Add This to the List of Things I Wish I Thought of First...

There are all sorts of websites out there recording the best and worst of society.

We have Awkward Family Photos...

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We have People of Walmart...

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Now I present to you my favorite-- My Parents Were Awesome!!! Ranging from the adorable to the wacky, this site is precious and I can't wait to search for a contribution of my own.

 

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Happy Browsing!!

Back to School

I am absolutely stunned that it is almost October. Where has September gone? Although I am not in school anymore I always think about back to school preparations and shopping for school supplies-- especially finding that perfect outfit for the first day of school. I want to hit up the office supply store for new pencils, folders, and all of the other gear that I couldn't live without.

I have been seeing blackboards and blackboard decals with colorful chalk everywhere lately. It brings back the days pre-whiteboards and projectors in a super fun way...

I really want this blackboard decal for my fridge- it would be a great way to remind my roommates about bills being due, a fun party that weekend, or that we are out of trash bags.

 

via  Etsy

They are used soo cleverly in this bakery located in California, as seen on simplesong. It's a great way to show the changing menu items (the cupcakes look delish too!)

via here

Photographer Sharon Montrose and her husband have an old fashioned schoolroom blackboard in their home. Apparantly her husband surprised her with the below image. I would be so psyched... the bikes are totally adorable and he even created an Etsy site, selling prints of his bicycles (see ChalkChalk).

via  here

See- super versatile, not to mention fun, throwbacks to elementary school. I think that's what I like most about the blackboard- so many options, from lists, menus, to works of art.

Hidden Places

My lunch break 95% of the time consists of the 15-20 minutes that it takes to run somewhere to grab a sandwich that I inevitably end up eating back at my desk. Every now and then, when there is more time, I like to escape outside.

This post from DC on a Dime (see here) talk about the courtyard at the National Portrait Gallery as a great quiet spot in town that most people don't think about. I would add the Botanical Gardens to the list of quiet escapes.

During the warmer weather I like to wander through their gardens but when it is chilly outside, the warm tropical conservatory is a great remedy to S.A.D. that we all try to avoid in the dreary winter months. Even better- during the holiday season they build replicas of all of the DC landmarks out of plants...

(gorgeous photo via flickr user Alicia Griffin)

Project

I am a huge fan of finding pieces of furniture at thrift stores like Goodwill and transforming them into something much much better than they were before. This is something I probably inherited from my father who took me to flea markets and antique shows when I was younger in search of some fantastic find.

In college I found this great side table that had a really neat column but horrendous base and top. Here is what I turned it into:

More recently, I found a coffee table at Goodwill for only $15. It has a great shape and just needed a good sanding and coat of paint. I went with navy, as it is one of my favorite colors these days, and went well with my mustard/gold couch and chair as well as the olive green rug. I was pretty happy with how it turned out. I also went ahead and painted a seagrass lamp left behind by a prior roommate while I was at it. Here is my living room now -- 

For my next project, I want to find something similar to what is seen in the first example in this post from Design Sponge, my go to resource for home decoration tips.

Here is the before--

Here is the after--

Now I just need to find a similar vase...

(photos courtesy of my camera and Design Sponge)

Spotted

My friends and I often joke about finding Mr. One and Only via the craigslist missed connections section. Most of the posts are pretty ricidlous- I mean, who really remembers the guy in the red car they saw at the corner of x and y street on their morning commute? But hey, who knows- maybe the cute guy I made eye contact with at the sandwich shop was soo smitten that he couldn't forget that moment and he had to take his search to craigslist. Yeah- super unlikely to happen but it's fun to talk about.

That is exactly why seeing these illustrations on a Kottke.org post by artist Sophie Blackhall (here is her website) made me smile. Blackhall takes an actual missed connection and turns them into works of art. I really want to give one as a gift...or maybe to keep for myself. This is such a clever idea and you can purchase them on her etsy site.

This is my favorite, I think.

The Bangle

Matters of Style- one of my favorites- did a post last week about bangles. This could not have come at a better time. I love bangles and after a visit home added three new ones to my collection, straight out of my mother's jewelry box (all gold- one solid, one like bamboo, and one with diagonal lines).

One problem with my decision to make the bangle my signature accessory for the fall is that I don't have enough to really integrate it into my wardrobe. MoS had some great ideas - my favorites were the Kate Spade rick-rack ones...

