a girl walks into a bar

OK, so it wasn't a bar, but it is still a good story. Two good stories.<br /><br />First, remember this little gem I found a few weeks back?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02Afx02wm9DNrFW1P6kRG9cjkyaqPdfUwQOTEv85Lt1BvYrLhFxiT_-xB0X90YRQ7fKAUWdM2qiqHMZBkmHznRyb0FbNgeMdYqMi89tHYW3EC9SYlXpqLABvHHvZ-_AbdYwRAp1tHqLW0/s1600/chipendalebench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02Afx02wm9DNrFW1P6kRG9cjkyaqPdfUwQOTEv85Lt1BvYrLhFxiT_-xB0X90YRQ7fKAUWdM2qiqHMZBkmHznRyb0FbNgeMdYqMi89tHYW3EC9SYlXpqLABvHHvZ-_AbdYwRAp1tHqLW0/s400/chipendalebench.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Well after several trips back to the store to measure, stare and contemplate<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FTUqIdA8IG6geWfGs5UkmD8uQhF1WACQyEUYz2j7DyeeokCrnm0cvstY6dKumpM-ijZGCTB3HzDDK_8735hddkLj2hIQQcj-Z9MaYILF941GIB1by9B4nmFeRCXsutJKccqc7KzV_vD_/s1600/Chippendalebench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FTUqIdA8IG6geWfGs5UkmD8uQhF1WACQyEUYz2j7DyeeokCrnm0cvstY6dKumpM-ijZGCTB3HzDDK_8735hddkLj2hIQQcj-Z9MaYILF941GIB1by9B4nmFeRCXsutJKccqc7KzV_vD_/s400/Chippendalebench.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><br />the old girl is at home where she belongs. Our messy home. Sorry for the picture, but that's life.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqHhvKjXxI_lLHDZySfy_e-oUB8NxWOgaN0E1Rq3CBqlvsZEX36xG_2jMe2x_5qR904Jyc_D8hK3g1s0ELM0QugMrflLEQTJfSd_2MHZDJPZAFxUQBX3aoPaKligI2PLdM7icPXucVTX_/s1600/Benchcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqHhvKjXxI_lLHDZySfy_e-oUB8NxWOgaN0E1Rq3CBqlvsZEX36xG_2jMe2x_5qR904Jyc_D8hK3g1s0ELM0QugMrflLEQTJfSd_2MHZDJPZAFxUQBX3aoPaKligI2PLdM7icPXucVTX_/s320/Benchcloseup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />She fits like a glove and I love her color, finish and pretty much everything about her. Now I just need to rip down that wallpaper. And paint. And get a new mirror. And pillows. And rug. Don't tell the hubs, but we've got another project ahead people.<br /><br />Story #2 is a story of surprise, drama and intrigue. Or, if you follow me on instagram (<a href="http://instagram.com/littleblackdoor/" target="_blank">follow me here</a>) then it's a story you've already 'heard'.<br /><br />Last Saturday I was on my way to a little store I love to source a table for a client. But I was early and they weren't open yet so I went next door to the Goodwill to <strike>waste time</strike> search for good finds.<br /><br />And as I turned the corner I saw this.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZn2YFJHJ2KksQubheGmxupmhVxxKSTSdH8MkgSWBNPb1jC_YqAZmXv0hk-x3iBwe4JZDhm8vMY-W3fewCTdsnW2fm29SagPPpAnCarjD3_YpFIoQvMHseQpciVWJmq81zhXbevfUqfBR/s1600/Goodwillcouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZn2YFJHJ2KksQubheGmxupmhVxxKSTSdH8MkgSWBNPb1jC_YqAZmXv0hk-x3iBwe4JZDhm8vMY-W3fewCTdsnW2fm29SagPPpAnCarjD3_YpFIoQvMHseQpciVWJmq81zhXbevfUqfBR/s400/Goodwillcouch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Allow me to read the tag for you. $30 people. (ok, I added the 'people')<br /><br />I took a picture immediately and then took a seat. Comfy. I lifted the cushions. Clean. I looked for stains. Negative (with the exception of one small crayon mark).<br /><br />So with all of these good check marks I of course...walked away. I went on my way next store and went about my regularly scheduled errands. But I kept thinking about it. And thinking about it. We need a new couch for our family room. We'd been planning on just getting a <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2012/05/feet-up-or-laying-down.html" target="_blank">slipcovered couch or sectional</a>.<br /><br />Plans change.<br /><br />That night I googled to find out what time Goodwill opened and made a plan to go and get my little honey. Even the biggest snow storm we've had in 30 years wouldn't stop me. I piled my girls in the car, drove 10 miles an hour thru some heavy falling snow and slapped down my $30.<br /><br />Whoop Whoop.<br /><br />She is now <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2012/04/take-seat-part-4.html" target="_blank">were I put all my best couches, the garage</a>. And my head is spinning about what to do with her. What colors would you use with her? What patterns? I think I feel an inspiration board coming on. Prepare to hear a lot more about this girl over the next few weeks.<br /><br />Happy Weekend!!

