Birdcage Birthday Present

Anytime I come across something that is large in scale and could be used for either inside decor or garden decor, I usually purchase it. I recently came across a bird house that I loved. I bought it knowing that I could use it somewhere, somehow in my decorating. Best thing is that I paid $4.00 for it! Here are some ideas and inspirations that went through my head.

Love the idea of putting memorabilia in the bird cage. Eclectic items that have a story.

Great idea for Easter Decorating.

Love this idea; these are vintage Christmas ornaments.

Fill with old broaches or antique door knobs

Empty is good too!

Well, Ive decided I'd like my birdcage to be made into a light fixture for under my cabana on my patio. I was inspired by these light fixtures and thought.....why can't my birdcage be a light fixture.

My birthday is this weekend and my husband asked what I wanted. I know that his love language is the gift of time. He has made so many wonderful things for me. Of course, he needs the idea and concept first. I've given my ideas to him and now I can get excited about what he's going to come up with. I've asked him to add subtle lighting. I don't like it when lights glare in your face. Luckily he's very handy and creative so I trust he will come up with the perfect fixture. Lucky me! I can't wait to see what he comes up with! The best part is that he is going to involve the girls and that makes the gift even better!

Could this be what he does? Easy way out?? NOT!

Maybe this? Hmmmmm?? I'll post pictures of what he comes up with!

Texas Spring

It's officially Spring and what does the weather man say today???? A cold front is moving in..... WHAT???? and it will be cold again the next few days. I've been preparing for planting my spring flowers and now they are saying it's getting cold again??? I strained my neck terribly by moving all my winter clothes to the top rod and they are saying it's going to get cold again???? It's the craziness of Texas. I've lived here 20 years now and I still can't prepare.

Oh well.... I guess I have worse things to stress about.

Happy Texas Spring!!

Thrifty Finds!

I was between appointments today and decided to stop in and check out a couple "thrift" stores and "consignment" stores while I had the time. I always enjoy looking for treasures. These are a few of the things I found.

Each item was found at a different place, can you believe how nicely they all go together. I have a lamp base that will be perfect for the pleated, linen lampshade. I love quirky pottery with great earth tones and may steal this for my toothbrush and toothpaste in my bathroom. The pillow is down filled and the embroidery work really caught my eye (still had the original price tag on it - $65). The leather "faux" book has a wonderful distressed/aged look. I went into a retail store later today and saw the same book for 6 times the price I paid for this one "thrifting".


These items probably won't end up in the same room but I was excited and amazed that all the items I purchased today coordinated so well together, I love it when it works like that.


It brought JOY to my day. Small treasures delight the heart! Go looking for yours, it's fun!

Spain Here I Come

I'm so excited because today I booked our flights to Spain. We've got some wonderful friends that live there and we are going to go and visit them!!! I can't wait to see them and catch up.

It also excites me because I LOVE Spanish Architecture. I think it's because of my childhood memories growing up in Panama. I especially love the outside living, the courtyards, arches, mexican tile, wrought iron balconies, terra cotta pots, tile roofs, stucco exteriors and so much more. I've read every book there is on Spanish design and have incorporated some of that style in my home.

Here are some pictures of homes that have inspired me!

I know that this trip is going to inspire me even more. My trip isn't until November but my camera is out and ready!!!

Colors of Spring

I adore this time of year when you start to see signs of nature coming back to life after the cold winter. Seeing all the Bradford Pear trees blooming and all the oak trees getting their leaves makes my soul happy. Of course, here in Texas my allergies are about to kill me! I had the windows open the other day and the birds were singing like they hadn't sung in years. It was an amazing sound! It's so cool how Spring makes our lives feel like they are getting a fresh start. Everything seems new again.

I thought you would like to see some of the color trends for spring that are inspired by nature. I thought they were really beautiful.

Room Inspired by these beautiful flowers.

I love this room's pale pink color, it is almost grey. I also love the layering of the natural elements in this picture. The height of the sticks gives such incredible interest to the mirror and adds a softness to the room. The light colored basket under the table brings your eye to the floor and creates balance to the overall look. Mixing styles is also what makes this room amazing. The rustic tin cans add a bit of country and the imported carved furniture adds the eclectic twist. The shape of the mirror is also very striking and having it hung close to the table top is perfect. Notice how the height of the mirror is the same as the pictures on the wall to the left. Again this brings balance to this area. All the colors are so natural and soothing. I want to create this look for a client!!

For those of you that are taking time off for Spring Break like me, I hope you get to spend some time a part of nature. Maybe it will inspire you to start a project! May you feel a new beginning this spring!

Barbie's Real Life Dream Home - 50th Birthday

It's Barbies 50th Birthday today! If you can make it to Malibu, interior designer Jonathan Adler decked out an over-the-top, pink-carpeted 3,500-square-foot house for the official birthday bash.

