only backgroundI'm a wife, mother and grandmother. I'm opinionated. I contradict myself frequently. Most of all, I love my kids. I believe in them. I fight for them. They're weird and wonderful. If you want to know more, here's a bunch of other stuff from my old site.
Archive for the ‘Home Decor’ Category
Picture Perfect Fireplace
- by Marisa
- August 8, 2007
When we were building our house back in 1993, we came very close to not moving in for Christmas that year. It was December and we were living in our garage, trying to finish up as quickly as possible. Brian had built the fireplace and was facing it when the saw blade broke. I had to make a decision: move in after Christmas so we could order a new saw blade and I could have my herringbone pattern or change the design so we could be in the house for Santa’s arrival. We moved in on December 15. My fireplace isn’t herringbone but it was still beautiful. 
That first Christmas was pretty hectic, trying to get into the house with 5 kids, two of whom were still in diapers. We got our tree up, we bought inexpensive blinds for the windows and kept adding to the list of things we needed to get. One thing we put on that list was a fireplace screen with matching fireplace tools. It’s funny how things like that get pushed aside and forgotten. Well, forgotten until Christmas time, that is. And then we’re too busy buying gifts for the kids to worry about getting the screen and tools.
Since Kendyll is fascinated with the fireplace, we’ve moved our loveseats in front of it so that she can’t climb inside. Seriously, she likes to sit inside the fireplace. Kendyll will be moving out back to the apartment with her mommy and daddy soon, so I’ll be able to return the loveseats to their proper position. And that’s when I want to finally get my fireplace all spruced up. 
Brian and I don’t always see eye to eye on decorating. If I gave him a vote, we’d be getting shiny gold accents. Instead, I’m leaning toward black wrought iron. I’ve always loved the look of it and I think it would look great with the Alaskan White brick on our fireplace. I told Brian I was going to shop fireplace screens and accessories and he didn’t ask me about styles. That means I have to choose and order before he starts to question me. Since the brick lines of my fireplace are very straight with sharp angles, I think I need a screen that’s more rounded. I need to soften the hard edges a little. The screen I found is so perfect, and the brass leaves will probably satisfy Brian’s attraction to shiny stuff. The more I look at this one, the more I think it’s perfect. FirplaceScreenEtc.com has such a terrific selection that I’m not surprised how easy it was to find what I wanted.
I’ve already decided to go with a black wrought iron log rack but now I’m wondering about the tools. Since there is some copper on the screen, perhaps an antique copper tool set would coordinate nicely. What do you think? I’d rather take suggestions here since I already know what the husband will choose.
Of course, if I let Brian choose the tool set, I might be able to talk him into something extra. You see, when I was very young, I went with my mom to visit her dear high school friend. The one thing I remember about that visit was that we popped popcorn in the fireplace. I must have been around 7 years old and I was just fascinated by the long-handled popcorn popper that my mom’s friend placed over that open fire. And that’s what I want, too. So yeah, maybe I’ll let Brian choose the tool set so I can get my popcorn popper.
Looks like the shipping costs for UPS ground are very reasonable, too. All I need now is a final okay from Brian and I’m placing my order. Christmas pictures in front of the fireplace are going to be awesome this year!
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Home Sweet Home
- by Marisa
- August 7, 2007
If you’re under the impression that buying or building a brand new house means that life will be easy from here on out, think again. With a house, it’s always something. Whether you’re redecorating or updating or doing a major remodel to accommodate your family’s changing needs, rest assured that there will be more projects to come. There always are.
As some of you may remember, we just finished putting concrete sidewalks around my house. Finally. In doing so, my husband had to remove my side porch/deck. Our plan is to rebuild it but close it in. So today I was looking around online trying to get some ideas. I think I like what I saw.
First, what I was looking for was a closed in or glassed in porch or patio Apparently, in England thiese are called Conservatories. Regardless of what you call them, they are beautiful and I want one. Specifically, I want the Elizabethan style. Just look at that roof!
I actually got quite a few ideas for our future Home improvements projects from this site. My husband does all our own work, since he is in construction, so I’m urging my UK readers to check out this site. Right now, they’re offering an £800 off internet special promotion. There’s something very appealing about hiring someone to just come in and do the job, rather than waiting for your husband to work on the project on the weekends. I wish I could call Angian Home Improvements now. I miss my side porch conservatory!
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Duvet Cover: Instant Makeover
- by Marisa
- July 31, 2007
Several years ago I discovered the best way to give my bedroom a facelift: new bedding. And the most economical way to do that is with a Duvet Cover. If you’ve got a really good qualilty comforter, then a Duvet Cover will change the whole look of your room with minimal cost. And I love changing the look of my bedroom several times a year.
