The Gimlet Eye

Are you pinterested?

2011-05-25T22:15:00.002-05:00

Pinterest. Wow, it is addictive. Like, scary addictive. Are you pinning yet? If you are, let me know, and I will follow you.

Follow me here.

Don't blame me when you get fired from your job.

Cheers,

JSH

Summer Reading

2011-05-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

So...I know I have been hiding under a rock, but how did I miss Mom Filter? Honestly, I would have read Mom Filter prior to having a kid. The style section is chock full with inspiring spaces and some fun tips and sources. Y'all may be like, "Duh," but I figured I should pass it along accordingly!

Mobile photo project....the site is just full of easy breesy, fun ideas. It kind of reminds me of apartment therapy maybe?

Cheers,

JSH

PS: OH, and if you haven't peeked already Lonny is all about Nola this issue. Enjoy....

Kitchen Person

2011-05-17T17:04:00.000-05:00

I love interiors, obviously. I could look at shelter mags and blogs all the day long. However, I have always sort of noticed that I am not particularly a "kitchen person." Very rarely am I one to rave about a kitch or rail against it. I just don't care as much about kitchens as other things. I also have no idea what I would even think to pick if I could design my own. Weird, right?

Well. Did you see Jordana Brewster's house in InStyle this month? Her kitchen really floats my boat. It actually caused me to pause...super rare!

I weirdly love that the cabinets are high gloss gray! And, that thick counter slab. Is it marble or some type of composite? I can't tell. Does anyone know?

Send me pics of your dream kitchens....I have no more than this one. Again, weird, right?

Cheers,

JSH

What my baby wants....my baby gets

2011-05-12T08:24:00.000-05:00

Hey, y'all. Nope, I'm not dead. Nope, I didn't give up on Gimlet. I just pray that y'all didn't give up on me. I swear I am trying. I just have this tiny distraction that lives with me AND am starting a new job very soon. Yay! So...poor beloved Gimlet has suffered. I know. I hope I am not talking to cyberspace alone.

Anyway....Happy Mother's Day! I got the best presents ever for my first one. Did I mention that these presents were delivered in scavenger hunt form? Beau and Miller are the best dudes.

Present No. 1....the. most. amazing. gift. ever.

Simple Human TRASHCAN!

I have been asking for a new trashcan for about 2 years now. FINALLY....it is mine! And, it is no ordinary trashcan. It be fancy. It be Simple Human. I exclaimed to Beau, "I can't believe it is Simple Human....you really went all out." His response, "What my baby wants, my baby gets."

Present No. 2...

Wrapped Canvas Photograph of the Mill Man by Twirl Photography

It is pretty cool....it really does look like a piece of art. His little face now stares at us while we watch TV. I am excited because this is the beginning of a photo wall that has been 1,000 years in the making. I am shopping on West Elm today for frames and will, of course, keep you guys updated. I promise!

Please hang in here with me....if you are still here. My posts will likely not be as substantive as before life as I knew it changed, but I really hope to get back on the stick. I hope you will be with me for the ride.

Cheers,

JSH

Someone needs to buy this....

2011-04-10T08:14:00.000-05:00

...and spray it in a white, hot turq, red, or kelly green!

Weirdly, from overstock. I think it would look vintage if sprayed in a bright summer color!

Let me know if you make this purchase....it must be done.

Cheers,

JSH

Say Hello to My Little Friend

2011-04-05T18:17:00.000-05:00

Whew! The past week has been an amazing whirlwind of wonderful family times. Beau's entire family has been in town at varying intervals, and we have been completely spoiled with their helping hands and company. Miller is such a lucky baby boy to be a part of the boisterous, loving, hilarious, and fun Haynes family...as am I.

When some of them arrived via car, they brought with them a wonderful treat.

vintage ele side table

My beautiful elephant side table is in perfect condition and looks perrrr-fect in the living room, and I love him for that. But...even moreso, I love him because he belonged to a truly lovely lady inside and out, Beau's Grandma Nichols. She recently passed away after living a long, adventurous, travel-filled life, replete with countless friends and family. Her stunning home was jam packed with unbelievably stylish and sentimental things, but my favorite item was the elephant side table (from a trip to India) in her study. I am so very lucky to receive it! Whenever I look at him as I open the front door, I am reminded of a gentle spirit, gracious host, and the closest thing to a steel magnolia the Midwest has ever seen. Grandma Nichols' elephant sure beats all of the pachyderms being sold at high end stores for high end prices.

Oh, and here is Dolores Miller Nichols' namesake, just for your viewing pleasure...

Cheers,

JSH

Kitchen Tour

2011-03-30T13:55:00.000-05:00

Not sure if you guys remember, but last year, I took y'all on a virtual tour of the Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour. Well, it hasn't happened yet, but the previews were sent out in this month's New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles Magazine. Check out all of the kitchens here.

That being said, many of them are very traditional and a little too, well, traditional for my taste. Of course, I am sure that they are all beautifully executed and sit within incredible homes. I will certainly check them out in person...just not in a limo this time around!

Here are my two favorites of the bunch.

I wouldn't necessarily want this kitchen in my own home, but I applaud the owners for their risk taking, especially in a town where trad tends to still, overall, rule the day.

I love the slick table paired with the softer chairs...although scarily impractical for my own kitch!

The formal write up:

bill metcalf and cindy chassaniol
1228 Pleasant St.
Sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone

Bill Metcalf and Cindy Chassaniol created a contemporary white kitchen when they renovated their home in 2009. Alex Tefel of ATH Painter Contractors Inc. served as the kitchen’s contractor, and Shawn O’Brien of Shawn O’Brien Interiors did the interior decorating. Cabinets by Design provided the white Brookhaven cabinets, installed by Becky Richard. The quartz and Corian countertops by Marques Countertops complement the pickled, bleached white flooring installed by ATH. The main lighting is by CX Design of New York and Jonathan Browning Studios of San Francisco, and there is also LED under-cabinet lighting. All appliances are from Cabinets by Design. The shattered glass backsplash from Stafford Tile & Stone tops off the immaculate modern look.

Can't wait to check this one out in person. This home has been featured in a local design rag, and I am just itching to see the whole thing!

Formal write up:

nick mayor and jessica bride

1741 Coliseum St.
Sponsored by Nordic Kitchens and Baths

Nick Mayor and Jessica Bride completely gutted their Garden District home but were careful to save original architectural features, earning them a Renaissance Award from the Preservation Resource Center and New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles. After two years, their vision of a modern loft-like kitchen came to life at a grand 600 square feet. Bride, a graduate of New York’s French Culinary Institute, works for the corporate side of restaurants, so the kitchen was a vital part of the home renovation. Randall Shaw of Nordic Kitchens and Baths Inc. and Bruce McNally of BKLN Design Studio in Brooklyn did the interior decorating. The CaesarStone Blizzard countertops combined with the “Glass” Venetian Plaster wall finish – a custom color created and applied by McNally – brightens up the room. Rounding out the modern look is the Cellula Chandelier from Design Within Reach on Magazine Street. The layout was perfect for Bride and Mayor because, they say, it allows kids to run around without fear of hitting an open oven door – contemporary is kid-friendly in this home.

If you are in Nola, I highly recommend that you check out the JLNO Kitchen Tour on April 16, 2011. If you are considering a kitchen renovation, it is a great source to meet contractors, renovators and get ideas. OR...it is also a fun thing to do if you are a looky loo like myself.

Let me know if you are interested in trekking through the Garden District and Old Metairie with me!

Cheers,

JSH

Announcing

2011-03-25T13:19:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share Miller's announcement with all of my Gimlet readers. I love the way it turned out. I designed it with the help of the awesome Allison of The Stationer of New Orleans.

If you are in Nola, I highly recommend The Stationer. BUT, if you don't have access to it, my top suggestion is to always ask your local stationery store if they will design something in house for you...especially if they are willing to "be inspired" by a fancy paper line that you may like, but can't afford.

The announcement included an insert of this pic in wallet size.

I included a black and white version in the announcement, but I think the color looks great on the blog!

This photo was taken by my talented friend Julie of Nola Baby.

I love looking at announcements....send me pics of yours if you have something you would like to share with Gimlet Nation!

Happy Friday, y'all.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. Another delightful source for announcements, invites, and stationery if, of course, Tiny Prints. I am sure that most of you know about TP. Talk about affordable and STYL-ISH with a ton of design options.

A pic of baby boy's little thank you notes I recently ordered....

Cute, no? The price was right!

Happy Friday, y'all.

Cheers,

JSH

Stray Dog

2011-03-24T22:12:00.000-05:00

I am likely slow on the uptake and you guys have seen this already, but....who knew? Stray Dog Designs, a favorite of mine, has launched a small line for West Elm. Unfortunately, most of the Stray Dog stuff is out of my price range, but the West Elm line is more affordable a la Isaac Mizrahi/John Derian/Thomas O'Brien/etc for Tar-jay.

Super into the chandy....I wish it was bigger and would work in our dining room (yep, still no decision on that, BTW)

Like all of Stray Dog's signature designs, it is papier mache.

Simple, yet statement piece.

I also like the side table...

Fresh take on a garden stool with a nice small footprint.

I have a West Elm gift card burning a hole in my pocket and, sadly, the spine bookcases are no longer. Perhaps I will be tempted by one of the Stray Dog items. Luxe for less!

Cheers,

JSH

Tunic Time!

2011-03-23T15:01:00.000-05:00

As I have told y'all before, I have a not-so-slight tunic obsession. My friends will even often text me pics of "dashikis" or tunics or "tunes" that they find for me and think that I should immediately purchase. Anyhoo, just thought I would share the tunic I must have after I shed the bambino weight. A tangible goal!

The toggle on the top KILLS me.

Thoughts?

Have you checked out Elizabeth McKay yet? One of my true faves these days!

Me want.

Cheers,

JSH

Nursery Reveal, Professional Pics

2011-03-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

So many of you have asked for nursery pics over the course of my pregnancy and post Miller arrival. Finally, I have some decent pics to share with you. They do not capture all of the details of the room, but are beautiful pics and at least can show you the bedding, window treatments, etc. I love Miller's nursery, and I hope you do too!

I will take some more non-professional pics to show you other parts of the room. Should you have any sourcing questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

What do you think?

Cheers,

JSH

Sneak Peek of Miller and his Nursery...

2011-03-16T17:17:00.001-05:00

I am so excited to share some initial pics of Miller's happy-place-where-he-currently-spends-no-time, his nursery, as well as Miller himself!

Check out the amazing work of Jennifer Zdon of Twirl Photography via her blog post today. Pretty damn awesome in my humble opinion! I will share the rest of the images when I receive them via disk. Thanks to Jennifer for her shout to Gimlet as well.

Let me know what y'all think.

Cheers,

JSH

PS: Wow...motivation to get on the work out train in exactly two more weeks. Yay!

New Orleans A to Z

2011-03-13T19:10:00.000-05:00

In honor of Miller's one month birthday, we had some professional photographs taken of the little guy. This is not something we would typically do as we are usually low maintenance about such things, including "photo sessions" of us passing big milestones. However, when we found Twirl Photography about six months ago, we knew we had to go with it! Jennifer Zdon, owner of Twirl, takes incredibly natural and beautiful photographs. Not alot of baby costumes or awkward family photo-type poses.

Non-professional one month old pic of Miller. I plan to take his monthly pics in the womb chair.

This picture cracks me up...he is "sitting" and looking sort of Hugh Hefner/Don Draper to me!

Jennifer Zdon came to our home and was truly the most patient photographer ever...she stayed with us for two and a half hours, waiting calmly while someone cried and fell back asleep, then ate, then woke up, then got changed, then took one photo, then cried, then fell asleep. You get the idea, no?

One of the reasons we chose Twirl is because we love Jennifer's book New Orleans A to Z, often having bought it for gifts for friends children and, of course, enjoying Miller's copy ourselves. Have you checked it out before?

If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you do so. It is beautifully photographed.

You can preview the book here!

I will post some of Miller's pics when we receive them from Jennifer. We are waiting on pins and needles to see them. If you are interested in Twirl Photography, check out her site which has a link to her great blog, too!

Cheers,

JSH

Tiny Arrival

2011-03-08T20:27:00.000-06:00

Gimlet Nation!! Is anyone out there who still checks in on us and reads this blog? Helllloooo.....is anyone there? I wouldn't blame you if you abandoned Gimlet. I have been incredibly negligent of the blog, but for the greatest reason of my life.

Our son, David Miller Haynes aka Miller Haynes aka Mill Dawg, Millster, Champagne of Babies, High Life, Binker, Gizmo, or Wolfie arrived on his due date, February 10, 2011 after a long pre-labor and quick labor. Our obsession with him knows no bounds, and we are completely immersed in our new family life together, delighting in every move, wiggle, and cry he makes!

Please be patient with me as I figure out how to gather the brain cells to post...I promise that I will be back. I miss you guys and vow that I have not abandoned you or Gimlet. I am just living in the moment like I have never done before and willingly devoting all of my time and energy into getting to know my sweet and beautiful son.

In the meantime, I hope these pics satiate you.

This is still my favorite pictures of my little Gizmo. Taken about 5 minutes after he was born.

There is something about his expression here that cracks me up....and those lips!

Anyway, he is almost one month old here.

I will be posting regularly soon....promise!

Cheers,

JSH

Womb Status

2011-02-04T18:29:00.000-06:00

Well, not really. No sign of Baby Haynes. Still nice and snuggled up, with no interest in entering the world right now. I sort of agree...it is too cold!

