So many Fitbloggin posts to write! But first...A GHOST PHOTO?

Hello everyone!

As I write this I am tanned, tired, sore (both from all the workouts AND the long drive and flight) and I have SO. MANY. POSTS. to share with you!

Fitbloggin was, of course, sensational. And Savannah is absolutely beautiful. I had lots of time to explore the city on foot and I took LOADS of photos and video that I'll share both here and on the new design blog (coming soon!). 

Those of you who listen to the podcast know that one of the things I was most looking forward to was the GHOST TOUR we took on Thursday night (I'll write more about that later). I didn't see any ghosts that night (?). When I was exploring Savannah on Saturday afternoon, though, I found myself right in front of 432 Abercorn St., largely regarded as the most haunted house in Savannah. 

NOW LET ME SAY, even though I totally believe in ghosties, when I walked all around this abandoned home I felt...nothing. Absolutely nothing. In fact, I felt pretty peaceful and happy, there was a lovely breeze and the house had some really beautiful architectural details. As I walked around the site, I noticed that I could see the sunlight streaming through the pretty stained glass above the front door through a window on the side of the foyer. I snapped a lot of photos, trying to get a clear picture of the design. I even posted one on instagram saying, "View of stained glass over entry door to 432 Abercorn. No ghosties, though. Least as far as I can tell."

This is how the photo went up on Instagram, with most of the lower right window pane cropped out.

BUT...

When I came home and reviewed my photos? I THINK I CAUGHT A GHOSTY! Did I? Judge for yourself. The following photos were NOT edited, cropped, filtered or enhanced in ANY WAY. I've simply put the raw images side by side.

So what do you think? Here's the "Ghosty" pic with JUST an HD filter added.

Hmmm???

For the record, I showed this to my family and NO ONE could see what I think is a girl looking down through the lower right pane in the window. "You know, the brain automatically looks for human faces in stuff," says my husband, "I'm sure it's just the combination of the angle and your over-active imagination." 

I'm willing to accept his theory. But COME ON, THOUGH! Here's the raw image one more time, zoomed in on the "ghosty".

This is from the same image that was posted on Instagram, btw

What do YOU think? Did I catch a ghosty girl? If I did, I choose to believe it's a friendly ghost, since I never felt "spooked" in any way while I was there.

Stay tuned for more stuff (that I actually have proof of) from my trip to Savannah for FITBLOGGIN!

Wishing you love with extra cheese-

Nacho Mama

Clock that mug! #gratitude

The key to a great shoot? Having the BEST people in charge!

Hello darling ones!

I'm juuuussssst starting to come out from under all the craziness of getting our first videos for our NEW INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW shot. It was hectic, hotter than BLAZES (especially with the lights) but SO MUCH FUN. Here are a few sneak peeks behind the scenes, taken by our producer Andrea:

Co-host Kevin and I de-brief before changing out of our chanclas for the shoot.

The only bad thing about having Andrea take photos behind the scenes is that she isn't in ANY of them!

Here we are, dressed and *slightly* nervous before shooting the first segment EVAH!

One thing that helped ease our nerves? THE RIGHT MUG. No, I don't mean my makeup (though I hope you'll note that for you, people of the internet, I am giving full drag). I mean our gorgeous coffee mugs, which make an appearance in every in-studio segment. When we arrived for our 9am call time on Saturday, I told Kevin, "Don't worry, I got the mugs!" Now, we hadn't discussed getting mugs at all but Kevin immediately replied, without a trace of irony, "Oh, I'm so glad! I was kicking myself that I didn't pick up any nice mugs for the show!"  

You see why I love him? You'll love him, too-mark my words.

The mugs in question have special meaning to me, they were beautifully crafted by my friend and sistah bloguera, artist and author Kathy Cano-Murillo (@CraftyChica). Just when I was thinking it might be a fun surprise to get some mugs for the show, Kathy posted on facebook that she'd just put some new mugs up for sale in her etsy shop! Kismet! I immediately bought two.

