MOSS ECLECTIC

still life 99-- simple comfort linen sheets

2012-01-31T15:50:00.000-05:00

Linen has a special place in my heart. Ever since I was little I've loved it in all forms--clothes, pillows, hand towels. I can't go into a store with linen and not touch it. It's natural, minimalist, and luxurious all at once. Plus, it feels as good as it looks.

When I used to work for the British textile company, Cowtan & Tout, I would relish putting away fabric memos just because I loved the tactile experience. I remember one co-worker looking at me a little sideways when she handed me a huge stack of sample returns and I lit up with excitement--linen!...filing fabric wasn't her idea of a good time, but what can I say? Simple pleasures.

So you can only imagine the delight I take in these linen bedsheets given to me by my in-laws this Christmas. Sleep is ever so slight, rare, and precious these days, and so sinking into soft linen each night is the sweetest luxury I can think of. Just the right weight, just the right softness, and perfect even when wrinkled.

trail of destruction

2012-01-25T15:29:00.000-05:00

the new-found mobility of this little one has reminded me why simplicity is so appealing....

and tidiness is so temporary

and why God made babies so irresistible

making the constant trail of destruction so endearing and delicious.

Magic mirrors: through the looking glass

2012-01-18T12:58:00.001-05:00

(from Saule and Chris's incredible home in Frederick. Click here for the full house tour.)

In looking through my myriads of photographs that I've taken for house tours, design shows, etc, my favorites always seem to be the shots that I've captured through mirrors.

It's always tricky to get just the right angle, but when I do, even ordinary scenes have a little magic to them. The photography experience has also trickled into my designs, as I've come to see mirrors not only as light enhances or beauty tools, but also as frames for beautiful living. The vignettes that they capture are important (almost like photographs themselves), and so well-placed mirrors have become one of my focuses regardless of the style of home.

I'd like to do a series devoted just to mirror shots. We'll see how far I get, but here's my start...

(the two above are from Hallie and Mark's home. Hallie is a serious decorating genius. I'll have to show more shots in the future, but you can check out the tour I did for AT here.)

(and these 2 are from Zoe Feldman's home, one of my favorite DC designers. Such a treat to photograph. I had trouble choosing one mirror shot, so I threw in both. Check out her house tour here.)

**All images are my own

speed holiday

2012-01-03T09:28:00.003-05:00

I hope you all enjoyed a lovely Christmas season, and are off to a great fresh start.

2011 was a year of blessings for my family, the best of all our sweet baby boy who has brought more joy than I ever thought capable of 18 lbs. He is constant love and laughs (even at 4am).

I've hardly begun thinking about the new year because I can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that Christmas has come and (almost) gone. I'm hoping a photostream of the past few weeks will help me transition into the new phase. It was packed and sweet.

There was.....

gift making and wrapping (my favorite part!)

Christmas tree hunts

a Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes (hosted by my sister & brother-in-law and us at my house)

dancing and entertainment

favorite gifts

Doug the pug

cousins

there were naps

and attempted naps too

oh, and of course a few projects too. Here's a sneak peak in progress shot, but there will be more to follow.

All in all, a packed and sweet holiday indeed. Here's to 2012!

Design*Sponge!

2011-12-15T23:52:00.000-05:00

I was super psyched to open Design*Sponge today to see Fleurir's before & after featured. So awesome! Design*Sponge has long been one of my favoritest blogs, so it's a total thrill for me to see them post something that I had a part in--ego massage for sure.

If you still haven't tried some of Fleurir's awesome chocolates, it's time to pull the trigger. I stopped in last week and just about fainted over a sea salt carmel. Amaze-zing.

still life 99-- debut

2011-12-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

Growing up with an artist mother, I liked to study the still lifes (is it still-lives ??) and interesting objects that she set up to paint or sketch on the dining room table or on the wobbly planks of our wrap around porch. Today, I still find myself stopping to admire the little "moments" placed around homes. Even my own. Actually I think that is what I like best about home, the simplicity of haphazard (and let's be honest, many times intentional) collections and the ordinary, sometimes imperfect objects that make me pause and appreciate the privilege of actually having a home.

So, although I've never been particularly awesome at sticking with a series, I'm going to try. The premise is that we don't need a lot of things at home, but we do need should be beautiful. They should be worthy of being noticed. And so, here. it. goes...

I delight in little containers. Functional ones, even better. It struck me the other day as I cleaned these magnetic spice jars (first time ever I think) what an unexpected pleasure it is to be able to take pleasure in something mundane and ordinary. Sometimes I think it sounds extreme when I say it to the people I'm working with, but I really do think there's something to William Morris's advice: "have nothing in your home that you don't know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." When I decided to try to follow that, it was truly transformative. Life is short, and there really isn't any reason we have to live with ugly things. If you're as visual as me, it makes a difference when you surround yourself with beauty even in the things that you think don't really count.

slices of slow advent

2011-12-06T09:30:00.018-05:00

I don't know about you, but Christmas always comes too soon. I love it, of course, but as my fondness for Thanksgiving has increased in recent years, I've found that the transition right into Christmas the very next day is just too quick for me. I like to draw things out so that I can really have the chance to enjoy them. And I like things to last. I'm a savorer.

Last year was the first year that I deliberately tried to slow down (at least at home) during advent, and it made all the difference in the season even after the Christmas season had come and gone. There was a peacefulness about it in our home that was genuine and much needed.

This year we're following suit. The girls and I do one small advent decoration or project/activity each day like setting up the advent wreath...

and making hostess gifts...

and hanging up garlands...

Of course, we are still enjoying the awesome parties and upbeat events that come up this time of year, but it has been so nice to just do small, unhurried things at home. We'll transition into the good old Christmas kitsch when the big day gets closer, but for now I'm savoring slow. The girls favorite parts are still the advent calendar and paperwhite bulbs which are now everywhere, pictures of those to come.

ps- my table clay pot "wreath" was inspired by (ok, blatantly stolen from) the very talented and very lovely Kjerstis Lykke who if you haven't checked out you should. Incredible! Makes me want to take a little Scandinavian getaway stat.

out-takes

2011-12-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

well we've accomplished the monumental task of a Christmas card picture, but I think my favorites are the the outtakes...

happy advent friends!

thanksgiving backtrack

2011-11-29T07:01:00.001-05:00

this year we made the trek next door to Nicole and CJ's to feast, everyone gathered at one big long vibrant table....

but that was only after a little prep work at home....

and one uber intense soccer game, 1st borns versus 2nd borns with the 3rds divided up.

there was only one bloody nose...

and one incidence of indecency...

in the end the seconds, generous peace-making middle children let the 1sts win...

table snapshots

2011-11-28T17:04:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the impromptu fall-off-the-face-of-the-earth my friends. I hope everyone had a fabulous halloweenfallthanksgiving! Despite the busyness of it all, mine has been lovely, and I think now that we're into advent I'll be able to take more in. This time of year my inner homebody kicks it into high gear, so I savor it all in between job installations and outings and parties.

It seems that whenever we have been home, we've been around the table...

often in costume (obvs)

or under it...

{crawling!}

Our search for the perfect huge dining table for a petite dining room has been a long one. My dream table is too big, and so I think this overstock sub will do the trick. What do you think? If it sticks we'll be on the hunt for chairs.

lovin on Lauren Liess's delicious new textiles

2011-11-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

If you all don't know Lauren of Pure Style Home already, you need to. Her blog is always one of the first I check when I get a chance to read because her posts are always always beautiful, informative, and unpretentious. Plus, Lauren is one of those awesomely inspiring people who seems to move at a million miles a minute. with a smile. Basically she's a very relate-able lovable rockstar. However, lucky for us, she's a rockstar with an incredible new textile line that I could eat with a spoon. Every last one of her prints is delicious, and they all have stories to them which makes that even better. And because she's generous, she's doing a giveaway, which you can check out here! So proud of you Lauren!!!!

thin

2011-11-03T15:08:00.000-04:00

lately I've been feeling spread very thin, and whenever that happens I'm grateful for my camera and all the silly everyday things that I glimpse through it that remind me what makes all the crazy busy worthwhile, like...

cousins that make us laugh...

sometimes...

and "lunch" prepared for me by little hands . Yes, that is chalk sprinkled on my spinach...

and time outside. together ...

oh, and wonderful new additions to our family. This is Jp, he is from Mexico and he living with us for the year....although if it were up to us we'd never let him return home. It won't be easy, because he is seriously the best, most gracious, and most engaging 13 year old I'm likely ever to meet.

Panels!

2011-10-18T15:34:00.002-04:00

(skona hem via Space For Inspiration)

So tonight I'm speaking on my second design panel in two weeks. Last week I was flattered to participate in the Washington Post's Fashion Washington anniversary celebration with local designer, Sally Steponkus (love her!), HGTV stars and designer extraordinaires Robert & Cortney Novogratz, and the evening's host, Mitchell Gold. I loved spending time with all of them and hearing what they had to say on trends and such. Wild how we all seemed on the same plane...which made it funny. I almost tried to think of some design controversy just to spice things up a bit :) Alas we all agreed that when it comes to design we all think that pieces reflecting the owner should be of utmost importance--personal decorating! No pics to share except one snagged from K street Kate :

(K street Kate)

Tonight I'll be at the Dunes, dishing on "Mastering the Art of High/Low Decorating" with Kelley Proxmire and Judith Carrig. More details here. Come by!

All these panels remind me of another variety that's been made a huge comeback in recent years...one that I'm naturally a little more comfortable with than its verbal twin--wood. Salvaged wood. It makes the most interesting type of paneling:

(living etc)

(Jute Home)

Ok and this isn't technically paneling, it's flooring, but it's too awesome. Wine Crates...that you walk on:

(via wide open spaces)

How Have I Not Shown You This??? Fleurir revealed...

2011-10-12T09:30:00.006-04:00

The chocolate shop is done!

been done for months.....

BUT they (Fleurir Hand grown Chocolates) are having their official grand opening on October 22, which you can read about here, and come check out in person. You won't be disappointed.

Ok, back to the shop. Last time I shared the progress it looked something like this, pre-bloom:

and now....

fleurir :)

(photo: Christina Bernales, photographer extraordinaire)

( photo: Christina Bernales)

All I can say is that Robert and Ashley are champs! Well I could say that they're pretty cute too....and gracious....and fun....and to be honest, they're kind of a bad influence...on my waistline...and language... but let's just leave it at champs. See?

( photo: Christina Bernales)

The amount of work that they put into the shop was really astounding.

Almost every project I've worked on has been carried out with a team of pros, electricians, contractors, upholsterers, paper hangers, etc, but in this case Robert and Ashley (and their wonderful friends and family) were the heavy laborers from start to finish....

They gave me a huge file of inspiration, and I scribbled out a rough sketch of my vision...

And then the great search for the right pieces ensued. Lots of trips to Lucketts, salvage yards, barn sales, and the hardware store. Almost everything was found, recycled, or handmade.

Including the awesome sculpture by my sister Nicole:

( photo: Christina Bernales)

And a couple things came by way of my home, like the awesome light that I won from Ally's (From the Right Bank) awesome Christmas giveaway. Sadly, it's enormous size (nearly 4 feet tall) didn't jive with our 8 foot ceilings. I was so bummed (Rich was not...), but then as soon as I saw the chocolate shop space I knew it would be perfect. So in exchange for more chocolate than I probably should have consumed at 8 months prego, I offered them the light.

and the old window that used to sit on my mantel which now lists their prices...

The other lights were fashioned from english wire garden cloches by genius Robert:

Now go eat some chocolate!

