William Bouguereau...

A few images of the work of one of my favorite 19th Century painters...

"Self Portrait" - 1879

Born Nov 30th, 1825 - Died August 19th, 1905, Bouguereau painted close to 700 works in his lifetime, many of them life size. At the time of his death he was one of the most loved and yet most despised of all French painters. The public loved his work, the critics and "progressive" artists of the day hated him.

"Evening Mood" - 1882

In my opinion one of the most beautiful paintings of the 19th Century, this one stands nearly 7 feet tall. One can only imagine what seeing this in person would be like!

"Young Priestess" - 1902

Bouguereau was a master draughtsman and could render all manner of textures with a level of skill that is enviable to say the least. This had to be one of his last paintings as he had fairly poor health during the final few years of his life.

"The Abduction of Psyche" - 1895

Hard to believe he was 70 years old when he painted this, another nearly 7 foot tall masterpiece. Once again one has to marvel at the level of skill, the skin tones are simply extraordinary! Although he's one of my faves of that era, I really only enjoy a small portion of his body of work. My biggest problem with him is that he did too many heavy-handed religious pictures and far too many paintings with cherubs floating around (I cant help it, they creep me out!)

"The Young Shepherdess" - 1885

He painted a zillion images of idealized peasant girls and children. They were incredibly popular with the art-buying public but the critics accused him of wasting his talent on "commercialized" subjects. Bouguereau however, laughed all the way to la bank!

"The Broken Pitcher" - 1891

The broken pitcher symbolizing loss of innocence. I love the expression on her face and how her hands are posed . This girl appeared in a few of his other paintings as well.

"Nymphs and Satyr" - 1873

My favorite of all of Bouguereau's work, this has a sense of fun that rarely shows up in ANY art of the period, let alone his and it's just so beautifully painted and composed, it's a marvel to study and enjoy! I first saw an image of this on the ARC website and loved it immediately! I had never heard of Bouguereau before but quickly familiarized myself with more of his work. Sometime later I had the incredible pleasure of seeing this masterpiece in person at the Sterling and Francine Clark Museum in Massachusetts... I went on a lark, not even knowing it was on permanent display there!

Yup, that's me and all of nearly 9 feet of the Bouguereau! When I walked into the room my back was to this painting and when I turned around and saw it there, I literally almost fell over! Then I went into my Fred Sanford routine... "Elizabeth... ahm comin' ta join ya hunneh... wit da Bouguereau!!"

I've visited this painting one other time since then but I really need to go back again soon! They also have another Bouguereau nude there and one of Lawrence Alma-Tadema's greatest paintings, "Women of Amphissa" which was also cause for unsteady legs!!!

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The importance of lights and shadows

As a follow up to my previous post The importance of lights and shadows the way we illuminate the space can create atmosphere or ruin the whole interior decoration, no matter how carefully color, style and furniture are chosen; lighting can bring a room together or make a room uninviting, unappealing and non-functional. There are three categories of lighting: General, Task, and Accent or Ambient, a room should blend all types of lighting for optimal use and style.
Accent lighting, as the one above serve to bring attention to a particular object, highlighting a collection, art and architecture and in this particular case the color for the shade of the lamp was also chosen to relate to a beautiful bunch of violets, below the explosion of mimosa; this type of illumination can soften the mood or brighten dark corners.



Another accent lighting to appreciate the oil painting above and the vignette on the antique chest (more about vignettes in a following post)





This can be called accent or task lighting since it highlights the objects but also it makes possible to comfortably sit on the sofa to read a book.





General lighting: a gorgeous alabaster disk creates a warm and soft light for the entry foyer and a very welcoming atmosphere.





In a kitchen we always need general lighting and task lighting.

Task lighting is achieved here with some under cabinet lights and two Artemide-Tolomeo wall lamps, whose cord was exaggerated to create more interest and covered in a color coordinated with the bright red handles found at a flea market. This lighting allows to prepare food and cook comfortably and safely.





In the same kitchen general lighting is given by a custom made ceiling light and again the red cord was purposely left dancing around.





A fun touch of color of an old Ikea lamp standing on an antique Japanese lacquered table with mother of pearl inlays, quite an interesting contrast.
Tip: Always remember to balance proportions when selecting your lighting, the location of the lamp determines how to choose it, floor lamps need more space and the larger the lamp, the bigger the space; always consider height when it comes to table lamps, viewing the light bulb by looking up the shade should be avoided so try to use tall base lamps for low tables and short base lamps for tall tables.

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ART OF LIGHTING

How to create a focal point in a room? There are many ways and one is achieved by a careful choice of objects on a fireplace mantle, a small table, a console. Here are a few examples of how to put together objects to create a powerful "vignette" and in this particular case above it consists in grouping vases similar in color or shape and visually linking the silver bowl to the silver lamp base.




On a side table a chinoiserie style table lamp is appropriately matched by a Japanese lacquered antique tray and Japanese 1920's vases.





A collection of precious antique boxes makes a visual impact on the hallway table.





Another powerful vignette, also a focal point for a corridor, with two identical small lamps, a sculpture positioned on one side to become a silhouette between two antique Chinese wooden and gilded panels.




A gorgeous XIX century painting with a more recent and inexpensive bust of a young lady in the same color of the lamp's base, again creating an harmonious vignette with similar colors and subjects.


Not much visible in the picture is the subject on the round antique lamp screen to the left, again a young lady, same as in the framed prints on the wall.





In a bathroom a collection of old ceramic containers and a tall glass vase filled with seashells, alternating different heights and shapes creates some interest on the marble topped console.












Antique metal ink containers and a bronze sculpture. Two ways of displaying them.






In a bathroom a simple trio of objects with the same hue.





Coordinating colors and shapes, a Lalique blue vase on the chest and a blue vase in the oil painting.


Tip: Work on one project at a time, complete one corner or area before starting another one. The most important thing is to put together objects that have something in common, style or material, color or provenience, subject or shape...the choice is endless and the result will be a stunning focal point.

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ART OF LIFE

The first to say that turquoise would be the color of 2010, back in November, was Pantone and precisely  the shade "Turquoise 15-5519".
Motivation? "It carries us in an exciting tropical paradise, while offering a sense of protection and shelter from stress," says Leatrice Eisaman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "Combining the serenity of the blue with the energetic aspects of the green, turquoise reminisces of the waters of the sea, renewing our sense of well being".
Ancient and contemporary at the same time the color turquoise, with its positive charge and magic, colors today Valentino's shoes and in the distant past the eyes of Egyptian women.  Moleskine ® also sells its charm: one version of the notebook-icon has a turquoise cover.
Success across the centuries from fashion to interior design to costume.
The secret? Maybe because power has always been attributed to the turquoise stone and its color. Talismans in ancient Egypt where made of carved turquoise in the shape of scarabs, believed to protect and give strength. The stone was considered sacred also by the American Indians, for its power to mediate contact with the supernatural. Precious or frivolous, traditionally turquoise creates serenity, protection from danger and ability to communicate.






