tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25583038038938708542026-02-03T12:37:16.099-06:00a sliver of creative livingJessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.comBlogger207125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-76013291264497635012011-09-13T08:00:00.000-05:002011-09-13T08:00:11.483-05:00

I mentioned in my welcome-back post in July that during my six month break from blogging Justin and I competed in our first triathlon. We weren't the fastest on the road but we weren't the slowest either. The distances were a little longer than a traditional sprint tri, with a .5 mile swim, 15.5 mile bike, and 4 mile run, yet we still finished with decent first-race times; Justin in 1:

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-76464114282340785722011-09-11T21:51:00.000-05:002011-09-11T21:52:06.662-05:00

Ten years ago today, I sat in class stunned, terrified, and heartbroken as I learned of the horrendous events that occurred and were still occurring in New York City and the Pentagon. Today, as our country unites in remembrance of those who had fallen, I want to create my own entry. Last week I came across a cool site called The Color Of. The site offers a "system created to find out the colour

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-248645693007628322011-09-09T11:28:00.000-05:002011-09-09T11:28:59.507-05:00

This summer, just as the past two, I planted a garden. I made sure to wait until the nightly frosts had passed before putting the plants in the ground and for several weeks now we have been enjoying the fruits of my labor. I have been pretty consistent in my plot arrangement, which I shared last year, and this year I didn't change much again. Some newbies that joined the ranks are cherry

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-48048205588646006882011-09-07T14:15:00.000-05:002011-09-07T14:15:18.424-05:00

Welcome to the much belated third installation of stories, photos, and recollections from the London trip I went on with my best friend Dawn. Get caught up by reading part 1 here and part 2 here. Once Dawn and I fueled up with lunch on our first day, we walked the short distance to Tower Bridge, commonly mistaken for London Bridge. At this time it was about 2:45 pm and the attendant

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-53920357029042679482011-08-31T20:52:00.000-05:002011-08-31T20:52:42.012-05:00

Tillandsia have been sprouting up everywhere: in magazines, websites, and now stores! I've been secretly harboring a need-to-buy-crush since I first spied them way back when, so when Justin and I were out enjoying a beautifully-weathered evening a few fortnights ago (I'm reading Jane Eyre right now so pardon the ye olde English) and came across an abundance of them at The Mossy Twig, I had

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-10025321061494183712011-08-26T08:38:00.000-05:002011-08-26T08:38:29.225-05:00

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-1197807302682347292011-08-20T16:02:00.001-05:002011-08-20T16:02:00.088-05:00

Happy weekend! This video clip from the tv show "The Middle" will definitely tickle a typographer's fancy. Check it out! (All images are stills from the YouTube video.)

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-33216079356840414432011-08-17T21:41:00.000-05:002011-08-17T21:41:07.535-05:00

A few weeks ago, a couple bloggers (Sherry from Young House Love, Katie from Bower Power, Lana from Make A House A Home, and Emily from Style By Emily Henderson) challenged each other to create something inspired by a pin on their Pinterest board. They aptly dubbed it the "Pinterest Challenge: Summer Edition" and invited everyone else on the world wide web to play as well. Well, this occurred

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-88757921837643900822011-08-09T13:59:00.000-05:002011-08-09T13:59:54.913-05:00

That's right folks, Superman is in da hood. In fact, only about five minutes from our casa. Photo from here. Rumblings about this hollywood venture near and around our town began early this year and have continued throughout the summer. A neighboring town's city center has even been taken over with construction and filming of the new comic book flick but when Justin got home last Thursday and

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-55388125471054384722011-08-08T08:54:00.000-05:002011-08-08T08:54:28.299-05:00

Do you remember this post of yesteryear? It unveiled the painting transformation of our grandeous entryway and included these two photos of our barey-bare-bare staircase. Well, I'm pleased to inform you that this staircase got its groove on. I tackled the wall while Justin was frolicking in Australia for six weeks and aside from the missing artwork, we absolutely love it. A few years

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-3699473703666157822011-08-04T11:09:00.000-05:002011-08-04T11:09:37.370-05:00

First let me apologize for the horrible before and progress photos. This post has been in the making for a while but I had yet to take after photos until a few days ago so I'm finally getting around to finishing it. Nearly two years ago I turned this TV bridge into a sideboard for our dining room. I removed the glass shelves and now use the cubbies to house wine racks and square

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-56545861504312832292011-08-02T11:27:00.000-05:002011-08-02T11:27:49.991-05:00

Today is our third wedding anniversary—woo to the hoo! Since we have another triathlon this weekend, we started our morning right with a quick 3-mile run. Lately it has been difficult to climb out of bed to hit the pavement but today Justin bribed me by saying I could have my gift this morning instead of tonight but only after we finished the run, so when my alarm went off I only hit the snooze

