good news...

i just picked up this darling blouse from kohls :)

what's on your nightstand: rachel of raenovate

today the lovely rachel thomas is sharing her whimsically styled nightstand with us! rachel blogs over at raenovate - a fabulous site showcasing incredible design before and afters from many talented interior designers/bloggers. be sure to head over for some serious interior eye candy and inspiration! thanks for participating rachel and congrats on the engagement! xo

 

when it comes to the basics i’m a neutral gal. in fact, almost every day of the week you can find me sporting white, gray, or black; but give this girl a pattern and i’m wild woman! i believe that the best way to accessorize your home and body is with a bit of color and a touch of pattern; hence my rambunctiously accessorized nightstand.

nestled in a nook beside my bed sits my thrifted glass and brass night table.  its square top has seen better days but you would never know it with the yellow cork placemat on top. also gracing its tabletop is a ceramic bunny lamp from home goods, an intricately carved frame displaying a photo of me and the husband-to-be, a henry dean dish for my jewelry, and a liberty of london for target frame featuring a picture of me with a couple of my bffs. i wake up every morning to gorgeous photos of my loved ones and a pop of colorful pattern, perfect for putting a little pep in my step.

 

 

images and text via: raenovate

sunday: design project

happy sunday friends! i'm treasuring my sundays off which currently consist of coffee/brunch, flea marketing, snuggling with nelli, blogging and a whole lot of relaxing (except for today...i have to go get a new tire *sad face*). it's been a long time since i've had a weekend (day) off and i'm enjoying this new little luxury.

today i thought i'd share a project i put together recently for my fabulous, newly married cousin! mr. and mrs. gerig live in an adorable oregon town called silverton in a great craftsman style house. now that they're married they are hoping to add a little personalization to the place to make it fit their new lifestyle together.

she is a barrel racer, turned hair stylist and he works as an agronomist for the northwest's largest ag supply company, wilco. while working with their existing leather sofa and vintage trunk, i wanted to give them a rustic/vintage yet refined/updated style that feels collected. here's a look at their living room so far...

image via: sincerely, cecelia

**send me an email for product source information!

oxfords

so i recently purchased a pair of cognac oxfords that were extremely affordable and i happen to be very pleased with them! however...i am totally unsure of how to style them. i found this image and i'm totally down with rocking this look, but i need help pairing them with dresses.

is it okay to wear them with a black dress? what color tights can i wear them with? can i go bare legged?

UGH. these shoes are taking me out of my usual flats/sandals comfort zone and i need your genius bloggy fashion advice! :)

 image via: [shabby] apple a day

on etsy | ananya

i've fallen completely and utterly in love with these simple cotton dresses from ananya on etsy - each fully lined, with a sash and pockets in a wide range of colors. the best part? this quality comes at the price of only $45 - $60. i've officially bookmarked this site for my future bridesmaids...

olive & cocoa

autumn/early holiday gift giving is made effortless through this gorgeous company. even the catalog styling and packaging are inspiring...

 

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what's on your nightstand: erin of bows and sparrows

today's nightstand comes from the super fabulous erin of bows and sparrows. i love this blog because the name is too adorable, erin is practically my neighbor (well...i guess sac is like an hour away from napa so not quite, but close enough!) and b&s is filled with inspiration on many levels, including fashion/accessories, interiors, brilliant thrift/flea market treasures, handmade finds and fun event ideas. to see more of erin's adorable home check her out on apartment therapy and head over to her blog for mounds of inspiration! xo

First off, I find that keeping my nightstand clean and well-organized makes for a more peaceful and relaxing bedroom environment. Luckily, my vintage walnut nightstand with compartments makes it easy for me to stay organized. My nightstand staples include: various short story collections by the likes of Miranda July, Truman Capote and David Sedaris; an assortment of inspirational magazines - think ReadyMade, Nylon and Real Simple; and a pen and notepad for jotting down ideas. I should also mention that I'm an extremely light sleeper, so earplugs and an eye mask are always within arm's reach. Finally, and perhaps my favorite item residing on my nightstand, is my my moonbeam clock from LL Bean. The retro-looking alarm clock has a gentle illuminating light that lulls me into the day. I love that alarm clock. Seriously, I do.

