From the monthly archives:

October 2009

A Lovely Little Treat

October 27, 2009

in The Sweet Life

This afternoon during a break between projects I cleared a space on my little table and sat down with a fresh magazine, a soft pillow, and a plate of cheese and crackers. Mm…

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The magazine is Elle Decoration UK and inside I came across a lovely little article on simple pleasures, jazzed up with the sweetest illustrations. I decided to find out who the illustrator was, and…

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…her name is Jenny Bowers. In her bio, Jenny says that her work “reflects her love of pattern, drawing, painting, cutting and sticking” – how refreshingly honest, no? I love an artist who obviously has fun with their work! Aren’t her illustrations so sweet and cheerful? I love the bright raspberry pattern, and now I want to hunt down that book just because the cover is so adorable!

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I hope I’ve inspired you to take a little break today and surround yourself with yummy things – like, perhaps a bowlful of this silky, decadent old-school chocolate mousse from Smitten Kitchen? Enjoy yourself!

xoxolaura

{images: top, Laura Gaskill; others, linked to sources above}

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Daily Mood: Vermilion Dreams

October 26, 2009

in Mood Boards

Hello there! I am back on my feet (thank you for all of your well-wishes!), and enjoying a particularly glorious day here with that magic autumnal light – all of the trees in my area are now in full, blazing color, and for this California girl it still feels surreal to drive down road after road of tree-lined streets, ablaze with color and light. Even if it was the red of the trees outside my window that got me going on a hunt for all things vermilion, what I really think of when I see this shade is the technicolor red in old Hitchcock films, the phone booths in London, classic film stars with matching vermilion lips and nails, and fields of Dutch tulips. Let it be noted that I am very picky about red. Muddy burgundy depresses me, and too-bold blood red gives me the willies. But Vermilion…even the name sounds mysterious and wonderful. This perfectly clear red-orange is such a happy-go-lucky, optimistic shade, what’s not to love?

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Clockwise from top left: An embellished door in Marieke van Proosdij’s Amsterdam apartment, here; Scrumptious rose candies from Celine Steen of Have Cake, Will Travel, here; Vintage 1940s hat from Dear Golden Vintage, here; Amazing wool felt skirt here; Hand-printed pillow from Hazel & Hunter, here.

Happy Monday, friends!

{images: linked to sources above}

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Under The Weather

October 20, 2009

in The Sweet Life

Just popping in to let you know I am feeling quite icky, so I may not be able to post for a few days. I’m off to brew up a pot of chamomile tea, draw a hot bath with aromatherapy oils, and then climb into bed with a book. While I’m away, why don’t you check out some of the new winter items from Toast? I love their velvet-lined slippers and that gorgeous silky quilt pictured below.

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I will see you back here just as soon as I can!

{images: Toast}

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Sweet Obsessions Friday

October 16, 2009

in Sweet Obsessions

Hello there and happy Friday! It has been quite cold and rainy where I am, which is making me want to go shopping for toasty boots and sweaters. If I may digress for a moment, why is boot shopping so difficult? I am looking for knee-high, flat leather boots that will fit easily over jeans. If you know where to find boots that match this description, please leave a link in the comments and I will be forever in your debt! LOL. (no really though, I’m serious!) Moving on, I have seven little treasures to share with you today, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

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1. I am swooning big-time over both of these new prints (pictured above) from Ninainvorm – aren’t they sweet?

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2. This is actually a long-time obsession of mine, as B well knows. As far as I am concerned, Orla Kiely’s Wheelie bag, which I especially love in this multi-color car print, is perfection. And oh, my! I do have a birthday coming up next month – fancy that! Hint, hint, hint. Boy I’m subtle.

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3. This photograph of a woman in a bar in Dublin is just so striking, don’t you agree? I love her hair, and how the print of her dress pops against the deep, dark painted back wall. From The Sartorialist.

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4. A mass of thrifted bottles filled with flowers on the side of the road, on a rustic table, catching the afternoon light – dreamy. Found on The Style Files.

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5. Dear, sweet Sandy of Cookie Cutter put together a lovely post featuring inspiring images of fairy lights – and I completely agree with her that twinkle lights are much too magical to be saved for the holidays. I’ve found that if you want to use them year-round, just be sure to choose the kind that have white lights on a white cord. Thanks for the inspiration, Sandy!

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6. Aren’t these pieces of art by Lilla Jizo incredible? Like little animal spirits to bring home and treasure.

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7. Hm, and somehow those reminded me of this shameless display of kitten cuteness, found on Twig & Thistle.

Have a happy, wonderful, peaceful weekend!

xoxolaura

{images: linked to individual sources above}

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The Sunset Modern Idea Cottage

October 16, 2009

in Design & Decor

Do you get Sunset Magazine? I have been a subscriber for about 10 years now, beginning when I lived in California and continuing out here on the east coast, and I love their fresh, modern aesthetic and playful vibe. The Sunset tag line is “how to live in the West”, and when I lived on the west coast I frequently found myself turning to Sunset to find fun weekend day-trip ideas, new restaurants and neighborhoods to explore. And now that I am 2,000 miles away, I still look to Sunset for fun modern decorating ideas, little diy projects, and garden designs. I’m making a point to say this because I love print magazines, and it saddens me to see so many folding these days (domino, cookie, gourmet for crying out loud!) – so I think it is especially important now to support the magazines you would be sad to see go.

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One of the features that I look forward to each year is the Sunset Idea House which has taken many forms over the years, from a sleek apartment in San Francisco to a grand lodge-style home in the Sierras. This summer, Sunset worked with Modern Cabana to create a tiny but perfect pre-fab structure designed to fit in a backyard and provide space for guests, an office/studio, outdoor dining, and a play house for children. You can check out more photos right here. I love that it is full of budget and eco-friendly ideas like putting a green roof on your dog house (!), installing a vertical succulent garden (courtesy of the talented Flora Grubb), re-purposing a glass door as a desk, and curating a collection of affordable art. Okay, and Flora Grubb’s vertical gardens are just so cool, I have to show you a pic of one she installed at her own shop in San Francisco:

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Amazing, right? I mean, who knew that plants could look like art! Go to Flora Grubb Gardens to learn more about her creative plant installations. And I do hope that you’ll go check out Sunset Magazine if you haven’t seen it before – it really is a treasure.

{images: Sunset Magazine; Flora Grubb Gardens}

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