The perfect day to celebrate...

When the clock strikes twelve tonight I'll be celebrating not just the ringing in of a new year but also of another year being married to the Mr.  {we got married New Year's Eve just four years ago}, it goes without saying {except that I'll still say it...} he is amazing and the best thing that ever happened to me.

I love this quote from Audrey Hepburn - certainly speaks to the type of marriage I hope to have for many years to come.

We'll spend the night dancing away to Mickey & the Motorcars and having a good time.  I hope you have special plans too and that you embrace 2011 with gusto.

Thank you all for reading this blog of mine and for your sweet comments {which always brighten my day}.  It brings me such delight to be making friendships with all of the talented and amazing people out there who I've met and connected with through this daily journal.

I wish you all nothing but the best in the upcoming year!

Sublime Spaces - Dining Rooms

My mind has been fixated on lovely dining spaces the last few days, I have some projects in the pipeline for mine and have been hunting for images that trigger some direction.

My to-do list includes completing my dining chair makeover and possible adding a modified banquet.  Maybe a new window treatment and eventually modifying the exsisting shelving unit or finding a new one.

What do you think of these as a source of inspiration?

The next few months are going to be busy ones but I hope to make some progress on the chairs in the next few weeks...I'll keep you posted on the results.

Resolutions are so 2010

I know I am not alone when I say resolutions are tough - I mean we all have the best intentions but at the end of the day its hard to change everything overnight.

While some may say resolutions are silly - a waste of time, I think this tradition of starting a new year with a focus on improvement is good and definitely worthwhile.  However, this year I am taking a bit of a different approach.  I know my limitations and attention span and can admit that if I made a list today of things I wanted to change that maybe 1-2 of them might eventually happen.  Instead I'm ringing in the new year with a pledge.

Yep, a pledge.  By definition this means:

pledge; noun, verb
a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something: a pledge of aid; a pledge not to wage war.

Something about those words solemn promise resonate with me - its not just a good intention like a resolution, it offers a lot less wiggle room.  Begining in January and continuing each and every month of 2011 I will be making a pledge to myself - a new one each month.  Instead of pretending  that the 2011 is the year I will finally stop eating sugar, wasting money, or watching less tv, etc.  I will instead take stock at the end of each month on the one thing I would like to focus on for the next month, hopefully it will lead to accomplishing more, developing new habits, and growing as a person.  My goal is that I'll carry on the things I learned during a particular pledge month so that it just becomes part of my lifestyle.  I'll be sharing the new one every month because I hope by vocalizing it, it will help me with my accountability.

No stalking the sale racks at Anthro or Ann Taylor Loft, no justifying that I just have to have that set of bowls to add to my collection of 8 million.  Sounds simple enough but for me it will be a challenge and one that I need to face. 

So that is my plan - but what is yours?  Are you a stout resolutioner?  Do you think it is all just a waste of time?

Looking forward...

Justin and I had a wonderful Christmas with our families - there was lots of good food, funny stories, remininiscing, and plenty of laughs.  We were spoiled rotten with wonderful and thoughtful gifts ranging from a fabulous addition to the kitchen (a soda stream), to crafty tools like my new sewing machine.  There are more amazing gifts that I'll share with you through posts about projects and recipes...

Thank you to all our family for their generosity and time over the holidays - we had such a wonderful time!  I hope you too, enjoyed or are still enjoying some down time with your loved ones.

Of course, its at this time of year that we all can't help but look ahead at what the new year may bring.  My mind is filled with thoughts on how to push myself and grow and later this week I will be sharing some of my goals and aspirations with you - I'm approaching resolutions a bit differently this year.

Until then some pretty images to possibly help inspire some design projects for the upcoming year...

Signing off for the weekend...

I would like to wish each and every one of you a truly wonderful holiday weekend.  Despite all that consumes us this time of year, in the end for me it all boils down to spending time with family and friends, respecting the traditions of the past while creating new ones.  My heart is full of gratitude and love and I wish you all nothing but LOVE & JOY this Christmas.

Buried....

All I can say is sorry for the lack of posts lately - it would be a bit of an understatement to say that I am buried at work, home, life, etc. right now and this blog has taken a back seat.

