Sunday, July 29, 2012

Revisiting Bobby Trendy!

Image via TMZ

Remember Bobby Trendy? The interior designer of Anna Nicole Smith back in 2001 or so. She had a show on MTV or VH1 (I think) and he did most of her interiors in this pink..as seen in this photo. He was delightfully over-the-top gay and wore lipstick? I also felt like he was using her at the time for fame, fortune and clients. His eye was horrifying. To be fair, I guess it was Anna Nicole's taste, but I don't think a lot of designers would want to put their names on the above styled space. Then again, maybe he made so much money that he just didn't care. As I told my friend Scott many, many times "Not everyone can be bought, Scott." This was in reponse to what kinds of disgusting things I'd do for $1 Million. 

I think I always ruined the game by saying "It's not even a million, it's like $600,000 after taxes if you're lucky!" which would be met with an annoyed sigh.

I digress. As per usual!



Trendy Style Rooms a la Bobby. This is from http://teacupsandcouture.com/?p=7739 and I can't be sure if this is a Bobby room OR if it was inspired by him:

Needless to say...great for a tween!



I think it's the bows that get me
Image via Zimbio.com


What would be FUN here? To do the thing Domino magazine used to do "Turn this outfit into a Room"!! RIP Domino. God, I loved that magazine!




The competition is ON, friends! I dare you to turn this outfit into a room!  

Hit me with your best shot!



And....I"d be remiss if I didn't share Mr. Trendy's real blog for design- this homepage shows a more grown up and subdued Bobby..



Hope your Sunday is fabulous and thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me!!


xxoo

T


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Where I'll Be Wednesday & Hop The Movie

Just popping in to say HEYYYY!!!

Also..to let anyone reading know that I'll be guest posting tomorrow (Wednesday) at Life Of Splendor.  I'll be sharing my kitchen remodel story. If you want to see an ugly kitchen (and you may have already seen it here as I blogged about it awhile back)...go here tomorrow:




http://lifeofsplendor.com/

I'd also like to say that while our kitchen wasn't the worst of offenders, that the issue was our home was a model home for the builder before it sold. There was one owner before us. Apparently an investor and then the market turned to crapola and so he lost money and it was foreclosed upon. Enter me and Brad back in 2008! "Someone had to buy it!"  So the point..and I do have one...if this kitchen of ours before was a showcase kitchen, I'd hate to see what the builder grade would have looked like. I also say with men..not ALL men, just some: Leave the design decisions to a lady, a professional OR get some input and ideas from magazines before you go matching everything in harsh orangelicious tones! Ugh.

Today I am working on finishing up a few Etsy orders, found a tick on the puppy and I may have more coffee due to a caffeine headache! "Here's what's happening on the Ranch!" Nod to the Pioneer Woman who I LOVE! Love her show on the Food Network.

Related to NOTHING in this post: I miss Colorado and wish we could go back!


I also NEED to mention that I babysat my nephew Emerson yesterday. We had a great time and we rented "Hop"..so darling! Laugh out loud funny and good for adults and kids! Five stars!

Have a fabulous day!!

xoxo~

T

Sunday, July 22, 2012

My Momma.

She would have turned 70 today.  She died when I was 19 so sadly I'm used to her not being here..even so...I wanted to share a few pics of her as a little historical document for me. Also..to remind all of you who still have your moms around to love and appreciate them.



My little sister Dawn and my Mom, Dorothy.


I've been able to remember her more honestly in the last 10 years or so, being able to admit things about her that upset me or bugged me. This wasn't possibly in the first decade after she died. I was just too sad. I think it's healthy as it shows I'm making progress as the grieving process is never linear, makes no sense and for me..just when I think I'd passed through a phase, I'd be back in it a few months later. I personally believe (and I've had 21 years to ponder this and miss my mom) that it never really ends, it just morphs and becomes manageable over time. You make a new life and it's never the same as the old one, it's different. And you figure out how to manage and survive something that seems insurmountable and horrific. I also want to remember her honestly as I age because that's how I'd want people to remember me.






