The ONE- The ONLY- Augusten Burroughs

If you have not yet been fortunate enough to induldge in the dessert so sweet it could only be named Augusten Burroughs...you need to ask for the menu that follows dinner. I won't tell and it could be our little secret.

I was out and about (before I started working full-time again-when I actually had a life and could be just out and about in the middle of any given day) at one of my favorite thrift stores (I can't tell you---it's a gem very far from my house and I don't get there nearly enough.) I have been thinking of these hand-carved wooden masks that I left behind and have regretted it ever since. I really had a nice home for them and I am certain some middle aged cat lady picked them up and decided they would look lovely on her rattan shelving unit with her macrame flowerpot covers holding cacti she talks to in the middle of the night while performing voodoo on her long lost loves) Ugh. Just the thought brings a tear to my eye.

So anyway...I am scoping out the books (like always because when you find something for 59 cents and it ends up being worth thousands of dollars to you and your heart...let me tell YOU...it's a DREAM) I have scored an entire collection of brand new Harry Potter leather bound books with dust sleeves for the kiddos for like 2 bucks. Honestly...people just don't understand the satisfaction one can get from such a find. It's like gamblers hitting a jackpot. Only they spend and spend and I count out change to the clerk and smile the entire time. Sometimes I even use my really shiny change just be certain I am giving my full heart to the purchase.

I came across this book. It had an interesting cover. Something blue and something a bit artistic. I read the back. I put in the stack of books I had already collected on my venture and proceeded to the next item I could conquer and destroy.

The book is/was....

"I myself am made entirely of flaws...stitched together with good intentions" 

It is amazing. Since reading the book in 2.2 days (I put it down momentarily to fetch a drink of water or tear the wrapper from a granola bar to get nutrients needed) and then immediately got on amazon.com (LOVE) to order more and more from the absolutely HILARIOUS author.

I since then have devoured them one by one (and not slowly). If I could actually consume them and make them a part of me, I would most likely do so. One at a time...laughing my @$$ off the entire way through. They are like my own little dirty secret that I can laugh at the vulgar humor and not have everyone know entirely how corrupt my mind is.

Next I read...

Which most likely you have heard of from the Major Motion Picture I am dreading seeing because I know it will fall so short of what is portrayed in the literature that it basically is a waste of my time...and during that time I could be off reading yet ANOTHER gem by Augusten (and I call him by his first name because we are TIGHT like that)

Now I am reading...

and I find myself tucking the little ones into bed early, getting my house all ready for the night, snuggling up into bed, and opening up the pages (glancing at the clock and realizing it is in fact 8:30 on the dot and I am in BED) ready to consume :)

If you have not yet experienced the humor, the wit, the all around hilariousness of this knowingly gay, Manhattan living, dog loving, college t-shirt wearing, absolutely effed up childhood adolescent whom somehow grew to be an amazing writer without ever actually knowing it, please take the time to do so.

He's awesome

Augusten...this is for you. YOU ROCK and I absolutely ADORE you! :) Keep it up...

New living room furniture??? For me????

It's a rather funny story...you do remember what my family room and living room looked like before right???

Here's a reminder...

Well Dimitri calls me at work in the middle of the day and says, "You didn't like that old black leather furniture did you?"

I said, "No, why?!"

He says, "Good...you have to go get new stuf because the furniture from the house is gone."

I found out he wanted to use it at the new showroom and it worked out perfectly for me since I disliked the black leather bachelor pad furniture with a passion :)

Well...the wall color has NOT changed yet ---BUT the furniture and some things have...

(notice the lampshade? I painted it)

And check out the new tables...

Don't you just LOVE them???

Pretty snazzy huh?

But WAIT...THERE'S MORE...

You didn't expect me to go shopping and stick to my original shopping list did you?

...nah...

I had a budget and although I went a little above what I was orginally told we could spend...I made out like a BANDIT!

Remember the old family room? The old couch that had been handed down and was basically broken at the bottom???

Look what I scored for 50 bucks :)

Makes my family room almost complete...It's soo comfy. makes me want to snuggle up with a good book and sip a hot tea on rainy day

(All I need is a new lamp---but that will come with time and heheheh more $$$)

Like the ottoman? $5 at a thrift store. Along with the rattan chair $1 at a thrift store. You just can't go wrong with that. I love shopping around. What is one's man trash is another woman's treasure :)

Next up...painting...need some motivational words. Although not a big task...I can always find a reason to put it off.

