PATRICIA HEATH

THE POSTCARDS OF YESTERYEAR VS. THE POSTCARDS OF TODAY

2011-06-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

There is something so unbelievably enchanting and romantic about vintage postcards. In stark contrast to contemporary ones, the postcards of yesteryear evoke nostalgia, sentiment and soul. Today's postcards are, well...frankly, quite unappealing. Not only are the majority of them overly Photoshopped, most of the city and landscapes seem unrealistic, digitally enhanced and can be hard to look at. Why are some of our most beautiful cities being captured in such an unattractive manner? Somehow postcards from the past were able to capture the spirit of a busy street, the tranquility of a beach vacation and the glamour of a majestic city building. While I understand that they had limited tools and colors to create postcards way back when, but there is just some sort of subtle elegance and concern to enhance the natural beauty of a setting rather than make it bold and distorted. Although art is subjective, I think that contemporary postcards are simply soul-less and uninspiring.

Are the days of soft colors, decorative fonts and romanticism gone? Just because we have such a multitude of digital tools, colors and effects available to us does it mean that we need to take advantage of all of them...at the same time? I truly believe that if someone were to resurrect the art of the antique postcard that there would be a worldwide postcard revival. In fact, there should be a postcard revival. Here is a collection of some of my favorites from the European countries I love most. HOLLAND

POLAND

FRANCE

CZECH REPUBLIC

I, for one, would love to see where my friends have travelled rather than viewing photos in a Facebook album. So in an attempt to bring back the vintage postcard (at least in our home) we purchased this great wall organizer. It's very similar to the Rustic Wall Organizer from Pottery Barn just a slightly different print on the burlap and distressed wood finish.

These are currently the only postcards we have, which is sad considering all the countries we explored on our backpacking trip. I wish we would have started collecting them years ago, but until I pick up some more, these will have to suffice. They are no way near the beautiful vintage ones that I lust over, but you get the idea. As soon as I get some more attractive ones these will be filed in an album or something.

I cannot wait to find some vintage postcards at flea markets in Prague and Warsaw. I have high hopes that they will have exactly what I'm looking for.

"WE WON'T GET FAR....FLYING CIRCLES INSIDE A JAR."

2011-06-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

When I first starting going to thrift stores and garage sales people were practically giving away mason jars because they had accumulated so many over time. I never even looked twice at them because A) I don't make home-made jam and B) they were usually rusty and dusty. To be honest with you, I used to view them as, well...junk.

One day I was looking for something in Matt's parents' pool house and came across a shelf of pristine mason jars. They were starring back at me and saying "Take us home and make us into something beautiful." They didn't really say that, but they might as well have since the next thing I know I'm asking Matt's dad if I can "borrow" one. He told me just to keep it since they had so many and a grand love affair began. For whatever reason, I had a change of heart and since then, I've starting collecting these glass cuties from anyone who is willing to give them to me or wherever is willing to sell them to me. I only have a handful so far, because as it turns out, the day I decided that I actually like these jars was the day they ceased to exist. I no longer come across any at garage sales and even thrift stores seem to have given up on them. If and when I do find one, it's like winning the mason jar lottery.

If you're wondering what on Earth I'm planning to do with these jam jars, I think you'll approve of my ultimate goal: to create a show-stopping dining table centerpiece comprised of a collection of mason jars all varying in height, width and styles. I was inspired by these simple yet gorgeous wedding centerpieces and think that they would translate well into an interior space. And by interior space I mean my dining room.

There is something so country (the good kind of country) about these centerpieces. The way they light up the environment is romantic, nostalgic and calm. Not to mention, it is so easy to put this together for your next dinner party or movie night. This doesn't just have to wait until your wedding, the beauty of mason jar centerpieces is that they are versatile and not too fussy. They are appropriate for almost any occasion and set just the right mood during any time of the year.

For now, I have just a few displayed on my coffee table (pictured below) and there is nothing prettier and more relaxing than sitting down to write or watch a movie by mason jar candlelight. Obviously my collection doesn't look anything like the lineup in the photos yet, but I promise you, I'll get there. I envision about 20 jars, staggered and arranged down the middle of my rustic dining table, lighting up the table, food and the faces of our friends.

EARLY EVENING

LATE NIGHT

If you think that I don't have standards for my jars, worry not. I specifically look for ones with no cracks, knicks, or label residue and they must have some sort of personality, as you can see in this one. It says Atlas Mason, and I love that I have no idea what brand that is or where it came from. The more mystery and character the better.

I've guess you could say that at this point I've become a scavenger, and my never-ending hunt for these jars has become desperate because I would love to have this arrangement finished before the summer ends. I'm simply not satisfied with the teeny-tiny display that I have going on my coffee table right now.

I know that you can buy mason jars at Target or on Amazon, which I consider the easy way out and to me, there is no thrill in doing that. By doing so I would be depriving myself of the rewarding feeling I get when I finally score one.

This smaller one has a fruit design representative of the jam it once contained. Alongside my jar arrangement I also add some glass candle holders that I pick up at estate sales and thrift stores. This gives my small collection some much needed height and adds visual interest. I will be collecting mason jars all throughout the summer so keep your fingers crossed that someone ends up begging me to take them off their hands at a random garage sale...I'll be more than happy to do so.

"Prague never lets you go..." - Franz Kafka

2011-06-22T22:06:00.000-07:00

Well, it's finally official. We are going to Prague! Matt and I were both granted time off from work and our tickets have been purchased. I never feel like a vacation is set in stone until the ticket confirmation shows up in your inbox. It's a beautiful feeling, it really is.

