Happy New Year!

Couldn't help but laugh at this. You get me, Emily McDowell.   Love her other hand-illustrated notecards and prints, too!  Let's do this, 2014.

Table Makeover



Had so much fun redoing this table!  A friend invited me to a Friday night chalk painting workshop in Richmond, so I scouted out a piece of furniture to bring along.  Got lucky and found this solid wood side table for 25 bucks on craigslist!

 

I hadn't used chalk paint before, thinking it would be a little too "shabby-chic" for my liking.  But I ended up loving it! Because of its "chalkiness" you just layer your colors, and then rub off the top coat wherever you want the base color to show through.  And no priming or sanding required. Sign me up!

 

Glad I went with this fun bold color choice and a glossier wax finish.  Can't wait to do another!

 

Big Joy, Ittie Bittie Plants

Stop into Strange's Garden Center if you're in Richmond!

It should be warm. 

The birds are out and chirping in the morning; and the walk from my car to the office (which happens to be set way out in the woods) has been accompanied recently by a chorus of croaking frogs from a nearby pond.  Also, it's March.  Which, as far as I'm concerned, is a Spring month and needs to act like it.

On Friday I quickly went from "YAY WE MADE IT!" to "holy windchill it's still freezing and gray, I'm going to die!"  It was so unsunny, in fact, that I felt the need to use my headlights in the middle of the day.  Hope deferred.

The remedy?  I stopped into a local greenhouse and moseyed around for an hour.  The endless rows of LIFE and color, the smell of fresh unfrozen earth, and the warm humid air were just what the doctor ordered.

And I got the cutest little plants ya ever did see.  Wish I could tell you what they're called, but their label only reads: "Ittie Bittie Ferns."  Which, clearly, makes them even cuter. 

Sitting on my bedroom shelf and making my whole room happy, they remind me that I'm actually really blessed.  I've got no excuse to grumble about the cold; or about anything, really. I'm so very grateful for simple joys this morning, and the reminder that they are never far off. 

Happy Monday!  

Lydali

I've bought a few "fair trade" pieces at random craft shows in the past, because I love the concept of supporting the sweet artisan whose hands worked hard to produce that clutch or bracelet or scarf. I'm a sucker for championing anyone who hand-makes anything...because I know it involves her hands as well as her heart. But... sometimes I get the thing home and realize I will never actually wear it.

Not at Lydali! The products are ALL  fabulous....I'd be obsessed with this online store even if there wasn't a beautiful story behind each piece. I mean, those colorful wooden bowls? And that handblown glass pitcher? Come on!

AND it was started by two gals from my alma mater, Wake Forest University. Go Deacs! Lydia and Ali (see what they did there?) both have big hearts and stellar taste, so it came as no surprise to me when Lydali was born.

Check out more items at http://www.lydali.com/, and take a peek at their blog too, while you're at it.

Beautiful Botanicals



Clockwise from top left: Eberhard Koenen "Indian Copperleaf" 1977; Eva Juliet "Thyme" 2012;
Eva Juliet "Plant Mix No.2" 2012; James Sowerby "Cerastium" 1798; Loudon "Peonies" 1841



  

Here's the space, featured on Design*Sponge, that inspired my search for these beautiful botanicals.  It's from costume designer Ingrid Wier's country home, and I just loved the simple, frameless print atop the mantel.

It led me on an Etsy hunt for some pretty prints of my own. And there's certainly no shortage!  Some of them were ugly, I'll admit it.  (Who's mom didn't have one of these guys?)

But I did find some winners, old and new. From a 1798 book print to equally lovely current-day takes. Pretty together, eh?

Becca Stadtlander

Love these beautiful watercolor prints by Becca Stadtlander. Just something about them...

Find more of her work here:
http://beccastadtlander.com/patterns.html

Progress....



Gettin' there!



Some fabrics I'm loving...


DIY Lessons-O-The-Day:
#1: Paint Scrapers  >  Sandpaper.
#2: Don't sand a chair in your bedroom.

