Filling the Void,

A month or two back, while on the phone with my friend, Heather, I realized that I wasn't giving many updates on the blog, here, about normal day-to-day life. What have we been doing? I figured everyone wants the big adoption related stuff to be posted, so I write about that. Then, it seems, I don't have much time to post anything else.

But, I've been filling the void. I don't really mean the dramatic, emotional type of void like, "there's a void in my heart because Dorothy isn't home yet". Though, I suppose there are days when that is fitting. No, I more mean, an actual physical void. On my wall.

We have 22ft. ceilings in the living room. One of the projects since we've lived here has been to Put Something On the Wall. And while some may find that type of large space freeing, I just felt intimidated and frustrated. Truly, if money were no object, I'd fill it with large scale, breathtaking art that inspires, and uplifts and changes your life. Grand art. Amazing art. Okay.... you get the picture.

So, instead, I came up with this:

The picture is horrible. I took a quick snap and resisted the urge to "stage" the room for a better picture. The reality is, my boys were playing a video game and there was likely a huge pile of to-be-folded laundry on the couch.

What you are seeing is three IKEA shelves, stacked, with some great silver IKEA platters hung on the wall, some candle holders, and books. Totally budget-friendly, and slightly unexpected. The shelves are about 45 inches wide and spaced about 19 inches apart. So, it takes up a good portion of wall, yet, goes so nicely with the curtain fabric and the mellow griege wall color.

I love asymmetrical arrangements, but it is still *balanced*. The peony flowers are in these great green glass compote containers I found at the thrift store for about $2 each.

And the candle holders in turquoise were previously brass/ gold that I spray painted to match the pops of color I have in our house. Again, thrift store. I think they were about $2- $3 each. The books were from our collection. I just looked specifically for the bindings that were in shades of white, blue, and green, removed the dust jackets, and arranged them until it looked right to my eye.

So, there you have it- one of the projects I've worked on these last few months! Soon I'll showcase a few others.

[Wall] void filled!

Room re-do

Yes, yes, I know... I still haven't gotten back to our trip pics from California or anything else that's really happened in the past month (it's a lot, and I might never back track enough to really catch up).

Let me distract you with the super cute sheets I just bought for the girls' room. We're mid-process on a great room re-do with bunk beds, and new paint and... pretty much everything. Gotta make the space work for two princesses instead of just one!

Edited to add: For all that asked, the sheets are on sale at Target right now.

Recession Proof

As in, further proof that our economy is wobbly.  Domino magazine is closing its doors.  I am saddened by this, as I really love tactile reading.  Holding the pages in my hands, looking at the pictures, putting fabric scraps next to inspiration images.  I don't subscribe to many magazines, but I started getting this one last year and will miss it.  This isn't the first publication hit by the decline.  Money pressures often spur amazing creativity and change.  I'll be interested to see how those that were in the magazine industry use their talents and bring them to the masses once again.  

Good

I was reading an old issue of Fast Company at the gym this week and came across an great article/ interview with designer Philippe Starck.  Target has partnered with him, carrying Starck-designed housewares and he is know for a host of other things- including Starck branded condos, which the article focuses on.  I really enjoyed it because of the perspective he seems to have about what is important.  He implies that the pushing of certain trends comes from the marketing departments and "greedy" company heads that only look at selling, but true design has a bit of "soul" to it that is good and simple.

I loved this quote:

So what, to you, constitutes "good"?
The most beautiful building is any room where you are with the person you love. That's all. After that, if you can have a good pillow, good for you. If you can have a good mattress, better for you. If you can have a good sunbeam on your bed on a Sunday morning when you make love, fantastic! You have everything.