Monday

Words for the week

Etsy love 3.28.2014

Only a few more hours and the weekend starts!!  Last weekend, we took down Ellies crib. I am happy to report that she has had a fantastic week in her new big girl bed. Today, I am going to put the crib on craigslist (I am not sure if I should be happy or sad., both my babies slept in that crib.  We know we don't want any more children, but my heart still aches that we will never use it again.)

I spent some time surfing CL this morning. I am always so envious of what people can find in other cities.
These are the kind of things I find:

This chair for the low low price of $300

Another Beaut.

My head is spinning.

I have started looking for vintage furniture on ETSY and found JasperKane. 

Clearly, these are all vintage in need of some love. A little bit of fabric or paint, and I would gladly put all of them in my home. And while the prices aren't as low as CL or  thrift stores, they aren't bad. All furniture is shipped via Greyhound.  I had a chair shipped from CA on a Greyhound, and it was really easy (as well as inexpensive).

I have my eye on this bench for the end of my bed. I am even considering re-upholstering it in some leopard.

What do you think? Have you ever scored on CL? Would you buy vintage from Etsy?

Patio Plans

Anyone else out there ready for spring? We certainly are! I have already started growing seeds inside (a post for a different day!) But, the outdoors are clearly on my mind. We have a few projects in the works. Last summer we had plans to add a patio, but it never happened.  It was totally my fault.  I froze and was unable to make a decision.  I am a pretty decisive person on interiors. But, when you move outside, I have trouble.  Anyone else like that?

Initially, we were going use slate for our patio. I wanted it laid subway style much like this:

(I tried, but could track the origin of these down)

Aren't these gorgeous?  

The estimates came back, and while they weren't horrible, we know we will only be in this house for a few more years. We won't get our money back when we sell. 

So I started researching other options and couldn't decide.  So I sat on it all summer and fall. 

Well, its been a long winter of thinking about it. And I am happy to report that the contract is signed and we will get a new patio the first of May. 

What did we decide on? You will just have to wait and see. 

This is the overall plan for the patio. 

We are going to knock out some windows and add french doors, most likely painted black or dark gray. 

Planters will be on either side of the door for symmetry.

A pergola will cover the patio. But, I want something different. This modern version seems to fit the bill.

A fire pit is a must. I have search online for them and keep coming back to this Restoration Hardware one. 

Hydrangea's because they are my favorite!

The chairs are still up in the air. I was thinking of this PB one. But, as I look at everything together, it seems rather predictable. Everything is on the modern side. The furniture will likely be the last thing I buy. 

Not sure if I will do 4 of the same chairs around the fire pit or something different.

I have to say I like this eclectic mix of outdoor furniture.

I have a sinking feeling that the amount of money leftover will dictate the furniture we get. 

How about you? Any big summer improvement plans?

My rug

Remember when I went on and on (and on)  about my love for Kilim rugs. That week I had purchased one, but then never said much more about it.

I got it from the ebay seller TurkishKilim.

Honestly, I can not say enough good things about the rug or the seller. Don't you love it when that happens?

This is the rug I bid on.

I was the only bidder (yes!) on a Tuesday afternoon.

No Joke, the rug was here on Friday. 

It came from Turkey!! That is some fast shipping!

I have heard that these rugs can arrive very dirty. So I was prepared to give it a good cleaning once it was here. I even called the carpet cleaning company.  However, when I received mine, it was really actually pretty clean. I went over it with a steam cleaner, but didn't get much!

The rug is so beautiful and big, almost 8x10! The colors in the ebay picture are pretty true. It has lived all over the house but has finally landed in E's big girl room (reveal to come!).

These pictures were taken when there was a lot of natural light, so the colors appear more saturated than they really are.

I still follow TurkishKilim on ebay and I would buy from them again. Currently, I have my eye on

this one, this one and this one.

What do you think? Would you ever buy a rug from another country off of ebay?

PB Kids(?)

Hi There! This week is starting to pick up the pace! Before you know it, the weekend will be here.
Ours is slammed, but I wouldn't have it any other way! In preparation our jam packed weekend, I tried to get through all my catalogs tonight. I almost skipped my PB Kids all together. I feel like I have had a love/hate relationship with the whole Pottery Barn family (and lately it has not been love). Years ago, they were my source of design inspiration. I would literally spend hours pouring over the catalogs. This, of course, was before blogs, pinterest, instagram etc. I can vividly remember, trying to make Owen's nursery look like it came from a PB Kids catalog.  Fast forward 6 years (eek is he really going to be that old?), I feel like PB Kids has fallen flat. They never come out with anything new. They constantly make the same style furniture in the same colors. Their summer arrivals, have been the same for like what (?) the past 10 years. I mean seriously, how many times can you reinvent the wheel?
BUT, tonight I found a few things that I would put in my home. PB Kids or not, some of these things would look good in non-kids rooms.

(hard to tell but this crib is gray. It makes me (almost) want another baby. 

No not really). 

(switch out those knobs for something less PB-ish and you're in business!)

(switch out the pink cushion and this chair could be killer!)

(cheaper Juju alternative)

(Sugarboo?)

(This would be a great travel bag!)

What do you think? They are trying to step up their game!

