Let your hair down...then put it up

Image via Sweet Nothings

This summer I was inspired by braids (probably because my hair felt so hot on my neck!) so I did a whole round-up of different kinds of braids (here). Last March I fell for a fishtail braid that made its wearer look like a mermaid (here). Fickle hair admirer? Perhaps.

Maybe the formality of the holidays is still upon me, or the romance of the upcoming Valentine's Day has enticed me, but right now I'm loving an updo. Whether it's a bit undone (bordering on sloppy) or a perfectly chic chignon, all of the below updos look just so elegant to me.

Image via {this is glamorous}


Image via {wit + delight}, as spotted on ink and post


Image via hanneli


Image via it's mary ruffle

Now someone hand me some red wine (so I can channel my Parisian spirit), some hairpins and a teasing comb, STAT!

Fall style goal

Look like this every day:

Photo by The Sartorialist

Buttery soft leather jacket? Check. Oversized, comfy scarf. Check. Laid-back hair with a sunny visage? Check and check. Sounds like a plan...

A Barney-ism.

Today I woke up feeling like this:

I've been staving off a cold for a week now and the cold snap that has arrived (along with all the buckets of rain) hasn't helped me want to crawl out from under the covers anytime soon.

But enough with the whining! It's fall after all - beautiful leaves, fun things to do, cooler weather! - so I dug up a "Barney-ism" to give me a proper kick in the a$# for this Monday.

Wait for it:

Thanks, Barn.

I'm off being awesome (ha). See ya in a bit.

Photo 1 from High Street Market, photo 2 from Design Crush via ffffound.

Room and (inspiration) board

I love that the "inspiration board" / "mood board" trend of late gives me permission to tack up all the things I love/want/need/havetohave onto a bulletin board without feeling like a 1980s schoolgirl. And sometimes, the very inspiration board turns into a piece of art itself. Here are some of my favorites from the blogosphere:


Photo from sfgirlbybay, as spotted on Beach Bungalow 8.


Photo by Jeltje Fotografie, via the Style Files, as seen on Canadian House & Home.


Inspiration boards hang as artwork and command central in the entryway of Toronto stylist Sabrina Linn's home. Photo by Michael Graydon, from the August 2009 issue of Canadian House & Home.


Julie Richards of the blog SHELTER boasts an office with a colorful inspiration board - though I think the perky pink deer is my favorite little surprise.


Jamie Meares of I Suwannee corrals her photos and inspiration files with a criss-cross pink beribboned board.


John Derian's bulletin board is sprawling and colorful, yet somehow still artfully arranged. Image via simple + pretty.


Monochromatic but meaningful. Image via Simply Seleta.

Do you have an inspiration board of your own? Or just a junk board? Maybe your refrigerator doors? Perhaps I'll get brave and post photos of my own office bulletin board sometime soon (it's ever evolving).

I think I'm turning Japanese: bento box lunches

To all the moms out there (you know, my two friends who have babies), here's one for you: Have you heard of the website called another lunch? It's written by a mother of four who strives to make nutritious and visually appealing lunches for her kids, specifically focusing on using bento boxes to cut down on packaging and waste. The result is a slew of cheery eye candy that made me want to whip up some fun lunches - until I realized that B might not appreciate the colorful boxes and fruit cut-outs as much as a toddler might. Ah well...

If you actually have children (and not just large children in mens' bodies) in your life, here are a few of her delish preschool to elementary school appropriate lunches:



In case you're wondering, the contents of the above lunch include (from top left, clockwise): applesauce with some sprinkles on top and mini Saltines with a slice of cheddar cheese, grapes and cucumber, a PB&J sandwich (the beak is made from cheese), sliced hard-boiled egg, raspberries, organic yogurt-covered raisins. Sounds pretty good to me!


However, I'm pretty sure you're thinking "what effing mom has time for this?" (except since you're a mom you probably didn't insert the "eff" in there like I do. Oops!). Anyway, I don't even have kids and I'm already doubting whether I could muster up the energy/time to cut a duck out of cheese.

