random stuff

wanted to wish you all a very happy spring!! it was in the 70's last week so we have had a bit of spring fever at our house. the girls and i have been taking a walk every morning around fresh pond in cambridge and then going to the playground. they love it and i love that i don't have to scrounge for things to keep them entertained. here are some random things that are on my mind:

-have you tried the dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds from trader joe's? so good!

-i'm hosting 10 people at our place for easter. if you have any fabulous recipes that i have to make, please pass them along.

-i bought a couple yards of this yellow and white striped fabric from ikea to make a table cloth with for easter. can't wait to see how the table looks when everything is put together. and while i was there i picked up some cinnamon buns. yep, ate 4 in one day. that's what pms'ing does to me.

-check these $16.99 denim wedge slingback shoes out at payless. i don't think they look cheapy.

-found these 2 new sites for women's clothing. mod cloth and shabby apple. pretty good prices.

-did you get your spring fix at target with the new liberty of london line? i went 2 days after it came out and a lot of things were sold out. i went back again yesterday and it looks like they got another shipment so if at first you fail, try, try again. the girls clothing was my favorite from the line.

-did you see design mom's freshly updated blog? 5 kids and one on the way. boy, she is an inspiration. you go girl!

-ll bean's signature line launched as i had previously posted here. what do you think?

jamie oliver

well, where do i start with jamie oliver? my husband and i have been watching him since 1999 when he started the 'naked chef' on the food network. we liked that he brought a no fuss attitude and simplicity to cooking. i think he coined the term 'easy peasy'. he is the same age as us so we could relate to him. his down to earth personality, the fact that he has the most stylish family out there (beautiful wife jules and their 3 girls with another babe on the way in september), and his english slang kept us intrigued. his beautiful cook books with creative styling and photographs are such a treat to look at. it's been fun to see what new ideas he comes up with. i think he is just the greatest because he uses his fame to positively change the world. in 2005 he started a campaign to jump start english children into eating better. his actions were heard and acknowledged by the english government. and now he is heading to hungington, west virginia to help change the way americans eat, think about food and depend on processed and fast food. his new tv series on abc is called 'jamie oliver's food revolution'. did you watch the preview this past sunday? what did you think? i loved justin and can't wait to see how jamie positively changes the way his family eats. if you didn't catch it you can watch it online or this friday, march 26th at 8 pm. i love jamie oliver!

cuteness

for babes and toddlers. only $10 at old navy.

forshizzle

convergence by jackson pollock, 1952

orange and yellow by mark rothko, 1956

asheville by william de kooning,1948

elegy to the spanish republic no. 34 by robert motherwell, 1953-54

did you get your hands on these 44 cent pieces of art yet? i did and i'm smitten. j picked some up at the post office yesterday and i was ecstatic to see how bold and beautiful they were in real life.
order them here.

black, white and yellow

ideas for accessories and toys in a black, white and yellow kid's room...












1. vintage black globe from oakandalloy's shop on etsy
2. three shapes print by nadjamueller's shop on etsy
3. olunda print from ikea
4. mostly yellow sewn paper circus flag decoration by kate greiner on etsy
5. baggu penguin via ohdeedoh
6. plan toys pull-along zebra
7. 365 penguins book
8. you are my sunshine screen print by jess gonacha on etsy
9. black and white wooden spelling blocks by elegant baby
10. monogrammed recycled felt applique pillow by alexandraferguson's shop on etsy
11. vintage porcelain enamel gas station price sign from 26olivestreet's shop on etsy
12. bubbles print by nadjamueller's shop on etsy

loft love

from loftlifemag. this is the loft of anita calero. the placement of things in her place is sick. the mix of old and new is perfect. the coral chandelier, tortoise shells on the wall, and cork refrigerator are my favorites.love it!! she has impeccable taste.

photography by anita calero/GMAimages.com and jonny valiant

ice shacks

how serene are these ice shacks in maine? the photogragher is scott peterman. for someone that embraces the cold east coast winters, i would love to have this as a piece of art on the walls. it creates a feeling of solitude, reflection, and peacefulness. read an article about ice shacks in maine. the magazine.

