A Home for my Boyfriend! (at a great price!)

I found a home for my boyfriend (that is, my camera)…and it’s a great deal now, so I had to share before I even got it.

It’s supposed to be a birthday present from Brandon, but totally I emailed him about this great price and told him to buy! buy! buy!

Here’s the camera bag I’m getting:

 

It’s a BBP DSLR Sling bag…and right now on Amazon, it’s only $49.99!

The beige-zippered version is also available on Amazon…for $69.99. I thought that was a decent price till I saw the red one. Plus I love the red!

I decided to like this bag because it’s a sling bag which seems like it’d be convenient on a day trip around a city (you wear it on your back, but it can easily swing to the front so you can access your gear), it’s super cool looking, especially compared to more ‘traditional’ camera bags, and most importantly, it has an iPad slot (or in my case, a netbook), so I can have a spot for my computer when I’m on-the-go.  I figure I might not carry the computer with me all day, but it’s nice to know it’s got a safe spot with my camera when I’m traveling.

I also looked at this site for lots of pictures and a review.

I’ll update you when I really have this bag and use it…to tell you if I end up loving it as much as I think I will. But I had to share today because it’s such a good deal and I want you to get one!! :) :) :)

Oh artwork…

I am becoming addicted to shopping for artwork…and to buying it. Admittedly, I shop more than I buy.

But I buy.

Previously, I had mentioned eyeing these artworks. The Tyson Anthony Roberts and Martha Rich works were in my cart.

But I haven’t bought them yet. (The night I planned to, I had a shopping cart issue and took it as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be…just yet anyway.)

What I did just buy, though, are these two gems.

La Grande Roue de Paris, 20x200 artist fund

 

Partners, by Ryan Schneider

I bought them both in the 8x10 size (or whatever is closest) for just $24 a piece! And used my latest deal. Thank you, 20x200.com for feeding this addiction.

And, the good news is, if you feel the need to buy some art, you can use this link to get 20% off! Expires July 13!  You know that I love artwork and a deal put together!! :)

Living Room Color Update

So after all that debating in a previous post about picking a new living room color…

I think I’m going to keep my current creamy color.  It’s Sail Cloth by Benjamin Moore.

I don’t know if this is the best representation of the color, so you can see more here.

My friend, Janis, sent me this link to an article on Apartment Therapy about picking wall colors and it sort of sealed the deal.  I spent a lot of time picking this color the when I started decorating my living room, and even as I’ve been changing it, I’ve known this was my backdrop. I like that it’s light and airy with a subtle touch of color.  I can definitely use art and fabrics (like the curtains I’ll complete one day) to bring in some more color, as well as texture and pattern.

As always, I’ll keep you updated!

With a capital T and that rhymes with P…

The day after the 4th of July, Brandon and I ended up in Iowa on a little trip for his job.

Every time we go to Iowa, I sing to Brandon, “We are in I-o-waaay,” which is from the musical, the Music Man.

This trip, we stayed in Mason City. I had plans to visit the cute downtown of nearby Clear Lake, Iowa, when we discovered, much to my surprise and excitement, that Mason City, Iowa is Meredith Willson’s hometown, and was the inspiration for River City, Iowa in his musical…you guessed it! … the Music Man!

So we ended up here:

The Music Man Square in Mason City, Iowa!!

Inside was a recreation of downtown River City from the movie, Meredith Willson’s boyhood home (where I wasn’t allowed to take pictures), and a museum with Music Man memorabilia and history, as well as an exhibit from the National Music Museum with band and instrument history.

And now for some photos. :)  (These will be fun for you if you are a Music Man nut, or at least enjoyed the musical/movie.)  :)

There was a recreation of the Billiard Parlor in which was installed infamous pool table that was going to bring trouble to River City. You bet your buttons I kept singing, “Oh we’ve got trouble! Right here in River City! With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for ‘pool!’” :)

Inside the billiard parlor, at the pool table, Brandon and I tried to make faces that looked like trouble. :)

I had to have Brandon take a picture of me in front of the recreation dressmaker’s shop!

(Why do I always have to take this picture? I made my friend, Jessica, take a picture of me in front of the dressmaker’s shop at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, too.)  :)

Then, we went inside the museum.

There was Music Man memorabilia.

And seventy-six trombones in the Wells Fargo wagon!

Again, you know I was singing both “Seventy-six trombones led the big parade! With a hundred and ten cornets close at hand!!” and “Oh-ho the Wells Fargo wagon is a-comin’ down the street! Oh please let it be for me!”  At this point, Brandon was walking away from me, taking “work phone calls.” I’m pretty sure he was just embarrassed. :)

Here’s a cut-out of Meredith Willson on the radio, in case you were wondering what the man behind the music looked like.

And of course, we just had to take this picture:

So there’s my post-4th of July excitement involving the Music Man.  I hope you enjoyed it. :)  I secretly (or not-so-secretly) love this kind of stuff on a road trip! :)

Have you had any fun adventures lately?

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day!

It’s hot here in IN, and I’ve participated in 2 parades with work.

It’s been a great way to celebrate this July 4!

But I’m beat. :)

Centering the Chandelier

I don’t really know if our light fixture counts as a chandelier, but I liked the alliteration.

I waited to do this until our pantry was more complete, because I wanted to make sure the light fixture would be centered over the table, and I wouldn’t know where the table was really going until the pantry had doors and I could make sure there was still plenty of room to move around the table. I also had to make sure the new swing of  the fridge door would clear the table! :)

It was pretty simple, but makes a big difference! No more nearly hitting your head on the light fixture!

Just a chandelier hook into a ceiling joist and the chain that came with the light fixture, and voila!

Here it was before:

We still have to trim the wiring and put up a small ceiling medallion to cover up some ceiling imperfections, but I’m happy! A small change that makes a big difference in our kitchen!

Changing the Swing of our Refrigerator Door

Our refrigerator door opened the wrong way.  It opened the right way at our last place, but when we moved it to our new house, it didn’t any more.

We lived with it for 2 years this way, though, anyway.

It took me about 20 minutes to change the swing. I had it done before a pan of brownies was done cooking. :)

I just had to take out these placeholder screws, and move the hinges over into their place.  (Sorry for the blurry picture that is focused on my grapefruit juice instead of the screws.)  :)

In no time, the freezer door was off, then the fridge door, then I was able to move the hinges to the opposite side.

Once everything was back together, I had to make sure the door would clear the table (well, I had to move the table a little bit).

And voila! Done! A fridge that opens the correct way for our kitchen!

A quick project done before our picnic.  Which led the way for another quick project that I’ll tell you about tomorrow!