Links

I've been sitting on some links that I wanted to share with you. Now is as good a time as any so here we go:

picture courtesy of MSN.com

Jonathan Adler has been named a "Home Lifestyle Expert" on MSN.com his first article is about arranging objects. Check it out here.

photo courtesy of pictureisunrelated.com

I saw this sink on pictureisunrelated.com. How cool is it? Might be tough to clean though...

photo courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

Apartment Therapy is releasing a new book May 11th. You can pre-order it now. This one Is going to be called "The Big Book of Small Cool Spaces". I'm excited to see this one. I love their past two books. Pre-order it here.

Obsessed!

I love Target. That's nothing new, who doesn't? I don't love only going in for two things and leaving with $100 worth of stuff though. That aside I am currently in love with two new collections at Target.

1.

Giada De Laurentiis has a new line. Food, Cookware, Bakeware and Utensils. I am hopelessly smitten with the utensils, the handles have a slight twist to them and feel so nice and ergonomic when you're holding them. I'm really impressed! I'd love the entire knife block but I just don't have the budget for it right now. The only item of her food I've tried is the Parmesan Garlic Dressing and it's amazing! I've put it on every salad I've had for a month now.

Check out her entire line here.

2.

Ahhhh Liberty of London. I had no idea who or what this company was until the news briefings came out that it was coming to Target. When it came to my Target I was in love!  Such pretty, girly patterns. The only trouble with the line is that it is a crap-shoot what your store will have, some stores have only bedding but no frames, others have no bedding but all the garden stuff. I have a little story about all of this but I'll tell that to you another time (soon, I promise). It's wonderfully priced and really lovely stuff. I highly recommend you get it while you can because if it's not gone already it will be soon.

Check it out here.

House Tour March Recap

Tracy Benjamin 3/1/10

Ania 3/8/10

Sabrina Finkelstein 3/15/10

Cheryl Gibbs 3/22/10

Handmade Friday

Last year the band Pearl jam held a contest for fans. The challenge was to design a shirt in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the album Ten. My good friend Barbara Alonso won. I knew she would because she's just that talented.

So, in preparation for their upcoming tour I wanted to share with you her winning design:

It took me awhile to see the word "Ten" but I'll admit I'm slow (I was never good at those 3D Magic Eye posters and I rarely could find Waldo).  The lyrics she used are from the song "Release" and it's a perfect design to go along with the song and the album. It's no big surprise she won.

The band has allowed her to sell a version of the shirt and some prints. So go check them out at her shop! (FYI Barbara is Rosemary's sister).

Have a great weekend!

Things We Love

So I must be upfront with you and tell you I'm more than a little bias towards this next person. Rosemary is a dear friend of mine and I've help her search out these bowls, so I'm thrilled she finally got a set. When she comes to visit me we will be going to the Pyrex museum in Bremerton, so get up here Ro!

I totally love these bowls and totally love to use them everyday, as you can see.

They are the Pyrex princess blue snowflake bowls paired with two smaller nesting princess square flower bowls. The smaller bowls had the square flower pattern in gold I think but was worn off, but you can still see a faint image left. My parents have older dot and solid color Pyrex bowls and I always wanted to start my own collection.

I found these gems last month while out with my sister and dad at the Alameda Antique market on an early Super Bowl Sunday morning. I started going to the flea market a few months before with my sis good friends Ana + Bob and every time I was obsessed with finding a set of princess Pyrex bowls but never left with anything. This Sunday I finally stopped at a stand we all had stopped at before and others had purchased and just took a look to entertain myself, but they were only $22... for all 4!

Now they have a good home and a happy owner :)

-Rosemary

 www.rosemaryalonso.com

www.etsy.com/shop/rosemaryalonso

New Vase

During a recent visit to Ikea I picked up and as-is vase for $5. It was pink and I hated the color but loved the shape. I bought it knowing I had just enough spray-paint left over from the last project.

I neglected to take a "Before" shot but it was this color:

and now it's this color:

I got a lot of milage from an impulse purchase of spray-paint! I bought that can not knowing what I would do with it and I've managed a couple of big transformations from it.

