So Not a Green Thumb

I finally figured out that the problem I thought was my camera was actually the SD card. So now I can take like six pictures at a time and then download them and delete them and so on and so forth. I know, I could just buy another card.

So, here are a few snapshots I wanted to share with you earlier in the week:


We spent last weekend at my mom's house. Little Miss M had a blast helping mom in her garden. She watered everything in sight. In abundance. I came home from shopping on Sunday afternoon to find this little garden waiting on their front porch. Little pots with seed starters she and M. planted together. Even labels on the clothespins! Super cute in theory but my mom should know better. Really, she should. I mean, look at the poor little things' new home...

I don't even remember if those dead plants in the background even belonged to me or if they came with the house. Either way, they haven't been tended to since August! And the "flower bed" they're sitting in? Mom mentioned something about cutting the old grass down to allow for new growth sometime last month. Still haven't gotten around to it. And don't even get me started on all the weeds that are beginning to creep in. And I'm supposed to transplant these new guys into soil somewhere? I don't think I know how to do that. We did finally get around to watering them last night, even though I'm pretty sure my mom said we needed to do it every day. Really?

Just next to my grave of flora sits a newly acquired pot. I saw one in one of David Bromstead's outdoor designs a couple of years ago and have wanted one ever since. It's a clever pot for coiling your hose inside. It's got a big ol' hole in the side of it to run the hose through. Even if my hose rarely gets used at least it'll have a pretty little bed to rest in. I've seen them in the $75 range and over spring break my aunt bought one at Home Goods for $50 and I almost caved. And wouldn't you know that in the past month Wall's has acquired a whole lotta Home Goods inventory so I scored this one for 33% off that! I love the colors: teal and turquoise and peacock blues. So now my goal is to paint the front door in a shade that compliments the pot. I've actually had paint swatches since I moved in but I just couldn't pick the perfect one. Hopefully the pot will make the decision a little less painful. Yes, I do realize I'm up to Summer Project #127 by now. And don't you love the way I scraped all the leaves and dirt and terra cotta shards partially out of the way to take the photo? Yep, I'm all about the staging!

Jailhouse Rock

Speaking of stripes, I THINK I finally came up with a name for the house. Only took me nine months but I guess if people take that long to name a child I can take that long to name a house. Right. It's not a person's name. I was toying with various "estate" names and then while sitting in the public libary this afternoon waiting for Little Miss M to play on the computers there an idea came to me:

The Federal Pen

Kinda funny, no? Beause it gets pretty crazy here and sometimes I feel like a prison warden. And with the animals coming and going it is sort of like a pen (not to mention the general disorderliness of the place). Oh, for those of you who don't know, my house is on Federal Street. But now that I think about it, I'm not so sure I'd ever want one of those family name signs with "Federal Pen" in the background. Okay, maybe it still needs some thought...

And while I'm on the topic of black and white...I bought two rolls of this wallpaper at a thrift store a couple of weeks ago.

I got it for $4 a roll and then found it (same brand!) online for $30. Score! Plans are to use it in my bathroom with the walls under the chair rail painted black.

Vertical stripes...

(source: elledecor.com)

or horizontal... That is the question. Hmmm...

Maybe both?

(source: Domino)

Just kidding!

Back in Black?

I've been toying of the idea of painting my kitchen cabinetry black. Especially since I loved how it turned out in Loraine, my last house. My mom has tried to persuade me in another direction. Any other direction. She thinks it will make the small space look too dark. I don't really care about that. I'm more concerned about whether or not it will look bizarre with my white stove and dishwasher. So I started looking online and found some photos. This is The Lettered Cottage's black kitchen with white appliances and I think it looks fine. I love everything about their kitchen. It's a little more country (or something) than I'm headed but I love it! I think I'm going to copy the corbel idea under my microwave shelf and on some open shelving I've been considering. I'd also copy the naked cabinets if 1) my cabinets were more organized and 2) my cabinets weren't the cheapest made cabinets on the market in the early 70s. Alas...

So...back to the black cabinets and white appliances...what are your thoughts?

