Have you missed me? And new Snoopster posts??

‘Tis more than just the holidays running roughshod over everyday life. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work for a wonderful company that sells beautiful home furnishings.

Everything about this job is awesome … but for conflict-of-interest reasons, I will no longer be able to write about sales and home-furnishing products.

What’s that leave? Knock, knock, knocking on the doors of intriguing area homes and sharing the rooms and stories tucked away behind them. Coming soon: Artist Jennifer McGlon’s sweet and love-filled Naperville home, above.)

Talking to “bold-name” folks–authors, musicians, actors–whose homes reflect and reveal so much about them as human beings. (Check back soon for a post on Quincy Coleman, right!!)

What else? I’m going to find out as 2010 unfurls.

And here’s my little gift to all you beautiful friends who have showered me with so much love and support and encouragement this past year as The Snoopster found its legs: A little 2010 Snoopster calendar you can print out (on cardstock paper if you want it to stand up on a CD jewel case; I’ll explain more in a bit. Or on regular printer paper if you want to just clip it with a binder clip and hang it up on a bulletin board).

Here’s what to do:

1. Click below and print out the calendar cover and the 12 months.

2. Trim each to 4.7 x 6 inches.

3. For CD jewel-case stand:

a) Remove the clear plastic front of the case from its hinges.

b) Flip it so the 2 outside surfaces are lying face-to-face on top of each other, then slide hinges back together.

c) The clear plastic front should now stand up at about a 45-degree angle with little cut-out clips facing you (that’s where your calendar pages will sit and be held in place).

4. Slip in your month pages. Voila. If you were a regular Snoopster visitor last year, you’ll probably remember where these photos came from–the homes and the interesting and warm folks who graciously opened their doors when I knocked.

Just click here for your cover

click here for January

here for February

here for March

here for April

here for May

here for June

here for July

here for August

here for September

here for October

here for November

here for December

print and trim and you’ve got your very own Snoopster 2010 calendar.

And now, a 2009 thank you to everyone–especially Sawbridge Studios’  Paul Zurowski; interior designer and TV star-in-the-making  David Cieslak; design contractor  Philip and Julie Sassano; interior designer Susan Fredman; Jill Maremont (I have thought of you nearly every day and send good healing thoughts your way); Doug Van Tress of Golden Triangle;  my home-furnishings friends in Andersonville, Hubbard Woods and River North; art director Lana Gwinn; event planner Marilyn Hnatusko of Hnatusko & Associates; writer and human extraordinaire Barbara Mahany; Web designer Joe Edakkunnathu; mother of the century Fumi Matsushita; best sons in the universe Josh and Sam Fidler; furniture designer Jim Watters; Joyce Morimoto, the sister I don’t technically have; rare books store owner Florence Shay and No. 1 Photographer Art Shay (please send some “feel good” wishes their way!); Chicago Tribune/WGN Radio wunderkind Rick Kogen; Jacqueline Foley-Klein; Jan Parr (Chicago Home + Garden magazine); Tate Gunnerson (Strange Closets); Katherine Raz (Back Garage); Debra Phliips (Scentimental Gardens, Geneva); Make It Better; all of you who let me enjoy your Knock, Knock homes and all of you sweet friends who came out to my Snoopster Hunts.

Thank you!!! Because of all of you, I never knew bad luck had fallen upon me last year!

Wishing you much happiness, love, music and fulfillment in this new year and beyond!!!!

xo,

elaine