Under A Peacock Moon

WE'VE MOVED!!!

2012-01-16T16:36:00.005-05:00

Are you a subscriber to Under A Peacock Moon, or someone who's just found us? Well we have some exciting news - we have moved to a new address!

Join us over at the new site: www.peacockmooninteriors.com/sketchbook, this is just a temporary address while we get set up at www.underapeacockmoon.com

We hope you enjoy the new site! Drop us a line and let us know what you think!

image via missindiedesigns

A Re-post of Sorts: Home and Remodeling Show Ticket Giveaway

2012-01-14T14:05:00.002-05:00

Since I've been renovating the blog and paired my new years post with my post about the Home and Remodeling show, I have decided to re-post the info for the show.

The Home and Remodeling Show at the Dulles Expo Center is from January 20-22, and I'm giving away 10 tickets on Under A Peacock Moon this week! The original deadline for applying was Friday, but I extended it to this Wednesday, that way the tickets still have time to arrive for anyone wanting to go on the 20th.

How do you win tickets? Well it's pretty simple:

By Wednesday AM, visit Peacock Moon Interiors on Facebook and like our page. Then write a short post about why you'd like to go to the show, or a project you'd like to work on in your home.

That's it!

I hope that everyone who's thinking of going to the show will apply, because what's better than free right!

If you have any questions feel free to send me an email (peacockmooninteriors@gmail.com) or a tweet me ( @pmidesign ), or write a message to Peacock Moon Interiors on Facebook.

I can't wait to hear what you're looking forward to working on this year!

A Little Extension

2012-01-13T10:00:00.002-05:00

Remember in school when you had a project due, and you weren't particularly proud of it, or you knew it wasn't exactly what you envisioned. You took the project to school frustrated that it hadn't come out the way you thought. And sometimes, you were lucky to have that really nice teacher who also knew you had the potential to do better and was willing to give you the chance.

Well this is a little like that, except it's not school, and there's no teacher, there's just me.

Since New Years Eve I've been working on my new blog template, and it's to a point that I'm really happy with it, but there's been a snag in the plans, a little bump the road with my header that I just can't let go. Now I have to be the teacher and the student. I've evaluated the amount of time it's taken to get here, and the designs I've been through, trashed and then started again. And I had to ask myself if my Friday deadline was a hard or soft. And though I'd love to tell you that I stayed up all night losing sleep and working on this, it just isn't so. I was doing that two weeks ago (several times) and the next day was just plain ugly. So I gave myself an extension. The new deadline - next Friday. Hopefully by then I'll have this header figured out, and I can finally not live blog design every day.

I've also decided to extend the free ticket giveaway on Facebook. The event is still a week away, and that gives people more time to register in case they really do want to go and hadn't decided yet.

I hope that everyone will still take the opportunity to register, the show should be very informative, and great for anyone who owns a home or is looking at renovating whatever home they get their hands on.

Hopefully the next time you hear from me will be on my new blog!

Have a great weekend!

Hello 2012! - Goodbye Blogger! and a Ticket Giveaway

2012-01-09T13:05:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone! I can't believe this is my first post of the new year and my last post on blogger.com.

I know I mentioned that my family was coming for the holidays and everything went really well, unfortunately since I frequently had my hands full in the kitchen and otherwise I didn't get to take any pictures of the festivities. Then it was new years and we had friends over the night before which was wonderful, but again, no pictures.

New Years Eve I began my big project of redesigning my blog for Wordpress. What a challenge! For anyone who doesn't know or completely understand CSS it's like walking through a maze in the dark while brig guided by something that makes you feel like you're on Jeopardy. I'm sorry for that, but its generally lost on me. I have been spoiled by the ease of blogger and their HTML language templates.

This redesign is the main reason why I haven't posted anything yet this year. All of my energy has gone into this new design, which I hope I eventually love more than my blogger template, as for now I'm a bit too close, and a bit too tired to love it.

So my last post on blogger is a bit of a goodbye lumped with a hello to new things. A brand new Under A Peacock Moon will be up soon, looking worlds different from this one. Also, obviously we're all living in a new year and enjoying the possibilities that come with that, AND this is the first time I'll be doing a blog giveaway - kind of a going away present to my blogspot blog.

The giveaway is for free tickets to the Home and Remodeling Show coming up at the Dulles Expo center, January 20-22. I have 10 tickets to give away and the way to win is pretty simple:

This week visit Peacock Moon Interiors on Facebook and like our page. Then write a short post about why you'd like to go to the show, or a project you'd like to work on in your home.

Pretty simple right! I'll be picking the winners on Friday the 13th so I can get your tickets out to you next week.

I'm really excited about this and hope to do more giveaways in the future. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email (peacockmooninteriors@gmail.com) or a tweet me ( @pmidesign ), or write a message to Peacock Moon Interiors on Facebook.

I can't wait to hear what you're looking forward to working on this year!

Wordless Wednesday: A Baltimore Miracle

2011-12-21T18:01:00.003-05:00

In the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore a Christmas miracle happens each year. Our own 34th street lights up just like in the movies.

A Week Off And Then Some

2011-12-19T10:36:00.001-05:00

Just like everyone else, when the holidays come around I'm super busy, making lists, planning visits, baking yummy goodness. This year however, being our first Christmas at home, there's so much more to prepare for.

First of all there will be two dinners this year. One for six people and one for eleven. I've cooked for six before but had some help (and hopefully my sisters will be helping me this year.; but I've never attempted to feed any more than that. Needless to say I'm nervous. Thankfully I have a wonderful grandma with a double-oven that's going to give me a hand.

Secondly my home has never felt all that Christmas-like. We never had a full size tree, or really did more than hang stockings off the curio in our dining room, which wasn't decorated. This year I've finished our mantle, or "fantle" (faux mantle) as my sister is calling it, we finally decorated our tree, and my tablescape is complete, I even got a larger tablecloth for the meal for eleven (I'll be borrowing a small table from a friend to extend mine). Plus I rearranged the living room so we can still comfortably watch tv and see our tree.
Additionally this is the first year I'm not in grad school and can dedicate any time to decorating, though recently being offered a full time job doesn't allow quite as much time for that, my job is something I'm very thankful for.

Therefore, like everyone else, I'm fairly overwhelmed. So I took a week off blogging, and basically most social media interaction. This week I'll be trying to update with snippets of info, pictures mostly to document my first Christmas at home. But I'm sure there won't be much until closer to new years (still can't believe that's only two weeks away!) I've got some new projects planned for 2012 and will be writing about them sometime around the first during my yearly new years post. I can't wait!

For now, have a great week and I'll be catching up with you all sporadically!

Late Night Fashion Fridays: Make Way For Fly Girls

2011-12-09T23:09:00.001-05:00

Last night was the Fly Girl Blog 5th Anniversary Party at Anthropologie's new location ( 950 F ST NW Washington, DC ). While I definitely anticipated a good turnout (the Fly blog is pretty awesome), nothing could have prepared me for the scene I walked into last night.

I have to admit that while I love DC, it's definitely not high on the list of "Most Fashionable Cities". It's a business and college town where you're more likely to see black and blue suits in one neighborhood and hoodies with jeans in another. Even in ritzy Georgetown you rarely see fashion forward ladies living out their Sex and the City wardrobe fantasies. And who would blame them - those cobblestone streets are NOT made for stilettos! I never would have know this however when I walked into Anthropologie. Ladies were in their fashionista finest from head to toe. I'm not sure I've ever seen that many digital SLRs out at one time outside of a sporting event.

Notably, while I'm sure Fly has readers of all age ranges, ethnicities and backgrounds, the crowd was noticeably dominated by African-American women with natural hair, all of whom looked beautiful! And while I don't sport my natural do, (I've had my hair relaxed since I was a child), I am in awe of those ladies who have taken the plunge and said no to relaxers, extensions and braids, and let it all grow out. The range of hairstyles, colors and lengths were too numerous to count, but I was amazed.

Andrea of Fly was looking lovely as well in her party wear, and made sure to play the perfect hostess, mingling with everyone and making sure there were plenty of yummy snacks and sangria for her guests, with a little help from the Anthro. staffers.

Overall it was a wonderful time of mingling, meeting new friends and checking out the new store. It made me hopeful that more DC bloggers will party it up come their blogiversaries, it's too good of a time to pass up!

Designer Days: The Christmas Tree is Coming!

2011-12-08T10:47:00.006-05:00

I am so excited because after 2+ years of marriage, and almost 7 years of being together, my husband and I will finally have a tree! Each year we've visited family in Florida or Rochester and thus have never been home to appreciate, much less, take care of, a tree. But this year is different. A lot of family is coming to us, and so we're gearing up for our first Reidy Christmas in our home.

image via new mom favorites

Thus far I've created a holiday tablescape, re-arranged the living room, for TV and tree watching pleasure, and begun to plan how and where to hang the stockings (that's 12, and with no mantle!) And despite not having had a real tree in this home, I have decorated a 2.5' mini artificial tree each year, just to get SOME holiday decor up in our home. Each year I've tried to decorate the tree differently, choosing a different color scheme every time. This has helped me collect up ornaments for the real tree I knew we'd one day have, and it's kept each year of decor exciting and new.

image via country living

This year I'm considering keeping it simple on our big tree. I'd like to do silver, gold, and white. We just bought a tree skirt - a traditional red plaid, though I'm considering making my own, in which case it will be eggplant and then I may add red to the tree mix. Of course there are the random personal ornaments we've collected over the years which will be hung despite their possible color clash - we wouldn't forsake those memories for a nice color palette, while most do fall in the Christmas colors, aside from a peacock or two.

image via glam.com

I can't wait to get the tree in here! I love the smell of fresh pine, and the way the tree looks all lit up at night! I can't wait to start decorating!

What's your favorite thing about decorating for Christmas? How do you personalize your home - do you keep it traditional or mix it up each year?

Wordless Wednesdays: Hanging With Care Without A Chimney

2011-12-07T10:12:00.001-05:00

Like a lot of people we live in an apartment with no fireplace and definitely no mantle. Here are some great ideas for how to hang stockings in a place like ours. The last one is my favorite and most likely our 2011 solution.

image via a soft place

image via tip junkie

image via insert catchy title

image via be different act normal

*WINNER* image via a little delightful

Tuesday Tech: What To Get The Guy With Everything

2011-12-06T10:27:00.007-05:00

It sounds lame, but checking out those "What to get Dad for Christmas" gift guides are sometimes a serious save for me. Why are dads so hard to buy for anyway?

My dad is pretty much a techie, and while he's slow to accept a new trend (just stopped carrying a blackberry and a flip phone, and is anti-social media), once he's got it, he's sometimes overzealous, (got an iPad over the summer, now has an iPhone, and actually asked me the other day what twitter is all about).

image via defender network

When it comes to computers he's one of those guys that knows how to do exactly what he needs to do with his tech, and not much more. But he has a lot of toys - motorcycles, cars (life-size and miniature), stereo equip., appliances, etc., I guess that's where I get it from. So what to get the man who has all the toy he wants?

Something he's never seen before... but what would that be? And can I get it on a budget?

How about the pen that does everything - Dad carries a pen wherever he goes, he hasn't made the crossover to jotting down notes on his phone, and probably never will completely.

$100 for the Livescribe 2GB Echo

A solar powered computer and gadget bag - he travels a lot and with time in and out of airports and rental cars, he could certainly use a gift like this.

The Samsonite Solar Messenger Bag for $134.99

An iGrill - keep track of grilling temps via iPhone or iPad. What dad wouldn't love this. No need to watch the grill when you can watch the game and keep track of the grilling in hand. My dad would love this one!

