Weekly Whiteout

I found this photo on a German site. I don't know it says, or what they're selling, but I'm buyin'.

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I'd Like to Bed You

Do people still say that? Did they ever? It seems very prude and yet creepy all at once. Whatevs, I'm obsessed with these bedrooms and I'm not afraid to show it. The paint colors, fireplaces, textures and that dressing area? Jaw, on the floor, drool, everywhere.

(photos via Living Etc.)

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Frugal Fridays - Paging Emily Henderson

I admit it; today’s Frugal Friday is a rip-off of another blogger’s post. Luckily I wanted to pimp her out anyhow since she happens to be my blogging buddy, Emily Henderson, of The Brass Petal. Oh, and did I mention she was also the winner of a little show called HGTV Design Star and subsequent host of her very own upcoming show, Secrets from a Stylist? Well she is. Brew ya. Check out her fantabulous style (yep, it’s a word, look it up) and quick wit here, and set that DVR for 10 p.m. this Sunday on HGTV, people. As I told her, Emmys Schmemmys. Nothing’s more important than good design! I'm just sayin'.

(halogen white credenza at CB2, torsby sideboard at Ikea)

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Love in Lock-Up

Have you ever seen that movie with Natalie Portman where she lives inside Walmart for a few weeks? Oh how about the one with Jennifer Connelly, circa HUGE brows, when she gets locked in a store overnight? I would give my left arm to do that in Target. Seriously, the whole arm. Can you imagine the fun?? I’d try on all the $20+ makeup that’s recently debuted, wrap myself in 12 Thomas O’Brien towels, sit in all the chairs, and unfurl all the Dwell bedding before calling it a night. Ahhaaahhhh - insert light shining down on my face from the Heavens here. Even if I never get to do this (and believe me, you never know), I think I could glean the same kind of pleasure from actually just purchasing new Dwell bedding. I have a Dwell Studio duvet cover/shams already, but the thought of paying so much less for a sweet print like this one makes me verrrrry happy. Not locked-inside-the-store happy, but happy nonetheless.

(industrial metal bookshelf and ruffle laundry bag from Urban Outfitters, custom yellow prints at Pieces, martini side table at West Elm, DwellStudio for Target andalucia bedding collection)

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Take That, Bear Grylls

A lot of people lost in the desert would pray for water. Me? I’ll trade H2O for Prada any day of the week. Too bad this store is only a mirage, or rather, an art installation in Marfa, Texas. I’m sure you’ve all seen it before, but I keep coming back for more. The epitome of true luxury coupled with the raw, stark landscape. It kind of embodies how I feel about this gorgeous driftwood table. It’s a piece you always hear someone say, “Oh, I could totally build that.” and yet, not so much. Like the time when I was 10 and told my artist uncle “I could paint that.” Riggggght. But I digress. I think a photo of the Prada Marfa would be so chic in a lavish living room. You know, in a “Hey, I’m stylish, but don’t take myself too seriously” kind of way. I’d buy one, but you know, I take myself very seriously. Oh and my living room isn’t so much lavish as, well, not. Whatevs. I'd still choose Prada over water. That's gotta mean something, right?

(image via Blue Ant Studio, pierre mirror at Z Gallerie, arcadia glasses at Barneys, driftwood coffee table and french provincial chairs from Pieces Inc.)

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Weekly Whiteout

(image via Skona Hem)

Ever had a wild compulsion to spray paint every single thing in your house white? Nah. Me either. Er, something.

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For the Love of Letters

I love letters. The smell of the paper, the experience of putting meaningful words down to be felt and touched and savored. And don’t even get me started on pens. (Possibly worse than the chair obsession.) It saddens me to think of the art of letter writing getting lost in a sea of code. A friend once showed me this one written by Ronald Reagan and I just found it to be such a heartfelt tribute - and one certainly unmatched by an e-card.

Recently, my mom told me that just before his death, my grandfather made her promise never to read the letters he exchanged with my grandmother during their years apart. Through tears, he held her hands, smiled and said my grandparents’ love would carry on the wind, and asked my mom burn them in the fireplace in Sun Valley. She hasn’t been able to do it yet, but she’s respected his wishes not to read them. Anyone who’s been following my blog since the beginning knows I’ve been thinking of writing a book about my grandparents' unbelievable love story. I can only imagine the secrets those letters hold, and yet, I haven’t read them either. There’s something about just knowing they’re there, though, that fills me with a sense of magic. And friends, if that's not a reason to send someone you love a letter, I just don't know what is.

(personalized stationery by Red Stamp, greeting card by Elum Designs, to do list from Sugar Paper, sarah pinto notebooks at See Jane Work, address labels at iomoi, Moleskin Notebooks)

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The House that God Built

I would do unspeakable things to live here. UNSPEAKABLE, I say.

That is all.

(photography by Per Gunnarsson)

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Paper Worth Rolling With

I think it’s a right of passage to hang a paper lantern in your house at some point. Dorm, apartment, cave, tent, whatever. Sadly, and even though I’ve always had a soft spot for the fixtures, I never participated in this act. Come to think of it, maybe this is why I remain so fiercely dedicated to MTV despite being in my, ahem, thirties. (Come on, the LC/Kristin feud? Epic!) Well, lucky for me and my maturity, I saw the photo of these Herman Miller Bubble Lamps recently.

