Oscar's Best Trick

What is better than a baby's giggle? A baby that can fake laugh!

The Lovely's love to put on a show, so we think this skill will come in real handy!


Please try and excuse the cackling- I will do whatever it takes. Now if I could just get my broomstick to fly!


Non stop silliness...

Check out Oscar's Weekly Pic...the little dude is on the move!

Dinner is Served!

I went to NYC for the long weekend with some of my g-friends, camera less. Some blogger I am. I figured someone would bring a camera and someone did, and she took lots of awesome pics that I will share when she shares (hint hint). 

On the return trip from Minneapolis we stopped and picked up our completed custom table. I had never met the Artist, Adam Croft, and only through many emails and samples and examples, he created the table top that I had envisioned. The truth is, I was a little nervous that I wouldn't like it as much as I hoped and the interaction with Adam would be awkward. The reality is, I LOVE IT MORE THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED. Plus, Adam was cool, calm and confident in his work and took time out on Memorial Day to wait around at his studio for me to arrive via my MapQuested directions (this girl rolls camera less and smart phone-less).

Breaking it down with the pics...

The samples of finishes he created for me. I chose A with a little bit of D.

 Our dining table in waiting.

Hauling home our new table top. We aren't afraid of a little rain.

This table stretches to a whopping 10 feet. Since we don't live in a castle (insert pouty lip), we ordered a 70 inch table top that would work perfect in our house.

My employee waiting for me to snap some 'before' photos. Also, a good photo for you to see that the table leaf is not a match.

Ready?


Isn't it fantastic? I swear, it's even better in person. 

I was planning on painting the chairs, but I am glad I waited. I love how the metal and wood look together.

Who wants the artist's digits? P.S. He's pretty cute!

The chairs surely need a seat makeover and guess who bought some fabulous fabric at Mood in NYC ? I did. I did.

In case you don't know because I didn't, Mood is the fabric store that they use on the show Project Runway. My gfriends are big fans and I love fabric so it was a perfect pit stop!

Potluck at the Lovely's!


I am sharing this on Home Stories AtoZ and Tip Junkie and Snap and WhipperBerry  and Miss Mustard Seed and Tatertots and Jello because I love it so much!

Clay Tags for Caroline

I am still caught up in the fact that my girlfriend, Stacy, has not been allowed contact with her 16 month old daughter, Caroline, in nearly 3 months. Tragic situation, and me sitting around worrying or wishing does not help matters. So what's a girl like me to do?? CRAFT! I love to craft!

So, I created these inspirational clay tags in an effort to raise a couple bucks to help Bring Caroline Home. Precious huh! Don't you love the jingle bell?

For 10 Bucks (and FREE SHIPPING people, whoop whoop) you get a clay tag, handmade by Mrs. Lovely herself. 100% of the sales will be donated to safely Bringing Caroline Home to the United States. 

Find the tags here and in my sidebar. Every Hamilton helps! 

(Did you know the dude on the 10 Dollar Bill wasn't a President!?)

When in doubt...craft!

Cutified Craigslist Cabinet

I am pretty sure "cutified" is a word. So go ahead and use it if you want.


Back in February I enthusiastically wrote about some cabinets I found on craigslist. Go ahead and take a minute to catch up. 


They have been sitting in our garage for almost 4 months.

and we finally put one (of three) to good use. We scored the old chippy wood from our neighbors basement renovation project. Take it where you can get it!

I gave the top a good sanding and we hauled it inside.

I bought the metal file (mail) sorter for 1.00. The answer to our stacks of junk mail, bills and catalogs waiting to be read- 1 buck well spent!

You can bet there is a lot of crap hiding in this cabinet- already.

More pics to come on the progress of this room, but who's loving our new junk collector?

Summer Lovin'

The sunshine gives our Sunshine a lot more options...

Oscar's friend, Ava, gave us this little cart. When we got it, I thought, it will be forevs until we need this. Geez...

