spring cleaning

Crate and Barrel just launched Clean Slate, a collection of "utility products built to get the job done, but designed to look beautiful doing it". It has an olde timey general store vibe, much like West Elm's Market. Both feature a carefully curated selection of utilitarian products, many by smaller producers that can hard to find elsewhere. I am not someone who loves to clean, but I do find it easier to tackle those unpleasant tasks when I have some pretty, well-designed products to use.

I think some of these items just might make spring cleaning a little more appealing...

party inspiration

Have you checked out the amazing selection of invitations available from Paperless Post lately? I challenge you to scroll through their designs and not feel the urge to throw a party! Finding the perfect invite can be a great starting point for party inspiration. The invite design can provide the theme, colors, and decoration ideas for your fiesta. 

See some of my favorites after the jump:

fun mail

Have you ever tried to mail something that wasn't boxed or wrapped up? I love a nicely wrapped package as much as the next gal, but this awesome round-up on Pinterest has me re-considering the need for boxes. How fun would it be to get a Frisbee in the mail?

The Post Office will let you mail most items with just the addition of an address and a few stamps. As long as an item is less than 13 ounces, it qualifies for the USPS's first-class shipping rates and can be dropped in a mailbox. 

Check out Giver's Log for tips and more photos of the various things she's successfully mailed. This post I did about mailing packages using stamps might also come in handy.  And if you're looking for more ideas of quirky things to mail, you might want to check out this book.

Happy mailing!


[All photos from Giver's Log]

falling in love with a chair

Well, it seems once again, I've failed at buying neutrals. After buying this floral rug, I set out to find a new armchair in a complimentary solid color. I started out looking for a nice charcoal gray, or even a petrol blue.  Towards the end of a day of searching consignment stores with no luck, I stumbled across this chair. I was immediately drawn to it, but told myself I couldn't possibly buy it. 

What was once bright red upholstery has faded to shades of coral and dusty pink. The striking pattern is reminiscent of a Navajo print, but the sun fading gives it sort of an ombre effect. The upholstery seems a somewhat odd match for the antique shape and nail head trim, but does make it look a bit less formal. The intricate wood frame has been painted a deep gold, covering who knows how many previous coats of paint. The chair is old, and pretty funky. It is, 100% without a doubt, not a neutral chair. 

So I snapped a photo of it on my phone and left the store. And then, for the next week, could not stop thinking about the chair. I found myself daydreaming about ways I could rearrange my furniture to somehow find a place for this giant armchair in another corner of my apartment. I held up the tiny phone photo in different spots to try to visualize how the chair would look. As the days went on, I became increasingly anxious that someone else was going to buy this one-of-a-kind vintage chair and then it would be gone forever. After a week, I decided that I needed to find a way to make it work.

Maybe my living room could handle one more dose of pattern after all?

Well, we all know how this story ends. Here is the chair in it's new home: my living room. Turns out I cannot say no once I've fallen in love with a print. The chair and the rug definitely don't match, but I think they work together in their own way. I'm hoping to find a magical throw pillow that will help unite the chair with the rest of the room, but I haven't figured out yet what that might look like. For now, I'm content to sit back and enjoy my crazy awesome new chair.