Citti

Well, you could definitely hear the crickets around this blog lately. A very busy few work weeks and the end-of-school-year madness for the kiddos have left me with little time for blogging lately. In my moments of spare time I have been spring cleaning (office - you'll not get the best of me!!) and dreaming of squeaky clean interiors that feel springy and fresh. 


We've had a particularly difficult time finding the right piece for our entryway...or lack of entryway. We don't really have one, the door just opens right up into our oddly-shaped living room. We've got a fireplace in the corner, a giant picture window in the front and the space doubles as our living and dining room. The fireplace and picture window aren't really much to complain about...they just make for an odd furniture arrangement. But back to the topic at hand. ENTRYWAY. The errant chair from our dining set and a table that is too big and gets slammed every time the door opens; well, it just ain't workin'. We've drawn up some plans for a piece we'd like to build. BUT. Instead I'll take one ticket to Sweden so I can pick this up from Zweed.

Does it get any better than a customizable, changeable, colorful and sleek piece like this? 

I'll also take that loft with the whitewashed floors and very sexy white/cork light fixture. Thank you very much.

I've been somewhat obsessed with this blue/yellow combo lately - especially after seeing the blue cabinet/yellow faucet combo. But I wouldn't think twice about this awesome grey number also...

[I also spy the unfold lamp that I've had my eye on.]

With an array of customized colors and configurations, I could find a use for one 

in every room. 

Sigh. The Swedes really got my number. 

What room gives you most decorating grief?

xo,

chelsea

mini hideaway

there are definitely some days I feel like I want to just hide away, read, think, drink tea and take five without someone calling out, "MOM, where are you!!! I'm hungry/wet/cold/hot/thirsty/on fire". I'm incredibly jealous of whatever kid gets to call this place home. I'd like a grown-up version to call my very own. 

Thank you very much. 

Where do you like to hide away from it all?

XO,

Chelsea

sew happy

Yesterday was sort of a long, sleepy day. With the gray and the rain, it was hard to be motivated to get all I needed to done. With a couple tired, cold-coming-on little ones and one too many nights of poor sleep for me, we were a wiped out lot by the end of the day. I was thrilled, however, to arrive home yesterday to some post.

I ordered some Andy Warhol prints for the kids room. The whimsical kitties made us all feel pretty happy!

I've finally made friends with my sewing machine. I've had it for quite a few years and I've used it for lots of hemming and repairs. But lately we've been getting to know each other much better.

I whipped up a few pillows recently. Both projects couldn't be further from each other on the difficulty scale.

For the zinnia pillow, I used Amy Butler's Midwest Mod pattern with some Amy Butler fabric that was on clearance. I'm pretty fond of the end result, although I see all the things I would do differently now. It was a lot of cutting. But it was my first attempt at following a pattern and it definitely boosted my confidence in the technical arena of sewing.

The other pillow I stitched up so fast I was amazed with myself. I scored the "80's tetris" pattern in a thrift store pile and followed this simple yet wonderful pattern from Chez Larsson's blog. I love all Benita's DIYs and this one was so easy and fast, I just couldn't stop marveling at it. I want to use the rest of the fabric for our office curtains...if I can get the Mr's approval.


I also recently upgraded our curtain sitch in our bedroom. I think I mentioned before that we had some serious red glow going on in our bedroom. When I came across this fabric at the thrift - an entire bolt of Kaufman no less - I knew it would be perfect for our bedroom.

I was afraid at first that they might be too busy. But after getting them up and living with them awhile, we both agree that they are awesome. Still need to finish the ones for the window above our bed however.

I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know my sewing machine better. Lots of plans for Halloween costumes and holiday gifts already swirling around in this head of mine.

Do you like to sew? 

What have you made lately? Post your links and share!

XO,

Chelsea

rug hunting

As we get more settled into our (not-so-new-anymore) abode, I'm finding myself craving a nice rug for the living room. I'm already envisioning cozy evenings curled up on the floor in front of the fireplace reading and watching movies on the projector. Only two - make that 3 problems with that equation - we only lit the fireplace once last winter (well, we moved in February), the projector is currently on the fritz, and there is no rug. Hey, its my daydream, no one said it needed to be rooted in reality!!

So, I took to the nets to gather some inspiration for the floors.

I've had my eye on this rug for quite some time. I especially fell in love when I saw the black/white goodness going on in this room.

But a certain man wasn't feeling it.

Perusing IKEA for some more inspiration, I came across this new lovely.

A flatwoven version in gray...

Or a plush one in blue...

And since I'm already , how about this

I'm loving the tribal meets chevron pattern in this one. 

Perhaps something a bit more bohemian is necessary to counteract the modern sofa

More inspiration found while persuing flickr

I think I'm in love with this entire room

What are you looking forward to this fall?

XO,

Chelsea

bedroom eye-candy

Have you checked out Lonny Magazine yet?

