Brew Ha Ha – 5th Annual Brew Riot
Mark your calendar for the 5th annual Brew Riot! I’m a bit partial, but I’ll be pulling for my neighborhood crew… SPAM BIER (Stevens Park Ale Makers)…
Made My Day – TY from Carley
I recently got an email from my friend, Carley Seale, owner of one of my favorite spots, The Gypsy Wagon, and the message made my day. The reason I write this blog is to share things that I find exceptional and when I hear that something I have posted has “struck a chord” with you, it brings me great joy!
Carley’s email came to me after yesterday’s post about the wooden height ruler… Here’s what she said…
**”I just left a comment, but I am totally ordering this!
Also, I wanted to tell you Johnny is ordering a signature necklace for me for Mother’s Day. I have a letter from my mother that she wrote me on my 18th birthday. It is subscribed to “Dearest Carley” in her perfect handwriting. That is what we are using for the signature. I thought you would like that! 
Love the Hidden List!
Carley”**
What an amazing idea!! How dear to wear the unique handwriting of a loved one…
I just had to share this with you guys while the post about the signature necklace is relatively fresh…
If you find something on my blog that “speaks to you”, please let me know. It will help guide my search for more exceptional things that you’ll enjoy!
Thank you, sweet Carley, for sharing this with me! This is what keeps my blogging!
If you’re looking for a great gift for Mom for Mother’s Day, head to The Gypsy Wagon!
Through Friday, May 10th, you’ll be able to enter your Mama in the “$500 Make Over My Mama” contest! The winner will receive a private styling appointment with a Gypsy Wagon stylist, a new outfit, a haircut and style from Halo Salon, and a Big Reveal Party for the winning mom and her family! How fun is that?
There’s something for everyone at The Gypsy Wagon, so don’t delay!
Texas Digs – Bungalow Magazine
I have a new favorite on-line mag! You’ve got to check out Bungalow Magazine…
I love seeing so many of my creative friends featured! Don’t miss Alexis Pond’s street style, Abbe Fenimore‘s designer picks, Pulp Design Studio’s Carolina Gentry and Beth Dotolo‘s favorite rooms and Peacock Alley‘s anatomy of a guest bedroom. I’m crazy about all of the homes featured and I think you’ll love them too!
Congrats, Bungalow Magazine, on an amazing first issue! Give me more!
Private Bloggers Luncheon – April 1
I have another great opportunity for all of my blogging buddies! It’s time for another inspiring Bloggers Luncheon at Royers Round Top Cafe in Round Top, Texas!
I’m so excited that this luncheon will feature my precious friend, Carley Seale, owner of The Gypsy Wagon in Dallas. You’ll love her story about how she grew-up going on adventures to Round Top with her beloved mom and how it influenced her life today. I adore Carley and you will too!
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This event will be the third Round Top blogging event and it just keeps getting better! We always look forward to Bud Royer‘s delicious fare with the highlight being Bud’s world-renowned piece of decadent pie for dessert!
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I would love to see some of the bloggers that attended the first event at Rachel Ashwell’s beautiful residence and B&B, The Prairie. Let’s have a reunion, lovelies!
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As you know, space is limited so please secure your space here quickly! I can’t wait to see you there! Let’s make another memory!!
Art and Soul – Blue Print art show
Mark your calendars for March 15th and 16th! One of my favorite design stores, Blue Print, is hosting an art show that features art couple, Signe and Genna Grushovenko.
After reading their resume in preparation to share this event with you, I’ve fallen in love with this couple’s technique. Born of a love of old posed photographs, Signe and Genna combine both abstract and figurative techniques to create a finished product with high emotional content.
In Signe’s words, here is their unique process of collaboration…
“Partners in both life and art, Genna and I have been collaborating for nearly ten years.
