New lights for the front door...

I purchased two of these lights for the front door area of the house to finish off the look of the new paint job! I wanted a traditional misson style lamp and I think for the price, these do the job quite nicely--I definitely didn't want to spend more than $50 per lamp. Man, these lamps are expensive out there! I also picked up a motion detector flood light for the back deck.

I also purchased some oil-rubbed bronze spray paint to do the mailbox and the door handle on the door......we'll see how that goes later!

They were $39.97 each from Home Depot. They are formally known as  the "Hampton Bay Wall-Mount 1-Light Outdoor Oil Rubbed Chestnut Lantern" (here's a link if you want to check them out on the Home Depot page: Link

Not sure if I'm going to install these myself or have someone come do it...

July flowers!

I'm always torn with cutting flowers....I love the way they look outside adorning the front of my house, but I also love to enjoy them in a vase in my house! I bit the bullet and snipped juuuuuuust a few this morning.

I love the deep blue of the hydrangeas (without them turning purple) and the vibrant purple and yellow gladiolus.

Sneak Peak!

Here is a shot of the front door area in the newwwwww paint color!

Lights worth a look!

Overstock.com has some really cool lights! (That site has everything, man! I mean, where else could you find a watch, a light, a tent, a jumperoo for your toddler, and a new sheet for your bed!)


I thought these chandeliers under $160 were inventive ways to add some flair to one's home without going too overboard on price or style. (click on the pics to a link to its page on Overstock.com)

1. Five light rectangular glass for $139.99:

2. "Rose" design metalwork pendant for $129.99:

 

3. Nickle chandelier for $149.99



4. Copper & Glass pendant for $159.99:





















5. Antique Copper Lantern-Style pendant for $139.99:

Happy Independence Day

Enjoy this celebration of America's independence! This video is a wonderful take on why the colonists wanted to separate from the British crown. I actually show this video to my AP Government class for a laugh after we discuss the foundation of American democracy......I think you non-history dorks might enjoy as well!

It's "Too Late To Apologize: A Declaration" to One Republic's "Too Late to Apologize"

Summer Reading....

Hey everybody!

I just finished reading a book by an English author Harriet Evans titled "The Love of Her Life." I've never read anything by Evans before, so I was looking forward to branching out to a new author.



The book circles around the main character, Kate, a late 20s/early 30s something woman working in NYC after moving across the pond from England in the year 2007. She is living with her mother and stepfather in Manhattan and receives notice that her father, back in England, is sick due to a kidney transplant that could go wrong...basically, Kate feels as though this is her time to say goodbye to her father, btu she feels reluctant and apprehensive about going home to London. Hmmmm, I wonder why!?!?

When Kate arrives in London, she returns to her flat that had just been vacated by a sub-letter. Clearly, being back in London and the apartment are surreal...the reader quickly senses that Kate had left London after some sort of tragedy, breakup, or both, but Evans keeps us hanging on to figure out what happened. Suddenly, we're transported back in time to 2003 where everything began.

Overall, I enjoyed this book despite its slow start and length (it was 300+ pages). I enjoyed the way Evans wove various characters' lives together and the events that transpired causing Kate to leave London. It was a good summer-by-the-pool-or-beach-read. Enjoy!

Now, I'm onto this book "Life As I Know IT" by Melanie Rose....another author I've never read before. We shall see how it goes!