tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4449902118585203412024-03-18T23:25:13.831-04:00re*dü home furnishingsMusings on being a wife,
a thrifty shopper,
and a "re-purposer" of antique and vintage furniture.re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-42238814578681456132013-03-18T21:10:00.001-04:002013-03-18T21:10:40.399-04:00Ooh La La<div style="text-align: center;">
When I feel like being fancy, I usually turn to French Cooking. Julia Child once said "In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport." I couldn't agree more. It's why I read so much about how they feed their children. It's their insistence on the freshest ingredients available that always produces delicious food that is at the same time simple. </div>
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I was trying to figure out what to do for dinner tonight and when I was checking my email, I got an email from my husband about a dish for the brussels sprouts we got from Hollygrove. It's almost time to pick up our next box, so I need to finish what we have in the current box. This recipe looked super yummy and when I clicked the above link that said "Prepare a Simple French Farm Dinner", I knew I was in for a treat. </div>
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I clicked the link and realized that I had about every ingredient - with some variations. The great thing about cooking versus baking is you can experiment with the ingredients and the measurements and still come out with a delightful dish. Try to substitute baking powder for baking soda!!</div>
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With a few adjustments and a quick trip to Whole Foods, I had everything I needed for a perfect French dinner. </div>
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<i>Adapted from grit.com</i></div>
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<strong>Radish and Orange Salad in Balsamic</strong></h2>
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1/3 cup mayonnaise - pantry</div>
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2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar - pantry</div>
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1 tablespoon milk - pantry</div>
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1 tablespoon chopped capers - didn't use - don't like capers</div>
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4 cups trimmed watercress - used regular salad mix - it's cheaper! $1.00</div>
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3 large sliced oranges - 50 cents</div>
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1 1/2 cups sliced radishes - CSA</div>
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1/4 cup sliced green onions (scallions) - CSA</div>
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In
a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar, milk and capers;
set aside (can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored covered, in
refrigerator). On serving plates, arrange watercress sprigs; top with
orange slices. Scatter radish and green onion slices over oranges,
dividing evenly. Just before serving, drizzle with reserved dressing.
Garnish with a radish rose, if desired.</div>
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<strong>Sautéed Brussels Sprouts With Apples</strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span></h2>
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1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts - CSA</div>
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2 cups chopped onion - didn't use this much - about 1/2 cup .50</div>
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1 tablespoon butter - pantry</div>
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1 pound sweet red apples, cored and sliced - only used one apple - .50</div>
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1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves - used herbs de provence </div>
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1 teaspoon salt</div>
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1/2 teaspoon pepper</div>
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<br />Steam
Brussels sprouts until fork tender but not soft, about 5 to 8 minutes;
drain well. Meanwhile, cook onion in a skillet with butter, stirring
frequently, for 5 minutes. Add apples and stir gently to combine. Stir
in Brussels sprouts, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2
minutes. Toss gently to blend thoroughly before serving. </div>
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<strong>Pheasant Baked With Cream Recipe</strong></h2>
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour - pantry</div>
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1 teaspoon salt</div>
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1 teaspoon white pepper</div>
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1 whole pheasant, dressed (about 3 lbs) - not even! I used 4 chicken thighs - $3.50</div>
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1/4 cup olive oil - pantry</div>
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1 cup heavy cream - $1.50</div>
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1 large yellow onion, quartered - used other half of onion from sprouts</div>
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4 cloves garlic - pantry 25 cents</div>
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1 teaspoon dried thyme - used herbs de provence</div>
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In large paper bag, shake together flour, salt and white pepper. Place <strike>pheasant</strike> chicken in bag and shake well to coat.</div>
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In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add <strike>pheasant</strike> chicken and brown on all sides.</div>
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Add onion, garlic and herbs and saute until onions start to become clear and get browned on edges. Drain grease. Add cream. Saute about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked. </div>
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I changed how I made this part of the meal the most. You can read about it here. http://www.grit.com/food/good-things-to-eat/pheasant-recipe-zwrz13zgou.aspx</div>
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We really loved this meal!! It was so simple and full of flavor and a lot less than dining out in a fancy French Restaurant. Including the pantry items, I don't think I spent more than $12.00 on this by using the CSA foods. </div>
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Fresh, Local, Organic </div>
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Bon Appetit! </div>
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<a href="http://www.grit.com/food/good-things-to-eat/pheasant-recipe-zwrz13zgou.aspx#ixzz2NwXQOZhq" style="color: #003399;"> </a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-29784538499408350092013-03-18T15:29:00.000-04:002013-03-18T15:29:24.081-04:00It's All Green to Me!<div style="text-align: center;">
Since this past weekend was St. Patrick's Day, I took some time with my family and friends and didn't get to update our meals. Here's a little bit of what's been going on. </div>
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Friday</div>
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We were so tired on Friday night, so I just took the easy way out and asked my husband for help. He made pork chops in the pressure cooker with a gravy from the drippings and sauteed some of the turnips with butter. </div>
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no hormone pork chops - $7.50 for two large ones</div>
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turnips sauteed in butter - CSA</div>
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Saturday </div>
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On Saturday, we had our annual party for the Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day parade that rolls right past the store. It's a fun time with friends, good food, and parade fun! It's always a great time and gets more and more fun each year. We didn't get home until almost 7PM that night, so we put the baby to bed and ate leftover spaghetti from the freezer. I'm so happy we freeze meals for times just like this. Total cost: Nothing!</div>
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Sunday</div>
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Sundays are my day off, and we headed out of town for the day. When we got home, it was almost time for dinner. Our friends came over and brought a traditional Irish Dinner for us to enjoy. We picked up a loaf of Irish Soda Bread from Whole Foods to go with the meal. Total cost: $3.50</div>