Updated Guest Room

So..I know I have neglected to write much lately but honestly...with the new job, and the kids, and the house...who has time? Oh...and Dimitri is opening up his show room tomorrow for Mr Granite. (We've been busy--although I will not take credit for that. He has been super busy with getting things prepared)

So...the new colors? They are not pink any longer ;)

Now granted...it looks much more pleasing without the tape. And the top portion of the room is now a lighter shade of green. I am going to accent with gold and red. The colors have that old world feel and with the accents it will remind me of a study set off in the west wing of some estate where the masters of the house go to read leather bound books and smoke their pipes.

(All we need is  a globe---but I think I will get an old world map and have it framed for above the granite desk)

Stay tuned...

I will have curtains up (already purchased) next week sometime.

and...

It's coming together quite nicely :)

my mind changes -oh- too quickly (guest bedroom)

I was almost certain that I would be prepping the family room walls for paint BUT as it turns out D wants to put masonry stone on the fireplace surround (instead of glass tile) so that really put a damper on my next set of plans.

However...I didn't just roll over and play dead. Although I wanted to all weekend, I was bright eyed and chipper this morning with ideas floating about in my head.

I went to Lowe's (again) and it was exciting (as always)....200 bucks later...I have lights for all the accent lighting in the house that magically went out at the same time (or about the same time). All together they cost an arm (and a leg) but they are guaranteed for 2 years so I figured it was worth the investment. D will have to put them all in when he returns from work.

I also bought paint...for what you say?!?! Not the fireplace wall : ( Not the cabinets in the kitchen : ( but the guest room. It was a spur of the moment thing and Jaxon and I are busy painting.

The room before we started is absolutely hideous HIDEOUS!

and with light green carpeting...

I just couldn't stand the idea of having guests sleep in a bright pink room. I mean what was I supposed to accent with?... my little ponies and barbies dream house?

Actually not bad ; ) if my guests looked like this...

However...my guests usually look like this...

And although they look amazing in purple-the thought of the pink glow that would settle upon their faces from the effect of the paint upon the walls would not be so...suiting

So...you will have to wait for the final paint outcome (and then there is sure to come the rest of the furniture and accessories---someday)

Let me know what you think...

(Btw...the very handsome men pictured above are my brothers and they both happen to be single. I am taking references and will be doing extensive interviews the entire month if interested-but you have to go through me first-as you can tell from the picture-it's not an easy task beating the women off with sticks ---but I will do my best : )

Fun Filled Friday

I lay awake in bed wondering what I can take on (in regards to projects on the house) and what we have money to accomplish now.


I went to Lowe's today (one of my all time favorite hangout spots) and picked up some spray paint and primer for a nightstand I will refinish (when it warms up). I will keep updates on that project.


The spray paint is located in the back of the isle and you have to walk past all the swatches of paint to get there.OOOH LA LA! Boy can a girl like me get sidetracked with such a beautiful display of colors, neatly organized, orderly, endless options. Get's me excited just thinking back to earlier today. If everything in life was so colorful and orderly...we'd really be living a good life huh?

Anyhow...I got my spray paint (and primer) and headed back towards the swatches to see what I could come up with.

Upon my return home, my newly rearranged family room (and currently my office) turned into a mess of paint color swatches that I just couldn't help but lay out and dig into.

I just love the display : )

The bluish, grayish, greenish color (one of my absolute favorite colors-the color of my eyes-most days) in the background is what I want to paint my kitchen cabinets. I LOVE the idea of painted cabinets in the kitchen. If I had my choice of anything, I would have to throw a coat of paint on any of 'em. It just makes for such a beachy, country, homey, old fashioned family feel.

I found this kitchen and it was love at first sight.

The color is perfect. Very similar to what I picked out today. We currently don't have the white marble countertops (also my favorite) but we do have granite and I think the color will pair nicely with everything.

Here is our granite...

Here is a close-up of that swatch again...

Now use your imagination on our kitchen...