Our process begins when Genna creates rich, tonal underpaintings on supports of primed linen, canvas, or Masonite. The underpaintings start with a layer of acrylic color, sometime sprayed, sometimes rolled, sometimes brushed. Once the acrylic layer is dry, he applies small amounts of oil pigment mixed with copious amounts of mineral spirits. The colors are applied wetly with house paint brushes with the canvas standing. The canvas is then rotated and more layers are applied and allowed to run into one another. When satisfied with the design and palette of each individual piece, Genna lays it on its back and allows it to dry.
When I am ready to paint, I go to my supply of underpainted supports and select one. I then choose an image from my collection of vintage photos that will mesh well with the style and palette of the underpainting. Using the photo as reference, I execute a drawing in oil pastel and complete the painting in oil.
Collaborating with Genna has influenced my work in many ways, pushing me to work with textures and colors I would have never chosen for myself. The final results of our art partnership are multi-layered paintings with deep surfaces, crisp at first glance but rewarding the careful viewer with an undercurrent of complex tonality and colorplay.
I am grateful to Genna for bringing to my work the same sweet richness he’s brought to my life. ~Signe ”
I cannot wait to see this exhibition in the beautiful surroundings of Blue Print! I plan to go on the 16th… Please join me!
Mardi Gras, Ya'll!
This weekend it’s time for my favorite event of the year in my cool neighborhood! It gets bigger and more fun every
year, so I’m sure that Sunday’s annual Mardi Gras parade through the Bishop Arts District will not disappoint!
This is a kid and dog friendly event! Bring the whole ‘fam damily’ for loads of fun! And don’t forget your camera! It’s a day full of photo ops and you won’t have to bare anything to collect tons of beads! Will I see you there?
Peek Show
I’m so excited to announce this exciting opportunity for fellow bloggers! In June I pitched this idea to my good friends at the Dallas Market Center
I will join 4 other bloggers, whom I will announce soon, to host the first ever “Sneak Peek” blogger’s event - A behind the scenes look for bloggers. This event is limited to 50 bloggers, so please don’t delay in signing up! You’ll have the opportunity to network with fellow bloggers while you’ll be the first to see the latest trends in home and gift products during Dallas Market Center’s January Market. You’ll leave inspired with an incredible amount of information to share with your readers!
Oh…did I mention that the agenda begins with champagne with John Gidding, of HGTV’s Curb Appeal? and you’ll be seeing a cooking demo from Curtis Stone? and while you’re enjoying yourself, you’ll be helping families escape poverty and homelessness through design, as a portion of your registration will benefit Dwell With Dignity!
Find the agenda and registration information here.
Will I see you there?
Jingle Your Bell
Can you believe it’s only 3 weeks till Black Friday? Holy Smokes! Where did this year go?
There’s no better place to get in the holiday spirit than “Jingle Bells On Bishop“!
Caroling, dining, drinking, shopping…what’s not to love? Oh, and St. Nick, himself will be there!
See you there?
Make It Count!
All Dogs Go To Heaven
Well, I only thought I was back…
Last week I was thrown a hear-breaking wrench that I was dreading and not expecting. The black lab that my ex-husband had when we started dating…just a puppy then…reached the end of her life here on earth. Yes…I believe all dogs go to heaven!
Duchess was a dream of a pet! She lived to please her master, and succeeded time and time again. Her one litter of pups produced 7 precious little black balls of fur that I fell in love with and cried each time one left for their new home. The one exception was the one little female we called Jane…Plain Jane…
My next door neighbors, and very dear friends, loved Duchess and decided to adopt Jane… who quickly became Annie…and Duchess and her daughter, Annie, saw each other almost every day. Annie soon grew taller than Duchess, but she never forgot that she was her mom. As any parent, Duchess felt the need to discipline Annie when she got too rambunctious and Annie would submit every time!
Duchess loved all children and they always seemed to choose her as their favorite among our dogs… Her gentle spirit drew them close and she relished in the affection they would give.
Our sweet Duchess displayed good things…unconditional love, affection, honor, loyalty, discipline, dedication…attributes that we strive to display and own. What an inspiration!
Duchess, you were such a good girl and loved us well. You will forever be missed, but never forgotten…
5/25/97 to 10/18/2012
