Deal of Deals!

Let me start this off by noting that Matt is the BEST price negotiator I've ever seen! These are the current (boob) lights in our dining room. We've hated them from day 1 when looking at the house. The dining room is too small to need 2 fixtures, let alone ones as ugly as these. Sigh. Kathryn's condo next door had a MUCH nicer fixture, but she's even replaced that with a chandy.

That being said, we have been looking for a replacement light fixture for a while, but it wasn't that high on the 'To Do' list. We found this fixture over a year ago but with the price of $189 we just couldn't bite the bullet since lighting really isn't a priority. Yes, the (boob) lights are ugly, but they work fine - if I had to find another fault with them, its that they are too bright (and they look like boobs on my ceiling!). Matt tried to make them better by swapping out the bulbs for lower wattage ones, and it helps, but still. Ick.

HOWEVER!! Yesterday, while browsing through Home Depot (Matt may say I dragged him) we were reminded of this fixture that we picked out for the dining room. Do you see the little red circle sticker at the bottom right corner of the box?? YES! It was on sale! Matt went to ask someone about the red sticker as I had a sinking feeling. Turns out I was right. Clearance. No longer going to be carried. On sale for $77 dollars. HOLY CRAP! $77 from $189!!!

(Enter play by play because it's just too exciting for me not to!)

I look at Matt but don't say anything, he tells the Home Depot guy that we've been looking at this fixture for a while but the price was just too high for us, etc. Matt says, "so if we don't buy this soon it won't be available anymore?" The Home depot guy goes, "Yep, this is what we have left and once they are gone, they're gone." Matt and I look at each other in silence. We weren't expecting to buy a light fixture today, but if we don't......... Home Depot guy goes, "What about $50?" SOLD!
Turns out the Home Depot guy? Manager on Duty. Walks us over to customer service desk and tells the cashier to put on a manager discount and sell us the light fixture for $50!!!!!!!

So mega props to Matt for getting it down another $27 and props to me for making us swing by Home Depot!

Reese's New Love

We've had several visitors this summer, but Reese has totally fallen in love with a particular person: BB. She came home from the Peace Corps this past July and has been staying with us off and on while trying to find a new job, new apartment, visiting other family members on the west coast, etc.

Reese mourns her when she goes and jumps out of his skin every time she comes back. He stays by her side pretty much wherever she is in the house and has also taken to sleeping in her room at night too. Sheri has declared that Reese has a puppy-crush on her and after you see this series of photos, I think you'll agree!
(These were taken in our upstairs hallway this past weekend. So please pardon the messy view behind BB and Reese - and the devil eyes of Reese!)

(BB, don't kill me for sharing these! I know you weren't happy about me taking them while you're in your running gear)

BB hopped on the bus this morning to Boston. She starts her new job tomorrow morning and we wish her all the best!!! (Reese, Matt and I are SUPER glad you'll be close by!)

Yard Progress

I have mentioned earlier that I've been doing some weed wacking in our slightly crazy yard area. While I didn't take pictures before I started (unfortunately!) I did take some the other day so you can see what I've done.... and what is still left to do (oiy!).

From the Deck looking out into the side yard. The green circle is the composter that was almost entirely overgrown. I started weed wacking just past the large rock and kept working my way back.


A shot down the driveway. The left side is the border of our side yard. Yep, I haven't done this yet.

You can see what I've done on the left side of the photo, and what I haven't on the right. The trees are a bit thick and so there are some areas where not a lot of growth filled in. Good? maybe, but it might also be an indicator that not much will ever grow there OR that the soil is just reeeeally bad.

This is the far side of the side yard. I walked down the driveway and I'm looking back at the house and deck. The white flags are the border for Reese's Invisible Fence - the black dot is Reese :-)

There he is! :-) You can see that once I've cleaned up more of the area and we get some grass growing, the yard size will just about double. I'm hoping that we can get the area cleaned up this fall in order to prep for some plantings in the spring.

Ah! The joys of weed wacking! I can't wait to get all this stuff cleaned up! As I go, I still find it amazing how much there is this year! I think it's due to all the rain. Last year we didn't worry about this area because it didn't grow this tall OR this thick and... to be really honest.... we were working on other things and the wild flowers were pretty.

Here's a better shot of what I've done thus far. We're hoping to put the shed in on the left - sort of nestled into the tree line to help define the yard a bit more.
Wish my arms luck as I keep going!

Metal Grate Update - it rhymes!

So here they are, painted black, hanging in the dining room....


And here they are above my desk in my study. I think they look worlds better up here against the grey - so this is where they will hang out for while :-)

It also means, that for now anyway, I have something to look at above my desk - for free! Sometimes I love re-arranging things for a new look without any cost!

Weekend Projects

The summer is nearing its end. Very sad. BUT! with the cooler temps comes more opportunity to get outside and get things cleaned up!

I've been weed whacking and working on the yard a bit, but the pictures I have to share today are of the metal grates I picked up almost six months ago (WOW! time flies!). Here is a pic of when I first brought them home:

And this is how they look in black:

While they are still currently hung downstairs, I'm going to move themupstairs to my grey study to above my desk - which has been crying out for something for a while. The black grates on the grey wall will soften the contrast just a bit and still lend interest and some layering to the wall.

I'm still debating what I will put on this wall when they move upstairs.... I might just leave it empty for a while since the holidays are quickly approaching and I always go decorating crazy!!

Weekend Visit from Mum!

A few weekends ago, my Mum came up for a 2-day visit. We spent most of the first day relaxing at a local spa and enjoying dinner in Portsmouth.
I'm sorry about the delay but this post is picture heavy and trying to get everything in order and not completely on top of themselves was quite a challenge!

MMmmm! facials, mani-pedi's, I had a heavenly neck and shoulder massage before fun blow-outs at the Adagio Spa in Barrington.

For dinner, we ate at Poco's on their outside patio by the water. Delish!

This is one of my favorite shops in Portsmouth! They have wonderful hats, accessories and little sparklies :-)

We did enjoy some fun hat-shopping as well as other window shopping before heading home for the night. We had a big day planned for Sunday: The Quilt Show in Manchester!


As you can see, most of the quilts are more artwork than a blanket for a bed. This above swan quilt is from Japan.
A close-up so you can see the level of detail in this movie-travel inspired quilt.

We walked through two large halls at the Marriot in Manchester, filled with nothing but quilts from around the world - and a few vendors filled the middle aisles.

This design was quilted and then hand painted. It's all one piece of fabric! I've also included a close up so you can see how the dye went down into the stitches and help create the water-colored effect.

I didn't take photos of everything. We didn't really think we could take photos at all but a lot of people were, so these were sort-of snuck using my camera phone. It was truly like walking through a museum filled with art.

We spent 4 hours just walking and looking at all the quilts and displays. It was overwhelming!
At the end of the show, we realized we hadn't eaten anything since breakfast! So we walked over a block and ate some yummy pizza at the Portland Pie Company before heading out into the drizzly afternoon.

All in all it was a wonderful weekend - mostly relaxing thanks to the Spa trip - and a nice change of pace, since usually when Mum comes up to visit we are working on painting rooms or making curtains - ie something house related!!

Welcoming a New Little One!

Mickayla Belle was born late last night (10.59pm) to thrilled first-time parents, Jenny and Dave. She is 21 1/2 inches and 9lbs 15oz. Both Jenny & Mickayla are doing well!

Huge Hugs all the way around!!!!!