Heartfelt

A heartfelt thank you for reading A&A.


Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Tuesday Tip

Who doesn't love a box of fine chocolate's for Valentine's Day, but there are plenty of less expensive ways to say I love you...

Whip up a batch of brownies then cut them out with a heart shaped cookie cutter. Especially fun for kids- of all ages!

Maybe your loved one would like a little peanut butter (from Reese's) with their chocolate?

Krispy Kreme- certainly not a heart healthy breakfast, but...

add a glass of milk and heartfelt sentiment, what's not to love?

As you can see, we're all sugared up at the A&A house!

Red Hot!



Foyer by Alessandra Branca



I think red is such a tricky color to work with on interior rooms. Done right it can be warm & inviting, sexy & glamorous and of course classic. Done poorly, it can look cheap and harsh. The client I've been working with for the past year LOVES red. It's never been at the top of my list of favorite colors, but I thought I'd share some imagines that I've looked to for inspiration during our collaboration. It's hard not to be a little smitten, and what better time to review them since Valentine's Day is just around the corner!

Attic Magazine.
Designer unknown, but I sure would like to know who brilliantly combined red, pink and purple!

Alessandra Branca. Red is her signature color and she always gets it right.



Joe Nye. Gracie wallpaper in red. Swoon.



Unknown source. Fun and vibrant for those who love modern.



Mary McDonald. Never one to shy away from bold color and patterns.



Nuevo Estilo via La Lamp.
 One of my favorite chair styles taken to a whole new level with red velvet only an accent., but still the star of this dining room.



Celerie Kemble. Again just a few hits of red.



Another cozy room by Alessandra Branca showcasing her signature red lamp shades that she incorporates in nearly every one of her rooms!



I proclaimed my love for Tommy last February, but can it hurt to do it twice? I don't think so!



A Lovely room from Cottage Living, if only we could get the kid out of it!!!



Dangerous Dog Toys: An Urgent Warning To Dog Owners!!!

If you read my last post, you know that our beloved dog, Remy,  is recovering from surgery. On Wednesday, from something completely unrelated, I thought she may die. Remy and my daughter were visiting at a neighbor's house when I got a call saying she swallowed 2 squeakers from a dog toy.

Choking hazard due to the flatness, silky smooth faux fur and squeakers located in the head and tail. This toy was purchased at Harris Teeter, which is where I went to take this photo,  but likely available at other retailers.

I rushed her to the vet and the x-ray showed a mass, which was thought to be food and/or shredded and chewed parts of the toy and the 2 squeakers.  After 2 failed attempts to induce vomiting to bring up whatever was in her stomach, I was told she could be sedated and have a tube and camera inserted down her throat to try and locate/remove what was in it, but depending on what else was in the stomach there was no guarantee of success.

My dogs stomach with mystery mass and 2 squeakers.

The recommendation of our vet after consulting 2 other vets and a specialist was to take her home, monitor her breathing and bring her back first thing Thursday morning to see if a new x-ray yielded any change before admitting her to surgery to open her stomach and remove the objects.

Needless to say it was a sleepless night and thank god, because sometime after 2am I heard her vomiting. The pile left on the laundry room floor was so large, it could have been elephant dropping.

Warning: the next two pictures are incredibly gross.

I really had no idea what I was looking at or if the squeakers were in this- no choice but to put on gloves and and go through the mess.

The contents of my dogs stomach.

I was in complete shock when I realized my dog had swallowed the toy whole and it was the length of a cookie sheet!

The whole toy and some carrots.

The vet was equally surprised when I showed up with the contents in a bag- there was clapping and cheering literally from everyone on duty the night before. She said we truly dodged a bullet because rarely will a dog vomit 6 hours later with no food or  injection administered. This toy would be the human equivalent of mixing chewing gum and spaghetti together and giving it to a child!

Lady Remington, aka Remy, exhausted, but on the mend. 

I share all of this with you so that others can avoid going through such a scary ordeal. Our vets office is also posting warnings in their office.

I'm hoping February brings a whole lot of this: