On Treasures and Trees and TVs (Or A Few Random Bits)

First up the treasures scored at Round Top: a little piece of hotel "silver" to house sugar cubes (bought with this post in mind) / a fabric remnant destined to become pillows for Audrey's room / some little mounted antlers from Germany / a driftwood stool that I'm planning to spray paint white / a couple of vintage bracelets + some wooden beads/ an old turquoise vase / some great prints and an etching...

But my favorite two finds by far were a beat-up vintage mirror and a kilim rug for my teeny tiny office. They are total game-changers. I never want to leave my desk now...it's a bad scene.

the beloved tree in all its splendor last summer...

Next up, I have to pause to mourn the completely majestic and wholly magical tree that generously shaded a good portion of our backyard. It was dying...pulling up the driveway, about to fall on the neighbor's roof, so we had to (and I am cringing as I write these next words) cut it down earlier this week.

Sadness doesn't even start to describe what I'm feeling...

a few of the things on my spring reading list as featured on Caitlin's blog...

Then there's the matter of our T.V, which completely and totally out of the blue, well... died. It just turned off and never turned back on. Upon hearing the news Audrey audibly gasped and asked how we would watch Project Runway (never mind that Project Runway isn't even on right now...she's a planner that one).

I have to admit, I was slightly panicked too, as despite not being much of a television person, I do love me some tivo'd episodes of The Daily Show and 30 Rock. But mostly I was a little elated. I've been wanting to do a week long "no T.V." experiment for a while but always chickened out, and now we're sort of conveniently forced into it. So far it's been pretty great. We've spent the past three nights listening to music, reading, doing little projects around the house. Things just seem slightly more mellow.

But you never know, a week from now the girls could be in some sort of Yo Gabba Gabba withdrawl (Millie only natch...according to Audrey, she's much too old for DJ Lance), and it could be wheels off around here. I'll keep you posted.

And last but not least (this was a long one, yes?) a peek at what's on the agenda for the weekend...So, so excited about the Wigwam pop-up shop in Oak Cliff.

"Everything Was A Moment"...

(image via Laure Joliet)


Last week I was included in a little weekly round-up of "what's inspiring you online" over on Elle Decor's fantastic blog.

Emma (one of my favorite bloggers) also contributed to the list, mentioning Laure Joilet's photos of the sculptors Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne's home in France...


(image via Laure Joliet)

Emma was right (of course), the photos were indeed awesome, but what really struck me was Laure's description of how Claude and Francois lived:


"The workshop was adjoined to the house and everything about their life was an expression of creativity. It was not about knowing the right people (although man did they actually know all the right people) or owning the right things. They were blazing their own path and the focus was on their work and on quality of life (they were the best cooks). "

Everything was beautiful. Everything was a moment.

(images taken by me at The Hotel St. Cecilia)

I think that's what we're all striving for a little bit, yes? Making everything a moment?

I know for me, the most memorable experiences are the quiet ones that sort of surprise you with a meticulous attention to detail -- the paper-thin drinking glass, the silverware that feels all weighty and significant in your hand, the perfect pot of french press coffee served with big chunks of sugar in the raw and real cream...

I'm always trying to figure out how to improve our quality of life by taking the little details to the next level and making the everyday feel truly special. I like to honor the mundane.

I get ribbed for this a lot...for example, it irks my husband immensely that I refuse to buy plastic bowls for the kids (I can't help it, I have an aversion to plastic...) But the hazing is worth it, as it somehow feels infinitely more special when we're eating cereal out of our china bowls. (Mind you we only have four china bowls left due to the fact that the girlies keep, well...breaking them, so he might have a point.)

Am I crazy? (Wait, don't answer that.) Do you guys do stuff like this too? How do you make the everyday feel special? Do share...

Decorating for the Long Haul

all photographs by João Canziani via Dwell


As I’ve embarked on my little living room "revamp" project and Operation Simplicity, I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea of decorating for the long haul…this notion of design longevity.

When I flip through the pages (which I do almost every single day) of Handcrafted Modern, I’m struck by the utter timelessness of images. Most of the spaces that Leslie Williamson documents haven’t been “touched” in years, many, in fact, are exact replicas of how the owners/designers inhabited the space in the 60s, and yet, I’d happily move into any one of them today without changing a thing.

