Friday, May 28, 2010

Happy Weekend!



It's Friday, and I could not be happier!  I’m getting closer and closer to winding down at my job, and I’m really looking forward to the big move and having more free time. So, apologies for the lack of blog posts lately, but I’ll be back on top of it soon.

Guess what I’m going to do this weekend?? I’m going to make some bread. Seriously. It’s totally Martha, right? It’s one of my goals, on my to-do before I’m thirty list, so I figure the long weekend is a great time to get ‘er done. Ew. Can’t believe I just wrote that.

Anywho, I came across this recipe for no knead bread in the NY Times, and I have been waiting and waiting to try. I’ll let you know how it works out.

Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Image via Williams Sonoma

Friday, May 21, 2010

Ork Posters


Check these babies out!  On a recent shopping trip with a friend of mine, I discovered these super cool Seattle neighborhood posters by Ork Posters.  Seattle poster--purchased.  Check!

Thought I'd share.  They have other cites...Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, LA, NYC, DC, the works.  Check 'em out!

Rug Roundup!

You might say I’ve got rugs on the brain lately. So I thought we’d have a little fun Friday rug round up of the few I can’t quite get out of my mind….enjoy!!!




Andalusia Rug from West Elm


Sakura Rug from West Elm



Gray Wool Rug from Burke Decor



Taupe Wool Rug from Burke Decor



Wool Area Rug from Burke Decor



Another rug from Burke Decor, this one's getting a little bit spendy!


And totally out of my price range, but super cool wool rug, also from Burke Decor.


Which one floats your boat?? Help me choose!!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Beautiful Living Rooms

With the big move coming up, it seems I have living rooms on the brain. New living rooms, to be specific!  Can’t help it! I’ve got a bit of a start on a great living room, but I’m continually inspired by new and different layouts, color schemes and accessories, of course. Though I’m committed to the few pieces I own already, I can’t help but make a list of “Living Room Musts” for down the road.

Without a doubt, the first thing I have to have is a fireplace. Seriously. I know it’s not practical, and most cities (mine included) have a burn ban, but there is NOTHING like cozying up in front of a fire, right?  The pictures of living room inspiration I’ve gathered seem kind of all over the place at first glance. I’ve been taking a closer look, however, to try to figure out what it is that I really love about these rooms and what I need to focus on for my own room. There are a couple common threads. Looks like I love plants. That’s no surprise, my house is full of them. I also gravitate toward more symmetrical layouts and neutrals, neutrals, neutrals. What can I say? Guess I’m not exactly the wild type. 

While I don't think I could fit every single beautiful living room I've come across into this one post, here's a healthy representation of what I think best defines the look I'm going for:









What about you all? What do you think makes a living room truly great?

Images via Domino, Lonny, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Apartment Therapy

Friday, May 14, 2010

Happy Weekend!


It’s supposed to be sunny in Seattle this weekend, and I cannot wait. I love the Northwest, but the whole lack of sun thing really starts to get to me after a long, cold winter. I plan to hang out outside, get some sun and get ready for our big move to sunny Southern CA.  Enjoy the weekend!!

Image via Elle Decor

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Flor Rugs

Having a pup like L. Belle has its perks.  She's so darn cute, loves to snuggle and is always good for a laugh (or 20) every single day.  Unfortnately, her soft and snuggly Golden Retriever fur as well as her darling, but perpetually muddy paws make for a bit of a dilemma in the décor department.

When we first brought her home, we had a cream slip covered couch. That was gone within maybe a month or two of her arrival. It was time to replace it anyway, and so we went ahead and splurged on a brand new leather sofa. Totally durable, indestructible and 99% dog proof. Just ask one of my sweet friends, who was just sitting back to relax with a nice glass of red wine when Ms. Belle decided she wanted all 65 lbs of her cute self up on my friend's lap. WOW.  Wine all over the place. It even got on the wall. But no sweat. I just grabbed some paper towels and a wet rag and voila. The new sofa is virtually bomb proof, I tell ya.

