A few holiday thoughts

Thanksgiving was delicious, despite the fact that we nearly burned down the house.  Well, not quite, but there sure was a lot of smoke in the kitchen and the fire alarms were talking (who knew they talked!?).

{added a boxwood wreath to the chalkboard in my kitchen}

I've had Christmas on my mind since October... this is a normal occurrence for me.  Something with being a designer.  I've been pinning my holiday ideas since then.  Thankfully I had the patience to wait until after Thanksgiving to go get the tree, garland, etc.

{paint colors via Restoration Hardware, tinsel, snowflake, paper and glitter from Paper Source, ribbons I've been collecting/hoarding for years}

For the past month, I've been on this sage green and marigold kick.  I've always loved the muted greens, but throwing in this bright burst of yellow is a bit abnormal for me.  I'm thinking of doing a bright yellow pillow for the sofa with a vintage floral print.  I picked up this hand towel from Anthro to test the color and pattern.  I think I need to purchase the larger size and make a pillow.  Vintage chic, right?

{bright and cheerful}

{testing the towel idea as a pillow - does it look too much like a towel from afar?}

All of my Christmas ornaments are at my parents home.  I got a great collection of mercury glass ornaments last year for Christmas, thanks to my little sister.  I picked them out on Wisteria's website and Santa's elves did a little shopping. If only we had them here to put on the tree.  Instead of ornaments, I used my favorite Christmas lights.  They're the vintage globe style.  I picked up two fresh packs from Target yesterday - $8.99 for 24' and 25 bulbs.  Here's the same set online.

{love these lights!}

Off to clean up those pesky dishes in the sink and start the day.  I'm in the mood for a good sewing project!

Do you Pinterest?

Over the summer a friend of mine invited me to join Pinterest.  It wasn't the first time I had heard of the website, but had been avoiding it earlier in the year thinking that it would be one more thing to keep up with. Wow... I was so wrong.  I set Pinterest as my homepage and I've been pinning ever since!

I know the blogging has gone a little quiet recently, but I promise that I'm still thinking design thoughts, dreaming design dreams and doing design projects.  Join me on Pinterest and I'll continue to wow you with design inspiration... a whole lot more frequently!

Here are some of my most recent pins... just to lure you into the goodness.

PS - do you notice a trend?  I sure do love the colors green and grey.

Lets call the blogging silence a "summer vacation" of sorts.  I'm still around reading your blogs and pinning away at pinterest (what a time consuming addiction!).

I think I'll be back in the fall with more to say about design.  In the meantime, here's a sweet little video about one of my favorite dessert shops in the country.  Enjoy!

P.S. - I loved the store so much while I was in California last fall.  The non-edible items (casegoods, wallpaper, etc) were just as beautiful as the desserts!  I have ordered the book and perhaps will give a review in the fall.   Pray that I don't do too much baking!

Doesn't this look like a fun and creative place to work?  For more info and additional videos, visit Spruce's website.

I've recently celebrated a birthday and made a promise to myself to purchase a few new design books in honor of the event.  Below are my recent additions to my library; all are great reads!  What are your favorite design books?

{Nice House}

{Inspired Interiors}

{American Modern}

{The New Traditional}

{photo by moi}

On Monday I traveled to IKEA for some design inspiration.  The store was quiet and I was able to walk around and think about design.  I came prepared with some of my favorite design samples.  My favorite Russell + Hazel notebook was also in hand.  I usually leave the store with a few ideas; Monday I left with more than my head could hold.  I'll be making an inspiration board soon, so be sure to check back in the next few days.

{bobbette & belle}

Those Canadians have the best of the design world - Sarah Richardson, House and Home Magazine, and now Bobbette and Belle.  Bobbette and Belle is a Toronto based artisanal pastry shop that specializes in the most lovely macaroons and wedding cakes.  The interior decor is just as much a delicacy as the sweets they serve.  Don't you love the wall treatment above?  The application of vintage plates pops when placed against the crisp black walls.  And the white text is so crisp.  This could easily be translated to a residential space.  White wainscotting, chalkboard paint on the walls, hang plenty of collected vintage plates on the walls, and even a little food related text - perhaps in French?  Oui Oui!  I'm definitely saving these ideas for a future dining room.    