I had this same sense when Nelya sent me the images above of the home of California architect Ray Kappe… He and his wife have lived in this home (that he designed) for over 40 years, and it is still completely and totally relevant…beyond relevant even.

So while I’m busy switching up pillows, I’m careful not to let myself be seduced by what’s merely "of the moment" or (just as important) turned-off by something just because it feels a bit "overplayed" in the design blog-world (Jenny wrote a great post about that topic). I’m trying to follow my gut and my heart, to create a space that is a true (and somewhat timeless) reflection of our family.

Oh and I want cool pillows too. Just sayin.

A Little Bit of a Check-in on The Resolutions

I thought it would be a good exercise to do a monthly update on the resolutions (here and here to keep myself in check and ensure I’m actually paying some attention to these things I set-out to do at the beginning of the year.

I’ll spare you guys the long-winded intro (for once) and just charge in with my “assessment” of how I’m faring on each goal. Here goes:


#1 Be Lazy – I have to say, this “laziness” initiative may have been my most genius resolution of. all. time. Kidding aside, I’m really proud of how we’ve embraced this goal of doing less. Almost half-way through February (as a side note, can you believe we’re almost half-way through February!?), and I’m still pretty diligent about keeping our calendar sparse. I’ve become far more comfortable with saying, “no” (admittedly not one of my strengths), and all four of us are happier and more relaxed for it. We’ve been more creative, more spontaneous; we cook more, read more, play more… It’s been a bit of a game changer. That said, I do see how easily we (and by “we”, I mean “me”) could fall off the wagon on this one, so I’m being extra-vigilant about it. We’ll see how it goes.

#2 Embrace Effortlessness – I’m not sure I’ve actually done anything specific toward this one…not actively anyway, but I do have this photo from the J. Crew catalog pinned on the inspiration board above my desk because it’s just well... “effortless incarnate”. This is what I’m going for friends. This is it (but with bangs, a smoky eye and a necklace thrown into the mix). In lieu of flowers (and I love flowers), I did ask Bryan for that sweater she’s sporting for Valentine’s Day... so one step forward, yes?

#3 Purchase (Extremely Mindfully) – For the past three years, I've done some period of a spending (or shopping) hiatus as a way to help sort of re-set my consumption habits. Taking a break from acquiring stuff helped me better appreciate what I already owned and re-think why I wanted to buy certain things in the first place. It was a good exercise all around...financially, aesthetically, mentally. But I don't think it was enough. I mentioned when I shared my resolutions that I've made progress on this one, but that I wanted to "master" it (at least as much as I'm capable of "mastering" something). So I thought I needed to switch things up a bit and think bigger than just the hiatus.

Enter "Operation Simplicity."

I've decided to start sharing everything I acquire for the next 12 months. "Acquire" is the key here, as I'm not planning to bore you (that is, those of you that want to come along on this scintillating journey) with all my expendable purchases. I'm not going to post the lattes or the lip gloss or the birthday presents for the girlie's classmates. Those aren't things "staying" in the house. I'm just going to record the stuff...the things that we'll end the year with, the things that I am certain I will have for at least five years.

And since one of my goals is to end the year with less stuff than I started it with, I'll also occasionally offer-up up a few things I'm ready to pass-on for sale... plus there will be some giveaways (It'll be my way of thanking you for keeping me on track).

I'm not going to lie, this whole exercise scares me a bit (more on that below), but I really believe when you put a goal out there, when you invite others to be a part of it, thus feeling some accountability to those people, it will change you. (I shared that same thought earlier this week in relation to my time writing Raising Foodies, but I think it applies here too...)



#4 Get Smart – Though I’ve yet to actually sign up for any sort of “learning opportunity”, I am starting to streamline the things I’m doing so that I can be more focused. To that end, I (somewhat reluctantly) “retired” (for now…note the reluctance) my little food blog. Trying to regularly post there and regularly post here was too much with the other commitments I have (you know that whole family, household, day-job thing). I think it was a good start. I am also actively researching a photography class. Now I just need to enroll.

#5 Practice Gratitude – I'm not nearly doing good enough on this one. This is my official kick in the pants…no idea why it’s so hard to stop each day to be thankful. It’s shameful. I’m pausing right now as I write this to be grateful…hang on. Ok done. That felt good.