Not so with my jute rug. I give you Exhibit A:


Witness L. Belle relaxing on one of my first, prized décor purchases on one of her first days at home. My quaintly rustic and (in my opinion) very fabulous jute rug has not been treated particularly well by L. Belle. She chews on its fringe, chews on the “rustic” little knots, she has…ahem…used the facilities on it more than once, and even gotten a wee bit of the stomach sickness a couple of times, too. In short, the jute rug is no longer so fabulous. It’s gnawed on, worn out, and dirty. Not to mention the impossibility of cleaning in all those nooks and crannies. It’s with a heavy heart that I retire my rug and commence the search for a new one. New beginnings, right?

I’ve been searching high and low for a rug for the living room that is durable, easy to clean, stylish and affordable. I can get one or two or even three of these criteria, but hitting all four has been a challenge. I think, however, that I’ve found it at FLOR.



That’s right. Modular floor tiles you can fashion into a kind of build your own area rug.  The style above is the one I'm considering--it's even called The Finer Things. I’m thinking it could work. It’s perfect for high traffic areas, made of (recycled) nylon fibers, super easy to clean, affordable, durable…kinda looks like the jute rug, minus all the nasty dirt and if things get really…err…hairy, or stained, you can swap out a tile and replace it for a fresh and clean rug.

Here's another shot.  Not exactly the color I'd choose, but you get the idea:


What do you think? Too crazy? Or crazy enough it just might work??

UPDATE****FLOR = Not my style.  Totally reminded me of the carpet underneath my office chair...at my office.  Way too industrial for me.  Not coool.  The search continues...

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Just Because

I found this picture on my friend Kate's blog, and it just makes me so happy. I am in love with that OCTOPUS!!


Just because...Happy Hump Day!

Etsy Shops: Pottery Fun!

While perusing one of my new favorite reads, The Diversion Project, I came across a post about Etsy Seller Jill Rosenwald.

Wowza. Check out these awesome pottery pieces. The colors are so amazing, I couldn’t help but share:











Cool stuff, right? Happy shopping!

Monday, May 10, 2010

End Table Update

I found it! The perfect lamp to go with my new table! Taaa daaaa:


I spent a healthy chunk of this weekend making it look just so.  Hmm. Don’t mind the cord. I haven’t figured out what to do about that, yet! And see that little riser under the leg? That’s because the floor in my 100+ year old house slopes waaaayyyy down. Good times!

And here’s a detail shot:


I found it at Pottery Barn, and couldn’t be happier. Even Mr. J likes it (miracle of miracles!).

The sad thing is, as cute as this little display is, I’ll be dismantling it soon. With the big move coming up, I’m getting a little nostalgic about leaving our slanty little abode. I’ve spent so much time getting it just right, and now I’m going to have to start over! Trying not to be too daunted by that prospect.

And in unrelated news, I’ve had a friend (or two) come over and ask where my little piggy ended up, so I knew it was time for an update. Here he sits, atop a stack of books in our TV cabinet:


Awwww. Or should I say OINK!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Happy Weekend!

Back from my mini hiatus! There’s lots of good news to share from Chez J, and I have been so busy (trapeze lessons, game show madness, a ½ Marathon, seriously, it’s been bananas!) that I’ve neglected my sweet little blog. But I’m back!

Our biggest news is that we found out for sure that we are moving away from our home in Seattle down to sunny Southern California. We are beyond excited for what the future holds for us. Mr. J will be attending school, and I will set out on a fabulous new adventure of my own down there! As if we needed another plus, there will be a new house for me to decorate, and new projects to blog about! However, in between us and California is one huge, messy, super-daunting move. So stay tuned for LOTS of blog posts about moving, organizing, decluttering, etc.!

This weekend, I have plans to get busy on a few fun projects, and will update you all next week. But until then, check out these photos of Ellen Pompeo's home in the Hollywood Hills:















Wowza. In the words of Liz Lemon...I want to go to there.  You?  Does it make you want to move to California, too? 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Images via Elle Decor
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