Amber Avenue

I LOVED it!!!

2010-06-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

I talked here before about how I was a bit nervous for Committed.
Well, I finished it a week or two ago and I have to say I love, love, loved it!
At the first of the book Elizabeth explains that she is writing to a certain number of women. She names them as her mom, her friends, her sister, etc. I honestly was sort of expecting her to name me as one of those women she was writing to. I sometimes forget that I we aren't friends....that she doesn't even know me!
She just writes so well and it's like she is talking to me, the reader.
Anyway, the book was excellent and was totally what I needed to read right now. I borrowed it from the library, but I will definitely be purchasing it for myself.

What a bitch.

2010-06-15T11:45:00.002-06:00

I'm never home during the day, so I haven't watched The View in years. It's been so long that the last time I watched Star Jones and Meredith Vieira were still on.
Today I am home for just an hour between work and a doctor's appointment. I turned on the tv as background noise and decided to watch The View.
So my question of the day is: Why in the world is Elisabeth Hasselbeck still on that show? She is SUCH A BITCH!
I don't care what your politics or opinions are, if you are a host on a talk show at least be kind to the person on your show. Kathy Griffin was on today and she was a total whore to her. I would understand if Kathy Griffin was being a bitch, but she wasn't. Elisabeth just turned totally hostile because Kathy was joking around about Elisabeth's heros....Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin. Kathy Griffin is a COMEDIAN! Let her tell a bloody joke!
A host is a host, whether it's on tv or in your home. Don't treat people like that when you are the host. Grow up Elisabeth. Barbara, you'd be a genius to can that beautiful girl's ass. I know I won't be watching The View again with her on it.

Way to go out with a bang Greys!

2010-05-23T12:39:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I know I am a few days behind.
I just finished the season finale of Grey's Anatomy and HOLY CRAP! What an episode! I was DYING with the suspense!!!
If you haven't watched the episodes yet, STOP reading here as I am about to spoil it all....

I'm sad Merideth had a miscarraige. I would love a McBaby!
I am thrilled McDreamy is alive. I don't know what I'd do without his beauty on the show.
I still want Lexie to be with McSteamy....so her professing her love for Alex was weird. I do like Alex though and I'm glad he's alive.
Owen and Cristina? Hmmm, I don't know about that one.
I was fine with Reed and Charles dying. Is that bad of me?
Yay! Callie and Arizona are back together!!! I love them as a couple. :)
Does this mean Jackson is here to stay (since he didn't die)? I hope so, he's fun to look at!

Okay, so what did you all think? Best episode ever? I think it's in the top 10 for sure!

Are these the 12 coolest bedroom designs?

2010-05-21T03:29:00.001-06:00

While none of these bedrooms would be on my list of "Coolest Bedroom Designs", this article is a fun read nonetheless.
Photo credit

What do you think?

It's the Wicked Witch!

2010-05-20T03:21:00.000-06:00

I am loving this doorstop from Bibelot.
Photo credit.

Humorous sign

2010-05-19T03:16:00.001-06:00

It's always interesting to me that some things need clarification.
Photo credit.

Pink Living Rooms

2010-05-18T02:23:00.000-06:00

There is no way in holy hell my husband would let me decorate with pink in our living room. My office is pink, but he didn't get a say in my office. :)
I could totally do a pink living room though!
Check out these beautiful rooms....

Credit.

The photo below is from Better Homes and Gardens circa 1961. I would take this living room today! It looks great.
Credit.
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Cougar Town

2010-05-17T02:06:00.001-06:00

Is it just me, or does this show keep getting funnier and funnier?
I seriously love it more each week.

Andy: It's never that hard for me.
Jules: That's what he said

Italian Pasta Salad recipe

2010-05-16T01:19:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday, for Mother's Day, we had lunch with my fam. I made an Italian Pasta Salad because I knew my mom loves that salad.
I don't think I'd ever made this particular kind of salad before, and when I was looking for recipes none of them were really doing it for me.
So I made up my own recipe and I have to say, it turned out pretty great.
I don't know the exact measurements of what I used, but I'll make a good guess.
This made a pretty big salad, it fed 20 ish people & there were leftovers.

2 boxes of Barilla Tri-Colored Rotini pasta. Cooked.
Several carrots sliced pretty thin. I used baby carrots & I sliced them the round way.
1 jar Sundried Tomatoes in Olive Oil. I drained most of the olive oil first and used the sliced Tomatoes.
2 stalks of broccoli crowns, cut into small pieces.
1 bottle Italian Dressing. I bought Wishbone brand because it didn't have high fructose corn syrup (I was shocked other brands did, gross!). I actually bought 2 bottles and used about 1 1/4 bottles.
3 small cans of sliced olives
Parmesan Cheese, grated. I used a small handful and then sprinkled some on top.

Cook pasta and then just mix all the ingredients together. It's best if it sits for at least a few hours before serving. I waited to add the Parmesan cheese until just before serving. The pasta soaks up the dressing, so that's why I ended up adding 1/4 of the second bottle just before serving.

This photo isn't my salad, it's from Crisco.

2010-05-15T01:13:00.000-06:00

When I stand before God at the end of my life,

I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left,

and could say,

"I used everything you gave me."

~Erma Bombeck

10 things I love today

2010-05-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

1-Even though we had snow AGAIN this week....spring is FINALLY here!!!

2- The best tv show everrrr.
Photo from tv over mind.

3-Tazo Brambleberry Tea. It's the nectar of the gods. Seriously.

4-This girl.

5-New, exciting job opportunities! :)

6-I'm so close to buying my new Mac and I'm so excited!!! Sadly, my old one is dead as a doornail. :(

7-Any song by this talented and beautiful girl.

8- Frappy Hour!!!
Okay, it's really called Happy Hour. Starbucks promo right now is half priced frappuccinos from 3-5 pm every day until May 16th. My Starbucks calls it "Frappy Hour" though and I think that's a better name, it's more fun!
P.S. I recommend the Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino. It's delicious.

9- The Sharpie Pen. Mock me if you will, but it's freaking awesome and basically the only pen I'll use anymore.
Photo Credit.
10- The fact that today is Friday and I have a BEAUTIFUL weekend ahead of me!!!
Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy your weekend! :)

The largest living thing on earth

2010-05-13T00:27:00.000-06:00

Okay, this is pretty random.
I came across a snippet about it in Salt Lake Magazine, and then I just had to look for more information online.
The largest living thing on earth is a fungus. It's in Oregon and covers 22,000 acres!!! It's estimated to be 2,400 years old!