The duvet cover on my bed now is off white or beige with embroidered dandelions that have gone to seed. Yes, I love dandelions and surrounding myself with them when I sleep makes me feel so warm and snuggly. That’s why I’ve searched online for years looking for another duvet cover with some kind of dandelion theme going on but I have turned up empty. Until now, that is.
As I was searching for bedding today, I came across a UK company that has great prices on duvet covers. Terry’s Fabrics has both printed and embroidered duvet covers as well as bedspreads but I’m really partial to the embroidered duvet covers. My carpeting is dark blue – big mistake! – but I get tired of doing my room in blue. And right now I’m tired of the off white/beige, too. I want something different but it has to blend well with the dark blue.
Oh my! You won’t believe what I found! Not only does Terry’s Fabrics have an embroidered duvet cover that will really liven up my room and go wonderfully with blue, but some of the embroidered flowers on the duvet cover actually look like they could be dandelions going to seed! No kidding! When I saw that my mouth dropped open. I just couldn’t believe my luck. I love that shade of brown and the blue on it will coordinate with my room perfectly.
If all that wasn’t enough, the price on these duvet covers is excellent. I’m not sure of the exact conversion rate from GBP to US dollars but I always figure it by multiplying by 2. That isn’t exact but it’s close. Since I’ve been pricing all sorts of bedding for years, I know these prices are excellent.
The only glitch in my joy is that Terry’s Fabrics doesn’t appear to ship to the US. It’s a glitch, rather than a deal breaker, because I do have a cousin there who can receive it and ship to me. That wouldn’t be too terribly expensive since shipping on orders over £100 is free. I do wish there was overseas shipping though, to make it easier. These designs are so beautiful and unlike anything I’ve seen before. Perhaps if enough of us email Terry’s Fabrics and request shipping to the they might listen. I think I’ll do that today.
And for anyone who is in Great Britain and reading this, tomorrow is my wedding anniversary and November is my birthday. Gifts are welcome. 
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Grandfather Clock Shopping
- by Marisa
- July 30, 2007
A very long time ago, when I was in high school, I babysat two kids every day after school. Every so often, their dad would be home when I got there but I’d babysit anyway because he was usually busy with one of his hobbies. The hobby that really caught my eye was the grandfather clock he was building. I was amazed that anyone would undertake such a project and was later in total awe of the finished clock. Thus began my fascination with grandfather clocks.
Since we’ve always had kids around, I’ve had to be satisfied with mantle clocks or wall clocks and even the ceramic clock on the mantle has a small nick in it from when one of the kids managed to pull it down by the cord. Now, though, the kids are older, Nick will be moving Brit and Kendyll to their own apartment soon, and I’ll be able to redecorate the house with things that I really love.
Since I’m preparing to put a piano in my foyer, I’ve decided that a grandfather clock will look very nice in one of three places: my living room, my dining room or in the hallway between my office and bedroom. I have to figure out where to put it so I’ll know the style I want. I’ve found such a huge selection of Grandfather Clocks at 1-800-4clocks that I’m tempted to get more than one. Is that overkill?
Maybe you guys can help me to decide. I really like a modern look and that would be great in my hallway or dining room. Howard Miller has some of the nicest Contemporary Grandfather clocks I’ve ever seen. I really like the Cosmopolitan. Of course, Kieninger has some nice contemporary ones as well. But I just keep going back to the Howard Miller collection after reading the blog post about the Cosmopolitan’s “funky, cool shape.”
On the other hand, if I put the clock in my living room, I’d need a little more formal or traditional style. I was thinking about either the Hermle Triple Chime or the Ridgeway Richardson II Curio. I’m not sure if I have room for that one but my neighbor, Tammie, has two beautiful Curio cabinets that I just love so I’m kind of partial to that one.
So what do you all think? Should I go contemporary or traditional? I have a while to decide since I’m planning on asking for this as birthday present next year. It’ll be a big one, with a zero on the backside of it. I think one of these clocks would be a grand way of marking such a milestone. Don’t you?
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It’s Always Something!
- by Marisa
- July 28, 2007
I love owning my own home. I’d rather pay that mortgage payment every month, knowing that someday this house will be totally mine, than to pay rent to someone else and have nothing tangible in the end.
Except for things the things that break. I just went into the main floor bathroom, the one that everyone (except me) uses all day long. Someone broke one of the handles from the bathroom faucets. This is not the first time it’s happened, either.
