Wednesday, November 28, 2012

and | &


I purchased {this ampersand} over the weekend, therby solidifying my obsession with my favorite character.

For me, it's a not-so-obvious way to show that I am an "and". I'm not one to hang pictures of me and my boyfriend around my room, or shout about our relationship from the rooftops. This is my (weird) way of displaying "us" in my own space.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

a little of this, a little of that

I always come up with the best ideas and find tbe best inspiration when I'm at work (thank god for Pinterest!) and I always seem to execute them really late at night. Here are two perfect examples!


To the left - a late night sketch that made me laugh. To the right - {a color palette} that would've sent me directly to a canvas, if I wasn't sitting at work.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

the kids are alright


Kids have it right when it comes to fashion. I often envy their outfits - they're always comfortable, always washable, and always kind of daring. I pull inspiration from them here-and-there, and usually try to mimic some of the elements in my own wardrobe, trying my best not to look like a four-year-old.

Man, I wish I could rock those pigtails, though.

image source: {here}

Monday, November 19, 2012

art | Pink Giraffe


Pink and green has never been one of my favorite color combos. It's so expected and a tad over done. However, when the daughter of a woman that owns our local Lily Pulitzer shop commissions a piece of art - I knew I had to get over my distaste for the pairing.

And quickly I did. Above is the inspiration board and as you can see - bringing in cooler greens, and brighter pinks makes me much more "me". I hope Mary-Kate loves it as much as I do. And I thank her for opening my eyes to this new palette .

Below is the finished product - A pink giraffe, and the letter "M".

Thursday, November 15, 2012

style icon | jenna lyons


Whenever I read anything about Jenna Lyons, I'm immediately struck at how confident and how frickin' cool she is.

I know you can say this about a lot of people, but there's just something about rocking thick-framed glasses, a slick ponytail and a totally mismatched, but fashion-forward ensemble that just makes utterly impressed. Check out her on the J.Crew tumblr {here} and YouTube some of her interviews when you get a chance. Totally worth it.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

dear, future home




1. {Farm Little Table} from ZaraHome
2. {Paisley Pillow} from ZaraHome
3. {Lucky Strike Pillow} from Jonathan Adler
4. {Orange Lacquer Cubes} from Jonathan Adler


I'm starting to think about my future living room. Not the room that I will probably have (filled with mismatched furniture passed on from family and friends), but the living room that I'm working towards. Collecting one piece at a time ensures that this goal of a beautiful home will be achieved, partially for now, entirely down the road.

I already know my design aesthetic - it falls directly between modern and traditional. I love the comfort of overstuffed furniture and neutral colors, mixed with a splash of color and bold shapes. Above are a couple of pieces that have caught my eye, pulled at my heart strings and my savings account.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

oh, hi!


Don't worry! I did not abandoned you, blog. In fact, in the past week I've grown to appreciate you more. Pretty ironic that my last post was about not giving up. Believe me - I haven't. Work has taken a front seat but I'm ready to work hard to balance the two - my daytime job & my nighttime job (aka painter, pinterest'er, blogger, etc.).

I really missed the challenge of posting regularly so I'm back and ready to tell you what I've been up to!


I created this piece for my friends, Jeff & Sara Snow. Jeff was in town over this past weekend from their new home in Colorado so I worked a couple late nights to finish this on time! I'm kind of obsessed with this piece. I'm probably going to recreate one for myself.


Last Thursday, I spent my afternoon painting in Moosejaw's shop window. It was a really fun experience that I'm going to do again in the next couple weeks. The finished result is on the right-hand side. The painting is currently hanging in the Detroit pop-up shop! Check it out if you're down there!


I've been getting some great experience helping out with photoshoots. Styling, playing the models' hair, and annoying photographers - it's a lot more fun that I ever thought it could be and I would jump at more opportunities like this!

Monday, November 5, 2012

this is all i need to hear


The most gracious people in my life offer a lot of advice - but sometimes this is all I need to hear. It usually comes from my own intuition.

Friday, November 2, 2012

moosejaw in detroit


I rarely post anything super personal on this blog because I want to keep it as close to an inspiration blog as possible. But today, I can't resist.

I work at Moosejaw Mountaineering, which is a Detroit-based online retailer for outdoor apparel, gear, etc. We also have a few store locations (mostly in Michigan) and just recently opened a pop-up shop in Detroit for the holiday season.

If you live in the area, I urge you to visit! I'm very proud to be part of a company that is pro-Detroit and implement cool ideas like this!

I'm also pro any company that designates an area above the bathroom for me to draw on. I started at the V.I.P. party last night, and will continue the narrative of the snake eating an ice cream as the holiday season wears on.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

cactus love


I love how plants seem to add so much life to a room (literally... hah!... hah.)

These are nice because they are easily potted and don't expect much of your attention. I love the way the old burlap sack looks with the juxtaposition of the pretty vases and teacups!


I bought this little guy at Trader Joes over last weekend and he's still hanging in there!

How adorbs is this succulent container?! Click below to see the deets:
Vintage Home VHA101042 Laura Ashley Succulents in Clay Container (Google Affiliate Ad)