k a l a n i c u t

A Llama From A One Room Museum

2012-02-17T01:14:00.000-08:00

I caught my little llama finger puppet looking very lifelike the other morning. This little beauty came from the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco. If there is one museum in any city that most catches my attention it is a craft and folk art museum. The one here in Los Angeles, Craft And Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) is one of my favorites and a spot I used to go to during lunch when I worked in the area. I also have a real soft spot for the American Folk Art Museum in New York City.

A funny story about the museum in SF. We had walked quite a ways in the rain to get there and it was a little tricky to find. Once I had paid our entrance fee, the cashier informed us that the entire museum was around the corner from the front entry and it was only one room. I realized this was a let down she gives people only AFTER they've paid the entrance fee. We were a little shocked and once we walked around the corner out of her sight, we looked at each other, a little shocked and giggly. How could a museum be one room?

But it was interesting because we were definitely intent on getting our money's worth, so we really delved into every one of the pieces that we found in that room. We looked at everything, then read every description of every piece then went and looked at all of them again. We had a fun time of it and took the opportunity to truly appreciate every piece. I still remember many more details about the pieces we saw there than things I've seen at other museums.

Museum stores, I love even more than the museums themselves. MOCFA in San Francisco was no disappointment either. There was a fantastic collection of hand crafted items of all kinds and purchases were made. We spent as much time in the store as we did in the museum itself.

If you are looking for something to do this holiday weekend, look for some undiscovered museums in your town or city. I've made a list of museums I still have not seen after many years in SoCal and I'm making a goal to see the ones I have long been interested in. Do you have any great recommendations for SoCal museums you feel are must-see? I'd love to add them to my list!

Have a fantastic weekend. So nice that there are 24 extra hours in this one for us here in the States. Thanks for coming by. See you next week.

Wedding Sandals & Thoughts On A Budget

2012-02-16T14:20:00.000-08:00

image via Target

Where I stand today, for our wedding, I want it to be fabulous and I want to do it on a shoestring budget. I would rather have money later than spend voraciously for the wedding itself. I know I can get the look I want for less with some savvy shopping. My dream is a wonderful, joyous day on the beach with family and friends and good food. I would love to wear some ridiculously high heel but I am already very tall and it's very hard to hug people when you're wearing high heels. I want to be able to reach people and never worry about having tired feet.

So, I keep thinking of Carrie Bradshaw in SATC I (the movie) when she shows her little second hand suit, much to her friends dismay, and says something like "don't worry, I'm going to merchandise it up and everything." In the end, she did wear that little suit on her happy wedding day. In the spirit of merchandising something up, I ordered these sandals today for $16. I would never wear white sandals again, so I thought silver/pewter might work. I'm not convinced these are THE shoes since they are only currently available online and I have not tried them on.

These are very girlish, they don't have any strap going between the toe and will hold my heel down snuggly and comfortably. That is hard to find. I have looked in all price points for sandals that would work and it has been a challenge to find something with all those elements in appropriate colors. I think they would be so pretty with a few silk flowers attached on the outer side of the straps. Maybe something like these or these. And chances are good I would continue wearing these sandals, sans flowers, after the wedding.

Here are the sandals that I originally wanted until I realized they were very poor quality and impossible to find. I also found out just this week that the website I found those at is completely unscrupulous and shady. Thank goodness they didn't have my size. Fingers crossed for these new sandals.

If you have any great sandal advice or wedding shoe advice I'd love to hear it. Please do share. It's a big day, you need lots of good advice AND a good shoe.

Fab Upholstery Remnants Available

2012-02-16T01:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a nice day. It was definitely Valentine's Day 2.0. I got a call yesterday morning from a flower shop across town apologizing for not delivering a bouquet of flowers to me on Tuesday. That was a total surprise to me since I did not know they were coming. So mid-day yesterday a beautiful bouquet of mixed flowers arrived at my door. What a treat. When the flowers came I decided they needed a little chocolate to accompany them, so I treated myself to a bit. Made for a nice second Valentine's Day.

I am continuing to post items I am selling to eBay. This week I am posting some fantastic upholstery fabric remnants I have. These are some expensive, gorgeous fabrics: silks, animal prints, florals and even cotton madras. I am also posting a few vintage yarn craft & macrame pattern books. I am making progress which is exciting. And I am happy to be sending these things to a new home where they can be appreciated and used.

You can see everything I've posted at eBay here. I still have quite a few pieces of fabric & notions to post, so if you're looking for fabric or vintage touches for small home decor projects check back again throughout the week. A lot of these fabrics would make some fantastic accent pillows or to cover chair seats. I'll be back later in the morning with another post. It's a beautiful Thursday already!

images by kalanicut

Cedar Chests, Not Just For High School Girls

2012-02-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

Steel Trunk

Yesterday I was thinking about starting a new home together with The Man, and the rituals of such things. It brought to mind cedar chests. I remember sitting with my much loved grandmother in her bedroom as she opened up her cedar chest and showed me her treasures. For the first time in a long time, I suddenly wanted a cedar chest to keep my treasures. I wondered who even made cedar chests anymore.

When I was growing up, it was Lane and they passed the "hope chest" marketing brochures around at the same time they pushed school ring and graduation announcement order forms. I am so glad I didn't get one in high school. Would hate to have lugged it around during all the moves I've made through the years. I looked at Lane chests and they don't look too much different than what I remember in high school. Classic styling is important if you want something to stay in fashion for 60 or 70 years, I suppose.

I stopped by CedarChest.com and was intrigued to see what was going on there. First the prices were half to a quarter of what I had seen to that point. And there were a variety of sizes. After looking at the most traditional styles I saw these in the photo above. They can be purchased with a cedar lining and are very study. I can just imagine one of these would look quite sharp resting atop broad, low pedestal at the foot of a bed. Of course there are more traditional styles as well. Here are a few.