#6 Court Fear – I am proud to say that I’m actively perusing three different projects that are scaring me (actually one kind of {and sorry for the vulgarity} scares the shit out of me). The first is the aforementioned “Operation Simplicity”…it scares me to commit to sharing everything I acquire this year. It’s daunting; I’m not going to lie. But I’m going with it. I might share some info on the other two in future “Resolution Updates”, we’ll see ;-)

Honor Your Stuff...

I don't think you are defined by your stuff.

(Although, admittedly, my fondness for peeking into a stylish person's closet/home/drawers via The Selby or Jeana's genius series to try and get a better sense of them is pretty strong.)

But I do think your stuff is a significant component of who you are. It has to be recognized. I think there's something good in having a (healthy) reverence for the things that you own. You, after all, spent hard-earned money or time acquiring or making those things. They should be treated well, respected...honored.

You know one of my resolutions this year is to purchase fewer things. And (because I'm a girl that likes structure and rules) I hope to do that with two "guidelines" in mind.

• End 2011 with less stuff than I started with.
• Buy only things I know I will have for at least five years.

See, I'm not sure I've been honoring my stuff in the past. I have impulse shopped (a lot), tossed things that were slightly downtrodden, purchased essentially disposable shoes at Target ad nauseam just because I was jonesin' for something new.

I believe when you buy only the things that you really love, things that are made with integrity, things that are high-quality, beautiful and meaningful...you will have them for a very, very long time. I believe these types of things are worthy of display (I'm not sure I'd necessarily put my new Celine wedges on my bookshelf, but that photo above has me seriously considering it).

Most of the time it costs more to buy these types of things (quality and our rampant discount culture are generally incompatible), but not always...I have found many of my most special, most lasting things on the cheap, at estate sales or thrift stores. Similarly, there are things in my closet that, with the proper care, have lasted years despite their lowly providence (i.e. a Banana Republic skirt that I've had for 10 years (!), have had tailored three times, and still wear every.single.week.)

I am digging this new site the Coveteur big time, because it reminded me yet again of the specialness of the things you own...especially when you acquired them with purpose. It gives those items a story. That's a good thing, an essential part of our own personal histories, a little archaeological exploration of our lives.

...and barring all of that, the site is just really freakin' cool, yes?

all photographs by Jake Rosenberg via The Coveteur...

A Little Hiatus/Detox Update (a.k.a. an account of my failings)

I'm not going to mince words friends...I am failing miserably at my August shopping hiatus. (Or as my friend Karey would say, F to the AILING.)

And I blame The Gap.

I mean a crazy adorable "American in Paris" collection for kiddos that perfectly coincides with Audrey's French themed birthday party. Really Gap? Really? How am I supposed to have will-power in the face of this.

I am weak. (Don't ask what I was doing in the Gap in the first place...)

But wait, there's more. While I was failing (miserably), I thought why not go down in a blaze of glory and purchased the dress above too, reasoning that I would of course need something new for the Little Bean party next week. Oh and I also bought a CHAKRA dress for Audrey, but mainly because I wanted to wear it as a top (more on that tomorrow).

So, yes, spending hiatus has somehow morphed into mini-bacchanal.

But (and you know I have to include this to show that all is not lost) sugar/alcohol detox, a smashing success. 25 days in and I'm still going strong. There was that giant bar of Toblerone that I inhaled on the flight home from Germany, but I'm counting that as pure sustenance, as I hadn't eaten in eight hours, and it was the only available food-stuff. I didn't even enjoy it. I swear.

The Summer of Self Improvement -- The Detox: An Update

Claire Nereim's lovely new work, Seasonal Vegetables of California...it relates to the post. I promise.


So this week there has been success and there has been, umm…failure.

The success was (surprisingly, as I thought this would be the hardest part) on the sugar and alcohol front. In fact, you might even say I've been a bit of a no sugar/no alcohol machine, as with the exception of one (teeny, tiny…a crumb really) homemade brownie early on and a few sips of a lavender, lemon, gin concoction (which sounds sort of medicinal, yes?) on our date last Saturday, I’ve not slipped up at all.

And I’m happy to report it’s paying off. I feel great. Like super-power great…loads of energy, sleeping really well, (slightly) looser jeans. So definitely worth it.

