Cocktail Party

Here is a picture of my living room with my new coffee table and the french doors leading out to the deck.

This is my screened in porch with the beverage table and of course, napkins from To Bee Named. On some of the napkins, I printed our last name on the other napkins I printed our house number down in the corner. ( i didn't realize my table cover was wrinkled-oops)

Here is the dining room where the food was served.

Here our the snow pea wrapped shrimps and the great fruit tray my friend, Sarah dropped by.

The cocktail party went well. The weather was perfect and everyone was able to enjoy the outdoors. We have a screened in porch off of our living room that connects to our deck, we open the french doors and it works well. I had two items catered-shrimp wrapped in snow peas in a secret sauce and sweet potato biscuits with ham and chutney. I don't eat meat, so I didn't try either one, but it got rave reviews. Several other couples in the cocktail club each brought a dish and they brought some good ones. Thanks to all. Here are some pics of my house-before everyone arrived.

Ambiente by Martin Wood

I love this desk!

This chinese red is gorgeous!

I did order this coffee table for my living room. In black outlined in gold.

This dresser could be used in so many places. I love the tone on tone.

This is for my guest room or maybe Miss Priss when she gets a little older.

Perfect for serving drinks, food or for books.

When I was at the New York Gift Show back in Feb., I stopped by this booth and fell in love with this furniture. So, I have a couple of pieces on order and I can't wait. Here are some of my favorites. I picked two pieces and could of purchased many more.

Preppy Toile Table

Here is my new table skirt for my family room. I love the way it turned out. I just realized that I have toile in three rooms in my house, I have it in my family room, two chairs in my living room and in my guest bedroom. It is all differnt colors and patterns of toile. In the family room, I have a green sofa, so that is why addded the green ruffle to the bottom. It is amazing that one little thing in a room can change everything. Now, to the bathroom. I will post pictures soon!

Preppy Brown

I am in the midst of updating my master bathroom. it is relatively new bathroom and so we are just updating right now, instead of a toal rennovation. Removing more Hollywood lights, big flat mirrors and wallpaper with a border that I have lived with for almost 4 years. I am really getting out of my decorating comfort zone and painting the walls a chocolate brown. I always like neutrals, but don't have the first neutral wall in my house. So, this will be the first. I have two big gold mirrors that I am going to hang and need a great chocolate brown to paint the walls. Does anyone have a great chocolate brown paint they would like to recommend? I appreciate your suggestions.

Tickled Pink

I have to say I am tickled pink about this stool that is on the way to my house right now. It will be a present from Santa for Miss Priss. My friend at Tickled Pink Designs designed this with her name on it. Anne Douglas is at an age where she wants to climb and do everything for herself, so this will be perfect. I really appreciate someones creativity and so glad to meet her through the whole world of blogging-Thank you!

Basement

Here are some preliminary pictures from my basement. As I mentioned, I had to work with this yellow sofa and I am happy the way it turned out. I am sure many of you feel this way-I am ready for the toys to go bye-bye. They seem to be taking over my house. I still need some artwork for the walls. I have framed some of the children's art to try and give it some personality. Here is a picture of my pillow and the club chair is done in the same fabric. I am having more pillows made for the sofa-hopefully, to arrive soon!

Here is a picture of the large TV that hubby had to have.

Here is a picture of the basement bathroom. I still need some sconce shades. I want to find some lime cheetah shades to coordinate with the ottoman.

NEW LIGHTS

The basement redo is coming along slowly. I have not chosen a fabric yet and I am going to check out one more place this week and then I will finally make a decision and pick a paint color. I also am updating the bathroom in our basement. I am getting a new sconce and removing the beautiful "Hollywood lights" that we inherited with the house. I am not sure when they were ever in style but all of my bathrooms have them. I also get to pick a paint color for the bathroom and a new mirror. Here is the sconce that I picked. I hope to pick out some cute shades to give it more personality.

Fabric Hunt

We had a great time at the beach. We went to Ocean Isle in North Carolina. I had never been there and I really liked it. There is not much to do, but definitely a relaxing place and a great wide beach. We got to visit with some of my Mother's relatives from New York. I had not seen them in years and it was great to catch up.

On my way home I stopped by Printer's Alley, which was such a nice way to break the 6 hour drive up. My children were absolutely wild and I will definitely have to buy something from the poor girl that had to deal with me and my out of control children.

I found a couple of swatches and I think I am leaning toward these two. The stripe to recover my chair and the paisley for pillows and maybe a window treatment. I am not sure of the wall color yet-I am leaning toward a light blue. I am off to paint shop tomorrow.

Pillows

I found this picture from Calico Corners. Since I am in the midst of redecorating my basement, I thought I would check this site out. My city does not have a Calico Corners, but I am always successful when I am on a fabric hunt and go to the nearest Calico Corners. They have great pictures, window treatment ideas, bedding ideas etc. In my basement I am recovering a chair and will have pillows made for the sofa to try and bring it all together. I want to add some fun pillows to my much needed to be recovered (not in the budget sofa), so I am trying to work with what I got!

New Digs

We are in the process of updating our basement. I usually love home improvement/decorating projects, but this one doesn't have me as excited. Once this project gets started my napkin world will have to be relocated. I just hope this gets done sooner rather than later. Right now we are picking out tile and carpet. There are so many choices and unfortunately the basement has to be something practical and a quality that can stand the wear and tear of my little ones. It is a room that is an entryway from our garage into our kitchen, so practical is going to win over pretty. Here is the tile that we have selected. This will go in the bathroom and utility room. We are still deciding on carpet. When we purchased the house over 3 years ago, the basement was finished, but not so much to my liking. One thing I am excited is having a locker style storage unit built in my utility room. Here is a picture of one from Pottery Barn that I would like to have one built like. This will be perfect for backpacks, shoes, swim bags, etc.

Tomorrow I am going to shop for fabrics. I know this will get me motivated and excited. We are going to have a sofa and chair recovered. The one thing I like about my basement now is that it is so kid friendly and it is not the end of the world if a drink drips.

I have chosen a paint color that is new to my world of paints already in my house. My friend Elizabeth has used it in her kitchen and I just loved it. It will be fresh, bright and kid focused. Hubby still isn't sold on it, but I have told him to trust me. It is barely teal by Benjamin Moore.

I will show pics when it is complete!

Kitchen Window

A few of my favorite things!

I was thinking of my list of favorite things and I thought of two. New York City and MacKenzie-Childs. Oh, and I forgot about diet coke.
I don't drink coffee, so my first stop in the morning is McDonad's for my medium (sometimes large) diet coke!
Here is a picture of my dining room. I recently had it painted and hung the Mackenzie-Childs Plates on the wall and a Dana Gibson plate on my sideboard.
Let me tell you they are so heavy and I pray they are not going to fall down in the middle of the night! I purchased the plates at the MacKenzie Childs store in New York.
My hubby and I went to NYC last October with two other couples that my husband went to college with. What a fabulous trip and such a distant memory.
I am sad thinking hubby and I don't have another adult trip planned this fall. I had been to New York on a yearly basis to visit one of my closest friends for the past eight years.
 It was the first time that hubby and I went together. I have to say going in Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Fall is my favorite in the city.
The whole reason we went was for the boys to go to a football game of their Alma mater at West Point.
 I have to say the girls decided our time would be better staying in the city shopping.
We stayed at the luxurious Loews Hotel conveniently located to everything!
 I am smiling writing this thinking how much fun we had!