Atomic Pixel

Snowflakes and Dogheads

2010-02-22T14:51:00.003-06:00

When I woke up this morning and I knew we had gotten at least a couple of inches of snow. Normally by this time of the year I have had enough of the snow. I think I blogged about winter ennui this same time last year. But today is different. There are patches of sunny from time to time and when my neighbors turn off their snowblowers, I can hear a cardinal singing.

The dogs are loving it. I mean LOVING it! I forget that winter is hard on them too. They're bored. So a new layer fresh snow was a welcome surprise when they went out this morning. They've been running in and out all day, bringing cold air in on their fur; ears and noses are bright red and dogheads are smiling. To commemorate all the glorious snow days we've had in 2010, I complied this short movie of Johnny and June frolicking. please to enjoy, xoxo jenni

Instant Fun will be with you in a moment...

2010-02-15T14:20:00.005-06:00

So Poloroid is releasing a new instant that's due out "later in the year". When I saw it I instantly fell in love.

The look is retro-inspired but it has a nice soft ergonomic shape. It comes in the wood grain shown above as well as a couple of metallic finishes. But seriously, if there's wood grain, who cares about metallic finishes. I would have done a wood grain series. Birch, cherry, plywood.

I haven't seen any examples of the photos it produces, or even what the size format is, but it's still early. Here's the pertinent info from Polaroid press...

"Supported by a strategic relationship with Summit Global Group, a longtime Polaroid partner, and The Impossible Project, the manufacturer of classic film for Polaroid film cameras, Polaroid will offer a completely redesigned, modern version of the Polaroid OneStep camera, the PIC 1000. The PIC 1000 will be available in a range of fun colors and use classic Polaroid Color 600 Instant Film to produce the brand’s classic white border instant pictures. The Polaroid Color 600 Instant Film will work with both classic and new Polaroid cameras and will be offered in packs of 10 pictures. The new classic PIC 1000 camera and instant color film will be available at national retailers in 2010. " -Polaroid Press Release

off topic rant: have you seen the new nissan cube? adorable. love the wrap around back window!

The next instant on my comparison list is the Fuji Instax Mini Instant Camera.

This one is super cute, compact, very affordable, and available now. And the photos look great. I love the vintagey look with the smaller credit card sized format. And did I mention affordable? It's listing for $90 on photojojo for the camera alone or $115 for camera and film.

Courtesy of photojojo ...
It prints credit card-sized photos on bold Fuji film, but retains a classic instant film look that everyone loves. Plus, you've got more control when you're shooting: four exposure settings for indoor/outdoor shooting, a built-in flash, and a sweeping wide angle.

No USB cables, no memory cards, and no computer. Just a few basic chemical reactions that develop in the palm of your hand.

Mini prints develop instantly Easy-loading Fuji film cartridges still in production Exposure settings for cloudy/indoors/outdoors Built-in flash Runs on four AA batteries Wide angle lens 5" x 5" x 2.5"

Mini prints develop instantly
Easy-loading Fuji film cartridges still in production
Exposure settings for cloudy/indoors/outdoors
Built-in flash
Runs on four AA batteries
Wide angle lens
5" x 5" x 2.5"

I figure for these prices, why choose, I should get them both. xoxo - jenni

Look What I Made!

2010-02-08T22:12:00.006-06:00

I've been wanting to make a bright and busy duvet cover ever since I saw this photo 2 years ago...

Courtesy of the wildly creative and talented Scrumdillydilly

After a whirlwind weekend of crafting I finally got around to stitching up a fabulous duvet cover using an Amy Butler layer cake and a few yards of her pods fabric for some contrast. I was so taken with the finished results that I decided to whip up a couple pairs of pillow cases from some vintage sheets I've been hanging on to with that purpose in mind.

more photos at my flickr

It feels good to cross a few things off the crafty list. Now what's next? Stay tuned... xoxo jenni

ps: scrumdillydilly, I'm totally stealing your making the bed set idea! Love it. You're my idol.

For the Birds

2010-02-08T13:18:00.005-06:00

I just finished the final touches on a hand-sewn bird mobile for Elkey's sweet little nursery. I'm thrilled with how it turned out, so I'm here to brag and show off the results. I have already made a list of 3 more versions I want to create, so I'm thinking I'll put these up on Etsy.

more photos at my flickr

I was inspired by the bird mobile project posted on the Spool Sewing blog. You can check out their version here: Spool Sewing

PS: I just finished a wonderful Amy Butler patchwork duvet cover that I'll be posting pictures of later. xoxo - jenni

When things are the saddest, try to find a little happy.

2010-01-27T19:13:00.008-06:00

Dear friends of mine are losing a loved one to cancer and it's been very sad. I know that sadness is just one of many emotions they are experiencing, but it's the one that has me thinking tonight.

It's made me think about sadness in general. How many precious memories are tinged with sadness, but it's just that emotion that makes them stand out in mind. The bittersweet moments alongside the happy ones are equal in weight and just as welcome.

I wouldn't want a blissfully happy life. I wouldn't want everyday to be sunny. Not just because I look forward to the occasional gray day, but because too much of a good thing can be bad. Sadness and pain are parts of life just like comfort and joy. They coexist and occasionally commingle. The important thing is to focus on the ride and when things are at their saddest, try to find a little happy.

Here are some of my "happys". xoxo — jenni

1. IMG_0169, 2. وأنا أعشقك عشق المَطر للصّحاري, 3. 2009:12:29__13:40:11, 4. My Golden Boy, 5. Monkey Madness IX, 6. Untitled, 7. sock yarn salad, 8. Freaky Eyed Vulture, 9. san francisco twins... by request :), 10. Transfer, 11. swoon worthy, 12. HELP!!, 13. Me + Mister at City Museum, 14. Knitted hat by Aunt Nancy, 15. Sweet Schwinn, 16. June Carter-Cash Votes for Obama, 17. Blessed Buddah at a Rock-Bottom Price, 18. Anniversary Souvenir , 19. Untitled, 20. to spookydaddy love, tom :)(brad's tattoo), 21. flower2, 22. sugar skull couple, 23. wednesday: orange, 24. Vintage Scene, 25. Aaron and Angels wedding cake!

2010-01-20T16:19:00.007-06:00

It's been a little over week since natural disaster struck Haiti and thousands of people are still without food, drinking water, shelter or medical care. Don't let them lose hope too. Please donate to the Haiti Relief fund or organization of your choice.

Not sure which one to give to? Click here for a list of charities benefiting the survivors of this terrible tragedy. You can also text "Haiti" to 90999, to automatically donate $10 to Red Cross. You will receive a "thank you" confirmation text.

please remember, if you can't afford to send money, prayers are always free.

Polyvore!

2009-12-26T20:37:00.006-06:00

It's hard to put into words what makes Polyvore so totally addictive, but I am going to try.

First I'll try to explain what Polyvore is, for those of you that may not be familiar. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about Polyvore:

"Polyvore Is The Greatest Website Ever. Polyvore is a very easy-to-use web-based application that allows its users to mix and match pictures from all over the web to create very creative, unique, stylish and artistic sets. It is a lively community for creative people".

The sets can be in fashion, interior design or artistic expression. You gather 'your items' by searching through the well-categorized database of images. Since user submissions are encouraged, it's kind of like flickr, in that the database is constantly being updated with new images. Your items are saved in a library so you can use them to create new sets.

Above is an example of my fashion items.

Another thing I really like about Polyvore is that my design ideas aren't limited by time or budget. This is online daydreaming. Like designing your engagement ring online or shopping for rims at tirerack.com. (yes, I day dream about rims) I am creating source material, so I can dream big. However, if the day ever does come when I find myself with an excess of time and funds, I can go back to my sets and find out exactly where to purchase any of the items in my library. So it also works like an interactive catalog as well. Are you beginning to see the evil genius of Polyvore?

So while the snow is falling outside, I sit in my office, with the lights dimmed, flipping through page after page of mid-century inspired housewares and smoky topaz jewelry. I'm comforted by the knowledge that the holidays are behind us and a New Year lies ahead.

Now please to enjoy my dreamy outfits. xoxo - jenni

Knotty Girl by Ms Atomic

Boho Chic by Ms Atomic

Michigan & State by Ms Atomic

Modern Day Love Child by Ms Atomic

Organizing for Change

2009-12-01T00:30:00.008-06:00

"A place for everything and everything in it's place." I don't know how old I was when I heard that saying for the first time, but I know I liked it right away. The idea that a well-organized life means less clutter emotionally as well as physically. This appeals to the OCD side of my personality. Unfortunately, the ADD side would prefer not to empty the dish washer or fold laundry, so I struggle with the task of organizing.

About 4 months ago I decided to convert a little-used guest room into a multi-purposed art room. A place where I could have all my fabric on bolts and displayed on long shelves. A spot for all of my yarn. A nook for all my paper goods... you get the point. "A place for everything and everything in it's place."

There's still a lot of painting and refining to be done and I have yet to find the perfect drapes, but I wanted to show off the progress so far and get some thoughts and feedback on the overall look. I operate in a bubble, so some outside ideas would be a refreshing change. xoxo- jenn

Before

After

Birthday Week :: Day One

2009-11-30T23:53:00.015-06:00

Happy Birthday to Me! It's my birthday week and the fun began early today. I went to yoga and had an awesome class with a new instructor named Lynn. To add to the treat, studio owner, #1 yogi and friend Marlene was also in the class, student-side.

I have taken an shamefully long hiatus from yoga and my muscles and joints are punishing me for my laziness. I am feeling every bit of my age these last few weeks. I'm sure Mister is tired of hearing me say "My fill in the blank hurts"

After yoga, I headed a few blocks east for a cup of coffee when I stumbled upon a vintage resale shop. There it was...poof...a totally adorable vintage boutique with amazing everything right in the middle of Barrington. Who knew?

It's a not-so-secret dream of mine to own a little vintage shop one day and this little boutique is just the kind of place I could happily spend my days. The proprietor, Laura, was as nice as can be and in no time we had struck up friendship based on a mutual love of bartering. I ran home to gather up an arm load of vintage that I've been trying to sell in my esty store and I headed back to Redefined to do some good 'ol fashioned trading. Here's a little peek-a-loo at my score... xoxo jenn

clockwise from upper left: upcycled barkcloth skirt, barkcloth & bakelight handbag,
barkcloth knitting needle case, black taffeta and brown lace party dress

Sugar Lumps

2009-09-15T15:03:00.009-05:00

If you aren't watching Flight of the Conchords, you should be. The show chronicle's the daily life of Bret and Jemaine, a musical duo from New Zealand now transplanted in New York City.

Billing themselves as "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo", Bret and Jemaine combine witty lyrics and amusing characterizations to create a unique musical comedy.

The show hooks you right away with an awesome supporting cast, clever writing and some really good musical interludes. It's funny, creative and the accents are easy to imitate when recapping the shows later. There's no definitive word on a Season 3 yet but my fingers are crossed.

Please to enjoy...

xoxo- jenni

Drool-Worthy Floor Art

2009-09-15T14:18:00.007-05:00

I've taken a little break from the bloggin' this summer. My list of "things to do before fall" includes a summer update and general howdy, but that'll have to wait. I'm here to talk to you about rugs. Not the head kind, but the floor variety.

This rug....
and this rug...Well, ladies and gentlemen, I ask you... have you ever seen rugs like these? Trust me when I tell you, these photos do them no justice. Insert gurgling Homer J. noise here. I lust for the both of these beauties, and there are at least 8 more drool-worthy selections. So where are they already?! Wait for it....

Amy Butler! Who knew it? Did you know it? Good for you, interior design nerd!

Here are the particulars, courtesy of Amy's lovely website

I'm so happy to introduce this line and work with my great friend Ravi and his family at Chandra in Atlanta. These rugs are truly handmade (I've seen it!). From the hand-tufting & dying of the 100% New Zealand wool, to the hand-carving of the designs by masters using special scissors. They are available in 5' x 7' 6" and 7' 9" x 10' 6". There are 19 rugs in the collection - 13 designs, six of which are colored in two colorways. They are all based on my fabrics and bedding prints!

click here to buy direct from my webstore

I'll be back soon with my summer wrap up. xoxo- jenni

Whoopie! A Baking Triumph!

2009-05-09T19:17:00.013-05:00

My baking successes are few and far between. Usually it's rock hard oatmeal raisin cookies, mushy wet cupcakes and I recall a totally inedible sweet potato bundt cake disaster. But practice makes perfect and things have been getting better. I'm proud to share the photos and the recipe for these delicious Whoopie Pies courtesy of wickedwhoopies.com. They are super-duper easy and a real crowd-pleaser. Whip a batch of these up the next time you are baking to impress. xoxo - jenni

A batch of vanilla cake tops and bottoms baking away in
my amazing oven with the confection bake setting.

WHOOPIE PIE SHELLS

4 cups flour, sifted
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sour milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

VANILLA WHOOPIE PIE FILLING

6 tablespoons marshmallow cream
4 tablespoons vanilla (this is not a typo)
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons milk
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups shortening

Directions

Shell: Mix together shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Add milk, cocoa and hot water. Then add the dry ingredients.
Scoop large rounded spoonfuls of batter onto a greased cookie sheet and space at least 2-inches apart.
Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
Filling: Add all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Then place scoop of filling between two of the shells.
Hold on to your socks because they are about to be rocked-off!

Voila! The finished result.

Easy Rider?

2009-04-24T22:14:00.006-05:00

A few months ago I decided that this summer I'd learn to ride a motorcycle. Mister took his advanced riding class with a private school in the city called Ride Chicago. I decided to take my basic licensing class at the same school.

The course includes one 5-hour classroom session aimed at educating new riders on the safety do's and don'ts of motorcycle operation and two 5-hour riding classes where we actually learn how to ride a motorcycle.

This weekend is the riding portion of my class and I am really looking forward to it. I have a healthy mix of excitement and trepidation... but mostly excitement. If all go's well, I'll have the Class M added to my driver's license by this time next week.