image and text via: bows and sparrows

guest blogging @ raenovate

incase you missed it, today i'm guest blogging for rachel over at raenovate! i had so much fun putting together my before and after post for her and i am so excited to have been considered for the series. make sure to hop on over and check it out...

cheers to rue

just finished devouring the very first issue of rue magazine and i can honestly say the girls did not let us down. as i drink my glass of cab i raise it to you crystal, anne, alaina and caitlin and allllll of the fabulous contributors at rue. congratulations and here's to many more issues!!!!

p.s. ju...i totally jacked your photo collage. sorry and thanks in advance <3

image via: jrdm designs via rue magazine

on the table...

image via: flickr

fall essentials

here is how i'm celebrating the beginning of fall...plaid shirts, riding boots, delicious figs and light scarves. bundles of sunflowers/safflowers are also making me quite happy these days. ahh, i loooove fall <3

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DIY hanging coat rack

i found this clever diy project this evening and i had to share...

if you have a narrow entryway or a shortage of closet space in your home, try this easy DIY as an alternative to traditional, free-standing coat racks.

materials:

• fallen branch
• 2 equal lengths of chain link (measure from ceiling to approximate hanging height and multiply by two to get the length of each chain)
• 2 eye hooks
• 2 screw anchors
• drill
• hammer
• low- or no-VOC paint

step 1: paint the branch
choose a sturdy, fairly straight branch with a few knots that give it an interesting shape, and make sure the hook of a hanger can fit around the diameter. let the branch dry out completely, then, using a small brush, paint it with eco-friendly white paint for a fresh look.

step 2: secure eye hooks in ceiling
anchor two ceiling hooks 1' from the wall, to ensure enough space for coats to hang. the distance between each hook will depend on the length of the branch. measure in about 6" from the tip of each end for balance. drill a hole in the ceiling, tap in a screw anchor with a hammer, then screw in the eye hooks.

step 3: hang the finished branch
slip both ends of one length of chain link onto an eye hook to create a loop. repeat for the other eye hook. the length of chain will depend on ceiling height, but the branch should rest about 5' or so above the floor. finish by sliding the branch through the loops. for extra stability, nail the chain to the branch.

rug, dash & albert; chair, homesense; shoe cabinet, ikea; wall colour, miracle (p5085-24d), branch colour, whipped cream (p5233-14), sssence by para paints.

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1.02.28

text by: kathryn bala

photography: john cullen

project found via: canadian house and home

(late) sunday recipe

boooy have i been slacking on the sunday recipe portion of this blog! my apologies. on sunday, after a long morning of flea marketing i ate the most deliciously simple cold pasta dish. the recipe goes a little something like this...

 

ingredients

	8 oz uncooked fusilli, or other spiral pasta
	1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
	2 tsp olive oil
	1/2 tsp dried oregano
	1 cup(s) cherry tomato(es), or grape tomatoes, halved
	1/2 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped
	2 oz whole milk low-moisture mozzarella cheese, smoked, diced (1/2 cup)
	1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
	1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

instructions

• cook pasta according to package directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl. add vinegar, oil and oregano; toss to coat.
  
• fold in tomatoes, basil and mozzarella; season to taste with salt and pepper. serve warm or chilled. yields about 1 cup per serving. 

what's on your nightstand: kelly of pine to the pacific

today's nightstand comes from the lovely kelly of pine to the pacific. kelly is a photographer living in san francisco and she has an adorable blog filled with gorgeous images and fun stories about life in san francisco/her travels. read on to hear about her nightstand essentials and if you're in the bay area and needing a photographer...check out her portfolio! :)

i absolutely love my san francisco apartment, but i have a landlady who is very strict about painting the walls, hanging pictures and mirrors, and generally doing ANYTHING to stray from the beige! so, when figuring out my room decor, i decided to stay with a soft neutral theme and {hopefully} turn it into a spot for relaxation! i found my headboard leaning up against a garage on the street behind us with a "free" sign on it - my roommate was thrilled about helping me haul this old wrought iron beast up 4 flights of stairs. my bedding is the organic pin tuck collection from west elm, and my nightstand and crazy lamp are from ikea {i've had the lamp since college - it made me feel very cutting-edge in the dorms}. i use those baskets for storage - the top one has all of my camera/phone chargers, cords, and so on. the bottom left clearly is stuffed with nail polish - like jessica from thelovelist, i do my nails in bed! the third is sort of a catch-all for things i'd want handy. i travel a lot for work and fun, but i try to get flowers if i'm going to be around for a solid couple weeks at a time. it adds a great pop of color and makes me feel spoiled! the last few pieces are my vintage-style alphabet glass tray from the legion of honor museum store {for dropping off jewelry before bed}, a soy candle with my favorite ocean-y scent, and a few good historical fiction novels. hope you enjoy!

