NumberNineteen

Caught My Fancy - February

In the past few weeks, I've had plenty of snow time (read: days off!) to relax and let things catch my fancy...it's amazing how some time to yourself really lets you focus on the good things.

Paris in Love & Eloisa James - I mentioned last fall that Paris in Love by Eloisa James was one of my favorite books of 2014.  It's been on my mind constantly recently, so I picked it up from the library again.  I read it over the weekend and fell in love all over again.  I looked up the book and author at both the book's website: Paris in Love and the author's site: Eloisa James/Mary Bly , as well as started following her on Facebook.

Ms. James/Mary Bly (Eloisa James is her pen name) is just as wonderful on FB as she is in Paris in Love -- witty & utterly fascinating.  She has degrees from Harvard, Oxford and Yale and is a professor of Shakespearean literature.  But, in addition, she is a best selling romance writer -- a writer of bodice rippers, if you will!  I understand that she and her family are currently living in London (they usually reside in NYC), so I'm hoping that there will be a London in Love in the next year or so.

Broadchurch - Glenn and I binge watched this riveting British crime drama New Year's long weekend.  We had to go back to work before we finished the season and it killed us, having to wait all day to see the next episode.  There is a second season (YAY!!!!) that is starting next Wednesday on BBC America.  The time and date is marked large in pen on the calendar.  Check out the Wikipedia entry: Broadchurch . I would direct you to the BBC America site, but it is full of spoilers.  If you like crime dramas (think Prime Suspect, True Detective ) you really should watch it.

 

Garlic Zoom - Don't laugh, this really is the next best thing to sliced bread.  I'm serious!  After my, ahem, incident, which required 8 stitches a few summers ago, I've been looking for an alternative to the old fashioned way of mincing garlic.  My sister got me a Garlic Zoom for Christmas and it is the cat's pajamas.  You just open up the top, drop in a peeled garlic clove and roll the thing around your counter a few times.  Open it back up & voila!  Minced garlic!

Rifle Paper Company Phone Cases - I just found out (as in today) that the Rifle Paper Company makes phone cases . I love their designs -- they are so pretty and whimsical. And, since I updated my iPhone last summer, I've been looking for a case that I really love.  The one above, called the Rosa design, is calling out to me.  But, the Paris & NYC cases are close second & third:

So, it's almost the end February and we are headed towards spring!  At least, that is what the calendar says, but we have a forecast of snow for tonight.  Maybe I'll get a little more time to see what else catches my fancy...!

The Completed Study -- Built In Bookshelves

Welcome into our completed study!  Glenn's hard work paid off beautifully in our gorgeous new built in bookshelves.  I'm so proud of him and am in love with the shelves.  I looked everywhere for a before photo and all that I could find is this picture that was taken right after the house was completed.

This is pretty much what it was like until recently.  We had a desk & a credenza as well as bookshelves from our old house.  The walls were white and the bookshelves were overflowing. 

Glenn worked for an entire year on the shelves and they look perfect!  He did such a good job at matching up with the existing molding.

 

He painted the room a sandy color and hung up our diplomas, some of which had been in storage since we got married. We moved the old bookshelves downstairs along with some of our books.  The new shelves were built larger than the previous to be able accommodate our never ending collection.  We know ourselves well.
It was so fun to style the shelves. I dug around our house and found lots of knick knacks, accessories and pictures to play with. I tried to put some books upright, some stacked on their side, stacked items on top of each other for interest and filled in the "holes" between sections.  {Yes, I do have them arranged into sections -- fiction, biography, etc} We also chose to use the center shelf as a display area for family photos. I checked out Pinterest for inspiration, but found two problems with many pictures that I found there: 

1) Our bookshelves are for actually holding a large collection of books, not just as decorative spaces.

2) I am a librarian.  I cannot arrange books by color, no matter how pretty it is!  My brain says, "But how would you find what you are looking for???".  Haha.

Having said that, check out these gorgeous shelves...what inspiration!

All Images from Fieldstone Hill Design

 

 

Snow Day

The first real snow day of the year!  Conveniently, I might add, the day after a 3 day weekend!  It was so lovely & perfect this morning, like the world was covered in frosting.  Hope & I got out there and took a few flights down the hill across the street and then Glenn and I tackled the shoveling.  It's almost a pity that we have to clear the walks (it ruins the frosting!).  When I pulled on my trusty LL Bean boots this morning, I thought of when I got them 22 years ago, right before the second semester of sophomore year of college.  Still looking pretty good, huh? 

Snowflakes and snow.

After sledding, Hope and Dexter snuggled in by the fire for a good read with lunch.  I spent the afternoon catching up on scrapbooking -- only 2 years behind! -- and binge watching Gossip Girl (don't judge). 