If When you watch the show (no, not divulging the name yet) you'll notice that I am drinking out of this divine Virgen de Guadalupe mug:

She's blonde-I love it!

And Kevin has this darling cupcake mug that says "Peace, Love & Cafecito":

Want a Crafty Chica mug for your cafecito? Come on! We're ALL getting them. But really tho, if you want one, you'd better go to Crafty Chica's etsy shop NOW, there are only a couple left! 

Since the shoot went smoothly and stayed on schedule, I even got to attend my little niece's first birthday party!

Seriously, how lucky am I?

After all that excitement, I pretty much just wanted to sit around eating Artcic Zero and watching the RuPaul's Drag Race marathon that led up to the crowning on Monday night. The fact that my favorite reina, Bianca Del Rio won? Just the icing on the cupcake mug! I was SO #TeamBianca!

source

And THEN? At my weigh in, I'd lost almost another POUND! Even with all the madness this weekend. Calm down!

All in all, it was a FABULOUS weekend. I can't wait to share the new show with you but for now, first item on the agenda is getting back to the PODCAST. Second item is getting exercise more than two days a week. Because I'm not kidding myself, I know losing that pound was a gift from the Virgen de Guadalupe.

Wishing you love with extra cheese-

Nacho Mama

I can only be SO camera-ready!! #braindump

Hello everyone!

Hope you are all extremely well.  I am trying to keep it together in the middle of a sweltering heat wave. I do NOT do well in the heat, fabulous ones. It makes me pretty unpleasant to be around (at least, that's what I hear). But I've got to get it together because I've got BIG stuff going on this weekend!

I've got to be CAMERA-READY. Or, more specifically, INTERNET-CAMERA-READY. 

PODCAST EPISODE 27: Summer Entertaining That Won't Bust Your Budget or Waistline!

Listen to internet radio with NachoMamasPodcast on Blog Talk Radio

Click the player to listen NOW!

I indulge my "Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget" and so can YOU!

Want to know how to throw a great summer soiree on a tight budget? How about a party that doesn't destroy your healthy eating plans? Join me as we discuss some great tips to help YOU be the Sumer Hostess with the Mostess! Listen to the live broadcast and ask my questions in the LIVE chatroom!

"Pimp My Party" article on Mamiverse

Wishing you love with extra cheese-
Nacho Mama

GIVEAWAY! A Summer Dress from Ross Dress for Less!

YAY! Summer's here! I'm already making my 4th of July plans, which actually start (for my family) on the 3rd with our "Dependence Day" Party! But what to wear? WHAT? If only there were someplace with perfect summer dresses at amazing prices-oh wait, there is! ROSS!

That's right, the good people of Ross Dress for less issued me another fashion challenge: this time, to find a great dress for the 4th for $25 or less. This one was SUPER fun because my local Ross had TONS of dresses that I liked, like this one...

NIFTY THRIFTY! Electric Ladylamp...

Hello all! Just a little "Nifty Thrifty" to help launch the weekend. I spotted this beauty in a local thrift shop just after we moved into our current home. It was love at first sight...

How did the Salvation Army KNOW I needed a lamp?

I am a sucker for a great "figure" lamp and am always on the lookout for one. This one was in beautiful condition and even the linen shade still looked flawless. I'm not entirely sure whether the statue is of a woman or a man-but for $4? Who cares?! The only caveat was that the switch seemed to be broken and the SA couldn't guarantee whether the lamp would be functional.

CRAFT: What Becomes a Legend Most? GLITTER!

Hello everyone! Hope you're all enjoying your weekend. I wanted to share the craft I made last weekend with all of you, since you were all so very complimentary of the photos I posted on feisbuc and tuiter.

First of all-the AMAZING "Frida Calavera" painting in question was not painted by me (I wish!) but by my friend, the ludicrously talented and hilarious Cynthia Martinez of Fat Girl Escapades. I was touched beyond words when she gave it to me-you're the best, Cynthia!

Cynthia The GORGEOUS and Frida

NIFTY THRIFTY: Unicorns are pretty.

