welcoming 2012...

image courtesy of bobbins and bombshells

HAPPY NEW YEARS! Welcome 2012!

quotable...

before you act, listen.
before you react, think.
before you spend, earn.
before you criticize, wait.
before you pray, forgive.
before you quit, try.

-ernest hemingway

the best personal style...

i can't read a single word on this blog, nor do i know who this woman is...but i want to be her. seriously, how great are her outfits? i'm uber envious...

stop the squeeking...

my dad bought all his grandpuppies the most ridiculously loud squeeking toy on the planet...here is penny & hanks nephew, brisby, with his...

pass the pigs...

have ya'll heard of pass the pigs? yeah, me neither, until last night. i was out for my friend becca's bday and her husband and brother were playing it, the original/classic game of it, with drinking involved of course. it's kind of awesome, i kind of need to get this game for myself...

quotable...

pre-fabulous...

this is probably like totally against the rules for me to say (as a custom builder), but i LOVE these pre-fab house kits by connor homes. like, these are my dream homes for my someday house in vermont...


read this article about them too.

christmas 2012...

how was your christmas?...

new company website...

our new company website it up, go check it out here.


our company is going to start blogging soon too (courtesy of yours truly) so check back!!!

romantic graphic prints...

are these not the most adorable prints from art shark designs?...

white on white...

meet my soon-to-be new kitchen...


i love it. but i do not love the colors (or the white appliances for that matter). i'm thinking of going with a white on white, lighten it up a bit...semi gloss for the cabinets & trim, matte for the walls, and a white subway tile for the backsplash. i think it will look snazzy with the existing oil rubbed bronze cabinet hardware and the oil rubbed bronze bridge faucet, as well as the beautiful cherry countertops and wood floor. plus, it might make those dated white appliances blend in until i can swap them out for stainless. these are some of my favorite inspiration images...

image courtesy of delights by design

image courtsey of heidi claire

image courtesy of decor pad

image courtesy of la dolce vita

image courtesy of birch & lily

image courtesy of a note on design

image courtesy of martha stewart

image courtesy of home interior design

so here's my dilemma...what white to use? yes, there are literally hundreds of whites to choose from. i'm leaning towards ben moore simply white oc-117, but white dove oc-17 is a contender too. what i'm most excited about is the pop color i'm going to use at the back of the glass front cabinets. it's actually going to be less of a pop color and more of a nice backdrop color so that my white dishes & bowls will pop against it. because the rest of the main spaces of the house will be relatively neutral i'm thinking more of an earthy, dark color; ben moore tate olive hc-112 or darker, gloucester sage hc-100 (colors on the computer screen are not totally accurate) are some thoughts. this is my inspiration for that idea...

image courtesy of pink wallpaper

i'm also super thrilled that i am going to have banquette seating in my eat-in-kitchen...inspirational images to come on that soon!

a dog named beau...

my friend sent this to me yesterday, it melts my heart. it's the best poem about a beloved dog i've ever heard...

currently reading...

i'm really looking forward to starting the next book my book group has selected, never let me go by kazuo ishiguro...


have any of you read it? i've only heard good things so i can't wait to dive in!

the wind in their ears...

my stepdad just sent me this...any dog lover will love it...

Dogs in Cars from keith on Vimeo.

my penny girl should be in it, she loves having her head out the window...

homemade art with take out containers...

i LOVE this idea for some homemade art prints made out of those junky styrofoam take out containers. matted & framed any design you can imagine would look professional, i'm definitely going to try this... (ps- click on this link to make it bigger)...