Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Elizabeth Gilbert Talks


Awesome Elizabeth Gilbert speech. Thank Oprah.

I'm not going to get to finish it because I have to go take care of kids. So I'm posting it here for you.

And me.

This is my bookmark, in case you didn't know. This blog here is my scrap book.

I press the flowers I find online here in these pages.

googled pressed flower.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Another Lovely Apartment

I love this apartment. Perhaps because it reminds me of various apartments I've lived in over the course of my life.

That is all I have to say here. Love.

More pictures here

via designsponge

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Oooooh. Purty Violets and Design and Handmade Displays. Just Ooooooh.

I just found this lovely online thesis from whatyoulove by aprile.

I'm not 100% sure what it is exactly. All I know is that it is wonderful and magical and beautiful and inspirational. And you know what? That is good enough for me.

via robayre inspiration junkie, who ain't no slouch in the inspiration department herself.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Fantastical Carnival-like Wedding. I Wish Eunice Was My Friend


Eunice and Daniel's wedding. So many lovely things about this wedding, found at Martha Stewart via Hello!Lucky , but I think this idea of having a procession/parade leading from the ceremony to the reception with the wedding guests carrying these giant shadow puppets is just a magical idea.

Other ideas that are lovely?
Parasols for the sun
Eco Confetti
Signature Cocktails (I have my own pomegranate punch that I created many years ago)
Coffee Filter Poofs and crepe paper flowers
Dessert Bar
Treats and Candies in little bags
The vaguely vintage carnival atmosphere with lots of fun things for kids or kids of all ages
Her gorgeous handmade dress
The striped sailor shirts for the waiters
Paper crowns

Lovely all around.

Friday, March 19, 2010

I Want to Try THESE Cookies






What could be better than the classic Toll House Cookie Recipe? It's always been my favorite... except for those chewy, crispy thin cookies they sold at the cafe when I was in college. Those were even better.

So when I saw the America's Test Kitchen recipe, (found on Oh Happy Day) pointing out the difference between Toll House cookies and their own recipe... aimed at making a chewier, crispier cookie, I said, STOP THE PRESSES!

That is a cookie recipe I want to try.

I like to cook. I like to experiment with flavors and combinations... but I am not a baker. Baking always seems like a science to me, while cooking is more like an art. I'm always afraid of mixing the flour too much or over baking or putting in baking soda instead of baking powder.

So I really liked the comparison recipe... showing that melting butter makes less cakey brownies than creaming it, and browning the butter adds to that yummy caramel like flavor. My mouth is already starting to water. And the eggs... fewer eggs mean chewier cookies! So that's how you do it...

I'm going to go get my oven ready.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Bleach Striped DIY Scarf

I want to make this.... or some other version of something similar that I can cobble together and smoosh around with whatever fabric I have or can recycle from old clothes.

Reduce reuse recycle...

BABY

How lucky that the HOW TO of this scarf has led me to not one, but TWO new to me bloggers, etsians and all around creative knock outs!

A guest post by Julia Okun (blog and etsy )
On this evaforeva's blog (etsy here and here)

Monday, January 11, 2010

How Would You Fake This Room?

Okay, I'm behind the curve on this one, but it just about makes me sick with real estate lust, and there's a bit of a personal connection here, so I thought it was a good thing to post for my return to small and heartfelt (sorry about the absence).

I LOVE. No. I LOOOOOOOOVE this apartment, and it happens to be catty corner to my old apartment on Elizabeth street. I would have been able to look out the window and see this building, the record holder for expensive in the neighborhood.

Okay. Suffice it to say, I will never be able to pay 7 mil for a penthouse (barring a miracle) so, why not think about what it is I really do like about this place.

I love the high ceilings, the wood floors, the clean but cozy lines of the furniture. I ADORE the black trim and all those windows/ french doors. The light is nothing to sneeze at, either. Love the white walls and the warm woods, also the organic feel of the accessories.

If I were trying to replicate this look, without the 7 million dollar penthouse, I might try to find a nice... or not so nice (I like the beat up leather look) black or dark brown leather sofa, maybe craigslist would do, or Ikea. For the coffee table, I think I might something a little more rustic... something like thisfrom Maya*made (who just one apartmenttherapy's best green home design blog by the way [yay Maya!]). But I'd probably like a square top, and maybe all in wood rather than glass.

And let's say I don't have a wall of exquisite windows and french doors everywhere...what is a poor (metaphorically and literally) home design lover to do?

Well, I can't help but think it might be really cool to have a wall of frames lined up as if they WERE french windows... something like this
which I found via littlegreennotebook, and she found via apartmenttherapy, though I don't have a link. I was thinking the frames could be filled with images of anything, but the thought of breaking up a map is kind of nice... almost like you'd be looking through the frames at the rendering of the city. A little google serendipity.

What if the house doesn't have those huge windows? Hey, why not a large work of art. Maybe something suggesting what you might see out the window, that you can gaze at and ponder the nature of distance and time. Like thisby Aisyah Ang whom I love, by the way.

Oh, and thinking about that organic looking lamp, but what if I don't have the chandelier budget and/or lamp? What about this string of tea light holders?
This is by oneblackbird. Don't you just love etsy?

And really, this room is missing books. If a room doesn't have books I just never think it's finished.Oh hey! How about a bookcase like this! The frames of the bookcase are reminiscent of those black painted doors....

Who says you need to have seven million dollars to have a lust worthy home?