The place I work was going to throw this swimming pool in the dumpster. Uh, "I'll take that!" 

Finally, let me introduce you to Kaitlin Lovely, Oscar's Best Friend. We were hoping that letting her use our last name would be payment enough...no luck.

Cheers to another sunny weekend!

Family Friendly Shelves

The China Cabinet in our, now new, Family Room, was not very "family friendly"... 

This is certainly not a place that little people should explore with their tiny paws. 


So, we remedied the fragile situation...

 We took the glass doors down to the basement...

Replaced the glass shelves with some old lumber we had in the basement...

Blue taped (you know the little loops you make to hang a poster on the wall) some wrapping paper to the wall...

and added some sweet toys that will eventually (sooner than I care to admit) be within reach.


More room shots to come. It's lookin' pretty darn cute.


P.S. Oscar's weekly pic is finally posted...but since I think his new trick, 'fake laughing', is so adorable, here is another version...

He already knows how to humor me:)

Table Top

It was a while ago when I wrote about meeting with the owner of a Sheet Metal Company about covering our dining room table. A little background on this table: I stole inherited it from an old fraternity house, where I was a Resident Adviser during Graduate School. We didn't steel inherit the matching leaves, so we cut a leaf from a friend's table to fit, making it two-tone. The solution...an Industrial Metal Top. 

You can catch up on the initial factory meeting here. I knew that relationship was going no where. So, I pursued a couple of options from local artists that clearly did not have my pocketbook's best interest at heart.


Then I found Adam, sweet sweet Artist Adam! Adam and I exchanged plenty-o-emails, sent inspiration pics back and forth, agreed on a price and signed a contract. progress! Adam lives about 2.5 hours from me, just another benefit of the World Wide Web.


He sent me samples of metal treatments...

If you must know, I did some mixing and matching. Today I received samples of hardware that will be incorporated. I am  so excited, I wanted to share. 


On occasion I throw my thrifty ways to the wind and am willing to splurge on something special- that I love (fingers crossed that I love the final product.) Stay tuned.


P.S. I will continue to update you on Baby Caroline and will for sure let you know when she is back in the USA, safe and sound!

Consumed by Bringing Baby Caroline Home

Is it just killing you that I haven't updated you on the  progress of our newly painted family room? Well, today's post isn't about paint chips, decals or dumpster diving.


I have been utterly consumed by the news of, my friend, Stacy's battle to get her daughter back. I think about her and her daughter, Caroline, all day at work, while I am eating, before bed, and especially when I am snuggling our little dude, Oscar.


Stacy has not seen or heard from Caroline's Dad, who has Caroline, in over 7 weeks. I would die. Lock me up in a room and forget about me, because I would die if Oscar was taken from me. Read their story here.

Can you even stand how precious she is? Makes me want to vomit really- that she is not allowed to see or talk to her mom.


No matter what the parents have done to hurt each other, this little peanut needs a momma!


Now, I don't ask you for much. On occasion I ask for an opinion or two on which color spray paint to use...big deal people, sometimes I feel needy. Today I am cashing in all of my feedback chips...I am begging, hands together-pouty lips begging you to 'LIKE' "Bring Baby Caroline Home" Facebook Page, share this with friends (anyone know anybody important that could help?) and DONATE if you are able. Apparently lawyers charge more in a month than I make in a year working full time, okay I am being a little dramatic- but only a little.


P.S. Makes paint colors and room arrangements seem really insignificant to me right now.

Take a Seat!

Oscar is expecting a new cousin. Although she isn't due to arrive until the end of June he is already taking advantage of her.

The perfect size seat a la Auntie Valerie!

It's a Match

My blogging time is limited today, but not too limited to show you our newly painted room.


I will let the photographs due the talking. Right after I tell you, I had one sleepless night of thinking I made a bad decision. Turns out, I made a really good decision!


It's a match...

A couple of before shots...

The progress...

 The ceiling needed a coat too!

The good decision...

and a few side by sides...

Huh? Huh? What do you think?