I’ve also started drinking a (supremely disgusting, but seemingly effective) daily “green” shake, which pretty much consists of some green veggie powder (that I’m envisioning includes every single item represented in Claire’s incredibly lovely calendar above…see the connection?) and some cranberry juice swirled together in the blender and consumed as fast as possible, with my nose plugged. Totally gross, but again, makes me feel great, so worth it…

Ok, now onto the failure, otherwise known as “the shopping.” I’m sad to report that I have thrice cheated. Not huge cheats, but a cheat is a cheat, so no excuses. And they all occurred last Friday after my super virtuous dinner at La Duni with Bryan and the girlies. It was like abstaining from the warm chocolate pudding cake and expertly muddled mojitos was just too much to handle, causing me to break during the short walk from restaurant to movie theater during which time I was sucked into the vortex of cute that is Peek and bought three new things for the girls.

Things they didn’t need. Ugg.

But I haven’t given up. I’m still committed to staying the course through the end of the month, despite my upcoming work trip to Germany, as there’s nothing like a little foreign travel to set the consumption drive in motion. (Luckily my boss has scheduled back-to-back meetings the entire time I’m there…really I think he’s just looking out for me. He knows if I was set free in town, I’d surely break the hiatus. Thanks Chris ;-)

So onward I go…wish me luck.

The Summer of Self Improvement -- Paper Chandeliers (Or "The Patience Edition")

This is not the paper chandelier that I made...

I may have told you this before somewhere along the way, but it bears mentioning again.

I kind of (for lack of a more elegant term) suck at DIY.

The problem isn't in the ideas -- I have loads of ideas of things I want to make (oh friends I have ideas), but I tend to fail miserably in the actual execution… It vexes me. So much so, that my lack of craft skills was one of the drivers for this “summer of self-improvement” concept, as I figured there’s no better way to overcome a “fear" of DIY than to just, well, roll up your sleeves and do some DIY. Miserable execution notwithstanding.

Stepping back, I think one of the reasons I’m so challenged in this area is that I have a serious lack of patience. Despite knowing inherently that almost all great things take time to make (i.e., a beautiful room, a Hermès bag, a homemade chocolate cake), I trend toward instant gratification. This quality has resulted in some unfortunate design choices (the ugly barstools purchased in a race to finish a particular room in our house against some self-imposed deadline) and is, as you can imagine, the kiss of death for most DIY projects.

So, what does this have to do with making paper chandeliers you ask? Well these babies take time. They’re not necessarily difficult to make, but they require patience.

Of which, as noted before, I do not have.

So needless to say, this class was hard for me. And because I’m all about making things harder than they have to be, I also decided to bring Audrey along, which was great for our mother/daughter bonding, but not so much for our end product. There’s nothing like doing a craft with a six-year old to seriously test your patience issues.

Once I let go a bit (ok a lot) and embraced the idea that this one was going to be all about the journey, since we may never actually get to our destination (we didn’t), Audrey and I ended up having a blast. I walked away with the renewed resolve to be more patient and managed to acquire some mad craft skills too -- I now possess the ability to make those (life changing) cute little tissue paper flowers (hello homemade garland and barrettes and party decorations, oh my…)

So no paper chandelier, but all was not lost and that's something.

p.s. had to add a few shots that Audrey took herself (below)...a little "through her eyes" for your viewing pleasure.

beautiful sally glass work in image above on exhibit at bows and arrows...

The Summer of Self Improvement -- A Little Detox...

really lovely painted rocks + driftwood via anica (because if I'm not buying anything, I'll most definitely be paining rocks...)

So in an attempt to take my “summer of self-improvement” beyond creative pursuits, I’ve decided to do a little detox of sorts for the month of August. Specifically, I’m going to cut out all sugar, alcohol and non-essential shopping for the next 30 days…

(I’m going with the proclamation up front here, long-winded explanation to follow…just to mix things up a bit. I’m living on the edge friends.)

The mid-year mini spending hiatus has actually been brewing for a while... Back in the spring, I read Colin Beavan’s No Impact Man and was not only in complete awe of how spartan Beavan was willing to go but also incredibly inspired by how much his drastically non-consumer life increased his day-to-day happiness. New shoes notwithstanding, this is something that surfaces for me every time I embark on a spending hiatus of any length – that feeling of contentment that comes when I’m living in a more mindful way, buying only what’s truly necessary for survival. It’s even a little bit of a rush.

But then there’s also some practical motivation behind a late summer shopping freeze -- the unfathomable amount of kid detritus lurking of late in girlies rooms or "the bottomless pits of stuff." Seriously friends, where do all these things come from? It’s like a Mt. Vesuvius of toys and tchotchkes and little plastic bits….totally overwhelming, but also motivating.