Love Is In The Details

2011-09-28T11:52:00.003-04:00

Home can be a tiresome entity if you let it. It's easy to focus on the imperfections and become overwhelmed by the thought of what you still need to make it complete. However, when I take them time to think it through I notice it's the simple and imperfect things in my own home that make me the happiest...

favorite notes and sentiments

terracotta and fresh flowers

family treasures in Saf's room

collections of scents and old books

handmade pillows

maps and painted doors

art supplies

tarnished silver heirlooms filled with seasonal things

natural textures and contrasts

old shiny things

everyday life in black and white

2011-09-28T10:00:00.001-04:00

too many pictures to share. old and new. here it goes.....

my famous sister

2011-09-26T14:57:00.002-04:00

you can tell how busy life over here is by the fact that I completely forgot that Nicole, my lovely and very talented sister, was making a little television debut. with Nate. Berkus.

Her home is sort of our afternoon hobby. Hers, but I say "our" because most afternoons I like to come over for tea and talk her into say, repainting her living room, rearranging furniture, or somesuch whim. Her husband loves me :)

She won't let me post pictures of its current state, but you can see it in its previous life in the pictures that I took for the Nate Show, here.

AND If you haven't checked out her blog you should. I honestly don't know how she comes up with things. I especially like her "Monday Matches" where she links an interior with a piece of art.
Por ejemplo:

William Waldron via I Hate To Alarm You


"Maria La Guapa" by Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida via I Hate To Alarm You

Brilliant!

client sneak peek

2011-09-22T08:08:00.005-04:00

Despite the gray day and the total lack of time for styling (and the fact that I had all 3 of my design helpers with me...all under 4 feet tall), yesterday I popped in to drop something off at a client home and snapped a picture to share of one of the bedrooms. I couldn't resist. Thanks to the ever fabulous Paul and Nancy of Paul David design, the window treatments are up, and they do so much to lend the room a more finished feeling.

You might remember some of the inspiration for the room....posted six months ago. It's the room of two teenage girls, 15 and 16. Bold was the look we were after...possibly giving their poor father a few heart attacks along the way. I mixed in some earthy elements for good measure (and because I can't do a room without at least a touch of natural).

Once we finish up with the artwork (and I'm not trying to take a picture while juggling a baby in my arms--that's me these days :), I'll post a few more.

Moss & Co. is happy to announce

2011-09-14T17:22:00.003-04:00

that it is no longer boasting a gaping whole in its bathroom.....

it only took 6 months to amend this situation...

which, I suppose, is what happens when you're spending all your free moments working on other people's homes. I've been in crunch mode for last several months (but at moments it feels more like 100 years).

Here's a peek into the progress of one of the homes...

ok, wait for it. This pic deserves a little background story. This is a painting of the family in a previous home, one with soaring ceilings and beautiful architectural details. They wanted to recreate the feel in their new home, but there was a little problem... the new home looked like this...

Not so similar, you see. We relocated the built-ins to a different part of the house and went to work.

With three sets of sliding glass doors leading out to a covered porch, there was little wall space for their things, and unlike most families today, they didn't like the idea of the current open floor plan. Their number one request was that the kitchen be closed off. BUT doing so meant that instead of walking into the kitchen/dining/living room, visitors walked straight into the kitchen.

To avoid the awkwardness of this set up, and to create more room for their beautiful collections, we closed off one set of sliding doors, and converted one third of the long screened-in porch into an all weather entry and breakfast room...

(for now, just ignore the tiny rug. The room is still being tweaked, and this was a rug they already owned). It flows so nicely into the living room (they call it the "drawing room"--so sweet!):

before:

during:

"after" (still tweaking):

It's more formal and traditional than the styles I normally work in which is why I've hesitated to show any pictures, but I'm pleased with the progress so far.

more soon!

Ochre and Canvas homes

2011-09-08T15:24:00.001-04:00

The rainy weather we've been experiencing this week makes me think of some of my favorite interiors, both homes of Andrew Corrie and Harriet Maxwell, owners of Canvas & Ochre (two of my all time favorite shops). I love the muted colors and natural textures. Their city apartment is sort of clean and moody both at once, you can just picture watching the rain splash outside the window...

And I think their Shelter Island home is just as delightful in a more laid back kind of way. This bedroom kills me with its simplicity and relaxed textures...

These days its so common to see limed and washed wood finishes everywhere you look, and sometimes they can look so drab collectively, but there is something about Ochre and Canvas' aesthetic that is always interesting and tactile even with such a subdued palette.

Images: 1,3, 4, Ditte Isager, 2, 5, 6, elle decor, 7, 8, 9, 10 Ditte Isager for house beautiful

where we grow up and its influence

2011-08-30T15:55:00.002-04:00

upon return home from my surprise trip to Durango, we had a surprise visitor...

my little sister Monique who is one of the loveliest people I know, and also one of the funniest. And one of the most creative. And basically the best dancer a white girl can be. She got all those genes.
I spent most of childhood and embarrassingly long after that not getting along with her. And these days I regret every minute I spent not totally appreciating her, because now when I get together with both my sisters it almost hurts. Both from the laughing and from just loving them both so much.

The 24 hours Monique was here was the best. We stayed up way too late, may have drank too much vino, and then went for a visit to the place where we spent our very early childhood years. I only lived there for about 7 years before my family moved to the city, but I think the time we spent there probably had the biggest influence on my sisters and me from an aesthetic standpoint than all the other areas we've lived in since.

It's a historic village outside of DC that was originally formed as a Methodist revival camp and getaway for city dwellers. The original plots were designed to hold tents. Eventually, people built permanent homes on the plots and then continued to add onto them. The result is fascinating, lots of quirky caravan-esque homes. Today its totally bohemian. And it was like that when I was growing up. Sort of beautiful and quirky and carefree and natural and sometimes overgrown.....

The majority of the town is connected through footpaths, where no cars can drive. Because of that and the general easy-going attitude of the people living there, the whole neighborhood seems like its existing out of time. People have walkways leading up to their yards from the footpath so that other neighbors can come peek over their fences and enjoy the beautiful gardens they've created. There are also a lot of artists who decorate their homes and porches (tons of porches!!!) with their creations.

It was a drizzly day when we visited, but even running through the rain was a little magical in a nostalgic kind of way. Whenever we'd come across three cute homes all in a row we'd stop and talk about buying the three of them and living there all together. But Mo is really a city girl at heart. And so is Nicole. And me...I think I'm not. But I do like to visit Mo, so we let her go back to New York....

Summer Close Whirlwind and A Trip Out West

2011-08-29T09:05:00.001-04:00

In typical Moss fashion, life is a whirlwind. A happy whirlwind, but a packed one nonetheless.

The happiest highlight was a surprise trip to Southwestern Colorado planned by Rich. I actually found out about the surprise, but that was for the best. I'm not big on surprises. I like the concept but inevitably I end up throwing a temper tantrum beforehand when Rich is acting unnatural and then when the surprise hits I get upset again because I'm embarrassed at having acted like a total lunatic/baby. Hence the fight the night we got engaged...but that's another story.

This story (surprise interrupted) is purely happy. It goes a little something like this....

Wildflowers like whoa

Rich is basically a beast. I'll spare you my rock climbing shots. My calves are
not nearly as nice :)

AND Baby Saf got to meet the man himself, his great grandfather Saf:

and he was pretty thrilled about the whole thing.

We stayed outside of Durango, which is in the southwest corner of Colorado. It's one of our favorite spots in the world. My soul exhales there. Plus spending time just with my boys was pretty sweet. I'm so used to Rich talking about "his girls" that it was a fun change of scene to be with "my boys." Plus, they're kind of the best. Especially the big one who sleeps through the night :)

It was the first time we had left the girls for a whole week, but they held up like champs. And so did Rich's very generous parents who watched them.

Since returning home we've made up for lost time with fancy girl lunches....

and lots of other goodness that will have to wait until a future post. Hope your summer is winding down swimmingly.

Heat, Morning Glories, and the MIA tooth fairy

2011-07-22T12:33:00.001-04:00

It has been h.o.t. in the DC area all week.

The only thing that seems to be thriving in our garden are the morning glories...

they are such champs! It's amazing how quickly they grow every night, clinging to anything within reach. Rich and I have been sitting out on the patio after we put the kids to bed, and often times I'll spend a little while guiding the tops of the vines to new railings or rungs of the lattice. Well, last night we didn't brave the heat, and I woke to see this....

amazing! Obviously our morning glories didn't bother to learn how to read.

In another news, Madds has decided that the tooth fairy must really dislike the heat because she decided to skip out on fairy duty a few nights ago. Totally unacceptable. Madds has been leaving notes, diagrams, and road maps all around the house and yard to help the little slacker out tonight....

Here's to hoping that tomorrow Madds will be one dollar richer.

Zoe Feldman's gorgeous Georgetown house!

2011-07-21T13:24:00.001-04:00

I'm way way way behind on posting on all the beautiful homes I've been privileged to visit lately for house tours, but I just posted one today on Apartment Therapy and wanted you all to check it out.

Zoe is a talented local designer, and her home has such a refreshing "undecorated" feel to it while still being incredibly interesting. As it is with many of my house tours I spent much longer exploring her home than I had intended. I fell in love with many things in her home, but especially the way she brought life to usually mundane and overlooked details like her doors, which she turned into total showstoppers.
Here's a glimpse, and after you've had a look, go check out the full tour here!

All the photos are my own.

My DIY, Restoration Hardware Inspired Rope Mirror

2011-07-18T14:48:00.002-04:00

Today at Apartment Therapy I'm posting on one of my favorite elements from baby Saf's room, but I had to share it here as well.

A few years ago, I incorporated RH's Iron & Rope mirror into my greenhouse garden bath that I drew up for a "dream bath" mood board for Apartment Therapy:

and I've been minorly obsessed with it ever since. So when I set about creating Saf's nursery, it was the one thing that I really wanted for the room. One reason I loved the mirror was its subtly nautical vibe. My grandfather, whom Saf is partially named after (his middle name) was a sailor, and I wanted to incorporate some nautical elements in without making the room beachy or too cute. The mirror was a perfect way to achieve exactly what I wanted, but at 35.5" and $650.00 it was too big and too expensive...like $600 too expensive. I had about half of that for the entire room!

When I thought about how to recreate the look myself, I knew that the rope was going to be essential.
I finally got my inspiration while hanging out in my local hardware store (love to do that, it's where I get some of my best ideas) perusing the hinges and bolts when I spotted them--huge brushed metal eye hooks! After that the idea came together quite quickly since I already had a mirror in mind, IKEA's GRUNDTAL mirror which is a sizable 27.5" and a mere $29.99:

It has a raised stainless steel frame. It wasn't quite the bulky industrial piece that I has originally wanted, but when I pictured it with the rope and eye hooks I knew it would do the trick.

Here's the process:

First I attached heavy duty picture wire to the back of the mirror, and secured a heavy duty picture hook to the wall (it's not an especially heavy mirror, but since it's in a child's room I went the better safe than sorry route)

Next I hung the mirror, and measured a half an inch on either side where I marked where I wanted each eye hook to go

Then I measured 1 foot directly above the center of the mirror where I marked the spot where I wanted the top of the rope to hit

Then I took the mirror off the wall, pre-drilled holes, and then screwed the eye hooks into the wall
Next I screwed a regular screw into the wall at the place I had marked for the top of the rope to hit
After I filled the cavity of an antique doorknob with glue and placed it over the screw in the wall (purely decorative, the doorknob doesn't actually hold any weight, just masks the screw like a cover).

