Animal will be MINE!

Remember this simply, spotted item?

Remember when I said if I ever got a full sized laptop this would be mine?
Well.... I got (am getting in the mail shortly) a full sized laptop.
So... Bring. On. The. Muppets! 
I am irrationally happy, or happily irrational, about this small, simple joy in life.
Sigh.

Tips-y Tuesday

Part of me hesitates to even publish todays post.... for utterly selfish reasons. But, here goes:
Behold.

Edy's Pumpkin Limited Edition Ice Cream. 
(My apologies for the earrings, coffee, etc. on the counter. Hey, real life and a phone camera. Right?)
It is... wow.
And?
It's back for the season. 
And it's "light."  
And creamy, and delectable and decadent,  
and pumpkin-y and totally addictive.
Run, don't walk, to Wegmans for yours. I do warn you, though, that I stock pile my freezer for the coming months.  I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. 
Try it. You'll see.
Mmmm.....

Simply, Saturday...spotted!

I'll admit, my style has been more CB2 than Pier 1 lately, but, man, walking into a color saturated Pier 1 always gets my blood pumping! 
I think I'll write a post about this eventually, but, while my love for the more stark and mod is still very real, it's now being blended with tinges of... Elizabeth. Or, whimsy. 
Yes, I think that word covers it. Whimsy. I love to take a style, any style, and add something punchy, unexpected, maybe sassy, or whimsical to it. That's my stamp. That is what makes it uniquely mine. And, isn't that what personal design is supposed to be?
But, I am getting off track! Today is a simple post. Simply, Saturday, right?
Well,  look what I spotted at Pier 1:

Must. Have. Quirky. Halloween. Owl.
How cute is this thing? It didn't come home with me yesterday (and that's something I will remedy). But, these did:

Pink, purple, teal and green embroidered chair pads. Here's the kicker: they were on clearance from $25.00 to $6. I am sorry to tell you...
 I bought them all.
There were other styles though.  Pier 1 (and a quick stop at the Christmas Tree Shop) never fails to, at the very least, whet your color and design appetite. Go get inspired!

Oooo....shiny!

Ellie and I have been spending quite a bit of time personalizing our new chateau as of late. That also means we have been spending quite a bit of time in places like Home Depot as of late.

While we were there recently, choosing our glossy pink and chartreuse paints, we came across something really sparkly and new. Literally. The Martha Stewart glitter paint.

It is everything I love in a tiny bottle. Color, glitter, gloss, fabulousness....

Need I say more?

No.

We bought a container of the red and a container of the purple.

I used the red glitter to highlight some areas of an old, black framed mirror that was once my Grandmothers. That mirror hangs in the front hallway, so I purposely used just one coat around the edges to simply hint that something a little bit... different... might be waiting inside. 

The purple paint we chose for Eloise, on the other hand, isn't subtle at all. The bronze starburst mirror from over her bed was transformed from something classic to something perfectly suited to a vibrant, energetic, hot color loving, almost 8 year old (and her mother).

To create this, more dramatic, transformation we brushed on a coat of violet tester paint (from the butterfly blog post) as a base. Three coats of glitter paint later, and voila!

Purplicious. 
Happy Ellie.

Chloe Thompson

I wrote a different blog this morning with the intention of posting it this afternoon. But then something happened. 
I had to say goodbye to my first "baby." Chloe. 
Chloe the pug. 

The pug that helped to make naming my daughter "Eloise" perfectly perfect. (If that makes no sense, please go ahead and look up the Eloise at the Plaza books.) 
The pug that snored. 
The pug that snorted like a pig. 
The pug whose tail curled up when she was happy...(it was usually curled.)
 The pug whose head would turn sideways when you said words she loved like "walk" or "Daisy." 
The pug who lovingly taught some of my friends not to be afraid of dogs. 
The pug who did a lot of wonderful things for a lot of wonderful people.
My first baby.
If you have had a pet, you understand that.
She had a long, healthy, very happy life.
Goodbye, my sweet Chloe.

