Category: Filing Cabinet

Make it Holiday Ready

Sponsored by American Express’ Points for Presents

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Make it Cozy

I love that fur throws make a comeback every year as the temperatures dip and the holidays approach. It doesn’t have to be real to be chic, and I’d love to cozy up on the couch under a soft faux-fur throw with a stack of holiday decorating magazines to read.

Make it Stylish

We have more drop-in visitors to the house throughout the holiday season, so it’s nice to have the house looking its best (even if we haven’t completely settled in and unpacked our millions of boxes of books yet). Little touches, like adding a crazy wire fruit bowl or a basket abstracted from squares go a long way, and both would look festive sitting out on the counter or at the center of the table. They could be part of the decorating too, if you fill them with ornaments and other pretty holiday baubles.

Make it Inviting

I’ve only recently started to like coffee, so now I love the idea of being able to make and serve up coffee shop drinks from home. What better to offer your guests with a slice of pie for dessert, right? (Just don’t ask us to bake said pie. Or oven’s temperature is very much a guessing game.)

It’s pretty appealing to stay in and make a nice drink for curling up with those aforementioned magazines under the cozy throw, too. And a little caramel pecan bark within reach wouldn’t hurt.

I was selected by American Express as part of their #PassionProject program to help educate consumers about how to use Membership Rewards points. As such I was paid for my services, but all gift choices selected and opinions about the gifts and American Express are my own. http://paid-po.st/3Nfrb0

November 19, 2013
My Chairish Favorites, and a Giveaway
Sponsored by Chairish

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the striped antique sofa that I bought on Chairish. Shortly after I posted about it, I heard from the co-founder of the company with a sweet thank you note, and now today I’m excited to be working with them. I’m sharing some of my favorite pieces from the site, and offering a $300 credit to one lucky reader! First things first though. Let’s have a look at my finds.
1. Antique Butler’s Desk
  Looks like a dresser, but has secret awesomeness inside.
2. Striped Settee and Matching Chair
  Someone spotted this set and left a comment pointing them out when I posted about my striped sofa. I’m at capacity, but maybe your home is in need of some striped upholstery?
3. Painted Blue and White Garbage Pail
  The top edge is so sweet, and I love blue and white these days.
4. Vintage Danish 1960’s Chandelier
  Oh yes. Yes, yes, yes to this light.
5. Still Life Oil Painting
  I’m really drawn to this! If someone doesn’t buy it soon, I might.
6. Mid-Century Patchwork Credenza
  Pieces like this work in so many homes, and the geometric detailing on the inset panels makes this one special.
7. Oly Studio Settee
  Nail head trim, an interesting base, and lovely proportions.
8. Blue and Ivory Smithsonian Rug
  Again with the blue and white.
9. Set of 5 Cafe Chairs
  If you’re looking for a set of Thonet chairs, ta da!
10. Brass Bamboo Tray Table
  This would make for a swanky bar, or throw a couple of art books on top and a plant. Whatevs — it would look great either way.
11. Porcelain Noire Teapot
  Fancy a spot of tea? Use a fancy tea pot.
12. Tufted Blue Twin Headboard
  Blue velvet tufting, plus great curves.
Chairish helps facilitate the sale of furniture directly by owners; they can help arrange for shipping cross-country, and also have a 48-hour return window. I think it’s such a smart (and needed) service. I had a lot of fun choosing my favorites to feature, and you can see my collection over on Chairish, too.

Now, you probably want to know about the giveaway, yes? Visit Chairish and enter to win a $300 site credit! One winner will be chosen at random, and the sweepstakes will end on November 4 at 11:59 PT. Good luck!

Comments here don’t count as entries, but I’d love to know what you’d pick. Am I the only one loving that painting?
October 28, 2013
Fabrics for the Kids’ Rooms

I was considering patterned fabrics like this or this for Eleanor’s curtains, but I wasn’t in love with anything. Thus, solid curtains! Groundbreaking! Either these or these will work, and to make them a little more fun, I’ll sew pom pom trim along the edges. I also ordered a blue eyeball sconce (great name) to go above the bed.

Aw, look at it! Like a big glossy pom pom or something. I should finally order this print.

Then for the walls I thought, maybe wallpaper? (This one’s pretty, this one is cute.) Do I want to chance a repeat of what happened in August’s room though? I think E would probably leave the walls alone, especially since she has been asking for wallpaper, but still. Paint may be the way to go right now. Maybe I’ll stencil something if we’re feeling crazy, but I think the room will come together with plenty of pattern elsewhere.

Like on her chair, perhaps. Because I love adding sewing projects to my to-do list. I made a purse before, with piping and everything! Five years ago! I’ve got this.

Right after I upholster August’s bed, of course.