Read a quick article about it here.
This blows my mind, but it's so cool!

hello one of my new favorite websites

2010-05-12T00:06:00.001-06:00

Room Service.
I hope to visit your real life store soon!

That's what Ellen said

2010-05-11T06:00:00.001-06:00

Last night I was reading the Katie Couric's interview with Ellen DeGeneres in Glamour.
I loved Ellen's answer to this question...

Katie Couric: Do you find it disconcerting that there seems to be so much vitriol in society today?
Ellen DeGeneres: I try not to take it in. Let's take an example: someone who's antigay, who despises who I am. If I hate that person, I'm the same as them. Some people are closed and angry. If I can help shift that by just being who I am, great-and if not, that's not my job.

I've recently had a couple of mild attacks against my politics and my religious views. Sometimes it hurts, but I need to remember not to hate, because I do NOT want to be the same as the person who hurt me.
Thanks for the reminder Ellen! :)

Damn economy

2010-05-10T06:09:00.001-06:00

Like pretty much everyone else in this country (and beyond), my paycheck has suffered a pretty big hit from the crappy economy.
I'm not complaining....I do have a job (or two). I'm just wishing my paycheck was a little fatter so I could attend this.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

To all you Mother's, Grandmothers, and acting Mother's out there.
I hope you have a relaxing, wonderful day!

Photo by me, are you sick of tulip photos yet? I went to a Tulip Festival, so I've got a lot of tulip pictures around here. :)

The Better Marriage Blanket

2010-05-08T05:58:00.000-06:00

I emailed my husband this link and said this is ALL I want for my birthday. My birthday isn't until September though and I don't know if I can wait that long.

P.S. In case it isn't clear, I'm not the one with the problem. :)

Mod Golden Retriever

2010-05-07T05:33:00.001-06:00

I am sort of obsessed with my Golden Retriever. By sort of I mean totally.
I love her more than I love a lot of humans. I also happen to own the cutest Golden Retriever on the planet. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I did. :)
Here is a picture of my Golden and my Weimaraner. I decided to show a picture of both my dogs so that it looks like I don't favor my Golden, even though I TOTALLY do. She's literally an angel, how could I NOT favor an angel?

I don't like to have Golden Retriever paraphernalia. I think it's weird to have pictures of some stranger's dog. I don't know that dog. I only want a picture of my own dog. It's like having a picture of some stranger's baby in your house. You don't know that baby. That's weird right?
But this is different. I totally want this Mod Golden Retriever print from ModDog's etsy shop.

I know....I've been MIA

2010-05-06T17:28:00.003-06:00

Sorry, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.
Two blogs and two real jobs.
I'm tired.
It will be better soon though. I'm just trying to figure it all out.
Thanks for being patient. :)

Photo by moi.

2010-05-03T14:44:00.001-06:00

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant;

if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
~Anne Bradstreet

Photo by me.

Pureology

2010-05-01T04:26:00.000-06:00

I started using Pureology shampoo & conditioner at the first of the year. After almost five months I can tell you I am in LOVE with this stuff! It is freaking amazing. I have had more compliments on my hair than ever! I think it has made my hair so much healthier.

Cleaning Supplies

2010-04-30T01:50:00.000-06:00

I am very particular about my cleaning supplies.

I am weird about smells, so I need them to smell normal to me.

I also want them to work well (duh).

I prefer for them to be environmentally friendly.

I try not to be wasteful.

I don't want to spend a fortune.

I have tried a lot of different brands & types of cleaners and I finally feel like I have landed on my regulars. I've talked about cleaning supplies a little bit here and I've had several people email me asking me what I use, so I thought it would be easiest just to do a whole post about it. This could be boring if you don't geek out about stuff like this, I won't be offended if you stop reading now. :)
Moving on, here's my list...

I have both granite and limestone countertops in different areas of my house. For all my stone countertops I use Method-The Daily Granite cleaner. It smells amazing and works great. It makes my honed granite countertops in my kitchen a little smoother to the touch. I love that I can use it on both my granite and limestone. I also use it sometimes on the travertine on my floors and in my shower. Lowes sells it in larger bottles that you can use to refill the smaller spray bottles. I like that I can re-use my spray bottles, I feel a little less wasteful!

Basic H2 Cleaner from Shaklee will change your life.
Seriously.
I use it almost everywhere. I use it to clean all my glass, my showers, my bathrooms, my countertops, my bbq grill outside, basically everything. It's completely non-toxic, so when I'm using it and my dogs are being brats I just squirt them with it and know that it's fine. (We use the squirt bottle with water technique to discipline our dogs). So the best part about this stuff is that it comes SUPER concentrated. I only use 1/4 teaspoon per squirt bottle, which is 16 oz! I have had my bottle of concentrate for well over a year now and I use this stuff ALL THE TIME. I am a walking talking commercial for Shaklee! :) They should pay me! Just kidding. Seriously though, this stuff is amazing. If I could suggest one cleaning product to you it would be the Basic H2.

For my toilets I use Method Bowl Control. It smells pretty lovely and it's non-toxic. It works just like it's supposed to.

For dusting I use Method Wood Polish Spray. I LOVE how it smells! I also feel like it moisturizes the wood on some of my older pieces. I inherited my dining room table from my grandma. It's walnut and after I use the Method Wood Polish Spray it always looks so much better!

I'm not completely loyal to my dish detergent. I actually go back and forth between a few brands. I generally buy whatever green brand my grocery store has on sale that week. I do keep coming back to Seventh Generation though.

When washing dishes by hand I love Mrs Meyers Dish Soap in the Lemon Verbena scent. It smells amazing, produces a lot of suds, doesn't dry out my hands and is made from natural ingredients. Win, win, win, win!

Speaking of Mrs Meyers Lemon Verbena scent....I also use the dryer sheets and fabric softener and scrub. Love how they work and love how they make my clothes smell!

For laundry detergent I am totally sold on Shaklee Fresh Laundry Concentrate. I prefer powder detergents over liquid for some reason. This detergent seems expensive, but you use hardly anything so it lasts forever!

