Can someone turn this room into a dress?

First of all, I'm in love with this bedroom from House to Home.
Secondly, I would love to have a spring dress with the flower print on the top and a flowy bottom from the window treatments.

Holiday style.

If I ever have a fantastically fancy holiday cocktail party to attend in my life-time, this is what I will wear:

A little black dress (a la Breakfast at Tiffany's).

This chunky number of a necklace.

A small Skeleton Key ring, and some simple ballet flats.

Add champagne et voila!

Life lists.

I love reading these little peeks into other people's life lists over at Mighty Girl. I'm more than a little bit jealous that Intel sponsored Maggie's Life List, and I have been following her progress on the blog. She's traveled, tried new foods and even organized a massive whipped cream fight.

So, in response, here are a few things on my life list:

Write and illustrate a children's book and get it published.
Take a ride in a hot air balloon.
Be there when two of my best friends have their first babies this summer.

Viewfinder pictures around the house.

Friday afternoon I decided to take some pictures through my twin lense camera around the house. Here are some of the results.

On Thanksgiving, I came across this assortment of threads in one of my grandma Tissy's drawers. She doesn't sew as much as she used to, and said I could have them! They look so pretty, I almost feel bad using them.

Christmas decorating.

{Our mantle}
Now that Thanksgiving is over, I've started some Christmas decorating!

Thanksgiving pictures.

This was a very special Thanksgiving for me. It was my very first time celebrating the holiday with my mom's side of the family! We had a great time, ate too much, and watched the video of my grandpa bungi jumping when he was 81*!

My grandma whipped up this centerpiece. She is so very talented.

Here are my cousins wearing my grandpa's air force jackets.

Last but not least, Rudy shaved off his beard and I gave him a hair cut! He told my grandpa that he would shave a few months ago and made good on the promise for the day. Bunky was very pleased, and even called the day after to thank Rudy for thinking of him.

*Rudy will be putting the video up on youtube shortly, and I will post it here when that happens.

Safari chairs.

{One of our safari chairs}

A couple of weeks ago, I was telling my grandma my plans for our living room, and that I would like to get two chairs to flank the fireplace. She said she had some old ones that were too low for her to get out of, and she brought them over.

Well it turns out these chairs she gave us are pretty important pieces! They are safari chairs designed by mid-century Swedish designer Arne Norell. I feel very design savvy having a pair of these beauties.

Soon after getting the chairs, I noticed them at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, (pictured below), and in this loft I posted about earlier.

Next time I'm in Palm Springs, I know where I'm staying!

Snow.

The snow came this morning. It was every bit as magical as I imagined it. I sat on the porch with my tea and a blanket and watched it float peacefully and silently down.

It didn't stay long, just stuck to the grass for a while and then was gone. Such a beautiful morning for getting beautiful news from my best friend...

-photo by alicia bock

Poster poster where are you?

I have decided that I need this poster for our guest room.
Can I have some help with that Santa?

Poem and picture friday.

With a severed hand and light in my eyes
I'll sink into this feeling of safety.
Am I letting go
Or am I holding on?
Deep down I know what I want.
Everything in me screams rebellion against feeling soft.
It's amazing how fast the heart goes from stone to flesh,
And back again.
Not yet.
So much further to go.
Move away
Turns my stomach
Stings my fingers.

-me

-photo by anna wolf

Dreamy Japan.

This post over at sfgirlbybay of Rob Spicer's dreamy polaroids of Japan has me wishing I could get on a plane right now.

Dress like a dandy and ride your bike.

Last Sunday in D.C. , hundreds of bikers took to the streets dressed as dandies in tweed and Victorian lace. I'm in love. To see the whole article, and many more photos like this, go here.
For the NPR story and even more photos, go here.
Photos shown here are from the first link.

SO! How 'bout it Columbus, who's with me?

Neutral explorer's loft.