After, I tied the rope to one eye hook, draped the middle section of the rope over the doorknob , gently pulled the rope taught, then tied the other end of the rope to the remaining eye hook.

For looks and to ensure the semi-loose knots did not unravel, I wrapped black wax cord around the end of each knot.

I didn't like how the rope sagged, so I hammered a small nail through the center of the rope on each side of the mirror which held the rope in place. I simply pulled one strand of the rope over the nail head to mask it so it isn't visible to the eye.

Then I hung the mirror on the picture hook. Voila!

I think it's a pretty good alternative to it's $650 inspiration:

Sidenote: I was most excited about using the doorknob at the top. That was the one part that I hadn't quite figured out until I started putting holes in my wall :). I had thought about using this iron nail from BrookFarm General Store:

but it wasn't quite big enough for the rope I was using, and I wasn't sure how it would get along with our old plaster walls, so i thought I'd just put in a regular screw and hold out for something better. BUT when I was walking into the room I noticed that Saf's doorknob, original to our 1940s house, would be perfect! And, even better because I had an extra one since I had previously replaced the knob on my bedroom door with a flashier vintage crystal version (swiped from an old door buried in the garage of our previous home)--cha-ching!

The funny part is that I've been feeling like a total genius for the last several months everytime I look at that doorknob, but last week I spotted an eerily familiar sight on rockstar Eddie Ross's blog. He had used a doorknob as a hook too...with a mirror! Which I suppose still kind of makes me feel like a genius because, well, Eddie has a brilliant mind, and great minds think alike...right? Now if only I could come up with a approximately 1,000,000 other sweet ideas like Eddie and I'd be all set. Check out his beautiful doorknob/mirror combo here if you haven't already. And all that brings me to my point, a point that I've been coming to a lot lately, and one that blogging makes very apparent, there really are no new ideas.

garden spruce up--before & after

2011-07-07T09:00:00.003-04:00

actually, it's more like yard overhaul. and I shouldn't quite say "after" yet, since there are a few things we'd like to do, but friends, I'm just so happy to have a peaceful spot outdoors finally that I couldn't wait to share.

Since moving in almost 4 (!) years ago, we have sorely neglected our outside spaces, and this year we realized that if we were actually going to enjoy hanging out in our own yard as a family (as opposed to continually crashing my sister's who lives next door and who happens to have quite a lovely backyard--perfect for cocktail hour and soccer games) we would need to do a little work to our yard. Actually a lot of work. Because we when we moved in it looked like this...

why yes, that is a giant root bulb, and yes, you're right, that is an old door it's resting on... in the middle of the yard

I could go on and on about everything that wasn't quite the stuff dreams are made of starting with the world's narrowest deck (not even wide enough for a chair) or the yellowing lattice that made me wince everytime I looked at it.... but I'll spare you. Let's just say that it was a little overwhelming when we already had so many things indoors to attend to, not to mention a couple of little people.

BUT, approximately one week or so past my due date with baby Saf, Rich decided to do something about it. We were enjoying a leisurely spring break and I casually mentioned that all we needed to do to make our yard awesome was rip up the old blue stone path and reconfigure the stones into a patio--piece of cake....or so thought this wildly pregnant woman with a belly the size of china, or at least something close to it. Because Rich is loving and generous and self-sacrificing. And perhaps because by now, he thinks it best to pick his battles, he obliged. But Rich doesn't do anything halfway so he completely tore up the area...

We actually thought about just extending the deck, but if we did, we'd always be looking into our neighbors' yards, so we thought a patio best. To disguise the lattice behind and the awkward muddy spot beneath, Rich put up privacy lattice at the front edge of the deck, which I think is much more attractive than the regular wider kind. In a perfect world, lattice wouldn't be part of the equation at all, but it does the trick. I had Benjamin Moore color match Restoration Hardware's "Slate" in a solid exterior siding stain and used that to paint the lattice. We still need to refinish the deck so I'm currently toying with ideas for that. Suggestions?

The whole project gave me an excuse to indulge my black thumb. And I'm very happy to report that it's more of a muddy gray than a pure black these days. Not quite green, but we're getting there. I managed to plant about 50 types of seeds in those little seedling containers. And I managed to kill close to 40. All but one of my veggies bit the dust. Call it bad luck. Or lack of daily watering. Or cold-hearted neglect. Whatever the case, my lone surviving vegetable is my little tomato plant (Rich calls it my "nemo"... all the rest of its kin are history) which still needs a permanent home in the ground.

However, quite a few of my flower seeds sprouted along with the lovely pictured at the top. I'm not sure what it is anymore, but it just bloomed today which prompted this post. I don't think I've ever planted anything so exotic or beautiful.

The other survivors are morning glories which I'm training to climb up the lattice. I've replanted them approximately 100 times, but they seem to be handling the trauma like regular champs. Huge fan!

Ok, now on to the pictures....

One more BEFORE:

And AFTER:

The perfect spot for cocktail hour and early morning coffee. And after completing this bear of a project on his own (with a bossy wife looking over his shoulder) Rich deserves both...esp the cocktail.

the Potomac

2011-06-28T19:02:00.001-04:00

So many of my very best memories are tied up with the river. It makes me happy to think it's just as magical to them....

I think it's one of the things I missed most about DC when I lived elsewhere. When you're there, it's like being worlds away from the city and the busyness. Time stops.

I took these phone photos last summer after a terrible family tragedy involving my niece. We had her brothers, my nephews, for the day, and taking them to the river was a welcome relief from everything going on at home. We went in the early evening when the light is at its prime. Even the camera phone couldn't disguise how beautiful it was. Just looking at them makes me feel at ease.

now that it's summer once again, I can't wait to spend more time there.

Summer Tables

2011-06-20T08:56:00.002-04:00

I'm a big fan of simple and natural elements in general, but seeing them tied together on a summer table gives me the most wonderful kind of delight...

(coastal living via Lime in the Coconut)

(Lonny)

Brad Ford's home featured in Lonny is one of my favorites to date, and I've poured over this tablescape shot more times than is probably healthy or acceptable for someone who complains about there not being enough hours in a day. However, it displays my very favorite design combination: wood, texture, greenery, textural white/neutrals, and earthy black. I think 99% of my inspiration pictures for my own home share the combo. Fresh and natural while still feeling grounded.

(Southern Accents)

Another favorite...with my favorite combination.

(Remodelista)

Ok, so this one is technically a spring table. It's Gweneth Paltow's easter table, featured on Remodelista. Imagine how different it would look if you swapped out the table for one with less texture--not nearly as exciting or inviting.

Dining rooms and al fresco dining have been on my mind a lot lately since two of our summer projects are a dining patio and a new dining room table. Stay tuned....

SlowMama

2011-06-15T10:22:00.003-04:00

Friends, today I'm making my debut at SlowMama, a newish blog that has been a long time in the making. It's one of the latest projects of the talented Zoe Saint-Paul whom I've admired ever since meeting her when I was in college. She has a serene but straight forward way about her, and her ideas for living a slower more meaningful life are very accessible even for this often harried mama. Unlike many bloggers with strong philosophies, Zoe seems more of a realist than an extremist, which I think comes across through the blog. It's not preachy, but its not too mushy either. In Zoe's words, slow living is about "doing every thing at the best pace and refusing to rush all the time. To “live Slow” is to simplify your life, and stay connected to what matters most." To that end, the blog is full of unpretentious, back to basics concepts, fun recipes, helpful mama product reviews, and insights on living more deliberately in our fast-paced world.

The concepts and ideals behind SlowMama are some of the same reasons that got me into blogging and design in the first place, and I'm excited to reflect on them more thoroughly on a regular basis with a great audience. I will be writing primarily about incorporating slow principles into home design with kids.

So go take a peek. The other contributors, Ann and M.C. are full of fabulous ideas and great insights.

Aside from SlowMama, there are a few other sweet new happenings around here too...

baptisms

and smiling

possibly a few new chins

and lots of summertime wishes

Dream Room Breakdown

2011-06-11T12:20:00.003-04:00

Have you ever come up with a brilliantly original idea just to realize that it's really not all that original? Happens to me all the time. Certain rooms that I find in magazines or online just nestle into my psyche and influence the way I put certain rooms together. Such is the case with the perfect room below, which you might remember from this post.

I love its simplicity, airiness, and mix of earthy, fresh, and vintage accents. It's casual and inviting but uncluttered and well-ordered. If I could be a room, this would be it.

Ok, back to the point on not being original. This room has been stashed away in my files for about a year, and just the other day I realized that many elements I have been accumulating and putting into an inspiration board for a room are almost all influenced by or overtly taken from this room.

See?

One of my favorite features in magazines and blogs are the "get the look" articles. I always learn about new sources, and get great ideas about putting my own rooms together. And I love being surprised by the stores represented especially ones that I've given up on or written off as not my style.

So, in case you're interested in my findings for the room above, here's the breakdown clockwise starting with the chalkboard crates:

And if you're interested in learning more about how to put together a room from an inspiration photo, you can check out my post for Apartment Therapy.

Happy weekend all! I'm hoping mine is full of some much needed sleep!

Image: vt wonen

Introducing...

2011-05-19T16:05:00.000-04:00

As you might have guessed, for the past three weeks, Moss and Co.'s world has had a new center. And it's mighty sweet....

He is named after Rich's grandfather, Safford (pictured here), but in our house he mostly goes by Baby Saf. I think amidst the chaos of having my girls so close in age I forgot how magical the first weeks of babyhood are. Of course it has had it's own chaotic moments, and the recovery this time around has been slow and tough, but there have been so many more moments of just...awe. I'm grateful for him, and for his perfect timing. AND for his multiple fat kissable chins...

Of which there are approximately 100.

He is my first baby to love his room right off the bat, which is awesome for so many reasons, the best at this point being because it has translated into happy sleep for his parents.

The actual room is tiny--under 8x8--but it's become one of everybody's favorite places to gather, and on any given hour it can be found filled with helpful sisters, a huge dog, and anyone else who happens to be visiting. It's full of meaningful things that have been given to us by our fathers and grandfathers, along with a heavy dose of ikea and diy projects. And a very beautiful blanket (pictured on the chair above), fortuitously won in a giveaway from the lovely Carol of The Design Pages right before Saf's arrival. Full tour to follow once I finish up a few things....if I can manage to tear myself away from this snuggly fatness...

Bliss

2011-04-28T18:38:00.000-04:00

That's what he is. All 9.6 lbs. Sweet and precious bliss.

More details to come if I can manage to pry myself away from kissing his sweet little self.

Present Pleasures & Spring Break

2011-04-20T12:50:00.002-04:00

I am officially past due, and as far as I can tell this little baby is still not in any hurry to make his way out into the world. BUT, aside from feeling ridiculously huge and pregnant, this week has been glorious! Last week I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed and sorry for myself, but then I happened across this beautiful and moving post by Maryam, and it made me want to eat every precious moment up with my girls. Especially now, before life changes, even though it's a joyful change. Savoring the present this week means means enjoying this wild pair. Just the two of them....

With Rich's job change, we are enjoying our first ever real spring break and I love it. We were sad not to make our yearly trip to Arizona, but having to stay close to home has been a tremendous blessing. I love home, and I especially love it when we get enjoy it together. It makes me appreciate all the simple, unrushed pleasures of family life, the ones that usually get pushed aside when life gets too busy. The ones that refresh us and make all the ups and downs seem worthwhile like

cooking together......

