I’m Smitten

You know the feeling when you see something and instantly you’re smitten, in love and well just crazy about it. That’s how I feel about Sylvia, the beautifully chic OWOH giveaway by Christine a very, very talented doll artist. If you aren’t already familiar with the fabulous girls she creates take a peek over at Du Buh Du Designs.

I’m in love…

If you haven’t hopped on the OWOH carpet to tour the world of inspiring blogs and generous giveaways be sure to do so before the magic ends. 

xo-jj 

What keeps you real?

Sometimes I get caught up in all the crazy things in life and forget the important stuff. It’s vital to give time and validation to the people who are most important in your life.  A simple call means so much to a sick friend and a quick visit can make someone’s day. I admit to being self-centered and completely unaware or forgetful of things and people at times. It’s important that I stay grounded and not let my mind wander too far off track. I’m the kind of person who needs time to wander both mentally and physically. I need to putter and create, take a rest and then get back on track. Maybe it’s my gypsy roots that navigates my psyche or perhaps it’s because I’m never satisfied with one hobby, one project or just one job at a time. Sometimes I exhaust myself.

I worked most of the day at Pottery Barn and then I spent my paycheck. Some days I’d be better off just staying home but then I’d miss out on things like this….

Do you love it, or is it just me?

How about this clean, crisp look, for spring?

I love these found soda bottles. They’re vintage and range in age from 60 to 100 years old. Good thing they’re available by catalog and internet only.

It’s great to work in a place you love as long as you can refrain from taking home all the merchandise

love…

jj

Designer walls in the blink of an eye, I’m in love!

I’m so excited and wowed by the wall decals offered on Etsy, I just had to share. I love, love the designs and there are so many! I have an open wall in my entry that is screaming for something and I think I have found the perfect solution, well, almost. There are so many beautiful designs that I just can’t chose. I’ll probably go with something like the one above.

 

Is this flower girl motif, not, fabulous? I’m in love! I wish I had a room that she could take center stage in. There are so many fun and funky designs that I want to share with you.

 

 

This owl design is so fun and trendy, I love it. The wall in this image is close to my entry way color and I debated a bit between the branch with birds or the owl. I think the formality of the first design may look a little more at home there but I love this look.

 

 

 

 

This motiff looks amazing, it adds a designer touch to this room.  The look is quite modern and clean. The decals have a matte finish and look painted. They are easily applied and totally removable. Well at least that’s what the disclaimer says. I guess I’ll have to find out for myself.

 

 

They are all stunning including this wall of birches with woodland creatures. I have to think about it a little more before I make my choice. I can’t wait to try this out for myself!

 

Busy day today, interview this morning, gymboree with the princess this afternoon and then an hour and a half drive to a planning committee thing, tonight. If you happen to visit the Mid-Michigan area today I’ll be the crazy chick driving around in a super girl cape, if only, I could really use one of those today.

 

I’d like to say “hey” to all the first time visitors from OWOH. If you haven’t done so yet scrool down to the previous post and take a ride on the magic carpet.

Enjoy…

xo-jj

 

OWOH Magic Carpet Ride, give-away

Imagine yourself traveling around the country and across the world to far away places you have never experienced. The people welcome you with open arms, open minds and open hearts. Their love and support is genuine and happens on days when you need it most.  It’s spiritual, beautiful and feels like something out of a fairy tale.

I began blogging a couple years ago just before the OWOH event. I saw an invitation for this very special tour and decided to go for it. I have to say it was truly one of the best things I’ve ever done.

I began blogging in search of other people who were like me, open-minded, creative and a bit whimsical. I found all of that but more importantly, I found myself, in all of you. Thank you for that.

The item I want to share with one special blogger is a necklace I made on a day when I was feeling a wave of hope for peace and understanding around the world. This necklace symbolizes my love for nature and serenity and my hope that some day we will all be one world living in peace.

It’s made with beads, vintage and new, they’re intermingled with fabric flowers and then strung on a silver necklace. To enter the drawing you must type a little message after this post. Be sure that your comment has a valid email addy attached so I can make contact if you are the winner.