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Tonight's meal is still a mystery to me, but I have to decide soon! It's sure to include more of the CSA box items. We do eat some of the items for breakfast and lunch, so we don't waste anything. </div>
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<br />re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-76218536382109228662013-03-14T22:05:00.000-04:002013-03-14T22:05:55.908-04:00Living the life <div style="text-align: center;">
Life in New Orleans has its ups and downs. As I have mentioned in the past, it is a great place and a crappy place. We have learned to just let it be our home and accept the things we like, while ignoring those things that annoy us. </div>
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One of the things we absolutely love is the availability of fresh, local, organic foods. There are a lot of options including farmer's markets, Co-Ops, and CSA's. When we moved last month, we ended up being less than a mile from the best CSA, <a href="http://www.hollygrovemarket.com/" target="_blank">Hollygrove Market & Farm</a>. It is a fantastic CSA in that you don't have to join in order to get their weekly box and the food is so fresh and seasonal. You can also purchase local meats, eggs, and dairy. We love them :)</div>
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I know that not everyone has this kind of access. In a city like New Orleans, I am still amazed that all this is available. We are in the South, where healthy living and eating isn't prized. Somehow, people in New Orleans have forgotten that and are making a growing grassroots effort to bring fresh fruits and veggies to everyone. You can drive through almost any neighborhood and see people growing small plots of crops in their yards and raising chickens. In fact, in our old neighborhood and our new one, we have neighbors that had free roaming chickens! There are also people creating gardens in empty lots. I love this and hope it spreads to every single abandoned lot in the whole city - imagine that!! </div>
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There are those that think organic/local foods are so expensive and hard to live off. For the next few weeks, I will be posting what we get in our CSA food box and what we make for dinner each night. We have a budget, too! We aren't rich and we both work, so there is a lot of nights where it would be easier to give in the towel, pick up some takeout, and eat garbage. I don't want our daughter to grow up like that. </div>
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So, here's the picture of what we got this week from <a href="http://www.hollygrovemarket.com/content/5669" target="_blank">Hollygrove</a>. </div>
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With each dinner, I will post the recipe and what it costs to make it. In places where we already had the item in our pantry, I will still do my best to list the price that I paid for it.</div>
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Tonight, we made a yummy soup that I would recommend to anyone! Hubby loved it and is eating the rest for lunch tomorrow. It makes four servings, but could easily be doubled. I didn't add any grain source, but it would be awesome with quinoa, rice, pasta, or just some bread on the side.</div>
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Berman Soup</div>
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2 links of deer sausage - free from a friend</div>
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2 small sweet potatoes, unpeeled and cubed - CSA</div>
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1 small organic onion - about 50 cents</div>
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small amount of coconut oil</div>
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bunch of mustard greens, roughly chopped into large pieces - CSA </div>
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1 can organic garbanzo beans - pantry, but they cost about $1.39</div>
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1 quart chicken stock - pantry, but it cost $1.99</div>
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Saute deer sausage in stock pot. Add in coconut oil, sweet potatoes and onion and saute until soft. Add greens and broth. Saute about 20 minutes or until all flavors mix well together. Season with sea salt and pepper. We used the pressure cooker, so it was done even sooner.</div>
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Any of these items could be replaced with whatever you have on hand. We would have saved money if we had used dry beans that we soaked, but we didn't have the time and already had the beans. We would also have saved money if we had homemade stock on hand, but we have used all of ours. Someday, we will have a larger freezer and will have more room to store these sort of things. </div>
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This would also make a yummy vegetarian meal with veggie stock and no meat. </div>
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Total cost not including the CSA: $4.89 </div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">XO<span style="font-size: xx-small;">XO</span></span></div>
re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-37354873205362798552013-03-14T20:11:00.002-04:002013-03-14T20:11:51.606-04:00So little time<div style="text-align: center;">
Why does it always seem like there is so little time in my day? Between work, home, and my daughter (Yeah! She's here!!), I barely have time to chat with my husband, eat dinner, and fall into bed. (after a few episodes of "Fraiser" that is!) </div>
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So, that said, my daughter is here - her name is India Jaymes. She was born early. Everything went the wrong way. I was seriously depressed about that for quite some time. And then, one day, it was all OK. I wasn't so hurt about everything. I mean, she is about the cutest thing EVER, and so who can be mad about that sweet face making an early appearance :) </div>
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So, somehow, life is back to normal. Our new normal. Our new normal with India. Life will never be the same and I am thrilled about that! <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">XOXO</span></div>
re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-65426100080089227312012-09-14T22:41:00.001-04:002012-09-14T22:41:37.002-04:00All that really matters...<div style="text-align: center;">
The past week has been so intense. My doctor's appointment didn't go the way I planned - when I went in, my doctor said my blood pressure was quite high and I would need to start my Non-Stress-Tests immediately. I left his office and went to pre-natal testing. I kept a calm head (I mean, is getting stressed really a good idea at this point?!) and the test went fine. I'll have to have these tests twice a week until Baby Girl arrives. </div>
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The thing that was so hard was that my doctor told me that for the health of Baby Girl and myself, I'll have to be induced two weeks early (maybe sooner)! This whole scenario goes against my birth plan, but I decided right then and there it was OK, because I had to put my plans aside for anything that ensured her safe delivery. </div>
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It was while I was driving in my car from the hospital that a thought occurred to me. I was making my first real parental decision. A non-selfish, "anything to protect my child" decision. I was so sad that I couldn't get what I wanted, sure, but that paled in comparison to doing what I knew would be ultimately best for my daughter. I also know firsthand that this instinct is not something that every parent has. </div>
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Don't get me wrong. I think pretty much every parent LOVES their child, but not every parent would sacrifice their own plans for their child. I didn't realize that such a deep level of love could exist for a child I hadn't even met yet. I can only imagine what is going to happen when she is here... :) I love this little girl so much it makes me cry when I think about her. I am so excited to meet her - even if it means my birth plan doesn't go my way. In the end, God is in charge of it all. He controls all the methods of delivery known to man. He has every power and right to use whatever method necessary to bring her into this world. It isn't about me. I am really just a vessel. She's coming in a little over five and I couldn't be more excited! That's all that really matters...</div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/61572719876326686/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="375" src="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/128071183123002494_tG4EczOY_c.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.sawdustcityllc.com/sign_you_are_the_poem_i_dreamed_of_writing_the_masterpiece_i_longed_to_paint_you_are_the_shining_star_i_reached_for_in_my_every_hopeful_quest_for_life_fulfilled_you_are_my_child_now_with_all_things_i_a.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">sawdustcityllc.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/lbmommie/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Heather</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Via Pintrest</span></div>
