Oscar Gown Photo Shoots

You know one of the big reasons

we HEART watching the Academy Awards
is for the gowns, right?

New spin on fancy schmancy Oscar gowns...

Imaginary photo shoot home interior back drop.

Who's with me?


Mila Kunis
Elie Saab

dreamy...just like her dress.


Sharon Stone
YSL

Sharon would fit right in.



Halle Berry
Marchesa

Romantic, airy


Hillary Swank
Gucci

Ostrich feathers meets cowhide.

Gwyneth
Calvin Klein

Understated
Sleek

Yeah or Nay?

Antlers: welcome white lacquer

One thing I posted

early on
here at Simply Brookes:
was my affinity for antlers


click to check out
Call Me Crazy

Love the look.
Always have.

Got feedback.

I get it.

Not everyone appreciates my
fondness for a buck head on the wall
hovering over your living space
peering into the room.

I do get it.

So then I posted a paper alternative.
Way more politically correct.
Fun.
Novelty-like.
Not so scary.


Unique Furniture Find: update

Well, ladies and gentlemen,
(if, in fact, there are any gentlemen
who actually read this little old blog)

I have found an even
classier,
sleeker,
chic-er
(is that a word?)
alternative
to my antler affinity.

Welcome
White Lacquer



This is what I spied
on my latest stroll
through
Z Gallerie

Have I sold you yet?

Can you just picture it?
The perfect entry piece?
Hanging just right in the living room?
Rec room?

Something tells me not all of you
are going to cross over to the dark side.

That's okay.
I still love them.

Will eventually find the right spot
for one of these bad boys
in my humble abode.

Anyone with me?

WWWW on Thursday

This is what you wear

when the weather turns

the entsiest, weenstiest

bit warm and sunny
when all you can think
about is winter going away,
far, far away.

Anything that says "spring".

I had to dig way, way back in the depths
of my closet which
brings me to my first problem.

Exhibit A:

wrinkles galore

Sorry peeps.
In my utter excitement I threw caution
to the wind, donned my outfit and was
ready for the exciting day of
middle school store volunteer.

Yes, I am revealing the exciting life I lead.

Needless to say,
I strutted those wrinkles like there was no tomorrow.

Next time,
I might grab the iron.

No telling...

Financial Baby Step: 1

Debt Diet Update:

** no idea what I'm talking about?
Please refer to this post:
The Debt Diet
Might help jog the memory.

If not interested in personal wealth or living a pure debt-free life
this may not be the post for you.

Me?
Still working on that part.

Baby Step 1

$1000
emergency fund

Check.

This is a good step 1.
Usually happens pretty fast.


Purpose of Step 1:

Having $1000 in an emergency fund will allow you to
STOP swiping your cc and start using using cash.

Check.

Remember,
emergency fund money is for just that,
an emergency.

Emergency Fund Hints:
Not for the purchase of much
needed piece of furniture on clearance
Not for family vacation
Not for Christmas presents
Think broken A/C in 100 degree heat

Ah.
You got the idea.
I know...
it's not easy.

We are striving toward debt-free,
remember?

Okay.
Next step

Step 2
Debt Snowball.

This one is a biggie
and may be a bit more painful
and take a bit longer than Step 1.

Step 2
means stamping out all
credit Card debt.
What?
Does that sound un-American to you?


Well, we are here to forge a new path.
Freedom, baby.

That's what we are going for, right?

FINANCIAL FITNESS
is our goal

Would love to hear your success stories,
or
stories that perhaps aren't so successful.

I'm here for you.
Believe me.

Have found this to be a subject of passion.
Feel free to dish...

Outside Inside: Urns

One thing I love to do in my home

is bring the outside in.

I've actually got plenty of
"outdoor" piece indoors.

See here:

Shhhh
This coffee table that sits smack dab
in the middle of my living room
is actually an outdoor patio piece
from the Target collection:
circa 2006

It was just the table I was looking for.
Who cares that it was in the
"garden" section, right?

So I've been mulling over what to do with
the dining room table.
Duh.
Urns.

I grabbed a couple of cement urns I had right on my porch.

From this post

Threw a couple ferns in them.
Voila!

Outside in.

I think I'm liking the look.

Would love your thoughts.
What do you think?
Anything I need to add?
zhush up?

Let's hear it:

Mr. Man Better Watch His Step...

Warning:

this post has nothing to
do with...

home interiors
family harmony
before and afters
recipes
holidays
or
fashion

This is really a confession, people.

I thought I was being a good mom.
I thought I was doing the right thing.
I thought I was being a good wife.

You see,
I innocently took my three daughters to a movie.
An afternoon of fun, frivolity and cinema escape.

Thought I'd give
Mr. Man some time to do those chores
he's been meaning to get to but never had the time to.

I had NO desire to actually see this particular movie.
That is the selfless mom I thought I was being.
It's all for the kids, right?
Hmph.

So I took my girls to:

Ah.
You know what I'm talking about...

the kid with the hair
the voice
the moves
the 12 year-old-girl following
you-tube phenom



Yeah.
This is the guy.

I knew I was in trouble when I started flashing the
heart finger thing during the movie.
Oh and I started raising my hands in the air, like I just didn't care.
I also might have started chanting for the Bieb's right there in the theater.

I know.
I was falling.
hard.



He is only 16 years old.
A bit young for a crush, I know.


I can't really talk to you about this any further
until you've actually seen the movie.
I think you might better understand.
Please tell me you understand...

It's official.
I'm a belieber.

Came home and had to RE-WATCH the latest DVR'ed episode of
Glee:
"Justin Bieber experience"

Oh and what are the chances that the crew would pick a
40 something mom to be the
"one less lonely girl" to head up on stage?

Thought so.

Yes, I know.
I'm currently trying to get a life
so I can pull myself together.

Just me?

Say it ain't so.

Am I all alone here?

Eye Candy Friday: Tulip Chairs

Tulip Chairs.
Heart.
Love.
Drool.

Adore the mix of warm wood
and a splash of sleek modern


Design Manifest

(slightly varied version)
Decor Pad

Elle Decor

Furnnish

Lisa Sherry Interieurs

Are you feeling it?

Let's hear your thoughts...

Knock, Knock...Who's There? Spring, Is That You?

Temperature is on the rise.

Giddy up!
You know what that tells me?

Time for some color.
Time for pop,
(and I'm not talking soda, here, ladies).

Talking about two things:
wardrobe and living space.

So here was my idea...

Remember this post?

My latest inspiration?
My latest obsession, delight and craze?

Oh yeah.
Stripes.

Been itching to add a new mix to the living room.
Hello interiors A.D.D.

Enter sewing machine and
extra fabric laying around.
Give me a day with nothing on the schedule
and hello new pillows.


Hello, spring.
Welcome, welcome.
Make yourself at home!

This was the "winter" look.
Don't worry.
Only stashed the pillows in
another room for now.

So the living room went from this...

See more here

To this...

It's true.
Not a ton of color.
But just enough for me.


Oh, do tell me
what you think?

Wardrobe Wednesday: Mercury is Rising!

Dare I say the weather is warming a bit

out here on the East Coast.

Am I giddy with delight?
Can I run to my closet and
throw on my long lost friends:
mrs. flip and mr. flop?

Not so fast.

But for now...

No jacket!