June 2012

Bixby’s Monthly Photo :: Twenty-Four Months Old

June 29, 2012

Bixby, you are such a very special person, everyone who knows you loves you so, so very much. Especially your Mama and Daddy. Happy Birthday, sweet darling Bixby!! You are the Big 0-2!!

What’s new? Singing all of the words to “Bingo”. Telling jokes. Wearing underwear (sometimes)!!
Loves: Picking (and eating) peas from the garden. Water play. Art projects. Big trucks, tractors, and motorcycles. Meatballs! Strawberries! Lemonade!

This was the last photo in a two-year-long photo project. But. I’ve been thinking I can’t give up these monthly photos quite yet, so stay tuned for the next photo project!

I have been taking a photo of Bixby in the white armchair with his lambie every month for the past twenty-four months; you can see all the rest here:

One Month Old :: Two Months Old :: Three Months Old :: Four Months Old :: Five Months Old :: Six Months Old :: Seven Months Old :: Eight Months Old :: Nine Months Old :: Ten Months Old :: Eleven Months Old :: Twelve Months Old :: Thirteen Months Old :: Fourteen Months Old :: Fifteen Months Old :: Sixteen Months Old :: Seventeen Months Old :: Eighteen Months Old :: Nineteen Months Old :: Twenty Months Old :: Twenty-One Months Old :: Twenty-Two Months Old :: Twenty-Three Months Old

(images: Laura Gaskill)

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The Really Yucky (But Helpful!) Toilet Repair Post

June 28, 2012

in My Home

So, have I mentioned that Bixby flushed a train track down the toilet? Oh yes, he did. I was brushing my teeth, and in he runs and – BAM! – in goes the train track. I slammed the lid down, but before I could stop him, he flushed. I thought for sure it was too big to get flushed down. But oh, how wrong I was. We called Roto-Rooter, but even Mr. Plumber Dude couldn’t get the thing out. Even with the crazy looking contraption that made Bixby exclaim, “HE HAS A ROCKET!” when he came into the house. They wanted to charge over $400 bucks to remove the toilet, and even then the guy didn’t sound very confident that he would be able to remove the piece. I’m pretty sure “I’ll have to break the toilet” were his exact words. Ben wanted to try a DIY repair instead, so the following weekend we went for it. In case any of you have something similar happen, I decided it would be helpful to run through what ended up working for us, and perhaps you can spare yourselves a few hours of pain (and a useless plumber’s bill). Here is the blow-by-blow…

12 Steps to Remove a (REALLY) Stuck Toy from Your Toilet:

Gather lots of old towels, a wrench, flashlight, toilet auger (we used this one), paint scraper, and a new wax ring.
Turn off water to toilet!! There should be a knob near the base of your toilet to do this.
Plunge out as much water from the bowl as you can.
Remove the two bolts at the base of toilet.
Pull the toilet straight up. It will be really, really heavy, and it may stick to the floor because it is attached at the bottom with a wax ring. Just pull really hard.
Turn toilet upside down.
Scrape all of the yucky old wax off the floor and the bottom of toilet with paint scraper.
Look inside (use your flashlight) and see if you can spot the offending toy/whatever.
Use your toilet auger to PUSH the object back the way it came; repeat until you get the blasted thing out.
Heat up the new wax ring. Get a friend to help guide the toilet as you lower it onto the wax ring, lining up the bolts with the holes in the base of the toilet. DO NOT attempt this part alone!
Press and wiggle toilet onto wax ring to set it.
Tighten up bolts.

Let me tell you, this was not easy. Ben worked on that toilet all. day. long. We made several missteps. At first, we tried to snag the train track from the front of the toilet, but ended up pushing it in further (actually, I think the plumber got it really stuck trying to get it out the wrong way). Then we tried pulling it out from the bottom, but even when Ben snagged it, it wouldn’t budge. Next time (please, oh please let there not be a next time!!) I would skip right to pushing it out from the bottom.

I sincerely hope none of you ever need to take this advice, but there you go! :O And hey, we have a toilet that is un-stuck, doesn’t leak, and we only spent about ten bucks on supplies, so I think that’s not too shabby. And I’m super proud of Ben!

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Fresh Color in Amsterdam

June 27, 2012

in Design & Decor

Hello my dears! I am just quickly popping in to share these photos I spied recently on The Style Files. The fresh color combinations are calling my name! I love the idea of having a white box and then filling it with these amazing splashes of color and art and creativity. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Black accents are a wise choice in a white space, I think – they look so crisp against white walls and floors; matte black pottery especially looks chic to me. The warm raspberry and creamy apricot pair nicely (but a little unexpectedly) with the cool tones of blues and lilacs. This feels like a color scheme that would inspire creativity, don’t you think?

And my goodness, look at that room! The architectural details, those windows, the white floors…drool, drool, drool! I think it would be so lovely to come out of the summer heat into a room like this. But then also, I could see easily making it feel cozy and warm in wintertime with lots of candles and twinkle lights.

