Channeling the master.

Hello.  Yes this is me, Hilary. 

I have on new earrings that my mother brought last weekend, 

they were our "matchy-matchys" of the trip. 

Guess who I'm channeling.....

Lord only knows where her fancy white blouse came from...I know it's not hers! But none the less do love a good yellow sweater and coin earrings. Oh and yes, have I mentioned we are both from Kansas ?

Additional failure

In a post yesterday I mentioned that I have the ability to walk away from super hot, highly desired (by me) items and then go back for them and they're not there.  This plague has once again stricken my unsavvy  soul.  

I seriously didn't think I used to do this. Lately I have passed up a few items thinking, "oh you really don't need that...." then walk away, drive home thinking about how much I really did like it, get out of the car at home, then realize that was stupid. Yup, that's basically how it goes. And then I pout about it to myself for a few days. That's where I currently stand. 

This particular time, it is a giant glass jug that I saw at TJ Maxx just last week and now they are gone. There were 5 of them.  Now....zero. I'm crushed.  They were perfectly shaped and very much reminded me of these pictures below. 

Young House Love

As pictured in Little Green Notebook

The cute kids at Young House Love have had theirs for quite a while and I remember thinking, "Self, when you see one of those you need to pick it up, that's a super cute piece that you can use in a lot of different places." Well, I blew it. In the photo above from Little Green Notebook, there are two pictured on either side of the fireplace.  Which is totally a place I could have used one/them too. 

Once again,  this photo sums things up. 

the end.

photo of me screaming: Annie Tichenor 

oh, yeah, sure.

Story of my life.  I look from a distance at something, admire it, make plans to purchase it, and then when the day comes to make the purchase...it's gone. Here is example number 32981 (yes it has happened to me that many times).

Via Google Images, because Pier 1 doesn't carry it anymore!

The original inspiration photo via Domino

And if this doesn't make me sad enough, you can join me in my sadness 

by seeing more of these beautiful mirrors over at this blog. 

The end.

Well folks, the end has come to the medical study I have faithfully participated in for months. I started the paperwork for this early last summer, started the blood work in August, started eating the food in late August, have given probably (what I would consider) gallons of blood and have conquered my fear of hospitals. Oh and I lost 45 pounds. 

me on the last day-I look like a tourist at Graceland

Very blurry, I was literally speed walking in for my last day.

I actually had two days of full blood work to complete in the same week.  

They ran two different tests, both of which were done the same way.  

I entered my room to a tray full of this fun business....

This used to freak me out and make me have the shakes, 

I'm good now...no shakes here. 

The second day of blood work I had to drink this icky stuff.  

Looks good right? Not so much.  It does say for RX uses only,
that should be a good indication that it is similar to
that nasty pink medicine you had to drink as a child. 

Now, I know you ALL wish you were there with me so here's a little bit of a preview of what happens...

Ewww. That's right, unoxidized blood is nearly black.  Isn't that crazy? 

When I took science classes in high school I was
to busy passing out to have learned this. 

So...this was wildly amusing to me now, some 10-12 years later. 

Here are photos from along the way.

 Week 2-food pick up

November-ish

 December-ish 

the end

the end

the end - 45 pounds lighter

November-2010

In the same dress March 2011

It's hard to tell a difference from these pictures,
but it fit completely different. 

There is a  25 pound difference between these two dates. 

Now that I'm finished, well, errr, ummm, I am on my own. (YIKES) I am trying very hard to practice these valuable lessons I've learned during the past six months, exercise a little bit more and naturally, not eat like a hot mess. 

what's going on around the house...

Last Friday morning, I decided that it was time to jumble the furniture around.  Should I have been focused on my recital, YES.  Should I have been saving my energy for the recital, YES. Did I do any of that, NO. 

Instead, the couches changed positions, 4 chairs went to the basement, two chairs came to join the fun from the dining room and all this while Handsome our darling cat sat and watched his favorite perches go away. (He's still pouting, 4 days later.)

A sigh...but in a good way

I think I could make an endless list about what I like in this room.  I've been studying upholstery for months in magazines and blogs.  I've enjoyed seeing how designers mix and match patterns that some wouldn't even touch.  I'd say that KAT has got this little task conquered. 

Now, to name a few of my favorite things:

1. the console table...Jonathan Adler is a genius.

2. mirror above the console table

3. gold lamp

4. leopard mod chair

5. the use of animal print in this room

6. the more traditional chair to the left of the console

7. the placement of the pillow in the traditional chair, it's vertical who would have thought? 

8. the orange tray on the console table

9. the arrangement UNDER the console table. I must admit that I don't usually think to decorate the wall under my console table.

10. I curtains that are in the dormer.  Lovely floral print as a backdrop to the leopard chair. 

I'll stop with 10, that's a good number, but seriously I could go on. 

Check out more from this fabulous designer here.

Recital

As promised...here are a few snapshots from the recital I gave Friday night. The recital was in partial fulfillment of the degree Master of Arts in Religion from Memphis Theological Seminary. My thesis project was on sacred music. 

All photos by Minda Anthony, a friend and classmate of mine at Memphis Theological Seminary. 

Recital Flowers

I'm getting closer to sharing some photos from my recital (Friday night). But in the meantime I do have a few photos of my "recital flowers" to share.  Since we are in the midst of Lent in The Episcopal Church having alter flowers were not an option.  My delightful mother decided we were in need of some flowers anyway! Lent, or not Lent,  girl's got to have recital flowers. 