 

Enter the drawing for my peace-offering and then click on the magic carpet above. You will be instantly transported to the starting point for a wonderful opportunity to take a  magic carpet ride around the world.  Thank you Lisa, our Whimsical Bohemian, for this opportunity to share our world and our hearts.

xo-jj

A little chit chat on a slow Thursday

I’m thinking about making a change with a pallet of  seaside colors. My house is painted in Tuscan hues and it suits me well but lately I’ve contemplated  somthing a little more Zen for my master bedroom and bath, colors that resembles a spa-like atmosphere.  A hint of sand and a whisper of turquoise might do the trick but I don’t want it to stick out like a  chicken with lips. It has to blend with the rest of the house. That might be tricky.

The little vintage chair in the picture above is my inspiration for the room. I found it at a garage sale for 3 bucks. It has been partly stripped which left fabulous layers of ocean blues and sea greens over a base of sandy  brown. The shift in colors are subtle and light and just perfect. I bought it and left it as is. I’ve paired it with a creamy white vanity, accented with a green vase of peacock feathers. I love the look but not so sure I can fit it into my decor on a larger scale, any ideas?

If I were to go on a total splurge I’d buy a new bedroom set in creamy white and paint my walls in the lightest sky blue, new paintings, new duvet cover,etc. $$$  I don’t see that happening any time too soon.

No matter…. it’s the people and pets that make a house a home, right?

On that note I thought I would update you on the beautiful Manx cat I dreamt about before he showed up on my door step and adopted me. Ricky-Bobby has gone from a frequent visitor to a full-time resident. He still spends much of his time in the woods and meadow that surround the house but comes inside to eat and sleep and kill my Canary but that’s a whole other story. I needed a new pet like I needed a new hole in my head but I’m a sucker for a sad face and somebody out there knows it.

The other kitties (only 2 left)  that followed him here are still wild but we spent the time and money to capture and neuter them. Mr. Java has the bite marks to prove it. They peek in the windows and sneak through the doggy door to sleep in the garage when it gets too cold. Remember how Mr. Java had such a fit because I was feeding them? Guess who feeds them now, he caved.

Well, thats all for a slow thursday. Hey Deb guess what? The suns out. Thanks for sending it my way. Now how about those lemons? he hee…

xo-jj

I’m getting ready for a trip around the world

When I first entered blog land a few years ago I hopped in with both feet by joining One World One Heart.  I loved the idea of people connecting from around the globe. It was an opportunity to share my world and something I made with a complete stranger who could be from anywhere. OWOH introduced me to some truly wonderful people and artists from around the world. I missed my opportunity to join last year but I have jumped on the band wagon just in time to take part this year. 

I already have what I think is the perfect treasure to give away. It’s something I made a while back with the inspiration for freedom and the hope of living in a world of peace and acceptance. I can’t wait to become a part of this inspirational group once again. In 2009 there were 911 bloggers who participated from a total of 28 different countries- that’s amazing! This international event brings kindred spirits from all walks of life together and spreads a wave of love that’s hard to describe.

This could be a wonderful experience for you to meet new people and an opportunity to receive something lovingly made or bought by a kindred spirit from around the world. So stop by on January 25th when OWOH begins and sign up for my drawing. On that day’s post I’ll have a link to the whimsical bohemian so you can take a magic carpet ride around the world. Pack your bags for this fabulous trip that begins on January 25th and ends on February the 15th.

I can’t wait!

xo-jj

Orchid dreams and a girl I once knew

Did I tell you how much I love creamy white flowers- so elegant . It’s orchid time of year again and I can’t get enough of this gorgeous flower. I always look forward to January for this reason. These lovely blooms made the perfect addition to my silver vases from Pottery Barn. They’re so exotic, they inspire dreams of adventurous travel and spawn memories of a girl I once knew.