Chair Louis Ghost by Starck for Kartell, two wooden Asian stools, but mostly a fabulous turquoise.





Available in turquoise also a classic-outdoor: The "Re-trouvé 566" designed by Patricia Urquiola for Emu. The chair, characterized by complex pattern of repeated lozenges, when colored in blue immediately takes on an exotic appearance.




Another chair by Urquiola, "Frilly" for Kartell.




Blue, aqua green, turquoise to be matched to the natural tones of cashmere in the new house collection of Loro Piana.




Playing on shades ranging from blue to turquoise is the carpet designed by Ron Arad for Nani Marquina, clearly inspired by the sitting arrangement designed by him for Moroso.





In a bathroom pale turquoise like aqua color is always a winning choice.




Japanese bowl




 
"Mademoiselle" by Kartell, a splash of color in a classic interior.



 





Turquoise color is the key factor for this simple arrangement of furniture.

















Isn't this an amazing dining room and a stunning chandelier?
Back to the color...
Turquoise, in any shade, is such a versatile color that works well with almost every other color, actually at the moment I cannot think of anything clashing with it, if depth and undertones are chosen carefully it is always a good marriage.
Do you have a favorite matching color for turquoise?
Is there any combination of turquoise and another color you don't like?
I would love to hear from you!

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OLD DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS

Portrait of a lady said to be Lady Bessborough.

John Downman was an English portrait painter and he’s one of my favourite 18th century artists. He made lots of beautiful little portrait drawings.

As always, let me know if you know where to find more or bigger pictures or perhaps know of a book featuring his work.

1770s.

Lavinia Spencer by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Probably 1780s.

In keeping with the season here are some pictures of 18th century ladies dressed for winter.

“Lady and servant girl in late rococo costume. The lady’s hair is worn à la circassienne, the servant girl’s cap is called dormeuse”

 

Self portrait, 1782.

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Celebrity house

The house of Ahlam, my favorite singer she's from uae .

Is it nice to be famous, right ?!? Awesome house mashalla ..

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COLOR OF THE HOME

Love the little pops of red. You have to admire Heather for painting those tall walls too! She could of just left them white.

Love the way her photography looks on her walls. She uses this space for meeting with her clients.



#8 John's Bold, Bright, Day or Night (link)


Maybe black isn't "color" to everyone. I think its stunning. One of my favorite colors to paint on walls actually. John's place is homey without being cluttered.

He's a graphic designer who places his items well, not to mention puts great color combo's together!!!! He has many many votes, I am sure he is going to place.



#20 The Crew Tag Boys' Balanced Energy (link)


Well, for one, I LOVE THE FURNITURE! Look at the orange lamp!! I just love all the stuff together in this one room. It just works.

They painted the stripes themselves instead of going and buying wallpaper. Good for them!!!! Looks wonderful.

They have a PANTON chair. Not that they should win because of that,..but it helps. lol


#28 Jamie's Unorthodox Color Palette (link)


I think Jamie did a great job mixing colors and styles together. She has tons and tons of votes, so I would say she is a winner. I will say she used color, unlike some people who entered. ;)

Love the white walls opposite of the couch. Nice to see someone likes WHITE with color like I do.

Okay this is 4. That's all that will be picked in each region. I think there are many more that deserved more attention. I was sad for some that got such bad comments or none.


#7 Michael & Mindy's Sunny Chicago Loft (link)



#13 Aj's Box of Crayons (link)



#30 Moca's Color Evolution (link)


I haven't taken the time to look at the other regions to pick my favorites from them. I just wanted to look at who was going to beat me. 

 

ere is the item that came up in my "Warhol" search.....

I would "LOVE" to have this. lol The Love Mirror! I might ask for it for Xmas. :)
Here is a bunch of other goodies that SHOULD be in MY home!!!



Click HEREfor the link to these products.
I love the look of their store. They are in the UK,....way to far away from me to go shop.

Just thought I would post about them, maybe somebody will find something they can't live without on their online store. :)

By the way, I want this.....

Anybody got a clue of where I can find one. I do online searches and get nothing.:( Modern Seed had them for sale on their website back in 2006.

Summer is now gone, and I realized how fast it has gone by. I have been so wrapped up in the remodeling of our home, that I don't feel like summer was ever here. lol Its now crunch time at my atomic ranch. We only have a feel weekends left to finish up what is needed to refinance. We are a bit stressed of course. The Masterbedroom and Bathroom is what is left. The room which we started in, is the room we will finish in. I have been decorating though.

Here is my office.

I never intended on it being so "girly", but when you paint it pink I guess its gonna happen. I collect toys from the 80's, so I was able to display my Carebears. I also love Hello Kitty. The room makes me happy. I have never had an office do that. At my last house I never could get my office "right". I feel I finally have. :) (my husband hates this room.)



My black kitten, Lexey, loves the hot pink shag rug!


My magazine collages I made turned out really well for the room!

I have 5 hanging over each window. It was a cheap and a fun way to decorate. It really helped to bring the pink and red color scheme together. I need more red in the room though. Its not completely done yet. I am sure I will post more photos in the future! I still have a whole blank wall to work with across from my desk. (I have plans for it.)

Here is what my office looked like BEFORE.....

It was a wonderful feeling ripping up the nasty dirty carpet that was in there.

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COLOR OF THE HOME (PART 1)

My Living Room done.....well kinda. ;)


I realized that I spent all summer posting about rehab weekends and working on my house. I never posted my living room decorated. I had entered the CB2 COLOR contest, so my pictures were posted on there. I also uploaded them on my Flickr account, but never on my blog. So, if you haven't seen it, here it is.






In the last photo over in the corner where the teal chairs are, I want to hang some Roy Lichtenstein prints. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. We also plan on moving the TV to the basement eventually. The TV is in front of the fireplace at the moment. We just didn't have the energy to deal with the cleaning the fireplace up yet. We hope to work on the basement this winter or spring. I can't wait! MORE SPACE, and a place to display my 1980's toys!

 

She and I share a love for Interior Design & IKEA. Oh, and color! Also she has a great house that I am very jealous of! ;) lol Her rooms & designs are wonderful. The best part is its her "hobby" and shes a pure natural. I have that in common with her too. As we talked more, I found that she had studied Interior Design the same way I had, Sheffield School of Interior Design. Aja likes to change her rooms around by switching out accessories. She has a knack for great furniture layouts and placement of her accessories. Which are two of the most important things, I think, when decorating a room.


Living Room & Dining Room Fall Decor 2006


Living Room & Dining Room Spring Summer Decor 2007


I had to post a bigger picture of this for Peggy. (Try not to drool to much Peggy!!) Its so well done!


Guest Bedroom

Aja really did make this a true room to RELAX in.

Master Bedroom


Sunroom

I am so in love with the Sunroom. I want one. I could do this at my house, but we gotta stop remodeling sometime!!!!!