I’ve ordered a sconce for his room too, but the name is not as fun. And hey, we found an extra length of his wallpaper in a drawer here! We might try to replace the missing strip. I’m fond of those stripes in his room and would like to work with them.

I ordered all of those fabric swatches above from Tonic Living. That car fabric needs to work its way into August’s room in some way, whether it’s on the bed, on a pillow, or as curtains. I like the windowpane fabric a lot too, but I don’t know if it plays well with his plaid bedding. Maybe for Eleanor’s chair? Are polka dots not masculine enough for a little boy? I can play it safe with a solid, but yawn. Let me overthink this some more.

September 17, 2013
Fab July
I’m working with Fab again to share my favorite quirky finds from the shop. Clearly I was feeling the geometric designs this time around! I found some classics I was already familiar with, along with a few new-to-me discoveries by independent designers. Below are my picks, but you can also sign up for Fab’s email newsletter to keep up with their newest design sales.
1. Rhino Box
  It will “guard your tiny treasures.” Need I say more?
2. Strut Table
  I want to design a dining room around this table.
3. Bundle Side Table
  Nice legs.
4. Napkin Stand
  What is this? And why do I even want one? Don’t know, but it’s cute.
5. Crane Light
  Simple, and good-looking.
6. Be Kind to Books Print
  A good reminder (and subtle admonishment) for little ones.
7. White Coconut Pendant
  Classic design. Good lighting always elevates everything else in the room.
8. Triangle Eco Throw
  Zigzags are on the outs, but I still like triangles.
9. Blue Tablo Table
  Such a playful table! Could be a great coffee table to balance out more serious furniture.
10. Infinity Kitty Print
  Meow, meow, meow, meow…
11. Cant Desk
  A small desk with big style.
12. Hex Copper Bowl
  I think copper is the next metal to have a surge in popularity. Watch your back, brass.
p.s. Fab has a pop-up Kate Spade Saturday sale starting tonight!

This post was sponsored by Fab.
July 17, 2013
Crafty Like a Fox Party Theme

This is the third and final baby shower theme I created for a Huggies Pinterest campaign. It’s also my favorite and the most ‘me’ of the bunch. Because I’m so foxy.

Kidding! I do love the color scheme though, all based around a floral tablecloth by Rifle Paper Co. for BHLDN. This is the tablecloth I’d considered chopping up for kitchen curtains. I’m so glad I didn’t, because now I’ll be able to take it with us and use it in our next house. (As a tablecloth, not curtains! Imagine that.)

Again, these were shot in Tyllie Barbosa’s Chicago studio. And again, my sister-in-law, Portia, assisted me on set. We had the food styling down by this point.

There was a dessert table, too. I made the little bunting flags over the cake, but the cake itself was an off-the-shelf coconut cake from the grocery store.

This is a baby shower theme, so I originally pitched this as “Foxy Mama.” That is apparently too racy? Thus the theme became “Crafty Like a Fox” instead. Naturally, I had to setup a craft station.

And speaking of crafty, another diaper cake. Never did I suspect I’d make a diaper cake in my life, but here’s my third one. I daresay this is something I’m actually good at! Adding it to the resumé.

My creation graced the gift table. The framed tree print you see here was borrowed from Binth for the shoot. They had a beautiful family tree version in their store with calligraphy, but I wasn’t sure how that would fly for photo shoot releases so I used the plain version. The cards on the table are by Binth as well.

There are more photos of the Crafty Like a Fox baby shower theme on Pinterest, and you can see the other two shower themes I designed and styled for this campaign here and here. This was my favorite, but which was yours?

July 8, 2013
Welcome to the World Baby Shower

This was the second of three baby shower themes I created for a Huggies Pinterest campaign. Welcome to the World, Baby!

I liked the invitations that I designed for this one a lot. They were based on the look of a topological map.

Brandon’s sister, Portia, assisted me again on the day of the shoot. The baby onesies on a clothes line is one of her tried-and-true baby shower decorations. Portia and I were a lot better at the whole food styling thing the second time around.

All photography was done by Tyllie Barbosa in her studio again. Here’s the sweets table. (Those salted caramels were from Trader Joe’s, and now I want some.)

Another diaper cake masterpiece, if I do say so myself. We also filled a vintage baby carriage with diapers, because why not? (That may have been a strange choice on my part.)

Please take a moment to admire the decoupage here, because that was Brandon’s contribution. I was scrambling to get everything done, and he helped out with covering BABY kraft letters with vintage map wrapping paper and Mod Podge.

Also, I want to thank Yearbook. They’re one of my favorite local shops, and they let me borrow the amazing vintage globes you see throughout the photos for the shoot.

You can find more images from the Welcome to the World Baby Shower on Pinterest. The Comic Book Baby Shower can be seen here, and I’ll be sharing photos from the last of my three themes soon.

July 3, 2013