Making progress!  There were so many layers of varnish on top of varnish on top of stain, I had to use a paint scraper to get it off.  And THEN sand it.   Time-consuming but therapeutic.  Pretty sure that means I found a good hobby!

On hold until it gets a bit warmer out and I can work outside.  Turns out a workspace isn't very sustainable when you also need to sleep in it. 

Rocking Chairs, Middle School, and Community

Story time... in list form.

1. during my lunch break today, I popped into Hope Thrift to peruse the merch for an upholsterable (it's my blog, I can make up words) chair.

2. I didn't buy one.  I bought three. Yay!

3. Next, I posted a picture of my cute little rocking chair shoved into my cute little Civic.

4. Immediately, my friend Jill-with-fabulous-taste texts me excitedly with inspiration pics of fun chair projects she's seen.

5. One of those (my favorite one, of course) is a mahogany rocker with THE perfect green and white fabric. I recognize it. It is MY FRIEND FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL's chair! Melissa (who Jill had never even heard of) had been featured on a design blog years ago for her lovely nursery makeover. And of the zillions of chairs posted on the world wide web, THAT is the one Jill picks for me.

6. Rewind a few years: Melissa Barrick, a talented photographer who has started her own very successful business, had sent me words of encouragement when I started this blog endeavor - despite the fact that we had lost touch over the (15!!) years since middle school.

7. I'm sorry, but THAT is neat.

Moral of the story/list?  Community championing one another, near and far, is cool.  And?  That is one awesome rocker.

  

Just Pretty.

Not one darn single thing I would change in this house.  Love it.  See more here.

Chicks in Hats

Is this not the cutest birthday note you ever did see!?

My awesome brother ordered me a fun birthday ring from the etsy seller "Chicks in Hats" (EARLY, too... go Benji!) And this note is one of the 20839564 reasons that I love Etsy. Each seller takes such pride in their products and care for their customers. Ben asked them to include a birthday note with my ring, and this is what arrived. Heart happy. Thanks brother!

Dare you to look at their online shop and not smile. From the time I arrived at their website, it took me about 2.9 seconds to go from "this is weird" to "this is the greatest thing ever I love it and look at that bonnet and oh my gosh that raccoon hat is hilarious and who are these people and can we be friends please"

I also might be under the influence of my excitement over getting to see old Wake Forest friends this weekend in Baltimore. But still. My brother and Chicks in Hats make me really happy.

Happy Friday!

Ode to Joy!

Found this project featured on Design*Sponge a few days ago. Love. This gal took a crewel that her mom created back in the 70s, a ratty old thrift store chair, and went to work! Isn't the finished piece beautiful? And I love the history behind it...what a neat conversation piece!

Sidenote: I've wanted to learn how to reupholster furniture for years now.

Enter my friend Ashton. At the age of 26 she decided she wanted to learn how to play the violin. So she asked Santa for one, and 23 days later she's texting me an audio file of herself playing Ode to Joy. As a middle school math teacher, she's been playing hooky from bus duty to sneak visits with the orchestra teacher and practice with the kids.

She has inspired me over the edge. I WILL reupholster a chair in 2013! In fact, I just watched a 15-minute youtube video of a very jolly man teaching me how to do just that (Santa?). Will my first chair be perfect? Nope. But neither was Ashton's Ode to Joy and it was the most beautiful song I've ever heard. Because she's her. Because she embraced it. And because she picked up a bow and just. started. playing.  That's some joy worth oding right there!

Art I'm Loving

Clockwise from top left: Seth Clark"Pink Window"; Jetty Kolobaric "Fenland"; TushTush "Early 80"; Gabriella Fiabane "Seal Harbor"; Lisa Golightly "Girl in a Green Suit"

No theme.  No rhyme or reason.  Just some beautiful art that strikes my fancy.  Most likely...a bunch of pieces that you love will end up looking perfect together.  Don't think too hard! 

That's my biggest pitfall in blogging, and in creating anything, really.  I shoot for perfection, overthink, and get paralyzed.  And the months and years pass me by as I forget the sheer joy of finding beautiful things and sharing them with you.

