design book wish list

My design book wish list is really piling up! Here are a few titles I'd like to add to my bookshelf...











Sitting down with a good design book is one of my favorite things. I like nothing more than to pore over the pictures and imagine the rooms as my own. How about you? Have you read any of these or do you have others to recommend?

(All are available from Amazon.)

design inspiration: natural light kitchen

I've gone gaga over this kitchen...



A terracotta tiled floor, under-counter baskets, loads of natural light pouring in, a bright white beadboard ceiling, and a big table center-stage. love love love.

This is definitely getting tucked into the "dream kitchen" file.

What do you think? See anything here that's a must for your dream kitchen?

(Photo by Victoria Pearson via darling Mary.)

hi.

I'm still here. Beginning the new year at the same frenzied pace that I ended the old one with and still trying to get used to being a working mama. I'm a little tired from the whirlwind of activity that is our new "normal", but very much looking forward to the fresh start of a new year and for exciting adventures with my Twinkies.


This photo has nothing to do with my writing, but I thought it looked pretty, and I wanted to share.

I bought a plant on my lunchbreak today and now I'm posting this. I think it's clear that I'm getting a little tired of winter and all it's white.

(Image via Tiny White Daisies)

design inspiration: tyler's kitchen

Did anyone else happen to see the November '10 issue of Better Homes and Gardens that featured Tyler Florence's Thanksgiving?

I just fell in love with his kitchen...



(For more photos and recipes from the article click here.)

merry christmas!

Wishing you the brightest of holidays!
May all the joys of the season be yours.




xo, Kristin


(Image via Tiny White Daisies)

design inspiration: holiday decorating

Only four days 'til Christmas, and I've uttered nary a word about decorating for the holidays. Well wait no longer, Dears.

Behold the merry loveliness...
















(All images via Canadian House & Home)

Just wanted to pop in, say hello and share a few nice things with you today.

I've been ogling this little necklace for a few weeks now...



Would love to have a little nibble of a champagne petit four...



Wishing my computer was scratch-n-sniff...



Imagining the perfect outfit topped with this...



And these are on sale(!)...



That's all for now.
Hope you're swell, my Lovelies.

holiday stationary from papersource

I think these might be my favorites...




(Jolly Holidays and Animals at PaperSource.)

loving

A sparkly little clutch to tuck under your arm...





(Occasion Large Clutch by Coach)

spotlight: kiki & polly

Lisa Golightly is brilliant...






And so is her art.


(Available at the Kiki & Polly Etsy shop. For custom prints - Lisa uses a photo and creates a line drawing or portrait on canvas from it (I so want to do this!!) - visit here.)

PS -- I didn't know about Kiki & Polly until Megan told me. ;)

stocking stuffer: for the bookworm

Hand-lettered and illustrated...


Gorgeous!


(Library Book Plates by Mary Kate McDevitt.)

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Pretty flowers and perfect plaid from Poppies & Posies...




I am so glad it's Friday, dear Friends. We now have three weeks under our belt of me back at work and my Twinkies at daycare. Things are going OK, we're definitely still trying to get used to our new routine. Thanks so much for all your well wishes!

Any plans for the weekend? I'm going to be a busy baking bee! I'm co-hosting a baby shower for my dear friend, Hill, on Sunday, and I have lots of treats to whip up for the big event. Besides that, I'm going to try to get some Christmas shopping done and also taking Henry & Amelia to a twins-only music class. It'll be fun to see lots of other duos on Saturday afternoon!

Have a great weekend!
xo, Kristin

(See the rest of the beautiful images at Once Wed.)

holiday wrapping

I think I just found how I want to wrap my gifts this year...





(Jolly Old St. Nick Labels from The Mini Mart.)

i want it now: felted picture frames

Lovely + handmade.





(Available here.)

i want it now: le creuset

Calling all cooks!

Sur La Table is having a big sale on Le Creuset cookware...

Classic cookware + you'll have it forever.
Just think of all the delicious meals you can make.
Now get shopping!

*UPDATE!* My darling Dearie was reading, and he got me my very first Le Creuset for Christmas! I love it! I love him!

(Available here.)

giving thanks + counting blessings

I am thankful for so much... Sharing the day with my family. Cooking with my mom. Smells of turkey wafting through the house. Breaking the wishbone.



...and pie. Lots and lots of pie.

Happy Thanksgiving!


(Pumpkin Pie recipe here.)

spotlight: pearl & marmalade letterpress

I {heart} letterpress...




I {heart} it so.


(Available from Pearl & Marmalade; their shop.)

design inspiration: rustic setting

A lovely table setting...


All that's missing is a big, juicy turkey!


(From photographer Lucas Allen.)

i want it now: knitted advent calendar

I know just where I'd hang this...


To count down the days to Christmas!