Kitchen

Can't get much more color then this!!! I just want to go sit in her kitchen and drink coffee all day. :) Aja just remodeled her kitchen this summer ironically the same time I was remodeling my IKEA kitchen. It was fun to watch each others progress.

he truly only GOOD thing that came out of this weekend was the items pictured below...

For those who may not know, I collect toys from the eighties. I went to the thrift store and was lucky enough to find some stuff. (Okay, the hello kitty stuff isn't old, but its HELLO KITTY!!!!) My favorite find is the small Garfield in the devil suit. The Garfield stuffed animal was made in 1981, he is as old as me. :)

The photo above is circles I had painted in my closet. They were for practice. I wanted to do circles all over my bathroom walls. Instead, I decided to just paint them on the ceiling and leave the walls bright WHITE. I really wanted to keep the bathroom white since it is so tiny.

To add color I painted the ceiling the same color as the master bedroom walls. I think its pretty!!

We finally installed our pretty light fixture. It looks so good. I am very happy with it. I started circles in the left handle corner, but they don't show up well in this photo. The next photo is where the weekend went to hell.....

Our fancy $500 shower door!!!!! Looks pretty, but it DOESN'T FIT!!!! I special ordered it over 3 months ago, so there is not returning it. Also, we are out of time. It needed to be DONE today. CRAP. If you look at the photo, on the right side, the door is hitting the shower. We have adjusted it as much as we can. (after many attempts, injuries, and cuss words.) There is still a silver piece not even on yet. NOT GOING TO FIT!!!! Now we have to go get the 80 pound $500 piece of glass cut somewhere. We also haven't gotten good news about refinancing. They want MORE work done!!!! ALL THE TRIM in the house, lots of things fixed in the hall bathroom, and many other things. Things that take alot of time and money. All I can say is, "We'll see what happens." I am just trying not to freak out. :) All part of rehabbing a house I suppose. I don't want to move for a LONG time.

Okay there is one more good thing that came from this weekend.... we finally have the toilet in the room it belongs. lol Its been in the living room, my office, the dining room, the guest bedroom, and even the hall bathroom. We actually bought it for the hall bath, but it didn't fit.

 

 

I was doing some online searches and thought I would share some of the things I was drooling over. When is money going to start growing on trees?????

Google search ~ Chrome lamp

From Next (link)

I want one of these so bad!From Decennia Design (link)

Art Deco Chrome Lamp from Lepoix
(link)

Vintage lamp from Folk Artisans (link)

Last but not least, more chrome love from Netlighting (link)
 

I have fallen in love with this bedframe from West Elm. I got excited today when I saw that a white king size was on sale for $295.00. I was ready to whip out my credit card!!!!

Oh how pretty it would be against my turquoise wall. I seem to have a love for rectangles and squares lately. Here it is in another photo of the bed. I thought this picture showed what it looked like better.

Only problem is, the headboard is what is $295.00!!! The bed frame is another $300.00!!! I was heartbroken. :( I can't afford to spend that much. I still have to buy the KING SIZE bed!!!! Ouch. Leaving me with a grand total of something close to $2000.00!!!!! I don't think so. Here is the nightstands. :( Again, heartbroken.

My husband and I went to an outlet mall last weekend. They had some West Elm stuff. It was falling apart though. The dresser to match this bed frame that I love was there. It was all beat up and falling apart though. They still had it priced at $350.00! The funny thing about West Elm furniture is that its just like IKEA stuff. Just NOT the IKEA PRICE! Makes it very hard for me to want to drop $600 on any of their furniture. I do love their stuff though, just not the prices. Hopefully I will have better luck next time at the outlet store. :)

 

 

Here is the latest at the atomic ranch.....
Early November 07

New Garage Doors! WooHoo!

They do not have garage door openers yet, but they are not hard to lift. I could only open the old doors halfway. They were very heavy. Now we just need to paint the house.

I painted the Masterbedroom. (A day I thought would NEVER come.) The color turned out alot darker than I hoped. Its been a week or so now, and I really like it more everyday.

The color is : Classic Turquoise by KILZ. I got the swatch from Walmart. I had it color matched at Home Depot in Glidden paint.

Simon thinks its HIS bedroom.

This Andy Warhol print is my favorite thing that is going in the room. I love the yellow and hot pink together. This room is going to be interesting...... Might need sunglasses. ;)

I painted the closet orange just because I felt like it that day. lol Why should the color stop????? (and I didn't get picked for the got color contest? ha.) This room is going to be my Andy Warhol Heaven.

My husband has been busy laying the floor in the bathroom. We just picked WHITE tile. Go figure, right?? ha. I plan to keep the bathroom simple. Its so tiny. White walls with POPS of bright/bold colors. Such as these.....

These are just some paint swatches I grabbed while shopping at Walmart one day. Anytime or anywhere I go that has swatches, I grab them. Any color that catches my eye!!! I have a whole shoebox full. Anybody ever needs help finding color, they come to me. :) Currently I am loving HOT PINKS and FUCHSIA colors. My husband is scared. This weekends plan is to actually install the toilet,(that we bought back in May)sink, and the shower door. Here is two more photos I just wanted to share.

That's my goldfish Carl. He makes me smile. At my old house he was in my bedroom sitting on a dresser. He is now in the kitchen next to the sink. I like him there better I think. Plus, the cats are clueless that he is up on the counter.

The colder weather brings more cuddling. They are so cute and sweet. 

 

 

I had posted a month or so ago about wanting to apply for an Interior Designer Position at IKEA. Shortly after I had posted about it, I had another job offer. I was offered to work at a new antique mall that is opening 5 minutes from my house. I love antique malls, and worked at one for 5 years. My favorite job ever, and really the only job I have ever LOVED. My boss is someone that I have already worked for and someone I get along with VERY well. In a nutshell, I took the job. The timing felt right and I am very excited about it. I decided to stick with keeping my small Interior Design business as my "design outlet", and going to IKEA just for fun to shop. I didn't want to end up hating the place because I worked there 40 hours a week. :(

I will be doing a Home & Garden Show in March 2008 to hopefully get some clients to design for. March will be here before I know it. I have been brainstorming on how I want to design my booth. Its so important to stand out and catch people's attention!

Kiitos Marimekko Bedding (link)

Love all this bedding and the patterns. The black and white circles is my favorite!! I have done two shows so far and both my booths have been nurseries. I want to do something a bit older this time. I also really want to design my booth contemporary. I think its my strong point, and its what I love to do.

This image is of a room I can't get out of my head! I love it! It's been saved on my computers for over a year. Its modern with great colors, but its not to grown up. The popart of the little boy is adds great personal touch. I love the red all the way around the room. He also has cooler furniture then me!!!

I am in love with this kids' room also. Love the colors. Love the stripes. Even though I have already painted a striped room, I am leaning towards stripes for my booth! Of course I wouldn't copycat these rooms. I am just inspired by them. They make me want to design.

Here is some inspiration boards I have made. I am in love with this IKEA line for kids'. I wanted to do something more unisex, then boy or girl.

