#610...gallery art grouping

I helped my client Jordan hang a gallery wall in her newly remodeled living room. My plan was to use the art wall to give a large graphic focal point to the wall and make the sectional and wood console relate to each other and feel part of the same space.

Before

After

Jordan had some great pieces that she had collected over the years from relatives. I like the blend of contemporary and traditional. We added the silver frames on the right and top left that she will fill with photos. For inspiration for her grouping I pulled the following pictures off Houzz and Pinterest of art groupings. 

#609...summery sofa

Last fall I embellished my front room sofa with a sheep pelt, but with summer right around the corner, the sheep pelt was feeling a little wintery and warm. I thrifted this colorful blanket a while back. It is pretty scratchy....in fact it may be a rug, or a wall hanging. I decided to throw it over my sofa for summer and added this block printed pillow by Serena & Lily. The sofa is now really festive and ready for Cinco de Mayo.

#608...room boards

Here are some room e-boards I created for specific clients that I never got around to posting. Some are many months old, and some are recent, but all were enjoyable to work on.

dining room

dining room turned playroom

master bedroom

family room/entry room

family room

dining room

living room

master bedroom

game-room lounge

#607...mid-century inspiration

I've been helping several clients with mid-century house renovation ideas, and this home tour on Apartment Therapy strikes a cord with me because of it's clean modern lines mixed with vintage furnishings and accessories. (They've got some really cool lamps!)

I love the bright cheerful colors int this kitchen and the open shelving. I would not like to have to clean dog hair balls out from under the cabinetry though, so I'd prefer the cabinetry to go to the ground sans legs.

I love big art over the sofa. I would probably choose a different color or more lively patterned rug to make the room less brown toned.

The Kantha throw is such a nice contrast to the modern elements in the room. I wonder if they get tired of  tucking their bed quilt in those perfect corners everyday?

I really like the varied sized art over the bed, and think that subtle white zig-zag pattern running across the wall is unique.

#606...thinking of boston

My sister Sarah and I spent a few hours walking around in Boston on Friday while waiting to take a bus to New Hampshire for our Nana's funeral on Saturday. I love walking on the Freedom Trail, and seeing so much of our countries colonial history. It is a great city to explore. My heart goes out to those affected by today's Boston tragedy.

#605...cactus blooms

I turned around the other day, and noticed a few of my yard cactus's bloomed. They get no attention, so they must like their placement to have sprouted these tiny flowers.

#604...patience, prayers and a celebrated life

It was a rough weekend for us. Our patient made it home from surgery, but had some unfortunate complications in the recovery room that have rendered her remaining back leg injured and torn. She is doing well, but we are disappointed that she sustained injury while under the care of the hospital recovery room. We will have some tough decisions to make about further surgery in the next few weeks, but for now she is happy to be home and recovering well.

While we were busy icing a dog leg this weekend, my Nana, Josephine Jean, quietly passed away. She was 93 and died peacefully in her sleep. She was married to my Grampy who passed away last fall. They were the cornerstone of our large, close-knit extended family. They both served in the military, Nana as a Navy nurse, and they met in Pearl Harbor. They lived the last few years of their lives in the New Hampshire Veteran's Home, which was a really amazing facility. My family will gather this weekend to celebrate Nana's long and fulfilling life.

Nana and me 1979

(I know Nana would get a kick out of the fact that she is sharing this post with a recovering dog. She was head recovery room nurse for many years during her nursing career, and she really loved the many pets she had throughout her life.)

#603...post-op decor

My sweet 10-year old Lab mix Speedy is getting a new knee today. It was a hard decision for me whether or not to do the surgery, but she really needs it, and we are fortunate to be able to get this done for her. She is at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists and will come home tomorrow. I am eagerly awaiting the call that she is through her surgery. She is going to have about 8 weeks of rehab, where she will not be able to run or bolt around the yard. That will be the hardest part for me, her, and her dog sister Mazie, who is currently aimlessly walking around wondering where Speedy is. 

To prepare for her post-op  care I wanted to give her more traction while walking around, so I laid down a bunch of rag rugs that I had hoarded in my attic. (I guess hoarding paid off in this case). Here are some pictures of our new eclectic flooring situation. I am borrowing a baby gate from a friend so that I can confine her to her new rag rug palace when she gets home tomorrow.