OHHH MADNESS! Just imagine the possibilities : ) Now...that is a project that doesn't seem like much. I mean a couple cans of paint, some blue tape to tape the edges off. BUT... it is much more difficult than that. I have to remove the doors, set up shop in my garage, sand everything down, prime 'em, paint 'em, do the same to the cabinets themselves, and rehang everything with new hardware (after a couple coats) but I also intend on cutting out the middle part of the upper doors and replacing them with a nice wavy glass. Something that allows you to see in but hides the flaws (so I don't fret over what the insides of my cabinets look like)
I would love to do chicken wire. I have ALWAYS wanted that look but we shall see. The thought of working with chicken wire scares me.

Perhaps when the weather is nicer I can do something like that. It's just too darn cold to set up shop in the garage.

meanwhile... that ugly wall surrounding my fireplace MUST go ASAP. I may just have an new project to complete this very weekend.

currently the wall looks likes this...

and although I absolutely love the color orange and all it's splendor...the wall has to be changed. It's be touched up and retouched up far too many times. It could use a glorious color to spice things up a bit.

I am debating between 4 colors (and they are very similar).

They are the 3 single swatches and the color on the bottom. The darker of the colors may be a bit too much for me. I have never done something so drastic (to the walls) but it might be nice for a change, especially since I have an accent wall that is that same color surrounding the fireplace. I don't plan on changing that way. I like it. I think adding a different shade (in the same family) will look great : )

We shall see...

Now that I am sitting here looking at it...I am thinking the darker of the colors is my favorite thus far. It's called "calico" which is kind of cute.

But that means...when I am ready to retile the surround...I would have to find some glass tile that incorporated the colors. I shoudn't get too far ahead of myself.

So instead of actually doing the work, I will just sit here and ponder...

I need to get away

Although I appeciate where I came from I often wish I was born in a big city. Somewhere large enough that I could actually get lost on my way, have my sense of direction turned about, have to stop and mingle with the locals as to where I am going and why. I find it romantic. Perhaps it would be on the way to Ikea (which unfortunately we do not have here) GASP! I KNOW!

I find the city streets comforting. I appreciate the way the tall buildings surround me on both sides, enveloping my entire being as if to say, "Welcome Ashley". They guide me, show me the movement of the city.

The sounds of the city are almost the soundtrack to the day. The sound of the tires on the pavement, the shoes meandering along the sidewalks, the horns, the heat being extracted from the furnaces and blowing itself on the streets almost setting the stage for your appearance as you walk through. 

It is just so exciting, so familiar. Although it shouldn't be. I have never known this lifestyle. Although I dream about it and perhaps my other being (in an alternate universe) is from such a place.

I love the little shops, the sidewalk vendors (which always seem to be stocked with Ginger Ale-one of my favs---how come we can't find Ginger Ale except in the grocery stores), the boutiques, the thrift stores (OH THE THRIFT STORES-imagine the things they hold-with such stories), the convenient stores on the corners that are stocked with fresh flowers everyday.

And when it rains- everyone carries an umbrella. It's so very vintage and glamorous. The adults on their way to work (big financial gurus, stockbrokers, attorneys) the nannies with the children all lined up in their golashes and the strollers covered with the clear plastic protectors that canopy the strollers. Even the convenient shops have clear plastic perfectly tailored rain jackets for their flowers on the sidewalk (so not to get wet).

I say hustle and bustle (I think almost trying to be funny) when I speak to people about moving from Arlington, NE to Omaha, NE. HA. I wouldn't have the slightest idea of what it is actually all about living in a city. Perhaps without a car, relying on public transportation (which isn't frowned upon like it is here), not having enough space in the apartment or flat for a stroller and it's too damn difficult to lug it up the stairs of the pre-war buildings (as they call them) so they are chained (with bicycle chain) to the outside street lamp. And that is in Greenwich Village-that's elite. We get a fine for not having our snow removed from the sidewalks within 24 hours. IT LANDED THERE-LET IT BE! It's not like it's staying forever.