$100 for the iGrill

These are my top three ideas so far. Let me know if you have any others, or have a dad just as hard to buy for as mine. 19 shopping days left!

Mondays in the Garden with Orange-Rosemary Cupcakes

2011-12-05T12:41:00.000-05:00

At this time there's barely anything left in the garden. In fact there are only three things - Mint, Thyme and Rosemary. The thyme and rosemary which I know will be used in some holiday recipes have moved inside to escape the frost, while the mint has been left to brave the cold. I'll be picking the mint leaves soon, and hoping they're still fresh not frozen.

Yesterday I decided to make orange-rosemary cupcakes, one of the cupcakes off my fantasy cupcake list (yes I have one of those). The recipe only called for a teaspoon, so I didn't feel I was wasting any that I'll need. At first I had decided to use a recipe I found on Chocolate & Carrots, a blog I came upon the other day, but after reviewing their recipe, I chose to go with a simpler one from Pillsbury - mainly because I didn't feel like going to the store on a busy Sunday.

image via Chocolate and Carrots

The recipes were actually very similar in terms of directions, but Chocolate & Carrots seemed to jazz it up a bit adding orange juice, two types of flour, and cane instead of regular granulated sugar. Using the Pillsbury recipe, (and not having a mixer that believes in a low speed), my batter fluffed a bit too much, and came out too dry once baked.

Aside from the dry-ish texture, you can still taste the yummy orange and rosemary flavors which also give off a great aroma before you enjoy the first bite. Next time I'll try the other recipe and see if my mixer issues play any part in the result.

image via Pillsbury

If you enjoy cupcakes with a little more flavor than vanilla, chocolate and red velvet, definitely try the orange-rosemary variety. They're easy to make and will fill your kitchen with a lovely citrus smell while they're being mixed, and a wonderful cake smell while they bake (double-win!)

Friday Finds: Ball Perfect Mason Jars

2011-12-02T10:26:00.000-05:00

When I first moved to Maryland after my years on hiatus I threw away many of my little collectibles (though my husband would argue that point). One of my collections I parted with was my blue glass collection. Yes, while silly, (what exactly do you do with a blue glass collection?), I had been gathering up trinkets since at least high school. My collection had traveled from Maryland to New York to Florida and back again, and there was just something about it that made me a little bit sad to see it go.

Since then I haven't collected much colored glass. I do have a few vases but that's pretty much it. Nothing that is specifically one color or another. But today may change all that.

image via Jill Hannah

I have uncovered a ~~Internet-advertised~~ secret stash of Ball Jars. And not just any Ball jars, the 1910-1914 Ball Perfect jars in the aquamarine color. Now, while these may be abundant online, I have found someone who is selling them for a deep discount. Plus since she's local I wouldn't have to pay for shipping which is pretty great. I'd also be able to choose which ones I wanted since she has a ton.

But what to do with vintage mason jars.... in my home?

These are beautiful examples, but I don't have a mantle and it isn't springtime:

image via Anyone Can Decorate

image via Ingenuity On Display

All of my ideas involve lights, and with the miracle of the Internet I have found them. And thanks to a crafter I'm especially thankful to - how to make them myself! I'm in love!

image via Anyone Can Decorate

image via Napa Style

image via Pottery Barn

image via Apartment Therapy

Wordless Wednesdays: Homemade Holidays

2011-11-30T10:46:00.003-05:00

This year I'll be taking some inspiration from these homemade holiday homes.

image via room envy

image via julia usher

image via pinterest

image via sunset

image via pinterest

image via glorious treats

image via mustard cut

image via the girl who ate everything

image via room envy

image via the cooking photographer

Are you going homemade this Christmas? What cool decor or delicious goodies do you have planned?

Happy Holidays Tablescaping

2011-11-24T09:50:00.075-05:00

This year I'm participating in a tablecaping contest through Centsational Girl. I've been working on my table for a few weeks now, and I'm so happy with it. I wish we were eating at my table this year, but we're enjoying family time in Rochester with the in-laws. So my table sits pretty and undisturbed.

To prepare for the contest we had to follow a few rules:

To enter, you’ll need to style a holiday tablescape and post it on your blog on or before November 30, 2011, then link up to the party on that day. Or you can enter via email with a minimum of two different images sent to tablescapecontest@gmail.com.

Tablescapes to be judged in the spirit of HomeGoods based on style, affordability, and creativity. The tablescapes must be fall or winter holiday related (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years, etc.) and must be set on a dining table (no mantels or bookshelves, etc.) The panel of three judges who will determine the final winners includes myself, Rhoda from Southern Hospitality and Courtney from Courtney Out Loud

Having submitted at least two images of your table, the next step is to link up to the party via Centsational Girl on November 30th... So what might you win?

One Grand Prize Winner will receive a $100 HomeGoods Gift Card

Three Runners Up will receive a $50 HomeGoods Gift Card

What will I do if I win? More tablescaping obviously! (And probably buy some new bakeware)

The tablescape I created:

What went into my design?

Well since part of the task was affordability I have to admit that I was pretty frugal in my shopping and really only spent as much as I did because of what we don't have in my house already that others may have, while I had some items others probably did not.

Let's start with the things we already owned:

Chargers - I know they originally were $9.99 (for a box of six) at Bed Bath and Beyond

Black and White Damask Plates - sold at Target, these are our everyday dishes.

Charcoal Napkins - When I lived in Florida my house was about five mintues from the Bed Bath and Beyond outlet store at the Sawgrass Mills Mall. Let's just say I have a lot of napkins.

Peacock Glasses - While you may not be able to see the peacocks on the wine glasses, they're a very delicate silver leaf print. Peacocks nested on leaves. So gorgeous. From HomeGoods - possibly around $2.99 each.

Clear Water Glasses - I got these at the dollar store two years ago. They were.. a dollar each.

Tablecloth (actually just a big piece of fabric - unhemmed) I got this for Thanksgiving two years ago from JoAnn Fabrics off the clearance rack. It was about $7

Table Runner - from HomeGoods in the spring of 2011. Maybe around $14

Gold Teapot (I collect teapots) - another Target item. I think I got this one around three years ago, I know it was less than $20, but I have no idea how much.

Hurricane Glass - This was a dollar store purchase from two years ago. See what I did with them then.

Chocolate Glass Ornaments - These are from our Christmas tree, and have been used at least twice. They came in a pack from Walmart which also included the frosted glass version.

There was a crafting portion to my tablescape.

There are pinecones are all over the ground on the side of our apartment building, and I collected a few 2 years ago, but didn't keep them. This year I grabbed a brown bag and went picking again, but took them to the next level. I already had gold and silver spray paint from some other projects (this will run you about $4.50 per bottle), so I took them outside and went to work. This was almost as rewarding a project as the table itself. I'm so happy with them and will definitely be using them again in years to come. The best part - if they break I can always go out and pick more up FOR FREE!

How I spent my money:

Salad Plates - A HomeGoods purchase. I fell in love with these plates before HG started carrying the entire set. I actually collected up the salad (and dinner) plates from a Marshalls, HomeGoods and TJMaxx, only to weeks later see the entire set PLUS SERVING DISHES at one store. I'm still glad I got them when I did because they were my original inspiration. What you can't see is that they have pine needles on them, in addition to other fall leaves. The salad plates were $3.99 each.

Cardinal Bread and Butter Plates - I have fallen in love with the cardinal plates with their silver trees. In my travels for this contest I have come across the entire set and I am obsessed. Those are definitely something I'd like to spend the giftcard on. They were four for $9.99.

Damask Bread and Butter Plates - These were a perfect accent piece. The silver and gold leafing really stands out, and the design pays homage to our larger black and white dinner plates. The pack of four were $9.99.

Flatware - It may sound a little kooky that we don't own silverware when we have so many other random tableware items, but we actually haven't shelled out the money for four sets of the silverware I really want yet. So we're using a much cheaper, dishwasher friendly, use it till it breaks version for now. The silverware I chose for the tablescape was $24.99.

Glass Jars - The smaller two were $14.99 and the larger one was $16.99. I was actually surprised at the price. I've never considered buying them before, and I love that they were so affordable!

Flameless Candles - I was so happy to find these. It was a pack of three, each a different height, and they came with batteries. We have two cats who are very curious, and having a flame on a table is not always a good idea. I love that I can walk away from these and not worry. Not bad for $14.99.

Reindeer Snowglobe - Homegoods came to my rescue once again for just $9.99. I absolutely love this snowglobe, and coincidentally, it's the only one I own.

3 Silver Birds - I saw these birds in Michaels Arts & Crafts and thought they'd be great for another touch of silver on the table. They were $2.39 each (a price I felt was a little much) but very cute, and definitely a perfect finishing touch.

And that's it! Total I spent $140.05 + tax, (still under $150 in MD), and coincidentally almost entirely at HomeGoods. Not too bad for a gorgeous holiday table! Obviously this didn't include what I already owned, but most people already own something, and we should use those pieces as inspiration, and a way to keep ourselves on a budget.

I am again, so thrilled with how this turned out. I am loving having a pretty table for the holidays, and with any luck my cats won't decide this is their new playground. Since I'll be hosting Christmas dinner, and an after-Christmas party this year, I'll be leaving up my decor for the rest of the year, and definitely smiling every time I walk by it.

Here are some other lovely images of my holiday table.

To you and yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

What To Do With A Dessert Gone Wrong

2011-11-23T10:42:00.000-05:00

When desserts go wrong (whether that be by their own faulty direction reading or not); the first instinct many people have is to throw them away. Here's one way I recently saved a dessert and turned a crisp into a pie.

The Culprit: Trader Joe's Cranberry Pear Crisp

Ingredients:

1 jar Trader Joe's Pear Halves in White Grape Juice

4 ounces Dried Cranberries

2 teaspoons Cornstarch

1 container Trader Joe's Caramelized Nut Trio

Directions

Drain pear halves and reserve white grape juice.

Quarter each pear half.

Toss quartered pear halves with cornstarch and dried cranberries.

Place in the bottom of an 8"x8" baking dish.

Add nut trio to food processor and blend until a nut meal is created.

Sprinkle atop pear and cranberry mixture.

Drizzle 3/4 cup reserved white grape juice over the top of the crisp. (Looking back I maaay have only glanced at this step and poured all the juice on)

Bake at 375 ºF for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.

So instead of a crisp I had a mostly still delicious soupy consistency.

I attempted to "cut" a piece - Disgusting!

I actually had high hopes that this would solidify in the fridge, but the next day it was still a liquid mess. So I decided to do a quick fix on my mistake.

The Fix: Time to make a pie!

Take a ready-made pie crust (non-frozen) and prep that in a pie pan.

With a slotted spoon, scoop the bulkier, more dense part of the "crisp" out of the pan and put it in the pie crust.

Then using a mesh sieve, drain the remainder of the crisp from the liquid and add the solid part into the pie pan.

Fold over the pie edges and bake on 375 until the edges of the pie are browned, mine took about 30 minutes.

Enjoy! You just made a super easy pie and didn't waste any more money on crisp supplies!

Here's how my cranberry pear pie turned out:

Delicious!

Fashion Fridays: Dana Kellin for Target

2011-11-18T08:53:00.000-05:00

As you may know, I am a Target fanatic. It's one of the few big box stores that I'm absolutely obsessed with. I find myself continuously drawn to their buildings, and I'm pretty sure that by this time at least 50% of my wardrobe is from there. Something I love about Target is their partnerships with designers who otherwise wouldn't be affordable for those of us on a $8 tank top budget. My first "big purchase" at Target was an Isaac Mizrahi purple trench coat (lost in the 2006 United Airlines luggage theft). I also bought the floral shower curtain that matched this bedding seen in all the ads.

image via Apartment Therapy

In 2008 I received a new Isaac Mizrahi trench for my birthday, after posting it on my blog (what a good listener my husband is ♥ ).