My main problem at the moment is deciding on the furniture. My booth is only 8ft X 10ft. This is why I have only done nurseries. The furniture has always been smaller. I love this bedframe from IKEA.

It has the look I am going for. If I put a twin size bed in my booth though there won't be much room for me, or anything else. We'll see. If anyone has seen any great mod kids' stuff, websites, or has any ideas, please share them with me!!!!

 

 

don't post about famous designers ever. I do not really care about trends and whats in and whats out. Maybe I should as a young Interior Designer. Its just not how I design I guess. As a blogger, and someone who flips through design magazines, I do know the "trends". I just think its best to decorate your home in what you love and WON'T GET TOTALLY SICK OF in a month or two.

I was watching the Tyra Banks show yesterday. She had Interior Designer Ron Norsworthy on her show. He designed and decorated her dressing room, office, and bathroom. My mouth dropped when I saw his work and the rooms. I wanted to redecorate my house already. lol ;)

Of course I am not going to redecorate!!! I love his style and ideas. The rooms are very trendy, but that could also have something to do with it being for Tyra Banks. The colors and furniture he used are great if you ask me.

Of course, there is alot colors, styles, and furniture in the spaces that I could see myself having in my home if I had more money. :)

I am not sure if the flowers on the wall are handpainted or wallpaper. I can't wait to do something like this in a room. I love it. I just haven't had the right room yet.

I love stripes. Painting them isn't very hard with the right tools, and they make such a strong impact on a space.

I am glad I watched Tyra's show yesterday. I love Ron's work and he has inspired me.

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COLOR OF THE HOME (PART 2)

All I have really done this month is dig in the dirt and plant. My front yard landscaping is complete! What a great feeling!

First thing, the tree in front of the fireplace had to go!

Last month we cut the tree down, this month someone removed the stump for us!

I was finally able to buy shrubs and retaining wall to build raised flower beds.







Here is the photos with the red mulch!

No, I am not having a baby! My husband and I are talking about it. We have to get some more work done on our house before we have a baby. I have just been playing with my Photo Shop making design boards. I really want a baby girl.




I have started to collect Alice in Wonderland items. I thought using them as my inspiration to decorate a nursery would be fun. I would love to paint some murals of Alice on the walls! I would love to collect some vintage teapots, cups, and saucers to decorate with also. I have tons of ideas, but no baby. lol Designing and Dreaming is still so much fun!!!

I saw this purse and had to buy it! I love the vintage picture printed on it. The quote on the purse is the story of my life.....


(I haven't decided if I am going to keep the purse or sell it.)

My main focus in March has been working on redoing my Pink Booth where I work. Here is what it looks like currently.....


The other focus is getting ideas together for the front yard landscaping! If you haven't seen my house in awhile, its now white instead of RED.




The tree in front of the fireplace is being cut down. It blocks the house to much and is hurting the roof.

I hate to cut it down, but its to big for where they planted it!! :(


I have actually asked someone I know to help me design all the landscaping. He is very good, and I am so not. I can do interior design, but not so good at landscaping!! lol Here is the house when we bought it....



I do miss the red house, but the white looks very nice. Here is a few images that are inspiring me! (To see more photos of the house in RED, click here!)






Of course, living in OHIO means no palm trees! :( My husband won't allow plastic pink flamingos either. I am also pretty sad about that.


First, before flamingos and pretty purple flowers, I plan to paint the window trim on the front of the house. I am open to any suggestions or ideas anyone may have for my landscaping. Red mulch, good idea or bad idea?

My Hallway*


My Kylie poster has been hanging in the hallway for about 2 years! I got a new Marilyn Monroe poster to hang next to Kylie! I love the way it looks.

hallway photo collage... I had all these miscellaneous photo frames sitting around, so I tired to use them all up by making a picture wall in our hallway!

I plan to paint all the black frames white. I like white frames in the hallway because it doesn't feel so "busy" or cramped when walking down it.

Retro Clock ~ one of the million things I have bought this year! lol It came from my work.

I got this great table and chairs from my work also!

It needs alot of work! I need to recover the chairs, and maybe someday I will get a nice round rug for my dining area. I love the big red round one that is $299 at IKEA!

*MY OFFICE*

I have lots of new collections now that I work at the antique mall. Its branched out into Marilyn Monroe, Pink Teddy Bears, Vintage Flowered Items, and More Hello Kitty....


I bought this doll house basically because it was a heck of a deal, and in hope that someday I might have a little girl to play with it.





*MY LIVING ROOM*

My living room basically looks the same, just a few new pieces. I finally have a few houseplants! I haven't killed this peace lily yet!

I just thought these pictures were cute. The pets love to lay on the heat vents to keep warm.







*MY BEDROOM*
sneak peak...

I hope to be posting pictures of my bedroom soon. Its getting there....finally. :)

Here is a photo of my pink & black booth at the antique mall.

If I am not working, I am usually working on my booth or out searching for stuff to sell in my booth. (not working on my house or decorating my house) This is why nothing ever gets done anymore!! I make a little extra cash selling items. Plus, its just fun!


Thanks for stopping by!!! Hopefully it won't be another year before I post again. lol

I waited, and waited, and waited.....

Its finally here!!!!! My own IKEA! (Only 9 miles from my house!) Going to IKEA has helped me to get back into the "decorating spirit"! We finally get to furnish our Master Bedroom. I ended up NOT liking the orange and white IKEA bedding in person. I did fall in love with this though.....

HOT PINK!

In the photo above, I have black MALM furnitire from IKEA. Well, we aren't getting black. We went with white. That is what I really wanted. My bedroom is a mess right now. Once I start getting it together I will snap some photos. Here are some cute little chairs that I have bought from the antique mall where I work.

My work will be having its GRAND OPENING the weekend of April 25th. All I do is work. I have no time to blog anymore. :( I am enjoying my new job though. (and my IKEA store!)

Hello! I needed to post something! Working at an Antique mall is really making me realize how much I love VINTAGE stuff. I actually have rented a booth of my own at the mall I work at. (I will post pictures soon.) I also need to post pictures of some of the cool stuff I have bought. :)

For now though, I am just posting about some stuff I love to look at. This cool pillow is from Henry Road. I really want to make pillows that look like this!



Or how about a Bedspread made from vintage scarfs!! I love the colors and patterns!!


I actually was looking for Black & White shower curtains and found this stuff. Still haven't found the "perfect" shower curtain for my hall bathroom. I think I have decided to decorate it Black & White. I have so much color everywhere else in my house. I want to find something very MOD with a strong 1960's feel. I like this floral one from Target.

Its a bit busy, but I think I could pull it off! lol ;)

We are working on our Master Bedroom again. Our new IKEA opens next week, and we hope to get it ready by then. We plan on buying a bed and all new furniture for our bedroom. I am very excited to decorate the room FINALLY! I think its going to turn out great. I am working on picking out the bedding. I love this new bedding from Target!

