What I'm Loving :: Fall

Here's a snippet of what I'm loving

Bailey at Peppermint Bliss and Biscuit is slaying it. As much as I love a good neutral I die for color. Her work is always unexpected and vibrant. This wallpapered bookshelf detail I'm obsessed with, so good.

If I wear earrings I almost always wear studs, these Alphabet earrings need to arrive in my stocking this year.

One of my favorite things about Italy was how if it was late afternoon they always served you a tiny nibble with a coffee or cocktail. This snack caddy is perfect for afternoon entertaining. (via)

I made the apple cider cocktail, yum. Easy and very fall. I used the Trader Joe's Spiced Cider and it made my Sunday.

Knock It Off :: Work Style

Since it's September and I'm dreaming of sweaters I thought this image from Pinterest needed to be knocked off. I love every single element. I did warm up it up a bit in the color department, since it's Fall and all.

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Original image via

Fix-it

There must have been something in the water yesterday because in my neighborhood every street was filled with fix-it people. I saw air conditioning repair, water heater replacement, solar panel people (I want!) and for us refrigerator fixers. Ugh. We had a fun pool day planned at a friends (they must have totally seen my earlier post) and when I opened the freezer to grab some nuts for a salad and it was a frosty mess in there. Sh*t!!! Anyhow my girl took my kids anyway while I wasted to the day waiting for the fridge fixer. So thank heaven for friends that will take your kids and for speedy repair people. The only sucky thing is that the repair ate up my pin money that I was saving up for the painter. I know, painting isn't that hard, but it isn't that easy either. I don't like to redo things because of my DIY incompetence so I usually just pay someone to do it right the first time. So while we're on the subject of repairs, home maintenance, etc. here is one I need to try from Pinterest. This window cleaning project might have to happen this morning.

Magic Window Cleaner 

It looks as though it got a positive review and I have a huge window with no treatments on it right now so it looks skeevy. My kids are 9 and 7 how do they still manage to get hand prints all over everything? The dog is off the hook because she jumps up to see in sometimes, I get it I'll let it slide.

Update: I just cleaned the windows and the no squeegee thing, not so hot. I ended up redoing the window with the squeegee but the good news is that the Jet Dry addition to window cleaning solution makes things really easy. So even though I had to work a little harder I still give the recipe the thumbs up.

Sidenote: Do you watch Girls? Sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it but I always find myself watching it, I adore that silly Shoshanna. Have you seen the parody? Ha!! So funny. If you like the show you have to watch but if not know it's NSFW. Just giving you fair warning.

{image via}

Pool anyone?

Every January the blogs are filled with resolutions and goals, mine included. But I think for me that this year is the year of the house. This blog is going on five years which totally blows me away but I think that it's time for a little less inspiration and a lot more action. I have this large front room that has served as the play room since the boys were babies. I have a dining room table, buffet and a sofa and the rest has always been kidland. It served it's purpose and still does. The boys still have mean balltag games but I'm thinking it's time to add to our room.

So here's my thought, move the family room into the large front room and make the family room more of a game room. I know some of you might gasp at why I would think to put a pool table, TV, video games system but with two boys getting older every day I want them to want to be here. I want them to be able to bring their friends over to hang out, I want to be the fun house...or should I say the-in-the know/fun house. This is all in the planning stages and probably won't happen in the next few months but I think this is where I'm headed. Seen any totally awesome not too manly game rooms? 

{via}

Smell Good Solution

When you have sick people in your house you have lots of icky germs. When you have icky germs in your house you have to use icky, chemically smelly cleaners. One thing I really, really can't stand are strong, artificial or chemical scents, so using these products en masse is hard for me. Thankfully Pinterest came to my rescue with this delicious smelling solution (along with some open windows and fresh air). All you need is water, lemon, vanilla and rosemary. I'll let you in on a little secret too, there was no fresh to be found at my normal source (my parents) or the groc so I was desperate and used dried and it still did the trick. I can only imagine how good it smells with fresh rosemary.

You must try! Thanks Morgan for sharing this gem!

I'd like a dutch baby

I've been waking up too early for my taste. Sometimes I can fall back asleep and other times no. These 4 am wake up calls are beginning to get to me!

This is one of my all time favorite pins. Love it for my early mornings, ha!

The other night the kids spent the night at my moms and she made these for them in the morning. They were so pretty and more importantly really yummy. Just something you might want to try when you want to be a little more fancy than regular old pancakes. I wish I would have snapped a picture because they were insanely cute in their individual gratin dishes. Leave it to my mom to have the pretty table setting for my little messies.  

Sunday Pancakes by sarahsfabday on polyvore.com

Here's a little sample of something similar to what I would expect from my mom. Simple shapes with lots of bright cheery color, great way to start a Sunday morning. Click through for shopping details.

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Starburst Card Display

I might be the only person in the world without a starburst mirror but if I had one I would totally do it up with Christmas cards just like this.

What a smartie.

{from here}

Take it outside

Don't you think outdoor lighting makes everything a little bit better?

Ok a lot better, it makes it magical.

{images via Target, Lonny, Pinterest}

I NEED a new kitchen table stat!

It's official my kitchen chairs are falling apart. Sucks. Not that I'm not excited at the possibility of new furniture because there's nothing more exciting to me than new furniture, it's the finding the perfect thing at the perfect price. Oh the woes of a shopper on a budget and a family with two kids that still seem to get yogurt all over everything. (I find that s&*t everywhere! Seriously how does yogurt travel so far? Sorry I'm straying.) I've thought about getting a bench for the boys at the kitchen table, but then I think of how hard it is for regular (tall) adults to try and swing their long legs over and then I think not so smart. I think I've come up with the good old World Market solution that yes has been seen umpteen times but I still like it. Thoughts?