Last, I need to fess up to some things. I have some naughty cleaning habits too. Like I can NOT break my habit of using Clorox wipes. They are so wasteful, but they are so freaking handy! I also can't find an environmentally friendly stain remover that I love. I do use Oxy Clean as my pre-wash though. Oh and my big naughty thing? I still use a Swiffer Wet Jet. I know....holy wasteful!

Did I miss anything? I'd love to hear about what cleaning supplies you love! Also, feel free to comment or email me with any questions!

This is one of my favorites...

2010-04-29T02:40:00.001-06:00

"Rather than love,
than money,
than fame,
give me truth."
-- Henry David Thoreau

Photo by me.

Here's a joke for you...

2010-04-28T02:01:00.001-06:00

I read a joke similar to this one in Big Fish. Have you read that book by the way? I enjoyed it, it's a quick and fun read.
Anyway, I was trying to retell it the other day and felt like I messed it up. I am horrible at repeating jokes. Seriously. I rarely tell jokes because I suck so bad at telling them. My dad is a master joke teller.
I looked for the joke online and found this version that is pretty similar. I thought it was funny...

Jesus made his usual rounds in heaven when he noticed a wizened, white-haired old man sitting in a corner looking very disconsolate. The next week he was disturbed to come across him again, looking equally miserable, and a week later he stopped to talk to him.
"See here, old fellow," said Jesus kindly, "this is heaven. The sun is shining, you've got all you could want to eat, all the instruments you might want to play-- you're supposed to be blissfully happy! What's wrong?
"Well," said the old man, "you see, I was a carpenter on earth, and lost my only, dearly beloved son at an early age. And here in heaven I was hoping more than anything to find him."
"Tears sprang from Jesus' eyes. "FATHER!" he cried.
The old man jumped to his feet, bursting into tears, and sobbed, "PINOCCHIO!"

Mother's Day Gift Guide

2010-04-27T00:18:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking and searching and thinking and searching for Mother's Day gifts for the two mothers in my life.
Instead of being selfish I thought I'd share my finds, ideas and suggestions with you. :)

Every mom loves pictures of their kids and grand kids. I adore the iPhoto books mainly because they are so stinking easy to make on a Mac. Starting at $9.99 from Apple.

This Birk Bark Flower Vase is cute, useful, thoughtful and inexpensive! $14.00 from NHWoodcreations etsy shop.

It's the time of year to spend all your free time out of doors. Help mom make her porch or patio a little prettier with a Paula Deen Outdoor Rug. Starting at $49.00 from Outdoor Rugs Only.

Honestly, I don't know if ANYTHING smells better than Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne. I DIE for this stuff! Starting at $55.00.

This Alexis Bittar Gunmetal Silver Dust Lucite Necklace is so beautiful! $175.00 from Sedoni Gallery.

Is your Mom getting into photography? The one lens I suggest to everyone I know is the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens. If you have a Nikon that is. :) Especially for the price, nothing beats it! $198.54 at Amazon.

I don't like to get "things". I like to receive "things to do". So I often give things to do as well. If you live in Utah, tickets to Seinfeld or The Lion King would be amazing, and who knows? Maybe she'd invite you to go with her! Find tickets here.

I'm sure I don't need to say it, but I will anyway. Material things are nice, but NOTHING beats a beautifully worded letter. Tell your mom how much you appreciate her and love her and that will be all she'd ever want.

It could not be more beautiful outside today...

2010-04-26T13:26:00.003-06:00

Therefore I am playing hookie. I'm going to stay outside all today and drink up the deliciousness of this day.
See you tomorrow with my Mother's Day Gift Guide.
Photo taken by me at the Tulip Festival just the other day.

Stone: Designing Kitchens, Baths and Interiors with Natural Stone

2010-04-23T05:36:00.000-06:00

The photos in this book were beautiful.
The projects were gorgeous.
I definitely recommend you pick up this book, just don't expect every stone to be named. This was my only complaint about the book. If it's a book featuring stone, NAME the stone!

Water Clock

2010-04-22T05:29:00.000-06:00

Check out these cool alarm clocks from Bedol.
They run on water....that's it! No battery, no electricity, no winding. Just fill it up with water and it will run for at least six weeks.
Brilliant!

Keep Calm and Recycle On

2010-04-21T01:05:00.000-06:00

I LOVE these dryer sheets from zJayne's Etsy Shop. They are made from upcycled t-shirts and filled with organic lavender buds. I personally like the "Keep Calm and Recycle On" ones, but she has other designs as well.
Supposedly they last for months! I think I'm going to give them a try, I'll let you know what I think.

Yuck.

2010-04-20T06:25:00.000-06:00

One thing I can't stand is when one food picks up the flavor of another food.
Like how sometimes chocolate will taste like bubblegum if they are in the same drawer. Or strawberries will taste like garlic if you leave your leftovers from the Italian restaurant in the fridge.
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Today I am eating Wheatables at work and they taste weird. I don't even know what to blame it on....maybe the banana that was in the lunch bag with it?
Blech.

My kind of glass dish

2010-04-19T06:19:00.000-06:00

I received my Chiasso catalog a week or two ago, but just sat down last night to savor it. I kind of hurt inside when I look through their catalog because I want everything. If only money weren't an object.....
I can afford this adorable glass bowl though! In fact, I may buy two!

I think it's fun and I enjoy fun things.

Karastan Studio-Artworks Collection

2010-04-18T05:53:00.000-06:00

Have I ever mentioned that I work part time in a rug store?
Well, I do.
Anyway, my personal favorite line of rugs is the Karastan Studio-Artworks Collection. I am so smitten by this line. When I have a customer come in and buy one of these rugs I get more excited than I should. I want to give them a big hug and congratulate them on having great taste. Don't worry...I hold back. :)

Here are some photos of my two favorite rugs in this collection....
My favorite rugs are the Plum Blossom. Above is Plum Blossom in Mocha, the photo below is just called Plum Blossom. This rug also comes in Maize.

The Zen Garden rug below is my second favorite in the collection. The second photo shows it in a room setting.

Check out Karastan's website to see all the beautiful rugs in this collection.

I'd recommend it

2010-04-17T12:26:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading Showing Up For Life by Bill Gates Sr. It was inspiring and I really need inspiring these days.

