morning's light

white home + norwegian blog

I cannot stay away from beautiful white homes!  Before seeing the first photo, I had a similar idea.  Last night a friend (Thanks, Anna!) spent an hour to complete a project I'd started for the living room wall:  stretching pretty IKEA fabrics in gray and orange over some wooden frames of various sizes. It looks amazing! (Yes..I will take photos of it as soon as I install the art over the couch.  Didn't want to bother the neighbors last night with pounding nails into walls at 9:30 PM!)

Here's something else for you: a new-to-me blog that is Norwegian - which is where these photos originated. 

images: hei astrid

NY loft

A loft found via stylist abigail ahern. 
loving the brick walls.  my brother
and sister in law live in a town 
where they want me to move...
and the town has these great
apartments in a renovated mill.
loads of exposed brick walls
and character.  that's what I like.



   

beautiful indeed!

Today I'm gazing at this beautiful photo of  yarn which is in the home of elsie of a beautiful mess.  
alec vanderboom took the photos.  more can be found here. 

a sunny kitchen

 

While my guest for the week, Sharona, is curled up at home on my loveseat, working on her laptop in comfort, I'm viewing this sunny kitchen and wishing I could work at that table.  

images: design*sponge

Here's Sharona at my apartment - we had to call tech support for my wireless router and were walked through the corrections needed - step by step.  Lovely!

 image: sunnygirlwi

color for your morning

Good Morning!  It's been so lovely to have a four-day weekend.  How am I to go back to work after having such large amounts of quality time with friends and family?!  Am up early this Sunday morning in preparation for a week-long visit from my twin...errr...friend Sharona who is on a lengthy road trip across the States and who travels to my little part of Wisconsin this afternoon.

I'll spend my time this morning tidying up but will leave you with this colorful photo found by stylist Abigail Ahern!  Makes me want to jump right into the photo and enjoy the fun party obviously just getting started! 

  

And here's Sharona!

 

Pretty London Townhouse

I've not been here much this week..but am back!! Had a bunch of repairs that needed fixing ASAP along with a cough that will not go away already and some intense work deadlines. But...I'm here. And just look at this London townhouse! I'm most impressed with the way she used white as a base color and added pops of color in the bedrooms that are coordinated just so. When those colors are tired of... then new ones can be brought in for brand new looking rooms! Brilliant.

Many more photos can be seen here at Apartment Therapy. 

beautiful glimpses of France

 

Paris is beautiful through Charlotte's eyes.  I mean, yes, Paris is gorgeous anyway but these photos..... just wow.

 

many, many more Paris images here

jewelry studio tour [Makeunder My Life]

Jess of "Makeunder My Life" just revealed her studio re-do.  It's quite pretty, don't you think?

The workstation is simply beautiful, and I have the same storage as shown in the last photo.  I wouldn't have thought to use it for supplies, but now I'm going to borrow that idea in my closet as it's being reorganized to look all pretty 'n such for a friend's visit this weekend. 

a wonderfully organized dressing area

Laura is a professional organizer whose apartments have been featured on Apartment Therapy.  From the look of her dressing area, can you tell what her profession is?! 

I am lucky enough to have a closet a bit bigger than Laura's dressing area, and I have a guest arriving next weekend.  I need to have the closet either perfectly or imperfectly organized in time for Sharona's arrival.  Thus I will be printing out these photos and posting them in plain sight at home to remind me to stay on task and keep up with the closet!

 

 

I heart jane foster's house! This photo shows a glimpse of the pretty coat rack.

http://janefosterblog.blogspot.com

simple, colorful Christmas decorations

Christmas will soon be here.  I'm all for simplicity in Christmas decor so it was lovely to stumble upon these images today!  Just don't sing Christmas music to me just yet.  Must get through Thanksgiving first! 

images

bursts of color

Joanna Henderson  is a photographer whose photos are stunning! Here's a living room bursting with color over a gray base. What's not to like about color? (says the girl whose ensemble today contains gray, white and black!)

willoughby - red kitchen/living room

An unlimited budget? Sure!

A mix of brand new + weathered beauty? Absolutely!

Loads of red and white? Perfect!

A gorgeous, wonderfully organized kitchen? Included!

1st Option is a service in the U.K. that offers locations for photo shoots and the like. Willoughby is one such location and they must have read my dreams.  I'm in love with this home - perfectly styled 'n all.

 

a little cooking here....

....some dinner + games nights here...

 

...a nap or two curled up here...