To Do Update

Finish sewing curtains for both offices
Sand and paint bookcaseDrama light fixture for bedroom
Second lamp for living room
Find Kitchen table
Fix mobile in office
Find speakers for turntable
Get cabinet for printer
Find place for charging dock
Solve the above the TV blank wall situation
Stair runner
Get art framed
Hang Kitchen shelves
Clean Downstairs Rug
Get 2nd CD Cabinet


Ugh, I really, really need to get those curtains done for the other office. My Mother-in-Law is coming next week and I'd like them to be finished.

Oh and the stairs NEED something. Last week I fell down them and UP them.

Finishing up the Living Room

Well, I'm not sure I can say "finishing" definitely, nothing ever is really finished, is it? What I can say is complete is the large wall of Pearl Jam posters. I got the final two (for this wall) back from the framers.

There are still ten more to frame, I believe I'll be putting those in my husband's office. There are still two on this wall that are in cheapo plastic frames that I need to reframe to match the rest.

The next element that completes the living room is a chair I scored last weekend. There are some great thrift stores in the Seattle area and when I lived here over a decade ago I had a run of 5-7 that I would hit in a day. Now that I'm back there's a couple I've added to the list. It's a great way to spend a Saturday and on our second stop right when we walked in this chair was staring at me AND the whole store was having a 50% sale.

So it went from $34.99 to $17.50 I picked this chair and ottoman up, it's in really good shape, some wear on the cushion and there were some stains but we rented a steam cleaner and they all came off.

Amazing, isn't it? $17.50!! (and how cute is my cat? I love that pink tongue!)

The arms show a little wear like there was a back cushion there and you can tell by sitting in it that it needs something on the back, so for now I'm using this pillow but I've got my heart set on a Jonathan Adler needlepoint one.

 I was leaning toward the Ikea lamp too but when we got the chair in the space the pole one just works so much better with it. I'm so thrilled with this find!

House Tour-Cheryl

Name: Cheryl Gibbs

Location: Woodland Hills, Utah

Square Footage: About 4000 sq feet.

Years Lived in: Nearly 10 years.

Rent or own: Own.

Describe your style: Eclectic and thrifty.

Blog/Website/Twitter:

www.notevenclosetoempty.blogspot.com

What's your favorite free/found item?

I have quite a few free or found items that I have re-purposed and love. It's hard to pick my favorite.

What's your favorite purchased item?

My new favorite purchased item is my new acrylic lamps I just bought from Target. We have very few items that are precious.

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?

My biggest obstacle in decorating/design is life. Raising four children, lack of funds, lack of time and energy, existing flooring/counters/items in the home make decorating difficult but it is also what makes it fun!

Is your design style organic or planned?

My design style is absolutely organic that has evolved over 24 years.

What is your favorite spot in the house?

My favorite spot in my house is my great room area with it's living room and dining room. I love when my family is here and there is noise and laughter.

How has your style changed in the past 5 years?

My style has changed in the last 5 years because I love watching decorating shows and love looking at design books. I think I am learning something.

What is your favorite resource or store?

I love Ikea, thrift stores and anything cheap and cute.

What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?

When everything is matching.

What has been your favorite design trend?

I'm not sure exactly because I love so many different styles.

What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?

HGTV.

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?

The many built in's and wood throughout the house.

What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?

Paint!

Handmade Friday

This adorable print comes from Lee Arthaus. It's retro and so cute. I think it would be perfect in a kid's room. I'm loving all her work, tons of sweet little owls!

Check out her shop and even some of her pins, too cute!

Have a great weekend!

Things We Love

This is my vintage coffee set. My beloved aunt gave me when I was 10 and now that I have my own place I can use it! The colors and the drawings remember the 70's design, a period that I like it very much!

-Ilaria

http://ilariamylifein.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilariaonthesky/ 

A Gift

Last month my dad visited me and gave me a really special gift. When he was a kid his father had a Wurlitzer jukebox in the living room and when they sold the house they kept all the 45s and my dad has been hauling them around for 30 or 40 years and now he has given them to me.

There is so much great music in here; Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole, Tommy Dorsey, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee...So much timeless music.

My dad knows I'm an audiophile and loved my vinyl area in the house so he felt I would get the most use out of them.

Speaking of the vinyl area, here's an updated photo:

It's such a great cozy space and a perfect use for the awkward space upstairs.