(Rich has totally spoiled me. He's a fabulous cook, and every night he's tried something delicious and new!)

and love notes....

and wild bouquets gathered by little hands...

and the occasional bursts of helpfulness....

the time to snuggle....

or dance....

and the time to sit down together for a real meal. with real food. and candles....

we are so blessed!

Earthy Black and White

2011-04-13T13:01:00.003-04:00

Today is day two of warmish rain. Ideally there would be some sun too, but I've found myself resigned and even enjoying that particular type of earthy dampness that goes along with lots of spring rain. Not so much the mud part, but definitely that mossy-ness that's sort of fresh and dank both at once. Something about it reminds me of the earthy cool smell/sensation of unfinished old basements and cellars.

It's the same kind of feeling I get when I look at rooms that turn black and white into a rustic combo with touches of raw wood. When we think of black and white we usually think of high impact, glossy spaces, but my favorite applications of the never-out-of-style color combo classic are the earthier ones...

like this one by Atlanta Bartlett....

(Atlanta Bartlett's Easy Elegance via Delight by Design)

Or this perfect basement apartment designed by Steve Gambrel. Before seeing it, I've never coveted the idea of subterranean living, but I love the rustic/industrial/garden feel of this one....

(S.R Gambrel)

Or this one from Domino which I love for the unusual combination of black walls and driftwood topped off by the minimalist exposed bulb sconce.....

(Domino)

Darryl Carter mastered it in his Virginia getaway (featured in Elle Decor a few years ago. I can't tell you how many times I've gone back to look over the spread. Usually I tear out magazine pages and ditch the rest, but I've kept the whole issue)....

(Elle Decor)

And I've spent nearly as much time studying Eddie Ross's perfectly rustic New York retreat. The beams, the beams! I love how he punctuates the white and raw wood (already one of my favorite combinations) with punches of sophisticated black in the sconces and taper candles....

(Lonny)

I fluctuate between wanting a sparkling pristine bathroom and a natural earthy one, but this picture definitely sways me toward the latter....

(notebook)

Even black and white stripes can take on an earthy feel when paired with unpainted wood...

(crush cul de sac via space for inspiration)

(Ferm living via House That Lars Built)

(house beautiful)

On a totally unrelated note, still no baby...but suddenly I'm feeling totally ready and even anxiously impatient to the point where so many things that preoccupied my mind for the last few months suddenly seem irrelevant. I think that's a good sign...right?

Adding Spring Greens With Potted Grass

2011-04-08T10:17:00.002-04:00

This year we did a little variation on last year's living Easter eggs (which we'll probably do again this year too since the girls love a good gardening project and I love watching things grow):

I am a pretty terrible plant keeper, and so I'm not especially ambitious when it comes to any type of gardening, but I absolutely love having living green things in my home. Green is my favorite color and natural/rustic is my long-standing favorite look, so it's only natural that despite many many many failed attempts I still like to invite a little natural green indoors. Thankfully, I've found some patient species, grass being one of the easiest to maintain and the quickest to grow. There are few things better or rarer than effortless instant satisfaction especially if it happens to be natural and living :)

For potted grass all you have to do is...

• 1. Find a suitable container. I chose a slightly shallow rectangular galvanized metal one because I wanted there to be a strong visual contrast between the container and grass, but almost any container will do the trick.

• 2. Select the appropriate type of grass seed. There are few spots in our house that get direct sunlight for more than a few hours at a time, and I wanted to grow mine on my mantel rather than having to move it around the house each day, so I chose a mostly shade mix. There are tons of varieties, so choose one that fits your home's strengths. Rye and Wheat grasses are popular choices for potted arrangements for their thicker blades, but I've found that thinner blades of regular grass seed can look just as cool.

• 3. Layer the bottom of the container with about a ½-1 inch of gravel or small pebbles to assist with water drainage. (My container didn't have drainage holes, so this was especially key).

• Cover the pebbles with a couple of inches of soil. I used a combination of top soil from an old potted plant from last year and regular dirt from our yard.

• 4. Sprinkle the soil with grass seeds.

• 5. Press the seeds slightly into the soil.
• 6. Sprinkle the seeds with water or mist until the soil is very slightly damp.

• 7. Place in your desired location.

• 8. Mist the seeds every other day. You should start to see growth within a week, or in some cases within a couple of days.
• 9. After blades are an inch or so in height, water lightly and evenly every few days. I've had the best results by watering until the soil is damp but no water is sitting above the soil line.
• 10. Depending on your desired look, trim the tops of the blades with scissors as needed. This step is optional, and depends on whether you prefer a natural free form tuft or something clean cut. Some blades will grow more quickly than others, and trimming will help to keep a clean/non-scraggly look.

• 11. Enjoy! With weekly maintenance your grass could last anywhere from several weeks to several months.

This year I went a little overboard, planting little containers anywhere that seemed to need a spot of green...which is everywhere because spring is taking its sweet time taking hold in DC this year. I don't think I ever recall April being counted as a winter month in Washington. So until the grass decides to grow in our backyard we're enjoying lush little pockets indoors!

this one's for you

2011-03-30T08:45:00.000-04:00

Because some of you have asked, here's a prego picture from last week....

oh wait, you actually wanted to see the baby belly?

take 50

Pregnancy is humbling y'all

And if you don't believe me, you can check out Ashley and Robert's blog for some action shots. I look awesome....

In Progress Sneak Peek of Nicole's Sculpture

2011-03-29T09:03:00.022-04:00

Aside from the fact that I pretty much run all of my own purchases/ house tweaks by Nicole, the Fleurir chocolate shop is the first time we've officially worked on a design project together. And it's awesome. Both the project and the working together part.

Time was short and the budget was tight, and I knew that Nicole--who is total creative rockstar--could make the most of both. Thankfully, she agreed to come on board and work her magic. All those years of developing my skills of persuasion as her little sister paid off afterall :)

It had to be fresh and whimsical and organic... and huge. And basically free.

Think branches, tennis balls, black beans, clothes pins, and wax paper. Oh yeah, and golf tees.

What? You can't picture it?

Ok here's an in progress peek....

Since the shot, a few more buds have bloomed on the branches, but you get the idea. At night the shadows are incredible!

When Nicole isn't whipping up last minute sculptures out of nothing, she's in her studio painting masterpieces (check out a few on her website)....

or being cool and witty on her new art blog...

or perfecting the art of rockstar parenting...

she's not an easy act to follow :)

Images: 1, 2: me, 3: Nicole, 4: Katie Bentley

DIY cage light lampshade

2011-03-28T08:00:00.004-04:00

I love, love cage lights, but I haven't managed to sell Rich on the idea, and I can understand. Y'all probably understand the appeal, but I think that most normal people (of course I'm sure some of you are that too :) don't really get the draw of exposed bulbs. They're a hard sell because getting them to look just right, not too harsh can be tricky.

Well, I had nearly convinced Rich that a cluster of cage lights would look awesome near my reading chair. It was going to be my birthday present...

but before I could fully convince myself, i changed my mind when I stepped outside one day to study the sad state of our back yard, and looked up:

there it was, our neglected planter that we hadn't even bothered to take down. My mind started racing, and I dropped everything that I was supposed to be doing, and set out to work. That's the trouble with free projects, they always, always seem like a good idea, and at least for me, they always assume a frantic type of urgency that may or may not cause at least a tinge of temporary insanity. Thankfully I have an understanding (or maybe it's worn down?) husband and patient kids who like to humor me.

The shape reminded me of this cage light pendant that I had seen at mothology:

I didn't know exactly what I was going to do with mine, until I found a great lamp base at Target that I couldn't find a good shade for. So I decided to combine the cage light concept with a regular lamp base rather a pendant light since that's what I needed for my reading corner.

The Process:
• Select a hanging planter basket with a crossed bottom (as opposed to a solid disk)

• remove filling and hanging chains from the basket (most chains are simply attached with easy to remove clips)

• Place piece of paper on the outside of basket and trace the lines of the basket onto the paper (I used a falling apart book of Bob Dylan music as an inside joke with Rich…I've loved Bob since I was 12 and spent high school covering an entire walk in closet with his pictures, but Rich can't stand him :)

• Cut out the strip of paper and use as a template for cutting out remaining strips. Note: You can be less meticulous about cutting out the strips to perfectly match the width of the bars, or you could simple cut out random strips to create a paper mache effect. I wanted the light to distribute evenly when turned on, so I cut the strips to correspond exactly to the width of the wire bars.

• Brush mod podge or acrylic gel medium onto the strips of paper and place them on the inside of the basket wires, pressing them lightly into the bars so that they stick to the wire bars as well as to the other sheets of paper. Repeat until you've covered the inside. Note: the key is pressing lightly, so that the paper doesn't loose its shape or warp.

• Let dry for several hours. Reapply mod podge in any areas that look weak. (After it was completely dry, I brushed the entire inside with mod podge to make sure it kept its form.

• Cut the top third off a wine cork and cut off about 1/2 inch

• Using a drill or knife (I used a paring knife) create a hole that's slightly smaller than the width of the harp's finial screw

• On the other side of the cork, slice a cross (I used a serrated bread knife for this part as it cuts through cork very easily)

• Screw the hole side of the cork onto the harp's finial screw

• Place the cross at the bottom of the hanging basket through the slices in the top of the cork

I have had one guest ask me if my daughter made it (she's 5 :) and a few others who have eyed it questioningly, but I really like it, and smile whenever I take the time to read some of the lyrics.

Backtrack: Angelique's Perfect Home Tour

2011-03-25T08:00:00.009-04:00

The last 6 weeks may have been the busiest of my life. Lots of client projects, lots of meetings, plus sick kids and lots of doctor appointments. All on top of homeschooling and the usual home projects. Oh, and I'm now officially nine months pregnant--crazy!!! So it's been insane. But it's funny, because even with all the craziness I've been my happiest. Wanting to rest and slow down, but excited to be doing what I have been, and feeling a sort of balance even while juggling a lot.

Plus there has been a ton of sweetness along the way, one of the best being a visit to Angelique's home.

I met Angelique in January when I visited Chartreuse and Co., the wonderful monthly barn sale that takes place in Buckeystown, MD about an hour outside DC. It was a frigidly cold day, and I didn't last long at the barn. So after snagging a few things for this new baby's nursery, we (went with Alissa and Margaret, two awesome friends with great taste), and headed into Frederick where we sought warmth in Silk & Burlap...which just happened to be the shop that Angelique owns with her friend Saule. I had spotted some of their great stuff at the barn sale, and was blown away by some of the great things in their shop. Most of all I was blown away by Angelique, who must be one of the very sweetest most down-to-earth, strongest women I've met. I instantly loved her, and was only too delighted to have another opportunity to see her aesthetic genius at work during my tour of her house.

It's a 100 year old home, and she's preserved almost all of the original details and woodwork while putting her own unique spin on it.

It's the type of home that you don't want to leave. Balanced and well-laid out and warm and welcoming. The floorplan and proportions themselves are great--big open kitchen/dining area, but still lots of separate rooms for lounging and reading and playing, but it doesn't feel to big or too spread out. And Angelique has made the most of every corner.

I stayed for a long time, and still didn't want to leave! You can check out the rest of her house in the tour that I wrote and photographed for Apartment Therapy. Her beautiful daughters are some lucky little girls!

How To Force Branches

2011-03-24T10:21:00.002-04:00

I had every intention of posting this a month ago when I put up a how-to for apartment therapy, but for some slow-to-bloom-trees, as in our kwanzan cherry tree or our dogwood, which won't blossom naturally for at least few weeks, this trick still works.

Branches are my favorite types of blooms to have in my home because generally they last a long time and have that whimsical sculptural presence that it's hard to get with many common vase flowers.

