Crampin' My Style

I love my husband! Very dearly, he takes such good care of us and provides a lot for us! But something I guess I blocked from myself before we got married was that 1) he has no sense of style and 2) he doesn't always like me expressing mine. He is crampin' my decorating, artistic outlet!

I would say that we are both more lazy relaxed when it comes to stuff around the house. I am trying but more organization and thought into the care of our home. Namely, we've had our house for 2 1/2 years now and its high time we get some pictures up on the walls! Especially, a certain giant, white brick wall in our family room. See here for more on that!

Jon's parents gave us this giant antique mirror a while back and is now my inspiration for getting on putting some life on that wall. Only problem: Jon.

He is working on another project right now that has been on going for months and I would love for him to hurry up and finish so we can move on to this. Also, it will cost us some monies to get our wall gallery started but I will slowly but surely try and get this underway!

If only I had like some super hand, strong decorator friends like David Bromstad or someone to help and to pay for it too!

Maggie's Baby Shower

Sadly, if you read my blog post last week about the impending Baby-Apocalypse, I am sorry to say that one of my 4 older sisters is currently infected and her transformation is expected around the end of October. Below are the photos from the baby shower my sisters and I hosted a few weekends ago for Maggie. (We sadly forgot to get a sister's picture at the shower, however there are pictures from the night before at the bar of the 5 of us that I don't have!) Yes, we pre-gamed the baby shower and prego was jealous!

Maggie and Baby Butterfield!

Our nephew Ben said he could feel the baby move!

Maggie with Cassie (Chanlie) and Kelly! We all ran at Illinois together!

Sister Elisabeth getting her birthday pic on Dad's lap! (I told you its a tradition!)

The theme was woodland, since the nursery is a treehouse theme with little woodland creature decals on the walls. Maggie and Nick decided they wanted to be surprised when they have the baby so they aren't finding out the baby is, so its either a boy or girl.

Any guesses on what it could be? I'm saying Boy!

E.L. James = Not Original

If you have read 50 Shades of Grey you know that E.L. James claims to have been inspired by the Twilight Saga.  I freely admit that I read the trilogy and I loved every minute of reading the trilogy 5 times back-to-back. I love when authors pull in other pop culture references that I absolutely love!

Like in 11/22/63, Stephen King mentions that his main character, Jake, on his first trip into the past has him watching The Long, Hot Summer at the drive-in! I love this movie so much, for me it’s a childhood classic because it is my mom’s favorite movie.

And I love that in 50 Shades, E.L. James brings in Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. I love the movie and was finally able to read the entire book a few years ago (it took a few tries; it gets a little dry in the middle). Both are great classics of British Literature and film. And everyone should read the book and watch the movie! I mean it’s a Hitchcock classic!

Over this past weekend, I was sick and decided to watch the movie Rebecca, only to realize that E.L. James must have also been pulling inspiration from this along with the Twilight Saga! Why else would she reference it! But in watching the movie, I realized that James is not original, she only added shock value to a classic story already told.

Making my case:

Maxim de Winter is the older, cold, hard, wealthy man who has a terrible secret and by some miracle crosses paths with a young, poor, naive girl who he is condescending toward and happens falls in love with her at the speed of light! And this girl is able to help transform him and melt away he’s hard veneer. The young, shy girl becomes a strong woman throughout the story.

Mmmm…seems a bit fishy. 50 Shades of Grey will never be in the same league as Rebecca! Rebecca paints a detailed, specific setting in Manderley with vivid imagery and originality that 50 Shades will never have. 50 Shades is a pop culture hit but has no real substance. However, its great fluff/smut reading.

Nice try, E.L. James but I am on to you!