I still love this IKEA bedding.

I might just buy something that is a SOLID color. I don't want the room to be to crazy! We'll see.

Again, sorry that my posts are lacking. All I do right now is work.

I have being dreaming up designs for our basement when we finish it. Which won't be anytime soon, but if I get ideas in my head, I have to design. :)

I have been looking at many fun couches. Here are some of my favorites.

This one has to be my favorite so far. I just don't know how comfy it is. It is just really fun to look at. Would look pretty cool in my house if you ask me. (link)

This is basically just cushions, kinda like bean bag chairs. I just love the square look and the lime green. It is from Target. (link)

IKEA KARLSTAD couch (link) Comes in lots of colors and options.

Look at this great vintage 1970's couch! (link) I kinda would like to do all vintage pieces in the basement. This couch is priced around $600! Not to bad, for such a great piece.

This couch is cool, but I would like to just build a couch on my own that is like this one. (link) Make my own frame & cushions.

HOLY CRAP! I am really in love with this couch. (link) Again, looks fun, but not good for lounging and watching tv. I do think that this is my favorite. I am in love.


so many couches, so little money.......
lol

I think I may have found a shower curtain for my hall bathroom. I am in love with this line by Jonathon Alder sold at Wrapables!

The Bespoke Shower Curtain

I love the pattern, and the red and white of course. All the matching bath accessories are really fun too.

This is just on option. I do have my Andy Warhol shower curtain in there right now. Its just I have so much Pop Art everywhere else. I like the more "fancy" look of the red & white curtain. I think the bathroom would look nicer that way.

The good thing about the Warhol curtain is every color in my house is on it. So it would look good. I just feel its a bit too much Warhol? (keeping in mind, that all my masterbedroom is going to be) Also, the red and white one is a totally different look.

This shower curtain is just funny.

(link)

Does anyone have any suggestions or a favorite? (My Andy Warhol can go in the basement bathroom when we do it.) Also, I was thinking of leaving the bathroom painted white. I might do a pale color if I stick with the Warhol curtain.

The kitchen still needs some work. Its not quite done yet. It needs new outlets, under cabinet lighting, and other small things. The ceiling has some cracks in it sadly, so they will need fixed. The original kitchen was outdated and not very functional. We dreamed of having an IKEA kitchen, and we were able to use some of our escrow loan to do it.

BEFORE

NOW

We went with the ABSTRAKT White cabinets from IKEA. I wanted a white contemporary kitchen. Since red is my favorite color, and a theme through out our house, I thought it was a perfect color choice for the room that is the heart of our home.

We flipped the island/bar to the other side of the kitchen. It is alot more functional this way. The kitchen feels and looks so much bigger now.

I hope to get my barstools that I want for Christmas. (link)

I love that you can see KYLIE while in the kitchen!



BEFORE



BEFORE

Here is the Dining Area. We do have the trim up now.

My white vase collection.

We ripped out the old china cabinet that was in the dining area. We hope to buy more cabinets and put them in this area in the future.

Here is a detailed photo of our tile backsplash. I picked this tile, because I felt it had a vintage retro feel.

Oh, and I *heart* my faucet!!!! Its from Moen, sold at Home Depot. The red wall color is called Code Red, it is a Disney color sold at Home Depot.

I have always loved Lime Green. Lucky for me, my husband lets me paint any color I like. (unless its pink, then he draws the line.) When I first painted our guest bedroom this green color, even I thought it was too bright.

The wall color is Grape Green by Behr.

This whole room was based around the Issac Mizrahi bedding from Target. Sometimes when you see something, you know you must have it for your home. The bedding was a great balance of white, bright colors, and a modern feel. Plus, butterflies make me smile. If you would like to see my Inspiration board for this room follow the (link).


I painted "Do it for the Butterflies" over the bed. It inspires me to keep going. Butterflies are happy and free. So, when I read it, it reminds me to never give up on my dreams. Its also a line from the Adam Sandler movie, Little Nicky.

The room isn't all the way done. I plan to make cornice boxes to put over the curtain rods. I was glad I was able to throw the houndstooth pattern into the decor. Another one of my favorites!

Also, the mini-blinds will go bye-bye someday! They are there now because they fit, and we need them. Also, I have had those stupid nightstands for years. Once IKEA comes to OHIO, I plan on buying some new ones. When you are on a budget,...or just broke, you use what you got!!! lol

Here is another thing you do when you are on a budget. You go to the dollar store and buy picture frames.

The photos are pictures I printed off my computer and a Justin Timberlake cd booklet. When I find cool frames at the dollar store its like Christmas for me. :) The great thing about the room is, its very me. Anyone who knows me could see this room and know its mine. That's one of the best things about decorating.

Here is a before shot of the room. What it looked like when we bought the house.

I don't hate orange, but it did give you a headache is a 10x12 bedroom. Along, with the checkered floor. Wasn't working for me!!! lol

Read more...

COLOR OF THE HOME (PART 3)

I was searching the web for modern baby furniture and found this......



Its the "Avalon Collection" from Lullabys. Only problem, for me, is that you can only buy it if you live in the UK. I searched on the web everywhere hoping another website would have it!!! Nope. :( I like this furniture because it is ALL WHITE and has great lines!




I can find tons of modern cribs / furniture that I like, but its so expensive! I am way to "thrifty" to pay $1,600 for a crib! I just can't do it. I did find a few cribs I like......
This one is from Walmart for $300 ~

This one is Babies R Us for $300 ~


Can you tell I got "babies" on the brain? hahahaha

Chrissy emailed me asking for some help decorating her apartment. She told me she wanted something modern, she liked orange, Andy Warhol and robots! After seeing some photos of her apartment, I came up with this....


Most everything is from IKEA, since that is one of the only places Chrissy can shop where she lives! Other items are from websites I love! Fulcrum Gallery, Chiasso and Cb2!

I also made more detailed design boards with a photo of the room. This helps Chrissy see my vision better.
Couch Wall ~


TV Wall ~

Entry Area ~

Dining Area ~


I really hope this helps Chrissy and inspires her!

I finally painted the old closet in my office! I painted the back wall pink so that my vintage desk would stand out. I am very happy with it! :)



I love "displaying" my stuff! I think it all looks really nice with the new pink wall!

I have a friend who is so creative! He is a painter, photographer and now designs great things on Photo Shop! Here is what he designed for me.....



He used photos taken at my wedding and on my honeymoon. I didn't have a lot of photos in my house from the wedding / honeymoon, so I thought this would be a great way to display them together! Dennis even took some of the wedding shots that are in the piece he made for me. I will post a picture of it once I get it framed and hung in my hallway. (The photo is 29"x29")

When I first saw a photo collage he made from photos he took on a trip to Spain, I knew I wanted he to design something for me.


I just love how he makes everything work together in one large photo. He has such a great eye for photography!


His painting style is also very original....

Please check out all his work on his website! He is seeking clients. He would like to make some collages for other people using vacation, wedding, family or whatever other photos you would like! Please contact him if you are interested!

