Designer Dining Chairs?!

I know some of you think I am crazy for buying my Craigslist brass dining chairs.

 I actually went through a lot of second guessing after I had them home.  But I thought I would share what I found while browsing google images in search of inspiration for reupholstering them.

Milo Baughman Brass Base Dining Chairs

They look familiar, right?  You'll never believe what they are going for on 1st Dibs.
$4900 for a set of four!

I paid $185 for SIX CHAIRS!  Granted, mine are not the real deal, but the design is exactly the same.  This just re-affirms that my initial gut feeling was correct.  These are cool chairs.

Indian Glass Christmas Tree Ornaments

Last year I fell in love with these glass Christmas tree ornaments from India that I kept seeing at TjMaxx.  I bought a few then and this year saw them again.  I continued to stock up, knowing they are too heavy for my live tree.  (A beautiful Noble Fir that I will show you soon!)

I had an idea that one day I will have an outdoor tree wrapped in white lights and dangle these beauties from the branches. 
That was my idea.......until I saw this:

GLASS ORNAMENT GARLAND FROM DESIRE TO INSPIRE

OMG!  Isn't it beautiful??  The reader who submitted this picture to Desire to Inspire (an awesome design blog) said that she has been working on this masterpiece for 4 years!  She estimates that there are over 500 glass ornaments.

This gives me a whole new mission.  If any family members would like to give me these ornaments as a xmas gift (check tj's and marshalls) I would be so happy!  I may have to shoot for a wreath next year.  I like to shop, but it's going to take a while to get together a collection like this.

Dying for a New Sofa

I have got to get rid of this bulky Craigslist couch we have in our place.  Its cramping me [and my style].
It was purchased out of necessity and now it needs to go.  I am searching Craigslist daily for a cool vintage couch that maybe I could reupholster, but I kkep dreaming of this couch from Crate & Barrel.  I saw it in the movie The Breakup (with vince Vaughn and Jennifer Anniston...hilarious by the way) and fell in love with it.  I even went to C & B and sat in it....yes, Its perfect.  The Petrie sofa, although a bit of a splurge, would be a timeless piece and really has that mid-centrury feel that I love.

  The coordinating Petrie chair is beautiful too and the rusty [almost orange] colored leather would only get better with age.

Couches are expensive these days!  Do you guys think that $3000 is too much for living room furniture? I have never spent that at one time, but for classic neutral pieces, they should last a long time and be worth the cash in the long run. Agreed?

New Mexico House Tour with Michelle & Tim

A Sneak Peak in Placitas, New Mexico

One of the blogs that I love to browse is Apartment Therapy. It is my online HGTV. It delivers constant inspiration by showing a peek into a house from somewhere in the world. They great part is that accompanying the great pictures, there is always a little survey of the owners and a list of resources so you know where they got everything.

Last month while at my brother Tim's house, I was inspired to take pictures of he and his wife Michelle's home. I sat down with Michelle and we went through the standard Apartment Therapy survey that accompanies all their house tours. I just wish I would've taken more pictures to share. Like I said, it is a peek!

Name: Michelle & Tim
Location: Placitas, New Mexico
Size: 2000 square feet

Michelle and Tim have been a mobile couple since they got married 15 years ago. They have lived in South Korea, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Florida, Georgia and their current residence in Placitas, New Mexico. Their adobe house is at the foot of the Sandia Mountains. (yes, near the HGTV Dream Home) A beautiful pebbled courtyard is planted with rosemary, lavender, ornamental grasses and other desert hardy plants. Upon entering the solid wood front door you can immediately tell you have walked into a house of a well traveled family. Even though the house is just 5 years new, they wanted to change many of the "standard features" that came with the home when they moved in. Michelle was the designer and overseer, and in some cases the DIY-er of this overhaul. In fact, they were waiting on the new granite for the kitchen while we were visiting.

Tim, a pilot in the Air Force and Michelle a Registered Nurse, have made a very comfortable cozy home for themselves along with their two boys, two dogs and two cats.

Enjoy your sneak peek!

VC Survey with Michelle:

My style: Eclectic...with focus a on Asian and rustic styles

Inspiration: I love colors of the desert. and each room starts with a special find

Favorite Element: The mountain views are amazing and the newly remodeled master bath with the custom vanity, marble counter, mosaic tile work and copper tub and sinks are luxurious.

Biggest Challenge: Finding the time and patience for overseeing a renovation while being a working mom.

What Friends Say: "Its Absolutely Amazing!"

Biggest Embarrassment: None. This house was new and very "vanilla" when we moved in and although I changed almost everything to fit my taste, nothing was embarrassing.

Proudest DIY: I laid the pebble rock floor in the boys' bath and I think it turned out great. I even included some glass tiles and a few my own sea shells.

Biggest Indulgence: The hammered copper soaking tub.

Best advice: Take your time. Let your home evolve!

Dream source: Hmmm. Really a compilation of pictures from books and other people's homes, as well as features seen in the countries we have visited.

Resources:

Furniture: Hong Kong, antiques stores, Custom build, DIY painted,
Bed: Bed was custom made
Paint: Home Depot
Rugs: Overstock.com
Artwork: All our travels around the world
Window Treatments: Custom or Stores like World Market or Bed Bath & Beyond
Accessories: Flea markets, antique stores, Target, other online vendors, gifts, and items picked up from traveling.

{copper tub surrounded by mosaic border and rich colored tiles}

{the little details-light switch plates of copper}

{Michelle's DIY bathroom floor of river rock- beautiful!}

{front courtyard with colorful pottery and desert plants}

{painted arch leads to renovated bathroom in master suite}

{niche in living room with native american art/textiles. lovely tile baseboards}

{one side of living room boasts this fireplace, the other a wall of windows to the mountains}

{collection of New Mexican horses above the kitchen cabinets}

Updates and Celebrating Labor Day!

