Brass Is Back (duh).

It's certainly not breaking news that brass is back, unless you've been living under a rock.  I've also fallen for its warmness (especially paired with the grays I love) and have been totally embracing it in our new house.  To be clear, I like the good, pretty kind of brass -- not the ugly builder's brass.  We spent good money getting the ugly brass removed from the house during the renovation.

Justin wasn't sure about all this brass at first.  But he's totally coming around.  I knew I would break him eventually.  He said today, when talking about door hardware, and I quote "brass it up!"  Yes!  Brass it up is right.  Glad we can finally agree.  See, I always knew I had the best husband.   

Regardless of his initial hesitancy, I've pushed forward with bringing brass into the house anway (I knew he would come around, and if he didn't, I didn't care.)  Here's a few brass snippets from around the house:  

A black frame I've Rub n Buff-ed to gold perfection.  The picture still needs to be secured (obviously), but you get the idea.   

Our new dining room chandy.  I love it.  Lots.   (Don't worry, the yellow walls aren't staying.)

The powder room light.  The light + the wallpaper = a happy potty space. 

Cabinet pulls for the living room built-ins.  I think the modern pulls help to balance the traditional millwork on the cabinets.  And who doesn't like surrounding themselves with bars of gold?

And I've recently acquired 3 pretty brass finds from the Guild Shop (a local thrift store).  The first is this pretty shell.  This brassy goodness is bigger than my hand (it's probably the size of my face) and  was a whopping $3.00. 

My new brass donkey.  I don't know why, but he spoke to me.  And I brought him home.  But he really needs a name.  My friend Lauren has suggested it's something "regal, but foreign."  Any ideas?

And last, but not least, a pair of brass cranes (which could use a little polishing).  I saw them at the Guild Shop a year ago and passed them up.  I've often regretted that decision.  Then lo and behold, last time I was there, they were back and I didn't hesitate this time!

What are you thoughts on brass?  And are you as sick of just these little bit and pieces of our rooms in iphone pics as I am?  I'm fixing that real soon.  Promise.

5 things . . .

Here's 5 things that went on around here this past weekend:

(1)  Some demo in my master closet.   There used to be built-in shelving unit, which wasn't the best way to store my shoes.  Justin offered to change things up to make it work better for me.  Of course, there will be a proper before and after post once it's complete.  But don't worry, the leopard carpet is staying.  Obvs. 

(2)  Enjoying some awesome coffee at a new place in town.  It's legit.  I can totally get on board with any place that sells coffee, sweets, and wine/beer. 

(3)  Picking out a color for the master bathroom.  I need to make up my mind.  Like yesterday. 

(4)  Drooling over this dress (but not the shoes). 

(anthro)

(5)  Spray painting an ikea bookshelf.  I picked up a pair of these to go in our formal living room.  Like the closet, I promise a proper post once they're all finished and styled pretty.  

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend!

Riley Is Home.

Our sweet Riley is home!  His liver enzyme levels are still elevated, but are headed in the right direction, so the vet was comfortable with us bringing him home.  Zoey was so excited to see him!  I thought her tail was going to wag off!       

With his new haircut, it kind of looks like he's wearing shorts and Ugg boots.  So stylish.  

As soon as I sit down on the couch, he's on my lap.  It's made for a rather unproductive evening, but work can wait.  I've missed these sweet snuggles more than you could imagine.  He's sleeping in my lap as I write this post, while my laptop is teetering on my knees. 

They sent him home with his cute birthday sign . . .

And a ton of medication.  Riley will be taking a bunch of different pills for at least 4 weeks.  Most of our evening was spent trying to figure out a way to disguise the pills in different types of approved food.  He's quite a persnickety eater and will do anything to eat around the pills (no matter how small you make them).  One thing is certain, he is not a fan of cottage cheese.  If anyone has any tips for getting a dog to take pills, I'm all ears.  We aren't looking forward to giving him 10 pills every day! 

Thanks for your sweet comments and thoughts and prayers.  I really appreciate it!  I'm so thankful he's back at home with us.     

