Thursday, January 31, 2013

365 01/31

a little earthy feel to today's palette.

a new discovery

my whole life i've heard people complain about this town i live in. there's nothing to do, it's boring, you gotta go to indianapolis to do anything. and that's funny to me, because i am still discovering things to do in this smallish town i've lived in for almost 27 years. (gulp, that feels old to me.)

this latest discovery came from a work project. i went to check out a room that needs a facelift and discovered a delightful museum. a fun, kid friendly museum. and sharing it is only the right thing to do- to prove that there IS something to do in this town.


the Academy of Model Aeronomics is the worlds largest model avaition association and they are based right here in muncie. this means that people travel from all over the world to fly, compete, and show off their model airplanes. you can catch these events during the summer.

their museum is what i discovered this week and was kind of in awe. it has tons of model airplanes hanging from the ceiling which alone makes it pretty cool. there's just a ton of stuff to see.




to visit the AMA and National Model Aviation Museum check them out here.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

365 01/30

second color palette is beachy and light.

Sherwin Williams colors clockwise from white: FarawayBlue 7133, Aleutian 6241, Bakelite Gold 6368, Atmospheric 6505, Chateau Brown 7510

my love for you...

this valentine craft idea came from a love note i was writing to KJB - well, obviously i was writing it to him. it was a heart with a message on it, and i planned to put it in his little mail box that i mentioned in this post.

but after staring at it for 15 minutes, wondering how i could dress it up, i decided to make a mountain range on it, to match the message i had written.

and since, i kinda love what i came up with, i decided to share it here. cause that's what i do yo.


a) you'll need paper, double sided tape, an x-acto knife, and a cutting mat. cut your paper into strips in 1/2" - 1" strips and cut the size heart you want.

b) use your knife to cut zig-zag pattern in the length of the strips. vary the widths and the heights of the zig-zag. pull the pieces apart. then do about a zillion more. i ended up cutting about eight, which gave me 16 strips.

c) write your message on the back of the heart.

d) fold your "mountain skyline" so you have a thin flat piece.

e) cover the front of your heart in double sided tape and, starting at the bottom, add your mountains.


f) use your x-acto to trim the pieces to size but don't worry too much about making it perfect.

g) keep going! you're almost done

i'm totally digging the mountain range heart. looking down, it looks ruffly and pretty. i did mine in all white, but any color will work.

what kind of valentine you making this year?

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

365 01/29

after almost a month of learning about the color blue, it's time to pull together some color palettes that best use this beautiful hue.



Sherwin Williams colors clockwise from blue: Regatta 6517, Grape Harvest 6285, Jovial 6611, Begonia 6599, Cyclamen 6517 

weekly truth, week 4


Monday, January 28, 2013

365 01/28

i have a confession that i've never told anyone. ready for it? the main reason i choose to claim interior design as a major back in college was because i loved the look of architectural prints. pretty bad, right? but it worked out well and i got to learn how to make those lovely drawings, to an extent.

blueprints have come along way since their origin. they were first made with light sensitive sheets using a contact print process much like photography film. i could go into the process but it's a lot of science that i'm not sure i understand. prints evolved from the original blue prints to white prints, which is actually blue lines on white paper - another chemical process - to today's computer aided drafting.

i still love the look of blueprints though, and they can make a great art feature. someday, when we build our dream home, i plan to frame up the blueprints and hang them throughout the house. they tend to be pretty masculine so even your man will love them. love they way they are used in this room below with wood beams and floors and white walls, as it adds to the architectural feel to the room.


restoration hardware sells a couple of different framed blueprints if you want to go that route. while not completely detailed, i still love these lighthouse prints.


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Sunday, January 27, 2013

365 01/27

for today, a simple photograph with blue bokeh. love the shades of blue here.



Saturday, January 26, 2013

365 01/26


selected in 1845 by founder Charles Lewis Tiffany, the signature Tiffany Blue has become one of the most well-known colors in branding history. the robin's egg blue color, first selected for the company's annual hand-crafted jewel book, is now used for shopping bags, advertising, and those little take-your-breath-away boxes. the boxes are now a symbol of elegance and sophistication.

images and info via Tiffanys

Friday, January 25, 2013

365 01/25

something blue. along side of something borrowed, something old, and something new, it is supposed to bring you luck on you wedding day. i've always understood that something old represented your past, something new represented your future, and something borrowed represented support from your loved ones. but why something blue? what does blue mean in this rhyme?