However, there is a sign of a chair for Baby Haynes. It arrived on Tuesday via stork. Behold the ~~knock off~~ womb chair.

Here he is....just waiting for us to lounge and enjoy him and Baby Haynes.

We ordered him from Bee Mod. I would recommend this company with the caveat that the customer service is simply "okay." They were unresponsive and first told me that the chair would ship in a week (score!) and then said that the chair would be not be ready for two months...and then "found some more in the warehouse." It was a tad weird, but the pros are 1) PRICE....they were willing to accept my price match from Lexington Modern and 2) QUALITY. I am very happy with the quality! It is not from DWR, but, honestly, we are pretty much equivalently pleased with it...and did not spend $3,500.00!

Feel free to ask any questions about my knock off womb search. It is super comfy and stylish, in my humble opinion.

Cheers and STAY WARM!!

JSH

Have you checked it yet??

2011-02-02T08:41:00.000-06:00

High Gloss Magazine has premiered. And it is delightful.

Let's discuss more later.

Cheers,

JSH

Pseudo Design Related, but...

2011-01-28T14:57:00.001-06:00

...moreso just too cool/cute not to be shared! I am betting that many of you have seen this via email forwards and the like, but if you haven't, I hope you enjoy this lady's creativity as much as I did/do.

I really cannot imagine being inspired enough to even think of this. I love it though and hope you will too, even if you are not particularly a "baby person." The mom is a computer specialist from Helsinki who just decided to have some fun with her baby's naptimes.

Which are your faves? I can't resist the mini Buddhist and the book worm, personally.

Have a wonderful weekend. I promise I will be back on Monday....Baby Haynes is enjoying his/her time in the hot tub and is apparently not at all interested in greeting Gimlet Nation yet. So....I will be here!

Cheers,

JSH

Show Off

2011-01-27T11:04:00.000-06:00

I know I told y'all about my sister's wedding this past Summer. To me, it was perfect in every way for about 1,000 reasons. Aside for the night of the big event, the execution of the details ahead of time was, of course, my favorite part. We are still waiting on our orders of the professional pics and, as promised, I will one day share them with you.

In the meantime, I have to brag a bit. My sister and her husby are so pretty and handsome (and fun and charismatic), respectively, that Antoine's Restaurant (reception site) asked them to share a pic for its ad in the recent Gambit! I have likely discussed Gambit before. It is our weekly Nola political, shopping, current events, all around awesome local magazine.

Check it:

Aren't they adorable?

I wish you could get a better view of Lizzie's awesome poufy "reception veil" and her vintage sapphire earrings! (For the record, their flowers did not include the white roses and baby's breath featured in the ad.)

Just thought I would share yet another teaser from el wedding. I am sure we will finally have blog worthy pics by their one year anni!

Cheers,

JSH

Decided!!

2011-01-26T14:14:00.000-06:00

I know, I know. My posts have been sporadic and not particularly intellectually stimulating to you these days. Well, I am a sporadic and not particularly intellectually stimulating person these days. Work and general life has not let up, despite the fact that I feel like each day is just borrowed time against the impending arrival of Bebe!

So, I can only scrounge up about 1 brain cell every three days to post right now. I promise, though...I WILL be back in the utter swing of things. I miss y'all!

Anyhoo, I thought you may want to see the rug I finally decided on for el nursery. Now, I just have to bite the bullet and click "Add to Bag!" It is just a hard click to make, considering the jog stroller that is also calling out to be purchased.

Love it! From Anthro, in a 3 x 5. I am convinced it will "make the room" and, therefore, I am now laser focused on snatching it!

If you have any other potential rug possibilities for Bebe Haynes' room, please speak now or forever hold your peace!

Cheers,

JSH

A Deal's a Deal!

2011-01-21T11:34:00.000-06:00

I love it when Gimleters send emails to me about things they like or saw on the blog. I really love it when they send me emails to enforce what a good deal I secured! (I then promptly send these emails to the auditor aka Beau so he knows how fiscally responsible I am....)

Check out these two finds over the past couple of weeks by two of my best Gimlet readers.

Heather located this guy in the Times Picayune's Inside Out magazine and promptly sent this scan to me, noting the price. Thanks, H!

Check out Mr. "Traditionally Modern." Look familiar?

Before we move forward, note that Mr. Modern is metal and $1,095.00.

Let me jog your memory.

Vintage Thonet (marked!) rocker located at a consignment store for $60.00.

Can I get a "Look for Less!" chant going?

Next. Dear Emily sent me this picture yesterday, noting "This looks like your bulletin board from IKEA, but is from One King's Lane."

I assume you don't need me to highlight the price.

Let's review now.

I think this whole project, start to finish, was maybe about $45.00....

If I had done a mirror instead of cork, it would have been about $55.00.

Copy Cat Chic, as you know, is one of my favorite blogs. I feel like I experienced Copy Cat Chic in real life recently. Any deals and steals of late that you wish to share? They are apparently hidden around every corner...

Cheers and HAPPY WEEKEND! The days are going soooo sloooowww for me right now.

JSH

Un Petite (Nursery) Project II

2011-01-18T14:40:00.000-06:00

A couple of days ago, I posted about a tiny nursery project I worked on in about an hour one night. Much in the same vein of non-groundbreaking, non-complex, simple nursery non-projects, I have completed another one. In my slowing down state, completing any task in a timely and somewhat capable manner is blue ribbon worthy to me!

So, without further ado....

I bought this frame from Ikea via Blue Bag (duh).

Das Ung Drill for $29.00

And made a bulletin board for baby, a rotating display of art, sentiments, and fun things to show him or her, if you will. Again, I am telling you that this did not require any creativity or skill, but I am quite pleased with the outcome!

Final product, which hangs above the changing area.

My friend Courtney made one for her kitchen a while back. We were inspired by an InStyle magazine project. Seriously, all you have to do is:

1. Spray paint your frame.

2. Remove the glass.

3. Cut out two pieces of cork, using the glass or the backing of the frame as a template. I suggest buying cork rolls from Michael's or any other craft store.

4. Glue the cork together (this is just to have two layers, making it thicker).

5. Place the cork pieces where the glass used to be.

6. Hang and enjoy!

So far, we have the baby's only portraits (lentil bean sized and then apple sized, respectively!) and my shower invite on the cork board. Of course, we also hung the card that was given to Beau's dad when he was born at Memorial Hospital in New Orleans. I didn't want to poke a hole in it so I just wedged it behind the filigree.

What are your thoughts? An easy, peasy, satisfying non-project!

Cheers,

JSH

Johnny, can you hear me?

2011-01-14T12:06:00.000-06:00

I wonder if Jonathan will set to work on an Ophiuchus pillow for me and the rest of my former fellow Sags?

Out with the old, in with the new??

Are you planning to switch signs, baby? Here are the new signs with the respective dates.

Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16

Aquarius: Feb. 16 - March 11

Pisces: March 11- April 18

Aries: April 18- May 13

Taurus: May 13- June 21

Gemini: June 21- July 20

Cancer: July 20- Aug. 10

Leo: Aug. 10- Sept. 16

Virgo: Sept. 16- Oct. 30

Libra: Oct. 30- Nov. 23

Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29

Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17

Sagittarius: Dec. 17- Jan. 20

In addition, I will perhaps have to purchase this guy for my soon-to-be little chick pea in lieu of the "Aquarius" one. Nope, not because he or she is necessarily arriving a bit earlier, but rather, because his or her sign has apparently changed...

from etsy

Thoughts, comments, suggestions? Call me orthodox, but I liked it the old way.

Cheers,

JSH

Not-so-secret resource

2011-01-13T17:43:00.000-06:00

Gimleters all know about Lonny Magazine at this point, no? If not, speed type to the link provided. You will not be disappointed.

I love when a brand spankin' new Lonny comes out. For some reason, however, I have never stumbled upon the "Site" section of the regular Lonny website. I am, not surprisingly, very out of it these days!

So...when you click on "Site," you will be treated to a veritable feast of decor resources and eye candy, including Lonny's archives, editor's pics, you name it. My favorite part though? The "Decorate" section. If you click on the link, you will potentially lose your job for lack of productivity. It is basically just a gallery of all of Lonny's fabulous decor features, organized by room.

Some of my faves...

A total hit parade of inspiration. How have I missed this incredible resource?

I am just going to blame it on pregs brain, the lamest excuse ever. Nothing else to be said.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. There is a "paint" section too. Could not ask for more!

Hostess (gift) with the Mostess

2011-01-11T11:56:00.000-06:00

I mentioned my awesome baby shower to you Gimleters a while back. I wanted to tell you wayyy back then about the hostess gifts I selected for my ladeez, but was remiss in sending them to all of the out of town hostesses in a timely manner. So, I waited until I responsibly mailed them all. I didn't want to spoil their surprisey fun, of course.

Here is my suggestion for a fun and affordable hostess gift for your friends and fam. (Although I would like to spend one million dollars on each gal, unfortunately, I was limited to a more reasonable amount in the $10.00-ish range!)

Who doesn't need a fun, new acrylic key chain?

Now, mind you. Some of these are a little too "Southern Preppy" for my taste and that of my hosties, including the polka dots on the back of the acrylic plus the curlicue mono, in the pink and green.

However, the site offers tons of choices...different mono styles and an array of color choices. You can also avoid putting the polkas on the back of your key chain and opt for just the acrylic with mono. Better, no?

Behold:

Here is my friend Courtney's key chain in action on her desk at work!

This is my friend Jennifer's key chain in her favorite color, blue.

Not all of the ones I ordered are in the "coin" monogram style. For my more traditional friends and fam, I opted for the simple curlicue monos. For the less traditional, non-mono lovers, I actually just did two of their initials. Friends that received these guys, post your pics or send them to me in full effect so I can share them with Gimlet Nation.

If you are interested in ordering one of these (or several), I found them at Daisy Mae's. The shipping and processing was slow so add some lead time to your order. I was quite pleased with the way they turned out!

Cheers,

JSH

Un Petit (Nursery) Project....and a Fabric-related PSA

2011-01-07T09:19:00.000-06:00

Happy ~~belated~~ King's Day/Twelfth Night/ Feast of the Epiphany! The official start of Carnival Time....and King Cake Extravaganza '11. I plan to post about all of my King Cake devouring over the next two months. Damn, Mardi Gras is going to last for so long this year. Yipppeee! It is not until March 8th.

Anyhoo, I thought I would share a tiny teaser of a nursery project I completed the other night in less than an hour. It is nothing to necessarily brag about, but I think it came out nicely and provides a lovely visual impact. Oh, and it is a easy and affordable way to display/store a baby keepsake.

Behold:

I simply bought this pre-made shadow box at Michael's craft store and replaced the dark velvet backing with some of my yellow scrap upholstery fabric. I then mounted two sterling spoons that were gifted to the bambino. Voila!

Normally, I think the term "shadow box" is scary and conjures up images of old lace and locks of hair...maybe even some doll parts. But, in this case, I think it is a cute way to display some of the tiny's keepsakes.

Just a sneak peek of more to come from almost-completed nurseria!

Now, onto two big fabric-related announcements, both of which made my decorating day. You may have already heard about this news via two awesome design blogs, Visual Vamp and Elements of Style.

First, our Nola Vamp advised blog land that Dwell Studio released fabrics for a FAVORITE site of mine, http://www.fabrics.com/. What a delight!

We can all live the Dwell dream for only $15.98 a yard! Check it all out here.

Now, drumroll please....Elements of Style announced that our very own Miss Amanda Talley will be releasing a line of fab fabrics she designed based upon her iconic paintings.

Check it:

These are STUNNING. Imagine a beautiful bench or pillows done in Amanda's fabric. Too hot to handle!

If you are interested in ordering your very own fabrics from Amanda (in a variety of different grades), contact her through her website. And, seriously, if you do....you better send pics to Gimlet!

Cheers,

JSH

Be Still my Heart! Curtis and Davis for Sale in West Lakeshore

2011-01-03T15:37:00.000-06:00

One of my most devout, helpful, and plain awesome readers, Tracy, made my morning with an email containing this real estate listing. I am DYING....

Before I even launch into my love of this house and the fact that it is a Curtis and Davis original or my love of this mid-century neighborhood on the lakefront of New Orleans, I must confess that, much to Beau's chagrin, I indicated my not-so-secret desire to buy and restore a mid-century gem to our friend and real estate agent, Sarah. I informed her of this vision, oh, about 5 months after we sold our first house (Lil Harms) and bought our second house. Let's just say that Beau did not share my eagerness to snatch a mid-century gem if the opportunity presented itself....

On to the house!

First, it is located on a "tremendous corner lot" in West Lakeshore. Based upon my review of the pics, I have deduced that one could certainly fit a pool in the back to complete the mid-century oasis!

Look at that great oak tree....

The yard is truly huge. Site of the future pool aka swinging party pad area.

Check out all of the natural light and wood burning brick fireplace. Again, dying. I am thinking the floors are slate. Original? Let's hope.

Is that plant on the bottom left springing forth from some type of inground planter!?

Galley kitchen looking fresh. I really like the natural brick backsplash.

More kitchen. I can't tell, but would pass out with glee if those floors were terrazzo.

I am in awe of the price on this house. It is 2,323 square feet and is listed at $295,000.00. $126.99 a square foot for this neighborhood?! The listing indicates that "it is 80% complete." I am wondering if the finishes would be some of the three bedrooms and maybe a bathroom? Either way, a deal is a deal. The home is approximately 57 years old and A/C and appliances are only three years old.

