{making changes....}

I'm excited to announce my new blog  Nancy elizabeth at home!! 

I have really enjoyed the last 2+ years here at "La Borda Bleu" but I was ready for a change!  

I want to Thank ALL who followed me here at La Borda Bleu and hope you will continue with me on my

new journey at

Nancy elizabeth at home

I'm a girl all about change! Nothing wrong with that...sometimes it's just necessary!!

xoxo's Nancy

{Addicted? Maybe?...}

As many of you know I have a bit of a curbside trash addiction...several months ago on my way to the grocery store I spotted a shelving unit.  I got out of my suburban & took a quick look...I immediately saw potential{it's a disease} and went back home to beg my dear husband to help me with this fantastic find!   When we arrived he looked at me like "seriously Nancy, this is junk that's why it's here"  oh how quickly does he forget how I can see past all the holes, broken legs, paint...you get the picture...he finally agreed to load it up... I was thrilled or delusional?

We brought it home and then had picker's remorse... I rinsed it off & let it dry..came back to it and  the same thought...uggh! trash or should I try was spinning thru my head..

Here is my take on curbside treasures...you see something, you get excited, you get out, you look & you procure all while this little bit of consciousness it saying stop but, the thrill of finding something takes over...also, it's a you snooze you loose type deal...you just never know how long you have before 1. the trash trucks come by or 2. someone else saw exactly what you did and snatch it up!

 {rarely does this one happen}

ok here it is below....this is after I had my husband take the top off- I didn't take a picture before..my bad

 now you know why my husband looked at me like "seriously Nancy"?  

it looks like they used it to store paint and paint thinner...the top reaked of paint thinner, must have been leaking for months and it shredded the wood into little pieces.

the middle has some drawers & the last cubby is covered in metal?  I figured that maybe at one time this had doors on both side & possibly some type of pie safe? 

don't know....it's not super old maybe from the 60's?

we sanded, replaced a section in the back w/ a thin board...

  added thin board on both sides of the unit to cover up the holes....

 added more thin board on the inside to cover up the holes...

my husband cut a piece of wood for the top, added a thin molding around the sides to give it a finished look & a another piece of molding underneath.

filled in little nail holes with wood filler & sanded once more.

we have now primed it and ready for paint...I can't decide on paint color & it's on hold for right now. 

 I am currently using it to hold items for the upscale yard sale.  You ask "I thought that already happened?"  no, we had a busy summer & did I mention 3 digit weather around here!  

So, I'm hoping soon very soon..

I'd like to get our living room back & i'm sure the rest of my family as well.

Are you inspired? lol maybe this is not for you but, if your ever driving around and spot something don't be embarressed to stop, take a quick look because you never know! 

 Take it from me a professional or addict?! :)

* did I mention we have spent $20 on it...we had most of the material! {does this really make it ok? lol}

xoxo's Nancy

{Bonsai!...}

Several months ago I ran across these cute little clay pots...I thought they were just adorable & picked them up for a few bucks....

I noticed 2 of them have a markings on the bottom & I felt like I won the lotto!
Ok a little exaggerated but, I do love when I stumble across items and they are signed!!
I couldn't wait to see what I found.  

I started my search and found out they are not just cute little clay pots they are actual Bonsai Pots!  

Seriously, Bonsai Pots never even crossed my mind.
maybe some of you out there would have known but, nope not me.

So, I have emailed a few Bonsai enthusiast to see if someone can help me identify the artist and possibly tell me how old or if they are new? And I wouldn't mind knowing if they are worth anything!

 $$$$$ I'm thinking a new kitchen..LOL

 I have 2 of these & these are the ones marked....

If anyone knows anything about these please email me!!  Would LOVE to know!  

xoxo's Nancy

{Master Bath & Reminder..}

During our little vacation I did a little shopping{ imaging that...} and bought a few little treasures for our master bathroom & reminders of what a beautiful time I had with my family this summer!

found a few sea shells while strolling at Bean Point,  bought the lovely sea spray & star fish.....

one of my favorite stores in Anna Maria was "Sand Dollar" I could literally stay in that store for hours...I had to make several trips I just couldn't get enough....I purchase a pair of linen embroidered hand towels..anything linen I just adore...

 and the 2 pearlized shell soap dishes {can't rememeber what the shells are called?}

I plan on making a shadow box out of our old chippy siding from our house

and line it with linen and attach the sea spray.