Forcing them is super easy too:

• For high, select branches that are at least 12 inches long and that have a lot of buds

• Cut branches from the tree or bush with pruning shears or scissors and trim the ends, removing any smaller twigs and buds toward the bottom 6 inches of the branch (or any part that will be under water once in a vase and will rot)

• Using sharp scissors or kitchen shears, carefully slit the branches at the end in several directions. The slits should be about ¼ to ½ inch long.

• Mash the slit ends into a hard surface so the ends splay out slightly to encourage the branch to absorb water (I used the concrete sidewalk as my hard surface, pressing the ends in and scraping back and forth a few times).

• Completely submerge the branches in a container of cool to lukewarm water so that not parts are sticking out (a bathtub or utility sink are good places for longer branches) and leave to soak over night.

• Place the branches upright in a bucket or their vases and move to a room or area that doesn't get a lot of natural light (I use the hall closet, you can just go ahead and pretend it's sparkling clean ;), and leave for a week or until the buds begin to show little signs of color. Usually I get impatient and skip this step entirely or only let them sit i the closet for a few days, but I've heard it's best to let them wait. During this time add water as needed.

• Move to their permanent location, and enjoy the blooms! Depending on the type of branch, the flowers will take between 1 and 3 weeks to reach full bloom, and may last for several additional weeks. (My dogwood branches usually last for a month at full bloom!)

Sneak Peak Into The Chocolate Shop Design Progress

2011-03-23T07:28:00.003-04:00

There have been a few factors contributing to the delay of Fleurir's opening, but I'm grateful for a little extra time on the design end! It continues to be an awesome project, and I'm going to be so sad when it ends. Dabbling in retail design has been a fabulous creative compliment to the residential projects that I normally take on, and I couldn't ask for better people to work for. Ashley and Robert, Fleurir's awesome owners, are a total treat--super creative, a dream to work with and basically just fun.

Yesterday I snapped a few pictures in hopes of sharing progress with you, but then proceeded to leave my camera case and connection chord in the shop, so I only have a couple of little phone shots to share today, but they should give you an idea of the whimsical natural vibe we're creating....

In real life, the shop is a lot lighter and airier and less gray than it appears in the photo, but you get the idea.

So far, we've done all the work ourselves, which has been super rewarding at least for bossy me who has done a little more directing than refinishing/installing than either of them or their wonderful helpful friends. With design, it's awesome having a team to do all the work for you, but it's easy to feel a bit out of touch with the actual process, which is what I tend to really enjoy. I love working with hands, and experimenting a bit, so this has been the perfect excuse. And of course, I'm still doling out a fair amount of bossy directions to a very capable team of workers--Team Fleurir aka Robert and Ashley--so it's been a happy balance :)

The dangerous part is all the chocolate I've been privy to sampling lately...not such a safe idea for this 9 month pregnant lady who has already reached max capacity!

Ok friends, I'll share more when I get my camera chord back. Happy Wednesday!

Fleurir Chocolate Shop Design

2011-03-11T06:00:00.004-05:00

Remember a few months ago when I told you about the world's best chocolates? Well, the creative chocolate duo, Robert & Ashley (or"the chocolate people" as my girls like to call them) of Fleurir Hand Grown Chocolates have landed an awesome retail space in Georgetown, and they've brought me on to help transform it into the world's most fabulous chocolate shop!!!

Working with them has been pure delight. I was already in love with them, but this has sealed the deal--they're awesome! It's a blast to be able to throw out wild ideas and have someone(s) really get it. They're creative visionaries, and it's wildly fun to be a part of it. It's the definitely the type of project that energizes rather than drains...which is why I have to force myself not to think about it too close to bed time or sleep won't happen.

Ashley and Robert snagged the fantastic location after a few heartbreaks with other spaces that fell through, but this one is totally perfect. It's small and it's in pristine condition, which we needed because we have a total of three weeks (as in 1, 2, 3) to turn it into the sweet oasis that it's intended to become. Oh, and they're doing the work themselves. Impressive is an understatement.

"Fleurir" (which I still can't pronounce despite asking them how to every time I see them) means to bloom, and the the shop's aesthetic is meant to build on that idea. Like their chocolates, we want the shop to be a fresh interpretation of a rustic whimsical garden. In my mind, the above photo taken by the insanely talented Christina Bernales and styled by lovely Ashley served as the spring board for the design. And thankfully, my very talented sister and artist Nicole agreed to work her sculptural magic for the main installation. After showing her a quick sketch of what I had in mind and loosely describing my idea she had already come up with an incredible plan for a wall relief completely made out of found materials. She's pretty awesome.

We're now entering the third week, and most of the work will be completed (fingers crossed) by the end of the weekend, so hopefully I'll have a few good pictures to share. In the meantime you can check out their blog for updates.

In other news, next week is the installation for another project, one that's a long time coming, followed by another one the next week, so wish me luck (and sleep) friends. And I'm banking on this baby staying put.....

Image: Christina Bernales

Goodbye to 3

2011-03-01T05:00:00.006-05:00

This one, my littlest one, is 4 today!

I may just cry if I say too much...

about her crazy dance moves...or rotating fashions....

or about how Koa our hound would be lost without her as a best friend...

the littlest resident artist

who looks cute even with big tears and an eye-liner pirate beard...

the one who loves adventure...

and occasional quiet too...

so I won't say too much. Just Happy Birthday MG!

DIY mirror bowls

2011-02-24T06:00:00.005-05:00

Project Month at Apartment Therapy has motivated me to get around to organizing pictures of many of my DIY home projects, and although I've been posting quite a few on AT, I have a back log on projects that I would love to share here.

You may have noticed a trend already, most of my home projects are done impulsively (usually while my girls are napping...or pretending to be :), and because of that most are done with old items that I have around the house. Needless to say, some are better than others and I have a very very patient husband.

There is almost always a back story to the projects. This one happens to be about salad bowls and the fact that when we registered for wedding presents we had no idea what we really needed. It's funny to see what ended up on our list...12 salad bowls, about a hundred wine glasses, and no everyday dishes!

Well, as much as we liked the salad bowls, they didn't like us. After one use, the finish began to peel off due to the vinegar based dressing. So, they gathered dust for many months before finding a new purpose...as mirrors!

You can check out my full step by step instructions (complete with product sources) at Apartment Therapy, but here's a little run through....

I mapped out the layout and used painters tape to preview the arrangement on the wall:

and then hammered in a nail in the crest of the x, and then spread adhesive around the edge of each craft mirror that I found at Michaels:

then pushed the mirror snugly into the bowl and let it cure overnight. Then I screwed an eye hook at a slight angle into the back of each bowl just above the base of the bowl so that I would lay flat on the wall when hung:

and that's pretty much it.

if you'd like to see more instructions, you can check out my Apartment Therapy instructions here.

This has been an incredible month, and I have so much that I hope to be sharing more of on the client end as soon as the projects are complete and I can make time to photograph, so stay tuned. I feel like I'm racing the clock before this baby is born!

Block print bathrooms and busy-ness!

2011-02-17T08:07:00.005-05:00

So many exciting things to share, and very very little time to get them into words, so until a good time comes I'll leave you with my most recent put-on-hold home-project.

It's been at least 2 years since I've been searching for a spot to bring in a block print pattern to our home. And I've also been dying to try to make my own blocks (after buying some antique ones that are beautiful to look at but not so functional to use).

So drawing on a few of my favorite patterns, I ~~labored over~~ whipped up ;) this:

Then attempted to translate it into stamp form-- total experiment! but a lot of fun, carving into lino blocks is very satisfying, like scraping off old paint (or is that just me?)...

and then immediately ran to try it out on my walls:

and then that very same afternoon, opening up the Pottery Barn catalog to discover this (does that happen to you? Remember that saying that there are no new ideas?):

kind of like mine... oh wait, minus the gaping holes and off centered sink :)

Here's to hoping that the coming weeks will bring some progress.

Elsewhere, in my life, there is nothing but progress! Here's a glimpse of a current client project where I've been spending a fair amount of time...

Watching and directing, not sawing or building, of course....even so, this new baby might just be born wearing a hard hat and carrying a tape measure :)

My DIY Block Print Rug

2011-02-09T16:22:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I promised to tell more about the DIY rug that I made for our den, so here it is!

Coming up with a plausible flooring solution was one of the biggest challenges. As I've mentioned, we'd love to redo our weird addition at some point. It's totally inefficient from an energy standpoint (the floor and parts of the ceiling weren't even insulated before we moved in...as in dry wall/sub flooring and air...), and the layout is pretty awkward. So we've been holding off on doing anything major to the ugly stained wall to wall carpet until we come up with and can afford a good long term solution.

All that to say, we're stuck with ugly flooring for the time being, and it made me sad to look at. I knew an area rug in the sofa area would lessen the pain, so I came up with a little scheme. I love texture and block print, and something that didn't look too polished (since that room is anything but polished):

Alas, Madeline Weinrib was not in the budget. Free was.

Well, one day a few weeks ago I got my free rug! Rich thought I had gone insane, but I don't know if I've ever been so excited about a project. It hit me late one night as I stepped outside and looked down and saw my answer--our old rubber filigree welcome mat! I basically used it like a giant stamp:

flipping it over to the flat side, I rolled on some paint (left over wall paint that I had diluted with water)

flipped it over onto the old stained wool ikea rug that my mom had given me a year ago (not that easy for a pregnant lady like me in her last trimester since the mat is a little heavy and unwieldy), got down on my hands and knees and pressed the mat into the rug (I pressed harder in some spots than in others to achieve a more weathered, antiqued look which I thought would tie in with the pillows we already had in the room), and repeated until I had a fully printed rug.:

As you can see, I didn't line up the mat perfectly, which made for a little more wonky of a look than I intended, but overall I really like it. It does the trick of adding a little life to the room, covering some badly stained spots on the carpet underneath, as well as masking muddy dog paw prints (bane!!!)

Since adding it, the room has become a favorite spot for all of our little and not so little beasts!

If you'd like more details, you can check out my detailed list of instructions on Apartment Therapy.

A quick little before and after

2011-02-08T15:47:00.002-05:00

I've mentioned before that we don't have many before pictures of our house b/c they died along with my old laptop a couple of years ago....but this one escaped death:

before:

a seriously terrible color combination! It especially saddens me to think that the lovely exposed brick was painted over in order to make it this color--this horrible horrible color!

But...that did give me an excuse to paint it white (which I love but probably wouldn't have convinced Rich to do to unpainted exposed brick) We drowned everythign in white and a little black, a touch of very light blue, and some aqua....

after:

The room is already very narrow and the four shades of brown and beige made it seem even more depressing. And the knotty pine kitchen! I know some people seriously cringe at the thought of painting wood, but it had to happen friends. I could see liking the pine if it was raw or weathered instead of smothered under 10 layers of yellow stain and lacquer, but such was the reality and when we moved in it was a hot yellow/brown/beige/orange mess, all perfectly highlighted by glaring fluorescent overhead lighting.

Painting the cabinets white, the walls a very light blue (Ben M's Patriotic White), changing the floor with discount discontinued tile, and replacing the flourescent monster with very reasonably priced pendants on a dimmer made a world of difference. I still love the fresh feel.

The after has changed a bit since this picture, but an up to date after will have to wait. Currently our kitchen is a dirty mess, and there is a layer of brown paper packaging, bubble wrap, and a big box, er fort, covering the craft room (thanks to Pam from Red Ticking and Ally from FTRB whose light just arrived--yay!!!!!)

sweet 16

2011-02-03T17:58:00.003-05:00

One of my current projects has me especially delighted to be working with two teenage girls on their room and study. I'm sooo excited for the rest of the house too of course, but there's a special kind of thrill getting to help them bring their energetic and slightly daring sense of style to life.

