Light up your life

On this one, I followed my own advice. You can't believe what a new lamp can do for you. And with lamps, most often, you get what you pay for. So I decided to splurge on a new lamp for my living room.

Introducing, the Anaheim Floor Lamp. The base of this lamp is a 50" tall, 10" diameter glass vase. The large silver lined shade sits on top of it and the cord is silk wrapped. Bonus: built in dimmer. Folks, this ain't no Target lamp. (Of course we carry it at our studio; call if you're interested)

The funny thing about this, is I never thought to place this lamp at my own house. I had a car full of lamps I had taken to a client's to see which ones worked best. I thought, "Why not do the same at my house, for gosh sakes, I've got them all in my car." So the design lesson of this story is "Just try it!"... and of course, light up your life with a new lamp!

Fun Holiday Decor

Here's an easy and unique way to decorate for the holidays... These cute little vintage reindeer have found a kitchy home in this large glass vase. Or you can see below, place them under a glass cloche. On one of our scouting excursions, we found some vintage bird tree ornaments. Tossed them into a silver compote and instant holiday cuteness!

The idea is to use your imagination and use what you've got. Pull out all those silver and crystal wedding gifts, load them up with ornaments (new or old), greenery, moss, sticks, candy canes, the kids Christmas craft projects... whatever you can find. You'll create a great centerpiece, a topic of conversation, and even some holiday memories.

This week I love...

FOO DOGS!

These ancient Chinese creatures are so classic, so traditional, yet SO fun! Actually, a foo dog looks like a lion and they were commonly placed at entrances to temples, homes and businesses to chase away evil spirits. The pair consists of a male, playing with a ball symbolizing the earth, and a female playing with, surprise, a cub. I love them here in this bright blue, but I've seen them in many different glazes. Have a pair made into lamps for bedside tables. Or use them as bookends. Inexpensive versions can be found at asian markets or like this pair I found, on ebay. Interested in something antique? Ebay even has some that are centuries old. So have some fun and add some color to your home as well as a little Chinese tradition... get yourself a pair of foo dogs.

What a glorious chandelier!

I ADORE this chandelier! What a great cross between classic and modern. It's clean lines are graceful, but not delicate. And the ceiling medallion.... how fun! I have a particular space I would like to place this fixture: it's an historic house; an old tavern, but the young family who lives there now is not into keeping the building 100% historically accurate (I don't blame them). They've done an amazing job making the old tavern warm, fun, inviting, and livable. They have sensational taste and the start of a tremendous art collection. I think this fixture would be the perfect blend for the small dining room in the house.

Cutest Gift Ever!

OK, at least for someone 21 or older. This was a birthday gift to me from my dear friend, Holly. It's the perfect sized little flask for a dirty martini on the go. It even came with a little funnel so not a drop gets wasted. Don't we all deserve a little cocktail after slaving away so hard in the kitchen? (The flask came from a gift shop called "Y-Not" in Carlise, PA) Maybe something to keep in mind for the friend who has everything. Make mine with Belvedere please.

What I'm into this week...

SUZANIS!

These gorgeous textiles are made in Uzbekistan. Vintage ones can be found quite reasonably. They look gorgeous at the foot of a bed with with white matelasse or tossed over the back of a sofa. Find one with a little damage? Make it into pillows. It's a great opportunity to bring something handmade into your home.

Let's Talk Chocolate

It has come to my attention that I love South American chocolate. This is one of my favorites; I get it at Trader Joes. This bitter dark chocolate goes great with a glass of syrah or even a cab... it can handle it. Comment to me and let me know your favorite chocolates, we'll have a taste test.

Miles Redd's Kitchen

Is this possibly the gutsiest kitchen ever? Black walls, ceiling AND cabinetry; mirrored countertops and backsplashes! This is the kitchen of designer Miles Redd, one of my faves. Could I see it in my own house? Naaa (but I do have black walls) Do I admire it for it's fabulousity? You betcha! It just inspires me to take a risk. Why don't you too?

Outdoor living at it's finest

Can you believe this is an outdoor piece of furniture? This hot little number is from LaneVenture and it is made of weatherable wood. Upholster it in any weatherproof fabric and you have an outdoor living room that will be the envy of all your friends! Imagine two of them flanking a fire pit and you and several chums enjoying a fabulous glass of wine, chatting about the latest and greatest episode of Desperate Housewives. Don't have a fire pit? Well, order the ottoman that matches, pop a fabulous tray on it and you've got a place to set the cheese and crackers to go with your cabernet. You know you want it!