She loved the color blue.
Magnolias.
A drink called a Pink Squirrel. Horrible! She was not a drinker and it tastes terrible. A girlfriend and I had them when I was in my late 20's on my bday to honor my mom. We never had them again. :-)

She wore moccasins and they were not cool. She wore the "true" ones that had no support or cushioning whatsover.

She used words like "Oh, Joan and I were just jawjacking" when referring to chats with friends.

She was good friends with Esther Fritzam (do you LOVE that name?) The Avon Lady.

She found me difficult to raise but would also say "Oh T! You never cease to amaze me!"

She LOVED books. LOVED. If she was reading, you could not get her attention.

Me and my little sister used to fight about who got to sit next to her on the couch when she was reading as she'd be at the end, by the light. Then she'd become angry and sometimes yell "Goddammit! Can't I ever have  moment of peace?"

She had a dirty mouth. See above. NOT always. But I do recall as a teenager once saying to her "Good god, woman! You have the mouth of a sailor."

She was a terrible driver and would try to merge on freeways going about 40mph. Once it was so scary that I yelled "You're going to kill us!" and she said "I have never had a ticket! I am a great driver!" and I yelled "You're terrible and everytime you get pulled over you have a car full of kids so the officer feels sorry for you and lets you go!".

She did not speak to me for a few days after that convo.

She smoked wayy to much and loved cigarettes and coffee.

She bought us a lot of fun junkfood on a regular basis.

She loved us.

She made me homemade Play Doh as a kid. I received a cash register for my 9th bday and was overjoyed. I woke up the next morning and saw her tracing change..quarters, nickels and dimes. I didn't have the language at the time, but I recall thinking "Wow, my mom is amazing and she really loves me." The memory of that makes me want to cry.

She hated sewing and for years told me our machine was broken. Her mother was a master seamstress. I never realized she was lying about the "broken" sewing machine until after she died. There was nothing wrong with it, she just didn't want to sew.

She did, however...crochet me a RAD green jumpsuit for my Barbie one year. Barbie ROCKED that outfit!

She was funny and inappropriate at times with her humor. She embarrassed me. I remember being about 15 at the State Fair and she started yelling at people carrying signs to legalize pot. I was mortified. She also yelled at older men who would look at me when I was a teen. "What the hell are you looking at you pig? She's FIFTEEN!" As an adult, I appreciate all of this.

She was strong willed.

She loved the Golden Girls. Especially..Estelle Getty I think?

Also loved...Dolly Parton. Kenny Rogers. Country music. Charley Pride.Johnny Mathis. The theatre. I didn't appreciate the theatre visits as a child, but as an adult I can see what she was doing.



She was really pretty, but I never saw that as a child. I think you just think of your mom as your mom and don't see them as anything beyond that for years.

She never took enough photos which is why I am a FREAK about pictures and documents and even this blog as I can document life and little moments.

The great news: The love never dies. It's forever and always, to infinity and beyond!

Have a wonderful Sunday!!

xxoo

Friday, July 20, 2012

Pinterest Love Friday! Round Three?

I can't say I really recall how many times I've actually done a Pinterest friday. Memory is not nor has ever been my strong suit.

What I'm loving today:

This just made me laugh out loud. It took me four months last year to yield about 8-10 tomatoes. But I do recall receiving them over the years from friends, neighbors and anyone really who had too many.



I love the below idea for a bookcase that is plain and needs a lil something somethin! Very clever and I think I actually may do this AND it's possibly...hold on...in the realm of my "abilities"! Yay!




Does your baby boy have a special business meeting anytime soon? I've found the perfect outfit!




I saw this and my heart soared. I'd like to do this one day.





Amazingly cute idea for a baby girl gift AND you're kind of covered (sort of) for a few years!





