Dreamy Accessories

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Hi, everyone! Sorry I went MIA again.  I was off in Chicago enjoying a lovely extended weekend with friends, which consisted of swooning over a pile of babies. It was awesome.  Much recouping was necessary after a road trip with a baby.  Seriously, when are babies going to understand that sometimes you have to be in your car seat for long periods of time and crying doesn't help the situation? Gah!

Now where was I going with this...

Since you all have been informed that the mister and I are currently knee deep in a screened-in porch makeover, I thought I'd put together a board of just a few items I'm coveting for our new outdoor room.  We've been using this porch as storage for the last 2 years, sadly.  We have no garage, no shed.  But the time has come to say, "screw it!" and put it all in another spot that doesn't make sense.  Thus paving the way for my dream porch, with beautiful tile, many plants and the perfect patio furniture and accessories.  

1. This throw blanket from Terrain is absolutely gorgeous and I would throw down the money for it in a heartbeat if I knew it would remain pristine.  Both colors are gorgeous and would look wonderful on any piece of furniture, don't you think?

2. The Belvedere Collection from Target has been my favorite among patio furniture collections in the affordable category.  We've been waiting for the end-of-summer sales to snag something up.  Does anyone have any other suggestions for outdoor furniture sets aside from the usual suspects? I'd love to hear.

3. I love these pillows from Crate & Barrel for the bright colors and geometric patterns.  They would look good indoors or out.  They might not match the others on this list but, whatever, I say. What. Ev. Er.

4. Also from Crate and Barrel - the Tampico Lantern.  It's soft touch and soft glow would leave us feeling warm and snugly at nights.  Plus, it's on mega sale!

It's so fun to play this game.  If only they could all be mine!

Thursday Loves

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I love this room for so many reasons.  We have been talking about our screened-in porch for quite some time now and still haven't quite settled on one specific idea.  We want to transform it into another room that we can lounge in when the weather is nice and not use it as a catch-all for all the things that have no home (we have a terrible habit of this).  Since we don't have a shed yet, or a garage (only a carport), the porch has to serve as storage for tools and the mower.  But once we figure out how to get that stuff out of there, we plan to lay tile or some sort of flooring, add furniture and maybe even a curtain and decorate it nicely.  I'm finding tons of inspiration from this one image alone but am VERY open to your lovely suggestions :)  Via

Seeing as though it's the perfect time of the year to eat corn, this recipe from A Beautiful Mess seems a pretty delicious way to eat some corn on the cob.  We had some last night but we still have several more ears left to eat.  I'm thinking that this might be the way to go next time!  

This dress is so darling - and for all you lucky ladies with backs like hers, I think it would be hard to resist the urge to snatch this up at once!  Via

Before my family was in town, the mister and I had been doing a great deal of reading in bed.  I read all the time but he rarely reads.  Last night we did just this and it felt so good.  Any good book suggestions for when I'm through reading my current book?  Via

Last, for all you mamas and papas out there, this article about raising successful children is pretty good.  

Sorry for my absence this week, but it's been one of those weeks where I have just been living my life away from the computer.  My family left Tuesday so we went to celebrate our anniversary the proper way on Tuesday night with a delicious prix fixe meal from Harvest - a farm-to-table restaurant here in Louisville.  It was a special event with the Bluegrass Brewing Company that night, which paired four beers with four courses that were SUPERB.  All I can say is...smoked deviled egg...holy wow!

Also, we've been completely sucked into the Olympics every single night.  How about you?  How have you been?  Hope your weeks are going great!

Home Finds

candle // throw blanket // vase // lamp // bowl

I wish I could get my hands on some of these goods - specifically that pricey chevron blanket.  The colors in this palette are so soothing to me and I love so much how that red-orange really pops!

Happy Porch = Happy Pieces

HAPPY PORCH

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bag // dress // ring // ring // hat - similar one here // polish // sandal

I could stare at this porch for hours.  Hopefully while wearing this ensemble, no?

