It Is Magical, But...

This is magical....The joy of catching a snow flake!

Our house

This is our house in trouble!  This, is NOT magical.... For all of you who live yearly in warmer climates, this is an ice dam.  The worst thing that can happen to your house.  You know why?  Because now water is backing up behind this lovely dam and going under the shingles and into our home.  Windows are filling with water and now....water is dripping into our downstairs sitting room.  I have tarps and buckets to catch the never ending drips!  The wonderful thing about this?  Nothing.  You really cannot stop it.  My house is going through the "little ice age".  Conditions in Massachusetts are ideal right now for this to happen!  This is seriously stressing me out!  

OK...this is magical

Our little pup, Maggie {this looks pretty magical}

Our poor little, no meat on her bones, dog cannot even go do her "tinkle-time" {that is what you have to tell her when she goes out, otherwise nothing happens}.  Within a few minutes her paws have frozen and she cannot even walk back to the house.  We have intricate mazes dug out in the yard just so she doesn't sink and disappear!

Paths for our dog!  

Our home

Yes, this is all very pretty and perfect setting for taking photos.  However, I have had enough!  So, this is my complaining post {I go through this crazy stage right about now every year}.  My house is always freezing, our heating bill is through the roof, and we are expecting tons of more heavy freezing snow for Tuesday and Wednesday!  What the....?  My one saving blessing is that we have someone to shovel us out when it all piles up.  This is a must!  One year, I thought I could handle shoveling myslef {my hubby works long hours}.  You know, I grew up in NY, so how hard could it be!  One night, the snow came on so fast that I couldn't keep up!  I couldn't do it!  My husband came home late from work in all his nice dress clothes and could not even drive into the drive way!  He then had to walk in knee deep snow to get to the side door!  What a mess!  I will try and hold on to the fact that there is still a "magical" factor playing out through this winter!  I need to just make it till the spring!  There is nothing like that day when you finally can feel the warmth of the sun, here the birds singing, and little flower buds popping out to say "hello" {that was very corny, I know}!

Have a wonderful day!

~jamilyn

{All photos taken via me and property of Living It At Home}

My Find...Mushroom Print

My living room via me

My newest find from the Salvation Army {only $4.99}!  The mushroom print is one of my favorite inexpensive treasures!  As you know, I am insane over mushrooms!  There is just something about their shape, color and whimsicality {I looked this word up in the dictionary just to be sure I wasn't making it up, which I like to do}.  I took the print with me to Michael's craft store and found a frame.  I really did not want to do a black frame.  It works for now.  Eventually, I am hoping to come across an antique frame in the same color scheme as the mushrooms.  I will hopefully buy more of these antique prints and would like to do a whole wall of them in my house.  For now, I have placed it on my mantel.  I do realize my mantel needs serious consideration for it is quite plain!  I will get there eventually.  Every time I look around, I am thinking of changing something or I need to put more character in a room or a corner.  You know, it is exhausting sometimes to operate the way I do.  I sometimes feel that I need to be more satisfied and move on.  I, however, really do thrive on the "hunt" and being creative.  Like right now, I am enjoying coming up with this post for my blog when I should be tackling the laundry....Seriously, I think my laundry has babies!  It just keeps expanding and it never goes away!!!!!  Agree?

Mushroom Stones!!!!! {Love}

My other love that has to do with mushrooms is Staddlestone/Mushroom stone!  I have to own one or many of these one day!  I have seen them for sale but have been unable to deal with how expensive they are!  If I had even one of these in my garden beside my patio, I would be happy to stare at it every day! If you would like to see more on mushroom stones go here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

