Eve

What a way to start the New Year with some fluffy white snow here in Pennsylvania. I hope all my readers have a wonderful, safe New Year's Eve. Here's to a fresh start and new possibilities.


PS Yes, I painted the door black (only one coat due to the freezing temps!). We also had new stops and hardware added. We probably could have bought a new door with what we had to spend, but what's the fun in that? Not terribly adventurous, but I like it for the New Year. Signing off here for 2009, I cannot wait to see you all in 2010.

Merry Christmas!

I hope you and your loved ones are having a wonderful holiday weekend and can't wait to see you in the New Year!

I'm going to take a couple of days off. See you soon.

Merry and Bright

So are you ready for the big day? Um, slightly hitting the panic button as I still have a lot to do to prepare for the Big Red Guy. So if you'll excuse me....

The Boy

I realized this morning I haven't put one darn picture of the boy up since he was born. Sorry for the blurry phone picture, he's a wiggler. And I believe those are peas in his nose. But isn't he hip with that hair? I think I had about three professional portraits of Gigi by this age. James, zero. What is with the second? I've got to take him before he's not so baby anymore.

PS Those are Target diapers he has on. They run $13 and change for a box of 96. You can't beat it and they don't leak. It's also nice not having to look at Elmo for 3 more years. I know this isn't a children's blog, but if you have any in diapers still you might want to give them a whirl.

Busted

I'm thinking of putting a Greek bust in the dining room. Has it run its course? When Eddie Ross has one, does that mean it jumped the shark? Because everybody is watching you Eddie! Just wondering. I do think you should follow the philosophy that if you love it, then just go for it.

Images from Domino, Windsor Smith, Eddie Ross, Elle Decor

Style Beat has a terrific post on this book. I am definitely going to order it for Christmas to keep me motivated with this old house in the middle of the little City of Scranton.

Lonny Part Two

Have you checked out the second edition of Lonny Magazine? I've got to say I'm enjoying it even more than the first. I even made the cut!

Here

Santa, Please?

In an 8? Here

Winging It

So about a month ago my husband came home with a very ugly wing chair peering out the back of his pickup. At first I wasn't sure if I was happy with such a gift, but upon further inspection as he pulled it off the truck I saw what great "bones" it had. He remarked, "it's got the lines you want, right?" with a grin on his face. What a sweet husband I have to grab a chair by the side of a dumpster (yes, trash bound) on his way from work and bring it home to his ever-design scheming wife? So I immediately ran up to the office to start looking for a fabric to make it current and relevant again. I decided on a super durable, stain resistant (that's my reality with two babes) grey flannel. I immediately went to the go to guy, brilliant designer David Jimenez for his advice on tricking it out. He said to put a double welt edge on it to make it that much hipper. How fabulous! So here it is. Can you tell I'm having a grey run?

Deal Alert!

In honor of Cyber Monday, I thought it might be fun to offer a bit of a deal from House & Life. Jee Jofa's Magazine Street Weave in Onyx has showed up in some fantastic rooms such as Fran Keenan and Phillip Gorrivan's little girls rooms. It normally retails for a whopping $200.00 a yard, but we'll bring it to you for $119.00 for the whole month of December. It's a 100% cotton, French, and totally stunning. Perhaps a pillow, big bolster on a little one's bed, or some fun roman shades as seen in our last post! Email as at houseandlife@gmail.com for how much yardage you need (I can help you out in that department) and we'll send you a Paypal invoice with shipping. Once we have receipt of payment, we'll ship it right out! Let me know what your projects are!

Kitchen Romans

If you can remember this is my kitchen after our renovation was completed. It started as this. I loved just about everything. Except my windows seen above. If I had a gorgeous garden view and five thousand more dollars in the renovation budget, I totally would have these windows below:








But here in the Historic Hill Section of Scranton, houses are practically right next to you and I really didn't want that view. So we went for a very basic window without a lot of charm. I thought as an affordable solution I would fake a better window one day with a high mounted shade. As a decorator I get to do fabulous roman shades that operate and really dress up windows for clients. But for myself, I knew I would never move them and didn't want the added expense to make them operational. I was inspired by Fly Through Our Window blogger Darby's fixed roman shade project for her house. She basically did it WITHOUT sewing and glue (which is pretty amazing), but I turned over mine to my talented sewer Tiffany to get the job done. I picked up some basic cotton duck in a very chic grey and some white twill tape to inset the trim. And voila! A larger looking, dressed window that makes the kitchen look that much better. Hooray!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope all of you have a wonderful day with family and friends. I am thankful to all my readers who continually tune in and inspire me to return again and again to this blog. I've met so many wonderful people and had tremendous experiences from it that I can't imagine life without House & Life. Thank you!
Isn't Eddie Ross's holiday table so pretty in his new country home in Millbrook NY? Did you catch his new line of candles as displayed on the table? I love the super tall ones, especially in black!!