As I peruse the store I'm usually concentrating on sales, but the other day I walked past some jewelry that completely caught my eye. It was the new Dana Kellin for Target line, and in addition to being beautiful, there was something about it that seemed so familiar.

image via Target

For those who don't know, I worked at Arhaus Furniture from January to July of this year and in the North Bethesda and NYC stores there is an entire jewelry room. Dana Kellin was one of the few artisans selected to sell her beautiful work in the stores. Each day I would come in and chat with my friend Michelle, our jewelry expert, and look at the gorgeous Dana Kellin pieces. Some days (and for a while, every day) I would wear the pieces in the store - something employees were allowed to do in hopes to promote jewelry sales). I absolutely adored them and hoped to take some home with me. Even with the store discount, the pieces weren't within my budget. The necklace I wanted was around $150, and I couldn't really justify bringing it home instead of groceries could I?

So thankfully Target has come to my rescue, toting almost the exact necklace for a fraction of the price.

image via Target

And while I oggled over it at Arhaus, I didn't actually pick it up; but I did get two pair of earrings, both as lovely as can be.

image via Target

If you haven't been in Target to see the pieces, you really must. While they look lovely online, they're even more beautiful in person. Dana Kellin's work, even when toned down for Target still shines. The delicate wiring and gorgeous stones are really perfect for everyday wear as well as an evening out. I'm so glad Target was able to snag this partnership.

The Dana Kellin for Target collection is only available October 30 - December 29, so get it before it's gone.

Tuesday Tech: A Personal Pinterest

2011-11-15T10:18:00.001-05:00

In a continual effort to de-clutter my home and office I've decided to throw away some of my treasured possessions. This week I've tackled some magazines I've been hoarding. I have moved several times with my magazines and they keep piling up each month, to the point that I've had to buy shelving just to hold them. Now with the addition of fabric books in my office, I have less and less magazine storage space, so I'm trashing them - but not before one last look-through.

My plan - take the time necessary to get everything from them that caused me to keep them in the first place.

Step 1: Go through the magazines and tear out the pages that I kept them to have. I started with Metropolitan Home, since it's no longer in production I felt like this was a safe starting point for me. Plus I'm not overly attached to them, and have really never gone back to look for anything, though I was sure I kept them for a reason. So I've gone through every edition I have (about 2.5 years worth) and carefully dismantled the magazine so the pages simply give from the binding.

Step 2: Scan - this is the step I'm about to begin tonight, and one I'm assuming will take just as long as flipping through those hundreds of pages.

Step 3: Creating my personal Pinterest. For those who know how Pinterest works you can appreciate how this might come in handy. For those who don't, u need to check it out, (beware, it's slightly addicting). To create my personal Pinterest I'll need my scans and iPhoto. iPhoto '11 allows you to add tags to your images, something that will be essential in recovering my old magazine pages. I plan to put tag the images with the reasons I kept them. An example - if I like the cabinets and the wall tile in this image but not the floors, I'll only put in the tags "kitchen", "wall tile" and "cabinets". That way when I look for flooring I won't get any responses that aren't what I'd spec.

image via decorpad

I think this, while a tedious plan, is going to be extremely helpful in the future. Considering I turn to Pinterest for tons of images now, having a personal Pinterest is going to be awesome. Additionally this system will become even more manageable when I finally make the switch to digital editions of my magazines. (Something I don't see happening until I acquire an iPad); so at least another year from now. In the meantime I think it's a great albeit time-consuming solution.

What do you think? What's the best way to organize your images and de-clutter the lovely pages you subscribe to?

Organization Days

2011-11-11T13:52:00.000-05:00

This fall, despite having a lot of extra time at home, I've found it extremely difficult to stay organized. This time last year I was finishing up my master's degree, and my home was the last thing on my mind; but these days I'm here all the time, and the clutter is starting to get to me. Why can't my home look more like these...

All images were taken from my Pinterest board - Interior Inspiration.

Mondays in the Garden with the Last Few Plants

2011-11-07T11:26:00.000-05:00

Each fall I find myself confronted with the reality that I don't live in a place where gardening is possible all year. Living in a mid-Atlantic state and having the beauty of four seasons comes with a price. So each fall, usually once in October and once in November I end up trashing what's left of my container garden, at least what's no longer growing.

This year I went out with my trash bags and dumped everything except the thyme, mint, rosemary and chives. I also left two tomato plants which in a mini heat wave mid-October started growing again. Actually that happened with a few things, including my butter lettuce, but after the Halloween frost we had, most everything stopped. So I've got a few small green half-grown tomatoes.

Going to this

from this (which ended up completely full)

is always quite a shock for me, and really makes me sad. It also prompts me to figure out what to change about my growing and harvesting process. The biggest thing I'll be doing next year - dehydrating.

I'm getting a bit weary of feeling like most of my herbs go to waste. This is mainly because there's absolutely no good place in my home to dry them. So I've decided to invest in a dehydrator. While they range in price I think a $100 model will suffice.

I've selected this Nesco 700-Watt dehydrator on Amazon. It got four stars and there were only a few complaints about it. The one I'm most concerned about is the fact that there's no timer. But I'm okay with that, as long as I know how long things need to dry, I can set another timer in my house.

Gardeners, what do you think? Do you own a dehydrator? If not, how do you dry your herbs?

Online Publications - The New Library

2011-10-26T13:37:00.003-04:00

In the past few years I'm not sure I've picked up a real book with true intent to read. Yes, I've collected books to display in my home which I tend to flip through, gather mental inspiration and then possibly come back to them later looking for an image I enjoyed. But I find myself reading only magazines lately. I get enough of them that they probably add up to 400 or so pages by the time I'm through.

image via giantmag.com

And while I love my ink subscriptions, I had been truly struggling with the idea of eReading. It didn't feel the same, look the same or smell the same, and I've also always loved the sound of turning pages in magazines and books alike. So it caught me off-guard when I got hooked on an online publication called Pure Green Magazine. They're based out of Canada (as I find a growing multitude of things I enjoy are) and they're just starting to offer print issues ($84 a year for 4 issues to the USA). Online reading is still free so I found myself looking through (and actually reading) not only the current issue, but the entire 5-issue archive. This eReading only made me want a printed copy more, but the cost is just over-budget for a magazine, and frankly I don't like the idea of reading a "green publication" on paper, recycled or not.

I am currently in the process of succumbing to eReading, and ending my need for additional Expedit shelving by changing my print magazines over to digital. I just can't fully commit until I get an iPad next year (perhaps a 30th birthday gift *wink wink*). Currently I'm really struggling with all of this eReading. So many publications are offering digital subscriptions, which is wonderful, and so many of us are blogging, and creating our own digital newspapers, it's just overwhelming. We complain that we don't have enough hours in the day already, and struggle to read a local newspaper, and however many print subscriptions we already receive. I personally get about five each month, and it takes me at least a week to get a chance to read them all. Plus then add on any blogs I like (I've given up the idea that my google reader will say anything less than 1000+), and digital papers and magazines and we're talking almost a month passing before everything is read. I'm just saying, it's a lot to take on, but it's wonderful all the same.

image via bookshelves.com

So how will this effect us in the long run? Well, two years ago during the interior design graduate project presentations at GW, a classmate of mine presented the idea of the new library. Basically our current libraries being turned into community meeting places, and still offering books (some being digital), but really focusing on community involvement. I think this was a great idea, and I honestly hope libraries will be around forever, even if the digital word takes up a major portion of them. I think it would be wonderful to find blog posts in libraries, and to be able to search through them as we search through print references. This change to digital reading is clearly taking over at a rate faster than most of us can keep with. I just hope that those who aren't on top of their tech game can continue to enjoy publications along with everyone else.

Unwanted Gifts

2011-10-25T13:06:00.000-04:00

We all have those relatives who simply do not know what our style is. Or maybe they just think of us liking the same things we did as children. It may be your aunt that you only see at Christmas, or your mother-in-law that never has understood what you really like, or perhaps hasn't cared. From these people we sometimes end up receiving strange and unwated gifts that we feel obligated to keep, but have no interest in displaying our homes or wearing out in public.

I received a few such gifts this week from my grandmother and aunt. These ladies have taken a special liking to my cats, whom I also cherish. But they failed to realize that though I love my cats, I don't want to decorate my home with cat-related decor. And while I'm sure that buying for an interior designer is a challenge for anyone, there are just some things that are complete no-no's.

At a yard sale my ladies picked up some white ceramic cat figurines that, while I may have enjoyed them as a child, I would NEVER put in my home today. So what do you do with unwanted cat figurines? You may choose to just trash them. Or, you could try to turn your trash into a quazi-treasure. Since I couldn't see throwing their money straight in the garbage I decided to try and turn two out of the three into a seasonal treasure. Since it's almost Halloween and they were cat figurines - how about some black cats.

I took the can of flat black Krylon paint I have in storage, some newspaper, and the ceramic cats and within ten minutes I had some lovely Halloween decor.

a black cat teapot

(the mother cat's head comes off)

and a black cat candle holder/oil burner

(probably not the safest now that it's covered in spray paint)

So for a while these cats can find a safe haven in my halloween decor. I forgot to photograph them beforehand, but found the teapot online. And the candle holder looked something like the one pictured.

(An Almost Wednesday) Tuesday Tech: The Big Sync

2011-10-11T23:57:00.005-04:00

For those of you who have had iPhones for a few years now, or for those who maybe just have other devices that are made to work with your computer, you probably take for granted the ease of using your device. But for those who have only recently acquired a smart phone, or maybe are finally getting on that will really work for them, you are probably in a similar boat to mine.

image via Apple

Having had Macs for many years, but not having had an iPhone, it was never imperative that my information all be concise and make sense. But knowing that exactly what I see on my computer will now be carried around with me, and I'll depend on that information to make certain life choices, it completely changes the game. Add in that most my music will also fit on this device, and now we've got quite the organizational storm.

Addressing the Calendar and Address Book, while mostly simple, still took a considerable amount of time.

image via traders data

The big issue after checking to make sure my contacts were up to date: Do I delete or keep all of the names of friends who may show up on my iChat, but may not be people I normally call or e-mail. Maybe I just don't want to forget whose username is whose, since I haven't had to remember them in years. I opted to leave them, depending on how much you use iChat, you may decide to do something else. Or if you create groups for your contacts, you can sync just those groups you call.

image via iphone freak

The most challenging thing about the Calendar app is that I'm pretty loyal to my google calendar since I haven't had a reliable method of updating my calendar via my mobile phone. So getting everything perfectly synced as far as which calendars I actually need on my phone and which ones will continue to only show up when I'm signed into google was short lived. To do this I added my google accounts (Preferences - Accounts, choose Jabber) and then chose which calendars to see under the delegation tab.

image via Apple

As for my music, well that's an app of a different mac.

Currently my music library of over 12,000 songs is housed on my iMac. This is because I didn't want to sacrifice memory on MacBook Pro for music that was perfectly happy housed elsewhere. So now I'll be planning to sync my music and my contacts separately. To do this I'm following a suggestion from Andrew Grant of Shiny Things. He says that what I need to do is pretty simple, if you have some other music/contacts syncing issues, check out his post on How to sync an iPhone with two (or more) Computers. All I will need to do is select my address book and calendar to sync on my MacBook Pro and then plug my iPhone into my iMac and enable music syncing only on that computer. While the iPhone will tell me it plans to erase the library that exists, that will be fine considering there won't be a music library on my phone at all yet. Now, I've already contacted Andrew to ask if I'll have to wait for the library to "delete" and re-upload each time I sync. I sure hope not, because with over 12,000 songs that isn't a quick process.

