Bad news in the design business

I read this news in the New York Times today.

Domino, Shopping and Decorating Magazine, Closes

To quote: "Domino, which began publishing in April 2005, is the third Condé Nast magazine about home décor to go under in about a year. Condé Nast closed Vogue Living, a supplement to Vogue, in August and House and Garden in November 2007."

This is just a turn in the decorating cycle. Right now folks cannot afford new furniture, new design and those luxury upgrades that these types of magazines promote.

That's why blogs about decorating and redesign (like mine- right?) are popular. We are filling a need that is out there and we are filling it for free. (we hope that you think of us when you have money however!)

For more information on this there are articles here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/garden/29industry.html?ref=garden

Other decorating blogs that I like:
http://www.organizeinstyleblog.com/
http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/

Thanks everyone for the support and keep in mind that there is a lot you can do to redecorate your home without spending money.

And I am happy to help you! Just send me an e-mail. We can talk.

Think Thin Thursdays - Weekly Check In

Ok, this time it is not my fault. I tried to use that automatic blogger posting thing and well, it did not work. So here is.....

My weekly update. I lost another 1.2 lbs last week and this week I don't feel real great about my eating. I am retaining water and feel like a pudge. Anyway, I will post an update after the WI on Saturday.

As far as my goal for last week, did not do it. I was on a junk food hunt all week and temptation was not far - M&M's at a meeting, found leftover holiday chocolate kisses, etc. I think I have rooted it all out now...lol. Maybe that explains the bloat.

My motivation - look better in my cruise and other casual pictures - I know vain, but what can I say? We all have our moments.

This weeks goal? All things in moderation, not eliminating any food groups, constant posting of points and smarter choices.

Yea, that's all.

Please visit here for more Think Thin folks.

25 Facts about Me

I was tagged by my bestest over at Living Graciously.....and since I am a good little blogger, well I must do this.


So here goes....

1. Nobody thinks my nose is my own. Everyone asks me if I've had it done. The answer is no, I did fall off a bike once and bang it up and my mother had a habit of squeezing the tip of my nose every night, but this is my own un-surgically altered nose.
2. I am not a technology person, per se. I am a good learner and I certainly can pick it all up, but it's not something that just comes naturally.


3. In my last job - you know at the large life sucking corporation - I held 10 different positions in 14 years and reported to at least 18 different managers (I kinda lost count!)


4. I love to go dancing with my husband. People have told us we look very good dancing. I know that I smile the whole time.


5. I started going grey at age 18. I will never let myself go grey until I am 80.


6. I have tried to learn Hebrew about 5 times now via the beginners class. I know the prayers but cannot read it. I really want to learn.


7. I love cruising - something about the pampering.


8. I am claustrophobic. Don't ask me to go spelunking.


9. Procrastination is my middle name. I can put things off forever (and have.) It can be really difficult for me - so I...
10. Make lists. I write a lot of lists...I don't always use them, but I make them..lol.
11. I am compulsive points tracker with my Weight Watchers. Thank goodness for the mobile version that I could load on my Tilt.
12. I miss my parents a lot. There are so many wonderful things that happened with my son and they would have just been kvelling all the time. Plus I just liked talking to my mom, even when she drove me crazy.
13. I always have red toenails. I think it's a bit princessy.
14. The show "Lost" is one of my favorite shows. The twist and turns and trying to put the puzzle together is something we enjoy as a family.
15. My guilty TV pleasure is "Regis and Kelly". I know, sorry.
16. I am a shy person. Many of you who know me may doubt that, but I dread calling people I don't know on the phone. I almost need a list (there it is again) of what it is I need to say. I am slightly better in person.
17. I plow though books and read very fast. I like romance novels, (think Danielle Steele) and I like series books and southern authors make me laugh. I really love Robert Parker's Spenser books.
18. I love dark chocolate, vodka martinis, pistachios and traditional Jewish food.
19. My two cats are complete opposites. Suzy is 6 pounds, bulimic, and a slut for affection. Toby is 18 pounds, on anxiety medicine and afraid of his own shadow. I love them both so much.
20. My husband says I make great "Sunday Gravy" and I must have been Italian in another life.
21. I have dreams that come true. I don't really talk about it much. It scares me a bit.
22. I have a permanent slit on my tongue due to a bicycle accident when I was about 7 and learning to ride a two wheeler.
23. I don't like a lot of things about my synagogue and will probably be moving to a new one after my son graduates from high school. However, I love Women's League and being involved on that level.
24. My husband and I share a birthday - ten years apart. I always tell him I am his tenth birthday present from G-d.
25. I have a sister who blogs and a brother who thinks we are both crazy. I have a great and crazy family for sure.

