This gorgeous French buffet I just bought for my dining room....and for a steal.
Love it!!!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Random Bits
Greetings, with random bits of last week in review. I hope that everyone is having a great start to the week.
I made these little yummies last week. The recipe is by the queen of butta so don't expect these cuties to be fat free ;-) but soul food they are indeed! The recipe is easy peasy too...
Bake the tops.
Cook the filling...grilled chicken, fresh peas and carrots, lots o' heavy cream and butter!
Bake 'em.
Voila...sweet little personal size, homemade chicken pot pies.
They refrigerate great...just pop them in the oven to restore the crispy flake to the crust and you're good to go. The filling freezes great too, so you can store it away for the days when all you feel like making is reservations.
In other randomness...
This takes place A LOT at my home. I have a border collie. Border collies are amazing herding dogs. Sooo...what is a border collie to do when they don't have goats (or whatever) to herd? They herd the family kitty. It makes her crazy. Here you are witnessing a successful herd.
More randomness...
The house is coming along great. We've made it through about half of the painting that we have to do. See below...my new gray, I love it. Wait, who's that little guy?
I had the back door open because it is so beautiful outside and this little guy just flew right in and hung out.
I caught him. It looks like I'm strangling him but I'm holding him very gently. I think he liked me because I took him outside to guide him on his way and he just sat in my hand and looked at me for a few minutes before taking off.
I caught him. It looks like I'm strangling him but I'm holding him very gently. I think he liked me because I took him outside to guide him on his way and he just sat in my hand and looked at me for a few minutes before taking off.
Anyway...if you are still here and reading this ridiculous post, thank you, and I'll be back soon with some design related stuff.
Happy Monday :-)
oh, and in case you haven't noticed, I've got some new buttons on the side bar. Check 'em out.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Spring
I would like to apologize for my lack of posts recently.
We lost a dear friend last weekend. His passing was unexpected and has left many feeling lost, confused and brokenhearted. Most specifically his sweet wife (my best friend and roommate from college) and their two precious little girls. He was a Christian, an amazing man, a wonderful husband, a phenomenal father and a loved son, brother and friend. He will be missed.
I came home from Dallas to find my wisteria in full bloom. While sitting under the arbor, surrounded by the intoxicating scent of the blooms, I just couldn't help but think of how spring gives us a sense of renewal. With spring comes new hope, open windows and fresh air, sweet breezes with the scents of blooming flowers and joy that the cold days of winter are over for a while. It has often been said that the changing of the seasons is like the cycle of life. There is birth, youth, maturing, and death...and then rebirth. Spring is a continual reminder that all things are reborn. Winter is inevitable. We all know that it will return. Just as believers know that our life on earth will end and we will be reborn into an everlasting spring with the Lord.
"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Take heart. The dark days of winter are but a season and the promise of spring, in turn, is a promise of eternity. The darkest of days always turn to light and remind us of our salvation and the eternal spring we will share with the Lord.
Spring is a blessing.
We are all given a short time on this earth. We all have a certain and inescapable summoning where believers will be taken into the eternal spring of the Lord's glory.
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I pray for comfort, strength, faith and peace for my friend and her little girls. I pray this for all of the friends and family that loved her husband and will miss him terribly.
Enjoy the spring. We all know that winter will return, but bask in the sunshine and renewal. Know that it is all part of life and look forward to your own eternal spring.
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
John 11:25-26
We lost a dear friend last weekend. His passing was unexpected and has left many feeling lost, confused and brokenhearted. Most specifically his sweet wife (my best friend and roommate from college) and their two precious little girls. He was a Christian, an amazing man, a wonderful husband, a phenomenal father and a loved son, brother and friend. He will be missed.
I came home from Dallas to find my wisteria in full bloom. While sitting under the arbor, surrounded by the intoxicating scent of the blooms, I just couldn't help but think of how spring gives us a sense of renewal. With spring comes new hope, open windows and fresh air, sweet breezes with the scents of blooming flowers and joy that the cold days of winter are over for a while. It has often been said that the changing of the seasons is like the cycle of life. There is birth, youth, maturing, and death...and then rebirth. Spring is a continual reminder that all things are reborn. Winter is inevitable. We all know that it will return. Just as believers know that our life on earth will end and we will be reborn into an everlasting spring with the Lord.
