Ohh-la-la Friday!

It's Friday and I have oodles of things to do this weekend. The mad  holiday rush begins......

My X-husband arrives from Morocco, what day?....what time?.....I dunno, he never has the details....sigh. I think the 19th.....and he will sleep alot after, so my weekend will be......

I missed out on another vintage dining table that was all the way in San Diego. I just didn't want to drive 1 1/2 hours and not know if I could get the table in the Rav4. I have to have a table for Thanksgiving. I think I will hit one of my old plaster home decor studios for a table base, I hope I find what I love. I also want some small capitols and columns for display purposes.

I have cruised the Pottery Barn online and felt that there was nothing for me. Last night, I was at the mall and ran into Pottery Barn after I picked up my Willaims Sonoma brining 'stuff'. I actually saw a lot of things that I would really LOVE to have. I think they have a few glitsy-er items that will suit my house. I am also dreaming about an 'ethnic' bar with embossed metal on the top. I gotta, wanna....have it. Too bad it's $899.00.....sigh. I've been thinking that I can't have everything and I need to be more creative. I will still frequent Home Goods and Marshalls for items after the holidays but in the mean time, I need stuff up. I still haven't found a console table that I love for the stairs (I'm ruined because I saw the perfect one at Marshalls, I had no money and when I went back it was gone.....CRY!) I'm going to put up an old modern white shelf that I have becasue I need to get my pictures up in the stair well, get some great flowering twigs in my new fabulous turquoise vase, and call it a holiday day!

I need to stop trying to be perfect and choose my battles. I can't afford everything and I'm stressing myself out!

My mother is having a garage sale this weekend. I should join her becasue I have tons of stuff. I just can't do it this weekend....too much to do. I have been 'instructed' to remove the kids bikes and scooters from her garage tho'.....gotta do that tonight.

I'm not sure if I will make the Long Beach antique sale either.........Vintage shopping may have to wait until after the holidays......we'll see.

For now, I'm off to write lists for the weekend and I'll cross my fingers that I accomplish everything.





What do I say?...........

As usual, I'm busy, my mind is very scattered. I would so like to be organized for the upcoming holidays. If thinking about it all counts, then I'm on my way! HA!

We got one of the new puppies last Sunday. Lucy now aka Princess is a tiny chihuahua and rather clingy and needy. She would prefer if we hold her day and night. I am hoping that this is just a phase and she will become more secure and confident soon. I adore her and enjoy being with her always.

Unfortunately, on Monday, the dog that my son was going to adopt, died. She was a four month old puppy with all of her shots, but she got parvo and didn't survive. Whew, Monday was very sad for me. My son was very sad too but thankfully Princess can abate any bad/sad moods quickly. I would be very content to just have one dog but we'll see if we get another.

Both of my kids have been sick with colds/flu. I'm feeling rather funky today myself. Just very tired.Well, I'm keeping things short and sweet today........

Jittery-y and TOTALLY Stupid!

So.....I have never claimed to be anything less than....well slightly crazy. Crazy in a good way most of the time, but nonetheless, crazy. We all have a loony side (nods head), I know it.

Last weekend, I went 'around the bend'..........

All the steps have been in place, day after day. I have gained back 'my life', my dolce vita actually. From a good job, a home, to furniture and appliances, much of it is in place. One of the last items that my children have been clamoring for?......yep, a D-O-G.

I LOVE dogs and I was an idiot to go to Petsmart last Saturday and then send pics to my daughter. What was I thinking? They had a lovely little bitchy chihuahua ('Lucy'), Camille's wish list dog. I didn't hold her, but I sat there watching all the dogs for a few hours. Personally, I feel in love with a strange looking dog named 'Camille' (weird huh?). She has crazy big ears and very short legs. Think Welsh Corgi. They claim Camille is poor in-breeding of chihuahuas but she is crazy big for a chihuahua. I didn't hold Camille either. When I arrived home, my daughter demanded that we return so she could see Lucy. Camille held the dog and I was doomed. I couldn't say no, she is a great option, to adopt and save. Lucy was on death row at a shelter because she's a year old. She let Camille hold her but didn't like me much. I am also aware that Lucy doesn't like men much. Hope she likes boys...........I arranged to pick up 'Lucy' next Sunday. I'm sure a name change is in order. We stopped at Homegoods to shop for a bed, we found a black fur one for $10. We didn't find an elevated furniture style one yet, but we'll keep looking.

I will need a baby gate to enclose her in the kitchen until I see if she's housebroken.

My son Malik had a fit that his sister got a dog and he didn't. What's a crazy woman to do? Of course, take her son back to Petsmart the next day and show him the adoptable dogs. There was Lucy's cage mate and death row partner, Hope, a Whippet mix. Hope was quite the adorable dog that can climb a 5 foot cage or jump the 5 feet, which ever. I watched her do that three times. OY. Malik didn't like her. Phew! Then I showed him 'Camille' and it was love at first site. All the crazy rescue ladies knew that I was taken with Camille and offered to let me have her for 1/3 the price. My son held 'Camille' for hours as well and I signed the deal. I pick up Camille next Sunday as well. (BTW - Camille was one of 15 dogs that was removed from a hoarder, she's 4 months old.)