Vintage Modern Espresso

Ming Red Cedar

Surveyor Oak

There is something lovely and old world about a cedar chest. I just imagine storing wool blankets inside one. In our non-tradional world, it's nice to hang onto notions and traditions from our grandparents era. I vote for bringing the cedar chest back into vogue along with some of the values we've lost from their era as well. Treasuring life and our personal histories should never go out of style.

all images via CedarChests.com

Meet My New Girlfriend

2012-02-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have to introduce you to my slightly wacky new friend. She obviously desperately needs a makeover. I met her yesterday at my neighborhood thrift store. You know, the one where I get angry every time I go in there because of the outrageous prices. That has not changed by the way. LOL.

First thing I need to do is give her a makeover, get her out of that horrible 80s neon outfit and put some proper attire on her and get all those horrible little gems off the top. I hope they are press on, rather than glue on.

Now what do I have in mind for her, you might ask. This is a high quality piece, very heavy. The fabric is very nice or maybe was is a better word. But it is still in good condition. I think I will paint the fabric with fabric paint, maybe black, or gray or silver or something.

What am I going to do with her? Well, you may remember I bought this beauty last year without a particular plan. When I got her home I found my necklaces looked amazing on her and she fit so appropriately on top of my taller set of dresser drawers.

So when I bought crazy girl yesterday, I thought that perhaps all my longer jewelry would look lovely on her. I have some fantastic pieces that I have been given, collected and even made over the years. They are all hidden in closets and drawers and I truly forget about them and so don't wear them. I imagine having them all out and visible would make me so happy.

My one concern is that she will scare the dickens out of people (most importantly ME!) if they (I) walk into a dark room where she might be standing. I can also imagine she might just become one of the family and be dressed up according to inspiration, season and crazy mood now and again.

I have to confess that I bought this young lady as a Valentine's gift to myself. Hopefully someday I will have a design studio where my crazy new friend will live while I design circles around her. So welcome home, my new friend. I look forward to what we will create together.

For the rest of you, I'll be back later this morning with a post on my latest wish -- a cedar chest -- what I found when I started looking around and how grateful I am that I didn't get one in high school. Have a super morning!

images by kalanicut

Need Some Nails? No, I Need A Closet Makeover

2012-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday when I went to find finishing nails for my pretty new tray, I came upon a closet that I just couldn't avoid for another moment. I found my nails instantly, but looking at that closet just pushed me over the edge.

I am pretty organized with my storage and just cleaned this closet last summer. But with all the DIY gear, car and bike care junk, cleaning stuff, tools and storage kept in these shelves it had gotten a little out of hand. So I emptied everything out and regrouped everything together.

I was totally annoyed with myself to find out how many foam craft brushes, sheets of sand paper, drill bits and tiny paint rollers and handles I have bought over the years. As I moved down every shelf I kept finding more and more. Note to self: STOP buying tools and brushes every time you start a project.

I grabbed my painters tape and labeled every shelf section and put small things in shoe boxes or plastic bins. I stacked all the paint cans in one corner. Put all the different kinds of glue into a plastic zip up bag. I also took out tons of rags that had been put here over time and put them all in one bag and hung them in the front closet so they are easy to see and use.

Everything now has a home. And when I got done with the top three shelves, you can see what I had left-a practically empty third shelf. Most of the stuff on the bottom shelf that you can see are things I was using for the project, my marker, scissors, etc.

In a perfect world I would own a label maker. In my usually perfectionist mode I would've at least cut the edges of the painters tape to make it look better. I didn't feel like this project required too much craziness on my part, so I did it quick and dirty....Okay, let's be honest, in a perfect world, these shelves would be pretty, all this stuff would not be in the same space and I wouldn't have popcorn on my ceilings and vertical blinds on some of my windows. But let's not get too depressing here, ha-ha.

Once I'd done these three top shelves, I popped down to the lower three shelves and gave them a quick clean up too. Everything in the bottom shelves is big stuff, which is much easier and happier to deal with than organizing tons of small nails, screws, hooks, paint brushes, rollers and drill bits.

It was good to go through this stuff too because I found a big bag of shells I didn't know I had. Great since I want to incorporate shells into the wedding decor and was anticipating buying shells soon. Love the freebies. Excellent.

It is so nice to quickly and easily see what I have now. No more buying stuff I don't actually need. It feels good to have everything in its place and with its mates. It also means I have space to move some things to the bottom of the top three shelves here. In a small apartment with lots going on, every inch of storage space matters. We shall see how long it stays this way. But at least I have a plan now so that the next time I clean up I won't have to figure out where everything would best go. I also liked seeing what I could accomplish in less than an hour on a project no one really ever wants to do.

Does this happen to you too? Have you been stopped in your tracks lately by a house project you just couldn't stand looking at for one more minute? What did you organize and how good did you feel when you were done? Did you find anything you'd been looking for or didn't know you had? Talk to me people, I would love to know I'm not the lone crazy woman, haa-haa.

I'll be back with another post this later this morning. Hope it's a great Tuesday for you!

all images by kalanicut

It's Valentine's Day, My Cookie

2012-02-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hope it's a sweet day for you. I didn't do anything creative for the day this year. In fact I didn't even put up any hearts or anything. I think I hit the "decorate for every holiday" wall. After all I did just put away the Christmas decorations two weeks ago. I think I needed a breather. Luckily The Bug has just learned how to cut out hearts so there is no shortage of paper heart love here.

I am going to do some service for others today. So it will be a great day. I was inspired by this post from Brene Brown's blog called I Heart Generosity Day. I know it's been a good Valentine's Day for me if I get one good pink frosted, heart-shaped sugar cookie. Nothing is better than my mom's sugar cookie recipe. So, I will make some pretty pink cookies tomorrow.

Hope you get a chance to receive and give some love today. That's what it's all about. Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours. Did you make anything fancy for today? What is your favorite Valentine's Day tradition at your house? See anything online that blew your Valentine's Day socks off?

