Getting through the process!

Ok, we are getting through the house buying process. The inspection was tonight as well as the village review. All looks good!

Now the radon testing for the next few days, then the appraisal from the bank and then we wait!! for the bank to finish processing all the paper work.  

I am happy, but really tired. 

                Just got home a bit ago {my poor sassy, quick walk tonight} 

I will posting over the next few days before I leave for work, but I won't be able to read my favorite blogs until the weekend... I will be taking care of my friend Meg tomorrow night who is very ill, slowly getting better....*fingers crossed* she will continue to get healthy blood cells!!!

                       I am happy to be spending the time with her.  

I haven't seen her since last summer before she went into the hospital isolation. I must remember to wash my hands all day tomorrow so not to take any bad germies to her house. I am so excited to see her. 

                                       *Yippie* {i am jumping up and down}

Everyone have a great night and I will catch up with you this friday and saturday:)

xx

callie

OBSESSION: gooey goodness

image: flickr

Most of us have memories of marshmallows like the image above! Using an old metal hanger, with a stale white blob on the end. If you get good at slowing turning the hanger, you'll have a soft toasted glob of sweetness. But if you don't, you'll end up with a small torch at the end of the wire right before the glob falls off into the fire.

But these are the marshmallows that make my heart happy! They are vanilla, sweet and yummy! I find recipes everywhere for them, but have been a bit intimidated to make them... but I will someday try. {The recipes do seem easy} But in the mean time, I buy mine from Trader Joe's when they have them, or at boutique grocery stores. I love them, just pop them in my mouth or in my hot chocolate.  My mum made the best hot chocolate when I was young, and let me tell you about comfort! mmmmm, so good. 

I actually make it about twice a week! It's so simple: I heat about 3/4 cup of cream (1/2 & 1/2) in a small sauce pan with a 1/4 of the chocolate disc of "Abuelita"  chocolate. whisking all the while until the cream is hot (not boiling) and the chocolate is melted. I serve in a demi tasse and top with a marshmallow! mmmm goodness.  My mum used to use really good chocolate and sugar. But I use Abuelita since I can buy it from the grocery store in the Hispanic isle. It has a bit of Cinnamon in the chocolate that puts it over the top!

oh, and marshmallows are fabulous with rice crispies too!!

Do you like marshmallows? What is your favorite comfort food from when you where young?

xx

callie

DESIGN: Interiors simple and fresh

Image Julia Bird

I love this sofa, looking cosy in front of the big window with soft draperies pulled to the sides is such a sweet shade of pink. Oh, and that chandelier is so pretty.  I have been looking at images pulling together my inspiration board. 

This one by Julia is high on my list of what I would like my home to look like.  

image via mirrormirror

I found this dining room very fresh and inviting. Again, the beautiful drapery is pure sweetness. I don't know how to sew, BUT I do have a good friend Anne who does! She agreed to help me with the drapery in my house, yeah!! I just need to find some pretty fabrics, I do believe a trip to Fishman's Fabrics is in the near future.  I also love that most of the furniture is painted white but the dining table dark wood. *sigh* such prettiness

Image: Livingetc.

I love the lush bright drapery in this photo! The colour is amazing and delicious! I have a trend in my inspiration images. Sweet. Clean. Simple. Lush. 

and then I find an image like this:

Image: Livingetc

I love the olive colour on the top portion of the walls, with the bottom in a dark grey! *augh* throws me through a loop! That mirror is to die for! love the shape and details.

Maybe I can work the olive green into my palette some way.

your thoughts about olive green?

help keep me balanced......what is a girl to do, so many idea's swimming around in my head!!

callie 

HAPPY FRIDAY

day 83: female cardinal
Originally uploaded by ehpien

Wishing everyone a happy weekend. Spring is here and hoping for good weather. The birds are out singing and fluttering about. Yeah!

This weekend I have lots planned; packing, cleaning and a bit of fun. I will be meeting 2 bloggy friends for lunch on Saturday. I will be posting photos.
and since it is my birthday weekend, I think eating lots of cupcakes are in order!!!

Enjoy the weekend friends!
callie

Lovely Lovely Lovely

Anna French, Wild Flora damask blue / green

ANNA FRENCH

Anna French is one of my favorite designers of wall coverings.  So, I have been searching her site for inspiration....