The total flight time will be about 18 hours, but I've always loved airplanes...no fear of flying here. I keep myself busy by bringing a good book, listening to music, playing Scrabble, sleeping and watching movies and before I know it, we've landed and a new adventure begins.
Since I was a child, my family considered it very important that my sister and I be cultured and aware of our roots and history. We traveled to and from Europe as often as we could, but now that my sister and I are grown, it is becoming increasingly difficult to plan family vacations, especially internationally.

Matt and I explored various European countries on our backpacking trip three years ago, but somehow I've never made it to Prague. Many have told me that it is the most beautiful and romantic city in the world and I couldn't possibly be more excited. We will be spending one week in the Czech Republic and the second half of the trip will be spent in Poland. My oldest cousin is getting married and we will be partaking in the wedding festivities. Putting finances aside, European vacations are worth every last penny. The cityscapes and country landscapes are worth the flight cost alone and of course, time spent with my family and close friends is priceless. I have a feeling that I'll fall in love with Prague and as usual, heavily consider staying for good, but in the end, there will be too many ties with California that would have to be severed and with misty eyes, we both board the plane home. Here are some of the postcard-views we have to look forward to...

The motive behind this trip, besides my cousin's wedding, is a reunion with our dear friends, Mark and Tereza Long. We met almost three years ago online through my former job, and then met in person one year ago. We instantly connected and spent the next few days together while they were visiting the Bay Area. Not only are they a beautiful couple, I feel a deep connection to them that can only be attributed to fate. Over the past year we have been daydreaming about drinking beers in a pub, wandering the streets of Prague, treasure hunting at flea markets, sleeping in castles (a future post) and exploring their territory. Tereza Long

Mark Long

Only seven weeks to go...perhaps I should design a special calendar to help us count down the days.

"And we frolicked about in our summer skin..."

2011-06-18T22:24:00.000-07:00

I'm a nostalgic person by nature, and to make matters worse I become a nostalgic mess whenever I listen to Death Cab for Cutie. And by mess, I mean the good kind of mess. Each album evokes very specific memories for me so I never pass up an opportunity to see the band live. You'd think that I'd be bored by now considering I recently saw them live for the 11th time, but I know myself and it's fair to assume Death Cab for Cutie shows will never grow old to me. No matter how many eye-rolls I receive or how many times I'm the butt of a joke, they will always hold a special place in my heart.
Favorite Ben Gibbard Performance
Death Cab for Cutie's Latest Single
Top Three Death Cab for Cutie Songs
And here is an episode of Storytellers featuring Death Cab for Cutie...

OH, PEONIES...HOW I LOVE THEE

2011-06-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

My life-long love affair with peonies and the most feminine of flowers has recently been rearing its ugly head and telling me to start my garden already. There is nothing that I love more than a fresh bouquet of flowers, however I'm very particular about what I put in my vases, especially my birthday gift from Matt's sister, Heather, this year.

These little bud vases from Pottery Barn were sent to me straight from heaven (via UPS) and I love finding the perfect little flowers for them. I keep them on my desk at work and they are a constant source of happiness throughout the day.

Currently, my main source of flowers, mainly roses, is from my parent's houses. Over the years they have tended to and nurtured some gorgeous rose bushes in a variety of colors. I tend to gravitate to the fuchsia and marigold colors, and as you can imagine their scent is out of this world. But lately I've been feeling the urge to plant my own garden so that I can make little bouquets from my own flowers and not have to rely on my parents'. Since our yard is small, I've narrowed it down to four different flowers that must grown in my garden. IN my opinion, these are the most beautiful blossoms ever and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they thrive in our hot weather and dry conditions.

PEONIES

HYDRANGEAS

SWEET PEAS

RANUNCULUS

"We moved too fast, and tripped into the guest room."

2011-06-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, I have "a thing" for guest bedrooms. I love the idea of going away somewhere and still feeling like you're at home which is why I am attempting to create an overnight oasis for our future guests. I say future guests because we won't be able to offer anyone a place to sleep in our spare bedroom until I get my act together and clean it. It's sad to admit, but I still have some boxes with decor items in the room from when we first moved in and a lot of other random things I've collected. I promised myself, and Matt, that today I will be cleaning this mess and prepping it so that I can start decorating it as soon as possible.

I will be re-using the bedding from our San Francisco apartment because I still love it after three years, which says a lot coming from me. Although at first I was tempted to buy something a little more contemporary, I've decided to save some money and work around what we already have. I will however need to purchase the following:

1) Headboard (perhaps a matching footboard as well)
2) Night-stands
3) Wall art (I'm most excited about this upcoming purchase)
4) Curtains/Sheers
5) Tie-backs
6) Accent pillows
7) New sheets

Here is what I already have for the guest room:
1) Bedding
2) Lamps
3) Curtain rod
4) small knick-knacks

The guest bedroom is extremely small, so I will have to measure to see whether or not we will be able to fit any other furniture in there besides the bed and night-stands. If it doesn't work out, our guests will still have access to their own closet to hang clothes and for other storage. It's going to take me the majority of the summer to finish this project because I have a very specific look in mind, but I know that it will all be worth it. To get in the mood for decorating my own guest bedroom, I've started to collect some inspiration photos. I'll be pulling concepts from each and post the final inspiration board as soon as I'm finished.
P.S. This first one is my favorite...

via Keep on the Sunny Side

via Darling Dexter

via The Design Notebook

EIGHT WONDER OF THE WORLD: The Mustache and Beard

2011-06-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

I suppose it's only fair to say that I'm a bit bias when it comes to facial hair. Matt has sported a mustache since we were twenty and slowly over the years also started donning a beard. He is very proud of his facial hair, as other men are, and despite my attempts at convincing him to shave for special occasions, I'll admit that I prefer him with a 5 o'clock shadow. Not only do I prefer stubble over long beard hairs, but there is something so masculine about a beard that is growing in and a mustache that, in this case, will never cease to exist. Much like his father, Matt has vowed to never shave his mustache and claims that he feels naked without it, so I've grown accustomed to his new face, facial hair and all. It's a package deal and my only request is that he kept it maintained and groomed because we all know that there is nothing worse than an unkempt beard with food and toothpaste in it.

