MY WONDERFUL CHARLESTON TRIP AND MY BEAUTIFUL COW!

Charleston was fun! It was the first time I had ever been there. My son Eric moved there for a job opportunity about 4 months ago. I miss him so much and hate that he is 4 hours away. Yes I know 4 hours isn't much and lots of grown kids move far away from their parents, but I don't have to like it! I miss being able to just meet him for lunch or go listen to him play out at one of the local music venues. (He is also a musician)  I simply miss him. Okay, I am done venting and I will share with you the upside of him living in Charleston where I will continue to visit him...

The drive wasn't too bad actually. Mostly freeway and "country" freeway and my hubby drove so I face booked, listened to comedy on Sirius radio and rested. And....I went over this bridge too! For y'all that don't know, I hate bridges, they scare the bejeebies out of me. But I did it! Twice and survived...lol...

The Ravenal Bridge, Charleston, SC

So Friday night after we got settled into our hotel, we went out for our wedding anniversary. (February 14th. Valentines Day). It was our 10th anniversary. We had dinner at a great restaurant called Pearlz Oysters in West Ashley.

http://www.pearlzoysterbar.com/

My son had set it all up with a wonderful man named Rob (who I think was the manager). The food was good and the service was awesome! And the atmosphere dark and swanky and all age groups. Thank you so much Eric! And then Saturday we went downtown Charleston to the City Market. Wow, what fun! The City Market goes on and on  and on -and has such great stores, filled with trinkets, baskets, hats, food, artwork, just about everything! We walked through it several times. The downtown area is great. Kinda like the downtown area in Wilmington but SUPER SIZED!!! With beautiful century homes, old time buildings and hotels, gorgeous trees and lots to do. 
Then Sunday we went to a little restaurant around the corner from my son's place for brunch with him. Called Ms.Roses. The restaurant kinda looks like a little hacienda from the outside and then you walk in and whoa... it's very upscale looking, modern and clean. Take a look at this wall! I mean seriously look closely! They used all the decor; silverware, seats, pans, lids etc from the previous owners to make this incredible sculpture that might otherwise (as the wall says) be sitting in a landfill somewhere!

http://msroses.com/

Pretty spectacular huh? So the trip to see Charleston and time with my son was really nice. 
But let me tell you what I got! A little back story...months ago I started following a blogger whose site I am sure you are familiar with if you do any kind of DIY -Miss Mustardseed. I have been following her for a while now but I am still kinda new to the game and have lots of catch up to do. So I peruse all my favorite bloggers and read their older posts. I noticed in her pictures of her home a picture of a cow. I loved it. Don't ask me why because it is definitely NOT my style. Did I say NOT? lol... I just am not a fan of pics of cows, horses, farm animals in general. The cow is named Eulalie.  Usually farm animal pics make me think of the "country" style of the 80's that I am not a fan of. My home is done in a combination of transitional, cottage, vintage style. lol...just a hodge podge. And maybe a slight touch of farmhouse? But I don't like country at all and for those that know about decorating there really is a distinction between the old country and farmhouse or cottage. Just not a fan of chickens, pigs, cows etc. (Miss Mustard's home is not country either). So why on earth did that cow picture win me over? Over and over I would go to that page and look at it. And then I remembered also once falling in love with a picture of 2 cows together that I saw on an HGTV show makeover. So maybe....?

Suddenly I realized I really wanted something like that in my kitchen. Some sort of "statement" picture for the wall. Not necessarily a cow but who knows?

So I googled and looked for the HGTV one with the 2 cows, nope, nowhere to be found. Course I didn't know the name or artist so... I t then went to the site of the artist Marian of Miss Mustard Seed said did the cow Eulalie and found it and....ouch! A little to pricey for me. Not for the artwork itself but for someone as fickle as me when it comes to art. I change my mind -A LOT!!! 
So there I am walking through the City Market in Charleston, with my hubby and looking all around at the amazing sites and I look up and see....this guy! And I fell in love. Why? I don't know. I think its the eyes. He has such soulful eyes! And still he is NOT my style but I wanted him. 

I love the soulful eyes of this guy and all the color!!!

And the colors are wonderful. Lots of yellow and orange and red. I walked through that City Market back and forth 3 times trying to decide. Trouble is, as I said I am fickle. Very fickle in decorating. I change things up all the time. Paint, repaint, arrange, re-arrange etc. My husband once joked that you better watch out when you get up in the mornings as I may have rearranged the night before. Once he went to bed and woke up the next morning and I had repainted the entire kitchen! Seriously. So that's the hesitancy. What if I got home and decided in a couple months that it just didn't "go" with the house. Or if I changed my mind. But by the time I walked through the 3rd time I knew I would be so upset if I left Charleston without this guy! He makes a nice statement in the kitchen...

Sorry about the lighting...I don't know what's up with that.

And yes, I just did a new chalkboard on that wall. So I will have to repaint under the picture and find another area for the chalkboard. I do want one but this is the only place he would fit.

Eric and I at Ms. Rose's

I still kept thinking how this was not my style though..... that's what I do. Second guess everything. But I am also impulsive. hmmm, those don't line up! But guess what? It doesn't have to be your "style" you just have to fall in love with it! And I did...so who cares what style it is? I smile every time I walk into my kitchen. Because of this guy and because it reminds me of my fun time in Charleston and time spent with my son Eric. 
And I blame Miss Mustard Seed for getting me obsessed with a cow picture in the first place!...lol
You can check her out cow pic of Eulalie if you'd like too at her blog http://missmustardseed.com/2011/07/meet-eulalie-cow/