My current obsessions

Here are my current super cute baby obessions at the moment:



The Mia Bossi Lyndsey diaper bag. It's a little more than I want to spend but you can buy an insert and it becomes a laptop bag/briefcase after you're done using it as a diaper bag.





The Bell Turno diaper bag from babyGap. Quite a bit cheaper and still pretty darn cute. It will be a hard decision!

As far as bedding goes, I'm loving the orange/blue/white combination for a boy. I LOVE everything about this bedding, but the price tag is outrageous for my budget. Even though the fabric is pricey, I feel like I could buy the fabic and make something similar for cheaper. I especially love the stripe.




From the same place, I LOVE this bedding for a girl. On the same note, I'd have to buy the fabric and make the bedding for it to fit anywhere near my price range. I'd even maybe mix it with that super cute green houndstooth I've had my eye on. Both bedding sets and all fabrics pictured are Serena and Lily.

These are some cute websites to look at custom bedding. Jacquelyn Reese and also Polka Tot Designs. While they do a good job, it would probably be hard for me to pay someone (unless I'm feeling awful) $300-400 to make my bedding when I can sew. If I couldn't sew, I would definitely order from them!

I love all of these fabrics:

http://premierprintsfabric.com/babypinkwhite.shtml

http://premierprintsfabric.com/babybluewhite.shtml

http://premierprintsfabric.com/candypinkwhite.shtml (the bottom two on this one, NOT the peace sign one)

Okay, enough obsessing today!

finally!

After several years of waiting, we are now able to afford a bedroom suite! I am SO SO SO excited!! We should get several of the pieces in by the end of the week! I'm on cloud 9!

um, hello?

Did anyone else get the new Ballard design catalog??? I'm so very excited! It seems they have upped their taste level a little bit! Just look at this lamp, gorgeous! And the price is great at $99!


















And for you bargain-hunters out there, West Elm has some great prices on their curtain panels. I'm not sure of the quality, but they look beautiful in the magazine! I espeically like the two-toned panels and the silver dupioni panels. Gorgeous!


Also, I'm excited to announce I'm pregnant! We are so very excited! So expect to see some baby things on here from now on! Here is the first of many idea boards...ignore the name...we have since moved on!


















1. Mirrors - Pottery barn. 2. Lamp - Serena and Lily 3. Silhouette - Fontaine Maury
4. Fabircs - Serena and Lily 5. Crib and bedding - Serena and Lily

Be still, my heart

Welcome back Pottery Barn. I don't know where you've been the past couple of seasons, but I'm glad you're back. Instead of those harsh, neon colors you're back to your calm, natural self. While you've saved me a lot of money the past year, there's nothing better than having you back. So, cheers to you and glad you could make it back for 2009!

So, Christmas comes a little earlier at my house...I wanted to enjoy the tree before we start traveling. I'm pretty happy with the way it came out considering it's the first year we've had a tree!

look for less

I was at Pier One yesterday and I found these tables on clearance. They remind me a little of this table only without the terribly high price tag. I snagged two end table and the small console for less than $100! I didn't buy the coffee table because it was so small in scale. If you can get over the cheeky lion's paw feet, then they are a great buy!

if we weren't military...

I would own an entire china cabinet full of whitewear and never have to worry about it breaking...wouldn't it be lovely? Instead, I have to worry about how many things will get broken in our 3 moves/3 years...that is why my china is still at my parent's house. boo. =(

a very brown Christmas

If you haven't guessed, I love brown. Seriously love brown. And uber-expensive Frontgate does not help my obsession. These are so gorgeous...and seriously expensive! Anyone see anything similar for cheap??

I think Walmart may have done it this time. Classically styled dark sleigh bed for under $500? It's beautiful! I'm thinking about getting this set for the bedroom and putting it in the guest room if we decide to upgrade. I'm sick of living out of plastic bins while my DH has the entire dresser to himself! Not quite sure how that happened...

merry Christmas...to me.

Target. My bank accounts' nemisis. I didn't buy the bowl because I have something similar...but aren't these pieces lovely? Christmas doesn't have to be all red and green.

the shoes

If I could decorate an entire room around a shoe, these would be it:

Aren't they gorgeous?

So, just for fun, here's what I would choose:

This wall color...(which echoes the shoes without being so bright)

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...with this bed (without the bedding)

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...with these as bedside tables

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...with this mirror above the bed:

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...with this bedding (or even the white velvet duvet from PB for added texture)

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with these lamps:

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busy slaving away

Pretty much since the moment I opened the box, I've been sewing. I made this pretty little thing for a friend yesterday and finished it this afternoon. It was harder than I thought! I will definitely need to learn some patience with this sewing stuff.