So in an attempt to (re)tap into my inner “voluntary simplicity” and help tackle the mounds of…well, crap taking over my house, I’m in hiatus-land for the next 30 days.

And because it’s more fun if you make these things as hard as humanly possible, I’m also doing the no sugar and no alcohol thing for the same period. Yes, it’s possible that I might be a little crazy, but I promise there’s a method to my madness. See if I’m going to do a spending hiatus then I can’t buy any new jeans, and all the ones I currently own are, let’s just say, snug due to a steady summer diet of gelato and margaritas. Makes perfect sense, right?

So here we go -- no sugar, no alcohol, no unnecessary purchases...for the month of August.

I’m not even going to ask if anyone is in with me, I like you guys too much.

Pssst...

Gilt has my beloved Iittala Taika dishes on sale today. I just bought eight soup bowls, as they were the only pieces missing from my set.

I just felt the need to share (confess)...


The dishes in action last Thanksgiving...

A Few Random Bits...

images clockwise from top: mine, my polaroid blog, c&c california, mine, forty-sixth at grace, atlantis home

In a little guest blogging "flip-flop", I have some of my favorite things up over on Fern and Feather today...in case you want to take a peek!

Samantha of Style/SWOON and I took a (completely fantastic) flower arranging workshop last night at the stellar Bows and Arrows. This place is such a gem...a little Brooklyn vibe in Dallas, which is always welcome! Above is a before pic of our creations, I'll share more details (plus the after pics) next week, but let's just say it was peony heaven.

And speaking of Bows and Arrows, they'll be at the Dallas Flea tomorrow along with the likes of a Little Bean "pop-up shop", and Bosquez jewelry. I'm taking Audrey to the ballet tomorrow, so I'm going to try (try) and make it out there first thing in the morning...we'll see how it goes!

Have a splendid weekend!

Scenes from The Weekend Part II...

Another photo-laden post (sorry friends, there were just so many "snap-worthy" things to document...) First up, Spartan, which was even more fantastic in-person. This truly is a dream shop -- a wee, shotgun space filled with the absolute most beautiful/interesting things. I would have happily walked out with one of everything, but settled on a little wooden owl bottle opener, as I knew I still had Renegade ahead of me and was trying to shop mindfully.

But it was awfully tempting...

Bonus -- the genius behind Spartan, the completely lovely Currie, was so sweet to the girlies... Before entering the shop, I had a full-on "touch with your eyes" pep-talk with Audrey and Millie, as I knew we were about to be faced with a slew of breakables and was prepping for their inevitable desire to touch every. single. thing. (I do that too, so I completely get the inclination, but still...)

Sweet Millie was channeling her best Lennie in Of Mice and Men impersonation as she entered the store chanting, "I will not break the pretty stuff, I will not break the pretty stuff"... It was awesome. And Currie, immediately tuning in to what was going on, procured a basket of toys from behind the counter so the girls could plop down in the middle of the store and play. (Rather genius, no?) Crisis totally averted.

the cute boys at Public School not bothered at all by A+M checking out every.single.detail. in their booth...

Sunday we logged in a couple of hours at Renegade Craft Fair, and in the words of my friend Jodi, it was "awesome overload."

Highlights included (but not limited to):

• The cute crew of boys at Public School who turn out some of the very best design work around (I snagged the "tie your shoes..." poster in the pic above...) They were also really sweet to the girlies despite the fact that they insisted on touching every single poster in the booth.
  
• The completely, fantastically adorable Miss Natalie... her stuff is even more awesome in person. (I got audrey one of her handmade dresses, which might be the only thing I didn't take a picture of all weekend.)
  
• Tobie Alexander Wahl's awesome A. Wahl designs booth. (Tobie is the creator of that genius Obama silhouette pillow.)
  
• Friends (and simple lovely sponsors) Shannah and Casey of f. is for frank -- I am in love with their jewelry.
  
• Christine's perfect Baby Bean booth (of course)
  
• The Krank Press booth -- loved every single card, notebook + print and left with a fantastic "seasonal produce of Texas" perpetual calendar...
  
• Lisa Chow's whimsical art work
  
• Leah Duncan's super lovely work...

Whew -- I know I'm missing someone... See "awesome overload" indeed, no?