Well, that's my list - I am now going to tag my sister over at Fighting for Timmy. Good Luck!

Design Tips - Decluttering & Organizing Cards

Don't forget to enter my 100th Blog giveaway - HERE.

I like to send cards. Christmas and Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, Passover, birthdays and lots of thank you notes. So I buy a lot of cards and then I just throw them into a box and have to root through every card to find the right one.

It's frustrating - and time wasting.

And not a very good example for my business.

So it was time to do something about it.

Here is the box that I was throwing most of my cards into. I had a whole other pile that I did not picture.


I then set out to get all of the cards into piles. All the fall holidays, all the blank note cards, all birthdays, etc. Then it looked like this:

You can see in this picture that I have another lighter color card box as well as the flower one. I wanted to divide the cards up between holidays and birthday/other. I needed two boxes in order to do this.

I went to the Current catalog because I like their selection. You can check them out here. They have lots of great cards and other cool items. The value packs are a great deal.

Anyway, below is the after. I am so thrilled with how this turned out. I divided the birthday cards up as well and now I know what cards I have and what is low or missing. Keeps me from buying things I don't need.

Finally, a close up shot of the birthday/other box. You can see I still have room for growth and other categories.

I hope you like this idea. Feel free to let me know how you organize your cards - I love to hear other great ideas. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be glad to answer them.

Think Thin Thursdays - Weekly Check In

Don't forget to enter my 100th Blog giveaway - HERE.

Update: This week at official WI I lost 1.2 lbs. Total = 15 lbs (12 months)

Okay, time for my weekly Think Thin Thursday - sorry to be a day late, but yesterday was a big day for me.

Onto the good news. I did lose a pound last week and I feel good so far about this week. I am off the gym shortly so the exercise is keeping up, I am staying out of the kitchen after 9:00 pm and this week I earned many exercise points and did not use them.

So my goal for next week? A week with no junk food. If I can get it out of my system now, then the Super Bowl party munchies may not be so tempting! Yea, right. But worth a try.

Please visit here for more Think Thin folks.

My 100th Post Giveaway!

This giveaway is CLOSED as of 10PM Thursday January 29th. If you commented prior to that time you are in.

Winner will be notified in a few days. Thanks everyone!


It's arrived! and well I cannot believe it! I have now written 100 posts.

When I first started this blog I was thinking it would be an interesting thing to do once in a while, but like so many other people, I have just found this community to be warm, welcoming and very impressive. There are home chefs and home schoolers, there are poets and writers, there are photographers and crafters.

In this community you can find a voice like yours or one the totally opposite. And that's what makes this so great, and fun, and mind boggling.

So I want to celebrate our community and offer you all something special for supporting me!

Ready? It's fairly awesome in my opinion....





It's a $50.00 Barnes and Noble Card!!!!

(I wish I had a great picture but no, sorry)

I am also adding in a great decorating book - The Declutter Workbook 101 Easy Steps.

So what do you have to do to get an Entry? It's Easy-Peasy!

1) Leave a comment (something nice, please - not just "enter me" - Thank you)= One entry

2) Become a Follower (I really would love to have more than 4) = Two additional entries

3) Blog about my giveaway = Two additional entries

Remember to come back and comment after each thing you do so I can be sure to include the correct number in the Random Number Generator. Be sure to leave me your e-mail so I can contact you when you win!