When I was about five years old I was caught sneaking into the neighbors barn. I went there to look through some old trunks tucked into the loft. I couldn’t control my curiosity. I thirsted for the unknown, for adventure and treasures to behold. I imagined a trunk filled with old hats worn by ladies of importance and fur coats so soft to the touch. There would no doubt be a box of pictures from years ago when times was hard and each face reflected the seriousness that life entailed. The best part would have been a jewelry box filled with sparkling brooches the size of my fist and shiny earrings that dangled just so. 

I’m still that little girl today, but a lot wiser and with a little more self-control. Sometimes I yearn to be the little girl who didn’t care about the dirty dishes, didn’t worry about what might happen tomorrow and never feared the unknown. She lived every day with high hopes and open eyes, she knew that there was something much bigger and better meant for her. This girl didn’t worry about the small stuff and never questioned how she would get to the next destination. She didn’t need much, just the sky, the birds, her dreams, and a backpack. The world was bound to open up, sometime soon and swallow her whole.

Perhaps she had read Alice in Wonderland one too many times or maybe she had a little too much belief in the golden ticket from Charlie and the Chocolate factory. Her expectations were very much like both stories: a fall down the rabbit hole which opened up a new and very strange world full of adventure and unusual happenings but there was always hope, because she was special and held the golden ticket which meant that all her dreams were bound to come true.

Sometimes I struggle to find that little girl who dreamt of beautiful things and never worried, the silly heart who knew so little. I think she’s hiding from a grown-up world but then sometimes when the night sky is full of stars or in the daytime when the sky is just the perfect shade of blue, she’s there, just as free as ever.

I’m not sure what she would say if she could see me now.  Would she believe that her dreams came true? She’s had a good life with many adventures. Besides, I’m not so sure she would have survived a plunge down the rabbit hole or the impact of smashing through the Chocolate factory’s ceiling in a glass elevator. She’s much too fragile for that.

She’s still curious and wonders all the time but it’s okay because there’s still time and many adventures ahead…

xo-jj

It’s time to refeather the nest

Shhhhh, don’t tell the big guy I’m having a spring fling! Don’t worry it’s not what you think.

A January frost is nipping at my toes which makes me a bit restless and a little, okay a lot, cranky. So I’m indulging myself in a little creative therapy.  I’m creating a few colorful niches, designing some interesting wall art, reorganizing, redecorating, fluffing, refeathering and well you get the picture.  ….and I love it!!!

The big guy is out-of-town and who knows what he’ll think of my creative spurt. It’s a little unusual and a bit on the  girlie side. Mr. Java is little more main stream and a lot more conservative than I. There are times when I wish I were a little more inside the box but no matter how hard I try everything I do comes out a little quirky.

The shadow box in the first pic had a orginal plan of being  filled with a cute little nest of eggs in front of a traditional bird print. But instead I added a Juicy Couture ad from an old vogue magazine and a little sea tree I found on the beach during last years trip to Captiva Island. Then I added three turquoise eggs, which according to Pantone is the color of the season, a few soft feathers and some vintage jewelry pieces. 

 

The fashion picture was created from poster ads for Nordstroms department store and a couple scrapbooking flowers that I layered together and added vintage pearls to. The zen pic was created  for my bathroom to add a feeling of spa luxury. It’s a computer generated print thrown on a canvas with a little paint and homemade flowers.  A crisp white cabinet with glass panels went into the bathroom as well and I added a new throw to my bed.

The shadow box piece is my favorite and I have a yellow Canary just like the one in the print as for the hair- I wish. It’s been fun but now that the big guy is on his way home I’m getting a little nervous about his reaction, like it, love it, hate it, or tolerate it. Do you care to venture a guess at which way it will go?

Have a lovely weekend filled with a lot of inspiration and a little color….

xo-jj

Dream House

This is the kind of view I think of when someone says “Dream House” but HGTV has something a little different in mind. The 2010 Dream House was built in New Mexico and it looks spectacular.  The house is gorgeous and complete with a quest house they’re calling the Casita. It isn’t next to the ocean but it is beautifully placed in a warm climate. That’s good enough for me-I’m in.

