and had me come get her early today due to her being sick. I kept her home yesterday with a fever and vomiting. However, by mid-day yesterday she seemed to be feeling good again. Either way, she was home with me today and I didn't get the chance to photograph a sneak peek of the new set. However, good news is...it is supposed to be 50 something degrees and sunny here tomorrow. If she is feeling better, I might try to photograph the whole ensemble tomorrow and get it listed right away rather than tease you with a sneak peek. We'll see how it all goes depending on how she is feeling. Thanks for being so patient. :)
One of my favorite things in this world is lip balm. Whenever I'm running around in the house without make-up, I have lip balm on. I'm convinced that it is an addiction. I can remember being obsessed with "carmex" back in my school days. It is nothing for us to stock 12 different little circular yellow tins of that mighty powerful balm in our house today. Kenidi loves it too. I think she thinks it is lip gloss. She'll bring me the tins of carmex, hold it up and show me, rub her finger on her little lips and verbalize/say the word "wips" as her way of letting me know she wants me to put some on her. It's too cute.
I have two favorite lip balms in this world and they are the carmex and the Laura Mercier lip balm. I can't get enough of either of them. However, now I have a new favorite. My girlfriend Krissie, (thanx lovah!) got me this zebra decorated ball of lip balm from Boston last year in a gift shop there. It was one of my birthday gifts from her. I've opened it up and showed it to you below...
This is actually not the original one. I zipped thru the one she got me in world record time. I was beside myself though because I couldn't find the ball lip balms anywhere around here. Well, low and behold...I walked into a gift shop here the other day and found them. Tons of them. Lots of fun designs - even pink leopard (shown in the first image above) and some with peace signs on them. ROCKIN'!!! So...I knew I had to share my latest favorite find with you all. The ball design gives you more than twice the amount of a normal stick lip balm. (per ballmania's website) I also like the fact that these designs come in sports balls as well. (i.e., basketballs, baseballs, tennis balls, golf balls, etc.) so that my son/Brennen can use them without feeling like he is carrying around a stick of girlie lip balm. Ya know? Paired with my little AGD fan fare mirrors, you just can't go wrong. Hee hee! :)
Feel free to visit their website to order online or find a store near you that carries them. I promise you that you won't be disappointed.
Lastly, I just wanted to feature a couple of tee's on here real fast just because I think some of you might enjoy seeing them. Grandma's...I'm talking to you about these...
For those of you with Grandkids, the "MY GRANDKIDS ROCK" rhinestone and applique tee are for you. I had a customer order one as well as a blue team tee for her two grandchildren who play basketball and have the same team colors this season. (They are brother and sister too. How cute!) So...for those of you feeling as though AGD styles are too young for you...think again. We can ROCK out the Grandma closets too! HA HA! And trust me...you don't get two feet ahead without someone stopping you asking you about your tee and where you got it from. Just ask Wanda. (my customer who ordered these) She has a couple of my other team tee's we did for her as well and she got bombarded at the games when wearing them. Thanks for passing out my business card Wanda. :)
Should you have a team tee need or wish to do one of the MY ______ROCK(S) tee's, feel free to email me in regards to placing an order. You can also order directly via the AGD website or our ETSY store.
For now, I'm headed back to my old stomping ground today (Center Grove) and then out to run some much needed errands as well. I do have a sneak peek Spring/Summer 09' AGD design to share with you all this evening. Remember though, I said "sneak peek." Ha ha! Check back for it later tonight. It's just one of many new ones in the works for the up and coming season. Bring on Spring! Hugs, Ang
When we moved into our new home a little over 6 months ago, I knew that Kenidi's room had HUGE character. I couldn't wait to lay out a design - the perfect breath taking, drama driven, oh so girlie room for her. I'm so glad that we didn't jump the gun and paint right away as I almost did. I'm thankful that I had 6 months to get the rest of the house in order and then focus on solely her space. As you enter her room, she has a monstrous set of french windows encrusted with the most stunning bench seating within them that overlook the view out into our front yard. As a young girl, I remember begging my Mom and Step-Dad to purchase a model home that had we had toured which had window seating just like the one Kenidi now has. I had visions of sitting up in that window and watching the world go by - observing life from up high in the sky - as I saw it back then. So...when we moved into our new home, it brought me nothing but pure elation when I knew Kenidi would have what I had dreamed of when I was just a young 10 year old little girl. Although Kenidi will only be 6 in a few short months, she will still be able to feel the girlie-ness that stitches up and encompasses this new room of hers.