I know why things break so often around here, too. It’s because everyone thinks they have to muscle every moving part in this house. I keep telling the kids to stop and think before they try to force something that maybe was never meant to be. Yeah, like anyone is going to listen to me. This is why my closet doors are broken, my shower door is broken and now the faucet handles are broken.
But take a wild guess who is going to have to fix it? Yep. I’m it.
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Bedroom Blinds
- by Marisa
- June 20, 2007
Every year around this time, I get into that redecorating mood. Or at least, it’s this time of year when I can usually afford to redecorate. With my husband working construction, winter months are usually more lean.
I’ve been working on the main living spaces but just realized that those spaces always get all the attention. The bedrooms sit off to the side and upstairs so they don’t get updated as often. In fact, I did a quick calculation and was amazed to discover that the draperies in my bedroom are 14 years old. Time for an updated look, wouldn’t you say?
I’m tired of the dark drapes and sheers underneath. I do like a dark room when I sleep but I also want the room light and airy during the day. I’m leaning toward blinds to darken the room but not just any blinds. I’m looking at roman blinds because I love the way they lie flat when pulled down. They really give a much more elegant yet understated look to windows. That’s just perfect for my bedroom.
Because my bedroom carpeting is dark blue, I usually decorate in shades of blue. I had this crazy idea to do pale shades of blue combined with some accent black. These bamboo roman shades come in black and would be ideal for my window. A few black wrought iron pieces here and there, a pale blue on white comforter and I’m done! Perfect!
Well, almost. It seems TerrysFabrics.co.uk is not only based in Great Britain but also ships only to the UK and surrounding areas. That might be a problem for some. Fortunately, I have ways around that. My cousin has been living in Scotland for a few years so I’m sure I could have them shipped to her. My dear friend Amity also has relatives in England so that’s another possible solution for me.
Perhaps I’ll include a note with my order, explaining that I’m ordering through my cousin because they don’t deliver to the US. If that happens enough, they may add US shipping in the future. That would be great; I have 4 more bedrooms that need blinds.
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Sweet Dreams, At Last
- by Marisa
- June 18, 2007
I spent almost two decades sharing my bed with kids. We did the family bed so although it was a king size, it was a little crowded. Sometimes it was very, very crowded.
I still believe in the family bed; I wouldn’t go back and change it for anything. I remember, though, dreaming of the day that I could have really nice bed linens instead of rubberized mattress pads that catch the little ones’ accidents. That time has come and I’ve been searching every online store for the most luxurious, softest, Down Pillows and eye catching bed linens I could find. I think I’ve found just what I’ve wanted.
Have you ever just known that you’ve hit the right place, the perfect shop? As soon as I opened the page and read the name, Plumeria Bay, I knew I’d find the perfect bedding for me. After all, Plumeria are the flowers that are used in the Hawaiian Lei and we all know how I feel about Hawaii. Given that name, I was certain I’d find a pattern that was light and airy, pretty and preferably blue. I don’t like dark and dreary colors for my bedroom. Even in the winter, I like a comforter or duvet cover that makes me think of sunshine and springtime.
In my widest dreams, I would never have imagined what I was about to find. I clicked straight through to the duvet covers, mostly because I do everything backwards, and decided to look through the Schlossberg Collection. And that’s when I saw it. I found the perfect design, with beautiful blue flowers on a white background. And get this, the name on this pattern in – Marisa-Celeste! Imagine that! The very pattern I fell in love with has my name.
Naturally, I started filling my shopping cart. At first, when I was looking at the Down Comforters, I wasn’t quite sure which level of warmth I wanted. I like to be all snuggly when I sleep but my husband likes to keep the room cool (or even cold, if you ask me). I hesitated for just a moment then clicked on the Warmth Level link for an excellent reference on goose down and choosing the best comfort level. They even supplied a chart for easier selection. I’m a chart person so that was a real treat!
Oh, and I was surprised to learn that Plumeria Bay can add more down to your comforter, although they cannot remove it. They also advise that their down is so warm that you should probably go one step lighter than you think you need. Excellent advice! It’s obvious that Plumeria Bay is concerned with the customer’s shopping experience and are dedicated to helping the customer make the right choices. I really like when a site provides enough information for me to make my decisions but also are available for a Q&A session if I need it. Plumeria Bay’s toll free phone line, email address and Customer Service page gave me several ways to contact them with questions. Love it!
My shopping cart is filled to the brim. I know exactly what I want. All I have to do now is talk my husband into it. I think I can handle him. 
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Kudos To All Entrants
- by Marisa
- June 3, 2007
I’m so excited about winning the home workstation contest at Gary Lee’s site that I wanted to pay tribute to all the other entries. Besides, some of them were so amazing that I was just drooling over them. (I covet Nate Whitehill’s monitor.)