~jamilyn

Whimsical Wall Mural + Chalkboard Paint

Hello everyone!  Good Morning!  I am so excited that I have come across this image below.  I have been hearing from my daughter that she wants to paint one of her walls black (other walls, color still undecided).  I have been repeatedly nixing (is that a word?) that idea for fear that it would be too dark and gloomy {although I wear a great deal of black}.  There is a wall behind her headboard that would work for her idea....then...I came across this lovely chalkboard paint wall mural and bam!  Problem may be solved.  I think this is such a clever idea and looks absolutely charming!  This also is in an adults bedroom so... it would work for sure in a young persons room!  They used a large projector to trace the image with chalk.  Almost looks too good to be chalk.  I hope if we do this, it will look neat and pretty too.  I have already discussed that I do not want this wall to have mish-mash of drawings ect....  That is the only way I will even think about attempting this!  Problem is, a large projector?  Where do you get that?  Also, have no idea were this whimsical image is from!  The quote on the wall is so true...."You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try."  One really has to be brave to decorate!

Image via C0C0 + KELLEY  blog via Style At Home

Photo via me

The wall behind the headboard is were we "may" attempt to do the mural.

We have another snow storm coming!  Ugh...enough already!

~jamilyn

Frame It, Hang It, Make It Special...Your child's artwork

As I was working on this post, I was asking myself if this was just me {proud mom} taking an opportunity to show off how talented of an artist my daughter is.....However, I really did want to share how wonderful it is to show your children how much you cherish what they create.  Frame it, hang it, and make it so very special.  Give their art or creations a place of honor.  It will inspire them even more! My daughter of 12 years took a very serious art class last summer and I had to get her work up on her wall for everyone to see.  Hanging them up gives her a great sense of accomplishment and pride.  They also gave a lonely wall in her room much needed personality...and it is original to boot!

Daughter's room...her favorite reading nook

I found these poster frames at Michael's craft store.  These pieces of art were rather large so this was the best solution. {I think I hung the pictures a bit crooked...not the best at hanging art}

Art via my daughter

Photo of rocks via my daughter

This photo was also taken by my daughter when we were at the beach on Martha's Vineyard, MA.  I thought it was such a beautiful shot of the water and rocks below, I just had to frame it {I had it enlarged to 8x10 first}.  I want her to sign it too.  I think it is just amazing when you give your child the opportunity to create.  Why don't you let them have the camera for the day?  They really get into it and produce something wonderful.  I think this photo looks amazing framed and we have it in our guest bedroom/office for family to see when they come and stay with us.

We cropped and hung this still life, by my daughter, in our small sitting room off of our kitchen.  I love how art looks hung on shelves and really love showcasing this piece here.

Another piece she did that I just adore.  I love the trees and the mushrooms are so cute!  We framed it and have it hanging in our kitchen.  I hope you are inspired to hang some of your children's art work!  I plan on hanging more!

~jamilyn

{All photo's taken via me, artwork via my daughter, all images property of Living It At Home}

My Two Favorite Children's Birthday Cakes {Martha Mode}

Dragon cake baked via me

Castle cake baked by me

The joy!

Periodically, I browse through all my photos from the past.  It is fun to relive all the great times we have had.  However, looking at them reminds me of how quickly the years have gone by.  So, it is a little heart aching to see how much my daughter has grown and matured.  When she was just a little peanut, I loved making her birthday a special day.  I would get so wrapped up in the creative end of things!  I have been know to stay up well into the morning hours baking and building one of these cakes you see above.  It was well worth it to see my daughters reaction on the day of her party.  My creations were a big hit!  I did not have a blog then so my photos are not the greatest!  If you would like instructions on how to make the 3-D dragon (dinosaur) cake, go here.  I followed some of the directions and then improvised and added what I thought would make the dragon more appropriate for a girls birthday.  The colored stones are actually candy!  The theme was castles, dragons, and princesses.  The castle cake was made with about 7 layers of cake, frosting, candy and glittered (edible) ice cream cones.  We have all experienced when we are in "Martha Mode".  You know when you are trying to make everything "just so" or even perfect.  My cakes may not have been perfect, and I may have been running around like a mad woman creating these parties, but in the end I enjoyed my efforts!  Too see how happy my little girl was made me so glad I put in all that effort.  We will always have these great memories!

