Fighting the Pickle People

Ben watches a lot of his shows on the iPad - we have Netflix account that he knows how to use better than I do so he cruises through all the options on Netflix Kids. He found one really cute show that must be a little bit above his age range because one episode was a little too scary for him. There were some people dressed up as "pickle people" that some kids thought were going to get them. So tonight we had to have a chat with him about how there is no such thing as pickle people & no pickle people were coming to get him. He pronounces it "peekle" so it's pretty darn adorable to hear him talk about them. Obviously must do a better job policing what he watches.

Work has been pretty darn wonderful. I'm really enjoying myself - I think the position suits me really well & I really adore my new coworkers, staff & freelancers alike. I'm so excited to have found such a great position at just the right time! I'm still doing a lot of learning so in the next couple of weeks I'll talk more about the job. I'm not trying to be deliberately cryptic, I just don't want to say that I do "blah" & then realize that actually I'll be doing a bit more "zoinks."

Hey, I looked nice today! Isn't that a stupid thing to say? But I dressed in a way that I would like to dress more often. I spent a few precious minutes trying to get a picture of myself using complicated iPhone angles & mirrors but I was always either making a stupid face or at some bizarre angle, then Evan showed up so I had to give up. We'll just go with this one:

Obviously I will never be a fashion blogger. Or a house blogger because I will never finish decorating this poor house - the time, it just gets away from us.

I will share with you the one corner I have pretty much completed that you might appreciate. It's my desk. Every time you read one of my fascinating little entries, you can picture me at this desk typing my little sausage fingers away, pouring my heart & soul into really crappy phrases & terrible stabs at humor.

Here we go ...

So the lovely little desk & chair were from my Great Aunt Mary, who died a couple of years ago. 

She was such a hoot so I'm glad to have so many things from her in our house. 

The amazing Venetian vase on the floor is something my grandparents got on their honeymoon (if I have my story straight) & I have loved it for as long as I can possibly remember. 

My beautiful grandmother always said I could have it someday & it's the only thing I've ever actually inherited in someone's will. 

I don't know if I've ever loved a material possession as much as I love that vase - it's so grand & precious & fragile & so unlike anything I'd ever actually buy myself, it just delights me.

Let's take a closer look at the crap I do buy myself.

That tiger print is another of my favorites! 

Bought it in a tacky frame at Value Village in Langley Park back in my college days. 

It cost 25 cents & has followed me around the world, been in every conceivable kind of frame. 

When I bought this orange frame (from ZGallerie), I tried several different pictures & prints but nothing was wow'ing me. 

Then I found my old trusty tiger & all was well.

I totally ripped my friend Nicole off with the peanut. 

She had one & I coveted it greatly, then finally found one for myself on etsy (TwoGuysVintage). 

If ever there was someone's style to steal, it is Nicole's!

FACT: Every pair of best friends needs a Beaches-esque photo booth photo of themselves! 

This is Dana & me at Ocean City, MD when we were 18 or 19 without a care in the world. 

One of my most favorite photos ever, ever, ever.

As we eventually decorate our house, you'll see more of the treasures unearthed in the Eisele family attic but we'll start with the shutters. 

I stole this little pair to hold the random mementos that don't fit in frames. 

I know the concept has been around forever, not trying to claim it as an original but it is genius & adorable & you ought to get some shutters too.

The mug from Anthropologie, the print from Marcel & my brains and the penguin from pattispolkadots (when will etsy let people use spaces in their shop names?).

Oh my word, the hand drawn palm tree from our sponsor child in Papua New Guinea that she titled "Me and my coconut tree." So smitten with our budding artiste.

If you haven't visited Little Things Studio, do yourself a favor & skedaddle on over there! 

Love Kate's designs, colors & the quotes she chooses.

This particular one is my current mantra: A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.

William G. Shedd, I salute you!

DMX, I salute you too!

I know there's a few of these floating around the crafting world but I liked this one in all its delicate glory. 

the Tennessee Stitchery can hook you up with one of your very own.

Another awesome bit of wonderful-ness from Aunty Mary!

This metal sign hung from her husband's ancestor's dress shop in New York City back in the days when it was called New Amsterdam. 

I know, right?! 

So that's what I surround myself when I'm trying to write or just when I'm nosing around your profiles on Facebook or putting things in various online shopping carts & then emptying them because I really don't neeeed that stuff, then filling it all up again. It's what I do, it's who I be.

Have a beautiful Saturday night!