Fall Wreathes

With cooler weather just around the corner, I'm eyeing all of these delicious fall wreaths to add some zip to our front door as the seasons change.  What's your favorite?

fall burlap ribbon wreath

harvest wreath

fall berries

 oak leaves

pumpkins and sunflowers

images/etsy, crate and barrel

Christmas Decor

This year, now that we are settled in our new, cozy home, Christmas decorating is so much more meaningful and exciting!  Last year, we had just moved into a condo as a way station between selling our previous house and moving into a new home.  In the midst of unpacking, organizing, and caring for a 3-month old, I was reluctant to buy hang decorations for fear of putting unwanted holes in the walls, but now, my decorating enthusiasm is palpable!  Here are some of my favorite decorations for 2014.

luxe faux fur stockings

map of the North Pole postcards by Rifle Paper Co.

charming polar bear plates

festive felt garland

snowy bike doormat

vintage skis

print from how the grinch stole christmas

What Christmas decor are you eyeing this season?

Ikea Hack

Have you heard of an "Ikea Hack?"  This is the new jargon used to describe a piece of Ikea furniture that has been transformed after a little DIY magic (first spotted with this amazing transformation - lounge chair turned baby rocker).  I've always a fan of Ikea, thought admittedly I don't love the everybody-owns-the-same-stuff recognizable quality that some Ikea furniture has.  You know what I mean…when you survey a room and can immediately identify furniture pieces as "Ikea!"  However this website, Ikea Hackers seems like just the ticket - DIY twists on Ikea favorites, but at an affordable price tag.  All you need is a little elbow grease!

{loving this lego table}

Some other favorites: new cabinetry, an updated dresser, nesting table turned ottoman, and driftwood mirror.

via the soho

House Dreaming

My husband and I have the goal of moving to a bigger house sooner than later.  Our motivation is to be  closer to my family and to our jobs,  but also in an effort to omit a high-traffic bridge commute with an infant.  However, due to some unforeseen expenses, medical and otherwise, we're putting our move plans on hold temporarily until we can resume our down-payment saving schedule.  In the meantime, I find myself perusing redfin, pouring over desirable neighborhoods, bookmarking my "favorite" houses, daydreaming that one day we'll live there.

My ideal house wish list...

* open kitchen (ideally newer features/design, but that's not a deal breaker)

* on a safe street, part of a kid-friendly neighborhood with families

* a spacious yard

* a bathtub

* built in bookshelves

* natural light

 * hardwood floors

* a bay window with window seat

While our house is cozy and cute for now, I'm eager to relocate to cut out a commute and to add extra space to accommodate our baby's stuff, and provide her with ample room for crawling and exploring as she grows.

What are you looking for in your dream house?

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Lumina Pumpkins

I'm officially all about lumina pumpkins. Aren't they cool? The bright white is a lovely contrast with the traditional orange pumpkins of fall. Can you believe it's pumpkin season already?

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image/countryliving

image/lovefromcarrie

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Citrus Fruits

Wishing I had these prints to hang in my kitchen!

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Going Gray

I've decided to paint our bedroom. Now this poses a challenge when you live in a house that's already bold with color. When I bought this house last year, part of what drew me to the place was the color within. While I've always liked bold colors in theory, I didn't know if I'd ever have to guts to paint a wall such a statement color myself. But, as it turned out, I moved into a house already cloaked in deep reds and greens.

Initially I had thought we'd paint the bedroom with a cream or light tan color. Casual and cozy, right? I taped color swatches to the wall for a few weeks, but nothing looked just right. So instead in an effort to keep up with our unique house, we decided on a pale gray with blue and white accents. I haven't seen many gray bedrooms but I found some inspiring photos (see above) that give me hope!

Power Outage

I woke up this morning thinking, "Gosh it's cold today!" And then I went to switch on the light and whoops, no light. Translation = power outage. The winds have been rampant here in Western Washington, evergreen boughs are blowing all over the place, literally!

Luckily I have candles everywhere - which my fiance usually grumbles about but was quite thankful for today. (I made sure to remind him of this, btw). That combined with the iphone flashlight app had me back in business to maneuver around the house as I got ready for work.

