The annual Kentucky trip happened last week, and let me tell you it was much needed. It was nice to throw caution to the wind and just go. Forget school. Forget work.

My aunt lives in a little town called Elkton and it is seriously the cutest place ever. All the homes are decorated to the nines, every one knows each other, and and they have amazing antique stores. Cue this baby.

A vintage capiz shell chandelier. With brass details! Only $62! 

I'd like to say there was no question in snapping this baby up. But that would be a lie. She is big, and fragile. But after summoning my aunts, googling the standard height for a dining table, having Evan measure our ceiling to floor height, and then asking the antique store for a tape measure I pulled the trigger. 

I am happy to report she traveled well. All I have to do now is run a light down the center and have the electrician come and install it. 

Hopefully it all works according to plan!

Simplify

These last few months I have really been thinking about buying things to fill up a room vs buying things that you truly love.  When we first bought our house I felt like everything needed to be done asap. So I started a bad habit. I bought things that I liked, but without purpose.  I hung up pictures to fill bare walls. And then I started looking around and I was surrounded by stuff. It worked in the space just fine, but it was stuff to fill up a house. I just didn't love it. And I really want to love everything in my home. 

Here's another story about this bad habit...When we were first engaged Evan and I bought a sofa and chair at a really cheap furniture place in town. I wasn't sure of my style and he liked it so I was like YES we love it! But then fast forward 6 months when they delivered them to our apartment and they arrived ripped. Then I started to notice the scale, color, and fabric just didn't work.  I have hated those things ever since. My mom told me it always takes one sofa and then you figure it out. 

I think it is starting to finally click. I need to slow down and really think about what I want and then search for it. If it takes two years to find that perfect sofa, it takes two years. 

So we had a garage sale last weekend and I really went through my home and got rid of the stuff that just wasn't working.  I seriously do feel better, even though I've got some bare walls.

I think it is really easy to get caught up in the "I will buy it because my house is empty" syndrome.  I love the design process. I mean, I love it so much that I am making it my career. I want my home to reflect that. What do you guys think? Are you on the same page, or do you have a different design philosophy? I would love to hear it!

Evan flew out on Friday for a weekend show in Colorado, so that of course means that I have been shopping online and looking at Pinterest way too much tonight. Then I saw this pin that my friend Lindsay posted.

Link

They are called long distance pillows and light up when your loved one is sleeping and lets you hear their heartbeat. So of course after watching the video on them I cried. It is just so sweet. And of course they are just a prototype or I would've already ordered them.

He is due to leave for a big tour in October.  Needless to say I am getting spoiled having him home so much. These would come in handy when he leaves! Gosh that boy..

Recently I did a little bit of thrifting and found some Readers Digest books for $2.50 a piece, which is a steal considering how pretty they are.  Books are the best for decorating.  They add height, interest or a pop of color to a vignette.  So if they are cheap and pretty, you know I am going to buy all of them.  Sadly there were only three.

My haul. 

Side note- I am completely obsessed with these John and Jackie Kennedy busts. I just want to look at them all the time. I can't explain it.

Anyways...

I checked Etsy and found some pretty good deals on them. Of course it's a bit more for shipping and handling, but not horrible.

$20 plus $6 for shipping.

Pattern and color! 

$4 plus $2 for shipping

This listing price is for one book and you can choose the colors. They look fun stacked like this. If you are wanting to do the color coordinating thing for your book shelf, these are a good starting point.

$20 plus $8 for shipping

These little ladies are from the 50's. The pastels/patterns are beyond beautiful. 

I am going to be forever searching for these now!  

paper crane mobile

Today is my favorite kind of day. A little bit of lazy, a little bit of fall weather, a good visit from my cousin and a little project to help me not feel guilty for being lazy.

I remember crying in 6th grade when my teacher read 1,000 paper cranes. Ever since then I have had a fondness for them. I used to have a bunch hanging from the ceiling before I got married. 

Then the movie 500 Days of Summer came out and I remember being in love with this scene.

And I needed to make it. But I never did. 

Then I got mail from a sweet friend. When I opened the card a bunch of tiny paper cranes fell out of it.

It was a sign that I needed some paper cranes in my life. So I started folding. Well first I watched a video to jog my memory and then I started folding. I had some left over Japanese paper that I used, but I am sure scrapbook paper would work great too. 

Basically all you need are some cranes, a branch, fishing line, a pot, rocks to secure the limb and a needle. 

After you fold the cranes you just thread the needle with fishing line and then thread the line through each crane and tie them to the branch. I hung them at varying heights. You know, to spice it up a bit.

After that I stuck the mobile into the flower pot and filled it in with rocks. 

Easy peasy.

I made it on our front porch while Evan crept Craigslist for guitars. I love how a little breeze will make the paper cranes "fly". It turned out to be a really simple and beautiful project!

Our house is a huge work in progress! When I say that, I mean we don't have pictures hanging up in bathrooms or curtains hanging in other rooms. It is a little embarrassing, considering what I am going to school for.  But that's just it, I am a student! I am so busy, which takes away from projects at home.

Lately I have been looking at wallpaper for a wall in our living room.  The wall is angled and connected with the stairs, so I think a hit of wallpaper would really break up the space nicely.

Here are some ones I have had my eye on:

C'est Magnifique

I love the whimsical feel it's got going on. It has just enough color to break up the space but not over power it.

Apothocary's Garden

This is a reproduction from 1926 which I love. All the colors are beautiful along with the design. I just love those giant grasshoppers! 

Woods Wallpaper

This wallpaper is super popular among the design world and I can see why. It has beautiful negative space, eye catching, and timeless. 

Daydream

I actually ordered a sample of this and I am pretty smitten with it. At first I thought it might be a little too kiddish, but after hanging the sample on my wall, I think it is graphic and awesome.

I am still keeping my eyes peeled, but these are all in the running. I want something fun, but not too trendy. Also something that meshes well with my vintage/modern vibe I've got going on.  

What do you guys think? 

Even though summer is halfway over (sorry!) it feels like it has finally started at our house. With the hubs home we have been jumping into summer head first. There has been swimming, scooter rides, southern style parties, snow cones and then more scooter rides. In between the days stuffed with summer catch up I have also been schooling and working at my new job. (at a design firm!! I am an intern, but still! Holy cow, so lucky) 

Needless to say we have been busy! But no complaints here guys, I swear. Actually I have some praises to sing.

To the husband: 

Thank you for always cleaning out the fridge/bleaching the shower at 12:30 am. You are neurotic and I love you. 

Thank you for rewiring my vintage lamps that I couldn't part with.  I am sorry for that burn on the carpet...  

To the postwoman:

Thank you for ringing the doorbell to tell us you loved our porch and how it's decorated.  That has been my project since it has gotten warmer, and you made my day! 

To Elton:

Thanks for licking my feet. I know it's weird that I love it so much. Also thanks for letting me snuggle you even though you'd rather not sometimes.

I feel like I should give everyone high fives too. I don't know, maybe I am on a sugar high from all of the snow cones! Whoo!