Spring is on it's Way!

It was amazingly warm today in Chicago at around 64 degrees..in March!  That's almost unheard of really, in these Midwest parts.  We think 40 degree weather is nice this time of year.  I got started on my indoor bulb planting to celebrate the weather today and I hope these babies bring much needed color and brightness to the place because in all honesty we need it!  What's the weather like in your neck of the woods/rainforest and what are you doing to celebrate the changing of seasons?

Gifts from White Nest

  Top photo by me.  All other photography by White Nest.

Joe and I look forward to the Renegade Craft fair every year in Chicago.  It's just a great vibe with yummy eats and such a collection of crafty talent it makes my head spin (but in a good way)!  I love to talk with the artisians that set up shop every summer.  It's nice to get to know who you buy from, right! Joe noticed my loving gaze when we entered the booth of White Nest.  But being his sly self he just pretended not to notice.  So it was a nice surprise indeed when I recieved 2 lovely gifts from White Nest for the holidays!  Can you tell I love birds?!  Haha, well now they have a space on my wall and on the couch.  They are both minimal works of art and I am happy to have them in our interior mix!  They are currently having a great sale right now if you'd like a piece for your home too.

Book Review: Amy Butler Midwest Modern

 

Photographs by David Butler

Happy Monday to everyone today!!  Today I'm happy to share a book review of one of my most creative inspirational people..Amy Butler.  She is and continues to be a creative force in the fabric design, pattern, and craft world.  Constantly expanding her hard and soft lines to include everything from plates, rugs, wallpaper, bedding, patterns, and a line of stationary (just to name a few).  I received this book Midwest Modern from my brother a few years ago for Christmas and I still reference it to help me whenever I am stuck in a creative rut or just need a fresh new perspective on things.  It's more of a lifestyle book and I think that's why I keep this book within arms reach on the bookshelf at home.  My favorite section of the book is getting a tour of her interiors where she displays a lot of her fabrics and patterns as a kind of rotating gallery of products while getting a glimpse of her studio space on the lower level of her home.  How fun to be able to divide your home into a completely separate work and live space!  A girl can dream, right?!  I hope to make room for this dream someday down the road at our next place.  But for now I'm glad to have a book where I can seek new creative ideas in design, home interiors, prints, fabrics, and home/work life. 

March Happy!

Hello to a promise of warmer weather and sun rises on my way to work!  I welcome March today with open arms in hopes that I'll be winding down on wearing multiple layers to keep warm. And I welcome this week with a hope full outlook as Joe and I returned yesterday from a long ski weekend we took with family and friends at Granite Peak, WI.  Our weekend was filled with good company, deer and moose sightings, cozy fires, board games, and of course skiing! The time spent away was totally what I needed to come back to my comfortable surroundings.  Don't you just miss your home and love it that much more when you return from a trip?!  We walked in last night after being gone for two nights and the first thing I couldn't wait to do was fall into my clean bed! And a few hours later, I did :) Today I wanted to share some wall stencil inspiration.  A perfect solution for renters like us who still want to add a punch to our walls. I like to give Joe a say in the decor details, he does have to live with them too after all :)  We are almost in agreement with this one from Cutting Edge Stencils. I love the soothing graphic shapes and I can't wait to see how it will look in our kitchen.  The stencils from the photos below are from Royal Design Studio. Any home projects on your to-do list for this month?

Home Happenings

Happy Monday to you all. It felt great this morning to stretch my legs after spending a much needed weekend mostly at home. And for great reason too, our couch that we've been much anticipating has finally arrived!! Joe and I love it and after being without a comfy place to unwind at the end of the day for weeks now, it's a much needed piece of furniture especially around this time of year. The only changes I made in the solid pillows was a switch in color. I traded in the turquoise for a chartreuse pair. I love the pop of color against the charcoal gray couch.

I also treated myself to a sheepskin throw I've had my eye on for a while. I love the soft comfy texture against the Herman Miller chair.

Oh and a little greenery on my kitchen window sill is well on it's way to sprouting. I planted these paper whites a few weeks ago and am enjoying watching them grow a little more each day.

The Goodwin from West Elm

It's been decided and done! A few weeks ago Joe and I placed an order for our biggest purchase to date... a couch!! I couldn't be more excited to be receiving this comfy piece of furniture in a few weeks, just in time before the cold of winter sets in too. If your in the market for a couch or simply some fun decor ideas West Elm is the place to check out. The prices are affordable (our Goodwin rang in at 25% off the purchase price), the quality is comparable to that of Crate & Barrel and a growing number of their products are made under sustainable conditions. How can you beat that?

Goodwin in Slate.

Wednesday Wishes

Happy Wednesday to you all!! This week, since I'm officially packing up I am craving some cozy comforts for this weeks wishes and have found some great examples to fit my mood :) What are some comforts that you seek out at the end of each day?

I wish to create a cozy nook/reading corner.

I wish to spruce up the backyard fence by creating a row of these wooden boxes.

I've saved the best for last! My feet would thank me each day for having one of these
hand knotted cotton rope rugs. Jump over here to the shop to inquire or dream some more over this beauty!

Home is where?

Prints by Forever is Today

I've struggled with being an urbanite and country gal most of my life. Which is a good reason for me to be a renter right now in this stage of my life. I seem to bounce back every few years from living in the city to living in the surrounding small towns. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to both that's for sure. I feel at home in both most of the times. I crave for big open fields while in the city and crowded walkways and public transit while in the outskirts of town. Perhaps one day I'll pick one to set roots in, but for now I'm having fun moving from town to city :) What about you? Are you drawn to one environment more than another or are you like me who enjoys switching back and forth to live in both environments?

Hello lovely readers!

Hello! I'm back after a week of getting my life in order. You know when life & work seem to not want to be on the same page with each other, yeah that's where I've been this last week and a half. But I'm happy to announce that after only 2 days of scouring for the perfect Chicago apartment, Joe and I have at last found a new place to call home! I am almost certain that luck was on our side this weekend when we found this place. The current tenants were actually moving out when we asked very nicely if we could get a quick tour of the apartment. As soon as I stepped in, it felt like home! Our new place is a 900 sq foot coach house with lofted bedroom. It has really high cathedral ceilings, which helps the space feel even bigger than it really is. It also has a roomy kitchen with french doors that open to a small back deck. We even have a little patio in the front and a patch of lawn to call our own in the backyard :) Our landlords are super nice and artsy (a nice plus, for sure!) I can't wait to start painting, decorating and transforming our new cozy nest :) I'm taking a few days off at the end of this month to begin the nesting process and I promise to take photos of the progress along the way. Until then I am in and out of the photo studio this month, so posting will be limited. Lots more to stay tuned :)

Illustration

{Pin it Forward} What home means to me

I'm excited to be taking part in sfgirlbybay's Pin it Forward theme of what home means to me. This is such a close topic for me as I'm in the midst of finding a new home for two this month. One of the most important aspects in creating a home (for me) is creating a place where I can let go and let love in through art, color, DIY projects, cozy nooks, patterns, entertaining, and dreaming. Check out my pin interest board here to see more.

A place where DIY is always welcome.

A space to cozy into for the afternoon.

A place to play with pattern.

A place to entertain in.

A space to speak my mind.

A space to renew.
A place to gather memories of loved ones.
A space to play, work, and create.

Be sure to check out the Pin it Forward schedule to follow other bloggers as they post about what home means to them. Check out today's line up over at some of these lovely blogs Living Fresh, Sylvie's Garden, Lavie Boston, and Good Measure (to just name a few). Enjoy :)