re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-2608681937200803752012-09-09T10:01:00.000-04:002012-09-09T10:01:21.714-04:00Hurricane Pizza<div style="text-align: center;">
It took me a little over a week to write a post about living through Hurricane Isaac. I wanted to be sure that I had a proper perspective, because we have friends that lost everything and there is no way I ever want to compare what I went through to what they are still going through. My experience comes from the perspective of a woman almost 8 months pregnant. I decided not to post any pictures of the storm or it's aftermath. There have been enough of those posted online to get an idea of how that week was for those of us living in southern Louisiana. My thought was to post what we did to make the most of a long and tiring situation... here goes :)</div>
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I woke up Sunday morning to see that the path of Isaac changed from hitting the Mobile area to coming straight for us here in NOLA. I haven't been in the direct path of a hurricane - ever. I lived through one on Martha's Vineyard, but that swept past us in one day and only hit us indirectly. When my husband mentioned evacuating, I though that was silly. I have a business to run and besides, I didn't want to travel in slow moving traffic to Houston just to come back a day later. I declined. Mistake #1...</div>
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Monday was pretty uneventful. We got the store ready for the storm and bought supplies to last us if/when the power went out. We never planned for it to be out for DAYS and never bought a generator or battery powered fans. Mistake #2...</div>
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Tuesday the storm hit slowly. It rained a bit and the wind kicked up. Most stores were closed and of course this was about the time that I decided to have a serious craving for pizza. We didn't have pizza. And even if we did, the carbs alone would ruin this diabetic mama's BS so I had to get creative. I took some flatbread, an open can of spaghetti sauce, some string cheese and leftover chicken and bacon and made some pizzas for Jim and me. I have to say, they were quite delicious!! And best part was they were low carb :) </div>
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We woke up Wednesday morning and thought the storm had passed. We had power, but no internet, cable, or phone service, so we were unsure of what was happening. Jim got a hand crank radio/flashlight from work a few years ago so we powered it up and tuned in to find out what was going on outside. As it turned out, the storm was moving at a snail pace of 6MPH and wasn't even over us yet!! We hung out at the house and had friends over to play cards and pass the time. About an hour after they arrived, our power went out. I noticed it was starting to get warmer within hours of the setting sun. That night it was really hard to sleep. It was too hot to sleep and far too quiet. We should have had some pregnancy back-up plan. Mistake #3...</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jim's hand in UNO. My friend's hand in the lower corner shows just how many cards you SHOULD have versus how many he got stuck with :)</span></div>
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Thursday was just terrible. It was so hot, the storm was passing, and I was miserable. We left NOLA in search of food and cool air, as a friend told Jim they had both in Baton Rouge. We spent most of the day trying to get there, but getting turned back by the National Guard or State Police because every road leading to BR was washed away, including the I-10, which we later found out hasn't happened in over 30 years, not even during Hurricane Katrina. </div>
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When we got back, Jim spent some time talking with our neighbors. I spent time working on a blanket for baby girl on our porch. I was so hot and tired and just a wee bit cranky - I had no interest in being chatty! The thing about New Orleans that people don't really get is that even though it is a city, we are really a small town. Everyone knows everyone and their business. People will stop in the middle of the street to honk their horn and wave at you. In one ten minute conversation, Jim found out that power never went out in the French Quarter and that most hotels were open and had... air conditioning!! We made a few calls and found a place to stay for the night. I was so excited I thought I might just go into labor. We packed and headed to our new temporary home. The hotel was lovely and chilly cold. We stayed there two nights and then we had to find another room because ours was booked for Saturday. We were nervous because it was a holiday weekend and most hotels were booked or very expensive. As always, God is SO faithful and we got a whole suite (!) in a little boutique hotel for only $20 more than we were paying at the prior hotel. It was clean and quaint and right next door to our favorite Italian restaurant. God is so good to this sinner...</div>
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<br />Saturday after dinner, we went by the store to see if the power was back on yet, only to find it was still out.. but glory to glory, it was back on at our house!! We cleaned out the freezer and most of the fridge and turned the A/C on. By Sunday we knew the house would be cool enough to come back to and clean. We were thankful for one final night in a hotel. On our way to the hotel, I saw that some folks will get pretty creative when trying to stay cool. I wish we had thought of something similar :) </div>
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On Sunday, I woke up early and drove by the store. I was in tears when I saw the faint glow of lights through the window. I walked into the cool air and instantly marveled at how frail we humans are. For all our claims to be so superior, we fall apart when our circumstances change. Well... I know I did! </div>
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There were many times when I completely neglected to thank God for what we had - there were many times when I did thank Him, but I would like to be the kind of person that remembers to thank Him in EVERY situation!!</div>
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There were things I learned about myself during the week of the "hurricane that wouldn't leave New Orleans". I am so thankful to the Lord for his mercy. When He teaches a lesson, He can be kind if you are still enough to attend to His voice. I learned that sometimes God will remove all other distractions (TV, phone, internet, even a noisy fan!) in order to be heard. He has that right. I pray that I learned my lesson well and will not have to take that class again :) </div>
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It's been over a week and the city still has the battered scars of Isaac, but we are moving on. Next time, we'll evacuate even if it is only a small hurricane. But, I am so glad we experienced this. I'll get to tell our daughter about the first hurricane she was in, the one that by her being in my belly, helped me grow closer to God.</div>
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re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-37574288210788689642012-07-01T10:42:00.000-04:002012-07-01T10:42:35.680-04:00A New Berman!<div style="text-align: center;">
I have been walking around in a fog the past two weeks. I can't think about anything other than the moment our ultrasound tech circled three lines on the screen and typed... "it's a girl" </div>
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My mind was still trying to process everything all at once when I heard my husband saying "Are you sure? Can you check again?" I think he was so convinced of his "agreement with God" that seriously this woman was wrong. </div>
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All my thoughts were wrapped up in her life. In about 30 seconds, I thought about her entire life. Would she be a strong-willed woman like so many in my family (and my husband's, too!)? What would she look like? Would she want to live in NYC and be a photographer like I want her to be - I have already decided she is going to be a cool chick that takes amazing photos of newsworthy events! But most importantly, would she make a decision on her own to love God with her whole heart and live to make His name famous?? See, this is all I have prayed for regarding this child since we knew she was taking up residence in my body. </div>