A Not-So-Happy Birthday.

I had big plans to get a bunch of stuff organized around the house this weekend and pick out some remaining paint colors.  But all of those plans were derailed by our dog Riley . . . 

Justin and I were up a lot of Friday night with Riley, who was shaking, throwing up, and drinking and peeing like crazy.  I called the clinic where we normally take him right when they opened on Saturday, and they squeezed him in.  Saturday was Riley's 8th birthday.  Sadsies.  Not too long after we dropped him off, I received a phone call from the vet telling me that based on his blood work, something was wrong with his liver.  She called the big emergency pet hospital here and told them to expect us shortly.

We immediately headed over there.  (Side note: I've known about this pet ER place for forever.  It's well known in the area for being the very best for sick animals.  Every time I pass it, I always get a little sad for the animals and families inside because, if you're going there, you have a very sick pet.  I dreaded having to pull into their driveway.)  Later in the afternoon, after more testing and an ultrasound, the vet there didn't find any masses and confirmed Riley's liver enzymes were extremely elevated from either some toxin or infection.  Everyone thinks it's more likely an infection since we don't know of him getting into anything toxic to dogs (e.g., sego palm, ibuprofen, sugar-free gum).  To put into perspective how sick he was, one of the common liver enzyme levels that is tested is based on a scale from 10-100.  Riley's was 1800!  No -- that's not a typo with an extra 0.  His was 1800.

They kept him Saturday night to give him IV antibiotics and to monitor him constantly.  It was so hard to leave him there, but we knew he was in very good hands.  They even made him a happy birthday sign for his kennel before we left.  How sweet is that?  The people at the clinic are wonderful with dealing with crazy (and emotional) pet parents, like myself.   

Thankfully, we were able to go visit him Sunday morning.  Things are improving!  He's able to eat now and his levels are headed in the right direction.  It warmed my heart to see him walk into the room and get excited to see us!  I missed my little guy!  He looked so much better Sunday than he did when we dropped him off . . . well, except for his new haircut.  His poor belly is shaved and he looks very goofy with a portion of his legs shaved.  But we don't care -- he's still as cute as ever.      

It was hard to leave him again, but the vet thinks he will be able to come home today!  Hooray!  I am keeping my fingers crossed that his levels continue to go down.  Not only do we miss our little snuggler, but his sister does too.  Zoey has been moping around ever since we came back to the house without him on Saturday.  Look at her sad face.  

So please keep Riley in your thoughts and puppy prayers.  We hope he comes home today (and that his levels are normal when they retest him next week).   Once he's home and back to himself, we are going to throw him one heck of a birthday party and spoil him rotten (even more rotten than normal, if that's even possible).

I hope your weekend was less eventful than ours!  Happy Monday! 

        

This Week Was Bananas.

It has been one heck of a week!  Between preparing a brief in record time, speaking at a client seminar, and appearing at a court hearing this week, I'm totally worn out.  I am so thankful it's Friday and I'm off Monday for MLK day!  Hooray!
 
This is totally random (except for the "clever" tie in with the post title), but it's too good not to share.  Thanks to Corporette, I came across this banana slicer on Amazon.  The 2,000+ reviews are incredible and provided many laughs this week when I needed a little comedic relief.   

Here are some highlights from the reviews: 

• I was disappointed that this banana slicer only comes in one model. It works like a charm for bananas that bend to the right, but it utterly useless for left-bending bananas. I end up having to eat my left curved bananas un-sliced like some kind of animal.  

• What can I say about the 571B Banana Slicer that hasn't already been said about the wheel, penicillin, or the iPhone.... this is one of the greatest inventions of all time. My husband and I would argue constantly over who had to cut the day's banana slices. It's one of those chores NO ONE wants to do! You know, the old "I spent the entire day rearing OUR children, maybe YOU can pitch in a little and cut these bananas?" and of course, "You think I have the energy to slave over your damn bananas? I worked a 12 hour shift just to come home to THIS?!" These are the things that can destroy an entire relationship. It got to the point where our children could sense the tension. The minute I heard our 6-year-old girl in her bedroom, re-enacting our daily banana fight with her Barbie dolls, I knew we had to make a change. That's when I found the 571B Banana Slicer. Our marriage has never been healthier, AND we've even incorporated it into our lovemaking. THANKS 571B BANANA SLICER! 

