The motherload

First, let me catch you up on the "goings-on".
•The boys got haircuts and look super cute. Little men. I just love it!
•We went to a Portland Trailblazer game on Friday night while the boys spent the night at their Grandparent's house. We had box seats! So cool! There were two suites for our group from SF, and both suites had huge spreads of party food: meatballs, wings, chips, dips, veggies, fruit, brownies, etc. One side had a quesadilla bar, and then at dinner time (as if we needed more food!) they brought in prime rib, roasted veggies and potatoes. I was STUFFED! The game was a lot of fun, too. I enjoyed our attempts to get on the big screen. I actually did see my arm in one shot while they had their cameras on the drum crew that was in front of us. Oh, and the Blazers won. (We seriously had a blast!!)
•I became a little obsessed over the weekend. I discovered funky fabric. A gal posted on a forum I frequent about a sale in her etsy shop on fabric, so I checked it out. That started the obsession (maybe a week ago), then I bought myself a camera strap cover from another gal's etsy shop. Yep. Funky fabric. So, I went in search of this funky fabric. First, some internet research to find the names that I like. Then (total waste of time) a jaunt into Salem to the big fabric stores. Joanns and Hancock still carry the same fabric they carried in the 90's. Ridiculous. Then, back home to research obsessively only to discover that I need to look at quilt shops for this stuff if I want to see it in person. Uh. We have a pretty nice quilt shop here in town, so as soon as it opens (in a few minutes), I am headed over. I KNOW they carry Amy Butler fabric there, I just don't know if it will be the patterns I like. (And, of course, I am totally open to some non-Amy funkiness.)
•Then, just to heap on the obsession, I attended a very fun baby shower yesterday for my friend Mellisa, at Sara's house. Sara is SO talented at decorating and finding absolute steals on home decor items and furniture. Crazy good. Every time I go to her house I leave totally inspired. Oh, and she sews. With funky fabric. So, now I've seen this gorgeous stuff in person, and yes, it does look just as nice up close as it does online, so I have NO problem with purchasing fabric online. And, Sara gave me some great suggestions on where to find my funky fabric. She usually buys it online, but she knows of some great stores in Corvallis. Of course, I only go to Corvallis during football season, at night. But, if, for some reason, we decide to take a family field trip out there, I will be sure to call Sara first.
•Came home from the super fun baby shower just GLOWING with obsession. Mitch was on the computer. Argh. Once he jumped off, I got on and did more research on my fabric/decorating thing. My biggest issue right now is furniture. I have ideas on what I want, but it is sort of hard to narrow it down, especially when we don't have ANY good furniture stores in Salem and I am not about to tote 2 kids up to Portland to look at furniture. Yes, I've done it before, and I won't do it again. So, Ikea is a possibility, but I'm not crazy about their upholstered furniture options. Like a lot of the wood stuff, though. I need to check it out in person (sounds like a date Saturday!!). Overstock.com has some ideas (like the two I posted about below), but the whole online-shopping-and-can't-return-it-without-paying-through-the-nose thing is a little frightening. I went to bed last night feeling excited, frustrated, anxious and ready to get moving on this decorating thing.
•THIS MORNING I HIT THE MOTHERLOAD. Cheap furniture, very nice looking, good reviews, and you can return it to any Target store for no charge!! Oh, and free shipping. So, now I am refreshed and excited and thrilled that I will actually be able to afford some new furniture that is stylish and can be returned. I'm off to the fabric store to find the funky fabric that will be the accent in my room (or maybe just a new bag. We'll see.).