Because of my career as a professional interior designer, many of my friends and acquaintances expect my home to be filled with expensive designer goods from posh boutiques in Beverly Hills. While that may be true of many of the homes I've designed for my clients, my own home is filled with items only a Nacho Mama could love. Yes, I have a Danish Papa Bear chair in my livingroom, it is the perfect accompaniment to the $150 vintage sofa I rescued from a consigment shop, thank you.

Thrifting in LA, inspired by one of my fave landmarks, CHICKEN BOY!

Nacho Mama's Podcast EPISODE 3: Getting Organized in 2012

Today we're talking about getting your home, your stuff and yourself in gear and ORGANIZED in 2012! Our special guest is Candice from Fashionably Organized. She has some FABULOUS tips to help you tackle the seemingly insurmountable task or getting organized!

Decorating Daydreams...

People are always asking me about which blogs I read, particularly decorating blogs. If you enjoy entertaining your decorating daydreams too, check out THIS POST I've written over at San Diego Momfia to see my top 5 fave decorating blogs!

My new post at San Diego Momfia: Learning from an Architect's Home

My latest post for San Diego Momfia is a profile of the home of architect Jim Gates and his family. The 1916 cottage has gotten a makeover and is now a comfy habitat for Jim, wife Lara, their twins and 2 bunnies! The couple have some good tips for living with kids and pets, click HERE to read the full article.

 

Wishing you love with extra cheese-

Nacho Mama

Product Review and Giveaway-SMALL WALL

The number one decorating issue I'm asked about is paint color. Paint is easy to apply yourself, it's relatively inexpensive and is a highly effective way to transform any room in your home. Only problem? Paint color can make or break your space. You know the wrong paint color or finish can really ruin your decor, but how can you be sure you're choosing the right color before you invest the time and money? I can see why so many people get intimidated and just stick with basic white.

As a designer, when I have custom paint colors mixed for me, I also have what's called a "drawdown" made. This is an 8x10in card with my paint color on it. Drawdowns are much more effective than paintchips in helping my clients visualize what their paint color will look like. Problem is, most places won't make drawdowns for you unless you're a professional designer, painter or contractor. That's why I was so excited when I read about Small Wall!

According to the manufacturers, Small Wall is a package of two 12x12 inch adhesive backed paint sample boards that:

• Has no-mark adhesive back, allows you to preview color in multiple locations & in different lighting through out your room
• Surface is ready to paint it doesn't require primer it won't absorb the color and it won't warp when dry
• Provides excellent color and finish representation & can be repainted multiple times
• Lightweight portable and easy to take with you when you shop for accessories

Small Wall retails for $6-$10 (for a pack of 2 boards) and is available at Ace Hardware, Sherwin-Williams and online through Amazon I contacted the company with so many questions that they sent me a pack to try out for myself. Just in time too, because I am currently fixing up my guest bathroom!

When I received my Small Wall, I painted each board with one of the 2 colors I'm considering for my accent wall and tacked them up inside the bathroom.

There are only 2 Small Wall boards here-they're next to the mirror!

I found all the product claims to be true. I really like the size, even better than my 8x10 drawdowns. I also appreciate that you can move them throughout the house. For example, I am considering using the brown in my kitchen so it was easy to move the Small Wall into that room for a few days and live with the color.

There was one HUGE advantage to using Small Wall over professional drawdowns that I hadn't anticipated: I was able to see, before I buy the paint by the gallon, how many coats each color will require! It is very helpful to know that the brown will need 3 coats and the red will need at least 4. This greatly affects how much paint you'll need. For instance, after using Small Wall, you may decide to use the color that needs 6 coats on just one wall, instead of throughout the entire room.

I think $10 is a great price for this product, considering how much time and money you'll save. I also really like that they are durable enough to use time and time again. But if you have a summer paint project you'd like some help with, the makers of Small Wall are generously giving away a package of Small Wall to one of you! Remember,  Small Wall is available at Ace Hardware, Sherwin-Williams and online through Amazon

Here's how to enter-there's a maximum of 3 entries per person, one entry for each of the following:

1. Leave a comment below with your biggest paint-related question (I'll try to answer as best as I can!)
2. Follow Nacho Mama's Blog on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know you did or already do :)
3. Follow Small Wall on Twitter, @mysmallwall, and leave a comment letting us know you did

That's it! Contest ends at midnight, July 2nd. Winner will chosen at random and announced on July 3rd.

