Passing the Chase Test

(my nephew, Chase)

The best toy box tester EVER! He's got the climbing in, climbing out mastered. On to the smashing the lids together like a symbol part. Sorry, my sweet sister. Tell him Aunt Kiki loves him (and his new sis) and tell him to keep howling at the moon while swinging!!

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Baby Cakes

I can remember back when I was little and my Dad made picnic tables one summer to make extra cash, I'd sit and play with the sawdust. I was damn good at making sawdust cakes.

I looked over at Little G yesterday in the garage while I was working on a toy box to see her playing with some wood scraps and saw dust. I asked what she was making and she said, "cakes." It made me smile...and run to get my camera.

Dad, sawdust cakes live on...and are now all over my garage floor.

(Totally unrelated, but those bangs she's sporting were cut by noneother than Little G in the back seat of the car on the way to gymnastics. Apparently, when your hair gets in your face, just find random scissors on the floor of the car and start cutting. Thank God she didn't give herself a mullet like last time.)

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Got my Zen On!

I know, I know. How does one get any kind of zen with two kiddies running around and toy boxes to be made? Get the hell out, that's how!

Over the weekend, my friend Oonagh, whisked me off to a spa in Palm Springs for some R&R. Funny thing happened during R&R. Uncontrollable laughing and loud talking in places that were marked, "please speak at a whisper level." Guess I'm not really the serious spa type. While participating in an ai chi class (yep, I had no idea either)I went from being conscious of my inner peace to thinking about what I'd have for dinner and remembering my tax appt for Thursday in about a split second.
I know some folks can truly concentrate and be one with nature but this girl needs an US Magazine to even lay by a pool.

I did learn that all the wood working, real life, business stuff really does take a toll and in between getting told to be quieter and pushing people away who've floated into you in the pool, I really did get rejuvenated.

Sadly though, I lost 4 Lee Press-On Toenails in the pool. There's always a downside to going to a spa in Palm Springs, people.

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Tapestries antiques

Description
This wool and silk tapestry was woven in France in the 1600s and is documented. It has its original floral border and beautiful verdure and classical motifs. Completely handmade and all authentic. Needs minor restoration.

Description
Beautiful antique French hand-made needlepoint tapestry that has been cleaned, blocked and restored where necessary. The colors are still vibrant with very little fading. France circa 1850

Description
Beautiful vintage Belgian tapestry depicting life in a much earlier time. This tapestry is thickly woven and is backed with a wonderful fabric that self-frames the piece. Belgium circa 1920

Description
Beautiful antique hand made tapestry with wonderful colors depicting forestry scene. France, circa 1850

Description
Exquisite set of two hand made Aubusson tapestry panels in near mint condition. Dimensions above are for one panel, two pairs available. Price shown is for ONE pair. They have been professionally cleaned. France circa 1820

Description
Authentic handmade French Aubusson tapestry in unbelievable original condition, and judging by the brightness of the colors, it must never have seen the light of day. There are no moth holes or repairs. France circa 1840

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Rugs Antiques

Description
Vintage koton rug from Samarkand, Uzbekistan in original condition with no repairs, circa 1915

Description
Malayer is located in the northwestern Iranian province of Hamadan. Malayer rugs tend to be mainly geometric in design, making a wonderful addition to any decorating style. This beautiful rug, which dates back to the early 19th century, has a cotton foundation and wool pile and is in excellent condition.

Description
Art Deco rug in excellent condition with a stunning plain navy blue background. This rug is hand-knotted wool on cotton backing, China, circa 1920.

Description
Vintage American horsehair blanket in mint condtion. American circa 1910

Description
Car blanket depicting dogs with glass eyes, fair condition. American circa 1900

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living room Decorations with Natural colors

Neutral colors (such as white, taupe and beige) give you a beautiful canvas to work upon when it comes to home décor. Limited use of colors and patterns help you to create a sophisticated environment along with interesting focal points in living rooms, Natural fibers are available in these colors too and have quite different textures for experimenting. The variety of texture in neutral natural colors infuses peace and calm in the home environment.