Before/After

I had a couple of quick spray paint projects that I wanted to share just to emphasize how much color can change an object.

 Almost every House Tour the last question; "What's the simplest thing you've done that made the biggest change?" is always answered with "paint"!

So first up is a little plastic tray I've had sitting in the linen closet, doing nothing really just holding random stuff. 

A couple of coats later:

                      

Do you see my brass bust of JFK? $4 at a thrift store. I was going to coat him in plasti-dip but I kinda like him as is. I've been loving brass lately so I think for now he stays as-is.


Next up is kind of an old one. I found a lamp at the thrift store before I left California (notice all the moving boxes) for $2 and couldn't resist! It was a really gross shade of mauve but it had these cool raised bumps and I knew it just needed a nice pop of color.

Fantastic, no? Just goes to show what paint can do.

House Tour-Sabrina

Name: Sabrina Finkelstein
Location:  Don Bosco. Zona Sur. Gran Buenos Aires. Argentina
Square Footage: 968.751 ft2 aprox.
Years Lived in: 10 years aprox
Rent or own: own
Describe your style: Indie style
Blog/Website/Twitter: http://www.lacabezademariantonieta.blogspot.com/

What's your favorite free/found item?

My favorite free thing is a map of France that I hanging in the kitchen.



What's your favorite purchased item?
My favorite purchased items can be the chandeliers, there are throughout the house.

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?
Recycling a house with a very low budget.


Is your design style organic or planned?
My design style is organic.

What is your favorite spot in the house?
My favorite spot is the kitchen.


How has your style changed in the past 5 years?
The house style was adapted to the parts that we were finding.

What is your favorite resource or store?
Flea markest and demolitions, in there I find a lot of surprises for my home and my work


What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?
I don´t like net style and those house where is all beige!!!

What has been your favorite design trend?
My style, indie style.



What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?
The life, the movies, TV, magazines, many things...

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?
Nobody


What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?
Contrast the chromatic colours. 

Handmade Friday

Unisexy! That's what I call this awesome belt buckle. I think it would be great on a woman or a man. Made by Randi of Randitan this belt buckle is made from upcycled license plates. I might be getting this as a Homer gift for my husband.

Have a great weekend!

Things We Love

I found this lamp base during a thrifting expedition with my girlfriends. I saw it (part of a pair) on a table of other silly lamps and thought it was completely ridiculous, especially considering it was painted a baby blue color with white speckles, but I knew it had to come home with me. I painted it a flat hot pink and bought a new shade for it. It has since become one of my favorite pieces in my house. 

-Francesca

If you would like a love item of yours featured drop me an email.

Blog it Forward

Maybe you've heard and seen on some of your favorite blogs the Blog it Forward project that Victoria from Sfgirlbybay has created.

I have raised my hand to be a part of it and am excited that today is my turn! The question is What inspires me?

Do you ever get that feeling that you have so much to say you try to get it out all at once? That's how I feel now, I find inspiration everywhere it's so hard to narrow it down to a few things but here goes:

Magazines and blogs are tremendously important to me, so many beautiful images. I see these gorgeous rooms, projects and ideas and I get a fire lit under me. I love blogging and to be able to share with other people is terrific. The blogs on my blogroll are ones that I visit everyday and gain countless ideas and inspiration from.

One of my secret aspirations is to be a photographer. It's a hobby and sometimes I'm daunted by so many great talents out there that I doubt myself but I love taking pictures and I love finding neat subjects to photograph. I rarely take photographs of myself because I'm usually too busy pointing the camera elsewhere:

 I've got a thing for old trailers. I'd love to get my hands on an Airstream and trick it out.

 This is a liquor store sign in Oakland. Why a heart? It doesn't make sense but It was strangely cute.

 My newest pair of shoes, orange and teal? yes please!

Almost every time I get flowers I have to photograph them.

 Ah, The Parker. There were lovely scenes around every corner. I can't wait to get back!

I did not take this picture but it's very special to me. This is my parents. It is my favorite picture of them and I absolutely love it. It is so 70's and so them.

I'm so honored to be part of this blogger mashup project! I am also excited to be able to direct you to two blogs in this project; Yesterday's inspirational post from Reading My Tea Leaves and check out tomorrow's post from Red Bird Style. A special thank you to Victoria for putting all of this together!