So Helen, my dear, this post's for you!

As you can see, red will be playing a role, as will black and white.....

(so sorry but can't remember where I found this, please refresh my memory if you know)

Domino

Erin Valencich

Domino

via Apartment Therapy

elle decor

design*sponge

Met Home

The Nate Show

Some parts will be edgy and sophisticated and feminine....

Domino

Graham Moss

and there will definitely be a few bold playful elements...

atlanta homes & lifestyles via Sukio

Lizzy Carney in Country living

Nuevo Estilo (the feeling, not the colors :)

And perhaps some sort of clean drama and high contrast too....

Sally Steponkus

simple shapes

We are planning on keeping the palette pretty limited with black, white, red, golds and a few grays, but the overall feeling will be glamorous and rather high impact, but not to the point of feeling cluttered or distracting.

Come early March, I should have some exciting pictures to share! Admittedly I have been terrible about posting projects. I have a back log of past design projects to photograph, and it seems that the task always gets pushed to the bottom of my list as new projects present themselves and my schedule fills up. However, Lauren's post on portfolios definitely inspired me to get my act together and take some pics, so be on the look out y'all!

Peek into Progress part II, our slowly evolving natural living room

2011-02-03T16:51:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I unveiled my latest living room updates for the world of Apartment Therapy:

When we first moved in, it screamed old lady:

but it took us a really long time to decide exactly what we wanted for the room. We knew that we wanted it a little rustic and natural with a lot of greens and whites and woods, but we didn't want to fill it with cheap pieces until we found exactly what we wanted.

Rich was insistent that he wanted the room to feel masculine enough, and I agreed. Our bedroom and girls' room are places where I felt comfortable going a little more feminine, but I wanted the living room to be a place that we both felt relaxed and happy coming home to.

So it sat in kind of a sad, spare state for many months. There were so many times when I was embarrassed about people's reactions because working in the design industry, means you should have a perfect or at least put together home, right? Well, that wasn't the case. Progress was slooooow.....

Before:

During:

And.....after (I think I can finally say that although something still seems to change every week or so):

And more........

before:

During:

After:

This corner evolved even more slowly.....

before:

During:

After (taken around Christmas time):

Rich insisted on a leather chair, and after we found one that worked, the rest of the room seemed to fall into place. Having a heavy piece of furniture like that in a light room requires you to seek out balance through accessories.

Before:

After:

Now that we're on the other side, I can say that it has been worth the wait to save up and settle on things that we know we really like, but there were many times that I wish I had treated myself as a client, laying out an exact road map with a detailed purchase list and time schedule and giving just a little wiggle room to treasure hunt.

To read more about what went into the room you can check out my article for Apartment Therapy.

And on a completely random note, while I was checking out some bedding options for a project I'm working on I came across Margaret Russell's Style & Substance on sale for $11 at Macy's. I've only glanced through it at the library, but it's wonderful and totally worth the tiny price tag. Here's the link

Winter Light, Kjerstis Lykke , and snow days

2011-01-31T09:00:00.003-05:00

(images: Kjerstis Lykke)

We've had snow for the past few days, which this year with Rich working in education, means snow days!!!! I totally love it. I think I'm more excited about them now than I even was as a kid. They are magical, especially now that I notice things like how beautiful the light is when it snows.

Beautiful winter light always reminds me how much I love northern European and Scandinavian interiors. And ever since discovering Kjerstis Lykke (above), I'm 100% more smitten... and I was a little crazy in love to begin with. She is a total beast. Her photographs are incredible at capturing that crisp magical light, and her beautiful Norwegian home with all its simple natural and rustic industrial touches are a little what I picture homes in heaven to be like :)

Well, back in reality, we've been having our own little chilly version of heaven...

complete with winter light...

snow forts....

the occasional power outage ( afterall it isn't heaven yet), but even so everybody has managed to stay cozy...

and well fed...

My DIY Sisal Globe Pendant Light Revisited

2011-01-28T13:12:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Ally for mentioning my pendant light on From the Right Bank, I hope that she's managed to salvage hers--I have faith Ally! I've gotten a few requests for more details on how I made mine, so I though I'd revisit the process, BUT before I do, I have to show you its new home...

Originally I made it for above my reading chair in our living room:

But I'm not sure I ever totally loved it there, and once I decided to switch out the shades for curtains (which are really just canvas painters drop cloths), the light didn't look quite right, so it got replaced by another homemade reading light (more on that later)

So I began to look for other places to put the sisal pendant. It sat on my craft table for a few months before it hit me, here, this dark little hallway that has sported a stylish bare compact fluorescent bulb since we moved in...

It's kind of an awkward little spot between our kitchen and addition. It also leads down to the basement. While it's not huge, it's big enough that I always feel like it should have some reason for existing other than a pass through:

One day when I was going crazy with chalkboard paint, it got a coat of paint and became the spot where I write out our weekly menu (when I'm not being a slacker which often happens). Well, once the space actually had a function, it needed something besides a bare bulb, so the sisal pendant got a home. I just inserted longish screws into the case around the bare bulb, and worked the sisal around the opening of pendant light until it rested each of the three screws.

And now we have a nice semi-used menu spot!

Thank you for indulging me, now onto the practical details of making the pendant.

I used this type of sisal twine:

It's pretty thick and much stiffer than hemp twine but it wasn't super hard to manipulate.

I used gloss mod podge because that's what I had, and I had and used A LOT (I think 2 jars):

I literally shoved my whole hand into the jar and pulled it out dripping with mod podge, and then coated the sisal twine a few inches at a time by running it through my mod podge covered hands (very messy so you want to be sure to put down a dropcloth of some sort). As I covered the twine in mod podge I began winding it around the ball in a haphazard criss cross pattern. I left a few inches uncovered at each end so that I could get the ball out later, and also so you have a place to reach in and change the bulb once it's hanging.

I let is dry for 2 full days before touching it.

Then I poked the ball with my index finger through the little openings to get it to un-stick from the ball. This was pretty time consuming. I just kept poking until I was pretty sure there weren't any areas of the ball still sticking to the ball.

Then I deflated the ball (stuck it with a knife....if I had been more patient I would have tracked down our ball pump needle and drained the air that way, but alas I'm impatient and so I just popped it).

Once it was deflated I gently peeled the ball out through the opening very carefully making sure not to yank any areas that were still sticking to the sisal.

And that's pretty much it!

If you make one, I'd love to know your thoughts and any new ways that you learned to make it easier.

My friend Molly made one for her living room and it turned out great:

Pam's home tour!

2011-01-27T17:07:00.001-05:00

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing Pam's home for Apartment Therapy. I learned about Pam through the lovely Danielle of Fresh Quince, and I'm ever so grateful! Pam's home was absolutely fantastic, but I think meeting her family was even better. As a design junky I expect to love getting to see all the unique decor choices people make in their homes, but I'm always equally excited to meet the people who live in the homes. It's interesting being invited into a stranger's home and having them explain the reasons they've chosen to create their home a certain way--a wonderful little glimpse into the way people live. People I probably wouldn't have met otherwise, and even if I did, getting to talk about things that don't usually enter small talk/ first meeting conversations.

Pam's eldest son, Sawyer, was especially delightful. I don't think I've ever met a more creative little soul who was so unselfconscious or confident about his enthusiasm for art. His work was really awesome, and so unlike what you'd typically expect from a 9 year old. He was so interested in the process, and didn't seem the least bit concerned with the representational aspects. I suppose I expected him to say something like, "this is a picture of a dog" but instead he said things like, "I love to make mixed media work like this one made from coffee grounds which has a great texture"--whoa! So cool. He made one of his sculptures by collecting glass from a car crash and crafting it with glue into a beautiful luminescent form.

Pam has hung his art throughout her home, and it fits right in. Not in a cute or humorous way, but really fits in (like the ones below above his parents bed). I have a feeling Sawyer will be doing some pretty extraordinary things with his life.

I left the home wondering how to foster that kind of creativity in my own kids. Sometimes I get really carried away with having them make something (an actual identifiable form) that I don't think about letting them really learn to enjoy the process.

Aside from the great family living in the home, the house tour was great from a design perspective too. They put a really awesome addition that houses one of the best little mudrooms. I l.o.v.e. mudrooms, and theirs was pretty perfect with its slip resistant, stain hiding, and very cool river rock floor.

Check out the full tour on Apartment Therapy. Special thanks and a big hug to Danielle for the introduction!

Homemade Valentines: The Aldous Huxley Edition

2011-01-26T11:10:00.001-05:00

Our epic weekend cleanup yielded some interesting finds, some of which went straight to the giveaway and trash piles, and others that I couldn't let go just yet....

One was an old copy of some Aldous Huxley essays that I've been keeping in a box of sentimental high school items. I remember reading the essays when I was a freshman and thinking I was really deep and really cool. Well, time has taken its toll on the book and on me and now I realize that I probably won't be making the time to go reread the essays anytime soon. And even if I did desire to, the book was in bad shape to begin with when I found it at a yard sale, and after about 10 years in my in-laws basement, the pages have all fallen out and most are so brittle that they crumble with the slightest bend.

But my hoarding sensibilities run deep, and I couldn't just toss them....but I couldn't re-packrat them for another 10 years either so we decided to make some early Valentines, naturally. I'm not sure that Mr. Huxley would approve, but I think they're turning out to be quite lovely....

Storage...and is it really necessary?

2011-01-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

(image: moomah via design*sponge)

Last week was madness, and this week looks like it will follow suit. We are still recovering from the fun and frenzy of Christmas, and we've either been away overnight or hosting over night guests almost every weekend for the past few few months. All that to say, our is a disaster! Or...should I say, was a disaster! Last week we slowly tackled the piles of things that have been accumulating since Thanksgiving, and yesterday Rich and I went on an official cleaning binge! Nothing, nothing my friends feels better!

Seeing the piles for weeks on end made me crazy, really crazy, but even that turned out to be a good thing because it forced me to do something about it. In our current house storage space is very limited, and crazy as it sounds, we've actually eliminated some of the biggest storage spaces we had to begin with.

See, I'm a pack rat by nature, and I'm also quite sentimental, so given the opportunity I'd probably be a hoarder (and while I was growing up, my parents probably thought that would be my fate as they witnessed my ever-growing collections of old rusty things and broken things that I wanted to "fix up"). But given the lack of storage in our new house and my utmost desire to have some semblance of peaceful order in my home, I've had to change. It is a slow process, but we're getting it. If we had deep closets, a pantry, or some fabulous basement storage space I'm sure they'd all be filled to the brim with forgotten stuff. But as it is, with very few places to shove things accumulate (sometimes to the point of overwhelming me), but I have to do something about it. It's almost not a choice.

Reflecting on this, I wrote an article for Apartment Therapy last week on the topic which you can check out here.

The bottom line was that "in short, lack of storage has forced me to finally get organized, think more aesthetically, and be a little more creative...or at least be more aware of the need to do so."

Thoughts???

Marya's Home Tour

2011-01-13T15:45:00.003-05:00

Today Marya and Rick's home tour that I wrote and photographed for AT went live, and I am in LOVE. I say that a lot about the homes that I photograph, but it's true. I love everything about Marya's, and could have stayed all day. It's such an art to pull off fresh and homey.