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Bedroom Decorations with Natural colors

Neutral colors (such as white, taupe and beige) give you a beautiful canvas to work upon when it comes to home décor. Limited use of colors and patterns help you to create a sophisticated environment along with interesting focal points in rooms, Natural fibers are available in these colors too and have quite different textures for experimenting. The variety of texture in neutral natural colors infuses peace and calm in the home environment.

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Style Tips for Bargain Decor

Creative Revamp

Create stunning bookends using antique or even mismatched corbels. Can't find them at a flea market? Buy some made from composite material at a home center (as we did). Use a gouge to carve a hole in the bottom of each one and fill with fishing sinkers. Use wood filler to seal the holes, paint, and then cover the bottoms with cork or felt. A basic bench becomes a striking coffee table with the addition of decorative molding on the sides and a coat of bold paint.

Take a Seat

Drive through any neighborhood on trash day and you're sure to find a beat-up chair or two. Rescue the sturdy ones with sandpaper, primer, and paint. Re-cover the seat by cutting fabric 3 inches larger all around and attaching it with a staple gun. For extra flair, embellish the chair back with rub-on lettering.

Bold Art

Scraps of decorative friezes, spindles, plinth blocks, or rosettes make a statement when set off by a frame. Insert colorful scrapbook paper in the frame as a background. Then use Mirror Mastic adhesive to apply the piece directly to the frame's glass.

Rethink Wallpaper

Save an awkward nook with wallpaper. Extra-large patterns work well to keep the look uncluttered, and the same paper used from floor to sloped ceiling helps unite the space.

Bits and Pieces

If a dresser is too junky to save, use one of its drawers for a magnetic board. Remove the hardware and then paint the drawer. Cut galvanized metal with a utility knife to fit the drawer bottom or order the exact size from a metal fabricator. Cut pretty paper, and glue it to the metal.

Fabric Art

Gather a few of your favorite fabrics and showcase them in an assortment of mismatched frames.

Fabric Redo

Too much clutter for glass cabinet doors? Hide the cabinet's contents by lining the glass panels with patterned fabric. On the back of each door, stretch the fabric over the glass and use a staple gun to fasten the edges to the wooden frame. For a tidy appearance inside, conceal the staples by gluing coordinating ribbon.

Color Styled

Grocery store flowers offer cheer for mere pennies, but don't just plop them in a vase. Sorting the blooms by color and separating them into small vessels make them much more stylish.

Fabric on the Cheap

Get big impact for just a little cash by buying small pieces of expensive fabric. It takes about a yard and a half for a short curtain or half a yard for a 16-inch pillow.

New Planter

Create a stunning planter box using spare trim pieces. Start with a rough redwood planter and sand lightly. Glue on trim, prime and paint, and then install legs.

Tiny Details

These diminutive shadow boxes come unfinished in sets of two. Use wood glue or nails to add a length of spindle railing along the bottom, and then paint each piece.

Quick Frames

Rub-ons applied to glass quickly update basic picture frames. Pair the designer with framed pieces of pretty patterned paper for a low cost-gallery.

Top-Drawer Design

Update an old side table by attaching scrapbook papers to the drawer fronts. Use repositionable spray adhesive and you can change the paper with the seasons. Alternately, cover the paper with clear polyurethane for a lasting surface.

Jewelry Art

Add sparkle to glass votives by stacking bracelets on footed candleholders, opposite. Vary the colors and styles of the bracelets for an eclectic look. For safety, use only votive candles in glass containers. Turn a wood cutlery tray into a beautiful piece of art. Glue scrapbooking papers to the bottom of each compartment using an adhesive appropriate for paper and wood; secure screw eyes to the cubbies to hold jewelry. Select favorite pieces to fill the tray. Jazz up paper lampshade shade by punching holes evenly around the bottom edge. Clip earrings through the holes.

Make a Statement

To create handmade art, get crafty with purchased felt shapes mounted in shadow boxes with scrapbook-paper mats. Decorative stick pins and snips of ribbon complete the look.

