Adding a little sparkle...

to to the living room.

Last week, I picked up this pretty little bugle bead covered pillow at Pier 1 at 40% off. The store by my office was having a going out of business sale. Sorry, to see it go...but there are other locations. I would never had paid full price for it...so was happy to get it at the discounted one. It's a perfect little addition to my vintage inspired pillow collection which you can view here.

So silver screen movie-ish befitting my little Hollywood Hills inspired home.

sharing at

Finding Fabulous

and

My Romantic Home

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When one door closes...

another one opens.

Have you ever had the feeling that your life was going to change whether you had anything to say about it or not? Several times in my life...things have gone into motion that I cannot stop, no matter how hard I try and believe me...I try to stop it. In the end the change happens no matter what you do and in the long run this whole change, even though it is not what you would have chosen at that moment...leads to you doing what you actually needed to do, but did not have the courage to do...or gets you out of a situation that was not healthy for you anyway.

I was let go from my full time position on Wednesday... and although it was unfair the way things went down....now I won't be working in a crappy office across town into the wee hours of the night designing for a backwards company...when I'd rather be designing for my own clients and doing my own thing. In the past several months...I've worked sitting at my desk at the office for as long as 38 hours straight several times. And it was not uncommon for me to be there till midnight several nights a week and work weekends.

I have to say I have done this kind of thing in the past when I freelanced and worked for other companies to get a big exciting creative project done and or  hit an especially tight deadline or to get myself all completely caught up on all projects so that I could have a fresh start...but I have been working like this for over a year and a half to just try to keep my head above water there. I would work all night and still be way behind on everything...because I was trying to do all design, marketing and website design and updating for 3 tv stations and 5 radio stations. My request for an assistant went on deaf ears.

I was let go because the boss thinks I am not getting enough done. I laughed in his face when he fired me because it was so ridiculous. (by the way...I've become friends with the last person that had that job...she was let go for the same reason, she said she felt sorry for me when I took her place...even though she should have been mad..because she knew what a terrible situation I was walking in to) Wait till my replacement finds out what is going on there. I now have my life back. I guess someone was looking out for me even though I had my nose to the grindstone and blinders on.

As the saying goes....

When one door closes...another one opens...

So first on the agenda is to do stuff for me...which I have put off for over two years...because I have been working so much. Of course it's scary...I don't know where the money will be coming in from for awhile. Not sure I want to jump into a corporate job again...actually..I know I don't. My wish is to do freelance design work and start painting again. 

This weekend, I'm going to try not to think too much. Then next week is the beginning of my start over...a chance to be happy and not slave away for someone who doesn't care about me. 

So now I'm looking towards a brighter tomorrow and thinking I might actually get to see some of this summer...unlike the last two. 

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

Thanks for listening...I needed to vent.

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Still More Questions

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

I'm not the only one that is wondering what it was all about.....

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I'm lost

without LOST

When did Penny die? Why isn't Vincent in the church? Has Hurley been dead for a very very long time because he's been able to talk to dead people for a long time? Seeing Jack reunited with his Father was so wonderful. But I think this finale left me still with many, many questions.  How could they have been leaving the island in a plane, Kate, Sawyer, Miles and the pilot?...What was the point of that, if Kate, Sawyer and Miles were already dead? Why isn't the pilot in the church? I know why Ben isn't. He can't go in because he hasn't fully redeemed himself for all the bad he did. 

After all of that, watching every episode religiously....of course I want to go buy all of the seasons on DVD and watch them back to back. Which is exactly what the producers of LOST want me to do. 

                               but LOST

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Be Still My Heart.....

It's only Home Accessories for Goodness Sakes!

I just discovered this...

I think this is just about the most perfect kitchen and sitting room imaginable.

I didn't know about this catalog of delights till today.

Aidan Gray

Did you know about this company?

I absolutely love the lamp above. It's similar to one I created. See it here - lamp. Mine was free except for the cost of paint and fabric to cover the shade.

This one below is expensive...but it's beautiful....a great inspiration.

look at this shade below...that might inspire the next shade I create.

I'm a sucker for anything mercury glass....

Love this little urn lamp too.

Is that chicken wire over the shade? Nice effect!

and this one....

This one looks to be covered in barnacles...like it was at the bottom of the sea for decades and then washed upon shore. 

Lots more goodness in the pages of this online catalog. 

Tell me...did you already know about Aidan Gray?

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Bedroom Fantasy...

of the decorating kind

Lately...I'm obsessed with finding a mirror to be my headboard in my master bedroom.

I've been saving these photos on my computer for awhile and I didn't save their sources...so forgive me for not giving credit where credit is due. I know several of these are Country Living...I'll try to figure them out and post tomorrow.

credit: Studioten25

I do know that because of House of Turquoise...I've found the perfect shade of blue to paint my bedroom. This room was recently highlighted from Studioten25. Go there to see more of this great bedroom and bathroom redo.

It is painted Sherwin Williams Rain Washed.

So I know the color to paint...now to find that huge mirror.

Sharing this inspiration at

The Inspired Room "Inspired By" Link Party

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The Girls and I Are Back

I took a little time away from the blog. I went to visit my life long friend, Pam in Memphis.