Simply Sunday

On this beautiful, sunny Sunday, I thought I might simply remind everyone that Chandelierious is not just a blog....

Chandelierious is also a service! 

Any questions? Drop me a line.

Have a gorgeous day.

More Make-Over Monday!

Remember that sadly tattered french style lounge chair I bought at the Salvation Army for $19.99 months back? And, remember the upholstery fabric debacle that ensued? Choosing, purchasing and subsequently returning a fabric that was just so wrong and then going back to my first instinct, the bold houndstooth, that was just so right? Well, if not, here is the link to take you back to that particular moment in Chandelierious history.
 Here is the chair with most excellent bones in need of a dramatic makeover, before:

And, ta-da! After:

(Three degrees of chair.)
She's happy there.

Simply, Saturday, Simply Spicy...

Last Saturday I went someplace new: 
The Findlay Market in Cincinnati, Ohio.

(Going to Cincinnati was an entirely new experience, as well, but that could be a post for another time.) Findlay Market had many blogworthy vendors, but this was the one I spent the most time at:

My photos can't really do justice to the countless variety of spices and powders and herbs and such. And the crowd was too big for a decent panoramic shot. But, I did capture a few images of some delicious looking things!

Lavender sugar? Amazing. Bourbon vanilla sugar? Can you imagine the Kentucky Derby drinks and goodies you might be able to concoct using that?!

If you know me, you surely know of my obsession with all things pumpkin. I didn't get to take a sniff of this one, but I imagine it would be an excellent addition to a savory sauce or a decadent baked treat.

Persian lime sugar makes me think of one of my favorite scents: the coconut and lime combination.
I didn't buy any of these, but I did get to sample and cook with some others, including:
Raspberry Powder. Wow. That powder was unbelievable aromatic. I can almost still smell it. We used it in a chicken marinade mixture and in a pancake batter. I think it would be heavenly mixed into some homemade whipped cream. A little goes a long, long way. It was potent and delicious.
Maple powder was as delectable as it sounds. It was like tiny maple sugar granules, but less intense than, say, maple sugar candy. Maple is another of my all time favorite flavors. I would like to try THAT in a pancake or waffle batter, too.
The rosemary garlic salt was as salty and savory as it sounds... I would love to shake it on some popcorn!
We also sampled beet root powder, which was a gorgeous purple-y pink color and smoked Hungarian paprika, which was deep red and rich with flavor. If I were only more of a foodie, I could really dive into the depths of the tastes and aromas. But, as a more esthetic  loving person, I can tell you they sure were just plain pretty to look at!
There is a website, so see and shop Colonel De for yourself! 

Before and After...

I love a good makeover, don't you?
It's September 1st and the first day of school here! Fall has begun and therefore, Chandelierious celebrates with a little Fall makeover of it's own. 
Leopard print? Why, yes, thank you.
Speaking of makeovers, let's see what less than $20 worth of paint and little grunt work can do, shall we? Here are some before and after shots of the clock and china cabinet I have been working on.

I bought this clock from the Salvation Army years and years ago. For $3.99. If I remember correctly it was painted gold...and possibly black. It was over the top ornate, but I knew it could be fantastic. I loved the paint job I gave it back then, but, out with the old and in with the fuchsia!

It's similar tale with this china cabinet my parents gave me long ago. It began it's life a dark, heavy wood. But, it was too dated for me and I gave it the batter-bowl green with raw umber treatment. Again, I was very happy with it that way for a long time and it suited the surrounding decor. But, once we moved, the jadeite green just didn't feel right. 

We decided a glossy cream and vibrant citron would do the trick! It looks downright jovial! I am still placing the equally happy Mackenzie-Childs in its new home, but I think it's a perfect fit. For now...

I realize these colors are not for the faint of heart, but Eloise and I needed some serious updating for our new abode. And, the pieces we love really needed a fresh start of their own. I think the clock and china cabinet are happy with their facelifts. More to come!