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-9727374410335815892011-07-28T09:43:00.000-05:002011-07-28T09:43:00.858-05:00

When I write a post, I start by popping in photos then narrating as I see fit, but when I saw the order of these images and began collecting my thoughts, I thought it looked like a silent commercial for this trusty cleaning tool or almost like a photographic madlib game (remember those?). However, for those of you who don't have an overactive imagination such as myself, I commented anyways. (

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-2516592283322017312011-07-22T09:54:00.000-05:002011-07-22T09:54:32.457-05:00

I never thought I would ever have this on my coffee table...or anywhere else near my home. But I do and I love it. I picked up this cow skull after seeing it posted on Freecycle and was nervous to hear Justin's response once I got home. Though after a few months, ok maybe six or more, Justin has only jokingly jabbed me about it and I don't think it's going anywhere. Yes, cow skulls

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-61167156373664734452011-07-20T12:16:00.000-05:002011-07-20T12:16:07.132-05:00

You may have very well noticed that over the last six months there has been a break in the blogging here on The Design Slice. It wasn't planned or prepared for, but necessary as many things have changed in my life and I just couldn't find a shred of spare time to put my digits to the keys. Therefore, I forwent subjecting you to a half-assed post in exchange for a full blown respite. Nonetheless,

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-31723553759032524372011-01-20T21:59:00.000-06:002011-01-20T21:59:36.220-06:00

$15 for this Thonet-lookalike trio. Need I say more? (Maybe I should add that I'm on the prowl for some new fabric for those sad, sad seats.)

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-11848513604235763452011-01-03T06:00:00.074-06:002011-01-03T06:00:06.723-06:00

As Justin was doing some Thanksgiving weekend food preparations (specifically the pizza dough), he broke our countertop Kitchenaid stand mixer. Luckily, a few days later, on their way back to Minnesota from Florida, my parents and grandparents stopped for a free night at Hotel Scurte. In return for our generous hospitality, I enlisted my father and his mechanical skills in helping determine if

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-54055699359327512382011-01-01T00:01:00.005-06:002011-01-01T00:01:03.755-06:00

Happy New Year!

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-23881033194785744132010-12-29T06:00:00.000-06:002010-12-29T06:00:03.288-06:00

Justin and I came across these awesome vintage-looking maps at a little shop in the Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago, and now have a Rome street map hanging on our bedroom wall! We picked the map of Rome to pay a special homage to our Italian honeymoon. (See all our pictures here.) I love love love the white mat and frame highlighting the map's pastel colors. (This is the white version

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-61285332075774481682010-12-27T07:26:00.046-06:002010-12-27T07:26:00.488-06:00

Here's the desk for our office! In addition to adopting this awesome bookcase from Justin's grandma, we also snagged this amazing mid-century modern desk. I'm not feeling the chair and think I have already found a replacement, but I sure do love the woodwork on the drawer and the round knobs. I originally considered refinishing it, but after using it a few times, I have determined that I

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-85436390499144912742010-12-24T07:00:00.000-06:002010-12-24T07:00:02.547-06:00

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-17943328957936116582010-12-22T06:00:00.039-06:002010-12-22T06:00:07.496-06:00

The progress on our office is slow going but I have finished a project that is going to play a huge part in the room—making cushions for our mid-century modern couch frame. Remember when I picked up the MCM couch and chair frames at my neighbor's estate sale for $5? I was super happy when I finished the cushions for the chair frames not too long ago and now these are done, I'm even more

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-19851220290016089022010-12-20T06:33:00.001-06:002010-12-20T06:33:00.257-06:00

Welcome to the second installation of stories, photos, and recollections from the London trip I went on with my best friend Dawn. If you're tuning in for the first time, get caught up by reading part 1 here. After a night of rest, Dawn and I got up with the sun, excited for our first full day adventuring around the town. Our first stop, St. Paul's Cathedral. Upon entering the beautiful

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-10128221338868297562010-12-16T08:23:00.000-06:002010-12-16T08:23:50.747-06:00

When Justin and I were in Starbucks several weeks ago, I was perusing the flyers on the community bulletin board and came across this little number. The poster is from Anthropologie and basically says that if you are interested in learning how they create their amazing window displays, you can attend a workshop creating their displays for the upcoming holiday season. I worked in retail for

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558303803893870854.post-31363800005523612532010-12-15T09:51:00.002-06:002010-12-15T09:51:53.423-06:00

I have the misfortune that two of my best friends live 5+ hours away from me. For that reason, any gifts I want to give either of them, I have to ship. Generally I wrap the gift, put it in a box to send, and drop it in the mail, but this year I thought, why not wrap the box I'm shipping so they receive a pretty present, rather than some boring 'ol brown box. I knew if I used a thick paper such as

Jessihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930728151145074930noreply@blogger.com0