Design Evolution

Nostalgia Supply

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've got a great resource to share with you today. I stumbled across this site while visiting Ana's blog (see I do read your comments and visit your blogs).

School Outfitters is exactly what it sounds like - an online furniture and equipment supply store for schools. The stools and chairs are great prices (most $35 - $90) and you know the furniture must be durable since it gets beat up by kids all day. I really love the microscope storage cabinet which shouldn't be a surprise since I'm a scientist. That stainless steel cart would make a cool bar cart and how great is the color of those lockers? They would work well in an entry or mudroom to store shoes, hats, etc. While your checking out the site don't miss the collection of state flags, alone or in a large grouping the flags would make interesting artwork.

You Should Buy This Furniture

2011-11-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

Because I both don't have room for it nor do I have the means to get it to my house.

Come on, $100!!! You are torturing me Pennsylvania craiglists seller who obviously have no idea how desired an almost complete mid century walnut dining set is. The wood looks worse for wear but it's nothing some elbow grease, danish oil and Howards Feed and Wax can't fix.

This is another great mid century walnut credenza and it looks like it's in pretty decent condition (from what I can tell from these not so great photos). You should buy it.

Stripe & Field

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's not often that I have the time to send someone a hand written note but now that I've discovered these bespoke note cards and lined envelopes from stripe & field I will certainly make the time.

P.S. Thank you to Bria for teaching me how to make glittery font. Who doesn't love glittery font?

Service with Grace

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Beautifully handcrafted serving pieces made from 100% salvaged wood and styled to perfection.

shop - blog - twitter - facebook

Stunning Brass Feature Wall

2011-11-10T10:04:00.004-05:00

I'm like a magpie with all things shiny these days. I love gold, brass, and other surfaces that sparkle and shine. Which is why I feel hard for this wall covered in brass tiles recently featured on Remodelista. Incredible, isn't it?

Thanks to the joys of Pinterest, I recently came across two similar tutorials providing step by step instructions on how to recreate this expensive look using just poster board and gold spray paint. With some time and patience it's possible to simulate the effect for just a few dollars.

The only question now is where will I be installing a gold fish scale wall in my own home?

Photo Credits: Top - Remodelista; Bottom Left - Two Thirty-Five Designs; Bottom Right - Kara Paslay

Roundup: Fall Decorating Ideas

2011-11-08T10:49:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone, how are you this fine Tuesday? It's sunny and approaching 70 degrees in my neck of the woods today so I'm feeling great. I'm very affected by the weather, how about you? I find it impossible to be crabby on such a beautiful day.

I thought it might be helpful if I did a round up of my fall decorating blog posts from previous years. There are table setting ideas and crafty projects to inspire you and some free printable downloads for meal planners, place cards, and more.

2010 Thanksgiving table setting and a place card download

2009 Thanksgiving table setting and a napkin wrap download

Thanksgiving meal planner free download

Paper garlands and decorative paper covered vases

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Shop Local: Maplewood, NJ Pop Up Shop

2011-11-01T14:57:00.003-04:00

Start putting some spending cash aside now because November 12, 2011 Melissa and Marichelle are hosting a Pop up Shop in Maplewood, NJ. The list of items that will be available at the sale are just divine. In addition to great shopping, there will be yummy treats and drinks to enjoy. Not to mention two wonderful hosts.

The details:

November 12, 2011

12pm - 4pm

Melissa's home in Maplewood, NJ

email Melissa directly for the address if you plan on attending

A few of my favorite artists that will be represented at the sale (clockwise from top left): Shanna Murry, Flores del Sol, Leah Duncun, Stepanka, Clementine Jewelry, and Secret Holiday.

If you're coming please let me know in the comments so I can look out for you and say hello.

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Hand Knotted and Unique

2011-11-01T09:57:00.003-04:00

These beautiful crocheted rugs are for sale at Le Souk. The rugs are hand knotted from remains of cotton which would normally be thrown away and because they are handmade each rug is completely unique. I would put these in the category "Modern Granny Chic" and think they are absolutely lovely.

Boo!

2011-10-31T10:15:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone! I got a little creative last night and decided to give myself a Halloween inspired manicure. The ring finger is actually a Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail strip but I thought the black and white flowers could almost pass as spiderwebs.

And in case you couldn't guess, that's snow in the background of my photo. Snow?! It snowed on my birthday which meant we were trapped inside all weekend. The up side to that is my home no longer looks like this.

And the Vacation Rolled On - To Capri & Sicily

2011-10-28T10:30:00.005-04:00

Half of our trip was spent sailing the Tyrrhenian, Ionian, and Adriatic Seas. We only had one day at each of the destinations we sailed to so that meant we packed a lot of activities into each afternoon. Our first stop was Capri and we did what any good tourist would do - we paid for a group to the Blue Grotto. It was very pretty and very blue but also a circus. It's one of those things that I guess you should do once but now that I've seen it I'm sure I'll never return.

My favorite part of the day spent in Capri was taking the cable cars from Anacapri to one of the highest points on the island. The trip takes about 15 minutes so you get to relax and enjoy the view. And what a gorgeous view it is.

