happy list

a collection

of the little things that have made my week

(started here)

...

surprise delivery

 

long after the flowers have stopped coming

winter citrus

because the bright, juicy burst of sweet + tart

reminds me that summer is just around the bend

skimming + sanding

 

it's not pretty

but it's progress...

happy list

a collection

of the little things that have made my week

(started here)

...

avocado toast

the perfect post-swim snack

casting off

just in time

tearing down

and building up 

 

new walls
makes for a winter full of house projects!

freshly fallen snow

means happy pups

martha mondays

mondays

have become

my day to re-group around the house...

do the laundry, re-stock the fridge, cook and clean.

i have lovingly named this day of the week a "martha monday"

one part martha stewart and one part my mom martha

...

mornings in the kitchen

making lunch box snacks:

organic trail mix

...

and

organic homemade yogurts with mango compote

...

a good fridge scrub-down

makes one feel

fresh and new

ahhhhh.

in the oven:

oatmeal flax bread

spinning downstairs:

loads and loads of laundry

good to start the week!

home for the holidays

... a snap a day, through the season, of a festive corner of our home...

one of my MOST favorite

family traditions

is that every year on christmas eve

while eating fondue by the fire

we open one gift.

an ornament

that has to do with something we have done that year...

this was from the year i learned to surf.

(and no, i couldn't hang ten that first year. i still can't... someday?)

home for the holidays

... a snap a day, through the season, of a festive corner of our home...

home for the holidays

... a snap a day, throughout the season, of a festive corner of our home...

waiting for the mailman's daily visit

to bring a new batch of cards

from family and friends

is truly one of my very favorite things

during the holidays!

home for the holidays

... a snap a day, through the season, of a festive corner of our home...

(yes, the reindeer's antler was mauled by the cat)

home for the holidays

i am getting so into holiday decorating this year...

SUCH a thrill with our own home to spice up!

i am going to try and post a little snapshot everyday

throughout the season

from a corner of our house...

this is my most favorite holiday decoration

a tiny little carved wood creche

every year when i unwrap it, childhood christmas memories flood right back

far far away

long long ago

i started my

far far away quilt

i actually finished it in a respectable amount of time

but wanted to get a sham done before i took pictures

and that... took awhile.

i had bought a fat-quater set with each print from heather ross' far far away I

from which i cut the squares for the top.

for the back, i used anna maria horner's pastry line voile in water (just girly enough)

i pieced a strip off-center on the back of the leftover bits from the top...

i included the "far far away" from the selvedges because i thought it added to the whimsy...

at long last...

a peek at the corner of "tay's room"

(which is also my home sewing room)

i am so pleased- the quilt reminds me of rainbow sherbet!

before+after: GUEST ROOM

(wow! these house posts have been a loong time coming!)

one of the things i really loved about our house when we first took a walk through

was the 3rd floor

two(!) rooms with full-height ceilings, good closet space

and

it was pretty much a blank slate.

(original mls listing photo)

score.

i was anxious to get this space looking good right away-

especially as the larger room was to be the guest room

and my parents were visiting often to help with projects!

we bought paint the same day as our closing and my mom and i got to work...

nellie supervised.

although we had decent hardwood floors up there

they would have had to have been refinished

and it was cold.

i also wanted to be sure the space felt cozy and not that you were sleeping in the attic!

so we decided our major first-year expense would be to carpet the third floor and staircase.

remember those mid-century chairs?

my $10 score at our church fair a few years ago

i kept the green velvet upholstery and refinished the wood.

the chinoiserie lamp/table was my grama's.

bureau: craigslist

tray: john derian for target

funky brass+ acrylic scalloped table lamp: goodwill

the trunk was my "hope chest" which my dad bought at brimfield in the 80's

lamp: homegoods

tissue box cover: design works

a few more detail shots

crocheted rocks photo: etsy in ikea frame

high-low bedding mix- quilt: target, duvet: john robshaw

i still have a few more pictures to find frames for

but other than that, i love this cozy

(and a bit girly)

guest get-away!

the big 3-0

i know, i know...

a very pathetic blogging-start to november

but, i promise, it was for good reason!

reid turned 30!

last weekend

and i had been busy busy planning

a surprise party...

i was pretty proud of the invite

seeing it had been quite a few years

since i truly tested my illustrator and photoshop skills!

...

i finally made pennant flags

i did each word individually so that over the years (and when we have kids)

we can add new names or holidays ("easter" etc...)

guests big

and small

a peek at the dessert table

and trumpet cake

(excuse the yet-to-be re-done granny wallpaper)

...

and the next night

we spent in boston

seeing AfroCubism

live

my very handsome and happy

THIRTY year old husband.

blustery day

wet. cool. grey. windy

here in providence...

seems like we were suddenly catapulted deep into fall.

but, i'm kind of loving it.

and finding pops of color right out my front door...

favorite things in october:

fall decorating

warm tea

cashmere blankets

mini pumpkins

wearing wellies

and

(first of the season!) beef bourguignon left-overs for lunch

thanks daddio!

xoxo

home.

reid and i are lucky enough

to be able to spend our summers (working) on cape cod

we pack in tons of family time

and nellie loves her low-tide beach runs.

when summer came this year

it was slightly bittersweet

because we had just settled

into our first home.

but

we found the world's best renters

packed up

and headed to the beach.

but now

we're back in the school-year-swing

and

home.

and it feels sweeter than ever

to be back in little rhody.

we arrived back

(a week or so now)

to this message

from our super sweet neighbors:

(love)

a few more shots i snapped

while drinking my morning cup of tea...

and a sneak-peek

of this beauty

just picked up from the upholsterer.

(it is IN.SANE. in person)

oh, just wait....

(i know i owe you before and afters. and a home tour. coming this fall... i promise!)

home.

and happy.

and headed soon to the cape.

hahah

xoxo

sewing sentiments

i've been spending an hour or so each evening upstairs in my little home studio

quilting my far far away quilt

so, seeing this adorable new piece from alyssa nassner

made me smile

via

nothing more annoying than coming out of a sewing trance to find stitch-less rows!

staircase love

ok, so i'm the first to admit that i haven't always been a fan.

for a while there, amy butler bored and annoyed me

but the latest collection?

LOVE

(most of it)

especially the navy blue.

i hadn't found a place to use any of it in our house yet...

so when i heard that graham + brown is producing the wallpaper (!!!)

my wheels started turning...

thinking maybe for the risers on our staircase?

reid likes the idea in general- he even pointed out a photo in last month's this old house...

love either of these:

hopefully they're not too girly?

a little more inspiration...

roomenvy

tea4joy * door16