They accepted my offer on the house.....I am now waiting for them to return the documents to begin closing rituals.... {this is nerve wracking, so I bought this....

lovely little candle that smells so heavenly, to calm my nerves. From anthropologie- capri blue volcano} any way back to the house. I am trying not to get to excited but I started to think of what I will be doing over the next 6 months to transform the house into my home.  

First on my list is to get rid  of the carpet! free the hard wood below! Thinking of staining it a dark chocolate/espresso colour.

 Then painting... neutral in the open areas until I live in it for a while to figure out the natural lighting and the feel of the house. 

BUT, the closets will get a punch of colour!!!! 

I was thinking of a fab Anna French wall covering in the first front entry closet and the secondary closet.  I was searching her site and found these pretty papers. What do you think? which is your favorite?

Anna French, Wild Flora, Ash pink/gold

really loving this one!

Anna French, Velvet jacquard wallcovering in lime green/purple

oh, and this one!!

Anna French Wild Flora, Velvet jacquard wallcovering in pink - flock

Anna French, Wild Flora Damask, purple / brown

and this one too!

Anna French, Wild Flora, ash black / maroon

oooh, this would be lovely in a bedroom!

Oh, they all are lovely.... what to do?? What are your thoughts on the colours and patterns? 

xx

callie

QUOTE: Time, pretty soap and the now.

image: flickr

"We cannot do better than to accept the standards of other times, 

and to adapt them to our uses"

Elsie de Wolfe

Image: Country Home

I for one, am glad we don't have family night baths by the fire using the same water. I prefer to have my bath time to myself and indulge in some pretty smelling soaps, glass of wine in hand and quite time.

image: flickr

retro 1960's, love that patterned tile in black and white. Oh, and look at those shoes!

image: flickr

Now this is a beautiful bathroom!  I would love to soak in this tub.... what about you?

what is your favorite bath time ritual?

xx

callie

OBSESSION: London Calling, Union Jack

Image: flickr

The Union Jack is an image that most people in the blog world have posted about, Trina at LaLaLovely posted this pretty photo... or go here to Kimberley's brown button for a few posts with a chair painted with the union jack, or some throw pillows here.

 I love the image and seem to find it everywhere. 

Image: flickr

What a fantastic image with all these mini's!!

image: flickr

Image: flickr

Image: flickr

Image: flickr

Image: Livingetc.

Image: Livingetc

I really need to plan my next trip to the UK.

Cheers!

callie

DESIGN: Midas-The Golden Touch

I have been working through colour palettes for my home and notice a few of my inspirational images had a theme!  I never thought of using gold in my interior but I feel drawn to each of these images with the small bits of glimmer.  What are your thoughts on gold detailing? 

Image: Living Etc.

This beautifully framed mirror caught my eye, against the dark grey blackish wall! Stunning!

Image: Elle Decor/Met Home 

The soft natural lighting filtering through the thin gauzy sheers has the right amount of glow and sparkle in this idyllic boudoir.

Image: Metropolitan Home

The brass detailing on the door hardware repeating at the shelf and the framed drawing add small touches of sparkle without being to over the top.

Image: Country Home

How sweet is this desk with the sunny yellow sunflowers! Love the antique brass nail head detailing along the leg of the desk. The simple gold frame of the landscape painting is perfect.

Have a sunny day!

xx

callie

House Hunting

This weekend was filled with driving and searching for a new home. 

The house on Morton

 

This is the house I just placed an offer on..... 

It is very similar to the house I placed an offer on two weeks ago "The Harrison House". Same floor plan except that this one (to my sadness) doesn't have an attic. But the layout is the same. This one I will have to do a complete gut of the kitchen and bathroom. Which is good for me, since I can design those rooms in my taste. Yeah!  The house was built in 1948 and the kitchen and bath is original to the house. The stove/oven is huge! I may keep that in the remodel, it is in good condition but I may not. 

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

xx

callie

HAPPY FRIDAY

Doing repairs
Originally uploaded by James_at_Slack

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

I am looking at houses again this weekend. Only wish I could afford something like this photo! Love this house, but it is Scotland.... maybe when I retire!

