MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

French Quarter, New Orleans

Some Lady Biz Art...

I went to some gallery openings a couple of weekends ago and wanted to share the Vaginas exhibit by Clifton Webb. Yup. Vaginas. Clever title and smart way to get people into the gallery that's for sure! But the art was actually really cool too!

This piece below was the only one that straight up resembled a Va-Jay-Jay...

The rest below are just sculptural wall pieces that are really cool - I especially love the shadows they cast on the wall.

Not sure if you can tell in these photos but each piece is HUGE! I like the idea of naming a show something racy... that night everyone was talking about going to see the "vaginas"! And I must say, I enjoyed the show!

(Flying to NYC tonight!! WOOHOOOO!)



Jacamo fi na ne....

Last night some friends and I went to eat at a popular New Orleans Style restaurant, Jacques-Imo's in Uptown New Orleans... and of course I noticed the decor as much as the food!

I thought this was a cool idea and I've never seen it done before!?

Hanging picture frames on the ceiling...

It's hard to tell in the pictures but it looks really cool in person. This is a great springboard for doing something unexpected on the ceiling... it is the most neglected "wall" after all...

I also had to capture my first ever FRIED roast beef po boy...

Yeah, you read that right - fried roast beef po boy! As if a roast beef po boy wasn't gluttunous enough!

I'm still not sure if it was awesome or awesomely bad?! You ever eat something and feel like that!? Similar to the way I feel after a fried oreo... it's just wrong.

At least it's the season to eat like a fat ass! Cause I know I sure have been!

Craigslist Score & Bedroom Ideas...

The Hubs and I have decided to short term rent our rental fully furnished once our current tenant/BFF moves out in April. I will more than likely list it through AirBnB.

I've been scoping out our competition and know once I get through decorating it we'll be able to rent it pretty regularly but also have the option of keeping it unavaliable if family or friends from out of town want to visit! PLUS let's not forget it will be a fun new design project!  :)  AND it will give me an idea of what it's like running a small B&B... (little fantasy of mine!)

Here is a picture of the latest Craigslist score for the bedroom rental - 2 matching bedside lamps... for $10 each!! I  love the shape of them and will more than likely spray them another color - you know I can't leave anything alone... spraypaint is the answer to everything!

They have a cool, retro, Jonathon Adler-esque quality I like about them.

I'll more than likely get 2 MALM 3 drawer chests as the nightstands...

My mom "thinks I could do better" which might be true but I don't want anything too expensive in there - it is a rental afterall and the 3 drawers are very practical for storing clothes, etc. unless of course I come across a great deal on Craigslist  ;)

Anyway, here's some inspiration for the room thanks to good ol' Pinterest!

Love the color of the lamps below...

So what do ya think?? Do you like the lamp/dresser combo? Have any of you out there ever done the short term rental thing? I'd love to hear advice if you have! My parents rent out their condo in Florida and haven't run into any issues.... so I'm hoping we won't either!

Most Awesome Sliding Doors EVER....

Came across this awesomeness on Pinterest...

These would look so unbelievably gorgeous in a New Orleans home! I'd love to see them in a completely remodeled 100+ year old home - where everythings new but you need some old in there!

Random side note: HUGE pet peeve of mine is contractors that go into these gorgeous old homes, (granted they do need to be completely gutted) completely gut them and make them look like any other Home Depot grade home... put some character back into the home please people!! I've seen this tragically happen one too many times in my neighborhood!  :(

OK... I'm off my soapbox for the day!

Craigslist NEW FORMAT!!

Craigslist just got even BETTER! They changed the format so you can SEE the images without having to click on the link!! :)  uhhhohhhhh.... I'm in trouble! Go check it out!

Yet Again Another Rearrangement of the Furniture!...

I'm always rearranging my furniture... it usually happens when I'm doing a deep cleaning of the house and get annoyed with this or that so I start moving around everything. Well... here's a shot of the latest state of one of the walls in our living room....

I'm playing with the whole "gallery wall" here and put the TV on an angle. MUCH better like this - it was centered on the wall on a too big console but now it's perfect and I can fit another chair in! (notice I painted the chair GOLD! It's a wee bit too shiny for me so I'll have to find a more muted gold to lightly spray over it...)

It works for now! Here's what the wall was like 6 months ago...

Yes, The Hubs thinks I'm nuts but he's used to it by now! And tonight we're swapping the dining room with the guest bedroom... Our house has too many options I just can't stop myself!! ;)

Hall Light is UP & LIT!

Rember my awesome light I bought?? Well, just wanted to quickly show you it up and lit with the proper bulbs!

Not bad for FIVE DOLLA!! HOLLA!!

Finally working on the Bathroom!....

I hate our bathroom. Actually, I hated our bathroom now I'm able to tolerate it. And soon I think I'll actually like it.

