Category: Filing Cabinet

Comic Book Baby Shower Theme

I styled three baby shower themes awhile back for a Huggies Pinterest campaign. I was the lone blogger among seasoned stylists and wedding/party planners, and when I learned who I’d be working alongside, I’ll admit I was nervous! I always jump at the opportunities this blog has presented though, and in doing so I’ve adopted Picasso’s motto as my own: “I am always doing that which I can not do in order that I may learn how to do it.”

I came up with three themes (comic book, world travel, foxes), and was then tasked with sourcing or creating everything to go along with each of them them. Invitations, food, flowers, desserts, furniture, decorations, shower games/activities, and a diaper cake. All times three.

It was a big production and the showers were created from scratch in a Tyllie Barbosa’s Chicago photography studio. The walls you see are fakes (two big freestanding panels that I painted the morning of the shoot, Antiquan Blue), and you can assume that any surface you see covered by fabric is a pretty plain-looking tabletop propped up on sawhorses. Photography magic!

I acted as planner and stylist, but Brandon’s sister, Portia, helped me as my assistant during the shoots. That’s her handiwork on the speech bubble signs, among other things. She also helped a lot with the food, which is my weak point in party planning. I put in 12+ hour days for each shoot, not to mention all of the prep work that went into them beforehand, and it would have been crazy to go it alone. Big ups to Portia for being there for me.

Fun fact: I used this wrapping paper with illustrated heroes and villains all over the place. And it was adorable! And then, after we’d set everything up and taken nearly every shot, we found out that we couldn’t use it! The only place you’ll still see it is on the diaper cake, and even there, I covered most of it with a wide ribbon. (By the way, guess who’s a diaper cake making pro? Who knew I had this skill in me?)

You can find more images from the Comic Book Baby Shower on Pinterest, and I’ll be sharing photos from the other two themes I’ve created over the next couple of days.

July 2, 2013
Eleanor Tenenbaum

E was with me a few days ago at the Chicago Kate Spade store, where they have Scalamandré zebra wallpaper in the bathroom. She loved it, and said that we should have it in our new house, so I asked if I could take her picture in front of it.

Nice pose, kid. Where have I seen… wait a minute.

Huh.

But she may be onto something. I mean, this is some seriously fantastic wallpaper, right? I put together a collection of my favorite bathrooms and powder rooms using the pattern (in red, and in other colorways too). Something to think about for the new house.

June 20, 2013
Glass Orb Chandelier

We’re leaving all of our light fixtures in the house when we move, other than the Edison chandelier that I swapped out, so I’ve been paying attention and looking for possible new lights for our next place.

Most of the houses on the Wright Plus Housewalk that I toured recently were decorated traditionally, but there were a couple of exceptions. One was the Frank H. Keefer House designed by E. E. Roberts in 1906. There was no interior photography allowed on the tour, but there was a gorgeous lighting fixture in the dining room, which is visible from the exterior.

I liked that mix of old and new, and that light was a major component in the look of the home. I assumed it was a super-expensive fixture, but then I spotted this glass orb chandelier from west elm. It’s not cheap, but it isn’t the thousands of dollars I assumed it would be.

In the right dining room, this would look fantastic. It’s on backorder right now, which is fine since I wouldn’t be ordering it yet anyway. It’s hard to find good-looking inexpensive lights sometimes, so I’ll be keeping it in mind!

June 17, 2013
ShoeMint Giveaway

I’m working with ShoeMint again today to bring you another fun giveaway. One lucky reader will win the pair of shoes of their choice!

You remember ShoeMint, yes? It’s a collaboration between Rachel Bilson and stylist Nicole Chavez, manufactured by Steve Madden. The members-only site continually rolls out new styles, so they’re always on-trend, and the site even makes personalized style recommendations for you. Styles start at $79.98 whether you choose fabric, leather, or suede, and they offer free shipping and returns. I’m pretty well set in the flats and heels department but I did need some new sandals for the upcoming warm weather, so I picked the cuties above. I’m gonna rock them with shorts and that loose, white sweater, and the orange necklace I picked it up years ago at a local shop.

Which pair would you choose? Visit ShoeMint to register for free (no obligation to buy), then pick your favorite pair and leave a comment below with your choice for a chance to win!

One entry per person, open to US and Canada residents only. Entries will be accepted until midnight CST, April 23. One winner will be chosen at random and notified via email, and they will be noted in this post once confirmed. Good luck!

p.s. New members save 20% on their first purchase.

This post is sponsored by ShoeMint.

April 18, 2013
Tufted Leather Sofas

Taxes pretty much wiped out our savings for a while. (Oh, wasn’t I clueless, wanting a new rug or to fix up the outside of the house?) Yeah, we need to recover a bit financially before any major purchases, but that doesn’t stop me from keeping a running wish list in my head.

Leather sofas, especially of the tufted variety, have been on my radar for a while. I liked this one a couple of years ago, and you all left some useful comments about the practicality of leather for families with kids and pets. (It’s a go.) Then of course, there was the eighth edition of Making it Yours, featuring a green leather chesterfield. I don’t think a chesterfield is quite my style (although I do appreciate them), but I am finding myself drawn to leather.

Victoria has a beautiful leather sofa from DwellStudio (above, featured on The Everygirl).

Genifer Goodman-Sohr (image source) had one black leather sofa in her SF apartment. It belonged to her boyfriend/husband, as I recall (I have the old Budget Living magazine around here somewhere). She then picked up a matching one for her Nashville home (featured in Better Homes & Gardens).

I know I can’t run right out and buy a new couch, but I’m filing the idea away for when it’s time. I put together a list of my dozen favorites, but it’s the one above from Jayson Home that I’ve really got my eye on right now. So good.

Someday, or something similar, perhaps.

April 17, 2013
Pink Rugs: The Choice of Design Bloggers
Can I make that sweeping generalization in the title? Probably not, but I do love having a pink rug in my living room. (Although those chevrons have been done to death. It was not so when I bought my rug in 2008!)

I love this space from Holly Becker of Decor8, with its pink overdye rug. The photo appeared in her book, Decorate Workshop.

And Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy has a hot pink rug, too. This was his living room, featured in Apartment Therapy’s Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces.

You see what I mean about design bloggers and pink rugs? Maybe we’re an odd bunch, but I love the look.

I just wish I’d known better than to choose cotton for a busy living room in a house with two young kids, a dog, and three cats — though in my defense, we didn’t have children at the time. I’ve been looking at wool rugs for a possible replacement (maybe?), and I keep coming back to pink. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Madeline Weinrib Zigzag Rug
  cotton, available at ABC Carpet & Home
  This is my rug. It can be ordered in custom colors, but when I came across it in shades of pink, I had to buy it. I would still recommend it, but for a room with less foot traffic.
2. Dippy Pink Rug by Susan Sharp
  wool, from The Rug Company
  Gorgeous, and less in-your-face ombré as it appears on screen (as seen in Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan’s home, above, and repurposed in his apartment). It’s expensive though.
3. Preppy Pastel Pink Rug
  wool, from The Land of Nod
  The color looks more vibrant than pastel to me. The price is right, but the solid color is a bit plain.
4. Overdye Magenta Rug
  wool, from Rugs USA
  I like that the underlying pattern is less obvious than in some overdyed rugs. Less trendy. I would love this rug in my living room. Think it would work with my floral chair?
April 8, 2013