morning's light

moop market bag

Rosewood Market Bag, originally uploaded by moopshop.

Check out the bag I'll be toting onto the plane two weeks from today! I ordered a bag from Moop's seconds sale. (That's right! They had a seconds sale. Awesome!)(Wait, who says that anymore???)(Apparently I do.)

I immediately ordered the market bag in black...left a comment saying so, completed my order, and daydreamed about the bag. I then checked my order the next day and realized I'd accidentally chosen "sage" and not black.

Wendy at Moop is AMAZING! I emailed her and told her of my blonde moment (I am blonde. so it's appropriate) and she offered to find a black bag for me. She couldn't...after digging through her inventory..but she found a Rosewood Market Bag that has some creative stitching that she's going to send me instead of the sage bag - which I know is really popular.  I looked up Moop online and so many people want the sage bag....and I would have loved it too but for some reason...deeper colors 

I just want to say that the bags are amazing, and Wendy has gone over and above what she ever had to do. When I post photos from my SF trip, I'm sure you'll be seeing the market bag a lot..like at the Farmers Market at the Ferry Building perhaps?!

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that Moop is sold on Etsy and Supermarket.  I adored Supermarket's pages when I browsed the site.  The simple, clean look along with easy to find "buttons", really made the process of ordering much easier and it looks so great.  (Yeah - I say "great" a lot.  It really is an ultimate compliment coming from my lips.  Trust me.)

AT small cool: DP2R

It may be "small cool" according to Apartment Therapy but I call it "citrus perfection" (the orange wall! the green bedroom wall!)  It's only 900 s.f. but I adore it!  Okay I shouldn't say "only 900 s.f." as it seems to have more than enough room for the two people who live there.  However, they may have to find a new place to live as I'm movin' in!

Wait. It's in Toronto.  Never mind.  I'll create a replica here in the States.

Details here.

bolig liv pages

Lisbeth Harbo (of Switzerland) completed a magazine swap with me by sending an issue of Bolig Liv for me in exchange for an issue of Real Simple from the U.S.

I love the pages in Bolig Liv....and it was the first time I perused the magazine in person. Here are the pages I lingered over most often.

little bailey

IMG_8020, originally uploaded by Andrew & Stephanie Buchan.

Welcome to our world, little Bailey. My friends Stephanie and Andrew had a little girl this past weekend. Wish I could fly to Hawaii and shower kisses on this new little one. She's beautiful.

living room/bedroom

Was browsing through an inspiration binder last night and came across these pages. When I wrote to Celia Tejada to compliment her on her home years ago, one of her staff members sent me a very nice email and a Pottery Barn book in the mail.  Quite generous of her!

traveling in style

The New Fraulein Tote, originally uploaded by moopshop.

This is how I wish to look as I travel in two weeks. (Vacation trip to San Francisco to see friends from when I lived there.) I'd love to have a simple, stylish look at the airport. Am keeping keywords in mind: polished, simple, pretty.

This photo sums all of those up.

one warm evening

Friday night was the first warm evening in a long while as winter has continued to linger.  My friendKirsten dropped in to hang out on my deck and later watch the week's episode of The Office.  I'd just placed the tray down on the table when she arrived, so a quick snapshot was taken to share with you.

HELLOOOO down there!  It's Kirsten!  She just bought a new Honda Civic which I call the "hotter, younger cousin" of my car (which you can see on the left), an older Honda Civic.

family friday

family friday. that has a ring to it!  I have photos from Easter Sunday and the day before (moving day for my brother Jay and his family) to share with you.  All the Easter photos are at my brother Randy's house...before they move to a new house in May.  All this moving around......but I'm staying put. For now.

My nephew Caleb on the moving truck.  To me, the bed looks suspended - as if it were a piece of art. 

My sister in law Colleen put together amazing baskets for the kids from the dollar store.....they were adorable!

UPDATE:  Here's a photo of the baskets. Kind of.  They were big eggs with a colored botto half and a clear top half..to let the kids see that they had loads of goodies to go through.  In the photo, in the background you can see Caleb (age 11) with his basket/egg, and in the foreground, Shawn is looking through Mimo's Dora kalaidoscope.  

The big hit of the day on Easter was bubbles.

Maya teaching Hudson (almost age two) about bubbles.

And here's my niece Mimo in the background - trying to taste a bubble.  Can't see?  Try this one:

Nephew Taylor showing off his found Easter eggs.

Taylor's little bro Shawn

industrial + baskets

My favorite style is the look of industrial + baskets.  This kitchen has both and has me thinking about ways to use the extra baskets I have tucked away - for use in the kitchen. 

jac de villiers  via  oh happy day

colors

carnation colour wheel, originally uploaded by perfectbound.

beautiful colors! oh that my breakfast table looked so good.

wait...oh that I ate breakfast at a table...and not sipping it in my car on the way to the office or the gym.

pretty in pink [holly aird's home]

Holly Aird's home found via Contented Me with additional photos at the living, etc. photo gallery. 