{another project to add to my many:)}

 we recently added drawer pulls & knobs...

I found these at Target & they didn't even break the bank!! I know aren't they GREAT!

made by Thomasville...not all stores carry them but, I know you can find them online...

 I am in the market for some new towels...we have had these for a couple of years now...they are not fluffy anymore....I never know how long to keep towels? I think 2 years is good? 

 I'd like to get a set of white monogrammed in taupe.  I've never been a fan of multi colored towels so, white it will be.

wishing all a very Happy Stress Free Monday!! :)

xoxo's
Nancy

{It's FRIDAY Family time!!...}

{image spicebarn}

Here at La Casa Carey it's pizza, popcorn & movie night! 

 It was back to school and boy was it hard to getting back on schedule....miss you summer :(

But, thank God for Fridays!!

 Looking forward to weekend & especially not having to wake up at 6 AM!

woohoo let the weekend begin! {already in my pj's and it' only 7!}

Just wanted to pop in {no pun intended...lol} and wish you all a very relaxing weekend!!

Here's what's on the big screen tonight!

Hope it worth watching but truthfully it's FRIDAY Family time so, it's doesn't matter!

Tomorrow we have a special bday boy named Travis {my nephew}!! We are taking him out to his favorite restaurant in Midtown for some delicious Vietnamese food- he particularly loves PHO..
I love the BBQ Pork Vermicelli! OMG to die for!!

Love you Travis and we wish you the bestess bday yet!

xoxo's Nancy

{a trend or here to stay?...}

Here are a few inspirational pics of beautiful dining rooms & bedrooms featured in the Fall issue of Restoration Hardware.

{all images above from Restoration Hardware}

I've noticed the last year they have been moving more towards tone on tone & hitting the industrial look with a bit of aviator!  It's very masculine & bulky.   A few weeks ago I went and looked around and talk about massive pieces!  You really have to have a grand space for some of their items.  Never the less I didn't want to leave the huge leather sofa we sat in for 15 minutes.  I mean to tell you it was plush!  They don't skimp on quality and you can see it in the price tag!  

The bedroom pics above are in a french &  neoclassicl inspired and I find them appealing to either sex.  Remember the Neoclassic trend several maybe a decade ago? I didn't follow maybe it's coming back but with a modern toned down twist?  

According to Wikipedia Neoclassic design-  

Interior design

Finnish towns were built of wood, often in the Neoclassical style. (Studio of W Runeberg on Porvoo)

Indoors, neoclassicism made a discovery of the genuine Roman interior, inspired by the rediscoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum, which had started in the late 1740s, but only achieved a wide audience in the 1760s, with the first luxurious volumes of tightly-controlled distribution of Le Antichità di Ercolan. The antiquities of Herculaneum showed that even the most classicizing interiors of the Baroque, or the most "Roman" rooms of William Kent were based on basilica and temple exterior architecture, turned outside in: pedimented window frames turned into gilded mirrors, fireplaces topped with temple fronts, now all looking quite bombastic and absurd. The new interiors sought to recreate an authentically Roman and genuinely interior vocabulary, employing flatter, lighter motifs, sculpted in low frieze-like relief or painted in monotones en camaïeu ("like cameos"), isolated medallions or vases or busts or bucrania or other motifs, suspended on swags of laurel or ribbon, with slender arabesques against backgrounds, perhaps, of "Pompeiian red" or pale tints, or stone colors. The style in France was initially a Parisian style, the "Goût grec" ("Greek taste") not a court style. Only when the young king acceded to the throne in 1774 did Marie Antoinette, his fashion-loving Queen, bring the "Louis XVI" style to court.

_________________________________________________________________________

following the trend? are you in or out?

that is the question!