blue has been connected to weddings for years. because the Virgin Mary was always depicted in blue, it was said that the color was a symbol of purity and fidelity. it became a popular wedding dress color up until the early 19th century. "marry in blue, lover be true" is another popular wedding proverb.


my something blue was my shoes. i searched long and hard for a pair that fit my style. this light blue pair with a fabric flower did the trick. 

just for fun, i thought i'd share the rest of my good luck pieces. a bracelet i bought for myself when i graduated college served as my something old, a reminder that i could accomplish anything i set my mind to. KJB surprised me with a strand of pearls on the wedding day which was my something new. in my pockets i carried two hankies, one borrowed from my mom that had belonged to my great-grandmother and one borrowed from my aunt that had been passed down as a wedding hankie in her family for years.

what was your something blue on your wedding day?

all photos via meredith rogers.

weekend trip



this weekend i'm chicago bound with my sister, mama, and nannie for a baby shower! - wait, i've mentioned my sister is about to pop, right? i mean, i'm sure i have. anyway, her boy's fam is from chicago, so we get to have a weekend trip while they throw her a shower.

where are your favorite places in the windy city? favorite place to eat? or favorite shop? let me know so we can check it out!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

365 01/24

not long after i found this penny photo, i came across this image of a dress. wonder if the designer was inspired by the penny? sure looks that way to me. inspiration can come from anywhere.


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getting from H E R E to T H E R E

my car is headed to the graveyard. on it's death bed. and while i've been wanting to get a new car lately, it's not exactly the right time, financially. in fact, it's about the worse time financially. while i'm close to getting the thing paid off, now that it needs a part that's discontinued, it's not worth what i owe.

to be honest, i'm kinda freaking out right now.

so i need some advice my friendlies. KJB and I have talked about holding on to the car, really searching hard for the part needed, and then selling it. but because i need a car now, we have thought about leasing.

i don't know a darn thing about leasing.

what do you think? have you ever leased a car? how does it work for you?

and just for fun, help me pick a car ^_^


a Ford Escape in Frosted Glass or Ruby Red?
how about a big Chevy Silverado in Topaz Metallic? i like trucks and actually learned to drive in a truck. KJB is swooning over this one - wait, do boys swoon? ok, maybe he just wants one and i'm swooning ;)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

365 01/23

timeless, heirloom pieces. teapots, teacups with saucers, gravy boats. these are the things that come to mind when i think of heirlooms. you see, we are an entertaining family so the things that we love and remind us of each other all relate to food + drink. like a piece of blue and white pottery.

blue and white pottery originated from the Middle East but was perfected in China. the blue color comes from cobalt oxide, which was mined in Iran and transported as a raw element to China. many of the patterns, even those being produced today, are heavily influenced by Chinese designs.



images via Rinfret | information via here + here

cautious words


cautious words follow because this is a post about my husband, and as I have said before, the role of wife is one that I plan to succeed at 100 percent. so for him, i blog cautiously, but real today.

my husband is one of the most social people i know, along with being incredibly motivated and passionate. his love for life amazes me sometimes. he is also surprisingly sensitive, but i suppose when you are as passionate as he is, your heart can break easily. lately his heart is breaking often. i can see it is his eyes; more frequently than not, there is a sadness there.

for the past few months i watched him throw himself into a ministry about which he was ecstatic. and as time has passed and the project picked up pace to a point where it consumed, and still consumes, more than half of our free time, i saw his patience growing thin. he was discouraged easier. he angered easily when we talk about it. it wore on his mind.

but it was not the time commitment or the lack of fruit in the ministry that caused it. instead the disappointment came from leadership. when leaders let us down, smother our voice, and micro-manage us, we feel discouraged.

how do you minister when your Christian brothers and sisters disappoint you with their lack of passion, their misplaced priorities, and their self-centered attitudes? (this may seem like a judgment on my part, but regardless, this is the way it feels. like when someone says something that comes off in a harsh way, it feels harsh regardless of how it was meant.) it feels like they do not care about your ideas, your help, or the mission.

this was where we stood. our first time able and called to serve in this capacity, yet unwanted by our leaders.

all we could do was pray.

we met God in His word and felt encouraged by His character. we focused on the mission, rather than our own circumstance. we found comfort in 2 Timothy 1:11-12. “I was appointed to announce the good news. I was appointed to be an apostle and a teacher. That’s why I’m suffering the way I am. But I’m not ashamed. I know the one in whom I’ve placed my trust. I’m convinced that God is powerful enough to protect what he has placed in my trust until that day.”

