My honey and I aren’t big on lavish expenditures on Valentine’s Day.  Usually, we spend it at home with just a few decadent treats like dark chocolate and champagne ~ a thoughtful card with a sweet sentiment is always exchanged.

For the longest time, I’ve been wanting to craft something with the sheet music from our wedding song, but couldn’t decide what to do.  A card?  A picture frame mat?  Then it came to me a few days ago!  How about something sentimental we could actually use?  A decoupage tray!

Perfect for serving chocolates and bubbly today . .

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I think I’ve finally recovered from my whirlwind trip to the Big Easy last week.  I was there for an event sponsored by RustOleum, but I did have a few hours to walk the famous French Quarter.  I haven’t been to New Orleans since before we had kids, and it was fantastic to be back, if only to spend a few hours indulging in the best of that crazy wonderful place. 

I purposely left my Nikon at home, so all of these images were captured with my phone on a rainy day, but oh what a glorious time I had!  I love the sights, smells, sounds and flavors of this place.  I made it my quest to cram as much as I could into my brief stay. 

When in New Orleans, one must savor pralines.  I made the fateful mistake of ordering a ‘pray-line’ like we say out here in California.  Oh the disdainful ‘you poor sad tourist’ look I received.  When in New Orleans, the proper way to pronounce this sweet treat is ‘praw-leeen’.  I shall never make that mistake in enunciation again. 

When in New Orleans, one cannot escape the gorgeous architecture of the French Quarter.  Funny how lantern fixtures are so in vogue now, popping up everywhere over dining room tables and above kitchen islands.  N’awlins has had them on display since oh, forever.  Always classic, always gorgeous, indoors or out!

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Y’all know I’ve had my heart set on ridding my kitchen of the decorative ‘fruit plate’ backsplash behind my range since last year.  In fact, I placed it at the tippy top of my 2011 home improvement To Do list. 

Please cue the Etta James background music . . .

“Aaaaat laaaaaaaaassssstt . . .”

I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally have a clean white backsplash behind my range!

I feel like I can breathe now.

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You’ll recall that adventure in tile removal from last week where my Dremel MultiMax and some sweat equity yielded a new canvas. 

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My friends, yesterday was such a great day.   Yesterday, I got my hands dirty with some revolutionary new DIY products from RustOleum (will share very soon).  Yesterday, I ate gumbo.  Twice.  Both servings were a little bit spicy and a whole lotta heavenly.  I am now obsessed with recreating that magical flavor at home.  

Yesterday, I walked the streets of Nawlins.  I savored beignets with café au lait.  I walked every cobblestone street in the French Quarter from Decatur to Dauphine.  I visited antique shops and drank a hurricane.  Thankfully I drank the hurricane after I visited the antique shops and not the other way around, or I may have done some serious damage to my bank account.  It was all so fantastic, I barely even noticed it was pouring rain.     

Today, I’m headed home, but here to take the reins is the lovely Emily A. Clark!  I had the pleasure of meeting Emily last November when I visited New York and have followed her blog ever since.  Emily is an interior decorator with her own design business ~ she has amazing taste, and I absolutely love how she uses bold color in fearless ways.  Emily is here to share a few tips on sprucing up your home for spring with intense pops of color. 

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Midweek greetings!  I’m on my way to New Orleans today to meet with some of the fantastic folks at RustOleum, and can’t wait to see what they have prepared for a few of us bloggers in attendance!  I always think about regional food when I travel to a new place, and I’m really hoping to savor some good jambalaya while I’m there.  Got any recommendations?  Thankfully this is the last trip across the country for quite some time, whew !    

Announcing the winner of the Geezees custom canvas giveaway: #201 Emily C. !    Emily, I’ve emailed your information to the company, expect a contact shortly to start customizing your canvas.

Today, I have another fabulous giveaway, and definitely one that is right on trend.  In the mood to introduce some pattern to your walls?  Well then time to get your hands on a stencil by Cutting Edge Stencils!

Remember last week’s article offering up tips from bloggers on successful stenciling?  Now’s your chance to put all their advice to good use!

Here’s a peek at just a few of the many patterns and styles available:

So many design possibilities!

Cutting Edge Stencils is giving away to three winners a $50 store credit to their shop (that’s enough to purchase most of their stencils!)  Woot!

Eligibility to win one of three $50 shop credits to Cutting Edge Stencils:

1) Hop on over to Cutting Edge Stencils and pick a favorite from their shop, then name it in a comment!

2) For a second chance to win, link to this giveaway on Facebook, or tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (with a link) and then leave a comment telling where you mentioned it (FB or Twitter). 

Giveaway ends Sunday February 13th, 2011 at 8 p.m. PST.  Three winners chosen at random. 

Good luck everyone, be back very soon!

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