Says It All: Long Weekend

Image via Coastal Living

This long holiday weekend I will be in the garden digging beds, weeding and deer/ rabbit proofing my flowers but I will be dreaming of relaxing in style like the picture above- maybe with a fruity cocktail instead of the tea! Love this outdoor setting- the unique umbrella and basket like chairs are anything but ordinary.

Idea Gallery: Spa-Like Bathroom

How to make your bathroom feel like a spa? (Use my parents new bathroom as a guide, Bravo!)

1. Use a great calming neutral like this light gray which looks so fresh with white and green. A big mistake is thinking that gray is dark and gloomy, that is why so many spas use gray- it is relaxing!

2. Use big, fluffy white towels and robes to treat yourself everyday.

3. Incorporate nature: ferns, plants and stones. I also love the collections of soaps and the antique asian print. Very Zen!

4. Simple wall decor adds to the tranquil feel. I love the pressed ferns in floating frames. Look for a future post with a pressing tutorial.

Things I Love Today: New Floor Lamp

Thanks to my awesome and design savy Mom- we welcomed this antiqued floor lamp from Pottery Barn into our home, as an early birthday present(Yes, I am spoiled and I love every minute of it, it is not a problem if you admit it right?)!

I will love it forever!

In Follow-Up: Basket Wall

In follow-up to my earlier post about Basket Walls, I did one myself in our mudroom. I have a collection of ones given to me and ones I found. It is a great solution in a room with not so great walls. They also can serve as a storage solution (notice the not so pretty bug spray and hand sanitizer, conveniently hung by the back door). My tips for arranging them are to vary the color, size, and shape of the baskets. You can easily re-arrange as your collection grows, I started out with only a few...

Things I Love Today: Reading Nook

Check out our new reading/sleeping nook in the den. This Odda bed from Ikea is a great muti-tasker! It is a seat that folds out into a single bed and it has a large drawer on the side for storage. We wanted something small enough to not take up the whole room but would allow a sleeping space for guests. Got to hand it to the Sweeds- they think of everything!

In The Garden: Window Box/Basket Tips

So I have learned the 3 secrets of a great window box(got mine at Homegoods for $15):

1. A statement piece (usually something to give it some height)
2. Filler (Impatients, Petunias, Geraniums etc)
3. Vines (anything that will hang down and make it look layered)

I can't wait to watch it grow! And it really brightens up our entrance way.

Quick Project: Fabric Covered Table

Image via Palmer Weiss

A quick way to transform an ugly or old table. Cover the table with fun fabric and then put glass (cut to fit) on top for a great, flat and easy to clean surface. This works great for a vanity (easy to wipe-up spilled makeup) and great for a desk, no coasters needed!

How Hard Would It Be: Mason Jar Chandelier

Image via Young House Love

I love the "green" idea of using old mason jars for a unique chandelier. I have seen these on a lot of sites and they can be very pricey...$400. But I think I could do this with a lot of help from my handy husband and electrician friends. We shall see...

Idea Gallery: Wallpapered Entry

Image via House & Garden

I love Chloë Sevigny's entryway. It is bright and interesting. What a great feeling to know that you open the door and that is the first thing you see. I love how the wide-planked rustic floor pairs with the crisp, graphic pattern on the wall. Cool bike too!

I Think I Am In Love: Turquoise Necklace

Hello, I think I love you. This necklace from Anthropologie is so me. The price however, is not me- so please if you are listening sale gods- put in a good word....

Things I Love Today: Cheap Summer Dresses at F21

I stopped by Forever 21 yesterday after getting my haircut (not that it needed it or anything- last cut November!!!). They have some really cute dresses. This one would be so perfect for a wedding, and it is only $28!!! Now of course the quality is not on par with high end designers but lets face it, you will probably only wear is a handful of times- so who cares!

Sources: JCPenney for Window Treatments

JCPenney.com has a great window treatment selection. I have been looking for valances to fit our ranch style windows and it has been tricky to find ones in the stores. Penney's has a ton of options and the prices are great. They also have a made to measure section that you can get custom blinds and shades to perfectly fit your oddly shaped windows- and way less than most blinds retailers.

I now have new valances in the den, guest bedroom, and mudroom. What a difference a window treatment makes!!

Things I Love Today: Houses with Vines

I love the look of ivy or vines growing on a house. I took all these pictures last spring in San Fran. It adds whismy and almost romance to a house. So pretty!

Finds: "Green" Planter

So I found these awesome "Green" planters at Kmart! They look like ceramic pots but are actually made out of recycled plastic containers. So they look good and are doing good for the planet!! I love them. They have many different styles and are lightweight. At only $25 for the largest size- I call this a find!!!

From The Garden

This is my garden...well, the start of my garden. (which I admit is a pretty darn good start). We started planting this weekend, so naturally there was a frost warning last night. So we had to move all our planters in...fun.

But I have to say, I love our yard and all our trees and flowers. I had food poisoning this week and was honestly probably the sickest I have ever been (serves me right for eating salad)! The only thing that made me feel remotely better was sitting outside and enjoying our yard.

Things I Love Today: Color in White Palettes

Image Via Coastal Living

I love how the addition of light pink pillows, fresh flowers, blue lamps and green curtains make this white palette anything but bland. This is how to accessorize with color!

Finds: Antiqued Wall Mirror

We got this goregeous & heavy wall mirror a few weekends ago at Homegoods. It was, drumroll please.....$29.99! No really- it must have been mis-labeled but I was not going to point that out. The original price on it was $200!

It works well over our little side table because it is narrow but tall. A perfect last look mirror on your way out the door.

What I Wore Today : Black & White & Light

Embellished T-Shirt: LOFT, $20 (on sale)
Ikat Bag: Forever 21, $15
Ruffled Jersey Skirt: LOFT, $30 (on sale)

close-up of skirt: this is the most comfortable thing ever- feels like PJ'S, and it is ruffly and light without giving you saddle bags- thanks, but no thanks!)

Shoes: Franco Sarto @ Marshalls, $30

My new favorite shoes. They are high but comfortable due to the platform and my secret (soon to be no longer secret) is that I can wear my insoles with them. Yes, I am under 30 and wear insoles- darn my high arches!!!

In Follow-Up: Hand Painted Table

Before

After

So the table before as you can see is peeling and in rough shape. So I gessoed(primed) the top and let that dry. In the meantime, I picked out the colors I wanted (some of which were Behr samples left over from the den painting project) and dove in. I was using Mediterranean tiles as my inspiration but as you can see when I started the design, it went in its own direction. I am always drawn to shapes in nature like leaves and trees so I ran with it. So after you are happy with your design just make sure to but a protective coat on top to prevent it from bleeding and fading.

I have to say it looks pretty darn good on our deck with our blue and yellow motif.