• "Wait, this is a BANANA SLICER??" Oh man, I thought it was a modernistic ladder for a parakeet. My "Timmy" loves the way it curves so he can get to that right perch without doing that big awkward hop. 

• I can't believe I have wasted the first 35 years of my existence on this earth by not having this wonderful banana slicer. All this time I have been standing there at the kitchen counter like a complete IDIOT wasting countless seconds slicing my bananas with a knife. A KNIFE!!!! Can you believe how foolish I was? Listen. This banana slicer will change your life. After slicing a banana, or two, or three (hell slice as many as you want - it takes no time at all)you will feel like you have honey badger blood flowing through your veins and have Charlie Sheen DNA.  

I have no clue how or why there are so many sarcastic reviews, but it's hilarious.  I likely have a very immature sense of humor.  But I'm ok with that.   

And these two cuties always offer some stress relief.  I mean, just look at those sweet faces.

Happy Friday! 

The Perfect Flat + Another Birthday.

I recently got an email from Ms. Kate Spade alerting me of her new items.  How nice of her, right?  Of course I had to peruse them.  And look what I came across . . .  

(here)

The trixie flat (or the most perfect flat ever designed).  I wouldn't have named them "trixie."  They should really be called the "emily" since they are basically my personality exemplified in a shoe -- practical (flats); likes a touch of bling (glitter toe cap); girly (bow); simple, but not boring (black and white stripes).

The terry flat is also totally baller.  But not as much as the emily (er, trixie).
 

Which one is your favorite?

-------

And happy birthday to my very bestest friend.  If I was a good blogger and blogged every day, I could have given her a shout out on her actual birthday, but since I'm a slacker, two days later will have to do!  Lest you think I'm a bad friend, I did get to facetime with her and my "nephew" on her special day!  And stay tuned, last time we were at their house, I took pictures of Henry's amazing nursery to share!  Happy birthday, Lauren!      

Planners + Happy Birthday.

I know we are already into the second week of January, but let's talk planners . . . 

There was a period of time when I didn't use a written planner -- I just put everything into my Outlook calendar at work.  And since I always had a blackberry or iphone with me, I would just refer to my electronic calendar for everything.  But there were a couple of issues with that method that didn't work the best for me:  (1) my assistant can see my calendar, which is awesome for work stuff, but not so cool for personal things (I don't need her knowing who I'm going to dinner with on the weekend or when I need to go to the store or pick up a prescription); and (2) I found myself making tons of lists on paper for stuff that didn't "fit" nicely in a calendar appointment that would just get lost in my purse.

So last year, I got an Erin Condren planner.  This was the one I got for 2012 (it had my name though, not the hollinger's, but I'm sure they're a lovely family).     

(here)

I really liked how colorful it was and the thick pages were super nice.  But my biggest beef with it was it's size.  At least for me, it was just too bulky to throw in my purse.  If I was just leaving it at home all day on my desk, it would be perfect.  But I like to take my planner to work everyday and to carry it with me in my purse on the go, so if something comes up, I can immediately write it down (rather than trying to remember later what it was I needed to add).  I carry enough other crap in my purse, so I didn't have a extra room for a big planner (and my shoulder appreciates a lighter load).

When we were in Paris in September (which I am planning to recap shortly), I came across a more compact planner at merci (aka the best store ever). 

The merci planner is much lighter and tucks easily into my purse/work bag everyday.  While I miss the brightness of my other planner, pulling out this planner always reminds me of the great time we had in Paris, which is more fun than any bright colors can provide.

