Exploring the living room with the new camera

Two extraordinarily unusual events are happening today -- half a day off with NO kids around (!!) - and our first DSLR camera just arrived.  Geeking out the last two hours with the camera has certainly not gotten my house any cleaner, the laundry remains in piles, the agaves I need to plant outside are crisping up in the heat -- but I am having a fabulous time.  And so far all I've done is take shots of my bookshelves.  Well, it is midday -- the light is not so good and its 110 today or so - thus the relatively boring subject matter - but man does this thing take some nice shots!  I am falling in love with my crap all over again since I can take pretty pictures of it -- yay! 
Now -- what I really need to do is learn how to make real websites - not just little blog pages and Facebook posts -- I would love to use this for the good of the store.  Poor Tierra Del Lagarto has never had a real presence online -- so if any of you dear readers have any advice on web development software I would love to hear it.  Just simple, beginner stuff...  I'd love to hear from you! 

Meanwhile here are some shots in the living room --

 Turquoise beads I just brought back from Istanbul -- thank you for pointing them out e!  At right are some of the little stone feet blessings I collect in India.   

Recognize the suzani on the wall?  It is the same on I used as the border at the right of the page -- it just arrived from Turkey this week -- so lovely.  My reason for including this shot is to point out the hideous pale green beam at top right.  Our painters are coming in the next week or so to FINALLY paint them -- hallelujah!  A year and 3 months is way too long to have lived with those minty beams -- I will repost with new pictures when they are gone - can't wait.     

 Cow toy and art deco-ish print block

 Bone and brass Moroccan cup

Silly brass monk we used to carry in the store - and some border print block

Stone critter from Indonesia and Playmobil baby :)

Some of these things in context - the right side of the big glass cabinet

  

Antique Brass cow from India

Copper batik print block from Java

More of our green beams -- and the window corner where I need one or more of the following -- let me know your opinion:

- A giant fiddle leaf tree in a glazed red or plum pot

- A cozy banquette seating area to enjoy the morning sun - (west facing exposure)

- A larger round game table with upholstered chairs in some interesting fabric

- Window treatments??  High sheers?  Color?  Bamboo blinds with colored sheers?  There is no privacy issue -- the yard is quite closed out there - but just to filter the light?  So unsure.

Thanks for the indulgence of all these photos -- so fun -- now maybe I should get something done before the horde returns!

Little things

Boxes are still stacked in the garage, furniture pretty much missing from the entire upstairs, closets completely useless still - yet I find incredible solace in arranging tiny groupings of my favorite things - this is living to me - being surrounded by your inner self as reflected in the world you've collected.