 

a fun time with my five-year-old niece over by the stairs

a little daydreaming inside looking out - or outside soaking up the sun.

many more photos can be found here

stylish chalkboards

 

 

Eco-stylista has posted some beautiful chalkboards.   It's Friday. Am swamped.
 But I really enjoyed the few moments spent staring at these chalkboards.
 How is it that my apartment lacks a single chalkboard? Gotta remedy that.

 

images: eco-stylista

stunning simplicity

heidill has stunning photos on flickr....she has such an eye for details!  I want this kitchen!!! It has all I admire in a kitchen.

 

all images: heidill

baskets + jars

images: sarahdippity

I used to announce, "Containers are my friends!", I suppose to show that I really loved containers.  I no longer make statements like that, but secretly still adore containers: jars, baskets, boxes and tins.  The images above are from the flickr set of sarahdippity.  Her photo sets are worth exploring!

Sherrie also has some great inspiration.  She's the amazing soap maker from Canada who shares my love of all things Orla Kiely.  I checked out her flickr photos this morning.  *sigh* gorgeous, of course.  Take a look.

images: birchbarksoap/sherrie

The following were found on flickr. Anyone else thankful for the treasure that is flickr?! 

image: junkculture

image: heidill

image: CarolinaCottage

Now I want to drop everything and make a trip to an antique mall and IKEA - to stock up on the prettiest of jars and baskets!

google reader + volunteer work

Hello, friends!  It is late, and I just arrived home from tonight's youth group at church.  Another amazing night with the girls.  Eighth grade is an interesting time for these girls - as they're no longer children but they're young adults - growing up and preparing for high school.  I really enjoy them.  This Saturday we're spending the day at the local nursing home - and will be helping with things like Bingo and also Wheelchair Square Dancing!  Sounds fun, doesn't it?  Twelve of the fifteen girls in the group are showing up to help.  (A majority of the girls shown above will be at the nursing home with me.)

Wait..this has nothing to do with Google Reader...the reason I sat down to write to you about.  I subscribe to this blog in Google Reader and over the weekend I realized that when I refreshed the feed, it seemed stuck on the Parisian Apartment post from October 27th.  I did a lot of research and finally changed one setting that seemed to work as the blog posts (14 of them!) all popped up as new entries.  (That makes it sound so easy..but truly - when I was feeling overwhelmed and near tears after work today, one of the things I was praying about was the problem with Google Reader - and feeling like it's too small for God to worry about.  Why did I worry about that!  He did help a solution be found despite my lack of technical knowledge!)

This week feels odd to me.  Like something is not right, things are out of sorts, I'm neither happy nor sad - more contemplative.  As a task-oriented person, I tend to focus on, well, the next task!  With a lot to get done in two days, then a full weekend of volunteering with the girls, there's been little time to relax and think about nothing.

Too much to do:

• Work deadlines (of Friday at 5 PM)
• Weekend volunteering and finalizing details for our group's time at the nursing home
• Laundry (2 loads)
• Flylady's "Weekly Home Blessing" (spending a quick 60 minutes doing six items like taking out all the trash, quickly cleaning all the mirrors and windows in the home, vacuuming the "middles" of the rooms, etc)
• Getting a haircut 
• Running errands (Target, Walmart, thrift store)
• Watching the Twilight DVD a friend loaned me.

scarf chic

Today I'm wearing a brightly colored sundress with a raspberry cami underneath and a black cardi over it all...with black mary janes and a long gray scarf wound round my neck.  Leaving the gym this morning, I was stopped by a woman who loved the outfit [not pictured here]. I get stopped like this whenever I wear the outfit.  Thus I was delighted to find this group on flickr - stumbled onto it. (Don't you love it when that happens?!)  These photos are all from a flickr group called "How I wear my UNIFORM scarf".   

 

 

 

images: flickr

a pretty kitchen

What a gorgeous kitchen!!

[the haystack needle office]

Offices have been on my mind since I'm trying to declutter a work office and pretty up a home office as well.  This workspace of Jen's (from the haystack needle found via Ill Seen, Ill Heard) is simple and sweet!
 

  

images: ill seen ill heard

wardrobe inspiration

I have been looking for wardrobe inspiration for fall and winter.  From the above photo, I'd love the whole look!

I want dark denim jeans and cute trainers.

a gray cardigan to wear over black.  maybe some boots as well.

 

My hair is like hers almost exactly (mine's a bit longer)..but I like the lipstick color and the black dress.

 
I like the navy sweater (?) coat, the grey, the tights and the boots.

So there you have it. Glimpses of what inspires me for this fall and winter.  Naturally, I'd buy up everything I could from Garnet Hill or Johnnie Boden, but my wallet doesn't stretch that far this season!

