Inspiration for Everyday Living

Philly

2010-02-08T22:23:00.000-08:00

We spent this past weekend in Philadelphia, arriving just in time to experience one of the biggest storms in recent memory!

This is as close as I got to the Liberty Bell...

Due to the bad weather, however, we managed to snag a last minute reservation here, so it was all worth it :)

Tretorn

2010-02-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

J Crew is bringing back the Tretorn! These were all the rage when I was in fifth, maybe sixth grade*. So of course I had to order a pair immediately.

* it appears the tretorn has experienced a cost of living update...i think they used to be like $30?

Plum Cushion

2010-02-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

In San Francisco, I had a fantastic seamstress. Not only did she make all of the custom pillows in my house, but she also expertly crafted a slipcover for the sleeper sofa in our office. But I'm not in San Francisco anymore and I still can't sew. And while I don't have any large projects in the immediate future, I'm still having a love affair with gorgeous fabrics, coupled with the urge to change my space somewhat frequently, and I needed a seamstress stat.

Enter the gracious and talented Melanie from Plum Cushion (she blogs too!). She creates high quality pillows using some of the best fabrics around. And then sells them at a price that doesn't make you want to stick something in your eye.

My first order arrived just before the holidays and today, I received an email with a picture of the new pillows I ordered for the family room (good bye Chiang Mai dragon, you are being moved out!).

I'll be sure to share photos once they arrive along with a few other changes to the room!

The Master

2010-01-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

Finally, right?! I'm guessing this may be the most over-hyped blog post in history (and I can't even explain why pulling this room together took me so very long). Also, my photography skills are crap, so apologies for the poor quality.

Anyway, I present to you the master bedroom. Hope you like it!

Travel Bug

2010-01-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

See in the side bar where I mention my passport? Buying the money pit put a swift halt to any international trips. But I’m happy to say the Husband and I can’t take it anymore and we are getting out of the country, albeit temporarily!

On the agenda:

Rome

Florence
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Tuscany (based in Pienza)
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We've been to Italy once before (visited Venice and Bologna), but the cities and regions above are new territory, so if you have suggestions, I’d love to read them!

images courtesy of a flickr search

For the Love of Toile

2010-01-18T10:40:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays, I purchased a pair of armchairs slipcovered in an espresso printed toile. I actually went into the store intending to buy the chairs with white twill covers, but for whatever reason the toile spoke to me.

So, in the name of toile, a little inspiration for you…

images courtesy of elle decor, traditional home, and house beautiful

Deal of the Day

2010-01-14T10:36:00.000-08:00

A recent effort to tweak one of rooms in our house has unexpectedly turned into a full on redesign. Over the weekend I picked up this rug, originally priced at $2,950 and on sale for $499...and paid for entirely with store credit. That's a deal, right?

A San Francisco Victorian

2010-01-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm heading back to San Francisco next week. This house, published in Elle Decor, is actually the re-invented interior of the home used in the tv show Full House for exterior shots! Apparently, the home gets quite a bit of tourist traffic.
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Guest Room 2.0 is finished!

2010-01-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

One of the projects on the NYE to do list was to cobble together a second guest room. Honestly, this isn’t my favorite room but it was ready for holiday guests and that’s the important part! And although it's mostly a mish mash of sale items and stuff we already had, I did find room in the budget for one splurge…a yummy (and huge!) John Robshaw pillow for the bed.
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We loved showing off Birmingham and I think our friends had a great time.

2010 Already!

2010-01-08T11:41:00.000-08:00

2010 is here- a new year and a new decade!

I'll be honest, 2009 was a tough year, both personally and professionally. But a new year brings new experiences, anticipation, plans...and hopefully plenty of opportunities to make 2010 the best year yet.

I'm not much into resolutions, but I am stealing one ritual from my good friend Andrea. Every Sunday she pulls out her cookbooks and selects a new [somewhat elaborate] recipe to try. And I'm going to start doing the same on the Sundays the Husband has off. In the process, I will accomplish at least one of my new year's "goals".
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Happy 2010 Readers!

images courtesy of pointclickhome