Wish me luck and stay posted to see the results! xoxo - jenni

and so I bid a fond farewell...

2009-03-29T20:08:00.004-05:00

When Chicago experienced an unseasonable warm spell 3 weeks ago, I told myself not to be fooled again. I have lived in and around the city my whole life and am acclimatized to it's fickle conditions.

Every winter we get a few days in February when the temperatures top out in the 70s. I start pulling out my flip flops and saying Spring is here! Peepers are singing in the ponds, crocuses are pushing through the newly thawed ground and all of life begins to turn toward Spring. We have fallen for it again. From the frogs to the flowers, we all know that the best case scenario is at least 5 more weeks of temperatures hovering just above freezing. Worst case scenario, a full-blown winter wonderland complete with fallen trees, power outages and piles of snow that will be here well into April.

Last night we were belted with at least 5" of wet, heavy snow. The kind of snow that's great for creating awe-inspiring lawn deities like my snow Buddha below.

Snow Buddha of Happiness

The temperatures are climbing again and it looks like Buddha may melt before too long. But while he's here, he will serve as a reminder that to be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. xoxo- jenni

Plate of Shrimp

2009-02-05T17:29:00.018-06:00

plate of shrimp scene; Repo Man | the amazing David Lynch | June Carter Cash in down dog

"Suppose you're thinking about a plate of shrimp. Suddenly somebody will say like 'plate' or 'shrimp' or 'plate of shrimp', out of the blue, no explanation. No point in looking for one either; it's all part of the cosmic unconsciousness." — "Repo Man, 1984"

Last night I listened to David Lynch narrate on the topic of transcendental meditation while I screen printed Buddha t-shirts until 1am. I have a healthy combination of A.D.D. That's a discussion for another day. Anyhoo...David Lynch talks about the euphoric rush he gets from meditation. About the deep well of pure bliss. Bliss for all the senses.

Then, this morning I took a class with Marlene. While we sat in meditation, Marlene asked us to take an internal tour through the vast mansion that is "our inner-self". It was only 9:45 am and I was contemplating the cosmic enormity of my inner being.

Marlene imagined aloud for us, a giant house with hallways that led to more hallways, connecting to stairwells that ascended to rooms within rooms. That this mansion was a place where we could spend our entire lives exploring room by room; searching for a hidden chamber. The Heart.

She said that there was a world of infinite bliss just beyond the door of one of those internal rooms.

There it is again! Bliss! My plate of shrimp.

So it got me thinking about the concept of meditation. I understand that a person can achieve a sensation so unlike anything else that it can be described as "infinitely blissful". I comprehend the possibilities, but as to the "how" or "when" of it, I am clueless.

Maybe that's a part of the journey. Maybe you have to fake it until you make it (another marlene gem) Maybe just the awareness of such a place is the first step. what do you think? xoxox — j.

Our 44th. President

2009-01-20T22:06:00.004-06:00

Momentousness.

Unprecedented.
Awe-inspiring.
Historical.

OBAMA

Let's embrace this opportunity to change. Let's keep this momentum going. Let's continue to advance forward as a nation. Let's have a country and a government we can all be proud of.

Let's use the strength our collective democratic voice to vote for more than a new American Idol.

Let's do the best we can, even when it's the hard thing to do. Let's not forget the sacrifices others made so that we can be free to choose our leaders.

Let's remember the day our world changed for the better.

Today I love my country and I'm proud to be an American.

ARRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-14T12:48:00.002-06:00

To whom it may concern ~

The party in the first wishes to offer the party in the second a complete refund for services rendered. Please accept this offer as our final word on the subject. We will now consider this matter closed and no further action will be taken.

so on and so forth... ect, ect.

Respectfully Blah Blah Blah

Ahh... the holidays

2008-12-13T20:39:00.012-06:00

This time of year combines two of my passions; ambitious crafting and thoughtful gift-giving.

I can't remember where I heard it said, (please insert your version of Dear Abby's voice now) "The perfect gift is one that you know the receiver will enjoy, but they would never buy for themselves"

I'd like to share a personal story now. Years ago, I received an Exotic Fruit-of-the-Month membership. The giver of this gift knew that I liked fruit and certainly knew that no human being on the face of the earth would ever buy them self a fruit membership. With the formula for a perfect gift in place, what could go wrong?

The membership enticed with promises of fresh fruits harvested at the height of their seasonal perfection. Shipped from the far corners of the globe (i always imagined on a tramp steamer), directly to your door. Forbidden fruits from foreign lands.

Often was the case that more exotic fruits would be unavailable in a particular month due to flood or drought. Such unfortunate events would occur and the slightly less-sexy Ruby Red Grapefruit would replace the exotic Mango.

Grapefruit? Seriously? This is it? 15 lbs. of grapefruit was the best you could do to replace perfectly ripe Comice pears? You couldn't dig up a Starfruit? Heck, I'd settle for a decent Kiwi.

To add insult to injury, I would arrive home to discover a delivery notice on my door. We attempted to deliver a parcel. blah blah blah. I'd drive to the post office with an eager pessimism. Maybe there would be Pomegranates? The double doors from the back room would swing open and the front end of a rolling cart would emerge. My heart would sink. 15 lbs. of Florida Grapefruit.

Let me say, it was by no fault of the giver, that the formula failed. If Mother Nature hadn't stepped in to direct this fruit folly, it may well have been a wonderful surprise.

That brings us to the moral of the story. There is only one "perfect gift". The one that comes from your heart and is given with kindness.

It's the First Night of Christmas, so I thought I'd leave you with this lovely little card. xoxo- jenni

Partridge in a Pear Shaped Tree by Avenue Handmade

Voting with the Applause-O-Meter

2008-10-30T18:19:00.008-05:00

Good evening citizens of these United States. Today I voted. Today I struck a blow for hope. Today my friend K voted. She made her choice for a new leader. There were many people voting early today.

The lines were long but the election judges were determined to keep things moving. We took our ballots, we gave our name and number, we agreed not to switch places in line. In fact, we agreed not to move from our position in line for any reason. I assume emergencies and natural disaster were accounted for ahead of time. And with agreements in place and ballots in hand, I headed off to my semi-private voting box. Am I too young to remember the voting boxes you see in movies? They looked like photo booths or shower stalls, only less entertaining. They are a lot less entertaining now.

Ms. June Carter-Cash. Leader of Canines for Change.

I cast my vote for Obama. I know you're supposed to keep your vote a big secret but I don't see why. I'm proud of my vote. I'm excited about this new era of leadership and I see a better, more aware, more educated future ahead of us. I'm embracing the change whole-heartedly. It's my most sincere hope that McCain gets his hat handed to him.

In other exciting news, K and I saved a dog today! We were on our way to vote when we both spied this lovely little pup.

Her name is Coco and she is a very sweet German Shorthair Pointer. She was cowering in the tall grass along side a very busy road. We pulled off onto the side of the road and approached the dog slowly. I bent down and held my arm out toward her and she came right to me. She was scared, it was heart-breaking. Anyway, K started making phone calls to see if anyone had reported her missing and I made arrangements to take her to the vet and to have her scanned for a microchip. It never ended up getting that far. Within 45 minutes we were in touch with Coco's owner through the police and they were reeunited shortly after that.