Good luck and happy painting!


Wishing you love with extra cheese-
Nacho Mama

Discolusure: The product mentioned in this review was gifted to me by the manufacturer. I was not compensated for what was written, this review is my honest opinion.

Over at Rock On Mommies-Tips for Designing Your Dream Kitchen

My latest post for Rock On Mommies is about kitchens. This is the room in the home which always seems to raise the most questions from homeowners! Click HERE to see some of my favorite kitchen tips.

One of our clients asked us to incorporate some very personal elements into their kitchen design

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMIN: Glamming up your office for $100 at Homegoods

Who doesn't love a good bargain?  HomeGoods stores promise "Unique Home Decor and Affordable Home Funishings." I decided to put them to the test. Can $100 buy a makeover for a home office? Is it possible to be penny pinching and posh? Almost.

OK, so I went over budget a teensy bit. Here's what I picked up at Homegoods for $100.96:

• Ceramic and Lucite Lamp with Shade {$49.99} 
• White Lacquer Stack File Box {$19.99}
• Blue Lacquer and Chrome Hinged Desktop Box {$24.99}
• Crystal Frame {$5.99}

I was impressed at how many coordinating colors and patterns were on offer, and how the store's layout made it easy to locate pieces that work with each other. You don't have to downsize your style to match your budget. With a frugal attitude and discerning eye, you can find the right pieces to cheer up almost any workspace without breaking the bank.

Lighting Tips for any room in Your Home!

This morning I received San Diego Home & Garden's weekly newsletter and was surprised to see...ME!

They're featuring some of my tips for lighting in your home. You can check them out HERE.

Wishing you love with extra cheese-
Nacho Mama

Do you have trouble arranging your bookshelves?

I hope you'll find this post I did for San Diego Momfia helpful! I was honored to be asked into the home of fellow Momfia-member Beth (@hipmamab of La La La) and her husband Jason (@petcobra of Dad Centric) to help them arrange the rather large bookcase in their family room. The post includes some general tips for your bookcase, whatever the size-enjoy!

Photo by Beth (@hipmamab) for San Diego Momfia

How to get a custom paint color...

Here's a post I wrote this week for San Diego Momfia. I realize that it's about a specific paint store here in San Diego, but there are some general tips about getting a custom paint color that you might find helpful. As you'll see, I am a devoted fan of Benjamin Moore paints! I love the way they look (of course) but some of you may be interested in their superb line of eco-friendly paints, called "Natura"-I forgot to mention that in the post, which you can read HERE.


Wishing you love with extra cheese,
Nacho Mama

What's Hot in Homes this Season? Trend Report

Hi folks!

February is always very busy for me-seems like I spend at least 2 hours a day catching up on all the new collections, checking out innovative new materials and looking for trends that I can carry into my projects over the following year. Here's a little trend report about this season's use of color that I wrote for my soft furnishings blog, The Blissful Bed and Bath. Hope you find it useful!

Wishing you love with extra cheese,
Nacho Mama

Eat It or Wear It? (What I Bought at the California Gift Show)

Wow-I feel like I haven't blogged in ages! But my whole family was taken down for over a week with a particularly nasty cold-thingy.  I'm still a little green around the gills, but I couldn't go this long without blogging-especially since I meant to share this with you at least a week ago!

One of my favorite events that I attended in January was the California Gift Show-you can read the trend report I wrote for Rock on Mommies HERE.

What I didn't share in my review was the one thing I actually bought at the gift show-but first let me tell you about the absolute highlight of that day for me (drumroll)

I GOT TO MEET THE CRAFTY CHICA!!!!! 

