UGLY

Restoration Hardware has officially lost me.  You should see the look on my face as I just saw this lamp in a RestorationHardware.com email...

UGLY

eBay Seller

I just listed several home-decor type items for sale on eBay.  The best item I have for sale is this lovely light fixture which I tried to find a place for in my house but failed.  It needs a happy home!

If you want to see my goods do an advanced search for eBay seller ID mrsbrowndog or click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/2cczoek.  I'll be adding more items in the next few days.

Just Spotted

This kilim ottoman on Horchow.com. I feel it is slightly kick-ass.

$199 ++

I would like to be it's owner.

God Bless The Indiana State Fair

The Indiana State Fair is in town.  Indiana has a good state fair.  The layout of the fairgrounds is great and the parking is surprisingly well organized.  It is clean and just the right size, not too big and not too small; however, this year I am taking issue with a situation displayed at the fair.  A traveling sculpture inspired by (knocked-off from) Grant Wood's famous 1930 American Gothic painting is on display in a prominent location on the fairgrounds.  I saw it first hand last week and I just didn't dig it.  The sculpture is by American artist J. Seward Johnson (a Johnson & Johnson heir) and is titled God Bless America.  It is on loan from The Sculpture Foundation which encourages the placement of public art.  The sculpture had previously been displayed in Chicago (also to mixed reviews, per my reading) so I realized this was a, "Hey we're in the area and have got this sculpture and you guys have the state fair going on do you want us to drop this thing off before we move it on to someplace else?" kind of situation.

(sculpture display in Chicago)

The angle the Indiana State Fair is taking with Johnson's sculpture is that they hope God Bless America will remind fair visitors of the importance of agriculture in Indiana.  Huh?  Isn't that what the fair does in general?  Anyway, the American Gothic painting does not remind me of Indiana, ever.  It reminds me of Iowa.  So, instead of me seeing the God Bless America sculpture and thinking about it as a sculpture I was left thinking of the people and personalities that are actually from Indiana and how great it would be if the Indiana State Fair commissioned 25-foot sculptures of influential, well-known or even popular people or personalities from Indiana.  You know, celebrated their own.  (I am choosing to ignore the general weirdness of having the same sculpture mean something different depending on its placement, another topic appropriate for discussion on it's own.)  As I pretend the state fair has the budget to commission giant sculptures I have compiled a list of both past and present Hoosiers that that I am nominating for consideration.

Here we go...

Abraham Lincoln - lived in Spencer County, IN from age 7 - 21 - 

James Dean - actor - born in Marion, IN - 

Karl Malden - actor - starred in A Streetcar Named Desire, On The Waterfront & Patton among many others - I've always liked him - raised in Gary, IN - 

Steve McQueen - actor - born in Beech Grove, IN - 

David Letterman (with his Mom of course) - born and raised in Indianapolis, IN - 

Steve Kroft - longtime correspondent for 60 Minutes - I've always liked him too - born in Kokomo, IN -

Sydney Pollack - director, producer, actor - some of my favorites from his best known movies include Jeremiah Johnson, They Shoot Horses Don't They?, The Way We Were, & Out of Africa out of many, many others - born in Lafayette, IN - 

Michael Jackson - no explanation on who he is - born in Gary, IN - 

Axl Rose - if you don't already know who he is you probably don't want to know - he would surely cause controversy, but he'd have a lot of fans - born in Layfayette, IN - 

David Lee Roth - ditto on knowing who he is already - even thought I place myself in the Sammy Hagar over David Lee Roth camp - ditto on controversy potential - born in Bloomington, IN - 

John Mellencamp - Mr. Indiana himself - born in Seymour, IN and lives in Bloomington, IN - 

Larry Bird - duh - born in West Baden, IN and grew up there and in French Lick, IN - 

Chuck Taylor - How cool would a big pair of these be for a sculpture? - born in Azalia, IN - 

Halston - fashion designer - went to high school in Evansville, IN - 

Bill Blass - fashion designer - born in Fort Wayne, IN - 

Orville Redenbacher - Mr. Popcorn - born in Brazil, IN - 

Robert Indiana - artist - a giant version of his LOVE sculpture would be nice - born in New Castle, IN - 

Kurt Vonnegut - cooler than cool American novelist - born and raised in Indianapolis, IN - 

Colonel Eli Lilly - without the business he founded the city of Indiana would practically collapse and I would not be able to enjoy my position in life as the "financial anchor" around my husband's neck (as he affectionately likes to call our daughter and me) - grew up in, became, was, is Indianapolis - 

Garfield - Who doesn't love this cat? - his cartoon is set in Muncie, IN - 

And last but not least, my very favorite ... 