The crazy part, I don't have the deposit monies paid to have a dog at my town home. I'm thinking I will hide the TWO dogs for a month or so....there's the jitter. I'm an idiot......sigh.

Freaks Come Out On Halloween Night OR Oh-h-h-h S-H-I-T!

I was really excited for Halloween this year. It's the first time since my children were born that I could stay home, relax and pass out candy. I LOVE to see the little trick or treaters. Both Malik and Camille were hangin' with friends.

I was rushing around to straighten up the house and suddenly the entire neighborhood's 'sewage' started pumping out of my toilet. Yikes! It was really horrible. I did what I could to abate the flow from getting the carpet or furniture, but some of the fluids did escape out the walls into the garage. ICK-k-k-k. I had notified maintenance four days ago that  there seemed to be a problem, but they never came to access the issue. I was smokin' mad and spent a good half hour, six phone calls or so yelling at management. I then left my house unable to stand the stench. So much for my trick or treaters.

SAD day.......

I've been busy cleaning up the mess.

Saturday, Pre-Halloween

Phew, what a weekend! I didn't even take the time to check emails, let alone write a blog.

Saturday, both of my children agreed to run errands with me. Woohoo, best day ever, when both of my children are with me. I even ran out to San Berdo, to try and make nice with my mother. I haven't spoken to her in a number of months because I have been angry with her. Looks like she was on an RV trip. I left her a gift of a marble cheese board, a new cheese knife, with California artisan cheese called Holy Cow. It's the most divine cheese. Three pieces of fruit, Asian Pear, Red pear and a perfectly sweet/tart apple. I also included some water crackers and fresh walnuts. I hope she enjoyed them, but I haven't heard from her. I ran around all day Saturday and finally got home at 5 PM.

Just enough time to get ready for a Halloween party that I attended with my friend Maureen. It was a fun party. I had a good time. I had a few jello shots and watched people play beer pong all for the first time. Jello shots are over rated, too much sugar for me. It was a pot luck so there was an eclectic mix of foods. Everyone wore costumes.......very festive. All of our kids were supposed to go with us but the all reneged at the last minute....except for Malik. I dragged him along and he didn't enjoy himself much. We stayed at the party for a few hours and home I went. After 11 PM and Camille's curfew, I 'stalked' her, as I saw her at the local Starbucks with a young man. My son and I enjoy torturing Camille, we text'd and circled around the parking lot, forcing her to get home. Looks like a new romance is in the air for Camille, but she's pretty fickle, so who knows.

Nod to All Hallows Eve 2011

I kept Halloween decorating to a tiny area and bare minimum. All of my holiday decor is still in my mother's garage attic and I won't collect everything until I have unpacked all my stuff, cleaned the garage and have the room to store everything. I have so many boxes of decor. I sure miss my Department 56 Halloween Houses, but there's always next year!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Sh-H-H-H, Shopping Like Secrets from a Stylist, Emily Henderson

I have been dying to go vintage furniture shopping on Los Angeles for over a month now. I need to quantify myself, I have always been a new item purchaser, but because I need so many pieces and I'm tired of buying crap, I'm trying to go vintage. I never stop at garage sales but one day I did and found an amazing Regency table and ornate frame all for $20, both needing major renovation. Now, I am dreaming about a walnut round dining table, probably mid-century.

I have found inspiration from a designer on HGTV, Emily Henderson. I feel that my style is eclectic and Emily is the designer that I have seen do it best on HGTV. She's quirky, fun to watch and shops in LA, an hour from where I live.

I gathered my daughter early Sunday morning, which is no mean feat to wake her up before noon. I was on the road by 9 AM, with a scheduled plan that included shopping recommendations from Emily Henderson. I started on the 210 Freeway, toward Pasadena, 30 minutes from my house. I had my co-pilot Camille (my daughter) find directions on my GPS and then call ahead if we had phone numbers. The two places in Pasadena didn't answer the phone, (hmmmmm, must be closed). While my daughter napped, I kept driving on the 210, Camille awoke just in time to tell me to keep driving until I found some strange freeway that I wasn't familiar with. I should have known that a 16 year old isn't the best co-pilot but she's all I had in a pinch. I kept asking her to check her directions, finally after another 1/2 hour, she realized she had skipped two steps in the directions. GADS.........Finally we reached a NOHO (North Hollywood) destination and they were all closed.........sigh. I was sure that stores on Melrose wouldn't be closed, so I headed that direction. My luck, it was the AIDS walk and Melrose and a few other streets were closed down...........Arrrghggggg. This wasn't fun man. I was getting tired and cranky, so I high tailed it to Fairfax and the Farmers Market. I purchased a terrible snack at the market and $20 worth of petit pastries. Camille and I devoured the pastries all the way home. They were delish but oh so pricey!