You know where I'll be Wednesday night

I am tres excited to see who wins this season's Project Runway! This was a talented bunch of designers. I have liked Korto all along, but I must agree with the judges; she was weak for this final elimination challenge. Leanne's concept and dress were GORGEOUS! And, OMG, I am agreeing again with Nina; Kenley's collection would make for an interesting show. So, the judges got it right eliminating Jerrell. Well then I watched the runway shows on the Bravo website. It's between Leanne and Kenley. And so the winner is....

Makes ya wanna do dishes

This is the faucet I will put in my kitchen if I ever get to redo it. GORGEOUS! The lines, the scale... it would go with anything. Such a classic! I think it is so smart to put in items that are classics, never out of style. Save the trendy things for accessories or even paint colors. Imagine this in a traditional or modern kitchen; any countertops, stainless or cast iron sink... it works!

My Favorite Candles

The most divine scents ever! Belle Fleur Candles don't disappoint. Splurge on one for yourself; they burn 45 hours. These candles even smell fabulous after they're extinguished. Or they make the perfect hostess gift, as they are packaged beautifully. My favorite flavor is Orange Blossom Pomegranate. Swing into Vintage Scout and find your own favorite. Try Bergamot Cedar, one of the woodsie scents, or White Orchid Tea, one of the floral scents. I know, priced at $48, it's a little expensive for a candle; but once you've burned one, you'll never go back. Worth every penny!

Fun collection!

We have started a really fun collection at the studio: vintage ceramic dog figurines. Priced super reasonably, not a one over $30. Group them together for more impact. We have ours "dog housed" in a table top curio cabinet. You can find something that interests you that's just as fun. Stop by StyleHouse and see our new "pets".

Bow done right

In contrast to Ms Longoria, this is how to wear a bow on your dress properly. Kristin looks fabulous here; the hair the jewelery. Stylist to Eva, take note.

What was she thinking???

Let's dish some Emmy dresses, shall we?

Ok, this is a hot woman, but please. Did she not have time to dry her hair? And that big bow???? That is almost as big as the one on my 80's wedding dress. The bag... does not match anything. Flapper gone wrong, girl! Is she hiding something????? Perhaps a bun?

Wednesday Night TV Recap

I agreed with the judges this time... Jerrell's outfit was the best. It was really cute and fit the task well. I could just see a graphic designer looking just like that. Kenley is starting to drive me crazy; I'm sure some of that is how the powers that be would like to portray her. I still wouldn't be sad if she left; her nasally tone and retro style is getting old.

I was so bummed to see Big Daddy go on Top Design. Should have been Shazia. I'll bet she's gone next week. Am I the only one or does India's voice make one want to jump off a bridge?

I missed AMTM.

Oh and apologies for the layout of this post. I've got to figure out how to get the image where I want it to be.

Hurricane Ike

What a crazy past couple of days! Even in Ohio, we were majorly affected by Hurricane Ike. The winds picked up just after noon on Sunday and what winds they were. Trees downed everywhere and by the time it was done, we had no power. Luckily our electricity returned yesterday afternoon after 2 days. Many still don't have it restored.

Here's what was fun about living without electricity:

• the neighborhood kids played outside for 2 days straight
• you can create some pretty good meals when you team up with your neighbors and grill out what you don't want to loose from your freezer
• families play games together
• not knowing what time it is
• the joy when the lights come back on

Here's what's not fun about living without electricity:

• no hairdryer
• throwing out everything in your fridge
• not necessarily from lack of electricity, but from high winds... finding your store sign in the middle of a major road
• bad people who take advantage of the situation

I'm so thankful that no one was hurt and that I have my power back on. After all, it's Wednesday, and you know what that means....

PROJECT RUNWAY!

Some hot titles! The book on the left, GWTW, belonged to my great grandmother. Everyone should read it! Tale of Two Cities... I have to admit; I bought it for book club and could not get through it. E.A.P.- one freaky dude. Shades of Our Ancestors- it's actually a book about silhouettes. It was my GG's and she had a fabulous collection of them.

My first blog!

I always said I wanted to have my own tv show. I would call it "Dish" and we would just sit around and talk about all things to do with the word "dish"... food, dishes, and gossip. Living in Dayton, I'm a ways off from that happening. Next best thing... blog!

So, how did I get from Dish to Recreate the Box? Honestly, all the blog titles associated with Dish were taken. And, I have this favorite montra which is "Don't just think outside the box; recreate the box." So hence...

Enjoy my new creative outlet!