Please, Gimlet Nation, someone out there buy this piece of history and let me come over and play in it!

Check out the rest of the listing's pics by following the link above. Does anyone out there know about this pad? Do tell.

Cheers,

JSH

New Finds (from West Elm) for the New Year

2010-12-31T14:31:00.000-06:00

I was absolutely delighted to receive the new West Elm catalog in the mail the other day. I standardly love WE, but they have really stepped up the game for 2011. I highly recommend that you check it.

Some of my fave finds...

Modern Windsor Accent chair...good lookin'!

I am intrigued by this headboard/four poster combo...

Iznik dhurrie

David Starck Zebra rug...in JUTE!

Coconut Chandy

Deciding if this is fug or fab for our dining room....

A little JA styling it seems...

Jacks tray side table.

Let me know what items you like for purposes of ringing in our fresh new year!

I hope y'all had a good 2010 and that 2011 is the most prosperous, healthy and fun year yet. Thank you for being Gimlet readers...2010 has been a good year for Gimlet. After all, it was its birth year!

Auld Lang Syne,

JSH

Thank You, Santa and Beau!

2010-12-29T15:19:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, Santa was ridiculously good to me this year...spoiled Beau, me and the bebe waaaayyyy too much. We are very blessed and lucky to have such a wonderful Santa that visits each year!

Beau was also an excellent gift giver this year (it really is a great quality he has). We established some pretty strict budgeting parameters for ourselves this year, and he truly rocked my socks with his selections. One thing that was pretty awesome was my Kindle cover. I asked for one to protect my birthday gift Kindle and expected a normal leather one from amazon. However, Beau presented me with this guy!

Who knew that Diane von Furstenberg (an idol!) designed Kindle covers?

A sneaky peek at the fuscia interior.

They are called Kindle clutches in DvF speak. Here are some other options...

If you have an e-reader and want to jazz it up a bit (and need help finding it in your big bag or purse like me...), perhaps you too should consider the wrap dress of Kindle covers! Great gift idea, too...

Cheers,

JSH

Guest Post for Lambchop Designs

2010-12-27T11:29:00.000-06:00

Dear Adrianne of Lambchop Designs asked me to write a guest post while she was out on maternity leave. She is still on break enjoying adorable baby Anna and big brother Davis. It has been nearly impossible for me to resist the urge to fly up to Virginia and snuggle them both for a long weekend. The blizzard of 2010 (oh, and the impending arrival of Bebe Haynes!) would likely prevent this trip from occurring any time soon, though.

Anyhoo, Adrianne's lifestyle blog accompanies her painting business which produces "Fun Art for Cool Kids." Naturally, much of her blog content addresses fun activities, party ideas and decor for kiddies. Right before Anna arrived, Lambchop's posts were dedicated to nursery decorating, with Adrianne providing tons of ideas for painting and decorating the sweet one's new space.

Adrianne wrote a thought provoking post about "going dark" from all technology prior to Anna's birth. She avoided email, phone, texting, TV, etc. for an entire week! I was intrigued, jealous, scared, amazed, and have committed to doing the "going dark experiment" at some point soon. However, if you are simply unable to "go dark" from technology for whatever reason, whether it be professional (check!), personal (check!) or just sheer lack of willpower (double check!), there are some other ways you can go dark in your own life. Since pre-maternity leave Lambchop was focusing lots on nursery decorating, I decided to talk about how you, too, can also go dark in nursery decorating for yourself, a friend, or family member.
First, let me start by saying it was virtually impossible find more than about ten examples of dark and bold nurseries (done well). That being said, I think we will start to see more of this decorating trend as it is incredibly sophisticated, chic and unique. What a refreshing change in nursery decor...not a "character" (Disney or otherwise) in sight!

Jenna Lyons' nursery, hopefully starting a longstanding trend. Although black walls in a nursery may initially seem counterintuitive, look how cozy it is! A little cave for your cub.

This nursery from decorpad uses textural woods to provide its sense of dark warmth. Kind of a modern rustic effect that is still appealing for a kiddie.

Check out the deep choco brown in this greeeeeat nursery from apartmenttherapy. Design tip: Utilize dark paint to make small spaces appear bigger (I know, not your mama's decorating tip of the 80s!). Love that sputnik light too.

Navy and yellow from designsponge. An unusual, but delightfully kid friendly combo. Dark paint does not always mean a mature space.

I had to include the eponymous Lee Kleinhelter nursery, even though everyone has seen it. The reason being that I have been so focused on its beautiful grasscloth, I kind of didn't notice the black or navy window treatments. Dark and bold statement....and functional blacking out for baby's sleep.

Okay, I had to save the best for last. I simply adore this nursery nook from Little Papercuts' blog and think that the black wall with black dresser was a bold and genius move. I am sure that when the decorator told her friends that the nursery walls were going to be painted black, the naysayers balked! No risk, no reward, though. Check out all the shots here and swoon.

I included this shot from decor pad because, although not "dark," per se, the use of red is brilliant and unusual. Also, I have a soft spot for the hanging basket chairs...and think that the one painted white is presh.

I sincerely hope this guest post encourages you to think outside of the box when considering a palette for a nursery space. Ignore the message boards that say that dark nurseries are "depressing and understimulating" for babies (yes, I actually saw that online somewhere!) and go for something bold and dark when creating a spot for your chicken.

Thanks so much, Adrianne, for entrusting me to write for your blog for a day! I am excited to see this post in lights on your blog when you come back from maternity leave.

Cheers,

JSH
P.S. Was Santa good to everyone? He spoiled me too much this year. I am a very lucky girl.

Mad about the Holidays

2010-12-22T16:27:00.001-06:00

Merry Merry Everything to all Gimlet readers!

May your holidays be a time of reflection...

May your office parties be rowdy shindigs...

May Santa bring you exactly what you wished for (except for boxes of Lucky Strikes!)...

And, may you give this delightful book to any Mad Men fans in your life as the perfect stocking stuffer!

It is a TREAT!

Thanks, Jennifer (and Emily...)

It has provided our household with much humor over the past few days.

Find it here.

Stay warm (or cool, if you live in Nola) and enjoy this time with friends and family.

Cheers,

JSH

For Sale: West Elm White Lacquer Picture Ledge New in da Box

2010-12-15T16:15:00.000-06:00

Gimleters! My loss is your gain...stinks, but I have realized that this cute picture ledge is not what I need. It is not deep enough to display my shitake. SO, please feel free to buy this from me. At a discount, natch!

It is brand new...I just bought it during my Houston run in November. Literally, still in the box.

Here is the pic from West Elm as well as the link.

For $25.00 or your best offer, you will receive this two foot guy in white lacquer. I posted it on Craigles List as well, but, per usual, had to share the deals and steals with Gimlet Nation. Let me know if you are interested.

Cheers!

JSH

My new favorite color combo...

2010-12-14T16:01:00.000-06:00

Today is my birthday and in honor of same I plan to keep this post super easy breezy...after all, I have an exciting conference to prepare for today as well as Christmas shopping to do. (This is what happens when you have a December b-day, and, weirdly, I am totally fine with that because I love the holidays so much!)

I recently treated myself to new stationery for purposes of writing shower-birthday-baby-holiday-anytime thank you notes. I am seriously obsessed with my selection, particularly the color combo...a new favorite.

Check out my new paper goods, which I designed and ordered through The Stationer in Nola.

Lavender, gold, mustard and gray, oh my!

I actually spied a similar color combo in an ad for Tisa's Beauty Bar in this month's Cue Magazine, Gambit's source for Nola shopping and design.

A blurry iPhone snap from Cue..you get the idea, though.

I have been in Tisa's Beauty Bar, which is combined with a great shoe shop, Angelique, and their joint decor features this fresh combo.

Could be delightful for a femme office of a tiny girl's nursery?

Cheers...off to play with my new Kindle!

JSH

Fug or Fug: Holiday Edition

2010-12-13T11:44:00.002-06:00

First, please do not "de-follow" Gimlet after you see the below photograph of the exterior of our home.

Today, I initially planned to display pics of our lush and green Christmas tree, lovingly bedecked in our collection of painted glass ornaments (all of which have special meaning) as well as my very sparkly vintage tabletop tree, carefully decorated with atomic-era ornaments. That will have to wait.

I must confess to you upfront that our house is no longer my personal holiday wonderland, but rather, something out of "Eastbound and Down" or, actually, an episode of "A Jerry Springer Christmas." Before issuing any judgment one way or another, it is imperative that you know that I married Clark Griswold, for better or for worse. Beau loves Christmas more than anyone I know, and he truly believes that a Christmas without "fun" decorations (a.k.a. campy tchotchkes a go-go) is not a Christmas worth celebrating. He has truly longed for colorful lights and blow ups on the front lawn (to be put up by him whilst wearing his IU Santa cap...) for as long as I have known him.

This year, despite our agreement to go crazy with a fleet of white-lit grapevine deer, he unilaterally brought the Christmas cheer to our street. Duh, we are the only people in our entire neighborhood with a motorized blow up on the front lawn.

Without further ado:

Beau said that this snapshot includes Indie "for scale." The Santa is 7.5 feet tall and is lit up at night.

Marriage is all about compromise and, despite my utter visceral hatred of lawn blow ups at Christmas or any season, how can I deny my truly precious husband this one thrill? As he told me (using the teenage defense), "It is not like I am out gambling our money away or doing something shady..."

Please, if you pass by our house, enjoy the view, but don't tell Beau about it. It will only encourage him to add the reindeer to the roof that he is "saving" for next year.

More to come later...

Cheers!

JSH

Pantone Color of 2011: Honeysuckle

2010-12-10T10:39:00.000-06:00

A bold and kind of surprising choice...in a good way. Pantone has announced "Honeysuckle" as its Color of the Year.

Described by Pantone as "the color for all seasons," it considers Honeysuckle to be "Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it."

As an unabashed lover of pink, I would agree with this description. I also wonder if this will be a pink year for Beau and me? Is this a sign??

Some of my fave pink interiors, featuring a honeysuckle-ish shade...

Amanda Nisbet bathroom via decorpad

Gina Kates via decorpad

I have featured this beaut before because I love it so much.

A standard delight...Ruthie Sommers' nursery

via Sara Gilbane Interiors

And, of course, how could we forget my own personal snapshot of one of my favorite color combos...fuscia (aka honeysuckle) and gray for a front door!?

I was inspired by this Annie Selke door I posted a while back as well.

Bring on the honeysuckle for 2011! What do y'all think? I am excited because one of my favorite color combos is light pink and red, so a reddish-pink may just be an ideal shade for me.

Cheers,

JSH

Designer Social

2010-12-09T13:53:00.000-06:00

I have a not-so-slight obsession with Designer Social, a web-based and recently-opened showroom in Nola, where you can find a bevy of pre-owned, new, and vintage designer bags, shoes, and accessories. I am on its mailing list and just got the "New Stuff!" email. Dying!

Some of my top pics for your holiday gifting (to yourself) needs...behold:

Chanteuse Necklace by Nathou.

Vintage 1950s.

Nathou Maple Necklace.

Vintage "double Cs" clip earrings by Chanel.

...there are a TON of vintage Chanel jewels!

Vintage butterfly earrings with stones.

Want.

I highly recommend the vintage section, but you can also delight in the gently used or even new sections on the site as well. Shop Nola this holiday season!

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. Tell me what you snag!

Consignment Store Thonet Rocker in Action! (...and a nursery-oriented shower gift)

2010-12-08T09:47:00.000-06:00

Hi, Gimlet Nation!

I am trying...I really am. Why have things been so nutzy? I think it is a combo of the holiday merriment, a jury trial, 15 birthdays of my friends and family, client dinners, and, oh, most importantly, a very impending tiny arrival!

Anyway, my updates, although brief, hopefully will keep you satiated.

First up....remember my teaser about the awesome proxy find by my friend Anna (consignment store, Northshore of Nola, $60.00...) Well, here he is!

Perfect, right? No need to even paint it. I like that beaten up look amidst of the sleeky new shiny stuff in the nursery. Oh, and the dog in the pic is not Indie...just her stuffed doppleganger, courtesy of my sister.

Among so many truly wonderful, thoughtful and necessary gifts that were given to me during my beautiful baby shower (more to come on that as soon as I get the photos back from my sis), I received this guy from my friends Jenny and Mary. Remember him?

As usual, putting my wish lists up on the blog certainly helps!

He is currently sitting on the Ikea dresser that Beau and I finally declared victory over after two days of work. He will soon be up on the wall above the rocker, though.

My cup runneth over with gratitude for my friends and family who hosted and attended the baby shower as well as everyone who has invited us to fun holiday festivities. It is the time to celebrate and be grateful, and I so am. I swear...more to come. I will not leave you hangin'.

Cheers,

JSH

Well, hello Alexa Hampton!

2010-12-01T15:55:00.000-06:00

There is a truly special store in the .25 a.k.a. "The French Quarter" called Nadine Blake. Absolutely stunning and unique home and personal items. I highly recommend that you stop in. Oh, and check out her Facebook page. Really. Great. Holiday. Shopping.

Anyhoo, lucky us! Nadine is hosting a reception honoring Alexa Hampton's new book this Friday....E. Lee and I have been waiting for this event for about, oh, 3 months! Cannot wait to meet and buy the new book of this design LEGEND. ....kind of nervous, actually....

Who will be there!?

