9 by Design?

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0se85wSHwiUw0IvpqtDAOryZfB8WWJ7UdumcjYwohyphenhyphen8jwXoyCTIAyJ_HCpOnDjU5VYWPRmJoUGXHaDqlqRbj4pFEz1_W9Pjmd1lkQaROhJLQHSxGpybPMjy53ZIhmdOLoMtcxmfZCZaA/s1600/9byDesign.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461694323209552626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0se85wSHwiUw0IvpqtDAOryZfB8WWJ7UdumcjYwohyphenhyphen8jwXoyCTIAyJ_HCpOnDjU5VYWPRmJoUGXHaDqlqRbj4pFEz1_W9Pjmd1lkQaROhJLQHSxGpybPMjy53ZIhmdOLoMtcxmfZCZaA/s400/9byDesign.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">9 by Design on Bravo as viewed in my 6 by design home</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Just had my first look at the new Bravo show, <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/9-by-design">9 by Design</a>. Not sure how I feel about it yet. Was it relaxing? No. Was it an escape from my reality? No. </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Was I slightly envious that this couple has managed to completely renovate I-am-not-sure-how-many-houses-while-having-three-more-kids-than-us while I am still playing my “I had my fourth child and that’s why everything has taken us so long” card? Yes! See where I am at??? </span><span style="font-size:130%;">It reminded me a little bit of our loud, we are out-numbered life ... but with better furniture, more financial resources, and a couple of girls thrown in the mix.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">What I did like (after watching one episode) ...</span><br /><br />• they are risk takers who aren’t afraid to break rules<br />• they seem to have a lot of fun with their crew of kids<br />(loved their last-day-in-the-old-house photoshoot!)<br />• the kids seem quite capable of handling change<br />• they are all pretty adorable (love the dimples ; )<br />• they are able to pick up and go without attachments<br />• lots of great design for my viewing pleasure<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;">• they get things done under pressure,<br />and miraculously are still smiling</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthwbW9Kf94hX3SiMpJlDHzBuQLCLHpMmjv_MB6OLUIZW59rK6PHYCeO_ikCYaM-Pt2NJG9zIqvYyqY-zyBW1OQu2l-ttao682-naQHqG-zNoGKYEMQdYYZOjGD12oy4Dyqsoof5KqiHc/s1600/redplates.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span><span></span></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J-q0J3P0LEV0lzZ_AO1Hf6ad2HJAFiVh5OfkCcJA4UxG5bZ_e0xOYYIAkuMB6irs8jagMZne3j6Esl6Uihh-wJvZKJLoyY7xGyOOr8oF3hoNhEg3-JznSmHne-n9M4hSiUJGhtnppvg/s1600/redplatesontable.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461703051536423826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J-q0J3P0LEV0lzZ_AO1Hf6ad2HJAFiVh5OfkCcJA4UxG5bZ_e0xOYYIAkuMB6irs8jagMZne3j6Esl6Uihh-wJvZKJLoyY7xGyOOr8oF3hoNhEg3-JznSmHne-n9M4hSiUJGhtnppvg/s400/redplatesontable.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >What we have in common:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />these red melamine plates<br />(see dining shot above!)</span><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Of course I realize that this is just a made for TV snippet of what goes on behind the scenes in the busy life of this real family. Without camera crews, I am sure there are plenty of melt-downs before leaving the house to go antiquing as a family (really???) or “I can’t think straight with all this racket</span><span style="font-size:130%;">”</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> moments. The fact that Courtney whipped up her rental apartment into a designer space in under 20 minutes give or take a few commercials is no reason to feel bad about how long it is taking us to get settled over here, now is it? Even so, I plan to keep on watching. Maybe I will pick up some valuable tips on getting things done while parenting a bunch of kids with style. Stay tuned ...</span><br /><br /><br /></div>

9 by Design?

9 by Design on Bravo as viewed in my 6 by design home Just had my first look at the new Bravo show, 9 by Design . Not sure how I feel about...

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Keeping my resolutions ...