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This is where I will continue to focus all my prayers for her now that I know so much more about her. We have a name that we still timidly call her, mostly because it's so new, but also because we aren't sharing her name with anyone until she makes her grand appearance. </div>
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Right after I found out, I went and bought a few girl outfits... I'm a woman that loves to shop for a deal after all! Then, last weekend, in a moment of true humbling submission, I said not a word as my husband walked to the children's department and chose three outfits that he loved and wanted to see on his daughter. They were outfits I thought were cute, to be sure, but not that I would have chosen. I love that. I love that these were things Daddy chose. For his sweet baby girl. He's so excited now that he's having a girl. He watches every dad/daughter team when we are out. He studies them like a anthropologist with a native people. He wants to be the best Dad he can be and this makes me smile and brings a tear to my eye. </div>
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I love my little family :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">XO</span> </div>
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<br />re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-21087408465284177092012-05-28T19:01:00.002-04:002012-05-28T19:01:40.156-04:00Big Ol' Update<div style="text-align: center;">
Whew! It's been a long hard six months and I wish I had been smart enough to capture it all on my blog, but it seems that once you step away for a little while, you step away forever... I recently decided it was time to get rid of Facebook because I spend way too much time on it, and re-focus my attention on better things. Since I still have this need to share/document my life, I knew it was time to start up the ol' blog again. I am hoping to make several changes to it soon, including a possible new name, but in the meantime, I want to give a quick update of my time missed...</div>
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December</div>
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December was great for us. I was super busy at the store, which is rare for furniture around Christmastime. We went to Houston to see my parents and spend a few days with them for the holiday and then it was back to reality. We had a great time in Houston and would love to go back, but my parents recently moved to Atlanta giving us no real reason to visit the concrete jungle again unless something comes up.<br />
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January<br />
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January in New Orleans can be lovely or really dreary and rainy. This past one was lovely and full of decent weather. We spent our time getting to know new people and learning to love our city. There was not a lot of time to spend doing other things, because as always, the store steals my time!<br />
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Happy Mardi Gras! February was a crazy fun month. The store closes for the holiday and the entire city becomes a place a celebration. We decided this year to just try and enjoy the parades and not be bothered by how much they disrupt our every day living. And it worked! We had a great time and got some really fun beads as mementos. We also spent some time traveling to Baton Rouge, shopping at my favorite stores. I finally talked my husband into buying a new couch and we ordered one that we were assured would only take 6 weeks to ship to us...<br />
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March<br />
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We found out I was pregnant in February and so March was tough for me. I was constantly tired and sick and trying to run a store. It seemed like this stage was never going to end. We saw our sweet little one not once but twice on ultrasound and were so excited that God blessed us again with a child. I vowed to be as healthy as possible - being diabetic is a struggle for a woman with all day "morning" sickness. Jim's Aunt and Uncle came to visit and time spent with them is so fun. We got to show them some of the city and share in our joy over the baby. St. Patty's day is big in NOLA, it's the second most popular location for tourists to visit for the holiday. The parade runs right past our store, so we get to close down and tailgate in the parking lot. This year, we had a cookout and waited for what felt like hours for the parade. It was a lot of fun.<br />
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April<br />
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In April, my family came in from PA to visit for Easter. We had a great time taking them around the city and going to the beach on Easter Day. Truly, not much else happened that month. We spent time with friends and I grew to love Pintrest more and more - it's what I spend most of my evenings doing. Jim and I went to a charity event for the Green Project at the end of the month. The <a href="http://www.thegreenproject.org/" target="_blank">Green Project</a> reclaims building materials that are destined for landfills before homes/buildings are demolished. There are a lot of homes that were devastated in Hurricane Katrina that still had parts to be salvaged. To not re-use what you can is so wasteful. I love this organization and what they represent :) <br />
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May<br />
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May is Jim's birthday and we went out with friends for dinner and fun. It is also Mother's Day and Jim surprised me with a purse made from recycled coffee bags from Maui - where he lived when he was in his early 20's. It's so weird to be called a mom at this point in my life but I am loving it!! This picture is of my mom, my brother, and me on Easter when we were very little. The other picture is of my dad, my brother, and me. It's so weird to see my parents so young, especially my dad who looks so old now. I wonder if our child will see us just the same when they are grown...<br />
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So, here is all is in a nutshell. I will be back more often and with cool ideas for home design on a budget along with lots of other great information. It's great to be back!!!<br />
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<br /></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-77047112200031498882011-11-26T20:56:00.001-05:002011-11-26T21:03:18.799-05:00I Heart Tablescapes<div style="text-align: center;">If you work in retail, you know that those first few days after Thanksgiving can be crazy. Even in a boutique setting, where Black Friday sales and early hours are not the norm, you have a real possibility of huge crowds and great sales. This past week, we received a container from India and shipment of accessories. I thought that Friday would be really quiet, offering me the opportunity to get boxes unwrapped and tagged, so I opened the store at noon (which allowed me time to hit a few Black Friday sales myself!). Much to my surprise, folks were knocking on the door quite early. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Somehow, I found time to get two of the tables done and I am so happy with how they turned out. I have two more to finish and will post pictures when they are done. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">God is so good to bless me with the responsibility of running my little shop.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-ov2oHhgPovS5vWg99gziDeVSOV4cSXeCLaYNUd1oeKTG_-koh6n8DmEMa8mQggXxtB-EXKppOSQA9KLQdCwUTvkL1J9xhAGFkGDZmufQWp_2uhGuDV4X72mBNBwhLY-itIbAF0VPgFd/s1600/red-green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-ov2oHhgPovS5vWg99gziDeVSOV4cSXeCLaYNUd1oeKTG_-koh6n8DmEMa8mQggXxtB-EXKppOSQA9KLQdCwUTvkL1J9xhAGFkGDZmufQWp_2uhGuDV4X72mBNBwhLY-itIbAF0VPgFd/s640/red-green.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The traditional red and green table. Shades of red and green compliment each other so nicely when paired with silver, white, and lots of mirrored reflective surfaces. It is a crisp, clean look that is sure to please!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2Lv_jjRqog9sSeOMHpAblfmIXaO3DnV1E6wPm3YBOzfTXXF88QgH983u62Aft5tcndcM5q0Y7AyavNOeiLC9iBEDMwFjG1enBbIpWD_pZq4a0-Mfnmnz7fN2nm6UdpzKIsDlErLOO9Kq/s1600/blue-green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2Lv_jjRqog9sSeOMHpAblfmIXaO3DnV1E6wPm3YBOzfTXXF88QgH983u62Aft5tcndcM5q0Y7AyavNOeiLC9iBEDMwFjG1enBbIpWD_pZq4a0-Mfnmnz7fN2nm6UdpzKIsDlErLOO9Kq/s640/blue-green.