Friends at Decorpad.com

As I ride the bus this morning (from NJ to NY), I watch the men and women getting on the bus, dressed in their business attire, checking their blackberries for messages and scheduling their day with meetings and phone calls. I myself, am checking my blackberry, but checking on the decorpad.com website.

I began to think why I enjoy communicating and sharing pictures and ideas with total strangers. I realized these people aren't interested in the square footage of my house; the neighborhood that I live in; the taxes I pay; etc. They are sincere individuals, sharing ideas and asking for advice. The same as me. I look forward to sharing my latest project with them. Suzie and Freckles chic, rebecca, mrslimestone, lynette perez, etc. are my decorpad buddies. Suzie is a the BEST for creating this.

Some people I interact with on a day to day basis only want to compare what they have to what I have. Not to say that all people are like that, but the ones that are, I cringe when I have to talk to them. Then, I get aggravated because I feel like I was defending what I have. I'm exhausted . . .

Be thankful for what you have each day and enjoy the better things in life.

For the Love of Jimmy

My years of living in NY and working in NYC, I developed a love fashion.

I remember the first time I passed by a Jimmy Choo store. It's a small boutique on 51st Street. I asked myself, do I have the courage to walk in and browse the store? Will they be rude to me because I'm not of a social class? Well, I chickened out and walked away. I kept playing the scene in my head from the movie, "Pretty Woman", (where Julia Roberts' character was shopping on Rodeo Drive and walked into a fancy store, and they were so mean to her).

Shortly thereafter, I had an event coming up and decided, what the heck, I'm going in! I have money to buy a pair of shoes (that I was saving) so my money is just as good as any one else's. I remember walking in and was greeted by the staff. They were nice! I mean, sincerely nice people. Ordinary, working people, like you and me (that just so happened to have the terrific job of selling J. Choo shoes). My first J. Choo's were called "Glow". I think that was seven or eight years ago and the relationship still continues to blossom. Sometimes, I think it's a curse because my addiction to their shoes is filling up my closet.

I soon developed a relationship with one of the sales woman. I was beginning to learn the ins and outs of it all. I received phone calls for trunk show events and upcoming sales. They have sales?! Now, I only go when it's 50% off (LOL). I tell my friends; they tell their friends and so on and so on.

Here's a little peek of my favorite shoes. The silver ones are Christian Louboutin (my wedding shoes).

Would Candice Olson say "how divine"?

So I've been a big fan of Candice Olson for years now. I love almost all of her designs. She has an amazing gift in designing rooms. I wish I had that gift. There was one episode (Julia and Mark's room, episode 409) that captured my heart. While the rooms (dining room/living room) were amazing, what blew me away was the wall color. She kept describing it as steel blue and metallic blue. After that episode I kept thinking about that wall color and had to find out what it was. I went on to the divine design blog and started asking viewers if they knew what color it was. Communication is a beautiful thing. Benjamine Moore, Yorktowne Green with Modern Masters platinum glaze. I sampled some boards and was ready to paint.

Here's Candice's design. . .

Here's our dining room . . .

What do you think?

Putting it all together . . .

Building a home from scratch is a new and exciting experience but can be overwhelming at times. In today's world, you have so many options available, it's hard to make a decision. You hope that the one you chose is the right one (for you). Will I love it when it's all done? Will I get tired of it in 10 years?

The compromises made in the process was enough to make me crazy. My husband and I have such different tastes. His style is whatever hand-me-downs he gets with a little bit of country. My style is more glamorous with a mix of transitional.

So, we're in the house . . . some rooms are complete (as needed) and some are bare. I find myself staring at the bare rooms trying to get a sense of how I want the room to look. Case in point, the family room. My husband has insisted on putting a wood burning stove in the room. My thoughts soon consume me in trying to figure out how a wood burning stove is going to work with "my look". Can I convince him to buy a contemporary style, wood burning stove?

Here's what our room looks like:

Calming colors . . .

I just love the way these rooms look. The colors are serene and calming. It's a big plus when you have lots of natural light flowing in.

I love the large mirror above the fireplace. Ballard Designs has a similar one.

The different patterns: geometric, stripe, paisley and solid greens really add to the look of this room.

I absolutely love the grays and plums in this room. The furniture pieces that tie into this room, add just the right sophistication.

Our wedding

On October 26, 2008, I married (at age 35!) my love, John. I have to tell you, I was adamant about having an outdoor ceremony. The location was in Stony Point, NY (upstate) and the fall foliage was breathtaking. The day before my wedding, it was the worst weather ever! The rain and wind were in full force and not letting up. I prayed that it would stop in time for the next day. Well, after all the rain washed away, my wedding day was picture perfect. Not a cloud in the sky and the weather was near 70 degrees!

My pastor from childhood, married us and I couldn't have been happier (although my nerves started to act up when I was ready to walk down the aisle). We had an intimate wedding (only close friends and family members); no bridal party (only my sister as my maid of honor; the best man and flower girl).

Our photographer (Rick Helman) was amazing! He took us to three locations (the park, a train track and an old textile factory). It was so much fun! We felt like actors on a set. The pictures truly show Rick's photography talent.