It's Black and White...

Did you know that Steve wasn't the only love I discovered during my college days? After three years of history and philosophy and lots of communication classes, I signed up for Black and White Photography. My parents bought me a used camera, I learned all about black and white film, and spent hours in the dark room. I loved the red glow of the room, with all the little bins of liquid and the lines of hanging, crisp, black and white photos. It was thrilling to see those images appear on the paper. I loved it - definitely true love. Steve promised me that we could set up a dark room as soon as we built a house, but by then, the world of digitial photography was picking up, and I forgot all about my darkroom days. My love of black and white photography, however, remains.

I've been working on a little project at my house featuring black and white photos. They make me happy just looking at them.

Fall Decor

When I was little, I remember how excited I was each year when I got off the bus and saw our front window decorated for Halloween (or Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day). My mom used to decorate the house while I was in school and then hang a few decorations on the front window. It was so fun to come inside and know that our home was ready to welcome the season. So... in the spirit of tradition (and trying to live up to my mom), I decided to spend a few minutes decorating the house for Halloween / Fall before I picked up the girls from daycare yesterday. They loved it and were so excited. Kate took Ellie on a tour of the place, searching for pumpkins all over the house. She kept saying, "Come on Ellie...let's find more pumpkins." Ellie just yelled "Pumpins" and followed Kate obediently. I hope the girls will look back and remember the excitement of fall, and I hope they will have cozy memories of their home all decked out for the season!

Ellie is very attached to this pumpkin!

P.S. Did you notice my auction cabinet in the first photo? I found a place for it. I think I'll paint it white after Halloween so that it matches the cabinet (which Steve made and isn't very proud of, by the way). What do you think?

Colorful Addiction

I’m addicted to paint samples. Plain and simple, straight forward…it’s time to admit it. I know I’m not the only who suffers from this affliction. I remember seeing paint samples in the purse of my colleague, Barb. You can imagine my excitement to meet a kindred spirit in the office place. I boldly pulled some paint samples out of my coat pocket, acknowledged my addiction, and that was the start of a wonderful friendship.

My addiction takes many forms. I can’t walk by the paint aisle at Lowes without venturing in and picking up a few samples. My shopping cart seems to steer itself toward the cherry apple reds and blushing bride pinks. I love the names of paint samples and hope to someday name my own color (Holly’s Honey Bun yellow?). I remember the night that Steve and I searched through my collection of paint samples looking for a name for the tiny puppy we were picking up the next day. Unfortunately, Sunset Yellow and Starlight Sage just didn’t fit, and we finally settled on Bentley.

A few years ago during a very productive and creative work meeting, Barb and I decided that we should start marketing little cans of paint samples…because we couldn’t be the only people with such an addiction. A few weeks later, she sent me a magazine article advertising Benjamin Moore’s sample paint pots. Alas, someone had stolen our idea. My disappointment was short lived when I realized that I could now buy paint sample pots anywhere. Beach House Brown and Tobacco Road Gold, now available in little paint pots. It was like a dream come true, and buy them I did! I have probably spent $150 on paint sample pots, and they are lined up in my garage. I love every one of them, even the ones that didn’t make the cut.

These are currently sitting in my bathroom, waiting patiently for me to pick one.

My poor husband has suffered at the hands of my paint addiction. We have lived in our home for just over two years and in that time he has painted the family room three times, the morning room twice, the kitchen twice, and the two-story foyer twice. Well…I did help him during rounds two and three (I was pregnant for the first round, so he was on his own). He has suffered through many long conversations, comparing the benefits of Plantation Beige vs. Biltmore Buff. He has lived with rainbow- colored, paint-sampled-covered rooms (for months) while I try to choose the exact color to fit the mood of the space. He nods politely (and only rolls his eyes a little) when I suggest that the freshly painted kitchen might need a little lighter color to cheer things up. It seems I never get it quite right.

This is my master bathroom...and it's been this way for months.

My addiction is not a secret to my friends and family. I email them to find out what color their bathroom is. I share paint sample pots with them. I visit their homes and decide that my bedroom could use a little shot of Java Dust brown.

I entertain my kids with paint samples. There’s nothing like a big basket full of fun colors to keep a toddler busy. I imagine them one day saying, “I’ll trade you my Carolina Shoreline for your Cotton Candy Pink.” Or maybe we could make our own game of Go Fish – “Do you have a Raspberry Delight? Nope…Go Fish.”

Look closely...they are trading paint samples in this picture, taken two months ago.

My friend Sheila once gave me a framed paint sample collage for Christmas. Two years ago, Steve gave me the entire Sherwin Williams paint sample collection as a Christmas present, tucked neatly into my stocking. Now that’s a romantic gift, if you ask me.

And when my friend and fellow paint sample addict, Barb, moved away a few years ago, I sent her on her way with a full supply of paint samples and the prayer that she would never be far from a Sherwin Williams.

Fellow Paint Sample Addicts – I encourage you to come clean. Admit your secret lust of Sun Ripened Peach or Lemon Butter Cream. Tell me how you feel about Frog Jumpin’ Green and Thunder Sky Gray. I know I’m not the only paint sample addict in town, and it’s time to unite!