a girl walks into a bar

OK, so it wasn't a bar, but it is still a good story. Two good stories. First, remember this little gem I found a few weeks back? Well a...

Read more »

2012 goals

It <i>was</i> the whole point of starting this blog after all, so I might as well commit them to (digital) paper. Its been a yearly tradition, even before we had a house, for Luke and I to have a glass (or bottle) of wine and write our 'house list' for the next year. And while I won't share the whole list with you (#12 get new basement windows) here is the top 5. Does anyone hear a drum roll?<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQnEibB3ivmc6TZCIl5A4EFTn7nxjnuZWpGN0UWYHLMnqSpvqZHURihkaS9T7r2CJ8D1bCfzUR_V_s1jSsXDk-icWwR7L0RCYMWG_ATEsfQ9NSvoAi5BEBJVlffdMUYzAwOQHluiUH6Ne/s1600/129619295494760453_SoDq8poz_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQnEibB3ivmc6TZCIl5A4EFTn7nxjnuZWpGN0UWYHLMnqSpvqZHURihkaS9T7r2CJ8D1bCfzUR_V_s1jSsXDk-icWwR7L0RCYMWG_ATEsfQ9NSvoAi5BEBJVlffdMUYzAwOQHluiUH6Ne/s320/129619295494760453_SoDq8poz_c.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.fromtherightbank.com/2011/08/on-my-radar-blue-dressers/" target="_blank">From The Right Bank</a></td></tr></tbody></table>1. <b>Redo the master bedroom.</b> We swapped bedrooms with Amelia right before I got pregnant with Eve, as they are roughly the same size (the rooms not the girls). But a year and a half later we still haven't gotten around to doing anything to it. A common problem I know. I'm over the lavender nursery walls, and we need some grown-up curtains, among other things. The room needs some major love.<br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi475SgvQvrNrk101nE9mChWvFVdvEMQyKPT5sqbkHydUeDT6p02Oi4Rj-HJEVKEYh0N_4G6DEhgRredzBr0GkDzPbPxqFY4nXkhyphenhyphen7Lf9IZSJYJEz8c0Wgw3TN4yO8e0lEieb9C19JK2a/s1600/274227064779836635_7qEs811R_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi475SgvQvrNrk101nE9mChWvFVdvEMQyKPT5sqbkHydUeDT6p02Oi4Rj-HJEVKEYh0N_4G6DEhgRredzBr0GkDzPbPxqFY4nXkhyphenhyphen7Lf9IZSJYJEz8c0Wgw3TN4yO8e0lEieb9C19JK2a/s320/274227064779836635_7qEs811R_c.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com/" target="_blank">Elements of Style</a></td></tr></tbody></table>2. <b>Repair and redo deck and stairs.</b> This has been on our list since we bought the house (can you tell how much we are dreading it?). In fact, when we were doing our walk thru the inspector said, "You are probably gonna need to redo those stairs in the next year or so." Five years later...we are finally getting around to it. I think it was the visible jiggling they make when our 30 pound dog runs down them that made us push this up the list. They are officially unsafe and so they're outta here. There are also several rotting boards to replace and we need to redo the railings. We have never used our deck as much as we'd like for these reasons so its time to give this extra room a spruce. This is going to put Luke's wood working and midar cuts to the test.<br /><br />3. <b>Plant a herb garden.