To find out more or register for a chance to win visit HGTV Dream Home. Before you go clicking away to dream land there is a catch. If you win I get to visit. That seems only fair since I gave you the link, right? Well maybe you already knew about it but still don’t forget me. If the house becomes mine the party’s on me!

xo-jj

Stand-by for a moment while I lose my Zen

This pic was borrowed from myopera.com

Warning this may be hazardous to your zen!

Ready, set…..rant!  I hope you’re up for this because I really need a moment to go on and on about a few things that have been really messing up my mojo.

Okay let me start out by saying, I love the age of technology and all  the instant gratification it brings. I take full advantage of the convenience it offers but… yes, there is a but in there. I miss the human contact and sometimes need to ask questions or know that what has just transacted did the job or solved the problem.

It all started with all that automated crap which made me wonder- who is running the show? Then everything went digital and  leapt into cyber space- the rest is history. I admit that I love the ability to work from home and never have to venture out my door to shop, pay bills, google the answer to almost anything or be entertained for hours but… there’s my but again. There are times when I need a human voice so I can ask questions,  or a live person to just plain reassure me that everything is okay.

Just today I tried to pay my son’s college tuition bill and it was damn near impossible. They don’t except a debit card, they no longer take any credit cards except MasterCard and if you do use a MasterCard,  a 5% processing charge will be added to the bill. The payment must be done on-line- there’s not a live person to process payments via the telephone.

I could drive over two hours one way to pay the bill in person with a personal check (they don’t take cash) but there is a window of five days to do it in before incurring a penalty which doesn’t exactly fit into my schedule. This institution prefers to take their payments electronically from  financial institutions as in a Citibank student loan. Well, we did that and now that we’re many of thousands of dollars in debt we’re done with student loans, done, finished, no more.  How badly do they want my money,anyway? Obviously not bad enough to hire someone to process my payment or to inconvenience their schedule just a little.

But wait, I have a beef on a totally different subject as well- here goes…  Just a few hours ago I returned from a trip to Target, which by the way was one of my favorite stores until something happened to the shopping paradise where quality met with moderately low prices on almost everything you could ever need. 

When I entered the store I was greeted by a plethora of dollar store items from no doubt China, then, as I ventured to the women’s department that used to offer halfway cute apparel, I was stopped dead in my tracks by drab colors with no style what-so-ever and what looked to be very low quality. As I manuevered my cart through messy displays and on to the back of the store, I noticed that it was bombarded with  bulk items and off brands. Now I’m all for saving a buck but there’s a time and place for that kind of stock. Target, home of the shabby chic decor is now filled a lot of shabby that’s not so chic.

I do occasionally shop the dollar stores and pay a visit to the Big Lots chain but that doesn’t mean I want this kind of merchandise all the time, everywhere.

I’m willing to pay a little more for the items that call for quality. I want the choice to buy low, medium or high cost goods. I live in Michigan and yes I’ve been hit by the recession but that doesn’t mean I can’t or won’t pay a little more to get something a little nicer or a little more reliable from time to time.  

I’m feeling as though technology just keeps getting more and more expensive but our goods are  getting really cheap and disposable.  While many of our goods are lacking quality, the service industry is in dire need of an overhaul. I think our world is getting a little too big and a lot too impersonal. 

I want conveinence of speed with all the bells and whistles technology allows but why can’t it be delivered in a kinder,  gentler manor with a personal touch. I still need a little quality from time to time in a clean well merchandised store.

Perhaps I’m asking too much and maybe my expectations are a little over the moon but I don’t really think so. Am I the only one who feels lost in a sea of automated machinery and cyber drones? Does anyone else long for a little quality while perusing the isles of their favorite store?

Tell me what you think. Do you feel it… or am I just a little too hypersensitive?

Thanks for listening to my rants. Breathe deep and just chill…..

 I feel better after letting it fly, on-ward and up-ward we go.  Sorry but I warned you

xo-jj