MALIBU, Calif. – Barbie's Malibu Dream House is coming true.
On the eve of her 50th birthday, interior decorator Jonathan Adler has decked out a real-life 3,500-square-foot pad overlooking the Pacific Ocean to look like the blond doll's outrageous home.
Adler, who was commissioned by toy maker Mattel Inc. to decorate the house for Monday's party, said outfitting the sleek mansion (a property that's frequently rented for film and photography shoots) took six months of planning and a few weeks to install.
"Barbie was a dream client because she doesn't exist as a person," Adler said. "She exists as fantasy and is the perfect client because she's always happy and fun and loves everything. I thought to myself, 'How would Barbie live?' What I thought was Barbie would have a house that is glamorous, kittenish, chic, colorful and happy — as well as functional."
Adler lined Barbie's bedroom with wall-to-wall pink carpeting emblazoned with her initial. The closet is filled with 50 pairs of pink peep-toe heels while her kitchen is stocked with cupcake-making ingredients. An in-house museum features 25 vintage Barbie dolls on display. In the garage? A pink Volkswagen New Beetle with a motorized pop-up vanity in the trunk.
"I think this really is Barbie's Malibu Dream House because the setting is so incredibly dreamy and ethereal," Adler said. "We're perched on a cliff in Malibu overlooking the ocean. It's a fantasyland for anyone. It was difficult to find the house to celebrate Barbie's 50th birthday because it had to be the ultimate Malibu house, and I think we found it."
Decorating Barbie's real-world dream home, which will be the site Monday of a star-studded soiree celebrating the doll's birthday, was a dream for Adler, the potter and decorator who has served as head judge on Bravo's "Top Design." He said Mattel gave him access to the company's archives, including a look at all of Barbie's various dream homes over the years.
Following the festivities, most of Barbie's custom decor will be shipped to the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas to furnish a special pink-tinted Barbie Suite that will be available for bachelorette parties, birthdays or anyone who wants to live like Barbie. Other items will be available from the "Jonathan Adler Loves Barbie" collection launching in September.
Adler's favorite furnishings are hanging in the living room: an original Andy Warhol portrait of Barbie valued at over $200,000 and a chandelier — designed by "Project Runway" contestant Chris March — that's made up of over 30 blond wigs and took more than 60 hours to craft. Adler also admires a one-of-a-kind black-and-white wall mirror created with 64 dolls.
So where's Ken?
"Ken's around, but does she need Ken?" said Adler. "No."

By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang, Ap Entertainment Writer – Fri Mar 6, 2:29 pm
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Inspirational Words

I'm working with a really fun family right now. Yesterday she sent me an e-mail saying that they were so excited about getting started with all the ideas I had presented to them. She sat down with her family and asked them to each give a word to her that described how they wanted their house to be after the finished product. She sent me an e-mail with the words they came up with. So awesome when the whole family gets involved. Really...they have to be. Especially for this special family. They have decided to purge a ton of their items, going through drawers, sorting through clothes, throwing away things they don't use or need. All this in preperation for the "transormation" their house is going to go through. New paint, furniture, window treatments, rugs, lamps and much more. It's nice when you can all be on the same page as a family and work together towards a goal. This will be a challenging time for them over the next few weeks with painters invading their space and the upset of being out of their regular routine. The best thing is that this family is in it together and can't wait for the end result. This makes my job a lot of fun. I can't wait to get my hands on the final touches, it's going to be so much fun. I'll post before and after pictures once it's done!

I've been collecting some of my favorite quotes and filing them away. After reading my cllient's e-mail, it inspired me to put them all together for you. They make me smile.

“The details are not details, they make the design”.Charles Eames

Fortune favors the brave – Virgil 17BC – 19BC

We ascribe beauty to that which is simple - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Less is more – Ludwig Miles Van der rohe

The home should be the treasure chest of living –le Corbusier

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful – William Morris

Form and function should be one, joined in spiritual union – Frank Lloyd Wright

Creativity is seeing something that doesn’t exist already – Michael Shae

Fashion passes, style remains – coco chanel

Concrete Treasure

I've had this Concrete stone cast iron decorative finial for a while now. Discovered it a while back on one of my treasure hunting days. From the moment I saw it I thought it would really be nice painted to look like concrete rather than this kinda dreary brown color. I found this picture of a mirror and thought it could be my inspiration for the color I was going for. I've discovered that painting is my therapy. I keep projects like this around so when I feel the need to paint, I can do so. I dug this treasure out of my storage unit, dusted it off and got busy. I always find myself in a good mood when I do projects like this. I put my ipod on and it was such good medicine.

Here's the end result. This items is for sale - $100 if anyone is interested. It's approximately 25" tall and would look great in any kitchen. Contact me at 817-706-8000 for more information.

Peek Through The Key Hole

I was driving along yesterday and was glad I had my camera with me. I found a really cool entrance to a neighborhood and the gate reminded me of a key hole. Because my slogan is "key to your decorating needs," I thought it would be fun to have a picture of it. I'll try to incorporate it on my blog somehow.

Ruth