I hope you understand and am patient with me as I undig and get back to the usual recipes, projects, and ideas you come looking for.

Monday beauties...

Its going to be a fast and furious week but every Monday deserves a moment of inspiring beauty, don't you think? 

Since I have baking {lots of it} on the agenda tonight I've got amazing kitchens on the brain - here are two from one of my favorite interior photographers, Susan Gilmore.  I'm lusting after the ample countertops, big ovens, and farmhouse sinks - not to mention just the sheer beauty of them both. {insert sigh here}

Maybe one day....

I'm on the naughty list...

for not having posted for a week - eeks!  How can time fly by so fast, especially when you're not having fun?

Anyhow, I have been working on some fun projects and redo's including some fab last minute hostess or holiday gifts, some lamp love (think gilded and animal oriented), shameful reworking of art, mishaps and successes in the kitchen and presents for my peeps (although they read this ol' blog so I can't share...sorry).  Of course work fits in there somewhere - sure wish it didn't sometimes.

To hold you over while I get my act together I thought I would share some lovely pictures - a mish mash of images that have consumed this old brain of mine for awhile and serve up some major inspiration.

{most beautiful seasonal planter box I've seen}

{I have curtains already on my closet in lieu of doors but this fabric has me thinking mine need an update

..its gorgeous}

{my pretend best friend Tommy's kitchen...almost as cool as him...well the heringbone floors might actually be cooler, sorry Tommy}

{my love in this picture is devoted to that chair...

I have a similar one that is dying for a makeover, this gives me hope}

{Can you say perfect gallery wall?  That convex mirror is heaven}

{I'm crazy for this room - large photos, striped fabric, pattern explosion of pillows, pink & aqua..awesome!}

Does this room bring a smile to your face?

It does mine - something about the oversized circus letter, blown up photo {which you know I love!}, loopy chandelier, and exposed brick make me grin.  Does your home make you smile?  If not, I encourage you to do one thing this weekend that will make your home or even a room bring a smile to your face.

Fresh flowers?
Favorite photo?
Cherished treasure?
Children's artwork?
Old love note?

Add something to the mix that is sure to make your happy!

Our road trip

As you all know, the week after Thanksgiving Justin and I hit the road.  For him it was work, for me it was vacation.  With stops at Jackson Hole, Big Sky Montana, and Sun Valley there were lots of miles covered (1,300 to be exact) and lots of fun.  Here is a brief recap...

1.  White out driving conditions on our way to Big Sky - literally all you could see were the electrical poles, otherwise it was white...as were my knuckles.

2.  First wildlife sighting of the trip...hard to tell but there is a baby moose hidden in those trees.

3.  Great antique store outside of Idaho Falls, didn't have too much time to explore but there was some amazing furniture.

4.  That would be my husband - scruffy and road weary at one of the many gas stations we stopped at.

5.  The amazing view from the home we stayed at on the Jackson Hole Elk Reserve  - the house was almost as amazing as the view.

6.  Me on the gondola at Jackson Hole after taking a few runs...the snow and skiing were amazing there.

7.  Beginings of a sunset and my maple nut square ice cream cone.

8.  Rainey Creek Gas Station - home of the famous square ice cream...the perfect road snack when it's negative 20 outside. {My mom used to get the square ice cream when she was a kid so we had to stop and induldge}

9.  More snow covered mountain roads - we saw lots of these.  Thank goodness Jus is a good driver.  I took my turn at the wheel and quickly discovered I drive and look like an 85 year old woman in those type of conditions.  Needless to say, Justin quickly resumed driving duties.

10.  The whole family was along for the ride - Tripps is a lover of the road and huge snow banks...however not a fan of getting her picture taken.

11.  The famed Jackson Hole resort - spent a few days here.

12.  On the road up to Big Sky we saw at least 10 Big Horn Sheep on the side of the road...they are very wooly.

So there it is in a nutshell.  We had a great time and certainly caught up on time together before our schedules keep us going in opposite directions in the next few months.

Christmas in your home...

