What I’d Wear If…
I were Jennifer Lawrence, going to the Oscars.
Jen’s having a moment, a BIG FREAKING MOMENT. She’s receiving awards and critical acclaim for an outstanding performance, and kicking butt with a bow and arrow while being fought over by Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.
So, if I were Jennifer Lawrence, and I’m heading into the Oscars knowing I will most likely be taking that beautiful golden 13 1/2″ man home with me, I would be wearing this beaut….
Oscar de la Renta Spring 2013
Searching For The Perfect Desk
So this crazy lady walked into a bar…….a furniture bar. And by furniture bar I mean store. And by crazy lady I mean me.
I have been hunting, searching, obsessing, going mentally bonkers over trying to find the right desk for my boys. I don’t want to be doing this. I want to find one. I want to just pick one! And be done! But nothing is quite right.
It needs to be long (close to 70″), not too deep (maybe 24″??), and hopefully have some kind of storage or drawers. And, I would like to not pay more than $200. I sound like the dummies on Selling New York who tell their Real Estate Agent they want a fireplace, a view, a doorman, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, all in Manhattan, for under one million. What am I smoking???
I thought this might work-
Cost Plus World Market Campaign Desk
I like the look, but in person it was really rickety, and the drawer was like an inch deep. Basically zero storage. Mashugana. I’m trying to avoid Ikea, because I’m hoping to find something with a bit more character. I’m probably looking at a DIY. I googled “long skinny desk”, and this is by far the weirdest picture that came up-
That’ll keep ya up at night.
I have looked at Goodwill probably 16 times, and visited local vintage furniture stores. I indeed feel like a crazy person, who will end up rocking back and forth perched on the edge of my couch chewing my nails, muttering “must find desk” over and over again.
For awhile I looked for a couple of filing cabinets that I could paint or makeover, and put a nice piece of wood or old table top over the top of them, but that has kind of bombed out.
I like the look of this, but maybe with some amazing brass hardware instead of those brushed stainless ones-
I would like to keep my sanity and find a desk soon……any ideas???
Christmas Party DIY’s- Bucks, Stripes, and Glitz
I realized I never posted photos for the Christmas party I did last month-
My favorite is the giant eight foot tall Buck I did. It’s just painted with kids Tempera Paint on the brown paper they sell at home improvement stores. It’s a giant roll for like 12 bucks. It’s intended to use as floor covering when wallpapering or painting, but I cannot tell you how many things I have used it for (including wrapping paper). Some of the best 12 bucks ever spent.
I also loved the DIY striped candles. I’ll do a how-to next week on that.
How To Pack For Long Trips
I get a lot of questions about how to pack when going on an extended trip. The trouble with traveling for 6 weeks at a time is that you can’t take 6 suitcases with you. Especially if you will be travelling to multiple destinations. It’s not so much of a problem if you will be travelling to 1 or 2 destinations and staying at each one for an extended amount of time. However, if like husband and I you travelled for 6 weeks as follows: California -> Nashville -> Nice -> Barcelona -> London -> Paris -> The Cinque Terre -> Lucca -> Sorrento -> Positano -> Rome -> California, you bet your buttuci you will want to have packed as light as possible.
My general rule for packing for extended trips is to bring a few options in each category that pretty much all go together.
(Black Maxi – Anthropologie, Leopard Shift – J. Crew, Trench – Cartonnier via Anthropologie, Leather Jacket – Anthropologie, White Tee – J. Crew, Blouse – Konrad & Joseph via Anthropologie, Chambray Shirt – Madewell, Striped Long-sleeve – Anthropologie, White Blouse – Equipment, Boots – Frye, Sandals – Sam Edelman, Leopard Flats – J. Crew, Bag – J. Crew Brompton Hobo, Cuffs – Anthropologie, Watch – Marc by Marc Jacobs, Black Skinnies – AG, Jean Shorts – Madewell, Jeans – Pilcro)
Depending on the season I might swap out a couple things, for instance – If I’m going in spring or summer, I swap the black jeans for white ones, and pack some more cotton and warm weather items.
Once I have a good base of “Everything goes with everything” pieces, I add in a couple of fun and colorful items so things don’t feel too boring or monotonous. ie:
The last thing I do is pack doubles of a couple of items (like the white v-neck, or a couple white tank tops) that I know I will use a lot, so that I don’t have to do laundry quite as often.
And don’t forget to use an online travel checklist specific to the place you’re going. A good one for travel in Europe can be found here. You don’t have to stick to it like it’s your last lifeline, but checking against a list like this can be helpful to make sure you’re not missing anything important.