Hello. My name is Grumpy Butt.

2010-04-16T05:14:00.002-06:00

I have been quite the grumpy pants lately.
I had a long list of reasons as to why I have been so ornery and I felt that every one of those reasons justified my grumpiness. I've been wallowing in the grumpiness.
My mood has completely changed now though.
Here in stupid Utah it has been unseasonably cold and still snowy in April.
Until this week. It hit 72 degrees baby!
I miraculously don't care about any of the things on my grumpiness list. I feel soooo much better.
This happens every year (and every year I forget).
Can someone say Seasonal Depression?
I'm glad to have turned the corner!
Photo via Flickr.

It's a battle in my head

2010-04-15T00:14:00.001-06:00

So my bedroom sucks.
It's pretty small and my furniture is relatively large. We bought the furniture when we were living in a much larger master bedroom. I love the furniture though and dream of a larger bedroom, so I don't get rid of it.
After much trial and error we have figured out there is only one way to arrange the furniture in the room. This arrangement leaves the bed very off center on the wall. I've never hung anything on the bed wall because it feels so off balance to me.
There is this vinyl that I am considering. I think it may help the balance.
I'm also open to suggestions if any of you have one.

They are cute to boot

2010-04-14T03:55:00.001-06:00

I try really hard to cut down on how much we throw away. One of my weakness's though is plastic sandwich bags when we take our lunch to work. I think I found the solution today with LunchSkins. They are reusable, dishwasher safe, inexpensive and cute! I can't think of what else I could ask for.

and they tasted delicious.

2010-04-13T00:55:00.002-06:00

The hubs and I celebrated our 9th(!!!) wedding anniversary on March 31st. Time flies when you are having fun. :)
Our original plans were foiled, but we ended up spending a lovely weekend together at home. Due to our work schedules and his soccer schedule we really don't see each other often enough. While making dinner one night I turned to him and said "I really like you, you are fun to hang out with!"
I made chocolate covered strawberries one night and they were so pretty I thought I'd share a few photos.

This is a completely true story...

2010-04-12T12:36:00.004-06:00

I had a nightmare last night.
I woke up sweating and shaking.
Sarah Palin was the villain in the nightmare.
That lady scares the crapbunnies out of me.

Photo from Funny Chill.

2010-04-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

Everything you can imagine,

Nature has already created.

~Albert Einstein

I'd like to adopt.

2010-04-06T02:20:00.000-06:00

An olive tree.
You thought I was going to say a kid! Well, that too. But today we are talking about trees. :)

Click here and go to Nudo's website. Nudo is an olive grove, you can adopt a tree for a year. Just pick the tree and your taste preference all for a mere $125.00. You will receive two liters of extra-virgin olive oil in the spring, plus a batch of three flavors of virgin oil in the fall.

Yikes

2010-04-05T01:35:00.000-06:00

I had a page torn out from my October '08 issue of Dwell. I had set it aside and found it today.
It's called Supercenter Statistics. It was a very interesting article that I thought deserved repearting here.
Here it is....
Average square feet of an American Home: 2,495
Average square feet of a Target Supercenter: 174,000

Revenues for Ikea for fiscal year September 2006-August 2007: $27 billion
2007 Revenues for Target: $63 billion
2007 revenues for Walmart: $379 billion
2007 GDP for Sweden: $384.1 billion

Number of people in the U.S. who attend religious services every week: 55 million
Number of people in the U.S. who shop at Walmart every week: 136 million

Number of trees needed to offset annual CO2 emissions from a high-energy-using American: 150
Number of trees Ikea plants each year to offset CO2 from customers & employees traveling to and from one store: 33,100

Number of colleges and universities in the U.S.: 4,140
Number of Walmart owned stores in the U.S.: 4,191

Percentage of eligible Americans who voted in the last presidential election: 60%
Percentage of Americans who will go to a Walmart this year: 90%

My kind of General Store

2010-04-04T02:05:00.000-06:00

I love the concept of Priscilla Woolworth's new eco-friendly General Store.
Visit the store at www.priscillawoolworth.com.

Eames House Bird

2010-04-03T02:10:00.002-06:00

Updated: Sorry that I forgot to resize the image in the original post. This should look better!

Quoted from MCA Store:
"Charles and Ray Eames augmented the interior “collage” of the Eames House with numerous objects brought back from their extensive travels. The figure of a black wooden bird — evidently one of their most prized objects of American folk art — has stood in the centre of their living room for over fifty years. Seen as an accessory in many of the Eameses’ photographs, the bird figure is from the Appalachian mountain region of the eastern United States. Based on the original artefact and in cooperation with the Eames Family. Solid alder, black lacquer finish, steel wire. 10.8 x 3.5 x 11 inches"

I WILL own one someday. For $200, unfortunately it won't be today. The simplicity is so beautiful.

PopMat Placemats

2010-04-02T02:02:00.000-06:00

I thought these placemats from Publique Living would be easy enough to make myself.
Then I really thought about it and realized there would be no way I could make it myself.
So, for my next dinner party I will be purchasing some.
Aren't they great?

Urban Hardwoods

2010-04-01T01:37:00.000-06:00

I feel like I am supposed to go to the Northwest this month.
I keep coming upon things that I need to do or see.

First, I found out that the Street of Eames tour is April 17th and this is the last year they will be doing it. I really think I should be there!

Second, I would like to go to Urban Hardwoods in Seattle.

Now, how do I get out of work so I can head up there?

EcoSmart Fire

2010-03-31T01:48:00.000-06:00

EcoSmart Fire is an enviromentally friendly open fireplace.
It's fueled by renewable modern energy and burns clean.

I do not have words for how much I love all of their products.

Modern Shed

2010-03-30T01:11:00.000-06:00

I wish I could talk my husband into this shed for our backyard.

My perfect coat rack

2010-03-29T00:40:00.000-06:00

I've been looking for a cool coat rack for awhile. I want something by my backdoor, but I don't want it to be just any ol' hook.
Today I found just the thing!

This Victoria Butler Coatrack is perfect. It's modern, it's cool & it's totally practical!

Reversible Side Tables

2010-03-28T00:21:00.000-06:00

I love these Reversible Side Tables from West Elm. They can interlock and create a larger table if needed.

Great design makes me so happy!

Great art for $20. Seriously.