Favorites from Holly's home:

• the photo as the backsplash over the stove
• the pink tub, of course!  
• all the floral rugs 
• the pretty dining room chairs adding that special something to the room    
• the consistent style shown throughout the home 
• the soothing colors 

 
  

  

the design files

what a pretty duo of photos from the design files.  

office kit + weekend

today's office survival kit.  Could not wake up..so extra cups of coffee in my Orla Kiely mug from Target were necessary.  then the piles on my desk, credenza and countertop were overflowing, so I had to sort them into relevant piles.  From there, I used a cute little notebook to start a running to-do list: something most people already have but I'm gradually catching on that it's the right thing to do to keep order and stay on track with a multitude of projects.   

Found the little red notebook from greenroom eco at Target last year. Bought a set at full price ($2.99 for two passport sized notebooks) and then found them weeks later on clearance for 74 cents for two.  I bought all the remaining small notebooks on clearance - for myself and for gifts.  It's the perfect size to keep a to-do list at the office. I use others for youth ministry and personal lists and have left a few empty for future needs. 

hello, it's the weekend.  Apart from attending a youth ministry leaders meeting, taking a mini-road trip with my mom to see my brother Jay's new house, and going to the gym, am pondering seeing "17 Again" which I'd rather see instead of the Miley Cyrus movie with a friend's daughter. (I'm a fan of Chandler...er, what's his name.)  

unprepared

Was intricately involved in a dream last night.  I had run around so frantic in preparing to leave work and home behind for a five-day trip to San Francisco that I arrived in SF with no luggage.  I had forgotten to pack anything.  So I called the friend I was staying with and said I needed to stop and get a few articles of clothing and some toiletries to last me the length of the trip.  The only store around (which is so not true of San Francisco) was Walgreens.  So I had to get some toiletries, makeup and some clothing there.  But it was a magic Walgreens that had stylish, warm clothing for those chilly SF evenings.  I bought a few outfits, knowing that it was okay to repeat an outfit during the five days. 

Woke up, shook my head over the idea of traveling without luggage, and then realized that four weeks from today I will be on a flight to SF for a five day stay, but I hope to bring luggage with me.  Perhaps the dream was a not-so-subtle hint to start my packing list early.

Happy Thursday to you! 

loving the blog [b-chic]

Woo hoo!  A new blog to love!  b-chic.   look at these photo.  I gasped when I saw some of them and knew I had to post them!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE these industrial looking cubbies and the table and the fabrics. oh...everything!

mixed florals bedding

I'm in love. 

Floral bedding.  Take a look. 

Thought I liked the pink bedding from Target (that's on clearance for $34.99 - the comforter in the lower right corner) but it's the garnet hill sheets and pillowcases that I adore.  There's also a matching shower curtain.  I want it all!! 

The two mixed florals bedding photos are from a house tour on Apartment Therapy:  Samantha + Julian from San Francisco.

{sarah hartill}

"You had me at the first glimpse."

My response to the first photo of Sarah Hartill's home on Design*Sponge.

Sarah's style inspiration: I find this really hard to describe, as I truly love the mix. I love mid-century modern furniture and architecture, but I also love traditional elements mixed in. I would never deck out an entire space in one style. I am constantly pulling images from various sites and posting them on my inspiration board. When I look back the only element consistent in all the shots is usually a mid century modern piece.

Photos by Sarah Hartill.

cheerfully frugal

I couldn't agree more with the items mentioned in this NY Times article.

With the cutbacks I've had to make lately to accommodate some financial challenges, it's been invigorating in a way to find out just what I NEED to survive/live on and what money can be tucked away in savings for an emergency fund. 

I always knew I needed to save, but would find other things to spend the money on. Now? Saving is a priority. My expenses are pretty minimal: no credit cards, the car is paid off, I rent my apartment, and pay the following bills: car insurance, rent, electric bill, cable bill, cell phone bill, gym membership, and deductions for my tithe to church. (Am keeping my gym membership and considering cutting out the DVR/digital cable portion of my cable service - since many of the shows I watch are online anyway. My cell phone service is at the lowest amount of services possible and is at a decent amount at the moment.) 

Any tips you'd like to share on budgeting/saving/cutting back on expenses?

[hotze eisma - photographer]

Discovered images by photographer Hotze Eisma this weekend.  Beautiful.  His website has PDF documents you can download and peruse.  Doing this occupied a nice chunk of my night last night.  (The other half of the night included playing Word Twist on Facebook!)

wardrobe inspiration

 

Finding wardrobe inspiration in the above photos.

Hoping you have a happy Easter!  Am off the next three days..and will post photos over the holiday.

Lots to do with the days: help a brother and his family load a moving truck, take some youth group girls on a mini-road trip to Sonic to fulfill their cravings for Sonic beverages and food, see the Hannah Montana movie with a friend's daughter, and organize a closet - once and for all!

sweets

Candy Shop at Macy's, originally uploaded by EmilyStyle.

there seems to be a citrus theme this week!

