27. November 2007 by Parker.

Here are just a couple of unique presents you could get the music lover in your life.

First, a truly detailed violin clock with a pendulum for only $40.00 at Signals:

Next, a dominoes set for the musically inclined called, Dominotes:

Finally, and I mean finally….a turntable and cassette player that can be plugged into your computer and burn albums into MP3s. Behold the power of a USB port!

Lastly, an elegant yet trendy Music Lover Stocking with free monogramming:

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27. November 2007 by Parker.

After years of searching for this horrendous lamp for a friend of mine, I’ve found it! He always loved the leg lamp from A Christmas Story and now I can finally send it off to him this year and make him happy.

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23. November 2007 by Parker.

Although I do not have any children of my own (with the exception of my four woofs and four meows), most of my friends my age have babies and toddlers running around. It is through  interactions with them that I have stumbled upon Mr Ouchy (technically his name is Mr Bump, based on a children’s story series called Mr Men, but Mr Ouchy just sounds better). This cute little gel pack came in handy for one of our friend’s children when he accidentally walked right into the handrail of the stairwell. Within seconds of seeing Mr Ouchy, he stopped crying and held the little pack close to his head giggling. I must say that I’m inclined to purchase a few of them for upcoming baby showers as they are adorable, affordable, and best of all, practical. Unfortunately it seems that the real Mr Bump is only available in the UK so if you are not up for importing such a small item, The Container Store sells a few similar packs here in the US.

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22. November 2007 by Parker.

It appears that the old way of decorating has died. By old, I am referring to the concept of creating a unified theme and bringing pieces into the space to complement each other. The reason I am starting to believe that it has kicked the bucket is due to the resort I am staying at for the Thanksgiving holiday. Let me give you an example of one of the poorly decorated spaces I am currently surrounded by:

The living room has a collective five different types of wood; everything from birch to walnut to bamboo.  Fabrics include ivory silk sheers and 80’s leopard print mixed with Wicker and Victorian chairs. The carpet is an olive green, paisley Berber that clashes with the two inch granite top end table, not kitchen counter mind you, but end table. One set of lamps is a retro bronze bulbous piece while the others are more Greco-Roman in their innate detail and stature. All the print artwork is vague, common, and cluttered onto one wall while the other sits there, empty, screaming for some décor. A single floral arrangement is resting precariously on the edge of the six foot TV armoire which is holding a strange little collection of glass vases filled with miscellaneous items, as if the decorator just threw in them whatever was readily available. And if that wasn’t enough, the kitchen table is stainless steel to match the refrigerator; which we all know, is a must!

Needless to say, the space is a disaster. If this is the future of decorating, I think I might have to find another career. After all, how can one relax among such a cacophony of styles?

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20. November 2007 by Parker.

Removable artwork is becoming a new trend. This black chandelier is a hip piece to add to any dull corner. Just tear off the back paper and adhere to a clean wall. I may even purchase a few of these for my next Haunted Halloween party to really add to that dark, creepy feel.

If your walls are textured, however, you may want to take a different route and purchase these really hip MDF chandeliers instead. Both are available from Urban Outfitters, which sells more than just clothing in case you were not aware.

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17. November 2007 by Parker.

I recently stumbled upon the greatest picnic trunk on the planet. Unfortunately it may possibly cost as much as my car and would therefore sit in closet undisturbed in order to preserve it’s value. Goyard will not even post the cost of said trunk on their web site so for those of you who shop online often, you understand the insinuation of a high, outrageous price tag. The case pictured has silver cutlery, porcelain dishes, and even crystal glasses. All of this comes neatly packed in a canary yellow case interior and black leather exterior. Pretty but I am not so sure how practical?

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12. November 2007 by Parker.

One of the coolest gifts for the camper that already has everything else. This fire pit LED light is perfect for their desk at work to remind them of the great outdoors they crave. Available at Urban Outfitters.

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9. November 2007 by Parker.

My husband would be quite upset with me if I gave in and purchased these wire covers from The Container Store as he has been, like millions of others, simply wrapping his computer cords in colored electrical tape for years. The reason I want to purchase this particular set is for convenience. The wire wraps are removable, come in numerous colors, AND you can write on them for ease of use. Though the husband might consider them a few bucks wasted, I consider them a savior from all that electrical tape!

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6. November 2007 by Parker.

I promise this will be my last post about the letter ‘B’…or at least for a while.

On Sunday night, one of my woofs jumped over the chain link fence, only to get her back paw stuck in the top of the fence. So there she was, hanging upside down by her toe and wimpering in pain. My husband and I did what most parents do for their ‘children’, we tried to help.

First my husband attempted to lift poor Sadie so that he could wiggle her foot free but she bit into his forearm before he even had the chance to help her. Then I calmly tried to assuage her pain by petting her on the head until she turned and bit down on my wrist. After a few surreal seconds of watching her gnaw away, I managed to knee her loose, only to lose my footing and fall towards her. Needless to say, she reattached her teeth into my shoulder just long enough to draw blood.

By this point my husband had returned to the backyard with fence cutters and cut her down without any further incident.

We then proceeded to spend the following 5 hours at the ER being poked, prodded, and stitched until the wee hours of the morning. After filling our many prescriptions and stocking up on ace bandages and tape, we headed home to check on our little girl.

There she was, on our back porch, wagging her tail so hard, so happy to see us. And NOTHING wrong with her foot. How can that be? She must be some breed of Super puppy! So we pat her on the head, let her lick at our wrapped wounds, and curled up in bed with the fur ball.

After all, how can I stay mad at this face?

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3. November 2007 by Parker.

Graham & Brown have made, by far, the coolest wallpaper I have ever come across. I want to purchase it now for the kids I do not even have yet. I can just see me sitting with my child coloring in the frames and drawing pictures, working our way up the wall as they grow taller and taller. It would become a giant scrapbook of their childhood and instant décor for the room.

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