H-O-T

There is no doubt that summer is here, is there? It's so hot here in Dallas (lots of triple digit heat.)  Luckily, I got to spend some time by the pool this week, but I image this would be a good way to cool off as well...

I have had a fun day today, mainly because I got this:

A new blackberry curve!  Yay!!  It's my first smartphone and I am loving all that it does.  {I can email, facebook, twitter, etc. all from this handy little device.}  I am sure those of you with smartphones can understand...it's a very exciting thing!  Even more exciting--the deal I got on it.  Love that!

I hope you are all staying cool & enjoying your Friday.  Happy weekend! :)

{snowcone image credit}

pb teen...who knew?!!

I never really gave Pottery Barn Teen a second thought when the catalogue would come in the mail...I just thought it was too, well, teen.  I did thumb through and find a few items that I think would be amazing in the right space--meaning paired with the right decor they could be sophisticated and pretty.  {Not teen at all!}  My fav...the lilac desk and ooh la la chair. Lovely!

{click the pictures below to view larger}

giveaway week @ the vintage pearl

It's giveaway week @ the vintage pearl {one of my favs.}  Love erin & her fabulous jewelry. Yours truly is participating in the giveaway--you can enter to win an ultimate design package blog makeover from me--as well as lots and lots of other goodies!  click the button below to enter {all} of the giveaways. good luck!!

happy weekend...

...especially to all those dads out there!  why not treat the dad in your life to something sweet, like these cupcakes from sprinkles.  too cute!  enjoy your weekend lovelies!

tres chic!

I've been on the lookout for some fabric to recover the cushion of {my fav} green chair {found at a vintage store in downtown mckinney almost 2 years ago.}  I decided that I either wanted a stripe or burlap with a stenciled something on top.  I am sure you can see which one I chose...

Originally, I was going to do a lighter burlap with a darker stencil, but my {fabulous} mom suggested I do the opposite...and I'm so glad she did!  I just adore how it turned out--tres chic!

All I did was print out the 'No. 1', used the print out to make my own stencil, then stenciled it on the fabric and re-covered the chair cushion.  I lightly sanded the letters and number so the paint would 'blend' into the fabric to make it feel worn and not painted on.  Now...let's see if I can get my mom to use this technique on her kitchen stool.  Stay tuned...

birthday man

Today is Robbie's 29th birthday.  {Last year in your 20s, mister.  Soak it up!}  Unfortunately, he's in Tampa for work...but not to worry...we will be celebrating this weekend!  Happy Birthday Robbie--I hope this is a year full of nothing but wonderful things! 

erin's birthday

I am posting these a few days late.  :)  I think Erin had a fabulous birthday...we certainly had fun!  I did not take a ton of pictures & wish I could have gotten a picture of all the people there. Here are a few taken throughout the night:

the birthday girl blowing out the candle on her cupcake

robbie & I before dinner @ kenichi

swaim & erin

pure silliness.  that's just how we roll.

swaim & tj

karaoke!{she sang "hit me baby one more time"}
Love ya Erin!

shabby table

I have been wanting a little table to put next to this chair in my bedroom.  Since I had a cute little table in my closet collecting dust I decided to transform it yesterday.

I did not take a proper "before pic" {sorry!} but did snap one while I was working on the piece. As you can see it was a small cherry wood table that my mom gave me when she did not want it anymore.  It did not really match anything of mine, so it's been in the closet.

Here's what I did:

First, I spray painted it heirloom white.  This was my first project using spray paint {I usually use paint and a brush} and I'm a spray paint believer now.  SO quick & easy.

After it was dry, I stenciled on a messy-on-purpose damask pattern in a blueish grey.  When that was dry I used a sponge tip brush to lightly coat the top with an antique white paint. I made my brush strokes in random patterns to make it look even more worn.  

After painting, I sanded down the top with fine grain sandpaper and roughed up the edges and followed that up with a coat of clear gloss on the top only to protect it and and shine.


I love how it turned out!  Total cost of the project: $10.  Pretty good for my lovely new side table, don't ya think?  It was SO easy...anyone can pull this project off!

Happy {spray} painting!

aloha

My dad posted a bunch of pictures from their trip to Maui...they are amazing. Click here to take a look & be sure to leave a comment if you visit! {I'm sure he'd love some ooohs and ahhhs over his photos.}  :)

pretty things: the vintage pearl

Now I know I have written about the vintage pearl in the past.  I have even given her necklaces as gifts to a couple of my friends {while secretly wishing someone would give one to me!}  I was lucky enough to work with erin on some design stuff for her blog, and as a thank you she sent me these:

Remember that seahorse necklace I wrote about here and here?  I finally have my own!!  Yay! And  I adore the simplicity of the 'k' necklace.  It's small and delicate and {oh so pretty} on. Thank you Erin--you are amazing!

p.s. she is about to have a very fabulous giveaway week; check out the button to the left for details!