I am definitely going to stalk the Kate Spade website to see if these go on sale. At $65 each (I would want the orange and the blue ones, at least) they are a smidge out of my price range. I am going to have to start paying attention to the vintage/resale stores that I visit regularly to see if they have something similar.

(image via Matters of Style)

Outfit Help!!

So I have a major JCrew addition that has gotten a bit out of hand recently. My closet can only hold so much before I have to seriously think about giving away/selling things on ebay. That said, I have added some great pieces to my wardrobe, and thanks to great sites like Gigi's and others, I haven't really regretted any of my purchases. My only problem is finding somewhere to wear my new outfits.

Here is what I put together on polyvore with my newest purchase- the ruffled edelyn lawn dress in navy. This is my first, gut instinct, on how I would put this together. I like it- technically- though I feel like it is a little too trite and expected (not that I am going to break any fashion milestones or anything. Anyone have any suggestions on how to improve? 

Navy dress by tkn1118 featuring J Crew belts

SVH Here We Come!

It's made the rounds since the news broke but I am so psyched that Diablo Cody is working on a script for the Sweet Valley High movie (see the news here). I loved the SVH books... Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield and their boys and their friends and their drama were a big part of my adolescent reading. I also watched the tv show from the early 90's after school while I would eat cheese toast as a snack (here is the imdb info for those that need a refresher: SVH).

The first season is even on DVD (hint hint- my birthday is in November and I will even provide you with the amazon link to make things easier).

I'm not alone in my love for the Wakefields- two friends of mine (conviently named Elizabeth and Jesscia) went as the twins to an 80's throwback party a friend of mine hosted a while ago.

PS- if anyone is super obsessed, you can follow some of the most loved/hated characters (Todd Wilkins or Lila Fowler anyone?) on Twitter-- Lemondrop has all of the info.

Have a happy Saturday!!

-T

(image from amazon.com)

Decorating my Imaginary Castle

One day, when I win a million dollars in some serendipitous way, I plan to have a pretty amazing castle/apartment loft/brownstone/Victorian manor/cabin in the woods/bungalow in the suburbs. It will be decorated eclecticly, with a mix of old and new items that I will have collected over the years during all my anticipated travels.

Currently, I am actually pretty happy with the way that my house is decorated, considering my meager budget and all. Periodically I plan on posting images of my current house and redecoration attempts as well as dream furnature, budget be damned.

Here are some things I spotted this weekend, both from Decoriam in Old Town (more info here).

First, this chair and pillow. The chair is great- has great bones. It would be a great side chair in an entry way, with a fun upholstery  job. I love the ikat look with this pillow- just haven't seen a great example within my price range. Someday...

Then, this ottoman. Orange isn't exactly one of my favorite colors but at the same time, the mix of bright plastic-y and vinyl orange and the mirrored legs (I am sure this has an official name I just can't find it right now) are so fun!

It's a Lovely Day in the Neighborhood

On Saturday I participated in a 5k benefiting the Friends of New Orleans (see here). Since this was in my neighborhood, two of my friends met at my house and walked to the race site. While on the way, one of my friends mentioned how surprised she was that the people she passed actually acknowledged her presence. Apparently this doesn't often happen in her neighborhood, a more urban area of the city.

It is kinda amazing how few people actually say "hello" or "good morning" or even just nod while passing on the street. That is exactly why I love my neighborhood and my neighbors. I know my the people that I live around- not necessarily well enough to be invited in for a cup of tea- but enough to say hello, good evening and recognize them in passing. I have watched the yellow lab across the street grow from a teeny puppy to a bounding adolescent dog and smile and wave to the elderly man next door as he cuts his grass.

That is all I am asking for.

Bookclub

So I hosted bookclub tonight- my first time. Wow I love my friends!! Moving to a new city was super scary-  I didn't know what I was in for when I left small town SC (college) and GA (hometown) for the big city of Washington DC but now I can't imagine myself anywhere else.

My least favorite question is probably "What next?" I refuse to answer- only wanting to think about the here and the now-- and after many nudges from my friends I have decided to create a blog. Here I plan to discuss the "here and the now," whether that involves the awkward boy scenarios, work drama, dreams of a different life, redecoration plans for the house I share with two roommates, or just daily minutia that drives me crazy- all in anticipation of my best selling memoir that, I am sure, will hit the shelves in a few years.