together, and through God, we will continue to share the good news in this ministry. and regardless of how unimportant our leaders make us feel, it will be good.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

365 01/22

when i think of blue, one of the first things that comes to mind is denim. and when i think denim, i think madewell. known for their denim work, madewell is an trendy, urban-style shop with pieces for every fashionista - and even those that don't consider themselves fashionistas.

guess what color the madewell logo is? yep, it's blue. how did you guess!? mimicing their signature fabric and a hand-written type, this logo is a spot-on example of a logo that truly fits the company.

and, while browsing the madewell online shop, i learned one of their denim secrets. they suggest NOT washing your jeans! instead, put them in a plastic bag and stick them in the freezer for a few days. the fridig air and ice will clear away unplesant odors without fading or shrinking your favorite blues. (now, let me just add my own two cents: if they are really dirty and caked with mud, you may want to wash them. but for everyday jeans worn around town, give it a try!)


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weekly truth, week 3


Monday, January 21, 2013

365 01/21

decorating in a small space can often seem crammed and full. i should know, KJB and i live in a one bedroom apartment, share a closet, have a kitchen that used to be a closet, and have one room to act as our living room, office, and dining room. a classic color palette to use throughout the space is one way to make the space look bigger. blue + white + dark wood can span a lot of different styles from modern to traditional, so it works whatever your taste.


another tip? furniture with legs where you can see under & through to the other side of the room keep the room looking and feeling light. and just look how that bold blue + white rug looks! like what we saw yesterday.

image via

a weekend of the back woods and mud

a getaway weekend... boy, aren't they nice? sometimes you don't even realize you need them until they're over and it's time to get back to the grind.

every year after Christmas my in-laws go down to the bottom of Tennessee to KJB's grandparents winter house. we didn't get to go this year due to us both starting new jobs, so when his parents decided to go for a weekend trip, we jumped at the chance. there isn't much to do there but hit up the three stores, have some BBQ, and roam around the bottoms, but the 14 hour car ride was still worth it. we got to visit with some family, soak up some sun, and get muddy. i could have taken less of that last one.



 this photo my SIL took from the bank after Orry (driver) couldn't get the kubota out of the creek. KJB and I had been sitting in the back, SIL and MIL in the front. after a couple of attempts of trying to make it up the washed-away bank, he made it up enough to let them out so we could hop in the front. i was relieved because we had been holding on to the back for our dear lives while the kubota was at 70 degree angle.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

365 01/20

a few posts back, i mentioned how amazing blue and gold look together. there's just something kind of regal about a deep navy blue and a shiny gold. in that post i shared a few pillows to ease you into the idea. if you rushed out and got some that day (which, why wouldn't you?) you've had a good nine days to warm up to the trend. that's plenty; time to kick it up. (i am trying to cram every blue trend/product/shade/emotion/art i love into one month, there's no time to kill here.)

try a bold, patterned rug. i'm a huge fan of this pretty lady because she has enough white in her to be clean looking but not enough that you have to fear the kiddos/dog/husband glass of fruit punch. ok, let's be honest, it's you that always spills the fruit punch. it's ok, it happens. plus the pattern isn't too feminine  that it scares your hubby/future hubby when you roll it out.

love this rug like i do? you can buy it here.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

365 01/19

time to get honest: as a designer people expect me to know all about art. and while i do know a few things here and there, i mostly guessing as much as the next person. especially when it comes to abstract. but there is an easy thing about the color blue, a lot of the time we see blue in an absract painting it is representing the sky or water. in this relief, the colors and flow of the brush make me think of water, and more specifically the many shades of the ocean.

this painting is by Howard Hodgkin and can be purchased here.

Friday, January 18, 2013

365 01/18

time + weather makes blue

here we collide

valentines crafts w/ kiddos

last weekend i had a twitch in my eye that could only be caused by one thing... a lack of crafting. so i phoned a friend and asked if i could borrow her kids, packed my car with an outrageous amount of supplies and went to play at her house.

valentines day was also on the brain and i just adore cheesy crafting goodness so i decided to show the kids how to make a love bug with yarn puffy balls... 

are you looking for photos of the yarn puffy ball love bugs? you won't find them here, you'll have to visit the blog a well-seasoned crafter because my love bugs were a mega flop. honestly, i just didn't have the patience to figure out what i did wrong. so we moved on to something much easier.


all it took to make these love bugs was a few circles, small rectangles to join the circles, some pipe cleaner and a marker. aren't they cute!


