Pray...

If you think of me today, please take a moment to pray.  

One of the most precious women in my life is snared in the web of Alzheimer's.  My Nana has always been one of the most precious women in my world, and her disease continues to wreak havoc on her final beautiful years of life.  It's so hard to know what to say, but I keep trying to think about all the happy moments we have shared.

Please enjoy the pictures from our last car drive through our hometown...  

Thanks, God, for so many beautiful moments spent with my Nana and Papa both.  The memories always make me smile...

This year has brought some interesting things to light, and some changes have happened for sure.
   I had to make a decision to get a business license or continue decorating as a hobby in the first part of the year.  I sadly made the decision that my version of being a Mother was too overwhelming to think of starting a business too, and that all those dreams would just have to wait.
   But as they say, the good Lord giveth and the good Lord taketh away, and before I realized it I had started focusing on another passion that I had long forgotten about. ***MUSIC!!
   I grew up singing in church and was in the church band.  I was even voted "class musician" my senior year, which shocked me because we had so many great musicians in my class (I think everyone just all of a sudden had a brain fart and  remembered that I had won the first grade talent contest and started spreading rumors about it.  Seriously, I overheard more than one group conversations that went a little like, "What?  Brook Huffman is a musician?).
   When I went to Samford freshman year, I immediately tried out for the chorale group, which I quickly realized was much different from church choir.  Since I couldn't look at a note on a page and sing it, I was, of course, rejected.
And life got busy....
A husband, 3 kids, a few house-remodels, and 12 years later (fall 2011), I came across an ad of Craigslist that said a country band was looking for...  And that was all I needed to read before I blacked out and woke up meeting up with these guys to audition (of course, I had my dad, step-mom, and .357 with me...  And you are lying if you ever said you haven't answered a Craigslist ad and weren't scared to death you were going to be sold into sex slavery in India too).
Amazingly, it worked out, they loved my voice, and before I knew it I was a singer in a band.
It's been 9 months and a few groups later, and now I am putting together my own band.  It's a vintage-tinged folk and country group named after one of my favorite songs by my favorite singer (Emmy Lou Harris)...

...and guess what our signature song is.  Yep.  

The coolest thing of all is the way people and things have all come together very organically.  We hope to be gigging and recording soon, but in the mean time, I just wanted to update you with what's been going on with me.  So, what does this mean for the face of the blog?  I am not sure.  I guess I will change my heading soon and say goodbye to...

because my horizons are now broader.  which is kinda cool.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still decorating, remodeling, and dreaming of my one day dream farm, and I am sure I will blog about those from time to time too, but for now...

I DREAM, I MOTHER, I READ, I PRAY, and newly I SING!!  

Thanks God, for really cool new opportunities.  Cheers!

The Latest on the Sunroom...

Okay, so it's been since the fall since I've updated about the sunroom.  

I HATE an unfinished project, and that's pretty much the state I've been living in for a while, but anyway, here we are.

Originally, we had two entries cut into the office, but my friend and fellow decorator, Chris Hutchens came over and helped me see the light.  I knew things were just not right with the two entries (apparently trying to receive a sense of balance in a room that is as off balance as this one is best done by keeping the lack of balance...odd), so we came up with this design to go to the ceiling and only have one entrance, and dry-walled her up.  I do like it so much better, and the tv is going to fit much better on this wall now.

So, I'm going to keep plugging away, but just wanted to update and gather my thoughts...

We also added the ladder up to the loft, which Blake surprised me with, and I LOVE IT!  He did a great job.

There's the light from Ballard in all it's glory, and the TV will move and be centered on the loft wall.

The piano is not staying here (I have to get it away from the windows for tuning purposes), but I had to get it out of the office so I could finish up in there.

So, paint paint paint.  But what colors?  Hm, let's see a little inspiration...

 source: Pinterest

These two pictures I love because of the sectionals.  I think they are super functional for parties, and the leather is great with kids and durability, but the white is the style, edge, and femininity I like.  White never bores me, and mix it with some flowers for that pop of color, and I am a smitten kitten.

source: pinterest (Sheryl Crowe's house)

source: cote de texas

This room is great because it is similarly off-balance like my sunroom.  I LOVE the  mounts!  I really do, and I think mounts absolutely belong in my house to bring the southern masculinity that surrounds me.  I am also crazy about the natural feel of the tree trunk table.  Also, I go back and forth on window treatments in here.  I like that this room looks great without them.  And I love the map covering up the television on a barn door rail.  Very sexy.   Finally, I like this floor.  I have been thinking about repainting the blue tile instead of floating a cork floor, but I'm still not sure. 

Here are the cork options:

That's probably my toughest decision I have to make right now. 

Here's some other things I have going on in the sunroom that will be staying:

Papa Bear's Chair (minus the pillow probably)...

This painting.  I love the colors...

Of course, the chandelier.  Just thought I would show it again...

Also, since I discovered that my angled ceiling is not flat or even,  I really love these beams as an alternative.  I also like the more modern style of these chairs combined with the cottage look:

source: designsponge

In this room, I love how they have the touches of gold with all the distressed and white.    Again, a sectional is functional for groups, and I love the touches of organic material here with the trunk and the antlers.  Also, I am crazy about how soft and comfy that rug looks:

source:

In this room, I am looking at the grey and white hues with the natural wood coffee table.  Love it.  Also,  the layered rugs, and I am not going to lie, I have wondered if we should save and add a fireplace under where the tv is going to go on the new wall:

source: nicety.livejournal

Hm...about $1900. ???

I am not sure what it is that I love so much about this room, but I am pretty sure it's, of course, the architecture, the collected over time, feel, and coziness.  (There is also a lot in this room I hate (the clutter, those star things hanging from the ceiling), but I LoVe the rugs, the modern touches from the coffee table and chairs, and wait, did I already say architecture:

source: chic-deco.blogpot

From this room, the grey and white, the RUG RUG RUG, and modern details again with some rustic, but not quite enough rustic for me:

source: apartment34

I love this room!  But especially the rug and the long bench type coffee table.  I also love the floral arrangements, and of course, the moody greige colors:

source: hgtv

Details Details Details...

I feel strongly that I want to adopt a tree for the sunroom.  It will be our newest family member with name and all.  (Maybe then I'll remember to take care of her).

But, which one should it be?:

source: fabrikoflife.wordpress

source: elementsofstyle

source: pinterest

source: pinterest

source: littlegreennotebook

<<>>

Daybed?

source: crushculdesac

Build in television?

source: fabrikoflife.wordpress

White floor?

source: marthastewart

White? Grey chaise?

source: desiretoinspire

Coffee tableS? White?

source: greigedesign

Love these details:

source: greigedesign

I like this coffee table from West Elm(rustic and storage):

A few pieces I love by GabbyHome:

 And I love this sectional by Palmer:

I would love to have thoughts, input, etc.  So, feel free, and I will hopefully get to update more soon!

Cheers!