The second issue with my music is choosing which songs will actually make it to the phone, because I can't actually take them all. When I checked out how much memory my songs were taking up the other day on my current 80GB iPod, about 60GB was music. Sounds great right, obviously that fits on a 64GB iPhone. Well not really. You then have to consider wanting add any apps on the phone (which obviously I do) and then the memory it takes to even run the phone. Plus add in the fact that every Apple product says it comes with a certain amount of memory, but really it comes with less than that free because the software running on the system takes up a bit of memory itself.

SO, what to do? Make playlists and enjoy only those on my phone? Sounds like a good idea. My plan of attack: Go through my entire library (UGH!) and make a playlist for each artist I feel that I listen to frequently enough to deserve the space on my iPhone. Then give that artist their own playlist. Plus keep the playlists I already have and listen to a lot (which does include quite a few artist-specific lists - Jack's Mannequin and Daft Punk area particularly overplayed). Got a better idea? Please let me know. I basically have three days to get this in order and judging by the time it's taken me to make custom playlists by going through each song, I already know we're talking at least 8 hours.

Thankfully photos aren't something I'm bringing over to my iPhone, and I doubt I'll bring over any Internet bookmarks. So I think that caps off my preparations. If you're wondering how to get ready for your big sync and need some suggestions feel free to contact me. Good luck to all those preparing, and for those of you just upgrading to a new iPhone, please don't look down on those of us who are giddy for the 4s. Try and think back to when you got yours and be happy, now we're all on the same screen.

Late Night Posts - An iPhone Case Review

2011-10-06T23:25:00.001-04:00

In many cases in life I'm not one to get there first. I'm a late sleeper - I don't mind breakfast at 10:30. I don't mind being late (as long as it's less than ten minutes), and I've never slept outside overnight for a concert, tickets, or for the latest playstation.

I will however be at my computer, comfortably at home and waiting to push a button at an exact moment. This happens whenever I fly southwest and when the new iPhone 4s comes out tomorrow at 3:01am EST. So since I'll be up all night tonight, along with anyone else who was dreaming of an iPhone 5 but got the 4 and gave in, I've decided to do some blogging.

Tonight I'm looking into the iPhone and trying to learn as much as I can about what I can do, and what mine might look like, in preparation for its arrival next friday.

So far I've looked up cases - how will my iPhone look different from everyone else's. While my mom swears by her Otterbox, she is the only person I know, aside from my little sister, who even owns one. I know they're great and break-proof, but it's like taking a VW Jetta and adding a Hummer H3 on top. It just looks bad. And as someone who doesn't really drop her phone often, I'm feeling pretty secure in getting a pretty cover, and then putting a case around it.

My top choices:

Pantone has two that I really like. One's a soft case, and one a thin hard case. Both are snazzy because they're Pantone. The soft one you can customize with your own logo. Pretty sweet.

Hard Pantone Case 7462

Soft Pantone Case

(can be personalized with a logo in addition to two lines of 21 characters or less)

The Colors case from Switcheasy is another one of those soft silicone cases. A difference - vibrant colors and a contrasting home button which makes getting home easier, especially when using a case. My color choice: Mint with the gray button, it makes me want a pillow mint candy.

Switcheasy Silicone Case in Mint

What is an iPhone when it's not being a phone? It's everything else! In this case - a vintage camera. Society 6 has quite a few of these images to choose from, all very retro and cool. My favorite is definitely the Vintage Agfa Camera.

Vintage Agfa Camera case by Typography Photography

And get an iPhone case for free? Well kinda. Sephora is offering an iPhone case for free when you purchase anything online and put in their special code. To find out the code - download their app on your iPhone (or iPod touch) and get a cute black and white striped case - "free"!

Sephora "Free" iPhone case

This is actually probably in my top three choices.

As for Otterbox - well I can't exactly rule them out. They are trustworthy to say the least. And I suppose if I did go with one of theirs it would be either the Defender or the Commuter Series. What's the difference? I couldn't tell you. It looks to me like just some texture on the back. Is a clear protective membrane any different than a self-adhering clear screen protector? And is a "free" belt-clip holder enough to make a $15. Probably not. Regardless, a deep teal would work. And you can't get that in the

Otterbox Commuter Series

Otterbox Defender Series

Probably the coolest case I've seen - the Etch A Sketch case from Headcase. It actually looks even cooler in the iPad version, but I thought this was great!

Etch A Sketch Case for the iPhone 4

I suppose I'll be ordering a new case sometime today, after I order the phone. Granted, the cases I've reviewed before will have to be considered as well. They are still pretty neat and not to be completely excluded.

Are you getting a new iPhone? What color will the phone be? Which case will you get, and why?

(Not a) Wordless Wednesday - A Thank You To Mr. Jobs

2011-10-05T21:01:00.001-04:00

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

From ipod to iphone to ipad, we have been inspired and excited year after year by what comes out of a little store called Apple.

Just one day after the announcement of the iPhone 4s, Steve jobs passed away leaving us with great innovations and explorations that may not have come around without him for years. We all want an iPhone, even those who won't admit it. We all love listening to our iPods and enjoying, or daydreaming about a tablet, probably designed by Apple. And while Steve Jobs may not have come up with all of these on his own, he was certainly the man behind the curtain pushing for bigger and better toys for all of us non-techies who wish and pray for new things at the holidays and all year round.

Personally I can thank Mr. Jobs (and my family) for my first personal computer - the Apple 2GS, my first laptop - the Powerbook G4, my first iPod - the 4th generation 40GB, my second iPod - the 5th generation 80GB, my iMac G5 (non-intel), and my second laptop - MacBook Pro (intel).

Thank you Mr. Jobs for all your hard work and dedication. You will be missed.

Fashion Fridays: Prismatic Purses

2011-09-30T14:17:00.001-04:00

Many years ago now I started collecting purses as most women do at some point in their lives. The Last time I moved I had three regular square boxes full of purses, so I got rid of a few. Now I'm starting to get rid of some more, and I recently realized I own a purse in every color of the rainbow. But when I bought them, it was usually because it was on sale or was a impulse buy, or not really something of good quality.

So recently I've been trying to replace my old cheaper purses with some of better quality that will last. I also finally bought a black purse that wasn't a clutch. Yes, while I own more than one purse in green and blue and purple, I actually did not own black. Meanwhile, red, brown and orange are other colors you won't find much of in my closet. The colors I'm looking for now: orange, gray, and possibly a new teal bag. I'd also love navy, because while I have royal blue, navy always looks a bit more succulent to me.

Of course I've picked some out online, and seen some in places like Marshalls and TJMaxx, so we'll see how those places work out. While I ogle over Coach, I have seen some other lovely brands for much less. But I absolutely love these:

This Persimmon is pefect!

Madison Maggie Shoulder Bag image via dillards

And I do love Jade.

Kristin Elevated Leather Flat Satchel image via luxury-aaa

But navy is better.

Kristin Elevated Leather Flat Satchel image via luxury-aaa

This Tearose is too gorgeous!

Kristin Leather Pleated Satchel image via fashion handbags market

I also love it in Emerald

Kristin Pleated Satchel image via fashion handbags market

Love this retro Turquoise!

Kristen Large Satchel image via handbago

This Blue is absolutely stunning.

Kristen Large Satchel image via exotic excess

and it looks great in Blue Smoke (if you can find it)

Kristen Large Satchel image via coachs outlet

A sumptuous Olive in suede - yum!

Chelsea Suede Pocket Large Caryall image via coach.com

A bit of a different Blue Smoke, gray is definitely huge in my closet.

Kristen Elevated Pebble Grain Leather Large Zip Tote image via coach.com

Something other than Coach - Steve Madden Bcecile in Navy is also pretty cool

Love the bottom zippers. image via steve madden

Now the problem with lots of gorgeous large purses - how to store them. That's a post for another day.

Ink Blue Walls

2011-09-25T10:56:00.001-04:00

I am obsessed with this ink blue wall! If anyone knows what color it is I would love to know. It's absolutely gorgeous!

image via pink wallpaper

Great Minds Spec Alike

2011-09-24T10:23:00.001-04:00

In the last few days I was able to catch up with my DVR, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that on not one design show, but two, the designer had chosen something I had at one time put in a project or on my blog.

Show 1: Secrets From A Stylist - Untamed Modern Funk

Emily goes to Blu Dot, a store from which I used several products in my graduate project. She lies on the bed I picked out for my artist residences, and peruses past some other items that appeared in my community center. And then she ends up choosing the same rug I put in my residences for her clients.

image via style by emily henderson

The beautiful yellow hexagon rug was perfect in their space and mine! You can see how I used the same rug on my website in the interior design gallery.

Show 2: Home by Novogratz - NYC "Model" Apartment

The Novogratz' go to pick out wallpaper for some lucky models who are not only getting contracts, but also a free decorated NYC apartment. They choose to do some custom wallpaper with the girls' headshots in the living area, and in the bedrooms, two wallpapers I featured on my blog in 2008, both in my post Wallpaper As Far As The Eye Can See

image via cy fair lawn care

I absolutely still love the bicycle wallpaper (pictured left). I'd love to have it with the white background instead of silver. These wallpapers are custom in that they are hand printed with whatever colors you choose. I'm also still digging the fishnet wallpaper from my post for whenever I get a walk-in closet (something far down the road I'm sure).

It was great seeing these designers choose the same products I have chosen. It gives me such encouragement to continue doing what I do, and to keep watching to see if any other similarities come up.

Fashion Fridays: Completing The Fall Boot Wardrobe

2011-09-23T10:35:00.006-04:00

Every year when fall rolls around I get a craving for new fall boots. There's either a different color, heel height or finish I've been hunting for that I make it my mission to find. Usually however there's a serious hangup along the way.

image via cleveland.com

My problem with fall boots are three fold: Price, Size and Calf Circumference, and not always in that order.

As I'm sure I've mentioned in previous posts, I wear a size 11 shoe. And despite ladies with that average 8.5-9 shoe complaining that all their shoes are gone from the rack, the fact remains that they were there, and there were probably multiples. Unlike the ladies with the size 11 whose size may not have even been considered at the factory. And yes, to mention it, a size 6.5 is hard to find too, but usually there's at least one made.

Now sometimes a size 11 lady will get lucky, and they will have made one in her size, but judging by the number of shoe salespeople I've spoken to over the years, they only usually send one pair of 11s to each store, if we're lucky, they send two. But usually there are none available. Stores that carry 11s most frequently: Nordstrom (the number one stop, they always have 11s, or at least they can get them if they're made). Nordstrom rack is number two, and should be bumped to number one really because of the amazing deals you can get. I've probably bought almost every pair of boots I own there. Unless there's a pair that you must have because of some serious specifications, or you're completely afraid they'll sell out, then don't pay full price.

image via rachel sutherland

Nine West Outlet also carries size 11. Why not the Nine West regular stores? I'm not quite sure, but they usually give me the "we can order any size" line. So I suggest finding an outlet, you'd be surprised how many pair they usually have, and what kind of sales they're running on top of the markdown for being in an outlet. The third choice for size 11s is my least favorite option: the internet. While internet stores may carry an 11, shoes are like furniture, it's really best to try them on. And I guess if you can get a deal, and don't mind buying and returning to find your size then it's fine. Your best bet, learn what manufacturers cut their shoes appropriately for your feet, and stick with them. If you're going to change brands, buy a simple everyday flat or heel first, you'll be able to tell after wearing them for a day if you should invest in their boots or not.

