On a Whim

Have you ever, on a whim, bid on something on eBay or at a silent auction thinking, “Why not? I’ll probably be outbid anyway”?

So have we, only we weren’t outbid. It all started last August when we flew out to Salt Lake City to visit my sister, Sarah, who’s wrapping up her PhD at the University of Utah. While browsing antique and vintage shops on 300th Street, Ken and I came across a killer 6′ wood plane propeller in a tiny mom and pop vintage shop. Ken has always been fascinated by flying and has gradually been logging flight hours over the past 10 years towards a private pilots license. Needless to say, the propeller caught his eye and we seriously considered buying it, but had no idea how we’d get it back to Minneapolis, so we ended up passing on it.

A 20-Something’s First Apartment in Brooklyn Heights

I came across this sweet Brooklyn Heights brownstone apartment on TraditionalHome.com a few years ago, and was immediately drawn in by the interesting mix of old and new and the balance of neutrals with colorful accents. I had pinned this space for inspiration a while ago, and came across it again when I was bumming around on Pinterest recently. Though this space was shot in 2010, I still love it, and I think it’s in part to the use of classic pieces and timeless styling. The space feels curated and thoughtful, each piece having a story behind it. I love the use of flea market finds, classic investment pieces, and inexpensive off-the-shelf accents to create a budget-friendly, bright and timeless space that will grow with the homeowner.

The Blooming Paperwhite

When I put together the DIY Paperwhite Bulb Kits over the Holidays, (see that post here) I picked up an extra one for myself and planted the bulb around the same time. The bulb took just over two weeks of full sunlight and daily watering to finally sprout through the soil, but when it did, I was surprised and fascinated at how quickly it shot up! Every morning when I woke up, I took a shot of the plant, and after ten days, it was fun to put the photos side by side and see the transformation. Towards the end you could really see some major changes from day to day!

It’s the Little Things…

A few little pins I’m loving at the moment…

These gorgeous milkmaid braids make me miss my long hair. Get the tutorial here.

Simply a Wonderful Christmas Time

Happy Christmas Eve! Can you believe it’s upon us? Since we headed out of town to spend the Holidays with family, Ken and I celebrated with one another at home last Saturday morning. After exchanging gifts, we decided to take some pictures as a way to document our 2nd Christmas together as a married couple.

Aromatic Lavender Sachets

For my wedding showers a few years ago, my mom had the genius idea of making lavender eye pillows as favors for guests to take home with them. There were a few leftover after the shower, so I took an extra one home and tucked it in my “unmentionables” drawer as a sachet and loved the subtle lavender scent it brought to our bedroom, so I decided to take a cue from my mom and sew up some sachets (which are about 1/2 the size of eye pillows), as stocking stuffers this year. Theses little bundles come together pretty quickly (I made three in an evening), and will make a nice, handmade addition to stocking trimmings this Christmas morning.

Nordic Winter Centerpiece

I don’t know if it’s the rustic simplicity, the effortlessly cozy factor or my Nordic pride shining through, but I’m always inspired by the Scandinavian aesthetic, especially so this time of year. I made this Holiday centerpiece for our dining table using a flat wood piece we salvaged from an old textile loom that a local salvage and antique shop, Art & Architecture was selling off for parts. With just a couple drill holes, a few candles, and a snippet of velvet ribbon, I pulled together a simple and restrained centerpiece that we’ll use to deck the halls with Nordic flair this year.

On the Home Front…

I’m fascinated by the way people live. From a person’s daily routine to their clever storage solutions to the tools they use to rock the daily grind with flair and efficiency. Here are a few of my personal routine favorites: 

• one: The french press is critical to our morning routine.  We love the strong coffee it brews up for us.
• two: We have quite a small galley kitchen where counter space is definitely lacking, so we swapped our bulky, counter top knife stand for a wall-mounted magnetic knife strip and happily reclaimed our coveted work space.
• three: We refer to La Tartine Gourmande Cookbook whenever we’re stuck in a food rut. Her recipes are not only delicious and fresh, they often include unusual ingredients like amaranth flour or saffron, and they inspire us to try something new.
• four: The amazing mandoline helps me thinly slice just about anything like a pro in seconds.
• five: Not only do we use trays for entertaining, but also for corralling books and magazines on our coffee table, as well as for special breakfast-in-bed mornings.
• six: I received this quirky wine opener as a gift several years ago. It’s extremely durable and not to mention a great conversation starter when we have people over.
• seven: This all-purpose lavender scented cleaner is THE cleaner for pretty much every surface in our home. It’s earth friendly and the lavender scent makes cleaning ALMOST enjoyable.
• eight: We put our microplane zester to work on just about a daily basis. From parmesan to citrus zest to chocolate shavings, it’s quite versatile and has easily worked its way into our daily mealtime routine.
• nine: I love the cozy feeling candles add to our space, especially in the winter when it’s freezing outside. Two of my favorite scents  team up in this clean-burning soy candle.
• ten: We are downright horrible at keeping orchids alive, but I love having them around. Even if we can’t keep them alive for very long, they still last longer than a bouquet of flowers. Am I right?
• eleven: These pretty bowls make anything you put in them look instantly better. I use them to hold small jewelry pieces on my vanity.
• twelve: I ordered this robe to wear the morning of my wedding. It’s so comfy, I still throw it on while getting ready in the morning.
• thirteen: This cotton sheet set is soft, easy to care for (bleachable!), and I love the french-inspired ticking stripe.

Indigo Tea Towels

When the Holiday party season takes full swing,  I’m typically scrambling for thoughtful hostess gifts -something a little more creative than a bottle of wine. In all seriousness, a nice red tied with a bow is usually what I end up with, as it’s just so easy. This year though, I’m trying to think ahead. Since fun tea towels are something we don’t often buy for ourselves (but are so nice to have around), I’m thinking these little numbers might just do the trick!

Chunky Knit Wool Blanket

I’m a textile nut. It’s an appreciation my mother first instilled in me at a young age and one that’s developed and refined itself over 4 years of working closely with textiles. Last winter, I’d been craving the loft and warmth of an uber chunky knit, wool blanket. One that my hubby and I could cuddle up in during those last few months of cold weather. I looked everywhere, but couldn’t find one that quite fit our budget.