The next weekend, I headed out Saturday Morning 9AM alone this time. I decided to start near downtown, taking the 10 freeway all the way to the Santa Monica Freeway. I have always known how to get there, I guess. GPS sure gives a strange description, with all the little twist and turns to transition to the 10 (such an old freeway). I went into the Ethiopian area (I think).

There was one cute tiny shop 45 Three Vintage Modern that had horrible prices for me (I said for me....). The proprietor had some great pieces that I admired, but they had already been restored. I was drooling over two unique chairs with amazing green silk striae fabric. $1,200 for the set. Then I noticed a very ornate wall table, that I really really LOVED, $650.

On to TINI, I am IN LOVE WITH THIS STORE! They had a vintage Little Lulu doll.....sigh. I found my dream table but the legs were short, as it was a coffee table. It was only my second store so I wasn't discouraged. I felt very overwhelmed in Tini, there were alot of things that I liked but I promised myself that I wouldn't spend a dime until I got a table first. I always spent so much on accessories that I never have enough for the primary item I'm after.

They want $250 for this chair, I bought a Bergeres chair for $80 in better shape than this(?)

Then I hit Big Daddy Antiques. This store took my breath away, but I knew this was wayyy-y-y out my my price range. I enjoyed looking and circled through the store three times. I especially liked the bird cages and the canary.

I also went to the Mid-Wilshire area, near Paramount to Design Modern. This is a real dumpy store, difficult to squeeze through the aisles. The guy there was funny and rather snobbish. I told him what I was looking for and he showed me a dreadful black table which he wanted $750 for (he also said he would take $450 without asking). I believe he was spouting furniture designer names, but I'm just not that knowledgeable. I feel in love with a small credenza, but he said it was 'signed' and wanted $950. DRAT!

I then went to the Echo Park area of Sunset Blvd off the 101 and Rampart. I went to Pepe's and fell in love with a black walnut desk, WOW, it was lovely, just not what I was looking for.

I stopped for some tacos and started reflecting. I expected more junk I guess in these stores and much better prices. I have come to the conclusion that I can be a picker at the swap meets, the Rose Bowl or Long Beach. I can't afford this kind of vintage at the moment.

I was very sad and defeated that day........

Guess I can't shopping like Emily........

Dreams of Emily Henderson and Secrets of a Stylist doing my humble abode.......

Decorating Lulu Style.......

Can I tell you have many blog/sites I have developed over the years? Too many, darn it! I've had this site since 2007, but never spent much time here or developed it. I'm in a bit of a learning curve which I don't like too much....how do I post a new blog? HA!

I have been crazy busy, no real time for blogging really, but I have a lot to say. Being a W-O-M-A-N of 50 going on 35.........Whooop! I turned 50 last week and let me tell you, I don't like and DON'T want IT! So #$@! if I don't feel 50 or some blind man says I don't look 50......I don't wanna be 50. Simple as that. I leave my rant...........

To those of you that really know me, know of my previous struggles......an update. Since June 2011, I moved into a 3 bedroom town home, in a town adjacent to my town, Upland. I'm really content, happy and my place is very comfy, cozy. When all of my processions went into storage in the year 2008, I sold most of the big stuff, like washer, dryer, fridge, sofa, dining table etc. So in July 2011, I had a lot of creative purchasing to do. I LOVE nice things. Really nice things and this time I really don't want to compromise.....much. First purchase I made was a custom sofa, with three cushions and a chaise. The sofa has clean lines and a neutral texture that I like. I chose it because I wanted a sofa that could grow with my ever evolving aesthetic and taste. My current decor style (according to ME!):

• Modern
• Hollywood Regency
• Moroccan
• Coastal

Having lived at the beach for 25 years, I will never leave my love of the coast and decor. I suppose the same holds true for my Moroccan style (since I was married to a Moroccan for 13 years). I am not classical trained in interior design, but I love all styles. I know what I know, which I would say is very little. I like what I like, I know it and tend to have a fantastic eye. (I can say that right? It's confidence, not braggin'!) I'm not decorator, I could never be on HGTV. Anyway, with all the disclaimers out of the way. I have some really really crazy decorating stories to tell........(does the anticipation make you tingle?)

Here's a 'before' picture of my sofa......Stay tuned for the evolution

A lot of help is needed is it?......

Confessions of a Panera Addict.....



Lunch............(happy sigh)

Is it delirious to have lunch at Panera's every day of the week for the last two weeks? You see, I love soup. I don't eat much soup in the summer, so when it starts to feel like Autumn.....I crave soup. Not just any soup, really, really good soup, like,

     Chicken and Wild Rice......

          Broccoli......

               Potato......

                     Clam Chowder......

With lovely French bread too!

M-M-M-m-m-mMm-m-M-M-M-M