Apparently, Coco stepped on the electric window button at the same time the woman turned the corner and Coco just fell right out. Ouch! She had some bruising on her chest and ribs and she was bleeding a bit here and there, but overall she was in really good shape. I knew she had a home somewhere near, but in the back of my heart, I was hoping she could stay here. At least for a little while. Ultimately I am happy and relived that she is back home safe and sound.

Today I voted and I saved a dog's life. That's a very good day. xoxo- jenni

As I was saying...

2008-10-29T21:36:00.007-05:00

What is it about Fall that gets me all fired up? The colors go without saying right? The smell is a definite contender. The smell around here is especially nice. On the weekends, the air gets hazy and smells like burning leaves. It's just chilly enough to make you stamp your feet a bit around the fire pit.

Beer tastes different in the fall and summer. Does that sound odd? That beer can resonate differently depending on season? Right now I look forward to pumpkin beers, which I inevitably dislike, but continue to look forward to year after year. I'm also looking forward to the Chimay that Mister and I will be enjoying now that the holidays have arrived. I thought I was going to be writing about the splendors of Fall, but it turned into a tribute to Beer. I can live with that.

Firkin, Libertyville, IL

We'll be traveling for Thanksgiving this year and I'm really looking foward to the trip down south. The fall colors will be a bit later than ours and I'm hoping to get some great shots. This will be my first big holiday with my new camera since the 4th of July.

Speaking of photos... I thought I'd upload a few from some recent events for some of my special readers. Thanks guys!

Warhol Pete

Kids + Dogs

Evan + Poojan

Emily + the Hula Hoop

Pianta Pieces

Halloween is in 2 days. I bought a sad little supply of candy this year. I think I need a pumpkin. Maybe tomorrow I'll pick a couple up and Mister can carve his yearly masterpiece. g'nite. xoxo- jenni

Just Popping In...

2008-10-27T22:18:00.007-05:00

I know I've been away for some time and I hope you will forgive me. I have been swamped with work these last few weeks and I am just beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Fall has arrived in all her seasonal beauty and I owe her a tribute. It's on my list of things to do. Here is a tiny nod to the splendor of this season.

taken from my reclined seat at the firepit in our backyard

In other exciting Fall news...Halloween is almost here! I will admit that I am a little lackluster this year as we approach, what has always been, one of my favorite holidays. So I ask you, what has happened to Halloween? More on that as well...

wonderful urban stoop jack-o-lanterns

Last but not least I would like to talk about this most important upcoming election. This is another topic that requires proper attention be paid. So for now, I leave you with this image from my recent trip to Wicker Park with good friend Kristin. (be sure to check out her recipe for creamy potato leek soup)

taken from the corner of north + milwaukee in chicago, il

So check back later this week for more updates and thoughts about this and that.

ps. i have added new items to my Etsy store. Stop by and take a look. I'll be adding Holiday cards and more yoga accessories soon! xoxox- jenni

This the BEST THING on the internets today!

2008-09-02T21:49:00.005-05:00

So I have to give all of the credit to Mister on this one. He discovered this little gem and now we're both addicted. What we have here is FREE, open-source, public domain video of...well...everything!

Mostly vintage television, ads, cartoons, tv series, ect. It's amazing. Available for download with Quicktime at 2.3 MB, 533 KB and 238 KB, you can make DVD's of quirky ads and TV shows. A fun gift for a retro enthusiast or a great avant garde movie reel to play at parties (at least that's what I'm gonna do with mine)

Thanks Mister!

Click here to Visit Archive.org

xoxo- jenni

Different Strokes...

2008-08-22T10:20:00.009-05:00

It would seem that there are some mixed reviews regarding our house on the AT tour and I think that's great!

I didn't expect that everyone would love our place. Nor did I expect Better Homes and Gardens to hand us any awards. I expected criticism. I invited criticism by opening our doors to the public at large.

The point of posting our home was to share a house you just don't see everyday. Good bad or ugly, it's a one of a kind.

That being said...I love our house. I LOVE our house. Every item, every detail, every corner of our, yes, I'll say it, HUGE house, makes me happy. Every weird object reminds me of a great day that Mister and I spent rummaging around in the heat and dirt and dust at a mid-september flea market. Every room holds memories, and not just ours, but the memories of the owners before us. Our collection of castoff family albums are as loved by us as they were by their first owners. I get giddy thinking about the trip we took to St. Louis where Jeff uncovered this little trophy.

Things like this a 100 other oddities make this our home and I wouldn't change a thing. As requested, I am attaching some pictures of the exterior a couple more interior shots. Thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing your opinions. It's been a great experience. xoxox- jenni

Front Exterior

Front Walkway with newly planted specimen garden and Johnny Cash

Backyard view of the Half-Circle

The square glass enclosure to the right of the tree trunk
is the sunroom complete with 1970's terra cotta orange hot tub

Carpet around the fireplace serves a functional purpose.

Johnny Cash and June Carter love it!

I call this the Natural History Museum. It's the landing on the
second floor and it's full of bad taxidermy, old photos and books.

Are We Famous Yet?

2008-08-21T12:31:00.006-05:00

After nearly a year in the making, the BIG Day is finally here! As some of you may know, Mister and I have been eagerly awaiting the AT Home tour of our house to be published on the AT Home website. Well today is the day! Please take a tour of our lovely home at AT Home. Leave a comment, or not, that's ok too. We promise to return your calls and emails even after we become one of Oprah's Favorite Things!

xoxox- jenni

P.S. Vanity compels me to mention that the family photo at the end of the tour was taken the day I came down with a monster cold that morphed into pneumonia several weeks later. Hence my lack-luster pose and demeanor. Lucky for me I have such a handsome husband and lovely dogs.

view of the diningroom, livingroom, kitchen, fireplace....

Art In The Barn

2008-07-02T23:01:00.018-05:00

On a recent adventure, a friend and I drove out to Richmond, IL to visit a neat little foreign imports store called Ginger Blossom. I say store because everything has a price tag, but after that, there are few similarities. I'm sure you can find comparable items at Pier One or World Market, but not tucked in amidst wildflowers or hidden inside the walls of small one room houses that speckle the nearly 40-acres of farm land Ginger Blossom sits on. Navajo rugs, Thai silk bedspreads and gorgeous handmade Guatemalan sweaters take up residence on the ground floor of stone and wood framed barn. Chairs hover on the walls above an intricately carved and painted Indonesian Gazebo.

Buddha as a cast resin waterfall

There are hundreds of Buddhas carved from wood and cast inn bronze, stone pagodas and beautiful ceramic planters and giant metal sculptures of cattle that line the walkways and open air areas of the farm.

There is a small one room building dedicated entirely to the celebration of Dia de los Muertos.

On Sundays there is a yoga class held in the orchard and anyone at any level is welcome to join in. This is a very fine copy of a Fernando Botero painting. This lovely lady now hangs in my dressing room and I smile every time I see her.