Last week I shared some snapshots of the holiday themed decor I had started to put up around the house - this week it is your turn to showcase some of your favorite items.  Do you go all out and decorate or do you add just a few special touches?  If you want to participate please email me a photo or two of what the holidays look like at your home and I'll included them in an upcoming post.  It could be as simple as a snapshot of your tree or stockings, if you a Griswold and go crazy with lights send me a photo, or even a favorite craft project you did.  I'd love to see what all of you creative and wonderful people have been up to.

Here are some spaces that inspire me around this time of year....{the first one and last one are my favorites}

Seriously beautiful spaces

I'm home after a week on the road with Justin, I'm working on a post now on our fun time but in the meantime I thought I'd share some seriously beautiful bedrooms...probably because that is where I wish I was right now...still in bed.

 {I adore the artwork above the bed & sparsity of the room, it really allows the colors to pop}

 {the headboard, lamp set, and gold foiled interior of the light fixture are insanely gorgeous}

{the perfect mix of gilt and cozy; the mirror and chandelier adds a touch of formaility while the

white linens and knit throws offer that cozy touch}

Embroidery Hoop Ornaments

Inspired by a Martha Stewart retail display I saw while shopping on Black Friday I knew this was a fun and easy project to add to the holiday decor list.  Leave it to Martha to realize that the shape and screw design at the top of the hoop closely resemble the classic ball ornament.

The supply list is short...

• assortment of embroidery hoops  {Michaels has them - use those 50% coupons to get them for around $1 each depending on the size you choose}
• assortment of fabric of your choosing

Next it is just a matter of putting it all together...
First, lay out the fabric and and place a hoop on the wrong side of the fabric, like below.  Cut a square of fabric a little larger than your hoop.

Next, take the fabric {right side up} and place/stretch over the smaller of the two hoops.  Place the outer {larger} hoop on top, making sure that the fabric is taut and your patter is straight.  Tighten the screw at the top of the hoop and then trim all the excess fabric.  It should look something like this...

Now all you need to do is tie a ribbon or attach an ornament wire and hang.  The smaller ones are wonderful on your tree or you could group assorted sizes together to create a fun wall display.  The options are really endless based on your holiday color scheme and taste.

Holiday decor: snapshots from my home

I simply love this time of year!  Before I hit the road I had a little bit of time to start giving my home some Christmas cheer...not done yet, in fact we don't even have our tree up, but here are a few snapshots of what our home is starting to look like...

 {sweater wrapped hurricane - filled with my favorite Christmas scent "Mrs. Meyers Iowa Pine"}

{vintage gingham tin bowl filled with shiny ornaments}

 {bronze dipped pinecones hung with care}

{candy cane filled mercury cups - the perfect combination of two of my favorite things}

{classic greenery leading out to the backyard}

{vintage santa mugs - one of my favorites}

{brass dish filled with misc. baubles adds a festive touch}

{fun "garland" strung amongst the cookbook shelf}

Holiday decor: Card holder

We all seem to end up with stacks and stacks of holiday cards and it can often be hard to find a good way to display them.  This project solves that problem by creating a festive landing spot for all of those cards.

Here is what you'll need:

• An old picture frame 
• Mini wooden clothes pins
• Ribbon or trim of your choosing
• Hot glue gun

Take your old frame, remove the glass and backing then finish it to your liking.  This could mean spray painting it a fun color, decoupaging with your favorite paper, or like me, you can cover it in fabric.  Using the trusty glue gun I used scraps of a neutral woven linen type to cover the entire frame.

Once your frame is done, it is time to glue on the mini clothespins using your hot glue gun.  I chose to keep them down in the lower third of the frame but for more of a wreath effect you could place them all around the frame.  The important thing to do it to stagger the direction of the pins.  It should go one pointing out, one pointing in, repeat.  Tip for clean glueing...just use a tiny amount on the back of each pin so when you affix it to the frame you don't have glue oozing out.

Next you will want to take some ribbon or other trim and create a loop to hang the frame from.  I chose to use some jute webbing for a more natural look in keeping with my fabric wrapped frame.  You can also add some embellishment, like an ornament, bow, etc.  Tip: take advantage of the great technology out there,  those 3M Command Strips are genius and perfect for a project like this.

Next, just add your cards.  They also make a fun display for vintage holiday postcards or family photos of past Christmas'.