We have lived in our house for over 2 years now. I have never be able to decide what to do with the entry. When you walk in there is a closet. We actually took the doors off and just left it open. I bought a cheap wardrobe from IKEA to keep coats and shoes in. I couldn't decide if I wanted to paint the area, wallpaper it or hang fabric. So, instead of any of that I just decided to use all the great magazine photos, warhol prints, marilyn monroe pictures and everything else I didn't have a place for!!! Now it all has a home together!





Its not for everyone, but is very ME. I love collages. Its so fun to stand and look at all the images. I even put photos of friends and family in the mix. Its very personal. I still have some "holes" to fill. It sometimes is hard to find the right size picture to fit into the puzzle.

When I started working at the antique mall, I started to see more and more flower patterned items. Items from the 1960's and 70's. Like any collection, one thing turns into two things, then you end up with three. Here is a very images of my favorite flower printed & flower items I own.

Vintage Flower Pins ~
These I put in an IKEA picture frame. I just pinned them to a piece of fabric.



These are all items in my bathroom. My trash can and a cute vintage Shirt-Tales watering can.

I use a vintage pillowcase as a backdrop on the top of my cabinet in the bathroom. The aqua flower planter I found at a thrift store, I spray painted in the aqua color.

I like to use vintage glasses & mugs to hold makeup brushes, eyeshadows and other bathroom items.

Then there is my teapot set! Hands down my favorite! $10.00 for all of it at a thrift store.


I use vintage glasses for pen and pencil holders. Vintage scarf and vintage floral box also in photo.

Vintage makeup case ~

Aimee's Scrapbook Room



I found Aimee on Flickr. She collects dolls, toys and hello kitty! (like me) I love love love her scrapbook room she has decorated! She has set it up so nicely. Her collections look great in the space.







You can see more photos of her room by going to her flickr account

Lots of IKEA, color and Marilyn Monroe.

Oh how I hate my hall bathroom. The time is coming soon, when I FINALLY get to take a sledgehammer to the ugly green tile walls. :) Months ago I had planned to paint the walls in the bathroom black. I have decided that black is to goth. lol I will stick with black walls in our basement, whenever we finish it.





I am leaning towards a yellow and white color scheme. Of course I made a design board....



Thank Goodness for IKEA. They have new bathroom stuff at their store! Stuff I LOVE!

The Lillangen Sink ~ comes in 3 different sizes!

I haven't decided if I want white walls or yellow walls. I also don't know how much tile I want on the walls. I plan to just do the shower area and install glass shower doors. I want the bathroom to be very contemporary. The shower area will be subway tile. Like this....

The penny round tile is what I would love to put on the floor. I really like this bathroom...


Does any one have suggestions on having glass shower doors if you have kids? Is this a BAD idea? Maybe I should stick with just a shower curtain. I would save ALOT of money that way.

Here are just some images from my computer of bathrooms I like....





Marilyn Monroe in her bathroom....

I have 4 pictures of Marilyn doing her makeup in her bathroom that I would like to frame. My bathroom is small though, so I have to be careful not to put to much on the walls.

Hopefully in the next few months my husband & I will find time & money to remodel our bathroom FINALLY!

Here are the design boards I have designed so far ~

I found a great baby website yesterday! www.csnbaby.com

They have a huge selection of cribs, nursery decor, and baby bedding! Here are a few things I loved!
Butterfly Paisley Bedding ~

Bebe Crib

Bebe 5 drawer chest

Sparrow Crib

Mercer Crib

How about cute diaper bags! Here are a few of my favorites!
Zany Zinnias

Skull and Cross Bones

OiOi Pink Floral Bag


If you are expecting a baby, thinking about having a baby, or just love to look at cute things,

My New White Office

I decided to move my office into our guest bedroom. We plan to use my OLD office as a nursery when the time comes. The walls were painted white in the guest bedroom from when I thought I was going to do it in the "gun & love" theme. I like the white walls with all my "office stuff". Color might make it feel to busy. I have enough color with all my STUFF!




I still have the dirty & GROSS looking blinds as the window treatments. These were put up by the people that lived in our house before us, NOT ME. I hate blinds.



My new office is now only in a 10x10 room. I lost alot of space, but everything still seems to fit in the new room. I still have some more things to do in this room, so I am sure there will be more pictures of it in the future. :)

I decided to buy a MAC!

My Laptop that I have been using for close to 4 years now is getting sluggish. It doesn't run very well when I use photoshop! I am loving my new computer so far! I hope to design wonderful things with it. :)

I finally started to paint some of the trim on the back of our house. It needs so much work. Its been very hot here in Ohio the last few weeks. Its making it hard for me to want to go outside and paint.



All the paint is gone from water damage. I will be working on painting all this the rest of the summer I am sure. My husband is going to finally start putting the white siding on the back of the house.

Here is my cat Norman being cute!



I have spent alot of time this month trying to make my blog more organized and have a nicer look. I really appreciate everyone who stops by. Thank You! :)

designed and decorated this room back in May 2007. This room was for a 14 year old girl named Ashley. Sadly the photos I took were blurry. My digital camera died about a week later after the photos were taken.


This is one of my favorite rooms I have ever done. (Probably because of all the pink!) I found the bedding on Victoria Secret's website and used it as my inspiration.
I painted the canvas over the bed to match the "Pink Love" pillows. The stripes I painted came out great also. It was really fun to design this room!

I am obsessed with my Adobe Photo Shop Program and having a baby. I want to decorate a nursery so badly. I am not pregnant and should wait atleast till the end of the year to start trying to get pregnant. When I signed into my blog today, I saw that I had a new follower.

Her name is Jillian. She is having a baby girl in October. Her blog is "waiting for mini mcdonald". She is still trying to pick out her nursery decor and feels a bit overwhelmed with decisions. It is hard to pick your nursery decor! There are so many choices out there. As soon as you fall in love with one thing,.....you see something else!!!!! On her blog she is asking for advise. I thought with my sudden obsession with photo shop I would make her some design boards. :)

Design 1 ~ Girly MOD

Jillian seems to pick out modern decor the most. She likes green and pink together. (Which I must say, I also love this color combo!) This design is a bit "over the top" with the patterns and colors. It's a nursery I would love for my little girl.

Design 2 ~ Birds & Flowers

This nursery design is more calming. The design still has a modern feel & a girly look.

Design 3 ~ Pink Taffy

Pink, pink, and some more pink. I love the "pink taffy" bedding.

I hope Jillian gets some ideas and inspiration from these design boards. If anyone wants to know where any of the items came from, just leave me a comment. I will get the link for you.

Read more...

