If Only

My house still looks like a Christmas morning disaster and it's been a week since. I've started that ever cliche, January organization and I think I'm making it worse. Oh, well. I'll keep chipping away at it and imagine myself here.

Extraordinary

I want to live here!
I only ever imaged my dollhouse looked this good as a child. It's so exciting to think that future design obsessed girls will have had such a beauty in their formative years.

Image-Petit Flaneur via Design Mom.

Interoffice Memo:

This would work.

Image-Southern Accents via Sunset Design Assistant.

Transformation

From left to right is an accurate representation of my transformation from the beginning of the holidays to present.

Image-Domino

Merry Christmas!

From Two Tall Girls.

Image-Flickr, The Shopping Sherpa

Dear Santa,

I suppose it's too late to add to my list?

Image- J. Crew

Uncommitted

I adore this decal! What a great way to add some flair.

She Sells Sea Shells

Still loving these.

A Reversal

Same theme as yesterday, only in reverse. This room is dark. All that blue. What if it where your living room?

Image-Anthropologie via CasaSugar.

Undefined

So, this space is probably not real. Most likely it's staged, but think for a minute how it might be to really live here. Aside from the usual concern about white getting it dirty, what about the lack of color and the way that the forms all blend together. What do you think, would it be like?

Versatility

Most anywhere these lab style stools are used, they work. Aren't they great here amid all the white?

Image-Cottage Living

On Meritt Alone

These merit badges can't be beat. Each celebrates such things as 'Making a House a Home' & 'Pushing the Envelope' amongst other equally fun and obscure milestones. They are just perfect for embellishing a canvas tote or any equivalent to a grown up brownie sash. As for me, I'm partial to the peacock. Find them here.

I Wanna Play

The Washington Post ran a story last week about a holiday door decorating contest that takes place each year in Old Town Alexandria. There is no entry form, three judges from the Garden Club drive each street in town and choose the best organic design. It has happened in the past that the award winning recipient had no idea about the contest at all. How fun!

Image-Flickr, Paul Brannan

Speechless

Is it really necessary to say anything at all?

Image- Sunset Magazine

Going Glam

Been shopping for vintage dresses for a Glam 50's party and it may have changed some fashion perspective. So many beautiful and unique pieces are available from that period. The only draw back is that most of the waists on the dresses are tiny, like 23 inches!!

Image- Amazon

Missed Opportunity?

On our last trip to the Alameda Flea Market, I was undecided on whether I should purchase one of these wood tubs for my dining room table. uugghhh!
Image- Wisteria

Ahoy!

Gotta love any ship in a bottle.
Clutch - Pretty Little Things

Choose One

I love ornaments especially because you don't have to choose just one.

Images-Anthropologie

Follow Up

Hope you ate too much & enjoyed family and friends. That's what it's all about.

Image- Martha Stewart

Shucks!

I absolutely adore this mirror. Not only does it make me think of the ocean, but now I'm also craving a dozen blue point accompanied by a glass of champagne and some mignonette sauce!

Image-Wisteria

Get Out Your Crayons!

I love this wallpaper from Land of Nod. It would be so fun to tell your kids to go and draw on the wall!

Moving On

Forget about the table. What am I going to wear on Thanksgiving?

Image -JCrew

Separation

What is Thanksgiving without a kids' table? It's always so much more fun than the adult one.

Images- Martha Stewart

White After Labor Day...

Absolutely!

Images-House Beautiful

Found!

On our adventure last week we stopped into a great shop, Filthy Gorgeous, and found a perfect piece to complete the update of Rebel's master bedroom. Rather than use an architectural fragment, an extra large sea fan similar to the one above looks just right with the shell prints she has hung. Perfect.

Image from John Derian

Speaking of Soups

Rebel makes the Nordstrom Tomato Basil Soup and it is fantastic. I love tomato soup but I've never known it to have such depth as this recipe does. She says, "If you cook, this recipe is so easy and delicious. If you don't cook, this recipe is so easy and delicious." A large batch recipe is available here, for a family size version pick up the Nordstrom Flavors or just stop into the cafe after a morning of shopping.