images and post via: kelly of pine to the pacific

coveting...

this juniper tree stump, garden stool/side table.

my week...

i'm loving my new job and i'm learning so much about flowers and techniques for arranging them - here are a few arrangements i made this week:

pretty little bud vases for silverado country club.

a large 360 degree buffet center piece also for silverado country club.

bar/tea cart

since my flea market adventure on sunday, i've been planning what i'm going to hunt for next month. first, a vintage radio. second, a vintage bar/tea cart (pretty much just so i can display this guy on it). here are a few beautiful bar carts from the blogosphere that i can't take my mind off of...

 image via: design*sponge

image via: hostess blog

image via: just say mo

flea market gems

sunday was my first sunday off in over a year and guess how i decided to spend it...at the flea market! i've been dying to go forever, but my work schedule hasn't allowed it. i got up early, picked up the bf and we headed to alameda and entered the flea market at 9am. i then proceeded to watch people walk out with amaaaazing finds which made me determined to get out there with my flash light at 6am next month. we did happen to find two amazing pieces - a vintage ge table fan (that still works!) and a great carved wood coffee table both just $15 each! our first project was to spiff up the dingy fan and check out the fab job jason did, she's so sparkly!...

here i am after entering the flea market...SO excited!

aaaaand a sneak peak of the fabulous coffee table (and this adorable guy named jason who i happen to be engaged to). i have big plans for this table's makeover, which maaay include chalkboard paint. stay tuned for the juicy deets...

so that is how i spent my labor day weekend. how did you spend yours?
xoxo

what's on your nightstand: cristi of charm home

So, what's on my nightstand?  Well, it's definitely not much that's for sure.  I decorate my bedroom and my nightstand pretty minimally.  I'm not sure why because I wouldn't say that the rest of my house is minimal but it's just something I've always done.  I love pictures, especially pictures of my family so my nightstand always has pictures of my hubby and my family on it.  I usually end up rotating my picture frames around my house, and right now on my night stand I've got a couple of square frames holding a picture of me and my husband soon after we met.  The other frame holds a picture of my mom, my brother and me at a football game.  I'm really into sea life right now and not too long ago I got a piece of faux coral from Z.Gallerie and it landed on my nightstand.  Reading relaxes me so I'll read at night from time to time.  I keep my latest design magazines on my night stand because they make for great bedtime reading.  I don't have to worry about losing my place when I fall asleep in the middle of reading one.  I have a jewelry chest but for some reason I can never seem to put my jewelry in it.  It's usually scattered throughout the bedroom and inevitably some pieces land on my nightstand.  More often than not it's covered in jewelry.   Lastly I have a few necessities, my cell phone and my glasses.  I usually watch TV before I fall asleep (I know, I know...very bad habit) and I have to have my glasses to see the TV. And that's pretty much it...very simple and extremely functional.

image and post via: cristi of charm home

stylish aprons

as many of you know...i've just started a new job as a floral designer. my first day went amazingly well and i've already learned quite a few things - tomorrow i'm learning boutonnière's and on saturday i'm helping install two weddings in the valley! one thing i know i definitely need to invest in is a cute/durable apron. i've scoured the internet and anthropologie seems to have the most adorable selection. here are my faves...

apple pancakes | daub and dabble | baker's delight | stockholm

the boyfriend blazer

if you're looking for a seriously chic blazer this fall...look no further. i just purchased this beauty from american eagle (i know right?! i haven't shopped there since senior year in high school) and i am so ridiculously pleased. it's extra long and the sleeves are cut just a bit short of the wrist - it's polished, professional and perfect for spiffing up even the most casual ensemble (i.e. i wore it with a white vneck and cut off shorts over the weekend). i highly recommend...