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This is Thirty Something

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ohgraciepie blog posts

Before This is Thirty Something, came Ohgraciepie. Here you can find all my past content and search for posts that you just can't stop thinking about.

Home Improvements ( I don’t think so Tim)

March 12, 2011

Since moving in last weekend, we have done a  few projects around the house!
First we took care of the bathroom sink.
 What was previously considered a “sink” was small Pedestal sink with hot and cold faucets.
I’m pretty sure this was original to the house.
It was the shortest sink I have ever used and had to bend 90 degrees to wash my hands.
 So, that had to go. Plus it offered no storage whatsoever.
Which is why Miss Ethel had a shoddy little metal cabinet next to it that stuck out into the door way.
Which is now also gone.
Old set up
It had never occurred to me before how difficult it is to make warm water to wash your face with when one faucet produces hot water and the other ice cold from a separate spout.
Horrible design 1920’s!

Our new Vanity! Behold.
Not done yet… the floor to ceiling faux vinyl tile needs to go and we need a new mirror and light.
 (Don’t mind the scrap of lace I hung in the window so the neighbor can’t wave to me while they are doing dishes and I’m not dressed)

Neat door huh!?
We also purchased curtain rods and new drapes for the living room.

I chose the two layer set up so we could keep the sheers shut most of the time since we are right on the street , but still get natural light.

Then we added Slate colored drapes to be a little more dramatic.

From Lowes:
Allen + Roth Oiled Pewter Rods

And Tie Backs
From Ikea:
Alvine Runds Sheers
Ritva in Gray
Next we put up a mail box, since ours was missing for some reason. 
I plan on painting something awesome on it. It’s way to plain as is!

We also replaced the house numbers since they were a mismatch of  brass, black and silver in 3 different fonts.

I was  able to unpack all of our Linens and Toiletries into the hall closet and I still have room left over. 
( Yes, those 3 drawers  below are full)

Then I crammed all my clothes into the child sized closet

Then Steve removed the door that connects the living room from the Den area to open it up more.

Guess I should figure out where we are going to put the piano!

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The Kitschy Kitchen

March 11, 2011

Green , green, green. Everything I choose is green.
So I tried to go another route with the kitchen.
It will still have green since my small appliances are all a retro green color.
But, I am going to add a blue and red to the scheme.
The cabinets will get knobs and be painted white.
Here is my inspiration picture
Jello Molds!
Again, the blues & red retro style
My apron front sink. One day… I will obtain you.
( How gorg is this sink with the black and turquoise!? I love it!)
I ordered this light fixture from Overstock.
 It is going to replace the over head flouresant light that is currently there.
Current light fixture
In my dreams. But this would go perfect.
We are replacing the “breakfast nook” with a walk in pantry and installing shelving.
I am going to paint the walls the blue color I am using as accent in the kitchen and the shelves will be white.
The  current nook
Vintage fabric dish towels for a window valance
The pallet
*Wink!*

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Movin’ on up to the East side ( Well, more like the South West)

March 10, 2011

Moving day happened. Here is proof.
I rented a Uhaul against everyone’s advice and it paid off in the end.
We used the 26 foot truck and it was packed to the brim.
Plus 3 pick up trucks.( Yes, i have a lot of junk)
Getting out the incredibly awkward armoire from the truck
Trying to figure out where to put furniture in the living room
THANK YOU to everyone who helped out!
Steve n Tyler
Bentley found her new place in the house
Our temporary master until the upstairs is ready
Our HUGE master closet!
 *pause* Not.
That is literally it, what you see right there.
“I’m so sure.”
The living room almost put together
My “”getting ready” area.
Since the bathroom doesn’t offer much room for Steve & I to both get ready for work together in the morning, I am going to be using my vanity.
This is one of my favorite and most useful pieces of furniture but is in desperate need of a make over.
Time for some white paint!

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Gee wiz, pass the deviled eggs and T.V. dinners.

March 9, 2011

During all my recent searching for kitchen and home decor ideas to pull the rooms in the house together, I have found myself collecting images of old home decor ads.
I think I might have to include “retro ads” to my collecting list when I go antiquing from now on.
I mean, I don’t know that I have enough items to scour the tables for really !
Between anything religious and gaudy, to Pyrex dishes, teapots and cups, Elvis memorabilia, crystal and rhinestone costume jewelry, I think there is room for one more knick nack to keep my eyes peeled for.
I think matting and framing some of these prints to hang in their corresponding room would be a fun kitschy touch for the house.
What I especially like about the old ads is that everything is state of the art and breaking technology. Most of which is completely laughable now days to us. The 50’s were such a sweet time. People content with their pink fixtures, meat loafs and jello molds. “See the USA in your Chevrolet” and all that jazz. Stay at home moms and the invention of the airplane…. (wait…..what?!) Okay , okay, sometime old is just old… and it all falls into one category in my head. Sorry Mom.
I guess there was a downside to the mid century; wars, drafts ,woman couldn’t wear pants and facebook hadn’t been invented yet.
If only today could be so simple!
Anyway, these ads make me all warm and fuzzy inside.
I like to image everyone in the 50’s lived in the 
June Cleaver world.