2010-03-27T00:06:00.000-06:00

I'm not the first, and I won't be the last talking about 20 x 200.
They put up two new pieces of art a week: one photo and one work on paper.

This is the best way to start your art collection. Hands down. Don't buy the ugly piece for your wall at the local furniture outlet. Buy something beautiful that you love! It doesn't have to break the bank.

Choosing organic

2010-03-26T02:42:00.000-06:00

At our house we try to buy organic. I would say we buy about 50%, sometimes less. That's not a lot. The key word is try.
A lot of times organic is not available. Sometimes organic is just too expensive!
I know that some fruits & vegetables are more important to buy organic than others. My rule of thumb has always been if we eat the skin (strawberries, apples) than I try to buy it organic. If we don't (pineapples, bananas) then I don't worry about it as much.
Well, I just found a handy, dandy guide on Environmental Working Group's website. Go to there and sign up and you can get an iPhone App or a Download of the Guide of What to Buy Organic.
I just downloaded & printed it and I'm going to hang it on my fridge!

Bringing the outside in

2010-03-25T01:57:00.000-06:00

I love these Boards by Joel. They sell them as trivets & coasters. I think I would just use it as a decoration. They are beautiful!

Whiskey Stones

2010-03-24T05:44:00.001-06:00

One of my day jobs is in the stone business. I have a ridiculous love of stone.
I mainly deal with countertops, but when I see stone used other ways I really geek out about it.
I don't really drink whisky but I TOTALLY want these soapstone Whiskey Stones from Teroforma.

Buttered Up

2010-03-23T05:31:00.000-06:00

I find this butter dish to be near perfection.
White ceramic + a sense of humor + cheap (only $12!).
Yes, near perfection indeed.

Want, want, want

2010-03-22T05:08:00.000-06:00

That's what I feel like. I am always want, want, wanting.

So speaking of always wanting.....
I really would love to own I.M. Pei: Complete Works.

Green with Glamour

2010-03-21T04:57:00.001-06:00

I thought I had mentioned this website here before....I guess not.

Anyway, I love Green with Glamour. It is my kind of company. I love their business practices and they've got cool stuff. Really cool stuff. Beautifully designed stuff. I may spend too much time swooning over things on their website.

Don't throw it away....Swap it!

2010-03-20T04:47:00.000-06:00

When I was in college I used a website called Mrswap.com all the time. I swapped out cd's right & left. I loved it. Then it went out of business.
I recently found three new swap websites that I am excited to try...
*Paperback Swap
*Swap a cd
*Swap a dvd

In other news, I just decided I really enjoy the word 'swap'.

great advice

2010-03-19T04:06:00.000-06:00

Although Ballard Designs isn't my typical style, I really love this company and their catalog that I receive in the mail and instantly devour.

In their newest catalog they featured an interview that House Beautiful did with Suzanne Kasler. Suzanne is an amazing Interior Designer in Georgia. She has an awesome book, Suzanne Kasler Inspired Interiors, & has her own home line. She is basically everywhere. She's awesome.

I'm veering off course though.
The very first question they asked in the interview was...

House Beautiful:
What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about redoing a room?

Her answer is my favorite answer. It's the answer I always give, and now that the infamous Suzanne Kasler is in print giving the same answer I feel justified.

Her answer....
"Be true to what you love. That's really the key to creating a space that feels personal. Buy things that you like, and don't worry about wheather or not they match. Matching is overrated."

House Beautiful:
But how do you know if it will all go together?

Suzanne Kasler:
"You don't. You may have to add or subtract once you get everything into the same room. But somehow, if these are all things you love, they will just naturally come together and complete a certain feeling. And that will express you and your style."

Perfect. Answer.

TasteBook

2010-03-18T04:35:00.001-06:00

I like the idea of TasteBook.
I haven't joined yet, but I think I will.....

I Drink For a Reason

2010-03-17T06:25:00.001-06:00

This is by far the funniest book I've read so far this year. Well, I shouldn't say read.....it's the funniest book I have listened to this year.

I totally recommend listening to it over reading it though. David Cross reads it & it's just wonderfully hilarious. He calls me (the reader) lazy many times throughout the book for not reading it & making him read it to me.

PLUS, Kristin Schaal (love her) reads as Dave Eggers at one point. Seriously, it's great.

Now go listen to it!

Green dogs

2010-03-16T06:19:00.000-06:00

I'm loving these Eco Nap dog beds fro Eco Sumo.
Forty plastic soda bottles are recycled for the extra large bed! They are machine washable & made in the US. With a starting price of $29.00 these are a no brainer.
I'll take two please!

Indoor Plants

2010-03-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

Indoor plants add warmth & a bit of the outdoors to your decor. I strongly recommend using a live plant in every room of your home.

Sidenote: Please, for the love of god, do NOT use silk plants! They are ugly & they just collect dust. It's 2010.... not 1985. It's time to throw them out!

Anyway, real plants are awesome not only for their looks, but they all absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. A new study from the University of Georgia shows they also filter out harmful indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
VOCs are emitted by cleaners, paints, adhesives, air fresheners, furniture & more. (Of course if you buy the low VOC products it helps)!

VOC's can cause headaches, respiratory problems, nervous system problems, cancer & many other health problems.

The study showed the best indoor plants to help with VOCs are...English Ivy, Purple Waffle, Wax & Purple Heart varieties.

Photo from The Bloomin' Idiot.

2010-03-14T05:39:00.000-06:00

"Fall down seven times---get up eight."

~Japanese Proverb

Photo via visualize us.

Still tasty?

2010-03-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

I hope I'm not the only one, but I am always wondering about expiration dates. What the difference is between "sell by" & "use by".
I don't want to waste food, but I don't want to eat bad food either!
Still Tasty has the answers to all my questions. GREAT website!

Now & Zen

2010-03-12T05:19:00.000-07:00

I HATE alarm clocks. I HATE my alarm clock.
I once had an alarm clock that was a cd player. I put a Norah Jones cd in it that I loved. I thought it would be great. I now HATE that Norah Jones cd.
Unfortunately, whatever wakes me up in the morning makes me mad!

I think I may like the alarm clocks from Now & Zen though. They have soft, repeating chimes that wake you up gently. It's an acoustic sound that wakes you up gradually. The frist chime sounds, and then it's silent for the next 3 1/2 minutes. Over 10 minutes the chimes become closer together.

