[try this at home]

find instructions for it here.

[likey, likey]

I need an invite to a Cali holiday bash so I can have an excuse to purchase and sport these babies.

[these make me happy]

images found here and here.

[a Christmas...]

Rats. This year I was actually going to try and use traditional Christmas colors; red, green, white, you know, the tried and true. No pinks and golds, no blues and silvers, no sugar plum fairy land...this was going to be my design challenge and my gift to Jon who has put up with my pink trees for all these years. And then I come across Amy Butler's house, in Home Companion, all decked out in blues and greens for the season. What's a girl to do? I mean these are the exact colors of my current living room (and I'm a sucker for matching holiday decor with preexisting room design).
And check out her wrapping paper. So great. Dilemma here people...

[for your Christmas table]

I'm OH so very fond of the dishes over at Rosanna. The 12 days of Christmas plates are especially darling and would look great up on the wall.

[perhaps when there are...]

and my husband has a masculine office of his own, I can have a bedroom like this.

[martha's]

loving Martha's holiday photo card projects.

[blues and greens]

It is somewhat of a happy accident that my living room colors ended up in the blue and green family (with added touches of neutrals). We had only so much room on the moving truck when moving out here to California and even though I tried to plan things out in my head before hand, we ended up with a modge podge of home items (I have lamp bases that don't have tops...it's craziness). I've managed to put things together in a way that I'm starting to be pleased with and this recent post from cafe mom (found via sfgirlbybay) about her home has really excited me. I really love the modern white Eams chair with weathered turquoise table. I also really like how she has achieved a well designed, livable space for children (something I struggle with daily, albeit happily). I was also perusing Design Dust today and saw this post on Joel Dewberry's fabric. Love them. I recently purchased a swing for baby O. (a must for a colicky baby) and am not thrilled with the design (I've looked up and down for well designed swings and haven't found anything I'm head over heels with) so I was toying with the idea of sewing a new cover for it. Now, looking at Joel's fabric, I think I'll have to give it a go.

[Thanksgiving]

I love these simple basket weave place cards from Martha Stewart. Perfect for your Thanksgiving table.
And speaking of tables...aren't these settings jut lovely? I love the blossom branches as the center pieces.

[I'll take one...]

Shannon of Auntie Cookie made this fabulous quilt for her cousin who just had a baby girl. Swoon. Lucky cuz.

[art fix]

love this.

[tribeca loft by...]

Oh how I would love to move into this Tribeca loft designed by Steven Gambrel. He's managed to design a home that is both elegant and modern, feminine and masculine. This is a look that I think even my husband would go for.

[pasadena dream..]

How great are these colors on the exterior of this Pasadena home? If we owned our little place I just might have to copy them.

[what a California fall looks like]

I love these looks by Best Behavior. Here in Cali it's painfully warm. I'm sad I can't wear all the bundled fall looks I adore so much but these outfits are a great alternative (although you might have to ditch the scarf after taking two steps outside).

[more love for...]

I have a confession to make. Every now and then when I'm in a Dr.'s office and I find a really great picture in a magazine...I just have to tear it out (I know, I feel guilty about this). The above pics (from Southern Accents magazine) are from such a time, when I just couldn't walk away. Of course I'm smitten with coral pinks but I also I really love the eclectic yet unified-by-color design of this room and that fabulous green table! What a great accent color.
Friend and blogger Brooke, of inchmark, also shows just how well these two colors go together. I love it.

[must have this calendar from...]

I'm a new fan of the blog kris's color stripes and am smitten with the 2009 calendar she illustrated and designed. I LOVE color and am constantly on the look out for new and unique color combinations. Kris does such a fabulous job of breaking down color schemes found in objects, nature, design, you name it. So inspiring.

[fun ideas for...]

I no longer have a staircase in my home and I miss having one. They are so elegant and present so many creative possibilities.

[a fresh new take on...]

Reader and blogger Jackie, of Sweetie Pie Pumpkin, came up with the most darling color scheme for her daughter Kara's nursery (which was an entry in the Odeedoh Kids' Color Contest). Of course I'm partial to the coral pink and gray colors used alongside the soft lavender. So serene and a great alternative to all the bubble gum pink out there.

[I love it when...]

(top left pic via this is glamorous)

There is something that happens when these two seemingly opposing styles collide; when the functional meets with the indulgent, that I just love. Am I crazy? I've had readers dislike the picture below for this very type of grouping. What are your thoughts on this unexpected look?

[wise words]

My husband and I have been drowning in DVDs as of late (with a new nursing baby in the house...we don't get out much) and our new family favorite is Kung Fu Panda. How great is this quote? Other favs are:

Po: Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose kung fu skills were the stuff of legend.

Po: It is said that his enemies would go blind from over-exposure to pure awesomeness!

[update on the...]

Here's a peek at what little O's birth announcements are looking like. I'm liking the color combination of chocolate with canary yellow as of late. I might have considered taking this all the way to the nursery if big brother hadn't already dictated another color scheme (they have to share a room). I created the card design but the labels and envelopes are from papersource.

[handmade Christmas]

This year I am really going to try and focus on creating a handmade, DIY Christmas. I'm especially inspired by paper items and am excited to try a different number of things. I spent so much on decorations last year (for a holiday home tour) that are now all packed away in my parents barn in Colorado (they didn't make it out to Cali with us for the move). I don't want to purchase an entire slew of new Christmas decorations this year so I'm going to see what I can't create from what I have already. Of course the stuff I want to buy but, I'll post here so I can feel at least some degree of ownership. I love these bird ornaments. I've had the files around for a bit so I'm not sure of their original source. If anyone has ideas, let me know.

[getting in the spirit]

I don't know anyone who doesn't need a full two months of Christmas so I'm starting now with my holiday inspired posts. I love the simple and clean look of these lovely letterpress designs from etsy shop, simplesong. I especially love that they have custom holiday card designs...might have to look into that this year.

[WOWZA!]

I'm so super flattered that Holly of the fabulous and favorite blog, decor8, has chosen this li'l endeavor as her blog of the week! How exciting is that!? Welcome all who have come over from decor8. I welcome and am thankful for all of your thoughts.

[I HEART this drawing]

by Alexandre Day, the husband of the lovely and talented Adolie Day.

[too cute photography]

Wouldn't it be great to get portraits of your little ones like these from Loretta Lux?

[more dangerous delicacies]

I could eat decadent chocolate all day and all night...but I'll settle for just all day.

[needing some of these today]

found on epicurious.

and I'd like to be eating them in this room. (found on desire to inspire)

[working on my...]

I've been working on my thank yous that go along with Oliver's baby announcement (so this is sort of a sneak peek at what that will look like). Let me know which design you like best (I guess of course there is always the possibility of using both).

[loving the idea of...]

Thank you all for your kind comments about my sweet little boy. We are all doing well and adjusting to being a new family of four. I found these scrap notebooks a while back on Poppy Talk and loved the idea. With a new little one around my need for recording my history has been rekindled and as always I enjoy new and creative ways of going about things. I also like the idea of using what you already have around as opposed to purchasing new things. I think I'll have to make a few a these.