Never Toss a Remnant !

When I shop for the fabric linings for my bags,

9 times out of 10, I'm going to choose a ~ Westminster Fabric ~

...Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler, Rowan, Free Spirit...

always a winner!

Worth It !

...That little bit of Grosgrain...

I guess I need to add this to my overloaded to-do list.

I think my sewing machine will sew on buttons,

so there's really no excuse not to.

SO MUCH CUTE! with SO LITTLE EFFORT!

via ~ chicorgeek ~

"By the Seat of My Pants ! "

"I've gotchu COVERED!"

"Bringing up the REAR!"

"...sittin' in a tree...k.i.s.s.i.n.g."

"Peace MAKER"

"HOLY Mackerel!"

"Let's SPLIT!"

"What a RIP off!"

"A KNEE-JERK reaction!"

Patches via ~ PrettyStuff's ~ childhood wardrobe, 

~ Hobbs's ~ little-boy-fancy clothes,

my college jean's pocket on the knee, 

lots of Liberty prints and cotton embroidery.

Ok, so I have a favorite pair of jeans. I don't even know how old they are. Honestly, they are not that old (or are they Lora?), I just wear them to death...haha literally! They are were Chip & Pepper's "Sorority Girl," but now they are... just hanging on by a thread! I've tried to replace them, but NOTHING fits like these. Even another pair of "Sorority Girls!" Believe me, I've tried! They hang on my hips and baggy in the fanny (what's left of it) to perfection. BUT, when I saw these below today... I wish I could just put mine in a shadowbox frame, hang them on the wall and start over... My patches have patches and they have to be repaired to decency after every washing and it's painfully time consuming.

via ~ Simply Seductive ~

~ Smythe Les Vestes Collection ~ 

I adore this jacket! It'd look great with my patches!

ps NO, you can't buy my jeans, and I can't fix yours, 
it's hard as heck and so time consuming it blows anybody's budget!

Just Call Me Granny . . .

~ Honestly WTF ~ posted these pictures today and 

rejuvenated my need, ok desire, for a big ol' giant canvas bag.

 

I like these two from ~ FreePeople ~

But remember this one?

I styled Hobbs's (aka ~ beatdropping ~) ~ bolsters ~ using

these pictures...so I should just make my own, right?

I could get all the features I want in a giant bag...

maybe even a little bag inside the big one

for when I don't need to carry 

the whole thing with me...

Although, I'm not sure when that is going to be 

because I usually look like the ~ Beverly Hillbillies ~

when I leave the house.

I am ~ not happy ~ without all my stuff!

(this picture of Granny is sorta scary...I think I kinda look like her...oh no!)

I seriously go to work with three bags!

...a purse...

...a computer/camera bag...

...and my current portable project bag...

...I think I have a problem...

image ~ whiteflowerfarmhouse ~

My future in one photograph!

~ Landsend Canvas ~

I think I will order this one as my pacifier.

Patiently Waiting . . .

Did you know that you can't just walk in and buy yardage at Calico Corners anymore? Not sure what their thinking was on this marketing move, but I think it's a mistake. So, I'm guessing Monroe Road will be frequently traveled straight to the front door of ~ Front Door Fabrics, ~ my favorite interiors fabric source. My new chairs will arrive soon and I'll need to make some decisions on what to do with my sofa (slipcover? reupholster? do it myself? send it out?) and I'll have a pile of pillows to make, new drapes, some paint colors to pick and some furniture to rearrange when hot husband finishes the bookcase...

...I just saw these pillows online @ ~ J.CovingtonHome ~...

~ 20 x 20 $175.50 ~

~ Euro $220.50 ~

~ Handpainted $300 ~

I wish they had a better photo of this one.

I think it's beautiful, but can pull this off myself on

the linen I just bought from ~ Front Door Fabrics ~

~ Needlepoint $150! ~

I wouldn't needlepoint this for $150!

I wouldn't even paint the canvas for that!

I'll be ordering this pillow as soon as my chairs arrive...or sooner!

Now, as for the first two pillows, they're beachy (not to mention pricey for what they are) so not suitable for my suburban castle, but I do recall seeing some great fabrics merchandised with this look @ yes, ~ Front Door. ~

I LOVE the canceled stamp!

I hope it matches my chairs! I can't even remember what 

they look like now...please hurry up and get here!

