Throwback Thursday: Pin Worthy & A Bonus

A Year Ago Today

Since it's Thursday, and almost everyone and his brother participates in posting throwback thursday worth pictures on Facebook every week, I thought it would be fun to see what I posted about a year ago today.  Bonus: throwback picture of me at the end of this post.

So check it out..................I still love all of this stuff:

In The Home

If you're like me, you pin a wide variety of things on pinterest from art, to colors, patterns, nature, photography....the list goes on.

I am always pinning a lot of home decor and designs I think I might be able to pull off.

Here's some I'm really digging.

Let me just put it out there. I like color. I really, really like it.

I've tried to go neutral...my kitchen is painted in neutrals, but when I do, it's not long before I add a splash of color. Other places in our home are painted in bolder colors, like the lounge which is a bright olive-y green. I love neutrals, but I always end up needing some pow-factor.

I think that's why I'm drawn to all of these.

{top left: happy seating area via shopsocietysocial }

I love the juxtaposition of the worn wood wall (something I have planned for at least part of what we call our 'ensuite bath to be'...the tub is in but it's not even close to being hooked up) combined with the bright pops of colors, and the classic sofa and tables. It's an unexpected combination but it works.

{top right: ‘green living room’ via designlovefest}

Call me a stalker, but I love just about anything Emily Henderson touches (part of it is because everything she touches is designed and styled beautifully, but thoughtfully as well and always livable). She pulled this living room together for her friend, and I love the plants and the way they show off the light even more, the colors (swooning over the chair and the stool), the texture, the vintage furniture...the list goes on.

{bottom left: made-over dresser via 101woonideeen}

Wha....wha.....wha....why didn't I think of that? Love that dresser. 'Nuf said. Oh wait, and the chair. How I'd love to have those chairs around our dining table. At least a couple. OK, moving on.

{kitchen cart to bar cart makeover via confetti style}

The bar cart is the epitome of do-able design. Shelly over at Confetti Style took an old, kind-of-ugly kitchen cart and transformed it into a gold goddess ready for a cocktail party. I love the matte/glossy stripes. Now I just need to know when the party is.

Are you like me, a lover of color? Someone who tries to go neutral but in the end caves to a need for color? I love me some Scandinavian neutral interiors, but I just can't quite seem to pull it off. What about you?

Hope you're having a great day. The sun is shining here. Thankfully I got out for a quick walk this morning with the dog to enjoy the fresh air, because I'm not sure tomorrow is looking so good.

 

 

Today: Sure, the sun is shining and the temperature is slowly warming up, but it has been damn cold this week and we are still hauling wood in and stocking the fire every day.  If you were to read between the lines.........I am so over this cold. Really and truly. We are supposed to possibly get up to 50 this weekend and that would make me ever so happy. I mean this arctic air is starting to affect my mood, and it's not for the better.

 

As promised, here I am.  "Nobody puts Baby in the corner", but putting Pam in the corner is A-OK.  Somebody at least throw me some cake or something, would ya? Or perhaps pull my highchair up to the table at least?

 

 

Of course, I fared better than brother Bill who didn't even make the cut, and sister Gloria who only got half a face in the shot. 

 

Yes people, that is eagle wallpaper. And lest you think we weren't patriotic enough with the eagles, that wallpaper was followed by red, white a blue minutemen. Personally, I like the fact that it looks like my high chair seat has been covered in the eagle wallpaper. Oh Mom, so crafty, even back then.

 

Make it a great day!

 

Ciao for now,

Pin Worthy: This Ain't Your Momma's Macrame

Crushin' On Wall Hangings

Oh man oh man oh man. No lie when I tell you textile wall hangings have come around again. In a whole new way. I for one, am lovin' them.  I love the colors, the texture, the weaves- well, all of it.

Just check these out and I think you'll see what I mean.


Well hello. Looking for a wall to hang on? I have one that would suit you oh-so-well.

source: all roads design website and shop

What? Looking for something shag-a-delic? Here you go. How about some giant tassel-ey goodness.

 source: Ouch flower by phillipa taylor

How about a wave of color?

 source: wall hanging by adam poque and photographed by Dabito/oldbrandnewblog

I'll just add, that Adam's entire apartment is amazing.  He also mode the denim patchwork sofa cover. and check out the bedside lamps.............he wove cord covers. Say what? No kidding and they are the bomb.