Contest ENDS January 29th at 10:00 PM. I will post the winner and thank you all very much the next day!

Don't forget to go to the Carnival for many more great giveaways!

OK, this is going to help me?

I was assigned yesterday by my glorious state to attend a mandatory "Re-Employment Training" class. While I did my best to get out of it get it postponed, I was unable to get it changed. So off I went.

Driving in downtown Trenton is like any inner city downtown in that there are scary parts and non-scary parts. While I had to drive down some scary streets, the training center was near the train station with ample parking around.

I walk into the training center and was promptly put into a line. I stood in that line for about three minutes and was told "you need to be in that line over there" with a tone that I somehow should have know this. Great start, eh?

So onto the next line and I get into the room and the instructor has us sign in and grab some paperwork to fill out. Name, general information, plus some details about your last two jobs.

There are about 25 people here, all ages, mostly men and they indicate that they are blue collar when asked. It was about 65% blue collar and the rest white collar.

The speaker starts and has us read from a handout. He asks for volunteers and I step up. As I am reading I realize that we have been chosen to attend this training because we are statistically the most difficult group to find work again.

Well, isn't that freaking great? You make me attend a class to tell me I am going to take statistically longer to find work? That I am too old, or too long in my previous jobs or too long out of the market to understand how to look for work?

Are my skills worthless too?

Well, from this point on I am listening to the instruction and the videotape drone on about how to market yourself - The Internet - really? Personal networks - OMG those exist? Then how to write a resume - don't forget to use active words - WTF is this class?

By the end of the 2.5 hours I am so done. The instructor reviews my information on the form, tells me it's perfect and then lets us all go.

So what did I get for my time other than a kick in my self esteem - not much really.

Thanks, New Jersey!!!

It's so Exciting..and I can't watch

So one of the things I have been most excited about lately is the chance to watch the President being sworn in today - live. This is something I have never seen before - you know school and work kind of got in the way.

But I am unemployed this year and thought it would be the best day ever - blog on the computer while watching an historic event.

But NO....why should I be so lucky.

Wednesday I got a letter in the mail from our great state inviting me to a mandatory "Re-employment session" for 3 hours on Tuesday, January 21st, at 12:30 pm.

Are they nuts???? Apparently they don't care about this historic day,

I called and called to reschedule but could not get through to any living person. I am so disappointed.

So I will DVR the event and watch it on Wednesday. That will be my inauguration day.

Thanks New Jersey!

P.S. Just one more post to the 100th post giveaway!

S.P.S. Happy Birthday to my wonderful Brother!

A Bit of History...and a miracle.

There are many stories in our lives that we choose to share with others. Some stories we keep private and some seem to be almost impossible to believe. This is one of those impossible to believe stories.

There are so many things I love about my life. I am grateful that I have a son...period. At one point I was told that I would not be able to carry a child to term - I had kind of reconciled myself to being a great Aunt and never having my own child. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Turn the clock back about 19 years ago (wow, never thought about it.. that seems so long ago) and picture a young NJDecorator living with her (now ex) husband and enjoying life. Well, surprise! I found myself pregnant and very excited about the idea. However at the same time, our family got news that our Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and back then it was a death sentence. Happy and sad all at the same time.

About four months in I was not feeling right and it was time for an ultrasound. I was having one because I have IBS and bad periods so I had always had problems in that area. Well, sitting at the ultrasound, the technician keeps checking and rechecking things. I am now getting nervous and I was there alone. The technician then calls in the doctor and they tell me that I have to go to my own doctor as soon as possible. Well, I call my mother hysterical and she comes to the ultrasound office and drives me to the doctor.

Well, the news was as bad as you can imagine. But actually a bit worse. My baby had died, but my body did not know it and the placenta was still growing. I had to sit at home for two weeks on bed rest to see if it would pass naturally. Finally, I had to go to the hospital and have a procedure. I don't know that I had ever been quite so devastated. About two weeks later, I visit the doctor and he tells me about the problems I have and how I may never be able to carry to term. I decided to accept his diagnosis and go on from there.