Thanks for coming by. Later this morning I will have a post about an impromptu project I took on last Saturday posted here, Happy day!

Lovely Delights Posted To eBay

2012-02-13T13:27:00.000-08:00

Part of anticipating merging households for me definitely entails a consideration for what I own, am using and need. As I do regular cleaning and tidying up I've been going through my things considering what I want to keep and what things I could pass on for use and enjoyment by someone else.

I have putting a few things aside to sell and today finally got started posting items for sale on eBay. Just putting these posts together makes me love all these items anew and remember what it was that drew me to them in the first place. However, realistically it's silly for me to have them and not use them.

So I'm passing them on to the next person who will love them. If you are interested you can see the items at eBay here. Over the next few weeks I'll be adding some new items and posting a few things to Craigslist as well. I have a stash of fabric swatches, vintage buttons, vintage sewing notions and some larger pieces of fabric for that I will put up for sale soon. If you want first peeks, let me know.

Have a great rest of your Monday! Wishing you all the best.

all images by kalanicut

An Extra Large Tray For Less Than Lunch Money

2012-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Friday night, without a hot date (The Man was working), I decided to go out and do a little sourcing for the wedding. I got a sweet little green dress and white cardigan for The Bug. It's the same one I looked at last week and when I kept thinking about it, I decided to go get it. Total price was less than $25 total. Happy about that.

I was also looking for some very narrow rectangle trays for loose orchids on the tables. I am determined to find something for less than $3. I found a couple of possibilities. When it really sank in last night that the tables are only 30" wide and plates are usually 13" wide (factor two on each side of the table, so a total of 26" of table space) I had to do some rethinking. Ack. That only leaves you about four inches of space for anything down the middle with a little more room in the spaces between the table settings. That is not a lot of space. Sigh...

I found a gorgeous banana leaf woven tray for $2.99 last night and brought one home and laid it all out on the table with a sample table runner and the gorgeous wicker lanterns. I even picked up a $1 hawaiian lei to use as sample flowers to put inside the tray for my practice table. Unfortunately the tray is too wide at six inches. I am so bummed about that. Back to the drawing board.

While I was wandering the housewares department at TJMaxx I saw this extra large tray. It caught my eye immediately and I could see using it to hold escort cards, maybe sitting in shallow sand on the bottom. There was just one problem.

It was a little worn, which I am totally okay with. I always love things a little roughed up. But the bottom was completely falling off. In fact just carrying it around the store I was afraid it was going to collapse into pieces. I took it to the cashiers and asked if they could give me a price reduction, based on the damage. I anticipated they might offer me 10%, 20% if I was really lucky. That has happened to me at other shops. But I was pleased when it came back marked down from $12.99 to $6.99. She shoots, she score!

When I got home I looked up this brand of tray and these retail in new condition for $60. So I got it for just 12% of the original cost. Even better, there was no additional cost to repair it. First I applied a little glue all the way around the areas where the bottom had detached.

Then I found some very small nails in my supplies and went around the entire bottom of the tray nailing it down. Then I wiped the tray down. It's amazing how nice it looks and how sturdy it feels. I'm thrilled about that.

Now I have this beautiful tray to use for the wedding but even better to enjoy for years to come. I am so happy that much of what I've been buying for the wedding I will be able to use for entertaining or easily resell to anyone planning a beach wedding. As I've mentioned before there are some great sites for reselling wedding decor on the internet.

This will be a keeper. I can see myself happily carrying food to an outdoor dining space on this beauty. It's nice and large so it will accommodate lots of supplies or larger bowls and pans. Now that I think about it, this would look pretty fantastic on my dark brown coffee table right now! I'm so happy I found it, got a great deal on it and so easily brought it back to a long, useful life. And I'll be enjoying it for a long time for just a very small investment of money and time.

all images by kalanicut

Rising and Sinking: Paintings and Budgets

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

image via World Market

Happy Friday! I don't have any idea where this week went, but I stayed busy as usual. A sweet friend of mine said Wednesday, "I can't imagine you ever not being busy." She said it wasn't because I take on to much but that there would always be so many things that interest me all around me that I would always have something I wanted to be doing. It's a little spooky how people can peg you even if they don't spend a lot of time with you.

As the seasons begin to transition I always like to pop around to some of my favorite shops to see what they are up to. Yesterday I visited Cost Plus World Market's online store and ran into these two very interesting paintings by Maxine Price. At her website you can learn all about her very interesting technique and focus. I love the colors, the knife strokes and earthy simplicity. The above is titled Just Because II. For some reason when I first looked at it, I had a connection to it that made me feel strong, as if I was propping the world up on my shoulders and everything was opening up.

image via World Market

This is Just Because I. When I look at it I have the sensation of sinking into something very deep and interesting. It's intriguing that the most vibrant color is at the top of one and the bottom of the other, farthest from the white "entryway." A destination to work for -- mystery.

Wall art is so much fun and has such a way of personalizing and spicing things up. There are so many great resources for affordable art now that is really is something for everyone. And I think it's okay to rotate things and put things in a closet or behind a dresser for a while.

I have a few pieces hidden away under beds and behind dressers. I am not getting rid of them because they are investment pieces to me, but it's fun to rotate things around so that you can enjoy them more and see them with fresh eyes. A few simple shifts around the house can really make a big difference. Are you feeling the Spring itch to shift? What one thing would you most like to change?

One last note for today on dollar stores. I went through a dollar store web site yesterday and I was astounded at how many things from there I could potentially source for our wedding. Dollar stores have their cheesy, low quality reputation, which in some cases is well earned. But I am continually surprised and what I can find there and how I can make it work, rather than spending much, much more money. For instance I am thinking of spray painting some shells bright metallic silver. In that case, I need inexpensive shells that don't need to be physically beautiful. They just need to be shell shaped. Score -- a basket of shells for $1.

I also think I found some just the right sized tote bags that are good quality and might work for guest bags for $1. I am going to go check them out, but I was impressed at what I saw online. I'm going to look at some vases, floral supplies and other things as well. It's a blessing to the budget if any of these things work.