I heart fat girl art

This is a magical place and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys exploring old dusty junk shops and open air markets. Visit my Flickr to see more pictures from the day. Just enter the search words Ginger Blossom. xoxo- jenni

My Meme

2008-06-26T08:51:00.010-05:00

1. first name: Jennifer 2. favorite food: Sushi 3. high school: Downers Grove North 4. favorite color: Green 5. celebrity crush: Sarah Silverman 6. favorite drink: Pomegranate Martini 7. dream vacation: Hacienda Campeche 8. favorite dessert: Cupcakes 9. What I want to be when I grow up: A grown up 10. What I love most in the world: Mister 11. One word that describes me: Energetic 12. My flickr name: Miss Atomic

My favorite blogger HulaSeventy makes memes all the time, but I never really knew how they worked until Kristin C. at One Time, One Place made one of her own and shared it with us all. Now I'm hooked. Thank you ladies, for being so wonderfully inspirational.

If you've ever wanted to try one, here's how to do it:
Answer each of the questions above into the Flickr search box and choose a photo from the FIRST page only. Copy the URL for your fav photo and enter it into Big Huge Labs mosaic maker
Then share your meme with all the world.

I would love to see your meme, so if you make one, please come back and share it.

xoxox- jenni

It's Tuesday and for cuteness you can't beat these

2008-06-17T09:02:00.008-05:00

Did I say Tuesday? Well clearly I meant to say Moosday.

For more absurdly adorable imagery please visit Cute Overload

This is what I do instead of working.

Stuff White People Like

LOL Cats! If you haven't already, you must!

Have a very cute day. xoxoxo jenni

Smart!

2008-04-25T12:30:00.006-05:00

I've had such a great day already and it's only lunch time!

I attended an estate sale this morning in hopes of becoming the proud owner of a gently used Bernina serger (it's a type of sewing machine).

I've never gone to a sale like this before. They hand out numbers and you mill around the front yard with a bunch of strangers while you wait to gain entrance to the house. I arrived at 9 am exactly and found myself #43 in line! I figured the serger would get snapped up by someone else, but as luck would have it, I got into the house in time, and now she's mine!

I also scored these three camera for the low low price of $37. A large format paper cutter and photo of a train for Mister made their way into my trunk as well.

From left to right :: Revere Eight 8 MM | Brownie Reflex | Petri FT EE

I haven't tested them out yet, but I have my fingers crossed, especially for the Revere 8MM.

On my way to the estate sale I stopped at a Starbuck's where I saw this adorable little car. It's called the Smart fortwo.

find out more at wikipedia

It's only 8 feet long and it's small enough to park 3 of them inside of one standard parking space.They look pretty roomy inside too. The guy that was driving this one was of average proportion. The rear end says Powered by Mercedes Benz, but I don't know anything about engines.

Now I 'm about to go up to my sewing room to start in on some little home dec projects. I'm planning a big post to share all of my recent sewing projects, so stay tuned! xoxox-jenni

Spring Fever Better than Disco Fever

2008-03-13T22:35:00.008-05:00

We've finally had more than 2 days in a row above freezing and that qualifies as Spring in my book. And it couldn't have come any sooner for me. I've been waiting for the snow to melt and dreaming of all my lovely spring projects. New slipcovers for the sun room bench, new pillows for my office, yards and yards of gorgeous Amy Butler fabric just begging to be turned into skirts and bags and belts. And in all that time spent day dreaming, I neglected my blog like a mildly-impaired step child.

I'm constantly snapping photos of things I intend to blog and then don't. The nice thing about a blog is that it's always there whenever you come back, even if the precious few readers I had, aren't.

This is one of those photos I took and said I would blog about later. These are vegetarian/organic stuffed peppers. They were awesome. If you'd like the recipe, let me know and I would be happy to share.

So what's new? Let's see. The photo shoot for Apartment Therapy is set for Saturday. Finally! After postponing due to re-decorating (kitchen, office and 2 bathrooms!) 2 weeks of illness while Mister and I both suffered through the flu and several schedule conflicts later, it's finally happening. For those of you that may be reading for the first time, I sent a few snap shots of our home to AT back in September 2007 to see if they might be interested in sharing them in their Apartment Therapy :: Chicago section, and they were! Just like that! Overnight celebrity status looming in the distance and here I am with white walls. WHITE WALLS! Granted, there were only 4 of them, and they were in the bathroom...but still, white walls? Not in this house. And why stop there? Let's tile the kitchen walls! And I really have been meaning to do something about my office, and then there's my bathroom/dressing room/now ultra-feminine-girly-dress-up room to think about. 5 months later, we're just about ready. I have a few last minute things and pick up. My absolute fav couture florist's, Ashley and Peter are creating gorgeousness with French Tulips that will be ready tomorrow. Ashley and Peter do things with flowers that other people only think about before they chicken out. I'm hoping the dogs don't destroy the house before Saturday and that this beautiful spring weather holds out for just a few more days.

So that's the house. I'm sure some of you are thinking, "yes, that does sound like a lot of work, but we know jenni. That can't be all. It'd take more than that to keep her from her blog!" (i'm shaking my head in shame)

To you, my faithful few, I give you Part II. The baby announcements. No silly! Not my baby announcements, as in, my bun-in-the-oven announcements. I mean my baby announcement(s), as in, I made them myself. Ok, background story, a couple of weeks ago I was looking at the results of my online advertising campaign with Yahoo and I noticed that all of the traffic being routed to my site at Terrapin was coming from searches done for custom invitations, specifically, baby announcements. It made me crazy to think about all the potential clients I was turning away by not having anything to offer. So I designed 12 cards in 4 days. They aren't all gold records, but a few of them turned out to be pretty cute and funny. My favorite is the one below. Nothing like that New Baby Smell!

No sales yet, but there are women getting pregnant everyday, so I have my fingers crossed.

What else, what else? I'm still totally addicted to yoga. Last night I drove out to Naperville and took a class with my old personal trainer Mike Retterer. It was great! He has a great mix of traditional and hybrid poses and he mixes Yin with Vinyasa Flow for a really intense class. It was shorter than I'm used to, but I am actually more sore today then I have been in weeks. I'm trying to organize a day for a few of my girlfriends to get together at my house and do a yoga and breakfast/dinner party. Mike has promised to teach a private class in my red room if I get at least 4 people and I have 3 yes's so far, so it looks like it could happen soon!

A few last things, my amazing mom-in-law Linda had a birthday on Feb. 28. Happy Birthday mom! I hope you and a wonderful day. I'm hand-making your gift and I promise I will get it out to you next week!

My other mom, my mom mom, has just begun to work on several gorgeous pieces of lingerie for her new line, Suggar Britches. I'll be building her an equally yummy site, so stayed tuned for more info on that.

AND... Mister starts his new job on Monday. It's engineering and it's in government labs at Motorola. I could say more, but then I'd have to kill all of you. Just kidding. I honestly don't understand what my husband does for living. I try, but, there's math.

