The Curtains We Chose!!!

The Pottery Barn Allessandra curtain panels! Yay!




Remember my curtain ideas for my client, Mrs. C. here? Well, we decided on my favorite...The Pottery Barn Allessandra curtain panels! Yay! I will get photos as soon as they arrive! You can't get the red or blue panels in the store. You have to order it online...Bummer! :( But you can get the yellow panel in the stores! :)

Xo, Meme

{The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes...Frank Lloyd}

Thank You From The Bottom Of My Heart!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the prayers, good wishes, emails and comments...My "Baby" was rushed to the emergency room a few weeks ago with excruciating stomach pain...He had an appendicitis...It was an odd one...the appendix was pointing down and twisted. The surgery was successful but he had more pain due to it being upside down and twisted...

The hospital was wonderful and the staff went above and beyond. After surgery the anesthesiologist came out smiling (a good sign and the first chance for me to finally breathe) and hugged me...She gripped both my arms strongly, looking into my eyes and said..."You have done such a wonderful job raising him...He is the nicest, most polite young man we have ever had in here. He was so thankful and considerate. After surgery we told him it was all done and gripped my hand and said "thank you...thank you soo much!..." (He told me he didn't remember that...so even better...I have brainwashed him to be polite even subconsciously! ;) haha!)


"Middle" and I took him on a scroll through the hospital and found a atrium to sit and enjoy...though very humid...It was nice to get some fresh air! The coy fish were fun to watch! And NO we did not feed them...;)




He is a sweet boy and I am proud of how he holds himself up in public...all three of my boys are like that...All the nurses were commenting on his good looks too...lol One nurse said to him...Too bad it is summer...You can't miss any school...He quickly said...No! I love school...I don't like to miss it! I then as a proud Mama, said "Yes, he does and he wants to be a doctor!" :D
One of the anesthesiologists came in as I was saying that and said, "You should think about becoming an anesthesiologist"...Now he is kicking that around...This year he starts a pharmacy class in High School. He is excited to get started and be able to be a pharmacy tech while doing it. It will get his feet wet, that is for sure.

The nurse should of never said the kitchen is open for you all to use...There is jello, pudding and drinks...You can HELP yourselves...lol They did several times!



He is doing much better and is able to get back to his cross country running next week. He is visiting his Grandma this week and she has him walking and slowly jogging. He called me last night to let me know that he had jogged twice yesterday! I am so happy that he is back to normal and can start training again.


Eldest stopped by with a GLUTEN FREE salmon salad for ME! Yay! I was starving! You would think being a hospital that they would have GF food. They don't! lol It was hard because me and Mr. Screaming Meme were taking turns staying with him during the day...and of course Mama spent the night with him through out his stay...The last night, Middle came up and spent the night with us too! lol We looked like we had a party by morning! lol :D

Baby was being a goof ball...I think he was sick of me taking pictures of him! lol

The love of brothers...beautiful!


The last morning...Middle sprawled out from a night of no sleep...who really sleeps in hospitals? No one! lol

I learned from this experience...As I try to do with all my experiences in life...that family always seem to come together when you need them most and that bonds are stronger than we think they are...I love my boys and I am so proud to call them mine. Have you ever experienced something stressful and realized that underneath the stress and grief...there was a gift? It is a beautiful thing to witness!

Xo, Meme

Prayers Needed

My baby was rushed to the ER last night...he had emergency surgery this morning...Please, pray for his fast healing...Xo, Meme

Curtain Decisions....Come Be My Design Assistant!

Come along with me...I am searching for the perfect curtains for one of my clients', Mrs. C.

Here are a few that I proposed....



JCPenney's has great choices and prices...so I always start here for a budget minded client...She is thinking she wants a pattern, but one that is muted and soft...and will blend well with the existing furniture and accessorizes...Or maybe a solid with texture...we are open to whatever we find...we seem to be on the same wave link...Great minds think a like...Love that!


JCP's Deanna Thermal Floral Pinch-Pleat Panel...classic, casual yet, has a little sophistication, as well...They come in chestnut (shown), desert rose, and lapis blue...I love the chestnut...and Mrs. C. does too...We are still deciding what will be better for her space pattern or a solid...



JCP's Jewel Tex III Pinch Pleat Panel ....Green Clay, Tawny Brown, Spice, Jet Black...Simple...the pleats are great...and texture galore!!! She loves the spice...I do too....Here is Spice....


And Jet Black...

Tawny Brown....
And lastly, Green Clay....



Target Medallion Window Panel- Tan...simple design...love how it hangs...Oh, and it is CHEAP!





Target Home Chenille Window Panel- Green...again, I love the hidden loops...It instantly makes pleats, and CHEAP, too....Yay!



Pottery Barn Nob Hill Floral...natural...love this, as well....A little more expensive....as we all know...





Pottery Barn Sabine Floral...and love this too! So natural and blends with the existing furniture and decor...




