Twelve Twelve

New Ventures

2013-01-16T09:33:00.000-05:00

Please check out Oh Buoy Boston!

MANTLE

2012-10-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Our new apartment has a rather large, wooden mantle over an elaborate fireplace. Since the apartment is so small, I want to keep the decorations as simple as possible, but not have it look bare. In need of some inspiration, I (obvs) went to pinterest. Some looks that I like:

And I love this for Christmas:

If only we could have a fire in the fireplace...

101 DALMATIANS

2012-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm sporting the look of a dalmatian today, and thought it would be fun to see how these spots and dots can be used in fashion and design (in a non-Cruella DeVil way).

HOME

2012-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

EMMY INSPIRED

2012-09-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

While I didn't watch the actual award show last night, I did tune in for part of the red carpet pre-show. There were many gorgeous dresses and gowns from every shade of the rainbow, but some of the most striking were the chartreuse and neon yellow numbers:

BACK AT IT

2012-09-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Still getting settled in the new apartment, but finally starting to get into the swing of things. We are still unpacking and decorating our small space, and I am still looking for a bit of inspiration. I love these spaces and will definitely look to them for some ideas as we continue to make this apartment home!

*images via Pinterest

WE ARE IN!

2012-08-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

All of our stuff is officially in the new apartment, but it is a cluttered mess. It will definitely take some creativity to make everything fit functionally, but I have faith. And although our apartment is tiny, it could be smaller. These pictures make me feel a bit more confident in our situation...these people worked with much less space, and came up with creative and stylish solutions.

*images via pinterest

MOVING

2012-08-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Moving weekend is officially upon us. Cheers to new beginnings!

*images via Pinterest

NEW BEGINNINGS

2012-08-20T11:00:00.002-04:00

The countdown is on - 6 days until the official move...

Chaos = my current apartment. Looking forward to getting in the new place and starting fresh. Since the space is so tiny, I know we will be driven to be more organized and tidy...don't have much of a choice! Some organizationally inspiring photos that I will try to keep in mind when unpacking next week:

THE FUNUSUAL

2012-08-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

I was looking at a collection of images on CNN.com yesterday that showcased 8 hotels worthy of a tour. It was there that I found this gem - a bed & breakfast in Cottonwood, Idaho that is in the shape of a giant beagle. Who knew?!

Some other funky, animal inspired buildings:

Lucy the Elephant. Seen her in person before - definitely worth the trip to Margate, NJ!

A Flintstone hotel in Thailand!!

MOTIVATE

2012-08-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

A group of us signed up for the Boston Half Marathon in October. While I'm not one to go out running everyday, and I definitely don't love it, I do love the feeling of accomplishment that you get at the end of a race, and how great your body feels when you are training for a race. I find that having something to train for really keeps me motivated, and helps to keep me in shape. I am just really starting to get out there in preparation for the half marathon. A little motivation...

SMALL SPACES: LIVING ROOM

2012-07-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

A few months ago, after signing the lease for my new apartment, I started to post about small space solutions (here and here), because I knew I would need some inspiration. Well, the countdown is on: 1 month until the big move, and time to seriously figure out how to make the small apartment as spacious, functional, and inviting as possible.

I like the clever placement of ottomans under the coffee table, which are out of the way but easily accessible for extra seating when guests come over. If there is storage space in the ottomans, even better!

Using an ottoman as the coffee table is another solution. Topped with a tray, it can hold your remotes and beverages, but also serve as extra seating.

The use of shelving can add much needed storage space, but still look nice.

OFF TO THE RACES

2012-07-30T09:21:00.001-04:00

Some pictures from our trip to Saratoga this past Friday. While we didn't win any money, it was still a great day!

CAPE COD

2012-07-26T08:51:00.001-04:00

Busy, busy summer! Last weekend was spent on the Cape. It was the quintessential Cape weekend: days at the beach, nights around a campfire making s'mores. Had dinner at the beautiful Chatham Bars Inn, and caught a bit of a Cape League game at Veteran's Field in Chatham. Here are a few shots from the trip!