We have tomorrow off as well (it is Virginia, after all).  I'm looking forward to catching up on a few things, including sleep :)

Valentine's Week Fun

At this point, Glenn and I pretty much have dispensed with Valentine's Day gifts and such (especially since it follows closely behind both of our birthdays), but we still love to do special things for Hope.  Parents are our first Valentines and I always want her to know that she is loved on that day.  I didn't have a boyfriend until after I graduated college, but my Daddy always brought (or sent, when I was away at school) flowers to my sister and I. 

A few of the things that we'll be doing this year are:

Heart Shaped Rice Krispie Treats

Glenn's favorite dessert is Rice Krispie Treats, so I think that I'm going to form some into heart shapes like in this picture.  They are so easy but so cute.

X and O Cookies

I've had these X & O cookies in my files for a long time & I've always thought that they would be really fun to make with kids.  I'll be honest, I'm not too sure if we are going to get to make them this year, but they are so cute & easy looking that I thought that I'd share. 

I always put a cute note into Hope's lunch box at least once a week -- usually Monday, because everyone needs a pick me up on Monday -- but this week, I'm going to do it every day. I found several fun free printables on Pinterest this weekend that I've printed & cut out:

Skip to My Lou Lunch Box Jokes

Capturing Joy Lunch Box Notes

Couponing is Great Lunch Box Notes

We also always give Hope a card, a little bucket full of candy and a heart shaped balloon on Valentine's Day.  Rainer & family will be with us this year, so we'll make sure that he gets some goodies as well.  Do you have any fun traditions on Valentine's Day?

Home Finishing Touches 2015 -- Kitchen and Dining Room

To finish up my mini-series on what we are planning regarding house projects this year, I'll talk about the kitchen and dining room.  The projects in these rooms really are just touches, not big decorating schemes.  In both of these rooms, it is all about a little bit here, a little there.  Sometimes because of lack of money but also because the perfect thing hasn't jumped out at me.

Without further ado, the kitchen.  The project that we are thinking of tackling is the backsplash.  And when I say "tackling", I mean DIY.  Even though we've never tiled anything.  Weeeee!!!!

My initial plan when we moved in was to do plain white subway tile.  While I still love the look, I thought that it might be a little stark with our pure white cabinets & black granite.  So, when I saw marble subway tile, I really loved the look.  The decision now is between Carrera marble and Calacutta Gold marble.

Carrera Tile Backsplash - The Sunny Side Up Blog

Grecian Gold Tile Backsplash - via HomeBunch

I really like the Grecian Gold.  It feels warmer to me & not so gray.  Of course, there is the matter of cost.  I don't know if I can find an affordable source for the Grecian Gold.  The research continues....

Next, the dining room...

I'm definitely going for a traditional look in the dining room, but I don't want it to be boring.  The rug that we've pretty much decided on is really on the traditional side:

via Overstock

Or, not.  As I've been writing this post, I realized that the rug is no longer available in the size that we need.  Curses!

OK.  Here is the second choice:

via Overstock

It's a little darker but will still fit into the scheme.  And...bonus...it's on sale for less than the original choice.  I think that I'm going to order it tonight!

So, here is a little something that I'd like to do with the chairs to make the room a little more fun:

Originally from Traditional Home, but the link is inactive (Link to my Pinboard)

Aren't those chair slips adorable? I love them and their design would be a little easier to construct than some others I've seen.  I might have to wait on that project until next year. 

So, there you are, our home plans for 2015.  Now I've got to get off my rear & get started on making them happen!

Keeping Accountable -- Month One

All right, I said I was going to be accountable for my 2015 goals, so here I am, reporting on my progress after one month. 

Volunteering -- I haven't done anything regarding volunteering, but I didn't really expect to in January.  I need to look into a few options and find the place that best fits what I'd like to contribute and my schedule.  Grade: Incomplete.

Involvement in Hope's School -- I made the first step and went to the PTO meeting in January.  I'm really glad that I did -- I learned a lot about what is going on and got to know the principal a little better.  My goal in the coming months is to continue to go to the meeting as well as get involved in activities.  Grade: B (doing well, but have room to grow)

My Health -- I have made very conscious efforts in this area.  I'm working very hard to get in 5 fruits/vegetables a day, I'm drinking more water and am working out on a regular basis.  However, my Waterloo is definitely sugar.  I have made zero improvement on reducing my sugar intake (well, maybe I made a 5% improvement, but it is paltry).  Grade: B- (I need to consistently get in my 5 fruits/veg, 8 glasses of water and bring up the number of times that I exercise per week from 3 to 4.  Oh, and do something about sugar!)

Reading -- I'm reading a lot right now and got through 6 books in January.  In order to reach my goal of 100 in a year, I need to read slightly more than 8 a month, so I'm a little behind.  I'll need to pick up a few easy ones ;)  Grade: A- 

Getting Mom in the Picture -- This hasn't been successful in the least!  Glenn doesn't think to take pictures & I keep forgetting to hand him my camera.  Grade: F (I really need to get on this or my grandkids will wonder what I looked like before I was old & gray)

How are you doing with your new year's goals?