Who is Kelley Proxmire

I was recently gabbing with a friend about design stuff and mentioned DC area designer, Kelley Proxmire. The name did not ring a bell for her but I assured her that some photos would.

This bedroom has been in my inspiration files for sometime and my bedroom is, in fact, pale blue.

You'll never guess the wall color in this bedroom.

Black walls like these would create the coziest cocoon.

This is the Dc design house room that Kelley Proxmire did. 

See those X-benches? Target. Yes, they are from Target just repainted and reupholstered. That makes her my hero.

Here are a few more colorful spaces by Kelley.

 Are you a fan of Kelley Proxmire?
Follow her on Pinterest HERE

TV for artists

I am not quite sure how I feel about this way to hold a TV but it is clever.

I would imagine that it is slightly difficult to disguise the tangle of cords in this situation. Barring that problem, I would love to be able to roll the whole thing right out of sight when necessary.

Tell me. What do you think?

 Oh and Happy Valentines day!

Happy heart day!

So how is the famously loved and hated holiday going for you?

I would have posted this a week ago but I never know when that sneaky husband of mine is actually going to read my blog.

I saw this idea and had to make it. We have almost a million decks of cards so that cost me nothing. I bought some metal keyrings that I will hold the deck together with once holes are punched. The hard part was coming up with 52 freakin' things! Don't get me wrong, I very greatly enjoy my husband and thought this would be an easy feat. Around 24 I was struggling...grasping at straws...mentioning old stuff. Oh well, it should go over big.

He is also getting a large chef's knife and saute pan.

Updated photo

Me? He has such a hard time and I don't know why. I suppose it is that he is a practical sort and I just want something pretty that I might feel guilty buying for myself.

His first idea was a handbag. A few weeks ago I unknowingly bought my own.

He would have opted for Vera Bradley and I am totally over that.

He actually bought me a soda stream machine but after a few hinting conversations I said I did not want that. He was annoyed and stumped.

Kerry to the rescue!

HERE

I have been really wanting some of my own fabric for pillows but feeling like it was too indulgent.

I got three fabrics to make pillows.

 HERE

HERE

I am so excited! I am figuring that the reality is more like Easter pillows though. Once the fabric arrives I send it to my workroom in PA. Silly, but it works for me.

What is on your Valentine's wishlist?

Shark cage

Its not terribly pretty but it sure is functional.

We call it the shark cage but it really holds my paintings while they await a home.

My husband built this for me out of PVC pipe. I love it because, unlike lumber, it will not scratch the canvases and it is light enough to move myself. I am getting another for smaller works.
I just had to show off his handiwork.
Here is a bit of mine.

" By moon we sport and play" SOLD

" Six impossible things before breakfast" 18 x 24 acrylic on canvas

untitled painting on paper #52

Old, new and maybe blue

I always laugh at the argument about decorating with books.

There are those that are appalled at the idea and those that embrace it and those that simply realize that if must put the thing down eventually it ought to look nice. I fall into the last category.

Personally, I am a fan of older books whether they be colorful or crusty.

There is something so romantic about old books stacked up.

I do not, however, subscribe to the fashion of ripping off covers or white washing them for decorative purposes, But hey, you live your life, I'll live mine.

There is just something about the way that books fill in a space that magazines or other items just don't equal.

I would not organize them by color but I have been guilty of that when I had to stage my house for sale.

 

I have become a believer in removing the paper covers but that is another war.

Perfection!

What about you? Do you organize by color? Are you a paper cover remover too?

Craigslist- the intangible edition

As promised, I picking on other places than my hometown today. Actually just one person with some magically funny listings, living in a rural, hilly area, that happens to be in my home state.
I swear on everything sacred that I did not make these up. I copied the text from the listings in red.

Can't touch this

The listing for this table made me laugh out loud.

This is rather new table, by new I mean made by modern means of particle board and such. It is in decent shape. It has three tables with it that are all in rough shape. They could be stained if you wanted them to go back to being nice. It would make a great intangible table.

WTF is an intangible table?

The listing reads:

This is an antique wood desk. It even has the place where the liquid ink would go so that someone could dip their quill pen in the ink so as to write

Just in case you want to tell Ma and Pa about the injuns you saw on the way home from coon huntin'

I am not making this next part up either!

This is a listing by the same person for a "retro recliner"

 This is a retro recliner in good condition. It is yellow, with an orange-ish brown color. Very retro. I don't bargain.  

Stain. He meant to say "stain" after "orange-ish brown color" but there was a critter making a racket out back and he got all flustered.

Same guy...again.

A portion of the listing for the $100/never cleaned ever once sofa, reads:

  It is a little dusty and has some dog hair that could easily be removed.

I see no damage to the recliner other than smelling like smoke from a wood stove and being dusty.

Smoky Green recliner... a fragrance for... uh...folks and furniture.

I don't know. I am just shaking my head at this crazy old coot selling the filthy contents of his house.

How do I know he is a he?

He also claims in yet another listing that he is gettin' hitched and his fiance already has her own gross stuff a dining set.

Each ad ends with "I don't bargain". I guess it is pretty obvious that cleaning is frowned upon also.
Bless his heart!

Hillbillies are hilarious.

 

This could happen

Those of us without money trees often must compromise.  I mentioned yesterday wanting these simple oval backed Louis chairs with my fabric on them.

 Thanks to a fabulous reader, I was alerted to an affordable version of the chair from World Market

HERE

If they were to be mine they would remain in their plain black state.

Several commenters mentioned keeping four chairs and finding new head chairs.

This is what I am working with people! I left the cottage in the woods and brought the chairs with me. ACK!

Another comment mentioned a settee. That is something I would love but alas the space does not allow.

The wall to the left is home to a china cabinet and my easel. It is also a main traffic pattern in the house. So no settee happening.

FYI, I am majorly bugging my husband to make me a studio in the basement. If that happens the new chairs might too.