And yes, I realize it's probably a titch on the early side to be posting about Christmas. BUT it's an advent calendar, so if you wanted to order one, and wanted it here in time for December 1, you have to start thinking about doing so now! So really, I'm just looking out for you and your decorating needs and am not obsessed with the holidays approaching at all. ;-)


(Tiny Packages Advent Calendar from Garnet Hill.)

living inspiration: chic trio

I want to dress like them...



Each outfit is perfection.
And I can't stop staring at those pink shoes.


(Image via Pretty Stuff who I found via the adorable Mary.)

yum! cookies

I've got a bit of a friend-crush on Clotilde. The more I read her blog, the more I want to be her friend! I imagine how great it would be to pop over at her little flat on a quiet afternoon to talk about our fabulous French lives (in my imagination I'm French) and sip champagne as she whips up delicious nibbles and teaches me how to do the same.

I read Chocolate & Zucchini from cover to cover and have marked nearly every recipe to try. (Perhaps it would have been better to mark the recipes I didn't want.) A few of her recipes have made their way into our regular dinner rotation, and I have yet to meet a simpler, tastier cake than the yogurt cake.

So, knowing how great the others have been, I've simply got to bake these...


(Crisp Hazelnut and Pepper Cookies)


PS -- today is my first day back at work!

big announcement (well, for me at least)

I wanted to share some news...

After a few months of thinking about it and lots of long talks with the Hubby and close friends about it, I've decided to go back to work. And I start... TOMORROW! I'm going back only part-time - Tuesday through Thursday, and well, I'm really excited (and a little nervous!) to get back into it. I've missed being a designer quite a lot. While I'm at the office, the Twinkies will be making new friends and having new adventures at daycare.

I know it's going to take us quite a while to get used to things. And surely there will be times that I ask myself, "what the heck am I doing this for?" (Like when we're scrambling to get out the door in the mornings to get everyone to where they need to be!) But really this part-time gig is pretty awesome. I'll be at work 3 days, and the rest of the days I'll be home with my Little Beans. I think it's going to be pretty great, actually.

So, wish me luck!
I'll be sure to let you know how things go!

xo, Kristin

happy friday!

Hooray the weekend is here again!


Tonight is all about cuddling on the sofa with my honey and catching up on our taped TV shows from the week. Tomorrow I'm heading to a friend's house so we can start planning the menu for a baby shower we're hosting, and tomorrow night we're having some friends over for dinner. I'm making a cheesy baked gnocchi and a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. I'll let you know how it goes!

Any fun plans for you?

'Til Monday, then.
xo, Kristin


(I'm not sure where I got this image from. I saved it a while ago. If anyone happens to know it's origin, please do let me know so I can cite it properly.)

little knickers

Cutie patooties...

For him.

And her.

(From OlieBollen.)

sweet treats: tell tale preserve company

If only there were a way to actually crawl right into my computer so I could have just a taste...


Toffee has never looked so good.


(Treats from Tell Tale Preserve Company, which I first heard about here.)

design inspiration: welcoming entry

The entry in my house is pretty much non-existent. A little 5x5 box, with the main door on one wall, the garage door on another, a huge glass block window on the third, and a stairway leading up to the main floor on the last wall, there's not much in the way of space to move around, much less to decorate it in a way that says, "welcome, friends! kick off your shoes and stay a while."

This entry, however? Well, I'm already unlacing my sneakers...



All that light pouring in from the door, sidelights and transom is breath-taking. And I've always wanted an entry big enough to fit a center table.


(Image from Canadian House & Home.)

i want it now: thankful pencils

Happy Friday, Friends.

I was poking around online and had to share what I found...




Don't you love them?

How perfect to have a little reminder right there at our fingertips to be thankful for all we have. I, for one, am thankful for Suann and her brilliant ideas.

(Pencils available at SimpleSong Design)

i want it now: bedding

For years now, I've dressed my bed in all white - duvet, shams, sheets, everything. And I've been really happy with it. (Even with a black furry dog.) I think Karey M once wrote something about sleeping on marshmallow fluff, and I thought that just describes it perfectly.

But then I saw the collection of handmade Indian textiles over at Sang and Serena Co. and went gaga over it.

And now I can totally see my bed dressed in this...




(Sundial, by Sang and Serena Company)

back in the saddle again

What began as just a few days off quickly spiraled into a few weeks, and before I knew it a few months even, but I'm so happy to be back now. Hello friends! I hope you've been having a splendid fall. This is my most favorite time of year. Crunchy leaf piles, baked apples and sweater weather make me smile.

Just a few favorite fall things...

Trader Joe's pumpkin butter for breakfast.
Makes waffles taste heavenly.



Cozy pj's.
And tucking under a cozy down comforter for bed.



Orange and black.
Which, coincidentally, are my high school colors. go Phantoms!
(And, upon closer look, the stripes may actually be brown, but close enough!)



Trading in flip-flops for (beautiful!) boots.





What have you been up to? What's your most favorite thing about this time of year?

xo, Kristin