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The blue and green table. This color combo is a trend that I don't see leaving us anytime soon. Pair this look with silver accents and unexpected textures like the reclaimed teak table.</div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-81991896679673408332011-11-13T20:58:00.001-05:002011-11-13T20:59:19.819-05:00It's everywhere I look<div style="text-align: center;">It is not hard to miss that everything old is new again. The pieces at work that get the most love and interest are the ones made from reclaimed materials or are heavily distressed. I personally love this look, but I wonder why it's such a great look on a door that's $1000, but not on a door in a poor neighborhood...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Today, the hubs and I went out exploring in NOLA in areas that are sometimes considered "distressed", but I wonder if that's considered a good thing or a bad thing. Some folks in the neighborhood embrace the look and some folks are taken over by the decay. Intentional or not, I think it is beautiful. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio72SKQ1AfCzOFoLy3iRDBVoVgsfLHFCRn3Qg4-ZoUZLC-3qbc9z9FwET2eZTnz6dwBqFnHGnsqnePj3JRra-gym8lhiuLjlJP0slIFqOCDcs27HylQcNflh03eCgEVGVtQ-Efdzti1AZZ/s1600/DSC_6603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio72SKQ1AfCzOFoLy3iRDBVoVgsfLHFCRn3Qg4-ZoUZLC-3qbc9z9FwET2eZTnz6dwBqFnHGnsqnePj3JRra-gym8lhiuLjlJP0slIFqOCDcs27HylQcNflh03eCgEVGVtQ-Efdzti1AZZ/s320/DSC_6603.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This house was one of the neglected beautiful homes we saw. You can see that someone once loved this shotgun and now it's just waiting for someone to love it again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJtHsCBKqqYtYbpNAGNQ3ccEftBjHXvItkHKqr6wPM__H3srge-idprTtbr_oaYD98ek5uAU99UCILdoWwmSYPSWj-iUMVYr2K3qn5WMBUICjk-04OdcJng_E__exSie2mLBlSIOCtSl-/s1600/DSC_6604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJtHsCBKqqYtYbpNAGNQ3ccEftBjHXvItkHKqr6wPM__H3srge-idprTtbr_oaYD98ek5uAU99UCILdoWwmSYPSWj-iUMVYr2K3qn5WMBUICjk-04OdcJng_E__exSie2mLBlSIOCtSl-/s320/DSC_6604.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFaxT4YFMI-xFBVEI_ly-UPVP23ECCRHfgYruJjKBj5PNq75HIGJkDrSCYmYBm-Q85TjPuoj98OPpGj7KZlXbyO7cSNnIpdBzsAQ6h70GFk6XJZxhLczK1v9jPekOG54-eB8GuJluzTmf/s1600/DSC_6605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFaxT4YFMI-xFBVEI_ly-UPVP23ECCRHfgYruJjKBj5PNq75HIGJkDrSCYmYBm-Q85TjPuoj98OPpGj7KZlXbyO7cSNnIpdBzsAQ6h70GFk6XJZxhLczK1v9jPekOG54-eB8GuJluzTmf/s320/DSC_6605.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">New Orleans also has a great history and culture of the arts and artists. The trend here is also to reuse, re-purpose and distress things. Everywhere we went there were folks working on their craft. We met some cool folks with interesting art installations in converted shotguns and others working out of warehouses and parking lots. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Everywhere you look, New Orleans reveals that she is a well worn and well loved city - and that she is REBELLIOUS! She wouldn't listen to the folks who said she wouldn't recover from a flood and she won't listen to what others say is beautiful or correct :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCu8SbgDHbb9BCNSlLo-8yiG8BnKvC9S08dgTs6sCMcmheq41p2pBsRFy04Y8I-gwUtEWTLe3czt4lSCPFwZejIePaKQJU7U_jjDLahEDk6vp_3uMZIBly0aenYI1pSKb6MDqePBw7hD0d/s1600/DSC_6609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCu8SbgDHbb9BCNSlLo-8yiG8BnKvC9S08dgTs6sCMcmheq41p2pBsRFy04Y8I-gwUtEWTLe3czt4lSCPFwZejIePaKQJU7U_jjDLahEDk6vp_3uMZIBly0aenYI1pSKb6MDqePBw7hD0d/s320/DSC_6609.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Isn't is ironic, don't ya' think?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I really like getting out and learning to love like Jesus did. I love to see what is not noticeable or noteworthy. Jesus loves New Orleans. If He can love it, I can too :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wdBMZlU0KCPPEF00a4HAXaKOXLSIYLdciRFPv6vk4KtPFxkZjQNl4QOUal4Md-boc37XbNVI3zpMqLWyalUewO3Fyi3L3oMlNdWYlCCv8lFjiDEm3emOkyYtc-TnKxfJ_DsL2YJt4EXC/s1600/DSC_6600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wdBMZlU0KCPPEF00a4HAXaKOXLSIYLdciRFPv6vk4KtPFxkZjQNl4QOUal4Md-boc37XbNVI3zpMqLWyalUewO3Fyi3L3oMlNdWYlCCv8lFjiDEm3emOkyYtc-TnKxfJ_DsL2YJt4EXC/s320/DSC_6600.JPG" width="188" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">I love my husband for these excursions! I love that he sees what I don't see and that he encourages me to look at things how God would look at them. He is kind and friendly and makes me want to be a better person. He is the best part about being a wife :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquuLl4gGacjUivGLqCqbuc8mTAwyoZFBTTJVnu5NHYp0ZusCUBw3EgjfhsPeLjyHrw5VPxHP9DcxcQcbcYH-1WtPyYwihSKNUh7N-yIzn1TUJYZETBohLP6d20ZsJkWllqbr3YtYgEbFn/s1600/DSC_6598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquuLl4gGacjUivGLqCqbuc8mTAwyoZFBTTJVnu5NHYp0ZusCUBw3EgjfhsPeLjyHrw5VPxHP9DcxcQcbcYH-1WtPyYwihSKNUh7N-yIzn1TUJYZETBohLP6d20ZsJkWllqbr3YtYgEbFn/s320/DSC_6598.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have a great week, Everyone! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">XO</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-52161897622136160082011-10-10T12:45:00.001-04:002011-10-10T12:56:29.779-04:00Those Gators get HUNGRY<div style="text-align: center;">Yesterday, the hubs and I took a little day trip to LaPlace, LA and took a <a href="http://www.cajunprideswamptours.com/">Cajun Pride Swamp Tour</a>. It was such a warm and sunny day and the gators did their best to co-operate with the tour guide :) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Of course, these reptiles are wild, but they see about 5 tours a day and by this point are quite conditioned to see the boats and come right up to them to get their treats. It is still quite a show for us, and I am sure they would gladly feast on people if we put our hands out to touch them!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DEwL-MvE1RngBMgheacREaQr9ZRWRCccckOCZAMY98wEr-VC4kIrsw0eJj3zCdEKhbazA35z5zjghypvA-Gv07N1P0W6aVvefoRkuv1-3wVw9u46A87pj77xWLO4NPpO9UjW8rxDhzDd/s1600/DSC_7908.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DEwL-MvE1RngBMgheacREaQr9ZRWRCccckOCZAMY98wEr-VC4kIrsw0eJj3zCdEKhbazA35z5zjghypvA-Gv07N1P0W6aVvefoRkuv1-3wVw9u46A87pj77xWLO4NPpO9UjW8rxDhzDd/s320/DSC_7908.JPG" width="212" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> warning :)</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1lh3kmvqbWJogsTFNV02Jfvd1TfTCtfb9wezrNjY8ane4qusW3nqP23S76fNIL_WfEvaNcFp5L03BYcInHZ8cDiewx6yRIB8XXfdtQ9xVGqwHi79QrW1fItUX-9Yop6OH2qIuti5IJn9/s1600/DSC_7961.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1lh3kmvqbWJogsTFNV02Jfvd1TfTCtfb9wezrNjY8ane4qusW3nqP23S76fNIL_WfEvaNcFp5L03BYcInHZ8cDiewx6yRIB8XXfdtQ9xVGqwHi79QrW1fItUX-9Yop6OH2qIuti5IJn9/s320/DSC_7961.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> this is not a zoomed in shot... actually, I had to back up to get his whole head in - that's how close he was</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJh_39Vn-v07klsZnNmuJXi2HaSFlE-YWL10Fk7AqdpPYNELx-Spp3-lQeRw1ctzMA-yRohAKllK4edqtPAaHGi6eF4dBbFeIyvmbRYL1kNsJUNVvGvN59s7JwtWDI-rCw_PuOsWK8TRO/s1600/DSC_7944.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJh_39Vn-v07klsZnNmuJXi2HaSFlE-YWL10Fk7AqdpPYNELx-Spp3-lQeRw1ctzMA-yRohAKllK4edqtPAaHGi6eF4dBbFeIyvmbRYL1kNsJUNVvGvN59s7JwtWDI-rCw_PuOsWK8TRO/s320/DSC_7944.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">a typical fishing/hunting shack on the bayou</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS-00RCD4YE0ZoIwA8Nb0vhsJJUq8eXRS4-gTcHjef9ZRcbtMDjlbn2NVelNh7M2ynbinznOkvFc-AYOaFMIM2pwSfUhde5hPIvTrUn1UCioS8t7C8if10bE1PRt9N1d9fctluoR8Pb7e/s1600/DSC_7967.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS-00RCD4YE0ZoIwA8Nb0vhsJJUq8eXRS4-gTcHjef9ZRcbtMDjlbn2NVelNh7M2ynbinznOkvFc-AYOaFMIM2pwSfUhde5hPIvTrUn1UCioS8t7C8if10bE1PRt9N1d9fctluoR8Pb7e/s320/DSC_7967.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">one of the many beautiful birds that we saw</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUTGz5A08blpU1g8AudpHzTj19ePS70D3Vq2HcvQiwwk_jR6edFqBzBCFDcv0ATcIscTGSGxZ6mkxyOORus9oXWtpDAyyK_OtMb8JNtuBNjPwl4x9_lC67XJ_5AfW3yMvCKKL_zOnLclv/s1600/DSC_7934.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUTGz5A08blpU1g8AudpHzTj19ePS70D3Vq2HcvQiwwk_jR6edFqBzBCFDcv0ATcIscTGSGxZ6mkxyOORus9oXWtpDAyyK_OtMb8JNtuBNjPwl4x9_lC67XJ_5AfW3yMvCKKL_zOnLclv/s320/DSC_7934.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This guy was hungry!