Chatham on Dwellable

GREEN WITH ENVY

2012-07-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

I was poking around on Pinterest the other night (on my new MacBook!) and found myself drawn to interiors and outfits in green. I don't own much green, maybe it is time to change that...

PERFECT NEW ENGLAND DAY

2012-07-16T08:56:00.001-04:00

Great way to finish up a fun weekend!

RELAX

2012-07-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Summer is fun, but it sure is busy! Off to DC tonight, back to Boston tomorrow. Dreaming of the next weekend I'll be staying in one place and relaxing...

Ideally, I will find one of these to hang out on during the day:

The BBQ Donut boat. Its a boat with a barbeque in the center. How fun is that?!

A NEW YORK MINUTE

2012-07-10T09:53:00.001-04:00

This past weekend I was down in NYC to visit some friends. Didn't take many pictures, but I did get to see the 9-11 Memorial building going up, went for a walk in Central Park, took a stroll down 5th Ave, and made a pit stop in Times Square.

FANTASTICALLY FESTIVE FOURTH FOODS

2012-07-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Just some ideas:

Happy 4th!

TALL SHIPS AND BATTLESHIPS

2012-07-02T09:18:00.001-04:00

Here are some shots from the the weekend. The sun was shining, but it was HOT.

THE TALL SHIPS ARE COMING

2012-06-29T08:47:00.002-04:00

No, this picture isn't of Boston Harbor in the 1800's. It's just an Instagram shot that I took yesterday while eating lunch on Long Wharf. Just some tall ships in the harbor...not your everyday sight. The ships are just starting to arrive for Boston's Harborfest weekend, which is celebrating the USS Constitution and the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

For a listing of all of the ships that will be in town, and the best places to check them out, click here!

BOSTON'S BEST VIEWS

2012-06-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

There is a cool collection of pictures on Boston.com today, which showcases people's shots of the best views of Boston. I love this city!

Take a look at more of the pictures here!

POP ART

2012-06-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, I was up in Maine, looking at the ocean while wrapped in a comforter, shivering. Today, it may hit 100 degrees in Boston. Weather. While it won't be easy to actually be cool today, here are some fun images to help you think cool.

Who wants a Darthcicle?

WEDDING SEASON

2012-06-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I'm attending my first friends' wedding...the first to take the plunge! We have 3 more weddings this year, and are already booking our calendars into Fall 2013 as well (including my own!), so I will be doing a lot of registry shopping. I've always tried to find creative gifts for people, and want to add a personal touch to the gifts that I give for weddings as well: a toaster is functional, but not very memorable. Whether it be a handmade card or something quirky to go along with a useful household item, I'm looking forward to adding a special touch.

I have these cards available on etsy (and really need better images...). I think it will be cute to make one for each wedding with a heart over the wedding location, and the date written fancily on the bottom.

A nice, personalized print would be a great addition in the newlyweds' home.

A solution to personalize the last gifts remaining on the registry...spatulas and such

Help the newlyweds' plan a future date - how fun is this picnic basket?!

Adding an ornament to the gift wrapping will help commemorate the day, and the couple will think of you each year when they decorate their Christmas tree!

FLAG DAY!

2012-06-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Flag Day! I love our stars and stripes, and learned some interesting facts about the flag from the Washington Post this morning.

- Flag Day is the celebration of June 14, 1777 when Congress officially adopted the Stars and Stripes

- President William Taft issued an executive order in 1912 dictating the proportions for the flag and placement of the stars. Before then, these features were left up to the flagmaker, resulting in unusual star arrangements and odd proportions.

- The U.S. flag has been modified 26 times since its adoption in 1777. Today’s 50-star flag, created in 1960, has been in use the longest.

- The national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is based on a 15-star, 15-stripe flag sewn by Mary Pickersgill for Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Vermont and Kentucky had recently been added to the original 13 states.

Check out the website for a few more facts, and find some way to bring some red, white and blue into your day!