This year my hunt was for brown boots; heel height: flat, hue: unspecific, comfort level: high, price: moderate. I really want to replace the boots I bought last year. The main problem with them is that they're not real leather. Without getting into the issues of why and why not to buy real leather shoes, let me just say that whatever man-made material they are from does not like zippers. I cannot zip up my boots, and sometimes cannot unzip them without using a wrench to pull the zipper. So they need replacing. They're pretty much already otherwise. A cognac-like color, knee high, with a rounded toe. So let's find a pair like them...

Using those specifications I only came up with one pair under $300

ECCO Hobart Boot $219.95 at Nordstrom

However after reviewing these I also came across these at Nordstrom Rack:

UGG Australia Annabelle Boot

How gorgeous!! For $175 at the rack down from $275, would you, or wouldn't you? And not that it should make a difference, but January Jones (of Mad Men fame) apparently has them in black.

image via bootsaholic

Tuesday Tech: A One-Month Countdown

2011-09-06T12:38:00.001-04:00

The continuous need for Internet access is starting to take it's toll on this techie. Having given up my smart phone in may, I've been doing life 2007-style. No emails, no browsing while bored, no free 411, and worst of all no google maps!

This has also meant no tweeting while shopping (something I enjoyed regularly) and no uploading images to tweets and fb whenever and wherever. And I miss it, it has truly been a struggle to not just cough up the extra $75/mo (once you add in taxes and fees) and give Verizon almost half of a paycheck; but I'm holding out.

The deadline, well now thankfully is only a month away. October - the supposed release of the new iPhone, is on it's way, and after that, there will probably be no plan I won't pay for. This has all had great monetary value but really it has just taught me that I miss having a smartphone.

images via: presentermedia and iphone5newsblog

Written on my iPod

A Designer Living In A Blogger's World

2011-09-06T10:24:00.001-04:00

Having a real job is no joke. And having a real job on top of your dream job is even less of one. As I've mentioned in a few previous posts, I'm working a 40+hr/wk job in addition to doing interior design and a bit of web design as well and I'm exhausted. I'm also disappointed because I've lost time for one of my favorite things - blogging.

Now I know us interior designers are a mixed lot. Some of us work full time jobs plus designing on our own, some of us split our time, working part-time for someone else and part-time for ourselves. And some of us lucky folk are designing full time. And isn't that the goal? To have the resources and clientele to design full time? Of course it is!

But I ask you, where does blogging fit into that? Designers sure are blogging these days. And it isn't just us, it's every HGTV-watching design enthusiast. I keep saying, "I'd rather read blogs than magazines." Blogs are the new books, and they're ever-changing and growing in a way that we'll never have to put them down.

And while some bloggers may stop blogging, there are a thousand more on the exact same topic still going. It's a blessing and a curse for the bloggers. Your blog needs to be unique enough to stand out and get readers, but you need to cover trending topics that honestly, everyone is covering. It's that personalization to your blog that gets the readers, those aspects that make you different than every other design and fashion blog out there.

And how do you have time to express your witty whimsy that is everything that makes you, you? You steal time, you lose sleep, you wake up early, you stay up late, you blog en route, you make time for your readers and yourself. This is the commitment I must make now, in this crazy time of my latest twenties I'll do it! Before there are kids and mortgages and too much of life, it's time to make time for me, and for you. Time to take whatever I'm designing and put it out there via "the cloud" (a name I hate btw). I know I can do it, I'm just still figuring out how, but it will be done!

Phew! I feel better now.

images via: salesdnaltd and multiliteracyrevolution

Hurricanes (should) leave more time for blogging

2011-08-28T12:33:00.000-04:00

As we just weathered the only hurricane I've lived through in my 20-some years as a Maryland resident, I thought I would have had more time for catching up on my blogging. We never lost power and it was really the opportune time to get some work done. Unfortunately (and fortunately) we were housing some of my close relatives during the storm who are elderly and we would not have wanted to see need assistance had the storm hit their country homes.

I've also honestly just been exhausted lately. I'm not sure how these multi-taskers do it. You know, the people who are always involved in a million activities? I mean seriously, this is all a bit much. 40+ hours of work week, plus interior design work, plus a tiny bit of web design work, and still being a person with a normal amount of things to do in life, it's really tiring me out. Thankfully the storm has passed and I can finally get myself on a schedule of some sort.

So, I will start blogging a bit more on the Peacock Moon Interiors blog. That's right, if you didn't know, there is another blog, but it's really for projects. Hopefully one day it will be just as full as this blog, but for now Under A Peacock Moon really runs the show with inspirational ideas, wants and needs. I will be doing my first update on the PMI blog today and hopefully being able to keep up with it about once a week while I'm working with this client.

Aside from my exhaustion I'm really truly excited to be working on a design project and can't wait to see it coming alive. This is really me living out my dream, so I couldn't be more thrilled. I have a great client who's honest and not wishy-washy, so that's also wonderful. I'd say, it's all starting to come together.

I hope everyone stayed safe on the east coast, after our earthquake earlier last week and then a hurricane coming through, we've really been in the midst of some craziness. Hopefully that's all over for a while and we can get back to some normalcy.

Have a great week!

Tuesday Tech: Music For My Sister

2011-08-16T10:35:00.006-04:00

Today is my little sister Jessica's birthday so I'm posting my pictures (and video) from the concert I went to last Sunday night. One of my top 5 favorite bands - Jack's Mannequin played with Ra Ra Riot and Guster at Pier 6 Pavilion in Baltimore. It was definitely one of the best shows I've ever seen - partially because we were in the 3rd row!

My sister is a songwriting and music production major at Berklee, so I can't help but post something musical for her birthday listening & viewing pleasure. I hope everyone else enjoys the pictures and videos as well.

Happy Birthday Little Sis!

Pier 6, image via Robert Davis Inc

----------------------------------------------------------------

RA RA RIOT

----------------------------------------------------------------

JACK'S MANNEQUIN

Jack's Mannequin Performing "Amy, I"

Jack's Mannequin Performing "What Gets You Off"

----------------------------------------------------------------

GUSTER

Andrew from Jack's Mannequin joined Guster on stage

The Calm In The Storm

2011-08-12T09:00:00.002-04:00

So things have definitely seemed quiet around here, and by here I mean online. Because here in the real world things are anything but!

In the last few weeks I've launched the new Peacock Moon Interiors website, picked up a design client, gotten a new "regular job", continued looking for another "regular job", finally received my business license from MD (which took since OCTOBER of 2010!) and considered the possibility of moving 10x over.

Things are definitely not quiet. And now we have a guest coming for an extended stay at the end of this month. I haven't really had a chance, or rather made the time for writing. The wordless wednesday posts have been the most I could handle lately. And I'm overjoyed and thankful to be this busy, but I miss blogging and twitter. There's definitely a big part of me that lives online, and I'm feeling a bit emptier because of it, that is, when I have the time to even think.

So for the next few weeks please bear with me. I'm trying to get things together out here, so I can get back to things online. I was asked to run a giveaway in the next few weeks so keep a look out for that. Gotta come up with a good way to get you all some winnings!

Ciao for now!

(Semi) Wordless Wednesdays: How To Make A Personalized Handtowel

2011-08-03T09:41:00.002-04:00

Purchase Flour Sack Towels

Wash & Dry To Pre-Shrink

Iron & Fold

(Enlist Friends To Help If Making More Than 20)

Buy Fabric Ink, A Roller, & Kid Craft Foam (if making your own stamp)

Cut A Stamp of Your Design, or Buy A Stamp

Put A Piece of Thick Paper Under Layer of Fabric Being Stamped

Pour A Small Amount of Paint On Double-Layered Tin Foil-Lined Cookie Sheet

Roll Paint On Stamp So There Are No Gobs

(Enlist Friends To Help If Making More Than 40)

Stamp Each Towel & Be Careful To Lift Evenly

Hang or Lay Flat to Dry

Enjoy!

Feel free to contact me with any questions regarding this project.

Saturday In The City - Artscape 2011

2011-07-30T10:40:00.009-04:00

This year the hub and I visited Artscape in Baltimore to check out a musician he likes named Matisyahu. It was his first year going to Artscape and he really loved it. I on the other hand have been going off and on to Artscape for most of my life. The festival was July 15-17 around the area where MICA, Myerhoff Symphony Hall area, in the neighborhoods of Bolton Hill and Mid-Town Belvedere on Mt. Royal Ave.

What is Artscape? Artscape is an arts festival in Baltimore that has been going on yearly since 1982. So this was the 30th Anniversary, and it was a big one. There are concerts, artist booths, a flea market/free stuff area, a car show with heavily decorated cars and soo much food.

Of course I went in almost every craft booth picking up business cards and dreaming of supporting my local etsy-ers. There were some really cute things that I'd love to have for my home, or gift to some people I know.

Some of my favorites:

Whoop. http://www.etsy.com/shop/whoop : cool handmade jewelry

Amelia Irene Design http://www.ameliairene.com/ : a letterpress studio - loved her designs

Cutesy but not Cutesy by Diane Koss http://www.etsy.com/shop/dkoss2 : Definitely Cutesy! LOVE!

Mi Casa Bella http://www.etsy.com/shop/micasabella : Their pillows are divine! Maybe that's why they've been featured so many places.

Van Wagoner Studios http://vanwagonerstudios.com : Cool blown glass veggies and other art

Open Eye Press http://openeyespress.com/ : Screenprints, Buttons, Snack Packs and more. I LOVED their screenprints. They are a must-have for my next home!

Flourish Bath & Body http://www.etsy.com/shop/flourishbathbody : Their soaps and scrubs smelled so good on a hot day, it made me want to go home and take a bath.

Wilson Fine Arts http://wilsonfinearts.com/ : This man's artwork is amazing. The hub and I were oogling over his dancers and I loved his images of children.

Jon Wye http://jonwye.com/ : Graphic Tees and Belts, I've also seen him at Eastern Market in DC. Love the belts, and the Tees are pretty funny too.

Next year if you live in the DC area check out Artscape. It's not that far of a drive, and technically you can take the MARC train since the festival is right next to Penn Station in Baltimore. It's definitely worth the trip!

Festooned Fridays: Tinis for Tatas

2011-07-29T10:08:00.011-04:00

Last Saturday I was one of the sponsors for a wonderful event in Bethesda called Tinis for Tatas. The event helped raise money for Our Voices of Hope, an organization that brings awareness to metastatic breast cancer. Through their organization they strive to raise money for research and provide financial support to disadvantaged and uninsured women and men living with metastatic breast cancer.

The event was held at Relic in Bethesda, a steakhouse with an interesting choice of decor. It was almost like wild west meets Tudor style meets brothel. Kind of strange and cool all at once.

As ladies showed up in pink they checked in, got a name tag and began to mingle. Everyone was so nice, greeting strangers and familiar faces with handshakes and hugs. Our lovely host Melanie from Sisarina was introducing those who didn't know each other to each other to form new friendships and ties. Sisarina and Momzshare were the main sponsors, but there were many others in tow including myself. Peacock Moon Interiors donated graphics through the table tent designs and also participated in the auction through donating a free hour long color consultation to a raffle winner. Additionally we added something for the goody bags - hand-printed kitchen towels.

