Wall Flower

Oh, how I love these hanging wall vases...

Images found via Old New Again (Etsy), Reading My Tea Leaves, That's Happy and Apartment Therapy

I made my own with a few vases from Michael's, thin jewelry wire and two hooped screws (what are those technically called?).

I think that's a fly on the wall - ha!

Art for Sale

Need to de-stress? Look for cheap art on Etsy!!! It's downright ahhhh-mazing how many super talented artists sell entire portfolios on my FAVORITE SITE EVER. I start smiling as soon as I start scrolling - a little inspiration definitely helps me unclench my jaw and leave my cuticles alone. Here are some current favorite illustration series (which are all in the running for a large blank wall that is driving me crazy):

This lovely artist says (on his Etsy store description), 'My designs incorporate a mixture of childhood experiences, dreams, and daily inspiration from my two kids.' LOVE it. 

These just make me happy - what's not to like? I think framed (bamboo border, perhaps?) on a white bathroom wall would be superb.

 

 

 I'm a sucker for block prints, especially in two of my fave colors. These are lovely, simple and make me want to keep looking. 

 

 

 

 

 Artists shown: 

Circles and Squares by David B. Cuzick  

SeeChangeDesign by Amy TerKeurst

dekanimal

 

Life in Slow Motion

Do you ever feel like you're moving through caramel, like life is moving in slow motion? I'm pretty sure I owe this feeling to A) a diet consisting of Mexican food, ice cream and coffee, B) less than ten minutes of sunshine every day, and C) less than six hours of sleep every night.

SO...it's time for some things to change! I've reluctantly decided to eliminate the Mexican food (I'm not CRAZY, everyone NEEDS ice cream and coffee), take a walk once a day (regardless of the weather) and go to bed earlier. Wow, writing that out makes it all look sooooo boring.

It's certainly not a revelation that during the doldrums of winter, we ALL can get a bit lazy. When there's almost two feet of snow on the ground and the temperature dips into the single digits, it's very easy to cuddle on the couch with something warm and cheesy (NOT a husband reference) and expend as little energy as possible. I am committed, however, to dig myself out this winter and make the most of hibernation. Tomorrow. I'll start changing tomorrow. Or, maybe Monday. After the weekend is best. Yeah, I'll start Monday. :)

In the meantime, I spent a few hours minutes trolling Etsy and found these yummies:

 Rough diamond on gold chain. EEK!

 Who doesn't need a little Pride & Prejudice?

 

Two of my favorite pronouns.

Ghosts, Goblins, and Ghouls - Oh My!!!

I can't say I've ever been a huge fan of Halloween. Dressing up is fun, but overall it's just kind of a cheesy rip-off holiday because you don't get a day off. I really sound like a ball of fun, eh?

It's different now that we have a kiddo - even more so because her birthday is the 30th. I have a feeling I'll be throwing Halloween-themed birthday parties for...well, a long time. In preparation for P's first birthday party, I've been trolling Etsy for unique - yet ghastly - decorations. The cheesier, the better!

These are adorable AND make perfect party favors.

These gross stickers will be fun to put on the front of the beverage dispensers.

Whoever has a Mommy that does this is one lucky kiddo.

I'm totally going to steal this candy bar idea, though.

These are so cute, I'd leave them up for longer than Halloween.

These decals would be fun to put up here and there.

Weekly Etsy Finds

Sigh. This week has been tough - crazy commute, weird weather and we had such a great long weekend that it was hard to get back into the swing of things. Enter the bright spot of my week, trolling Etsy to find new lovely things to share with you.

Just because: It's superficial, but buying things makes me happy and I'm not afraid to admit it. Especially when they are adorable AND handmade. This fold-up, cloth campfire is precious AND perfect for playtime; I'm a sucker for paper goods and these note cards fit the bill; our house is an antique, so geometric, colorful prints can really make an old room pop; trees make me happy and this print would look great on a white wall.

For R&R: I've been having a hard time falling asleep lately. Just as I'm about to drift off to la-la land, I hear a phantom baby crying. I check the monitor, and P is just snoozing away. A lot of moms complain about this. It's normal, right? Until this phase passes, a few good smelling candles, an eye mask, a warm neck pillow and yummy bath salts should help knock me out.

For busy moms: I'm coming to terms with the fact that I really don't need to carry a handbag anymore since our diaper bag is big enough to fit mommy AND baby stuff in. The thought has me verging on tears. As a compromise, I thought a cute wristlet for easy access to cash, cards and keys would lessen my depression. As you can see, I'm prone to florals (here, here and here), so I threw in a simple leather version to mix things up.

Weekly Etsy Finds

I can't describe the feeling I get when I discover things on Etsy. One time while checking out at the grocery store, the clerk told me I was the 50th customer of the day to buy a particular brand of detergent and that I had won a free bottle. It's kind of like that.

For baby: We have a lot of new babies among our group of friends, so I try and find personalized or unique gifts to take when we go to meet them. This three-piece set is perfect for a dog-loving couple; I can't resist the simplicity and fluffiness of this guy; these booties with a customizable fortune are too cute for words; and I know from experience that a tag blanket is all the rage among newborns.

For me: The jewelry I usually get the most compliments on are usually made by Etsy designers. I'm recently drawn to more romantic pieces that pop with shine or color. I love the elegance of these earrings; this ring is beyond decadent; a bracelet like this would look great layered different textured bangles; and I'm seriously tempted to buy each color of this gorgeous fox claw necklace.

For anniversary: Our second wedding anniversary is around the corner. We'll be going on a mini overnight trip but I also want to get G a little something special. This framed picture of paper hearts can be customized with any initials or date (plus, it matches the color scheme from our wedding!); the name says it all, 'Lovers Tandem Bike Tea Towel Set' (I know what you're thinking, 'why would G want tea towels?' The "traditional" second anniversary present is cotton. What the heck else am I going to get?); no husband would appreciate this adorable wooden set, so I might just buy it for myself; and this customizable 3-D letter is made from a vintage Ireland map (one of our first trips together).