Frustration

My third (yes, THIRD) point and shoot camera seems to have bitten the dust. What is it about me that causes it? It turns on and the lens zooms out but I can't push any of the buttons or even turn it off unless I remove the battery. Alas. And, sadly, I still haven't learned how to use my new DSLR. So let's just imagine you can see posted photos of...

...Little Miss M's temporary garden
...my favorite thrifting find in quite some time - a mid-century modern end table
...inspiration for painting my front door
...how outta control my backyard is. My neighbors (yep, on both sides) have taken to mowing the front yard. Gotta find myself a yardboy...

Canton Finds

I went to Canton last month with my two aunts and Little Miss M. I was able to keep my wallet in check except for one major splurge for M's room...

They had them last year and I really, really wanted one but seeing as how they were selling these chandeliers for about $250, I had to pass. This year, however, I walked into one of the vendor's shops and this one was less than $100 so I feel okay about it. Really okay. Super okay. Been looking for a photo of it and wouldn't you know today I stumbled across it at Urban Outfitters here. For $158. Yeehaw!

Can't wait to get it hung in M's room. But I'm debating about switching her room and the office so I guess I should hold off for a little longer. Add another project to my summer to-do list...

My other memorable purchase was another welded flying pig. Yes, I did say another one.

Little Miss M-ese

Aminals = animals...I know it's a common one but it's just so cute!

Bathing soup = bathing suit. A two-piece "bathing soup" is also referred to as a "keenie" and is made up of a "brawl and panties." My former foster daughter liked to wear her "mathin' suit."

Hotch scotch = hop scotch

Monstered = mustard

Ogret = not a baby Shrek but yogurt.

Oopsie pota-tios = I'll give you a moment to see if you can figure this one out...It took me a while to realize what she was trying to say was "uh-oh spaghettio." Cute, right?

Whoopadie! = an expression of excitement about something.

Not exactly a word she uses but a few weeks ago we were in the middle of a hardcore shopping spree and she looked up at me from the cart, furrowed her brow, and said, "You are wearing me out."

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life - R

So I feel the need to explain why I haven't posted in a while. It's silly, really. This is my 100th post and I got a case of stage fright. Felt the need to post something witty or meaningful or do a give away or something other than just the ordinary. But I'm a rather ordinary girl living an ordinary life in this ordinary world so here's my ordinary encyclopedia entry...

Range Rover - okay, I've said over an over again that I really want a Murano but if money were no object...Range Rover? Yes please!

Resident Assistant (RA) - I spent three years in college at OBU as a resident assistant. Loved it! Probably the most defining experience of my years there. I mean, besides the lifelong friendships created and the whole figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up.

Resident Director (RD) - also known as a dorm director. Loved it! Probably the most fun working experience of my adult life. Went back to OBU a few years after graduation and worked in my favorite dorm (er, residence hall) -- Go, Kerr!. Loved my girls (the RAs working for me as well as the residents) and my coworkers and all the event planning...Trick-Kerr-Treat, Murder Mystery, Trading Spaces, etc. What fun!

Road Trip - I love the idea behind road trips. Scenic routes, tourist traps, cheap souvenirs, soundtracks, all of it! But the actual execution is a little less beloved. I get bored easily and I don't really even like driving all that much. The checking out the cities and shopping and restaurants and sightseeing are all good. It's the actually getting there that's my problem. I did, however, manage to plan a cross-country trip and actually follow through with it a couple of summers ago. The destination was Florida to visit my BFF (Kristin!). I meandered through Memphis up to Kentucky (Amy!) and back down to Nashville (Adrian!) and across a tiny sliver of Alabama straight down Georgia (skipped the day and night in Atlanta) and finally reached Kristin about a week after I left home. After a couple of days at her place we headed west and spent a few days and nights in New Orleans (tattoo #2!) before I dropped her off to visit family in Texas. It was a good trip all in all. I'm thinking that actually buying an Airstream and a towing vehicle (Range Rover anyone?) will cure my dislike of driving. Right?! Because I love the idea of road trips...