Anyway, I imagine that he slides down a pole every morning into an underground laboratory where they've already invented a flying car and monkeys are as smart as men. Oh... and his shoe is a phone and his pen is a bomb. Or do I have that backwards? I can never keep those little details straight and that's exactly why I'm not allowed to talk about Mister's job in my blog.

It's late and my stupid stinky dog-heads are whining to go to bed. G'nite - jenni

2008-02-24T21:00:00.004-06:00

I apologize for the low-level effort in today's post. I have stomach flu and I'm in no mood to be chatty. So while I may not be very funny, the following Parenting pamphlet is quite amusing. enjoy . xoxo- jenni

p.s. click the image to open an enlarged view.

XOXO

2008-02-14T10:27:00.004-06:00

This day is dedicated to the love of my life.

Happy Anniversary Mister. I love you with all my heart.

xoxox, your mrs.

Triple Letter Score

2008-02-05T12:54:00.003-06:00

It's been snowing a lot in Chicago. It snows, melts and freezes and snows again. Sometimes all in the same day. Sometimes it snows so much so quickly that Mister and I are trapped in the house waiting for Mr. Plow to come and do the driveway. On days like that it's good to have a lot of things around to keep you entertained.

Several months ago during the holiday buying frenzy, we picked up some board games with the intention of spending some quality time together and we finally made good on that idea.

We had our choice of Scrabble or Jenga. We chose Scrabble and this was Mister's first time playing. I know...unbelievable, but true. I guess when you're a Mensan board games, no matter how wordy, just seem to fall below the radar.

So here is our game. I make REST, Mister turns it into ARRESTIVE. I can't even take credit for BLOG! I thought about challenging him a couple of times but I was too lazy to retrieve the 40 lb. unabridged dictionary. Then I tried to cheat by making up words that sounded real like subquient. In the end I lost. He kicked my ass 200 to 130 on his first try. He even read the rule book, something I can honestly say I never bothered to do.

Ahh... to be married to a genius. I really am quite proud. xoxoxo-jenni

Ahh.... That's Better

2008-02-01T15:33:00.000-06:00

I know it's been awhile since my last post, but I've returned with the results of my office makeover! If you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll remember that a couple of weeks ago I was complaining about the general chaos that was whirling around me in the form of red-orange paint, a half-finished tree mural and enough crap on the walls to put a TGIFridays to shame.

My office was in desperate need of a Design on Dime makeover. So with IKEA a mere 20 minutes away and a Vintage/Asian/Seaside theme steering my thoughts, I embarked upon my most ambitious decorating project to date.

Since it was color that prompted this redecorating frenzy, choosing a new color was my biggest challenge. After spending a year in a room painted one-shade hotter than the sun; I was looking forward to a nice cool palette. Something equivalent to a mental mint. I eventually arrived at Livable Green and Transport Gray. It's very calm and just a bit institutional, which I find oddly soothing.

After the room was repainted I waited a few days before I dove into the actual work of redecorating. I really wanted to approach the project from a more organized place than I usually come from and that meant NOT throwing everything back up on the walls. It also meant measuring, leveling, sinking anchors and using common sense in general.

I hope you enjoyed taking a peek at my new office. If you have a room or a corner or a shelf that you've walked past one hundred times and thought, " I should do something with this" I hope this inspires you to get started on your own project. xoxox - jenni

Busy Beaver Beats Cabin Fever

2008-01-19T22:20:00.001-06:00

Ok, my last entry was a bit of a downer and I apologize for that. When I first started this blog I made myself a secret promise that I would only use this venue for good. There was going to be one place in my life where I was always positive. No whining, no complaining. I have tried to stick to it and when it gets away from me, I remind myself that I am here to inspire... if only myself and I check my crap at the door.

I used crap instead of S**T because I've noticed an excessive amount of profanity spewing out of me lately. It stared last weekend at a Champagne Girl's Night. The F-word was everywhere that night and since then it has become a regular guest in my sentence structure. I can't seem to compose a thought that doesn't need to be propped up by the ever-mailable F-word. When you don't have little kids around it's easy to forget your manners in respect to naughty language. I'm giving myself a written warning.

Sorry..I'm off topic.

As I was saying... I strive to inspire, so I am presenting a photo roll of my weekend DIY projects. I had hoped to be able to include a picture of a new pair of pajama bottoms from an Amy Butler pattern, but I ran out of steam after lunch. Maybe this week.

Rubber stamped rocks.

I can't be the only person who's ever done this. My next rock project will involve much larger rocks, tiny seed beads and the Virgin of Gaudalupe. Stay tuned.

Rubber stamped picture frame.

I was rubber stamping anything that would stand still this weekend. Thankfully, the dogs were too fast for me...this time. I went to IKEA last week and picked up a bunch of those $1 wood frames to use in my office re-decorating project and I came up with this. Again, I KNOW I'm not the first person to stamp a frame but I am pleased with the results.

close up of throw pillows

I picked up a few yards of cool fabric from Ikea and I whipped up these pillows for the living room with my new machine. I thought I'd better start out with a couple of easy projects. It's the smartest machine ever and I love her so! I need to get these scotch-guarded or The Cashes' will trash em' in a week.

I heart Johnny Cash

close up of pillow shams

I tried to make a blouse with this fabric but it was a few inches shy of a full 2 yrds. and mister showed an interest in the print, so I made pillow shams instead.

the boudoir

So that's it for now. My office is being repainted on Tuesday. I've chosen a very calming pale pale greenish-white for 3 walls and a nice grayish-green for an accent wall behind my desk. I can hardly wait to start redecorating. I'll share my after pictures when it's all done. xoxo-jenni

Change Can Be A Good Thing

2008-01-16T22:07:00.000-06:00

Bleh. Bleeehh. I've got winter blues. It's not quite so serious as seasonal depression, but there's definitely a funk.

I'm obsessing over my office. It's the wrong...everything. Please see photo below.
If you begin to feel light-headed, look away, as this may be an early warning sign of a seizure. SERIOUSLY. How can I be expected to concentrate on work when this is going on around me? When Mister and I moved into our new home, many of the rooms had already been painted. Actually, ALL the walls had already been painted. Some rooms, like my office, got a royal Earl Shibe color treatment. "We'll paint any room for $99!" As a result we have a baby blue guestroom, Mister has a not-quite-turquoise green office and my office resembles tomato soup from a can. But painting was the last thing we were thinking about when we moved in 3 days before Christmas. But it's been a year and when I look at the picture above I realize that I've spent the last year trying to cover up my walls.

But what to do when you're in a funk and you know that you're prone to making drastic changes to relieve ennui? I have about a 50/50 failure vs. success ratio when it comes to impulse decisions. (My husband is reading this and thinking more like 90/10) I've had more bad hair cuts/colors than good and at least one tattoo I wish wasn't there at least once in awhile.

It seems like a plan might be a good idea. Logical, right? I have never uttered the words "Let's think about it and come up with a plan." This is uncharted territory for me. But I feel a real need to alter my space and I want to do it right . I'd like to try to establish a design and not just rely on my flair for the eclectic.