I wasn't joking, this is the view you are greeted with hop of the cable cars at the top of island. Breathtaking.

This guy is up there too. Quick glance - he totally looks like he's flipping us the bird, right?

From Capri we sailed to Taormina, Sicily which looks like the set from Audrey Hepburn movie.

We had a pretty leisurely afternoon in Taormina wandering back alleys and discovering buildings covered in gorgeous green vines. Sicily is a place I would definitely like to revisit, we saw only a small slice of the island and I know it has much more to offer.

I'm Back! (I know, my timing is off)

2011-10-27T11:29:00.004-04:00

I realized this morning that I slowly came back to blogging with out the proper "Hey, I'm back from vacation. How've you been?" blog post. I have a ton of pictures to share, it was really a whirlwind trip. We visited a lot of places in two weeks, perhaps too many. This was our itinerary: Rome - Capri - Sicily - Kotor, Montenegro - Dubrovnik, Croatia - Havar, Croatia - Venice - and back to Rome. Walking seemed the best way to experience each city, I wish I was wearing a pedometer because I would love to know how many miles we traversed. I'll try to just pick out a few highlights from each stop so I don't overwhelm you with a million vacation photos. No matter how pretty the destinations are I know looking at a million photos of someone else's vacation can get old fast.

Travel tip - Don't schedule your visit to the Coliseum the day you arrive in Rome after 15 hours of travelling. When you're that tired your interest in such an impressive structure diminished quickly.

My expectations for lunch near the Coliseum were pretty low because it is such a touristy part of Rome but I had the best carbonara ever at this little cafe just one block from the historic site. Curiously the menu had a big picture of Albert Einstein on the cover. The nerd in me was pleased.

Fountains, fountains everywhere. Once those crazy Romans discovered they could extract water from the ground they went a little nuts constructing fountains. I'm only partially serious, some of them are pretty impressive.

We spent a lot of time exploring this Basilica di Santa Maria (the name is actually much longer than that). The brass meridian on the church floor which maps the location of the Sun and some stars in the sky at different times of the year was fascinating. This Basilica was actually dedicated to Galileo, really interesting considering his relationship with the Catholic church.

This is a funny shot of the Spanish Steps. It's not often that you can be the only two people sitting on them. There are usually hoards of tourists hanging out here. Window shopping in the neighborhood below the steps is outrageously good but I could hardly afford to step foot in any of the shops.

Next stop - Capri, where I did not buy leather sandals and did not drink limoncello.

Edit: I almost forgot - How've you been?

I Love DIYing

2011-10-26T09:37:00.003-04:00

Or at least that is what I tell myself when my bed is in the living room...

...And my office is piled high with furniture.

I just have to keep reminding myself that it's all worth it.

I think it might be time for a vodka break.

Houzz Guest Picks: Modern Home Office

2011-10-24T09:33:00.004-04:00

Hi, I'm alive! And while I was away I created on a Guest Picks Ideabook for Houzz. Check it out here to see all twenty of my picks for an eclectic and modern home office.

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Bon Voyage, Arrivederci, See You Soon

2011-08-31T09:22:00.002-04:00

Sorry it's been crickets around here guys. I got slammed with a bunch of work that I need to wrap up for before my trip but I didn't want to leave two weeks without a proper goodbye. I'm sure that I'll come back with a ton of photos to share, thanks to Jaime and the great little Lumix I snagged form her for a sweet deal.

P.S. Check out this napkin holder a friend emailed me this morning. Does she know my style or what? A perfect little find in my inbox the morning before I step on my sailboat to paradise.

P.P.S. By the time I return from my trip it will be the middle of September so in my head it will be already be fall. That means we get to chat about all the best things like, boots and sweaters and pumpkin cheesecake. Can't wait!

Vodka Break - DIYing

2011-08-18T15:43:00.002-04:00

Do yourself a favor and watch this video. You'll be happy you did.

Disclaimer - It may not be the best idea to watch this video within earshot of your boss. In any other situation I find it completely appropriate.

Cool California Style on the Streets of Paris

2011-08-17T13:12:00.007-04:00

Rachel McAdams's character in Midnight in Paris is not exactly what you would consider likeable. She fills that obnoxious American role who is immune to the charm of Paris and couldn't possibly see what is so romantic about strolling rain soaked Parisian streets. What is charming about her character is her wardrobe. It feels very American (in a good way, unlike her attitude), it's laid back California mixed with classic accessories. She wears a lot of belted shirt dresses, classic leather handbags (often Chanel), and awesome wedges. I wish I could have found more photos of her shoes unfortunately they were cut out of a lot of shots. I especially love the long white t-shirt belted with jeans and topped with a Chanel tweed jacket. This could easily become my uniform, that is if I could actually afford that jacket.

It looks like I'm not the only one enamored with her character's style. While searching for movie stills I came across a few blogger who have created fashion collections based on the movie. Each graphic below is linked to the original blog posts so you can visit them to get the product details.

