Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Open letter

Dear Honeywell,

It might not be your fault that our a/c is on the fritz again, but your thermostat is the only thing in arms reach for me to curse at.

Hopefully one day our relationship can be mended. (A cool house, would be a great start).

Sincerely,
Hot in Ohio

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Bargain shopping

This morning I received another email from Zgallerie this morning so I started poking around their site, when I came across their Borghese furniture collection. Which, looks rather similar to the Hayworth collection from Pier 1.

See for yourself:
Zgallerie

Pier 1

The lingerie chest from Zgallerie is $899.

The lingerie chest from Pier 1 is $449.

So, if your looking to get a glam look for not a lot of dolla dolla bills...check out the collection at Pier 1!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Coffee talk

One of my birthday presents was a new coffee pot from my mom. The one I had been using (for the past six years) finally made its way to the big coffee bar in the sky. It took Mom and I about 4 months of planning, trying, looking and research before finding the perfect replacement. We decided upon this one:

The Cuisinart DCC-1100.
Isn't she a beaut?

I've never had my own pot that was programmable, and lemme tell you something; its the way to go. I mean, I still have to set it up the night before (too bad it can't do that for me) but when I come downstairs in the morning, BAM!, its ready for my empty cup :)

If you are in the market for a new one...I'd suggest this bad boy. Its sleek design, takes up almost no counter space. It brews quickly and comes out piping hot...it even has a little clock on it! Awww!

And, I'd recommend brewing your first pot with Harry and David's Moose Munch coffee. You're gonna lurv it!!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Hot in Cleveland

I might young in years, but when it comes to good tv, I appreciate the classics. I grew up watching I Love Lucy. I didn't understand why none of my friends in elementary school were named Ricky, Fred or Ethel. And even more surprised when my classmates had never even heard of my beloved Lucy.

Do you know what show I'd make sure I sat in front of the tv to watch (before they were reruns?) The Golden Girls. I was like, 6? Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia were my gurls.

When they started passing away and Lifetime would have Estelle Getty marathon days (then Bea Arthur...and subsequently Rue McClanahan) days, my dvr would be full. Hubby would wonder why one of his shows wasn't recorded and then he noticed 32 new Golden Girls. Opps.

So when Betty White's new show on TVLand premiered, I was there, bucket of popcorn in lap ready to get my fill. And I tell you what, IT. WAS. AWESOME.

If you watched the finale this week, then you'll understand the Free Elka shirt. I want to buy this shirt and wear it proudly around my town. I just wonder if anyone else would understand?!

Have you watched Hot in Cleveland?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Birthday sharing

My birthday was Sunday (August 15th) and I'm always surprised to hear how many people (celebrities) I share my special day with.

Lets start at the beginning. Madonna. Seriously; we share some serious girl-against-the-world attitude. We channel each other that way :)

Ben Affleck. Now, this one surprised me. It wasn't until he was in rehab (in like 2001?) and I was a freshman in college that I realized this connection. That year he was celebrating his birthday on the "inside" and ET was reporting his rehab stint like they would cover Anna Nicole's death...anyway, that was a shocker.

So you'll never guess who else I share my birthday with. Debra Messing! (Grace, from Will and Grace!) I ADORE her! I'm of the belief that Will and Grace should have its own network. Just non stop episodes. I love that show (and thanks to Lifetime) get my fix everyday!

Oh, just did some research; I also share my birthday with Joe Jonas! (OMG! My inner 14 year old just flipped out!) haha- I also share it with Julia Child!

Do you share your birthday with anyone?

Monday, August 16, 2010

Picture of the day

Awwwwwwwww

We have a puggle, Jack, that joined our family almost five years ago. The puggle was an obvious choice for us since I always loved the squishy faced pugs and the hubs preferred the beagle.

But this picture of a squishy faced pug just makes my heart grow five sizes!

(Sorry I couldn't post a picture for you; its from Flickr)

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Continuing to celebrate

Since I already bought Christmas ornaments the other day, why stop the early Christmas celebrating there?

Comedy Central was playing National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on Saturday...it might be August, but whatever- I'm all about funny 80s movies!

'Specially one of the greatest movies of all time!

"Is your house on fire Clark?"

Monday, August 9, 2010

Virgin territory

Today I took my weekly stroll through Home Depot.

Growing up dad and I would always go to Home Depot on the weekends. Mom would always stay in the car (or at home) because, "I hate Home Depot. I will not go in there." And she was true to her word.

I honestly cannot recall ever seeing my mom in Home Depot- Oh wait, there was ONE TIME when we first bought our house and she helped me pick out blinds for the guest room. Okay, so one time in my 27 years of knowing my mom, she went into Home Depot without being drugged, hog tied or otherwise impaired.

I digress. Weekly I'll walk the aisles and see what's new; drool over the chandelier that should be in our kitchen (one day!) and the bathroom cabinets.