I was so happy with how the towels turned out and documented the whole process which I'll share in a separate post. They were completely time consuming and worth it however. I absolutely love them and I think the ladies did too.

image via Noe Todorovich Photography

Overall the event was marvelous and I got to meet many new faces from our area and beyond. It turned out to be a complete success as well since $575 was raised for Our Voices of Hope. I'm so glad I participated and can't wait to see what other events Peacock Moon Interiors can be a part of in the future.

Designer Days: Apartment Therapy Meetup at CB2

2011-07-28T10:09:00.012-04:00

Last Wednesday I attended the Apartment Therapy meetup which was held at the new CB2 in Georgetown. The meetup was unlike the others we had because there was no chatting with a designer. Instead, after a lovely introduction from Ms. Desiré Greene of Sukio Design Co., we were given a presentation from two of the CB2 guys who gave us some background info on CB2, and then sent us off to do some DIY.

image via High Fashion 4 Less

image via Eleven O Eight Photography

I participated in one of the projects using the glass tea light balls I had purchased some three years ago. Others did carpet arranging and some other styling. Overall the event was nice, and as always it was great to see the other Apartment Therapy groupies who consist of designers and design enthusiasts in the area.

image via Eleven O Eight Photography

Whenever I go to the meetup I meet more of the people on Twitter that I've talked to online, and I meet new friends to come back and chat with. I met some more of those lovely ladies this time and got to network with some fresh faces who I didn't see at the last meetup.

Some things I learned at CB2

1. Make sure you get your swag bag first, they do run out.

2. CB2 offers design services to clientele using 3D design with a customizable interface.

3. CB2 supports The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth.

image via CB2

4. CB2 provided much of the furnishings for Cam and Mitchell's home on Modern Family (one of my favorite shows).

image via Zimbio

5. CB2 visits the Milan Furniture Fair to find inspiration for their pieces

image via LA Times

Have you been to the new CB2 yet? If not check it out, it's bright, colorful and fun!

Wordless Wednesdays: A Pie In Pictures

2011-07-27T10:25:00.006-04:00

Blackberry Raspberry Pie Recipe from Pillsbury modified with baking directions for larger pie using Simply Recipes

Tuesday Tech: Knowing Your Limits - A Bout of CSS

2011-07-26T09:50:00.029-04:00

For the past week straight I have been staying up all night working on my new website. It has been a long and unfortunately aggravating process due to one thing in particular: CSS.

I was advised that I should move my blog from Google's Blogger application to Wordpress. This would allow me a certain amount of flexibility when it came to designing my website. With Wordpress.Org I can host my blog on my server and therefore drive more traffic to my website as opposed to leaving it with google and all this blogging basically go for naught.

I thought this was a great idea, knowing that plenty of people have Wordpress blogs and it should be as simple as a transfer. I customized my own Blogger template off of a template I found online, and it was pretty simple. Yes I had to do research for particular things I wanted, but Google is really user friendly with all their apps, isn't that why we "Google" everything?

So I move over to Wordpress and start up an account. It isn't long before I realize that I've checked this out before. Wordpress used to cost money, I'm not sure when they made the switch to a free platform, but I remember looking into signing up before and that being a major reason I didn't. Now they have a free signup but many of their templates still cost. I'm sure that the people out there making templates want to get paid for their hard work, but shouldn't Wordpress take some initiative and give the users an easier interface to work with?

image via Rakesh Kadampanad

As I began to modify a template that wasn't really what I wanted at all, I soon learned that not only was Wordpress not going to give me tons of templates to choose from, but they were also going to require I understand and use CSS coding before I did anything. This made me wish I had paid more attention in undergrad. I did major in computer graphics at Syracuse and I did learn to program, oh did I. But there was only so much of it I truly understood or cared to know, as by my second semester in the graphics program, I also knew I wasn't going to do it for the rest of my life, and had discovered my love for interior design.

So I basically spent the past week trying to decipher CSS and possibly implement it to create a template that looks like my website, talks like my website and acts like my website. Needless to say I did not accomplish not one bit of that. So I caved. I gave up. It took me two days to come to grips with the fact that I just wasn't going to put the time and effort in to learning CSS when there were many many programmers out there who knew it and who I could pay (hopefully affordably) to do it for me.

This led me to do what has now become habit - send out a tweet. Within an hour of me tweeting that I was looking for someone to design a Wordpress template for me, I had a response. It actually came from an unexpected source. I attended a tweetup called Tinis for Tatas on July 23rd of which I was actually a sponsor (more on this later in the week). Someone from the event had added me on Twitter and had seen my tweet. She (Avonda from Brand Design Love), had just mentioned me in a tweet earlier because she liked the handcrafted hand towels I provided in the gift bags (you'll get to see them, don't worry). Brand Design Love creates brand identity, logo, print and websites, and uses CSS. It was so great to basically send out a simple message and have an immediate response (one of the many reasons I love Twitter)

Brand Design Love will be working on my new blog (due to be completed the first week in August). I am very excited to embark on this new endeavor, but for you Blogger and Tumblr users, don't worry, I'll still be copying my posts over to there. I understand how we can get attached to our platforms, and pretty much stick to them unless we're using a reader (sometimes even then).

I'm looking forward to a new site and blog in the next few weeks. Check it out when you get the chance!

www.peacockmooninteriors.com

Mondays in the Garden with Blossom End Rot

2011-07-25T10:39:00.000-04:00

For those non-tomato growers and non-home farmers out there you're probably thinking "What in the world is that?' I honestly was thinking the same thing when I looked at my tomatoes.

My cherry tomatoes have been coming in amazingly. It seems like every day there are at least 5 new ones that I gather up, bring in the house, and snack on throughout days when I'm at home. My other tomatoes however have not been so delicious. Mostly this is due to blossom end rot, or BER. Blossom end rot is when you have tomatoes growing and the underside of the tomato begins to look like it's molding. Not on the outside, but on the inside. It's basically a super soft liquid spot on the bottom of your tomato. The spot, as the tomato grows begins to flatten out and eventually dries up leaving rings (similar to tree rings) that are crusty on the bottom of your fruits.

image via Seeds and Sprouts

This has been going on with my red roma as well as my better bush tomatoes. It's really gross looking and I wasn't sure what to make of it. I discovered that the part of the tomato that wasn't rotted was actually pretty sweet and delicious, but the rotting really turned me off from eating them. So I did a little research and discovered immediately what was going on.

BER plagues tomatoes when there isn't enough calcium in tomatoes (and therefore in the soil), it can also result from uneven watering and fluctuations in temperature, all of which could be going on in my container garden. No one can argue that the temperatures in Maryland were all over the place during May, June and even July. Additionally since I grew my tomatoes from starts, the original soil they came from is an unknown factor.

image via The Good Thing Is

So what can I do about it? Well apparently BER usually goes away on it's own and is just in the first few of the tomatoes on a vine. I've so far picked six, so I'm not sure what "a few" means, but I'm hopeful it means six.

Apparently an option is to put grass clippings on the top of the containers, this keep the soil a bit more moist, it keeps the soil cooler, and it also provides additional nutrients to the soil. So I'm definitely going to try that, provided I can gather up enough grass clippings next time the lawnmowers are around.

Another remedy would be moving the pots to a shaded area, or if shaded areas are hard to come by, lean something up against the pot itself so that the sun isn't directly on it, causing the soil to overheat and the roots to slightly cook. This also helps with temperature fluctuation.

Additionally you can add calcium to the soil through crushing up eggshells and putting them in the soil. I've also read about people putting ground up tums in their soil once a month, or putting calcium in their water. For the more serious gardeners, guano (from various sources) seems to work and promote flowering of plants. While that SOUNDS great, I'm not sure I'm ready to be that kind of gardener.

a few of my tomatoes suffering from BER

Overall I just want the BER to go away. I'm loving having fresh tomatoes and lettuce one step outside my door, and I'd like to be able to enjoy them without discarding half first. I will definitely be trying the tums, shade and grass clippings to see if any of that helps. Otherwise I'll be enjoying cherry tomatoes all summer and maybe none of the others. Hopefully not.

Do you have any experience with blossom end rot and know of any other simple solutions? Share your story with me, I'd love to hear it.

Inherit and Cherish

2011-07-11T10:14:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend I got to spend some time with my family in Harford County, MD. Visiting them is one of my favorite things to do, and I try to make it up once a week if not, every two weeks. The family I'm visiting is my grandmother, my aunt (her sister), their nephew (my godfather) and his wife (one of my godmothers). They're all over 65 and are in pretty good shape for being their ages.

My maternal grandmother and aunt live next door to my godparents, and until I was about 8 my mother and I lived with them. Before my godfather's mother passed away we were very close, and her death was one of the hardest things I've gone through in life. Whenever I visit my family, finding things that used to belong to her, that I can inherit is one of my favorite things to do.

During my visit yesterday I was helping my godfather with a dvd player in what used to be his mother's room. There are still quite a few of her things in the room, including furniture and other small pieces. Since I was just hanging around I had left my camera next door and wasn't even thinking about photographing what I found. Of course now I've realized that should have been my first move. I came across two things to inherit during this visit.

The first found item to cherish was a Polaroid 150 (and 800) camera. It is seriously in perfect condition aside from the fact that it had been used (apparently only a few times). The only way to even tell that was that once you opened up the film compartment there was a slight residue from the polaroid film.

image via axle on flickr

I was in awe of the camera as soon as I popped open the lock on the case (also in almost perfect condition). Additionally there wasn't just a camera in there, all the instructions, a flash (with cover) a bulb (I'm not sure which size), an orange filter, a shade filter, the carton that the flash bulbs came in, and another bracket to hold another flash were all in the box and in great condition. I mean seriously, what a find!

image via ebay

The second objects of my affection were two sapphire blue Lady Baltimore suitcases. I remember seeing the suitcases as a child and possibly playing with them with my dolls, but now they meant so much more to me. They are also in great condition and as a part of the set (shown below) they're possibly worth some money.

image via elegant thrifter

(Not that I would ever part with them - another sign that I am, yes, a hoarder). I do plan to use them one day as a part of my home, vintage suitcases have certainly found their way into the main stream of decor so there are definitely possibilities for them.

image via doe-c-doe

I left yesterday feeling so blessed to have family members who hadn't gotten rid of everything. Having days like yesterday really makes me cherish the time I have with them whenever I go. Not to mention the fact that these are things I can one day pass down. What a wonderful weekend, and a new memory made.

Let's all be thankful for what we've got.

Fashion Fridays: Portable Storage with Style

2011-07-08T10:25:00.006-04:00

Many years ago my paternal grandparents got me a very pretty leather backpack (we're talking 1990-something) and at the time I was not so impressed being fairly young, and having pretty much no fashion sense. It was really a very nice backpack, real leather, drawstring, flap overtop with a buckle; but I never used it. I always felt guilty about it, and ended up taking it to college, by which point, backpacks of that nature weren't really in style. I think I may have toted a few things in it, but it was never an everyday bag. As far as I know that is where I lost track of it, and provided it's not in a box somewhere in storage, I'll never see it again.

image via harley australia accessories

Then sometime last year I started thinking about buying a leather backpack. It was one of those moments for me (like many others that have passed) where I think "wow, i should have kept that!" (And that's how hoarders are made!) Now I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the choices for backpacks. I'm really just looking for a backpack that doesn't look like a school book bag, or one specifically for camping and hiking. Basically I need a backpack to wear while riding my bike until I get my bike rear rack. Which hopefully will be soon.