Cheers,

JSH

Hi, y'all!

2010-11-29T20:24:00.000-06:00

Gimlet! I hope everyone had a wonderful T-give. I am sorry that I have been completely MIA. I have missed you guys, but have been laid up with a disgusting ear infection (Am I 5 years old?) and sinus infection. I hope that some of you are still reading the blog after my long absence.

Well, there will be lots of posts now that I am back in the saddle. Hint: My sis' awesome friend Anna tipped me off to an ah-mazing find at a consignment store on the Northshore of Nola.

Here is the pic that Anna posted to my Facebook Wall....do you KNOW what this is?

(and it is yellow!)

In the meantime, however, check out this great Cyber Monday post shared by one of my fave bloggers, Copy Cat Chic! TONS of excellent coupon codes for any holiday shopping you need to get started on.

http://www.copycatchic.com/

Thanks for your patience, kiddies. Um, BTW, I guess I kind of didn't really process the fact that when you are pregs, you can't take any medication except for Tylenol. NOT delightful.

Cheers,

JSH

Last Minute Dynamite Turkey Day Recipe: "Lucy's Pecan Pie"

2010-11-24T11:54:00.000-06:00

Gobble, gobble from the vegetarian over here at Gimlet Eye! Y'all know that I won't share complex recipes with you as adventurous culinary endeavors are not in my wheelhouse. That being said, I try to hook you up with a couple of rave worthy showstoppers every now and then. Hopefully this "Thanksgiving edition" will not disappoint!

I share with you my delightful pecan pie recipe taken from the best cookbook series of all time, "River Road Recipes" aka "River Roads." Do you know about River Roads? I hope you do....

In my opinion, River Roads and River Roads II, the original cookbooks published by the Baton Rouge Junior League, are the seminal cookin' books for Louisiana recipes. Often called "The Textbook of Louisiana Cooking," I use the series for all of my standards, including red beans and rice and roux (as does every mama and grandmama in the South!)

The River Roads series is actually the best selling community-based cookbook of all time. Who knew? It is delightfully kitschy in some ways as it was originally published in 1959. I particularly enjoy the "Men Who Cook" section, in a tongue-in-cheek way, of course.

Anyway, back on to my favorite recipe in the River Roads series. Located in River Roads II, "Lucy's Pecan Pie" is literally the best pecan pie that "people" have ever tasted. I say "people" because I actually don't eat pecan pie, but the ongoing rave reviews reinforces the fact that it is, indeed, the best! In fact, my law firm even won a charity cooking competition with our mini versions of "Lucy's."

The real reason that it is a winner in my book, however, is because it is EASY.

Lucy's Pecan Pie

3 eggs

1 cup Karo syrup

1 cup light brown sugar

2.5 cups of sliced pecans

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 pre-prepared frozen pie crust (I know, blasphemy!)

Using a wire whisk, mix the eggs and brown sugar together in a bowl. Add the Karo syrup and pecans. Gently mix. Add the vanilla. Pour the mixture into your pie crust. Bake at 300 degrees for one hour and forty-five minutes. Cool. Serve.

I know, ridiculously simple, right? I am telling you, it is a crowd pleaser!! Try it...you'll like it.

If you are interested in ordering your own fresh copies of River Roads, you can buy it directly from the Baton Rouge Junior League. It can also be found on amazon. (I highly recommend trying to find a vintage copy, though, replete with someone's granny's notations and dog ears!)

Happy Thanksgiving to you, Gimlet Nation! I am so abundantly thankful for so much, including each and every one of my gentle readers.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. In my research for this post, I discovered that River Roads even has a Facebook page. Pretty nifty!

SOLD!

2010-11-23T08:33:00.000-06:00

The cute chair has been sold to the fastest Gimleter. Thanks for playing, y'all!
...more to come soon.

Cheers,

JSH

Would you like this chair for the holidays?

2010-11-22T09:24:00.000-06:00

Greetings, Gimleters! Sorry for my radio silence. Things at work have been, ahem, quite daunting and busy. I also hit Houston with my mom and sis for some retail therapy this past weekend. I will be sharing some of my finds with you shortly...

To get this Thanksgiving week started right, I thought I would offer Gimlet Nation first dibs on my cute den chair that I am selling. I just posted it on CL, but I seem to have better luck with the Gimleters...and y'all seem to appreciate my design accidents more than Craigslist scammers.

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/fuo/2073826778.html

Email me if you are interested. It is listed for $200.00, but I have also been known to give a Gimlet discount! ;) I purchased the chair about eight months ago, and it is in perfect condition. Check out its cutie roller legs.

Happy short Thanksgiving week!

Cheers,

JSH

Want this, get that: Thonet Bentwood Rocker

2010-11-17T08:45:00.000-06:00

I have come to the realization that the chair that currently resides in our living room is a bit too big/ awkward sized for the bebe's room. Oh, and re-upholstering it will actually cost more than the chair at its time of purchase. Forgot to mention that! Soooo...I will actually be selling that little guy on craigslist (and Gimlet) in order to make room for the womb chair. Stay tuned if you are interested!

Anyhoo, I have been on the hunt for a comfy (aka high backed) vintage rocking chair for a couple of days now, to no avail so far. I am not discouraged, though. I have a plan!

I want this:

Lee Kleinhelter's nursery, featuring a vintage rocker with nubby apple green fabric

I know you have seen the Pieces Princess' nursery a million times, but have you ever really examined that rocker? It is good looking.

However, a rocker like that beaut is hard to find. The kind-of-similar one I spyed on 1st Dibs was, unforunately, in the four figure range and such a purchase would defeat the purpose of ditching my upholstery project for a more economical option.

Enter the Thonet Bentwood Rocker (all CAPS), of course.

How many of you had/have these or a knock off?

I have a soft spot for them and always have...

If you would like a 25 second history lesson on the beautiful bentwood design, click here. Something I learned today was that I have always pronounced Thonet as "tho-nay" but it is actually "Tone-ette." Makes sense, considering he was Austrian, but I digress...

Anyhoo, there are some decent options on ebay. Not all of them are original Thonets (and those that are, of course, are cost prohibitive), but I will not let that stop me...especially if I decide that the sucker should be sprayed white or even something more fabulous than white.

Antique Thonet, listed on ebay for $1,497.99

Knock off listed on ebay for $99.00

My plan is to search around locally as I have received a hot tip (thanks, E.Lee!) that some Thonet-y looking rockers were at Salvation Army. I also added a Craigslist search to my google feed and have alerted some local dealers that I am on the hunt.

That being said, Gimlet Nation, please heed my call! If you spy one of these rockers somewhere in or near Nola, will you contact me? I promise you will be pleased with your finders fee!

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. Speaking of Lee Kleinhelter, the One Kings Lane Tastemaker Sale is featuring her selections today. Um, there are some bentwood pieces on there. Of course! Check it out even if just for the eye candy and inspiration!

Nursery Sneaky Peek

2010-11-14T19:12:00.000-06:00

Since I strive to share the good, the bad, and the ugly on the Gimlet, I am showing you the very first, non-styled nursery pics. I thought you would want to see the pitch perfect gray (as well as the bamboo blinds + chevron drapes + Fillsta Ikea pendant) in action!

You are welcome to visit Chez Gimlet anytime to check out the gray in person. I am so pleased with it, but it does translate differently in person versus camera.

Jenny Lind crib is laid out and ready to assemble.

Close up of the drapies.

*If you need the information for the ultimate seamstress, email me. You will never be disappointed in her exacting work!

Detail of the Fillsta.

It only took 5 adults to put it together.

I hope you like what you see so far and that this excites you for what is to be revealed next! I must say, designing this room has been my favorite project of all time thus far (and there is still so much more to do...and for you to see!)

Cheers,

JSH

Fire Sale!

2010-11-12T10:26:00.000-06:00

More to come later, ladies and gents. However, in the mean time, I had to immediately share some information on super deals and steals with you this morning.

Local New Orleans artistes, Amanda Talley and Hayley Gaberlavage, have launched Transport Studio, a fire sale art marketplace! Lucky us, right?

For three days, enjoy deep deep discounts on their stunning paintings...just in time for the holidays! The prices range from about $250.00 to upwards of $5,000.00. Transport Studio will continue to feature up and coming artists as well as old favorites at reasonable prices. Cannot wait.

I found out about this amazing art buying opportunity the old fashioned way...email and Facebook, but Casa Sugar and Style Court also posted about it today. Loving the nods to our Nola artists in the blogosphere.

Check out the portfolio section and tell me which are your faves. I am lusting after Amanda's framed water colors. Tres bien!!

Cheers,
JSH

P.S. MORE LATER....I will be revealing sneak peek I of Project Nursery. Don't get too excited....it is pretty much paint, light fixture and window treatments, but I am pumped nonetheless!

Are you experienced?

2010-11-09T16:40:00.000-06:00

Um, has anyone ever purchased this item? Let me give you a hint. It is from a place that starts with a "W" and ends with a "mart."

I am completely intrigued by the fact that this seemingly cute rug is only $124.00 for the 5 x 8. That being said, and I am clearly not a design snob (as you hopefully have gathered!), does it smell like chemicals or is it scary scratchy? I don't even think twice about buying from the Tarj, but Walmart? Hmmm....

Please review the full link here and issue any opinions you may have, outlining any experiences you may have with Wally World rugs. I am thinking it could be a good alternative to the $2K Maddy Weinrib that is likely not a good idea for a baby-destructive todder's room! ;)

Cheers,

JSH

Did anyone have this?

2010-11-05T14:09:00.001-05:00

Um, we did!! As ohdeedoh called it, "the elusive goose lamp," was indeed a fixture in our childhood bedroom. Or at least it was in my sister's. I wonder if it was swept away in Katrina or if it still stuffed somewhere in an attic?

Read the funny entry on ohdeedoh here.

SO, on this beautiful very chilly Friday, what say you? Is the goose lamp "magestically quirky" (aka fab) or just plain fug?

Cheers,

JSH

Wonderful and Whimsical

2010-11-02T19:27:00.000-05:00

I love when I get an email from a friend sharing something really awesome that she or he has recently done, created, or launched or passing something along that one of her or his family or friends have done, created, or launched. The word of "mouth" (aka text or email, these days) is the most effective way to share neat new things...as are, of course, blogs!

Imagine my excitement when my friend Tristan passed along the new business of her friend, Meredith. The beautiful line of fabrics, wallpapers (!) and textiles is wonderfully called "The Whimsey Chronicles." Isn't that just a delightful name?

Anyway, here is a small sampling of the unique merch:

"African Cuff" fabric in lapis lazuli

(available in 4 colorways plus custom!)

"Cameo" fabric in Jade

The fabrics would be wonderful on small accent pillows or upholstery on a great set of footstools. Inspired!

Featherleaf wallpapers....in a variety of colorways as well.

Love the selection of pillows!

I simply adore the boho preppy inventions of The Whimsey Chronicles. So very John Robshaw meets Lilly Pulitzer.

You can by your very own Whimsey Chronicles items on etsy here and check out its lookbook here. It is definitely worth a look see if you are interested in something unique for your walls (or upholstery!)

Cheers,

JSH

PS: Did you vote????

A (tiny) Nursery Update

2010-11-01T07:05:00.000-05:00

Here is evidence that the nursery is "coming along," but just that. It is nowhere CLOSE to being even organized, much less looking like a room that a small child could inhabit without ingesting a toxic substance, cutting him/herself on an inappropriately-stored glass tchotchke, or strangling on a variety of blind pulls, curtain returns, etc.

That being said...

Ignore my foot, paint cans, and random box....the fabric for the drapes has arrived! I have delivered it to our highly-adept seamstress, and it will hopefully return soon in the form of the window treatments I designed!

An online version of the fabric....from Premier Prints, one of my fave resources for affordable fabric options.

The look I really wanted was apparently impossible to execute in a manner that would not cost an arm and a leg and would not end up looking like shitake (I am not a seamstress and have no idea of the technicality involved in making these...)

Michelle Adams via Lonny via Decorpad

Have y'all ever seen this fabric? Maybe I am missing something, but I truly cannot find it.

Oh, and a HUGE thank you to Gimlet Nation for its concern and assistance with selecting the gray paint color for the walls. Um, why was that such a cluster/ procedure?!

The winner is a shade lighter than Sherwin Williams' "Misty" (SW 6232). It is perfectly gray, not too blue, not too brown, and not too lavender.

Even a bit lighter than this...

I will keep y'all posted as the project continues to develop...I hope you are interested in it. Of course, if you find anything that you think would complement the soft yellow and gray scheme, let me know!

Cheers,

JSH

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T11:27:00.000-05:00

I just spied this great article on Casa Sugar featuring "10 Haunted Houses in New Orleans." We are surrounded by all things eerie, all the time in Nola, but especially at Halloween! I am absolutely terrified of ghosts (would I rather a ghost or a person attack me!? DEFINITELY A PERSON) so, in hindsight, I am kind of weirded out that I was willing to stay at Hotel Monteleone on our wedding night (which was, essentially, Halloween by the time we arrived) In fact, the Today Show was there filming for "America's Most Haunted Hotel" on the morning we left for our honeymoon.

What was I thinking?! Blinded by love or alcohol or both, I guess.

You can read more about the fright-inducing Montelone in the 10 Haunted Houses article. Have fun trick or treating tonight!