She, because obviously this is a lady, still has 3 more buds to bloom.  

The flower shop said that she should say in bloom for approximately 3 months. 

We had the orchid put in my Nate Burkus bowl.  Mom thought it was kind of a "different" idea to begin with but when it was finished it sure was a surprise for us both.  This beauty surpasses my wildest dreams! 

She's such a delicate little lady!  

straw reprise

If you are interested in buying some of these cute little dandies for your own self here are a few places to check out!

For gray, blue and red, check out The Gray Goose. 

They also sell the biggest quantity for the smallest price. 

If you only need a few, or want a variety of colors

like green, yellow, bubble gum pink, or Vols orange check out

ArtFire

These folks even have polka dots! 

Whatever meets your eye and budget, Google's got the answer!  Ahhh, thank you sweet internet for solving the problems of the world. Well, at least those involve stripes and paper straws.

late to the party

Three words...Friday was lovely.  

Why you might ask? Not only because I said so but also because my parents were in town, because I got to spend an afternoon with my Mother doing Mom/Daughter things that we never get to do (because she lives hundreds of miles away) and, we had a party Friday night.  But let's not pass by the reason for the season, if you will. Friday evening I gave a recital that is in part thesis project for my seminary degree. The music on the recital was all sacred classical music (there will be more on this to come). For now, let's talk about something cute.  

About a week ago I was putting together party items.  I saw on not one but TWO blogs (gasp) these beautiful paper straws adorned with graceful little stripes. I said to myself, "Hilary, you need some of those beautiful straws!" Yes, straws...folks I believe we can file this as a cheap thrill. I was instantly excited.  The advertising parties were none other than Southern Vogue and Kate Spade-aholic.

I did the famous click, click, click and there were the straws, readily available for internet purchase. 

I ordered gray, yellow, blue, and green stripes. I was so pumped to have them for the party.  I was expecting them to arrive on Friday.  Here comes the sad part of the story, they didn't arrive until Saturday.  Which made me once again want to do this: 

No.  It wasn't that big of a deal...but I do enjoy getting some good mileage out of this picture. 

The straws will be safely tucked away for the next big party.  And GOD WILLING, it will be in approximately six weeks. 

straw photos via Google images
photo of me screaming: Annie Tichenor 

Another...CAT

Handsome, fortunately, does not purr this loud. That being said...I would wager an item or two to say that he can out meow this can't purr.  Handsome's meow could possibly out "sing" that of....well, me!
Take a look at this little guy...he's sure to bring a smile to your face.

Contact

 WANT TO CONTACT HILARY?

email: hilarydow@yahoo.com

twitter: hilarydowward

instagram: hilarydowward

...please do not use and abuse

photo of me by Annie Tichenor...please do not take photos from blog without permission.

Nighty, Night!

The illustrious Kate Spade has a new line of bedding due to be released this spring. Check out this video for a sneak preview.  Save your quarters and dimes friends, the party is on!

You've got to have options.

Folks say (I mostly hear it from my husband) that it is always good to have options. 

Applying that thought to this chair, here is an option....

Add this fabric.....

For something like this...

via:Effortless Style

Different shape yes. But is it the general idea, still yes. 

So, what do we think? 

Playing with my toys.

Today I have been playing with my toys.  These particular toys revolve around accessories and lamps in the living rooms. Here are some of my toys. 

A pair of these lamps were purchased approximately 11 months after we bought our house.  

They are came from here. I love them dearly but they are sometimes quite hard to work with because they are big & tall. They work best when together and they shine a nice, friendly light in the room. 

I purchased this dandy at TJ Maxx. It is a far cry from my beloved tree lamps, but none the less is a cutie.

TJ Maxx frequently has pairs of things.  There are always two! Some meany pants bought one and left this poor little guy there all by his lonesome. Sad day. I had to bring him home. 

These two Jolly Rancherish frames also came from TJ Maxx.  In my personal opinion I'm better looking than the frame model.  Just kidding, these are for my Mother.  (I hope she's not reading this, that would totally blow the surprise.)

I bought "Mr. It" a few weeks ago at the Art Center in Midtown Memphis.  It's been a total hoot to see what posture he is in after a day of teaching lessons.  No naughty fingers as of yet, let's keep OUR fingers crossed shall we?

All of these pieces belong to the living room console.  Trying to figure out who will take their turn for the next few weeks has been a tough one.

This is what I started out with:

Yes I realize there are to many things on top of the console. I was weighing the options. 

Then I went to this: 

Switching to a single lamp, and to one that is smaller really changed the feel of the room. I hadn't realized how much space the pair of lamps took up. 

two more swaps:

The subtraction of the X-Stool (bought some leopard fabric for the top cushion more on that to come), and added the ceramic garden stools.  A nice punch of color under the forest of metallic that is the console. The tray that was on top of the X-Stool is not on top of the console. The color of the books plus the stools is a nice contrast to break up all of the mirror from both the console and the actual mirror. This was also something that the tree lamps was able to provide. 

For the time being I am going to try out this lamp on the console.  It is such a different look for the room. I adore the pair of tree lamps on this console.  So they may be back.  If I could find another one of these TJ Maxx dandies to pair with this little  guy, that would be super.  It's hard to purchase just 1 lamp.  Buying 2 is always advisable.

So kids, what do we think? Any one have some good console ideas to share?