Gone Paintin'

Yep, that's our den and, yep, that's a dark color...this one to be exact. It's Gentleman's Gray by Benjamin Moore and both Adam and I are thrilled with the look even at the halfway point. So, that being said, give me a day or two to finish all of the painting and I'll have something to share again!

You like it so far? We sure do.

Meet Me Today on Classically B!

Hello, friends! Today, Brittany of the wonderful blog Classically B is featuring a few of my most favorite things in her series "Favorite Finds".

Be sure to check it out to see two steals and two splurges and, while you're at it, be sure to spend awhile at Brittany's corner of the blog world. Thanks, Brittany!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

(via Meet Me in Philadelphia)

It seems like summer, at least the unofficial start of the season, is upon us already. I'll be signing off for the next few days to enjoy a barbecue, the release of the next season of "Arrested Development", a wedding and hopefully some progress around the house.

Wishing you all a wonderful Memorial Day weekend filled with abundant sunshine, frozen treats and plenty of grilling!

Shopping for Art at Student Sales/Exhibitions

Have any of you seen the documentary Herb and Dorothy, readers? This film tells the fascinating story of a couple (Herb and Dorothy Vogel) with modest means as a postal worker and a librarian who amass a world-class collection of modern art. My take-away from that documentary was this: anyone, with any salary, can become an art collector if the passion and interest is there.

Today, I thought it would be fun to talk about one strategy for purchasing unique and still-affordable art: by shopping at art school student exhibitions and sales.

New Handwoven Rugs from Gypsya

A good rug, like a good man, is hard to find. And I should know because I've been on the hunt for a rug for the den and a rug for the living room (both to be layered on woven natural fiber rugs) for what seems like months. While on the hunt on Etsy, I discovered that Gypsya--a shop I've written about here before--is selling a collection of beautiful handwoven rugs.

Something tells me you'll like them as much as I do...

To Put Into Words Two Years Later

Perhaps the most impossible task in this lifetime can be summing up the love you feel for another person into words so, today, on our second wedding anniversary I found it necessary to steal from some of my favorite love songs to verbalize how deeply, intensely, and truly I love my husband Adam.

To borrow from Paul: Who knows how long I've loved you? You know I love you still.

To reference David: Out of all those kinds of people, you've got a face with a view.

To co-opt Diana: Whenever you're near I hear a symphony play sweet and tenderly.

To recite Spiral Staircase: I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.

To quote Janet: Love will never do without you.

To echo The Beach Boys: God only knows what I'd be without you.

To affirm Michael: For you alone, you are the everything.

I love you, Adam, and hope we have at least 98 more years together. Maybe by then I'll be able to express just how much you mean to me.

Curtain Call (Curtains for the Bedroom and Den)

It's been awhile since I've blogged, huh? A lot has happened in my off-blog life since my last post--birthdays, Mother's Day, a nearly week-long visit from Mom, my sister-in-law graduated from med school--which seems like enough events to keep a person from blogging, right?

During Mom's visit, she and I made some good headway on the task of making curtains for my bedroom and our den and they are definitely worth sharing.

Steal vs. Splurge: You Better Shop Around

It's been a while since I posted in my "You Better Shop Around" series, but I've noticed too many look-alike  products while shopping online not to add another entry. And since these steals are so good, I have the feeling I might have to order a few for myself.