I was invited to an event recently down in New York to celebrate the launch of the 2009 IKEA catalog. I couldn't make it with all that I have going on right now, but after looking over their new catalog online I'm thrilled to say that 2009 is looking really good for IKEA. The cover is fantastic, love the art, the rug, the bold black paired with crisp white, and of course the shot of pink. I know I'm a total geek for posting this because you can see all of these images online but I don't care, I like affordable design and feel sometimes like IKEA doesn't get the full respect that they deserve. I was always so hesitant to purchase from them but after a few purchases I'm all for IKEA nowadays.

Home is the most important place in the world is their mantra. Like it. I agree totally. When the world wipes its snotty nose on your sleeve, you have your home as an escape. Of course, home isn't just for hiding from the cruel, cruel world. :) It's also for entertaining, creating, dreaming, and so many other good things and most of all it's the place where you can be YOU. You can do crazy things that you'd never do in public. You can burp the alphabet, treat yourself to a can of Spaghetti O's at midnight watching reruns of Will & Grace, and walk around naked no matter what shape you are in. That is what makes it the most important place in the world. There really isn't a spot on earth where you can be yourself 100%, let's face it, we try to behave most of the time. At home, screw it. We LIVE. And that is just so lovely. I remember when I was 19 and moved into my first apartment, away from family, and how I just laid on the bed the first night gazed up at the ceiling and thought, "You made it, you have your own home now". It was a great feeling of 'arrival' and the only time in my life when it hit me that from that point on, I could do whatever I wanted, when I wanted, in the privacy of my own home. No longer confined to pure freedom in only the bedroom of my parents home, I had run of the house. I ruled the roost and there is no better feeling. Home rocks. :)

Back to IKEA. There are many new products that are very stylish and affordable, and I'm really enjoying the overall presentation of the rooms in this catalog -- they feel a bit different from the '08 one and I'm unable to put my finger on why exactly. I have my eye on this entertainment cabinet for my new apartment. It will be perfect for the space I'm looking to place it. I'm waiting for this white Samsung to become available so I can order it. I told my husband we're doing a white television in our new place. You would have been proud of me ladies, I put my big girl shoes on and down went my right foot. I was prepared to hold my own and battle it out. We have a big black shiny thing here in the states (I lost during our last television purchase) and I'm just so over the massiveness of it and wasn't interested in the whole rinse and repeat of buying the same black 'window to the world' all over again. And there I was in my living room, ready to duke it out, and he was like, "Sure no problem mausy". As calmly and as sweet as that. He's fine with a white television as long as it has everything needed to do what he needs it to do. In other words, it needs to be pimped. So white it is. I LOVE THIS MAN.

Speaking of shopping for new stuff, I'm going to IKEA in Germany this weekend. I leave on Thursday from Boston, arrive on Friday, and Saturday I'm taking the train to the big blue box. I'm fully charged, lists are in hand, and I'm ready to go. I have my shiny new EC card (kind of like an American debit card) and the money I've slaved to save for the past several years is linked to my card and calling to me. "Spend me!", it cries. "If you desire", I reply.

I'm not rich and yet people assume this because oh-la-la I have two apartments in two countries now so I must be swimming in cash. Truth is, I'm kind of good with money and so is my husband. I sucked with money in my twenties but my god the planets must have lined up and hell perhaps froze over because in my thirties I started to climb out of debt and into the plus. Now that we're embarking on this exciting new journey, I cannot lie, I'm extremely excited to have a second pad abroad and the money to do it. And warning: You may have to suffer through me talking about it a few more times but please allow me to bask in all of this. It was my dream for many years and I'm finally reaching it so of course it's all I'm thinking about right now. When I was getting married I was more excited of course, but this is the second most exciting moment of my life to land in Germany on Friday, pick up the keys to our new abode, and turn that shiny key. I think I may pee the second I open the door and breathe in all of that new apartment smell. It may be empty, but with IKEA and the myriads of retail stores waiting, it will be OUR HOME in no time flat.

And yes, of course I'll share all of this with you as we go. I've already launched a second blog called Haus Maus, so you can follow my adventures as an American in Germany over there. I doubt I'll post my home photos and such here on decor8, but I tell you what... When I post them on Haus Maus I'll put a link in the Daily News section so you can go over there and see them.

By the way, and I apologize for rambling... But I found it so funny over the weekend when I was trying to place an order for a German IKEA catalog to be sent to my apartment there and newsflash! Some error message appeared that homes within my zip code would automatically receive a catalog within a few weeks. HELLO GERMANY. I smiled and asked my husband about this and he said that they are usually sent directly to homes without residents having to request one. Now how cool is that? Shows you how popular they really are over there I guess.

(images from IKEA US)