Lorena Barrezueta VS. Crate & Barrel 'Foil' Collection

{Lorena Barrezueta & Crate and Barrel}

On the average day, I may glance at my seemingly never-ending list of email bacn, but typically delete it or save it for later. The other day, when I received the latest dish (har!) from Crate and Barrel, I took pause. Gosh, was it just me, or did the featured C+B "Foil" line of ceramic bakeware look dangerously similar to my (favie) Lorena Barrezueta's Gourmet Collection...the "Fresh" line, in particular. Hm. Personally, I'll still opt for Lorena's work. After all, it's handmade in Brooklyn, comes in a metric boat load of different, completely fantastic sizes and shapes, and the colors. Oh, the colors. 'Tomato', 'Salmon', Chartreuse', 'Lemon', 'Celadon'; every one looks like a big piece of candy. It pretty much rocks my little world. Really. Who needs those old, wasteful throw-away tins when you can have these yummy reusable dishes?

Wanted on Wednesday: Plantation Shutters

 Oh how I miss the plantation shutters we had in our room in Jamaica. Even before then, I had nothing short of a huge obsession with plantation shutters. They are just so...classic. And functional. And cool. To me,shutters are the perfect window covering. I want them everywhere -- living room? Definitely. Bedroom? Of course. Dining room over the sliding glass doors? Well duh! The faux wood blinds + drapery combos we have now are sufficient (and look pretty snazzy, all things considered), but bright white plantation shutters are the stuff of dreams...but I'd take them in this soft driftwood gray, too. Aren't they gorgeous?

{1.mine, 2. shutterfly fabulous, 3. country living, 4. niche blinds}

Wanted on Wednesday: Vintage Eames Lounge & Ottoman

{modern 50}

One day, I will curl up in this Herman Miller masterpiece and read Hunter S. Thompson. Life will be grand.

Wanted on Wednesday: Illuminated Carnival Letter Lamp

My current obsession (oh how I want this big 'E'!): the Illuminated Carnival Letter lamp, as offered by Columbus's own Collier West, found in our beloved Short North district.

It would live in my home office and make me smile every day. For $185, I really do love lamp.

El Cheapo Chic: My $1 Burlap Wreath

You remember my sharing this great project on how to make a burlap wreath? Well, I decided to finally make my own. At first, I followed the tutorial more closely, using 6 strips of burlap roughly 3-4" in width and 36" in length, but it didn't look as dense as I had hoped once it was "scrunched" onto the wire. Instead, I took all the burlap off the wire, halved the width of the strips and skewered it back onto the wire. The result was much better for my tastes. For now, I'll hang it on the back door in the kitchen. I think the burlap looks nice against the white walls.

I have a fun and busy week ahead of me...get to visit with Sissy (it's been too long!), getting my hair done, St. Patrick's Day, a lunch with my ladies on Friday, and more work on Hello Magpie (I found some super cutie vintage additions and worked out some great handmade products this past week. Yahoo!)

So how's your week looking? Anything fun on your agenda?

Oh...BTW. Have you tried TeuxDeux yet? I'm slowly saying good-bye to my gazillion Post-it notes, it's THAT GOOD! Making my life more organized, one day at a time :)

Move Over, Ikea

{source}

How I wish we had it here in the States! I'm beyond in love with H&M's Spring 2010 Home collection.  These photos make me want to do some serious Spring cleaning. The kitchen island and natural linens make me giddy. Partly, I think it's seeing bright green through the windows that is making me smile. Oh grass, how I miss you so.

Plate Wall + Cathrineholm

{Lisa Congdon, Lena Corwin, Cathrineholm -- oh my! all via Dwell.}

"I owe my color sense to crayons." - Angelo Rafael Donghia

Today at Scoutie Girl: Pulling it Together, Cosmo Style.

{image}

Head on over to Scoutie Girl to take a peep at my very last look in the Spring 2010 Fashion Preview. It's a sassy one!

