I'm Loving...

...Inexpensive Home Design.

I love that we are living in a major DIY stage. You can get decorating, hair design, home rehab, fill in the blank tutorial on the web.

I'm especially obsessed with filling in blank spaces around the walls. It's always these extra touches that build a room from okay to spectacular. A collection of artwork on a gallery here, a mirror or two there and you have a space that looks as if a lot of thought was put into it.

Case in point are empty frames. These are totally doable and cheap. I especially like to intermingle empty vintage frames with mirrors. It adds the architectural design while opening the space.

The image above from Roost Home provides a nice backdrop for any negative space in a home.

This is also an inspiration I'm using for my home. Unfortunately the link does not work, so I can't give credit to anyone. However, I love how the gold frames are combined with the white ones which provides another dimension.

Fortunately or unfortunately, once you start this home design obsession, it grows and then becomes somewhat addictive!

Christine

Hello There!

As much as I thought I'll be the last person to be a blogger at this point, I came back to drop my couple of thoughts into this hat of amazing blogs. I realize that there are many aspects of social media that I have not fully embraced but blogs are definitely not one of them. I love blogs. I love the information. I love the relationship building of like minds and having that creative space to share.

I hope you will stay a while, read from the beginning of the blog and hopefully join me going forward. Take a seat and put your feet up and enjoy your stay!

I'm Loving....

Burlap

As seen on Make it Love it.

Or this cute monogramed frame from Love of Family and Home.

Books

"The angel smiles, atop the tree, and proves me right. She's happiest there, poised for flight. Halo kissing the ceiling, feeling closer to home." ~ Nikki Grimes, Under the Christmas Tree

I picked up Nikki Grimes' Under the Christmas Tree and fell in love with her poetry. It's a definitely a book to keep in our growing library.


Milk Paint

After discovering Miss Mustard Seed, I want to paint everything in my house with milk paint. How fun!

Handmade Ornaments

The older I get, the more I'm shifting away from the commercialized aspect of Christmas. While I do not get excited about shopping I do get excited about spending time with loved ones and enjoying each passing day. In that spirit, I really like the idea of making our ornaments. BHG has some great ideas here.

The Perfect Stroller?

As I anticipate our next child, I realized that I had a lot of unnecessary items for my first child. As a "seasoned" mother  :)...I realize that I don't need a lot of fluff but rather a good stroller goes a LONG way! The Chico stroller we have is now pretty beaten up and to be honest with you, I found it to be rather bulky and tough to navigate with in the park.  So, this time around, I'm a bit specific with what I need for a stroller.

1. It has to be affordable.
2. It has to be lightweight.
3. It must be easy to navigate
4. It must be easy to fold.
5. Last but not least, I would love for it to be sleek!

As much as I love the Bugaboo, the price does not love me. After some legwork, virtually, I happened upon a great alternative: The Mamas & Papas Stroller!

Do you like?

Christine

Who Is The Black Girl on The Cover of Town & Country?

That was my question when I was at my local Whole Foods and I saw Shala Monroque on the cover of Town and Country magazine. I felt a level of pride as her bright face smile beamed with confidence as she effortlessly showcased her pink and black outfit. The new "It Girl" brought back memories of one of my favorite novellas and movies, Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote. Like the fictional character Holly Golightly, Monroque seems to be the girl about town or what Truman Capote considered as a swan. She has a mysterious past and just seemingly appears in the glittering social world scene. As glamorous as traveling to various locales and serving as a muse for fashion designers, Monroque knows that her time in the spotlight is fleeting. It will be interesting to see what her next chapter will be.

Lovely Book

I went to Anthropologie and came across the cutest book and just couldn't help myself to read it to my daughter. I love the illustrations and the story line of repurposing clothing kind of resonated well with me. The illustrations by Julia Denos was far from shabby. Okay, okay I have a weakness for whimsy! I will definitely have to add I Had A Favorite Dress to our family library.

Celebrating the Differences in Each Other

We've been reading Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore and illustrated by LeUyen Pham a lot over here. The writing is humorous and the illustrations are fun and lively. My favorite line of the book is "Who cared about having a million freckles when she had a million friends?"

I'm sorry I didn't know about the musical until recently. Hopefully, it will return this fall.

Christine