Ooohh.it's FRIDAY! Hope you have loads of fun plans or will be able to relax this weekend! Or both!

~S

images: one, two, three, four, five, six

[hans zeegers, photographer]

My eyes are instantly drawn to simple lines and like items grouped together on a shelf.  I love to see jars lined up on a kitchen counter or shelf.  That makes my heart go pitter-patter.  (i know, RIGHT? why would I like that?!).  I need to find some pretty jar photos.  Meanwhile, the photo of boots lined up on the shelf... fun!

These photos by photographer Hans Zeegers (found by way of Head Over Heels) are styled so well! Enjoy!!

Last night was quite fun at church with a fun game similar to rock/paper/scissors:  ninja/gun/gorilla. Naturally ninja beats gun, gun beats gorilla BUT gorilla beats ninja.  The kids had fun...and we soon had a winner in the 5-minute-long tournament. We then watched a video (a Rob Bell NOOMA video) on prayer.  I love my junior high girls!  Wouldn't trade them for anything!  I'll have photos from last night to post soon.

this must be my favorite house tour EVER {doredoris}

I am in love.  Can you SEE the family above? Carolina (of the blog DoreDoris) has on my all-time favorite wardrobe mix of black and white with a SHOT of color (those tights!!!), the pink + green combo!  his red converse!  And that's just the family.  Wait until you SEE their home!!!  I want a pantry as organized and colorful as theirs; I want the airy, spacious feel to my own house that they have.  I want...I want....

Oh go on already..take a look.  Why are you reading my words?!

room & serve - colorful home!

Room and Serve is a Swedish blog that has gorgeous home tours and other decor photos. Here are a few homes I fell in love with.

 
images found here

I love the images found in this slideshow!

white, airy swedish home

 

What a gorgeous, simple, white, airy home!   So spacious!!

Here's the bedroom of a different home:

images: room and serve

hey - no fair posting about comfy beds!!!

My sleep schedule (like a baby??) has been messed up since my trip to Nebraska.  While there I got used to going to sleep at midnight and getting up at 8 or 9 AM.  (rough life, I know).  That schedule doesn't translate so well at home..but I compromised by sleeping 11 PM to 7 AM...and then rushing around to get ready for work in 40 minutes. WHICH MEANT that I never made it to my water class when I wanted to...because it took place at 5:45 AM and that's not after 7 AM according to my logic.

Yesterday I decide that I'm going to my class all four mornings this week (mon/wed/fri/sat) and if I'm tired, I'm tired.

However, I was not counting on being so drowsy in front of my computer today that I'd actually reach for a page ON MY SCREEN to take it off what I thought was the document stand in front of me.  Right.  Slightly tired today but happy to have worked out on Day One.

At lunch, I do a little blog reading and find not one but TWO blogs showing off comfy, cozy beds and pretty bedrooms.  NO FAIR!! (stamping my foot).  I just wanted to crawl into the photos and find a comfy bed (Goldilocks much?) and snooze the day away.  

 

click each image to go to the photo source....except the last one. I can't find the source. I'm terribly sorry!  If the last photo is yours, please let me know.

hallway kitchen + fireplace office

Abigail Ahern's sister used the images on the wall in place of wallpaper.  They're the perfect addition to the room!

Rita Konig's NYC kitchen is actually in a hallway.  Looks to me like it's piles of items she loves and uses!

This morning is a cold morning - one in which I'd love to warm up by a wood stove! 

images: abigail ahern atelier

white/aprill aprill

What a pretty little bench!  AprillAprill has much goodness to share on her blog.  Just look at the following shelves!

a whole lotta Lotta {jansdotter, that is!}

Ever get something stuck in your head that you just HAVE TO HAVE?  I have an item in mind but will make do with photos from it found on flickr.

Lotta Jansdotter has a book called Lotta's Lifestyle that I MUST BUY NOW or at least that's what my heart is calling out for.  My budget has other ideas and has said we must wait for now to buy it.  

Curious?

Lotta's outfit above inspired an ensemble I can create out of similar items in my wardrobe.  That's the fun part! If I had the whole book (anyone want to sell me theirs?), what other wardrobe creations could I create out of my current clothing items?

I so want to go running errands this weekend in an outfit like Lotta's.  

image from tania

little things to brighten your day

Am under the weather - yes, again.  Took a month to get rid of the cough that accompanied the flu..then *bam* a cold.  But it's the perfect time to stay inside, rest and look at pretty things that the internet offers..specifically pretty blogs!  Here are some latest favorites.  