"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Take heart. The dark days of winter are but a season and the promise of spring, in turn, is a promise of eternity. The darkest of days always turn to light and remind us of our salvation and the eternal spring we will share with the Lord.
Spring is a blessing.
We are all given a short time on this earth. We all have a certain and inescapable summoning where believers will be taken into the eternal spring of the Lord's glory.
.JPG)
I pray for comfort, strength, faith and peace for my friend and her little girls. I pray this for all of the friends and family that loved her husband and will miss him terribly.
Enjoy the spring. We all know that winter will return, but bask in the sunshine and renewal. Know that it is all part of life and look forward to your own eternal spring.
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
John 11:25-26
Friday, March 12, 2010
Grinnin' for Shagreen
I love Shagreen! (Pronounced Shuh-green) Shagreen is the skin of a stingray and can add beautiful texture to accessories and furniture.
The skin of the stingray is covered in tiny enamel "beads". Towards the center of the back, the beads get larger and form a sort of "eye". It is this extraordinary part of the hide that is used for decorative purposes. The stingray is fished for food throughout Southeast Asia, isn't endangered and is one of the few fish in the world that has beautifully preservable skin.
Not only is Shagreen incredibly striking to look at and touch, it is incredibly durable as well, which makes it great for furniture. A long time ago (17th and 18th century), the skins were mainly dyed green, polished with black lacquer and used as a veneer. This is when it came to be known as "shagreen". It became popular through French furniture makers during the height of the Art Deco movement. Many designers since, such as Ruhlmann, Jean Michel-Frank, Clement Rousseau, among many others, have embraced this exotic skin.
Shagreen is a highly labor intensive material and is ofter referred to as the most luxurious material amongst furniture aficionados. Therefore, it is not inexpensive. Thanks to modern day technology we can all have a little shagreen in our homes by going the faux route.
This hall chest by Stanley has faux shagreen veneers on the drawer fronts. It makes this basic piece of furniture sing with sophistication.
This little guy, courtesy of the always lovely Dransfield & Ross, is in my very own living room. This sweet little box houses some swanky faux shagreen coasters.
Another beauty from Dransfield & Ross are these chic pencils and case in a creamy faux shagreen. I love the black piping detail, it screams Chanel.
You can add slight touches of shagreen with a statement accent table such as these.
Century Furniture
Century Furniture
Try an entire piece of furniture veneered in a luscious gray faux shagreen like this vanity for Lamps Plus.
Small touches of this gorgeous texture on a lamp would give your not-so-special side table a little something special.
Lighting by Century Furniture
I found these amazing real shagreen stools on FirstDibs.
Bring a little interest into your home with this beloved material and you'll be grinnin' for shagreen too!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Curiouser & Curiouser
It's Getting Late
In honor of the very, very long awaited Alice In Wonderland by Tim Burton premier I would like to fill your heads with fabulous images by the amazingly talented Maggie Taylor from her Almost Alice collection. She is beyond talented! Everyone has their things that they geek-out about and this just so happens to be mine. So without further adieu, I'll let the pictures do the talking...
In honor of the very, very long awaited Alice In Wonderland by Tim Burton premier I would like to fill your heads with fabulous images by the amazingly talented Maggie Taylor from her Almost Alice collection. She is beyond talented! Everyone has their things that they geek-out about and this just so happens to be mine. So without further adieu, I'll let the pictures do the talking...
Ou Est Ma Chatte?
These Strange Adventures
The Herald
The Great Puzzle
The Gardener
A Very Difficult Game Indeed
It All Seemed Quite Natural
I'm Grown Up Now
Golden Afternoon
Explain Yourself
As She Had Hoped
A Curious Feeling
Will You Walk a Little Faster?
An Invitation
Call the Next Witness
Birds of a Feather
It's Always Tea Time
It's Always Tea Time
These Strange Adventures
The Herald
The Great Puzzle
The Gardener
A Very Difficult Game Indeed
It All Seemed Quite Natural
I'm Grown Up Now
Golden Afternoon
Explain Yourself
As She Had Hoped
A Curious Feeling
Check out more of Maggie Taylor's spectacular works here.
"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe."
Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll
Miss Alice and I have a date...
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Sneak Peek
Here is just a little sneak peek of a gorgeous project I'm just finishing up.
Check back soon for the final pics.
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