Home decor madness- Studio

We're going to have a spare room in our new house for a studio.
Enough said. Let the fun begin!

Is that a chalkboard wall?! I'm still not sure I love that idea, maybe a small magnet section?

Via an-margritt

This looks more like what my space will look like. I think I'd like a soft board to pin up my quilt squares. There's something I just don't like about cork bulletin boards. The pegs are a great idea, but I'd never be able to keep everything neat and tidy. And I love love love the long clean table. Could I pull that off? Maybe if I stuff all my junk into those drawers.

Via Apartment Therapy

Lotta Jansdotters studio. Hmmm...

Via Design Sponge

My space could also go in this direction. Love the open shelf unit, and those scissors, WANT! 

I think a nice colorful rug would be great to add some fun into the room.

Like this rug. I would buy it in a second if it was up to me. Y would never go for it though, which is too bad, because it is awesome!

Via West Elm 

I'm still not sure if we're going to leave the walls white, or paint one a different color, or all a different color. I'm always afraid that I'll get sick of it. I know it's only paint, but there's something that feels final to me, like it's a waste to paint over.

There are many rooms I find inspirational, but I don't think they will be realistic, or useful for me. Like I said before, I'm a bit of a clutter bug, and if I have the room to clutter, it will get messy.

The picture below, from Art as Life, is to die for. I love the armoire, the armchair, but I would stuff those shelves like there's no tomorrow. The studio tour is lovely, and there are some great ideas that I can actually use, but the example below is a big no-no for me.

Via Art as Life

I'm happy to have a direction, and I think most of the furniture for the spare room will come from Ikea, but I don't think I have a problem with that.

I know it will take a while to get the studio together, and I hope all hell doesn't break loose before it does.

I'm excited to start decorating my own space, and already have Decorate Workshop book in my Amazon cart, all ready to be bought and shipped out. I know though that once you start buying decorating books there's no end, maybe that's why I'm still waiting!

Yup, been there. Designers, I know you've been there too!

Three words. Orla Kiely AW13.

Quentin Tarantino Death Count. I always though Pulp Fiction had a bit more deaths than that!

I'm not a Sphynx Cat lover, but what a cutie!

Tapestry Oxfords. Yay or Nay? I'm thinking Yay.

There are two kinds of people in the world, you, and everyone else ♥

Valentines day count down

I don't expect to get anything special this Valentine's day, not because we don't want to get each other gifts  it's just that they never happen.
Flowers are always waiting for me when I get home from work, and I have about half an hour to admire them before we go out for dinner.
Sometimes we exchange gifts, and when we do, they're kind of, odd.
I got Y a Moby CD a few years ago. Another year I bought him a gingerbread man. One year I gave him a flask. Last year I think I bought him a magazine. I'm horrible.
Throughout the year I always give him little/big presents, whenever I see something I know he'll love, I can't help it. I also can't save it in my closet and wait for a "special day" to give it to him. Some months he gets super awesome presents just because.
Every year though, a few weeks before Valentine's day I "wake up" and start panicking about what to get. That's how I end up with such strange presents. I think Y will be getting a chocolate heart this year.

So, some ideas for next year? Better start planning now!

Bathing in Luxury

Combing through my etsy favorites, I didn't come up with that much. Mostly I have stuff I'd like to get. But every now or then I find something that obviously made me think of Y when I clicked that little heart.

Amy Sullivan prints

I think it was during the first year we were living together that I bought him/us a piece of art for the home. I think that's a nice tradition as well, there's so much I want to buy for the walls, that maybe this is a good time and reason. I've been eyeing Amy Sullivans prints for a long time, and I know Y will appreciate them as well.

I Heart You quilt, V and Co.

I could never finish a quilt or blanket and keep it a surprise for Y. This will be another one of those "just-because" presents during the year. I think that will looks sweet and homey in our bedroom.

Snuggling up to a good romantic movie. Could Moonrise Kingdom be though of as romantic? Whatever it is, it was sweet and made me feel gooey inside.
That's totally possible to do this year.

Moonrise kingdom, via Rotten Tomatoes

I guess I have a few more days to think about it, and if I see a must-buy, Y might even get something materialistic this year.
But really, a big hug and snuggle, is enough ♥

I really, but REALLY want these shoes.

I haven't heard of this series before, but now I've got to!

Beautiful, unconventional self-portraits.

