#dwh2: Artwork

Remember this giant frame that I spray painted about 2 months ago...or was it 3? 

Well I did have a purpose for spraying it and having it ready to go.  

 Just a quick post to share it's whereabouts. 

I used my fav spray paint - It took a trillion or more cans to spray this giant frame. 

Job well worth it though - the end result was super exciting. 

 

Frame in progress - Already looking good! 

 

After I finished the frame it sat for about 6 weeks (while we were in NYC and other trips). When I got home from NYC I took it to the framer - so excited to have this done (did I say that yet?)!

I got it back yesterday - so excited - and it is now hanging in the dining room.  Where it may stay, but I will likely try it in several different other settings in the next few days to see how it looks.  I like how the stark white frame looks against the almost black wall.  It helps fill the wall too with color.

Like many other things in my house - it usually doesn't get to come in/stay if I can't find at least 3 places to put it.  So now I'm on the hunt for the other two possible places for this gem.

Oh and I'm sure you're wondering about the artwork - the piece is acrylic and pencil on paper and is about 25+ years old I do believe.  The artist is Kathleen McElroy - a I teacher taught with at St. Mary's Episcopal School.  She's so lovely - her pieces are amazing and I'm always proud to say that I know her!

What's up in August?

August 2014 . 

8 Days in. 

Rather eventful. 

Changes. 

Progression. 

Self-Actualization. 

Improvement. 

Okay, so...August 2014, let's do this.

All pics from Instagram from non trademark pages. And if one of these is your registered photo - take comfort in the fact it made me happy!

#DWH2 - Gallery Wall

#DWH2  The Den - Gallery Wall

I posted several times this spring about working on the den at #dwh2.
Check out this post, post and post about her progress.

When we went to Chicago in January, we hauled it out to Shaumburg to Ikea...in the middle of a snow storm. It was great.  GHW got to use his Canadian snow driving skills and I got to go to Ikea.
Happy.

When I bought the shelves in January, I intended to put them in the lady room. As the den started coming together, it came to be that they really were best used in there.  So there it is.

The inspiration for this "installation" comes from Barney's.  (The department store, not the purple dinosaur. Just wanted to clear that up. ) Their home section is really quite lovely - a museum, if you will, for home decor. Their book section is one of my favorite areas of the floor.

 Barney's Department Store - Home Floor

And then there's my new Kate Spade 2015 planner.  Hmmm. 

Considerable nod to the wall at Barney's, don't you think? 

 Kate Spade 2015 Planner 

So here's what all the hah-bub is about. 

Enter: My favorite spray paint (pictured below) for the brackets that were originally stainless steel. At the last minute I took them out back and sprayed a coat on them.  The stainless steel seemed like a good idea and would probably have been okay but that wasn't the look I was after. I wanted the shelves to be a non factor - merely utilitarian and to completely blend in with the (VERY) white wall.

Ikea Ekby - The planks were already finished in a nice lacquer white. I used 4 planks for this project. 2 small, and 2 large.  The larger planks are on the bottom and the smaller are on the top.

 

The final product is quite good.  All in all it took about 20 minutes to have all 4 shelves up on the wall. I can't believe we waited 6 months to actually do it.  What a great additive to the room.  It really feels nice walking in/out/through the space having this in place.  I'm sure that I will continue to fiddle with the positioning of the pieces, etc. over the next few days.  Within about 10 minutes of having the shelves up, this is what landed in place.  Gotta start with something, right-o. 

I don't really intend to put books on these shelves, using them for pictures is really the intention. There are shelves available for books to the immediate right around the closet door if need be. I have so many framed pieces and other items that really needed a place for them to be displayed without looking ridiculous.  A work in progress none the less.  In under an hour - work well done.

The month of December

Earlier this week I posted about the decorations in my house for the Christmas holiday (that are still up by the way). Just as I had the same problem putting them up, I'm now having difficulty scheduling a time to take them back down.  So my white Christmas tree is now going to be a winter tree and probably a Valentine's tree to follow.

So...back to the month of December. Here is a photo review of some of the things that went down.

//I got this new piece of art off Etsy: CoCo Draws//

//I worked at WKNO many days, including over my highly coveted teacher holiday//

//A lovely package from JewelMint arrived at my doorstep.//

//December means recital season for my many music students, 

Handsome thought he needed to give a little recital himself//

//Speaking of recitals, I sang the Vivaldi Gloria with a Methodist Church here in Memphis.//

//I hadn't done any solo work like this for a year or so, so this was fun.//

//In mid December I turned in my 2nd Masters document.

I was awfully glad to check that puppy off the ol' list.//

//HANDSOME did his regular begging act for most of the month.//

//Christmas break rolled around and it was time to actually decorate the house.

This included the bar cart, which is now fashionably adorned with multi 

colored tooth picks in an appropriate Moose holder curtosy of my Dad.//

//I managed to paint my nails, something I hadn't done for a while.//

//New Year's Eve came, which allowed for some adjustments to holiday decor, 

though not a total take down, after all Christmas wasn't officially over.//

//We spent NYE with new friends and old friends in Midtown Memphis.//

//2013 arrived with a good food and laughter//

//Resolution, anyone?//

//Always nice to start off with a fresh coat (of nail polish at least) for the new year.//

And just like that, January is here.

Feathers

Feathers by Paule Marrot

I absolutely love this piece of artwork it's so beautiful.
The print comes in two sizes, big and even bigger. So at least it's a big piece

....and slightly expensive. And I'm talking about the print, UN FRAMED.
I shutter to think about how much it would cost to get the piece framed. 

I guess I can add it to the "sigh" pile....

Let us say together....

Siiiiiiigggghhhhh

7 Days - 20 Photos

On Friday night, Handsome hid under the blue velvet couch in the sunroom

On Saturday, I went to see "The Help" with Katherine, Elizabeth, and Ellen. 

Seeing this movie just up the road from Jackson, MS 

in Memphis was really something. 

It looked an awful lot like my new 'ville. 

New Tervis Tumblers for the Dow Wards. 

Though our wedding day was nearing 6 years ago, it's still like a honeymoon. 

I'm addicted...get over it.

Something to celebrate with friends and drinks...

On Sunday my friend, Elizabeth graduated from The University of Memphis magna cum from the university honors college.  Yes, I like being around extra smart people who have good things to say. 

Hi...this is me in my Warby Parker glasses. 

They're awesome. 

An orange velvet chair in my co workers office. 

A late breakfast/lunch on my desk at work.

Don't worry, more food followed. 

Straws, like that of Kate Spade.  

A demi bev after work on Monday.

I'm loving our house. 

I switched lampshades. 

Orange silk for white parchment. 

This shade is silver on the inside, shhhh don't tell. 

You can see a little bit of the silver undercoat from this perspective. 

Elvis' vigil was on Monday.

Something to put on the ol' bucket list. 

A new Elle Decor arrived this week. 

That's always exciting. 

Lunch on Wednesday. 

Yum...Lean Cuisine

A Kate Spade print on the side table next to my desk. 

Can't forget my love for this guy. 

He's Handsome!

Now for the biggest event of the week...

My friends Melissa and Scott had a baby on Monday!

Welcome Clarabella!

This week was has flown by with not many words, just pictures. 

The weekend is nearly here! 

Take some pictures.