pretty hawaiian treasures

Hello friends!  I hope your Saturday has been wonderful--it was HOT here today.  I am finished with my {week long with 4 dogs} housesitting for my parents, which meant I enjoyed a very relaxing and quiet day!  Tucker was so tired all day; I think spending a week with Izzy, Rudy and Bella wore him out.  
My parents had an amazing time in Maui.  I saw some of my mom's pictures and can't wait to see my dad's.  I am sure they will be great!  My mom brought me back a few pretty things, like this white starfish:

and this seashell bowl.
I love them both.  Thanks Svettie!
Last night we celebrated my sister's birthday.  We had the best sushi I have ever had at Kenichi down in Victory Park.  It was so yummy.  Erin had a great time & a fabulous birthday; I will post pictures soon.
That's all for now...enjoy the rest of your weekend!

birthday girl

Today is my 'lil sis, Erin's birthday! I made her some yummy cupcakes {above} and we are celebrating with lunch today and fabulous friends, sushi, drinks and maybe even a little dancing at her birthday party tonight. {I'll be sure to take & post pictures!}

Happy Birthday Erin!I hope you enjoy your day& am wishing you a fabulous year ahead!Love you!

inspiration: heather bullard

In a word?  LOVELY.  I have been a fan of Heather's blog for a while {you may have noticed it in my 'inspirations' links.}  When she recently re-opened her online shop I fell in love with so many of her amazing vintage/vintage inspired pieces.  Oh what I would not give to sleep in this every night...

or to have this in my living room:

Swoon!  Love love love.  She has such an amazing attention to detail.  And her photography is so inspiring.  Check out some of the other goodies she has on her site:

1. chandelier pillow - grey  2. paris birdcage hook  3. royal birds tea towel 4. good luck charms necklace

If only I had a fairy money-mother to bring it all to me.  sigh...

Take a look for yourself here.

{special thanks for heather for allowing me to use her images as part of this post}

still storming...

I just took these...

look at those BIG rain drops!

The plus side...

everything looks so green & vibrant!

crazy weather!

We are having some crazy storms here!  Last night the tornado sirens went of several times. {picture me, in the laundry room with 4 dogs on the phone with Robbie & my sis...she happened to be stuck at the mall.}  Here's what the radar looked like in the middle of it all:

And this is what it looked like outside:

{that's our local weatherman that you hear in the background}

It's storming still today! 

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In other {exciting for no reason} news...

Dallas is getting a Pinkberry!

We already have Orange Cup, which I LOVE...

but I'll be excited to try Pinkberry when it opens.

Hope you are all having a great week!

new designers @ fabulous k creative

I just announced that I am working with 2 new designers over at fabulous k creative.  Both offer kits that are modern, bright and super fun!  The wait list is open so get your orders in today! :)

here's a little sampling of their goodies:

inspiration: creatures of the sea

As I mentioned before, my parents are in Maui this week with their best friends.  I have talked to them and they are having a great time.  {Oh how I wish I was with them!}  I am so excited to see the pictures that my dad comes home with; I know they are going to be amazing.  

He sent me a little 'sneak peek' of a sea turtle he shot while snorkeling, using his new underwater casing.  How sweet is this guy:

I am so inspired but the colors & summer beachy themes in general that I came up with a little inspiration board of sea inspired goodies.  {Special thanks to moderneve, who introduced me to #5 pillowhappy, the creator of the adorable seahorse bookends!}

1. paper source 2. potterybarn 3. tiffany & co 4. j crew 5. pillowhappy 

6. elm studio 7. hazelnut cottage 8. the vintage pearl

little swimmers

Yesterday, Robbie brought Bear over so he could play with the dogs & go swimming!!  It was both his & Tucker's first time in the pool and they did pretty well.  I think Bear liked it a bit more than Tucker...but they definitely did not hate it.  They were so cute together:

{bear relaxing on the pool float}

{tucker sunbathing after}

BTW--this weekend I started watching season 1 of 'true blood'.  I am a few episodes away from being done...it's good.  Anyone else watch?

the weekend

Happy Sunday everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying your weekend and the summer weather. My weekend started at my parent's house, where I will be house sitting for the next week. They left for Maui on Friday, so it's me & tucker, plus their dogs: Izzy, Rudy and Bella.  I am sure Rudy misses Olive, but she's at our place with my sis all week and I am sure she's loving being the only dog there!

{one of the birdhouses by the pool}

One of the things I love about their house is all the amazing flowers, like this beautiful hydrangea bush.  

I picked some this morning.  They are too pretty to leave outside.  Bonus?  They last a really long time.  Love them!

Friday night we all got together for drinks.  My friend Heather is out of town a lot this summer, so it was great to see her.  We had such a great time!

{heather, me, kat}

{robbie and swaim}

{robbie & I}

That's all for now.  Robbie is headed up with Bear so we can swim & sit by the pool with the pups.  On the agenda tonight: seeing "the hangover".  Have you seen it?  If so, what did you think?