Plus, I think they look nice. :)

Recycled Aluminum Tiles

2010-03-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

I am loving these Recycled Aluminum Tiles from Eco Friendly Flooring.

They come in all sorts of sizes & are available in aluminum or brass with three different finishes. The tiles are 100% recycled, you can't beat that!

Eco Friendly Flooring also has over 200 colors of recycled glass tile!
Great stuff, check it out!

Yes please!

2010-03-10T04:41:00.000-07:00

I really want this showerhead from Kohler.

Great design, plus as you rotate the head it changes sprays. There are four different sprays, each totally different from the next.
PLUS it's only $105! How could I say no?

Free stuff!

2010-03-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of using coupons. I totally admire those who take the time & save the money....it's just not for me though.
My sister-in-law recently sent me to this website......http://www.freebies2deals.com/.
While she posts lots of coupons & stuff, she also posts about A LOT of free stuff!
And now I'm addicted!

Giveaway at Alice Lane!

2010-03-08T16:23:00.004-07:00

I love Alice Lane's blog. I live in Utah & sadly I have not made it into their store yet! I will though, mark my words!

Anyway, they are hosting a great giveaway today. They are giving away a $100 gift certificate to their store!

Check it out....but I hope you don't win because I want to win. :)

Some people amaze me...

2010-03-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

Are you a master diy-er?
I'm not.
But if I were, I would be all over making this awesome coffee table.
All over it.

2010-03-06T18:06:00.000-07:00

There are those who give with joy,

and that joy is their reward.
~Kahlil Gibran

*This girl, my Golden Retriever-Mahlee, gives me more joy than most things in my life.*

Boogie Board Writing Tablets

2010-03-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

I'm loving these Boogie Board Writing Tablets. I really think I need one for my fridge.

Epiphanie Giveaway

2010-03-04T17:13:00.004-07:00

Okay, I totally die for these camera bags by Epiphanie. My birthday isn't until September & yet I already know what I am asking for. :)

My current camera bag is a black backpack. While it's an awesome bag for the camera & it's totally gender neutral for when my husband totes it around, it's not what I want for me. I want this hip bag!

Right now Epiphanie is doing an AMAZING give-away. They are giving away a brand new Canon 5-D Mark or a $2500 gift certificate to Southwest Airlines. Seriously? Best give-away ever! Go here to enter!

When things I love collide....

2010-03-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

I love....
Tetris (like I really LOVE Tetris!) + Good design + Organization
These three things equal=
This freaking awesome shelf set.

Now, if I could only afford it....

Ecolok Furniture

2010-02-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Ecolok Furniture? There's lots of stuff to love on this website.
Here's how they describe themselves...
"Ecolok is customizable ready-to-assemble furniture. Ecolok is a furniture system that can be customized, efficiently shipped flat, and eas.ily assembled and disassembled without tools or mechanical fasteners."

Check it out!

My husband knows me all too well...

2010-02-15T17:47:00.000-07:00

He sent me a link to these awesome clocks from The Little Clock Shop. I'm obsessed with retro modern stuff. These clocks are perfect!

The price on them isn't shabby either.

I'm so excited and yet so nervous.

2010-01-20T02:57:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this more than I love most things in my life.
Seriously.

So I am kind of nervous to read this.
It's the fear of being disappointed I suppose.
Of course I am going to read it.
Of course.
I'm just going to wait for a little bit longer......

A fun list...

2010-01-18T01:30:00.000-07:00

I really like this list from Mighty Girl........100 Skills Everyone Should Master.
I feel like I would really like to master these skills...all 100 of them.
The Life Lists she has going on are pretty rad as well.

The lazy ass way to hang a picture...

2010-01-17T12:52:00.005-07:00

Recently I was hanging some pictures in my house. It was late and I was soooo tired. I was almost done, I had two pictures left to hang.
I measured the first one out & hung it & then I was REALLY tired and didn't want to measure the second one. I was sick of it!
This is when I had an Aha Moment (as Oprah would say). I had seen plumbers paint the back of plumbing parts and then put them to the wall. The paint would then be on the wall and the plumber would know where it needed to go. I decided to use the same idea for my picture....but I couldn't use paint, I wanted something that would come off the wall after I put the nail in.
I thought & thought and came up with peanut butter. I thought I was a real genius. The only problem? Our peanut butter was extra crunchy, not going to work.
I started looking through our pantry and realized Nutella would be perfect! I felt like a genius again.
Here's the Nutella...

Next I just painted the Nutella onto the claw thing on the back of the picture frame. I kind of globbed it on so that I was sure it would transfer onto the wall.

I then placed the picture on the wall where I wanted it to go. I wanted the bottom of each picture to be even with each other. Anyway, when I pulled the picture away from the wall you could see the Nutella marks in the perfect shape of the claw.

All I had to do was hammer the nail/hook thing exactly where I wanted it to hang relative to the claw.

The final product. It turned out perfectly!

The photo I took makes it look like it is a little off...but they were hung so the bottom of each picture was even and they were level. :)

I was thinking this may not work if the picture has a wire on the back, but I think other types of hooks and loops on the back of frames would work.

2010-01-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.

I have lost almost 300 games.

On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot,

and I missed.

And I have failed over and over and over again in my life.

And that is precisely why I succeed.

~Michael Jordan

2010-01-13T21:51:00.003-07:00

Forgiveness is the fragrance

that the violet sheds on the heel

that has crushed it.

~Mark Twain

Yep, another list...

2010-01-03T00:06:00.003-07:00

Along with my New Year's Resolutions and my yearly Word, every year I make a list of fun little list of things that I would like to do. Sometimes this list contains items from my 'Things to do Before I Die' list and sometimes the items are so small that I wonder why I even write them down. It could be that I like to cross things of my lists, more likely it's because I don't want to forget.
Nonetheless, I thought it would be fun to share.
Here is 2010's list in no particular order.