Cheers,

JSH

Life is a Masquerade

2010-10-29T10:01:00.000-05:00

I still can't really decide if I think masks used as decor are an interesting statement of where you have been, showcasing unique cultural experiences, or whether they are just tacky. I have no ruling and am not even sure I want to submit this to you as a "fab or fug."

Perhaps my confusion is a result of the fact that I owned zero masks two weeks ago and now own two (!), combined with the fact that when I immediately think of the word "mask," I unfortunately think of this:

Tourist trappy Mardi Gras wall mask.

I obviously must like some masks as visual statements. I found this in my blog archives from our trip to Miami in February....

Grouping of tribal masks at the Delano.

Anyhoo, are you curious about this new influx of masks to Casa de Haynes?

I bought this little guy in Puerto as a memento and decided to display him in the kitch for a pop of color.

I think he is cute and fun, but Beau thinks he is scary. Alot of masks are.

He now may be ousted in honor of this one, though....

Remember when I posted about Amanda Talley's mask a while back?

Well, well. We "won" it at the Save our Cemeteries' All Saints Soiree! The event was truly awesome, and I would love to share more pics, but I was 1) having too much fun and 2) working the whole night. Needless to say, we are puzzled as to how and where to display our newest AT art piece. I cannot believe we are the lucky owners. Once we pick up the mask and set it up at home, I will be sure to snap a few shots.

Any tips or suggestions for displaying masks in a non-tacky manner would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

JSH

PS: What do y'all have planned for Hallow's Eve? It is finally going to be Fall here in Nola, and Beau and I plan to celebrate our anni (the 30th) with a trip to the French Market to pick out our pumpkin....last minute! Hopefully, we will get some cutie trick or treaters as we enjoy a delightful dinner at home on Saturday night because apparently some tiny goblins will be coming by on Saturday night instead of Sunday night because of the Saints game on Sunday night. Oh, and we are going to the game, too!

Must Have

2010-10-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

Much like milk, constant diaper changes, and snuggles, I think the new baby "needs" this for his/her room.

I saw this guy at our new-ish Anthropologie and thought he was good looking!

(He would also be cute decorated for the holidays....Mardi Gras beads around his neck, Santa hat, etc....)

I think he will look good with the yellows and grays in this gender-neutral babe's room.

Cheers,

JSH

I love you, Lulu. Part II

2010-10-23T10:00:00.001-05:00

Y'all know I love Lulu. I posted about her awesome blog, Trail of Inspiration, quite some time ago. I admire her personal style as well as her design....and she just seems really cool.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to get a glimpse of her beautiful home in this month's Lonny (BTW, have you read it yet? It is getting better and better....)

She additionally featured the clips on her blog, which I always highly recommend for inspiration. That works out well, since it is, indeed, a "Trail of Inspiration."

Here are the snaps:

The photo in the background is actually a blow up of her husband and his nephew. She used a throw away underwater Kodak camera and had the image blown up on plexi glass by Duggal Photo in NYC.

Dying.

Ahhh...all that Matouk/Lulu fabric and bedding.

Really great "ark" artwork in her children's room!

Some of my all-time favorite Matouk bedding.
And, I love the simple artwork flanking the bed....could be an easy at-home project.

Hip Hip Hooray! It is finally the weekend! We will be attending (and I will be working, so please say hi if you are there) the Save Our Cemeteries All Saints Soiree this weekend. I posted about it here. Remember, you can still come...and bid on an awesome mask, designed by the likes of Amanda Talley or E. Lee Jahncke Mead. I hope to see you there!

Cheers,

JSH

W Vieques Retreat and Spa....Delightful!

2010-10-21T20:44:00.000-05:00

I am excited to share some of our pics from our wonderful vacay in Puerto Rico. I highly recommend Vieques, a tiny island off of Puerto Rico's mainland, if you are seeking a means of getting off the grid a bit, but still want to be in the good ole US of A (a.k.a. working on your iphone and watching The Today Show, if you must...)

I circled the location of Vieques on the map for you....isn't it professional and pretty?

The island's pace is slowwww, which was perfect for our needs. There is nothing to do except lounge on the beautiful beaches, swim in the Bioluminescent Bay, admire the wild horses (which sometimes block the roads!), and, oh, lounge on the beautiful beaches.

We stayed at the W Vieques Retreat and Spa, which opened at the beginning of 2010. We were not disappointed! Of course, I took some interior and exterior decor snaps for you guys. I knew you would be interested in checking out its modern bohemian decor and sweeping views of the perfectly clear Caribbean waters.

Just a beautiful vista view...to get this post started right!

A really nice welcome. At the tiny Vieques airport, if you are a guest of the W, you can wait for your "complimentary" ride to the W in the W airport lounge. It was filled with goodies, including an open bar and yummy chocolate covered coffee beans!

A happy, freshly-arrived, camper! Enjoying a Medalla Light, Puerto Rico's signature brewski.

A pic of the tiny tarmac with eight seater Cesnas. FYI, Vieques can be reached by a long (and apparently miserable) ferry ride or a 20 minute puddle jumper ride.

The awesome pool loungers, where we spent about 80% of our time.

The loungers sit in about 3 inches of water, on a ledge into the infinity pool, which, natch, faces the beach.

Beau's feet/finger toes.

Note the beach in the background.

One of the many, many beaches on the tiny island.

We had all of "Media Luna" to ourselves. Heaven!

A shot of the beach at the W.

Part of the W's "Living Room" aka lobby...note the enormous doors that open up directly to a porch, which overlooks the beach.

A view of the firepit area (with Caribbean in background) from the Living Room.

More shots of the eclectic modern Bohemian decor in the Living Room...

I love the non-beachy beachy look of this organic retreat.

Concierge desk. Beautiful orchids (on the desk) abounded!

A nighttime shot of the Living Room's bar area. I wanted to get a snap of the light fixture over the lounging area for your viewing pleasure.

The usual pitfall of traveling as a duo....single pics of us.

I had to include this because it is just so cute...Beau enjoying a delightful mojito?

See? Single pics!

Bump + mocktail = the entirety of our trip

End of our last day in Vieques, view from the porch of the Living Room.

Email me if you are interested in more "scenic" pics or hilarious, yet embarrassing, video footage depicting some more of the many stunning beaches, our room, and a bumpy bus ride out to the Bioluminescent Bay. I know that scenic pics can get boring so I didn't include all 127 of them, but there are some truly stunning ones that were taken by our budding photographer, Beau.

If you are interested in my full review of W Vieques, you can click here. I am NolaNative.

I hope you enjoyed this mini tour of the W Retreat and Spa. HAPPY FRIDAY, Gimlet Nation!

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. I will post some snaps of Old San Juan and El Convento Hotel next week!

Greetings!

2010-10-18T11:20:00.000-05:00

Hi, Gimlet Nation! Oh, how I have missed you so! Sorry for my abrupt departure, but, for security reasons, I didn't want to announce to the world wide interwebs that Beau and I were departing to Puerto Rico for seven days, leaving our casa to its own defenses. Can't blame me, right?

Anyway, I am alive and doing wonderfully well. Vacation for seven days that involves nothing but eating, sleeping, swimming and reading does wonders for the soul! We are very blessed that we were able to take this time off to enjoy such a decadent vacation together.

Beau has become quite the budding photographer and videographer. I will post some of his great pictures and reviews of the trip on both the blog as well as Trip Advisor, under my usual TA moniker, NolaNative. Stay tuned and thank you for being patient!

Now, onto a tiny newsflash that I know is a bit delayed, but, nonetheless, delightful. Have you seen that dear Johnny (Adler) has a line for HSN now?! It is befittingly called "Happy Chic."

Great home decor items (hello, lamps!) and affordable gifties a go-go. Check it all out here.

Again, thanks, Gimleters, for your patience while I was away. I am excited to be back to the ~~real~~ blog world.

Cheers,

JSH

Nola Goes Pink

2010-10-09T19:30:00.000-05:00

I was delighted to pass the "Wedding Cake House" on St. Charles Avenue the other night on my way home to discover that it has gone pink in honor of October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. An iconic symbol of St. Charles Avenue's grandeur, the WC House makes a statement on behalf of all of Nola....we are committed, together, to finding a cure.

I wish my snap came out better....the whole house is lit up in a very hot hot pink!

Here she is by day from the same angle.

via casasugar

The Saints have also gotten into the action, wearing pink cleats, mouthguards, and towels throughout October.

Real men wear pink!

As Ochsner is also "going pink," Beau has been wearing a pink tie each Friday, too. But, I don't have a pic of him going to work....

Cheers,

JSH

Friendly Reminder

2010-10-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

You should always check ebay for awesome, unique, one of a kind, vintage, well kempt, high quality, fun lamps. We have many featured throughout our house, and I have never once been disappointed by my purchases.

The latest that I am bidding on (please don't bid against me! :) ) is this guy.

Mid-century alabaster marble table lamp.

$50.00

I love that vein-y marble.

Some other delights?

Pair of mid-century chrome lamps.

Best part? The price. $9.99 starting bid.

This rattan lamp is $19.00.

Spray it down in a hot color and you are good to go.

I like these.

The pair for $169.00.

There are literally thousands of options and price ranges from which to choose. Here are some of my suggested search terms for ebay success!

Mid-Century Modern Lamp

Retro Lamp

Hollywood Regency Lamp

Vintage Lamp (Will yield 1,000s of results so beware!)

Blanc de chine Lamp

Chinoiserie Lamp

Good luck and let me know if you find anything. I promise you will score some items which will beat many a "big box store" lamp any day! (Both price and quality-wise)

Cheers,

JSH

Meatball Express

2010-10-04T09:03:00.000-05:00

A while back, I posted about this service I read about called "Blue Bag." It is basically a company that drives to Houston, shops at Ikea for you, and then brings your goods back to your Ikea-deprived area. Considering the amount of time spent by many New Orleanians plotting ways to hit Ikea in a day, rent a U-Haul, and carry all of the shitake back to Louisiana, this business is genius/cash cow.

Well, I finally decided to utilize the service and will report in detail to you how it all shakes out. My mom and sister and I plan to do a little Houston weekend in November in which Ikea will, of course, be a standard stop. I will definitely be loading up for Project Nursery then. HOWEVER, I needed to purchase the light fixture sooner than later as the painter/electrician/window treatment installer is going to be working on project nursery in a short couple of weeks. He can't take down the fan and replace it with a light fixture if he is sans light fixture.

So....I ordered the Fillsta pendant lamp for $49.99 and just remitted a paypal payment to Blue Bag for $64.99. Not a bad deal, in my humble opinion.

Here is the big Fillsta.

An in-store shot of the Fillsta. The anticipated one for our space is on the far left.

from here

Now, another interesting service soon to be announced by Blue Bag is called the Meatball Express (LOVE that name!) Apparently, they will soon offer a day of in-person shopping at Ikea to their customers. For about $200.00, you will get your flight to Houston, lunch, snacks, and delivery of your selected items back to New Orleans. Besides being fun, it still is farrrr cheaper than Ikea's ridiculously expensive shipping costs (particularly if you are loading up and furnishing a house or doing an Ikea kitchen from afar!). I thought this was a quite interesting idea, and I am intrigued to hear from anyone who tries it.

Perhaps a Gimlet Nation field trip will be in order!

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. Who Dat?!

Deals and Steals: Tiny Turq Tables

2010-10-01T09:29:00.000-05:00

I love small side tables that can be moved around a room with ease, always looking good and ready to hold a drink or book. I file them away for times when I am trying to find something small that takes up hardly any visual space. I have been looking for seriously tiny (non-entity) kind of wiry turquoise tables and ... looky looky. I could barely believe that there is one option out there, much less two!

(Do you ever design something in your head and then have to accept the harsh reality that it doesn't exist?!)

Anyhoo...

Option A:

PB Teen (yes, I have already told y'all that I love this tween source!) Take Along table in pool.

Um, it is 29.00 with free shipping.

Option B:

Urban Outfitters (tween/teen source no. 2) Metal Accordian Side Table for $60.00.

These are both very cute options for any room, but particularly for the very teensy nursery that I am currently designing for the bebe. The very first pop of turq will be purchased today. Oh, and the winner? The PB Teen option. C'mon, $30.00 plus free shipping (with a still-outstanding Williams Sonoma gift card covering the cost) can't be beat!

Good deals and steals on this beautiful Friday in Nola. Have a happy, happy weekend!

Cheers,

JSH

Contento

2010-09-30T08:00:00.002-05:00

I must say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease sometimes.

Let me start at the very beginning. Beau and I have been planning a vacay to Puerto Rico for many, many months. Actually, wayyy prior to finding out the news of the impending arrival of the chick pea. Based upon the excellent travel advice of our friends, Paola and Jose, we booked it and are headed to Vieques, an island off the coast of PR, in a couple of weeks. Cannot wait as my favorite activities are traveling with Beau, particularly to beachy "tropical" destinations!

Beau and I in Belize, 2008. Our most recent "big" beach trip.

My hand in Miami...a tiny taste of the beach this past February.

(Our worst offense? Not taking any pics together to document any of our travels or adventures!)

A small part of the vacay will include a visit to Old San Juan. Although there are some seriously ah-mazing beachy resorts in San Juan (Ritz and La Concha), we figured that we would like to experience the charm and history of Old SJ for a bit, especially since we will have been beaching like whales for a week already (quite literally for me these days).