With that said, now that I'm wrapping up my Blogger in Residence over at Scoutie Girl, it has me thinking of what I'll be doing next. I've been crazy busy lately, with some tweaks to the blog layout and functionality and doing behind-the-scenes brainstorming to make sure I'm keeping you all interested! In the very near future, I'll be posting a simple survey and I would be super appreciative if you'd participate. It's going to help me get a pulse on you lovely readers. If you can believe it, it's been over a year since my first post and I've never had a reader survey...I figured it was about time!

 {where the heart is + freshly picked}

P.S. With all the snow here in Ohio, my DIY project list is getting bigger and bigger! Take a look at these DIY treasures: the burlap wreath and this darling elastic waist skirt.** Aren't they great? I can't wait to get it going on my own versions. How about you? What have you been up to lately?

**  edit: Sorry I didn't make this more clear before, but the two awesome projects shown above I, alas, cannot claim. These are done by the very talented Jennifer of Where the Heart Is and Susan at Freshly Picked! DEF. check out their blogs. They're FULL of amazing tutorials!! **

Rehabilitated Dishware.

{image}

This is my kind of recycling.

Sarah Cihat's Rehabilitated Dishware collection breathes new life into orphan plates.

Farmhouse Modern

{1. This Old House. 2. West Elm via Knock Off Wood. 

3. Remodelista via Apartment Therapy. 4. Acacia}

I love modern-meets-farmhouse design. To me, it reflects the best of both worlds -- fresh, uncluttered aesthetics married to a nostalgic, comfortable place. Farmhouse modern isn't sterile or cliché. It is simple, unique and unfussy. A perfect combination, wouldn't you agree?

Just the other day, I was checking out 'say YES to hoboken', one of the blog finalists at The RikRak Studio's Handmade Olympics, Event #8 -- Favorite Blog with a Handmaking Focus. Tara at Scoutie Girl was the judge for this event and she posted all about SYtH, so I had to check it out for myself. Let me tell you how happy I am that I did, too, because I really love this blog. Full of inspiration, great photos and creative projects, it's right at the top of my new favorite dailies.

So, while poking around, I came across this rocking idea -- a DIY farmhouse table. As soon as I saw it, this DIY project jumped right to the top of our summer projects list. I love eclectic pieces and a modern farmhouse table would be a perfect replacement to our current dining table. Though our current auction-rescue table is still in pretty good shape and is a decent size, it's getting rickety, has weird legs that aren't conducive to seating lots of folks and I am desperate for something we can grow into.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that I really, really don't want to spend much money on it? Bubs is totally on board with a new DIY adventure (and this most def will fit the bill...), so I'm really excited to get started. As soon as the weather breaks, we're going to give this DIY farmhouse table a go. What do you think? Can we do it? For $30 in materials and a weekend, we're willing to give it a try. I may even keep my fingers crossed, head over to Columbus Architectural Salvage (one of my favorite places ever) and see if they have any reclaimed wood for the top planks. To make it even better, I have two wooden benches to pick up at my family's old homestead that would be perfect additions -- recycled, full of happy memories and free!

Work Hard + Be Nice to People

{via Tasty Suite}

Trying to make today more productive than the last few + using this as my mantra. Happy Tuesday!

Candy-Colored Kids' Room

 {sköna hem}

How darling is this bedroom? It appeals to my inner Scandinavian, I think. The bright candy colors pop against the crispy white walls and furnishings.  Simple, clean & whimsical, just the way a children's room should be.

Details I'm especially loving: the big window, the dowel-rod book display case & the bunting/pennants.

Another thing I love about this room is how easy + affordable it would be to duplicate. There's a lot of potential for thrifting, repurposing, upcycling and infusing other green techniques in a space like this, too. Wood flooring could be sustainable bamboo or cork (which is naturally mildew-resistant, warm underfoot and a great insulator). Milk paint would transform those found furniture pieces into kid- and earth-safe items. Vintage fabrics and hand-me-down toys & books would help transform this blank slate into a magical space. Also, this room has staying-power. By that I mean, this is the kind of room that could grow with a child over the years. It wouldn't take but a few changes to update this room into something for a bigger kid or teen.