Earlier I said that I wanted an old chest for our living room, and my inspiration for this desire came from this loft, featured in the New York Times home and garden section. To see the whole article, go here. The chest and the tripod lamp make me feel like this loft is home to an explorer, and that might be the direction I'd like to take our living room.

I love how the inside of the books set a neutral background for the bed area.

Pretty pretty.

{How pretty is this kitchen?! I could just see it in my apartment in Paris}

While over at Desire to Inspire, I came across the photography of Joanna Henderson and I am floored. So much inspiration, I think my mind is going to explode.

I've been thinking a lot about lighting lately, and I think this lamp is my favorite of all time. Plus, wishbone chairs have always been my favorite:)

A brave poem and a picture friday.

I recently came across one of my journals from 2006, a year of turning points and big decisions. I decided to share some of my writing from that journal this week, and maybe to share my poems on fridays from now on. So here goes nothing!

Little boys with bed-head

Whole grains and fresh fruit
Can't tell me what I want
Wish it was that simple.

Coffee cups and magazines
Can't suggest to me my needs
Wish I was that simple.

Too big trucks with small men in them.

This is mostly true.

Photo from the lovely project (now book) 3191 Miles Apart

Two things I've been pining for...and a bedroom.

I've had my eye on the Ikea Stockholm Sofa Table for quite some time now. I would not, however, use it as a sofa table, but as a buffet/sideboard in our dining room. Also, ever since seeing a certain apartment that I will share with you later, I really want to find a great antique chest like the one above for our living room.

And! How pretty is this bedroom? I think I'm in love...

Both of these images came from skona hem, which I cannot read but can certainly drool over all of the beautiful images.

Lastly, who's excited for the Project Runway finale tonight!!! I'm so lucky to have next door neighbors who have a TV and who invite us over for the show every week. Thanks Jason and Jessica!

Amy Butler Bags

I saw Amy Butler's new line of travel bags over at Decor8 this morning and was surprised at how much I loved this bag. Don't get me wrong, I too have been mesmerized by Amy's fabrics, but after a couple years of seeing them everywhere, I'm a bit burnt out. The designs on this bag, however are new and fresh, and I really like combination of the two. Plus the brown piping and handles are beautiful!

Fall necklaces.

PetitesCuriosities

I went exploring on Etsy today thinking of Thanksgiving parties and all the pretty colors around me every day. I love the antique feel to all of these and their burnished bronzy chains.

BotanicalBird

Lara Lewis
{A typewriter complete with a tiny letter!}

LaurenK

Lara Lewis

Gocco!

It's about that time to dive into my crazy Christmas card making of the season and I've been looking for some different ways to do this. For the past two years I've been making them by hand with cut paper, (which takes a very l o n g time to do as you might guess). I love the idea of printing my own design on a Gocco printer! Too bad they have been discontinued and seem hard to come by.

Save Gocco is by far the best resource for everything Gocco, with resources, pictures and instructions.

We heart gocco was an exhibit at The Wurst Gallery in Portland, Oregon, and the link has some great examples of art printed on a gocco.

Here are a couple of examples I liked as well:
{Sugar Loop}
I love this one as inspiration for a holiday card.

{Mizna Lens}

In the backyard.

A couple of days ago it was beautiful and sunny so Rudy and I spent some time in our backyard. The picture on the right is on our crumbling stairs which are being torn down and replaced today! Too bad that pretty vine is being torn down also.

Playing with food.

I used some of the apples we picked to make a delicious apple crisp. I loved the way the little guys looked all peeled so I snapped some shots.

More playing with food.

The Hocking Hills.

A couple of weekends ago, Rudy and I went down to the Hocking Hills with some new friends. It was incredibly beautiful. Here are just a few of the pictures I got while we were there. As always, click on any photo for a larger view.

{Hobbit hole on the right}

{Old man's cave on the right}

Pretty pretty.

I love all of the things hanging in these photos, especially the strands of different sized circles. SO pretty.

Originally seen on decor8, via losbter and swan.