Power of the Word-Ah….

I was talking with a friend the other day about styling a bookshelf, and I thought I would post some pictures that feature books. It’s one of those areas that most of us have in our homes, and it’s easy to not notice them in magazines, catalogs or other pictures. Take a look next time you are browsing through Elle Decor, West Elm, Potterybarn, or whatever magazine/catalogs you get. Those are the best places to notice how they set up office areas, bookshelves, and collections of things. Bookshelves (or any shelves, really) are one of the areas that if you give a bit of attention to it, it can go from being something that is kind of ignored (yet often seen), to a feature in your home. And I love books. Some books are beautiful. Some are not, but we still want them, need them, and need a place for ’em, so here’s to embracing the things that are have-to’s (like housing my 10 Maeve Binchy novels and an entire crate full of back issues of Rolling Stone) and making them work to our advantage. We can bring our bookcases from behind the scenes background pieces to feature presentations (wow- that’s a little too intense for an inanimate object :-))…

I think I have posted this before, but I can't help myself...I love it

Take a look at some of those pictures and see how they layer books and art or photographs, stack objects of interest or sentimental value, and break up the rows of books.

The Broads Do It Better Abroad

Is it just me, or does every British girl ever born have incredible fashion sense?  To illustrate my point, I present you with two of my favorite fashion savvy Brits:

(Kate Moss via Trendland.net)

(Kate Moss via Dailymail.co.uk)

(Alexa Chung via Popbee.com)

(Alexa Chung via People.com)

Both of these ladies have incredible taste, and the thing that I really love about their style is that it is so laid back and effortless. I have to remind myself each day that being stylish doesn’t mean I have to ignore the simple pieces in my closet. Tomorrow, I’m taking a cue from Alexa and throwing on my favorite cut-off jean shorts, black tights, boots, and a simple tee….and maybe a scarf for good measure.

Strokes Of Genius….

This stroke of genius I saw while I was watching Bravo’s new show Design By 9. This show is awesome…it follows a New York couple with seven- yes seven, kids. They build amazing homes and have a design firm called Sixx Design.

They do really cool, extremely modern yet cozily vintage spaces. They mix the colorful and bold with the eclectic and well-worn. Anyways, back to the point- one of the things they did was use a garage door where a window would have been. In New York (and other cities), the buildings and flats often have floor to ceiling windows, so they used a garage door that had windows as panels instead of a regular window. That way when it is a beautiful day, or they have a party they can just open the garage door and it opens right out onto the patio and deck. Genius!

Now, I don’t think anyone I know would ever actually be able to do this idea, but it is fun to dream and file it away just in case…you never know:-)

Here are some other Sixx Design images:

Every Once In A While – A Splurge!

(Shirt – Anthropologie, Shorts – J. Crew, Tights – Old, Boots – Frye, Knuckle Ring – Elizabeth & James)

Check out this awesome ring I just got!  Now, something you have to know about me is that I’m a lady that loves a deal. I love sales, I love $4 rings from Forever 21… but this ring was not $4… however, I just couldn’t help myself.  The way I figure it – if you find something you LOVE, that you will wear all of the time (this ring has been literally glued to my finger since it arrived), then go for it!

Hey Kevin, watch my swan dive…

(can anyone name what beloved sitcom that is from??) Meet my new friends Kevin and Amanda-

 

I actually have no idea who they are, but I found my new friends while I was looking for some new handwriting fonts….and I found the motherload!

They have a tooooon of free fonts that are based on people’s handwriting  (called “fonts for peas”). I love them because they are not so computer generated looking. They also have a bunch of what they call “scrapbook fonts”. Here are some of my fav’s:

This is just a taste…there are so much more. Have fun:-)

Here A Braid, There A Braid, Everywhere A Braid-Braid!

(Photo courtesy of  Fashion Squad)

(Photo courtesy of Vans Girls Blog)

(Photo courtesy of Artistic Things)

(Me, in my office today after work – Photo courtesy of my iphone)

Oh braids, how I love thee, let me count the ways:

1) You are easy.

2) Thanks to Alexander Wang Spring 2010 runway, you have become fashionable.

3) You are easy.

4) With you, there are infinite possibilities – Side Braids, Slim Braids, Two Braids, Braid Crowns, Messy Braids…

5) You are easy.

But seriously, how fantastic is it to see something coming down the runway that you could do to your own hair in about a minute flat? Incredibly fantastic, that’s how much!  So join me, and hop on the  braid train!

Some Stuff On The Side…

I built this side table several months ago and have had no idea what to do with it. I keep waiting, hoping I’ll see something that I like somewhere or something that sparks an idea.

I’ve thought about covering parts of it in wallpaper samples a la this idea from Design Sponge

I’ve thought about writing words all over it a la this couch from HGTV’s Design Star 2009

It's a little hard to tell in the picture, but Nathan (the guy who did this), wrote words all over this white leather couch. I have no idea what the heck I would write all over my table. Maybe something meaningful like "Alright stop, collaborate and listen...."

 I googled “DIY Side Table” and here is some cool stuff I found-

Image courtesy of Savvy Housekeeping

Image courtesy of Blueprint Magazine, found at anh-minh.com

Just kidding on this one...although my son would love it

Found this random product that looks pretty cool called sticview. It actually looks like exactly that kind of thing I need. I'll have to check out the prices..

We’ll see what I end up deciding. On another note, I have a couple other projects that I hope to have finished soon to show you. One is my littlest boys room, and the other is that DIY string pendant that I posted about before. I did do it….but something bad happened! If I was better at this blog thing, I would have taken pictures of the disaster that ensued to show you, but I didn’t even think about it as I was tossing my labor of love into the garbage. I did learn something though, and so tenacity prevails and I will try again!

Coffee, Orange Juice, & A Thick Slice of (Fashion) Toast

In my experience, I need 3 things to start my day off perfectly:

1) A latte from Verve in Capitola, CA (go there – order a latte – it’s the best you’ll ever have)

2) An orange juice, halfway frozen

3) A new post to read on Fashion Toast

Fashion Toast is a fashion blog by a woman named Rumi Neely.  Rumi happens to be blessed with beauty, and an absolutely incredible sense of style. These are some of my favorite pics posted by Rumi on Fashion Toast.

So, if you’d like to indulge in a little coveting with me, or just need some inspiration, head over to Fashion Toast to check it out!

I Heart Etsy

Etsy is great. I love that there is a forum for people who love to create, and give them a way to have their art be showcased and visible when they might not have another way to do that. Here are some current favorites:

I love this painting courtesy of kikiandpolly. I want to order it for my bathroom

I am a sucker for letterpress. I love the simplicity. There are several people on Etsy who make custom invitations, monograms, and thank notes

see...sucker! I don't know what you would do with this but it's super cute!

This seller (brokesy) does not have this available anymore, but I love it

 

I have a thing for big rings...

Front Door Eye Candy

and this to me is the ultimate beauty….