Must Have: Farmhouse Wares

All this snow here in Ohio has me longing for those familiar wintertime comforts, like hot chocolate, snuggling in front of the fire and baking. While in the midst of some sprucing-up of the kitchen, I've been on the hunt for great inspiration and recently found Farmhouse Wares. So much comfort and nostalgia can be found in the well-made, down-to-earth treasures at Farmhouse Wares. Betsy has a pretty great philosophy, too. "When I talk about environmentally-friendly, I'm not just referring to our planet, I'm referring to the very environments we live in. I believe home is the place that keeps us centered and gratified." You can say that again, sister.

{1. glass milk bottle. 2. yellowware batter bowl. 3. glass retro canister set. 4. wire egg basket.

5. cupcake stands. 6. galvanized oval planter. 7.  brick french dishtowels 8. rustic glass dryer rack}

Attention All Handifolks and DIY Divas!

I need your help. My office needs your help. There is a gross lack of lighting in here and I am completely obsessed with this (discontinued) milk glass Martha Stewart Veneto Collection 5-Light Chandelier ($700. Ack!)

{casasugar}

Darn good thing I am equally obsessed with repurposed, spray painted chandeliers, like these!

{apartment therapy}

I plan to arm myself with an old chandelier, some spray primer and cans of glossy white to create version of the oh-so-hotness chandelier. However, there's just one problem. There's no ceiling fixture happening in my office, only wall outlets. I'm not interested in poking holes in my ceiling, fishing wire and adding stuff to use a hardwired chandelier, so please don't suggest I do so. I want it the quick + dirty, convert a hardwire chandelier-to-a-plug-in-and-call-it-a-day way. Everything I'm reading online, from electricians and other generally handy people, points to some issues with what to do with the ground wire from the hardwired chandelier because, apparently, the swag conversion kits you buy at the hardware store don't allow for a ground wire. I want to know what I'm getting myself into here, basically.

1. Has anyone ever converted a hardwire chandelier to a plug-in using a swag kit?

2. What did you do (or should you do) with grounding the chandelier?

3. Would the chandelier need to be grounded if it's converted and plugged into an ac/dc wall outlet?

4. I don't believe, because it would not be a permanent fixture  (rather a portable fixture, like a table lamp) that being to code is an issue. Am I wrong?

5. Why don't they teach these things in a class called Lighting Design, which I took and passed, mind you? Who gives a damn about parking lot lamp chemistry with practical, pressing issues like mine? Sigh.

If you've any experience in this arena or know someone who may know a little somethin-somethin, pleasey please please let me know. You'll make me a very happy lady if I can get this going! xo

Ta-Da! New Year, New Shelving

{source}

We did it. We bit the bullet and bought new furniture for my office. OMW, it's super crazy fantastic loads of goodness. Who knew that metal and melamine could make a girl so happy?!

So on Sunday, I woke up all bent out of shape, as the previous two days (on and off) were spent cramped at my old desk, contacting suppliers, working on my business tax filing and brainstorming. Sure, I got a lot done but I didn't enjoy it like I should've because most of it was spent swearing under my breath at my (very) rickety ugly ol' desk, piles of paperwork, yarn, fabric, plastic Joann's bags, general disarray and lack of shelving. I was just salty about it and doing a fair share of sulking about it, honestly.

Bubs noticed the sulkfest, of course. He asked me what I wanted. We discussed some options. Briefly. I knew I had wanted an Elfa wall system from The Container Store for the last three years. I knew it was a good product because I used to work there. I also knew that it wasn't the cheapest solution, nor was it the most expensive. The deciding factor was that, until sometime in February, all Elfa products at The Container Store are 30% off. Holla!

Honestly, I had carefully weighed my options with Pottery Barn Outlet, JCPenny's, craigslist fixer-uppers, Ikea...you name it. For me, I wanted the best quality and most stuff for my dollar...intrinsic value, if you will. Elfa designs are free (online or in-store), free to pick up, easy to install, extremely well-made, adjustable and portable. It really was a pretty easy decision to make. The stuff really is that good.