Any questions? What am I missing? Help me out here, folks!
The Murphy Sofa
Dear Lord in heaven, is this sucker a beaut or what?!
She’s 100% perfect cottony-velvet goodness, and at $1400, she’s by no means a steal, but is also one of the lowest priced couches available at Room and Board. And lets face it, while you and I may not have $1400 to plop down on a goddess of a sofa any time we please, it is by no means an unfair price.
Room and Board Murphy Sofa
Here, observe her in her natural habitat…
Room and Board Murphy Sofa
So, while I spend the next many months trying to explain to husband the many reasons why this sofa NEEDS a place in our home, I’m hoping to have some people with more cojones and more money than me purchase it and leave some wonderful feedback for me to reference to reassure him.
What Flor Do You Like?
I ordered some sample carpet tiles from Flor to find something for my boys playroom. The room is small, and it doesn’t get a lot of light, so I want something light. It currently has a wood floor (which I love), but it’s not the most cozy thing to lay on and play.
The carpet tiles also cannot be too textured, because who wants to do a puzzle or try to stand up legos on some chunky wooly thing. So, here are the contenders-
From left to right-
The first one (Reverb) reads a little celery colored in person. Suit Yourself has a lot of little threads of color woven in it that you cant really see in this picture, but that I don’t like in person. I’m leaning toward one of the other two. The carpet tiles would not be wall to wall, but will be more like an 8×10 rug where you can see the wood all the way around- so there will be wood between where the Flor tiles stop and where the Nate Berkus runner is (one of my loves).
I need your help! What do you guys like??
A Broad Abroad: A Night Out In Rome
On our last night in Europe, husband and I took a long stroll through Rome, with dinner in the Jewish Ghetto (once you eat there, it’s hard to want to eat anywhere else). It feels pretty amazing strolling down the street and coming upon ruins that have been around since before Jesus walked the earth. We don’t exactly have that sort of history lying around every corner in California.
(Dress – J. Crew – Jacket – Anthropologie Biker Melange Jacket (old), Sandals – Sam Edelman (old), Bag – J. Crew Brompton Hobo)
And that, my friends, brings us to the end of #HashtagEuro2012…. I hope you’ve enjoyed travelling through Europe with husband and I. I’ve certainly enjoyed reliving each stop through photos and memories.
So, husband. Where to next?
A Broad Abroad: Rome – The Vatican!
On our last full day in Europe, husband and I visited the Vatican, and just walked around Rome exploring the city.
“OOH! It looks like I’m in the giant land in Super Mario Brothers – take my picture!”
Husband at lunch – we had a TO-DIE-FOR meal in the Jewish Ghetto (one of about four in a two-and-a half-day period) – Mark Zuckerberg lunched there the same day with his new wife! How crazy is that?
Fried artichoke – this was SO GOOD
(Top and Bag – J. Crew, Pants – Levi’s, Sandals – Sam Edelman)
Adding A Little Something
Every year at Christmas time, when it comes time to put all the finer things in place that came my way, I can’t seem to just put them away. I have to do them justice, which usually means things like re-arranging and editing an entire closet in order to accommodate some new pants and shoes, needing to purchase a new desk because my boys now have new art supplies and it makes me realize how horribly disorganized their current desk is……you get the idea.
My mom got me those twig stick hurricane candle holders from One Kings Lane, and they didn’t fit on the old table, so I moved some things around. I actually would probably never have picked them out for myself, but they are the perfect thing for that spot- a little rustic and cozy and natural, next to the glossy vase and shiny brass. Those brass nesting tables are the ones I got from the Goodwill where my friend (who’s a dude mind you) asked what I was going to be doing to make over their hideousness. I just responded by dropping my jaw and widening my eyes. Enough said.
My two books that I am so excited to read through sit their waiting for me. One morning I will sit with a blanket and a large latte in my orange velvet chair and read them.
A Broad Abroad: Rome – The Colosseum!
(Skirt – Via Anthropologie, Tee – J. Crew available here, Bag – J. Crew available here, Sandals – Sam Edelman)
We spent our first morning in Rome exploring some ruins and visiting the coliseum. It’s pretty amazing to think that not that long ago people were watching fights to the death as entertainment. Hunger Games anyone? What I wouldn’t give to read that book again for the first time. It would be like seeing Lost again for the first time. Or Friday Night Lights.
Pomp And Circumstance 
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