P.S. I almost forgot to mention that I really enjoyed this movie. It's very tongue in cheek and it does require some suspension of reality to appreciate but as long as you go into the theater with that knowledge I think you'll really like it. Just try not to get as distracted by Rachel McAdams shoes as I did :)

Photo Credits: Top - Sony Pictures Classics; Middle - Wit & Whistle; Bottom - Maria on Point

Today I Love - Carolyn Suzuki

2011-08-17T11:11:00.005-04:00

I'm crushing hard on the Carolyn Suzuki's charming greeting card illustrations and pattern design.

You can purchase Carolyn's greeting cards on her ecommerce site, launched in May '11, or at retailers in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia and the United Kingdom.

portfolio - ecommerce site - blog - twitter

Friday Etsy Favorites - Moth House

2011-08-12T07:42:00.003-04:00

My Friday Etsy Favorites posts are usually compiled from a bunch of shops that I discover throughout the week. Sometimes there's a theme, sometimes the items are not related to each other at all - just a collection of handmade & vintage pieces that I love. Today's post is different. Last night I sat down to put this post together, logged into etsy, came across this unique jewelry shop from Boston, MA and decided it good enough to stand on it's own.

The Moth House shop creates limited edition jewelry handmade from a mix of vintage and new materials. Editions are as large as possible, but once a design has sold out, it can rarely be made again. This makes each piece special. Prices range from $40 - $75 which is really affordable for a unique jewelry piece.

Related Posts:

Friday Etsy Favorites - July 1, 2011

Friday Etsy Favorites - New Jersey Style

Friday Etsy Favorites - April 8, 2011

Delightful Deal - The Perfect Carry-On

2011-08-11T21:19:00.003-04:00

Asos as an excellent clearance sale going on right now. I just ordered this canvas shopper, it is going to be a perfect carry on for my trip. It's big enough to fit a laptop, book, a sweater, and much more. You should also order this color block tote because it's awesome and only $12. I am a tote whore and not allowed to buy anymore.

Related Post:

Delightful Deal Alert - A&G Merch

Delightful Deal Alert - Wisteria

J.K. Paradise

2011-08-08T11:12:00.004-04:00

I'm extremely excited for my up coming trip, not too surprising right? It's 25 days and counting until we leave so to pass the time until then I've been researching things to see and do at each of our ports of call. One of my new favorite research tools - twitter. My twitter friends/followers are awesome and never fail to give the best advice. Our first stop is Capri and who better to recommend somewhere fabulous to do than a fabulous gal - Cassandra. She recommending checking out the J.K. Place Hotel for drinks and I am definitely following her advice. Jaw meet floor:

I may never want to leave.

The Perfect Sofa

2011-08-03T17:37:00.004-04:00

I always imagined that the next house we own would have a pretty sitting/living room that you see when you enter the home and a family room hidden away where we can hide the big tv and, let's be honest, our mess. I saw our grown up space furnished with a worn brown leather chesterfield sofa, our current karlstad sectional would be perfect for the family room.

And then I spotted this sofa in the most recent Flor catalog:

It's leathery perfection with simple modern lines but still has the same button tufting along the back cushions which is what I love about the chesterfield. And that color, delicious. I find it funny how my style can swing from one extreme to another.

This last photo has nothing to do with post, I included it because I love those carpet tiles. They give the look of those overdyed remnant oriental rugs that are so popular right now but they are much cheaper. An 8'x10' rug is only about $450. Also, I love those chairs against the brick wall.

Photo Credits: Flor Catalog

Recent Garden Harvest

2011-08-03T09:35:00.002-04:00

My garden has been slow to produce. Yesterday it yielded to gourd shaped pickling cucumbers and one very pretty jalapeno pepper. Did you know that when pickles grow they start out with sharp little spikes all over them? I do now, ouch.

Related Posts:
Uninvited Garden Guests

From the Garden

#Stripemania Blogroll

2011-08-02T12:10:00.004-04:00

Holly is the best. She took a fun little idea of having bloggers post photos of themselves in their favorite stripey ensemble and turned it into a visual blogroll with 285 blogs.

A little added bonus - she posted my photo along side these lovely ladies on her blog Friday evening. It was a nice surprise to wake up to Saturday morning. See holly's original post here. The blogroll can be found on this pinterest board.

Just a Minor Change of Plans

2011-08-01T13:35:00.004-04:00

So, you know that living room redecorating project that I have been yammering on about? It has been put on hold but for a very good reason. I will be spending my money on this vacation instead and it is going to be totally worth it.

In one month I will be headed to Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro with Nick, my two brothers, and a bunch of their friends. I'm crawling out of my skin I'm so excited!

Do you have any exciting summer/fall travel plans? I would love to hear about them.

Seaside Sailing

2011-08-01T10:28:00.003-04:00

I planned a weekend sailing excursion with my family to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon at the shore.

We packed a lunch and spent several hours sailing Barnegat Bay.

Isn't the bay gorgeous?!

How did you spend your weekend? I hope it was a lovely as mine.