magnetic part 1

I had this bulletin board thing for awhile and while I mostly like it over the desk it's just too dang small and square and makes it look off center and awkward. I thought that adding a second square would make it better but it didn't. It was too cluttered. 

I did not want a longer bulletin board made of cloth. Mostly because everyone has them (see here. here. and here) and I'm not trying to get inspiration, I just legitimately want to look at pictures that I like and I don't want to frame them. I did want something long that would go right over the desk and I know that whatever art I'd see in front of my face as I'm typing I would get sick of. Guaranteed. No matter how cute it is. Like this one below. Also, the reason I have that bulletin board is to hang up stuff that I have to remember to do.

I went through a shopping spiritual journey. What do I need, what would I like there. I already knew what I didn't want and I thought maybe a wipe off board but I already have one and I don't really use it. Then I realized, I like the magnetic boards. That's the way to go. And I really liked this:

It was on sale! I was THISCLOSE to buying it but I realized  it's a square. I need a rectangle. I continued my journey. I went to all the office supply places looking for something, they were all too big or too small or wipe off but not magnetic and the last place I thought to look was Ikea. It's a plain white magnetic rectangle that costs $12 so that's that. The genius thing about magnetic boards is that you can print stuff on magnetic paper AND you have an excuse to buy cute magnets. Plus the stuff stays up without damaging the item due to a pin stabbing. Win all around.

secrets from a stylist

Do you lucky bastards with cable watch "Secrets from a Stylist"? I hated you all until I learned you can watch the episodes online. And while Matt played video games and because he didn't want me to leave his side, I watched the episode where they made over Joy's living room and dining room with headphones on.

It's really inspiring for the master bedroom where I want to add elements of neutrals, brass, navy, pattern, and mid century with a lot of our personalities. Now how to translate that to our room...

it's the little things

It might be my favorite snack.

Microwave popcorn sucks. You have to use a popping machine or your stove top. If you're gonna go the right way and use kennels, get yourself WHITE kennels. The yellow ones are not as good. I've tried a few market brands and pop secret jumbo popping corn is the best one. I get mine at Target. I'm trying to venture into other toppings but right now I stick to salt & butter.

dwell in my house

Remember how I wondered aloud how much DwellStudio for Target a person could own? I was half joking when I realized I did own an awful lot of DwellStudio items...

drum room pillow.

living room pillows.

oven mitts.

dish towels.

dining area tablecloth.

living room table cloth.

downstairs bath hand towel.

guest bedroom bedding.

I love interesting patterns and Dwell knows how to make them. Thank goodness Target sells their stuff 'cause I couldn't afford any of it if I bought it directly from them.

what do we think of these?

I'd like some sort of wall art purely for the sake of being wall art for our bedroom and these look like they might fit the bill.

They're called flowers but I think they look more like stars. Which would work in my space room.

coral is so hot right now

Shorts.

 Belt.

 Necklace.

 Nails.

I actually paid to have someone do my nails. I'd let them grown long enough so he could shape them. Yes I got my nails done by a DUDE. He did a good job.

i moved furniture in the bedroom

Well the first move was motivated by my paranoia. After the earthquake in Japan I decided to take down the art that hung over our bed. I will not replace it with anything that can fall on us.

Then I moved lulu over here to see what she would look like flanked by two tall bookcases. She looks fine. The idea here is to replace those bookcases with two lack bookcases. I finally compared the two bookcases together and kilby, our bookcases, are about 14" wider than lack, 5" deeper, and about the same height. It will have four shelves instead of five which I'm looking forward to since I have trouble filling up the shelves as it is.

Lets remind ourselves of a phenomenal display on a lack bookcase. So masculine, so full of boxes, so perfect. I really dig that fan too. 

Then we'll place a chaise lounge in front of the bookcase where the lamp is, sorta like this image below. Except our chaise will be this one and facing away from the bookcases. I really like the idea of a throw and a pillow on the chaise to add some color. There will be much napping danger in there, I feel it. I also want an arc brass lamp for reading. 

Then I moved Matt's dresser here. And I've realized that originally I wanted a credenza style dresser but it would feel to furniture heavy in there since we're already getting two bigger bookcase, that bigger dresser AND maybe a bigger bed. So what we need for Matt is a dresser about this width but a little shorter. Or we'll move his stuff into lulu and I'll get a dresser for me. Haven't worked it out yet.

Well at least I'm thinking about stuff. I think nothing else should be purchased until the bed is. So far nothing has except lulu.

this reminds me of why i love ranch houses

Great colors, great textures, great patterns, great everything.

Of course it was from a home tour Domino. Even a few years old it's still relevant and beautiful.

ha ha

 

This is a good reminder for me. I am feeling really lazy. Matt's on vacation for the week and I'm home before I start another job on Thursday and a part of me feels like I should get stuff done before I have to work but another part of me doesn't want to do a dang thing.

this stuff is cool: for your bathroom

I have a subscription to House Beautiful and the April issue featured a few items that were adorable and also useful. Well one of them was useful, the other was just me all over. The first was a lotion called "City of Angels" that evokes the Santa Ana winds, jasmine, eucalyptus, and smog. Yes, smog. I think I may end up buying the perfume. Cause I have PLENTY of hand lotion believe you me. In like every room of my house and car and purse.

Oddly enough my sister in-law must've read my mind and had this bottle of soap sent with my mother in-law. My family knows me very well. Thanks Em.

The other item is just about genius. It's a set of four toothbrushes stamped with the three months you're supposed to be using the toothbrushes as per medical recommendations that you're to replace your toothbrush every three months. Clever no?

The site by the way, IZOLA, has the freaking cutest things that I think Ali, you would seriously dig and may have to buy them. Like the anchor soap dish. Or the apothecary shower curtain. I'm considering the guest toothbrushes.

striped sunday brought to you by audrey hepburn

ninalicious

I'm gonna get this guy soon-ish. Tired of dusting so much! Anyway, I was thinking that the back of him will need to be recovered in some nice wallpaper and I thought, black wallpaper would make white stuff stand out. Something black with green on it.

 THIS ONE.

I had no idea what it's called only that I know it was featured in an issue of Style at Home which is I think a Australian or Canadian home decor magazine. THEN I saw it featured in Rue in the dining room of a blogger. Well I searched high and low in that blogger's site for mentions of it and lo and behold a comment led me to discover it is by Nina Campbell and it is called Perroquet. And now I have to find out where to buy it.

botanical or abstract art?

I've been debating a new look in the office. Something not as teenage girl. Somehow adult means changing the pillows. Hmm.. Anyway as I had a day off and did a little bit of shopping I bought two things that are trying to help me decide what way to go in the office.

It's between botanical:

Or abstract art:

Botanical:

 Abstract art:

Botanical:

Abstract art:

I think I think I'm leaning towards botanical. No wait, abstract art. Ugh, I dunno! Part of me wants to go botanical in the guest room and then leave abstract art for the office since it's a little more me. I just gotta figure out a way to incorporate more flamingos in the room...