Dreaming

I just love this kitchen. The floors, the tile, that table! It's like a dream. In it I can see me patiently and lovingly putting together a soup at the range while the children quietly work on homework at the table, feeling loved and nurtured.

Image- Cottage Living Design Assistant

Go

My family went to the California Academy of Sciences on Saturday. It was a beautiful, wet, foggy day in SF and the academy didn't disappoint. If you are in SF, it's a must see.

Image- Sunset Magazine

An Adventure

We are off on an adventure tomorrow. Bright and early we'll head out to the San Francisco Flower Market to finalize our plans for a boutique we are participating in at the end of the month. Not sure what the day will bring as I have never been before but I am certain that it will include a stop at Peet's (of course) and then we'll both be sporting our newly created coffee sweaters.

Naturally Beautiful

Another simple, yet beautiful option for that Thanksgiving table, naturally shed pheasant feathers. Who'd have thought? Domino, of course.

VOTE!

Whatever your issues are or aren't, exercise your right to vote today!

In A Quandry

Rebel and I got together this afternoon to do some work and we really did get quite a bit accomplished but posting items to our Etsy shop can be so hard to do.

Preparing this glassware for photographing, we were each amazed at the luck of finding a full set of platinum rimmed vintage glasses. Made in France, no less. And now we are going to sell them?! Oh the difficulties of the business we've chosen!

Cocktails!

I am going to serve these two different drinks at some point this holiday season. Do you have any special drinks that you serve guests over the holidays? Do share.

Images & Recipes-Domino

Glam Closet

This photo inspires me to organize my closet.


Wouldn't it be easier to choose what to wear if your closet looked like this.

Images- Domino

Custom

Love this image (it's like an untold story) and the idea of owning a dress that has been custom made to fit.
Image- betsy b design

Barefoot Contessa

Ina Garten is one of my standby favorites. She has a new book coming out called Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics. I am eager to get a hold of it. She appears to be so easy going and I want to cook with her some afternoon. Her new 'barn' is amazing!

Ooh la la!

Created by artist E. A. Seguy, a french artist, in the 1920's and available here. See more fantastic examples of his works here.

More, More, More

Both Rebel and I were so excited about the John Derian line for Target but all it's done is left me wanting more. Where can I find his whale tote? It's so adorable and so chic.

Image- John Derian

At the Table

The simplicity of this place setting makes it an appealing option for Turkey Day. Maybe with a twiggy centerpiece...

Image- New York Times via Oh Joy

Can You Imagine

What would it be like to have a carpeted kitchen? What happens when you take something from the fridge that seems like it has it's lid securely attached and then drops to the ground leaving you holding just the lid. This week my 7 year old was helping to make eggs and one of them made it's way out of it's shell, down the front of the cabinet and into a puddle on the floor. At least with Flor carpet tiles, you could just pull up one tile and wash it. Even still, I can't imagine a carpeted kitchen. I do love their carpet though.

Image- Flor

A Little Blue

Aren't these great, big pieces for a dining room! They're such a nice subtle color, either of them would be a great accent piece to a monochromatic color scheme.

Images- Jayson Home & Garden

Added Interest

The use of these copper pots have such a drastic impact on this room. Without them it could be drab and cold but with them, the room is lively and interesting. And how fun would it be to always on the look out for more copper pots to add to a collection? I love it!

The room is from the portfolio of Eddie Ross who I am currently enthralled with. More on that later.

Planning the Thanksgiving Table

Because it's never really too early. I've been inspired by this layout from Country Living. Now there's plenty of time to think about the application.

Birds? Cage? Necessary?

Are birds really necessary to have a glam cage? (you may recall my feelings on taxidermy...eekkk. so nothing fake). I have a friend that has 2 white doves that turned into four. I was at her home for a party and now she's down to two doves.

I really want a glam cage that I found nearby at a great shop, Filthy Gorgeous, but I don't really want to to clean up after birds. Are they necessary?

This great cage can be found here-RianRae.

Choose One

If you could choose any of these coats, which would it be?

Remember how to play? Just look at the items and make a choice. Go from your gut, not price, not current fashion, just if you could choose one, any one which one would it be?

Images- Anthropologie (of course)