We made sure we had a jumping castle too!  Cheesy, but the kids love it and I was able to build a whole castle/princess theme around the cake and the jumper!  Those were fun birthdays!  Enjoy!

xojamilyn

{All photos taken via me and property of Living It At Home}

Topiaries Are An Obsession

Images via me

Kitchen

Breakfast

You must own a topiary!  I have a hard time passing them up when I come across one.  I just love to look at them!  Over breakfast this morning, I was enjoying the lemony scent and the earthy rosemary aroma...so heavenly!  I have been trying to keep them alive due to the fact that I kill all my plants.  I am really surprised that these two have lasted so long.  I have been misting and misting and misting...I learned that they need that!  Aren't they lovely?  I think they are worth the investment.  I just wish I had space for more.  I would love to imitate this image below from Lonny Magazine.  To see more on topiaries go here.

{Love}

Martha Stewart

Clustering topiaries together really creates a visual impact!

xojamilyn

{Photo's via me and images from Lonny Magazine and Martha Stewart}

If You Need A Dose Of Snow...We've Got Plenty

Maggie...she looks good in red!

In the middle of the snow storm

Trying to lick the snow!

Looking down our street

My home looks like a Christmas card!

Four little ones sitting in the tree during the storm

I had to dig a path through the 2' of snow so she could go outside!


Have a wonderful weekend!

xojamilyn

{Photos taken via me and property of Living It At Home}

I've Turned Into The Crazy Bird Lady {with a great camera}

Do you see the sunflower seed in it's beak? The Black Capped Chickadee is the most enthusiastic bird at the feeder.  They actually will wait close by me while I fill the feeder.  A high energy bird and very busy.  They chirp and chirp until I am done.  These little guys don't like to eat at the feeder if it isn't full to the top!  {Photos: Living It At Home}

Cute bird that always look a little grumpy to me and very serious! 

Female Cardinal, the male gets all the glorious red.

Yes, that is my new nickname given to me by my husband and daughter.  I have become the caretaker of these birds you see above.  They visit my feeder everyday and have begun to consume large quantities of bird food!  My husband wants to know when they are going to start paying rent!  I have also moved up from the cheapo bird food to the supreme high nut content {expensive} food for them.  You see, I have become very fond of them and get great pleasure watching them everyday.  If something happens to their feeder, such as being empty, frozen or partially taken apart by those pesky squirrels, I run out in my PJ's to rescue it.  Hence, I look like a wacky bird lady...with bed-head hair!  Good thing we have great privacy in our yard due to all of our trees otherwise my neighbors would get a site of me looking like a cookoo bird myself!  I love taking photo's of birds and I am getting good at sneaking up on them {I sound even more crazy now}.  It is good practice for me because I have no idea how to use this camera {Nikon D300}.  I love how these pictures have come out without having to do much but snap the shot {and some editing in iphoto}. Taking photos also satisfies my creative side along with sharing them on my blog.  I think it is important to try something creative at least everyday!   Enjoy these photo's of my winter birds {my babies, how do they stand the cold}!  To see more photo's I have taken of birds go here.  Thank you for stopping by!

JUST IN....The snow storm!
I woke up to a huge winter storm this morning!  School is cancelled, fridge is stocked, and my camera is out.  Just wanted to add some photo's I just took!  Hope everyone is safe and warm!