COLOR OF THE HOME (PART 4)

 Here are some photos of things in my kitchen & dining area....


warhol print & billy bookcase


Muffins eating area. (my dog)


White vases hold my tea bags! yum! Vanilla Chai Tea is my favorite! You should try it. :)

 I was looking at photographs of my office the other night and realized it is way to "cute & girly". I guess that is what happens when you love pink & hello kitty. My office looks very cluttered right now and I hate clutter!!! I am working on "toning" it down a bit. I am thinking about painting my office pink and changing the way I display my hello kitty collection. I want to design a less cluttered contemporary space. I still want my color scheme to be pink & white. I am in love with this pink & white zebra rug from Walmart.



I love animal print and have not be able to place it anywhere in the my house yet. ( Husband hates animal print ) I am currently using a dining room table as my desk in my office.



I want something that is just a plain square lines. It would give me the contemporary look I am seeking. In a perfect world I would buy a Parsons desk from west elm. Pictured below.



I found the photo above from Decor Pad. If you haven't check out their blog before you should! Lots of great photos. I love the look of that home office, but I need pink. lol I am thinking about buying this table from IKEA, since I can't afford a Parsons desk.



I love this photo below of cabinets painted HOT PINK inside and hung on the wall....





I am leaning towards pink walls. I found this image with a design painted on the walls. I really love it!



I love the color "Springtime Bloom" by Behr paint. I just don't know if I want to go that dark since my office is such a small room. I am just bored with the white walls & white furniture.



I have already been moving my furniture around and taking a lot of items out of the room that I felt were just cluttering it up! When I first decorated my office in June of this year I loved it. Now I hate it. I just need to make it contemporary, then I will love it. :)

Design board 1 ~ My Office Makeover


I still am in the early stages of designing the space. I have tons of ideas, but need to spend as little money as possible. I thought it would be fun to hang a fancy mirror in the room and paint a fun design all over the walls that would appear to look like wallpaper. Add some touches of chrome! I am feeling like Hello Kitty may be getting the boot. :(



Trying to pick the perfect shade of pink is becoming very hard for me. I think I have to many choices!!! This is what happens when you grab paint swatches every trip to Home Depot and Lowes. How about adding this new pendant lamp from IKEA above the desk..



First thing is to buy the zebra rug, and the rest will fall into place. :)

 I am not only redecorating my office,....I have decided to change my bedroom also! I thought I would share some photos of some bedrooms I found on Decor Pad yesterday!

 I found this vintage mirror at the thrift store for $5.00! I spray painted it white and it is now hanging in my office.

before:

after:


The redecorating of my office is almost done! I just have to get my desk! :)

 I love the Keep Calm & Carry On Poster/Print! I love seeing it in different colors and different rooms in peoples homes.




Accolady


Aunty Cookie

Wall color : Springtime Bloom - Behr Paint

 

I stumbled across this lovely black and white apartment on flickr yesterday. This apartment belongs to flickr user:

The gray walls are painted. I still have a lot of finishing touches to do. Here is a few photos...

Not sure what bedding will actually go on the bed. I put the white on just for the photos. I need window treatments and a bedskirt!

Read more...

COLOR OF THE HOME (PART 5)

I love modern chairs.

 

I love the Besta furniture series from IKEA! Great storage solutions with so many choices! Here are some of my favorites from the IKEA website! (link)

 I am in love with all these PINK rooms....

Image found HERE {Trendir}

Image found HERE {HGTV}

Image found HERE {ohdeedoh}




Image found HERE {Room Envy}


Image found HERE {My Deco}


Image found HERE {Desire to Inspire}


Image found HERE {Apartment Therapy}


I have gotten a few new things for my kitchen so I thought I would share some photos. I got the red & white rug at IKEA a few months ago. In the picture below you can see my new IKEA cabinet that I have wanted for so long!!! {link} It was a Xmas present from my in-laws.











We still have lots of "finishing touches" to do around the whole room. I guess a house is never "done",...unless you have endless amounts of time. HA!

 I purchased new bedding from Sears. It is from Ty Pennington's Collection...



I wanted a new look in the my bedroom. I want my room to be more "grown up" looking instead of all the PINK.

 I am loving PURPLE right now!
{Image source unknown}



Love this one purple wall in this Dining Room...
{Image source unknown}


This Living Room is designed by AMANDA NISBET


Image found {HERE} Beautiful Living

 I have really grown fond of OLD OLD homes with tall ceilings and fireplaces in every room! I want my next home to be huge with tons of rooms to decorate! I love the mixture of modern furniture mixed with antiques.

Jodi Macklin Bedroom


Image source unknown


Domino Magazine


Image source unknown


My Master Bedroom - 2009

Great living room with pops of orange... Image found HERE {the estate of things}



Love this nursery... Image found HERE { }



Great kids room... Image found HERE {Design Dazzle}



Andy Warhol prints are a great way to add color to any room! I recommend this site {Fulcrum Gallery}



Bedroom I designed a few years ago...

Read more...

WALL ART

I have so many blank, white walls in my apartment. I would love
to just go mad with some of these collages and art work. My
favorites are vintage portraits in mismatched frames.

Read more...

LIVING ROOMS

These are some of my favorite vignettes. I love the way people can take random objects and put them together in such beautiful ways. Enjoy!

Here is a little lighting guide I made recently. I have been on the lookout for affordable lighting for awhile now so I thought I would share some of my finds. Hope you enjoy.

Clockwise from the top:

Left to right:

Gourd Lamps-Left to right:

Shade Sconces-Left to right:

Just for fun:

Lighting Inspiration:

AAA

Read more...

DREAMING IN BLACK AND WHITE (PART 1)

Emma Watson is one of those rare, current actresses that I actually like. She seems down to earth, she's natural, and she's really pretty in an unassuming kind of way. Not to mention, she plays Hermione Granger! Aside from Jordan Baker and Scout Finch, Hermione is my favorite (female) literary character of all time. Emma's British too, and I love those Brits; their accents are so totally delightful!

I like her style a lot too. Simple, girly, and pretty. Maybe it's because she's just a year older than me, but I really admire Emma, and I'm hoping she'll keep her head despite the crazy lure of young Hollywood. Please Emma, don't turn into another Lohan! And please Lindsey, get some help! I hate to think her career (and life) might be over before she's even 30.

Some vintage inspiration. Does that scarf not scream Audrey? Or Grace?

I really love this picture. There's such a 50s diner feel and look to it.

Again, the scarf. And j'adore the jacket in this photo too.

(those cupcakes also look tasteeee).

Awesome photo. Give me the vespa!

This is just too lovely for words.


I wish I could get a longer shot of this dress, but this photo reminds me of one of my most favorite Audrey umbrella poses.

Part glamor girl, part femme fatale...

Aside from Harry Potter, Emma has also done work in Ballet Shoes, a film I have not seen but will check out hopefully.

No, this adorable shot of this adorable actress and her adorable dog is not of Ann Sothern. (Though there does seem to be a slight resemblance).


Can you guess who it is?

I know these posts have been pretty random, short (and myabe even useless, you're thinking), but a film review is on it's way! 

 

Happy happy birthday to my dear, wonderful, lovely, gorgeous, adorable Shia Labeouf. 23 years old today, congrats to making it this far! Now we're only five years apart, he and I.