I snapped this photo of her sweet, sweet basset, Winifred or "Winnie" as she is called. I took Sally and Violet with me and left the boys with my Mom. Winnie insisted on sleeping with us every night. She really liked Sally. I was sort of excited to sleep in a bed on this vacation with only two dogs instead of my usual four...but it turned out I slept with almost more dogs because Winnie is big and she is a bed hog. She's so sweet though I was happy she joined us.

Winifred "Winnie" Walker

The photo is a little blurry. I don't know how a dog that moves so slow could be so hard to get a good photo of but she is. She kept moving when I tried to snap a photo.

I had a great time in Memphis. Pam and her family live in Germantown and it's so pretty there. All the tall trees everywhere reminded me that in Oklahoma we really only have big bushes. Not really...but that is what it seems like after I go visit somewhere else.

I had such a nice visit in Memphis and got to go to Anthropologie for the first time. They just got one in Germantown. Rumor is that we're getting one soon in OKC. I hope so.

It was so nice to get away but I missed the boys so bad, it was ridiculous. Tornadoes and hail storms came through while I was gone...reeking havoc. Yesterday, my house got hit with a hail storm that damaged my car beyond belief and most of my girlfriend's cars. Yes, none of us had the sense to get our cars into shelter in time. We collectively decided it was nothing to whine about as we were all ok and all our family and animals are ok. 

Ok, I'm back in the posting groove now.

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Tower Theater on old Route 66

Lights up the Night

I live not very far from NW 23rd Street in Oklahoma City which is part of Old Route 66. Twenty third street is going through a reinvention of late...thank goodness. It was once a major street with bustling businesses. And it is becoming one again.

At the east end of NW 23rd Street lies the Tower Theater which was built in 1936. The beautiful art deco front of this theater has always amazed me. It has been closed since the 1980's. I had never seen it lit up till last month.

This is how it appeared in the past...

Over time...it looked like this after being hit by a big truck making deliveries one day.

Last month...the restoration of the sign was completed and there was an official lighting ceremony. It now lights up NW 23rd Street each night. Soon to come will be a restaurant and the restoration of the inside to be used as a concert venue along with renovated store fronts to lease to other businesses. 

photo credit: jenx67.com

It's so exciting to see the changes happening in my part of the city. Down the street is Atomic Lotus Tattoo and Market C with the long OKC favorite Cheever's around the corner. Across the street is Big Truck Tacos and down the street the other way is the popular Cuppies & Joes. Just across the street from the Tower Theater is one of my most favorite places to eat Thai House...if only they would do a renovation...you have to look past the hideousness of this place and just enjoy the food.

Cheevers

Market C

Big Truck Taco

Hmmm....no photo available of Thai House...believe me just as well... it looks bad....but tastes so good.

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Winner of CSN Gift Certificate....

Not sure that I am doing this correctly....I generated a widget that you can check to see if you were actually entered in the contest or not. I know the winner is correct...but not sure about how the widget is to display. But the winner is....

The Chick

of TheSiscoChick.com

{huge applause}

Yay! Erin, I can't believe you are going to be able to buy that lovely vintage style poster you wanted for your newly feminine abode.

http://www.csnstores.com/Trademark-Global-V5011-C1824GG-TMK1899.html

I loved this poster when she included the link to show me what she would buy.

I need one for myself!

Ok, here is the widget.... for anyone who might want to double check it...I really am not sure how this thing works....I had to do it twice because the first winner was ... Helvetica!....Obviously I did something wrong because I don't have a follower named after a font. Craziness.

oops! I put in $40 on the generator but it is for $50.

Erin, I'll be sending your email address to CSN and they will email you the certificate.

You lucky Chick, you.

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Yard of the Month

Sarinda's Magical Yard

I'm on my neighborhood's Yard of the Month committee. I and the other members of the committee chose Sarinda's house for the May Yard of the Month in Edgemere Park. I have to say that I'm scooping the neighborhood newsletter on this one. You are seeing it here first.

Sarinda's home is another one of the neighborhood's beautiful tudors.

Do you see the sweet kitties sitting on the porch steps? On of them begged me to pick her up and then got mad and started hissing and scratching. Turns out she craves attention but doesn't know what to do with it once she gets it. (I know exactly how she feels, silly puss).

Sarinda believes in making her home look like a party is always going on. She has a constant rotating display of lanterns on her front covered porch. When you drive by her house at night the deodora cedar in front always sparkles with golden twinkle lights as does the porch. It truly does look like there is always a party going on at her house.

Sarinda's backyard 

Sarinda proudly announces that she's the kind of girl that keeps her Christmas lights up all year long. The afternoon we visited with her...she had them all turned on for us. This is making me rethink my clear twinkle lights in my own backyard. Maybe I should do multi-colored.

I have to say, stopping by Sarinda's was a lovely end to a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We all decided to do it again soon. Sitting on her magically decorated front porch was just too much fun. Sarinda declared..."I'm proud to be a porch whore!" 

Oh...me too! Me too!

I'm joining in the party at

A Southern Day Dreamer

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