After reading a ton of reviews, asking all Puerto Rican friends or past visitors, and checking out the pics, we excitedly settled on El Convento Hotel in the heart of Old San Juan. I called about three months ago to reserve a spot for us for one night on our way back from Vieques, but my attempt was thwarted. BUMMER. They have a two night minimum stay. I will spare you the painful details, but let's just say that I called back about ~~five~~ three times and finally! the hotel agreed to let us book only one night. I am many things, one of them being perseverant!

El Convento in the heart of Old San Juan.

I really don't think I can describe my anticipation to check out Old SJ with base camp being El Convento. One of the "Small Luxury Hotels of the World" collection, El Convento was constructed as a convent in 1646. It operated as a convent for 252 years, prior to operating as a flophouse and finally undergoing a massive renovation in the 60s. I adore a smaller boutique hotel steeped in history, which is why I knew we "had" to stay at EC.

Now, the good stuff, the pics.

This place seems to perfectly combine old world elegance with some comfy amenities. I am most excited about the evening wine and cheese hour, complementary to the guests and served on the rooftop! (I will only take a couple of sips of vino, I promise...)

If anyone has any Old SJ recs that they would like to share, we are all ears. Still researching restaurant options for our last night in beautiful Puerto Rico. I am hoping we are sunkissed and relaxed from Vieques as we enjoy all that El Convento and San Juan have to offer, even if it is just for about 15 hours. I will keep Gimlet Nation posted as we continue to plan our adventures in both Vieques and San Juan.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. I love a good "after!" Remember E.Lee's post on painting tips from a pro?

Here was the subject in question.

E. Lee's inherited "factory lacquer" finish dining chairs.

Well, here is a delightful little updated "after" she sent me. Check it:

Here is her end chair bedecked in beautiful ikat! So fresh...and no factor lacquer in sight!

(If you would like a source for her fabric, you can email me or E.Lee)

Cotton Candy

2010-09-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

PLEASE tell me I am not the only person who literally became unglued at the mere sight of the fabulous Trudy in all of her cotton candy glory on this week's Mad Men epi?

(My dear friend Emily coined "cotton candy glory" so I must give her full credit...she also provided the below pic from online. Thanks!)

I think she is supposed to be about 9 months pregs.

Beau has suggested that this be my own Halloween costume this year. Can you imagine? The sight of such an atrocity would burn my neighbors' retinas off of their eyeballs! ...but it would be completely perfect, too.

Cheers,

JSH

Kelly Wearstler, Queen of Maximalism

2010-09-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

I am not sure if I should be embarrassed to admit that CBS' Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood is seriously one of my favorite televisions shows of all time. Should that confession be placed in the guilty pleasure category or is it standard to love Sunday Morn? Please advise.

Well, if it is in the former embarrassment category, you may not have seen the piece on Kelly Wearstler yesterday morning. Sunday Morning always does a great job of combining true human interest-y fun facts and warm sometimes folksy interviews with legitimate information. Regarding Kelly, I learned that she posed for Playboy in the 90s and has a 98 year old "lovey" named Frank, but also was intrigued to hear her thoughts on color. A great balance for 8:00 am on a Sunday morning.

Fab Kelly showing off that hand painted foyer of hers.

I thought the interview was light and fluffy and interesting. If you are intrigued, you can read it here. (Still trying to find a clip of the interview and will post if I do!)

Cheers,

JSH

Completely Random

2010-09-27T08:57:00.001-05:00

I still haven't yet resorted to the "this post is completely random" post, but, after a super long week and an upcoming long day, I figured I would simply compile every nugget that I have wanted to blog about for the past week and simply smush it all together. Is that cool? (I must admit...I kind of like reading other bloggers' "completely random" posts on occasion.)

Super Random I

First things first. I am so sick of hearing about the Katy/Elmo controversy, but I just have to implore Gimlet Nation for its opinion. Am I completely morally base and/or desensitized by costume-crazy Nola because I truly do not see the offensiveness of Katy's dress up costume from her duet with Elmo?

I really don't see a difference between Katy's costume and Nancy Kerrigan's ice skating costume from the early 90s...

Or Jasmine's "authentic" costume from Aladdin...

I detect some cartoon cleavage!

Are Jersey Shore-watching American parents really that falsely Puritanical? ...or are they just perverting yet another thing that need not be perverted? I dunno, but I truly do not believe that a three year old would even notice Katy Perry's boobs as being inappropriate and sexualized. Maybe I am naive.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, you can watch the offending Sesame Street piece here. You won't be able to watch it on Sesame because it has been pulled, never to be seen by our nation's perfectly sheltered youth. They will have to resort to texting their fellow five year old friends, gyrating to Hannah Montana, and playing Grand Theft auto.

See, I told y'all this was going to be random!

Super Random II

Next thing. Last weekend, we were lucky enough to be able to go to the Midwest for a 48 hour sweep. We flew into Chicago late Friday evening, stayed with Beau's brother and his wife (my bro/sis-in-law) and had a lovely dinner in their awesome Lakeview neighb. We then got up at 6:00 am and started our road trip to Terre Haute, Indiana for Beau's grandma's 90th birthday party at the TH Country Club. We came in hot from the road already dressed and ready to celebrate. THEN, we drove to Hymera, Indiana to gather further with Beau's entire extended fam at their cabin. There was lots of hitting of golf balls into the lake/pond, playing with filthy dirty dogs, corn hole tourneys, oh, and heavy drinking, of course. I felt right at Southern home! THEN, we drove back to Terre Haute, ate our collective favorite, Maurizio's Pizza, and went to bed. THEN, we woke up, at our second collective favorite, Square Donuts, visited with Beau's Aunt Carolyn and Aunt Judy and, sadly, road tripped back to Chi for our late Sunday flight. Are y'all tired and/or bored from reading this itinerary?

Aside from oversharing, I am filling you in on our fun Midwestern times because I have to show you some of the darling, sweet things that Beau's mom saved for 35 years and then handed over to us for the bebe.

Among many other wonderful day gowns and other sweet things, she sent us home with the following:

Beau's first little cordovan leather shoesies, pictured with a little card that Baptist Hospital (yes, the one on Napoleon and Claiborne in New Orleans) gave to his dad (not his mom) to congratulate him on his baby boy! I definitely plan to frame it simply for the bebe's room as a little memento.

My other favorite item. Hong Kong jammies! Did y'all ever have Hong Kong jammies? My sister and I did. I have no idea who gave us ours, but, in Beau's family, they are a mandatory tradition. Beau's cousins live in Hong Kong so his aunt has always ensured that everyone under 4'5" can be easily outfitted at all times in Hong Kong jammies or varying versions thereof. (I know we have many many pics somewhere of all of the Templeton cousins gathered in their jammies over various years and I WILL post them one day!)

Here are a pair of Beau's....I seriously cannot wait for our kid to rock the vintage ones (and hopefully a couple of new fresh pairs, too!)

Aren't Beau's HK jammies sweet? Sweeter b/c his three brothers had matching ones.

Super Random III

Did I show you guys the awesome John Derian for Targe waste basket that I snatched from gilt.com when they featured the first glance of John Derian for Targe items? I am quite pleased with it for the nursery. I know you can likely find it at your local Targe, but I had to fight tooth and nail for this one on gilt!

Cute and perfectly sized for the tinsie room.

Super Random IV

I spied this mirror at Agora Galleries on Magazine (I have blogged about it before here). I think it is so pretty and like the idea of a fabric frame for a mirror. It looks a little Ballard-ish, but there is something that drew me to it. I actually think it would be great over a bed on a gray (shocker!) wall. Very soft and delicate, but crisp.

Let me know if you need me to proxy this for you!

Super Random V

Have you guys ever seen Smock. paper in real life? I have swooned online, but have never examined it in person. My sister and I went to The Stationer to select some baby shower invites for a family friend, and we were delighted by the Smock. selections.

The letterpress is truly unique. The patterns are stunning...a perfect combination of modern and classic.

Check out their site, but if you have the ability, examine their stuff in person!

Cute stuff.

Well, happy Monday. We are enjoying some "Fall" weather in Nola, which will hopefully cheer us up a bit after a hard loss against the Falcons yesterday. Who Dat Nation must hold its head high for next week's game!

Cheers,

JSH

CB2 Surprise

2010-09-21T11:55:00.000-05:00

I normally overall like CB2's offerings, but occasionally think that their goods look a bit too much like Ikea stuff for double or even triple the price. Usually, there are a couple of fun accessories a season that I pine for and that is about it. Of course, CB2 has also given us the ubiquitous (and delightfully priced) lucite cocktail table for everyman/woman's enjoyment.

Remember me? Still available for $249.00.

Let me tell you, I was very surprised and delighted to receive the new CB2 catalog last night, which featured its new lighting for the season. The victory pendant is a real treat. It is good looking...and far more luxey looking than the price tag indicates!

If you are seeking an industrial/galvanized light fixture, this is your winner.

I love the size and scale of these, esp. for $149.00 a piece.

Pefect over the Big Sur standard from Crate and Barrel, in my humble opinion....

Crate and Barrel

Or even over your kitchen island...

Still a fave kitch of mine from the Cottage Living Magazine (RIP) designer showhouse on Camp Street.

Please let me know if you have a project requiring the victory pendant. I would love to see it in action. Too good of a deal to pass up.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. THANK YOU Gimlet Nation for all of your assistance with the Great Gray Paint Debate of 2010. I will hopefully have something to show you relatively soon, especially now that I am armed and dangerous with your wonderful perspective and advice.

Gray Matters

2010-09-20T09:39:00.000-05:00

Selecting neutral paint colors, to me, is one of the most challenging color-oriented design tasks. Neutrals can either sinnnnggg or totally tank, depending on the addition or subtraction of even the tiniest bit of light or dark tints. Needless to say, acquiring the perfect "dove gray" hue (did I invent this paint color in my head?!) for the nursery has been ~~a shit show~~ taxing, to say the least.

Total trainwreck in action....note the lavender-y tones of pretty much all 17 of the paint samples.

I started to give up and the samples got smaller and smaller as I became more frustrated!

Some of the grays I have found and been inspired by, via decorpad.

Lonny.

Jessica Helgerson

Living etc.

Gina Kates.

Now, I am going to totally sell myself out here. Usually, I am all about sharing my own tips and tricks with y'all, holding myself out as a pseudo painting/DIY expert. Well, welcome to amateur hour. I realized about four days ago that I seriously think that the reason the color is so completely off and looks nothing like gray, much less the swatches I thought I was buying, is because the wall color (which seems to be an innocuous neutral) is either coming through the paint OR we are just having a really hard time seeing the colors for what they are, since they are not up against a pure white. Who knew this could happen, Mr. Wizard?

Hence, back to square one and having to prime an entire wall to restart our efforts. After it is primed, we will simply take out all the samples and brushes and start again. I will keep you posted.

In the meantime, anyone have a truly perfect dove gray to recommend? Other colors in the palette are sunshine yellow and pops of turq. White trim, neutral rug. Please, have at it. I apparently need all the help I can get!

Cheers,

JSH

A(nother) New Kid on the Block: Rue

2010-09-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Rue online magazine is live! And, I am loving it already....

Click here to be transported.

What are your thoughts? I will share mine after this weekend...needing time to examine and digest for a couple of hours!

Cheers,

JSH

Home Girl

2010-09-16T09:29:00.000-05:00

The Nola design community is bursting with pride over one of its own being featured in this month's House Beautiful. Not that Melissa Rufty hasn't been lauded the world over for her explosive design talents, but her very own home is the featured this month. Pretty cool for her and New Orleans, no?

Exterior of her Uptown home.

I am tres stupide...I pass this home all the time and just never knew it was MR's!

Melissa Rufty is one of my favorite designers because she captures the pitch perfect essence of the "New" New Orleans....a balanced combination of incredibly traditional antiques and old artifacts with fresh and vibrant punches of color and pattern.

Trad family pieces combined with perfect punches of ikat on antique chairs.

Signature MR! The banquette under the entrance foyer stairwell. Cozy, yet grand, don't you think?

...check out the nailheads on the custom seating. Love the interplay with the pattern on the cocktail table.

Custom wine closet off of the dining room. MR calls it a "filling station."

Editor's Note: I am totally stealing that term.

Beautiful textured walls in the dining room, too.

Natch, Leontine linens abounding.

Curvaceous bed from Bush Antiques set against pale pink walls.

Tres Nouvelle Orleans!

Genius combination of patterns throughout the home.

Those suzani pillows up against that wallpaper. Ooh la la...would have never thought.

Now-iconic Amanda Talley paintings abound in New Orleans homes these days and rightfully so.

MR did her daughter's room in perfectly sweet pinks layered in patterns.

(The bold and utiliatrian toy storage under the antique bamboo side tables is a fabu foil, too.)

Blurry pic of a gorgeous tortoise shell.

I have wanted one of these for a long time. Such a curiosity!

Check out the full spread of Melissa Rufty's beautiful home in House Beautiful this month. I picked up my copy here and you can too!

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. I discovered that perch's blog has some far bigger scans than I do...and it sources the fabrics featured throughout the home for you. Check it if you want to see more pics or purchase some of the fab fabrics for Chez You.

Craigslist Connect

2010-09-14T14:03:00.000-05:00

Remember the Pier One mirror?

Well, I sold it on good ole Craigs to a designer here in Nola. She plans to paint it for a client who has been lusting over something almost identical for quite some time. Much like ebay, everyone wins with Craigs!

Anyway, bright and early on Saturday a.m. during the "exchange," I learned that my "customer" has a great retail website called Sophisticated Mix. She sells her wares out of two locations, one in Lakeview and one in Old Metairie (as well as her online site and via Facebook).