1-Ride in a hot air balloon. (But only if I reach one of my private goals)
2-Have my grandparents over for dinner.
3-Start planning & saving for our 10 year wedding anniversary in 2011.
4-Go to the downtown Farmer's Market this summer.
5-Spend a day alone enjoying & photographing the International Peace Gardens.
6-Spend a day alone enjoying & photographing the Tulip Festival in the spring.
7-Spend a day alone enjoying & photographing fall foilage sometime in October.
8-Spend a day alone enjoying & photographing winter/snow.
9-Spend a day thift shopping.
10-Be sure to send all family & friends birthday cards and/or gifts ON TIME.
11-Read a lot of books. This year I read 50 exactly. This year I'll shoot for 25.
12-Own this Instax camera & include the pictures in my Project 365.
13-Decorate for Christmas. Maybe even get a tree!
14-Paint my piano.
15-Throw a great party for my hubby's 30th birthday.
16-Write a letter to a teacher who made a difference in my life.
17-Have a sleepover girl's night at my house with family.
18-Have a "craft night" with some of my girlfriends.
19-Teach the friend who's sewing machine I've had for months how to sew.

My Resolutions...

2010-01-02T11:41:00.003-07:00

I am a pretty private person in general.
So to share my resolutions with the world is a little....well, embarrassing? I don't know what the word is, but I feel a little weird about it.
At the same time I feel like I should share because that will make me more accountable. The compromise I decided on is to share a couple of my resolutions, the ones I'm not super private about. :)
So, without any further ado, my
New Year's Resolutions for 2010
1-Smile at strangers more often. I feel like when I am out in public I wear my grouchy face a lot, even if I am not necessarily grouchy. I would like to be a little more conscious of others and get out of my own little bubble a bit more. A smile is all it takes I think.

2- Project 365. A photo a day for a year. Yikes! I think it will be fun and yet challenging. Here is a link to my blog that I will be posting the photos to approx. once per week. Here is a link with a bit more explanation as to what Project 365 really is.

My word for 2010 is Inspired.

2010-01-01T01:40:00.000-07:00

We will open the book.
It's pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity

and it's first chapter is

New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

2009-12-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in.

A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

~Bill Vaughn

Goodbye 2009.

You were good, but not great.

May 2010 be a year of happiness, less stress, peace, a better financial situation, good friends, happy families, laughter, fulfilling jobs, warm/cozy homes, and love. For everyone.

Welcome 2010, I am so happy you are here!

The wrapping of gifts....

2009-12-30T20:12:00.004-07:00

I really love a beautifully wrapped gift. I think it shows effort and thought.
It's one of my personal goals to always wrap any gift that I give & try to make it lovely.
Every year for Christmas I chose a theme if you will. Basically I just wrap all the gifts alike or similarly.
Last year I used a beautiful chocolate brown and light blue wrapping paper with a lovely silk brown ribbon. I have pictures on my under the weather laptop. I will share them some other time. All the gifts looked beautiful last year, but I have to admit...the wrapping paper and ribbon cost me a near fortune.

This year I made a goal not to purchase any wrapping paper, ribbon or tags. I have such a huge stash of craft supplies that it's really silly to buy more (even though I totally wanted to).
I had a roll of kraft paper, so I decided to use that. I was going to just use ribbon from my stash, but while watching Elf one night I started making pom poms out of some yarn I had. The intention wasn't to use them for Christmas wrapping, but that's what it became.
I also had some precut white tags in my stash. I used a silver Sharpie to write on them & it looked better than any stick-on gift tag.
I think the wrapping turned out rather nice and it was a lot of fun. All my friends & family really liked it. I think because it was different than the usual commercial wrapping paper and cheap stick-on bows that it seemed extra special.
Plus, my mom likes to make stocking hats, so she saved hers to use for the hats!

My husband (who usually could care less about the wrapping of gifts) actually really liked it this year too! I had a bunch of the white pom poms hanging from a hook in my office and one day he walked in and said "Who's dog did you kill?" Funny, funny. When I told him they were the bows for my Christmas gifts he scrunched his nose and without saying it made it known he thought this was a bad idea.
BUT when the gifts were all wrapped up he mentioned several times how much he liked them this year!
It's so nice to be right. ;)

P.S. You probably all made pom poms as children, I did. If not, they are super easy! There is a great tutorial on Domestifluff's blog.

resolutions....

2009-12-28T00:03:00.001-07:00

I've noticed a lot of people don't make New Year's Resolutions anymore.
I understand....so many of us never complete the goal/ make the change.

I, on the other hand, LOVE making New Year's Resolutions.
I love goals and lists and crossing things off and thinking of new resolutions.
I'm not saying I always accomplish my resolutions, but I seriously love the act of trying.

In fact, I love all the lists that are out there nowadays.
Things like 29 things to do before I'm 30 (or whatever your age).
Or fun things like 52 strangers or a photo a day.
I love Life Lists and Bucket Lists.

I start thinking about my New Year's Resolutions right around mid-December. I don't write anything down yet, I am just always thinking throughout the month what I would like to accomplish in the coming year.

I usually write them out right around New Year's Day.
Next, I write out how I am going to accomplish these goals. Usually it's a short paragraph with my little plan.
Last, I write out a month by month plan of how I will accomplish each goal and where I should be with the goal at the beginning of each month until the goal has been completed. If it's just a small, one time goal, then I write what month I would like to accomplish it in.

It's definitely not a fail-proof plan, but it's helpful and much better than writing out the resolutions and then never looking at them again.
I always set waaay to many goals and I probably set them too high.
BUT, it's like that cheesy saying goes...
"Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will be among the stars."
~Les Brown

a fun diy/ how to use your christmas gift

2009-12-27T11:31:00.003-07:00

If you were lucky and got the Fujifilm Instax Mini (that I have been dreaming of) for Christmas, here is a fabulous idea on how to display all those instax photos.
I am so in LOVE with this idea....now I just need the camera!

Find more pictures and words about it here.

Si se puede!

2009-12-26T01:51:00.000-07:00

I think this video is so beautiful and inspiring.

Made my day after Christmas blues a little less blue. :)

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

Wishing you and yours

a beautiful, happy,

safe and warm

Christmas.

My Christmas List...

2009-12-24T00:31:00.000-07:00

Some years the husband and I exchange gifts....some years we don't. There is never a real rhyme or reason to why we do or don't, therefore I can't explain it. This year we are not giving each other gifts.
But if we were, this would be my Christmas List. (Maybe I'll show this to the husband at birthday time) :)
Here it is in no particular order...