With the demise of Domino (thankfully I have all the back issues!!) and Blueprint, glossy-paged inspiration can be few and far between for those of us looking for real and attainable home decor. Most readers have taken to the internet for inspiring spaces and Lonny fits the bill.

I meandered on over to Lonny today looking for some above-referenced inspiration for our bedroom. While I'm more than pleased with our simple furniture, the mismatched drapes and worn-out duvet could use some updating. When we moved in, there were already some white drapes on the large picture window in our bedroom that is also at the front of the house. Fast forward to a few days after our move-in and I walked by our room from outside at night and realized you could see right in! I threw up some raw silk drapes I had previously used in lieu of closet doors and they seemed to work fine. Until I realized they made our whole room look red. Suddenly, "Roxanne" by The Police was on constant replay in my head. I figured we could live with it until a friend pointed out that we were likely going to go insane looking at all that red all the time. Here's some bedroom eye candy to help you get "Roxanne" out of your head. You know you're humming it right now. 

I'm feeling especially inspired by the all-white beds I'm seeing and thinking that may be the route to go considering the fabric I found for drapes is busy, busy. However, I'm still drawn to the image below, which is a nice mix of patterns. Could be the stripes, as I am a sucker for those. Or that dreamy light. Sigh.

What about you? 

Do you like your bedroom calm, serene and simple? 

Or do you like to use creative license to go wild with patterns and color?

XO,

Chelsea

dollhouse for a doll

S C O R E!!

Kid tested - Mommy approved.

Feeling very grateful for finding this awesome dollhouse today for my sweet little girl. I definitely feel as though my thrifting luck has been pretty awesome lately. As soon as I've put something on the mental "want" list, I've come across it almost immediately.

I'm digging the simple, clean lines of this all wood dollhouse. Finding the dollhouse was the easy part, now comes the furnishing! I'm really looking forward to the hunt of finding cool accessories and even some awesome DIY action for this sweet find!

Anyone know a great source for dollhouse stuff?

Also - I've noticed that everything is listed by scale. How do I know what scale dollhouse I'm working with? 

XO,

Chelsea

feeling the love - two things around my home

Do you find it hard to sleep when you are super excited about something? I am one of those people that gets so amped up about doing something that I have a hard time sitting still, sleeping or even having focused conversations! I squealed with glee last night as we climbed in bed after spending the evening packing. I am counting the hours until vacation time and I'm having a hard time even typing because I am so anxious!

The countdown clock on my toolbar says 18 hours 27 minutes and 50 seconds until I am on a plane to relaxation and fun with my honey!

I'm hoping to stay away from the computer and guessing that I probably won't have any access to the Internetz anyway, so I promise to take lots of pics and go post-happy upon my return!

Today, I'm once again joining Kassi in her lovin' of two things around the home. She has been settling into her awesome new house and its so fun to once again see what she's loving around her place! That candle of hers looks just as gorgeous as it smells! I have yet to buy any nice candles since we've moved, but I love the way that scents can transport you to somewhere else. Thanks for sharing Kassi!

Right now I am totally in love with my light-up globe.

I'd been wanting a globe for quite a while and when I found this one that lights up at one of my local thrifts, I was beyond thrilled! I hemmed and hawed about actually buying it because I wasn't sure I wanted to pay what they were asking. After setting it down and picking it up about 5 times, I finally just dropped the dough and brought it home. I'm glad I did because it is in really perfect condition and everyone has just loved it around the house so far. 

I'm in love with the glow it gives off. 

Its right outside our bedroom and serves as a sort of nightlight.

It makes me dream of exotic destinations yet to discover...

I'm also totally loving my old, weathered adirondacks.

The longer, warmer days have been giving us lots of excuses to linger outside. I can't wait for more bbq's, more gardening, more evenings watching the sun set on the American Riviera. A cushy, exotic-print pillow, a good book and a glass of wine - I'm set for lounging. 

What are you loving around your home today? 

Please share in the comments or link up to Kassi's blog and leave me a comment letting me know so I can check it out!

XO,

Chelsea

time for two things

Happy Tuesday to everyone!

The sun is shining after a bit of rain on Sunday and yesterday. I don't mind the rain too much and I love the way everything looks so fresh and green afterwards. Harper always says the rain washes the sky, and I think she's absolutely right. We saw a beautiful rainbow on our way home yesterday and it made us all smile.

I'm super excited about Kassi's Two Things Tuesday this week. I get to share two great recent thrift finds. If you haven't checked out Kassi's blog, hop on over now to check it out. Its a daily read for me! She's got great personal style, a beautiful family, and major crafty-girl skills.

I mentioned a little while ago that I had found this great chair for my little Harper. I had seen a very similar one on another blog that was painted a vibrant, juicy orange. I immediately made mental note to look for one on my thrifting/antiquing adventures but never thought I would actually come across one that same week at a thrift store for $4! I've debated painting it a bright, shiny color but Carl seems to love the white and I like the juxtaposition of the chippy paint against our mid-century modern Drexel dining set.

