Yes, I said motorhome and super cute in the same sentence…and it is! Sweet Jessica of Volume 25, along with her husband and two adorable little girls, has been busy revamping a vintage 70′s motorhome, transforming it from dark and seriously outdated to…well, frankly, to something much cuter than many people’s apartments!

From updating the mini kitchen and bath to covering the fridge with chalkboard decals and customizing chevron print roman blinds, Jessica and family have really put their personal stamp on this little home on wheels. And all of their careful planning and hard work has been paying off with camping trips and weekend guests.

I showed Ben these pictures and we both agree: it would be totally awesome to fix up a vintage motorhome like this and hit the road. What about you? Does this sort of travel tempt you at all? While traveling in an old, funky motorhome sounds kind of depressing, throw in some chevron curtains, fresh flowers on the table (in a cute mod vase!), handmade art, and everything neat-as-a-pin, and I am there. :)

There are so many details to love. See in that picture above, what looks like wallpaper? Actually, Jessica painted that on, freehand – gorgeous! And I adore the little woodland-themed cushions and tightly edited color palette of gray, yellow, and white. Let’s take a look at another before-and-after…

Wow, right? You can see more before-and-after pictures here, and if you enjoyed this, you will certainly want to check out the rest of Jessica’s blog, Volume 25, as well as her art, digital templates, and more. Oh, and for those of you wondering, yes Bixby is due for his monthly photo – but I left my camera at my in-law’s house after our toddler + pumpkin photo op yesterday, so that will have to wait. Know why we were taking a photo of him with their pumpkin? Because we didn’t even buy a pumpkin this year. I told you I was a slacker!

Psst: Today is the last day to grab an ad spot and still be a part of the holiday penny-pinching special which includes 9 weeks of advertising + a post introducing your business to my readers AND a second “Shop Owner Q&A” post in December for $45 bucks. Email me to sign up. xo Laura

(all images: Jessica of Volume 25)

Perivolas on Santorini, Greece

Riad P’tit Habibi, Marrakech

Castles in the Sand, Morocco

These hotels in Greece and Morocco are stunning, no? Each seems like a perfect place for a real holiday, with nothing to do but swim and read and eat delicious fresh food! I love the whitewashed buildings with their smooth, adobe-like curves and colorful textiles.

Hotel Masseria Cimino, Italy

La Maison Pujol, France

Hotel Azucar, Mexico

In Danielle’s own words,

The Travel Files is about traveling, exploring, dreaming and enjoying life. We showcase beautiful destinations from all over the world. Small or large, urban or rural, budget or high end: it doesn’t matter, as long as a place has a certain charm, edge or uniqueness. The Travel Files is dedicated to search the globe for beautiful hotels, B&B’s, restaurants, shops and other places worth visiting.

Sounds delightful to me! I can’t wait to keep checking in on this new site to bookmark more places to visit. Lovely job, Danielle!

(image credits: The Travel Files)

Do you share my fancy for all things Moroccan? If so, you will surely be as stunned as I was by these photos of the just-opened Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh, taken by Holly Becker of decor8 on her recent trip there. A unique mini-hotel created & run by Maryam of the My Marrakesh blog, Peacock Pavilions is obviously a labor of love; each detail has been looked after with care. Prepare to drool:

Wow, right? I would LOVE to save up and go here eventually with a few of my best girlfriends for a week long trip to relax, shop in the souks, and perhaps take a few cooking classes as well :) You can see many more gorgeous photos and read all about the amazing creative retreat that Holly helped teach right here – but if you come down with a serious case of wanderlust and/or decor envy, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

(images: Holly Becker for decor8)

This past weekend made my third trip to Woodstock, Vermont, so I thought it was about time I pull together a mini-travel guide. This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide, rather these are just a few of my favorite spots that you will not want to miss if you are ever in the area. Ready? Oh good, let’s go!

• First up is Noushka (pictured above), a beautiful little shop that carries some of my favorite items for little ones such as hand-knit toys by Dutch designer Anne-Claire Petit and Noonoo blankies, as well as letterpress cards and Indian block print textiles.
• Right next door to Noushka is Collective, a co-op gallery owned by the artisans displaying work there – the intricately beaded leather moccasins and hand-turned woodwork caught my eye this time.
• Duck into cozy Woodstock Coffee & Tea for organic fair-trade coffee (or hot apple cider or a maple latte) and free wi-fi.
• The Yankee Bookshop, Vermont’s oldest continuously operated independent bookshop, has a great selection and regular author events.
• For breakfast we loved the Mountain Creamery – every little thing is made from scratch, from the blueberry pancakes to the apple pie. So. Good.
• My favorite place to stay is the Ardmore Inn, a beautiful little B&B run by a sweet couple – gorgeous rooms, very comfy, and delicious breakfast. We didn’t stay there this time…but only out of respect to other guests, as Bix can be a little loud!

(image: Noushka)

Warm and cozy as can be and packed with old-timey goodies, it was the perfect place to dry off (can you believe the rain actually turned to snow for a bit of our drive!?) and refuel with cheese and chocolates, nom nom nom. Then it was on to Woodstock, where we stayed the night. Saturday was cold and crisp but delightfully clear and we took a nice long walk out from the town…

Bixby was cozied up in his monster hat and loved watching the leaves blowing :) For now I am off to get myself ready for my web design class tonight, but I will meet you back here tomorrow to share a few of my favorite Woodstock shops and design finds. Sound good? Happy Monday!