But, not all of the bentos shown on another lunch are complicated. In fact, most of them look pretty simple. This one is basically whatever was in the fridge, tossed into a container in a cute way:


Plus, these could work for grown-ups pretty easily too. Here are two workday lunches that made my stomach growl:



Looks pretty healthy to boot...

I'm not running out to buy these BPA-free bento boxes and mini-containers any time soon, but if I have kiddos in the near future, I'll certainly consider it. In the meantime, Cov, I'm looking at you - this is right up your (green, organic) alley and I'm pretty sure little Finn would be super psyched to find a mini shark made out of organic cheese or an Ezekiel bread sandwich cut into a fish shape in his lunchbox. ;) Perhaps I'll give making one of these for Finn a go when I come down to visit in November... Yay for loaner kids! (ha ha)

Lessons learned: Caroline DeCesare interiors

Goood morning! Today I'm feeling inspired by some interiors I came across on Full House (great blog, by the way) and thought I'd share some of the ones I really loved. The rooms are all designed by Caroline DeCesare and they're not only gorgeous, but also kind of "educational" (take that with a grain of salt since I am in no way a professional). The point is, there is something to learn from these rooms and the way the designer has brought in some quirky and creative ideas.

Like this room:

That barn door on a sliding track is kind of genius. It allows you to close off the living room for some quite or privacy, but doesn't close off the space.

Idea #2:

Don't be afraid to display interesting objects in unusual ways. I lurrrv these framed vintage bathing suits. Paired with the old sewing form but juxtaposed with the very clean furnishings, this room stays somewhat modern and doesn't get into kitschy territory.

I also love how she groups things:

I'm already a huge fan of a big ol' gallery wall (I have one in my own house), but this one seems especially awesome to me. I think it's because she's unified the objects with all black frames and has kept the items displayed to very graphic things.

Another fun idea:

I love that she's brought what look like house numbers inside. You could put up your actually house number, or even just your favorite number or something with significance.


In this room, a mirror is fashioned to look like a porthole window, giving the impression of a ship's cabin. So creative, and super easy to implement.

Another unexpected element is the thick rope covering these lighting cords:

It has a hint of nautical without being too theme-y, and adds some rustic appeal to the otherwise polished room.

So what do you think? Do you like these quirky elements and unexpected inclusions?

Presidential Letters

Image from Letters of Note, as spotted on Neither Snow.

Say what you will about The President, but I think anyone who takes the time to write an unsolicited thank-you note - and for an indirect gift at that - is a lovely person (especially if the person who is writing happens to be one of the busiest people in the world!).

Above, a note from #44 himself to Canadian author Yann Martel. President Obama read Martel's book, The Life of Pi, with his daughter and then penned a handwritten note, which included this sentiment:

"It is a lovely book — an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling. Thank you."

This & that

The ever-adorable and brilliant Joy creates some awesome "this & that" posts over on her blog, Oh Joy! Each "this & that" post includes a fashion wear and a home/life item that echo each other in some way, and they're always perfectly paired.

Here's a cute stripey example:

Original post here.

And one in plaid:

Original post here.

In an homage to Joy's creativity, I was inspired to make a match of my own. When I saw an amazing homemade wedding dress (based on a vintage dress form, to boot) recently, it sparked an image in my head of some Vera Wang note cards I had seen at Paper Source. The two sort of reminded me of each other, each with their vintage-y, doily-inspired feel, and a "this & that" of my own was born:


Wear this sweet eyelet dress, write a lovely note with that note set.

What do y'all think? It was kind of fun to make, actually! I just hope I'm doing Joy justice and not shaming her. :) I love the idea of the "this & that" - thanks for the inspiration, Oh Joy!

(And isn't that homemade wedding dress amazing?!?)

Some things I'm loving...

