Author: Making it Lovely

Planning a Moth-Inspired Dining Room

Our dining room sconces are in, and the additional light is room-changing. It only took me seven years to finally add the fixtures I always felt should be there!

The room is pretty, but she is plain. I’ve liked that because I could add any tablecloth, set the table and decorate for parties in any color, and it would work. But ho hum. A little boring day-to-day.

I was looking at some of my favorite bugs (because that is the kind of thing I like to do) and inspiration struck. Apantesis incorrupta shall be my muse! For something! For… the dining room? Yes! The garden tiger moth (Arctic caja) has similar markings with more vivid coloration and so is also serving as inspiration.

What to do first? Paint the ceiling orangey-red of course.

Want to see where this is going? I have a plan. Sort of.

The red ceiling: yes. Walls: a deeper, cooler pink than the subtle beige/pink we have now. The wood stays unpainted, the furniture all remains unchanged. Some art and a new wallpaper backing in the hutch? A lamp for the gateleg table on the other side of the room? I’m letting the room come together as I go.

The floor is starting to show some wear and could benefit from being covered. That rug above is indoor/outdoor and affordable, both good things for a rug in the dining room, but I am still looking. It’s a little on-the-nose inspired by the wings. The entry, dining room, and double parlor are all fairly open to one another and I’m always thinking about how they work as a whole, so I would love something old that works with my entryway runner. I did have a hand-me-down rug that I loved and had hoped would work, but the scale was all wrong.

The dining room and entry are nearly the same color, with the library coming in a paler shade of pink. When I paint the dining room walls, I may end up wanting to repaint the entry at some point too, being careful to avoid anything that in combination makes the first floor look like Easter eggs. A muddy green or toned yellow could be right — something close to the value of the woodwork to lessen the contrast from room to room.

I came across this paint palette from Atelier Ellis the other day. The colors align perfectly with what I’m going for (just add that red from the rose petals) and my home’s color palette as a whole, but I was also happy to see more moth inspiration! I’m not the only one looking to the moth side of lepidopterans.

Apantesis incorrupta photo copyright © 2017 Matthew Priebe; BugGuide

August 12, 2020
I Love This $28 Dress
The title says it all. But if I could have fit it, I would’ve also included:

And This Easy No-Sew Alteration Makes it Even Better!

I’m busty and the puff sleeves on this dress were not doing me any favors. I loved everything else about it though! Midi-length with a defined waist, summery cotton eyelet, and pockets. I’m not an experienced seamstress but I thought that maybe I could create cap sleeves or get rid of them altogether, but then I realized I could just snip the elastic and change the silhouette. Easy!
1. Eyelet Dress, Target (A New Day) — It comes in black and orange too, but I’m partial to the white. And those sleeves as-is are darling, just not on me.
2. Hazel Glasses, Warby Parker — These were out of stock for a while but now they’re back. Sort of a round cat-eye? Very much my style.
3. Crescent Moon and Star Necklace, Zoë Chicco — From the new collaboration with Justina Blakeney!
4. Poppy & Polka Cat Twilly Skinny Scarf, Centinelle — I have a favorite Centinelle scarf tied around my circle bag. Looks like it’s no longer available (It’s several years old), but now I want this one! There are other sizes too.
5. Julien Leather Tote Bag, Anthropologie — My love for the circle bag continues! This one is far nicer than mine.
6. Fabric Face Mask, Target — A must. I keep recommending cloth masks that are inexpensive and cute, because that’s what I’m buying multiples of.
7. Temple of the Sun Serpent Ring, Anthropologie — Have I already included too much Masonic imagery in this outfit? Maybe split it up?
8. Boardwalk Anklet-Strap Sandals, Madewell — Or heels if you’re feeling fancy. I like these red flats with the dress too.
July 23, 2020
Updating the Dining Room

My sister-in-law had a rug in her family room that used to belong to my mother-in-law, and now that she’s redecorating it’s ours. I’ve always liked it, and the colors are ones that I tend to gravitate toward — rust orange, pink, olive, and blue on a warm neutral base. (This rug has a similar color palette and feel.)