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">I love these day trips we make around the Gulf region! It makes me so happy that Fall is here and the weather has become for us what Summer is like for the rest of the US (highs in the 80's and upper 70's). I am at peace with New Orleans now, and it is our home. It is most not likely our forever home, but why not enjoy it while we're here, right? Since we also made this trip courtesy of a purchase of the tickets on <a href="http://www.groupon.com/new-orleans/">Groupon</a>, it was a frugal way to have fun! </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-82977145439856005942011-10-06T10:09:00.000-04:002011-10-06T10:09:01.397-04:00He loves me...<div style="text-align: center;">You know that moment when you realize you really "get" your other half? When you know their likes and dislikes - they like one ice cube in their hot coffee, they hate when you squeeze the toothpaste tube in the middle? Well, I think my husband "gets" me. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I know this because yesterday, he sends me a text message with a picture of a cup he bought for me. He said it looked like the ones from Anthropologie. For only $4! OK - there are about 20 things right with that text!!! Most of all, he learned the Anthro look, and not because he is doing due diligence for a buying job with the company. It's because... He. Loves. Me. This must be one of my love languages, because I gushed about it all evening :) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't wait to take it to work today and use it for my tea, cup o' soup, or heck - even water! I want everyone to see the cute mug that my husband bought me. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-91637878712938068282011-10-05T20:53:00.001-04:002011-10-06T09:57:55.403-04:00Sometimes it's just easier to buy it!<div style="text-align: center;">I never thought I would be THAT person. The one that falls for fads, that buys merchandise instead of making it, salvaging it, or "re*du"ing" it... but I did it. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I went and fell smack dab in love with the easy chic of French farmhouse country (damn you, Restoration Hardware!!). I realize this might be a trend of sorts, but it is one I love. The soft greys and beige and watery blues, YUM!! Mix in a little bit of Anthropologie and it doesn't get much better :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ever since I fell in love, I have been on the rampage to fix all of the shabbiness of our little pad. Thankfully, I manage a wholesale furniture store and can pick up these delightful goodies at incredibly sweet prices (not the $10 finds from the auction, but pretty good). My next "get" is going to be a future blog post... speaking of which...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">OK - I admit I have been my usual unfaithful blogging self. I hope to get back on the "blogging bandwagon". I have been working on a "re*du" of our front porch and hopefully some more changes on the inside. Thankfully, these should provide for some <strike>accountability</strike> new posts! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a pic of the new desk. It was taken with my camera phone, so I apologize for the quality. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-58264922637809199222011-08-19T22:31:00.000-04:002011-08-19T22:31:35.724-04:00The Interest with Pintrest<div style="text-align: center;">I have this really great scrapbook of design inspiration that my husband bought for me years ago when we were dating. I cut out all the design ideas I love, along with all the projects I would love to someday make time for. The book is so full of timeless design-love. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It turns out that there is now an online version of this and for some time now, several friends have been recommending I join. It is called <a href="http://pinterest.com/">Pintrest</a> and it allows you to create themed boards onto which you "pin" your inspiring photos. I stayed away for awhile. A few weeks ago, I decided to give it a whirl... ohmygosh... I am so addicted!! You can spend hours poking around the pictures that other people post and re-pin them to your boards. It seems to go on forever :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Some of my inspirations: </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rCzcDRB9xf5uOEj1umOxE_Hzq0Yg473wkakcwpXwRFB546Cb8Dp2Qb0v7Pez9LFS-MtXy3Eby6mf4WSH26L33A0-5ppgoMK6NxleQD6PCGMQnSRBPEM_yigj4DZ6kq9KkhL3skfUnCWF/s1600/faded+plains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rCzcDRB9xf5uOEj1umOxE_Hzq0Yg473wkakcwpXwRFB546Cb8Dp2Qb0v7Pez9LFS-MtXy3Eby6mf4WSH26L33A0-5ppgoMK6NxleQD6PCGMQnSRBPEM_yigj4DZ6kq9KkhL3skfUnCWF/s320/faded+plains.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">via <a href="http://fadedplains.blogspot.com/">Faded Plains</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDsv_Le2F1qAIJ2PevX9TNuB50FtXNIIKprTx47cerW9DvjV9eqcZXAk2_kp6qZ-5nk-CztVNQQVCSe06z_Hn50c6W0e2BRXgatL2kdG0c9XoqfWOQfW8i_DEgqzb2g4SjMOi_YqD_HZn/s1600/pretty-table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDsv_Le2F1qAIJ2PevX9TNuB50FtXNIIKprTx47cerW9DvjV9eqcZXAk2_kp6qZ-5nk-CztVNQQVCSe06z_Hn50c6W0e2BRXgatL2kdG0c9XoqfWOQfW8i_DEgqzb2g4SjMOi_YqD_HZn/s320/pretty-table.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">via <a href="http://www.simplyseleta.com/">Simply Seleta</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBu27G8rLPjd3_O5xqx_8leSnMB93R5KBqW3PSxLKvufrEqzlXZ6XOzHGM1ee6EL0G21z6l0nTY9IHjpqjR_rjUnOJR6zsnhPSoBifpzxUf0mnDR029S29a11vy6aNHpfkRa9L0iOBhOaN/s1600/sprig.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBu27G8rLPjd3_O5xqx_8leSnMB93R5KBqW3PSxLKvufrEqzlXZ6XOzHGM1ee6EL0G21z6l0nTY9IHjpqjR_rjUnOJR6zsnhPSoBifpzxUf0mnDR029S29a11vy6aNHpfkRa9L0iOBhOaN/s320/sprig.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">via <a href="http://sprigbymia.blogspot.com/">Sprig</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think this is such a great idea, as I am always interested in what inspires others. Plus, isn't imitation the most sincere form of flattery?? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. Check out my friend's blog, <a href="http://lifeaftersunday.blogspot.com/">Life After Sunday</a>, where I wrote a <a href="http://lifeaftersunday.blogspot.com/2011/08/it-takes-village.html">guest post</a>. The pic is not my favorite, but it has two of my favorites in it, my husband and my friend's little boy... such a sweetie! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have a super weekend!</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">XO</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBu27G8rLPjd3_O5xqx_8leSnMB93R5KBqW3PSxLKvufrEqzlXZ6XOzHGM1ee6EL0G21z6l0nTY9IHjpqjR_rjUnOJR6zsnhPSoBifpzxUf0mnDR029S29a11vy6aNHpfkRa9L0iOBhOaN/s1600/sprig.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><br />
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re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-45474655808561175662011-07-16T23:36:00.001-04:002011-07-17T11:21:45.089-04:00Social Networking... say what?<div style="text-align: center;">I watched a car commercial today where the girl mentions that she signed her parents up for Facebook and that they only have 19 friends and that she has over 600. It cuts to scenes of her parents engaging in activities in the outdoors and having a blast. Keeping in mind that she believes she has the better social status because of all her "friends". </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is a reality in the modern age that we interact more often with our friends and family members via text, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media than face-to-face contact. This also means we have more sterile and misunderstood relationships. I have had more than one interaction online where I was misunderstanding or was misunderstood by someone. In between pics of the kids and our latest vacations, we are finding ourselves posting our opinions in an environment where the distillation of these opinions happens only after we have made a fool of ourselves. If I offend anyone, it is purely coincidence and I apologize. If you have hurt me, you are forgiven! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This new way of interacting also includes how we market ourselves in the business world. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Craigslist are important to the success of my business. People interact with us via these sites and I get many customers each week that mention they are stopping in because of an ad I placed on Craigslist. There is a satisfaction to know you are reaching people, but also a sadness that I have no budget for splashy colorful print advertising. I would love to open a magazine and see a 1/4 page full color spread of my sweet little store!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sadly, the time may come when our children and grandchildren will not know of a typewriter, or even better a hand written note as anything more than an exhibit in a museum. I hope and pray that a resurgence occurs where old-fashioned communication becomes the norm. I would hate for us all to become like the folks in the movie "Wall-E" that have no personal contact with their friends. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I do realize the irony of posting these thoughts on my blog, where I am not sure if my personal feelings are even being absorbed by anyone other than myself. If I could write a note to each person that I knew was reading this, I would. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Have a delightful rest of your weekend! </div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-65429114011470615272011-05-10T16:26:00.002-04:002011-05-10T16:28:23.769-04:00Why things are missing...Hello folks out there in blogger-land. I am assuming this is maybe three of you, maybe! Where have I been, you might ask? Well, I have been here, and honestly, I have been struggling in this mortal shell as of late. It has been hard mustering up the words to say that communicate everything I have been feeling.<br />