I am really playing the numbers game, enjoying subtracting dollar amounts from my budget instead of adding them at any possible turn. And I'm having quite good luck. When I initially created our budget I based everything on basic retail costs. I did not take into account catering discounts and photographer discounts which are offered to us by the vendors we like through The Man's work. Those are significant and very helpful.

Now that I am realistically looking at purchases it feels like a lot of things are quite a bit less than I originally budgeted. I know there is still a lot to add in and that budget could easily get eaten up by other things, but any savings is savings in my book.

I guess when I say I've had good luck, what I really mean is that I've spent a lot of late nights sourcing things for many hours and rethinking how I can cut costs. It's amazing how much you can save when you go from buying large quantities of things that cost $1 versus $3 or $5. So, having said all that, what I wanted to say was --- give your dollar store a chance when you need anything for catering, taking food to parties, decorations, floral supplies or any of those things. You might be surprised.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend. Weather is promising to be not too grand here, which is a bummer. But it's been so hot here the past few days that maybe rainy will be a nice change of pace. Hope your weekend is grand, wherever you might be and that you spend it with your favorite people.

Thanks so much for coming by this week and sharing your comments. I really do appreciate your comments and enjoy getting to know you from all around the world. So if you've lurked, say hello. Let's get to know each other. I would love that.

Fun Spring 2012 Finds from Z Gallerie

2012-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

image via ZGallerie

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I decided to take a few minutes from my errand running to pop into Z Gallerie yesterday and then visited the online store last night. That place is guaranteed to always be a feast for the eyes and once again I found a few things that just leave me excited about potential ways I could style things up with them.

First this Solitude Panel. There is something about being caught up visually in the eternal round of the circles and their intricacies that does require the brain to just shut off and enjoy. Try to stare at this image for even just five seconds without your mind being caught up in dissecting all the interesting twists, turns and blooms. Truly peace bringing.

Last year I posted about seeing a larger chandelier like this in a designer shop. I fell hard in love with it. But I can only imagine that this smaller version Capiz Chandelier would be much closer to my affordable price range and would look stunning over a dining room table or kitchen island. Meow. When I think about this hanging low over a dining table and me hosting a dinner party, I seriously get a little weak in the knees...I must confess.

image via Z Gallerie

Lastly here is the Palm Tree Panel 1 I shared earlier this morning. I adore it and think it would look so amazing on a painted wall. It would work in so many places in a house: dining room, bedroom, bathroom, living room or hallway. It has a mate that it would pair up amazingly well with too.

I am all for DIYing and thrifting and living on a budget, but I think it's always good to add a little something new to the mix once in a while. Shops with amazing products like Z Gallerie are such a great spot to get a punch of freshness with small investments or when you need something bigger with a little pizazz. Take time to wander these shops for inspiration and when the budget and need are aligned bring something new to the mix in your home. It will feel refreshing.

Thanks friends at ZGallerie for inspiring my home decor, adding fun punches of color and style to my home and being a place for amazing high-styled inspiration at affordable prices. See you again soon.

Wedding Errands: A Color Scheme Found

2012-02-09T00:05:00.000-08:00

image via ZGallerie

Yesterday I was determined to take a couple of hours and nail down some wedding details. I created a circular round trip filled with right hand turns for my errands which saved me a lot of time and frustration driving through a very busy city. My stops included one of the shops where we are planning to register.

I laugh when I say "we" because The Man is so busy right now he can't give any time to wedding registries or planning. I'm totally okay with that because his priorities during the next little while far surpass wedding plans. I think I'm going to be on my own from here on out, I just need to get him there on the wedding day with appropriate clothing. (I'm laughing as I type this.)

So I'm registering for "us" but I'm doing it on my own. I am even going to a couples registry party this weekend and I am going by myself because The Man can't make it. I'm feeling a little nervous about going to an all-couples event by myself. But it will definitely help me to stay on task and just get registered for the few things that we need. I might even make some friends. I will need to put on my brave, outgoing face, which is not always my forte in many social gatherings.

My first stop was Paper Source. I took a long look at paper, stationery, ink stamps and other DIY invitation elements. Based on our short time frame I am so glad I decided to DIY the invitations from the start. There would be no time to order anything. Second stop Crate & Barrel for a quick wander. It's been a few months since I've been in the store and wanted to be familiar with what's happening there before the wedding event this weekend. Then I popped into Z Gallerie since it was just a couple doors down. I fell hard for this Palm Panel above. Later this morning I'll share more about it and a couple of other things I saw there that I loved.

My fourth stop was F&S Fabrics. I was looking for fabric for ring pillow and a few other little DIY projects. I didn't quite find what I needed but I did find a fabric that had all the exact colors I am looking for in it. So I bought a quarter of a yard to carry with me. I'm seriously focused in on the color chartreuse. But I will also pull in a couple darker greens to stabilize things, then a lot of white and some weathered wood, grayish brown. Finding that swatch of fabric really helped me. Now I have a palette and can show it to people.

The last stop I made was Marshalls. I know all the Easter dresses are just coming out now for little girls. So I'm hoping to find just the right dress for The Bug for a song. I've already seen three dresses I'm seriously considering in greens & whites -- all under $13.00 at the discounters -- and there are some great white cardigans for girls out there right now that would be great for beachy weather. Here's one place I'm hoping to save some big bucks. No $100+ flower girl dresses necessary when we can find something we really love with a sweater cover up for less than $25. Sweet. Thanks Easter season!

A couple hours every few days is helping me pull things together. I think I have just about everything figured out. Time to start jamming on a few projects. I wish I had a sister or friend close who could run around with me on a few of these things. But everyone is too far away. So I'll just keep plugging away and emailing, texting and sending photos around for advice. I'm so lucky to have such sweet friends and family in all directions who have great taste, practical sensibilities and are so kind to advise. Thank you my sweet people!