So I am happily reading through my cache of inspirablogs and I get to decor8 and she just happens to have posted a magnificent piece about a potter in Denmark. Just what I needed. And I thought it apropos an earlier post of mine about the impact one artist's work can be on another. The spaces these artist's create it can be just as inspiring as the art they create.
xoxo-jenni

Is This Another Ebay Auction?

2008-01-10T19:23:00.000-06:00

I hear this pretty frequently from our mailman, Greg. Greg's a nice guy. He has very few requests; shovel your walkway, pay your postage due, be kind to children and animals. Ok, that last one is mine, but I couldn't think of a third thing. That's how nice he is! I can't even think of 3 things!

He always brings cookies for my dogs and he never complains about the weather. And occasionally, like once a week, he'll query as to whether or not the package he has risked life & limb for by crossing our unsalted walkway (hey..we shoveled!) is an Ebay auction.

I'm not sure why it matters one way or another. I mean, if I was a freelance surgeon working out of my house, would he enjoy delivering my packages more if he thought they were kidneys? Do my Ebay auctions say more about me than I realize? Am I consumption-happy? Are these boxes and their contents' a trite and materialistic display of gluttony?

As a begin my decent down the shame-spiral I remind myself that everyone, or at least everyone I know, loves to get something nice in the mail. Whether it be a little hand written card, (my mom-in-law, Linda is really wonderful for these!) or a free sample of fabric softener or an Ebay auction; everyone likes to get mail.

Maybe that's the problem with Greg. Maybe he hates to get mail. What's Mister always saying...the baker's kids have the worst shoes? Or cobbler? I dunno, but you get my drift. Maybe handling the mail all day has bred contempt deep in his heart. Well Greg...if you're out there, I'd like to share with you the Ebay package I received on Monday. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do. xoxo -jenni

click on the picture to enlarge
These are pages from the Neiman Marcus 100th Anniversary Pop-Up Book.

"The girl is crafty like ice is cold!"

2008-01-07T12:43:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, Christmas was wonderful! I got everything that I asked for and then some. This year was a crafty Christmas and in my opinion, that's the best kind! Mister gifted me with a nifty 'lil sewin' machine called the Quilt Designer II.

That's Husqvarna for y'all that don't know. It's hella nice! I haven't really cranked her up yet because I need a little one and one class time to fully understand all that she has to offer. I want to understand her inner workings so that I never take her for granted. She's that important to me. I pause now to consider my reading audience ... does that read creepy?

Anyhoo. My very generous hoosband also gave me the Speedball Block Printing Kit and I got myself some rubber block and voila! My first rubber stamps! I must say..I'm pretty pleased with my first attempts.

owl + mermaid JI 08/AP

The last thing that I want to leave you with are these 2 fantastic photos. The first is a 'tagged' tree. It's part of a movement of non-destructive eco-friendly graffiti projects that are taking place all over the globe. Most notably, the Knitta, Please! group.

This second photo is the sculpture “In Bed” by Ron Mueck. Many of you have probably already see this piece or other pieces by the artist, but they are so cool I'm sure no one would mind another peek at them. But for those of you who are seeing this for the first time, I'm hoping your reaction is something like " Brilliant!" (thank you to Kristin)

It's images and concepts like this and the tree sweater that inspire me and fuel my creative work. I depend on like-minded individuals everywhere to take up the cause of art in a public forum. Even if it's only to make something small and post your creation for others to view. You never know what kind of impact your art can have another person. That's why art is so profound and why it needs a greater, wider audience. So, thank you guerrilla knitters and giant lady sculptures, you make this a livelier world! xoxo- jenni

Christmas Wrap-up

2008-01-07T10:48:00.001-06:00

The tree and the all the ornaments have been packed away and we're already a week into the New Year, so what better time to post our holiday pictures and say goodbye to 2007!

I have to say, this was a wonderful holiday. I've commented to my friends that one of the downsides of getting older is losing the frenzied excitement and anticipation that the holidays bring when you're a kid. It would begin to build right after Thanksgiving as the countdown to my Dec. 5 birthday kicked off. Then it was just 20 days until the BIG EVENT! Christmas!!

I had a lot of great Christmases when I was still in single digits. In 1982 I was gifted with some fly parachute pants and a pair of white corduroy high-top Roos with the little pocket you could stick a quarter in! Thiller was released in November of the same year and my mom understood the fierce importance of having the proper street gear when returning to the 3rd grade.

But not since the Cabbage Patch craze of '84 have I felt anything akin to the joyful anticipation associated with Christmas, until this year. Maybe it was knowing that my Mr. was hiding presents in the basement or that every time the UPS truck came around the corner, he was bringing something wonderful! Each gift I wrapped brought me closer to that feeling I had when I was a kid. As the presents began to pile up under the tree I'd find myself uncontrollably compelled to break out in freestyle dance moves and sing-songey Christmas tunes from my past. Here's my favorite..Merry Christmas Ho-Ho-Ho...gimme fruit pebbles in my bowl. Anyone remember that commercial? I can't recall my Driver's License number upon request but that little gem had been burned into my brain for all eternity.

Sometimes, without knowing why, all that buildup can leave a high-strung flibberty-gibbert like myself feeling a bit of post-holiday eunni. But I am happy to report that this year delivered up all of the good and none of the bad. We opened presents and looked forward to all the fun these gifts would bring us in 2008. We shared a breakfast of eggnog waffles and the best bacon Mr. has ever made! We enjoyed the dogs enjoying their gifts. We took a long nap and relished the free and easy life that makes no demands of us on a holiday afternoon.

We enjoyed our first married Christmas and it was more then I could have ever hoped for.

June Carter and the stockings on Xmas Eve

All of the beautiful cards we received from friends & family.

Cookies!! I used Jeri-Belle's recipe and they wonderful.

The tree on christmas morning before the unwrapping began.

the weatherman says to expect heavy snew tonight

2007-12-23T18:20:00.000-06:00

And now enjoy this...

and more of that...

xoxox

The Way We Were...

2007-12-18T18:53:00.000-06:00

Oh blog. My once sweet, now bitter little blog. Once we were like 2 lovely fawns sipping water from a stream..now it seems those same waters are determined to keep us apart. Try as I might to write faithfully, the increasing pressures of my high-powered marketing machine are keeping me down.

The dramatic monologue portion of this evenings entry has now concluded.

Ok...SO how about this idea, I was thinking that maybe I could gear up for a Big Year-ender! Huh? Huh! Ha-ha! That's it. I'm going to recap 2007 in a blog-a-rama-thon and by year's end I'll be all wrapped up and ready to enter 2008 with a clean-slate, thus fulfilling a pre-New Year's resolution and thereby setting the pace for the coming year's theme of Total World Organization, henceforth to be known as TWO ( all rights reserved on TWO, the use of TWO the Number TWO and all other forms of TWO not discussed wherein, the so on and so forth...)

So where to begin..I've talked wedding, I chatted crafts. What's left, right? The holidays, that obvious..yes, but here's the twist, I'm taken it all the way back to October. I took a bunch of pictures of our Halloween and then I didn't post but it's never too late for All Hallow's Eve.

