Kid art explosion

Kids produce art at alarming rates. I love this display idea. (Photo: Isabella & Max Rooms Via madebygirl)

Then add flooring

Thinking of using Flor tiles for the cement office floor. Maybe this combination will be too much when paired with my new curtains.

First step: Make curtains

Here are the curtains I made for my new basement office:


Hanging up they will look way better, I assure you. The fabric is "Garden Trellis" by Michael Miller. It's lovely and graphic and the pink is not too pink, but more of a raspberry sorbet. Using the ribbons for curtain tabs was an afterthought, but I love orange and pink together.

Here's my Colourlovers palette for the room:

Here's another inspiration picture from Elle Decor:


I love the breezy feeling in this picture and the Roberta Roller Rabbit blanket in the background really should be mine.

Can we go?

Date: 1/5/2010
To: Hubby Chris
From: Alice
re: Vacation to Palm Springs

Below, I've illustrated some of the top reasons why we should go to Palm Springs in March. Please advise.

Exhibit A:
Ace Hotel Swim Club (looks totally rad):

Exhibit B:
This could be us! (in 20 years and naked, but whatever):

Exhibit C:
Disregard early photo of nudists and check out the robots:

Exhibit D:
And the cacti:

Exhibit E:
Joshua Tree is nearby:

Please respond.

Best,
Your wife

Charlie Brown Christmas

Screenshots from the best Christmas movie ever.

A room of my own!

We're almost done with the downstairs room and I'm so excited to finally have a room of my own! Growing up, I shared a room with my younger sister until I was 13 and as an adult I've had my own room for a cumulative three years, the rest of the time sharing with live-in partners. That means I've only had my own space for eight of my *cough* 36 years.

I've had so many day dreams about what the room will look like, what color paint, what pictures I'll put on the walls, what type of rug, etc.

Here are some of my inspirations:

Fabric: Amy Butler, Inspiration boards via Decorology

A Drawer Full of Cuteness

Isn't this the sweetest idea? Sharilyn, the mom and blogger behind lovelydesign created these perfect sized boxes to hold her daughter's dishes and cutlery. It's such a kind way to help a toddler stay organized. She also kindly included directions to make perfect boxes of any size. So cool!

Well aren't you the horse's mane?

I'm detecting a trend: giant photographs of horses, especially horse manes and faces. Here are two examples:

The first is a room by Garret Cord Werner from Seattle, and the other is in the bedroom of Francisco Costa, creative director at Calvin Klein. Here's another by Tony Stromberg that could look great in a large size print:

Gorgeous imagery, don't you think?

Happy Weekend!

It's so cold and rainy here in Portland and this morning we woke up to a smashed window in the car and missing GPS. Not a fun morning of calling the insurance company, glass replacement guy, and the cops. Pretty much three people you don't want to ever talk to.

Anyway, I am looking forward to this weekend and some q.t. with good friends and maybe cleaning up the house a little. But where would I really love to be? Sitting on this porch in Mississippi with a good book and a warm breeze.


(Photo by Anne Coogan of her porch in Starksville, MS, via design*sponge)

Gorgeous Poster Art

Poster art for the film Precious by Ignition Creative. Stunning!

I've got the itch to take a road trip...

Don't you just love these gorgeous images from photographer Anna Wolf? Makes me want to load the family into a van and drive off somewhere without a map or a care in the world.

What a great way to vacation!

(Photo by Light Locations)

Looking for the perfect table lamp. (Are you out there?)

We're in the market for a really cool table lamp; a piece that is surprisingly difficult to find. We have some parameters: It should be big enough to make a statement on the large side table near the couch, but not heavy in case the baby finds a way to bring it down, and should cost less than $150.

Here are some of the contenders:







(I like this one because it will give the room a shot of color.)

(From top: Hi-Light Task Lamp from PBTeen, Phoebe Table lamp from Crate and Barrel, Jack lamp from Crate and Barrel, 60 Degrees Table Lamp in Red by George Kovacs )

I have such a creative girl crush!

I love the photos by this talented group of photographers who gathered in Marfa, TX for a creative convergence and have the photographic evidence to prove it!



(Photos by brooke schwab texas, millie holloman north carolina
sarah rhoads washington eliesa johnson minnesota kelly moore louisiana
carmen nauseff ohio melanie mauer kentucky cheryl muhr texas kristy behrs oregon lyndzee ellsworth california amy smith florida laura muehlendorf virginia shannon sewell washington jesse chamberlin georgia davina fear north carolina)

Why drive a Jag when you can drive a cupcake?

I love the idea of riding around my (imaginary) estate in a cupcake-shaped car! It is battery powered, tops out at 7 mph, and I'm not sure, but I think the hat comes with it.

(From the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, 2009)

Vintage oversized sunglasses. So cute!

I'm a huge fan of sun glasses. I love these vintage ladies and their specs!





(All from the LIFE archive. Photo #4: Carole Lombard from 1938 by Alfred Eisenstaedt)

My life would be so much better if I had endless amounts of money...

I was wheeling the baby through the Pearl District this afternoon and had to check out Anthropologie. Oh, that store makes me SWOON! It's like they've created all of the clothes that I believe I should wear and the home decor I believe I should own and then placed them in one gorgeous menagerie of a store to taunt me.

For instance this top:



I would be so much happier if I owned it.

(Flourishing Filigree Top, $68)

Isn't this the neatest?

"We Grew Together,"mixed-media illustration by Angela Stasio available here.