(images: Laura Gaskill & Robyn Gaskill)

I am just so pleased that the talented Ms. Butler has expanded her offerings from fabrics alone to encompass bedding, towels, snazzy office supplies, and now even suitcases – because I don’t know about you, but her color palettes  and nature-inspired patterns never fail to lift my spirits.

And these cushy wheeled suitcases may even sway me from my long-standing obsession with Orla Kiely’s travel bags – I mean, doesn’t that bag above look positively yummy? Let me tell you, I wish I had that beauty by my side right now instead of my ancient L.L.Bean duffel!

The lush and cool prints remind me of tropical getaways and carefree summer days…and the neat-freak inside of me really wants to collect all of the tidy little makeup bags, pouches (and a laptop case of course) so I can happily organize and reorganize my belongings as much as I like!

And then there are the notebooks, folders, binders, and files, oh my! Too much goodness, I tell you! You can find out all of the details on Amy Butler’s website. I have so much respect for this creative lady – tell me, do you share my love of all things Amy?

{images: Amy Butler}

Ca’ Di Gosto is a B&B as well as a cooking school, and the owners will take us on trips to local markets to shop for ingredients (always with a stop for a perfect cappuccino along the way) and then return to the house to cook a delicious Umbrian feast. We can hang out in the fantastically rustic kitchen and sip wine as sauces and stews bubble away on the stove…

…and try our hand at making fresh pastas and ravioli, along with a few English sweets and treats (the owners are an English and American couple), mm. Feasting, lounging and exploring the countryside sounds like a plan to me!

And if it gets a bit too hot in the kitchen, we can always cool off in the lovely hillside pool!

Ca’ Di Gosto B&B and Cooking Classes

{images: Ca’ Di Gosto}

Our destination this week is the Trasierra Hotel, located outside of Seville in the Sierra Morena Mountains of Spain in Andalucia – land of the magestic Andalusian horses. Trasierra is the kind of place I thought only existed in the movies. Completely luxurious but in an easy, comfortable way – to say I would love to stay here is an understatement. I want to move in. Every detail has been lovingly tended to, from the colorful textiles draped over tables and chairs, to the stacks of books by the bedside and the little jars of house-made Seville orange marmalade at breakfast…

Flamenco guitar, local cheese and honey, afternoon siestas, riding horses through the fields, swimming in a mosaic-tiled pool…sigh. I’m feeling better just imagining it, aren’t you? I would love to come here with a small group of close friends and family, but this also seems like the kind of place where a solo traveler would feel right at home.

And in one of the bedrooms: fresh whitewash floor to ceiling (the better to reflect that magical Spanish light), cozy banquettes carved into the wall for napping and reading, gorgeous woven rugs and a perfectly made up bed…heaven! I think they would have to drag me out of there kicking and screaming.

Owner Charlotte Scott has poured endless love, energy, money and sweat into Trasierra, reviving it from the abandoned, neglected state it was in when her family purchased it 25 years ago – it is a true labor of love. Are you ready? Is your bag packed? When can we go?

Trasierra Hotel

{images: Trasierra}

In the top picture, you can see I’m peering into the tent through the window – I’ve laid down a pretty quilt beneath our Therm-A-Rests and sleeping bags, and my copy of Country Living is waiting patiently to be read. The newest addition to my glamping kit is this tiny knife, which I bought because it was cute and it comes with a little safety cover – but I was amazed at how sharp it is! It cut through a giant pile of vegetables like softened butter. Beneath that you can see a little smidgen of the floral tablecloth I spread over our picnic table, and candles lined up down the center to add an ambient glow as the sun sets.

What did you do over your weekend? I would love to hear. I’ll be back in just a few to start my first giveaway, which I am so excited to tell you about!

{images: Laura Gaskill}

First up on my list is Petersham Nurseries, located just outside of London. What’s this, you say? A nursery couldn’t be worth traveling for? Well, I beg to differ: Petersham Nurseries is not an ordinary plant shop. Offering up scrumptious fare and tea service in their cafe, loads of idyllic spots to picnic, fresh cut flowers, antiques and books; all in addition to their staggering array of plants – I don’t see why you would ever want to leave!

Their website has the most amazing gallery page, which leads me to believe that every square inch of this place is photogenic – I bet you couldn’t take a bad photo here if you tried! I mean my goodness, there are chickens and cows, rolling meadows and blooming flowerbeds, antique armoires and farmhouse tables thickly laden with cakes and sweets, glasses and silver lined up straight as little marching bands…

Even the garden tools look gorgeous! I think I could spend all day rifling through luxurious ribbons, burying my nose in flowers and herbs, caressing Italian silk scarves, and trying on yummy organic bath products. And I would certainly need to take home a pair of these amazing Ilse Jacobsen Wellington Boots, which are lined in cozy wool for gardening in the winter.

And when we get hungry, we can settle in amidst the flowers and enjoy a leisurely three-course feast…or perhaps simply a cup of perfect tea and a slice of chocolate cake with ginger caramel and Jersey cream? Before we leave, we will doubtless be tempted to carry off the whole place with us. But we will satisfy ourselves with a roll of pictures and full bellies and maybe just one more little trinket from the shop…

Petersham Nurseries

{images: Petersham Nurseries}