Office :: Organized

cord clips // magazine file // hands // desk lamp // shelf // pencil cup // desk 

Lately, I've been overwhelmed by the desire to completely finish everything in our house.  It's been a year, folks, and we still haven't hardly put together the office in which the mister works out of every M-F.  There is something really wrong with that, because we've had a lot of time to do so.  It's one of the rooms we've neglected altogether - it's still the original paint color from when we moved in, there were piles and stacks of things that had have no home, the liter box is just...there, the bookshelves were in disarray.  The weekend before last, we hunkered down and cleared out the ridiculous amounts of paper stacked up everywhere (and not so much in stacks, really, more in random chaotic piles).  We kind of shoved things in the closet (although I honestly need that closet to look like this) and made some space for a furniture rearrangement.  We refiled our important papers, tossed out old ones, put magazines in order in a filing system and called it done for now.  So here we are, ready to begin, with a somewhat clueless approach to it all.  I guess I should just begin by blowing copious amounts of money on the cutest accessories I can find, right??

Thursday Loves

Is it just me or are these rooms absolutely beautiful?  The deep shade on the walls - gasp! I want.  Via

Summer has really got me in the mood for fruit, so when I stumbled across this amazing post on the rockstar diaries, I got really, really excited.  I would love to be able to enjoy this at a party, wouldn't you?

I'm a big fan of the color and print of these Doug & Gene Meyer scarves.  I'm not a scarf girl by any means but these make me want to be one.

Oh, Albatross.  Your darling creations amuse me very much.  I could stare at this little Gus look alike for ages.

I have the perfect guy in mind to send this to.  Because it's oh so true!  Such great work at Quill & Fox!

How are your week's going?  Last night I had a very lovely belated birthday celebration with family.  We dined at a local brewery, ate a reese's cake from Homemade Pie Kitchen and I received so many cool presents it's not even funny.  I'm in such a state of bliss from all the love!

{Finnish Design Shop}

1.  Newspaper Stand $169 // 2.  Calendar $122 // 3.  Dropp Bowl $71 // 4. Cameo Container $69 // 5.  Remix Cushion $98 // 6.  Remix Blanket $145 // 7.  Grass Vase $65 // 8.  Candlestick set $215 // 9.  Clock $155

I have a confession.  I have a crush.  On this Finnish Design Shop.  Obviously. 

 I was tipped off via Pinterest and have been lusting ever since.  Unfortunately, the prices are unattainable for me, but I do hope that this serves as inspiration for many of you.  I know I'll be on a quest to find the next best thing to these lovely objects.  

P.S. - Happy May Day!

Thursday Loves

I swear, I find the best fishbowls that this world has to offer.  Online, of course.  And very expensive, but of course.  The thing is, I wasn't even looking for one.  I love our fishbowl and our 2 goldfish are well into their second year!  I just think this "fishscape" is pretty darn amazing.  Via

After 6 long weeks of anticipation, our Subaru FINALLY showed up!  I drove it to work yesterday and the husband drove it last night to get pizza from Spinelli's (mmm).  Needless to say, we are in love.  I'm so excited for the many adventures this little Impreza will take us on!

I've had hammocks on the brain as of late.  I've been craving a cat nap in the sun with a frosty beverage at my side.  Now I've discovered a slew of beautifully handmade hammocks and I can't stop lusting after them all.  I definitely think an order is in my future.  Via

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Well, today it's being finalized.  We're officially going to Jamaica for some good times with good people.  Our plans to go back to Florida were foiled, so why not take the next step up and leave the country altogether?!  I'm pretty pumped about a tropical vacation to someplace that was never really on my destination list but has gotten me excited anyway.  Have you ever taken an all-inclusive trip before? We have never, but I'm hoping it's all for the best!

Last, here is one seriously cool small room via Apartment Therapy.  I love the color on the wall and I'm head over heels for that blue pot + plant combo.  Nicely done.  Via

How have your weeks been?  Hoping they are wonderful.  Happy almost Friday! xoxo.

Thursday is Random

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With the weather warming up, my mind has been on all things outdoors.  I really want to be able to fully decorate our screened-in back porch but it is currently being used as a shed (until we have a proper shed, which might be awhile considering how expensive it is to build one).  I have high hopes for this back porch of ours.  High hopes indeed.  

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This morning, a Facebook friend of mine posted a link to this blog post and I really felt the need to pass it along.  My oldest niece is quickly becoming a teenager, and I really agree with just about everything the author had to say.  Teenage girls need to hear this stuff over and over, don't you agree?

I'm a big fan of maps - especially personalized ones, so when I ran across this personalized map of the United States of America according to...by Hands Workshop, I fell for it.  I'm not quite sure how I would personalize it though.  I've lived in 3 different states in my life and have visited many.  How would you even decide?!

Oh sweet Anthropologie dress, won't you be mine?  

