What’s my name

As a southerner, I love me some monogramming. You monogram everything and with your (if you are the lady of the house) initials. Traditionally, you are the keeper of the home so your initials are what don products. Here are “rules” of monogramming.

For an unmarried female - first name initial, middle name initial, last name initial. (Jennifer Lynn Evans = JLE) If using a monogram style with the middle initial being larger than the rest the pattern is first name initial, last name initial, middle name initial. (Jennifer Lynn Evans =JEL)

For a married female - first name initial, maiden name initial, last name initial (Jennifer Morgan Evans = JME). One again, if using a monogram style with the middle initial being larger than the rest then it is first name initial, last name initial, middle name initial. (Jennifer Morgan Evans =JEM)

Though I don’t prefer a combined monogram, they are becoming more popular. If you decide to combine your initials with your husband, it is customary that the female’s first initial goes first. This is because linens, stationary, etc. are considered the bride’s domain. Therefore, the male’s initials do not go first – even though he is considered the head of household. Typically, this style of monogram is only done with the center letter being larger than the other letters. Therefore the pattern is female’s first name initial, couple’s common last name initial, male’s first name initial. (Jennifer and Mark Evans = JEM) 

Leontine Linens has beautiful monogrammed items and they’re made in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. Their pieces are high quality and hand-stiched with vibrant colors. Additionally, you can work with them to create custom monograms. 

Side note: I adore shilouettes. Like monograms, they’re very traditional.

Example of a couple’s monogram as this is Dee and Tommy Hilfiger

Images and more history of Leontine Linens via Tobi Farley’s blog post written by Gwen Driscoll

Understandably, many of us need to save up for Leontine. I recently got a deal at Sew What? in Brentwood  this week. It’s $15.00 for $30.00 of monogramming. Say what?! Of course I bought one and you should buy one here too. I’ll share what I use it on soon.

 

Our Christmas Tree, Our Christmas Tree

It’s exactly one month after Christmas. I find it hard to believe. This past year we used our white tree, opposed to the green tree for Christmas. Here is where we started.

We put a bunch of ornaments on it and it could have used more. My feeling towards Christmas trees is typically “More is better.” I can always add ornaments. You need a good mix of color and reflective. I like clear and/or mirrored ornaments shoved in first to create depth and a reflective surface. Then, I was able to find around seven boxes of Christopher Radko’s reissued Shiny Brite, plus The Mister’s mother found some older glass ornaments. 

Some of the Radko Shiny Brite I found

The box of ornaments from The Mister’s momma

Of course, we had my other Radko ornaments and family ornaments to add. Then, I found some glittered curly sticks, red bows and some clear ball picks. I decided “Why not?” and loaded it on.

Here are some up close photos:

This is probably my favorite photo.

Next year, I will be better about taking better count of what we put on it. I’ll go for a step-by-step run down.

Conundrum

West Elm currently has their bedding 20% off. Their Organic Ironwork Duvet Set is included and it looks like this.

It made me think about Schumacher’s Conundrum in Peacock.

However, Conundrum is $213 a yard. So, the West Elm duvet is allowed to not be as pretty as it’s $63.00 to $87.00. So, you could buy one yard of Conundrum or a duvet from West Elm and a Chiang Mai pillow with monies left over for a quilt or more pillows.

I like it in the Mocha colorway, the black welt and the lumbar size. It’s a super winner.

I will not buy the pillow. I will not buy the pillow. I’m not supposed to be buying pillows.

Weight Watchers – Week One

I am writing as I’m in line to weigh at Weight Watchers. I’m basically “live blogging” the event. I joined last week and I’m trying to go on Saturdays. However, this is cluster. I want to direct traffic. There are two WW employees and three lines of people. I have no idea why there are more lines than leaders for each or what each line is for. I was in line till I heard a girl, 6 people in front of me, had forgotten “her red box file.” I wasn’t sure what they were talking about but I got out of line and followed the girl. I didn’t want to finally get to the front and have to start over.

There are mostly older women and they are funny about weighing in. They’re wearing flip-flops and other pieces of light clothing, though it’s January, to take advantage of the two pounds. They deduct 2 pounds from whatever you weigh to count for your clothes. I saw a lady take off earrings. She must be desperate.

I lost 3.8 pounds. It’s technically been almost two weeks since I have been as I started on January 9. I can’t say I’m jazzed about it. However, I’ll take the victory. WW suggests you loose .5 to 2 pounds a week, so I’m on target but it’s hard to celebrate when it seems insignificant.

I’m going to blog my weigh-ins every week. They’ll be additional to my typically scheduled posts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I’m sharing as weight loss is a struggle for most. I’d be hard pressed to find someone who has never tried to lose some weight. However, I have quite a bit to lose. I’m trying to not put a number to it because it definitely feels unattainable.

Anyone else trying to loose weight? Should I wear flip flops next week?

Hootie Whooo Part Two

Yesterday, I told you how to make the body of the costume. However, the face the most important part. It was the identifying feature that I was an owl. Here are the items I used.

I considered a headband or creating a hair clip but when I saw the visor at Hobby Lobby it was obvious. I took the stretchy band off of it and put it in my hair with bobby pins.

First, I covered the visor with hot glue. (see photo below) Then, I laid fabric on the visor as a sheet. Then, I trimmed the excess.

Second, I cut some ears out of the same fabric.