How are you feeling? 

okay - this is not from a blog but one of my junior high girls from church just tagged me in this photo on facebook... I'm tagged as someone she loves.  awwww.. very sweet.  that made my night!  thanks, alysia!

at wide open spaces, amber listed her faves which includes a superb list.  my favorite is: "Just the necessities, neatly organized. Whenever I start coveting a new kitchen or crafting tool, I go organize a closet or drawer. I get the instant gratification of seeing everything lined up in its place, looking back at me, and I feel much better. I think this rule also governs my favorite foods. I love fresh, simple foods. Like sparkling water and a slice of black bread with cheese."

freshly picked tomatoes by krickelin-krickelin

fall images from like a butterfly in your house

That's it for now!  The weekend is almost here. I have two plans:  a game night with friends and church on Sunday.  Ooohh and most likely a nap on Sunday afternoon.   

Kajsa's Swedish Home

DOS Family has posted another pretty Swedish home!  Kajsa, a blogger, lives here.  It's so neat and tidy!  

images: dos family

{adorable parisienne studio}

 

Hello, Adorable Paris Apartment!  I really like the layout, the separate dining area/office, the living area and the bedroom area.  I may recognize items from IKEA but you've been personalized so very well!  I'll call you Cozy, Adorable and Pretty!!  

 

 

Numerous Photos + Flat Owner's Blog here.  (upper left corner of the blog contains the link to an English translation)

color contest inspiration

I'm in love with the polka dot chair!!

Apartment Therapy is a wealth of inspiration and helpful hints for around the home!  I've enjoyed their site for so long, and from these photos, can you tell why?  These are mostly from the 2009 Color Contest.  

What a pretty studio - with the exposed brick, the happy green walls..and the simple layout.  

I must be craving green apples or just green at home!

The neat, tidy bedroom caught my eye immediately.
Could this apartment owner please visit me and re-do my bedroom?!

Will soon be buying similar accessories (paperwork/magazine sorter and the mirror with hooks).

images: apartment therapy

*nebraska*

I've been away in Nebraska....seeing a college friend, Amber, and her family. 
Above is Amber holding her daughter Ruby! 
It's been a relaxing weekend...and I'll be back here next week with loads more photos.
Hope your weekend is going well!!

 

 

Isabelle's Light Filled Home

 

I'm a fan of French homes, can you tell? Isabelle's has an airy feel to it plus so much light!

 

 

 

What gorgeous colors in this bedroom also found on Marie Claire Maison's site:

 

all images: marie claire maison

french cafe-turned-apartment

 

Clarisse is a decorator who lives in France in a cafe-turned-apartment.  How lovely is this?  The pink door to the original telephone booth is gorgeous!

 

What a convenient dressing area!  I'd love one like this - despite having a very large walk-in closet that truly makes me feel closed-in when I enter it. I'm contemplating turning my bedroom closet into storage for items that don't need to be accessed regularly, and then I'll get a simple IKEA wardrobe in which to keep my current wardrobe and accessories. 

 

For some reason, this photo of a kitchen makes me think it's what all French kitchens look like: baskets, wire mesh on the shelves, jars with colorful contents, pretty trays..... Am I even close?

images: marie claire maison

giorgia + barbara: citrus colors + artwork

 

I was perusing the Apartment Therapy Color Contest finalists to select whom to vote for, and I was stopped in my tracks by the rental of Giorgia & Barbara - an entry titled "From Italy to California".  

 

I love the artwork above!!  Original and stunning!

 

For more information, visit their Etsy page, and the artwork was created by Addie.

subscribe by email + tangerine

image: Amanda Fuller Designs

It's 4 AM. Cannot sleep.  Checked email and was delighted to hear from Amanda (in Australia!) who asked for a way to subscribe to this blog via email.  Your wish is my command!  See the upper right corner to subscribe.  

Now to see if a couple more hours of sleep can be obtained before a very long day at the office begins.

happysilly: sara's home

 

A delay!  Jenny of Dos Family messaged me on Saturday morning that she had new photos up on DosFamily, so here they are!  It is the home of Sara, author of HappySilly.The details of the flat charmed me right away - from the little illustrations popping up in unexpected places (see the ballerina below on top of the laundry pile) to the colors (orange! pink! lots of white and light!).  Who else has pink clouds in their pink dining room?  No one!  Check out this one of a kind flat! 