I've also been thinking about those without bike racks, and how being fashionable while biking also would include a way to carry your things around. I've definitely found some luxury backpacks in my search, but I think I'm going with something a bit less high end, it is for biking after all. However some of these were just too pretty not to share.

image via coach

image via dooney & bourke

marc jacobs image via nordstrom

image via nitty gritty

image via nixon

image via etsy

image via pinterest & panadamanda

image via vera bradley

image via pinterest & such fun things

image via need supply

image via fashion lady

I really like this last one. Lots of storage and not too pricey. It definitely works, and still has style.

(Semi) Wordless Wednesdays: [White House] Black Kitchen

2011-07-06T12:51:00.001-04:00

I really love black kitchens, especially when there's a pop of color in them. Some that are all black turn out bold looking and super high-end, and others are toned down with bright white. Just because your cabinetry is black doesn't mean your space is going to turn out looking smaller. Using other colors in the space can completely change the tone. These are some of my favorites.

a clean country look for Gweneth via paloma81

loving the chairs and chalkboard via keltainen talo rannalla & pinterest

Kelly Wearsler's kitchen is definitely super chic via habitually chic

love that pink and purple via desire to inspire

gorgeous loft, would definitely want to re-create via house design review

clearly these pans are just for display, love the tile via the decorista & pinterest

really love this blue! via poppytalk & pineterest

via design manifest

love this! via rusty hinges

After The Holidays - What to do with your 4th of July Leftovers

2011-07-05T10:26:00.001-04:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July filled with amazing fireworks, good times with friends and great food. Now what should you do with all those leftovers? How about trying some of these recipes:

Leftovers - Steak & Chicken: Steak or Chicken Fajitas

Serves 4 | Hands-on Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 7 min | Total Time: 22 min

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
12 ounces leftover flank steak slices
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
8 tortillas
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup diced canned tomato
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large or 2 small limes, juiced
2 tablespoons torn or chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt

Directions

In a shallow dish, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, corn syrup, hot sauce, and pepper. Add steak, bell peppers and onion and toss to coat. Cook immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Set a large nonstick skillet or stove-top grill pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and add steak and vegetables, with the marinade. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp. Transfer mixture to a serving platter.

Meanwhile, warm tortillas in the microwave or according to package directions.

To make the guacamole, in a zip-top bag or medium bowl, mash avocado lightly. Then add tomato, garlic, lime juice and cilantro and combine. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Serve fajitas with guacamole on the side.

recipe via food network, images via foodie with family, patio daddio bbq, closet cooking

Leftovers - Sausage: Egg, Cheese, and Sausage Bake

Serves 4-6 | Hands-On Time: 25m | Total Time: 1hr

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
3 hamburger or hot dog buns, split
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
6 large eggs
1 cup milk
kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Swiss cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 350° F.
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Tear the buns into large pieces and place in the dish; set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the sausage meat to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until no trace of pink remains, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir in the cooked sausage and onion along with the parsley and 1 cup of the cheese.
Pour the mixture over the buns, pressing with a spatula or spoon to submerge them. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until the eggs are set, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

recipe via real simple, images via eckert farms, real simple

Leftovers - Hot Dog & Hamburger Buns, Tomatoes: Tomato Bruschetta

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 20m

Ingredients

2 hamburger or hot dog buns, split
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced
6 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or basil, torn
kosher salt and pepper

Directions

Heat broiler.
With a rolling pin, roll the bun halves until flattened.
Place on a baking sheet and brush both sides of the buns with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Broil until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, oregano or basil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the remaining oil. Transfer the buns to a platter and spoon the tomatoes over the top.

recipe via real simple, images via white on rice couple, real simple

May the rest of your week be filled with delicious leftovers!

Festooned Fridays: 4th of July Weddings

2011-07-01T11:33:00.005-04:00

Would you ever have a holiday themed wedding? Many do over the course of the year based on their friends and family's ability to have that weekend free. But a holiday themed wedding? How could that be tasteful? Here are some ideas on how to make your 4th of July wedding theme tasteful and tasty.

first off: the dress, the shoes, flowers, and oh yea, what will he wear?

images via andrewb47, wedding rumors, budget dream weddings, the knot, hitched, eric hegwer , kio kreations, snippet and ink

would you like a traditional cake or cupcakes?

images via romantic wedding, wedding and cakes, the knot, annies eats, she knows, the cupcake blog

and how about the decor?

images via table settings with pictures, brandilyn davidson photography, nicole b's, a and r, project wedding, wedloft

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

image via all posters

Interior Design Trends - The Chevron Pattern

2011-06-30T10:59:00.001-04:00

While I've always been a much bigger fan of the herringbone pattern (a different take on the chevron itself), chevron's do seem to be everywhere this year. And while I'm on board with this idea some places, others I'm just not sure it works. What do you think of these chevron looks? (above image from Bruno Triplet)

actually a herringbone, not chevron, but beautiful all the same from Pinterest via Convoy

a lovely lamp from Jill Rosenwald

a bit too tex mex for my taste via Frog Hill Designs

this is a bit much from Studio M. yay or nay?

i think i like this one from Conspicuous Style

really love this golden dresser from Material Girls too, not so sure about the vertical split in the chevron

a muted look from Celtic Painting

You too can get this flooring from Flor - Sophistikat. image via Rebecca Snavely

i know someone who would love this! from Interior Design Sense

Mondays in the Garden with Strawberries

2011-06-27T11:37:00.003-04:00

At this time of year garden and farmer's market strawberries are in abundance. And in addition to enjoying this delicious fruit straight from the carton or vine (after rinsing of course) there are so many other things to make with strawberries. One of our favorites is strawberry ice cream.

If you have an ice cream maker this recipe couldn't be easier. There's no stovetop cooking, and no extended refrigeration time. We like to use a sweet cream base for ours. This recipe makes about 1 quart.

In addition to fresh strawberries this recipe calls for
2 large eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk

1. Rise and then slice up strawberries, use as few or as many as you'd like. We like to use a whole carton.

2. Whisk the eggs in a medium-large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more.

4. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend.

5. Get out your ice cream maker and pour mixture in. When the ice cream has thickened considerably, add the strawberries and let blend for about 1-2 minutes.

6. Once blended pour ice cream into a freezer-safe container and let harden for at least 2 more hours.

7. Get out your prettiest dessert bowls and enjoy.

images from vintage rose garden, bognarreni, design sponge, our life in the kitchen, tracey's culinary adventures

Summer Is Here - Let's Get Away!

2011-06-25T11:29:00.001-04:00

image via Tanenhaus

As a girl I was fortunate enough to spend a few summers on Martha's Vineyard. I went to a camp there called FOCUS which my sisters have also attended and one may be a counselor at very soon.

via Pinterest

Before going to the vineyard I had been to the beach many times, but I never really thought much of it. Sure the ocean was pretty and lying out on our boogie boards in the sunshine was always super relaxing. I loved that feeling of getting into bed at night and still feeling the waves underneath of me; but nothing compared to that first vineyard breeze.

from my 2010 trip to the vineyard

For me Martha's Vineyard for me is truly magical. From the gingerbread cottages and the old victorians, to the village-like mentality where people know each other, and stores open on "vineyard-time." MV was one of the first places I really wanted to live. I knew it was impractical during the winter, but it's the only place I want to be come summer.

via Travel Muse

via MV Vacation Tips

The vineyard was also the first place I really thought about interior design. At my camp they had outdoor showers, and I remember thinking "I want this in my home!" Since then, any plan I've dreamed up for a house has always included an outdoor shower. There was nothing like getting up in the morning and going out into high 70s temperatures to take a hot shower.

via Lost In Decoration

via Barefoot Floor

I decided I wanted large french doors off of my master bath, opening up to a wood patio - complete with my outdoor shower, and from my master bedroom there would also be a set of doors that opened to a garden. My 15-year-old brain was full of inspiration that thankfully I have not let go of.

via Pottery Barn Bedrooms

Aside from exploring the towns on the vineyard (Edgartown is my favorite) I loved taking bike rides on the vineyard roads. The smell of the woods combined with ocean air is something incomparable to any breeze that blows in Miami, it's sweet and salty at the same time.

via Swagbucks

via Lescaret

This summer I'll probably be missing a trip to the vineyard. Still trying to save money and get other things in order, but I'm going to start a vacation savings just for this trip. It's definitely a place I'd like my husband to see, and a place I dream of taking our one-day-family. The vineyard is lovely, and I know holds a special place to all who visit it.

Festooned Fridays: Coral & Navy Weddings

2011-06-24T11:22:00.004-04:00

festooned past participle, past tense of fes-toon

Verb: Adorn (a place) with chains, garlands, or other decorations: "the room was festooned with balloons"

This Friday we're looking at weddings using coral and navy (and maybe a bit of yellow). This color combination has become one of my favorites and as I've found myself in navy much more frequently this year, coral has been one of my staples to accent with.

Here are some beautiful ideas on how to combine coral and navy for your wedding.

Coral &Navy Striped Bowtie, Navy Bridesmaid Dress, White and Coral Peony,

Navy Striped Heels, Coral Roses

Navy, Coral & Yellow Table, Navy Cupcake Wrappers,

Coral Carnations, Navy and Coral Invitations

Interior Obsessions: Relics to Relish

2011-06-23T11:22:00.003-04:00

Every other Wednesday, and sometimes in between Arhaus gets a transfer truck. What that means is tons of new pieces on the floor that you can't buy online. These are individual things that we don't know are coming, that we sell directly off the floor. Arhaus calls these pieces "Relics".

Today was my first work day since Sunday and when I got in there were so many new things to see. Some of them I found to be really interesting and beautiful so I figured I'd share a few with you today.

Just a note: Each Arhaus store gets individual relics in on their truck, so not every store has these pieces. If you're interested let me know, these are at the Arhaus in Bethesda.

Some non-relics that turned up today were the new Linford collection leather chair and sofa. It looked and felt awesome! I love this leather, it reminds me of an old baseball glove.

Wordless Wednesdays: Pinterest - My new obsession!

2011-06-22T11:06:00.003-04:00

Since joining the Pinterest community this week, I have become obsessed with the amazing images people post (or pin as they call it), and have begun pinning every beautiful image I see as well. To see my pins visit my Pinterest boards. Here are some great images I enjoyed from this week.

Tuesday Tech: Is Apple Losing Customers By Making Them Wait?

2011-06-21T11:07:00.001-04:00

I am one of the hundreds if not thousands who are waiting for an iPhone 5. We have been waiting since the moment the iPhone 4 was released and some of us will continue to wait. But is Apple losing us the longer they drag this thing out?

Last year, which feels like an eternity ago, everyone was excited about the iPhone 4 - which at that point was still only for AT&T users. People were standing in line and despite the fact that the white iPhones weren't available (and no one knew when they would be) everyone still went out to get it.

By this past winter Verizon users were amped up, excited that we were finally getting our shot at the amazing iPhone. When we found out it was going to be the same iPhone 4 from the past summer, we had a choice to make. Get what would soon be looked at as outdated technology, or wait for the 5, which we presumed would be equipped with something shiny and new.

But as this year has gone along, with all that Apple has faced legally and with manufacturing delays, and in spite of the amazing announcement of the new apple software, we are getting tired of waiting. Rumor mills can give us snippets of hope, but no one knows for sure. And for Apple that could be a detriment to their sales.

With rumors such as the idea that the newest iPhone won't be a 5, but a 4S, with some new software options but no new hardware - iPhone wanters are dropping like flies. No one wants to wait until 2012 for an iphone, and with the disappointment of that possibility, those who have been waiting since 2010 are beginning to settle. Google has had a great year with new Android phones, and I've even heard great things about the T-Mobile My Touch, and Sprint's Evo. So how long can one hold out for Apple to get it together?