As promised I'll share my latest Z Gallerie loves later this morning. Happy Thursday!

What Can You Risk Today?

2012-02-08T00:45:00.000-08:00

image via

I'm following Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance again this year. Today's theme is about taking risks. The day's reading made the outlandish suggestion that we should risk something small or big every day. I had to ponder the thought that growth always comes out of risk. It is true, it does make complete sense now doesn't it. But how darn easy it that to forget?!

I'm taking some risks. Yesterday I took the risk to straight out ask for what I really wanted in a situation that made it a little uncomfortable to do so...twice! I stuck my neck out where I wouldn't normally. And I had to celebrate myself for a moment. A big step for this conflict averse girl.

So have I got you thinking about your life, your dreams, your fears and R-I-S-K yet? I'll throw out the challenge to risk something today. Risk something small, risk something big. And if you're feeling very courageous share what it is and how it went in the comments below. Let's cheer each other on, shall we?

I'm cheering you on right now...and looking for my next opportunity to risk something to move forward in my life and enjoy more joy and bounty.

If you are following Simple Abundance this year I would love to hear how it's going and what has really struck you so far. It's an amazing journey.

I'm linking this post over to A Beach Cottage Good Life Wednesdays. If you love beach living, great design, fresh flowers and the color white, Sarah's blog should be a must!

DIY Wedding Ring Pillows

2012-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'm working on getting little things together for the wedding. I'm making a list of and taking actions on any little details I can take care of now. One of the things I'm thinking about is making a ring pillow. It's an easy project with simple sewing skills and a little creativity. Martha Stewart Living Weddings has a great collection of DIY ring pillows ideas. I loved the yellow twisted ribbon pillow and these square ribbon edged pillows above.

I'm thinking about doing something with a small woven mat pillow or maybe some pretty green and white fabric or maybe something sea shell themed. It's so darn hard to make a choice to do one little thing only one way. You get one wedding pillow and hopefully only get married once. But there are so many amazing ideas out there. The ring pillow is one thing I haven't really narrowed down, but everything else is coming together pretty well.

If you'd like to see where things are going, you can check out my Perfectly Imperfect Wedding board on Pinterest. If you need an invitation to Pinterest, let me know and I'll get you hooked up. Enjoy the Martha Stewart DIY ring pillow collection. If you have DIYed your ring pillow I'd love to see it. Leave a link in the comments below.

Tuesday Quick Tip - Fly Without Cankles

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

image via Jefferies

This is guaranteed to be one of my most UN-glamorous posts ever. But what I'm going to share with you will keep you glamorous and in good health during air travel, which is a great thing. A few years ago I started traveling a lot for both business and pleasure. I was in the airport at least every couple of weeks if not multiple times in one week. This was when I first started noticing my ankles swelling to frightening proportions during long flights.

I started avoiding salty foods before and during flights, drinking tons of water and making sure I wore comfortable shoes I would be able to get back on my feet when we landed. I tried to walk around every once in a while during the flight and when possible tried to get a bulkhead row so I could sit with my feet propped up a bit more. Many a day after a long flight did I spend on my bed or couch with my legs propped up as high as I could get them above my head, trying to get the swelling to go down. There is seriously nothing more scary than seeing your ankles twice their normal size. Not to mention the fear of pulmonary embolism.

About this same time I started hearing this same problem being discussed by a lot of other women. One of the best antidotes to leg and ankle swelling are those ugly, heavy duty tan elastic compression socks, but they cost about $40. Instead I bought black dollar store ankle braces made of stretch elastic and would slip them on after take off and take them off again upon arrival. They helped some.

This past week while at a hospital gift shop I ran across Jefferies support socks. They come in different colors and are not hideous looking. They look like regular socks. They are made with non-restrictive toe and heel and promote better circulation and relieve fatigue. I found my pair for less than five dollars and they were on sale. I scooped up a pair of black ones since I usually wear dark pants on flights.

I am putting these in my flight kit which includes an inflatable travel pillow, ear plugs, eye cover, and saline nasal spray. It's easy to have all these essentials already packed together to throw into my carry-on bag for my next flight. Unglamorous topic, YES, but a solution that will help your pocketbook and make you feel much more glamorous at the end of that next cross continent flight, YES!

And here are 10 Tips to Prevent Swollen Feet During Air Travel from Everyday Health. If you are concerned about pulmonary embolism here are a few helpful facts also from Everyday Health. Both these articles suggest wearing compression socks when flying so check out Jefferies socks. Happy travels! Goodbye cankles!

I'll have another post for you later this morning. Something totally not related to ugly ankles.

Things I'm Thinking About

2012-02-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

image by kalanicut

A few things I'm thinking about this week:

1) We all really need each other.

2) We could cut each other a little (or a lot) of slack.

3) We are responsible for our own happiness.

4) Spending time with friends is calming and inspiring.

5) All our busy-ness seems a little pointless most of the time, doesn't it?

6) Spending time with kids is really good for the soul.

7) How much of what we have do we really need?

8) We should enjoy life more.

9) Life is filled with bounty if we open our eyes to it all.

10) A walk outdoors is beautiful therapy.

What are you thinking about that guides or inspires you these days? Any "realities" that you are questions and tearing down in your life? Any beautiful, new "musts" you insist on for your happy life?

Great Morning at Home Depot Kids Workshop

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday. We had a sublime weekend, full of love, smiles, hugs and kisses. Hope you had a wonderful weekend and that your new week is filled with joy. I send you those wishes from my heart.

I have been wanting to visit the Kids Workshop at Home Depot for a few months now. But getting people up and out of the house by 8:30 on a Saturday morning feels a little cruel when people are tired. We committed to go this past Saturday, set the alarm and got up and out the door. I'm so glad we did. The workshop is free and I am a big supporter of any activity that helps kids get out around other people and to build their creativity.