I randomly decided to write about this so I just have pictures from my camera phone to give you an idea of what I'm dealing with:

There were these awful upper cabinets over the claw foot tub along one wall and another set of cabinets on the opposite wall where the toilet and vanity are. They looked like kitchen cabinets chillin' in a bathroom!?

And the best part is they were completely not functional! They were mounted so high you could not even reach them - and we're TALL - I'm 5'11" and The Hubs is 6'4"!

The good news is that my brother has since ripped these uglies out (sorry no after pic at the moment!) and I can finally finish priming and painting the bathroom! (I think this will be my 12th room I'm painting?!)

SO, Big Bro is also moving the vanity light up a good two feet so I can fit this guy in as the mirror!

Isn't he gorgeous?! Very New Orleans of me if I don't say so myself ;) He's 4' tall and oh so fabulous! Got him for $100 on Magazine Street (I sold 2 mirrors on Craigslist in order to get him). I'm debating on keeping him gold or spraying him white...

Like this:

And installing a more modern sconce above it... like this but turned sideways...

Sutton Double Wall Sconce vie Restoration Hardware

Here are some inspiration photos via Pinterest as far as what I'm thinking...

I like the idea of the bathroom below but it also drives me crazy how there are two sinks and the mirror is centered between them! I'd rather a rectangular mirror turned so it covers both sinks. And lucky me I have 12' ceilings to work with, looks like this bathroom is 8'??

Below is one of my all-time favorite bathrooms. THAT  MIRROR!! I don't have that kinda budget but this is just FAB!

Hopefully at least the mirror and lighting will be finished this weekend so I can show you the improvements! What do you think - keep mirror gold? (it's a reproduction so it's not like I'd be ruining some antiqued gold mirror) or paint it white? Oh and the bathroom will be painted BM Decorator's White...

Let me know what ya thinkin'!

Adding Some Color!...

I think I'm finally commiting to some colors for the house! Other than white and camel that I have everywhere! My good friend Rebecca was over lastnight - she loves color so much she even has a whole blog devoted to it! - anyway - we are thinking about some accents in lavender and chartreuse!!

I know those colors aren't for everyone - especially lavender but it's one of my personal favorites. The trick is going to be in not making it look to "girly". Plus I already have some GORGEOUS chartreuse silk curtains from my momma I can put up on the huge window!

Here are some inspiration pics:

Gwen Driscoll Designs

My curtains are almost identical to the ones above. I do not plan on going this over the top with the lavender though!

via House Beautiful

OOOOOBSESSED with the room below! I luuuuvs these colors together! Although this is aqua and chartreuse - still in love!!

I can't find photo credit for this guy! SORRY!

 

Any thoughts on the color combo? Love it or hate it? It's OK - you can tell me :) I'll still love it!

Ohhhh and we're going to NYC to visit The Hubs family over Christmas so you know I'll be hitting up the fabric and trim stores!! CAN"T WAIT!

** Small world update - the last image is by St. Louis designer Amie Corley and she coincidentally came into the shop right after I posted this! I of course told her how much I loved the room... but I forgot to ask her what that wall color was!! Dangit!

Only In New Orleans... Some Real Estate Porn...

Not sure if you all in blog land are aware that I am a real estate whore (I worked for an agent for a year and even got my license! BUT looking at pretty houses all day is TOTALLY different than selling them ;) NOT my thing!)

Point is, I'm trying to get my parents to invest in something and do a little flip-a-roo! And I of course would get to design the place :)

This is the beaut they may put an offer on tomorrow....

Yes, you are seeing things correctly - that is a weed that has made it's home inside this house....
I'll let ya know if they get it... it's way too good of a deal and already has 4 offers on it's 1st day on the market!

We shall see!

** Update - they didn't get the house :( they decided at 2,000 square feet it was a little too big of a project... whaaaa

Happy Birthday "Bywater Boo"!!...

I wasn't in much of a writing mood today but then I realized today marks the 1 year anniversary (or birthday??) of this blog, Bywater Boo!! I'm surprised I've stuck to it and I know I will continue to be inspired by this wacky and strange world around me.

This coming year I really want to focus on making more art... I always have tons of ideas swimming in my head but they never come to light. Whether it is sewing, painting or building something I really need to get focused!! I'm sure many of you out there feel the same way?? I think I am just going to lock myself up in my "studio" - (I'll have to show you pictures!) and just work.  Eeeww I feel like I'm sounding so serious?!

Anyhoot, I hope y'all enjoy reading this little blog... I actually have no clue who out there reads it?! But it's a fun way to journal what I'm up to or inspired by!!

I also wanted to share some pictures of my favorite adventures from this past year throughout New Orleans that made me feel inspired...  Here ya go!...

I hope this coming year is filled with even more great adventures!!