How Ideas are Formed

A couple of months ago, I was going through a new treatment for my illness and was extremely exhausted and weak. My mom knows how much I love magazines, so she brought me about 100 magazines. It was a very funny, over the top statement: it cracked me up when she walked in with an arm full of magazines. Mom took interior design in college and her and my father owned a furniture store when they were married. It’s almost her hobby (expensive), she lives and breathes furniture and decorating “Little Ms. Furniture Aficionado.”

So, we spent the day at the “Magazine Spa!” We had fun both of us in silence saying nothing to each other but reading magazines and showing each other the treasures we found: recipes, articles on health and fitness, she pointed out the fact she bought a particular type of magazine called “More… fabulous over 40”…Not there yet mother! Of course I always enjoy reading the articles and getting new recipes and ideas, but the inadvertent finding which transpired was the best. I ran across this interesting design in the Homes and Garden Magazine that prompted a new task for our household: A photo of a fireplace mantle hanging above a bed (using it like a headboard or wall art). Popping quickly into my head…I have a fireplace mantle in my closet; from the mantle that was in our living room prior to the Austin Stone application!

Brittnee (Bree), our daughter, had been asking for a "New room makeover" for about a year now which I have avoided granting her because her room is in “Texas Tech” theme and I admire and want to hold onto the goal and spirit she has for wanting to attend that college upon graduation. Also the Ericksen’s, some good friends, and the husband’s a fan of Texas Tech, have given her things that are worth quite a bit of money and I felt she should stick with that design for a while. Of course one of the things I both love and hate about my daughter is: she has an argument for everything “I can put the fat-head in my closet or the game-room upstairs.” Pretty good argument!

When I ran across this design, I liked it and thought that we could really embellish the look to create a real modern design which is what Bree was looking for. So, I immediately showed her the picture; not sure how she would react since the mantle was more traditional in the magazine and at this age they are incredibly picky and Bree can be quite precocious when it comes to her independence. She doesn’t want me to have any ideas for her sense of style…or anything to “cramp her style” for that matter. She feels she is very capable of making decisions. Much to my surprise she was ecstatic, (with a few requested ideas of her own), over this new look when I explained to her what we could do with the look she loved it! WOW! She was able to envision the mantle with a different look….guess she is a lot like me after all: argumentative, persuasive and creative…sounds like a good recipe or creation for an “Ambulance Chaser!” She has her great grandfather’s gift, on my mother’s side, Judge Homer Hall.


Design on a Dime (Under $500)

Bree’s b-day is next month and my mom is always trying to figure out what to buy her and she decided to help me buy half of what I spent on her room and helped me put this all together since part of this was caused from the “Magazine Spa Day.” My mother is as strong as an ox. She is 61 years old and you wouldn’t believe the crap she can do. It’s quite embarrassing that your own mother can outwork you. She hung the curtains, helped hang the mantle and Mike painted the room and moved out all the furniture from the guest bedroom (Bree is now in the guest bedroom which made perfect sense because it basically has new carpet). So I was the foreman on the job…poor mom and Mike! Please forgive me for my bossiness and impatience. I love you guys. Thanks for all your help!

Introducing... Our Innovative Results

The Mantle. We hung it a little higher for safety purposes.

The Whole Room...Love the consistent lines.

We plan on getting her a chest or something

to put at the foot of the bed to sit on.