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For the few that do read my blog, you may have seen a few posts about my pregnancy, and now they are gone. Well, as it turns out, I had a miscarriage about a month ago and was feeling so not interested in reliving those posts, so I deleted them. I guess now I think I shouldn't have because someday I will want to remember how much joy and confusion I had during this time.<br />
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During this time, we were also going through so much with leaving our old church, finding a new one, getting health insurance, trying to find Jim a job (we were living off my income), and trying to live with my constant sick body.<br />
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Of the many the things I learned, I found out we are much closer to each other than we thought and we also found out that we really have some great friends here in NOLA. So many people filled in the gap for us of those that drifted away and we are nurturing those relationships, while trying to live this new life.<br />
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Jim got a great new job in a field he excels in, I am having a decent run here at the store (even though I have struggles with HR issues), and we are figuring out what we want our future to look like. Do we still want children? Can we have them? Will we adopt? All this is so overwhelming and I told Jim I want to wait until the Fall to make more decisions. I would really prefer to enjoy our summer and travel as much as we can. <br />
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And through it all, my passion for furniture has had a resurgence. I sold a piece recently and am working on another one that will hopefully have a buyer. God is truly so good to us and it is about time I was more thankful... especially out loud!<br />
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Today is also Jim's birthday and I cannot wait to get home tonight and have a little us time to celebrate. Love this man of mine! OJ, Baby... <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xoxo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-30627160640122344972011-02-07T17:00:00.000-05:002011-02-07T17:00:37.424-05:00re*du-ing it....As much as I truly love my job (and I do!) I have a serious desire to get back into my furniture business. I love the creative process and miss paint on my hands, feet, and jeans!<br />
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I have three new pieces that I am transforming and will hopefully reveal them this week. I need to get cracking! I also had the most excellent time last week heading up to Mandeville and scouting furniture in my friend, Jo's, neighborhood. There are not a lot of places here in NOLA to find furniture that needs some love and so it was nice to once again see things that were affordable.<br />
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Here is a sneak peak at a "before" of one of the pieces that I am working on. I love the lines and the beautiful color I chose... Happy Monday!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSfTZ9-LlSuNPxs15E6xXZAqxlMN8hCMouXqWna-5aA-PFXGrwMwgBEDaQOOic8ucf1VQEFiY8G9LsC71cTG7K4ciuFN_n_0BwwG7Q-m0Hmtuv2pUohnR2cVAgBVZAlUBi2Sbek2cJRYW/s1600/side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSfTZ9-LlSuNPxs15E6xXZAqxlMN8hCMouXqWna-5aA-PFXGrwMwgBEDaQOOic8ucf1VQEFiY8G9LsC71cTG7K4ciuFN_n_0BwwG7Q-m0Hmtuv2pUohnR2cVAgBVZAlUBi2Sbek2cJRYW/s200/side.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">xoxo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-82428191587080743962011-01-24T22:04:00.000-05:002011-01-24T22:04:06.316-05:00Really? Really!Has it really been so long since I last posted? I am so surprised that so much time has passed. And I have so much to share. And really... is anyone other than Karen (and maybe Barb) reading this? I realized that with 3 small children and a lot of responsibilities at church, Karen has the time to blog. Um - hello. I have no kids. I have time to blog. So... in a quick wrap-up:<br />
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I am the Manager at the store now. It is such a great place and even though my furniture dreams took a trip to the back burner, I feel so blessed for this opportunity! Truly - running someone's furniture store is a God-given second place. Plus, I have the freedom to "put my stank" on pieces that aren't selling or were broken in shipment.<br />
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We moved into a bigger apartment this past week. It is somewhat loft-ish and so wonderful and I can't wait until I have it all finished to post some pics. My hubs has been such an amazing man to do so much of the hard work during the move and allow me to do the fun stuff. He also let me have the whole huge walk-in closet. I love him so, so much for all the special ways he shows love to me. <br />
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While working on a piece for a client today, I got the itch again to work on some pieces. I really love what I do! I also found a really cool old door that I am planning on turning into a table. I am heading out first thing tomorrow to the <a href="http://www.thegreenproject.org/">Green Project</a> to search for some cool old posts to serve as legs. <br />
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There is so much more to say, but I will save those things for other days. For now, I will leave you with a pic of the door and a promise to be on here more often.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-46345546440721891092010-09-06T09:31:00.000-04:002010-09-06T09:31:11.295-04:00Loving furniture in a whole new lightSomehow, I found myself in a predicament. I had to do what was fair and honest. In the end, I became the new manager of the store. And it happened during my anniversary. SO... we had to postpone my sweet and thoughtful husband's plans.<br />
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Instead, we went out for Indian food and watched our favorite TV shows. Tonight we will have a nice dinner and some champagne. And we will go somewhere when I have a new assistant manager in place.<br />
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I keep thinking about how different my life was one short year ago and I am amazed at how different it is. In a lot of good ways. And I am yet again thankful and humbled.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-59657852222602683342010-09-01T23:25:00.000-04:002010-09-01T23:25:17.769-04:00August in SeptemberYahoo! On Monday, the President of our company came to New Orleans. Today, she took me to August for lunch. It is a really nice restaurant run by the famous John Besh. My bosses' beau is a big deal in the food industry and they treated us like royalty! <br />
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After lunch, her beau left us to talk. We had a chance to discuss the company and my future there. She said she has never taken out an assistant manager, that I was the first. She said she sees a lot of potential in me and wanted to take the chance to get to know me better. This really made me so happy and thankful for the opportunities that we have been given here in New Orleans. Even if I don't stay with this company, I am thankful for today. <br />
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</div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-49402171579051523862010-08-25T23:08:00.000-04:002010-08-25T23:08:58.160-04:00Along the Road<i>Joy at the start<br />
Fear in the journey<br />
Joy in the coming home<br />
A part of the heart<br />
Gets lost in the learning<br />
Somewhere along the road</i><br />