Rebekka Seale is awesome.

Have a lovely weekend!

Finished it off on Friday

Yesterday I completed my Birds and Berries quilt, threw it in the wash and by the time it dried it was already too late for beauty shots.
Technically, I finished it off on Friday.

I love how this came out. I'm always amazed at how iffy I am before, colors don't match and etc. But then, when it all comes together, it's always so beautiful! Patchwork. That's the idea.

All fabric are from Lauren & Jessi Jungs line for Moda- Birds and Berries

What I love about this quilt is that it's not overly girly. The back is a light mint with tiny white dots, and the binding is a darker turquoise.It's easily a "modern little girls quilt". For the girl who doesn't like pink. The flowers aren't overdone either. 

I like how the back stitching gives it some more interest than just a plain back. I'm really happy with the color choices.

 A different kind of Zig Zag

I think I'm over Zig Zags, and want a more challenging pattern, but I have one more quilt whose fabric I bought especially for a zig zag pattern. Last night I cut out the squares and am super excited about it. More on that later though.

I hope it's okay to brag that my binding came out perfect!

I'm getting better with my binding. I finished it off in almost one sitting, during 2 Top Chef episodes. (I'm rooting for Kristen). I love this binding so much, I did have to grow on me though. I thought for sure it was too dark, but it goes great.

Y already has a few requests for the living room quilt I'm going to make. Timber & Leaf from Sarah Watts for Blend Fabrics is the fabric. The pattern, still unknown. He is in love with the foxes pattern.

I bought a half yard just to see, and it is even more gorgeous that the pictures online. It will make an amazing quilt!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Home Decor madness- The living room

I've been saving interior design pictures lately like I have a Mary Poppins Bag bank account (I wish).
Truth is, we'll be moving in August, and we'll finally have room to... Well, decorate, make the house pretty.
Y keeps saying that maybe we should just get an interior designers help, and I keep telling him to let me do it. Don't you trust me?
Yikes. I hope I can trust me. I really don't want a wonky looking living room.

I've been putting together an "inspiration board", which mostly comes from Pinterest. But I've also been folding down a hell of a lot of corners in several magazines.

Taken from En dag voor Sophie

We have a bit of a wall space off of the living room, and Y wants to put a bookcase. I absolutely love the look of the bookshelf (is it a bookshelf?) above, that you can display stuff and throw junk in it's draws. Not that I have junk...
But, I also like the idea of a reading nook. I'm thinking that somehow we could use Ikea's Borgsjo collection and make it work.

I love the idea of Photo/Art/Frame collages on the wall. I know it needs to be done properly though, otherwise it looks like a bit of a mess. The ones below are perfect.

Via House of Cards

Hus & Hem, via The Style files

We'll need to buy more art. 

Our tastes are so different, and there is SO many pictures and ideas around, I'm afraid I'll get lost and everything will sort of be mush.

I'm kind of trying to take it one square meter at a time, and once we actually move in be able to play around more. All I know is I want it to be cozy and warm, a house that looks lived in. 

A thought for next week, where should color come from in the bedroom? The walls or accents?

 

Adorable Home Via Design Sponge

Some favorite finds this week:

My new favorite design blog

As if technology didn't freak me out enough already

My latest shoe obsession

I wished I looked good in a ponytail!

What do we have in our pockets

This made my day better.

Directed by Goran Dukic

Etgar Keret is only one of my all time favorite authors.
I found out about him in high school, when a friend of mine told me I should come to one of his readings. I couldn't make it, but he lent me the book. I don't remember if I ever gave it back, all I know is that I have two copies... I read them both.
I got pathetic around grade 12, when I started carrying his books around everywhere in hopes I would meet him and he could sign a copy.
It never happened.
I used to be such a junkie. But seriously, his books got me through some tough times. I have so many favorite stories. I think those stories made me want to learn movie directing. My dream was to direct a short film based on one of his stories.
Imagine my happiness when I found out someone had already done that...

The story about the angel is one of my all time favorites, and it was exactly as I imagined in the movie. The story, "The Angel", is taken from his book "The bus driver who wanted to be God". 

I did however meet him years later while watching the movie Jellyfish, and he had a Q&A afterwards. He was as cool as I always expected him to be.

The movie is lovely and melancholic, about loneliness and the happiness that can be found buried underneath it all. It's painfully sad at times, and the acting is wonderful.