I'm also rather obsessed with lighting these days.  I really want to string cafe lights all over the place and buy all new lighting for indoors.  Just more to lust after, right?

Last, don't forget to enter the giveaway! Time is running out before a lucky winner is picked to receive a bag of awesomeness from Kristen Solecki!

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Color Inspiration :: Red + Gray-Blue

Last week, we painted our smallest bathroom a color called "cold steel".  In the store, it was gray as gray gets.  It was perfect under the incandescent/fluorescent/daylight lights they have in-store and we were sold on it.  When we started painting, I couldn't get over how blue it was turning out.  It's so odd because even in our living room, the color is still very gray and not blue at all.  But in the bathroom...let's just say, lesson learned.  Always bring the paint sample home first before you give in to impulse.  Don't get me wrong, I really do adore the color and the bathroom needed something to both lighten and spruce it up a bit.  I'm just left a little perplexed for color schemes and disappointed I don't get to have my gray and yellow bathroom.  Alas...

But thanks to Pinterest, inspiration is endless.  Case in point ::

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In the room, we have a yellow shower curtain (hence my gray + yellow aspirations) and there is beautiful white trim.  So to really give it a punch of color, I think accessorizing with red is a perfect fit.

Now I just need to purchase something vibrant to hang on the walls in there.  Because we own practically zero red things to accessorize with!  

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And for some extra oomph, not necessarily in the bathroom but just around the house ::

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And just because, here is an outfit in this palette that has my heart ::

Color Inspiration :: Gray-blue + red by meaganpie featuring a pinstripe dress

I'm feeling inspired...are you?  Are you a fan of this palette?

Thursday's Randoms

I'm definitely a big fan of these mint porcelain bowls by artist Kim Westad.  She has amazing stuff in her shop, seriously.

I'm head-over-heels in love with these doors and the rug, especially paired together.  Why can't Gus let us own a rug? Why does he have to run to it whenever he gets a hairball?  Le sigh...

Seeing tops like this has me totally ready for fall (at least fashion-wise).  Such beautiful fall colors!

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Tonight I am going to the Kentucky State Fair! I haven't been to a fair in ages, probably since high school.  I'm pretty excited to eat some fried stuff, barf it all up on some rides and listen to this band.  

The other night, we bought a firepit for our yard (yay for sales!) and it is going to be awesome.  Aside from a fence and a dog (and flowers and a gnome), our yard is really only missing one other thing - a hammock.  Wouldn't this netted cocoon hammock be pretty awesome? Especially out here, in mosquito heaven.  I want one, that's for sure.

Lastly, I couldn't resist leaving you with this incredible set of Mr. Fox espresso cups.  They would make my mornings pretty wonderful (at least at first, right?!)

***UPDATE***  I found MISS BADGER cups! Woo!

Happy Thursday!

Color Help

Friends, I need your advice.  I know you guys have good taste and know many things about decorating/designing.  So can you please help?

The picture above is our fireplace.  Never mind the boxes and mirror and other random things strewn about around it.  We still haven't unpacked our living room because we're waiting to paint.  I swear.

Speaking of paint...that's where you come in.  Even though it looks gray in the picture, our walls are all painted the same color.  It's a brownish/mauve-ish/pinkish/taupeish color and it's not for us.  The stone in the fireplace has a mix of red and blue undertones and all the woodwork in our house is white.  We have very pretty crown molding and our front door is the most fabulous front door ever.  See?

So anyway, that's what we have to work with when choosing a paint color.  Some things to remember ::

1. The room is sort of long and narrow
2. The stone in the fireplace has cool undertones
3. We are fans of open and airy homes
4. We are not fans of the brownish/pinkish/mauve-ish/taupe-ish color on the wall or any colors like it.
5. I wrote this post before we moved in about decor inspiration (just so you know).

That's all. Thank you in advance for any suggestions you may have!

Home Goods

Just a few home accessories I'm lusting after.  You know, if I was chock full of money and could buy all of these cool things.  But a girl can dream...

1. Flower pot table lamp from Finnish Design Shop - $390
2. Early 20th Century Tapestry Blankets from Jen Jones Welsh Quilts - $326 ea
3. Halve Bookends from Dig - $49.99
4. Sunrise clock from Clockeee - $85
5. Oiva Toikka barn owl from Selfridges & Co - out of stock
6. Table Globe from Design Within Reach - $295
7. Tea sub infuser from Utility - $16
8. Tatine Garden + Forest candle from Tatine - price unknown