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snapshots from south haven
Walks on the beach, wandering around town, shopping, good food and lots of laughs made for a pretty wonderful weekend in South Haven for this mama-to-be. Our bungalow, which I found on VRBO, was just a few blocks from the beach and had this lovely back patio where we spent Saturday night warming our buns and chatting around the fire. We had our fill of small plates at Taste and dined on delicious Italian food at Maria’s. South Haven is about two and a half hours north of Chicago which makes for a great weekend getaway. We had the best time enjoying the small town pace. I love living in the city, but I also crave these quiet escapes.
I came home with pockets full of driftwood. As I hunted the beach, I knew exactly what I was going to make with it. I was inspired by these two things – first I saw this on City Farmhouse’s front porch and then I fell in love with this mobile that Miles of Light made. I haven’t decided where I’m going to hang my mobile yet. That’s always the fun part – deciding where it’s new home will be. I think a pop of color will be nice so I’ll either paint some of the wood or add some colorful pieces of beach glass. What do you think?
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Just a little eye candy for you today from beautiful bedrooms to works of art to colorful accessories for around the home. Let’s start with these beautiful bedrooms – so many great pops of color. Just add a couple of dashes of bright yellow like that dresser or those bed linens and a room can simply come to life. I also quite love this dynamic weaving with its layers of fringe and handmade stoneware tiles, or how about this work of art titled Indigo Bloom from Greige Design? Gorgeous, right? One specific designer that is really inspiring me right now is ceramicist Anna Eaves. Her pieces are simple yet stunning. And I can never have enough unique pots for my plants! More soon. For now, enjoy this Monday Moodboard!
+ all images can be found on my pinterest here
new orleans
A few months ago we headed south to explore the city of New Orleans. I spent a few days there in 2009 and have been wanting to go back ever since. The attention to detail on the old buildings is so stunning, and it made we wonder what it must have been like to live there back in the hay day. We took our time wandering through the city, strolling along the Mississippi River and through squares and tiny alleyways. The French Quarter took my breath away with the bright colors and beautiful plant filled balconies. The Voodoo Bone Lady Ghost Tour was touristy but fun! We had dinner and amazing cocktails (virgin for me!) at Kingfish. Everyone raves about this place and for good reason. We sat at the bar and got to watch all of the incredible drinks being made. I’m still dreaming about the café au lait and beignets from Café Beignet. Their cute little patio is not too shabby, either. We spent some time exploring the Bywater area. Some parts were a bit run down but still the neighborhood was very charming with a hipster vibe and a younger crowd. We ate breakfast at the lively and eclectic Elizabeth’s and lunch at The Joint. We spent an afternoon taking in the Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond Exhibit at the Presbytère. It was so fascinating to hear the stories and remember what people went through. The whole exhibit was very eye opening. We took the streetcar to the Garden District which was a great area to wander around. It was so nice walking down the streets and admiring all the lush green and stately southern homes. We popped into a few shops on Magazine Street. I could have brought home an entire extra suitcase full of hats from Goorin Bros and Defend was two tiny rooms filled to the brim with hip t-shirts, bags and posters. Before heading back to our hotel, we grabbed a few treats from District Donuts. January was definitely a good time of year to visit. It was 60s and sunny, the city was calm and we didn’t have to worry about making hotel and restaurant reservations a year in advance. New Orleans was as beautiful as I remembered it, and it was fun exploring new places with Marc.
apple picking
It’s getting colder lately and fall is definitely here. So to celebrate the season of apples, pumpkins and all things spiced, we made a trip out to Kuipers Family Farm and spent the day apple picking. The more I picked the more I started brewing up different apple recipes in my head. What are some of your favorites? These apple fritter bites look amazing and I love this apple cider sangria. Read More
studio update + we’re moving (again)
I wanted to pop in to say hi. Not sure if anyone still comes here for a visit since I’ve been terribly neglectful of this space over the past few months. With Instagram being so quick and immediate, it makes posting over there so much easier and faster. As of late I’ve been keeping up with business and getting ready for One of a Kind Chicago which is happening in two months. I participated in three summer art festivals this year and will be posting a recap of the season sometime next week. I also just updated my Etsy shop with lots of new items and marked down a few pieces too. Take a look here to see if there’s something you like. When I’m not in the studio, I’ve been packing and cleaning. Our current living situation is changing again. A few weeks before we finished phase 2 of our renovation, we did something crazy and put in an offer on a different house. So we hurried up and finished the renovation and put our current house on the market. It’s been a whirlwind to say the least. My current motto has been live in the now and enjoy what you have today because everything can change so quickly. I’ll share more stories about our renovations and photos of the finished rooms soon. This home (and year) has definitely been an adventure for Marc and me! I’d love to hear about your home buying experiences too. Have any of you done something crazy like this?
goodbye sweet home | we bought a house part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4