While looking for some artwork for my office, I stumbled upon the wonderment that is facial hair art. True, mustaches and beards have both been revived in recent years and these days are a requirement if you go to San Francisco State or live in the Mission District, but I can't ignore the fact that art focusing on men's beards and mustaches has caught my attention. These little jewels are usually done by an artist specializing in "indie" art and certainly have a "cutesy" feeling to them. They are often times humorous, glamorizing, or poking fun of the recent trend and I love each of them dearly. I think that it would be great to frame a collection of say 3-5 and hang them strategically on Matt's side of the bathroom. Let's just say that I am pro-facial hair and want this fad to stay for as long as possible. After all, I've never met any man that didn't look better with some hair on his face. Here is my ode to the mustaches and beards in my life, I'll be framing a few of these little gems over the next few weeks and can't wait to see the results.

via I Made You A Beard

via Jax Beard

via Fang Found This

via Riqsane

via Lee Hansen Graphics

via Stachist

via I Love Facial Hair

via AMPERSTACHE

via Pichaus

via Lacyadair

WORK IN PROGRESS: OFFICE DESK MAKEOVER

2011-06-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

This may be a familiar view to many; the landscape of a boring, lifeless office desk. I have been feeling the creative itch lately and it all started at my workplace. Generally, I work behind a computer and as of recently I have been daydreaming about making over my work nook. I call this a nook because it's a corner desk with white walls, a computer and a UPS thermal label printer and scanner. These "decorative items" all came with the desk and the job and not only do they lack personality, they are monochromatic. Although I keep it clean and organized, I've always wanted my office desk to reek of femininity and color.

I've started to bring in fresh flowers as often as I can to brighten up my space, but today decided to tackle this project once and for all. I ended up spending a few minutes after work brainstorming and thinking about everything that I have stored away in our spare bedroom that I could use in the office. Over the years I've acquired quite a lot of decor in a variety of colors and styles. I was excited to utilize some of the remnants of my shabby chic collection and will be going with a blue and silver color palette, with a dash of hot pink and rose pink. I'm determined to not buy any new items and recycle everything I currently own, so in other words, my budget is $0.00. Unfortunately, there are a few things that will have to stay: Ikea corner desk, computer, UPS shipping supplies and more than likely, the biggest calendar in the entire world hung above my desk.

Ideally, I would be able to wallpaper my corner or paint it, but I'll just have to work with the white walls which shouldn't be too difficult. Left over from our Livermore apartment I have a few blue-ish frames with some artwork by Egon Schiele. While he suits my personal taste, I don't know how office friendly his work is mainly due to the fact that it's very grotesque and provocative. I will have to eventually switch it out with some light-hearted art and can't wait to spend many hours scouring my new find: Vintage Printable. What I love so much about this site is that you can download any of their vintage images for free and frame them. You can probably guess what I'll be doing for the rest of the evening while Matt watches Mythbusters.

Tomorrow I plan on heading over the hill to work an hour earlier to organize, rearrange and remodel my office desk. I've been waiting to do this for awhile but only now does it feel necessary. I know that these alterations will not only help me focus better, they will lighten my mood and enhance my day in every way possible. Tune in tomorrow to see the results, but until then a little food for thought...

via Bloomerism

via Elle Decor

via The Design Fairy

via Room Envy

via Linen and Verbena

A GIRL CAN DREAM...

2011-05-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

Each time I drive to San Francisco I miss living there more and more. While I enjoy living close to family having a large backyard and bike trails near my home, I miss the excitement of city life. I love meeting strangers and potential friends, having long conversations in bars with old friends and just exploring the pockets and corners of the city. The smell in the air, the happy couples walking their dogs and endless sidewalk entertainment just feels so alive to me. I realize that we made a smart move by moving out here, but my heart will always pull closer to the Bay. I'd be happy living anywhere near Berkeley, Piedmont or San Francisco and am always surprised when people say they would never raise their children in a city. In my opinion, cities (especially San Francisco) have so much more to offer growing children that the suburbs do. Not only are there a variety of fascinating weekend activities to choose from, cities give kids the opportunity to learn about different cultures, experience foreign culinary styles and not to mention all the gorgeous parks, festivals and sights to see. I do hope we eventually end up back in San Francisco, in some sort of three bedroom Edwardian with a small city backyard, crown molding and original hardwood flooring. Every now and then when I'm lazy or bored or both, I look at the real estate listings in San Francisco in part to torture myself and in part to stay aware of the changing market. I've obviously fallen in love with many apartments and condos during these searches, but think that in exchange for what the city has to offer, the housing prices are well worth it. These are my top neighborhoods where I would like to own a home in San Francisco. There are the unrealistic options (Pacific Heights, Ashbury Heights, Marina, etc.) but I've managed to narrow down my list to more do-able and affordable standards.

1. Noe Valley
2. Cole Valley
3. Upper Haight
4. USF/Panhandle
5. NOPA

I wouldn't settle for anything smaller than a three bedroom only because even though I like small and cozy, there is such a thing as too small, especially in the city. I wouldn't be too picky though, a balcony wouldn't be necessary, two full bathrooms wouldn't be all that important to be either, but somewhat of a view, lots of natural light and at least one parking spot would be a must. Today, I found these charmers. They may not be multi-million dollar homes, but I could see myself building a family life in any of the following residences.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/reb/2396014975.html
$799,00 / 3br - Top Floor 3bd/1.5bth/2pkg - Noe Valley

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/reb/2407794231.html
$769000 / 3br/1.5bth - Cole Valley

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/reb/2406487903.html
$989000 / 3br - Haight Ashbury

A girl can dream, right?