Most times I walk in after just having a meeting or getting off work, so I'm a little "fussy" looking. Sometimes, employees will look at me and ask "can I help you find anything?" and I'll say, "Oh, um,no thanks" and they walk away rolling their eyes thinking, "ohhh, she hasn't got a CLUE what she's doing in here!"

Today, I was kinda rolling my eyes at myself. Why? Because of 'burnished clay'.

I have been wanting to repaint the foyer for a while. It is the ONE space in our house that is a virgin to my paint brush. Seriously, every other room has been painted at least once (the kitchen, our bathroom and our bedroom have had "some additional work done")

Now, I didn't select colors for other areas in our house lightly. Oh no. This is a constant struggle I face personally. I can help anyone else with colors for their home. I can suggest accessories 'til the cows come home (and they always come home) but for our home, its taken me four years, about 18 gallons of paint and a lot of spackling paste to get it 'just right'.

Which brings me back to the foyer. One reason I haven't paint it before is its HUGE. Its two stories, so I'll need a tall ladder. And the walls in the foyer blend into the stair case walls...which are also two stories- which is kinda scary since I'm only 5'-4"...and balancing a ladder on the stairs is just asking for an ER admission ticket...so I've waited.

Until now.

Last week I'm taking my weekly stroll through the Depot and stop at the Behr paint display. I already knew what color I wanted to paint, but couldn't find "it"...(yes, I'm one of those people...) So I look at the display case and suddenly, I see it. It sees me. It was magic. I put back the other three colors I picked up because I just KNEW this was the one.

Its taken me a whole week of talking to myself to finally get the paint. But, here's where my silly self and my professional self clash. Instead of just buying the gallon of paint (even though I'm in total lurv with it) I buy the sample size.

So I get home, and I start to trim. Then the trimming gets a little bigger...and then I'm working my way around to the closest corner...and then I realize, paint samples are THE BEST INVENTION EVER! Perfect size for my brush...no big clean up. Got the color across wonderfully...

The hubs didn't know I started to paint "spots" today...so when he walked in from work I was in the kitchen:
him: "Well someone was busy today!"
me: "Yes, I was...I made dinner, I ran errands..."
him: "I was referring to the spots. On the walls. What's with the spotty walls?"
me: "Ohhh, nothing. Just testing it out to make sure I liked it."

I didn't tell him I also "spotted" the upstairs. I waited for him to see it first (why give away the surprise too soon, right?) He gets upstairs:
him: "Hoooooney..."
me: "Do you like it?"
him: "Do I have a choice?"
me: "Uhmmm"

I often feel like Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy. (Who is my absolute IDOL!) "Erin, you've gotta lotta 'splaining to do!"

Except hubby doesn't have a Spanish accent! hehe.

Christmas in August

Friday I did something I don't think I'll ever forget. I purchased ornaments, Christmas ornaments, in August. When it was all said and done, I had four carts of ornaments.

Now, to my defense:
a) the ornaments were sold in boxes that didn't bend (I tried)
b) they were big boxes ('cause they had big ornaments in 'em)
c) the carts were small (obviously not designed with large purchases in mind. I'm going to suggest they look into Cosco-sized carts.)
d) I'm decorating a 12' tree
e) 'nuff said.

The lady checking me out looked like I had four heads (one for each cart?). "Wow, you're going to have one heck of a tree!"...I blushed and said, "oh, this is only round one". hehe

Thankfully I wasn't alone and had help pushing the carts and loading up the car. The store manager, Nate, and I are now on a first name basis. Actually, when I was in the store a few nights earlier, he gave me the heads up on the ornament sale. Score!

...and to all a good night!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Bargain shopping

About a month ago I purchased this lamp from Home Depot for my reading corner.



Now, before I go further, I love this lamp. Its cute, functional and does a great job illuminating my pages.

However, I just got Pottery Barns clearance email, so I start looking around their site. And I find this.



And not only is it on sale. But its on sale for $7.99. I paid $45 for mine.

Now, I could feel bad that I didn't save more money, or that I should have waited. But here's the thing, I don't. Haha, I love my lamp- I might love it more if it were less expensive...but I still heart my lamp!

Good thing I found this though, 'cause I wanted to put another one somewhere else in the house...

Happy bargain hunting!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Fun Find



I guess this could come in handy when you want to hide your habit from your children?

Cheers!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Birthday shopping

The biggest National Holiday (that's only celebrated in my family) is upon us...yes, in 13 days, my birthday will be here!

I went out birthday shopping today with my mil and got the most wonderful mirror for our foyer that I've been eying for a very long time (and, of course, when I open it on my birthday I will be shocked! surprised! and just as teary eyed as I was when I picked it up today!)

But, since I am who I am, I went to the Tiffany's website to poke around and see what's new. (It would seem the hubs has taken his name off the mailing list. We used to get the catalogs all the time, and I would circle what I liked, and leave it promintely displayed on his desk) Anyway, I came across this beautiful bracelet today.

Enjoy the eye candy!