I'm always trying to make the kids in my life (and myself!) laugh...this has a bunch of jokes that are actually quite cute! Oddly enough, my nine year old nephew likes sarcasm, but he also likes jokes like the ones below: 

What do you call a pig that knows karate? 
  - A pork chop!
----------
3. Why do bees have sticky hair?  
-Because they use honeycombs.




Love is love is love!





Positive and FREE printables! Hee Haw! 






A rule I live by!





Cutest photography on Etsy for baby or anywhere! What I find myself wondering: How did anyone get these babies to pose?! Or is this all trickery? I find that I hope it's real! Either way, adorable!


Amy's Etsy Shop:





Cute, cute!



That's this week's round up! I'm off to hit the thrift stores, flea markets and antique shops in Buffalo, MN! It's a friday so they've GOT to be open!

Holla & Happy Friday!

xxoo

T






Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Landscaping Before And Afters

I have a habit of obsessively taking photos of our everchanging landscape. I think Brad has always found that a bit weird about me. HOWEVER..when he recently saw the changes in growth and how much better things look...I DARE say he seems to be excited about the weird-camera-lovin-wife!

June 2008. We had just planted everything. Our home had nothing but some grass (and crappy grass at that!) and dirt in our front yard.
Look at the tree struggling there on the left...



Please pay the dog urination spots NO notice. Not much you can do with two dogs and..well we only had one back then!!


 NOW: What a difference a few years makes!  The tree has doubled in height! Yayy!! The little green plant between the two red shrubs is an Annabelle Hydrangea that we moved too late last summer. It got all stressed out and SHOULD be the size of the others that you'll see in a moment. Just as it started to come back this spring, I found our puppy gnawing on the wooden sticks. Nein! I was not happy and was prepared to remove it and replant. But then..it started coming back! Our own little Charlie Brown plant! Also..I have been meaning to paint the frames of these outdoor chairs black from Rustoleum for a few years now. What's my deal? If it's not on MY LIST, I forget! Guaranteed!



NOW: I had another two knockout rose bushes here. Curtis killed one and the winter killed the other. The survivors are amazing and flower like crazy!



Below is in 2008 after we planted everything.
Pay specific attention to the size of those green hydrangeas back there and the second to last hosta on the right.


Kind of looks like I gave that hosta a round up cocktail, does it not? We have NO clue why it grew so much larger than all of the others! It's crowding the barberry or bayberry (??) plant behind it. The only thing we surmised is that we had lots of rabbit droppings around said plant over the winter. Magic? 



He loves the plants too and gets caught in and around them daily. He needs to be neutered and soon and is on a long leash when out front because he runs after EVERYTHING...birds, cars, motorcycle and favorites that make him go NUTTY: school buses and the garbage truck!






Another look back in 2008-2009






And Today!
I'd always like more color in the front beds, but it's a very shady area. I THINK I'm going to paint our front door red as it's good feng shui and I'm sick of the black. Thoughts?

I'm off to eat cake AND maybe even HOT SOUP so as to stick with my latest weird hot-summer-eating theme! Dream Big!

Have a great day!

xoxo~

T





Monday, July 16, 2012

My Etsy Shop & Sale, Cake and Randoms

Summer sale going on in my Etsy shop!  It's hot, I've been making things and need more room for new items!

Get 15% off from  now until...who knows...with the code "summersale" at checkout!

Chalkboards:


Memoboards for kids rooms, nurseries, baby shower gifts...I have "heard" that chevron is out, I say it's still IN!


Need a place to display your little one's masterpieces or photos?


Rustic display frames with chicken wire:


In other completely unrelated news..met up with my nephew Nick for lunch today. For whatever ridiculous reason, I continue to order SOUP at restaurants! It's 100 degrees here! I was doing this on our road trip to and from Colorado as well...I don't get it myself. "100 degrees? What kind of soup do you folks have? Chicken Noodle? A bowl please, extra hot!" It is weird. And I've been drinking my morning coffee hot. I usually ice it. What is up?!

I seriously have to buy the dogs a little pool for the backyard as it's too hot to do anything other than sit out there and sigh...


This damned cake Brad made is still taunting me! It's delicious but come on..no one can eat cake everyday! Do I want to? Check. Can I? Nope. My desire to hit my treadmill is also at an all time LOW and that makes things..you guessed it..even more "awesome"!!





On the wall in a restaurant in Estes Park..think these would be big sellers in my Etsy shop?!



Emerson's cute little soccer pic made into a button! Who doesn't like a button? Exactly. I remember my mom wearing one of me from softball on her purse and I was mortified. We also lived in a very small town.."hey Tina! Saw your mom and your pic taking a ride on her purse yesterday at Ben Franklin! Ha!"  I have worn this ON my purse, but because it's so cute..Brad and I like to hide it around the house for one another to find. It's our "Where's our Waldo?" moment of the day. Today I found it in my sunglass case!




Sunday, July 15, 2012

Sunday Inspiration And Love

This about sums it up for me today:

image via Pinterest



My basil plant. The smell of this just makes me happy and relaxed. However, when I try to have one indoors in the cold months, it always attracts those nasty flies. 
Back porch view here. It's pretty. It's also 100+ lately during the day. Sigh. Too bad it's too hot to enjoy it..now. Still..lovely.

Right before a huge storm on Friday. Someone wise once said "If you don't like your view in the moment, look up." I agree. Always seems to put things into perspective!

Curtis likes the view too!

Happy Sunday All! It's dirty armpit hot here....and seems like it's only going to get worse. I really wish I had a pool about now. Maybe I'll buy the dogs a cheap Mr. Turtle this week?

Holla!

xoxo~

T


Friday, July 13, 2012

The Next Time You're In Nebraska...

Specifically YORK, Nebraska..Go here!

There was a sweet older woman who worked the drive thru. Let's be honest, she ROCKED the drive thru. Brad ordered a mocha and she sweetly told him "I put a whole candy bar in there!"  Sounds terribly good and unhealthy. Again, I say YES!



I have an obsession with small towns and coffee houses. I am not embarrassed to say that I made my hubby drive by here on our way BACK from Colorado so I could photograph it.  I will also go on record as saying: I think Nebraska is beautiful. In its own way. It's no Colorado and doesn't have that kind of beauty, but it's pretty. When I lived in Arizona and would roadtrip "home" to Minnesota in the summers, I always cried once I got to Nebraska. It would suddenly feel humid and smell of corn and it was home to me. Always will be.







Next up..somewhere in Iowa. Iowa is so pretty. Especially the southwestern part. So many windmills! I did research after we returned because they have sooo many windmills and...apparently around 18% of the state's electricity comes from wind power. I find that exciting!



Who knew rest stops could be soo pretty? Are these black eyed susans? It was above 100 degrees when we stopped here and on the way out I said "Brad! Get into those flowers!" and he was hot and annoyed and said "YOU get in those flowers!" and I said "I don't want a picture of me!" and needless to say...he was too hot and possibly annoyed with my mad photography SKILLZ on said day...and is nowhere to be found in photos. I had envisioned him in the flowers a la Anne Geddes style.  No dice. But the flowers...lovely.




In other weekly  news...Emerson had his last soccer game this past week. Crazy Dino's season is over! I always referred to them as "Fighting Dino's" as a  secret nod to Fighting Irish. Yes, we do have some irish in us via Granny McDaniels!  Here is his trophy. He was told by his coaches that he's one of the team's most valuable players AND we now have a button of him. Brad is wearing the button in this pic. So cute. Can you tell we really need to have kids of our own?