NEWEST ADDITION: Beauregard Vander Heath

2011-05-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to introduce our first dog, Beauregard Vander Heath, a.k.a. Bo.

Bo is a purebred Yorkie Terrier puppy that Matt picked up yesterday from the woman who originally rescued him from a puppy mill. If you don't know what that is, do NOT Google it because you don't want to know. Bo was born on July 20, 2010 and is nine months old. He is very sweet natured, calm and such a cuddler. The poor thing is still adjusting to the new house, new smells, new people and all the commotion that comes along with re-locating. He is not potty-trained or fixed yet, but we are on top of it and will give him the best home and love he could ask for. He is however, a daddy's boy already and follows Matt around everywhere he goes...it's pretty cute to watch those two together. Matt's a great disciplinarian whereas I on the other hand, partially due to the fact that I never had a dog growing up, want to just give him treats and kiss him every moment.

We lucked out with Bo thanks to Matt's Aunt Robin who had heard of a woman who was looking for a home for her Yorkie. Matt has always wanted a Yorkie so Robin went through a lot of effort finding the contact to inquire about the puppy. We are both very grateful to her for helping us with getting this puppy and can't wait for all the fun adventures we will all have together.

SNEAK PEEK: THE MOST PERFECT PICTURE FRAME IN EXISTENCE

2011-05-25T23:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe I'm slightly exaggerating, and perhaps there is a better distressed frame somewhere in a parallel universe, but in my opinion I've taken the most perfect picture frame in existence off the market. My heart literally skipped a beat when I found this frame in a box amongst other lovely, but not perfect frames, at a garage sale organized by a woman who once owned an antique store. This frame screamed "Anthropologie!" to I had to take it home with me.

While working on Grant Street in San Francisco, I often walked by and drooled over Anthropologie's ever-changing window vignettes but the one that sticks out in my memory was comprised of empty vintage frames strung from the ceiling in multiple lengths. This was such a stunning and creative display that it continues to inspire me on many of my treasure hunts.

There is something so unexpected and wonderous about empty picture frames that stops you in your tracks whenever you see a collection. Your eye naturally expects to see some medium of artwork in a frame and so when all you find is emptiness, it is not disappointment that fills you but creativity. I have been collecting picture frames for many years now and yes, it has grown out of hand. Although to an outsider my collection would appear to be that of a hoarder's, I continue to defend my accumulation and know I'll be able to put it to good use someday. I have started hanging an array of frames on the main wall in our entry way, but it is still far from what I imagine it to be. My perfect picture frame is the centerpiece and now that I am finally finished with school I plan on jump-starting a few of my projects. This includes finishing my empty frame collage which I would love for the end result to resemble something similar to these arrangements:

via Sweet Home Style

via Emma Thompson

via Birdy Birdy Num Num Granted, I still need many odd shaped and colorful art frames, but with the warm weather rolling in and people rolling up their garage doors, I'm bound to find all my supplies locally at garage sales and estate sales because they have yet to let me down.

"IF IT ISN'T MAKING DOLLARS THEN IT ISN'T MAKING SENSE..."

2011-05-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since I can remember Matt has stored all his change in an old jar. After a few years it's been pretty beat up and dingy. Not only that, but wherever you put it it just never looks nice since it is what it is...an old, dirty jam jar. About once every six months he remembers about it and takes his coins down to Coinstar. It's like a pay-day because he always comes back to the car with a grin and a receipt and asks me how much I think he's earned. Well, after lugging the old coin jar back and forth between every apartment we've lived in, you can imagine how heavy and breakable this thing is and just how much I dislike it.

Yesterday Kelley and I turned a random corner and there was quite a large garage sale in a long driveway. The house was nicely manicured and it was an older home which was a good sign. There were many antiques and trinkets but I settled on a small gold art stand since I always buy them to display decorative picture frames on. It cost me a whoppin' $0.25 and then I went to go meet up with Kelley who was sifting through some antiques. All the sudden she found a treasure in the form of an old post office mail safe! It was perfection and we immediately knew that we had to buy it for Matt. I was beyond thrilled because finally he could save his change in something that was practical and easy on the eyes.

The inside is still functioning and none of its parts are missing. Someone built the antique safe into a wooden frame, but it has a coin slot on top to put coins through and you can turn the lever to open the safe. On the back there's a document of authenticity which states that this safe is from an Texan post office in 1870.

It was a very rare find and Matt and I have always been obsessed with old postal equipment. Now we have a new storage solution for Matt's change...and the best part is that it fits in perfectly with our home.

"THE HARDEST BUTTON TO BUTTON..."

2011-05-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

About twice a month on Friday I sit down with my laptop and open up a Craigslist tab, a new Microsoft Word page and iTunes to compile my bi-weekly Garage Sale Hoppin' list. It's comprised of what I think will be the best of the best garage sales the following morning, and since time is of the essence when it comes to garage sales, I don't like wasting gas driving around and looking for the jackpot. Many of the garage sale postings are a waste of time and effort, and from the ones which include photos you can generally tell the good from the bad. If there are pictures of a lot of electronics, tools, or baby things I skip those since I'm not in any position to buy anything from those genres. I use my go-to keywords: antiques, vintage, old to filter out any sales that won't interest me and can usually narrow it down to the few that I feel are most worth my while. Although I always prefer estate sales over garage sales, they are harder to come by the further away from the Bay you are located and even if you do score, the items are generally pretty cliche and beat up. This isn't to say that I haven't gotten lucky before in my area, but we all know the best estate sales are in Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda and Piedmont. This is no secret.

