reclaimed home

With all the recent wrap-ups of projects (I still have a few things keeping me busy!), I've been tackling a few things on the to do list outside of the professional realm. I mentioned the painting project in the powdered room, and we're also changing colors in the dining room. The trim needs to be painted as well and some windows are being replaced too. Ah, home-ownership!

We've been in our house together for nearly a year and Jacob is soon moving his office into a new space, so I think we're kind of nesting and reclaiming this area as our home. After a year abroad, a year moving around the states and nearly a year of moving around our own little town of Lexington, it's starting to sink in that we live here (and we aren't going anywhere - for now!). 

The last time I painted in this house was seven years ago (!). Things have changed so much in that time, and I think these walls are ready for a refresher. Neutrals are perennially popular and, let me tell you, I've found that a neutral palette on the walls can help with integrating styles and belongings of two very different people!

Provence Cream

Nimbus Cloud

Two of my favorite neutrals (and the ones chosen for our soon-to-be-painted rooms), are Martha Stewart's Nimbus Cloud (Glidden), and Provence Cream (Behr) - both at Home Depot. I love the cool, airy grey of Nimbus - perfect for a steamy bathroom, and quite complementary to our white and pale blue tiles and nickel fixtures. The Provence Cream (love the name) is more yellow every other place I've seen it except our dining room, where it settles into such a lovely calm color with just enough contrast next to the white trim (Pro tip: buy samplers! They're available in most colors and only cost about $3, so if you have to buy about 10 of them, it's still not a budget breaker...trust me!).

crazy about...

Cloches. Bell Jars. Call them what you like. They are everywhere lately and they are gorgeous and clean and throwback and French...in the good way. 


I've been wishing for one - to do what with, I'm not sure yet - because they're just so pretty without being too feminine (you married ladies know what a challenge it can be to hang on that balance, right?). 

I picked one up today at a favorite shop, House by JSD. These three boys are so cool and they have the best taste ever. I totally want them to be my friends. Not only do they feature fun, affordable, collectible pieces for your home from furniture to decor, they also do the most beautiful, tailored interior design. And they are single-handledly bringing burlap back. I swear I have never been so enamored of burlap. It figured prominently in my Christmas decorations this year. Did I mention they also do custom wreaths and Christmas decorations? Let's just say this was not helpful to our wintertime budget. More on that later.


But for today, oh, I'm so excited to figure out what to pair it with now that I have it home. My first inclination was one of our French reproduction absinthe saucers, also from House. We'll see, I have a feeling I'll be switching it around a bit, giving each room a little time to be cloche...

a lost art

My grandmother was a (sweet) stickler about a few things, like wearing lipstick, properly set hair, haute fashion, polished fingernails, stockings and good manners - things that rank in terms of etiquette. Things that also made her always seem so elegant, stylish and refined.  Maybe one of the most lasting lessons I've taken from her is her dedication to correspondence. All through my childhood we wrote letters to one another even though we were only a short drive away, and have continued through the years as I've moved to more distant locations.

This made me similarly devoted to letters, and - help me - the stationary on which they are written. In fact, when Jacob and I married and planned our move abroad, my girlfriends (quite rightly) thought I'd probably use stationary more than serving plates and they threw me a shower just for cards and papers and envelopes and monograms and the most beautiful instruments for old fashioned communication. I still have a few left, but it's about time to re-up, so when One Kings Lane offered a special for Three Designing Women's personalized stamp and stationary, I couldn't resist...and mine came today! Yay!



It's the little things like this that make writing someone a note really fun - even if you don't love it the way I do. Everyone loves getting things in the mail, too, so it's a win-win! I think I'll write my grandmother a note today, for fun and for old times sake.


Three designing women offer self-inking stamps (like what we had personalized) as well as embossers (still want!) and they have lots of fun products (cards, bottle tags, stickers, gift tags & recipe cards) that are designed with perky colors and designs set to match the size of their stamps! What a great idea. 

metaphors & madelyn

Happy Monday everyone. We awoke this morning to the most peculiar sight for March, a thick layer of spring snow! While I mourn my poor daffodils and tulips, it's always amazing to experience the soft, quiet blue mornings of winter. And even though it's supposed to be spring, I'll take it (for now). We were short on snow this winter, after all.  

Another surprise that greeted me this morning was the birth of a dear friend's daughter! I'm thrilled to welcome baby Maddy into our sisterhood (she's the first baby in our little group). I can't wait until we can get over to visit her and mama and papa. Congrats! 

*

I'm also excited for the time that we can do all kinds of fun girlie things with her and her mama, and carry on our favorite traditions like shopping and beach vacations and mani/pedis and getting in only a tiny bit of trouble. In the mean time, I've been inspired try out this little project, courtesy of sweet friend, fabulous photographer, and super-momma-of-two (and, incidentally, something of a seamstress), Elizabeth Chapman. I love sewing, but I must admit I'm a bit of a novice, so this may be a practice, practice, practice situation. And since that can take a while, I think I'll have Elizabeth whip one up for me. Thank goodness for talented friends! 

*I'll try to see if I can locate the pattern and post it once I know from whence it came...