I had to dig out the bird feeder!  It was buried!

xojamilyn

{All photo's taken via me and property of Living It At Home}

My Gorgeous iPad Case {Love}

I don't need to use many words to describe this DODOCASE for my iPad (just arrived).  I think my photo's say it all.  Well, I will say a few things!  I absolutely love it!  I have tried another case from the Apple Store but found it very lackluster and not attractive.  This case, however, shows off the true beauty of my iPad (yes, I think iPads are beautiful).  It is made beautifully and looks like a book too!  It also feels very sturdy and strong.  The DODOCASE is one of the most popular cases out there and won the MacWorld Eddy award and the 26th Annual Editors Award iPad case of the year.  It is hand made in San Francisco (remember, I used to live there so I am excited about that) and they use true book binding techniques to create this sturdy case.  Their philosophy is to manufacture things locally and keep the art of bookbinding alive by adapting it to a world of e-readers and iPads (how clever are they). They also have different color choices for the interior.  It is easy to install your iPad too.  Just gently place inside the bamboo frame and viola, your iPad is secure and looking so pretty!  They also make a case for the Kindle e-reader.  We are a Nook family and hopefully (I am going to write them) will make cases for the Nook too.

"This is the Rolls Royce of iPad cases."

 Source DODOCASE

Looks like a book when closed.

Cute book plate.  Love the Dodo bird!

I actually feel good supporting a company that makes things by hand and uses local craftsmen!  

Well, I am off to enjoy my new case and my iPad {the most amazing device-a dream}.

xojamilyn

{Photo's property of livingitathome blog and info. from DODOCASE.com}

Right Brain Creative Type Gets Organized With Plastic {Not Typical}

• Right-brain types are visually oriented. They tend to think in images rather than words, focus on the big picture rather than the details, and go through life in a somewhat seat-of-the-pants (a.k.a. scattered) way.  Source Real Simple.

OK, that is me in a nut shell {I try though}!  I have been reading so many organization articles recently and I am happy it finally is getting into my head on how to become organized.  I have a million projects to do for this new year 2011!  I definitely overwhelm myself  thinking about it all. Our bedroom closet has always been on my mind and it was a mess!  Without even putting it on my list for the day, I just walked in and starting taking it apart {I just had to}.  I had not even removed our summer clothes yet!  My one biggest frustration was how much dust accumulates on shoes, handbags, ect...   After stumbling across the Container Store's clear shoe boxes, I knew I found something that would solve my problem.  I couldn't wait to get over there and get busy recreating my closet {made a list first of what I needed}.  I am officially obsessed now with these plastic boxes!  They hold everything and no more dust or toppling items in my closet!  Neat...neat...neat and only $1.79 each!  I bought the box of 20 and saved a few dollars.  You seriously have to try these for your shoes and other items!

By the way...here is some advice from Real Simple for right brainers {go here for more-also some advice for you left brainers too}

Right-Brainers
Forget about trying to adhere to strict rules. Your keep-it-neat plan should capitalize on your pull toward the creative and the emotional. Containers you already own and love can be motivating. Investigate your clutter patterns: Do you drop your necklace on the bathroom counter when you’re getting ready for bed? Maybe you need a wall hook by the sink to catch jewelry. If it works for you, it’s correct.

 I love how my shoes look and fit into these boxes...I really am obsessed!  Container Store even has boxes for boots!  Seeing my boots here make me so happy!  

 My small handbags were always falling off the shelves and getting dusty.  I love how nicely they will be stored now.

I have managed to even find a spot for my delicate scarves.  I never knew what to do with them.  I seriously am giddy!  

I don't have the fanciest closet but it feels so much more organized now.  I can walk in and "see" everything and everything has a home now.  I am not a super organized person {remember? right brain creative type} however, I love it when I am inspired to become organized and actually accomplish the task!  I still have more work to do in here though.  I would like to replace all my plastic hangers with real wood and paint the walls.  Oh, I even got some mens clear plastic shoe boxes for my husband {he does not like plastic boxes}.  However, he loves how organized his side of the closet is now!

I hope this organization bug doesn't wear off!  I am feeling really good right now about my closet project and the results.  To keep it like this however takes work and maintenance.  That means periodically eliminating items you no longer wear.  Also, put back things were they belong...make sure everything has a place.  I am feeling neater already!

Go get organized!

xojamilyn

{All photo's taken via me and property of Living It At Home}