Today feels like a bit of a ramshackle day. It's the end of a much-anticipated holiday weekend, we're all trying to get back into the workweek, it's way hot again, and I have a dentist appointment (fun stuff).

Instead of trying to wrap my head around one singular, cohesive theme or concept, I thought I'd be a little fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pantsy and give you some of my favorites from the week. I hope you don't mind the visual menagerie. Maybe you're even in the same place I am and feeling a bit flighty? Well, if your brain can take it, here is a visual mix - a few things I'm loving right now:

I love a bride and groom with a sense of humor.

Photo by Braedon Photography, via Snippet & Ink

I love the subtle peek of lace, especially with a modern neckline (pic on the left).

Images from Stella McCartney's Resort 2011 collection

I love wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and the perfect neutral couch.

Photo from Domino magazine (RIP), via Shelter

I love a tufted chair (especially with nailhead trim!) and a cheeky pillow.

Photo from Style Files

I love a cheery door (especially in blue) and I looove quatrefoils.

Photo via Caitlin Creer Interiors

And with the lovefest concluded for now, I'm off to the dentist (love! not.). Please stop by again a bit later for a fun end-of-day post/query. Hope your day goes swimmingly. Ciao for now!

Inspired by... feet?

Before you get all weirded out, let me make this clear that this is not some foot-fetish kind of post. I'm realllly not into feet, but something about the below photo stopped me:

Isn't it beautiful? Maybe it's just the former dancer in me, but those feet are somehow so graceful. With them as an inspiration, I dug up a few more photos to help me get moving on this gray Wednesday. Hope you like 'em (and that you're not grossed out by the feet-as-inspiration...). :)

Doesn't this make you want to head out and dance the night away?


This one's a little cheesy, but if you scroll down, her bottom foot is actually pretty pretty.

But that may just be a dancer talking...

Speaking of, I need to remember to set my DVR for SYTYCD tonight!

Sources: photo 1- Mary Ruffle; photos 2&3- The Beauty File

Inspired by: marble

Photo by Lucas Allen, spotted on Sacramento Street

Marble is such a gorgeous mix of cool and composed yet luxurious and enticing. I've heard it's notoriously hard to care for, but with such eye appeal, how can you resist it? No wonder so many of the most amazing kitchens and bathrooms you see in magazines lean on marble so heavily.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Photo via dress, design & decor


Photo from Country Living


Photo from Elle Decor, via The City Sage


Photo from Freckles Chick


Photo from Erica of Moth Design, via Made By Girl


Photo from Erica of Moth Design, via Made By Girl


Room by Phoebe Howard, spotted via Katy Elliott

Let's not forget laundry rooms too!

Photo via decorpad

Do you like marble or think it's too cold? If I ever had A) my own home, B) a boatload of spare cash, and C) Martha Stewart as my personal cleaning lady, I'd definitely use carrera marble throughout my kitchen, baths and laundry room.

Run like a pro (who me?)

I'm going to put something out there, but promise not to get mad at me:

I hate running.

(I am scared of - and awed by - you, oh tribe of religious everyday runners...)

I mean, I totally *wish* I loved running - in theory it seems pretty amazing - but when I'm doing it, I pretty much want to chop my own feet off so I never have to do it again.

However, I just came across this Self Magazine article (via Have Your Cake) about proper running technique and tips, and am wondering if I've just been doing it wrong all this time.

For instance, did you know that "most runners strike the ground on their toes or heels, but ideally, you should land on the balls of your feet and push off"? I think I'm a "heel striker" - which makes total sense as to why each stride hurts my back and knees so much.

Dare I say these revelations (see other tips here) might be enough to inspire me to give running another try? Especially if it gives me abs like these:

Yikes.

If this 90-degree business breaks tomorrow, I might be willing to give it a try...
(I'm shocking even myself.)

(B, please remember and cite this high-falutin' talk tonight when I come home from work at 7:45 and am whining about being tired...) ;)

What about you all? Any runners out there? Any good running or general motivation tips? I need to get in shape before our beach trip!