So, what do you think?  What are your opinions on my new design for Viva Cindy?

(If you are receiving this via email, please click here to see my new design at the top of the site)

I bought these letters in a market in Nicaragua, I love all the bright colors with the white background. 

I do have a "comments" area at the bottom of each post....I would love to hear your thoughts! 

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Today is "El Dia de Trabajador" thats Spanish for "Day of the Worker"  ok really it is just Labor Day, but doesn't 'Day of the Worker' sound better?  If you are anywhere in Latin America they are celebrating it on the first Friday of May, which is TODAY!  I didn't know this until I went to work yesterday.  Ahhhh, there is nothing better than an unexpected long weekend.   I wanted to follow the tradition of "no labor" today, but I did start to pack a little bit.  You would be surprised in how much stuff I accumulated over the last year.  (or maybe you're not surprised?!)

My time with Habitat is coming to an end here in Costa Rica.  Actually, we will be leaving Costa Rica in a few weeks, and leaving our apartment even sooner than that.  I will be sad to leave, but we have so many exciting things coming up in the next few months, I can't be too sad.

1.  Our last 2 weeks in Costa Rica will be spent traveling to a few places we MUST see before our departure. 

2.  I will still be a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, at least until I hire my replacement.  If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering for a great organization and living the latin life as I have done the last year. Please check out the job description here and send me an email if you are interested.  (wink wink)

3.  First stop in the US? The ATL baby!  We will be staying with Smita for a week while Ernesto completes a lighting job.  If you are in need of some landscape lighting this summer  just contact  him.   If you are in need of seeing your friend Cindy, just contact me:)  It will be a short window! 

4.  On June 7, my niece Kelli is GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL!!! OMG!  Im so proud of her!  She will be heading off to my alma-mater, The Ohio State University in the fall!  Im sure she will be successful wherever her big heart takes her.  She already has a list of successes a mile long.  One being her shop on Etsy.  Check it out!  Anyway, I will be with my family in Ohio for a couple weeks and life will be so good!  I can't wait to hang out with my siblings, hit some yard sales, ride bikes with my dad and "tour the estate" with my mom! This is what I call it when we walk through her huge, beautiful garden and talk about all the flowers and plants.  She is an amazing gardener and a constant inspiration.  

5.  Onward to San Diego! Yes, the next month or two will be spent with Ernesto's family, and Im really looking forward to it! (no really, I love love love my in-laws)  We are going to really dig deep into San Diego and try to do new things.  Not that the "old things" aren't fun.  Mexican food, family and beach!  Ernesto is already searching on Craigslist for our beach cruisers!  Look at the one he found for me here! Yes please! I know the perfect basket for this bike!  

6.  Ernesto and I will start a project together.  I'll give you a hint: it has to do with Mexican food and blogging! That's right, Viva La Cocina will come alive and we are going to kick it off by testing the recipes in his mothers [hand written] recipe book!  Oh my!  (this still needs to be approved by his mother)

7.  The most exciting news of the summer is happening in Wooster, Ohio on (or around) August 10.  My brother Bill and his wife Barbie are having their first baby!  They have been together something like 14 years?! They are going to be such great parents. 

8.  That leaves us about 2 months before we have to be in Atlanta again for Ernesto’s Xmas lighting season.  Our plan (although subject to change) is to go to Mexico. Stupid Swine Flu!  Ernesto is planning to take some Mexican cooking classes.  I would like to take jewelry (metal smith) classes and also take a photography class.  I need to learn how to use my camera better. If money doesn’t permit us both taking classes, I will sacrifice and just work on my own.  We are considering San Miguel de Allende, which is 4 hours north west of Mexico City.  It is a gorgeous colonial city and has a huge artist community. (although muchos gringosL)  Very picturesque.

9.  By mid October Ernesto's business will be in full swing in Atlanta. I have committed to helping Ernesto grow his business this year by marketing to commercial properties and of course using the blogging community to get the word out.  Im sure it will be his most successful year yet! 

By January 2010, we will have to be decided on where we are going to live. By then, I know, I will be dying for a house!  Ok, truth be told, I am already dying for a house.  Maybe I will have found a job by then.  The hunt begins in October when we are back in Atlanta, unless a I stumble across my dream job before then.  You understand that it wouldn’t make sense for me to look for a job now, right?  All of the above “plans” would be out the window, and it just sounds like to good of a summer to mess with, agreed? Agreed.

Ok, back to our Labor-less day yesterday.  For the past week, we have been kitty sitting for Kate, who is in Bolivia.  We have her car, which gives life here in San Jose a different spin.  During the week, we still walked to the grocery store, and to the gym (which is all we do) but yesterday, since I had the day off, we went for a “Sunday drive.”  We didn’t have a destination, but ended up in Santa Ana, which is a beautiful little town built into the mountainside.  The streets are really cute and a lot of trees are blooming. 

We also cruised up into the mountains of Escazu, and found this beautiful cemetery

 and some gorgeous houses...

We also came accoss  a restaurant called Valle Azul, which I had heard of before.  It’s a fine dining Italian restaurant with killer views of the whole city, this is a corner of the dining room.

it was a bit hazy , but the manager promised us that watching the sunset and  then the city lighting up was not to be missed.  We believed him.  We made plans to eat there for Enresto’s birthday… which is right around the corner!  When I got home I looked up a picture for the view at night from Valle Azul and here is what I found on someone's Flickr ... I can't wait!