This morning, and by morning I mean 7:30, Matt's mom and I met to go garage sale shopping in town. She was a woman on a mission whereas I never really know what I'm looking for until I find it. Here's my mental list of things that I am always looking for because you can never have enough of the following, and any other antiques that I find are cherries on top:
1. Antique buttons
2. Doilies
3. White candles
4. Distressed picture frames
5. Mason jars

I can pretty much do anything with any of the above items and am always happy when I come across some unused white candles or beautiful antique buttons (more on this project in a future post). But today was very special because I found a button that should be on a Top 10 list of antique buttons. Call me crazy, but there is something so sentimental about buttons that I truly love. I do have a craft project in the works with buttons but still need many more until I reveal it. For now, I will show you my most prized button...I paid a whole quarter for it.

This button was in a massive pile of random buttons, pins, earrings, pendants etc. But I didn't care, I stood there and sifted through all the junk to find this treasure. Of course, I have no idea who the woman in the photos is, but it's extremely aged and I'm very curious as to how the button was made.

I know, I know, why do I have an entire blog entry dedicated to one button? I can only justify this by saying that it's very rare to find such a tiny, nostalgic photo, much less trapped in a button forever. I'll put this little one to good use and file it under one of my favorite garage sale finds to date.

WORK IN PROGRESS: OFFICE HUTCH

2011-05-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

Last year my mom and I were browsing at one of my favorite salvage yards, Hidden Treasures. Amongst all the antique dining tables, fainting couches, salvaged windows and vintage armchairs, in a dark hidden corner we saw the most ugly beautiful hutch I had ever seen (no exaggeration). It was missing some hardware, chipped in a few spots and worst of all, made from an unattractive dark brown wood veneer. I was instantly attracted to the carvings in the bottom cabinets and the shape of the windows at the top. I didn't care how we would get it home...it belonged in my apartment. The shop owner sold it to me for $30 and even helped carry it out to our van. Mind you, this was after we drove back home to Livermore in our small car to pick up the van and drive back to Hidden Treasures. It was a whirlwind but the hutch made it home safe and sound. I had tucked away a pair of antique knobs that I had found a few weeks before and was so excited because they were a perfect match for the project I was about to tackle. After going back and forth between what color I wanted to paint it, I eventually settled on a cloud gray. It looks very white but it does have a hint of gray which is exactly how I wanted it. The painting process was painstaking because I wanted the finish to be perfect without any brushstrokes, bubbles or drips so needless to say it took me a few days, but when I finished I realized it was worth all the labor. Now the hutch lives in my office (which is also a work in progress) and is waiting to be redecorated. I have started to pick out a few items to put in it including my favorite container that I store receipts in, my Elle Decor and House Beautiful magazines, and a few chosen interior design books. It's a small stack to say the least, but I'm confident it will grow up to be something special one day. The antique mirror is actually from a garage sale last summer and can be used in a variety of ways (to place perfumes on, as a standing bathroom mirror, etc.) and I only recently found the ring holder which is VERY me. I have high hopes and big plans for my office hutch. Luckily the color still matches my office decor so I don't have to repaint it. I definitely need more items in the top portion for depth, color and interest, and am hoping to find them estate sale shopping this summer. Besides bookcases, hutches are so much fun to decorate and the best thing is that they serve a functional and decorative purpose. Win. Win.

"MY SUMMER WINE IS REALLY MADE FROM ALL THESE THINGS..."

2011-05-18T23:22:00.000-07:00

Whether it's white wine, red wine or port wine, wine bottles must all have a place to call home. When we first moved in, our wine was stored just as any other wine is stored: in a cabinet. I quickly grew frustrated with this "storage solution" because every time I wanted a glass of wine I would have to take out each bottle until I found the one I wanted. Frustrating as it was, we did't have the counter-space for a mini wine fridge or even wall space for a hanging wine rack. Not to mention some of them are downright hideous and/or expensive and the wine racks that I did find never felt like a perfect fit for our kitchen. Matt is not a wine drinker, but I like to have my wine, at the very least, to be accessible.

After scouring the Internet for endless hours I had finally given up my hunt for "The One." I have a tendency to go on long-winded searches for what I call "The Ones," or in other words: that-one-perfect-piece-you-have-waited-for-all-your-life. This can apply to any home decor item and while I don't usually have a premeditated image of what I want, I know exactly when I find it. Yes, you know and feel when you find "The One" because you loose all sense of reason, don't look at price tags or care if practical. All you know is that you must buy this thing otherwise you will never be complete.

In my 25 years I've pursued many soul-mates in the form of an armchair, coffee table, upholstered bench, area rug etc. This time I was determined to find The One wine rack that I needed in order for life to go on. I finally came across it at Homegoods, which for those of you who are familiar with this store can agree is a synonym for Heaven. I spotted it out of the corner of my eye because of its unusual shape AND the fact that it was made out of what looked like bicycle chains. I gravitated towards it and realized that it WAS made of bike chains...recycled bike chains to be exact. And they were beautiful! Oiled, greased and aged to perfection in all the right places. It was made in France from old bicycle chains and now it would live on in my kitchen. Of course, I couldn't leave the store without it and when I brought it home Matt loved it just as much (he is an bicycle enthusiast). Score!

Now that I have found "The One" wine rack I can move on to other things; barstools, end tables, picture frames. And yes, this is only the beginning.

"TRACK HOME KITCHEN BEFORE AND AFTER...AND STILL IN PROGRESS"

2011-05-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

Kitchens are probably my very least favorite to decorate. There are always too many variables to consider; countertop, appliances, backsplash, cabinets, counter-space, and so the list goes on. While we were house-hunting, I was never too particular about the size of the kitchen so long as it didn't have a tile, laminate or Corian countertop or oak cabinets. I'm extremely picky when it comes to decorating...not as picky when it comes to food. So after viewing about 30 homes with white tile countertops, linoleum flooring and cabinets in all colors of the rainbow, I was ready to just throw in the towel and be content with whatever kitchen we could settle on until we saved money for a remodel.