And then there are the amazing collections of embellished boxes, bags, shoes, and other goodies, lovingly curated and displayed. I think this is a great example of how to edit the things you’ve amassed while traveling so that they look intentional and interesting, rather than simply messy (or worse, forgotten about in a back closet!).

Enjoy your day my dears, xo Laura

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Your Summer Art Collection Starts Here

June 20, 2012

in Art

Hello my dears, sorry I’ve been a absent so far this week; I’ve been playing a bit of catch-up, but I expect to get back on my regular schedule now. Anyway, I hope you have all been out enjoying the weather and taking the time to savor the start of summer, wherever you may be spending it. Also, if you haven’t stopped by in a while and you are reading this via rss subscription, you might like to take a peek at the site – Lolalina got a makeover! :) Moving on to today’s post, I’ve had my eye on some fun, colorful art prints that would be perfect for summer, so I decided to round them up. I think any or all of them would make a nice little collection.

1. & 2. “Blackpool rock” and “Krispy Kreme dozen” by Joel Penkman | 3. & 4. “Do you ever think we’re starting to look alike” and “Make it yours” by Ashley G. | 5. “Wide Open” by Groundwork | 6. “Rocket lolly ices” by Joel Penkman | 7. “The Swan Lake” by Inaluxe | 8. “Pink Bather” (sorry, it’s sold!) by Kiki & Polly | 9. “Carousel” by Ilana Exelby, available at The Littlest Mammoth | 10. “My butt” by Helena Wurzel, available on 20×200 | 11. “Sailing” by Luke Brooks, available at The Littlest Mammoth | 12. “Paris” by Famille Summerbelle, available in the Made By Girl shop.

Do you have a favorite above? I am particularly smitten with the pink “Paris” map print, which is based on a paper-cut illustration. Gorgeous, no? And I think that pirate ship print would be just adorable in Bixby’s room.

I’m curious: do you change your art with the seasons? I try to, but I haven’t had a large budget for new art purchases for a while, so I am stuck with what I have for now; though I do try to add a new affordable print or two each year, so I am slowly building up more art in my home. I’d also love to save up for a painting from one of my favorite artists! xo Laura

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5 Ideas for Summer Living & Decorating

June 16, 2012

in Design & Decor, The Sweet Life

Happy weekend friends! Around here we are beginning to settle into our summer routines, and it feels so very good: lots of beach days, carrying our drinks into the backyard in the late afternoon, watching the chickens, picking the first peas from the garden, farmer’s markets, crafts fairs, strawberry picking, oh yes. I am finding that I appreciate summer so much more now that I live on the east coast. Back in California, without distinct seasons, it can be easy to take good weather for granted. ;) Today I thought it would be nice to roundup a few of my favorite summer spaces and ideas for squeezing the most out of the season. Enjoy!

Photo: Hourglass Winery guest house via Remodelista

#1: Rattan pendant lights. I don’t know about you, but the Leran pendant light from Ikea just screams summer to me. I’ve wanted one for a long time, but my local store kept selling out – and now it appears they are no longer available in the states. Gah! Anyway, I will continue to drool over this light and hope that one day maybe I will be able to bring one home. Fresh white rooms + rattan pendants are a match made in heaven, in my book anyway!

Photo: Remodelaholic beach house kitchen makeover

Oh, and did I mention how great they look in multiples? I think it would be so cheering to wake up and mosey into this kitchen every morning in the summer, don’t you?

Photos: Alexandra Angle via Remodelista

#2: Indoor-outdoor living. If I had double doors leading from the bedroom into the garden, I think I would fling them open first thing in the morning and then climb back into bed with coffee and a good book. Then maybe later carry my book and a tall glass of lemonade to the hammock in the patio. Sigh. Really though, that patio above is a great inspiration shot for those with a small outdoor space – add a geometric rug, small hammock and vintage café table and chairs, a few hanging lanterns, and you are set!

Photo: new styling work from Chelsea Fuss of Frolic

#3: Chalkboards. I just love chalkboards in the kitchen, and for some reason they look especially right to me in the summer. What is that about? I would use one to keep a running grocery list, or to remind myself of healthy snacks in the fridge. ;) Also of note here: the tiny flower painting propped on the open shelf, enamelware, glass jars for pantry items, classic white subway tiles.

Photo: Hula Seventy

#4: Summer bucket list. I haven’t quite gotten it together yet, but this year I am planning to make a summer bucket list. Have you ever made one? I would love to paint my front door with chalkboard paint and keep the list there…we’ll see if I can make that happen! If you are considering making your own, there are some great ideas here.

Photo: Frolic

#5: Spruce up your bedroom with a chair + sweet peas. Sweet peas are the most charming flower, and I adore how they look in a little glass on this chair standing in for a bedside table, don’t you? I also like the idea of pulling in a spare chair (or scooping one up at a weekend yard sale) and stashing the regular bedside table for the summer; there is something so casual yet artsy about it.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday! xo Laura