my new favorite website

I rarely poke fun at myself on Windsor (just on Bouchelle), and I guess this still isn't poking fun at myself, but this website was brought to my attention by a good friend Angela Ulrich, who knows that two of my favorite things are 1) decorating my home like Restoration Hardware and 2) sarcasm.

So please, feast your eyes and your belly laughs on this website: Catalog Living

Their mantra is

"A look into the exciting lives of the people who live in your catalogs."

Basically just take pictures that are typically scattered all over catalogs and design blogposts, and make fun of the theoretical people who live in these houses.

A copied preview (is this ok??) of three of my favorite posts:

It's a Sign

Gary chuckled knowing that somewhere in Belgium a driver was hopelessly lost, having missed the turn at Via Kalenberg.

Greasing the Wheels

Elaine was thrilled to finally have a classy way to enjoy the occasional swig of olive oil in public.

No Bones About It

To be fair Elaine, I specifically asked not to be in charge of decor for the wake.

Just go visit it... I chuckled out loud every post during Grand Rounds this week ... (shouldn't get cell service in lecture hall), and now I am going to follow it daily.

Christmas on Windsor...

A few from around the casa....  once again a demonstration of my obsession with mercury glass and all things silver and gold

Duh part deux

A while ago I did a post about Duh, my favorite home decor store, that happens to be in Pensacola.  {see it here.}  Another trip to the store, so I have some more inspirations for you!

Once again - disclaimer that these photos were taken with an iPhone camera!!! very blurry. But I still love looking at them!

 

I love all the taxidermy!  ... it is a fine line though... I have recently raided our hunting camp for some deer antlers that are now proudly displayed on my bookshelf.  That is about as close as I can justify getting to taxidermy on Windsor.

table skirt

Some time and supplies from King Cotton and Hobby Lobby and I now have a table skirt to hide my junk! 

I modeled the construction after the curtains hanging in our kitchen.

First I ironed the fabric so I could hem the sides (double turn under).

Then I took the top tab and made a wider hem, ironing first.

I gathered the top hem about every 5" or so into this "double bunch", spacing between each bunch was about 5", and each bunch was a total width of about 4" (but could have been done with about 3").

A single row of vertical stitching holds the bunching together, and a single horizontal thick stitch helps.

Now the curtain hooks fit right in.

and a cute husband who likes to use powertools to help you fix your curtain rods.... voila!

{notice my new rug from West Elm, seen here, also in la casa of a good friend, Ashley}

Hubbards

Finally I uprooted the very very dead baby boxwood from our urn.  A little autumn fever came with the cooler weather this week.  I mixed my flowers and {still alive!} sweet potato vine with an amazing gray pumpkin (hubbard squash - who knew?!) to keep with my inner mojo.

Finally- my favorite season!!

Catalog?!

As you know - coined by my new blog friend and long-lost cousin, Flo, I am a "gray lady."  I do love all things gray and any permutation of the color.

So what is this new catalog that has hit my mailbox??

First of all, the cover instantly has me drooling, with a little reminiscence of my beautiful mother on her honeymoon with an equally amazing donkey:

doesn't my dad look so young and tan??!??

I think I may have to buy something from Serena & Lily just to say I have.

more pillows?

new fabric??

that office chair?

updates are in our future.  of course.

trip down memory lane

I'm back at it.... as Sewing Sally.  It has been over a year and I definitely had to go back to the helpful website for seamstresses who love Singers....

I even ran to Hobby Lobby today to buy myself one of those wrist-pin-cushion thingies!

Now only if I could hem a straight line....  hmmm .. more to come with picture updates of my table curtains!  At least this year I have a much prettier and spacious workspace!

the winners...

After talking with Allison Godwin from Hoot, who happened to stop by the same day I got the fabric swatches, I decided to go with #2 and #4!

The above fabric is going to be the skirt on my table, and I bought 1 yard of the below fabric to make some pillows for the couch.  I'll keep you posted!

a little kick of inspiration

I've been in a decorating lull lately.  Not really a surprise... I tend to cycle in waves and since lately I've been working like most normal people do, I've not had as much time to devote to houseliness.

But nothing jumpstarts creativity for me more than going to find new fabric (that sounds sooooo nerdy).  But really...!  King Cotton and I had a rendezvous this Saturday and I amassed quite a collection of fabrics to potentially go in the craft den.  I want some for a skirt for my table, potentially some pillows and simple draw curtains too.

Reminder of the space:

{I've got to hide underneath this table!}

Inspirations:

{for the skirt}

{for the colors}

{for the skirt}

{for the blinds/curtain style}

So - give me your votes!  I love them all and may pick two or three that compliment each other.  My biggest fear:  being too matchy-matchy....

I'll confess, I kindof already have a combo in mind, but want to see what you think!

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

#13

I am also traveling around my house justifying purchasing a couple yards of each (or at least the second one).... who doesn't need more pillows?  I need to find some good DIY pillow sewing websites.