Have you seen Rue Magazine May edition? This online magazine is getting better and better! One of my favorite articles featured the home of the one-of-a-kind designer, stylist, writer, public speaker and blogger Valerie Hart.

How fun is the framed collection of the Hermes bags {etsy!} hung on the upholstered green walls in her bedroom?

On her blog, Visual Vamp, Valerie gives us a behind the scenes of her bedroom design and she shares the sources for the fabrics and furniture that she used {the rugs came from Wal-Mart!! She used 2 smaller ones to create 1 large one.}. High style on a low budget--who would have thought??

When I first saw the photos, my eyes went straight to those fabulous monogram pillows. I love, love, love the font she used and the clever interpretation using the '&'. 

No symmetry on this gallery wall!! It's whimsical and eclectic and just fun.

To see the article in Rue click here. And to see Valerie's post on her sources click here.

{images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 - photography by Sara Essex Bradley }

In a few weeks my baby will be 14.

He has always been an old soul. Soft spoken, few words, crazy smart and incredibly kind. Ever since the day he was born and his eyes looked into mine, he was a mama's boy, which I have openly encouraged to the nth degree. He knows that I reside in the palm of his hand. He has always given me the sweetest compliments and endures the barrage of endless kisses and enormous bear hugs that his Gigi {my mom} continues to smother him with. He has no problem, even at 13, loving on his mom in front of his friends. Sigh..... 

He kisses me good-bye when he leaves in the mornings and hugs me upon arriving back home. At night, we all sit together on the sofa and watch TV and often he will gently pick up my hand and give it a soft kiss. Yeah---he's kinda awesome. {And nobody is allowed to tell him about this post. Deal?}  

Last night we were on the sofa watching TV. I was typing on the computer with my right hand and scratching Jack's back with my left. He turned and looked at me and softly said 'Mom'. I half-heartedly replied with a 'hmmm?' and glanced over at him. He delicately placed each of his hands on my cheeks and looked at me intently. We locked eyes. Raising his warm left hand from my cheek, he took his pointer finger and lightly traced a line from my right eyebrow straight across to the left. His eyes following his finger as it then sweetly and gently traced around my lips and then rested back on my cheek. My heart was pounding, it was so full of incredible immeasurable love for this sweet, sweet boy. I was thinking fondly of the luckiest of all girls who will one day have her face held by these tender hands.

We lock eyes once again, our faces only 18" apart. And with barely more than a whisper, he again says 'Mom?,' 

 'Yes, Jack?' I reply, just as softly.

'You look old'

pause

pause

{Maris begins uncontrollable laughter} 

'Seriously, Jack?????? You are just now coming to this conclusion?????!!!!!' I ask.

'Pretty much' he offers, drops his hands, and gets up off the couch.      

Did I mention his cunning sense of humor? Yeah....there's that.

This best be signed 'love, Jack' on Sunday.

{image going home to roost via etsy}

But seeing this bench only continues my hanky-panky with Mr.Chiang Mai Dragon.

'Good stuff' is right.

*I have Caitlin to thank for keeping this reptilian romance hot and heavy* 

{because this is a family blog, I'm going to resist explaining what the addition of the nailhead trim is doing up in here}  

You know how you come across something so fabulous that you just can't stop thinking about it? I love it when these discoveries land on my eyeballs and make my heart skip a beat. Kind of like the first day of the year when I discover that the shelves of the stores have just stocked the Cadbury Eggs!!! Sheer Heaven.....

Well, this is sort of the happiness that fell over me when I saw the handiwork of Katie of the etsy shop Passive Juice Motel. Katie was commissioned to create the family of Ashley Ann, the adorable blogger of Under the Sycamore Tree. Here is Ashley Ann's family:

If you follow her blog, you know that this sweet family is waiting ever so patiently and prayerfully for the newest member of their family, their precious daughter, to finally come home. She currently lives in an orphanage a million worlds away, but soon, very soon, she will *complete* this family. 

Katie was kind enough to give them a preview of their completed family:

In dolls!!

Can you believe the preciousness of this gift????

They were made for *little one* in the likeness of every family member so that when she finally arrives, she can get acquainted with her big new loving family.

Mom with her camera and Dad with his guitar. 

her siblings in their favorite outfits, superhero cape, cowboy boots, striped tights and a tutu...sigh  

    This may just be the best baby gift I have ever seen!

{all images ashley ann photography}