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This past weekend, Jim and I took a day trip and drove the River Road that runs along the Mississippi from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. It was such a nice day and we took our cameras. I ended up only taking a few shots because we spent the day talking. Without the radio. No TV. No laptops. Just me and my man :) We dreamed big dreams. We shared our lives with each other without interruption. We spent time together like we haven't in awhile. I fell deeper in love with him on that road.<br />
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The road was very winding and it took a lot longer than the hour it normally takes to go from NOLA to Baton Rouge. It reminded me that our life is sometimes like that road. We get a picture in our head about how to get from point A to point B and get behind the wheel of our life. We head towards our destination, expecting for the most direct and efficient route. Sometimes the route is direct and sometimes it winds and takes us four times as long to get there. In the end, we wind up right where we need to be. Sometimes taking the most direct route will get us there quicker, but something is lost along the road. Sometimes we need to take the long and winding road, to turn off the radio and appreciate the time you have with the person you are traveling with along the road.<br />
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I learned I like our life together. I like to set off with nothing more than my husband, my camera and a sweater just in case it gets chilly :)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">A house in our neighborhood - we have fancy neighbors! </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Jim got knocked out in one punch!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">A beautiful historic church</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Slave quarters on a plantation - makes you thankful for what you have!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">an old Coke machine - it was overexposed but it is kinda' cool :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">We ate dinner at the end of the road. We turned around and went back home. The point of the day was not the destination, but the journey. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next week is our anniversary and Jim has something planned for us. Truly, it could be anywhere, as long as we travel the road together. The point of our life together is the journey. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <i><br />
Along the road<br />
Your steps may tumble<br />
Your thoughts may start to stray<br />
But through it all a heart held humble<br />
Levels and lights your way.</i> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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And I think it could be the heat or maybe it's the humidity but my attitude has been not so stellar. To the point that I posted something quite frustrating on my Facebook status. Many friends commented on it, and I fought them tooth and nail. I was all about being stuck in my funk. I was all wrong.<br />
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I got an email from a friend that called me out on this misery and she asked me to breakfast this morning. I knew I was in for some "intervention", but I put on my best smile, squared my chin, and waited for the first punch.<br />
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What she did was let me vent. Then she took a deep breath and proceeded to tell about her experiences here in NOLA, that they weren't all rosy and great. She said something I think I knew deep in my heart, but had buried for what I thought was its own good. She said that contentment is a choice. Just like choosing to love my hubby when he annoys me (which is NEVER, right?!?!). And choosing contentment is a discipline I have to work at every day. It is hard because misery loves company and man do I hate to be alone :)<br />
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So, I will start to write down my miseries in a journal and say goodbye to posting my hurt on Facebook. I am making a choice to be content.<br />
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Choosing contentment brought me this afternoon to the new Anthropologie here in NOLA. It is two delicious floors of yummy clothes and home goods. And I was content. And I bought a bowl. And chose to be even more content.<br />
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I leave you with a pic of my new choice of contentment :)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-38662169906595355742010-08-11T21:20:00.002-04:002010-08-11T21:24:38.933-04:00Things happen for a reason...This past week, I had a great opportunity land in my lap. I had two ways to respond. Both had positive and negative outcomes. I took this situation to my hubby and also to a few trusted friends. I took it to the One who always has an ear and offers wise counsel. I ended up doing what might not sound like the most competitive or popular option.<br />
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It ended up being the option that may have catapulted me into a management position with my new company in another city. Hmm... this decision may have lead to my ability to be somewhere else and also to make more money... it sounds like wisdom to me. The old adage is true, whatever is right is not usually popular. Our move to New Orleans was prayerful and now I believe that it happened for a reason... :)<br />
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More info to follow... until then, I leave you with a few pictures of some really sweet reclaimed teak. This has been on my mind for my living room... Have a good evening folks!! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-44698706553953411992010-08-08T23:24:00.000-04:002010-08-08T23:24:24.249-04:00Where Y@?More appropriately, where have I been? Well... I have been busy with the things of life. But that is no excuse.<br />
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I have found life here in New Orleans to be quite a challenge. It is really hot and humid. The bugs are everywhere. And I have yet to find a piece of furniture to work on. Not that I have been motivated. It is too hot to really work on any furniture right now. I imagine that I will have to work extra hard during the cool months and build up an inventory for the hot times.<br />
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Until then, money needs to be made. I have taken a job managing a funky cool furniture store and while it is hard to work a 9-5 retail job, I am thankful for it. There are a lot of folks out there with no job.<br />
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We have made lots of friends here in NOLA. I have found one that, like myself, has a passion for crafty things. She told me today that I should not be staying away from my blog. Instead I should use this time to be expressive and get creative juices flowing.<br />
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We did do fun things before the heat hit us, and have even done a few since it hit like taking my aunt sightseeing when she came to visit. <br />
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Something creative that is flowing right now is the desire to finish the baby shower projects that were started last weekend at a shower I gave for a friend. We made a cute mobile out of pretty paper and bamboo. I will assemble it this week and post a photo.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> Friend's shower - I am in green :) </div><br />
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Until then, I do promise that I will post more often.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444990211858520341.post-26156743779377461922010-04-08T08:52:00.001-04:002010-04-08T08:53:29.307-04:00Something for me!They say the cobbler's children have no shoes. It is strange that I keep making all these pieces of furniture and selling them, and not enjoying any for myself. I have fixed this problem! Hopefully by week's end, I will be done with this new piece that will go in the living room. Here is a sneak peek :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21scwg71sBzcg3UW0J_ixJ4k3yCGH6L-i89KhVCu-TbaxO8_5uP1DTjwXxlV4ko_8Qey9aodHUXlh5Q9Vf9I7jlZhNHxhr2J1uqGy7HAZxK9yDFE8ShHNfrx8IbCBTBZ23lBKfQE_FB_n/s1600/DSC_7020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21scwg71sBzcg3UW0J_ixJ4k3yCGH6L-i89KhVCu-TbaxO8_5uP1DTjwXxlV4ko_8Qey9aodHUXlh5Q9Vf9I7jlZhNHxhr2J1uqGy7HAZxK9yDFE8ShHNfrx8IbCBTBZ23lBKfQE_FB_n/s320/DSC_7020.JPG" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">xo</span></div>re-du home furnishingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506358576267859598noreply@blogger.com0