The first thing I learned is that you don't have to be there right at 9 a.m. Was thrilled about that. Good to know. The workshop is open from 9 a.m. to noon. The project only takes about 20 minutes and you can drop in any time. The ladies at our local Kids Workshop said that it is often busy during the full three hours and sometimes they run out of supplies in the last hour. So it is good to go early, but I'm happy to know we could get another hour of sleep and still have plenty of time to get there and enjoy.

Another thing I really appreciated is that they held the workshop outside. It was a gorgeous 70 degree day and I thought about most of the other Home Depots around the country who were NOT so lucky to have their workshop outside.

The project this month was a little treasure box. We glued the box together then nailed the heart onto the lid. Then rather than having to deal with a crowd of kids painting and waiting for paint to dry, they provided adhesive foam shapes to decorate the boxes. The process was well organized, people and space were well managed and the short line to start the project moved quickly.

I loved that our little one got a cute little Home Depot apron with her name on it and a certificate when she was done. They even had face painting and we left with our great new treasure box and a sweet Valentine heart on her cheek. After we got done we wandered through the gardening department for a few minutes studying flowers and types of vegetable plants.

We were done earlier than I expected and that gave us several hours to do things before lunch time. A few hours later, seeing our little one's apron, which she was still proudly wearing, another mother said, "Oh we went there today too." She also let me in on a little secret. There is another Home Depot not far from us that is not as busy on workshop days. So it's good, if you have multiple stores around your area to do a little investigation to see if one is easier to attend than another.

It really paid off to chat with people who have experience with Kids Workshop that day. I learned all the tips to make it fun and as easy as possible. We will definitely be going back on a regular basis and hopefully taking friends with us. If you have kids, grandchildren or nieces, nephews or other little buddies you like to hang out with, I really encourage you to take them to the Home Depot Kids Workshop. It's never too early to learn to DIY.

Make it a beautiful day. I'll be back later this morning with a 10 things that are inspiring me and guiding my thoughts these days. I'd love to hear what's turning your head these days.

all images by kalanicut

Best of Etsy Valentine's Day Gifts Day 2

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

images via Etsy

Happy Friday. I don't know how it could possibly be Friday already. It's been a busy week, but I still can't believe it is already coming to an end. I hope it's been a good one for you. This has been a big week for me.

I've pushed really hard on some big priorities, said goodbye to my dear EverKelly who literally flew off to her new life this week, spent part of yesterday with a dearest friend talking wedding plans, kids, relationships, goals and more and also thinned out my fabric collection (again). I've also done a lot of cleaning and reorganizing the past few days. This non-stop activity may explain why the week has flown by...haa-haa.

I am bit gaga for all this Etsy deliciousness. So I'll get right to the sharing.

1. Origami "I Love You" Hearts from Copple Shop, by Anna Copplestone

2. Blue Bird of Happiness Necklace by Lychee Kiss from Hawaii

3. Sterling Silver Anchor, Love Letter, Wing Necklace from Girl Burke Studios, Melanie Berichon

4. Druzy Teardrop Stacking Ring from Oh Kuol by Priscilla and Vi.

Origami paper hearts, are you serious. So love. The Blue Bird is so femininely graceful and I love the slight edginess of the sterling silver necklace. I am gaga for that gold ring.

images via Etsy

And last but not least two more delights to share.

5. Sterling Silver Stacking Heart Ring from Pretty Things Galore by Danielle

6. Primitive Heart Paper Garland from Pickled Cherry by Jenn McArthur

I love the rustic nature of both of these. Love the cut of that heart ring so very much. I have always had a soft spot for elongated hearts and the contrast of the red and white on the banner.

I hope this inspires you to make the most of Valentine's Day. It's a great day for small, delightful gift giving and receiving. And I'm never opposed to buying yourself a gift for any holiday either. I'm thinking about it myself. You can see yesterday's part one of the Etsy roundup here.

I'm pulling together some things I'm going to be putting up for sale on Craigslist and Ebay. I'll let you know what's up in case you are interested. I have a lot of vintage buttons, fabrics, macrame and crochet books, a couple of bags, some fun vintage scarves and more. Hopefully I'll get most of it posted over the weekend.

Best of Etsy for Valentine's Day

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

images via Etsy

I took a good stroll through Etsy's Valentine's Day goodies to put together a favorite gifts list for one of my favorite holidays. The creativity of Etsy sellers is always impressive. I was really amazed at the good prices too. I found so many great things that I had to divide all my finds into two posts. So here's day one. Let's do this.

1. Mason Jar Heart Hangers from the shop Treasure Again.

2. Personalized Woodgrain Faux Bois Typography Print, Block Party Prints shop.

3. Valentine Birds Linen Pillow Cover created by Sukan Art.

4. Blue Valentine Heart Dish by JD Wolfe Pottery. I also love these.

images via Etsy

Oh there was so much delicious jewelry to be had. Lovely, romantic, sweet, simple. Here are a few of my favorites.

5. Love Bird with Heart Wing Wish Bracelet by The 3 Bartz Design
6. Heart Locket Necklace by Black Star
7. Gold Wire Love Ring by Fabulous Wire
8. Sterling Silver Heart Silhouette Bracelet by Finger Prince

images via Etsy

9. Personalized Sterling Silver Love Bracelet by Menuel Designs

10. I Carry Your Heart Cuff by Aquabeet

11. Love Bracelet by Lychee Kiss

If you are looking for charming unique gifts for February 14th, try one of these shops for just the right lovely treasure. There's still plenty of time to order something delightful. Tomorrow I will have more fab jewelry and gifts to share with you. Have a terrific day. See you again soon I hope.

See part two of the Etsy roundup here.

Authentic Life In Action

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

image by kalanicut

Happy February. It's one of my favorite months. Fun, unexpected things always seem to happen to me in February. Monday was the first day of a new week and after a very busy first 30 days of January I was ready to put my personal goals for the new year into action. I got a good night's sleep and then woke up with a sweet determination to live the day as my "together" self, a woman who is happy with life, focuses on priorities and confidently gets things done.