Happy hump day. The count down till the weekend is officially ON!

Dryer Balls

  Hope you all had a fantastic weekend! My weekend was full of laundry! Yuck!
But, I started thinking of..., chemicals (I know that is exactly what you thought I would say! ha!). We try to be as natural as possible here. I just don't see a need to spray our clothes, food, dishes etc. with unnecessary chemicals., and as an added bonus lil'O has sensitive skin, and I think E may be on her way!

For years, I have been using Mrs. Meyers dryer sheets. I am not a fan of static or stiff clothes and these seemed to do the trick!  The box says  the dyer sheets are 99% naturally derived. But ultimately, you are still coding your clothes with unnessary chemicals, natural or not.

I have tried plastic dryer balls in the past. They did do the trick. However, plastic is made from PVCs which is released onto the laundry by the hot dryer.  Not the answer.

Originally, I had planned to DIY some felt balls to use instead of the laundry sheets. My intentions were good, but I haven't followed through, yet. Here are the instructions:

http://www.crunchybetty.com/how-to-make-felted-wool-dryer-balls

Last week, while at Home Goods, I came across these

Total game changer!

I used them all weekend and I LOVE them. Our clothes have come out static free and soft. 

The Woolzie don't shed, so they are safe for people with wool allergies. 

If you are interested here is their website

www.woolzies.com

Obviously, they didn't pay me to say any of this!

 Just a really good product I wanted to share!

Cheers to Monday!!

Speaking of TB

After yesterdays eyewear post, I must have Tory Burch on my mind. I came across her South Hampton home on Vogue.com.

Honestly, I thought I would be in love with it but I really wasn't.

I did like this room.

And I could lay by this pool.

But, everything else was just ok.

See the rest of the tour here.

Better get excited, cause it's the weekend!!

Eyewear..,

 Do you ever have one of those weeks where nothing seems to go your way? That's the kinda week I'm having! Tomorrow is first day of spring (yay).  After this incredibly, long never ending winter, I can't wait for it to warm up! I am currently dreaming of drinks by the pool and getting dirty in the garden.

Yet, instead of shopping for sunglasses, I have had to make a detour for real glasses! Ugh! Does this mean I am getting old?

here

here

I can only hope I look as chic as these lovely ladies. 

Did you know Tory Burch made eyewear? Where have I been? (O-wait, thats right, this is the first time I have ever had to shop for them!)

I ended up with the second pair!

Fingers crossed I can pull off the look!

Happy Spring!

PS J.Crew is having a spring sale! 

Use code HEYSPRING to receive 25% off everything.., maybe my week will turn around!

A Real Deal

Hello there! I had another post planned for today, but I have a sick little buddy home from school. So I am going to make it short and sweet!

Remember when I professed my love for this lamp?

Well yesterday I found it on ebay for the buy it now price of $380.., but once you included shipping, it really wasn't that great of a deal.  So I did some looking on the internet and found it at the Designer Supply House for $365 with no shipping/ tax! This site has the lowest prices on Visual Comfort Lighting that I have seen! Of course they have my favorite scones, at a lower price than I got them for! (here and here). Ugh! What can you do right? I guess I know for next time!!

etsy love 3.17.2014

Hi friends! 

Hope you had a fantastic weekend.

Things are finally starting to feel like spring here, yay!

For this weeks etsy love, I thought I would share something I currently have in my home.

Last December, I came across this custom cross stitch people at Uncommon Goods.

I loved it! Unfortunately, it was out of my price range.

So naturally, I went to etsy and found something similar (here).

Anette was a dream to work with.

She did such an awesome job!

I was so impressed, I even got one for my sisters' family.

I love this snapshop of our family.

But, things are changing.

Our kids are growing.

Lance no longer wears glasses.

And our little black dog, Macy, is very sick. We know our time with her, is limited.

Can you tell I am totally smitten with it? 

Something I will cherish forever!

Investments and such

My husband loves to invest.

So, when I saw this original Michelle Armas, I jumped.

(came from here)

Art is an investment, too.

I framed it between two pieces of plexi-glass.

The brass bolts are from here.

It's really pretty from the side too.

What do you think?

A good investment?

Home Tour

An adorable home tour found here.

Have a great day!

I die..,

Occasionally, I find myself dreaming.

What if we won the lottery, where would we live.

Sonoma would be on top of the list.

This farmhouse would be perfect!

Can be found here.

Bistro Dinning

Table | Art | Chairs | Chandelier | Rug | Horns | Dishes | Napkin 

The sweet potato project

Remember when I mentioned this potato project? 

I showed lil'O the youtube video. 

He decided to recreate it for his school science fair.

We started with this.

We had 2 Organic sweet potato's (one from trader joe's and the other from whole foods) and one non-organic from the grocery store.

We put them into water.

Where they sat on Owen's dresser for 3 weeks.

The organic sweet potatos grew sprouts. 

{To be honest, the TJ's potato grew less sprouts. It had been sitting in my pantry for a few weeks.., perhaps this had something to do with it?}

The non-organic potato did not grow any.

My little scientist at the fair.

He had a lot of fun with this project.

We are planning to continue with this experiment..,

We'll let you know what happens!