change of a dress

It is official, well not exactly, but we did sign a contract for a condo and we were approved for a loan. Next up: attorney approval, inspection (we are doing this today), get a clean title from the owner, set an official closing date, clean, and hire a painter!

And I love this moving announcement I saw at Smitten. (while my husband was eating a sandwich at Jerry's)

paint

(pic from AT)

foyer, kitchen/dining/living room = Benjamin Moore's Decorator's White (recommend here)

And don't worry, we are not painting the floor white.

And I am thinking of going with Swiss Coffee for the trim. We had this in our last condo and Jeff Lewis recommended it this season on Flipping Out.

I am still deciding what to paint with chalkboard paint. I am thinking the pantry door...

Team Edward

I finally joined the rest of the world and started reading the Twilight series.

love my dog

t-shirt by Norma Kamali at Walmart for $6.00

Gift Ideas

Kate Spade clock

Minnetonka slippers

vintage looking French butter dish

light bulb ski hat

a flower pin from emersonmade

(You need to check out her blog)

Poppy rings at bess and loie

(and only $12.00)

Fireplaces

(from Martha Stewart's house tours)

more house tours by Martha

Bathrooms

holidays

I have already started looking at holiday decor online and I am disappointed that cb2, Pottery Barn, and Crate and Barrel have the exact same stuff as last year. However, Anthropologie has new stuff.

wish list

at P. O. S. H.

salt pot

pancake plate

cute pitcher

pink pie plate

cheese knife and spreader

modern ceiling fan

I know, the words modern + ceiling fan don't go together. But I actually like this fan.

journal

I have tried keeping a journal in the past with very little success.

Maybe I could keep up with this one?

future home, part 2

Now that it is looking like my future home is going to have a fireplace (which was not on my "must have" list), I need to start looking for inspiration. I found this pic during my search of townhouses. I am wondering if the top to my Grandma Nell's pump organ (this one is similar) could be painted black... (but, I don't think it would be be enough)

Here is my "must have" list:

• allow dogs :)
• 2 full bathrooms
• big open living / dining room
• low assessments (we have seen some places on Lakeshore Drive with a $1200.00 per month assessment!)
• at least 2 BIG bedrooms (must fit king size beds)
• be walking distance to Lake Michigan
• have a high walk score (try this out)
• laundry in the unit
• covered parking in the building
• patio/deck
• no stairs (if they are in the unit, that is okay, but we have seen a few beautiful places that are up 3 flights of stairs)

tunics + leggings

My sister requested a post about leggings.

Not tights, but thicker ankle length leggings, almost like pants.

So here are my suggestions:

*** Note: all items are from Anthropologie and all flatter girls with curves! ***

AG Rosebud Denim Tights

Joe's Knit Chelsea

Future home?

After looking at 9 condos/townhouses last night, I think we might put an offer on a place!
Here is a sneak peek:

dinner

Tonight we are using our groupon at Hannah's Bretzel for dinner.

I'm getting the pesto + mozzarella.

Halloween on ebay

cast iron doorstop

vintage postcards

popcorn cat and witch

black cat mugs

red doors

Benjamin Moore's Heritage Red (recommend here)

If you can't tell, I am gathering paint ideas for a new home that is TBD.

haint blue

On a trip to South Carolina last spring, I fell in love with the blue porch ceilings all over the place. I am not sure why they are painted blue, but our tour guide told us it's so birds won't build a nest on the porch. (Apparently if birds look up and see blue they will think it is the sky?)

I don't believe him.

Here is what my google search found for the perfect porch blue:

Benjamin Moore's Arctic Blue

Martha Stewart C26 Porch Ceiling Blue (pictured above)

Sherwin-Williams SW 6471 Hazel, SW 6505 Atmospheric, or SW 6944 Pool Blue

black boots

I miss Henry, part 2

Have you seen this dress up close? It has dogs all over it and I love it. I even wore it all last weekend with black leggings. And in case you can't tell with all of my dog posts, I really miss Henry. (He is in MI while we are looking for a home to buy - our building we live in right now does not allow dogs)

animal print

This belt would match just about everything in my closet.

Favorite new shows

These shows are not new, but they are new to me. I now include the following shows into my weekly viewing pleasure:

The Rachel Zoe Project

Pawn Stars

and

Living with Ed

As seen on....

Flipping Out

dvf

Do you think I could wear this dress to a wedding next weekend with a pair of super high shoes?

I was trying on the dress I was thinking of wearing last night and I wasn't feel it.

And I am sick of wearing a basic black dress to every wedding I attend.

harness

another harness, but without wings

wings

leather harness

Jcrew, again

I wish this jacket wasn't over $1000.00! Yikes.

I miss Henry

He is in Michigan until we find a new home.

(dogs are not allowed in the building we are staying in for now)

I even had a dream last night that we got a new dog and it looked identical to Henry.

sequin shoes

My heart skipped a beat when I opened up an email featuring this sequin covered shoe.

I also heart this pair. Goldenmeans reviewed the Genny pair here.

Tables

Ideas:
Classic Farm, Terravida, or Big Sur (this is my favorite - see pic below)

I am going for a classic farm table and I want a mix of different white chairs.

