Readers have sent me so many funny real estate photos lately that I couldn’t choose just one to show you. Here are 5 of my faves!

#1. When people talk about having a flat-screen up on the wall, this isn’t usually what they mean.

#2. The listing describes “light-filled rooms,” but all the windows are covered in layers of fabric.

#3. I’ll bet this homeowner was thrilled to see her bra on the Internet.

#4. Looks like there’s a house behind that basketball hoop.

#5. “You can buy my house, but I’m not going anywhere.”

Do you have a favorite? Thanks to all of the readers who submitted these. If you find something unusual in the real estate listings, send it to me!

Click Here to See More Funny Real Estate Photos!

I have a thing for pillows. Love ‘em. I always make a beeline for the pillow aisles when I’m shopping and can rarely resist bringing a pretty one home. I even have a stash of them in boxes in the basement and rotate them throughout the year. It’s such an easy way to change the look in a room.

So when the Outer Banks Trading Group offered to give one of my readers a pillow, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. They’re the largest online retailer of Lacefield Designs Pillows, which are truly beautiful and unique. All pillows are custom-made and ship in 3-6 weeks (perfection takes time, folks!).

To enter to win the pillow of your choice by Lacefield Designs, simply:

• Visit Outer Banks Trading Group to see the Lacefield pillows they have to offer.
• Leave a comment on this post telling us which one you’d choose!
• You can leave extra comments if you tweet about the giveaway or mention it on your blog.

I’ll announce the winner a week from today. Good luck!

P.S. My daughter Lily looked through all of the pillows and says this one is her favorite.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for a house portrait drawn by artist Stephen Walker. I really enjoyed reading your comments about the houses you’d choose and why. Here’s one that made me smile (you can see the rest here):

“After moving 5 times in 4 years, I am so happy to say that we are finally settled. I knew this was our forever home when my 2-year old said to me, ‘This is our house. This is where we growed up. This is where we eat chocolate.’” -Lou Ann

There were so many wonderful comments that I wish I could give every one of you a house portrait by Stephen! He is making it easier for my readers, though, by offering:

• 10% off your house portrait
• Free shipping

Just be sure to tell him you came from Hooked on Houses to get the discount. These are all samples of his work, and you can see more–including the portrait he drew of my house, at Walker Studio. Thanks, Stephen!

And the Winner is…Genna! Congratulations!

This red-brick house holds a lot of sentimental value for me. We moved into it 15 years ago as new parents, and our children did a lot of their growing up there. I still get a little homesick for it sometimes, but at least I have photos to remember it by.

And now I have a portrait of it, too, by Stephen Walker. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me! Want to see it? He posted it on his website, Walker Studio. Stephen, one of my blog’s sponsors, is a talented artist who uses pen and ink to draw houses and then finishes them with colored pencil and pastels.

One lucky reader is going to win their own 8 x 10 house portrait, worth $250. It could be a picture of the house you live in now, the house you grew up in, or whatever place holds special meaning to you. (Psst! Father’s Day is coming soon, and this could be the perfect gift! Details here.)

To enter, leave a comment on this post by May 26, telling us which house you’d choose to have drawn. You can see the portrait he created of mine here.

I’m joining the Cottage Charm Giveaway at Twice Remembered. Head over there to see what other bloggers are giving away!

How is it possible that it’s been 2 years already? Since January 20, 2008, I’ve written 632 posts, which have gotten over 24,000 comments and more than 5-million page views. Wow. It’s hard to remember what life was like before I knew all of you! (It wasn’t nearly as much fun, that’s for sure.)

I have to laugh when I think back to when I started blogging because I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never seen a design blog before. I work as a writer and, until that day, had only read blogs about writing. I had a lot to learn! (Still do.)

Looking ahead to my third year, I’d love to know what kinds of posts you’d most like to see: more Bad MLS Photos? Five Changes Posts? Hooked or Hate It Posts? Or something new I haven’t thought of yet? Choose as many answers in the poll below as you want–you’re not limited to one.

But mostly I want to say THANK YOU for being the best and most supportive readers in the whole world. Thanks for your comments and e-mails. Thanks for following me on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for linking to Hooked on Houses and putting my button in your sidebar. I truly couldn’t do this without you! ~Julia

(Festive Photo via Ideal Home.)

Do you have my blog button in my sidebar? Leave a comment on this post if you do–I’m giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one of you this weekend!

When I first saw the HGTV Dream Home 2010 in New Mexico, I’ll be honest. My first reaction was a shrug. “Eh.” It kind of left me cold. Not my style. But as I looked through all of the photos of the interiors at HGTV.com, I started warming up to it a little. Here are a few of the rooms–see what you think:

I like the big windows and the feeling of light and space the house has. They also did some interesting things with tile in a few of the rooms. I really love this fireplace:

I also like the way they incorporated the wood beams and ceilings into the house:

I faithfully enter the Dream Home Giveaways year after year after year, and I will again for this one. Eventually I’m bound to get lucky and win one of them, right?