</b> We've got the space, I've got an interested and energetic 4-year-old helper and as many herbs as we use, it might even be a money saver.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh_SsTs4CN7nOwnCUTiOF3t8eRKttBYVlGyjxvt9ODX_YMthQUZGUqACovMtlWYVry-GnpVakixqjtjYBssbNBBGlmy2AETcc-6_N9Q6l6D-684LlWCsvg7sx_gToKIsjeveYmF8KsNUE/s1600/57913545177729084_UX7fMDhs_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh_SsTs4CN7nOwnCUTiOF3t8eRKttBYVlGyjxvt9ODX_YMthQUZGUqACovMtlWYVry-GnpVakixqjtjYBssbNBBGlmy2AETcc-6_N9Q6l6D-684LlWCsvg7sx_gToKIsjeveYmF8KsNUE/s320/57913545177729084_UX7fMDhs_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://pinterest.com/search/?q=herb+garden" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></td></tr></tbody></table>4. <b>Lighting.</b> Always on my list. We need to resolve the chandelier issue in the dinning room ( i.e. I hate it), replace the light in the hallway and twist someone's arm into helping me figure out a way to add outdoor scones to the deck. Ugh, that damn deck. Its gonna kill me. Refer to number 1.<br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgFSBQWjzXH51IDQIakIcvqjun-0ALXzj-M75hu_wLUBL1cb7ONGXTFqsClGlOzUrPUwOQhtkdJ1pQugjoJJ569CVVhNeHnXp4NiMnqbXZXo5ekvHpBu7u9UHGKFHNxkET9_FKnAmt4vr/s1600/5629568253886968_kU72QZjI_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgFSBQWjzXH51IDQIakIcvqjun-0ALXzj-M75hu_wLUBL1cb7ONGXTFqsClGlOzUrPUwOQhtkdJ1pQugjoJJ569CVVhNeHnXp4NiMnqbXZXo5ekvHpBu7u9UHGKFHNxkET9_FKnAmt4vr/s320/5629568253886968_kU72QZjI_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.fromtherightbank.com/2011/11/my-new-very-old-settee/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+fromtherightbank+%2528FROM+THE+RIGHT+BANK%2529&utm_content=Google+Reader" target="_blank">From the Right Bank</a></td></tr></tbody></table>5. <b>Reupholster couch.</b> I got the best little love seat for my birthday last year but it has one flaw - the nastiest, ugliest fabric on earth. Unbearably ugly. Since its can't get any worse, I'm toying with the idea of taking a crack at it myself. Stop laughing, its not the worst idea.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vEGq5etfcKMJMLXMoNFe2Bal86TN8bGtRZQSKrssqjrIhNcoTZ8nbZiL8Z8ZR7BiiQBIuuKA_3pX6Q4kaGGAV8cHZRBAIX8C4RPHPBn22wNRsFVkw9az4JKlrhLhhoWH2eAuMu5Vxkym/s1600/6896205648958039_qBFSBSLK_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vEGq5etfcKMJMLXMoNFe2Bal86TN8bGtRZQSKrssqjrIhNcoTZ8nbZiL8Z8ZR7BiiQBIuuKA_3pX6Q4kaGGAV8cHZRBAIX8C4RPHPBn22wNRsFVkw9az4JKlrhLhhoWH2eAuMu5Vxkym/s1600/6896205648958039_qBFSBSLK_b.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://bijouandboheme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bijou and Boheme</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />OK, I showed you mine. Now your turn. Fess up. Do you have any plans, goals or resolutions? House related or otherwise? Are they repeats from last year?

2012 goals

It was the whole point of starting this blog after all, so I might as well commit them to (digital) paper. Its been a yearly tradition, eve...

Read more »