Ideally, for maximum before and after effect, I would reupholster the dining chairs. Practically though, the beige fabric is still in great shape and I have matching waterproof seat covers to protect the kids’ chairs. They’re fine! The fabric may be a bit on the boring side, but it’s fine.

Our dining room is always dark though. It faces North and our house is close to the neighbors on that side, so even with two huge windows, there’s not a lot of natural light. Not helping is the antique pendant which, while very cool, has only a single bulb. I’ve always wanted to add sconces.

I’ve also always wanted to add wallpaper, but sconces first. And now that we’re brining in a new (to us) patterned rug and more lighting, I’m thinking a coat of paint may be in order instead of papering. The walls are a subtle pink that I still like, but would be happy to change for something more fun or dramatic.

So! Sconces. Honestly, I keep coming back to the same one and have loved it for years. I could overthink this, as is my wont, or I could just move forward with a pair of Vendome double sconces. It’s a beautiful fixture without being showy, and a classic design that looks great in a lot of homes. I’m not beholden to period-appropriate lighting (my Victorian originally had gas lights), but I do like to go either very modern or classic. These sconces are obviously the latter.

The dog rose botanical print will go elsewhere and the sconces will flank the windows. And I’m excited! I love our home. It doesn’t need constant full-scale makeovers (as fun as those are), and these incremental changes over time always add up to something wonderful and personal.

June 23, 2020
Fidgets for Anxiety
Everything is upside-down and not normal, and asking a breezy “how are you?” seems a little funny. But, how are you? We’re getting through as best we can. Oak Park was the first municipality in Illinois to issue an official Shelter in Place order, which is in effect starting today through at least April 3.

If you’re working from home for the first time because of COVID-19, give yourself a lot of grace. I can give you recommendations for things that have worked for me if it’s wanted, but I think a lot of well-intentioned advice (like get dressed everyday and do your makeup/hair!) can safely be thrown right out the window. Things aren’t normal, and we’re all doing what we can to keep ourselves and others physically and mentally safe.

Parenting through a pandemic is of course another challenge on top of social distancing, sheltering in place, and quarantines. We are teaching the kids at home and the school district has been amazing, pulling together the week’s e-learning curriculum and giving the kids a sense of structure and community through video check-ins. Still, their routine has been upended and we’re trying to keep the kids informed without scaring them.

One of our kids had been struggling with anxiety this year. You know the fidget spinner craze from a few years back? They were never more than toys for our family, but through trial and error we found that tangles and fidget cubes were actually calming. We’ve since found other fidgets to be even better, and the kids and I have gotten really into solving puzzle cubes lately. (Speed cubes, rather than the officially branded Rubik’s cubes, are far nicer to use.)

You’ll find various fidgets throughout our house. There’s a drawer full in the living room, but they’re also in the kids’ backpacks, on their nightstands, and scattered in random places. They’ve been a helpful tool but we were losing some every few days as they disappeared at school. I figured there must be a bracelet or necklace — something wearable — and my search led me to these. We got enough for all three kids (extra small fit everyone), plus a few backups to keep on hand. They all think they’re fun and cute, but they also do the stress-relieving trick for the kid that needs it in particular.

Now of course, we’re all home. But hello, stress and anxiety! We’ve been preparing for you. I know fidgets are one minor thing in the face of something far larger, but I’m sharing a list of what has been helpful for us (and why) in hopes that it may be helpful for some of you, too. You may even have some of these already that you hadn’t thought about in a while — time to bring them back out.
1. Fidget Cube — This is what pushed fidgets out of the purely toy category for us when we realized how much they helped calm our kid.
2. 12-Side Fidget Cube (Dodecagon) — THE BEST. Too big and distracting (and tempting) for school though, so this is an at-home-only option.
3. Worry Stones — These are pretty and you get a bunch (a selling point because my kids lose things), but these are a little bigger and have a nice divot that feels soothing to rub your thumb along.
4. Tangle Twister Fidget Toy — Another thing we used to think of only as a stocking stuffer or goodie bag toy that we have since found to be stress-relieving.
5. Sensory Slap Bracelets — I bought these at the same time as the other bracelets, and two out of three prefer the other, but then one likes this slap kind.
6. Sensory Fidget Bracelet (extra small) — Between the two bracelet styles, this is my recommendation. They’re not distracting in a classroom setting, so the kids can wear and have them all day. Bonus: they think they’re cute accessories.
7. Infinity Cube Fidget Toy — This one holds the least interest in our house, but it can be nice to zen out to.
8. Magic Speed Cube — So smooth! We also have this Jelly Speed Cube (a.k.a. “Mom’s cube, don’t lose it”), because I was in search of a prettier than average version. It’s hard to tell the green and blue apart sometimes though, doh.
Also? Screen time limits in our house are out the window for now. Animal Crossing is here. See you on the island, friends (yes, that’s me — I have a secret nerd account).