Moving

Well, we finally closed on our condo and moved out. Now, I can focus on ideas for a new place. When I asked my husband what he thinks we need for a new place, he said a king bed. I say a dining room table and chairs.

Here are my ideas for beds:

1. Architecture bed
(this one would have to depend on the size of the master bedroom)

2. Hoffman bed

3. Colette bed - see pic below (this is my favorite - but do you think I will like it in 10 years?)


And this mirror to hang above the bed:

Rachel Zoe

For the past few weeks, I have been addicted to season 2 of The Rachel Zoe Project. I don't know why I didn't watch the first season? Her new jewelry/accessory line is being launched on QVC on September 12th at 8pm EST.

Home

We still don't have a closing date for our condo or a new home,

but I am still collecting ideas.

Hot Mama

My friend/co-worker has been working very hard to live a healthier lifestyle and she looks amazing. (Amy - I think you always have been a hot mama) Last week she told me that all of her clothing is too big. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to help with this dilemma. On Monday, we are going to check out Anthropologie. Does anyone else want to join us? hint, hint Semi-Hipster Homeowner?

Leather

Leather (specifically black) seems to big for fall 2009 - I think it is funny that the latest trends have not really ever gone out of style. My super fashionable 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Clark, used to sport a knee length black leather skirt over 20 years ago. I used to look forward to seeing what she would wear each day.

Other "trends" for this fall include:

all black

over the knee boots (remember "Pretty Woman?")

animal prints

red

vests

tights (black, patterns, polka dots)

30

The Best Present Ever:

My husband put together a scrapbook (along with the help of his sister) for my birthday. He spent about 12 hours working on it yesterday (in Bloomingdale at his parent's house) and woke me up at 3am to give it to me. (with a Tiffany necklace too) My friends and family sent pictures and information and George put it all together in this book. The pages even include my Grandpa and great Grandma who passed away when I was in college. As soon as I saw these pictures, I started to cry. (and the one of me holding my nephew when he was a few hours old, and my honeymoon pictures, and the I almost dies while hiking picture...)

Here a just a few of the pages:

I am in the purple bathing suit - and holding a purse. I always brought a purse with me.

NYC

I finally got to see van Gogh's Starry Night - after 5 attempts. It was always traveling.

Running with my sister

Cubs games!

summer salad

Tonight I made this easy salad for dinner:

Mix wedges of tomatoes and peaches, add slivers of red onion, a few red-pepper flakes and cilantro. Dress with olive oil and lime or lemon juice.

by Mark Bittman

For more ideas (or 101) check out this article in the NYT.

fall at Anthro

Anthropologie is having the best summer sale right now (for example, a pair of black Joe's jeans for under $50.00), but what I am loving is below:

This dress is from Anna Sui and I am interested in how her Target line is going to be in a few weeks

I saw a woman on the Today show wearing this dress/tunic (the cook during the cooking segment)

30th Birthday

Crumbs cupcakes will be arriving next week in honor of my 30th birthday.

(and for my sister too - she is turning 32) I hope the cupcakes arrive in time to bring them to the Cubs game. Jumbo hot dogs, beer, and cupcakes. Yummy.

Black

I think I moving on from my normal Wicked color.

It will now be Black Satin.

Stamp

The first thing I want to buy (after we move) is a stamp with our new address.

I like this one.

Future Entryway

Now I can go back to blogging about ideas for a new home!

Here are some for an entryway:

(which is nearly impossible to find downtown)

I like the idea of painting the inside of the front door a fun color, like blue, yellow, or red.

American Cabinet Co.

My husband's Grandpa was a dentist in the city and had a dental cabinet made by American Cabinet Co. from the 1920's similar to the one shown below. I plan on putting this in an entryway or hallway. While I was searching online, I also found this adorable antique dollhouse dental cabinet and this one. Apparently these dollhouse cabinets were made to help kids be less scared of going to the dentist. (see pics above)

corn on the cob

I have a love/hate relationship with these buildings.

P-touch and moving

I wanted a label maker for a few years, but didn't really have a reason to get one. That is until we sold our condo (after 10 months on the market, we agreed on an offer a few weeks ago) and now are in the process of packing. Being newly married, it was our first experience making a huge decision together. The odd part was my husband was very liberal about selling our place and I turned into the conservative one!?

We have not officially closed, but our closing date is probably going to be in September. Since we have a few weeks off before returning to work, (and we canceled vacation plans to Seattle and Maine) we are starting to pack up most of our stuff and moving it to my in-law's basement.

Air and Water Show

White

I love wearing white in the summer. Maybe it is because I actually look less pale in white.

Summer

Tonic at the Taste of Lincoln

Cubs game with George

I worn my "W" shirt to four games and this is the first time the Cubs won.

I spent a week in Michigan:

my brother docking the boat in the Bear Lake channel

Lunch with Grandma at a dairy farm in New Era.

my Grandma's amazing patio tomato plant - she definitely has a green thumb



Grand Haven, MI

Pronto Pups (corn dogs) for dinner

Lake Harbor Park - I grew up riding my bike or walking to this beach

I started my collection of driftwood to make this mirror.

snuggie for dogs

I wonder if Henry would like this? Probably not.

(pic from the Chicago Tribune)