I met Marya when I was working at the design center a few years ago, and it was awesome to get back in touch in such a fun contex--photographing her lovely home! Marya is upbeat and totally unassuming, and it was a treat to see how she translated that into her design aesthetic. While I loved so many of the details, the most amazing part was her subtle fresh use of color. The house doesn't get a ton of natural light, but you don't notice it at all because her color choices are that good...light creating good, that's a feat! Rooms glowed! And it's funny b/c when I went through her source list I was expecting to see more of a high end paint listed (something that would make me go, "oh yes, of course, that's why.) but in the rooms that were most luminous she used Behr. Totally affordable, home depot Behr. Being especially smitten with Farrow& Ball and Benjamin Moore's aura paint I think I've become a little bit of a paint snob, but this has me rethinking my prejudice big time.

Go check out the full tour for yourself, and if you are looking for a very talented designer to help you with your home then look her up, here's a link to her facebook page until she gets her website up and running. Having worked for one of DC's top designers for the past few years, and recently branching out on her own, she has plenty of experience and I can only imagine how great it would be to work with her.

Images are my own.

a peek into progress (and why perfection is the enemy of the good)

2011-01-12T16:59:00.008-05:00

(Twig Hutchinson)

In this house life moves fast but design moves slow...very, very slowly. Tragically slow I often think. Mostly because things always seem to be in flux (a long term guest or a new baby or a stomach flu or...), and I am my own worst enemy when it comes to executing designs in my own home. Many times I know what I want, but I usually convince myself that I can create it by myself...afterall I love the creative process and using things for other purposes, which means lots and lots of projects. I'm happiest when I'm creating. But starting the creative process is one thing, and finishing them is another. My perfectionist tendencies often convince me that a project is far from finished.

Well, last night Rich reminded me that one of the reasons I started my blog and my design business was to meet people where they are. People without perfectly deep pocketbooks or perfect homes. It was really because I realized that beauty is essential and attainable....regardless of budget or time constraints or "the perfect." It had nothing to do with the perfect and everything to do with the real. Most of us don't really desire a magazine home, even if sometimes that seems very nice. But in reality we'd be perfectly happy with a comfortable home that invites relaxation, creativity, and peace.

So on that note, over the next few weeks I'd like to share a few points of progress on the home front, however far from finished they seem to me:

First up, our den:

My computer crashed shortly after we moved in taking nearly all of my beloved "before" pictures with it. So I don't have many that accurately show what the house looked like originally. This room started out as our bedroom. It came with 3 blush pink walls (and blush ceiling) and one purple brick wall (looks black in this pic but with the light on it was definitely purple):

Shortly after moving in it became my office, and then a craft room, and then a giant closet, then a work out room, then a playroom...

....and then our nanny's room, and then a giant closet again, and then what eventually became known as the "man room" where all things Rich went--skate boards, snow boards, guitars, books, power tools, bikes, weights...you get the idea. Then we received some very nice gifts form family: a real tv and media console, and we began to think about how we could turn this exceptionally long and narrow space into an inviting space for watching movies and hanging out. A place that wasn't too grown up or too kiddy... and that worked aesthetically with the random mix of furniture and accessories that we already had. No small task!

First addition was a Craigslist sofa....Rich insisted on comfortable, and I agreed despite my aesthetic reservations....

We debated over colors for many months, out up tons of swatches (why is decorating your own house so much harder than decorating for someone else????) then realized that other places in our old house demanded more attention. So anything we did to it had to be free or really really inexpensive and by that I mean basically free....and so it stayed like this for many months....

I came up with some ideas of how I wanted it to look, which you may remember from this post.

And recently we picked up the pace, and with some left over paint, a DIY rug (more details on that later), discounted indoor/outdoor pillows from restoration hardware, and fabric from calico corners, we moved right along

We have some loose ends to finish up, but for now as you can see it has become one of our favorite spots.

before:

after:

The room still has many functions: bike (and skate board and snow board) storage, Rich's dressing room, family tv room, music room, play area, so I wanted to keep the colors simple and mostly neutral and let the functional objects also be the main decorations. I'll explain more details later but the wall mural (which still needs to be finished) was inspired by the one at the sub*urban trading company in Kensington, and the poem that I stamped on the wall is one of my favorites. I first spotted it in Rich's parents house:

William Henry Channing's, "My Symphony":

To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich;

to study hard, think quietly,
talk gently, act frankly;
to listen to stars and birds,
to babes and sages, with open heart;
to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely,
await occasions, hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony

Fresh Start Whites, Lights, and Brights

2011-01-10T19:05:00.003-05:00

I thought that I would be very sad to see the Christmas season go, but I love that feeling of lightening that comes with packing away all the decorations. Suddenly our home feels sparse and filled with light (especially since our Christmas tree was right in front of our living room window). We still have the fire burning so it can seem cozy, but it's fresher and airier and lovely in its own spare way.

The quality of light during this time of year is subtle and beautiful, not so much on the super gray days, but on the ones with at least a little bit of sun. It's cool and quiet and fresh, unobstructed by leaves on trees. It's the best part about the cold winter months. About this time every year, I get the urge to paint all our walls white like a few of my favorite rooms:

Apartment Therapy

Life In The Fun Lane

(I've been hearing about her blog for a long time, but only recently delved into it. Wow! Incredible, incredible transformation)

or at least something ultra light and fresh:

Yvestown Blog

As much as I love deep colors, I cannot see a fresh bright light room without feeling an enormous sense of calm...they're like the visual equivalent of a deep breath. Perfect for January, which I'm really trying to use as a time to re-embrace simplicity.

Oh Jenna

2010-12-29T12:32:00.006-05:00

Jenna Lyons that is. Like Vanessa Bruno's home, hers is one that I could look at a million times in a million magazines and blogs and never grow tired of. I'm always searching through my folders to revisit images for client inspiration, so I thought I'd put them all in one place for ease. And although you've probably seen them time and time and time again too, I'm sure you wouldn't mind just another peek, right?

The simple palette is cool and playful, youthful and sophisticated. And it all does perfect justice to the beautiful architectural details that she's blessed with.

(Images: Domino, Living etc, Levenson McDavid, at casa)

Belated

2010-12-28T23:16:00.001-05:00

Happy Christmas season!!!!!!! I hope the main event was as delightful for all of you as it was for our family. I think it was the best one yet!

We spent the week leading up to Christmas in Williamsburg with both sides of our family. Everything about the trip was lovely--the chilly but sunny weather, the singing, the beautiful colonial decorations, the girls' happy hearts and good moods, excellent food (eaten perhaps a little too frequently).

The only bummer was the fact that I left my camera and phone in the hotel lobby. Thankfully Williamsburg is probably the safest place on earth and it was Christmas eve, so it was turned in, and should be making its way back to DC sometime soon I hope. So being sans camera on Christmas morning I don't have any Christmas day shots to share, but instead I'll leave you with one of my favorite Christmas season recipes. It's my take on Darby's insanely delicious honey butter. It's easy to make, way addictive, and impossible to get wrong. The girls love to help make it too. We like to make a bunch and give it out as hostess gifts and treats for our guests that pop in over the season:

Spiced Christmas Spread (perfect on toast...and everything else!)

3 Sticks of Butter
1/2 cup of Honey
1/4 cup of Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup of Brown Sugar
2 tsp. of Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. orange zest
6 Lady Grey Tea bags (the secret ingredient)

-Butter should be softened at room tempature
-whip butter until smooth and fluffy
-stir in honey, powdered sugar, and brown sugar and mix until blended
-add cinnamon and orange zest and blend
-tear open the Lady Grey Tea bags and stir in contents one at a time until
-blend for a few seconds, and divide into containers (we use 5 oz ikea spice jars and add fabric and twine to the top)

I usually measure ingredients by eye, so it turns out slightly different with each batch. And I also like to experiment. The orange zest and brown sugar are new this year, and so far I've heard only good things. So if you haven't already felt the guilt on Christmas indulgence set in, go whip up a batch and enjoy!

(Images: 1: Merriment Events via Snippet & Ink, 2: me)

Recycled Angels

2010-12-14T08:41:00.001-05:00

Forgetting our grocery bags last week turned out to be a good thing, although you might not have believed it if you happened to have spotted some wildly dramatic lady in the parking lot last week letting out an exhausted d word when she realized she had forgotten them...again....

But thankfully for the good of her saintly children :) she managed to pull it together, embrace her imperfection (and abundance of paper bags), and put a few bags to work. We are making ornaments this year for presents, and these angels are the latest. They take no time at all, and can be made with things that you probably already have around the house.

Start out with a bag:

cut out a shape (we did angels, but we're also thinking about doves and gingerbread boys). For this part, I cut the shape out while the bag was still intact (doubled up) so that I would have 2 perfect sides without having to trace and recut a second side:

Then we flipped them around so the design side was in, and Maddy took over with the sewing:

For MollyGrace, I pre-poked the holes with a needle, so that she could sew more easily without poking her little fingers:

Then we added a little stuffing. We used some from a stuffed animal that Koa (our dog) had decapitated that morning. But you could also use cotton balls or newspaper...or if you're extra fancy, real stuffing :)

Continue to sew up the remaining edges before attaching a little twine to the back with an extra stitch (or glue). We used newspaper for the wings:

and glued them on over the twine in the back:

We used another piece of newspaper for our scroll and stamped it with Christmas messages, but names of recipients would also work.

Oh, and PS, a little gloating--I won my first ever giveaway!!!! I checked out Ally's blog, last night just before going to bed, and I couldn't believe it! I was so excited I couldn't sleep...which absolutely exhausted Rich was extra thrilled about. I kept telling him, "I won something!! I won something!!! I WON something!!!" I think the light fixture is really cool...Rich shared my excitedment for about 2 seconds before showing him the picture, to which he responded "It looks like a wigwam"--total buzz kill Rich! The girls like it though, so I least I have someone to share my excitement :)

A Natural and Simple Christmas

2010-12-10T11:00:00.001-05:00

I love the glittery lights of Christmas, and the glow of reds, and the sparkling golds, but I also delight in simple touches that make me appreciate the bare branches and the awesome whites and the few remaining greens of the season.

(Mari Erikkson of Angel at My Table blog)
Newsprint is my wrapping paper of choice. I still remember getting a gift form my uncle, whom I absolutely adored growing up, and it was wrapped in newspaper...can't even remember what the present was, but I though he was the coolest just for the wrapping paper. And I admit to feeling just a little as cool myself whenever I wrap up a gift in newsprint :) You can check out more newsprint inspired Christmas decor in a recent article I did for Apartment Therapy.

( Sweet Paul)

Oh Branches, oh branches, you get me everytime.

(Country Home)

(Etsy seller Frenchie Flea)

And burlap, you're a runner up in my heart.

(HomeLife)

(Etsy seller One Gift World)

(Jane Cumberbatch)

(Sunset Mag)

(Wish Mag)

(Country Living)

One More Peek At A Danish Modern Christmas

2010-12-10T09:06:00.000-05:00

I was just sent more pictures of the Danish Embassy's Creative Christmas, so I thought I'd share a few more highlights. All are taken by the very talented Dakota Fine for the Danish Embassy.

(the design students along with 2 form last year's Creative Christmas )

(all the food was divine, but I revisited this table of duck with apple and prune chutney more times than was probably proper :)

(and me with beautiful Nicole)

Thank you to the Danish embassy for an awesome night, and to the very talented design students who made the celebration so special!

Giveaways, giveaways!

2010-12-09T15:31:00.000-05:00

Tis the season for awesome giveaways, and these two me especially excited!

