I’m Back!!

My dear friends, it’s been so long. I have been neglectful over here on 511. I’ve been busy with life and work and Mommy.

And also, I had kind of reached a decorating plateau. I literally have no more wall space to cover. I have not a throw-pillow-less-chair. Because decorating was such a huge and integral part of my winter (Home goods was my Home) I kind of did everything that I had to do and was able to do for the time being.

BUT…

I have been squirreling away some stories over here. I have had the honor and pleasure of starting on a big project, my best friends’ new home that I mentioned months ago is coming to life! They made settlement and have been making major changes, like putting on a new roof, staining the floors, and OMG they are painting everything top to bottom. This means that I got to spend an hour with my buddy J and he and I went through every single room in the house holding up swatches, taping electrical tape in strategic spots on the ceiling and arm wrestling over the color taupe. But their home deserves a post of it’s own (or many posts, I should say). so I will get to that. It is so exciting!

When it comes to my house, I have made a few little updates, and am actually planning a new paint job for my very first room of my very first post, thanks to the incredible Paul the Painter extraordinaire. But here’s a tiny little update that made my heart swell a few big sizes.

When I got married, we danced to The Rolling Stones “Sweethearts Together” and walked up the aisle to The Beatles. This week, my mom got me the perfect addition to my gallery wall:

It’s a good reminder. A really good reminder.

And this wall that was once a source of great question and confusion for me has really come to life; it is now a tapestry of our favorite words, photos, songs, lyrics, images…it is us, on one, big, long “White Dove” hallway wall.

All you need is love. Love is all you need.

Beauty and Romance

Originally published on Mommy, Ever After,
because it’s not just about family and love. It’s about making our house into a home.
**Editor’s note: For some reason the photos are not working properly in this post, so you’re going to have to trust me and know that I’m working on it. Use your imagination. Dream of my photos. I dream of Lindsay.
So, I am going to be, in the very near future, writing an extensive post on the ray of sparkling sunshine that is Lindsay Docherty of Lindsay Docherty Photography. I will share with you, then, how she jumped on the bed with us, and joined us in an impromptu dance party and even cleaned up my son’s spit-up. I love this girl. I even had a dream last night that I was marrying her. Word of honor. But the real post is for a later time when all of our work is complete.

So far, we have only been able to hang two of her photos. They are magic.

First, beauty.

Lindsay was able to capture, visually, the fact that my daughter and I have identical profiles. It is now displayed on our gallery wall.

Here. See for yourself.

Pardon the reflection of the third floor bannister and hallway light fixture. I am not a photography genius like, say, Lindsay Docherty.

I’m starting to think maybe I have a secret (not at all secret) crush on her. Hmmmm.

The next photo that we were able to hang adds a bit of intimacy to our bedroom. In our room previously, we had a few family photos and three from our wedding. But those were 6 years old. Lindsay captured us doing what we do, cuddling on the couch, making each other laugh.

One one side of our bed it shows where we were, and on the other, where we are.

And how close we’ve become.
so much more to come with Lindsay. So much more.

Because,

How could I not add a little Hemingway to my gallery wall?

Happy Mail.

A surprise package arrived at my door yesterday.

On the envelope, it read “Happy Mail”.

I could not have begun to guess what was inside…

I will let you see for yourselves.

A most beautiful note, attached to a most beautiful print. Of my feathers; my strength symbols.

This piece of “Happy Mail” was from a girl who became my friend nearly 17 years ago. My middle school bestie, part of our “squad” of girlfriends. She always had the sweetest, most gentle soul. Later, when she became a mama, she brought her son to my baby class.

And we have stayed in touch throughout the years, weaving in and out of closeness, supporting each other through life events and continuing to foster our love. 
And out of the goodness of her heart she was sending me strength after what she intuitively suspected was a trying week.

Of course it had to be framed and hung immediately. My new favorite piece on my almost full gallery wall.

Thank you, sweet friend. It was happy mail, indeed.