February 6, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

Hoarding Covering The Walls

I love stuff. Art. Old relics. Things that hold a memory or recall a moment in time suck me in and keep me there. But I have a small house and a lot of… Stuff. It was only a matter of time before it encroached all over the walls. It is still a work in progress. At my last estimate, I need nine more pieces of art just to complete the two gallery walls in the living room.

I purchased this crewel work of a monkey in a sail boat at the Rose Bowl Flea Market back in July. I bought some clips and hung it by the front door. Shockingly, the sellers wanted nothing extra for the mystery stains. “My husband is so thrilled with this piece,” she says as her face spasms from winking so hard.

My sister and my brother-in-law gave my husband and myself these awesome vintage initials from an old sign (we’re guessing J.C. Penney’s) for Christmas. I love the purple color so we hung them backwards. This also kind of represents our thought process at all times.

My daughter just finished painting this piece of art. It is based on Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. It is her favorite thing she has done. We love our new art teacher, Jennifer Bonneteau. She is amazing. My son made a similar painting. I just forgot to take a closeup picture of it.

The kids did their self portraits again this year. They did the paintings all by themselves at home. I think they did a great job.

Here is where I want to put more pieces of art to complete the project.

I bought this old folk arty game wheel at the flea market. I like it a lot. It was a lot larger than I had thought when we brought it home.

I have an idea to put bookcases up here (better pictures of the niche can be found in this post). We are overflowing with books. I previously put bookcases in a niche in our home here. But I would have to wall in the kitchen on the other side. My husband says we need the extra natural light in both rooms. What do you think?

I want to get a new couch in this room. I am thinking of this sofa in mustard or teal. I also considered a pink, but I think it would be too much. I am definitely waiting for a discount! What home projects are you currently working on? Any new furniture plans?

January 23, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

From India To Me

I love to shop Etsy for one of a kind pieces. I especially love embroidered pieces. But I am not picky. I’ll know it when I see it.

And I saw it.

But it was sold out, so I contacted Lisa from Madame Hall on Etsy to see if she would be making any more of the dresses I had seen on her site in a size medium. She did not have any but she sent me a few pictures of this dress laying flat.

And, of course, I loved it.

I bought it (with the help of a gift card from the sweetest lady ever. Thank you B!) and anxiously awaited its arrival.

It came in the coolest package about two weeks later. She sewed the package up with my address on the cloth. Inside of the initial package, the dress was wrapped in another gorgeous embroidered simple cloth bag. And she even sent me a beautiful embroidered scarf as a gift. Truly exceptional service. I would not hesitate to order from her again and to recommend her shop to others.

I was not planning on pairing it with brown boots. In fact, I was going to wear it with my black fringed booties. But the snow would have ruined those. I did need to quickly grab a slip for underneath this because of the length. It is almost more of a tunic than a dress but because it is made from wool, I would only wear this with tights and leggings in the wintertime any way.

The bright cheerful colors just make me so happy.

I feel like this dress was meant to be mine. Or I was meant for it. It only needed to find me half way across the world. From India to me.

Do you buy clothing items from Etsy? Do you ever feel a personal connection to an item of clothing? Does it speak to you?

Mine does.

I’m not gonna tell you what it says.

All right.

Just this once. I’ll spill the beans. Or beads as it were…

With a shimmer. A glimmer. A whisper, it breathes, “OHHHHHH YEAAAAAAHHHHHH.”

Or maybe that’s just me.

January 15, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

Zig Zags and Plaid

“I don’t really think that goes together,” my husband bravely said when I tried on my new popback score of The Draped Plaid Top (sold out but similar here and similar plus size here) with my zig zag skirt from 2013.

I was slightly disturbed by this because I had purchased the shirt with the sole intention of it going with this Waverly A-line Skirt (sold out, similar here).

“Well, I like it. A lot,” voiced my daughter from her spot on the couch.

“Thank you!” I exclaimed. “I like it, too!”

She studied it some more, “In fact, I don’t think that top would look good with anything else.”

I turned around and looked at it in the mirror.

“I don’t know.” I pondered. “I bet it would look amazing with a brown floral skirt.”

“Oh yeah!” My daughter agreed. “But you don’t own a brown floral skirt. I was just thinking of things that you all ready have.”

I almost completely agree with her. I could still wear this top with a black, denim or cream skirt but it would not have that “special” factor one looks for in an outfit.