And what is it with people that rake their leaves in the fall?!? What is THAT about? Enlighten me. I am curious to know. I just absolutely love autumn and love the colors the have blanketed my surroundings. It's a part of the process. We have seasons. Let's thank goodness for that, although we complain no matter what season it is. Again, the leaves landed there, they are not bothering you in any way are they? I see the idea of raking them in a pile strictly for the purpose of allowing the children to run and jump in the perfectly formed pile only to do it all over again..with leaves flying, laughter filling the air, smiles from ear to ear. I GET THAT! I don't see the point in messing with a perfectly placed piece of art that was placed there for us to enjoy.

I am feeling the opposite of homesick. I am feeling the need to pack up a very small bag and hit the open road (or air-whichever) and arrive at a destination that is no longer familiar to me, even in the dark in the middle of the night after waking from a deep sleep.
I need a vacation... to a big city

family room update

It only took me about an hour or so. I changed around the furniture, cleaned up what was underneath the furniture (I shouldn't admit that), threw a chicken in the oven for dinner, hooked up all the electronic equipment (ugh), and that's as far as I got.
It's enough for today right? I like this layout much better. It opens up the space, lightens it up, hopefully makes me (and the household) more cheery. All this cold weather has me crossing fingers for spring to arrive (my fingers are cramped-it's not coming fast enough:)

The room really needs new carpeting, the fireplace to be totally redone all the way around, and a fresh coat of paint. But that costs $$$ and we shall see about all that stuff in the future.
For right now-
I will buy a new double hung bracket for the window treatments to cover the sliding door. I will do that tomorrow. It will make all the difference.


Family Room Now:





Jaxon (my son) was trying to help me rearrange the room. He lasted for a bit.
And now:

Time to go pick up the other kiddos : ) They will absolutely love the new room. This is after all the family room and this is where we spend our time.

Until next time...

and now my family room

It needs some MAJOR help. It is awkward and to add fuel to the fire-it actually needs quite a bit of money to fix it the way I want to. I want to tear down the old marble tiles surrounding the fireplace and replace them from hearth to ceiling with a nice glass tile. Something like this would be amazing : )

(Most likely in a more subtle palette-perhaps some earth tones that I am so fond of)

I would add a chunky black mantel that I am just dying to make myself but that takes more tools than I have at the moment. I am scared yet of those kinds of demos.

meanwhile...my family area looks like this:

Don't laugh (nor turn your head in disgust). The space was this way when we moved in. And the black leather furniture was inherited with my boyfriend. It's not bad. I mean...it could be worse. At least it's a neutral right?

Let's see what I can do with a simple furniture rearrange-then I am sure to LOWE'S it will be to buy some supplies : )

so much that can be done

I have decided to take some time to myself (meaning spend my days doing what I enjoy doing). I am making time to refinish old pieces of furniture that have needed it for what seems decades and I always made an excuse.

My latest piece was an extremely old shelf my mother passed down to me. She used it when I was a baby and I used it when my boy was a baby. Now it stands in my bathroom to hold all my incidentals.

It used to be a light yellow that was scratched and knicked. It also was lucky enough to experience my son's first Permanent Market art class.

I painted it a dark chocolate brown. I wanted it to remain old looking so I didn't do much to it beyond that. It looks great.

I got my bath all cleaned up and all that needs to be done is some hanging of pictures and such.

I picked up this amazing mirror at a flea market. It has those old glass door knobs that are hard to come by nowadays. They are attached to the sides to hang things on or for pure decorative purpose. Either way... it will be hung soon above the newly finished shelving unit.

It's been painted a dark blue and has been distressed to show the age of the piece. Can't wait. Will show pics when all that is completed.

If you can see on the shelving unit...I place my jewelry in a set of green glassware I purchased at a thrift store last year for 59 cents. I just love the way it looks and it serves a great purpose. I also place tealight candles in the glassware on top. At night it glows an amazing green with the flicker of the flame. It is so romantic. Makes me want to settle in for a nice bubble bath by candlelight.

(Jewels : )

(Candles)

It's the little details that inspire me. I just dislike the idea of going to Nebraska Furniture Mart when you need a new bedroom or living room set. I don't like the idea of things manufactured in large quantities in a cold factory or warehouse. The pieces come down an assembly line and put together by machines mostly. That doesn't appeal to me. I want character, I want soul, I want to put a story behind it. I love old pieces, one of a kind pieces.