I looked at my vision board I created 13 months ago and marinated in all I had been blessed with. I let my thoughts settle on the things I have yet to achieve/receive. I was pleased to realize it was those exact things I am now focusing on.

I did all my computer work first thing, made a To Do list, tidied up the bathroom and made a bunch of calls. After almost a year of frustration with my satellite TV situation I called today and got an amazing offer to adjust my service, basically way more than my best hope. That really encouraged me.

I started to realize that this was becoming a recurring theme throughout my day. When I had a good hope in my heart I got back even more than I hoped for, I got done even more than I hoped for. Next I headed for the gym. I have found that doing my daily readings during my 15 warm up time is a fantastic way to feed body and soul. I put in two tough hours, but felt so good when I left. This was a big step in being my true self.

Being in great shape, being an athlete is who I really am and I have not been faithful to that part of me recently. I know being more in tune with this part of my life will bring innumerable blessings and I am powerfully envisioning that. I can feel her roaring back. When I returned from the gym I ate a healthy meal, another part of being true to myself.

Next I started working on my apartment which has become a bit of a disaster from all the coming and going I've been doing the past few weeks. Success. Living room cleaned top to bottom. Kitchen tidied up and dishes put away. Then I emailed The Man regarding a few small details we need to take care of this week. I also made plans with two friends, wrote letters to a dear friend who moved away who we are still dearly missing and to my parents.

I had a great day. Looking back I can't believe how much I got done. It felt joyful and peaceful, even when I was calling the satellite TV company. Things went smoothly and I went smoothly with them, not uptight or putting too much pressure on myself. Things worked out better than I expected and I gave more than expected with less effort than expected. What a blessed state to live in!

I am going to try to live like this more often. I feel encouraged to make my life more my dream life and I know it all started with me choosing to live that way in the morning of a new day. I love the elements of my dream life and I am getting there, little by little. Most importantly, I know I will have arrived when I can wake up with this mindset every day. Then no matter what I face during the day I will know it's all unfolding in a blessed way and I will be at my best to walk my path.

How do you feel when you are in your perfect stride? How do you define it and what does that mean to you when you find yourself in that place? Hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday. I'll be back a bit later this morning with a little more fun in the sun.

Tuesday Quick Tip - Frownies Facial Pads

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

image via Frownies

Thought it was about time for another Tuesday Quick Tip. I was organizing my bathroom last week and found two boxes of Frownies facial pads and thought it would be a great time to pull them out and start using them again.

Frownies are an old-school wrinkle treatment that apparently has been very popular in Hollywood and for others who are in the public limelight for decades. They have been around since 1889! The goal of Frownies is to smooth away wrinkles by forcing the muscles in a different direction. Frownies look like brown craft paper with glue on the back side. You wet them down like you would a Biore Pore Strip and then adhere them to your forehead, around your eyes, or other spots.

These were recommended to me by a friend a few years ago and I felt really good about using them and doing what I can to keep my face looking as young as possible for as long as possible. I loved taking them off in the morning to see my skin smoother and wrinkles a little less visible. I haven't been as dedicated to using them as I should long term to see long term results. I am going to start using these again. I am interested to learn more about the Frownies skin care line. It looks like they have a wide range of interesting products that would be great to try.

Anyone else game to join me? Anyone else have experience using Frownies with success stories to share? You can find Frownies at their website and can follow them at Facebook and Twitter. The company is very active in social media so you can definitely find good deals, coupons, etc. You can also see what other bloggers are saying about Frownies here.

If you use them or decide to try them I'd definitely like to hear about your experience. In the meantime, I'll be working on smoothing my forehead and around my eyes. Have a great Tuesday!

Perfectly Imperfect Pinterest Boards

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

image by kalanicut

I realized this weekend that I have never shared my Pinterest boards with you. I put off joining Pinterest for a L-O-N-G time because I knew the potential time drain it could be to wander around all that deliciousness as the hours, days and weeks flew by without one noticing. When I started wedding planning I broke down and joined because I knew it would be a fantastic one-stop-shop for visual inspiration.

I am proud to say that I have not become addicted, but I have used Pinterest prudently when needed for a few minutes of inspiration here and there -- and I love it. I have been working on a wedding board for a while but have recently started adding new boards.

Today I invite you to visit me at Pinterest, I'm kalanicut there. It's been fun to see people repinning my DIY projects, photography and more. Even better it's been fun to find many friends that I know in person and through the blogosphere there. I hope you'll enjoy my boards and follow along. I'll look for you there too and check out what you're up to.

I'll be back later this morning with a Tuesday Quick Tip. It's not an ancient Chinese secret but it may be a very old school, old Hollywood secret for chasing away wrinkles - no lasers, no skin burning acids or creepy "over-plastic surguried" doctors to deal with. Check it out. Have a great morning!

Chantal Guillon - A San Francisco Macaron Treat

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

image via Chantal Guillon

I have to admit something about macarons. When I look at them I think, "Eh..." then I think, "Expensive little beasts, aren't they..." But as any good macaron lover knows, it's the taste that slays you. As we were enjoying the sights and sounds of San Francisco, I decided a delicious taste of San Francisco was in order as well.

We popped into the beautiful little shop Chantal Guillon, on Hayes Street, in the Hayes Valley neighborhood and chose a few to sample. The shop was welcoming and charming. The tough decision was choosing which ones to sample. In the end we picked Tahitian Vanilla, Italian Pistachio, Lemon and Passion Fruit. We walked out with our small morsels in a bag and decided to save them for later since we were about to each lunch. A few hours later, tired and walking through a depressing and ugly part of town towards another destination, I decided it was the perfect time to pull our small treasures out of their pretty little bag.

We were dying. Dying in a good way. So, so tasty. We talked about them long after we'd eaten them. We bit every cookie into quarters to savor the rich flavor as long as possible. Trying a new flavor was again a whole new "oooh....ahhh!" moment. I can seriously still taste those cookies on some spiritual level.