Kinda makes you wanna put on heels and vacuum.

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Till you walk a mile

March 7, 2011

 
Since I started getting tattooed over the  last few years, the attention both good and bad was something I have learned to deal with and *try* to take with a grain of salt.
This is salt, not meth
If you know me though, I am an emotional person, who takes most criticism (meaning all) personally and wear my heart on my sleeve (emotionally and literally :).
Therefore making it rather difficult to let comments just “Roll off my tattooed shoulders”
not me
Last week I read a post on a blog I follow and it felt like she was reading my mind.
It touched base on the kind of impact tattoos can have in your life.
Positive and Negative.

Rachel Taren

Although I am no where near what is considered “Heavily tattooed” having visible tattoos has pushed me into a similar category and made me vulnerable to everyone’s opinion.

And I mean everyone’s!
So I decided to feature her post on my blog, rather than rewrite.
It is very eloquently put and has good advice for anyone considering getting work done.
As well as insight on what it’s like to live in her shoes.
If you aren’t someone who has tattoos or lots of work done, you may not have ever thought about the things that someone who is might go through or deal with.
It would never cross your mind that I have been harassed by strangers, family members or coworkers.
That along with the compliments, I get the stink eyes and belittling.
That the most common (back handed) compliment I hear is ” But, you are so pretty, why did you do that?”
And why would it cross your mind?
You have never walked a mile in my shoes.
I think her post sheds some light on what it can feel like to be tattooed girl in society today too.
Taken from Sometimes Sweet

“I get a lot of questions via this blog in regards to my tattoos and a couple of the questions are asked the most: “do you run into negativity having so many visible tattoos?” and “I’m thinking of getting my arm/chest/other visible spot tattooed, any advice?” So let me tell you. But before I begin, you should know that this is coming from my experience and my experience alone. Things may be different for you, but for me, I’ve found that my life has absolutely changed since becoming what some would call “heavily” tattooed. Maybe this is because I come from a more conservative family, maybe it’s because I don’t fit into the “sorority girl” label that would otherwise be applied, maybe it’s because I live in a small town. Who knows. What I do know though is that I love everything I’ve added to my body, but coming from someone who can be sensitive about people being openly mean or negative, in the beginning it was hard for me to adapt and become indifferent to the way people made me feel. I should also add that for every negative remark or glance I get from the tattoos on my body, I get equally as many smiles and conversations with people I may not have otherwise spoken to. And those seemingly rude stares are often just coming from a place of admiration or curiosity. But now, I don’t give it a second thought. Stare if you’d like, whisper to your friend, “she’s so pretty, why would she DO that?!” It rolls right off my back. But in the first years of having tattoos on my ribs, my back, then my chest, arm, wrist, neck, legs…it would often make me sad. I was so happy with the way I looked, and I didn’t understand why me having tattoos would bother anyone else. But sometimes, it does. So let me start by saying this: if you decide to get a tattoo in a visible place, people will look, and people will judge. Yes, times have changed, but as far as I’m concerned, being heavily tattooed is still not 100% acceptable in mainstream society. One day maybe, but today, no.



Because I have a few separate circles of friends, as I got more and more tattoos I became the “tattooed friend” in one of those groups. The first time I heard that it was definitely disheartening; a coworker of one of my college girlfriends met me for the first time and said, “oh! You must be the tattooed friend we’ve heard so much about.” Oh really? It was a bummer to be generalized like that, and I still think about it when I hang out with that group of girls. No one wants to be placed into a simplified category based on the way they look, but when you have tattoos it can definitely happen, and it did for me, numerous times. Another specific thing I’ve dealt with as of recently: you will have to think about how you look standing in a friend’s wedding as a bridesmaid. I’ve been in the wedding party of many of my friends, and unless the bride or groom is also visibly tattooed, it’s can often be a little touchy. My friends couldn’t care less, but their mothers, grandmas, aunt or family friend may have a different opinion. To be honest, I normally couldn’t care less what someone’s mother, grandma, aunt or family friend thought…but it’s a hard situation when you know that someone’s conservative parents don’t approve of tattoos, yet there you are up there on the biggest day of their daughter’s life, tattooed and smiling away. On someone’s wedding day the last thing you want is to be an issue for anyone’s family…or even “ruin the pictures,” like I’ve actually had said to me. It can be a bit hard when you just want to blend in and be in the background…but if you’re heavily tattooed, blending in isn’t always easy to do in certain settings. And although this isn’t a reason not to get tattooed, I do think that all of these stories blend into a bigger picture that is important to see when making the decision.