That's right, I got to meet, hug and talk to Kathy Cano-Murillo, aka "The Crafty Chica." You've seen me mention her here a few times, I am a GIGANTE fan! If, like me, you follow her blog and tweets, you know she is clever, sweet, generous and adorable-in person and in print. I was bummed that I didn't get to attend her book signing that evening, I absolutely loved her first novel, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter, and I can't wait for her next book, Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing, to come out on March 8th (You can pre-order your copy by clicking HERE!)

I saw several vendors offering Mexican-themed gifts, but Kathy's booth was by far my favorite. There were beautiful original art pieces by Kathy and her husband, Patrick...

The "Crafty Chica" booth also featured work by the Armas family, of CJ's Angels. I really enjoyed speaking to Jose, Annette and Theresa about their work. It was quite inspiring to see how this gifted couple were so supportive and nurturing of their daughter's artistic talents. So I just had to buy a set of their pan dulce earrings. You know how I love pan dulce! I couldn't resist-I got a pair in every color!

Now I can enjoy my pan dulce without worrying about blowing my weekly points! 

Better on my ears than on my thighs, right?

Wishing you love (and pan dulce) with extra cheese-

Nacho Mama

REVIEW: The Only Decorating Books You'll Ever Need

(part of this post is re-printed from my blog, The Blissful Bed and Bath)

 

Gorgeous, full-color home decorating books, whether on your bookshelf, coffee table or nightstand, can be a costly addiction habit. Just trust me on this one.

My friends often raise their eyebrows at my HUGE collection of home decor tomes. “YOU bought all of these?” Um, yes. What,  so because I’m an interior designer all my ideas are supposed to just pop into my head while I sip my daily organic green tea in my “meditation corner?” If only! I always say, a designer is only as good as her resources, and it’s my job to see what’s going on in the world. And besides that, these books are so pretty.

So then the next thing my friends ask is “Well, which one do you think I should get?” Which is, in fact, a sticky one because everyone’s taste is different and sometimes people don’t like what they think they like (does that make sense?)

Not to worry! To paraphrase Russel Wright, the best and most useful home decorating book I can recommend is for EVERYBODY. It truly is the only decorating book you’ll ever need (notice I didn’t say it’s the only one you’ll ever want, which is a different matter altogether.)  It has no photos(just drawings) and costs just over 10 bucks. And you know what else? It fits in your purse.

It’s Apartment Therapy: the eight step home cure, by Maxwell Gillingham Ryan, the mastermind behind the ba-rilliant Apartment Therapy website. Don’t let the title throw you, this book is a handy guide to every room/area of your home, whether that home is a tiny NY studio or a sprawling McMansion in Texas. What to know how to create an oasis of peace in your bedroom? It’s in here. Want to know how to make your home “flow?” It’s in here. (NOTE: This is not the “companion” volume, Apartment Therapy Presents, though that book is good too.) This book is compact and accessible, taking you on a process of self-discovery to help you make the most of your home, whatever that may be.  You can do the recommended “8-week cure” (even implementing some of his tips can make a huge difference) and you’ll not only have a happier, more peaceful home that feels like YOU, you’ll have a party at the end to celebrate with all your friends!

The other decorating book I find myself reaching for again and again is Tim Street Porter's Casa Mexicana. 

 

It's out of print, but very easy to find on Amazon and even in some stores. Even if you're not latina (like me) you'll find this book is filled with all kinds of ideas big and small, that you'll want to try in your own space. From the large, austere homes of Barragan, to festive ideas for table settings, art display and entertaining, this book shows all of the practices discussed in Apartment Therapy implemented in living color. And because Mexican interiors (like their American counterparts) come in a vast array of styles, I can safely say there's something in this book for everyone. I've had this book for at least 10 years and never run out of inspiration from it's vibrant photographs. If you happen to come across it in your local used bookstore-BUY IT!

So you see? I had to buy all those other books so I could be sure and recommend the best ones to you. And I’m afraid I’ll have to keep buying those big, expensive picture books, you know,  just to be absolutely sure. Because I care.

Wishing you love with extra cheese,
Nacho Mama