We've also just been hanging with the dog babies since returning. I don't think they were huge fans of us being away for a good week. We did learn a few tricks from the Hidden Acres Pet Ranch...kong dog balls filled with peanut butter, put in freezer during the day and used as a "turn down snack" before bed! Genius! Keeps them both busy for a good 20 minutes and makes them tired!  Here we all are watching Season Five of "Weeds". I need to touch up my blackish roots but the heat makes me not care so much. Is that bad?


I leave you all with this TEASER..BRAD made homemade, from scratch PINK LEMONADE CAKE! He found the recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It. Is. Delicious. I think I may have asked him "What's it like to be good at mostly everything AND have perfect skin?" My best friend refers to him as "LBS" as in "Loves Baby Soft" because his skin is baby perfect. 
He's back to work for the next week. I fear a sugar conniption coming on...

Holla!!


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Rocky Mountains Part Two

Yes, there are more pictures. Always more! I have a few cute pics of me and of me with Brad and then...many, MANY terrible ones. I told my best friend "There are even a few where I look like a Nordic man...are you and Brad BLIND?" and "This is why it's always good to really work on your innards!" I digress.

This little nugget was found at a gas station somewhere in Nebraska. I thought it was pretty sage advice:
Can't argue with common sense. It was about 105 degrees when I took this..fyi.





Have you seen a cuter window-washer recently? I have not. I heart Brad.




We didn't eat here, but I did stop to pee. I just love the look of it...and had I been hungry and had we not stopped oodles of times for gas and said urinating, I would like to think I would have eaten a BLT here with a vanilla coke.




On our way up to Estes Park.

I have to say that when this much beauty surrounds me, it's hard to even remember why or how things bug me. Brad asked me about something during this trip and I said "Honestly, it's so amazing here that I haven't even thought about that in a few days." THAT is also a good vacation!


We do a lot of self photos. For the first time in a few years, we figured out how to use the TIMER on our camera! So we used that a bit because it was fun with me yelling 'NO, NOW! Get back here! Five seconds!" We even had someone ask "Can I take your photo for you?" Us: "Nope, this is fun." Weirdos, we are. Yes. Easily entertained?



Estes Park. This town was super cute and beautiful, but a bit too touristy for me. Too many t-shirt shops and stores selling junk. To me. I understand if others like it. We stayed five minutes away from all of this and I liked it much better. Pretty, just not for me.


Estes Park Sock Tree for Kim. I don't understand it but tried not to question the how or why.



I find this kind of beauty humbling, inspiring and proof that God does exist. 




Bradders. This picture makes my heart happy as he had hip surgery last September and is finally up and around. 




I simply love this. It's beautiful. We didn't want to bother the tree by adding our initials and didn't think it important, but seeing this made my heart happy. Wonder if these couples are still together, alive, etc.??


From 90 degrees to 55 degrees in less than 48 miles. That was pretty cool. I loved it up here minus the terrifying roads with NO GUARDRAILS. Seriously. How many people just drive off the road? When I took my first roadtrip through Colorado (through the mountains, I had always just driven through the east side.) and asked a guy "How scary is the drive?" He replied "It's okay. We lose some people every year at the Ouray Pass because they drive too fast, hit a goat and go off the edge." ???? Stuff that you can only find out from locals! It's like when I lived in Sedona. People regularly wear the wrong shoes, fall off of rocks and die there. It's bad for tourism so no one really talks about it. I digress. The point? Listen to the locals! I have a respect for scary mountain roads that are unfamiliar!


The coolest thing about being up here...the various animals. The flower and plant life in such a harsh environment. Apparently the grow season for some flowers is only 40 days! Also..we saw a bee pollinating a flower at 11,000+ feet. That was pretty amazing. I would be remiss if I forgot to mention that we also had a fly travel with us from middle Nebraska TO Colorado. Talk about hitching a ride! I think that needs to be made into a kids movie, but another time, another day!

Off to dinner! If I get the guts, I may just post all of the vacation uglies..pics that is.

Wishing you all a lovely evening!

xo~

T