When we finally found the right home, I was pleased with the granite countertops and backsplash. Both had been recently updated and although the countertop color wouldn't have been my first choice it was still better than anything we had seen. Our cabinets are not what I would call "quality" cabinets, but after going back and forth between whether we should paint them or not I've decided to just wait it out to see if they grow on me. Seven months into it, they still haven't found their way into my heart for a variety of reasons. The maple wood is far too light for my taste which is completely unreasonable since my favorite cabinetry is white. But putting that aside, these cabinets are much too bright and yellow in contrast with the rest of the kitchen. Since for now we won't be painting them, naturally we had to upgrade and customize them in some way to take the focus away from the wood itself. One trip to home depot later we had chosen some oil-rubbed bronze handles and two hours later Matt had them all installed. Instantly the kitchen took on a new persona and I'm happy to admit that the first thing I look at in my kitchen is no longer the wood but the hardware. It's a perfect compliment to our furnishings and fixtures and until we can paint, I'll just have to learn to live with it. As much as I hate having to learn to live with things, I'm optimistic that perhaps this summer we will be able to make more progress in the kitchen department.

"MY ONE NIGHT STAND...AND DRESSER"

2011-05-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

The first step towards recovery is to admit you have a problem. Although Matt has pointed out on numerous occasions that I change my mind far too much and suffer from buyer's remorse, I've never been willing to acknowledge these claims until recently. Each time I organize and clean our bedroom I have an urge to rearrange our vignettes and/or redecorate our entire bedroom. Do I have a problem, well...the short answer is yes. While financially no one could possibly be able to afford to redecorate their home every time a new color becomes trendy or they fall in love with a contemporary style, I stand by my belief that you don't have to spend a lot of money to change the look or feel of a room. As I read other blogs, thumb through magazines and watch interior design shows, my mind is simultaneously brainstorming new ideas and reconsidering past choices. I spend a lot of time conceptualizing anything from how the photo frames in our entry room are arranged to exactly how I'd like our nightstand and dresser displays to look. While I don't enjoy too much clutter on bedroom furniture, I think that each should display some key items: lamp, books, picture frames and some sort of trinkets. I've always loved pulling colors out of a focal piece of art and accentuating it through toss pillows, book spines, throw blankets, candles and flowers. Since we currently don't have any art in our master bedroom (I know, big FAIL on my part) I had to use as a source of inspiration. Our bed-sheets and shams are gray and our furniture hardware is chrome so I decided that the main colors of our nightstand and dresser vignettes would be gray, mauve, silver, white and brown.
The swing arm lamps were a birthday gift from Matt and lend our bedroom a special kind of hotel room/weekend getaway feeling. At first I was going to find a pair of stationary lamps for the nightstands but soon fell in love with the swing arms at Home Depot. They have been a great addition to the bedroom especially for late-night reading or watching movies on the iPad.
The other accessories are a result of my hoarder-like tendency to accumulate books, a photo taken by a friend in high school of my favorite songwriter, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, and a small set-list from The Wooden Birds show at the Rickshaw Stop. No, I didn't elbow or push anyone to get it...it just happened to be laying on the stage after their performance and I casually took it as a memento. As for the clear potpourri jar, I have been searching for those little pastel breath mints in white to combat morning breath, but have yet to find them. The skeleton key was a treasure I found at Ross for a bank-breaking $3.99 and the jar was $0.50 at a thrift store and has a very unique, Anthropologie-ish design on the top.
I've always had an extremely difficult time finding the perfect photos for my ever-growing collection of picture frames. That is why you see two empty picture frames (which I'm terribly embarrassed of). If you're wondering about the JFK sculpture, ever since I can remember my mother has been obsessed with all things Kennedy and this head was gifted to me. I used this dresser as an opportunity to incorporate some bright colors into the room and settled on artificial magenta peonies and a pink candle. It's not exactly the right shade so I'll be replacing it as soon as I find the right color. But my favorite piece is our framed John Vanderslice set-list which he signed with my favorite quote, "There's a sweetness in the worse things." I'm not too sure about how long these particular displays last as I already have my eye on some other photo frames and will more thank likely find some new accessories to replace the current ones with. It's not like I enjoy changing my mind all the time, it's just that there are too many beautiful things out there ready for me to find and fall in love with.

WORK IN PROGRESS: SALVAGED PIANO WOOD MANTEL

2011-05-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

A few months ago Matthew and his best friend Brian dismantled an antique piano. It was very time consuming but after all was said and done, there was a lot of beautiful left-over wood with tons of character and if there is one thing that I'm a sucker for, it's anything with character.

Our poor living room in the front of the home has been completely ignored since we moved in and the only items that I have purchased for it are an area rug and upholstered chair. Matt and I always knew that we had to have not only a functioning fireplace but a fireplace with a mantel.

To our dismay, this updated fireplace has no mantel but we figured that we'd be able to think of something along the way. Well, it must have been fate that we ended up with all these rustic wood pieces in the garage because Matt has started to build a beautiful mantel for above the fireplace.

We want it to look imperfect, worn, aged and salvaged. After Matt measured all the dimensions, we picked out our favorite pieces and he got to work. It's difficult working with aged wood because if something goes wrong we don't have a replacement piece. I absolutely love that there is an old handle still attached to one of the piano pieces and we hope to incorporate it into the mantel for, yes, character.

Since our home is only five years old, there is nothing "old" about it, so we have to make due with what we have. But one thing was for sure, we absolutely could not get by without a mantel, much less a recycled piano wood mantel so hopefully you can visualize the final result. I have always wanted to decorate a mantel and have already been brainstorming some mantel decor ideas. Since we won't be hanging a TV above the fireplace, I will have to be inventive and find some eye-catching art and frames. Oh possibilities, why must there be so many of you?