Perhaps something a little smaller.  Subtle with a pop of neon. 

source: by emma on the room illuminated

Oh yes please. I'll take them all.

Check out my textile board on pinterest for more things I love.


What do you think? Do you dig the patterns, the textures, the colors, the nod the 70s like I do?

Or is it just because I had a shag rug on one entire wall of my bedroom as a teenager and I have a nostalgic hankering for by gone days?

I can hear you now. "Surely you jest. An entire wall with shag rug?"

Would I lie to you?

You can ask my mother, because it remains in what is now her office.

That's the way we roll in my family.

Hey, does anyone else remember having a shag rug rake? I thought it would be rude not to ask.


Ciao for now,

Pin Worthy

In Need of Color

Currently, it's a gray rainy day. Though it does look like the sun is trying to make the slightest go of it. Not sure if it will be successful or not, but sure would be nice. 

In case it doesn't though, I thought I'd offer up a little color explosion via some of my pinterest pins. Just to give my day a necessary infusion of color to push the grays away.

sources:

Vintage Revivals/painted plywood wall  

I am pascal/taped stairs 

luxe and lilies/colorful dining area

the mod collective/multi-color pottery

sources:

the marion house book/jenn’s bedroom walls (Benjamin mooredark harbor)

photo by kristins jaarda

iron and wine/tour poster

naniiro/fabrics

I feel better about the rain already.

Yoga update:

So, I have finished week 2. I met and exceeded my goal of 5 days with yoga practice. I didn't get practice in on Monday because it was a very busy day. I was not happy (this is a good sign) about that.  This meant I had to fit a practice in on my weekend, which is fine, but I'd rather know I met my goal before heading into the weekend. Well, in all honesty, it didn't matter. I wanted to take time with my mat on Saturday and did. I also wanted to practice Sunday too, so I did. Progress, not perfection. I did well focusing on my form and listening to my body and not pushing too hard. I had a couple of practices where it was hard to quiet my mind, which if you've never done yoga, is essential or you'll just topple right over.  I was able to get a handle on the mind jabbering and ended the week quite happy with where I am after two short weeks. It feels great to be back on my mat.  

I found this video on pinterest last night and was completely amazed at this woman doing yoga. I can't even imagine ever being good enough to do even half of what she does. All I can say is I am gobsmacked. What the human body has the ability to do, is really quite mind blowing and beautiful. 

She is really something. She is my inspiration for the week. Be forewarned she's only wearing bra and undies.   Click here if you're reading via email.

My goal for the week is to practice 5 days.  To practice at the start of the day, if at all possible. And again, work on form and mental focus since that was a challenge last week. I also need to drink way more water.

How are you doing on the 'be good to yourself' front?

Ciao for now,

Pin Worthy

 

In The Home

If you're like me, you pin a wide variety of things on pinterest from art, to colors, patterns, nature, photography....the list goes on.

I am always pinning a lot of home decor and designs I think I might be able to pull off.

Here's some I'm really digging.

 

Let me just put it out there. I like color. I really, really like it.

I've tried to go neutral...my kitchen is painted in neutrals, but when I do, it's not long before I add a splash of color. Other places in our home are painted in bolder colors, like the lounge which is a bright olive-y green. I love neutrals, but I always end up needing some pow-factor.

I think that's why I'm drawn to all of these.

{top left: happy seating area via shopsocietysocial }

I love the juxtaposition of the worn wood wall (something I have planned for at least part of what we call our 'ensuite bath to be'...the tub is in but it's not even close to being hooked up) combined with the bright pops of colors, and the classic sofa and tables. It's an unexpected combination but it works.

{top right: ‘green living room’ via designlovefest}

Call me a stalker, but I love just about anything Emily Henderson touches (part of it is because everything she touches is designed and styled beautifully, but thoughtfully as well and always livable). She pulled this living room together for her friend, and I love the plants and the way they show off the light even more, the colors (swooning over the chair and the stool), the texture, the vintage furniture...the list goes on.

{bottom left: made-over dresser via 101woonideeen}

Wha....wha.....wha....why didn't I think of that? Love that dresser. 'Nuf said. Oh wait, and the chair. How I'd love to have those chairs around our dining table. At least a couple. OK, moving on.