Off we went to pick up Mr. M's van and drive on over to the store. With the trusty (to scale, of course) wall elevation of my Elfa plan in hand, we knew what we were in it to win it. That was around 4 o'clock. At 5:30, we were on our way home with all the shelving, standards, boxes and bags. Sure, it took us HOURS getting everything just so, but that was partly because we dilly-dallied, had to track down our level, measured a million times, made a frozen pizza and then I cleaned every computer component and did some major wire organization while I was at it.

Please excuse the work-in-progress photo, but I had to share. See all the white shelving and massive work top? That's it! What do you think? This office will be organized if it kills me! More shelves and things will be added as our budget allows, but for now, I'm beyond excited to have a happy, closer-to-tidy space to work in. By the way...all of that shelving is held up with 10 screws. Pretty rad, isn't it? I wish I could have Elfa in every room of our house. Oh, especially in a bright white laundry room. That would make me actually want to do laundry. Well, it would make me not loathe laundry time, anyway...

P.S. In case you were curious, the ugly desk currently resides in the spare room, to be reborn into my packing + shipping center. Hurrah for repurposing!

DIY LOVE: Ribbon Wreath

{image via sunset}

I don't know about you, but around here, we hate shed pine needles more than just about anything. Even with hardwood floors and daily sweeping, they manage to find hiding places until at least June!

Enter the ribbon wreath. A wire or foam ring, a few yards of cute ribbon, knot tying and some scissor skills and voila! A completely adorable, easy to make wreath that will match whatever decor you fancy most. I loooove this red and white polka dotty version. Isn't it darling? Make mini versions to display on door handles, hang on children's bedposts or at your kitchen window.

{image via sunset}

Need step-by-step instructions? Click here, here or here for slightly different versions.

{Must Have} The Land of Nod

I wish they made this room in grown-up sizes!

Sorry for the interruption in all things Jamaica, but I just came across something I had to share. Maybe some of you with kids have heard of The Land of Nod, but I just discovered it and fell in love. With the holiday giving season upon us, what's better than shopping from home in your PJs with a nice cup of coffee? FREE SHIPPING on those online goodies, that's what! Seriously, The Land of Nod has so many utterly adorable things for wee ones, I can hardly contain myself. Sure makes me wish I had one (or three) of my own. (All in good time, God willing!)

Splatter Mats for messy (and fun!) play time

How does my hare look?

The mushrooms in with the polka dots is just too cute.

Old school alphabet cards - practical AND adorable!

Just warm up that cuppa and pop over to The Land of Nod for lots and lots of great gifties for kids and babies -- they even offer eco-friendly furniture and bedding! Just enter SNOW at checkout for the free shipping offer (ends 12/14, so hurry!)

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with The Land of Nod in any way, shape or form. This was just a PSA from one lover of cute things to another :) Check out their website for all the details!

Cutest Thanksgiving Decorations

I love Paper Source. They have such clever kits and great papers! The Fall Leaf Wreath kit and Wheat Place Card kit are two of my faves for this time of year.

We can't forget Martha and her amazing decorating ideas. Aren't these oversize felt leaf trivets festive and simple? There's a How-To, too!

Or, if you're of the uber crafty persuasion, how about handmade maple leaf roses? I can just imagine the stunning centerpiece they would make, can't you? Here's the How-To!

Butcherblock Love

We eat, prepare, bake and cool food on our kitchen counter. We also use it as a beverage station during parties, a craft table and a drop spot for mail, groceries and other stuff. What are your thoughts butcherblock regarding cleanability, durability and appearance after breaking them in?

Does anyone have one who may share advice and bits of wisdom on their maintenance? We have atrocious faux butcherblock in the kitchen now and I'm not such a fan, but I also don't want to spend a fortune on granite...I'd prefer to save up for a sexy subway tile backsplash, too ;)

The Hot.

Stick a cork in it.

Or, perhaps, "Stick it in a cork." That seems more the more accurate phrase, doesn't it?

I need a cork board. Badly. Aren't these versions fantastic? One of these days I'm going to get around to making one. Simply too lovely not to! I can wait until after Christmas, honest!

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