I had the opportunity to flip through the newest issue of Lonny Magazine this morning while recovering from the time change.  Like always, Lonny has beautiful photography.  These images are my favorites for March/April.

All I have to say about this image is ... beautiful everything.  Favorites are the countertop, lighting (though I would need more than one fixture over an island), simple window treatments, and that cute little window seat sure does make me happy, especially the pink and white striped pillows.  

I want a little desk like this for my laptop.  And the rug in the image has me considering a similar style from Dash and Albert.

Rustic weathered goodness.  And those floors!  

Wow, what a headboard!  This is exactly what I was going for with my headboard, but with more height.  I settled on this one which is expected to arrive soon!

{thomas smythe}

{thomas smythe}

Kitchen love.   I can't remember where I found these images (I think Canadian House and Home), but the kitchen was designed by Tommy of Sarah's House/Design Inc.  What I would do to spend a day with Sarah and Tommy learning all their design techniques... 

{image from And George}

Charlottesville antique and custom furniture shop, And George, writes a great blog.  Have you read it yet?  I also love love love their photography.  Images of the shop, design work, entertaining, and other beautiful things grace their blog.  This morning I opened my google reader to find a breath of fresh greenery from And George.  Gorgeous!

March magazines

Just read the most recent issue of Matchbook - the above spreads are my favorite.  Also loved the article on Kelly of High Street Market.  Happy reading!

Wall art

{image from Horchow}

John Derian's decoupaged trays are lovely and classic additions to any home.  I love the way that his British Islands Seaweed collection was used in this room setting.  The images on the trays are so delicate and feminine.  Wouldn't they be perfect in a guest bathroom? 

Kitchen Perfection

{image from House Beautiful}

Loving this kitchen by Windsor Smith - totally gorgeous.  The marble (yes, all of it including the shelf), the antique-y looking faucet, the flowers, the black cabinets, petite tiles on the floor, and especially the vintage seltzer bottles - loving all of it.  Perfect inspiration for my dream carriage house kitchenette (in my design dreams I'll have a carriage house and a kitchenette!).  Happy monday!

Sugarboo Love

I love Sugarboo frames.  In fact, I first fell in love with them when I saw them at a beachside shop in my parent's town in the summer of 2007.  I was so surprised by the simple beauty of the frames and the quotes.  One photobox frame caught my attention immediately.  Towards the top of the wall rested one frame that read "What are you doing the rest of your life? North and South and East and West of your life.  I have only one request of your life.  That you spend it all with me."  The quote meant so much to me then and still does today.  I couldn't resist using the quote this past October when Michael I were married (fun fact: we married in the same beachside town, right across from that little shop that once sold Sugarboo frames).

Sugarboo's frame and art collection has significantly expanded since my my beachside introduction many years ago.  In honor of St. Valentines Day, I thought I'd share some of my favorite Sugarboo "love" inspired frames and quotes.

I must start with my favorite first -

{can't remember where I originally saved this one for purchase - many vendors online though}

{at one glance, i love you with a thousand hearts}

These small glass frames are great gifts and are the perfect size for the bedside table.

{adored, beloved}

{always, forever}

{darling, dearest}

And finally, this slatted frame is too cute for a child's playroom or nursery.

{elephant - love you}

Bayou Walls

Loving the color of my newly painted TV room.  The walls and window had been damaged by an ice dam, so repairing and repainting were necessary.  You may remember the color options that I had tested on the walls.  I ended up choosing the darkest of the three colors - Bayou by Martha Stewart.  I'm thrilled with the results and love the grey/blue/green against the crisp white trim.  The carpets still have to be cleaned so the furniture has not been moved back into the room yet.  I'll be sure to post additional photos when things are back in order over here!

(small room - best angle to photograph so that you can see the trim and wall color)

 (color info)