June-boo guarding the castle gate

Puppy-monsters

Jennifer + Jeff-egies

Ol Punkin' Head + lil' Ol Punkin' Head

Jeff's Self-Portrait

Cookies for Cousin Alex at Montana State

2007-10-12T01:10:00.000-05:00

All These Places in our Space...s

All around me I find the stuff of imagination. I've feathered my own nest with items that intrigue and inspire and bring me comfort each day. Some days it's easy to overlook all the things that we've accomplished and focus our attentions more closely on foreign things. For lack of better words, to covet thy neighbors lamp...or couch, whatever the case may be.

So in honour of the beautiful house my husband and I have made for ourselves, I am proud to offer a glimpse into our eclectic-retro-rustic-shabby-chic palace. I hope you enjoy the tour.

The Foyer complete with baptist church pew and thrift store acrylic-block art

The hallway credenza, AKA the mail drop-spot

Downstairs Guestroom in Wakefield

Guestroom lamp, dresser and original artwork by J. Hahn

The Diningroom. Vintage Asian table, chairs & buffet

Another angle in the Diningroom.

More Diningroom.
The Warhol prints and my collection of Franciscan Starburst and Brad Keeler.

The Diningroom sitting area with Stiffel lamp and Jeff's old Fender

The Livingroom with boomerang coffee table & more fish taxidermy

Sun Porch/Hot Tub Room

The circular fireplace and centerpiece of the first floor

The Library and Natural Museum at the Top of the Stairs

A close-up of the corner case

The view from the top stair.
Lawyers bookcase, resident Chicken, an alligator head, Twin Peaks geese and yet another gee-tar

Second-floor Guestroom. 4-poster rope support bead, cactus lamp and lotsa photos

View from the other side of the room. More guitars, Haegar pottery and another great lamp.

"The Red Room"
Second-floor rec room features the bar, dart board and vinyl collection

These are a Few of My Favorite Things....

2007-09-30T21:26:00.000-05:00

I have to keep it brief tonight as I have a date with my handsome man to watch The Office.

I've been thinking about all of the people that helped to make my wedding such an amazing day and how nice it would be to spend a little bit of my blog space saying thank you. They may not have been family or friends when they arrived, but they certainly were by the end of the night!

Thank you Paulette
The Catalyst Ranch, Chicago

Thank you Peter & Ashley
Tulipia Floral Design, River Forest

Thank you Dorothy Perry

Double Happiness Family Photography

Thank you Paul and Staff
PhotoWorks Interactive

Thank you Scott Ligon and The Federalis

Thank you David
Harry Caray's Catering & Events

All of Fall's Festive Little Finds part I

2007-09-26T12:54:00.000-05:00

Ahhh... the crisp air carries a faint smell of fall through my window as I watch the first trees begin to turn. The changing of the seasons is something that I look forward to with great anticipation.

It's the beginning of something new and it always comes right on time. Just as you begin to long for sweaters and crisp night air, fall is here. Just when you think your toes will never thaw out after a long cold winter, you see the first leaf buds and spring has sprung. And so it goes for us Midwesterns.

Around our house Fall is the favorite season. The trees blaze with color against clear blue skies and everything feels just a little more exciting. This is year is especially exciting as it is our first Fall in our new home and with it brings all sorts of new rituals. For the last several days I have begun my mornings out on the deck, drinking my first cup of coffee and watching the blue jays and crows on our big bird feeder. I really enjoy this. Soon there will be bond fires in the backyard and piles of leaves for the johnny and june to attack.

Fall is also when I get bit by the crafty DIY bug. Whether it's knitting, fall gardening, paperwork crafts or holiday decorating, I'm into this time of year. I have already started thinking thinking about my fall planters and the new leg warmers i'm going to make. So it is in the spirit of the season that I present today's topic and the first in a series I like to call "All of Fall's Festive Little Finds"

knitting:: sewing:: paperwork crafts::

The design was inspired by the cute-but-spooky spirits that inhabit the world of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. This would make such an adorable "Fall Baby" gift. Free pattern at knitty

photos: Maki ko Sasanuma, Anna Hrachovec

decor indoor:: outdoor:: office::

Ok...I love this. I have no idea how it would function with that tail on the end, but it gets 3 Stars sheer entertainment. The company also offers less seasonally-restrictive items like a buxom female figure and a pirate's skull & crossbones. What ever your fancy, I'm sure your desk will be the talk of the walk with one of these unique mice.

Halloween Ghost Mouse from FabStuff.net

health:: beauty:: fashion::

Oh man these are so cool! I'm a fan of the cowboy boot and this may be the bad-ass-edest pair I have ever seen! Check out Back at the Ranch Boots for tons of other amazing styles.

Hand Tooled Day of the Dead with Alligator

As far as weddings go... this one was great!

2007-09-20T22:29:00.000-05:00

The dust is just beginning to form a thin veil over the toes of my patent leather wedding shoes. Left sitting on the ledge of a sunny window since the Sunday after my wedding, they make me smile each morning and remind me of the day that I became this perfect someone's Mrs.

This wedding has been a lot of things that I didn't know/expect it to be. I feel more married than I ever felt engaged. I know what permanence is in the scope of love. I know what "family" can be in the scope of love.

I learned that 2 friends are better than one and that three friends can make all the ends meet. I found a sister in more than one place and I became an aunt and a niece in a single day. I felt beautiful and radiant in a way I hadn't known before.

I learned that "A wedding is where you decide forever who you want to be your best friend." thank you Mary

And thank you to everyone else who had a hand in our wedding. Family, friends..new and old, passer-by's and all the countless other people I have forgotten to thank..and the academy (Wait! Wrong speech.) Seriously though, thank you to everyone who wished us well and made it all the better for meeting them along the way.

Photo taken by Kristin Cannon. Visit her flickr site.

D is for Design

2007-09-04T22:59:00.000-05:00

When beginning a new blog, one must carefully choose ones' topic. For me, design was an easy choice. It's always on my mind. Good designs can move mountains, shift sands and balance an otherwise chaotic planet. So if the site of a well-dressed room makes your heart soar, then I hope you'll agree... there's always room for jello, and a good new design blog.

a beautifully simple composition (photo by ninainvorm @ flickr)

a delighful kitchen concept (photo by supershoppertoo@ flickr)

Modern Materials for Modern Living 1957 (courtesy of www.plan59.com)

Something borrowed. Something blue...

2007-09-03T00:21:00.000-05:00

Only 6 hours after signing up I breathe a sigh of fatigued happiness as I write my very first blog entry.

I have long admired the wonderful blogs from decor8, hula seventy, the conscious kitchen and dozens more and it's with great humility that I enter into a community of talented writers, thinkers, creators and inspiration-makers.

I thought it would be appropriate to begin my new blog with the my most exciting event to date...My Wedding! The big day is right around the corner (09-08-07) and as I coast along these last few days I am relieved to be on auto-pilot and I am looking forward to exchanging vows and making a life-long commitment to the best man I have ever known. Sappy...yes, but true. I'm blessed to be in love and be loved back and I can't think of anything better than that.

I would also like to take a moment to send a special thanks out to my good friend Kristin. She has been my support system right up to the end and I couldn't have done it without her.