Some Things That Have Been Happening: A Crappy Phone Picture Story

Hi guys. I started writing another monster post on buying rugs but then I got overwhelmed and more than a little worried I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. When I began studying maps of the Middle East and researching the major rug weaving cities of Iran I realized I may have bitten off more than I could chew right now. I'm just a little OCD like that. I'll get around to it soonish but I need to let things incubate for a while. In the meantime, I highly recommend this article on buying rugs.

Also, I am super busy because my kids have succumbed to cold #857 this year. Both are encrusted with all manner of viscous fluids and it's a full time job keeping that bizness off my new rug.

It's much prettier (darker and less contrasty) in person but I'm already stressing about how overwhelming it is in its new space. I foresee a major rug and furniture rearranging party on the horizon.

 Lest you think me a heartless bastard who only cares about my furnishings, here are my cute little people. It's good that they are cute because they destroy everything I own.

Which is why my fabulous Jenny Andrews Anderson painting is still safely rolled up and not actually lying about on the floor like this. I can't wait to get it stretched and hung over my fireplace because it is HUGE and I love it.

Speaking of art, I'm selling this large (4 ft) 70s abstract painting. Austinites, email me if you're interested.

Still speaking of art, I'm slightly obsessed with this amazing gouache painting I didn't buy. Why didn't I buy this? Oh yeah -- because I already spent all my fun money on art and rugs.

Strict budgeting is largely sponsored by the impending (soon? I hope?) kitchen redo we're saving for. I've been to see Sanders for paint help and I think I've narrowed the cabinet colors down to three choices. We shall discuss this ad nauseum later, but for now just know that babies love Sanders.

Last but not least, I got new business cards! Bryan Keplesky designed the logos and Karly Hand designed the cards. I think they're kind of President of the Illuminati awesome.

Publicly launching ones photography and decorating career at the end of a series of crappy phone pictures is undoubtedly a smooth move. Please do see my photo site here and my latest house tours here and here if you're interested in hiring me to work for you.

You know where to find me.

Musical Rug Update!!!

A few of you have been, ahem, harassing me for updated pictures of the Ebay rug in its new home. I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to finally do this, especially because I appreciate the comments that everyone took the time to write on the original post SO MUCH. Without a doubt, dialogue is the best part of blogging. So in that spirit, I am fulfilling my half of the bargain by saying, hey -- I listen. Sometimes. Behold, the new old Ebay rug, now in the dining room.

Now I was pretty pleased with the result until I looked back at a picture I had taken before I moved the Persian rug into there...

Through the magic of time and effort the old picture is better, but mostly what I notice is that I like the old rug, too. And maybe the Persian rug looks crazy with the wacky ceiling?

Here's what's happening under the sun. Say howdy to Doris.

Oh, and because someone will tell me that the real problem is the black accent wall, here's what's going on with that.

It's the whole ding dang back wall, and I like it. Please excuse the hideous styling and photography from this very old picture. Our house will never be clean enough to take such a wide angle shot again.

Speaking of cleanliness and photography, I want to say again, SORRY! For being such a pokey turd about posting updates of our house. I get all freaky about the photography being decent. Plus I have a very messy, very curious toddler who often refuses to cooperate with my plans. Please see the following evidence.

So, in order to take this picture of our bedroom, I had to move a few things around...

This is the other end of the room during that shoot. Notice my assistant forgoing the opportunity to climb mount laundry, and instead heading straight for mommy's very expensive photo equipment.

And there you have it. The Emperor wears no clothes.

But I do have a new old rug.

Erin's Artwork, Lazy Friday Edition

I feel guilty for treating y'all like a captive audience and forcing you to look at some art I added to my website, but not so guilty that I'm not going to do it. Mostly it's because I am lazy and don't feel like digging up a real post. No wait, strike that -- it's because these photographs are so AMAZING and INCREDIBLE that I felt I would be doing you a disservice to withhold them. Even I didn't believe that. Whatever. I'm posting them anyway.

These images are from a series of large format photographs I did on my home town Texarkana, a wee settlement at the corner of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Shocking, given the name.

Texarkana is a funny place. Like any small hometown, it has more than its fair share of a provincial mindset. I found myself bursting at the seams by the ripe old age of 15, grown too big for all those little ideas.

Or so I thought. Once gone, I was surprised by how very much I missed driving the lonely highways at night, with no one except for the armadillos and opossums to witness my attempts to break the sound barrier in my battered Mazda 626.

And, trite though it may be to write this, I miss hauling our little red wagon full of cow bones around the levees of our family farm more than I ever thought possible.

I kind of hate that I was so cynical about home when I was there, but I suppose that is the teenage condition. And I suppose nostalgia is the adult equivalent, because home is not a real place; it's a state of being that dissipates along with acne and adolescence.

Holy crap, that was way too heavy for a Friday.

Go see some more pictures from this series here if you dare.

Have a super weekend, y'all!