Did you enter? You have from now until February 19 to throw your name in the hat! Visit HGTV.com for more photos and details.

P.S. This is interesting: Lien Puts Snag in HGTV Giveaway. (Thanks to Carson for the link!)

See this fireplace wall decked out for fall? Four kinds of Sticviews were used to create a look that can easily be changed again for Christmas: 1) the leaves on the overmantel, 2) the patterns on the tile, 3) the message across the mantel, and even 4) the black and white family photo.

The stics are like magic when it comes to creating a personalized look for a room. And when you’re ready for something else, just peel them off and presto, change-o! They’re easy to hang and easy to remove (no residue gets left behind). They’re reusable, too.

One lucky reader is going to get a $50 gift certificate toward anything they want on the Sticviews website.

What would you do with $50? You could put Santa in your window. Or order some unique Christmas gifts, like a laptop or iPod skin created from a favorite photo (starting at only $10).

You can also print custom labels, get a car stic with your business logo on it, or make your windows look like stained glass. The possibilities are endless. Browse the Gallery of Ideas and I’ll bet you’ll find yourself saying, “I never would’ve thought to do that!”

How can you get that $50 gift certificate in your hot little hands?

1. Visit the Sticviews website and then leave a comment here, telling us what kind of stics you’d create.
2. For extra entries, you can sign up for their e-mail newsletter (you’ll get 25% off your next order if you do!), and become a fan on Facebook.

Easy, right? If you’re going for extra entries, be sure to leave a second or third comment here telling me what you did to earn them. The giveaway ends next Friday, when I’ll be announcing the winner. Good luck!

Wow! I got over 700 entries for the iTouch giveaway this week. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left a comment. I wish I had 700 of these babies to pass out, but I’ve only got one. And the random number generator chose. . .

#145: Susan of Black Eyed Susan’s Kitchen

Congratulations, Susan! I hope you’ll have fun with your new iPod and the mySurface app. Thanks to DuPont for sponsoring this giveaway and providing the prize!

Do you have an iPod yet? I’m what they call a “late adopter” when it comes to technology, so I just got my first one–a new iTouch that you can put photos, music, and videos on, browse the Internet from, and download all kinds of helpful applications for. I was contacted by DuPont last week and asked to try their new mySurface app on the iPod that they sent me to see what I thought.

The mySurface app is simple to download, and it’s free. It’s also easy to use (if I can do it, anyone can!). It has a gallery of Corian and Zodiaq surface colors and textures you can look through to see what you like. Or compare them to counters you come across at a friend’s house or during a home tour to find the closest match! You can save your favorites, share them with others via e-mail, and request samples.

I need to replace my kitchen countertops, so this app has been really helpful for me to see what various options would look like in the room.

DuPont has given me an iTouch to give away to one of my lucky readers! I think you’ll love it. You’ll be able to download fun, free apps like mySurface and try them for yourself.

• Enter by leaving a comment on this post before Saturday, October 17, 2009.
• For an extra entry, leave a second comment telling me what your favorite DIY app is, if you have one, or tell us the type of app you think would be helpful to decorators and DIYers. (For example, I would love to have an app with paint colors so I wouldn’t have to carry around a purse full of paint chips all the time!)

Several of my blog friends are hosting iPod giveaways this week, including Amy of Living Locurto and The Remodeling Guy. Go and enter theirs, too, if you want to increase your chances of winning one! Please note that DuPont provided these iPods so that we could try the mySurface app, and they support full disclosure (WOMMA).

THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED. TO SEE WHO WON, CLICK HERE.

Welcome to Hooked on Fridays, a blog party I host at the end of each week to celebrate the things that make us happy. I want to just take a moment to say how much I appreciate each and every one of my blog’s sponsors (you can see who they are right there in my right sidebar). I enjoy getting to “meet” the people behind the websites and brands. Take David of Dali Decals. He’s so nice, he’s going to give one of you a $50 gift certificate to buy anything you want from his website. You could buy a personalized family sign, for instance:

Or get a fun airplane decal for your son’s room (you choose the color, but I kind of like the red):

Or go for something whimsical and unexpected, like these swirls and spirals. The options are almost endless. They have animals, birds, trees, and flowers. You can put even them on furniture, like the lotus flower at the top, which is on a headboard.

To win a $50 Dali Decals gift certificate, simply leave a comment on this post before Thursday, July 2. You’ll also earn an entry if you join the blog party today and add your link below. All participants will be automatically entered.

Oh, and if you’ve got a sense of humor and think you can handle it, check out the, um, unique Toilet Decals they have. You read that right. I told you the options are almost endless! Ha.

Now it’s your turn to tell us what you’re hooked on today! If you have something to share with us on your blog, then add your link below. Just please be sure to:

1. Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address.
2. Include what you’re hooked on in parentheses after your blog name. Ex: The Red Cottage (antiques)
3. Link back to the party from your post so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is talking about today!
4. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what a blog party is all about!
5. Double-check to make sure your link works and goes to the right page so it doesn’t get deleted! If you come back and see your link is gone, re-read these rules and try again next week.