The next possible release date is September/October, but if that release is delayed, or the subject continues to go unmentioned by Apple, consumers are going to be frustrated again, and at a fork in the road to wait for the possible Christmas present release, or to go somewhere else.

Some are buying the unlocked iPhones at extremely high prices, just to get a taste of that technology on their network. Others are doing a cheap fix and getting the $50 old 3G iPhones from AT&T until the new phones come out. Either way we're still talking about waiting, and waiting is something consumers are getting worse and worse at. We've become a people who want immediate gratification, and Apple has had their part in making us that way, putting the infinite possibilities at our fingertips. For their sake, I hope it isn't their genius that could possibly begin to be their downfall.

Craigslist Finds of The Week: Reupholster & Refinsh These Chairs... Or Don't

2011-06-18T09:00:00.003-04:00

After an inspiring Apartment Therapy meetup this week at DC's own Sukio Design Co. with Jill Sorensen of Marmalade Interiors. I've found some great Craigslist offers on chairs that you can reupholster, refinish, both or neither. DIY or sending out for professional work, these frames are all great starting points.

Two Velvet Side Chairs

Pair of Side Chairs

Antique Carved Eastlake Corner Chair

Classic French Antique Loveseat

Sofa Chair

Zebra Print Arm Chair

Louis XVI Style Fauteuil Side Chair

Ethan Allen Giselle Chair

Mondays in the Garden with the BEST summer salad

2011-06-13T10:40:00.001-04:00

For the last few years I have loved salads with strawberries, but this year I've been obsessed with one salad in particular. The ingredients are always similar aside from the dressing, but I had the most delicious one the other day at one of our favorite restaurants Eggspectation in downtown Silver Spring.

We usually go there on weekends if we go to the farmer's market as it's right outside the door. But Eggspectation has some of the best breakfast I've ever eaten. This past Saturday I decided to go for a salad instead of a traditional breakfast meal because it's been so hot here. When it's hot I don't really enjoy eating hot food, and if there's fruit in the meal, it sounds even more appetizing.

The salad I love comes (usually) with spinach, it always has strawberries, blueberries and almonds, and I really enjoy it with chicken. The Toasted Berry Salad at Eggspectation has a warm cranberry bacon dressing, raspberries, blackberries, tomato (completely unnecessary) and havarti cheese. I dressing was delicious, but I got the cheese on the side. It also came with a slice of a toasted baguette. YUM!

Currently Wendy's has their own version of this salad, the Berry Almond Chicken Salad which you can get in half or full size, with grilled or crispy chicken. Theirs only comes with a lettuce blend, strawberries, blueberries, almonds and chicken with asiago cheese (sliced extremely thin). Their dressing is a raspberry vinaigrette, and is actually pretty delicious.

My boss makes a mean version of this salad using spinach and another lettuce blend, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, her own candied almonds, and goat cheese. She also makes her own poppy seed vinaigrette dressing which is completely delicious.

I have yet to try making one of these at home, mainly because the dressing is such a key ingredient. The closest thing I've found in a bottle to something I've had on the salad before is Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing which I've seen at several stores in our area. I know my boss makes hers from scratch and I doubt Eggspectation will be giving their secret away any time soon, though I do plan to ask next time I go. For now I'll have to settle for the bottled stuff.

Salad Ingredients (for use at your discretion)

Spinach (or any other soft greens)(maybe from the garden)
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Toasted Slivered Almonds (these can be replaced with walnuts if you prefer)
Cheese (a white cheese is usually used, I prefer the Asiago, but as mentioned goat cheese and Havarti are other options)
Grilled or Crispy Chicken (unseasoned)

Dressing Ingredients

TBD

Suggestions - Poppy Seed (creamy or vinaigrette - on the sweeter side), Raspberry Vinaigrette, Cranberry Vinaigrette, Bacon Vinaigrette, or Create Your Own. If yours turns out well please let me know!

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesdays: Tea For The Summer

2011-06-08T16:36:00.003-04:00

Hot tea keeps you warm in the winter. Iced tea keeps you cool in the summer. Celebrate summer tea in style!

Tuesday Tech: Apple Makes Good at WWDC 2011

2011-06-07T09:34:00.133-04:00

Yesterday at the WWDC conference in San Francisco, Steve Jobs and Apple unveiled the new Lion operating system, iCloud with iTunes Match, iOS 5, and PC Free; taking the biggest leaps in Apple history since the creation of the iPod.

While all of the advances announced during the conference are a reminder of Apple's continued ingenuity, I am mostly excited for Lion and iOS 5.

I have and currently own three Macs - my original Powerbook G4, an iMac that I got literally a month before the intel-based Macs were released, and a MacBook Pro, my current love. The Powerbook and the iMac are still extremely useful, while the Powerbook is definitely outdated (it can't even run Leopard), the iMac still holds tons of files, but even it cannot run Snow Leopard. Basically my MacBook is the only computer that can handle Lion without a complete rebuild. This is something those of us who love being Mac users will continually deal with.

And while I'm currently not running Snow Leopard on my MacBook, it appears I will have to, even if for a few minutes. When you visit the Lion homepage the steps to upgrade are clearly explained - step 2, upgrade to Snow Leopard. This step while seemingly minute really means that though Lion comes at the price of only $29.99, I will actually have to pay $60 overall to get it; as I'll be purchasing Snow Leopard running me an additional $29.99.

iOS 5 on the other hand seems a breeze using the new App Store (once you have Lion I assume).

The new iMessage reminds me of Blackberry's Messenger or BBM, those who have Apple have it, those who don't, simply don't. Granted, you still need to be on a wireless network on an iPod touch to put it to use, or on someone's network, or wireless to use it on an iPad. Though I can see how with so many iPhone users, this is genius. Why pay for text messages when everyone you know has an iPhone? The case is that everyone doesn't. So this is really just a toy for the Apple-friendly.

I'm also in love with the Newsstand idea. While I love my hardcover magazines, it would be much easier to have the Newsstand updating me so I could read things right away, instead of waiting for whenever they arrive in my area (which isn't necessarily before the grocery store gets them). I'd also love to be able to easily click on images so I can share them on my blog and bookmark articles to come back to. (And why can't they integrate a blog reader in there as well? Blogs are just as much on my newsstand as magazines at this point.)

Apple's integration of Twitter - all I can say is, it's about time! Twitter has been around long enough, and is definitely popular enough, that it should be a shortcut like Facebook. Maybe they were just waiting for a new OS to let us know they agree.

And two wireless integrations that really come through are PC Free, the idea that you don't need a computer to own an iPod touch , iPhone or iPad and Wi-Fi Sync, which enables you to sync your iPod on the charging base, and add music to your computer (at this point should you choose to own one).

Overall I'm pretty excited for this fall. I'll hopefully upgrade the MacBook to Lion by that point, and I'll be ready to handle the awesome features of iOS 5.

To check out the video for iOS 5 click here
Lion click here

and to watch the entire WWDC keynote address click here.

What are you looking forward to from the new Apple software? What do you think they've left out?

Mondays in the Garden with Gnat Defense

2011-06-06T20:27:00.002-04:00

Because this year I decided to grow organically, I've encountered some additional problems I'd never had in gardening before. Organic soil seemed easy enough to come by, I did a bit of research, but basically came to the conclusion that since I didn't have a yard, and didn't want to spend a ton in shipping, I was confined to what they sold at local hardware and gardening shops in my area.

I settled on Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Soil, and bought overall 2.5 bags of the dirty stuff. The first month I was actually growing indoors and had seen a few bugs, but just assumed it was because I essentially had exposed food indoors. Then after transplanting my sprouts I discovered that the bugs seemed to dissipate for a while.

In the last 2 weeks there have been more bugs (gnats mostly) than I could have imagined, including some non-gnats that looked like tiny leaf-colored spiders. I've been trying to figure out exactly how to get rid of them, and have only come across a few methods in my research. Apparently fungus gnats are known to live in organic soil, and can lay eggs in the fungus if the soil stays too wet. Which is exactly what happened here. They're bad news because the larvae feed on your plants roots, clearly an important part of a healthy plant.

With a coincidence of too much sun, followed by a bit of overzealous watering, followed by a vacation, followed by too much sun, more water and then slightly cooler temperatures, some of my plants have yet to soak up the water from the end of last week. They have of course begun to fungus on the top layer of soil. This seems to be pure happiness for the gnat population.

In researching how to get rid of them I have only come upon three wallet-friendly solutions:

Soap, Sand and Heat.

The idea behind the soap solution - Mix water and a few drops of liquid dish soap (Ivory apparently works best) and put this mixture in a spray bottle. Spray the plants and soil with the mixture. This supposedly kills gnats. Who knew soap was not a gnat's best friend?

Then the sand. If you put a layer of sand on top of the soil, this stops gnats from laying eggs in your soil and should also stop the gnat eggs from being able to hatch... at least I believe that's the idea is. Either way I've already tried the soap. It appeared to work, but there weren't many gnats out this evening, so we'll see.

As for the sand, I'll have to attempt that tomorrow evening. I didn't feel like going back out in traffic today to Home Depot to buy sand. I'm just hoping they sell a tiny bag. I don't have a sandbox for any overflow.

The heat solution, I'm just not sure I'm ready to embark on. Basically you need to take your plants out of the pots and get foil pans to put the soil in. Bake the soil at around 400 degrees to kill any remaining pests living in the soil... When I think about all the work it will take to do this, with the number of pots that I have, I'm just not sure it's feasible. I'd be baking dirty soil in my oven over the course of several days, and I'm not convinced that smell would ever leave my apartment. Not to mention the idea of dying bugs in my oven. I'll pray for the soap and sand solution to work before bringing something like dirt into my kitchen.

I really hope these remedies work. After researching this, it's pretty clear that gnats can appear in any soil that doesn't dry out completely. While Miracle Gro seems to be a more popular manufacturer for complaints, I think it may just be percentage-wise due to the fact that Miracle Gro is sold in a larger market than other brands, therefore giving more people access to it, and therefore a higher chance to have complaints thrown about the product.

I'm in no way defending Miracle Gro, I'm just saying that from what sites I went to, it seemed that other organic soils also seemed to be attracting gnats. So really this is maybe just a case of amateur gardeners (like myself) not knowing to initially put sand on their soil.

If you're a container gardener have you encountered gnats? What did you do to get rid of them? Did you try these solutions, and did they work? Please let me know!

DC Craigslist Finds of The Week: Mid-Century Marvels

2011-06-04T08:47:00.007-04:00

Instead of going to yard sales on weekends, many of us find ourselves hunting down deals on Craigslist throughout the week. This week in the DC Metro, Craigslist has some great mid-century finds that I was surprised to see for mostly affordable prices, and some other great pieces I couldn't help but share as well.

1. 60's Bassett Dresser 2. Lane Side Tables 3. Late 50's Bedroom Set 4. Tufted Leather Sofa 5. 70's Audio Cabinet 6. Buffet and Hutch 7. Dining Set 8. China Cabinet 9. Curio and Buffet 10. Lounge Chair (sans cushion) 11. Metallic Leather Sofa 12. Stereo System 13. Wood Dining Chairs 14. Acrylic Dining Set 15. Gastone Rinaldi-inspired Dining Chairs

16. Telephone Bench 17. Sewing Machine 18. Tufted and Carved Headboard 19. Drop-Front Secretary Desk 20. Mauve Velvet Dining Chairs 21. Blue Velvet Settee

Awesome right!!! Now the question is, can you fit it in your car?

Wordless Wednesdays: A Rainbow of Outdoor Metals

2011-06-01T19:51:00.003-04:00