In the meantime, my Mom was being treated for her cancer and we were so lucky to get a few extra months with her. In spring of the following year, she was fading. That Mother's Day she had asked all of her kids to come over for a visit. She said many wonderful things to me that day, like how we should look for her in the rainbows - but the biggest one was that she would talk to G-d once she got to Heaven and let him know that I deserve to have a child.

She never spoke or was awake after that day. She died on May 21st of that year.

Sometime that summer we had moved to a new townhouse and were making arrangements for my long estranged father to move in with us. He was diabetic and needed some help, and even though my parents had divorced years before, I knew he was sad about my mom's passing. I was under a bit of stress and was staying up late every night. I was also getting sick every night. Then my father has his third heart attack and went into the hospital. More stress.

My father never recovered and passed away on October 1st of the same year.

All this time, I am working, getting the new townhouse decorated, painting, carrying things and such and feeling like crap. My bestest tells me at work that she thinks I may be pregnant. It's my birthday and I tell her she is crazy. She buys me a PG test for my birthday. We go into the bathroom at work (!) and I look at the stick and it's turning to a plus very quickly. OMG - I am pregnant.

Fast forward to lost of best rest and many ultrasounds and hospital stays (my baby was breech and sitting on my kidneys) and it's now May. The doctor tells me that he wants to schedule a C-section on May 21st. I almost faint and tell him the story about my Mom. He moves the date to May 22nd. My darling miracle and gift from my mother is born.

She really did talk to the Big Guy.

Several years later my baby boy and I are in the car and we are chatting. He looks up at the sky and tells me that it looks like G-d sky - you know when there is a rainbow and the sun shines through the clouds and it looks like a path to heaven? He then tells me that before he was born he sat with G-d and got to pick his Mommy and he picked me out of everybody. I almost crashed the car.

And that's when I knew he was my miracle. And that my Mother would always watch out for me.

Sorry for the long post - I just felt a need to share this story.

p.s. Just a few more posts till my 100th post big giveaway!!!

Think Thin Thursdays - Weekly Check In

1/17 Update: At the official WI, I have lost 1 lb this week, yea!

Time for the weekly torture check in for Think Thin Thursdays. I am feeling much better this week and I want to let everyone know how much I appreciate the encouragement from last week. It's been a much better week and unofficially I am down about 1.5 lbs. I don't officially weigh in until Saturday morning, but I will update this entry and let you all know.

As far as my goal for last week, I have stayed out of the kitchen after 9:00 pm and I don't miss that. I have also been to the gym every day this week and am really proud of that. Especially considering how freaking cold it is here!

One of my favorite sites for meal ideas and such is Gina's site, I have made several of her recipes and always feel full and happy after eating.

So my next goal? Do not use my exercise points for extra food. I know that if I keep them in the bank I will have a better weight loss week.

Projects, I've got Projects

I have got some really great projects in the works and I promise pictures will follow as they are completed.

1) Sewing - Some cool stuff like learning to make a tablecloth and place mats, and some routine stuff, as my sister asked me to hem some pants for her grandson.

2) My Office - I am organizing my office in so many ways. I am finally hanging up this great three part board I got on clearance at Home Goods (love that store) and I am in the process of cleaning out my files and filing cabinet for 2009. This is all to make room on my sewing table so I can do (1) above.

3) Crawl Space - My darling hubby and I started cleaning out our crawl space. (it's like an attic in the basement). We had a flood due to a backed up pipe so we had to do some cleanup. While it did not get anything important wet, we really had to get it dry. So that was step one. Then since we were hunched over in there, we went through about half the boxes and carried a load of stuff to the curb. Of course half of it was gone before the garbage men came (no problem with that I have been know to trash pick myself!)

4) Recipe Organizing - My dining room table is a series of piles of recipes that I have been collecting and trying to organizing for over a year now. This one will require pictures all along the way...promise. I also want to have this done by the end of February.

How's that for a busy January and February? Oh, yeah let's fit in job hunting and trying to build up the decorating/staging business. Should be a fun winter...