(Also check out Melissa’s Beautiful Life and Fifi’s Fashionable Friday parties, happening today!)

Hooked on Fridays Participants

1. maya | springtree road (hooked on my new hometown!) 2. DesignTies (Tassels & a giveaway!) 3. TK – Been there? 4. Jane T @ Atticmag (Quiz: What ARE These??) 5. Trish@TheOldPostRoad (Old Faithful Inn) 6. Porch Days (Painting/Collage) 7. The Shabby Chic Cottage (chalkboard party!) 8. MissCaron (baby onesies) 9. Angela @ PeonyPatch (Americana) 10. A Beach Lovers Place (Ali) 11. Wayfaring Wanderer {Hk’d on Botanical Gardens} 12. Emily@remodelingthislife (cottage bathroom) 13. daily decorator (Easy-On-The-Wallet Decorating) 14. Arleen @ Seasons for All at Home 15. Kate @ Stolen Moments (menu planning) 16. A Simple Walk (frozen pizza??) 17. Amy @ Finer Things (Buster Bar Dessert) 18. sue-in-sydney {hot water bottle cover} 19. Adrienne @ Susan Palmer Designs (Oak Park Kitchen) 20. Beachbrights 21. Jenny of Dreams & Dust (My “New” Colonnade!) 22. Daly Essentials(Zebra Print) 23. Flower Patch Farmgirl (Bathroom re-do) 24. It Feels Like Chaos (kids say) 25. m @ tales from an oc cottage(vintage bling) 26. Claudia@DipityRoad (Presentation) 27. Amanda @ Serenity Now (To Do Lists!) 28. the BLAH BLAH BLAHger (mismatched bedroom furniture) 29. Katie @ Clean & Classic Interiors {food labels} 30. janmary, n ireland (handmade gifts) 31. Edwina-HouseAHolic (pink houses)

32. lucy@fourwallsandaroof (driftwood and seaglass) 33. Jen (Rainy Day Crafts) 34. flickettysplits (Golden Age of Couture) 35. Dagny @ Beautiful Living (Hooked on getting things done!!) 36. Amanda@ImperfectlyBeautiful(shabby to chic transformations) 37. Erika- WHITE Kitchens 38. Alea @ Premeditated Leftovers (DIY hanging flower baskets) 39. Jasmine @ The Suburban Sentiment (Hampton House) 40. Troy @ I Refuse to Recede (Herb Garden) 41. Robin~All Things Heart and Home~Chalkboard Nook! 42. Cathy @ The Stylish House (Beautiful Victorian Homes) 43. Jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlam(frugal fashionista) 44. Linda@Restyled Home (nautical style) 45. Newlyweds (Furits of our Labors) 46. Diana@TheDevineHome (Dream House Giveaway!) 47. Heather (feeling crabby!) 48. Christy (Rug giveaway!) 49. Donna @ dh designs (Chaise Lounges) 50. ELK ($1 camera) 51. Jane (sewing aprons) 52. Liz @ It’s Great To Be Home (our flip is making progress!) 53. From the Right Bank to the Left Coast (An All White House) 54. janice | Sharing the Journey (Hooked on jugs) 55. pk @ room remix (summer!) 56. Sarah @ Frills Fluff and Trucks ($25 TJ Maxx Giveaway!) 57. RehabOrDie.com — (Still!) Hooked on Kestrels 58. Supernatural Botanicals – Win Met Home’s Glamour Book 59. Supernatural Botanicals – Urban-Sexy Home Office 60. Lindsay @ Likely Design (Painting stripes on my wall! ) 61. Kelli @ SustainingCreativity (Homemade Laundry Detergent) 62. cristiin @ simplified bee (hooked on little girl bedrooms)

63. Your home, only better (a staging secret) 64. kirwin @ Graceful Creative (a vision board) 65. Jane (my fridge!) 66. Fifi Flowers Fashionable Jobs 67. Katie @ Making This Home 68. laura @ the shorehouse 69. Tiffany 70. Bridget (Crocs) 71. Sarah 72. Pam @ Mayhew Mayhem “Chalkboard Paint” 73. Britt @ A Penny Saved (DIY Chandeliers!) 74. Amy (Fabric Covered Storage Boxes) 75. velvet and linen (coralscapes) 76. ImagineCozy (A Touch of Red) 77. Morning T (extreme homes) 78. Diann @ The Thrifty Groove (Banana muffins) 79. Jamie (Hooked on Breakfast Trays) 80. Simply Sweet Home (wedding cupcakes galore) 81. Ramona @ A Day In The Life Of Ramona {Herb Pots & Tea Pots} 82. The Style Sisters 83. The Pink Pony 84. Gayle 85. Tara @ Feels like Home (Eric Carle) 86. Carolina Mama (SC First Lady & Legacy) 87. Tami 88. Karyn 89. Teresa @ Eclectic Pink Rose (hooked on Lunching in Style!!) Come by and see!! 90. little house on Green (hooked on decorating) 91. Sunshine@Sunshine’s Design

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