Table Topper

This vintage table doubles as a desk and a bedside stand. To soften the look for the bedroom, cover the top with fabric and fasten it along the edges with upholstery tacks.

Hang It Up

These finials were meant to be fastened to the end of curtain rods but work just as well when screwed into a wall and used as hooks. Decorative painting gives unfinished wooden finials a personal touch.

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Customizable Book Ends

These custom book ends are the coolest! They are available in 20 base finishes and 90 finial options. Whether your child’s bedroom is a sports, animals, or transportation theme, these book ends with finial options can lend that final touch.

To purchase these products go to FOWfurniture.com

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Customizable Book Ends

These custom book ends are the coolest! They are available in 20 base finishes and 90 finial options. Whether your child’s bedroom is a sports, animals, or transportation theme, these book ends with finial options can lend that final touch.

To purchase these products go to FOWfurniture.com

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BOHO Magazine Features Noah Owl Box

Thanks to Tiny Decor , a store that sold Mod Mom Furniture, the Noah Owl Box was featured in Boho Magazine, a quarterly magazine that celebrates all things eco-friendly.

I haven't managed to track an issue down yet so I have no clue what the text says below the Noah Owl Box but I'm hoping it doesn't say, "made by a mom who rarely attends PTA meetings, has horrible feet, and wears the same jeans day in and day out." I doubt it says the part about the PTA meetings, right?

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12 Months, No Interest, No Payment Furniture Financing

FOW proudly offers 2 easy payment plan options for furniture financing: 6 months interest-free financing and 12 months interest-free financing. Once approved, the promotional period will start as soon as you receive your merchandise. There are no minimum payments required but you must pay the purchase price in full before the end of the promotional period. Each month CitiFinancial will mail you your monthly statement which will show the most current balance. If you pay the purchase price in full within the promotional period, no accrued interest will be due, but if you don’t pay the purchase price in full during the promotional period, all of the accrued interest will be charged.

So what exactly does all of this mean in layman’s terms? What exactly is interest-free furniture financing? What is a no payment furniture plan?

Let us discuss 12 months, no interest, no payments when it comes to furniture purchases. The 12 months is obviously the duration of the promotional period of your purchased furniture. The interest-free or no interest means that if you pay off the balance owed within the 12 month period, you don’t pay any of the interest. That’s right. You pay zero interest. However, if you fail to pay the balance owed within the 12 month period, all of the accrued interest will be charged to your account. The no payments does not mean that you don’t pay anything within the 12 months. It means that there are no monthly minimum payments. You can pay the owed balance however you want. You could skip months but you must pay off the balance within the 12 month promotional period or you incur interest charges.

To apply for furniture financing go to FOWfurniture.com

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12 Months, No Interest, No Payment Furniture Financing

FOW proudly offers 2 easy payment plan options for furniture financing: 6 months interest-free financing and 12 months interest-free financing. Once approved, the promotional period will start as soon as you receive your merchandise. There are no minimum payments required but you must pay the purchase price in full before the end of the promotional period. Each month CitiFinancial will mail you your monthly statement which will show the most current balance. If you pay the purchase price in full within the promotional period, no accrued interest will be due, but if you don’t pay the purchase price in full during the promotional period, all of the accrued interest will be charged.

So what exactly does all of this mean in layman’s terms? What exactly is interest-free furniture financing? What is a no payment furniture plan?

Let us discuss 12 months, no interest, no payments when it comes to furniture purchases. The 12 months is obviously the duration of the promotional period of your purchased furniture. The interest-free or no interest means that if you pay off the balance owed within the 12 month period, you don’t pay any of the interest. That’s right. You pay zero interest. However, if you fail to pay the balance owed within the 12 month period, all of the accrued interest will be charged to your account. The no payments does not mean that you don’t pay anything within the 12 months. It means that there are no monthly minimum payments. You can pay the owed balance however you want. You could skip months but you must pay off the balance within the 12 month promotional period or you incur interest charges.

To apply for furniture financing go to FOWfurniture.com

Read More