They look like the real thing but not in a “cheap-dim-sum-meets-dingy-studio-with-futon” kind of way. I think they're super stylish clustered together, and I'd love to hang them all in my bedroom. Maybe not in my current bedroom, but in a huge loft with high ceilings and great windows? Perfection. You know, like the one in my dreams that I share with my husband, best friend Whitney and shirtless cook, The Situation.

herman miller bubble lamps from All Modern Lighting, draper stripe ash duvet set at Dwell, little dictionary of fashion by Christian Dior at Jayson Home & Garden, exhibitor mega tote at J. Crew, quartz votive holder from Jayson Home & Garden)

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Weekly Whiteout

(image via Living Etc.)

Speaking of kitchens...and Heaven.

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Real Women Don't Juice

I hate to admit it, but I’m one of those people who skip breakfast almost every day. I know, I know, it’s the most important meal, it speeds up your metabolism, I could grab a banana out the door, blah, blah. But I’m a writer, and writers like coffee. Lots of coffee. (Among other things, but I’ll save you from those horrors today.) So for me, coffee is my breakfast of champions. And no, I definitely could NOT eat something WHILE drinking my coffee. Sacrilege I tell you. Then again, if I were to eat breakfast in a beautiful kitchen like this one instead of my car, I might change my tune. I draw the line at fresh-squeezed OJ, though. Regardless, it’s still a frun accessory. Kind of like my cookbooks.

(photo by Leslie of A Creative Mint, barclay single basin kitchen sink at Lowe's, hjuvik single lever kitchen faucet from ikea, label glasses set of six from CB2, dr. bird juicer from Zgallerie, tea towel from To Dry For)

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Frugal Fridays - Xhibition

To make up for all the talking/rambling I did yesterday, today I shall simply say: This x-base bench rocks. You should buy it. Thank you.

(x-base bench from BA Sofas, crosby stool from Williams Sonoma Home)

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I Da Ho

That's right ladies and gents, our vacation recently took us to the great state of Idaho. "What's it got besides potatoes?" you ask? Well, the answer is A LOT. I come from a family of fly fishermen and women, and we've been heading there nearly every summer since I was a little girl. It's where I've built forts in the trees, stubbed my toes on the deck and written letters to childhood boyfriends. It holds secrets between cousins and smells of Swedish cooking that take me back to my earliest memories. It's the place I feel the spirit of my grandparents most.

The house we stay in was designed by my grandfather, and it's the only property of his we have left to claim as our own. (Well, us and a whole host of other peeps but whatevs.) I couldn't have been happier to be up there this summer with my parents and husband, and to be able to show him all the reasons why I fell in love with Idaho long ago. Making new memories with him was more fun than I thought possible, but I must admit, a lot of the fun stemmed from getting there.

On the first day we drove through a ridiculous storm to tackle a place called Vermilion Cliffs...in the DARK. Seriously? Cliffs?? The storm then moved through Utah where we stayed the night. It thundered for houuuuurs, and our room ended up totally flooding. Oh, and lightning stuck the hotel down the street. Uh, what dude? Luckily the next day took us to Zion (AMAZING) and down roads where there was nothing but blue sky ahead. Upon arrival? Wine, cool air and the sound of the river. Yes please! Anyway, you know how this story ends: Us having a great time, me looking at houses and jobs, everyone laughing at the ridiculousness of the idea, yada yada. Sigh.

And so concludes this edition of, "things I'll be dreaming of while at work." I hope each of you had a chance to take off on some kind of adventure this summer, even if it was just to the mall (let's be real, that happens). And speaking of vacations, happy almost Friday everyone. Here's to a short week, great memories, and well, Travelzoo.

Word.

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Do-Over

(print via shawnhileman)

Sooooo, remember the giveaway I held a couple weeks ago? Sadly, I haven't been able to get in touch with the winner. Sigh. After a couple attempts, I went ahead and spun the wheel of fortune again. Er, picked randomly with the help of a website. Either way, the good fortune has landed on Sarah from for the love of gold this time! Sarah, email me with your email address and I'll have the CSN gift certificate sent over to you STAT.

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Weekly Whiteout

(image (via Skona Hem)

Ahhhhh, can't you just feel the perfect combo of warm sun and cool breeze in this image? After spending nearly 10 days in the mountains hiking, biking, lounging, reading, picnicking, wading, eating and drinking, I think I've decided I'd like to live outside full time. You know, like an avid camper or caveperson. Minus the whole hair pulling and clubbing scene.

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I'm back! I'm a hot mess!

I swear, this is how I feel today. I'm back from vacation, but not reaaaaaallly back. You know? I like to call it VBS (Vacation Brain Syndrome). I'm trying desperately to get back into the swing of things by grocery shopping, picking up the mail, doing laundry, yada yada, but all I REALLY want to do is sit by the pool and indulge in my braindeaddom. Typical. Anyhoo, the moral of the story is that despite not being able to spell or think properly, I missed you, and I'll be seeing you manana with a little Weekly Whiteout action. I know you're excited!

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