cookie!

Ok, I'm seriously about to go crazy! Conde Nast has truly upset me once again . . .they are cutting cost (like the rest of us) and of all magazines, they have chosen, yet again, to stop production of my all time favorite mom magazine, Cookie. They've already taken Domino and Portfolio and now they're taking Cookie along with Gourmet. They're seriously killing me!

It's the all time best of modern mom magazines and pushes me and my creativity while balancing the world of mommy-hood. 

Again, sorrow for myself and all the other modern moms that look forward to their monthly subscription that always seems to help make each month more inspiring!

remodeling :: holy yellow batman!

So I had to fight for the YELLOW front door and was happy to finally win a battle that was truly inspired by some bright yellow doors on the web.

As you can see yellow became YELLOW and I'm not so sure about my decision.

It looks AMAZING in this picture and I think it's just as inspiring as other yellow doors I've seen . . . despite the limp and dying fall decor. Now I'm dreaming of a crazy zebra rug to add to our unpredictable front porch entrance in place of our sad and unimpressive door mat.

It definitely creates an entrance that becomes the prelude to a modern traditional home, which is exactly what I was going for . . . but I missed the mark with the shade of YELLOW. My inspiration was YELLOW, but with our over abudance of a pure white coastal house, I think I should have toned it down to be more of a yellow . . .

Eric said that while I was gone this past weekend that several different couples walking by complimented our color choice . . . but I'm definitely not sure if I believe them. There's no telling what people are saying in this conservative town.

Since the door was scraped and scraped for days in preparation of it's new coat of paint, it's safe to say that Eric will kill me if I mention that we need to tone the yellow down a notch. So, that being said, I think maybe some black shutters or possibly window boxes will be my next project in order to break up the large blank canvas.

Now the fun part begins as I pull out all of our Christmas decor and try to depict what will work with our new home . . . and YELLOW door.

fall without the decor . . .

It finally feels like fall.

24 November 2009

 . . . and I still don't have a wreath on my front door. Actually, after 3 weeks, the painters just finished painting our front door YELLOW.  .  . just in time for Christmas decor.

All year I've been setting goals for our house and every goal seems to become just a simple statement made and a simple statement past.

I'm obviously very anxious to get back to anything that resembles a simple life, including holiday decor. The fall season seems like it's flown by; especially since it's been 80 and 70 degrees throughout October and November with no signs of leaves changing colors (up until this past week).

As a creative person at heart, I have yearned to make these holidays warm, creative and cozy for our kids, despite living in a less than inviting construction zone.  Although I have had good intentions, the fall season has been anything but a stylish magazine cover for me.

*****

*The new halloween cookie cutters - left untouched sitting in Lucas' high chair * halloween pumpkins - most left undecorated (but great ideas in my crazy head) and then realized they were given to the Mexican workers painting the house by my husband without telling me * the cookies and baking supplies for fall cookies - still left untouched in the fridge and kitchen cupboards * my fall wreaths - still sitting on my desk in our room waiting to be hung (after painters are done with the exterior) *  cornicopias and other fall decor - still packed away in the attic with nowhere to be displayed * my fresh fall spice flavored candles - melted, warped and packed along with other candles * the few ceramic pumpkins set out for some simple decor - busted and shattered thanks to Lucas * my front porch plants and pumpkin scapes specifically placed in hopes to show the neighbors that we are not white trash - only to be crushed and wacked out by the painters

*****

Nothing has gone according to plan for me but I was able to let the kids paint some miniture pumpkins

. . . freestyle . . . which was awesome to watch! While visiting my mom, Noelle invited her friend Zoe over and Lucas was just along for the ride and enjoying every minute of it. Lots of color, laughs and family made me content with the remodeling life long enough to consume the love and joy that the holidays brings out in everyone. Looking forward to December and hoping for some more creative outlets to pursue that hopefully produce some holiday cheer that I have long awaited for.

pumpkin pumpkin pumpkin

AFTER A LOT OF . . .

                    ROLLING . . .            CARRYING . . .                        

 

HIDING . . .                   POSING . . .

STACKING . . .                  & SITTING . . .

WE WERE ABLE TO SNATCH A FEW SWEET PHOTOS!

But unfortunately, 6 uploaded photos is all my patience can handle today. I'm obviously not a professional blogger and Lucas just woke up from his Sunday afternoon nap which means no more sitting and typing for me. Hopefully more fall picturess to come, but at this rate it may be after Christmas.

galveston, texas

I came across these pictures from a couple of weeks ago, which I totally forgot about. Eric's parents have been staying with us since July and we've never had a good opportunity to show them around the state . . . or even around this area. So one Sunday afternoon Eric decided that he wanted to pile in the car and drive over to Crystal Beach and Galveston. The ferry ride is always a big hit with Lucas because of the crazy hungry seagulls that swarm over waiting for bread.