I am seriously dying to own this Lego Architecture Series Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. I said this list was in no particular order, but this Lego Set would definitely be the #1 item on my list! One of the things I want to do before I die is visit Fallingwater. I think this Lego set is the coolest thing I've seen since my remote control Barbie car of 1990.
I currently have Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure checked out from the library. It's a fabulous book and I would really love to own it.

Have I written about the Fuji Instax camera here before? I may have. Anyway, I reeeeaaaally want one!
I'd also like a magazine rack for my dining room. A mid century modern one would be rad to go with my mid century dining room table and china cabinet.

Something like this would probably work....

And of course, I want my dental mirror!

Merry Christmas Eve! I think today is often more fun than the actual holiday tomorrow. I hope you all have a great Christmas!

Umm, hello....have you seen this?

2009-12-23T01:21:00.001-07:00

Okay, I just saw this today in my December issue of Real Simple magazine.
The Zoku Quick Pop Maker from Williams Sonoma. How freaking cool is it? You can make popsicles in less than seven minutes!

Does anyone remember the Carmel Apple popsicles? I think Blue Bunny used to make them, but don't quote me on that. My best friend and I were insanely obsessed with them in High School and College. In fact, not too long ago I was looking at some old college photos and I swear in almost every photo she and I had a Carmel Apple Popsicle in our hand. Anyway, they don't make them anymore (I emailed the company a few years back and asked). I'm totally going to buy this Zoku Quick Pop Maker and figure out how to make Carmel Apple Popsicles.
It's sad that I am so excited about this.

A fun gift for the man in your life....

2009-12-22T01:32:00.000-07:00

So it's totally too late now. If you don't have a gift for the man in your life by now, you probably aren't going to have one by tomorrow. Well, if you have to buy it online that is.
I originally saw them in Real Simple and have been meaning to post them earlier.

BBQ Swords from wishingfish.com. Super fun!
Thinking waaaay ahead, these would be a great Father's Day gift.

Speaking of Gingerbread Houses...

2009-12-21T00:12:00.001-07:00

I found some super cute ones today.
This modern one is my favorite. Once I get gingerbread skills I'm totally going to make it!
This one makes me tired just looking at it. Crazy amount of work.

Cute! I love how colorful this one is.

Pretty, pretty. I love the sparkle and the pink and the ballerina in the front. So pretty...

Found on Flickr.

Tiny Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

Only 5 more days until Christmas.
That seems totally absurd to me. I still have one more gift to buy!
I do not feel quite ready.

Ready or not, the big day will soon be here.

I love these gingerbread houses that sit on the side of your mug. Seriously, how cute are they??? See more photos and get instructions here at not martha.
I really have a thing for gingerbread...extra spicy gingerbread. yum!

It's dreamy...

2009-12-19T01:13:00.000-07:00

I am totally swooning over this duvet cover from Anthropologie.

Isn't it dreamy?

Ornament DIY

2009-12-18T01:06:00.001-07:00

I really enjoy the blog How About Orange.
She has the cutest tutorial on how to make these ornaments.
Had I put up a tree this year, I totally would have made them. :)

I was naughty...

2009-12-17T01:33:00.001-07:00

I didn't send Christmas cards this year. I always send Christmas cards. I think I even sent them when I was in college. That's how geeky I am.
Not this year though.
I'm not really feeling Christmas this year, so I decided not to fake it with the cards. It's been kind of a relief, but I've been kind of sad about it too.

Had I sent cards, I was planning on sending Plantable Holiday Cards from Botanical Paperworks. They grow into Spruce Trees when planted. It's a beautiful card AND gift!

2009-12-16T06:27:00.001-07:00

I want to spend the time I have

doing things that make my heart rage.
~Buck Howard

Photo by me. Jordan Pond: Acadia National Park. Maine. 2007

Modern Wallpaper

2009-12-15T06:35:00.003-07:00

I have always HATED wallpaper. Absolutely HATED it.
Growing up my mom literally wallpapered EVERY room in her house! E V E R Y R O O M!
My parents built their house in the 80's. Wallpaper was very in (or at least my mom believed it was).
So she originally did grey and mauve wallpaper everywhere. (Sidenote: We couldn't call it pink, we had to call it mauve, was that classier???) I believe in the kitchen there were geese on the border. My bedroom had mint green and pink ballerina bears. It was textured...fancy. The boys rooms were all sport ball themed. Man, we were stylin'!
It was probably the mid-90's the first time that she decided to tear down the wallpaper in the entire house. It was a pain in the ass to say the least.
You would think that after all the work and mess of tearing the old wallpaper down she would never wallpaper again, right?
Wrong.
New forest green and burgundy wallpaper replaced all the grey and mauve. This time I was old enough to not only help tear off the old wallpaper, but help put up the new as well.
It sucked.
Cut to early 2000's and of course....she's at it again.
Thank the good lord though, we were able to talk her out of replacing the wallpaper with wallpaper. Instead she painted. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Well......she did put up a border in the kitchen and powder bath, but you can't expect total transformation right?
This is a long story to say that I just despise wallpaper.
Except....
I really like all the great new modern versions out there these days.
Here are a few I was checking out today...

I like this Graham & Brown- Rosewood Wallpaper from 2modern. It's trendy, but super fun!
I also really like the clock in this photo.
I think this Branch Wallpaper from ScandanavianDesignCenter is my favorite of the day. Just one wall in a Master Bedroom would be so pretty.
The Seesaw Wallpaper from Design Public is very interesting. I like the texture and I think it looks great in the photo, but it kind of reminds me of mini blinds.

As a quick aside...I have a friend who is an extremely talented and experienced interior designer. She has designed some of the best homes in the Salt Lake area. She is about my mom's age and also built her home in the 80's, recently she remodeled one of her bathrooms due to a mold problem. I say due to a mold problem because if she didn't the have mold she would never had needed to re-do that bathroom. It was still beautiful and timeless. It had three walls of beautiful Ralph Lauren wallpaper that looked just as in style today as it did when she bought it in the 1980's. Her tile, cabinet and countertop all still looked great. I mention this because we all get so caught up in trends. I think trends are great...in moderation. We shouldn't have to completely remodel and/or redecorate our homes every 10 years. Keep them simple, classic and what you love. Keep doing small updates on the moderated trendy stuff and you won't have to spend a lot of time and money re-doing it all every few years.