Have a great day,
callie

ARTIST: smitten

To be young and to be an amazing artist, one would have to be Danny Roberts. I stubbled onto his blog via Rachel at Design Lovely AND I am completely smitten with him and his work. He is an amazing talent well beyond his age.   Here, I have post a few of his pieces BUT YOU MUST go to his blog and see more of his wonderful pieces!!! but wait there is more, he sells his beautiful work on etsy!!!! be still my heart, I will own one of his lovely pieces very soon!!

I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do!

xx

callie

QUOTE: Calm, simple and cosy = lovely

"Stick to the things you really love. 

An honest room is always up to date"

Billy Baldwin

I love the simplicity of this bedroom. The cosy white bedding with the grey fabric framing the bed. The simple portrait leaning on the wall. The folding table is fantastic with its delicate legs holding the small little clock and side lamp. *sigh* to be snuggled up here in comfort!

xx

callie

ps

I don't remember where I found this fabulous photo image... if you do, please let me know so I can credit the photographer.

thanks

Happy Saint Patrick's Day: Happy Birthday

Dia Dhuit!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day my friends!

What a glorious day! I am excited, the weather is getting warmer and spring will soon be here!  I am a bit sad that I will be missing my mum's corned beef and potatoes! but I will be making my own. (Already, in the crock pot to slow cook all day on low) mmmmmm, can't wait until tonight! Here is a recipe that I found on epicurious that I will have to try next year. Doesn't it look yummy! 

photo credit: juliana Sohn

Today is also my sister Julia's birthday!  I wish her many years of cupcakes and happy memories!!!

photo credit: my dad, w.gauld

Here is my sister eating her cake at about 2 years old!  Sherry Anderson is on the left eating cake, with my ultra skinny aunt Ilona on the right (mind you she had 3 kids by the time this picture was taken!! amazing)

photo credit: my dad, w.gauld

Here is my sister on her 3rd birthday! presents:) I am to the right! (one of the last times I have worn short shorts!!!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!!

love & miss you, sissy

Slainte,

callie

DESIGN: Doors- Open & Close, First Impressions and Last

Image: Tiffany Mumford

Love the colour of the front door and shutters here! 

I would love to use this as my new front door colour once I buy a new home!!!

As most of you know, I have been looking for a new home. I had a few on my list that I really liked with my favorite being the Harrison House and the Washington House second as back up. 

Well, those doors shut!  

Washington was taken off the market to lease! and the owner of the Harrison House will not come down in price!  She grew up in the home and is very sentimental and is asking to high of a price for the neighborhood.  She lives out of state and came into town this weekend, so I hope she gets over her warm fuzzies and lets me buy the house. My offer was fair market, we researched houses that have sold in the area over the last year and ask for the same price as those sells. Please keep your fingers crossed and positive thoughts my way on this house, or if that door is not a dutch door and has shut.... hopefully, a new door will open this weekend when I go house hunting again!

Image: taken by Trina, LaLaLovely

Love this beautiful door taken by the LaLa lovely Trina 

while on holiday with her husband in England!

Photo credit: flickr

The this warehouse door colour blood red and blue along the foundation.

Photo credit: Flickr

The light grey siding with this dark greyish blue door is very welcoming

image: country home

The dutch door is great for a side door out from the mud room or kitchen.

Here is a collection of doors, hope one opens for me soon!

xx

callie

freshHOME

I have to share this wonderful find!!! Since, Domino is no longer (which is a terrible loss) I have been on the search for inspirational magazines..... Yesterday, while searching through the magazines at Barnes and Noble, I came across this fabulous magazine. It has DIY, BIY Tricks of the Trade and Decorating articles that one can actually DO!  They even break it down for you on how much it would cost to DIY or if you were to pay someone by BIY, they also give skill level!!!!

Since, I am in the market to buy a home the articles on painting really made me love this magazine! I hope you find this great magazine and enjoy it as much as I did!

Enjoy this fantastic read!

callie

Crocus avenue, Huntly

Crocus avenue, Huntly
Originally uploaded by James_at_Slack

I am really ready for spring!
Have a wonderful weekend.

xx
callie

QUOTE: Intense colour=atmosphere

"Always make a dark room darker. 

You can paint a dark room white, 

but it will still be dark... give it atmosphere 

with deep intense colour that works well in artificial light."

Roger Banks-Pye

Colflax & Fowler Interior Inspiration

I love her striped dress in blue and red against the dark olive walls, just stunning in my book!

xx

callie

quote

image: John Rawlings