"GETTING COLDER WITH EVERY STEP I TOOK TO YOUR APARTMENT, DEAR."

2011-05-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

I often look back and think about our past apartments. Since Matthew and I first moved out, about three years ago, we've have three apartments and one house. I'm not sure whether I ever truly felt like I had a home when we were renting mainly because I always knew it was temporary. I have such a deep fondness of San Francisco architecture that had we stayed in the city, I would have attempted to persuade Matthew to move just once more to Noe Valley. We only had the opportunity to live in two districts which were almost one in the same since they were just a stones throw away from each other: Ashbury Heights and Upper Haight.

While there were pros and cons about both, I'd move back to either one in a heartbeat. What I remember most about our time spent there is the immense energy I had every day. I never felt like I was just living each day to get to the next, and I found beauty in everything around me. In every nook and on every street there was a quaint Victorian home, a lovely dog park and hole in the wall shops that given the time, I would have explored each and every single one of them. I never found city life to be as fast paced as some people assume or claim it is. In fact, for whatever reason, I feel like I had more time in the day to do things for myself: workout, have dinner with my friends and just enjoy the few hours before and after work. While our apartments were by no means luxurious or extravagant, we did our best to decorate and make it feel welcoming. What mainly attracted us to this studio apartment was the crown molding and location. It was beyond stunning and immediately cast a spell on me because I had always envisioned myself living in a San Francisco apartment with that exact moulding (not to mention the incredible stove!)

Our view wasn't the greatest thing in the world, in fact far from it, but the ability to step out on the patio and see the backs of some beautiful houses with peaks in the background was a luxury to us. Although we had a garden, we never got to use it because we moved in in the winter and moved out before spring (it was a short term lease). I'm sure had we stayed we would have had many-a barbeque festivities and late nights in the yard. However, what I miss the most is our navy blue state-of-the-art kitchen (the previous owner was a chef and owned her own restaurant). It had hardwood floors, amazing windows and so much natural light. If I could copy and paste that kitchen into every place I live, I'd be a happy woman.

But sadly, we had to move after a few months and find a new apartment. We randomly stopped by an open house on a Saturday morning just two weeks before we were supposed to move out and were panicking. This little apartment happened to be just three blocks away and absolutely perfect. Although I'll always miss the location of our first place, I will never, not ever, miss having to trudge up the awful hill on Ashbury Street.

"IF BEDS COULD TALK, IF WALLS COULD HEAR, IF WINDOWS SEE..."

2011-05-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about starting to work on my first interior design project. Matthew's aunt Robin recently asked me to help decorate her guest bedroom and I jumped at the opportunity. Not only am I going to be doing what I love most, I'll also be learning in the process. There is nothing more fascinating to me than the design process. From conceptualization to realization, decorating is so much more than just picking a wall color and pillows. Whenever I'm asked to design a room as part of a school project, I always start with a work of art. Whether it's contemporary canvas art or a framed Klimnt, there is so much life and color in artwork that I am instantly inspired and start brainstorming. Artwork helps point you in many directions including bedding (patterned or plain?) and accessories. In Robin's case, she fell in love with this painting from Cost Plus and wanted to center the design concept around this. She has some existing furniture that we will be able to reuse in the new room and will not be purchasing any new furniture. The main work will lay in painting the walls, reupholstering some of the existing cushions (on a chair and bench) and framing some other artwork. Below is a VERY rough color board that I threw together during lunch today. It's a start but still a far cry from what the room will evolve into. The bedding may have to be neutralized a little since this pattern may be a little too bold and busy. Like I said, just some basic ideas of what we're getting ourselves into. I am thrilled to start putting it all together with Robin, but before then, there is a lot of prep work to look forward to.

"I TRIED MY BEST TO KEEP MY DISTANCE FROM YOUR DRESS..."

2011-05-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit that I have a truly indulgent and terrible habit of buying dresses that will only be worn once. I'm not celebrity, but I try to abide by the red carpet mantra that no dress should be worn twice. Over the years I've accumulated dozens of "one-time-wear" dresses that are hanging in my closet. Some I can still fit into while others are just getting lonelier by the year. Regardless of their impracticalness, I continue to fall in love with dresses that I know I'll never have the opportunity to wear or I may never have to guts to wear. The dress above stole my heart this past Sunday and even though I generally omit any dress with a single shoulder, this one was up there on my list of Dream Dresses. Paying homage to the always adorable Zooey Deschanel, I call this color "Zooey Blue" and if you personally know me then you are familiar with my fixation with her (just like every other 20-something year old). The actual color of this dress is much brighter as you can see and is very similar to something she would wear.
But, I must draw the line somewhere and stop giving into every dress that calls my name. I probably wasn't doing myself any favors by going shopping again after work and falling in love with two more. Sure, some of them may be outrageous, some might call them ugly or tacky, but in an idealistic world I would have a collection of all the stunning dresses that I've lusted over over the years. Oh, and simply because I couldn't help myself, here are two more I drooled over at the store today. Yes, both are impractical and yes, both are way overpriced, but that never stops me from buying them.
What is your opinion of dressy dresses? Can they be worn more than once?

"IN OUR BEDROOM, AFTER THE WAR..."

