this week

We moved one of the bird feeders to the crab apple tree on the patio so we could get a closer look of the goings on of the little critters that live outside our windows. The mess the seeds make is not a problem in the winter as it falls on the patio, so no damage to the myrtle bed and no sunflower sprouts to worry about in the summer. 

I love the shape of the plump mourning doves' little bodies. This was taken yesterday when we still had snow, all melted today. They wait in the tree and then drop down to  sit under the feeder to get dropped seeds. Not sure how they stay so chubby.

The last little bit of snow next to the sweet baby Red Tailed Squirrel. We actually have more black squirrels in our yard. I will get a pic of one to show later.

He or she looked up at me and then turned its back!

The Amaryllis finally bloomed in all its trumpeting glory! It seems to be white, not the Lemon Star like I thought we had bought. I love the whole process of watching it grow, I will never tire of watching a flower come to life! Its sister plant is way behind so perhaps we will see it bloom in the spring!

Still cooking Ina food, made Mac and Cheese and Lemon Chicken but forgot to get the camera, it is difficult for me to remember to photograph food once it is ready. Not sure what I will make next. Going to take advantage of the mild weather today... temps in the fifties, and head to a  Lebanese restaurant for dinner. We picked up the two Ina books I did not have on our last trip to Costco,  Foolproof and how easy is that?

I decided to stop buying paper napkins. We still need them for messy finger food but my collection of cloth napkins, collected over many years, was just sitting in the drawer. We hardly entertain like we used to when we were younger. I placed a group of them in a basket on the counter near the flatware drawer, easy to pick one up and then just throw into the laundry sink nearby when done or we are using them twice, leaving them at our places at the table.

Husband invented a new cocktail the other day when some friends were over for NFL playoff games! I had shown him these two mixers we had for vodka. The cocktail of the day was a Bloody Mary so I was intending to just use the Clamato, the Izze sparkling grapefruit was a backup in case someone did not like tomato juice. He thought I said to use both when making the Bloody Marys. A little miscommunication but we loved it, much lighter and fresher than a regular Bloody Mary. On round two, we all ordered the new concoction! I highly recommend it. He also used the horseradish, lime and worcestershire like usual. I recommend you try it, we are calling it a Bloody Mary Fizz.

And finally, my favorite candle is at the end of its wick this morning. Have you ever used Rigaud candles? 

I have since my mother bought one for me over twenty years ago. She is still the source as that is the only request I give her when she asks for a birthday idea. It is quite a luxury, not something I would purchase for myself. I love the Cypres scent, perfect for winter which is the only time I burn it. There are many more floral scents and I should try them too.

What are you up to this during this dreary time of year?  We have only seen the sun one day in the last two weeks, that day was glorious with a beautiful blue sky but we need more!

the leopard Nana chair

Catching up on Google Reader this morning, I enjoyed Tina's (author of The Enchanted Home) post about adding a little leopard print to your rooms. Yay, for once I am trendy and chic! I have some leopard. Mine is on my pretty Nana chair. It sits in the living room/ husband sports television room most of the time. But the little chair moves around as needed when there are more people in the house. It usually moves to the family room.

The little tray table I chalk painted recently is perfect next to it. It can go on either side of the room.

It used to sit in my Nana's beautiful guest bedroom. It had an elegant coral damask on it that coordinated with her floral draperies and monogrammed bedspreads. I was so happy to inherit the little chair as I loved sleeping in that bedroom growing up. I wish I had a picture of that room but my memory of it is quite vivid.

What about you? Do you have a little leopard in your house?

chalk painting

I have been having fun painting furniture this winter, using Annie Sloan chalk paint. Like millions of others, I am now a huge fan. There are so many reasons to love her paint.  Just google and thousands of tutorials, videos and reviews will come up. I got started after reading a post by my friend, the very talented DIYer, Pam of Simple Details blog. She wrote a post about transforming old outdated armoires. I had one of those! 

I uncharacteristically caught the bug to paint and started researching. Annie Sloan paint kept coming up and sounded too good to be true- no prep! I found a source, chose a basic light shade, Old Ochre and a can of the clear wax and started painting. I was finished with the armoire in a few hours, I used less than half of the quart sized can and it came out great! I was hooked.