{kitchen cart to bar cart makeover via confetti style}

The bar cart is the epitome of do-able design.  Shelly over at Confetti Style took an old, kind-of-ugly kitchen cart and transformed it into a gold goddess ready for a cocktail party. I love the matte/glossy stripes. Now I just need to know when the party is.

Are you like me, a lover of color? Someone who tries to go neutral but in the end caves to a need for color? I love me some Scandinavian neutral interiors, but I just can't quite seem to pull it off. What about you?

 

Hope you're having a great day. The sun is shining here. Thankfully I got out for a quick walk this morning with the dog to enjoy the fresh air, because I'm not sure tomorrow is looking so good.

 

Ciao for now,

 

 

 

Pin Worthy

Color & Composition, et al

My eye has been roaming all over the place on pinterest lately.

Don't you love the way I say this as if it's a completely new phenomenon on pinterest?

I'm hear to tell you, that's one of the things I love about pinterest. The sheer variety.

These a multitude of reasons.

Shall I list a few?

Color, composition, simplicity, practicality, magicality (did you like that? I mean, look at that art installation!), shapes, design.............

top row:

left/marais side chair via industry west;

right/marc jacobs chevron scarf via net-a-porter
bottom row:

left/art installation ‘between th air’ via yokota kada

right/fisherman’s salt via anthropologie

 

Let's hook up on pinterest if we haven't already. I love seeing what you all are pinning.

Although you can't tell by the pins above, I seem be starting to pin lots of garden stuff........I think it has something to do with cabin fever.

I am also willing to admit that I've been pinning like a mad woman on my smart phone, especially if the other half is watching something on TV that I'm not interested. I just sit there a pin away.......

Am I the only one?

A big thanks to each and every one of you who have pinned something from Mercantile Muse or Bates Mercantile Co.  I really, really appreciate it.

See ya on the flip side.

Ciao for now,

 

A Good Egg & Pin Worthy

 

Chucky Egg

 

I can't tell you why, or what the origin truly is, but my Gram who was from Yorkshire, England called a soft boiled egg a 'chucky egg'. There are different opinions on what gave the chucky egg its name (maybe the 'chuck chuck' sounds chickens make), but it appears to have orginated in the midlands of England.  That is not to say that people from other places don't call it a chucky egg, because it seems that some do.

 

A chucky egg is usually served with a bit of butter in it and salt and pepper of course (what would an egg be without salt a pepper?).  It's often sopped up by skinny pieces of toast, sometimes refered to as 'toast soldiers'. Perhaps because their stiff and seem to stand at attention like soldiers? It's anybody's guess really. 

 

 

Since my Gram served me chucky eggs when I was very little, I've loved them.  They're still one of my go-to eggs (not that I've met an egg I didn't love), though I don't always put a dollop of butter in them or eat them with toast soldiers. Always with salt and pepper though. Some people cut up their chucky eggs, and mix it with butter and bread in a mug. I've always just eaten my chucky egg perched  nicely atop an egg cup.

 

 

I often eat my egg from my father's Chucky Egg cup.  My great Aunt Dora, my Gram's sister sent it to him from England for his first Christmas in 1930.

 

He's seen a lot of use, but I love that he's part of my Chucky Egg ritual.

 

Chucky Egg

 

Bring water to boil. Put egg in and boil for three and half minutes. I then turn the burner off and leave the egg to sit for another 15 to 30 seconds. (You don't have to if you like yours extra soft). 

 

Perfection.  Serve in egg cup. Gently tap around top of egg with knife and lift the top off. Spoon out chucky egg onto toast or stick toast soldiers into egg to sop up.

 

Yum.

 

 

Pin Worthy

 

Just sharing some things I thought were pin worthy on Pinterest.  If you're on Pinterest, you know how what I mean. There is just so much that is pin worthy. 

 

If we haven't connected yet on Pinterest, you'll find me here.

 

 

sources: 

flokati on rocking chair via nordic design from my homeward bound board

driftwood photo display via morning creativity from my craft it board

beautiful flowers via merci new york from my styling love board

thoughtful packaging via one fine dae from my packaging board

 

Do you secretly wish someone would pay you to pin things all day, or is it just me?

 

Did I just say that outloud?

 

 

Freeform Friday

I absolutely love this. Beyond the fact that it makes me miss NYC, I think it's quite amazing. So much talent every where.  Enjoy. If you're reading via email, watch here.





Hope you have a great Friday. Happy weekend!

Ciao for now,