Pottery Barn Allesandra Red & Gold....Okay...I love this one and want this in my own home...the blue one is beautiful, as well...(and the blue one would go WELL with my master room...hint...Mr. Screaming Meme??? ;)...LOL)








And for kicks, Mr. Screaming Meme...here is the BLUE....




So, so far what are your favorites?


More soon...

Xo, Meme

The Gypsy Caravan's White Ruffled Giveaway!!!!!!

My friend, Michella from The Gypsy Caravan is having a giveaway of the gorgeous WHITE RuFfLeD apron she made her self! She can make anything and everything under the sun and make it look easy! Love that!













You have to go over to her blog, The Gypsy Caravan and see her booth she designed! GORGY! She is truly a talented lady! And she has a heart the size of Texas...I am blessed to know her in real life and call her a friend...Lucky me...






So what are you waiting for? Go say hello! And sign up for that fabulous giveaway! I may have to commission her to make a Screaming Meme apron! I know it would be wonderful!

XoXo, Meme

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Class

I am crazy busy with work this week...slipcovers, clients and my own home...I even hired a maid because I am so busy...I think that will help me a bunch! She will come twice a month to get the deep cleaning done...Yay! Help is on the way!







I plan to blog more about my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint class and show how I got this layered effect...So, stay tuned...

Xo, Meme

My Magical Summer Display

I have to say. I love my summer display this year...It is simple...I added all the things I love...my vintage picnic basket...Red and white ticking...White dishes...









Black and white photos of my family...My favorite glass pedestal...One of my favorite silver clocks I collect...An old bottle I collected along the way...And my favorite red faux flowers...Oh, and plastic silver forks that I kept as a memory of a fun lunch I had with my family, not too long ago...


Simple...yet it says so much...Displays can be of anything...and you can display them any which way you choose...If you dare to take the risk to decorate with things you love...You may come up with something magical...something that uplifts and inspires you...something that makes you smile...Isn't that what decorating is all about? The feeling it creates inside of you?



I chose to tuck my display in my vintage picnic basket...even though you can't see everything immediately...The magic of peeking in to see the treasured pieces is so magically to me...



Each time I pass by my summer display, I smile...I smile because it is a reflection...



A reflection of moments...A reflection of things I love and because it is a reflection of me...



It is a sign to slow down, take a breath and enjoy this summer as though it were the last...


Last chance to say what it is that makes life so beautiful...without even having to say a word... We don't know our path or if tomorrow will ever come...So let's treasure this moment that we know we have for sure and celebrate the simple beauty we have all around us...






So, what would you display...if you threw caution to the wind and just decorated for you?



I dare you to gather all your treasures together and create a display that reflects who you are, who your family is and how grateful you are to have them...


Xo, Meme

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Tutorial {Part 1}

Okay we are going to start off with the red one...:) The color is Annie Sloan's Emperor's Silk...I love this red with the dark wax or without...without the dark wax, it would be a brighter red...You would just wax it with clear wax...

The first tip that Michelle @ Wonderfaux Studios gave us may surprise you...The older your AS chalk paint the thicker it will be...the thicker it is...the more it will look like the red and the cream practice boards, the cream was very thick, look at the cream practice board here....It is okay to leave your lids loose, ladies (and gentlemen), because the air will thicken it up...If you don't like that look, by all means close them tight...But this is good for us lazy painters...Michelle said this is girl's paint...lol I loved that...Because there is no failing with this stuff!

And I can finally look at Mr. Screaming Meme and say ..."You are wrong! I know what I am doing here..." Yay! lol He is an expert at so much, especially when it has to do with painting and construction...but I am patiently waiting for him to say in a deep, concerned voice..."You need to close that paint can properly, Meme"...and I will just refer him to this post...As Charlie Sheen would say..."I'm winning!" lol Annie Sloan, you are a genius and I HEART you for making girly girl paint! ;)




I suggest that you paint the pieces you want perfect when you first get your can of paint and then you paint the pieces you want a little more rustic or layered (like the cream I showed you) later...Or if you only want the rustic look...open the can and loosely close it for a week or so and tada...you will be set! You can always add water to thin it out, as well...So, no worries...


Okay, here is the red practice board I did...You want to literally paint heavily and thickly with your brush...see how thick I painted here? {Tip the red has a lot more pigment and will need a longer drying time...}

Once it is dry you can add your wax...I suggest that you go over it with clear wax first and then brush the dark wax on...(remember little goes along way) To make sure to get the look I showed on Monday you need to use the dark wax with brush strokes across the piece...highlighting the raised molding and designs of your piece...and then adding the dark wax were you think it will look best...You are the artist here...One of my classmates took a tool and gouged the practice board...so I did it too...and once you go over it with the dark wax, it will darken that area...You can always let your piece dry, sand it down and start again...No failing, Just WINNING! ;) Yay!

Once you are done, you can buff it when the wax is not tacky anymore...And that is where the magic happens...



I will be posting more how to's that I learned...but I promise taking a class from Michelle or someone who knows the tips and tricks...is the way to go!

Xoxo, Meme