the haystack needle

poetry rugs

Can you believe these are rugs? Wow, I'm speechless. And not only is that pretty calligraphy in French, but the poetry comes from Aesop's Fables. Didn't you love reading Aesop's Fables growing up? I remember loving those fantastical tales. I spotted these cool rugs on Home Infatuation — also adore the Cow designs.

staircase runner

My friend Sue-Anne is moving into an apartment with a staircase (lucky girl), and she said it needs some decorating help. I'm still stuck on all the ways you can makeover stairs with paint and wallpaper. But I am in love with this idea: make-under your staircase by stripping any paint to see the lovely wood grain, and then sew together a linen runner made from vintage linen feed bags. Loodylady is the Vermont-based source for these vintage linens. The look feels very French to me, and that's always a good thing.

{discovered via remodelista}

recycled cake tin

Remember how I wished for a trolley and then (miraculously) found a vintage shoe trolley at the Brimfield market? Here's something I'm hoping to find on the next flea market hunt: a vintage French brioche tin with a lovely aged patina. Look how this cake tin was transformed into a recycled pendant shade! I love it. We can't do much about lighting in our rental right now, but if I found one of these, I'd save it for that someday dream home.

I scanned this photograph from one of my favorite home books, Simple Home (by Mark and Sally Bailey, published by Ryland Peters & Small.) The photography is by Debi Treloar. The book is full of inspiration with an industrial vintage meets recycled style.

start of christmas + gift guide news

We haven't gotten our tree yet, but I've added a few simple touches of Christmas to our apartment. I bought two strands of the natural star garland by David Stark for West Elm. I hung one strand vertically along a column in our place, and layered in one of my treasured hang cards by Ess & Jae (a stationery company that sadly is no longer around, as it was one of my all-time favorites.) Hooray for a more natural noel.

The mini decorating spree started with me being too short to put our drink dispenser back in its spot on top of our kitchen cabinets (even with a stepladder — the cabinets are so high up!). Call it laziness or impatience to wait for Dan's help, I decided on a new "holiday" location for our drink dispenser. It's now on one of our side tables filled with bits of Christmas. I need a few more ornaments, but in the meantime I stuck in some bakers twine and vintage Santa paper that's making me happy. Have you started putting up your holiday decorations? Christmas decorations make home feel so cozy.

And starting tomorrow, I'll be sharing a special week-long Gift Guide series that I've compiled for you!! I'm excited to share a ton of gift ideas that I've been scouting out. Most of the gifts will be from smaller, independent shops and sites — and there will be many handmade finds. I think this year, more than ever, it's important to support the small businesses, so I made that my focus.

pharmacy bottles from another time

Yesterday I was talking to my mom and my Nanny (translation, my wonderful grandma) about little things that have changed in just a generation. I told them about this insight I'd read on some blog that stuck with me: how my kids will never know what it feels like to wait around at home for a phone call from a boy. It was funny to hear about my Nanny's phone setup back in her day: one single shared phone (the old dial-up kind) in the living room. Absolutely no privacy. My mom noted how this generation of kids may not know how to read a map, thanks to GPS. There's so much that gets easier with new technology and plastic this or that, but sometimes it makes me a little nostalgic to think about what gets lost.

Dan and I begrudge going to the pharmacy. My pharmacy experience is so impersonal, the wait is always longer than you think it will be, and then you go home with this plastic orange bottle smacked with a label that doesn't even come off in the dishwasher (I tried last week, hoping to recycle the bottle without risking identity theft. Although I'm unsure whether the bottles are even recyclable?). If prescriptions still came in lovely glass bottles with fantastic labels like these, maybe I'd like going to the pharmacy. Yes, please, I would love an entire pharmacy bottle collection.  Looks like we've lost some style in the pharmacy department. {I spotted these cool pharmacy bottles on one of my favorite sites, Three Potato Four.}

easy halloween decorations

Halloween will always be a big day in my life, as funny enough, Dan was born on Halloween. (And, ironically, he's not big on Halloween costumes.) We're headed over to a friends' place tomorrow night for a Halloween party. I'm bringing some spooky luminaries that I made (and took all of 15 minutes to create using fishnet stockings!), plus a few favorite finds from Martha Stewart's Halloween collection.

A few weeks ago, I was clearing out my dresser of clothes that I never wear. I found a pair of black fishnet stockings that I probably have not worn since 2001 and a pair of black lace stockings that had a hole. When I put my hand inside the fishnets, I realized they remind me so much of spider webs. So I grabbed some mason jars and snipped the fishnets to create spooky sleeves for the jars. You don't need any adhesive as the fishnets will cling to your jar (just steer away from little 4 oz jars that won't stretch the fishnets enough.) Simply snip your stockings and plop a tealight inside — instant Halloween luminaries for the table. I even wrapped a fishnet sleeve around my ceramic mason jar lantern (by the amazing Alyssa Ettinger) to add a little Halloween to our bathroom.

I love the design of Martha's "poisonous" beverage labels. Aren't these fun? I'm going to slap one on the bottle of wine we bring to the party. But I even like the labels as decor on their own. The Arsenic label is my favorite. And my great white pumpkin from Jungle is getting in the Halloween spirit with spider pumpkin transfers from the Martha Stewart Crafts line. The transfers were so easy to do. 

Hope you have a fun Halloween weekend! I'm off to work on some birthday treats for Dan!

rachel ashwell shabby chic, take two

On Thursday, I ventured to SoHo in the rain for a party celebrating two decades of Shabby Chic, Rachel Ashwell's new book (Shabby Chic Interiors), and the opening of Shabby Chic Couture shops. The iconic Shabby Chic brand also took a hit from the recession and actually filed for bankruptcy last January. There was an article in the New York Times about Rachel Ashwell and Shabby Chic's comeback story. I love hearing stories of making it work (as Tim Gunn would say), amidst all the sour news of this economic crisis. The party was fun — David Stark did an amazing job of styling the space for the soiree. Just look at those flowers!! The shop felt like one pretty, comfy, girlie, English fairy tale.

 

When Shabby Chic was founded in 1989, people more often adopted the entire look as a decorating scheme. The tides have shifted (thanks in part to Domino, I think) and now people decorate with soft, girlie Shabby Chic elements as an accent rather than a room filled exclusively with ruffles, flowers, and dusty colors. My style is definitely more industrial chic, rather than Shabby Chic. (Jane just posted a great piece on industrial chic style.) But I appreciate how a mix of styles is what creates the surprise in design. I'd love one of those giant fabric pendants (that looks like it came straight out of the costume collection of Bright Star) in our loft. Rachel's Shabby Chic collection is lovely, especially in person, and the shop feels so cozy and inviting inside. The lighting was my favorite — lots of filament bulbs everywhere.

Here's Rachel, who makes age 50 look fantastic. And her new book takes you through the rooms of her Los Angeles house. Her home is filled with vintage furniture, and the look of pretty but imperfect. And she clearly has a love of little treasures. I can relate. I think I spent 80 percent of my packing time for our last move wrapping up little, quirky treasures I've adopted.

 

Rachel Ashwell has a popular line at Target you probably know, called Simply Shabby Chic. The photo above is a peek at her Target collection. The dishes are so sweet and romantic. Her Target line includes bedding, dishware, and even fabric banners.

The party food was delicious. They had cupcakes, my favorite!

 

All of these lovely photos are by the super Patricia Willis. Patricia is sunshine. And the party was a bright spot on my Thursday.