Thankfully, our water heater is wonderfully large, and the water was still hot enough to take a shower. However, trying to style bangs without a hair dryer - well, that's another story. Needless to say I used bobby pins in abundance, which was semi-successful, at best. This prompted some interesting comments from my students including "You look SO different, I thought you were a sub!" from several of my style-savvy girls. Dang it!

Well turns out a tree fell on some power lines a few blocks away and thankfully power and heat are back on tonight (phew). And now I'm warm once again, curled up with my cat Jenga wearing cozy socks and basking in the warm glow of my Christmas tree. (insert contented sigh).

image/iamblessed

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Who says you need a real tree?

Someday, I want to try this bookish display in my house...

image/realsimple

House Hunters International

I just discovered a new show which I'm now currently obsessed with - House Hunters International on HGTV. I've never really indulged in any of the HGTV shows previously, because I made the blanket assumption that most HGTV shows would be about home projects or renovations, which I didn't think would keep me interested... And yet, I'm finding myself captivated by this show because they take home buying international!

I've been DVRing up a storm, and have watched potential buyers travel to Mexico, Morocco, Slovenia, and beyond in search of the perfect international home. I think it's more inspiring to me from the travel perspective than the actual home, but nonetheless, I'm enjoying my new TV find!

If you could buy a vacation home in another country somewhere in the world - where would it be? Right now I think I'm leaning toward France or Argentina (based on what I've seen on House Hunters International).

World's Coolest Penthouse

Is this not the world's coolest penthouse? It's like a geometrical wonderland, and it's all atop Seattle's very own Smith Tower (which back in 1914, was the tallest building West of the Mississippi!). The penthouse, affectionately known as "The Lighthouse," resides in this mostly commercial building as the tip-top residence, 462 feet above Seattle. What a way to grow up!

via youaremyfave

/nytimes

C-O-M-F-Y

I heart Scrabble tile pillows.

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Lovely Ladies

Aren't these ladies-in-waiting plates adorable? I'd love to purchase the whole set and then have all my girlfriends over for a lady-in-waiting dinner!

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Animal Doormat

Aren't these clever? Animal doormats! Definitely a way to make you smile every time you come home, and a way to make wiping your feet fun for kids. I can just imagine a mom calling out "don't forget to give the hippo a shuffle honey!..." If the price were right, I would totally get this for my classroom!

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Home is Where the Heart Is

Home is where the heart is (and where the pillows are). I thought these state pillows were kind of fun, especially if you're living in a state far from your roots. Then you can really feel (and squeeze) your hometown and feel the love!

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via designmom

Funky Vases

I'm kind of digging these funky, whimsical vases by Chive. Most of the vases I own are tall and sleek, which may serve as a beautiful centerpiece, but doesn't lend itself to good conversation across a dinner table. Trying to dodge a vase full of flowers to talk to your guests is never ideal. One of these low vases would be a perfect alternative. The best of both; flora and fauna and great conversation.

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Make a Racket

There's just something about these whimsical mirrors that I enjoy. Who knows, maybe someday when they decide to pay teachers as much as professional athletes...I'll have a country house and invite guests who'll pop in at their leisure to do recreational activities like tennis and putt putt golf whilst sip cocktails on the veranda...and I'll have tennis racket mirrors like this. Here's hoping...

via bluemoss

Chair Personality

I thought these were adorable, especially as an owner of hardwood floors - Chair Socks! A clever, creative way to dress up your furniture and resist scratching the floor. My fave is the argyle pattern. My chairs would be so chic!

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Practical Wishing

Now that I have my own house, a mortgage, my Christmas list is seeming more practical that splurge-worthy like years past. I mean who doesn't love new clothes, or shoes, or gift cards...

One thing I need this year though - though it seems all too practical and un-Christmasy, are these magnetic spice containers. They stick right to your fridge, how perfect and accessible is that? For lack of a good organization system, I'm been stashing my spices in a J.Crew bag above my refrigerator...classy, huh?

House Plant

Aren't these cute? I've never had much of a green thumb, but I think I could handle a small pin-cushion plant in my windowsill. They really do look like pin cushions, don't they?images/cupandtable