A Few Things....

1) I have been busy busy busy getting everything ready and taken care of so I can go here:

New Orleans! I'll be seeing you tomorrow!

2) This is a sneak peek of some things that are coming after Halloween:

3) Remember to watch out for the candy that's already been partially unwrapped!

P.S. - Go Rangers!!!!!

Office Inspiration Board

office inspiration by Racheltx on Polyvore.com

So, here's the plan (minus the bookshelves which I didn't have a good picture of and am still trying to decide whether or not to keep black, paint white, or some other color).

Dark green walls, white slipcover from Ikea to tie in with the big white desk that is already in the room, side tables in natural stained wood, a big reproduction of a Texas map, accents of silver and chrome, a little bit of plaid, bamboo blinds and seagrass rug...

It's coming together, bit by bit.
(finally)

Is there such a thing as too much plaid?

I think the above photo shows that there is...

However, I kind of like this hallway. I think because there's really nothing else going on - the plaid is it.

I came across these while pulling some pictures for an inspiration board for our office (yes, we're still slowly slowly working on it - but remember, the tortoise finished the race!).

I know it's such a cliche, but I really do love me some plaid in the fall and winter.

How about you?

Friday

Black wingback chair.

Cowhide rug.

Perfect nook for reading on a pretty fall day (that is, if you're not outside enjoying it!)

Have a great weekend!

Who Needs a Cat?

When you've got this little guy killing mice in your backyard??

Yes, he and the chihuahua tag-teamed a little mouse who was trying to live in a bag of mulch. The mouse put up a little bit of fight, scratching Charlie's nose in the process, but ultimately he didn't win.

You should have seen their faces afterwards. Charlie and JJ just looked so pleased with themselves, so (dare I say it?) proud!

They finally got one. After months of tracking and chasing and barking.

Okay, must get back to work now....

I Got Nada

...but some pretty pictures that make me happy it's fall

Who Will I Be Rooting For?

Hmmm....

That's me, with my two besties - my little sisters.

It wasn't always like that. When we were all about this age, despite my cute angelic smile, I didn't really like them all that much. You know, having to share and stuff...

But now that we're all grown up, how could I resist these two??

Love them.

Go TCU!

What a Sham

I made some pillow shams for our bed recently, and am pretty proud of how they turned out:

(please excuse the wrinkly duvet... it was just pulled out of the linen closet!)

I have the tutorial posted here, if you'd like to make your own.

I'm so glad that it's Friday! It's been one of those weeks, you know, where both of your shoe laces break? (I heard that one this week, so evidently it's been one of those weeks for other people too.)

Have a great weekend!

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations Linda!!

Linda, I know you said that there were two different ones that you liked, so email me and let me know which one you want!

Thank you all for entering!

2010 Historic Fort Worth Designer Showhouse

I came across this slideshow and article by Rob Brinkley on our local PaperCity website. It covers the 2010 Historic Fort Worth Designer Showhouse, which is the old 1966 home of Eddie and Fran Chiles.

Designed by architect A. Quincy Jones, the house is gorgeous and modern. It's original interior decorator was Billy Haines, and the home still retains lots of original hardware and finishes.

Even more impressive than the Imperial Dishmaster above is the handpainted wallpaper below, which is in the entry and part of the living room. Original?? It was here when Fran Chiles moved out...

So pretty. I love hand painted mural wallpapers. Sersiously, I think you could stick anything in front of them and still end up with a gorgeous room.

Below is another view of the living room, including its Fortuny pendant light and strange and somewhat morbid poster art.

Dining room. Loving the wall-treatment here too, although it's not original. You can see a picture of the original here.

The view from the upstairs dressing room is beautiful. Not a huge fan of the blue chairs or lamp, but again - that backdrop makes almost anything look good.

Fran Chiles was a memeber of the Republican National Committee, and the Chiles' close friends included Ronald and Nancy Reagan who stayed in this room when they came to visit.

That is a Billy Haines' designed elbow chair there by the bed

The study area in Eddie Chiles bedroom. I like the rug and the artwork. The built-in shelves are nice.

The back of the house, showing the pool.

Look good to you? The house is up for sale for only $7 million through Kay Day Real Estate.

The home tour is on through the 24th, and you can learn more about it and the designers who participated here.

AND DON'T FORGET!! My giveaway for a Dash & Albert throw ends tonight, and the winner will be announced tomorrow!

*all above pictures by Rob Brinkley, here

Are You Ready for a Fall Giveaway??

Today's giveaway is generously being sponsored by CSN Stores! If you haven't been to their sites yet, you should definitely go check them out - you can spend some serious time there. They have literally everything, I think, from furniture like a platform bed to home accessories, linens, and stuff to stock your kitchen with!

So, what is it that I'm giving away today?

If you win, you will have your choice of any one of the Dash and Albert thows offered on CSN's site.

Don't you love all the colors and stripes above??

With Fall and Winter coming up, I could totally see myself all curled up on the sofa, or in my favorite chair, with one of these. They're all cotton, and the weight is perfect to keep you cozy on those chilly nights.

They come in so many different colors and stripe patterns, it's so hard to choose!

To enter:
Go to their site HERE and look at all the throws, and then come back and leave me a comment with which one is your favorite!

That's it!!

**Edit** Silly me.... I forgot to tell you that this contest will be open until Tuesday night at 10 PM CST.

I'll draw and announce a winner on Wednesday morning!

(Please make sure to check back, and leave your email so I can contact you if you win!)


Good luck - and have a great weekend!