What couldn't be more perfect if I designed it myself, and why my bank account hates AF (long)
Linda Apholz
perfect that it could have been designed specifically for me and what
I need (or want) it for. Cases in point - We just painted the last
few unpainted rooms in our house we bought in July (some of you will
remember my bathroom ?'s). We painted the kitchen RED (YAY! it took a
while for the BF to get used to this idea but he really likes it) and
the living/dining room a yellow-y/orange-y/amber done in a glaze and
ragged on (we saw this in a magazine and our painter did it to a T!
SOOO beautiful!). Since our furniture was ALL neutral and boring, we
went for these amazing colors and as it developed I realized that
green would be the perfect accent. So I bought green curtains and
throw pillows and a few other things. So... finally I was in Lowes
checking out lamps while waiting for my last can of paint to be mixed
when "lowe" and behold the best lampshade ever! It's a shiny light
green with tan swirls. I had even seen this lampshade many months ago
and thought - if only I had a place to use that... Really, couldn't
be more perfect if I had made it myself.
Second perfect item is the Crate and Barrel design "mai tai" for
placemats and napkins. This brings in the green accents with the
red/orange/yellow of the walls. I've scoured the local stores for
something that would bring these rooms and colors together there's
nothing even close. I haven't received them yet (they should be
waiting for me today) but I'm 99% sure these will be 100% perfect and
again, just as perfect as if I had designed them myself for my needs.
So, I'm in Marshalls just browsing the housewares and I find these
plates. They are in solid green, orange, or red (and blue but didn't
buy that one), and they are like a 3 sided blob - sort of like petals
on a flower but only 3 sides if you get the drift. They will match
the placemats, and my own personal style, PERFECT! The problem?
There aren't enough. I buy what they have and am now on a mission to
check every other Marshalls in my area.
So...on to why my bank account hates AF...
Yesterday I'm in one of said Marshalls, looking for the plates, but on
my way to housewares I browse the handbags. I've had it in the back
of my mind ever reading the posts about the Gap light pink tote (damn
you AF!) that I NEED something like this. As I glance down the end of
the aisle, I see light pink and think to myself, "I don't need a name
brand one, or even real leather, I could just buy some no name cheapy
from Marshalls and it would be fine", you know of course thinking that
one bought there would be a bargain. I approach this bag and realize
how adorable and perfect it is: light petal pink, silver hardware at
the handles, it fits over my shoulder, big enough but not too big,
adorable taupe stitching, a REALLY close match to my 9 west pink
sandals... Again, if I had to design a cute pink bag, this would
pretty much be it. Price? $130! NOT a bargain. At all. Although
the original price says $220. So I carry it around while I do my
plate search and by the time I'm ready to check out the bag and I have
really bonded and it would be abandonment to not buy it. No one could
give it a better home than me, it tells me. On the way home I try to
justify spending the money on top of everything else I've bought and
everything else I need to buy. I can't, so instead I just think of
more things I own that I can sell on Ebay.
Thanks for reading... and if you made it this far...please post any
items that you have that you bought that could have been designed just
for you!!
Linda in tampa/st. pete
Stevie
I know you it's even better. I hear you Linda. I love what you have done to
your place. it sounds adorable. I too finally caved in on a bag and spent a
lot more than you did but I did get 30 % off.... so that was a plus.
But do take some digital photos and post them so those who know you can see
what you have done the the residence!
;-)
Stevie
--
ebay auctions --high end beauty/skincare.
Check it out
http://tinyurl.com/js7p
"Linda Apholz" <lap...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f4f13f83.04033...@posting.google.com...
Linda Apholz
> top posting since I cannot bear to snip this... it's way too cute and since
> I know you it's even better. I hear you Linda. I love what you have done to
> your place. it sounds adorable. I too finally caved in on a bag and spent a
> lot more than you did but I did get 30 % off.... so that was a plus.
> But do take some digital photos and post them so those who know you can see
> what you have done the the residence!
> ;-)
> Stevie
Heehee, thanks Stevie! I wish I could post pictures but I don't know
how. Is there a website that allows you to post pics of random stuff?
Believe me, I've got about a dozen pics of the house on my digital
camera right here!
My placemats came yesterday. They're a brighter green than expected
but they still look cute. I just need one more plate! On to the next
Marshalls. That makes 5 Marshalls in 4 days. My BF thinks I'm
insane. And here's the funny part. He's only JUST REALIZING I'm a
shop-a-holic. I guess I've managed to hide it well. Or he's just
been blinded by love.
I've spent more on a bag (LV pink cherry blossom pochette (you'd think
this would have cured my pink cravings) and monogram recital) but it
was well thought out and not spontaneous like this purchase was. But,
when I look at this pretty pink tote it makes me smile and I guess
that's worth the price of admission.
