good long while

a goodie

I thought this was a great sneak peek on design*sponge.

denim patchwork

A friend of mine alerted me to this cool patchwork sleep sack. Isnt' it great?

speaking of colorful

I was paging through the february issue of martha, feeling sort of ho-hum about it, until I got to the page featuring lisa congdon and her collection of scandinavian enamelware. Love this photo!

handmade living

I recently bought this book. I read a review that described the book as feeling like you're hanging out with your most creative friend and she's giving you a tour of her home (or something like that) which sums it up pretty well. It's a casual glimpse into lotta jansdotter's home and workspace with a few project ideas and recipes. I really liked how approachable and low key it is but still totally inspiring.

the kitchen, continued

My biggest complaint about the original kitchen in our house was how dark it was (the corner sink that caused the countertops to dig into my hips while doing dishes was a close second). In all of the decisions that we've made for the kitchen so far, the goal of creating a light space has guided us.

We're working on the cabinets right now. We decided to reconfigure and reuse the original cabinets. They should go in sometime this week. Then we'll paint them and wait for new countertops. We're using the picture above for color inspiration. Light colored neutrals should keep the space simple and bright.

{argh, this is the one image in my kitchen file that I don't have a credit for. It's most likely from remodelista}

3191 quarterly

 

I'm really excited about the 3191 quarterly. After having so many beloved publications disappear over the last few years I can't wait for a new one to start appearing in my mailbox.

Stephanie and MAV's earlier blogs were some of the first that I read - back when I used to work in an office in Portland.  I'd always start my work days by showing up early to read blogs and eat breakfast (usually from the daily cafe) at my desk before tackling my daunting work inbox.

I've happily followed the 3191 ladies around the internet for a while now and am always inspired by their work. I'm so glad their projects and collaborations continue to evolve.

kitchen inspiration

 

We are about to embark on a big project on our house - a kitchen remodel. The existing kitchen in pretty sad so I'm looking forward to a much lovelier space. Details still need to be sorted out but we're getting close to starting.

I grabbed a few images of the heath stores in LA (top photo) and SF (bottom photos) and stuck them in my inspiration folder. I love the natural wood and the pop of color and texture from the tile. Of course open shelves brimming with stacks of heath ceramics doesn't hurt either.

We're heading a different direction with our space but maybe some kind of inspiration from these images will work its way into our new kitchen.

swimmy

 

 

 

I recently received the book Swimmy by Leo Lionni (it was a joint gift for me and the little one). The story is pretty good but I absolutely love the illustrations. Here are my favorite pages from the book.

I've been collecting children's books with illustrations that I like for quite awhile. Now that I have someone to read them to I imagine our collection will really grow. I think I'll post about more favorites here in the future.

more about dresses

I'm kind of stuck thinking about dresses right now. Part of it is the time of year. Spring weather brings out the dress love in me. But I've also thinking ahead to my brother's wedding in June - about a month after my due date. I have no idea what size I'll be and if anything from my existing wardrobe will work.

This dress by matta caught my eye. I'm intrigued by the whole one size concept - a dress shape that magically fits most. Sounds good in general but especially perfect for all of the changes my body is going through currently. I'd love to have a simple sewing pattern for a dress like this (and the motivation to sew a few of them in great fabrics).

a few bits

I've spotted a couple things online recently that have stuck with me....

First is Lee Mathews (spotted here and here). That dress in the top photo is calling my name.

 

 

Next is this nytimes article about a tiny home in seattle. I love all the simple wood and metal. Check out the slideshow here.

It's a gorgeous sunny day in ashland. I'm going to do my best to plant some of my veggie starts in our newly expanded garden. It's not so easy to bend these days. Wish me luck!