{random thoughts...}

{caution-lots of rambling going on below}

The truth is I love to blog...

even tho I don't have a million followers{love to my followers}, comments, or post I still love to blog! 

I didn't know much about blogging when I started..I noticed other blogs get bigger and bigger and made it my goal to do the same- I was SO very excited to start my very own blogging empire!  LOL

Well, it just doesn't happen like that.  You have to really make it a job and contribute several hours to it to really get noticed!  I'm not talking about s a random post here and there...you have to have consecutive posts, follow other blogs & ask for them to do the same, post comments and most of all stand out above all the 1000's of blogs with the same concept.

THINK POSITIVE- Reminder 

So, here I am still blogging after 2+ years!  My initial idea for my blog was going to be "a view into our home addition and remodel"  My plan was to show y'all how we transformed our modest 2 bedroom 1 bath into a semi dream home & I throw in a few other things I liked to do.   At the time projects were going as planned until the real estate market to a HUGE dive and my wallet started to become slimmer and slimmer until there were no extra funds to finish.  We made a wise decision to hold off on any further projects.  Let me tell you our  home was eating up all our extra money and then some.  We had to stop or we were going to end up struggling just to make ends meet.  "The truth about home remodels" was clearly what I should have titled my blog!  :) 

I have my moments where I just want to pack up and move.

I look around and see all that still has to be done and it stresses me out.

I can name about a 100 things that need to be completed.

 I write this random post as a reminder to myself that there is more to life than a house- there's a home I  have to fill with memories, love & peace- the rest will come in time.

It's very easy to get in a rut and forget.

Wishing all a random thought!

xoxo's Nancy

{Hey chick!...}

Look who's been coming around every morning!  Yep, check this chick out!  

Mind you I don't live on a 

farm nor near anything that remotely looks like a farm so, where is this chick from?  

All I know is this chick is very messy!  

She has been destroying my unkept flowerbeds,  pecking holes thru-out the yard & 

teasing our dogs!... they sure do think she is great looking if you know what I mean!!!  

So, what do I do? let this chick stick around? wth?

Madeleine is now saying it's hers and she is going to start feeding her! 

I had to put the brakes on that thought rather quickly!!  

 She sure is cute tho but, NO not going to fall for it!  :)

pics are a little shaky she is just SO busy!

xoxo's Nancy

{Summer Days Gone By...}

I am kinda sad that today is the last day of Summer for us :(  It's been in the 3 digits and haven't been

able to enjoy the outdoors...soon enough Fall will come right?

I'm still in beach mode tho...

Below are some more pics of our summer get-a-way

A picture of us on her very first flight...I think I was a little more on edge 

than she was...we hit a bit of turbulence on the flight and can I tell you on was in stitches until we 

landed...uggh not my favorite and then, my loving husband reminded me of how that infomercial guy 

died from hitting his head during a flight with turbulence...yeah thanks a lot! lol

I had several of these with my husband...being from Texas I really do enjoy a tasty frozen margarita.

my husband looked amazing with a little color on those cheeks and his eyes were as blue as the ocean!

 I think  know I fell in love with him all over again!!

We really needed a vacation and it showed!

It's times like this that remind me of how much I adore him and how lucky I am to have him right next to 

me at all times!   

a little shopping took place as well :)

soo beachy! Love Lily Pulitzer!!

Classic for sure! never goes out of style in my fashion book! 

Vera Bradley...super cute! I wanted one of each...

we had GREAT food and it shows...5 lbs later

until we meet again Anna Maria Florida,  we will miss you!

Starting school in the morning & still in shock my sweet baby is in 3rd grade!

 Off I go to get everything ready!

xoxo's Nancy

{Anna Maria...}

I am clearly in love here....white sugar sand on my toes, sun kissing my face, blue crisp water as far as 

my eye can see, amazing sunsets, happy people everywhere...Life here is just bliss!

flying home today :( very sad and under the weather...caught a bad summer cold the last day

so, I suppose it's ok to leave as I rather be snuggling in my own bed while I recover.

BUT really....

Everytime I leave this beautiful place I am seriously heartbroken. 

Postings to come...

xoxo's Nancy