Stay safe. We’ll be here! (We, um, have to be.)
March 20, 2020
Honor Roll
- Pleated lampshades are classics that come and go, but since they’re trending again now, they’re becoming far easier to find. I love the pattern on the Samba shade from Ballard Designs. And I’ve had that table lamp forever and they no longer make that pale pink, but the updated version with a lucite base is called Audrey and comes in tons of other colors.
- Almost 30 minutes of Animal Crossing news in the newest Nintendo Direct! We are so excited about the game in this house. Terrascaping! Urban planning! Cuteness!
- The family legacy of Superdawg was a fun read. (Which reminds me — it’s a bit of a drive from here, but we should take the kids over soon. Hiya!)
- I hadn’t seen this photo of Oscar Isaac and Gwendoline Christie before, so if you hadn’t either, you’re welcome.
- The new Patch NYC wallpaper collection for Hygge & West looks really good. I surprised myself because my favorites are Serpentine in Juniper and Fable in French Gray, even though both come in a pink version. Shocking, I was drawn to something else!
- I’ve never fabricated my own marble counters. It seems intimidating. But The Grit and Polish has, with a curved marble backsplash to match! And they make it look doable, too.
February 21, 2020
Style: Fall 2019
I’ll be mixing and matching some variation on the below all fall, along with the pieces from my last style post. And that skirt, in particular, I would like to call out! It’s a modern fit, comes in three colors, is comfortable with an elastic waist that doesn’t look like trash if you tuck in your shirt, and it is $22. Get it.
1. Open V-Neck Top (Midnight Dutch Floral), J. Crew
  The neckline is lovely and the florals a delight.
2. Scarlet Glasses (Rosewood), David Kind
  Bookishly cute. I’ve had these for years and recently started defaulting to them again.
3. Rhyme Top (Burnished Mahogany), Madewell
  Come in three colors, but this one is the best. Drapey and hits at the right length.
4. Boxy Texture Stitch Sweater, Garnet Hill
  Good proportions and that cozy fall sweater feeling is aces.
5. Lucky Charm Necklace, Gem
  Remember when we were all wearing bubble necklaces? We had fun with that, but delicate jewelry with little symbols is way more interesting. You’ve got to get close to appreciate.
6. Midi Pencil Skirt, Prologue; Target
  Hi, I’m wearing this skirt right now. It feels like yoga pants but looks like I tried.
7. Selim Pointed Toe Pump, 1.State; Nordstrom
  Flattering and comfortable, and rides that casual/formal line nicely.
8. Monroe Lace-Up Boots, Frye; Garnet Hill
  I once had a pair of 1920s lace-up boots that I loved, literally to death. (Do you know how hard it is to find wearable vintage shoes that fit our relatively large modern feet? I wore them until they wore out.) These take me back to those and I’m sure it’s in large part nostalgia, but wow do I love these.
9. Curvy Toothpick Jean (Dryden Wash), J. Crew
  These have edged out Madewell’s also excellent high-rise jeans in my heart. Both are great, these are just a tiny bit better.
10. Margot Scarf Ponytail Holder Set, Anthropologie
  I can’t decide if these look too juvenile for me, but I’m going with it. Easier than fussing with an actual scarf if you need to save 67 seconds of styling time.
11. Ruby Bag, Anine Bing
  A good structured ladylike bag is a thing of beauty. Classic.
12. The Modern Loafer (Bone), Everlane
  Who would have thought white leather shoes would become my favorite thing to wear? Not me. But here we are and these are great.
September 18, 2019