Another, and a bit broader thing to think about when you’re considering taking the plunge and tattooing your arm, chest, back of your neck, or even your wrist…how will this affect my career? Some people are lucky enough to work in an open-minded environment where tattoos don’t matter, but the majority of people need to look somewhat “professional,” and in this day and age, visible tattoos aren’t always seen that way. I taught high school for six years, and for six years I wore higher necked shirts, cardigans, and after tattooing right above my knees I stuck to skirts that were always long enough to cover those pieces up. Although my school surprisingly gave me the okay to show them if I wanted to, I chose to have them be a non-issue and keep them mainly covered. It was just easier this way, especially dealing with highly-distractable teenage students. After six years of doing this though I started to get sick of my limited wardrobe choices, and as spring and summer hit it was hot wearing layers and long sleeves each day. So really think hard about it- if you work in an area where tattoos just aren’t acceptable, are you willing to cover them every single day for the rest of your working life? I asked myself these same questions and decided that I didn’t care, and went for it. For me, the benefits outweighed the annoyances. But you may be different, so be sure to ask yourself the same.


Also, know that your day to day life will be forever changed. Imagine wearing a really brightly colored dress out and about- it’s loud, it’s bright, and quite the conversation piece. Now imagine not being able to take off that dress. You loved that dress at the store, you bought and paid for it, and now you will wear that dress for the rest of your life. Everyday. Forever. Wherever you go, people will either look at it, try and touch it, show you theirs, and/or start some sort of conversation. This is the truth. Sometimes fun, mainly annoying, and for me it’s often easier to just cover up if I’m not in the mood to deal with it.

 
But really, what it comes down to is this: if you are going to permanently change your body in a big way, think long and hard before you make the leap. I didn’t get tattooed until I was in my twenties for that very reason. Some 18-year olds have enough sense to make the choice then, but I knew I didn’t, so I waited. And in the end, I decided to take the plunge after all and I am so glad I did. Up above I mentioned a few specific examples of ways life has changed for me, and I’m sure there are many more instances depending on your circumstances. At the same time, there are positive things that of course go along with doing what YOU want to do, and doing it for you. I, for one, adore having such beautiful art as a permanent reminder of different parts of my life. I’ll always love them, because they represent my history, my story, my choices. I’ll continue to get tattoos that I love, and I’ll continue to fill my body with little pieces of beauty that make me happy. Everyday is an exercise in being true to myself, and I like that. And admittedly, it did take a while to accept that not everyone will approve of my choices. From that though, I have become someone who strives to be my 100% authentic self in all situations. You don’t like the way I look? Oh well. My tattoos have taught me more about myself, and more about others, than I would have ever imagined. And like anything, there are two sides of the coin. Just be sure you examine both sides before you really make the commitment! Good luck!”
 

Amen!

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Love to Love Ya

March 3, 2011

Everyday I look forward to my reading list of all the blogs I subscribe to.
It’s my guilty pleasure.
 I wanted to give some love to a great blog that I frequent.
 Sometimes Sweet
Right now she is having a great giveaway and I wanted to encourage everyone to enter.
There are some awesome items up for grabs!
(My favorite is the tattoo manipulation on your babies photo by Paper Mama)
Priceless
While i was cruising through her sponsors I came across this local guy.
With a pretty cool story.
He paints piggy banks for Nordstrom.
I wish I could tell people I did that for a living… or that I was a Radio City Rockette.
I would take either.
His blog Cameron + Whitney is an ode to his art work and his love to a lady.
How many  guys  straight guys have blogs boasting about how madly in love they are?!
 Pretty sweet. 
Take a gander! 

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It’s not over till it’s over

March 2, 2011

I have had weddings on my mind the last couple days.
 I don’t know if it is because Spring is almost here and we all know that means …Wedding Season! 
Or if it is my 2 co-workers planning away for this summer’s events.
 Or it could be the fact that I have been watching all the wedding shows on my DVR before I move this weekend and loose them all.
In any case, I can’t help myself from looking at inspiration boards online.
 I fell in love with this theme.
 Its so Sweet.
 I think it ties in perfectly with the dresses my blogging friend Nikki at Perpetually Engaged  posted earlier this week!
The Enchantress sounds ridiculous though.
” Hey, congrats on the engagement! What’s your wedding vision?”
 “The Enchantress”
Ooooookay….
Instead I will call this : Fairy Tale meets Marie Antoinette at the Ballet.
So, I took this theme and ran with it.
Here are a couple elements I came up with on my own.
I am a HUGE fan of nontraditional dresses, vintage dresses, second hand dresses and PINK!