I was beyond delighted to check it out and discover the potential winner in my 2 year long search for a proper bar cart to serve as our satellite bar in the living room.

Voila!!

Bamboo tray table for $268.00

It is the perfect size...and doesn't have to permanently serve as a bar forever.

(Who are we kidding? As long as we need drinks, we will need this bar.)

There are some other great items on her site, too. Loving this lotus table lamp and its sexy black shade.

Or these ceramic sparrows in all sizes and pairings...

The moral of this post is that you juuuust never know who you are going to meet and why you are going to meet them. Instead of exchanging a mirror for cash with a questionable person who now knows my address, email, and name, I now have learned about a pretty cool new site with some great products. Check it out when you have a sec!

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. In honor of my recent "ask and I shall receive," I figure that by putting my bar cart wish on the blog, it will be promptly delivered to my front door by a kind gimleter, right?

Ask and you shall receive

2010-09-13T09:09:00.000-05:00

I was very spoiled this past weekend. Most notably, by the company of a dear college friend, Courtney, and her awesome boyfriend, Keith. There was lots of laughing, telling of old ~~scarring~~ stories, and, of course, eating. Alot.

Courtney and Keith's visit was all I needed, but she also brought me a little gift. I almost died when I opened it.

Remember me?

I posted about my lust for this sweet tray from Paris Hotel Boutique quite some time ago. Courtney listened!

Who knew that my blog could also serve as an ongoing wish list? So many benefits and sweet treats!

Cheers,

JSH

Fancy

2010-09-07T17:55:00.001-05:00

At lunch the other day we snuck on over to the NFL Women's Shop on Magazine Street for a look see. Apparently, this is a temporary pop up type shop that is just here to serve the immediate and pressing needs of New Orleans ladies for Saints ~~shitake~~ gear, clothing, chapstick, wallets, hand sanitizer, picnic baskets, magnets, jewelry, work out gear, bikinis....

Overall, the store was refreshingly clear of the usual NFL "attire for ladies," such as pink jerseys with bejeweled numbers or daisy dukes with the team name written across the bottoms. We were pleasantly surprised!

However, there were a couple of puzzling items and this one, in particular, should be shared.

Jessica Simpson-designed Saints cocktail dress?

Please explain the specific occasion to which you would wear this!

Julie apologizes for the photo quality. A random patron had some serious things to say about the proprietary rights of the Saints organization to photographs of its merch, particularly this cocktail dress...

Perhaps I will purchase this and squeeze my baby bump into this for Thursday's game. Dress for success?

Cheers,

JSH

Desautel's

2010-09-03T15:36:00.001-05:00

I have decided to post more about one of my favorite hobbies/pastimes, besides all things design. What is this hobby you say? Why, dining out in all places, but particularly, Nola, baby!

There are so many excellent restaurants here, and I hope to share our tremendous culinary offerings with both Nola Gimleters and soon-to-be-visiting Nola Gimleters, too. (I will happily discuss the design and interiors of these hot spots, too....)

What prompted this post is the fact that Beau and I have a little date night planned tonight. Since Project Baby Haynes '11 was put into action, I have been kind of unable to enjoy our favorite dining activites due to the obvious food aversion issues and exhaustion. (I remember in the thick of the sickies/pregs feeling so proud of myself for sitting inside one of our favorite pizza places at 5:30 pm on a Friday and nibbling on bread sticks and Sprite...and making it out alive.)

Now that I am back in business, we decided that we should celebrate by hitting one of our fave spots in Uptown Nola, Patois. Beau prefers to standardly refer to it as "Desautel's," which is the name of the fictional restaurant in the HBO show, Treme. If you haven't seen the show, the actual Patois Restaurant is the location for Desautel's.

Chef Jeannette Desautel wowing Tom Colicchio and friends (Eric Ripert, Wiley Dufresne, and David Chang)in "Treme."

Love Tommy C!

It is a precious French bistro nestled on a residential corner about 2.5 blocks from our house on Laurel Street near Audubon Park. I adore not only the drink menu (RIP for me) and the cuisine, but also the interior and ambiance generale. It is hard to find restaurants that perfectly balance sophistication and comfort. Patois maintains a lively vibe without being sceney. Thanks, Patois!

Fresh and modern, yet very warm and very "new Nola."

Intimate neighborhood dining at its finest.

Food and Wine

Corner shot of the restaurant's glowing exterior.

Patois' Facebook page

So, what are the shining star highlights at Patois, in my humble opinion? (I will include Beau's usual picks as well for the majority of you Gimleters who are non-vegetarians! )

The Stand outs....

Appetizers:

Potato Gnochhi; Crispy Pork Belly and Seared Scallop; Grilled Lamb Ribs

*I also love the cheese plate, but I have never met a cheese plate I didn't like.

Salads:

Jumbo Lump Crab Salad

Not to be missed!

Entrees:

Grilled Hangar Steak; Crispy Half Roasted Duck; Gulf Shrimp and Housemade Fettucini

I am unable to access the specialty drink menu, but will update you on which mocktail I select tonight. Seriously, though, you cannot go wrong with one of their fresh seasonal fruit-based cocktails.

If you haven't tried Patois OR are thinking about visiting Nola and want to veer off the touristed path, this is a great option. I highly recommend...bon appetit!

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day. So ready for a three day weekend filled with organizing projects. Yes, I really mean that.

Day-um

2010-09-01T16:55:00.000-05:00

Nothing particularly design related today, but just had to post my favorite hotties...

Have y'all seen this?

Let's just say that Joanie never disappoints.

Cheers,

JSH

Verdict: Womb Chair?

2010-08-31T17:30:00.001-05:00

A while back, I posed the question to you Gimleters about the idea of purchasing a knock off Eames lounger. Thanks for the insight and comments....I took all of them to heart! At the time of that post, I had not yet made the "great reveal" regarding Project Baby Haynes 2011, so what I didn't tell y'all was that I was bandying about the idea of purchasing the Eames lounger (knockoff) for purposes of having a comfy spot for us to feed and rock the baby that would also transition to regular usage long after the baby no longer requires that kind of feeding and lounging (wah...they grow up so fast!)

What do you prefer, real ones or fake ones?

My practical side comes out regarding the purchasing of a glider or fancy rocker for purposes of feeding/rocking the baby for about 18 months at most. I know that many people truly swear by gliders, but many others say that they are a waste of money. I personally don't have a clue as I have never required one before, but I think that they are, overall, eyesores and the $850.00 (minimum) price tag makes me cringe.....especially for something that usually ends up just taking up space after its expiration date.

I am sorry, but this thing is the equivalent of a mini-van!

Very pretty from Serena and Lily, but not so sure about the short shelf life/$1,100.00 issue. I don't love it for that price.

So, enter my brilliant idea of the Eames lounger for our family room wherein we would purchase something that would be extra useful for baby feeding and lounging and then ultimately enjoyable long after. Well. Even after fortified by your comments, I was unable to convince Beau to go for it. He pretty much allows me free artistic reign over our house so when he says "ugh" or "no!" on something, I typically defer. For some reason, he cannot stand the aesthetic of the Eames. I will never understand.

Beau's aesthetic and choice for the winner.

I would not stop at his "no," of course. Rather, I decided to wow him with the comfort and beauty of the Eames lounger by taking him to our awesome DWR showroom this weekend. Well, something surprising happened. Beau became as giddy as I usually do over a piece of furniture. Not the Eames, of course. But, interestingly, the womb chair.

DWR's womb chair.

I love a womb chair as much as the next guy, but Beau was positively smitted with him. I explained that it was designed by Eero Saarinen as a chair that Florence Knoll could curl up in, and he did just that. So, do we have a winner? Quite possibly.

This one is faux. Could you tell?

Here are some shots of the womb chair in action, particularly in more eclectic interiors like ours:

from design sponge

from jubella

I actually found a decent amount of photos of parents tending to babies in womb chairs, but many of them seemed personal as they were on flickr. Some were also kind of revealing for Gimlet Nation's tender eyes as there were some "feeding" shots. Figured I would let you use your imagination.

Hmmmm....a womb for the little baby. And for us. Someone on a message board deemed it the "king of cozy." That excites me with the Fall approaching.

Cheers,

JSH

For Sale via Craigslist

2010-08-29T11:04:00.000-05:00

Just a short post on this rainy and now-possibly-sunny Sunday. I just listed this great mirror on Craigslist if any of you Gimleters are interested.

Here is the mirror:

Purchased at Pier One for $185.00. Listed on Craig's for $100.00 or best offer

Here is the official listing:

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/fuo/1925395228.html

I have wanted to paint it and place it somewhere, but, honestly, it has been in the guest room since we moved into this house, kind of homeless. I just can't find a spot for it, and we now are purging (yet again) to make room for the new resident of Chez Gimlet!

Let me know if you are interested...I will give you a deal. Trust me!

Cheers,

JSH

The Big Uneasy and Five Years Later

2010-08-27T15:46:00.002-05:00

Tonight we were treated to reserved tickets to the world premiere of Harry Schearer's "The Big Uneasy." I have been a fan of Harry for a long time, loving Le Show and trying to read his Huff Po blog as much as possible. Although suffering from massive Katrina Media Fatigue, Beau and I were honored to be invited and gratefully accepted the invite. (I am glad we did because we got to sit right behind Wendell Pierce, Brian Williams, Dr. John, and lots of other interesting New Orleans notables!)

via The Prytania Theater

No need for my detailed commentary or review of the documentary. Let's just say that I enjoyed it as an educational experience, realizing that I was blindingly ignorant about which levees broke, where various flood waters came from, how they broke, what the MRGO really is....etc.   Harry said that he wrote the movie not for us New Orleanians, but for the "rest of the world."  Well, even as a native, I needed to see it so I could better understand some of the mechanics behind the flooding.

I was prepared for what the majority of the documentary is: an indictment of our federal government's epic failure to create and maintain infrastructure to protect us. I was careful to take parts of the film with a grain of salt as most documentaries in this vein are not the most objective depictions of reality.  The reason I personally think people should watch is not to "hate on the Corps," but to actually understand the myths versus reality about "the event" as well as life in New Orleans post-Katrina.

Some myths and respective clarifications:

1.   Katrina was not "the mother of all storms." In fact, it barely pushed Cat 2 status when it was miles off the coast.
2.   New Orleans is not a big "soup bowl" sitting below sea level. In fact, a majority of our city is above sea level.
3.   Don't call the flooding of New Orleans "the greatest natural disaster of all time." It was man made.
4.   There is no standing water in certain parts of the city these days. (I had no idea that people actually thought that still!)

If you want to check out the documentary, it is premiering on Monday night at theaters across the country. In New Orleans, you can catch it at Canal Place (and have a martini!) or Prytania.

Editor's Note: I promise that you will not be nauseated from the usual barrage of "Katrina images." In fact, it is pretty "dry" and scientific. In a good way.

Now. Next things next. I thought long and hard about what I was going to write about Katrina, if anything, on its fifth anniversary. The weirdest part is that once the initial flood waters receded, all we kept saying was, "Wow....it is going to take at least five years for any of this to be cleaned up..." Here were are, five years later. Lots of it has been cleaned up (literally and figuratively) and lots of it hasn't.

My conclusion about what to post was that everyone has a Katrina story (EVERYONE) and some of us need to share them and some of us need to keep them private...all as part of the continued individual healing process. At this point, five years out, there is still so much I could probably say, but my well is all dried up. There is a permanent hole in my heart for about 1,000 reasons and talking-talking-talking about it isn't personally helpful to me anymore. However, if telling your story is what you need to do to get through the still-raw heartbreak, do it! (And, please, I beg of you, if you are in a position to listen to someone who needs to talk, lend your ear....)

So, onto what we have learned to do best around here these days, which is continue to move forward (in very small, sometimes seemingly inconsequential ways), despite the hardships that are ever present:

The Saints are rockin' the Dome tonight and, in honor, it is Saints Day at the office. Can I just say that a wise person once told me that it makes her 23.4789878978% happier to wear jeans to work on Fridays? Truest statement I ever heard.
Dare I say that it is getting "cooler?" The humidity seems to be less oppressive and, for the past three mornings, the air has felt different. Hope springs eternal that Fall could be coming in about two months instead of three....
This is personal to me, but we will have a tiny arrival in February! I vividly remember telling Beau that Mardi Gras was something that we would never ever again get to experience ourselves much less with a child because "how could it ever happen again...there is no way." Joke's on me because I already bought two teensie "costumes" that will be worn by the tiniest reveler on March 8, 2011.

No wreckage shots for this blog today.

Where we are now, down here in the big uneasy.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. If you ever recover from Katrina fatigue (yep, people in New Orleans have it too, don't worry....), I have compiled a reading/watching list of books, docs, shows, etc. that I think are seminal in understanding what really happened and what life was like, before, during and after K. If you are ever interested, please email me and I will pass my two cents along to you.

A stylish and functional big girl room

2010-08-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

When our O-town friends' family expanded from a family of three to four, their daughter was upgraded from her nursery to her very own big girl room. Baby bro moved right into the gender neutral nursery. Practicality that just floats my boat, I'm telling you.

This particular child's room really struck me because of the perfect balance between whimsy and organization. The color scheme of lavendar, pinks and reds is perfectly feminine without being stereotypical "girl!", and there is toy storage and play room galore.