simply stated

how simple and elegant is this house in belgium. it used to be an old mirror factory. love the floor to ceiling shelves. the kitchen shelves hold a beautiful collection of earthenware. i'm sure the owner has so many stories of how they acquired them. feels like this house has a soul.

via the style files.

nesting

january brought a virus that sucked the life out of our entire family. we are all feeling better now and ready to take on the day. when i wasn't wiping the noses of my twin girls or napping to try to catch up with sleep, january was all about nesting in this cold boston weather. trying out new recipes. cleaning with mrs. meyers basil cleaners (want to try the iowa pine scent). organizing and purging. reading magazines and watching entertaining tv (white collar, modern family, and project runway) with lots of blankets over our laps. here are some of the recipes we experimented with that i would make over and over again.

1. lentil sausage soup. we froze the leftovers and it was just as good heated up the next week.

2. pasta with roasted cauliflower, arugula and prosciutto. healthy and cauliflower is in season.

3. moroccan chicken couscous. i doubled the spices because we like a kick.

4. chicken tetrazzini. this takes awhile to make. 1+ hours, but is well worth it because you get so many meals out of it.

5. coconut cupcakes. enough said!!

the lovely stephanie at stephmodo gave me the idea for 1+2. thank you!! she has more recipes to love here.

photo from anthropologie. colossal cables throw.

mom+dad's house

my parents built a new house to look old 20+ years ago in chagrin falls, ohio. my mom has collected antiques before i was ever a thought in their minds. she has a passion for collections, decorating, entertaining, and finding treasures at rummage sales. guess where i get my love for design? we were home for a fun trip at thanksgiving so i took some pictures of their place. i know she would be embarrassed to know i was putting pictures of their house up, but her eye for decorating and placement of things provides me with much inspiration and i'm hoping you can take away an idea or two.

desk looking out to the woods in their family room. antique pond boat. my parents made the lights.

love curling up by this fireplace with a cup of tea and a magazine

my mom's collection of antlers and wooden bowls. my brother made the birch bark stool.

inspiring book shelves with ikea lights.

some of my mom's white ironstone collection.

i want to paint this still life.

2 wing chairs from a house sale. she had slipcovers made for them.

coffee table in the family room. my family has a fondness for andrew wyeth.

newly painted kitchen. just ignore the dirty dishes in the sink.

oil painting above the stove.

my mom and dad. aren't they cute!
light fixture from ikea.

josh by the bar with my mom's collection of antique goblets.

dining room with an old farmhouse table from maine.

betsy dunlap calligraphy

beautiful calligraphy from betsy dunlap. i would love to write love letters with that handwriting. how romantic.

wood and canvas canoe building

peace, joy, love

warm wishes for a happy 2010!! hope you all had a lovely christmas too!!

we traveled to rockport, massachusetts and stayed at a cozy rental house with my family. the girls got into the spirit this year. children's christmas eve service. nativity scene. ham. waldorf salad. mom's spicy mustard. pumpkin roll. visiting santa at dock square on christmas. brisk walk on bearskin neck. cuddling by the fire. homemade cookies. moscow mules (my new favorite drink!!). letting sky lanterns off on christmas eve. prime rib. norwegian coffee bread. godiva white chocolate liquer. woodmans. the smell of fresh greens. 70% off gap sales. trader joe's coffee. jack, the jack russell terrior. sing along to sound of music. the christmas story. 5 minutes of spirits outside in the freezing cold. white caps. sound of rocks moving at high tide. whipped cream on everything. lots of kisses.

cheers to you this new years eve and may all your wishes come true this year!! we just got an inch of snow so we are staying in and enjoying a toasty night with a movie and fleece socks. sushi and cheese fondu is on the menu. blessings to all!

photo via melanie molesworth blog.
photographer is emma lee.

canoe building

hope everyone had a fun thanksgiving filled with lots of hugs and kisses from the ones you love! josh and his dad cooked up a plan to head to maine to build a canoe. my father-in-law's minister had just been here and loved it, so they decided to pack their bags and gear up for a rugged week. you can check their progress on their boat building on this webcam. so happy they have this opportunity to go on this once in a lifetime trip. the girls and i have been enjoying an extended thanksgiving vacation in ohio with my parents.