DIY: paper covered cork boards

This project is about as easy as DIY can be, but it's about as DIY as this busy girl gets... ;)

Supplies:
Pretty papers (all by Rossi Italy from Parchment in Nantucket) - $10 for all three (with tons left over)
Cork tiles (Wal-mart) - $6 for pkg. of four
Cute flat tacks (Wal-mart) - $3
Misc.: Scissors, adhesive (double sided tape, rubber cement, etc.)

Instructions:
-Cut paper to size
-Attach paper to cork with rubber cement(another adhesive might work better)
-Attach to wall with adhesive included with wall tiles
-Put tacks at corners to help adhere
-TBD: tack fun stuff to tiles :)

It's official

I'm a (community) college co-ed! :) Thankfully, I'm not the oldest person in my class, there are a few other women about my age looking to change careers/start firms of their own. The class looks like it'll be fun. The first objective on the syllabus is to gain an understanding of design resources, like design periodicals. Yeah, I think I'm totally getting an A in this class. ;) I'm also looking to milk my student ID for all the discounts I can get. I'll easily make my money back... ;)

Last day of meds (for now), first day of class

Tonight I take the last of my Premarin (E2), Provera (P4) and my "Cape meds" (as I'm calling them) and then can start back on my regular vitamins tomorrow. After the stomach episodes I've had, I stop all other "non-essentials" while on my post-surgery meds. I can't believe it's been three weeks since the surgery. Hopefully AF will come soon, though I'm expecting it to be pretty terrible, for myriad reasons. When AF is over, I'll go back to the RE to get another 3-D u/s of my new and improved ute and if all is well (please God), we'll chart out a plan for IVF (w/long Lupron).

I also have my very first design class tonight. I swung by the college last night before my business dinner to pick up the last of my textbooks and it was a circus. I'm preparing myself to be the old fogey in the class. I'm hoping the professor is good. :)

Good stuff

We stopped in Boston on the way to the Cape (in a successful attempt to time the weekend traffic). And since it was a sales tax holiday weekend, we went to Newbury Street. Who am I kidding? We probably would have gone there regardless, since it was too nice out to go to the ICA. I heart Massachusetts for not having sales tax on clothes. ;)

So I finally got to go to Sweet for a (mini) carrot cake cupcake (my fav). Heaven.


In Chatham, there's a seasonal shop called Shelter Island Home, which is ALL John Robshaw. OMG, love.

He's the new hot guy, I saw his textiles all over the Cape and Islands' cutest shops.

In another adorable little design shop in Chatham, I found this Dash & Albert tile rug and just had to have it for my bedside.

I have the unique (or maybe not so unique) ability to walk into any store and fall in love with the most expensive thing, without even trying, of course. I don't usually shop at the Gap, they lost me as a regular long ago. But S wanted to stop in, and of course I had to have this Band blazer. To me, it yells "back to school", which I am on Wednesday...


On the stroll back from lunch at Sayles Seafood between the Great Harbor and Nantucket Yacht Clubs, we happened upon Parchment.


Parchment profile on Wooster & Prince

I just had to have all of these...


The three papers are by Rossi Italian paper, and I'm planning on covering a large cork board with them to fill with inspiration pictures.

As for the rest...


French labels/stickers from Chronicle Books
Wooster & Prince Hither Creek trio list pad.

FML

I wrote out a super long post discussing the clusterfuck that was our vacation, but I can't even deal. The Cape and Islands were lovely and we actually had a nice time considering. But I naively forgot to leave myself, my life, and my luck at home.

In brief, the week began with an urgent trip to an unknown clinic. We then got to wait all week for test results and get an Rx at $9/pill ($180 total). At the end of the week, their/our worst fears were confirmed. I have a lifelong chronic illness (that came out of nowhere) that could impact future pregnancies, that I now get to add to the mix.

I then heard midweek via my sister that our beloved g-ma K (who recently moved to WI to rehab from knee surgery) has terminal lymphoma after getting sick one night after dinner and undergoing weeks in the hospital for exhaustive tests. She is 93, and without this, would likely live a long long time. She is opting not to have chemo (which would only likely give her a few extra months, but make her sick from the start), and let it run its course. She has been given just a few months to live.

And for good measure, I fell on an divot in the parking lot as we were returning our condo keys. On my knees, my hands, and wait for it... my face.

Where does one go to recover from a vaca like that? Needless to say, I needed to work from home today to try to build up the courage to go back to the office.

Getting ready

I'm pretty sure the doxycycline was the cause of my extreme nausea on Monday, which I now have under control with the help of acid reducer. Only two more doses to go...

We are excitedly preparing for our trip to the Cape. I CAN'T WAIT! (can you tell?) It has been super hot here for what seems like forever, so we are very excited to be trading in our 90's+ for some 70's and sea breezes next week, and getting the hell out of dodge, and meeting some new friends, Niki and Steph, while we are out East.

Some last minute trip prep to do...
Just done:
-Car to shop for check-up. Worst case scenario we have two different free road side assistance services (through Hyundai and our insurance).
-Re-engage lapsed XM radio (5 mos. for $20 deal). Even with an Ipod, on a long road trip, this is a must.
-Stop mail and papers (I love that you can do all of this online now)

Still to do:
-Load up Ipod with new CDs (yes, I still buy CDs)
-Get recent Cape/Islands guidebook from library
-Clean the house, water plants, etc. (I still need to find us a new housekeeper)

Pack must-haves:
-Portable Nav (in case we venture too far off of I-90, which takes us 90% of the way)
-Portable DVD player (w/movies and three seasons of MAD MEN)
-Noise-cancelling headphones (to tune out tone deaf husband who likes to sing ;))
-IPass (works all the way there now, yay!)
-Books (haven't made the jump to Kindle/Ipad yet)
-myriad phones, crack berries, cameras, camcorders...

I'm debating whether I can manage going 10 days w/o a computer... hmmm...?

The house will be painted while we are gone. We'll return from Cape Cod and it'll be Cape Cod Gray... It's getting power washed today! Yay! :)

And my new bag arrived just in the nick of time... :)

Surya pillows

Surya is one of our boy names (it means "sun") and the eponymous decor company is pushing pillows on OKL.

If our family room was a pillow, it would be these...

And our living room, would be these...

I'm also digging these...