Starting with this

adding two of these at either end

and finishing the table off with four of these.

Just a few things

I still not sick of maps. Love 'em.

This idea is the coolest. I don't know where I would ever try it but I really want to. Gold painted faux moulding? Yes please.

And lastly are you watching Real Housewives of New Jersey? I had broken up with it but now I'm back after watching the premiere episode. These people are nuts and I'm suckered right in with them. Here is a little taste of what you're missing. Meet Theresa's brother Joe and his wife Melissa. They are the newest cast members and they're walking into the church for the baby's christening. Yes, wearing something more appropriate for a night out in Atlantic City. These people never cease to amaze me.

Catch up on the brills recap by our favorite SGM.

{images via Country Living, Bryn Alexandra and SGM}

Just a couple of things

Today I was a lucky girl and had a couple of hours to myself so I decided to run up to Phoenix to hit those store that I can't when I have little sidekicks. I picked up these fabulous vintage glass jars. I wish I had taken a better picture because they're really cool.

Then while we're on the subject of stuff what shall I do with these corbels? I have four. Any ideas? My mom brought them home from Nebraska for me last summer but they've just been sitting in the office, sad that they're all alone.

Oh and one of my favorite things is since I have these guys,

I always find these guys of some sort in precarious positions all over the house.

 It makes me laugh every time, well almost as long as I'm not stepping on one.

Coming up :: Mother's Day

I just realized it's Mother's Day Sunday. Gulp. We usually host the Mother's Day festivities at our house and this year it isn't any different so I should probably call all the mother's huh? So for my present my husband called our former cleaning lady (when I worked) to give the current cleaning lady (moi) the week off. Yay. Yesterday I also did something I normally never do but I told the kids to tell Dad that I wanted cycling shoes for Mother's Day. Hehehe. I'm so tricky.

Also I think for this shindig I need some new table linens or something to brighten up the table. What do you think of this table by Eddie Ross as seen in In Style or the pop color in the napkins from Coco + Kelley? All I know is my linen closet is sucking right now and it needs some new things.

And what should we serve? Any wonderful ideas? Oh and for cocktails I think it's high time I actually try Lillet Blanc. (You know the drink that all the bloggers were gaga over like two summers ago? Yeah that one. I'm late to all the cool parties.)

Want it :: Geometric Terrarium

These are so cool aren't they?

{via Design Crush}

Organized

I'm pitifully unorganized and I often fantasize about being meticulously tidy. I know I'll stay cluttery but I can look at pretty pictures and pretend if I did something like this it would stay just as nice.

I really like how it looks just like a regular bookshelf, something that can be picked up at Home Depot or Ikea and made to look special by the vintage looking labels and baskets. Excuse me while I go dream of tidy closets.

{image via paper playne}

Bookshelves

I've always loved the super styled bookcases filled with interesting bits and antique leather bound volumes,

 but lately I've been loving the random stuffed shelves of people who love to read.  Which do you prefer?

{images from Velvet & Linen and The Selby}

I'll try it

I'm sure you may have seen it but if not some great food for thought for the new year.

Not only is the content of this poster awesome you can also download it HERE.

{via Black Eiffel}

Make it :: Tattered books

I don't think I ever shared with you a little project that I did.  It was awhile ago and it all started with these books from The Willows (one of my favorite local stores).  I saw these books scattered in a tray in one of their vignettes, I loved.  The books didn't appear to be for sale and I figured it would be a very easy DIY. 

Crummy picture quality, my camera phone.

So then I made these, probably last September.

And then yesterday I was flipping through a Ballard Designs catalog and saw these. 

Hah.  No way would I have paid this for these books.  It was as simple as heading to your local thrift store and picking up some paperbacks for some change.  Now I did spent a lot of time ripping out the books from the covers (usually page by page) and picking off any glue that stuck to the pages but they've come in so handy when my table just needs something.  I tied mine with regular twine but jute twine would look great also.  My mom suggested getting the edges wet so they would be a little more distressed which maybe one of these days I'll get around too because her ideas are usually good ones. 

Vintage Santas

I found this picture last year right after Christmas and saved it until this year. I almost forgot all about it, whoops. We have one of these, it's from my husband's grandparents house and he loves it. I've always kind of thought, "Hmmm, where are we going to put this?" But thankfully I've come around to loving Santa Baby as long as he's hanging out somewhere en masse. Now I just need to find a couple of more of these.

I could kick myself because I did see one at an antiques store but didn't buy it because I had just purchased something else and couldn't justify buying two things. Of course I went back the following week and figured if it was still there it was meant to be. Well I was s.o.l. and after Christmas I'll be combing eBay and Goodwills to see if my Santa can find some friends.

{image credits? I didn't save them, if you know shoot me an email!}

Oh no!!

How could you do this to me Target?? You're normally top notch in my book.

They no longer seem to be carrying one of my favorite cleaning products. Boo!! Now I'm going to have to search for it. I like being able to just do my Target run and pick it up. Seriously folks if you have stone countertops this stuff is magical, it's green and smells really good.

Orange + Black

I love fall so I'm so ready to do something with orange and black for Halloween. Do you decorate for Halloween or do you skip it all together? Since I've had kids and they get all excited about it I don't mind at all. Just nothing too scary or cheap looking. Some of the Halloween decor at the stores makes me cringe. I'm thinking something a little more subtle and spooky like one of my favorite local stores The Willows.

Ok well maybe after the weekend. I'm a busy girl this week with the party headed to AZ.