The downsides are that it doesn't include the US holidays, but I could easily add them myself.  The paper is also thinner, which is my biggest complaint.  But it works out -- I just use pencil instead of pen, which prevents any bleeding through to the other side.  And now when I tell someone I'll pencil them in, I really mean it.  Ok, I'm done with the cheesy jokes.     

I like that, in addition to little pockets in the front and back flaps, it has a zipper pouch in the cover, so I can easily store lose papers/paper clips/etc. in there.  I still make notes on paper, but I can easily store them in the planner.  (Side note: This was my errand list from this past weekend -- let the organizing commence!  I'll share some of those projects!)      

So I'm curious, do you use a paper planner or are you solely electronic?  

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And most importantly today, I want to wish my mom a very happy birthday.  She's such a wonderful person and I'm so blessed to have her has a mom and a friend.  I love you, mom!

Source: weddingchicks.com via Emily on Pinterest

2013.

Happy New Year!  Hope y'all had a great start to 2013.  We had a wonderful time ringing in the new year with our friends in Austin.

2012 was a great year.  Before I leave it in the dust, here are some of the highlights from last year:

• We sold our first house;
• After quite a search, we bought and renovated our new home (and lived to tell about it);
• I turned 30 (and lived to tell about it); 
• My best friend and her family moved back to Texas from California;  
• We were able to go on some great vacations (Colorado, California; oh, and Paris too!).

I am excited to see what 2013 has in store.  I haven't made any resolutions (gasp!), but I hope to keep these quotes in mind.  As someone who is totally Type A (which is probably an understatement), these certainly resonate with me. 

Source: sterlingstylelove.tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Source: littlemissmomma.com via Emily on Pinterest

Source: instagr.am via Emily on Pinterest

So . . . how was your new years; did you make any resolutions?      

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, friends!  I hope you enjoy (and have been enjoying) the most wonderful time of the year.  

Source: akadesign.ca via Emily on Pinterest

I also want to say thanks for bearing with me the last few months with my sporadic, at best, blogging.  Getting settled in a new house and working crazy hours has really put a dent in blogging and keeping up with what you guys have been up to.  And I have to say, I've really missed it.  I expect things to slow down after the start of the New Year, and I can't wait to share with you some rooms around the house.

In the meantime, I will be signing off to spend time with friends and family, stroll through the neighborhood to enjoy the lights one last time, watch Love Actually and Elf, get in some last minute billable hours before the end of the year, and take some time to reflect how truly blessed I am.

Have a wonderful Christmas!      

5 things . . .

I know it's been too long, but I have to pop in to share 5 things about Justin in honor of his birthday today.  I can't have a blog and not even mention my husband's birthday!

 
(1)  He puts up with all of my shenanigans.  He listens to me talk about work, he approves leopard carpet for my closet and an ostrich in the entry way, he pretends to care when I show him pins on pinterest, he looks at the million craigslist links I send him, and even pays attention when I talk about design.  He used the word ikat the other day (and he even pronounced it correctly too).  Impressive.    

(2)  He can hang a chandelier like it's no one's business.  It must be all the practice I've given him over the years.  But regardless, he's good.  (And this year, he's proven his mad skills at hanging Christmas lights at our new house.)     

(3)  He works hard and is great at what he does (even if he is an IT nerd).  I'm proud of what a hard worker he is and how good of a job he does for his company.  And it's always an added bonus that he can fix my computer problems!      

(4)  He cracks me up. all.the.time.  There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't make me laugh.     

(5)  He's the kindest and most patient person I know.  Which is good, since frankly, I am generally neither.  Obviously, I love my husband.  But I also like him a lot too.  And respect and admire him. 

He deserves to be celebrated every day, but especially today.  Happy birthday, Justin!  I love you. 

Amen, Nordstrom.

CNN was on in the background as I got ready for work the other morning (as it is every day), and I heard a story that resonated with me.  Nordstrom doesn't put up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving so they can celebrate one holiday at a time.

