2 for 1

This print by Joel Pirela is available at blueartstudio. Through the end of this month, purchase any two prints for the price of one. Hurry only three days left to take advantage of this fantastic offer! (prints are very reasonably priced any time of year)

Etsy Finds

{owl bookends, geopillow; coasters, mina180;
brass birdcage, ladies & gentlemen}

Loving these items from Etsy! They could really make a room.

For the Love of Design

{Design Sponge}

I've so enjoyed the posts at Design Sponge from the National Stationery Show. My favorite was this print from Thomas Paul. It turns out I've been a fan of his work for quite some time but in my ignorance, I didn't realize that the pieces I admired separately were collectively his.

{Velocity}

Lucky me, the print above is available printed on these pillows in my color scheme! All Thomas Paul products can be found at Velocity plus so much more.

Happy, Happy Day

There's nothing like a great find to make my day. I've spent entire mornings garage saling with the kids which is absolutely better than going alone. One of them is in charge of the newspaper, the youngest takes photos and the others scope out the goods as we drive by. I keep them up to date on the hot items on my list and they tell me if it's worth stopping. Husband is even happy to go with me on occasion.

More often than not though if I go out specifically looking, I don't find a thing. So many times I have run out on a quick errand and had to get home quick to get Husband (muscle) and his truck. Imagine how happy I was to find this sofa table Sunday afternoon for only $10 and it's in great shape. It's hard to tell by the picture but it's all wood and nicely made I may leave it as is or put a coat of paint on. It's just distressed enough to look perfect either way. I have been keeping an eye out for something like this for quite some time. Oh, happy, happy day!

How About

{fabric from Marimekko [Concept Store],

designed by Anna Danielsson}

I'm thinking that this fabric might look spectacular used on a headboard in my master bedroom. It would certainly help to marry the zebra print couch, green walls and the black and white bedding. Of course that still leaves the blue twill (previously mentioned) with no application. Oh, well. It doesn't hurt to explore my options and with so many beautiful fabrics to choose from, I can't go wrong.

I'm sure you recognize it as used on this couch at Anthropologie.

Today

I stumbled across this plaque when doing my periodic clearance review at Ballard Design. It really is a unique piece.

Husband says that I never know that I need anything until I go looking and in this case, it's true. I don't know where the perfect place in our home is for this but I know that it should go somewhere.

Succulents Clustered

{Martha Stewart, Living}

I live in the central valley of California and summers are HOT! Our backyard faces west so the afternoon sun is unbearable for many plants. We have a redwood deck with built in planters in which I have tried many plant combinations. So far only strawberries have thrived. I would like to plant something more visually interesting; this succulent grouping would be ideal. Our beds are shaped exactly like the ones above. I love that the individual plants have grown into one and that there is a variety of color, shape and texture.

I Want to Ride My Bicycle

{two guitars; Silhouette Blue}

Bike stationery found at Etsy. If only it weren't so windy here I might ride my bike.

Further Proof

A few simple steps and my dinning room could be transformed into this room from where else but Pottery Barn.

1. Take shells out of hutch and put out milk glass collection.
2. Replace faux plant on top of the hutch with a live one.
3. Watering can to top of hutch rather than wine.
4. I'll skip the hanging plates (not enough wall space)
5. Paint serving tray in cupboard with left over chalkboard paint.
6. Place tray on table and fill with delicate ferns.
7. More plants to chest of drawers.
8. Enjoy a new look for the summer.

Before & After

Our dinning/kitchen has come so far. When this photo was taken, it needed help! Husband didn't have the good fortune of having me as a wife when building this house and much time had passed between the initial build and decorate and this photo so first things first, the dusty rose wallpaper with stripe and small flower motif had to go. I diligently took it down.

{Convinced Husband that this was the perfect wall color.}

{Each piece of furniture was carefully selected from Ikea. }

Now, this is probably my favorite room in the house. We spend much of our time there and it suits us well. Something that always amazes me when I am looking back at old photos is how the room seems so much larger now that it has more stuff in it. That just contradicts logic but it's entirely true. This room has improved so much.

Style Conflict

{an ad for Domino pre-Domino}

Above is the feel that I am wanting to create in our master bedroom; fun and sophisticated yet casual. At the same time I am in a constant design struggle within myself because what I buy is eclectic country. Now there is nothing wrong with having a Pottery Barn style other than the fact that what I really want is Domino Style and it's eluding me. As an example; an excerpt from a conversation with self about the item below.

"I WANT it. I'll buy it. It will be perfect. I'll put it right above the headboard in our room. What did I decide about the headboard?... Blue twill fabric (25 yards upstairs for abandoned upholstery project) that's right. Why haven't I started that?!"

