Current Obsession.....

So ever since I watched a renovation of Guiliana Rancic's LA condo, I've been OBSESSED with this print. The detail up close is just AMAZING!! Lord Bodner's octopus original is a copperplate engraving was published in 1826 in London as part of a series studying creatures of the deep. You can purchase the octopus as one large print or as a triptych. I personally like the triptych. It's extremely unique and very striking in a room. Unfortunately, I don't have $3900 to blow on it, so I'm creating my own bootleg version! More pictures of the bootleg to come!

l'anniversaire heureux - la partie trois

After the tour of Biltmore, we checked into our fabulous Grand Bohemian Hotel. This place was amazing too! It had such a cool, dark, well, Bohemian feel! It was beautifully designed and they definitely had a great budget! I designed for hospitality for 3 years (in New York and Knoxville) and this was a HUGE budget. {some of the pictures are dark...we only had cellphone cameras}

l'anniversaire heureux - la partie deux

So after we left the Antler Hill Biltmore Winery, we headed over to the Biltmore ESTATE {a little more bubbly than usual :) }. I had never been and let me tell you, I was BLOWN AWAY!! From the details, to the stone work, the tapestries, just all of it! I was so inspired and to say it again, blown away by the fine small, details. Below are some shots from the outside of the Estate. We are the little people at the front door in both shots! Wish it was ours! Hahaha!! {Boooo, no pictures allowed inside :(}.

l'anniversaire heureux - la partie un

So for our 2 year anniversary, Dan and I decided to take a trip to Asheville. Actually, I picked up Asheville as a territory for my job, and Dan tagged along on my inaugural trip! We drove up early morning on the 16th and Dan had a surprise for me. He had arranged a private wine tour of the Biltmore winery! We took this wonderful tour behind the scenes and got to see the grapes as they arrive, the vats, the hundred year old oak barrels from all over the world and best of all, tasting! Here are a few pictures of the chardonnay grapes as they arrived fresh, the new Biltmore labels, etc. It was an amazing experience! Thank you love!

Just hangin around....

So I've had 2 problems: First, I buy way to much fun "ghetto" jewelry, be it rings, earrings, necklaces, etc. I have so many accessories that you can find them in my car, purse, dining table, desk, night stand, you name it! The second problem is I can NEVER find anything!! So today, I took on ORGANIZATION of my jewels!! I used a few antiques I had laying around the house and then constructed a new item on a minimum budget!

This red compote is vintage and my wonderful mother gave it to me one Christmas ago! It is my new bracelet holder!

{now I just have to locate them all!}

This beautiful 1930's green glass bowl was given to me as a wedding gift from a dear friend who's parents own a lot of antique glass. I will cherish it forever. It is the new right hand ring holder!

And below is my latest project, my new earring holder! I saw this around Christmas on Anthropologie for like $75 and thought how easy it would be to create! I went to JoAnn's and they had all of their frames %50 percent off, so I got the frame for $12.50. The lace wasn't my favorite, but it was $7.99 yard and I bought 1/2 a yard for my 24" wide frame. I really wanted a beautiful Chantilly lace, but since I am only hanging earrings on it, I relinquished that thought. {plus I couldn't find any} I doubled the lace over, so it would be thicker, and used my staple gun {a must have} and stretched the lace as tight as possible. Voila! What do you think? I'm going to hang it, but for now here it is: $16.50 TOTAL!!! :)

{since my earrings are taken off and placed here and there, the bottom row represents earrings still searching for their mate. We aren't giving up hope that he/she will appear in some purse, bag, etc.!}

Now that the earrings, rings and bracelets are taken care of, it's time to take on my largest vice: necklaces. They are in drawers and on plates on my shelves, in purses {surprise} and bags. I am still working on some kind of wood board, covered in my wedding wallpaper by Cole and Son, framed in a pop yellow or green color trim, with multiple knobs in various styles to hang the necklaces on. We will see. This is a project for the weekend. However, my 2 year anniversary is on Monday and the hubs and I are sneaking off to Asheville for a quick get a way!! I've never been to Biltmore and I think we are going wine tasting too! There has to be surprises ya know! :) I'll post pictures from the trip next time!

Let the Transformation begin....

So we've lived in our house for almost 4 years now. We've painted only 2 rooms and it drives me crazy!!! So for our 2 year anniversary, my husband and I are taking on our living room. It's a tough space, since it is the living room and the dining room all in one large, rectangular space. {12'x24'} We are determined to make a beautiful cohesive living space keeping some of our existing pieces and getting a few new ones! :) Here are a few of the pieces we are keeping and some of the new ones!

I have a pair of these GORGEOUS green lamps which I inherited from my late grandmother. I was the only one in my family to see their true beauty and potential! They are in desperate need of a new shades for the new living room but they are definitely staying! Key accent pieces! :)

What cool detail work, huh?

keeping the mirrored side table and round beveled mirror

Awesome IKEA metal bowl, moss rocks, etc. These stay!

this is the new dining chair fabric {love the trellis patterns!}

And that's about it! Now...onto the new items!!!!! The picture below of our new sofa also has our same wood floor color of wood and similar wall color we are painting. We are getting new doors, putting up crown molding and maybe some wainscot if I can convince Dan! :)

its not necessarily my ideal designer sofa, but it's practical, love the color and its a steal! Especially with these pillows:

And these curtains!!!!!!!! I am obsessed with beautiful yellow dupioni silk, pinch pleated, puddled floor curtains! I imagine I will have to settle for something a little more commercial, but one can dream!

And this white leather ottoman {not sold on this one}

and flips to a hard surface for drinks/etc.

and possibly one of these little babies...may be a little too much yellow, but i love the baroque leg, plus its from IKEA so you know its a good deal!put all of this together, well most of it, and you have this {terrible} attempt at what it could look like! {ps I miss my photoshop and indesign programs on my mac.}

Pictures to come in the following couple of weeks....wish us luck!