P.S. It's almost my 100th post and I will be giveaway to celebrate...stay tuned.

A fun Photo Tag

Thanks to Annie over at writers and witches and words, oh my!! I have been tagged with the fourth folder fourth photo photo tag!!!!



1. Go to the 4th picture folder on your computer.

2. Post the 4th picture in that folder.

3. Explain the picture.

4. Tag 4 more people.



why four? Four is a sacred number in many cultures and religions including the Zia tribe of New Mexico, The Four cups of wine drunk during Jewish Passover, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. We have many examples in biology and nature. The four chambers of the human heart, a four leaf clover, hmm, it's wonderful to meditate on this. (Thanks Annie for this info!)



So without any further ado:



This is from the Bi-Annual Women's League convention this past November in Detroit. This is my friend Debbi Goldich introducing Rabbi Bradley Artson and he is about to speak on the concept of "mitzvah". Mitzvah are the 613 "laws" that all Jewish people try to live by. He spoke about how these need to be in your heart and not just something you do because you should. He is a great speaker and had written several marvelous books, including this one and this one (which is on my nightstand).



I'm so glad to do this tag as I love to talk about the convention, women's league and how important Judaism is to me.



Now to tag four folks:

1) Fighting for Timmy
2) Living Graciously
3) Be Still Beth
4) From Talbots to Target

Have fun everyone!

Keep your fingers crossed

This is where my son would like to be all winter.

However, this is not possible. Why, you make ask....well, because

a) we cannot afford to live at a ski lodge
b) he still has to go to school
c) wrestling season really interferes with skiing
d) Well, I don't know yet, just give me a few more minutes.

Last year for Hanukkah, my darling son got a snowboard and unfortunately for him, the northeast has one of the mildest winters ever.

This year, not quite the same. But still not much snow. And he still wrestles.

But that all may change this weekend. The Poconos are expecting 6-10 inches of snow. And MLK day is coming up - a no school day. This may mean a ski trip.

But don't tell the boy yet. We need to work out the details.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Photo from AP Photo by Jonathan Hayward

Think Thin Thursdays - Weekly Check In

Okay folks, it is time for my weekly pity party. This should really make 2009 a rollicking year for my readers as you all will get to see me in various states of craziness.

All over my weight.

and my exercise program.

and my ability to sabotage myself as I attempt to lose said weight.

I had stated my goal on Monday as attending the gym (or working out) 5 days this week. Today is day 4 and I have worked out 3 times. Twice at the gym and this morning with the Wii Fit, free weights and my leg machine. So I am confident I will make goal this week.

On the other side of things, I lost no weight. None, zip, nada, zilch, zero. A big fat nothing. But as my dear mother would have said "at least you did not gain". Thanks Mom, no really, love you too.

This week I will not eat after 9:00 pm. No "one last little pretzel" before zipping off to bed.

Even if I do write the pretzel down in my WW points tracker. Because I do. Because I am compulsive.

And apparently not a bit lighter.

The One where I cannot communicate

I sometimes feel like I am not a good communicator. I know that I am listening, but I don't always feel that I am being listened too. Take this typical conversation with my dear hubby:

Me: So don't forget that I am going out tomorrow night to a meeting. Dinner is on your own.

DH: (In tone of true bewilderment) What meeting? You never mentioned any meeting.

Me: (now perplexed) The meeting I mentioned last week, the one written on the calendar on the fridge board.

DH: You know I never look on the fridge and you never mentioned any meeting.

Me: (now frustrated) I told you about the meeting last week when we were all down here eating dinner – you even nodded at me and said okay.

DH: No, I don't remember – you must have thought you mentioned it.

At this point I am now ready to strangle him as I cannot believe that something I remember so vividly and that I wrote down has completely left his memory. I am now feeling defensive and unable to formulate any words and I just say:

Me: Well, I remember telling you and I wrote it down so….

And nothing is resolved.