I'm currently reading "The Chocolate Lovers Club" - a cute british chick lit novel, but man, it's got me craving chocolate! must not give in!

just finished watching American Idol. My picks for bottom three: Scott, Lil and Chris (had to pick a third). Favorites: Allison and Danny.

Did not get to hear Adam sing as the show went long. Thanks, DVR!

style + elegance

karly and judd's house has left me almost speechless. (okay - I like it a lot)  this house is so airy, light, and full of perfect bits of color.  I'll just sit back and let you enjoy the photos.  Much more can be found here.

citrus & white

photo from the purl bee

It's Monday.  Am not very awake as someone asked how my weekend was, and my reply? "Too slow."

Was given a very funny look.  Took awhile to realize I answered the opposite way of how I felt.  Word dyslexia?!  Hopefully I'll wake up by this weekend.

Am planning a trip to San Francisco in mid-May. I lived there for eight years and this will be a great chance to see friends I left behind.  If you live in the Bay Area, want to meet for coffee?

yummmm...birch bark handmade soap

long, LONG, intense day.  Stopped in at a great little restaurant called "My Place" then arrived home to find a package of the most yummy smelling soaps ever.  Sherrie Graham and I exchanged parcels.  Bars of her handmade soaps made their way from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin, and an adorable Orla Kiely tablecloth is on its way to Nova Scotia as we speak, umm..type, you know what I mean! 

The sample bar of peppermint poppyseeds smells divine!

I could pretty much eat the Cafe Mocha bar.

The Fragrance-Free bar will be the perfect addition to my bathroom - perfect for guests.

The Lavender Bath Bar will soothe me into restful sleep.

And if I could turn a soap into a fragrance to wear daily, it would be the Oatmeal, Milk & Honey bar. Divine! I'm swooning over it.  I'll either have to make the one bar last forever or I'll have to order a lifetime supply from Sherrie!

She did not ask me to mention the soaps here.  I just had to tell you about them before all the soaps are put to use.  

It's Friday night.  Last night I went to bed - no lie - at 6:45 PM.  Who DOES that??  Apparently THIS GIRL!  I woke up refreshed...at 11:45 PM.  Went back to sleep until 3 AM.  Watched CSI's 200th episode before heading to the gym.

Tonight is another workout, while tomorrow is IKEA...again.  My friend Kathy has a three month old son who needs more storage for his clothes 'n such.  So reluctantly I will walk around the many floors that make up IKEA and may have to buy a little something.

Can't think beyond that, so I'll stop here.  Have a great weekend!!

domestic candy

  Wow.  Found more photos to drool over (not literally, of course, because that would be kind of odd).  I want to move in right now.  Mother, may I?!

Discovered domestic candy via nesting.  Loving the brightness, the orderliness, the colors. 

Liking the boxes stacked neatly on top of the armoire, the robe tucked into the corner, the pretty bed linens.

Again, it's the details.  The neatness of the counter, the items grouped and placed intentionally in the corner (the knives, the utensils, and so on), the children's stove, the table runner, the excellent use of the window sill.

Beautiful placement of color: the blue bowl, fruit, flowers, and table runner!

(Are you rolling your eyes yet, declaring my narration of the details to be overkill??!)

While my apartment has ceilings almost as high as these, it lacks the simple elegance of this room.

Seriously.  When may I move in?

corners in progress

I read blogs of people who have amazingly organized homes and make it all look so simple.  Whether or not that is the case, I thought I'd share some of my apartment's corners that are a work in progress.

The good news is that I've tackled over 50% of the closet that was overwhelmingly full for so long - not of clothing but of "stuff".   The bad news would be that I now have a towering stack of empty IKEA boxes and containers. Those may be advertised on Craigslist quite soon as I no longer need them.

Back to the corners:

random art.  those white magnetic boards have not been filled with photos yet as originally planned.  Instead, a few friends chose random items from the living areas and posted them on the boards.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?!

 

Discarded paper bag, a table runner set aside when I got a tablecloth (Orla Kiely!), and some empty shoeboxes.  Why they're camped out in the dining area, I'm not sure.

 

 

 

  

An office corner containing fabrics and frames that need to be stapled together. I will find a box to put the unfinished projects in to keep the office a tad more tidy.

I read somewhere once (and can't find the website again at all!) that the items that should be on our counters, shelves and in drawers and closets should be items we need during the week - regularly used items.  Then for those items that you can retrieve when you need them (projects, tools, photos, typical storage items) - place those in storage that is not as easily accessible as, say, your toothbrush. 

I love the idea and have been slowly implementing it in my apartment.  From the beast of a closet have arrived two containers of photos and two other containers of out of season clothing and "memories" (old journals and notebooks).  Those will be tucked into an empty storage locker in my building's basement.  I can grab what I need when I want to look that the notebooks or change the clothing for the season. 

Am getting there.  Slowly but surely - 15 minutes at a time.