2011-05-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

The bedroom, whether it's a guest bedroom or master bedroom, is one of the most important rooms in a home. This is the place where you unwind, dream and as someone on a "Cribs" episode would say, "Where the magic happens!" Sure, maybe for some more than others, and I think that this is very influenced by your decor. Your bedroom should be a solace, a romantic and most personal of spaces which you do not share with guests. In our previous apartment, Matthew and I had to make the best of Ikea furniture (much to my chagrin), mainly because it was our first time leaving the nest and we had nothing but a bed. San Francisco's Craigslist furniture section is the best I have ever come by and within weeks we were able to furnish almost our entire apartment (some of the things we wanted to buy new). The gray, blue, black, white and turquoise went well with our black furniture flooring and patterned wallpaper, but when we moved we sold all of it and started fresh. I was so excited to start decorating our master bedroom because I had fallen in love with a color scheme in a magazine that made me resent ever decorating in cold colors. It is all slowly coming together and I think that I might be finished by this summer so that I can move on to the guest bedroom. I was able to find inspiration in the bedding I bought at Marshalls. Marshalls is my absolute favorite store to shop for bedding because I think the quality is very acceptable and the styles are pretty contemporary considering the price. I was instantly drawn to the bedding you see in the photo below and pulled as many other colors together that I could to compliment the mauve comforter. I have narrowed it down to a color palette that I am intent on sticking with; a combination of beiges, tans, mauves and even some pink like you see in the make-up compact below. I usually try to stay away from pink because I don't want to overly feminize the bedroom since Matt sleeps there too (there's always a male to consider!) I'm going to incorporate a lot of distressed wood, antiqued frames, silver and white to make the bedroom feel light and airy. I might even splurge on some gorgeous oil-rubbed bronze switch plates to match our new door hardware and ceiling fan. My to-do list when it comes to this room is endless, but as soon as I'm done with school it should free up my schedule so that I can continue my hunt.

"LET'S TAKE THIS POTTED PLANT TO THE WOODS AND SET IT FREE..."

2011-05-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

Last week Matthew surprised me with a text message photo of this beauty... While I love flowers, there is something about ground covering that I love even more. Since we moved into our home last year in October, it was too late in the year to do any planting or painting so we decided to just start decorating from the inside out. We went from living in a 750 sq. foot apartment for two years while we were saving and suddenly we moved into a home with three bedrooms and a backyard. I've never cared about having a big backyard (I'm more about character than space) so when we found this home I didn't care at all that the yard was on the small side. As of now, we have no trees and nothing from the flower, fruit or vegetable family. The plan in to invest in one big tree for shade, some beautiful ground covering and select vines and flowers. Matthew will also be building a planter bed so that I can finally plant the strawberries I've always wanted as well as some tomatoes, parsley, cilantro and green onions. We are new to the whole gardening thing and while I'd like to say that I have a green thumb, I have yet to discover whether I really do or not. This little mossy plant above has inspired me to get out in the garden and start working. Since we have a blank canvas to work with, I feel like we have a lot of freedom to go in any direction. It's a small area, so I'd like to create an ambience and environment that's very inviting and comfortable. I've always been obsessed with small string lights in backyards and think I'll finally splurge on some for our yard. They are very romantic and set the perfect mood for an evening barbeque and endless conversation. I like these two options from Target, I just have to choose one of them and calculate how much we'll need. My main objective is to NOT make it look like an outdoor wedding.

"STUCK IN A MASON JAR WHERE I SEALED UP MY HEART..."

2011-05-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

If you were to ask me, I'd tell you that just about anything looks better with a doily on it. These long forgotten and usually overlooked lace masterpieces are versitile and one of my favorite items to accessorize with. When it comes to doilies, the possibilities are just about endless and there are dozens of art and craft projects that center around doilies. If you're cringing and thinking of the doilies that your grandmother puts stale mints in a jar on top of, think again. Yesteryear's doilies are one of today's most sought after and unique decorative pieces so the next time you see some dusty doilies in a thrift store corner or in a lonely stack at someone's garage sale, buy them (some people even try to give away doilies) and keep them handy for a future Saturday when you feel inspired to create something.

A few weeks ago my Lighting professor assigned our final project; to design a functional and innovative light fixture. I just about fell out of my chair just thinking about how difficult this would be since A) I know close to nothing about electrical wiring, and B) metals, electricity and I just don't get along. I quickly shot up my hand to ask if there was an alternative option, which there was, but if you can believe it Option #2 and #3 seemed much more consuming and daunting than designing a LAMP. I spent the next few hours brainstorming and Googling until I saw something that spoke to me: a beautiful mason jar chandelier. Well, it didn't literally speak to me, but it sure did catch my eye. I started drawing some concept sketches and decided that for my final project I would make a mason jar lamp. Above are some of the basic components I'll be using to create it. First and foremost I'll be using doilies to create a lampshade (still haven't decided on whether it will be a free form or if I'll sew doilies onto a ready-made lampshade). I've already ordered the mason jar lamp kit from Wholesale Craft Supply on Amazon and Matt's dad gifted me the perfect mason jar. I also found an antique shaped light-bulb at Home Depot but still need the lampshade frame and MORE DOILIES.

Thanks to a some generous family members, I have amassed a few doilies but not enough to complete the lampshade. So this Saturday will be devoted to garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores. Sounds like the perfect Saturday to me. I'll make sure to post photos of the final product (if it's not too embarrassing) as well as other doily craft project ideas.

"AN ARMCHAIR CALLS TO YOU..."

2010-07-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

I've invested quite a bit of money, time and thought into finding the perfect armchair (or plural, armchairs). I peruse Craigslist just for the fun of perhaps finding the missing armchair in my life that I will never be able to purchase because, well, it won't fit in my apartment. But how much fun is it to imagine all the different armchairs one could have in their imaginary perfect home where concerns over color coordination, practicality and finances cease to exist. Armchairs are without a doubt one of the key ingredients in any social room, and for that matter, private rooms as well. With the perfect complimentary pillow (or two, because obviously you can never have too many pillows) an armchair is one of the first statements you make about a room and in turn, your personality. Equally as important as your bedding, dresser and nightstand, chairs are the epitome of comfort, style, and timelessness. I've always been fond of an impeccable vintage chair, and how I would love to welcome the one up top into my home.