The movie was directed by him and his wife, Shira Geffen. She writes darling childrens books these days. When I have a little one I will most definitely read them one. Or two...

Goran Dukic also directed the movie "Wrstcutters" which is based on the slightly longer novel "Knellers Happy Campers". This story is a bit more... on the darkish side. It's definitly less funny than the rest of the stories, but the feeling are so real. There are so much you can relate to, sentences that seem like they were made for me, sentences I wish I had said first. A must read.

Now, back to business... 

I had a pretty great day until this evening. Things just got bad. Looking through our news site I came across a new short film based on a story by Etgar Keret. The film will be debuting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. 

I like this one a lot because I too, have a lot in my pockets. And bag. I have a lot of  important stuff in my bag. I can relate. 

What's in your pockets?

Dear Creatures Spring 2013 Wishlist

Two years I got fed up with shopping. I always remembered a bit too late that I need clothes, and by then it was clearance, and no sizes left.
Even if I did remember on time, it seemed that I just didn't find anything. Too flowery, too tight, too short, way too saucy.
Let's not talk about shoes.
Last year Y caught me looking through the Dear Creatures site and told me I should buy their whole collection. I didn't of course, but it got me thinking. Two months ago I bought my first clothing on-line. I had my eye on the Dear Creatures winter line since it came out, and knew I would be sorry if I didn't try it out.
I bought The Cat's Meow in red (yellow was my first choice, but not available) from Ever + Mi Crush.
They have the most amazing customer service. Ever.
The main reason I don't buy clothing online is sizing. And fitting. The dress I bought was slightly large, so I exchanged it for a small. I was iffy about sending it back and forth, but within a week and a half I had my dress, perfect as perfect could be.
I am so happy I finally made "that step".

Have you seen Dear Creatures Spring collection? I am coveting so much of it right now.
Emerging Thoughts is having a pre-sale on the collection. Dangerous.
So, what's on my list you ask?

Both are really cute, but I have my eye on the Teal Mustard. It helps to know I look good in a wrap dress like this too.

Adorable. I'm not sure how good I look in that many stripes though.

This is even more adorable than the stripes. I'd go with the yellow, just to make my day brighter.

The contrast trim really adds to the dress. (Those blue/yellow shoes!!!)

Because cute tops are so hard to find. Love the brown grey version. This would look great with a pair of jean shorts, which I live in during the summer.

You can check out their whole Spring collection here.

All images are taken from the Dear Creatures website.

Finish it off Friday?

I wish weekends had more days. I'm so tired during the weekday evening I leave everything for the weekend.
Then I stay up way too late to finish everything, wake up Sunday morning exhausted, and the cycle just continues. I need a good nights sleep.
I started my adventures in quilting way too long ago. The reason why only now I'm finishing my second one, is because, well, weekends are too short.
This quilt is made from the lovely Birds and Berries, by Lauren and Jessi Jung for Moda. I knew I had to have this collection the second I saw it.
It is as lovely as it looks, but a bit troublesome. I bought the charm pack because I'm still terrified of anything but. It seemed there wasn't enough purple squares, or yellow. I couldn't make a simple zig-zag quilt because I didn't have enough, or had way to many of one color.

Charm pack was purchased from Designs By Donelle 

I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to matching colors, and I was really bummed about it. Especially because the purples were so pretty.
I ended up arranging it in an altered zig zag fashion. sort of zig zag, but not quite.

I bought the backing from the same collection, a very light mint with tiny white dots. The binding is also from the same collection, it looks like peacocks. The birds are all over this fabric. Sort of like "Where's Waldo". I think I read in their blog that there are more than 40 different birds in this line. That's a lot of birds.

Backing and binding was purchased from Lily Rose Quilts

Last Friday I bought the filling for this, and my plan is to try and quilt it tomorrow. I'm going with simple straight-ish lines along the zig zags. I like the clean look of it. If all goes well, tomorrow evening I start binding. Throughout the week I should be able to sneak in some hand sewing to get it done by next- Finish it up Friday.

I think there should also be a "Start it Saturday" (Or Sunday). Last week I also bought the fabric for my very own weekender bag. Just looking at the directions scare me, but I've read plenty of good tips, and have a bookmark called "weekender bag help", so I know I'm not alone. I cannot wait to make the cording, and well, actually finish it. I know it will be super useful, and hopefully not that hard as it seems.

But, more on that when I actually begin!