I love this shirt and skirt together so much. I lived in my pajamas while my kids were on winter break and it was so nice to be able to dress up again.

Since I have been dieting since January 1st, I have to feel good during the day or I will fail. I will eat until I feel bad about myself. Then I will feel bad about myself and eat. It is an endless cycle. Putting on something that gives me more confidence is kind of like a food barrier.

Speaking of food, I wore this outfit out to lunch with my husband and the waitress was so complimentary about it. She yelled out the door at me, “Keep rockin’ your style! I love it!” Which is the sweetest thing to say ever. I will admit it put a bounce to my step as I skipped back to the car.

I am trying really hard to wear what I all ready own this year. I have so many outfit ideas swimming around in this head of mine that I cannot wait to try. I love this skirt. I have previously worn it here and here. I like that the plaid top breathes new life into it.

And I have a crutch. These boots. They were $50 almost four years ago at the flea market. The best $50 I ever spent. But since they go with everything, I tend to be lazy and pair them with an outfit without any thought to the other boots in my closet. And I have lots of other boots that I do not utilize enough.

But these are my favorite.

Plus they’re always out in plain sight so I don’t have to tear apart my closet looking for them.

Do you have an outfit crutch? Are you trying to break the habit or are you okay with it? I think I am a little of both.

P.S. I shared this on The Pleated Poppy and Reasons To Dress.

December 24, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Welcome To Our Christmas Home

Welcome!

If you celebrate Christmas, today is probably a very busy day for you. I wrapped a mountain of presents last night while the entire family sat down to watch “White Christmas.” We went to dinner at a local Irish pub after I finished making four chicken pot pies (three of which are for dinner tonight). I also made these appetizers and when I wake up today I plan on making Pioneer Woman’s Best Chocolate Cake for dessert.

My father, stepmom, my sister, brother-in-law and nephew will be joining us for dinner tonight. I purchased three dozen premade plain Christmas sugar cookies for the children to decorate and leave out for Santa. I think my three year old nephew will enjoy that. I know Santa will! Tomorrow it is just our little family celebrating the day together. I like simplicity.

I decorated the house the same this year as I did last year with a few new additions.

I strung some wrapping pompoms on the chandelier in the living room. My husband picked this chandelier out a few years ago at a local antique store. I love the mellow mustardy color. I also love that he picked it out. I would never have noticed it. I never look up. I remember when he showed me his find while we were in the store together and being filled with wonder and happiness that I can always count on him to look up for me. It is nice to have a partner who completes you. This chandelier represents that to me. He looks up and for that I am grateful.

My husband came home several times in the last two weeks with sweet surprise gifts of ornaments for our trees.

I changed the slipcover on our couch to accommodate a velvet one I purchased from eBay many years ago. It was a nice change this winter. I made the giant pillow from an old feedbag, but the two Kantha pillows were recently from Anthropologie and the neat feather pillow in the middle is from World Market.

Murphy has enjoyed lounging on the “new” old couch. I wish I could join him, but there is always so much to do!

I love using paper pompoms as flowers in December. They are over the top and last forever. These are four years old. The pink pompoms are actually from Michael’s craft store. They were $4 but with a coupon, I paid $2 a piece. I purchased four and strung them on this vase chandelier from my first apartment.

And on our antique mirror.

Tonight the kids will unwrap their new pajamas. The house will be filled with anticipation, although this is my very first year with wise children, if you get what I mean, so the anticipation will probably not be quite the same as years past. And I have to say, this has very much hampered this Christmas and made it a little less special.

Hold on to those little ones. Enjoy the magic. I, myself, will be looking for Rudolph’s nose tonight. I wish I had taken more pictures… Of the pompom wreath at the front door with the fox nestled inside like two odd long lost soul mates… Of our bathroom where the embroidered hooks hold wreaths and ornaments… Of the garlands above our kitchen sink… But I didn’t. I guess that will have to wait until next year.

If you celebrate Christmas, how do you decorate? Do you do the same thing each year or do you have a theme? Are you ready for the big day? What is on your menu? On Christmas day, my husband makes chicken enchiladas and we spend the whole day in pajamas. I cannot wait!

Merry Christmas to all (if you celebrate, if not, Happy Thursday!)! And I hope you have the coziest and sweetest of days!

Gnome Lover

Stumbling through life while still having fun

fun

Hoarding Covering The Walls

From India To Me

Zig Zags and Plaid

Welcome To Our Christmas Home