Beings that you all are anxious to see her new room in its completed state, I thought I would torture you a bit more as I have a tendency to do when introducing a new AGD design to all of you. You know...the "sneak peeks?" Here are some sneak peeks of the inside of her "take Mommy's breath away, drama driven, oh so girlie, new room." Once her last piece arrives (hopefully this week) for her wall, I'll be sure to share full images of the entire space. For now, this will keep you in the loop as it all comes together...
I tried to keep a splash of zebra in the room because I just can't breathe without it somewhere - somehow. I toned it way down though and made a minimal statement with it. As you all probably already guessed, we were aiming for an old Hollywood style design. One that reflected Mommy's love for Audrey Hepburn & her movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, all while pulling off a modernized yet vintage, estate, glitz and glamour feel from that era in time. We wanted bling, but instead of bling in my normal funked out, zebra lovin', bold way...I wanted bling in a shiny, classy, elegant sorta' way. I wanted the frills - the fabulicious look that my girl 'Audrey' was known for back in her day.
I wanted new - but yet desired to actually replicate old, treasured, story driven, memory soaked, vintage, designs wherever I could within her room. For example, the drawer pulls on this jewelry box below...I guarantee you that they are memory soaked, carry a few stories, and have had the hands of time drenched all over and around them. Oh if only vintage crystal knobs/buttons could talk...
I searched high and low to find pieces that would identify Kenidi. After all, this is HER room. She is our "Audrey" in this house. :)
I still have several picture frames and some wall items to be placed and arranged. However, we are almost there. Each time I walk into her room now, I just gasp. The best part about it all...even Daddy gasps. He loves it too.
The entire space is fit for a princess. For a drama queen. For an "Audrey." For a breakfast at Tiffany's kinda' girl. For. our. little. Kenidi. Grace!
Even Kenidi's best buds love their new digs. Here is to chicks who ROCK but who ROCK it out in a classy, elegant, sophisticated kinda' way. Here is to her buddy ol' pals such as little Miss Tisha shown in the photo below.
We love how lil' Tisha's hair matches her new rooms paint color and how Tisha can bling it out like the best of em' but yet still ROCK it out in a classy, sophisticated, and elegant sorta' way. We love our "Tisha girl" in this house. She was a Christmas present from Great Grandma Esther this past year and we think Tish is just da' bomb! :) Stay tuned...more to come in a few days.
PS...Our Internet here at home is down. I have an AT&T technician coming tomorrow morning to fix it. At least I pray he'll fix it anyhow. Therefore, if you have emailed me or are waiting on a reply from me, please stay patient just a bit longer. Our service has been down since late Thursday night and I'm about ready to go postal. I'm currently using Brent's air card for the lap top and acquiring temporary service that way. Keeping my fingers crossed that we finally get access back tomorrow. Happy Sunday, Angie
I'm off to the dentist this morning. Oh Joy! Nothing like the whining sound of a dentist cleaning brush as they are 
OHHHHH BOOOYYYYY...next Monday nights "The Bachelor" episode/season finale' is going to be a juicy one filled with nothing but drama fo' yo' Mamma. For those of you who follow the Bachelor/Bachelorette, who are you routing for? Are you hoping for Deanna to come back and whisk him away even though she let him go last season?