I've got to say, I'm totally in favor of that mentality.  I purposefully avoided the Christmas aisles at Target last weekend because I just wasn't ready for it quite yet.  It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm always behind on holiday decorating/planning anyway, and the thought of planning for Christmas before Thanksgiving stresses me out.  But I am also a proponent of taking the time to be thankful during Thanksgiving and enjoying that holiday before focusing on Christmas.  Even after turkey-day is over, we still have a month to get in the Christmas-spirit (which I love too)!     

(here)

Evidently, this isn't anything new for Nordstrom.  I guess I've just never paid attention before.

So what do you think?  Do you agree with Nordstrom or do you think Christmas can never come too early?  This may be a dangerous crowd to ask -- I always feel like bloggers on totally on the ball when it comes to the holidays!  But I want to know anyway.  

Veterans Day.

I know Veterans Day isn't an overly popular blog holiday, but I couldn't let it pass without thanking all of the men and women who serve our country.

I am especially thankful for my amazing badass Marine brother-in-law, Jason.  He enlisted in 2001 and served in Iraq in 2003.  He's been a drill instructor and is currently in The Basic School for newly-commissioned officers.  I am one proud sister-in-law!  This picture is from Jason's commissioning as a Second Lieutenant earlier this year.  Aren't Justin and Jason handsome?            

Thank you to all of our service people for such dedicated and loyal service. 

  

5 things . . .

5 totally random things . . .

(1)  I am loving the new Taylor Swift album.  That's right -- I'm 30 years old, and I like Taylor Swift. 

(2)  I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new when I say foxes are all the rage these days.  This shirt from anthro is pretty darn sweet.

(here)

(3)  I was in Scottsdale last week for work.  The chapstick provided by the Phoenician is amazing.  I am a bit of a snob when it comes to chapstick, so didn't have high hopes.  But I was wrong.  That stuff is legit.

The hotel wasn't so bad either . . .

(4)  Have you ever heard of the term "bun feet" before?  I had not either until today.  I chuckle whenever I say it though.  "Bun feet" are just a type of furniture legs for cabinets. 

(here)

Why do I care about them?  Because when we moved most of our furniture into storage back in February, the movers removed these legs/bun feet from our china cabinet.  Since the cabinet was in storage for the last 8 months, we never thought twice about it.  Now that we need to unpack our china, the stupid bun feet are no where to be found!  They are probably rolling around the back of a moving truck somewhere.  I need to find something that looks close to replace them and stain them to match.   

(5)  Since it's election day, if I may (and I may, since it's my blog), I will leave you with the following quote from John Wesley in 1774:

“I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them: (1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy; (2) To speak no evil of the person they voted against; and (3) To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side."  

A Little Preview.

It will definitely be a while before each room is in shape to share in a wide view because we are still unpacking and getting things set up.  But I didn't want to keep you hanging that long.  In the meantime, check out some little sneak peeks around the house.  In case you need a reminder on what we started with, check out this video for a home tour before the renovation.   

Is it wrong that I've been sticking my head in the powder room everyday just to admire the pretty bird wallpaper?  I didn't think so.  I'm also a fan of the new faucet as well.     

In this picture, you can see the refinished hardwoods and the new laundry room tile.  

Check out the new paint color and orb chandy in the entry way.  I love the shadows it casts on the wall.  (I had to close my eyes when our contractor was teetering on a super tall ladder to hang that thing.)
 

 

We restained the banister to match the new darker hardwoods and replaced the medallion carpet with something a little more normal/neutral.  I love the gray, dark brown, and white together.  

The butler's pantry (sans cabinet hardware).  I am in love with the counters and the mirror backsplash. 

One of the master bath sinks.   

And my closet.  Oh yes, I did put leopard carpet in there. 

We're working hard to get things in order over here so I can do some "real" before and afters.  Hope these little bits can hold you over.

At Home. At Last.

I promise to be back with a recap of everything that's been going on (well, except for the 70+ hour work-week part of things), but I couldn't wait to share that, as of this weekend, we are officially in our new house.  I took a minute on Sunday morning to take it all in while enjoying my first cup of coffee in our new home.

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend too.