wallpaper download

knox-vegas.
that is knoxville, tennessee natives teasingly call their hometown...and where i will be the rest of the week.

knoxville is where i met my husband.
where two of my kids were born.
where i spent most of my adult life.
home to my parents,
my in-laws,
my brother and his family,
and two of my husbands sisters and their families.
it was home to my little family for nearly a decade, and still feels like home to me.
i haven't been back since we moved in the summer of 2008, (our trip last summer was to alabama and florida and we didn't get to visit tennessee) so i am looking forward to seeing how things have changed.

i will be checking my email everyday still, but it might take me a little longer than normal to reply!
i will be on southern time. eating catfish fingers. hanging out with my bff.
meeting THREE nieces that have been born since i have lived in the west...one that was JUST born on sunday!

i might even be taking some fun pictures to share with you when i get back.
see you next week!

by the way, my email account was hacked this morning.
sorry if you received a request for me to wire you money from madrid.
sheesh.
as a result, my account was locked wile they do some investigating, so if you were
expecting an email from me, be patient.
i won't be able to access my account for 24 hours....
:(

i bought this one for grady's room.

doug sent me these two samples to review:
"geranium varieties"


i already have the perfect frame for this "buffalo running" print. i just need to take it to my local framers and get it set.

the prints are clear and crisp, and appear just as they do online. the paper they are printed on was also high quality. sometimes i hesitate to order prints online, because they are sometimes printed on flimsy or inferior paper. NOT the case with this company!

i was really pleased with how quickly the items were shipped, and the care with which they were packed.
the smaller "g" print arrived in a very sturdy flat parcel, and the two larger prints arrived in a 3" diameter tube. all three came in thick plastic sleeves to prevent sticking or damage.

print collection has also agreed to be my newest sponsor....so look for the button on my sidebar and click on it for a direct link to their shop. new items are being added daily, so be sure and check them out regularly.
here are a few that we added this week:

happy shopping!

in honor of presidents day, i wanted to share a design plan that i completed for a pre-teen boy who loves
baseball, collecting coins, and all things related to the president of the united states.
his room was part of a new addition to the house, and was a clean slate for me and my client to create a space for a growing boy to not only sleep, but socialize with friends, study and hone his collecting skills.

it's a long weekend, (for most of us--yay!) and i for one am grateful to be able to sleep in tomorrow!
i am a very patriotic person, and have always felt that no matter WHO the president is,
or what party he/she may be from,  that the title and weight of such a hefty calling has my full
support,  faith and respect.
now... while you will never find me plastering my walls with images of george bush or bill clinton,
there is something about the images of our older presidents that i find completely captivating. maybe it
is the sense of history that they evoke, or that things seem so much more simple and unpolluted "back then", or that their images seem to have a sense of dignified whimsy?
i'm not sure.
all i know is that i really like pictures/prints our founding fathers.
here are some that i would love to use in my own home...maybe in my son's room, in a family room or even a library or entry...
founder
quentin curry


washington silhouette
john birdsong


lincoln montage
paul van scott


original painting: george washington
elizabeth mayville


great presidents
museum shop

on monday, i will be sharing a design plan for a young man that is mildly obsessed with baseball, coin collecting, and all things presidential! i really love taking peoples personalities and interests and creating a
space for them that reflect who they are what what they love! it is one of the things i love most about what i do!

1.  the price and metal legs are a great draw on this    x base ottoman. recovering the top with a more stylish fabric, or adding a welted box cushion with some railheads trim would make this ottoman a dead ringer for this one.

2. this tracie basic leather ottoman is available in several colors, and is the perfect portable seat/footstool.

3. if you are looking to add some texture to your room, consider these banana leaf stools....they are super affordable and have a fantastic shape.

4. the marie ottoman is classic all the way, and is available in many colors of velvet and linen. i have a crush on the matching marie chair.

5. i have used the red version of this barcelona-like  milano black leather ottoman in two different design plans, and have seen them in person. they are solid, and are a really great size. i especially love seeing them in a pair, side by side.

6. if you are looking for a classy little ottoman with some charming details, consider the chase pedestal ottoman. it is a fraction of the cost of similar ottomans.

7. remember those awesome jc penny footstools trellis that i managed to snag right before they stopped offering them? this palace stool  is a little more costly than the jc penny ones, but packs a similar style punch.

8. i really like the soft curvy lines of this course ottoman, it would fit with just about any decor.

9.this x-base ottoman is available in 2 finishes and dozens of fabrics.

do you have a favorite budget friendly ottoman? let me know!