Please ignore the unsightly topstiching:

My monogramming job:

my newest love

Well, those linen napkins' prayers have been answered. I am now the proud owner of this beauty, the Brother SE-350.

I wanted a machine that could serve me well in the future. A simple machine could have served me well as a beginner, but I know that I'll be keeping it for 10+ years so I wanted something that could grow with me and my new love for sewing. It also has some simple embroidery capability so that is really exciting to me! I haven't used it yet, but I already love it.

I promised myself I would clean this house before I started playing, so I'm off to grocery shop and then cleaning! Hope your Saturday is lovely!

dreaming a little

Inspiration for a nursery that I've had in my head several years (yes, years) after seeing the inpsiration in a Neiman Marcus catalog. I've been itching to get it out on "paper." I would have made it into an idea board, but my Photoshop is on the fritz. If we have a girl (not pregnant, just dreaming) this is one option that I love:

This waincoting and flooring (upper wall painted red)...btw I would copy this room verbatim for a boy - LOVE it:

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With this color crib:

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With custom bedding made out of these beauties:

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Hope you can "see" it as well as I can!

inherently good

I thought I'd take a moment to share my newest treasure: my great grandmother's sugar and creamer given to her and my great grandfather at their wedding. Despite the fact that the lid is missing, I'm desperately in love with them and what they mean to me. After a little research, I have found they are Heisey glass #1021 Caroline. I have searched and cannot find them hardly anywhere, but they are very similar to the #1020 auctioned here. Apparently, great style is inherited. ;)


I'm also in love with these vintage set of Neiman Marcus napkins I found this weekend at the junktique store. They are gorgeous and just calling to be embroidered. Love them!



Last but not least is this tablecloth I found for $4. It is lovely linen and in my head I envision it as the top layer of a child's Easter dress. By the time I have enough sewing skills to make one I will probably have children.

Speaking of children's clothing, I'm definitely inspired by the Purl Bee and this little number. I'm not sure what has possessed me into thinking I can make it, but I'm thinking about giving it a whirl. Not sure where this new-found confidence has come from, but I'm guessing it will soon diminish. =)

back and inspired

To my one reader, sorry for the short leave of absence. I had a fabulous time with my family and at enough seafood that shrimp might possibly be endangered now! It really was a great time and I'm always inspired by the local cuisine and art. If you want that summer feeling (anytime of the year) the gulf coast of FL/AL is the place to be. With my family here, though, my thoughts immediately go to Christmas and how I'm spending the holdiay (as well as decorating for it). With a little online research I found these beauties:

I also love this as another alternative for my entry table.

I also love this table runner from PB...it will look so beautiful on my black table!

Following with the red and white theme for my kitchen, this cake stand is pretty darn cute, too!

I would love hear any suggestions or see links to your favorite picks. It's never too early to do research!

a little slower

Since my parents are in town I will be on hiatus for a little while. I'll be back soon with new inspiration and new fabulously simple things soon!

pssst...

I forgot to tell you I got a little email a few weeks ago from my design star "friend," Jen Bertrand...she's pregnant! yea!! I'm so happy for her!

Love of the day: coffered ceilings

As if the decor isn't beautiful enough...look at those ceilings! You can pick me up off the floor now, thanks.

It is beyond my wildest imagination as to why this space has 3.8 stars instead of 5. I can't imagine how you would top this. It's perfect, simple, and gorgeous. Please check out their gorgeous home and give them 5 stars! Believe me, the other rooms are just as goregous!

modern restoration

After a little blood, sweat, and tears my chair is finally restored! I think it looks fabulous! What do you think (see several posts below for the before)? The wood has a beautiful redness to it in the sun but inside it actually looks a deep chocolate brown. I love it! Please excuse the dirty garage floor and the fact that when you compress the picture the fabric looks psychedelic and messed up.

throw you for a loop

While I decorate very vanilla, it may surprise you that my taste in fabric is a total 180*. I love fresh, modern preppy prints...i cannot lie! I am somewhat of a fabric whore. I have about 15 yards of fabric just sitting there! No exaggeration. And I can barely sew! I think it's a congenital disease (my mom was a seamstress). While I would NEVER use these in my home, I do love them and would hoard them in my closet. It's a serious addiction. Maybe someday they will become a cute children's dress or tote bag? Maybe a pillow in a future beach house?

(BTW Calico Corners has some great prints, you should check them out!)

Oh how lovely it would look with this perfectly vanilla chair: