Random stuff

This has been kind of an up-and-down week… back to work after a week off. Booo!! Warm & sunnny summer days. Yay!! Icky yucky stinky pooey ISO-related crap to do at work that’s interrupting my blogging. Double-boooo!! A finished project and an awesome concert and some contest fun. Yay!!

So for this week’s Hooked on Fridays — hosted by the fabulous Julia at Hooked on Houses — I’m going to share the things that have made me HAPPY this week.

Hooked on… a completed project!!

I told you about my front door painting project earlier this week. Well, I got my butt in gear and got ‘er done. Yay!! But I have to admit, I was a bit concerned about the colour I chose. I knew I wanted purple, and I had pretty much decided on BM Dark Basalt.

But then on a whim, I picked up a can of Valspar Rare Wine on a trip down to upper New York state. I figured worst case scenario, it’d be the primer for Dark Basalt if I decided I didn’t like it.

If you opened a can of paint and it looked like this, would you put it on your front door??

Well, I did!! And I love it!! The fluorescentness disappeared as the paint dried. Depending on the light and how close you are to the door, it can look anywhere from dark purple to a purpley brown to a deep red wine to kind of magenta. I love how it does that :-) AND, it doesn’t look like the neighbour’s door anymore!!

Hooked on… Bryan Adams!!

For some stupid reason, I didn't buy tickets to the Bryan Adams concert in Ottawa when they went on sale last March. On Tuesday, a friend posted on Facebook about how great his show in Montreal was. And I was like, ARGH, why didn't I buy tickets?! The show in Ottawa was completely sold out -- no tickets anywhere, and I checked out a LOT of ticket-selling web sites.

So yesterday morning, a radio station was giving away a pair of tickets to the show, which was last night. You had to listen for the DJs to say "Reckless", and then be the first caller through. I had the radio on loud and brought the phone everywhere with me while I got ready for work -- yes, even into the bathroom!! Just before I left for work, I turned the radio off (hubby's alarm doesn't go off till 8:30). But then I thought I should leave the radio on and have hubby listen for the word too. I left the phone right next to him on the bed and asked him to pay attention!!

So I'm at work, the DJ says "Reckless", and I start dialling my office phone and my cell phone at the same time. I can’t normally double-task, but this was important!! Of course, busy signals every time. Then I get ringing on my office phone and my heart is beating like crazy. But nobody picks up, and after a couple of minutes, they have the first caller on the radio. And I'm like, CRAP!!! Denied!! Maybe a few other words too ;-)

The DJ comments that the winner sounds tired. Hmmmm... maybe a guy in bed?? The DJ asks him his name.... coincidentally, his name is the same as hubby's name. So now I'm cluing in to the fact that the winner's voice sounds like hubby's voice... the DJ asks him if he's excited about winning, and the winner says that "the wifey" is going to be really excited. At which point, "the wifey" is about to pop…….. and then the DJ asks what "the wifey's" name is, and now the wifey is jumping up and down in her office and yelling OH MY GOD , OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD (well, yelling quietly!!) because she's the wifey and she's going to the Bryan Adams concert!!!! YEAH!!!!!!

   Concert pictures from www.ottawacitizen.com

And MAN, it was an awesome show!! It was all acoustic – just Bryan, his guitar, and a piano player on some of the songs.  Including his old writing partner, Jim Vallance who played piano on The Best Is Yet To Come. How can he still be SO FREAKIN’ AWESOME after 30 years?!?!? And he’s funny too. And humble. And cute!! And he’s on a new Canadian postage stamp:

But he’s peel & stick, so don’t lick him!! :-D

If you like Bryan too, don’t be stupid like me and not buy tickets!! Although the rush of winning tickets the day of the show is pretty amazing…  but don’t take a chance!! Check out his tour info here to see if he’s coming to your town (Angela, he’s coming to North Carolina!!)

And in case you missed my post a few months ago, feel free to check out Bryan’s Parisian apartment.

Hooked on… beautiful home decor prizes!!

Prizes have arrived!! You might remember that a little while back, I won a wonderful rendering of my living room by the super-talented Michelle at A Schematic Life. The rendering has arrived, and looks awesome. Although Canada Post managed to mangle the matte, so I’ll have to buy a new one, re-mount the rendering, and then frame it. I’ll post a pic as soon as the rendering is hung.

And I just received the beautiful bright red Alessi bowl that I won in Albarosa’s giveaway at Brillante Home Decor. It’s the Mediterraneo designed by Emma Silvestris for Alessi. I can’t wait till we get our kitchen makeover done — it’s going to have a place of honour on the new countertop :-)

Hooked on… Fiamma!!

A couple of weeks ago, Donna at dh designs won an original Matt LeBlanc abstract painting in our last giveaway. She suggested the name Fiamma for the painting. Well, Fiamma has arrived, and she’s beautiful!! (Sorry Donna, I had to peek!!)

Donna, let’s get together soon so I can give you your prize :-) Assuming you can convince me to part with it… ;-)

Oh, and one more thing…

Hooked on… Color Sizzle!!

I came across a great blog this week called Color Sizzle. It’s full of fantastic pictures of colourful rooms, like this…

If you’re a colour lover like me, you definitely need to check it out!!

So there you go — this Friday, purple doors and Bryan Adams and giveaway prizes and colourful blogs are making me happy :-) Now head back to Hooked on Houses to check out more Friday blog happiness!!

P.S. I’ll be at the cottage for the next four days—possibly without a computer at all—so it may take me a while to visit your blog. But don’t worry, I promise I’ll visit when I’m back next week :-)