So here is the list of entrants with special awards given by Mr. Gary Lee.
Homemaker
Biggest CRT Monitor Left in the World
Jane May
Best Use of Crate & Barrell
Blog that Outside
Best Use of Just a Mouse
Andreas Bard Julies Journal Q Musings Shawn Knight #1 Smart Wealthy Rich Mark Shead Go ahead and stop by each blog and let them know how nice their workstations are.
Cleanest Desk
Best Multi-Level Display
Best Use of Wine Glass
Best Cell Block Station
Most Bacheloresque
Smallest Workstation
Looking Through My Window
- by Marisa
- June 2, 2007
When we built our house, we tried to be very careful about the windows we chose. We mostly stuck to standard sizes. Notice i said “mostly.” Our back door is a French Door which is beautiful but presents a challenge in creating privacy and still allowing us to use it regularly. Our front window is huge and cost a fortune the last time we bought draperies for it. That was 14 years ago and I’m ready for something new and different.
I have mini blinds on my dining room windows with pretty deep red sheers over them and a similar window treatment in my living room and family room. I like the look. My kitchen has regular roll shades which are really really plain but serve the purpose for now. It’s that huge front picture window and the French Doors that have me stumped. I had so much trouble choosing the right treatments for them the last time that I just keep putting it off. It’s really tough because it’s almost impossible to send back a custom made window treatment. Yet, the customer service I received back then really didn’t make it any easier.
At last, I’ve found a company with a website that makes covering these two “problem windows” a pleasure! Whether you need standard, stock blinds or Custom Window Shades, the process here is quick and easy. With many styles and companies available, it’s easy to find just what you want. In less than 20 minutes, I had selected my window treatments and was prepared to show my husband.
The first thing I did on the site was check out the types of shades offered, all listed in the left sidebar. I opened a few of the ones I thought I’d like for my French Doors. I was fairly certain I wanted a vertical blind so that was my first stop. I found a few that I liked but before going further, I thought I’d check out the Vertical Blind Alternatives. Oh, I’m happy I did!
I fell in love with the Sheerweave Panel Track Blinds. The 14% openness ones have the most beautiful colors available that anyone is sure to find what they’re looking for. And the great thing is that they can be pulled to the side when we’re opening the door a lot. Unlike the side pull draperies I had there previously, these won’t have so much extra fabric for kids to hide behind in one of their indoor hide-and-seek games. Best of all, the price is actually less than the draperies I’d been pricing last month at a nationwide retail store.
My next challenge was finding shades for my front picture window. The window is 60″ in the center with two 28″ windows on each side. I want light filtering but not totally opaque. Well, imagine my surprise when I found, within minutes, the Hunter Douglas Duette D2 Semi-Opaque Shade with Continuous Cord Loop (EasyRise). These are perfect for wider windows and can be mounted outside so I can hang three side-by-side. Perfect! Oh, and did I mention the fantastic color selection? The price is better than draperies, too.
An added plus was the size selection. You won’t find six or so widths and two lengths to choose; instead you’ll see a drop list of widths ranging from 4″ to 176″ and lengths range from 6″ to 192″ depending on the style you choose. This is truly custom window design.
Now, before you get the impression that I found what I wanted at this site because I know a lot about window treatments, let me assure you I’m less knowledgeable than most. I know nothing about measuring properly or the speicific terminology. So how, you may wonder, did I find what I wanted in record time? Well, it’s because YourBlinds.com has a comprehensive glossary so that you can look up any term that is not familiar to you. They also provide an entire customer service page with links to information on measuring, installing and just about everything else related to the window treatments they sell. Still have questions? Contact them via their pre-order form or send customer service a question after you’ve ordered.
When you choose the blind that fits your need, be sure to scroll down a bit. Some of the blinds and shades are discounted right now and have special coupon codes listed on their pages. That’s even more savings for these great quality window shades.
This is a sponsored review.
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I Won!!!!
- by Marisa
- June 1, 2007
Last month, I entered the Best Workstation Contest held by Mr. Gary Lee. The grand prize was a Motorola HT820 Stereo Bluetooth Headset. Very cool prize, indeed.
Well today he announced that I won the contest! How cool is that?
There were some really great workstations in the contest. Some of those multi-monitor setups made me drool. Even so, I wouldn’t trade my perfect office for any of them. I love having my own room for all my tech stuff. I love having a place that is just mine, that I don’t have to share, even with the husband.
And my very own special space has just won the prize for Best Home Workstation!!! Thanks, Gary!
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