It will be impossible to go to Hayes Valley again without stopping into to this lovely shop for its delicious and colorful gems. Check it out next time you're in the area, add it to your San Francisco travel ideas list. Oh and they ship cookies as well. You can taste this deliciousness for yourself without even traveling to San Fran. Either way you won't be disappointed.

Angela Thomas - An Awesome Author for Moms

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

image via Angela Thomas

Happy Monday! Hope you've had a peaceful weekend and are enjoying a low key start to your week. I've been excited for days to share this post with you. When I read a book that has me melted to tears three times in the first 20 pages I have to share it. 52 Things Kids Need from a Mom by Angela Thomas is a book I picked up to look at in a hospital gift shop this past week. I immediately felt it would bless my life and my soon to be little family and that's a pretty valuable tool for just $13.

I started reading it in the car on a long drive with The Man who was listening to some pretty loud music to keep him energized at the wheel. The first thing I did was go through the table of contents and just read all 52 things. Genius list. Then I began the first chapters and I was sitting in the passenger seat wiping tears from my eyes at the amazingly inspiring ideas in this book and how I imagined they could impact the happiness and joy of a child and a family.

I am so excited about this book and I am just beginning it. But it has already changed me, my thoughts, my conversations with The Man and my thinking and approach to motherhood. This book would be an amazing blessing to any mom, step mom, expectant mom or woman who fulfills the role of a mother in the life of any child. It would make a fantastic anytime friend gift or for a birthday, Mother's Day or baby shower gift. This book would put peace in the heart and a smile on the face of any woman who reads it.

Each chapter is short and is just one small thing kids need from mom. Thomas has come up with some really great ideas too. Their simplicity elevates the potential of motherhood and makes it all seem so doable. They are simple and beautiful things too, nothing stressful, overwhelming or too demanding. This is a guilt-free parenting guide.

In fact, when you get in tune with how simple these things are, you are suddenly blessed with the freedom to not worry about all the other things that are not important at all that often keep moms working too late into the night, worrying too much and wearing themselves ragged about.

On the back cover it says the "chapters are packed with specifics to help you:

make your children feel loved
teach and encourage communication
establish a positive, wholesome environment
know when and how to correct behavior and set consequences
help your kids persevere and succeed"

Those five things cover the basis of much of a mother's stress and parenting worries and exhaustion. Thomas's writing style is friendly and warm and it's obvious that she understands the stresses and strains of family life and mothering. She acknowledges the challenges while sounding realistic rather than depressing. She inspires without being bossy or sounding in the least bit like a know-it-all. This was the first time I've come across Angela Thomas, but I'm very keen now to check out some of her other books.

If you are a mom, I cannot recommend this book to you enough. You will be excited. You will cry. You will be inspired to new heights in your call as mother. You can find this book at Angela Thomas online, Amazon and many other bookstores. The reader ratings for this book are 5-star. I felt a kinship of experience and enthusiasm with every one of the readers who commented.

If you read it, I would love to hear the parts that made you cry, think and changed your thoughts about motherhood! Have you read other books that changed the way you parent, gave you renewed strength or calmed you down about your job as a parent? I'd love to hear about those too and have you share them with other readers.

I'll be back later this morning with a peek at another fun shop from our trip to San Francisco. My mouth is still watering every time I think about it. Happy Monday Friends!

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

2012-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

image via Etsy

I forgot I had one more thing I should share this week, a little health update. I spent almost an entire day earlier this week getting a 10-minute hearing test and spending five minutes with the doctor. The rest of the time I spent waiting, waiting, waiting. It all started when I ask how much longer it would be, 90 minutes after my appointment time for my hearing test. It was then that the audiology department realized that the front desk folks had not moved my file back to the audiology department after I checked in, so audiology had no idea I was there waiting and I got added to the end of the line. Ugh.

They got an earful from the audiologist when I popped back to her office to ask how soon they could get me in. It was 90 minutes after my scheduled appointment after all. I was so glad I went and check on things. So that got the day off to a bad start and then it was another 90 minutes before I got into audiology. Then it was another hour before I got into the exam rooms. The rest of the time I was dodging germs in the very full waiting room and reading Holly Becker's book Decorate.

My hearing test was identical to the one I took in June. While it's great that I can hear (because there was a time when I couldn't!) and am within the normal range for hearing in my injured ear, I have to say I was really hoping my hearing would improve, as the doctor said it could. I have to say I was a little sad when I was sitting waiting for beeps & buzzes and not hearing them...knowing the pause was longer than it should be since the last sound. I have no reason to be so ungrateful, but I have to admit, I was hoping for more recovery. The left ear is not as good as the right. I'm a little bummed about that. I want back what I had. Not to be. But I guess I can still send my body good vibrations for more healing, power of positive thinking and all...

The doctor could not find any sign of a perforation in my ear drum, so that is fantastic as it means my ear drum has totally healed. I talked with the doctor about how I'm a little freaked out to get a sinus infection or earache. He encourage me to be very careful about that and to be sure and come in without delay if it becomes a problem.

So I went home and guess what I woke up with the next morning? A sinus infection. Not happy. I'm still totally in full-functioning mode, so I'm trying to just make sure I get lots of sleep & stay as healthy and stress-free as possible -- and full of good healthy nutrients and liquids -- and I'm saline nasal spraying like crazy to keep it cleared out.

It's been a stressful week around here and although we're becoming pros as handling it all, I guess the immune system gets it's share, no matter how much I realize it. I'm off to take my vitamins, drink a big glass of water and spray again. Hope you are staying healthy. I am hoping this post is helping me to at least stay "less sick." You can read more about my health crisis that began in January 2011 here.

To end on a pretty and cheery note, isn't this tissue box darling? It's available on Etsy at the Fondue shop. You have to have tissues, why not have sassy, cute tissue box covers, right?!