Tis the Season to Be?

Are you all in the mood yet to decorate for the Holidays? I went on a local house tour yesterday and Christmas has certainly arrived! Last year I remember having virtually no furniture in the house to speak of which contributed to a lack of visual warmth. So I proceeded to go out and buy the biggest Christmas tree I could find. It was ridiculous. But I'm never really one to go all out. I think in the works this year are real wreaths once again on the windows hung from a greek key or striped ribbon, boxwood topiaries flanking the front door, and a sparkling tree. I love my friend David Jimenez's idea of putting a pretty wreath in front of each mirror tied from a satin ribbon inside the house. Simple and tres chic. If it was up to my mother (she knows she's guilty) the house would look like it threw up Christmas, but I just can't pull it off. So here's some of my favorite images this year.

Images from Elle Decor featuring Miles Redd, Canadian House and Home, and Martha Stewart

Hello

Anybody out there? I've been missing my blissful blogging half an hour with one compliant 3 year old. Not so much with the 6 month old addition. But I'll get there!
Love this striped bath curtain and bust from Mrs. Blandlings lovely blog and taken from the new Style and Substance:The Best of Elle Decor

Kid Stuff

Did you catch this new chalkboard paint in the most amazing hues by Hudson Paint in the new House Beautiful? Can you imagine a boys room wall in that Hazard orange with navy blue accents? So fun.

Sorry

I've been absent with a crazy work schedule. But I've got some goodies in the works! Stay tuned. Until then, some eye candy.

Cutest blog ever!

Here

Lonny Launch Party

Lonny Magazine and Rubie Green's Michelle Adams


Lovely Kate Townsend Simpson with her husband Bill in the background


The Fashionable Ochre




Pat Cline, sharp dressed man



Dapper Michael Devine



Fabulous Deborah Buck of Buck House

Antiques dealer extraordinaire David Duncan and me

Eddie Ross and Michelle having a good time!

So back from New York and I promised I would report! What a fun time to be had in the Big A. In a terrible rainstorm I cabbed it to the Lonny Magazine Launch Party held at Ochre in Soho. I was met by founder Michelle Adams and her dad who she remarked was most happy to have him at the party which I thought was so sweet. She is as pretty on the inside as on the out and the girl knows how to get it done! Soon after then met cutie pie photographer and co-founder Patrick Cline who helped me fix my Nikon camera settings (how funny is that?)and chatted about the volume of positive responses to Lonny. They make a great team and I hear they are off to Paris for a story! As I strolled down the lane to grab a glass of wine, I was fortunate to run into the adorable and uber talented Michael Devine . Catch Michael in House Beautiful's How Do You Like To Entertain feature in this month's issue. Michael proceeded to grab my arm and introduce me to the fabulous set that occupied the party. He knows everybody! First, we bumped into Lonny cover girl Kate Townsend and her very sweet and proud husband Bill. Michael and I were teasing him how did didn't quite make the "cut" in Lonny.
I also had the good fortune of meeting David Duncan of David Duncan Antiques. He and his partner Michael McGraw are actually visiting Scranton over the holidays so we made some plans to meet up! David's shop looks amazing and I cannot wait to visit it the next time I'm in New York.
The place got packed with designers,bloggers,and style setters like Mr. Eddie Ross, who seems to be just about everywhere and in everything these days! He couldn't have been sweeter as I greeted him in passing. The night was full of so many interesting people and stories, I'm glad I took the trip to take part in Lonny's successful start.
Thanks hubbie for the pass! And you too Alexis!

I really want this sofa

Find it here

Lonny la la love you....

Ok, so I know I am like the last person to post about the premier issue of Lonny Magazine. Founders Michelle Adams (of Rubie Green fame) and photographer extraordinaire Patrick Cline ambitiously and bravely set out to fill the void of our beloved you know who that gave us affordable, approachable design month after month. And boy, did they deliver!!!!! From Kate Townsend Simpson's blessed baby days in her gorgeous home, to Deborah Needleman's country abode that makes you want to pick up and find the first fresh air manor available, plus much much more which we never could get from the glossies due to page restrictions. Lonny, we love!!!


And this mommy gets to meet the fabulous Ms. Green and the gang from Lonny next week in New York City. I can't wait to report!

Not much could make me want to iron. But how cute is this ironing board cover?

Thanks Blue Hydrangea for posting it!

Getting Deep

With the gloomy weather here in Pennsylvania and Fall setting in, I'm craving a dark, moody space to curl up with a glass of wine and a nice thick blanket.


Photos from Caitlin Creer (love her!), Elle Decor, Flair NYC, Michael Smith Interior Design, and that fabulous first room I cannot recall. If you can, email me!