...and yes, I can make them in any size I want...

Front Door's CRAZY selection of forms!

...ANY size...ANY fill...ANY ideas?...

I'm cursed with the ability to do it myself, so as usual I've got work to do.

I just need my chairs!

Tiny Baubles . . .

I have a major quilt crush!

The baubles on the edges remind me to

get busy on my felted balls for the quilt for my chaise

before my new chairs get here!

image ~ RRAntiques Style File ~

I've Got My Work Cut Out for Me . . .

The Great Family Room Redo...

Ok, y'all know that Hot Husband and I decided that once the dog passed away and the boy went to college that we'd start all of our empty nest projects. Out with the old and in with the new and clean, right? (And keep me from losing my mind and dying of loneliness.) Well, now I'm dying of design envy. I went to ~ Circa ~ today and did NOT want to come home.... We started decorating our home 20 years ago @ Circa so it was only natural to return now that it's time to do it again...

I want this sofa in my study, like yesterday!

(fyi, the study is not on the fix-it list. will never be able to sneak this in the house.)

(and brently, I spy a sonitrol sticker! woohoo!)

These are not greats picture, but I loved this adorable small display shelf. 

Of course I'd have to go spend even more money to find stuff

worthy of display, but I'm sure I could find a great

place for this in my new clean family room.

Another not so great picture of a piece I could

definitely lose some sleep over!

Can you tell? It's beige hide and irresistible!

The detailing on most of their upholstered pieces and their pillows

is enough to send a seamstress into emotional distress!

Seriously, the attention to detail is beautiful!

I want to incorporate this detail when I reupholster the sofa!

And this is definitely on the wish list! 

We need to add an extra chair to the seating arrangement and 

I WANT THIS ONE!

The focus at the moment, however, is getting the sofa reupholstered,

replacing our club chairs and storing the old ones for 

one of the kids to adopt and slipcover.

(I'm guessing that will be ~ PrettyStuff ~ as she graduates from college in May!)

Circa has an incredible back room of lamps and shades.

I'll need to go back with a need-list and maybe

a lamp or two in hand.

If you've been to my house, you know about the "room" I refer to

as "the studio." It's where all my "stuff" happens.

Years ago I "acquired" (uh-hm..found on the curb) 

a sideboard that I crammed full of knitting magazines,

beading supplies and...well stuff, but Circa had several pieces that have

maybe inspired me to get it painted and use it in the family room for the TV.

There's a piece (16 drawer chest!) at ~ Rooney Robison Antiqes ~

that I'm dying for, but then I couldn't get new chairs...sooo

I have to just admire it on Thursdays, but I think I 

will buy these glass bottles!

(dear husband, hot husband, can I go ahead and get these

before Woozie buys them?)

So, as you can see, I have my work cut out for me. There's lots of painting and sewing in my near future, but at least it helps with missing the kids. We're ordering club chairs today and I think by the time they arrive, I will have finished the Hobbs's Room Makeover and the pillows for the Master Bedroom. I'll be able to focus on the list I created for myself today. Being able to do-it-yourself is a bit of a budget blessing, but it's also a curse...You can't justify anything you can make yourself and I'm afraid after what I saw today, my handy work won't measure up... 

I borrowed all of the Circa pics from ~ Their Shop Blog ~ 

and you can acquire more Rooney Robison crushes ~ HERE ~

Seriously?

via ~ KnighttCat ~

Givenchy Pre-Fall 2011

...I really don't care what angle you look at these pants...

I don't think they would look good on anyone.

And unless you have a little problem,

where the heck is she going? 

I think what's missing is the little black "Glamour Don't" box

...Sorry...I just don't get it...

...but...

...lose the blouse & jacket...

...put on a simple cashmere sweater...

...and this skirt gets my vote...

...I have some black and cream polka dot chiffon...

...the dots are even graduated...

I don't know where I think I'M going...but it's an idea!

Slipcover Crush . . .

Restoration Hardware via ~ Cote de Texas ~

...i love these slipcovered chairs alternating in this photo...

...I have some shield back chairs that I think need some clothes...

...not to the floor, but I love the way these have the ties in back...

how about this?

Critter Kits !

~ Emily's Ark ~ has the most adorable kits

for fully jointed stuffed animals!

Don't you want one?!