I have since added brass knobs from Anthro. 

I then purchased a can of Country Grey for some variety, which is more of a khaki, 

and with just two quarts of light paint have been moving through the house, trying to add variety to each room by reducing the amount of "brown furniture" and furniture that might have been more suited to one of our earlier homes. Still too much brown in this house as you can see but getting better (convincing husband is part of the process).  This lamp is painted in Country Grey. There is the picture my Uncle Murray took, that story is still continuing. More on that later.

I have since painted a coffee table, two side tables, a baker's rack, two lamps (you can paint glass, brass, any surface with chalk paint) and last week this little tray table next to the couch in the family room. I still have paint left in both cans! Added a gold leaf design to it for interest. Excuse the glare.

  I just purchased Graphite 

and am painting a wood kitchen table/possible desk for our son to use in a college apartment when the time comes. It is not black but a very dark blue grey that is a really attractive color, richer than straight black. 

Here is her color range. I get excited looking at it! Mulling over Emile 

or probably a lightened Emile for a side table in our bedroom. The stockist closest to me has painted pieces in the store to see, very valuable as some colors looks different once painted and waxed. For instance, Henrietta paint is too pink for our room, glad there was a table in the store for me to see. Also ordered Versailles, 

a soft lemony sage and Coco, 

a warm dark putty, not sure how I will use them, just liked the colors.

Have you tried Annie Sloan paint? Come on, paint something this winter while you are hibernating!

Pittsburgh getaway

We took advantage of the warm temperatures on Friday to spend the day in Pittsburgh. Of course, had to make a quick stop to Ikea first. Then headed to the North Shore to check out The Andy Warhol Museum. Our oldest son was with us and he had not seen it.

Andy Warhol was born and raised in Pittsburgh. He also attended Carnegie Mellon University nearby (at the same time my father was a student there). He was so fascinating and so influential on American culture that the museum is very interesting. Several new exhibits were being built so there will be more to check out next time.

The museum is situated next to the 16th Street Bridge that crosses the Allegheny River into downtown. There is another bridge down river named for Andy Warhol, also crossing the Allegheny River. The museum is also just down the street from PNC Park, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates MLB baseball team.  Love the black ironwork on both this stadium and Heinz Field, where the Steelers play that is also close by.

Photographs are only allowed on the first floor. I was able to get just these shots. It is a six floor museum.

Wallpaper with repeated images of this self portrait is used throughout the museum.

He was a successful illustrator in New York after graduating form Carnegie Mellon.

Warhol images on skateboards in the gift shop.

We then headed to Oakland for some fresh oxygen to my favorite Phipps Conservatory in Schenley Park which is adjacent to Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh.

The tower in the background down the hill is the Gothic styled Cathedral of Learning, the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere, on the University of Pittsburgh campus, Carnegie Mellon is next door across the lawn.

Phipps is a very large greenhouse.

It was beautiful, full of orchids and bonsai.

Phipps owns several glass works by Seattle artist Dale Chihuly.

Another Chihuly sculpture.

Charming model railroad with a miniature Phipps.

I loved this delicate Poinsettia.

We decided to stop on Mt. Washington for a cocktail and appetizers before heading home. We chose The LeMont for sentimental reasons. I ate there several times as a child with my grandmother and family. It is an old school/ fancy/ gaudy decor /had to be a favorite of the Mafia type restaurant but has great huge floor to ceiling windows with beautiful views of the city. The sky cleared just as we arrived.

The typical Ohio River sight...coal barges, in the foreground of this shot. The Ohio River starts its journey to the Mississippi here, created at the confluence of the Allegheny River you see here with the bridges and the Monongahela River to the right.

I think they made a mistake by choosing bright Steeler yellow for the Heinz Field seats. Takes over the view. You cannot visit Mt.Washington without taking a ride down and up the hill on the Duquesne Incline, one of two inclines left in Pittsburgh, there used to be twenty or so. We wanted to take in the city lights before heading home.

This is what it looks like in the daylight.

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Last view of the sparkling city from the incline observation platform.

There is so much more to see in thriving and diverse Pittsburgh...next time. It is our favorite quick getaway destination.