"No,that's not the direction I want to go in. There's nothing masculine to balance the room; a zebra print couch, green walls, the bird print. Husband will hate it. What about the..." and on and on it goes.

I know when it comes down to it, in all likelihood I'm going to break down and buy it and I'll probably love it.

{Pottery Barn}

At Etsy

Samples of artwork found at the Mincing Mockingbird. Some are frameable prints, some are magnets. Some of the prints have a dark humor, some are just pretty. This one's hilarious. It's a magnet. Wouldn't it be perfect holding phone messages?!

Flit from Flower to Flower

{magnets, Rockett St George}

These are a must have. They remind me of Grandma's fridge but updated.

Natural Decor

{from tear sheets or saved from inspiring blogs, I don't recall}

I was only creative enough with my 'Cabinet of Natural Curiosities' (pages on walls in the image top left) to inexpensively create something like these (artwork below). I wish I had the guts to use them as wallpaper! The room must be so very stimulating with so much to look at.

{Pottery Barn}

A Little Blue

I love this blue. It has such depth and exudes calm.

{Traditional Home, September 2002}

Aren't these pieces fantastic? Where could I put them...hmmm.

{Snowy Egret,Zgallerie; Blue Tole Clock, Horchow}

Mistake

{Martha Stewart, Living}

Husband made the mistake of mentioning to me that he was considering rearranging his office.

{Elle Decor}

Well, he certainly knows better than to make that kind of comment to me. I had made a pact with myself to leave this room untouched, to let this be his room.

{Elle Decor}

But now he opened the door so I pulled up the file I had been keeping just in case and proceeded to show him just what could suit his needs.

{West Elm}

This all happened quite some time ago and there has been no forward movement other than some modification to the original plan. We were having trouble finding the perfect desk until I came across this plywood desk in Elle Decor (April issue?)

{Elle Decor}

Hangin' Around

{All images from Martha Stewart, Living}

Yesterday at our local, individually owned nursery, I saw the most impressive hanging baskets. I was most impressed by one that was covered completely with begonias. Susan Heeger did a how to piece in Martha Stewart Living, March (this year?) on just this type of hanging baskets. The plants are put not only in the open basket top but also in between the wires on the sides and bottom to create a perfectly round planting. They look spectacular in person but are too pricey for my budget. I would love to give them as Mother's Day gifts so I dug out my tear sheet from MS Living then went to Lowe's and got all of the makings. Tomorrow I'll put them together and see if my $20 version will compare.

Found!

Came across yet another tear sheet today. This one had the answer; of course 'the' pillow is from Anthropologie. I'm disappointed, I should have known! Somehow I overlooked it in my search. It's available now only in citrine. By my note you see that again I saved this for a reason other than 'the' pillow.

A Front Patio

{flowerscape, Better Homes & Gardens, March 2008; table & fountain,
Ballard Design; hammock, Kmart; lighting, Pottery Barn;doormat,Wisteria}

Spent the weekend dreaming rather than doing. Husband & I have decided to make a courtyard/patio area in our front yard. We are in the planning stages. The existing landscape will be modifying to adapt to the final plan. Our backyard is excruciatingly hot in the summer months as is the kitchen so we are hoping to get a break from the heat by adding this entertaining area. I'm thinking that it will be perfect to have dinner there and then sit and enjoy the evening while the children play. These are the elements I am hoping to have in this space.

Green

I spent hours upon hours upon hours stripping wallpaper from my dining room 3 years ago. It was hard work. Knowing that, do I dare put it up now?


I love this print from Osborne & Little. It would be the perfect solution to a bad paint color choice in our master bath. This is only one of many beautiful papers from their Spring 08 collection. It was a first time visit to their site for me. Thanks to Oh, Joy for the lead.

Check It Out

{Photo from vegetarianepicure.com}

I have recently had what I consider to be a superb revelation; cookbooks can be checked out at the library and perused prior to making a commitment to buying. For me there is a bit of risk involved. I am notoriously late with returns. My record fine is $30 with a close $25 recently! I do feel that I am fulfilling a necessary public service though in providing this financial support.

'The New Vegetarian Epicure' by Anna Thomas really is a fantastic cookbook. I brought it home in my stack of books this week. Recipes are given in sets as meals; each including dessert. All of the ingredients are natural and seasonal. There are hundreds of simply elegant dishes presented in this collection. My family and I have decided to make our first sampling of the recipes a dessert, Apple Pudding. I know I'll be making a commitment to buy this cookbook. Check it out.