This project was recently completed and, accordingly, the hunt is still on for a good rug for the center of the room. Both of us are thinking circular. Qualifications are as follows: 1) Cannot be white (or a large portion cannot be white, 2) Must be durable enough for kiddies and a big Rotweiler to enjoy. Please feel free to send anything you see that may fit the bill my way!

Ho-hum. Of course, the Madeline Weinrib zigs in red is the perfect option, but the occupant of this room must attend school and be fed on a daily basis. Not in the budget!

Check it:

Note the fave Matouk bedding as well as the re-upholstered vintage stools...

....accompanying an Ikea play table. Perfect mix of high and low!

I refrained from moving the pulls so that they all faced down....I wanted to show the room as it looks. Lived in by a three year old little gal.

There is a red "Keep Calm" poster waiting for its frame to go in between the two lamps.

My fave part of the room. The Expedit storage, of course.

...also note that the books are organized by color.

(Does anyone else spy and love that lady bug riding toy?)

One more shot from the hallway. Let's talk about the ceiling for a sec.

Gimleters know my hatred/ understanding of the utility of ceiling fans. I think they picked out a great ceiling fan for this room, though. I know, I know, it is necessary evil in Florida!

I also love the bite sized paper poufs. I have used them for parties as big poufs, but the tiny size is perfect for a tiny girl.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my friends' O-town bungalow. I sincerely thank them for allowing me to share their decorating know-how with Gimlet Nation. Again, if you have sourcing questions, please do not hesitate to shoot a comment or email.

Cheers,

JSH

Thanks for the shout, perch.!

2010-08-25T17:18:00.002-05:00

The delightful Krewe of perch. gave us over here at Gimlet a nice little shout today. perch. is "still loving zebra" and was inspired to post when it saw that Courtney in Orlando still loves zebra as well.

Courtney loved the footstools she saw in perch. so much, she got them sent to O-town from Magazine Street in New Orleans. Done and done.

If you haven't done so already, check out perch.'s blog here. You can also simply link to it from my blogroll on the right for your daily fix (they also do fun giveaways from the store occasionally....it could be your lucky day!)

Cheers,

JSH

Hey Good Lookin'

2010-08-25T13:15:00.000-05:00

Here are two good lookin' things that we have purchased / are purchasing to better prepare Chez Haynes for the tiny arrival. I will be posting things like this more often than not, I am sure. The scary thing is that I am oddly pumped about both items and truly believe that they are, indeed, both practical and good looking.

Exhibit A:

Cariboo Folding Bassinet

The little tike will likely sleep in here for the first four months of his/her life. It is PERFECT for our minute spacial needs (and then subsequent storage limitations) as well as aesthetically pleasing. Plus, it can move from room to room simply by folding up. Friends have given it rave reviews.

My mom liked it and approved of it because it "doesn't look like something out of Rosemary's Baby." Point taken, actually.

Scary, but true. Alot of bassinets do kind of look like the one from the 70s horror flick.

image from here

Exhibit B:

New kitchen sink from Lowe's. We, sadly, cannot do an undermount, but this cast steel baby will work! Anything to rid ourselves of the gross stainless that just never seems to get clean. Oh, and is divided down the middle. We both yearn for a single basis sink....and this is the winner (most likely). Holding my breath until we actually purchase and install it.

My oh my have my design crushes and purchase lists changed in the blink of an eye. I will continue to post these things, but only if they are super super super mundane. Just kidding-ish.

Cheers,

JSH

O-town Bungalow

2010-08-23T21:09:00.000-05:00

Greetings! I am back from O-town after a whirlwind weekend that included lots of shopping, delicious eats, two nice long walks, QT with friends, and some serious baby kissing and snuggling.

As promised, I was allowed to snap some pics of one of my favorite "no touch" rooms ever, all for your viewing pleasure. I think it looks perfectly designed without any semblance of "trying too hard." Unique, yet stylish. Fresh and classic. Real and lived in, but still special.

...oh, and did I mention that a three year old and one year old live here?? I know, impressive.

Without further ado, behold the "no touch" and dining rooms of this classic Florida bungalow.

View towards the front door.

...there is talk of painting the fire place white. I am in full agreement!

Close up of the coffee table scape.

...benches are from perch.

Opposite view into the dining room. Love those plaster curves in bungalows.

J.A. sideboard to the immediate left of the front door. Do you not adore the touches of fuscia? Incredibly current.

(And, I must point out the Roy Barloga photograph of the fountain in Audubon Park where the couple was married. Beau and I have the same one in our bedroom!)

Up close of the textural chair and the orange side tablescape.

A peek into the adjoining dining room.

Another view....another shared feature of Chez Gimlet, that great chevron rug from West Elm!

I hope you enjoyed this mini house tour. If you have any sourcing questions, please email me, and I will try to get the answers you need. Next up? The new big girl room of my friends' three year old.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. Thanks C and C for a wonderful visit! It was a perfect little junket.

Baby Animals

2010-08-19T18:28:00.000-05:00

Even if you are not a huge animal lover or a particularly cuddly/mushy/gooey/saccharine person, I seriously do not think that you can resist "baby animals." I have never met a person who doesn't pause and at least say "awwww" at the sight of a baby farm animal email forward (you know who you are if you send them) or mall calendar.

Dare I suggest that you have a heart of stone if you do not pause to think that this guy is at least somewhat cute??

Blaspheme if your heart doesn't melt just a tad!

Anyhoo, where am I going with this?

Well, I know you have seen this image floating through the interwebs and blogosphere.....

Baby Deer from The Animal Printshop by Sharon Montrose

BUT, have you ever reviewed the entirety of her site and explored the myriad of truly precious baby animal (and grown up animal) prints? If not, here are some of her latest.

The donkey and chick are brand spankin' new. The donkey truly cracks me up.

My co-workers and I were all oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over which one was the cutest....and we cannot decide!

Some of our other faves:

Porky.

Bassett pup.

Bunny bum.

Now, I am completely inspired to save my pennies and do a grouping of nine of the babies for, well, the baby.

I am accepting donations for the babe's "visual stimulation" fund....

I don't think that these prints are necessarily just for babies, though. Imagine this guy in the largest version possible (30 x 40).

Or, a this cheeky pairing in a small hallway...

I would love to see a big ole camel above a desk in your office or study.

I highly encourage you to play around on The Animal Print Shop site. Even if you have seen the tiny deer image before, I promise you have not seen everything Ms. Montrose has to offer. (There are even some wonderful grouping and framing tips!)

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. I am sneaking off this weekend to Orlando for a little fun in the sun with some of my favorite peeps. I promise there will be some excellent blog posts to follow, including a mini house tour that I have ~~brow beat~~ kindly requested that Courtney give us while I am there. If you are heading to the Saints pre-season game, please keep an eye out for the welfare and safety of Beau! He is ready, ready, ready.

Save Our Cemeteries All Saints Soiree

2010-08-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

Save Our Cemeteries is a non-profit based here in Nola that is committeed to the preservation of Louisiana's historically significant (and hauntingly beautiful) cemeteries. The organization holds clean ups, educational lectures, tours of cemeteries, and fundraisers all with preservation in mind. I was very fortunate to become involved with its annual All Saints Soiree last year and loved every minute of it. Now, I am hooked and am, again, serving on the planning committee.

The All Saints Soiree is a unique fundraiser...certainly not an event filled with rubbery chicken/hotel food, sleepy music or two hour awards speeches! Rather, a wonderfully eclectic crowd gathers for a night of great food and "spirits" (ha), dancing, and, the best part, evening carriage tours of our cemeteries. Last year, the event actually took place in Historic Metairie Cemetery under tents, but we are holding it in a private home in the Garden District this year.

Here we are at last year's event...I know, the pic doesn't really "show" much about the event! (and certainly isn't a showstopping snap, but had to include it....)

The silent auction aspect of the event is always a hit, of course. (Please tell me that I am not the only one who leaves those things with gift certificates for spas paired with a bottles of wine or men's belts and ties?) Well, anyway, this year, the silent auction exceeds all expectations! This year's "theme" for the event is a Masked Gala and, accordingly, the auction items nod to the concept.

Note the mask on all of the marketing materials....

Inspired by the masked gala idea, many of the big ticket auction items are going to be decorative masks, hand created by local New Orleans artists. You can own your very own Amanda Talley and do good for Save Our Cems. The masks are being posted on Facebook as they come in, but here are just a few of my faves thus far.

"Copper Mask" by Amanda Talley

Untitled by E. Lee Jahncke Mead

I hoping that more well-loved artists continue to get on board and donate a mask or two! ...dying to see what they can all come up with.

If you are interested in attending the event or simply learning more about the wonderful Save Our Cemeteries, here is the link to the extensive and informative website. We also have a facebook page that is constantly updated with information about the organization as well as the All Saints Soiree. I would love to see some Gimleters at this fun event....and will happily receive mask donations from any Gimleters/artists out there!

Cheers,

JSH

Uptown Girl, Living in a Downtown World

2010-08-16T14:39:00.000-05:00

Dear friend and faithful Gimleter Emily is one of the most creative, witty and vibrant people I know. She is also an incredibly talented chef and artist. Years ago, Emily cleverly informed me that she was an "uptown girl living in a downtown world," meaning that her champagne tastes sometimes do not match her very-decent-bottle-of-liquor budget. Emily has an excellent knack for living the good life without bankrupting herself and her equally witty husby. She always looks like a million bucks (as does her home, parties, gifts, invites, etc.) and is never shy about sharing her secrets for fine living (within reason!) with her friends.

Naturally, I was intrigued when I received an email from Emily, subject line: "A Poor Girl's Jonathan Adler." And, oh boy, the email contents exceeded my expectations!

Inspired by her mom's incredibly ingenius idea of using vinyl tile to create her own outdoor area rugs, Emily decided that her bathroom needed a Jonathan-inspired (and durable) bath mat. Ta-da!

Clever and practical!

The project started looking like this:

El cheapo vinyl tile from Lowe's.

Emily explained that she simply flipped the vinyl over, cut out her shape (very easily, with scissors), and prepped for painting with multiple layers of Killz. She believes that gesso may work just as well.

After she painted the design to her liking, she waterproofed with marine varnish. Done and done.

I think that it looks just like the "real deal," but is obviously a better choice for a wet environment, like a bathroom.

Jonathan's fluffy zebra rug.

Imagine the possibilities! You could re-create all kinds of great designer rug looks for your own vinyl mat. I think that flat vinyl rugs are always perfect in kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor areas or play rooms. They are perfectly durable and so easy to clean.

Finally, my dream of the initial rug could maybe come true?

image

Let us know if you are inspired to make your very own vinyl mat for indoors or out. Emily is a doll and will happily answer any questions you may have about the process, so please fire away. Keep us posted on your own inspirations or projects!

Cheers,

JSH

These are a few of my favorite things....

2010-08-13T10:14:00.000-05:00

Charley Harper's ABCs

Roberta Roller Rabbit baby blankie

Bla Bla Fruit and Veggie Rattles

Kate Quinn Elephant Jammies

Lil Squirts Nola Baby album

**includes pages for crucial milestons, such as "My First Snoball" and "My First Evacuation"

Star Egg Nightlight

Lou Lou Ghost Chair for Children by Kartell

Original Colorforms

Green Gator "piggy bank" from Mignon Faget

The Jeff Lewis Ben Lomond Martini

...just wanted to make sure I hadn't lost you with all the baby talk!

Anyhoo, have you been able to pick up on my not-so-subtle hints? Chez Haynes will be welcoming a bebe in February! Enough time for the wee one to maybe even make a tiny appearance at Mardi Gras 2011, since it will be so late. I have been dying to share this news with Gimlet Nation for, well, about 8 weeks, but have had to keep mum for all of the obvious reasons. Now the news is out there for the interwebs, and we invite you to share in this adventure with us!

I promise my posting will become more regular again. It has been somewhat of a challenge to muster up the energy and well, well-ness, to post each day. Now that the second tri is upon us, I am feeling almost back in the saddle! Thanks for not giving up on me in my post slumps over the past two months.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. There will certainly be much talk about how the chickpea is a Nola Baby through and through. Beau's family, however, has already made every effort to ensure that he/she rightfully knows its Hoosier roots. They have already begun to spoil bebe with all things cute and all things Indiana. Check it.

"H is for Hoosier: An Indiana Alphabet" book, courtesy of Beau's brother, Chris, and his beautiful wife Courtney. I have already read it twice....and have learned so much about Indiana. No mention of John Dillinger, though. (Love that even the cover states it all: red barn? Check. b-ball/b-ball shoes? Check. corn? Check. hay? Check. cats? I guess that is "a thing?" Please advise, Indiana readers.)

Exhibit 2. Bib (and non-pictured IU onesie) from Beau's brother, Geoff, and his delightful lady, Kayla. All ready for Hauteans Reunion 2011! (Likely bebe's inaugural road trip to Terre Haute....)

Make A Wish

2010-08-09T17:46:00.000-05:00

This week is packed with activity....work, volunteer obligations, appointments, and some fun, too, of course. Needless to say, this post is super short. BUT, it contains something noteworthily adorable.

Courtney sent me a link to these nifty sussies over the weekend, and my uses for them are truly countless!

Plastic "Best Wishes" wishbones!

More pics here

....and they can be given, kept, broken for luck, placed as a place holder, tied to bride's bouquet, worn as bones around your neck, strung up on your windowsill.....

The wishbones are brought to us by PA design duo, "Somethings Hiding in Here." Play on their blog. You will be lost for about an hour, overwhelmed by their fresh and whimsical ideas and products.

Cheers,

JSH