I have these conversations with my son as well. Or he'll just get instantly exasperated with me and just sigh and leave the room. There is also the famous "Oh Mom" in a tone so full of pity for his poor old mom that is having hallucinations about conversations. Trust me, my hallucinations are much better than that!

So what's a girl to do? Any ideas out there? Does anyone else suffer from this at their home? Let me know how you cope….

More Motivation - Think Thin Thursday!

I found a great new site (thanks to Aubrey) to help support the weight loss battle. Think Thin Thursdays can be found here. Bridgette is doing her part to help us all focus on losing weight and getting fit.

Check it out and help me meet another of my goals for 2009.

My goal for this week - go to the gym 5 times this week and work out for a minimum of 45 minutes.

Holiday Photos - Part 2

Sharing some more of our holiday photo's. This is from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

On Christmas Eve, my husband and his family have always done the Feast of the Seven Fishes and since we have been married my son and I have been part of the tradition. Wow, Eight years now - that's amazing....

Anyway, below is my son and my daughter in law. She is such a great gal and I feel really blessed to be friends with her. Her and my step son live in Ohio with our granddaughters and we don't get to see them as much as we'd like. We are so glad that they come back east every year for the holidays.

Here is my step-daughter and our oldest granddaughter. They are pre-dinner snuggling under the lovely blanket that was crochet for my GD by our "adopted" grandmom - Yai-Yai - who hates having her picture taken.

This is more pre-dinner, my hubby and his Dad relaxing in the lounge. They make quite the handsome pair - wouldn't you agree?

This is my younger granddaughter proudly showing off the gingerbread man she helped to decorate at our house earlier in the week. We had a great time decorating the men and making all types of decorations with kits.

This is the clan contemplating how long to cook the calamari. This is always one of the trauma's each holiday as my FIL has his own method and we are trying to modernize it. Using a deep fryer, lighter oil and panko breadcrumbs to make it lighter if possible.

Finally, to the table. We squeeze a lot of folks into a smaller dining room but we do love sitting together and sharing the meal. This is my SIL Paula, the grandgirls and my step-son. I enjoy taking the table pictures every year and seeing how everyone has grown.

It was a great meal, we are getting better at cooking proper portions and not having massive leftovers, but just right sized leftovers. The stuffed calamari was really good and the mussels were really big this year.

This next picture is from Christmas Day. We went first to my sister for breakfast, then we went to my brother's for lunch. We got to see our nieces and nephew, plus our lovely grandniece. This is my handsome older brother (he'll kill me when he reads that) and his beautiful wife Julie. People always think she is my sister, which I find really funny. I think it's our chipmunk cheeks!

Hope everyone had a great holiday and I want to thank all of the new bloggy friends I have discovered for giving me a voice and for listening. I cannot wait to read what you all have to say in 2009!

Random Thoughts...Goals for 2009....so far

We all have a tendency to want to start out the new year with new goals. Well, I am no exception. I did already post some of my goals regarding exercise and recommitment to healthy eating, but I would like to discuss other goals.

1) Strongly develop realtor relationships for my Staging business - I know that in 2009 home sales are slower and Realtors will need a secret weapon and I would like to provide that to them. So I will be working on letters and other direct marketing materials including visiting several realtor offices to make the connection in person.

2) Take some additional courses - It never hurts to expand your knowledge and I would like to take some courses on areas of decorating and redesign that were not covered quite as well in my course study to date.

3) Be a better friend - I need to be better at calling, e-mailing and visiting my friends. This is something I have discussed before and vow to do better in 2009.

4) Improve my sewing skills - Again ties into the business side, but also a personal thing. I would like to get to the point where I can whip out curtains, pillows, etc. and still fix holes in jeans!

5) Read more - not just trashy novels or autobiographies but I would like to read more spiritual books and try to learn Hebrew as well. We'll see how that goes.

I truly believe that if I work on these goals, I'll be able to make a well thought out decision regarding work and a full time job. I need time to determine what direction I am going and I must give the business a big push as well, those things will help me to determine my path.

Oh and the picture above? That's me and my man at a friends recent party. He's a good looking guy - dontcha think? - I am so lucky.