Seeing this chair everyday just makes me so happy. Harper seems pretty pleased with it as well. She feels like like quite the little lady having this special chair all to herself.

Same favorite thrift store, a few weeks later, I also found this adorable ceramic camera. This was one of those a-ha! thrifting days where you feel like you scored some seriously awesome treasures.

The drink menu in the background I swiped from the Saint Cecelia Hotel during our trip to Austin. That hotel is so incredibly cool, I wanted to live there!

I love the wonky shape and hand-painted details on the camera. It looks like it could be someone's ceramics class cast-off. Lucky for me!

The camera made its new home in one of my favorite nooks in the house

I'd love to see the two things you are loving today!

Tell me about your two things in my comments

Or create your own post and head on over to Kassi's blog to Mister Linky!

XO,

Chelsea

i HEART Thursdays - furniture needs love too

So, first things first. I am a liar, liar pants on fire. I said I was going to join in Kassi's two things post this week, but I didn't. Too many photos to edit and moving back and forth between computers just didn't allow for it.

But I did want to post my new favorite thing around my house and get some advice! So here goes...

A few weeks back I saw an adorable kitchen in all orange (a recurring favorite color in our home) and I just died. The chair mixed in so well with the rest of the furnishings so seamlessly with its updated bright, lacquered persimmon shade. Cute, right? It was. You'll have to just believe me because like the blond that I am, I forgot to keep the picture. Duh. I did, however, put it in the ole memory bank with the thought that someday, far from now I might come across a chair like that. Fast forward about a week (maybe less) during a sadly unsuccessful stop at my fave thrifting spot - and voila - the chair. Absolutely perfect in all its chippy white glory. And 4 bucks. The chair of course came with me and presented itself at our lovely dining table. Harper immediately fell in love with it and even Carl didn't mind too much that it was the second furniture item I had drug home that week.

So, here in lies the dilemma. To paint or not to paint - that is the question!?

I love how the shabby chic white is a nice contrast to the darker, midcentury Drexel dining set. But I have that image of the shiny lacquered orange one in my head and I know that's a fabulous option too! What to do. Carl likes the white just as is, but I'm not a fan of the flaking white paint everywhere. Ideas? Advice? I'd love to hear what anyone thinks...


And speaking of furniture, here's a sweet little roundup of heart furniture. Usually when one thinks of furniture and heart, country kitsch comes to mind. I found quite a few awesome options that I would actually rock in my own home:

part Art, part seating, 100% adorable

a heartfelt nod to the Womb Chair

the sweetest little girl's fairytale vanity

i'd give this chair a pop-life makeover with neon lacquer and plush white velvet

sweet Parisian cafe chairs

adorable furniture love print

What are you loving this Thursday??

XO,

Chelsea

two things Tuesday

Happy Tuesday to all!

Kassi over at BacWoods Fern is back with her two things lovin' link up so I decided to play along again. Moving has definitely made me re-appreciate some of my beautiful and cherished things that had been stored away for some time. Since last week was a break from the two things, this week there is sure to be lots of McKlinky's. Check out Kassi and all the fun links to see what everyone's loving around their homes!!

This week my first thing is actually a collection of things. I love my collection of pottery and glass - a good deal of it is midcentury and some of it is new. Its all handmade items, some by friends and family, and in yummy shades of green, blue and pink.

and I absolutely love Mr. Fish.

I've found that people either love him or hate him.

Its taken Carl some time to warm up to him, but he's beginning to see why I love Mr. Fish so much. 
My friend Trent Watanabe painted the fish many years ago and I have treasured him ever since! He's hung in the living room of my past four homes. I've debated on framing him several times, but I think I like him just the way he is for now.

check out some of Trent's other artwork. I love his crisp, graphic paintings.

Mr. Fish likes the light of the discoball reflecting upon him...

 

Speaking of home lovin', I have promised to post some house pics and have since failed on all accounts. 

But yesterday was such a gorgeous evening that I just had to get outside with the rascals and enjoy the sunshine and air. 

And snap a few...

one of my favorite places

herbs awaiting a new home...

i love our camellia bushes

and I love our view (sorry its framed by antenna wires)

This week is already whirling by pretty quickly. I'm enjoying the extra hour of daylight. Not enjoying that its still dark at 7 am. Its been a beautiful 75 degrees the past few days, the rest of the country is eating their heart out right now!

I'm also looking forward to lots of celebrating this week! More time with Axel and Inga, celebrating a very special man's birthday, a house warming shindig and enjoying a show by my friend Rusty Lindsey. If you have a moment, check him out. His voice is soulful and amazing. And he's a pretty cool guy too.

What are your plans for the week??

XO,

Chelsea