Hair

Cake

Of course, tea cups!
Peach Cushion Champagne Sapphire ring

Hair Facinator
Are you a wedding planner that doesn’t have a wedding to plan too?
Please say I’m not the only one.

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The Loftiest of friends

February 28, 2011

This weekend Steve and I went to The Loft Cafe & Social Lounge in Edmonds with some friends.
We needed a break from packing the house. A task which seems to be never ending.
The menu had me drooling all day. I couldn’t wait to try everything!
Here is Steve and me!
(Today is our 6 month Anniversary btw and we are signing the papers on our new house!!!)
I started off with a Coconut Mojito

For an Appetizer we had the Quattro Formage.
 Which Included; Beecher’s reserve white Cheddar, Bleu cheese stuffed peppadew peppers, truffle goat cheese, purple moon cheddar,
Prosciutto di San Daniele, Candied poached pear, pomegranate vinaigrette, seasonal fruits and nuts,
French demi baguette
Delish and perfect for sharing.
 
Peter had a flaming cheese.
Which they poured 151 on table side after igniting it.
Not much of a plate of food, but it was a good show.
Here it is on fire.

Rachel and I had the Pear and Gorgonzola Ravioli

Caramelized pear, Gorgonzola cheese, Roasted fennel onion crème, toasted pistachios
SOOOO GOOD.
I wish they had given us more though.
Steve had Surf n’ Turf
Apple wood smoked Bacon, grilled beef tenderloin, blackened prawns, Basil whipped russet
potatoes, Marsala demi glace, seasonal veggies, truffle potato hash
Which he gobbled down in a few bites.
Still hungry for more, we shared a sunday.
Served with hot fudge on the side, this tuile dish was filled with the creamiest scoops of chocolate pistachio ice cream.
We should have just ordered this for dinner instead.
Seriously ,this ice cream was amazing.

I also got the Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake:
Sinful chocolate layer cake with ganache and salted caramel sauce, served with whipped cream & berries  (there were no berries though)

It was a great night due to the fact that we were out with friends and eating food. As far as a restaurant review, I would have liked larger portions.
Not to mention the restaurant its self was rather cramped.
I was expecting something more sprawling or lofty (pun intended) and lounge like. 
Maybe next time we will just hit up Purple.
Sorry, Loft, you fell a little short.. and there were so many other things I wanted to try!

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Clean cup, clean cup ,move down, move down.

February 25, 2011

Well, I didn’t get to buy the “Alice in Wonderland House” but I can still decorate like I did!
My mom and I have been collecting antique china, tea cups and saucers for years.
All the while planning to make something cool with them or display the unique pieces on the wall some day.
Currently they all live in a box on the floor.
 I think I discovered their future.
How cool is this lamp.
My mom has tinkered around with a couple pieces of her own, building and gluing small stacks to use as candle holders, but this floor lamp kinda blows that out of the water.
 The pink room really tops it off too I think.
What got the china stacking on my mind was finding these white Tea Pot Pendant lamps at Anthropologie this week.
I have been looking for some kind of light fixture to replace the current florescent one in the kitchen and a few of these dangling in a row would be SO CUTE!
( I’m sure Steve would love it too…. not.)
But, who spends more time in the kitchen!?
Here they are individually

They are hallow porcelain and the bulb hangs inside them.

There are 3 different styles

And they come with the matching ceiling fixture to.
They are hard wire only.

Originally $288.00 each ( yeah, I know…WTF.) but now on Clearance and affordable.
Love it or hate it?

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The Time Traveler’s Wife

February 22, 2011

My passport is expiring this year.
I have been meaning to renew it anyway since changing my last name.
I had to get new photos taken for it.
When I sat to get the picture, the technician told me I was not allowed to smile.
Apparently they changed the rules.
I argued that I was smiling in my old photo though, so he let me go ahead and do it.
I guess we will see if the agency accepts it that way.
Here is my new photo

 
 

 
Here is my old photo from 10 years ago
 
 
                                                       Don’t look THAT different, eh?
 
 I had to get my passport when I was 17 so that I could go on a trip to Italy with my high school
humanities class.
 Even though it was the summer between my junior and senior year, my parents told me itwould count as my senior trip.
I remember being so annoyed because I wanted to go to Mexico like everyone else did senior year.
 Looking back now, I made the right choice.
I have been lucky enough to go back again since then and see “the old country.”
 If you haven’t been…. It’s worth your while.
 
I would insert some fun photos of me in Italy at 17 right about now… but I packed my house this weekend… and they are in a box somewhere stacked in the garage.
Sorry. So, here are some photos of random people in Italy I found online instead.

 

I really did go to Pomei, so this is almost real….
 
 

 

 
Ciao!

 

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