these mailboxes i found in the dollar bins at target. i snatched up a few for the kids to decorate as well as one for KJB + me. we're gonna be each others valentines this year... just seemed like the right thing to do. spencer added his name in gold then decided to covered it in blue paper in an attempt to make it more masculine. then he decided he would rather play his new video game so he lost interest. izzy added a pretty heart print paper to hers then created a feather boa look with cotton balls. she spelled out her name and added a few hearts.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

365 01/17

not only is this room gorgeous (windows, beams, white, and wood? i'm in) but my favorite thing about it is that blue pendant lamp over the dining table. a room full of nautural elements and neutral colors needs a focal point. i love how this blue lamp pulls your eye right across the room. any darker and it would have been a neutral; any lighter and it would have faded away. perfect use of color.

image via Casa Buzios from ShorelyChic 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

a new kind of blog

for the past three years, this blog has been my happy place. a place where i share inspiration, projects, DIY's, outfits, weddings, and all those other joyful things in life. when i write about my life, i like to talk about exciting weekend trips and parties-the good stuff.

life is full of up's and down's but you wouldn't know it from my blog; i generally only share the up's. but i want my blog to be real. i want it to reflect my life. God wants it to reflect my life.

because having a life only made of ups wouldn't be nearly as fun if we didn't have something to compare it to.

and when i have those days that are down, days when I can't hear Him speaking to me... eventually i will hear Him. He lifts me up - reminds me of his love and covers me in grace. and while He lifts me up, i lift Him up in praise.


so you may see some different kinds of posts around here. you will still see the ups: the inspirational rooms and fun product finds- my hobbies. but you will also see some downs, times when i fail and what i learned. and maybe that will round out this blog a bit more. so that when you come here, you see a woman who has been blessed with grace and who loves to share life with other women. that's my hope for this blog in 2013.

365 01/16

imagine a pharmacy. shelves + shelves, rows + rows of health products.  the one you go to down the street. what does it look like? i see white ceiling tile, brown carpet that has been there through several owners, and white metal shelving with red sticker labels.

i don't see bright lighting, an open floor plan with lots of space, or wood floors. and i don't see brands like Chanel and Givenchy. but the owner of Blue Goose did. Blue Goose is a pharmacy where you can pick up personalized prescriptions, as well as natural and organic health care products, and high-end cosmetic brands.

the pharmacy resembles a 50's department store, with glass storefront, open shelving, and high ceilings. the blue walls come from the store name. this gray shade of blue is the color a goose takes on before it matures into it's whiter form.


what do you think of the blue goose pharmacy? would you shop at a pharmacy like this?

images here

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Monday, January 14, 2013

365 01/14

when i saw this painting on etsy, i knew i had to share it. i'm a huge fan of the heavy texture  on the canvas. the build up of paint causes lots of hue variation as well as different surfaces to catch and reflect light. this pretty little thing would look great in a room with lots of natural light, like a foyer or kitchen breakfast nook.


 get this painting for yourself here

in the shop!


we have a few new items in the shop! first are the amazing - if i do say so myself - hair ties that are soft and pretty. i have a few color combinations that i'm loving together as well as a "choose your own" option. you may find this style in other handmade shops, as well as some more expensive boutiques, but wanted to offer them at a lower price point with a fun glittery option. so you get four solids and one glitter for $4.00.

next, one of my recent favorite things, the chevron recipe cards. as i work on cooking up new dishes i find on pinterest, i make sure to keep track of our fav's on one of these bad boys. then i organize them in a photo album! a good chevron pattern makes me happy, and i love the fun selection of colors. for $5.00 you get 25, 4x6 cards in your choice of color.

check out the shop here for these items and other goodies!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

365 01/12

nautical decor and fashion has become increasingly popular over the last few years. but i wondered, what made navy and white nautical in the first place? i did a little digging and found that back in 1745, King George selected a dark blue and white for the Brittish officers because the colors his wive's favorite. the shade of blue became known as navy.


bedroom | men's fashion | women's fashion

Friday, January 11, 2013

365 01/11

blue looks amazing paired with gold and lots of sunlight. if you're afraid to take the plunge, start out with a gold light fixture + a few throw pillows , like these from Jonathan Adler.

 

Red Letter Paper Co.

these pretty cards from Red Letter Paper Co. are my latest paper crush. thank you cards, holiday cards, and everyday cards, RLPC offers modern designs, a bible verse on the back, and eco-friendly products. 


love what you see here? check out the etsy shop for so many more.