John Dillinger - gangster, bank-robber & one time "Public Enemy" to the US Government at least - born, raised and buried in Indianapolis, IN - 

My Heart is Going Pitter-Patter

I posted about the store CircaWho.com recently.  Look at this pagoda headboard they have for sale right now -

CircaWho.com

Oh how I wish I needed a headboard!!!

Three Little Worlds

After almost 10 years of marriage my husband has three little words he says to me on occasion that make me very happy.  These aren't the three little words:

"I love you" 

or 

"You are beautiful"

or even

"You look thin".

 The three little words he says to me on occasion are:

"That's your deal".

OK, maybe that is three and half words, no matter, these words often occur when I ask his opinion on something to do with decorating our house.  Music to my ears!

Circa Who

I have discovered the web site of a great store in West Palm Beach, FL named Circa Who.  It is a resale shop and they describe their inventory as being 20th Century funishings from Mid-Century modern to Hollywood Regency meets vintage Florida.  Below are some of my favorites.

Pair of faux bamboo benches at $1,200 -

2 faux bamboo arm chairs with KWID fabric at $350 each -

Gilt faux bamboo coffee table at $950 -

Faux bamboo console at $350 -

Pagoda chandelier SOLD, bummer - 

Pair of pagoda mirrors at $550 -

I emailed the shop inquiring as to if they would ship their goods and received a very nice message back that indeed they would ship and to email for a quote on shipping costs for any of their items.  Click below on their logo to go to the CircaWho.com web site.

I Really Like This - The Cold Version

I recently bought one of these swell faux to go cups -

It is a sturdy plastic cold beverage tumbler with a twist on and off lid and a straw with a stirrer at the bottom.  It holds 24-ounces, has a non-slip brown hand grip and is dishwasher safe.  It is made by Copco.  I am a super duper clumsy woman so this sippy cup for big girls has been making me very happy.  I bought mine at Bed Bath & Beyond for $7.99 (less their coupon discount, never shop there without a coupon), but the Copco.com web site lists many other places that sell them.  See it here.

On Another Note

I bought a pagoda mirror just like this yesterday from a resale shop in Indianapolis named DomiStyle.  The only difference is that my mirror hangs with the pagoda at the top vertically versus horizontally like this one.

I like this room.  A highlight from the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful, especially considering my previous two posts.

You've Got To Be Kidding Me - Part 2

I'm concerned.  Very concerned.  About House Beautiful that is.  This is their Kitchen of The Month for the September 2010 issue -

Wow -

These are the refrigerator / freezers - 

I'm so confused.

You've Got To Be Kidding Me - Part 1

Please excuse my language, but WHAT IN THE HELL is this?

What this is is a full, whole, complete, entire page from the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful featuring the shabby-chic slipcovered seats of an SUV belonging to an Interior Designer named Carolyn Espley-Miller.  The photo is from an article written about a house she owns and decorated in California.  Seriously.

Table That Thought

My nice UPS man (he ALWAYS gives my dog Dolly a treat) delivered two boxes today containing the new rush grass end tables I ordered last week.  I had been admiring these tables online at OrientalFurniture.com for some time now and I finally quit admiring and got out the bank card.  I am very happy with my purchase!  The tables are sold for $69 plus shipping, although I received a new customer discount.  Here is my find -

The tables come in 3 finishes:  Natural (my pick, pictured above), Red Brown and Black.  They measure 18"square.  I've also seen these tables for sale on Overstock.com.

I plan on using my tables in my guest bedroom as bedside tables (although they are sturdy I don't think they would be strong enough to use as a stool despite their size).  There will be adjustable wall sconces on each side of the bed, so I didn't need for the tables I selected to have a smooth surface on which to place a lamp.  These tables are a great way to add texture and a natural element to a room at a reasonable price.