fantastic idea

i was just describing to steve the other day an idea i had for our outdoor kitchen, when it comes to fruition (which, after building our swimming pool, will be after we win a lottery, any lottery, we're not particular).

anywho, i said that we need to place some sort of stainless bin, sink or trough on the counter, drain it to underneath, fill it with ice, and place either drinks or condiments in it to stay cold when we're entertaining.

i just saw this over here. same concept, different location. isn't it brilliant?

sales

i've been trying to decide on artwork for the focal wall in our dining room. i'm 90% sure i'm going to try my hand at abstract painting. but every now and then i come across artwork online that makes me reconsider my decision. today i found these on one kings lane, as part of their emerging artist sale. love them. and great prices. (one kings lanes is a member only sale site... if you need an invite, let me know!)

by michelle armas

by cozamia

and speaking of the dining room, we also just made this purchase for the chandelier. it's from restoration hardware. if you didn't know, restoration hardware is currently having their friends and family sale until july 4th. 20% off of full price merchandise. the code is 'friends'. so with a little help from that sale and a buildup of american express points turned into gift certificates, we got it for about 25% it's original cost. i love it when that happens.

what's new you ask?

on the work front, i made a new pattern for calling cards... gingham. i tore this page out of my recent jcrew catalog as inspiration.

i made a small gingham pattern in mint.

and a larger pattern in pink... more of a buffalo check.

you can find them in the shop here.

and on the homefront.... progress was made this morning with the swimming pool. we now have gunite! woohoo.

what's new with you?

About pixelimpress

etsy has a new feature for shop owners. it's an "about" page, where shop owners can give shoppers a little insight into them and their shops. 

here is mine.

you can link to it here.

the big guns were here yesterday

yesterday was a happy day here at the house. our pool was dug. it's been a long wait. things were delayed by 2 weeks because of rain. yes, it rains in texas. even though i was beyond excited for the start of the pool build, i almost hyperventilated when this large creature showed up in the backyard.

the first swipe.

and another...

it was a little scary watching the huge backhoe so close to the back of our house. thankfully the operator had steady hands.

then they brought in the dumptruck.

our supervisor was on hand to survey their work.

and in about 4 hours time, they left us with this.

which will soon turn into this.

but in the meantime, it's become the neighborhood trash dump as trash from neighboring construction sites have swirled into our backyard and found the bottom of the pool.

rh

steve and i made a trip to our new local restoration hardware store this past weekend. the sales associate told us to be sure we saw the outdoor living area showcasing their outdoor products. i was in love when we stepped through the doors. it's gorgeous. grey painted brick walls decorated with mirrors. i love painted brick. pea gravel. underfoot lighting in the gravel. massive sofas. beautiful pillows. and gorgeous green foliage.

and the fountain! gorgeous!

how about a firepit/coffee table?

i loved this tree with lanterns hung with rope. how fun that would be for a garden party.

or perhaps an outdoor chandelier? 

steve patiently waiting for me to stop taking photos.

 

boxwood in a planter. love this too. my motto is generally "more is more" when it comes to container pot gardening, but a single lush, full boxwood that fills the pot is fab.

 

ah, pillows. warm tones.

 

cool tones.

and then there were the succulents. never thought of planting a singular one in rows like this...

i usually do more of this look.

and the brick wall. they're training the vines to climb the brick. can't wait to see it in a few years.

all this goodness can be found at the willow bend restoration hardware in plano, texas.

my trip home

before i get to my trip home to pennsylvania..... how did it get to be june?!? (i love my calendar from alex)

here are some photos from my long weekend visiting family. i put together a container pot for my sister's back porch. my motto when assembling garden pots is "more is more". this one has penstemon, chili pepper, daisy, stonecrop, and vinca.

much to my dismay i can't get from dallas to harrisburg in a nonstop flight. this was my 2nd flight from detroit into the harrisburg area. i hate small planes. and funny story... on my first flight i caught my seat mate staring at my reading material. yes, it was 50 shades of grey (i think i'm the only person still reading paperbacks!). in a fit of embarrassment, i blurted out "please don't judge me." he said "don't worry, my wife's on #3.

i did a little shopping. this will be my swimsuit coverup. my suit is teal. i love the floral pattern.

i found this cute summery rope belt at the jcrew outlet.

i

we went to the arts festival on the river in harrisburg. this was the first booth. i resisted buying the world's largest eclair.

i bought this print for my sister awhile ago. it's by michelle armas. funny... she framed it in the same frame i put winston in.

and now thankfully it's time for another weekend. have a great one!