 

 

 

yellow kitchen + pink children's rooms

 

Rainy, fall morning = need to look at this bright yellow kitchen shown in Marie Claire Maison!  I was only going to show the yellow kitchen but then found these charming children's bedrooms - most which have pink in them.  Pardon me while I revert back to being an eight year old girl dreaming of a room like one of these.  I do have a favorite, do you know which one it is?  
all images: marie claire maison

 

 

 

 

 

floral curtain

Storage Behind the Door, originally uploaded by pinklovesbrown.

I am unable to take my eyes away from that floral curtain.
 It's a colorful accent to the perfectly ordered shelves!

one more pop of color

one more pop of color....this one from AprillAprill:

pops of color

What's making me happy today:

Kate: dining area with the white + orange

13 Threads:  Her clothing line reminds me to buy a long sleeve pop of color to wear beneath the black jumper I'm wearing today.

Swedish Interiors:  All that white, natural light and the great pink accents. Love the artwork!

Fearless Color in Denmark:  Because who doesn't like an orderly, white kitchen, dark wood, a cute toddler, a fluffy dog and green as an accent color?! 

letter writing + blog reading

 

It's a quiet Sunday evening...a perfect time to pull out some pretty stationery and pens and create a handwritten letter to a friend.  This new-to-me blog, Nectar & Light, is gorgeous and has inspired me to write a letter tonight. The house is quiet, the white (not just for Christmas) lights are shining into the darkened living room, and the peace is enjoyable.

Hope your weekend was well.  What were the highlights?

AT calls it a "white nest"

 

Haldane Martin moved into his Cape Town, South Africa home a mere one week before the house tour photos were taken.      ][       I'm smitten with his use of color in the bedroom and bathroom, the pretty dining room artwork pronouncing "it's beautiful here", and the cozy corner that is the living room.  

Apartment Therapy has all the photos. 

 

 

Jenny (of Dos Family) + her home

 

Dos Family = my most favorite house tour blog. This time Jenny (one of the co-authors of Dos Family) features her own home.  What I love about it:

• White painted floors
• Stacks of magazines
• You can tell someone really lives there!
• It's not all matchy-matchy
• Organized office
• Brightly colored futon/couch
• Pink kitchen cabinets
• Loads of light streaming in
• Unusual/fun artwork arranged on the walls

 

 

 

more images here

Jenny & Isabelle (of Dos Family) can be found here: 

Isabelle can be found here and here.

Jenny has a blog and a shop.

prettiness from buttons magee

This photo on Buttons Magee caught my eye as well as the other photo below.  A recent blog entry discussed the various tutorials you can see on YouTube....ones I had no idea were out there!

Last night, I did some cleaning and sorting but stared in dismay at a pile of boxes and "stuff" that line one wall of my bedroom.  I just don't know what to do with it.  I should donate/toss all of it and just live without it as it's doing me no good just piled up.  Once that's taken care of, I could venture into the closet and neaten what is there.  Hoping I'm not writing about this very thing in one year after procrastinating even longer on the two projects.

Any motivation hints for me to overcome this procrastination?

 

(maybe this image provides a hint about one reward for completing a task:  chocolate!!)

fall decorations (sweet, sweet life)

 

I can barely put up a small tree for Christmas - once a year - much less decorate for each season.  Thus I am choosing to live vicariously through Amy's decor this fall.  She has adorable cookie jars with labels, pumpkin decor, apples and so much more.  Visit her blog to see more photos.

 

 

 

Mee a Bee: home tour

 

Bloesem Kids featured the home of Jacqi of mee a bee.  What I love about her home are the simple lines, the pretty bookcase and lamp next to the bed, and the creative, orderly storage.   mee a bee has a line of children's bags that are about the cutest things ever! 

 

 

A friend's office has a set of the cupboards above - with the transparent doors, and I've wanted cabinets like that for a long time. 

new to the wish list: letter bag

 

 

I'm a fan of Moop bags and have immediately added their newest bag to my wish list: the Letter Bag in black. I have the Market Bag in Rosewood (see below) which was the best bag to take on the plane and around San Francisco when I was on vacation there in May.  

I've a feeling the black letter bag would be a daily carry for me - to and from work and all the errands in between the office and home.

 

images: moop

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The weekend was so not long enough.  I visited a local private school's annual Barn Sale and found three wooden bar stools for $22.  Turns out the height of the stools was exactly right for the counter separating my kitchen from the living room.  (My kitchen has been lacking bar stools for more than two years now but the wait was worth it - for the price and the quality of the stools.)

Movie Night was held Sunday night - which involved games of Apples to Apples (the guys select winning cards logically and the girls tend to use emotions to figure out which card wins), munching on comfort food, and watching Eagle Eye - a film I found to be quite good.  

Hope you had a good weekend!