bedroom moodboard

This is a quick moodboard I did for my bedroom last week: 

 As I mentioned in my last post, I am going to be painting one (or two!) pieces of my furniture hot pink.  That might be a project for this weekend.  I have also always loved the image from pinterest of the black and white striped curtains, and I already have the white curtains.  Just need paint and to do it! I have been obsessed recently with overdyed oriental rugs like the purple one here.  If only they were in my price range.  Might try a DIY one in the meantime.  Somehow I need to get some color in my room, soon!

holidays are coming!

It's starting to feel a lot like the holidays! This is my absolute favorite time of year, when it's starting to get cold (cold enough to snow!) and the decorations start to emerge from closets and attics. The red cups appear at Starbucks.  Trees start to go up (a friend of mine already has hers up!) and it just feels cheerful. I love all of the bright colors present during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season, but at the same time, neutrals feel so right too. The bedrooms below look perfectly cozy and wintry with the white and neutrals mixed in.

Traditional Bedroom design by Houston Architect Maison Market

Traditional Bedroom design by Milwaukee Architect MCCORMACK & ETTEN ARCHITECTS LLP

Traditional Bedroom design by Chicago Architect Morgante Wilson Architects

My bedroom at the moment is very neutral.  My bed, furniture, walls, and curtains are all WHITE.  Which can be pretty, but I need some color in my life (despite how much I like the gorgeous bedrooms above!).  My project for this week is to paint my furniture hot pink.  I've been thinking about doing this for a while now, and my room just needs something!!  I will be sure to post before and after photos, assuming things go well.

 

Getting back to the holidays, I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week.  It's going to be a different experience this year for me.  This will be the first year I haven't spent Thanksgiving with my immediate family.  I just can't make it home to Charleston, so will be celebrating with my Grandma and my mom's side of the family here in New York.  I'm very excited to see these family members, but it will just be a little different.  Planning now about what I'm going to bring! Possibly some pumpkin bread...and if that turns out well, I may just share my recipe!
 

all images via Houzz.com

discovery.

dear friends,
It has been quite a while.  A lot of things have been going on in my life - good things!

I moved to New York (!) at the end of May - I finally, finally did it and have never been happier.

I sold my car.  I put my jewelry business on the back burner.  I got a new job.  I lost my new job.  I survived Hurricane Sandy.  I've rediscovered my love for creating.  I want my jewelry business on the front burner. 

I've discovered a lot about myself - and am so excited for my future here in my new home.  And I can't wait to get back to writing. 

I've been working through the book 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller, and let me tell you, it has been eye-opening.  The most important thing I have realized is that I like to make beautiful things, and ordinary things beautiful.  I've never been told before the past couple of weeks (from the book and others) that creating needs to be a part of my career for my ultimate happiness.  Never once.  I've always thought that creating had to be a hobby, that it was something from which I could never make a living.  That I was destined to work in the medical field and create at night - if I wasn't too exhausted.  Do you know how amazing this news is to me?!  It's exhilarating! This book, in addition to words from others around me, has inspired me to truly search for what it is I've been created to do. 

With that being said, here's to breathing new life into this blog (posts and design) and my business, to New York, and to discovery!

lists.

I love making lists.  To-do lists, shopping lists, things-I-need lists...but what I really love about lists is crossing items off my lists.  Since I do do a lot of list-making, I have an abundant supply of notebooks, notepads, etc.  Here are some of my old favorites, mixed in with a few new!

 Kate Spade 3-pack.  Available here.

This one makes me laugh.  But it's a good reminder!

Jonathan Adler.  Available here.

Cute, floral.  Rifle Paper Co. Available here.

This one is awesome.  Space for every possible list you may need to make!

Via LifesAJournal on Etsy.

Another cute Rifle Paper Co. Available here.

Loooove this one.  Very cheeky.  Via finchandhawk on Etsy.

What are your favorite notepads? Do you like to make lists/cross things off of them?

NYC love.

Love, love, loved being in the City.  Here's a photographic recap of my trip.

Day 1:  Had my interview and then a celebratory lunch at Haru.  Then went home because I was so exhausted!!

Gorgeous architecture inside Washington Irving High School.

 Farmer's Market.

Yummy, yummy sushi and beer. Ahh.

Day 2: I spent the day just walking around the city; went to Mood, Henri Bendel, etc...

I ventured up to Mood, just to see what it was like! It is amazing. So much cool stuff.

Day 3:  Met my cousin for lunch and got to see her adorable daughters, then wandered to SoHo and met some friends for drinks.

 

 West Village.

West Village.

SoHo.

Mercer Kitchen in SoHo, where I met two of my sorority sisters for drinks.  Love this place.  Such a cool atmosphere!

Nighttime in the City.

All photos via the fabulous iPhone.  This was the first time I relied solely on my iPhone for pictures - I don't think I took out my camera once! Kind of crazy, but it was much easier that way.

Being in New York was just another confirmation that I really, really want to be there ASAP!  I just love it.