Yanks Targeting Matt Garza

From Jon Heyman:

If the Yankees decide they need a starter at the trade deadline, and it's loooking more likely they might, the pitcher that interests them most is Matt Garza of the Cubs.

The Red Sox also could have interest in Garza, which could result in another showdown between baseball's biggest rivals. That would also represent a big benefit to the Cubs.

Yankees people like the fact Garza is battle-tested in the American League East after acquiring too many pitchers from the National League who haven't been able to make a seamless transition to the A.L. The Yankees seem to have little interest in Brewers stars Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum or the other top Cubs starter Ryan Dempster, as they have concerns about Greinke in New York and Marcum and Dempster in the A.L. Even though Marcum pitched pretty well for the Blue Jays, the Yankees are concerned about his low radar readings in the A.L.

A backup plan to Garza for the Yankees could be Houston's Wandy Rodriguez, who the Yankees pursued at last year's deadline. Last summer the Yankees offered to pay $21 million of what's left on Rodriguez's deal, which now amounts to $33 million through 2014 if he's traded (the '14 option becomes a player option if he's dealt).

After going 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA last year for the Cubs, Garza is 2-3 with a 4.22 over 9 starts this year. In 2010, his last season in the AL, Garza won 15 while posting a 3.91 ERA for Tampa. Rodriguez has gotten off to a much better start this year. Through 11 starts with Houston, he's 4-4, with an impressive 2.49 ERA.

Tone on Tone – June RDH Blog of the Month

Long before I discovered blogs or there were sites like Pinterest, I kept files filled with my favorite design magazine pictures.  (In fact, I still do today.)  You can imagine my delight when I found that the owner of one of my all-time favorite houses had started a blog!

So today I am thrilled to be featuring the designer behind this house, Loi Thai, and his blog, Tone on Tone, as the RDH June blog of the month.

Traditional Home – by Krissa Rossbund

Producer – Eileen Deymier / Photography – Erik Johnson

Traditional Home – by Krissa Rossbund

Producer – Eileen Deymier / Photography – Erik Johnson

Traditional Home – by Krissa Rossbund

Producer – Eileen Deymier / Photography – Erik Johnson

The pictures above show the house that I and many others fell in love with. (You might recognize many of these photos as they are quite popular in the blog world.)  Shortly after this story was published, Loi and his partner Thomas Troeschel purchased and renovated another home located not too far from their original property. 

As you can guess it is just as wonderful and beautifully decorated.

One of the things you will notice is much of the furniture from the first house was also used in the new house.

The gardens surrounding the home are also designed with care and attention to detail - two of the aspects which make Loi’s work so special. 

Besides Tone on Tone, the blog, Loi and Thomas are also owners of a shop near Washington, DC by the same name.

Tone on Tone specializes in 18th and 19th century painted Swedish antiques – the very furniture which they use in their own home.

The shop also carries a large collection of creamware, white ironstone, and garden furnishings and ornaments rich with patina.

Loi began his blog a mere three months ago and it already has become a favorite of mine.  (I know you will love it too!)

I have enjoyed seeing his latest design projects and tours of his favorite gardens.

He also has a Pinterest account filled with more even more amazing photos. 

I hope you will stop by Tone on Tone and leave a comment letting Loi know you visited.  He is so kind and gracious and will be so appreciative! 

Flea Market Canvas

I have been keeping a secret from you.

In addition to working on my front-room-to-office transformation (you can see the latest installment of that here), I have also been working on a major living room redecorating project!  I never know if I’m “supposed” to show it off in bits and pieces or with a major reveal…so forgive me if I’m not doing it right!

So while it may be a bit backward, I’m going to show off the most recent project for the living room first!

I fell in love with these vintage-y canvases from Mandy Lynne when I saw them at an upscale furniture store.

There are posters available through her Etsy shop for about $65/each (canvases are considerably more expensive), but that was both out of my price range and not the look I was really after.

So I spent a lot of time scheming how to “knock-off” her work.  I created a whole Silhouette design, but the thought of the layers of stenciling I would have to do to recreate the color scheme intimidated me more than a little.

Then I had the great idea of using the overhead projector, like I have on so many coffee tables, but on the night I wanted to do it—I found that I couldn’t get the image to be the right size for the canvas I had prepared.

So…I took a leap and just started sketching.  And to my great great great surprise…it wasn’t all that bad!  My layout differs slightly…it changed as I filled up spaces too quickly 

In fact, it was good enough that I took the next leap…painting!   I was able to choose colors that complemented my home better than the gray of the original.

Here’s how they look side-by-side!

I won’t lie to you…I’m super excited with how this turned out!  It’s my first EVER real painting!  (We’re not counting furniture!) 

I hung it on the living room wall today, and I’m not embarrassed to have it there…I think!

I’m proud at myself for attempting something so new and different.  I have a mother and a sister who are incredible artists, so trying anything remotely like painting or drawing has been very intimidating for me. 

But at least I can say now…I tried!

Updated to add:  Yes, I had to make the Farmers Market Canvas as well!  You can see it here.

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This project has been featured at Elizabeth & Co., DIY Showoff, and Knick of Time Interiors. 

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Linking up here:

Funky Junk’s One Scary Thing Challenge

Domestically Speaking	Elizabeth & Co.
Sisters of the Wild West	No Minimalist Here’s Open House Thursday
Friday Remodelaholic	2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday	Miss Mustard Seed’s Furniture Feature Friday
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special	The DIY Show Off
Beyond the Picket Fence	Someday Crafts
Daisy Cottage Designs	My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Perfectly Imperfect	{Primp}
Simply Klassic Sundays	My Repurposed Life
From My Front Porch to Yours	It’s So Very Cheri
Cowgirl Up!	{aka} design