I made them so large so they could easily be glued.

Next, I trimmed the coffee filters for the owl eyes. I used coffee filters to give it some depth. I used three filters for each eye, as one filter wasn’t thick enough. However, the filter diameter was too much so I cut them down after stapling them together.

I traced circles on the black fabric to create pupils which were hot glued onto the coffee filters. Then, I used a sheet of orange foam for the beak. It took me a few tries but I finally got the size and shape I wanted.

Last, I hot glued everything onto the visor to make my mask. I hot glued the ears first, then the eyes. I decided to add lashes by cutting a couple long strips of the black fabric that I glued in the top corners of the eyes. You can see them below. However, they were not visible when I wore the costume. I glued the beak on last. Here is the complete face or mask.

Here it is with the costume.

I wore my Halloween costume to work as we have an annual contest and party. Here I am all done up. 

I wore a long sleeve black shirt, a black skirt with black tights under the vest.

Then, The Mister and I met his family for dinner. That’s right I went to TGI Fridays with The Mister’s parents, sister, niece, brother-in-law and brother dressed up as an owl.

I put the mask on for a short time for our niece and to show that the “vest” was for a reason. I’m ridiculous.

Hootie Whooo Part One

As you know from here and my 30 before 30, I dressed up for Halloween. I decided to not be Punky Brewster, even though I really wanted to be. Turns out that it’s harder to find a purple vest and puffy tennis shoes than you’d think. However, I’m going to stay on the lookout for these items for future Halloweens.

I didn’t choose any of the costumes from here and instead went rogue. Marisa (hello!) was awesome and dressed up like The Mad Hatter and suggested using a large sweatshirt for something as she saw a bunch of them at Wal-Mart. I instantly thought of this image.

I purchased a 3X men’s sweatshirt and a couple yards of $1.00 fabric. I purchased way too much yardage, though I thought I was being conservative. I’d suggest only buying a quarter yard of each. Of course, this depends on the number of fabrics and the size of sweatshirt.

The cream and navy dotted fabric is our tablecloth, so it was not included. I like it where and how it is. 

I cut the arms off the sweatshirt. I decided to wear it like a vest/jumper and wore a long sleeve black shirt under it.

I decided to make my feathers with a rounded edge. I started by creating a template and tracing it on the fabric. However, I quickly realized it was much easier to “eye-ball” the size and shape. The feathers were not consistent in exact shape and size, but I liked them better. It added interest. Obviously, the fabric had different patterns and types which added to the interest. I cut out large numbers of each fabric. Then, I hot glued the fabric randomly on the shirt. I started at the bottom of the shirt and hot glued just the top part (the straight edge) of each feather onto the sweater. Working from the bottom allowed the feathers to overlap.

I glued the front and then the back. Then, I put it on and had The Mister spot check me. This is when he announced that he is an owl costume expert as he dressed up as an owl in an elementary school play. I used left over cut out feather to fill in the few gaps on my sides. The Mister glued them on the shirt while I was wearing it. 

Due to the thickness of a sweatshirt, and me wearing a shirt under it, I couldn’t feel the hot glue.  The section that needed the most filling in were my shoulders.

The Mister, using his supreme owl costume knowledge, decided to alternate the sides of fabric to fill in the shoulders. The black feathers are the same fabric but the underside of it was brown.

Tomorrow, I will share how I made the hat/owl face. You’ll need to know how to make it so you can look this cute.

Background story

You’ve likely noticed it looking a little different around here.  I decided to try out a new header. Then, I got caught up in “let’s see what else” and “What about this?”. We started here:

These are all the backgrounds and headers that I tested since Thursday.

Then, I finally ended with this.

What do you think? It’s not final as I’m working on some other pieces. I think it’s a bit busy.

A taste of The Lemon

30 Rock’s season premier is tonight and I’m jazzed about it. Really excited. I’m sure I’ve quoted Liz Lemon more than I realize.

here

Suck it nerds and tune in, but don’t go to a second location with a hippie.

Antique and Garden Show

Nashville’s Antique and Garden Show is February 10 – 12, 2012. This year’s theme is Collective Color.

To kick off the event, Thursday’s Preview Party is sponsored by 1stdibs and will have Michael Bruno (1stdibs’ founder and CEO) in attendance to host the event. The Preview Party offers guests an opportunity to view and shop at the Show before it opens to the public the next day.  There will be lectures by Nancy Goslee Power and Miles Redd on Friday. Yes, my Miles Redd. The Collectors Party on Friday night will include a tour of the showroom with  Carolyn Englefield, Director of Decoration and Special Projects for VERANDA Magazine, with Barry Dixon as a guest designer. Eddie Ross has a lecture on Saturday and two complimentary lectures will be hosted by Suzanne Rheinstein and David Kleinberg.

It sounds pretty great, right? Last year, I wanted to go but bowed out. However, this year it is happenin’. Does anyone else want to go? They have group discounts. I’ve already taken off of work.

Go Shorty…

It’s your birthday. (Good luck getting 50 Cent out of your head.) Now, to keep up with everyone else’s birthday you may need some help. I’m not good at remembering birthdays and need something to help me. If you write them an annual calendar they don’t re-occure every year. This unless you use Outlook or some other piece of technology. However, I like my calendars in the paper form. Therefore, I’m considering this.

here

 We’re gonna party like it’s your birthday.

Now that I know it.