The very talented and very sweet Danielle, of Fresh Quince, is offering her beautiful handmade pottery. I have a major soft spot for pottery, and her block print dessert plates pretty much already have the perfect spot in this home...but you can enter for a shot to win too :) Check out the details at Fresh Quince:

And the fabulous Ally of From the Right Bank is have 8 whole days of giveaways, all of which are incredible. Head over her blog to check them out (the one below is from Red Ticking, which I have a not so minor love for) .

Creative Christmas At The Danish Embassy

2010-12-09T09:17:00.003-05:00

Last year, I loved seeing what the talented Ms. Watson of The House That Lars Built did with her fellow design students to transform the Danish Ambassador's modern residence into The Snow Queen's icy lair for the Embassy's annual Creative Christmas party. It looked a bit like Hans Christian Andersen discovers Anthropologie.-- awesome!

(photos from Brittany Watson of The House That Lars Built. You can see some more at Washingtonian)

Well, thanks to Brittany--thank you!!!-- Nicole and I got to check out this year's spread at the Ambassador's party last night. This year's theme was completely different. The Embassy is celebrating its 50th year in Washington so the theme was 50 years of Iconic Danish Design. 4 design students: Malene Stilling & Mine Neumann from the The Danish Design School and Anna Martin and Scott Clowney from the Corcoran, reinterpreted the classic Christmas tree drawing on the inspiration of Danish architectural graphic design, textiles, product and furniture icons from the 50s and 60s. The results were awesome, made even more so by the limited resources and time constraints.

I didn't have the pleasure of meeting Ms. Martin, but the the other three designers were as delightful as they come. I love hearing explanations behind inspirations, and all three were perfectly eloquent and engaging--it was a great night! Well, all except for the fact that Nicole and I managed to play the parts of rude American not once but twice! And the victim of our rudeness was none other than the host of the party, the Ambassador himself! As we were entering the party, the talented Dakota Fine, asked to snap our picture, and of course we beamed, said yes, and struck a pose, then started to enter the party when Dakota gestured to the left, asking if we met the Ambassador yet...our host, whom no, we had not met--yikes! With one step already into the main room, we had to backtrack to say hello and thank him for the invitation. I'm sure I was flustered and awkward, felt terrible, and well it was pretty embarrassing. However, not quite as embarrassing as when we left. The embassy interns were at the door with little party favors, which we gushed over thanking them for all they had done to make the evening a success. And then we breezed right out the door...right past the ambassador...again! We heard a faint, "goodbye" as we passed, and it was only when we turned around that we realized who it was. And then we started laughing...hysterically. Nic could blame it on the Gløgg. Pregnant me, alas, could not. Next year, dear Ambassador, I promise to bring my manners along with me.

(me with an embassy intern and the very talented Mine Neumann to my right. I wish I had a picture of Nicole who looked beautiful as always. )

But the real point of this post was to tell you that anyone in DC should take a long lunch break today or skip out of work early to go see the exhibition for yourselves. It's open to the public from 1-5 today, free admission. More info here. Besides getting to enjoy the students' work, you will also get to check out the Ambassador's awesome residence which is a great exhibition of Danish modern design in and of itself. It you see him, please tell him to excuse my rudeness :)

Advent Decorating

2010-12-08T16:09:00.002-05:00

Amazingly enough this weekend will already be the 3rd Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, which in Latin means rejoice. Maddy is extra excited because it means that we'll be lighting the pink candle...although she has been pretty excited about the previous two week's purple candles as well. I think she thinks that advent colors were selected especially for her :)

We have never had a set date to start Christmas decorating, but this year we decided to wait until Gaudete Sunday to go all out, which has made the girls and me appreciate the little touches of advent around our home even more. So, before Advent completely slips away and Christmas season reigns supreme, I'll take you on a little tour.

Everything we did this year was simple and natural...

We planted lots and lots of paperwhite bulbs

usually I plant a bunch in clear vases because I love to watch the roots grow and tangle--magic!--but this year I was so inspired by Mari Erikkson's (angel at my table blog) simple display below, so in addition I also tried a really shallow silver candy dish that we got from Rich's grandmother. This picture was taken a few days ago when the bulbs just started to put out roots, but they've already begun to sprout little green shoots out the top too. Paperwhites are my fail safe. They are pretty much impossible to kill as long as the bulb doesn't sit in water--my kind of plant! I'll post some easy instructions soon. Aren't Mari's gorgeous?

And you can spot our moss advent wreath in the background of the top pic. I haven't done much to change it since a few weeks ago, except we did add the traditional purple and pink candles, much to the girls delight. The tradition it to light a purple (a color of solemnity and preparation) candle the first and second Sundays of advent, then a pink (color of joy and anticipation) candle the 3rd Sunday of advent, and then the final purple candle the fourth Sunday of Advent.

Our mantel is pretty simple so far, but there have been a few little changes since last year.

Last year I made the advent calender stocking garland. This year, we're sticking to the same concept but we decided against putting in treats. Last year they caused more fights and jealousy than anything good, so we nixed the chocolate and put in scrolls with special "advent tasks" written on them instead. I know that these little tasks probably won't excite them forever, but the girls love unrolling the scrolls to see what they will get to do that night. Usually its something along the lines of who gets to light the advent candle. And once we set up the nativity scene the notes will include which figurines get to be unwrapped to be displayed that night.

And that's about it so far. Oh except that the cinnamon stick garland that I made for our fireplace the first year we moved in got a new home this year. The cinnamon sticks and pinecones still smell awesome a couple years later, but....

the ribbons looked a little early 90sish to me, so the garland got a minor facelift. I switched out the wire ribbons for some that I made by cutting a strip from an old canvas painter's drop cloth and another one from our old green linen shower curtain that had some stains. I also turned the double garland into a single strand:

I've loved the slow decorating process of advent this year. It's helped me to try to keep a quieter pace when I'm at home (even though most days and all weekends have been p.a.c.k.e.d).

Natural Home

2010-12-07T10:00:00.004-05:00

Hus & Hem

I Have far too many pictures on my desktop, and in my personal file (oo la la ;) there's always a theme: simple, natural, and wood.

via Apartment Therapy

Design&Sponge of EmersonMade

Kjerstis Lykke

Krakvik & D'Orazio via emma's blogg

via Peacock Feathers

Design*Sponge of Anne-Claire Rohe

How do you like the current batch?

Vibrant and Creative Kids Rooms

2010-12-03T10:00:00.003-05:00

Maddy is a girl of deeply held convictions. She knows exactly what she wants, and she usually knows how to get it...which although overwhelming at times, is something that makes me very happy deep down (even when I'm about to pull my hair out :)

Her recent ongoing request is to redo her room. And why wouldn't she? She is 5 afterall, and most of us had the chance for a complete decor overhaul before the age of reason...right? I suppose I should take part of the blame. We picked up Selina Lake's Bazaar Style together and there was no turning back, at least in Maddy's mind.

Her room is a little too blue for her taste, and she doesn't like green...or simplicity.

She prefers pink of course, and flowers, and a rainbow of materials, the tackier the better :) But thankfully she'll admit that Selina's taste may be acceptable too, which we both can agree on. So we pulled out my bins of fabric remnants and picked out just a few...hundred for consideration

We're still narrowing down our options and ideas, but below are a few of my favorites, most of which will surely be shot down due to the lack of pink, but what I love about all of them is the naturalness and lack of perfection and matchy-ness (that last part is the only thing that actually bothers me about their room now). I love kids room that look joyful and loved and welcoming even when there's a toy (or 20) that's out of place. That's hard to pull off with a limited color palette like we have now, so I'm kind of excited about the change.

Anna Spiro

design* sponge Emily Henson's home

Design*Sponge Joy Thigpen's home

Domino of Sunrise and Mark Ruffalo's home

John Hutton via Washington Spaces

via Emma's blogg

via High Fashion Home

I have a feeling that we won't see much progress until at least after Christmas, but we'll see how far this nesting bug will lead me (and how well I can ward off a very persistent little resident designer :).

Moss Advent Wreath

2010-12-02T10:00:00.003-05:00

Growing up, lighting our advent wreath was one of my favorite traditions. I would fight with my sisters over who would light it and blow it out...and my girls are making sure to carry on that part of the tradition too :)

Last year I made a sort of shoddy moss wreath. It was supposed to look like Martha's...

but alas, I'm impatient and insisted on an instant result while the girls napped...briefly...and it looked like this...

which was fine except that combined with the old window and gold ribbon it looked sweet and country and I had wanted it to look rustic and cool, ah well.

This year I dissassembled it

and decided to turn it into our advent wreath....

I took a candle form:

affixed it to the wreath form with sisal twine:

And stuffed preserved sheet moss (taken form last year's wreath) into the entwined branches:

And then wound it with the ribbon form last year's wreath...which I might change for something else if I happen across the right ribbon or piece of fabroc...or I might just use clear or green thread instead to make it look more natural

Next, the three purple and one pink candle went in...but i still need to take a picture

I've always been in love ~~obsessed~~ with moss, which of course made marrying Rich a no-brainer :)

We have little bits of it worked into a lot of places, even my cheese dome..

which the girls and I turned into a little terrarium by layering moss form our back yard over a little bit of charcoal. We sprinkle it with water every couple weeks, and so far, it's stayed green for months.

Goodbye Fall!

2010-12-01T10:00:00.050-05:00

The biggest problem with having a blog and writing infrequently is that I feel like I'm always waving goodbye to seasons. It makes time seem too quick, and life even more of a whirlwind. Thankfully, this fall was a wonderful whirlwind. And a pretty mild one weather-wise, which I needed because the pregnancy hormones seem to have forgotten how to function, and I'm always FREEZING! Any colder and I would never ever leave my house.

Last year we didn't spend a lot of time enjoying the falling leaves, but this year we took full advantage:

Last week we co-hosted Thanksgiving at our house. It's our 3rd joint Thanksgiving with my sister and brother-in-law who live next door, and this year was probably my favorite. We had 16 people poured into our little home for an incredible feast which lasted all day long and into the night. The girls were a huge help this year, especially when it came to food prep and taste tests. Maddy and MollyGrace picked all the seeds out of 2 entire pomegranates which we added to our cranberry salad--so delicious. I'll post the recipe sometime soon. Every year I keep tweaking it just a little from my wonderful friend, Jennifer's already amazing recipe.

My sister Nicole set a simple and beautiful table....(ours plus theirs carried over from next door :)

And her fabulously talented husband roasted up an amazing turkey...

And one of the very best parts was having our little sister Monique come for a quick trip. I love that girl--constant, constant laughter! She should seriously write a book. Her stories about life in New York are priceless and hilarious, my stomach killed by the end of the night...as much from laughing as from the fact that I had completely stuffed my already full belly. It was so sad to see her go! Come back Mozambique!!! I can't imagine life without my sisters. Each is so artistic and talented and priceless. I marvel at them!

After a late late night the next day called for a long long nap....

a nap by the fire to be exact....

rest assured, that will not be a fall exclusive :)

Since moving back to DC, Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday, but this year I felt especially grateful for all the gifts gracing my life. This year, surrounded by my immediate family and my husband's too, who are so supportive of our new life (and so excited for the newest little life in me too) I was struck by how rich we are to live where and how we do.

The hardest part now seems to be finding the time to spend with all the incredible people we have in our lives here as well as trying to keep up with friends far away (so hard seeing as the phone is my nemesis, and made even more so by the fact that the girls think that a mommy on the phone is the very cruelest form of abuse...not an exaggeration!). But a packed schedule is hardly the hardest burden to bear, right?

I hope your Thanksgiving was just as lovely! Here's to advent!