So.  Here's to thinking less in 2013! 

Just Because.

Back in November, it was such a joy to celebrate the marriage ceremony of our dear friends Marcia and Rich in Annapolis, Maryland.  Here is Marcia's bouquet I put together for the special night!  Love the autumn colors of the purple thistle and seeded eucalyptus.  Who said a fall bouquet has to be burnt orange and red? 

Thought you might like some happy color on this wintry Monday morning.  Enjoy!

Quirk Gallery RVA

This place is the gallery/shop of my dreams!  Such a little diamond in the rough, nestled in at 311 W. Broad Street in Richmond.  So fabulous.

Check it out here to find out about current exhibits and to browse Quirk's awesome online shop.

If you live in the Richmond area, lucky you!  You get to see the loveliness in person.  Such a beautiful and bright space to enjoy, whether you're coming in to buy or just to admire.  I highly suggest you do so before June 24th, so you can catch Shelly Klein's work on display.  She is so fun!


What do you love most on the Quirk website??

YeeHaw, Y'all!

Love this quirky letterpressin' gal!  YeeHaw's Etsy shop caught my eye long ago, but I simply had to share it when I saw this postcard.  Last week was "Meals With Hope," a five-day challenge during which I ate nothing but beans and rice.  How fitting! (Read here for more info about the cause.)

All of YeeHaw's letterpressed goods have that same deep south flair, from banjo-pickin' beaver cards to farmer's market produce prints.  And they're all hand-printed on recycled paper; many using antique letter blocks.  How cool!

Makes me wanna serve up fried okra and find a porch for some sittin'!

Beautiful Bedrooms

Love these bedrooms in their sweet simplicity.  And who doesn't want some beautiful inspiration on a dreary ol' Monday?  Didn't even mean to choose such similar rooms, I just picked my favorites after a morning of design-blog scrollin'.  Guess I'm a sucker for natural lighting, whitewashed boards, and calming color palettes.

Wouldn't mind waking up here... even on a Monday!

Oh how I love Spring

Halleluiah, people... we made it through winter alive!  How 'bout a happy pop of color to celebrate?  I just discovered this fabulous jewelry line on Etsy... isn't it fun!?  These three are my favorites: Powder Blue Hoops, Modern Necklace No. 6, and Rosy Flower Necklace No. 5.  Just so vibrant and fresh.

Head on over to Nest Pretty Things to see more.  What catches your eye?

Garland Love

So lovely! In the words of the gals who make them over at the "Three Girls and Goat" etsy shop, "A paper whimsy, an elegant and fluttering addition for a touch of beauty to your everyday. Drape at your doorway, hang from your chandelier, decorate your celebratory table, or garnish your everyday with delicate delight."

Couldn't have said it better myself! Going to hang it from my windows. They are beautiful old windows that I don't want to cover up with curtains, so this will be perfect! And the gray in the picture is the same as my walls. Beautiful :)

They're so reasonably priced, too! Hand-cut and sewn, this is one of their pricier designs but it's still only $20 for 8 feet. Take a peek at their other garland designs. Which one's your fave?

Planner du jour

Ok first of all, you've gotta check out "Twine," an awesome online shop I just stumbled upon. (www.shoptwine.com). So many fun finds all in one spot!

I am loving this organizer, and it's only $18! I just ordered it, with high hopes that it can turn me into a more functional human being. We shall see! May the best planner win.

It's customizable with lots of creative touches, and the simple cover is just so pretty. I don't know if you know this, but I studied abroad in Paris for a semester...and let's just say "jour" is one of the only words I know.

I'm baa-aaaaack!

...and so are ilee calendars! So stinkin' beautiful. Each month is so unique and lovely. I've adored having one of these calendars for the past three years- and her original 2011 designs do not disappoint. Only $22 for a monthly dose-o-delight!

This thing will NOT let me post links! annoying! (although I'm sure it's simple...) So just go to Etsy.com, and do a seller search for "ilee".