<span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH55M0VA5_4mHDL-a4uza4sAyrLEfRqQmd_flIz8xgd3FXfRPhOWMxuXc1bfM7XZAA9YkACUB6uYjUsfAAC588w5anu06E9tx3EmE-TGCBaDjMvWmBKs3jj2_wweJvSnEtQiuTBMmoVmw/s1600-h/supplies.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422984496313162818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH55M0VA5_4mHDL-a4uza4sAyrLEfRqQmd_flIz8xgd3FXfRPhOWMxuXc1bfM7XZAA9YkACUB6uYjUsfAAC588w5anu06E9tx3EmE-TGCBaDjMvWmBKs3jj2_wweJvSnEtQiuTBMmoVmw/s400/supplies.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />There is something about <a href="http://designvignettes.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-day.html">posting resolutions online</a> that is quite motivating. I highly recommend telling a world of strangers (or friends you haven’t met ; ) your goals if you want to be held accountable for working towards them! So this weekend, while I did not get on the treadmill (haven’t gotten around to clearing off the miscellaneous clutter that is piled on top of it) and I still finished off a box of Cheese-its (they were already open ...) I did manage to get started on resolution <span style="font-weight: bold;">#4: Tackle at home design projects</span>.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQA1AGW6KHp9qE5R59t8sUnMTbTlapm3A1WhVRfLn6VNkMUqk3-maS8ECypLJEQPNHUKUdYhX_9iVDIUNhHLhphj3sA0w6vddbv2E8fzl1reo55MWWUjIouKCEj9KupOr9OWvHrry5XM/s1600-h/curvedwall2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422984478249605842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQA1AGW6KHp9qE5R59t8sUnMTbTlapm3A1WhVRfLn6VNkMUqk3-maS8ECypLJEQPNHUKUdYhX_9iVDIUNhHLhphj3sA0w6vddbv2E8fzl1reo55MWWUjIouKCEj9KupOr9OWvHrry5XM/s400/curvedwall2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Awhile back, we had to jack up the floor of our sagging four-square Colonial (phase one, reconstruction: totally necessary, but not visually satisfying in the after department). This procedure caused the curved wall (originally lath and plaster) to literally come crashing down. We then had it replastered (twice) to get it right.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXp17ipbked5ddKSsmDsypDBKPWIdGKIAmhTnoGm9MwWkflKT5A17tyIA3aQxHUbaSqSeUoFoNBJHoqteKUWenoMKrjwLwjDT-hkg2aoXeOewn6QL2P4OEM9aHPTnfCwpLbUKA2MhFjw/s1600-h/curvedwall.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422984492503443634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXp17ipbked5ddKSsmDsypDBKPWIdGKIAmhTnoGm9MwWkflKT5A17tyIA3aQxHUbaSqSeUoFoNBJHoqteKUWenoMKrjwLwjDT-hkg2aoXeOewn6QL2P4OEM9aHPTnfCwpLbUKA2MhFjw/s400/curvedwall.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />Somehow, I have never gotten around to dedicating the time to re-priming and painting the new plaster (it is such a small job, why hire it out?</span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-size:130%;">) Since the second plasterer was returning to look at another project in our home (master bedroom : ) I figured I had better get to work on the thoroughly cured wall (it is a good idea to let plaster cure for about three weeks for best results when possible. I am pretty confident that our walls are bone dry).</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HdqMm9T3AnDGJahMmJN6TSqCw5mk_QZqhb6ddh7pjUTt0tuWm4WR7IQregykRXtaeI42tYIzVkB8X29Nr3VB7Q8U9njWkYjssvFmEKshyphenhyphenYqrIIhMk1DT_7t0Kaust4w5HXQTOAFBjCQ/s1600-h/nichewall.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422984486144050898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HdqMm9T3AnDGJahMmJN6TSqCw5mk_QZqhb6ddh7pjUTt0tuWm4WR7IQregykRXtaeI42tYIzVkB8X29Nr3VB7Q8U9njWkYjssvFmEKshyphenhyphenYqrIIhMk1DT_7t0Kaust4w5HXQTOAFBjCQ/s400/nichewall.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With constant renovations in progress, we find ourselves moving items from one room to another a lot, so it took about an hour for me to find all of the necessary prep work supplies. I even found the </span><span style="font-size:130%;">original gallon of </span><span style="font-size:130%;"> paint (</span><span style="font-size:130%;">Martha Stewart Pebblestone) that I put on the walls awhile ago even though we weren’t officially done with the space (we still need to finish the crown molding, the trim, put down a new hardwood floor and redo the staircase ... ) </span><span style="font-size:130%;">See why we have a hard time crossing jobs off our to-do list when every project hinges on a big something else??? Not to mention the life-with-kids-fact that usually the boys are running through the house, asking to be fed, and in need of my expert negotiating skills on answering the often asked question “is it my turn yet??</span><span style="font-size:130%;">”</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> Well this weekend it was my turn to do something!<br /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLLdx4UaYcISKPHE-bwZ2qmFgfIPfkYJk3iKkskC11nVdfLb35Iwck-gTIaRbV8KJHZxqBnrZMgwfheCTLls5xXaVASvsedJDG9g6IuVbEbE8-qUczIV95w1JjD6Uk-LBhGM1ediVtOs/s1600-h/switchwall.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422996370536289090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLLdx4UaYcISKPHE-bwZ2qmFgfIPfkYJk3iKkskC11nVdfLb35Iwck-gTIaRbV8KJHZxqBnrZMgwfheCTLls5xXaVASvsedJDG9g6IuVbEbE8-qUczIV95w1JjD6Uk-LBhGM1ediVtOs/s400/switchwall.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 326px; height: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;">My hubby took the boys out and I got started on sanding the walls (which required the extra precarious effort of getting on a very tall ladder) and then cleaning up the mess (there was white plaster dust everywhere which I decided to let settle before vacuuming walls, etc.). I am now 100% ready to paint! </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Since I had a busy day today with real work, etc., I will schedule a little time tomorrow between the bus and a consultation appointment to get the paint on the walls. I will post the end result. I pinkie swear!<br /></span></div>

Keeping my resolutions ...

There is something about posting resolutions online that is quite motivating. I highly recommend telling a world of strangers (or friends y...

Read more »