Before we begin this Mondays post, let me say how thankful I am that our weather has warmed and school is in session!! We still have a snow covered yard, but the roads are fine. Last weeks entire week home with my 'angels' has put me a wee bit behind in the holiday preparations department, so I am getting my holiday hustle on today.


Let's start our week off with the following beautiful photos. I have seen some of them on other blogs, but, I had no idea that the designer responsible was Tommy!! 
    


As in 'Sarah Richardson's-assistant-on-TV-Tommy'!  Wouldn't everyone love to have this guy as their assisant! He is so cute, so funny and sooo good. And as much as I love Sarah, somebody needs to give Tommy his own show. Take a look at some shots of his past homes that have been featured in Canadian House and Home that he has redone over the past 6 years... 

















Did you hear that Sarah has a new show starting in January??!! 

The kids and I jump up and dance every time the Target Christmas Toy Commercial comes on! Don't you love it?! I can relate to this commercial so well--my brother and I used to have to sit at the top of the stairs in our footed pj's and wait for Dad to launch his 'crazy big video camera of the 70's' on his shoulder. The flash was so big and so bright on those cameras that we were completely blinded. We would have to put our hands out to feel our way toward the presents while listening to Dads voice lead us towards Santa's haul! It's crazy that we never had to make a Christmas morning visit to the ER. Good times!!

If only they could have had Maria Bamford {THE Target crazy excited lady} in the Toy Commercial
 dancing to the fabulous beat of Blackilicious--oh it would be so good!!!

So here it is again. Crank up your volume and enjoy because you really can't see/hear it enough can you??!! 

Target Christmas Commercial 2010 - Is it time yet? I can't wait

New Target Christmas commercial, including: A reverse in video, of children running down the stairs, and unwrapping their presents.

Song: Toy Jackpot - Blackalicious
Song Download [free]
http://www.target.com/b?node=2492229011

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We just finished an entire week of school being closed due to snow and ice. And now we enter 2 more weeks of Holiday Break. Thankfully, they are making our kids go to school next week until the 23rd to make-up the missed days. 
God grant me patience!!!

Hope you all enjoy a great weekend--thank you for reading my blog and for all your emails and comments!

I love it when designers are given the same space and are allowed to design it according to their own style. Remember the first season when Design Star used to do this for most of their challenges? But this past season--not so much. Well Martha has a new IPad Ap where she posted a challenge to Kevin Sharkey {Martha's editorial editor of Decorating} and Rebecca Robertson {Decorating Editor} to have a 'Decorating Bake-Off'. They were given the exact same space and we get to vote for our favorite.   



Kevin decided to go ' Updated Traditional'. He drew on his days when he was with Parish-Hadley. He was
 inspired with what they were doing in the 80's--using a mixture of wicker with more formal pieces and the combination of florals and patterns everywhere.... 



He first began with the Schumacher gingham wallpaper. I love the scale of this check! But, when you combine
the check WITH this floral--It is over the top good!! And putting the floral ON. THE. CEILING !!! Love it!!



There is wicker, gustavian, art deco, brass, raku..



He used simple stock unfinished bookcases and had a carpenter add moldings to create the look of built-ins.



And just take in all the details on the pillows...
 


Now here is his competition, Rebecca's 'Eclectic Modern' room:



Rebecca drew her inspiration from a tapestry that she has had for years.
This meant a room full of color and graphic elements.



She created a space that was meant to be a home for an for an artist.
 


Do you recognize the Ikea chandelier {in the adjoining room} and bookcases??!
She simply dressed the doors with radiator grills in the insets.  
 
 

She then used the same radiator grill material, cut it into strips and edged it with trim to create a beautiful ceiling detail. Then she washed the whole ceiling in soft blue.






Instead of a traditional coffee table, Rebecca found an army cot on ebay {$30!!} and spray painted it.
She then used baking pans and spray adhesive to cover them in fabric. They were then topped off
with plexi-glass. Oh, and by the way--she designed the zig-zag fabric herself at spoonflower.
{Yep, no minimums and affordable--can not wait to give this a try!!} 



So there you have it. The same space designed completely unique and wonderfully different from each other.
I know which one I am partial to, but what about you? 

**I love to hear your comments!!**

Driving home last night......

{Jack is my 12 yr old, Maris is my 15 yr old}
Turning into our neighborhood in front of our house...

Jack:  WHOAAA!!!! What's with that tree????!!!! {referring to a 40 ft spruce smack in front of our house}
Maris: What do you mean?
Jack: Look at it-- It's all lit up!!!
Maris:  Jack.....{sigh} We put lights on that tree weeks ago, it's been lit up since Thanksgiving...
**silence**
Jack:  I didn't even know we had that tree....

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I am so grateful I have both a boy and a girl!! I so enjoy the differences between the 2!!

These are for their stockings:

{fifiduvie-etsy}