Yesterday I wore tan capris, a slightly darker t-shirt, light pink
sash belt tied in a bow, 9 west pink sandals, and THE PINK TOTE. It
was pretty damn cute if I do say so myself.
:)!!
Linda - who's wearing pink for the 2nd day in a row and planning a
3rd...
Carol
>3rd
I am wearing pink and carrying a pink bag today also! For a luncheon
date...come join us! lol
Carol
Jennifer
> Thanks for reading... and if you made it this far...please post any
> items that you have that you bought that could have been designed just
> for you!!
This happens to me once in a while, but the best was my wedding dress.
DH and I were married on Antigua, in the Carribbean. It was a small
sunset wedding in a gazebo on the beach, and I had this perfect mental
picture of what my wedding dress should be like. Simple, flowing,
gauzy, and elegant. I was in Tyson's Corner in Northern VA, shopping
for a million other things, and saw they had a Jessica McClintock -
which I normally associate with prom dresses, but they had a rack of
wedding gowns in the window and I figured it wouldn't kill me to look.
The first dress I tried on was IT, and it was the only one, and it was
my size and fit PERFECTLY. I dutifully tried on three or four more
gowns, but I knew that first one was fate. AND it was only $200, AND
I can wear it again , because it's really just a lovely ivory gown
with glass bead spaghetti straps :)
--
Jennifer
Vicki in DC
post and great thread!
I think Holly Yashi's earrings could have been made just for me.
They're niobium metal, lightweight and hypo-allergenic, and niobium
also absorbs color intensely so the shades in the earrings are vivid,
vivid cobalt, red violet, green, plum, fuschia, orange, red, gold (the
color, not the metal, though HY has gold finish earrings too). I have
two pair of the reversible teardrops and one pair of the playing cats.
I want more...I *need* more.
Here's the link to her official site:
http://order.hollyyashi.com/hya/index.html
I also love my Brighton watch with the reversible black/tan band. Any
wearable that has 2 looks in one works for me. Gee, can ya tell I'm a
Gemini ;-)???
Vicki in DC
lap...@yahoo.com (Linda Apholz) wrote in message news:<f4f13f83.04033...@posting.google.com>...
Linda Apholz
Oh, of all things to be that perfect, a wedding dress is certainly
just about the most important! It sounds beautiful and perfect!
Linda in tampa/st. pete
val189
perfect match for my kitchen order print. cheap too.
Found a mirror in a frame I had dreamed of - wrought iron in a pale
green.
Linda, there is a terrific second hand furniture store in Ft Myers. If
you want the address, give me a holler here.
Stevie
"val189" <gweh...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:e624bdd3.04040...@posting.google.com...
Val if you could email me please!!
I think I have something you want!
Stevie
(remove publication from the reply address)
Linda Apholz
Great finds!
I'd love the name/address of the store. I'll be heading down that way
next month. Thanks!!
Linda in tampa/st. pete
Michele317
first, i'd love to see photos of the kitchen linda; i love your bathroom and
i'm sure the red kitchen is fab! i have 2 items which i didn't even need to buy
which turned out to be designed just for me. i painted my kitchen cupboards a
sherbet-y peach color, and while rummaging through my magazine swag (mag
editors get lots of product sent from mfgrs in hopes that it'll get editorial
mention, and the leftovers get passed around the office) i found a roll of
wallpaper border. it's wide, about 15 inches, and is a print of large,
well-spaced flowers each within a 'frame' of pale green gingham print. the
flowers are yellow and a peach which coordinates perfectly with my paint. yay!
i put the border around the tops of my cupboards, up to where the wall meets
the ceiling molding. i cut excess floral motifs out of the paper and decoupaged
them onto a wooden clock face and made a clock (face and clockworks from pearl
paint).
the second item is antique bark cloth. i'm painting my enclosed back porch in a
pale grey with yellow molding (inspired by seagulls) and found in the basement
2 danish modern chairs in need of cushions and a nice length of bark cloth in a
grey print which, again, goes perfectly with the grey paint i'd already chosen.
i'll buy foam cushions cut to size and make covers for them.
i painted another room a pale, pale yellow (it's a spare bedroom) and found a
beautiful quilt at target in a pastel patchwork which picks up the yellow
beautifully.
i'm going easy on the clothing purchases this year, since i don't need much,
but i got 2 pair of striped espadrilles at gap kids that are great! one is
predominately pink, one blue, and they really pick up the pink and blue in
several of my lilly capris as well as looking very cheery with jeans/jeans
skirts.