Forgive me dear followers, if this sounds creepy, but I'm in love. And for the first time ever, my birthday post is for someone who is very much alive.

Transformers 2 comes out June 24th...guess where I'll be that day? It's actually the perfect way to hang out with Shia's other "wife", Mary and my best friend, Genie. Can't wait. Let the battle begin...who wins Shia in the end? Yeah, neither of us...but in the imaginary world, Shia technically belongs to Mary because I laid all claims to Gregory Peck.
Whatever, I've already had to concede Dana Andrews to Millie, so Shia is mine!!!!!!!!!!
There, I've done it. Had a completely random, rambling, delusional post! I hope I've made you proud, Millie!

I am a high school graduate!!!! Hooray!!!! I guess graduation was a bittersweet experience...there are some teachers I will definitely miss, friends that I'll miss terribly, and others who I won't because I'll be seeing them all the time. I'm not completely through with school, but when those college years are gone, I will still be learning. Even when I'm 83 (God Bless me), I'll still be learning something new. I like that idea a lot. Learning more will help me to understand better. Anyway, back to graduation. If I could sum it up in one word, I would say HILARIOUS. People were throwing beach balls all over the place, and we booed the head of the English department when she took away one of our beach balls. Party pooper.

One of the funniest moments had to be when I opened my diploma and said: "I can't read this!" It was in Latin. As if five years of learning the stuff actually helped me...;-D

Anyway, while away from the computer, I got some awesome movie watching done. And I have some new favorites...well, they're on their way to becoming favorites of mine if I get to see more of their work. The movies underneath the photos are the ones I've seen and those in red are the ones I'm going to watch. Note: Anne Baxter made this list, but not for All About Eve, though come to think of it, I really liked her in that.

Linda Darnell, Blood and Sand (1941) + Fallen Angel (1945)

A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

Vivian Blaine, Guys and Dolls (1955)

Something for the Boys (1944)

Anne Baxter, The Blue Gardenia (1953), one of my favorite new movies
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Jean Peters, A Blueprint For Murder (1953)
Niagara (1953)

Ann Sothern, The Blue Gardenia (1953)

A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

 

I'm in a Gene Tierney kick right now. Gotta put her films at the top of my list, even before How to Steal a Million, but I'll always save Audrey for last. =D Here are some amazing shots of this talented and luminous beauty, whom I adore.

To watch: Thunder Birds (1942) and Black Widow (1954)

PS: A friend of mine has swine flu. GASP!!!!! Seriously, WHAT's the big deal?

Everyone is freaking out at school, which by the way, my friend hasn't even been in school ever since she reported flu like symptoms on the 20th. Swine flu only lasts a week, so she should be fine. I just wish people would learn to relax...I know there have been swine flu related deaths, and my heart and prayers go out to those victims and their families, but people die every single day from AIDS, murder and cancer. Why don't we learn to respect and treasure human life, and keep those who have passed on in our hearts and thoughts, instead of losing our heads over swine flu? Wash your hands and learn some hygiene!

 

I think I would get married in the church I've been going to ever since I was three. Or if not there, the island my parents are from, Italy, or Switerland.(That's far too much of an Audrey influence, right there, who got married in both the latter places)! (One of my friends wants to get married on a hill top in Greece, which sounds like a dream). Everyone would be at my wedding. I only wish my grandparents and great aunt and uncle could be a part of it. Of course there would be a nice dedication to them during the service.

This of course, is my ideal wedding dress. It's divine.

My wedding song: La Vie en Rose by Edith Piaf (Yes, in French too). This song speaks to my soul.

My wedding reception will have a variety of music, ranging from Frank Sinatra to current.


Now for my possible reception dresses where I'll do my dancing and relaxing:



Rita Hayworth in You'll Never Get Rich (1941)





Audrey looking fun and flirty.



Audrey again.

Yes I know, quite typical, but these flowers are so beautiful. White roses have always held a special place in my heart because like weddings, they're pure and very lovely. Also, there's something so clean and impeccable about them. Yes, this is my choice for a wedding bouquet, or if not white roses, then calla lilies. (I always think of Katharine Hepburn in Stage Door when I hear or see those flowers).


I'm in a wedding kick right now, and this post was just an attempt by me to put some of my wacky and lovely ideas out there. But, I'm also curious about what everyone else wants their weddings to look like, so I'm tagging all of my female followers! (Guys just don't seem to get excited about stuff like this). If you don't want to get married, then consider yourself un-tagged. But have fun with this if you like.  

How I'm Feeling: Silly (and scared...)

Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly being silly themselves.

The day of Senior sign out is on the 21st. That means I only have six days, not counting the weekend, of being a high schooler!!!! Oh me oh my...after six years in that institution, I mean school, it's hard to say whether I'm thrilled or terrified to leave. When I see the underclassmen, I can't wait to run through the doors and never look back. And yet, the real world frightens me! College...I remember when at the age of ten, I thought *18* was "grown up." I'm still a kid, for crying out loud! A somewhat mature, old soul kid, but a kid nonetheless. Yes, I'm moving forward in life and all that jazz, but can we slow down just a little bit?

UH NO!!!!! I have been counting down to sign out and prom since the beginning of the month. I have mixed feelings about leaving clearly. Ah, when will I follow my own advice? Take everything in stride. Get to those old movies on the tivo and relax. Maybe I'll take a film study class in college...

Prom is 15 days away. That picture of Frankie and Gene sums up how I feel about prom. =D 

 

I've compiled a list of the ideal prom dates. The ones that really make me wish I was a stunner, because then they would ask me to prom, and we'd be the best looking couple. And no, this list is not realistic, because all of these men are either dead, famous, married, or extremely older than me! But hey, I can dream, can't I? So without further ado...

The classic, Old Hollywood men (in no particular order except for the first two).

Gregory Peck

Robert Taylor

William Holden

Cary Grant

Gary Cooper

Clark Gable

Dana Andrews

And now, my list of modern men. Yes I have current guys on this list because as much as I LOVE all the previous ones, I can't take a corpse to prom. And I don't think that those fantasies will come true. And neither will these except I have a better chance because they're all alive, and two of them are unmarried and not 10 or more years older than me. Although, I do like older guys (hence everyone on this list).

Shia Labeouf...oh goodness me. What to do, what to do...

UNMARRIED!!!!

Milan Lucic (His nose is rather large and has been broken quite a few times, but that does not detract from his overall hotness).

UNMARRIED!!!! (20 years old, just two years older than me).

Johnny Depp

Eddie House

Matt Damon 

 

A very happy birthday to the darling Anne Baxter, who would have turned 86 today. She died of a brain aneurysm, at the very young age of 62. Rest in peace.

I know TCM is playing a tribute to the drool worthy Gary Cooper, so a very happy, happy birthday to his soul, and may he rest in peace.

This photo makes me want to melt! Carole Lombard was so right when she nicknamed him studs!  

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