Orange and Black

Due to the awesomeness of my favorite local baseball team- the SF Giants- I am sporting the black and orange right now. We did amazing in tonight's game and we are now going to the WORLD SERIES!!! I am a die hard Giants fan, and could not be more thrilled! I am normally not a huge fan of the color combo, but tonight I am just too stoked to care...




GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!

Clutter Free and Organized

I have said this before, and I am going to say it again- Clutter is my biggest pet peeve. I simply cannot function while clutter is amidst me, therefore, I am always looking for different ways to avoid clutter. This has led to an obsession with anything that will help organize my house- containers, boxes, using things for double purposes, and finding new and cheap things to help organize.

Here are some great ideas and helpful tips on how to organize your everyday items and keep a more clutter free home.

An old TP roll is the perfect thing to keep all your hair accessories in one place. Although, if your like me and have tons of hair things, this might not hold all of them- at least it could keep the hair ties in an easy to find place.

Painted egg cartons and rubber muffin liners are a great option to store office supplies in a drawer

I thought this was really cute! Use a toothbrush holder as a pen holder! Cute, and functional!

Muffin tins are great for storing small random items. We all have that "junk drawer" somewhere in our home, and this is a good idea to keep them all corralled and controlled.

Flower pots are a cute idea to hold kindling next to the fireplace in a neat and organized way. I love the idea of using pinecones (in another pot) cause they are fun to watch in the fire- they are bright and exciting. The other little pot has dried up lavender in it that is used for some good smell in the fire- never in a million years would I have thought of this but Martha is a genius!

Laundry hampers can take up lots of precious floor space, and this is a great fix for that. Hang a laundry bag over the door, and use an embroidery hoop to keep the bag open (keeping a mental note of this too)

Ice cube trays are great storage containers as well. They can keep small earrings or broaches all in one neat place.

It never fails- the remote always has a way of escaping and getting lost. Use a cute little vase on your table to keep it in the same place so it wont have the tendency to walk away

Where I live, it rains- a lot. When you come inside, you are always getting the floor wet from your boots- to avoid that, keep your boots on a cookie sheet to keep the dripping water all in one place that can easily be dumped.

The never-ending plastic bag dilemma... You want to save the environment and recycle, but these darn bags always make more of a mess under my sink than anything! Here is a great solution! Keep them in an empty Kleenex container and they are easily accessible and kept in one neat place. I am going to have to give this a go

I used to have a couple of these really tall vases hanging around and didn't know what to do with them- didn't even think of this as an option! This way, your guests don't need to go rummaging around under your sink (which chances are- isn't organized) when they need a new roll, and you always know when you are about to run out of TP


Images Via Martha Stewart and Real Simple

Ladders in Decor

I know I have seen plenty of old ladders that have seen their final day for climbing, but here are some different ideas that can save that ladder from the dump. Re-purposing or re-using them is a great option to add lots of interest as well as storage to any space.

Real Simple
Use is as an accessory holder. The steps are a great place for all your scarves, maybe some necklaces, and even with "S" hooks you could keep your purses all in one place

Apartment Therapy
In a small space, a ladder is a great option as a nightstand (keeping a mental note of this). It doesn't take up that precious space on the floor, and you still have lots of space for the things that you need beside your bed. *Love the clip on lamp!*

Real Simple
Here is another option as a nightstand. An interesting, industrial, vintage feel

Ladders in the garden are always a favorite of mine. In a patio or deck setting, it gives some height to your garden.

Everyday Clever
I adore how these ladders were turned into a bookshelf! Great idea!

I think this is adorable on a desk. It would be a great spot for all your desk materials in cute little containers. I can picture pens, note paper, rubber bands, paper clips all in little jars stacked on the ladder. And who says the ladder has to be on the floor?!

An indoor plant stand- Just what I need to help make my house look like the jungle I want it to be! (like mother like daughter...)

Casa Sugar
I had never seen this idea before! How clever! You could suspend a ladder from your kitchen ceiling and make it a rack for pots and pans, and other random kitchen supplies! This is a good idea for those small kitchens that don't have too much storage space

Northern Virginia Magazine
Put ladders on the wall for instant visual appeal, and it makes a perfect spot for your pics, or a clock, or even a small vase of flowers. Love it!

Curbly
Another version of hanging a ladder on the wall. Super cute!

I love the look of the ladders in the bathroom. It is a good spot to put all those random knick knacks and give the bathroom a little spark as well.

A Beach Cottage
Need storage for your towels? A ladder is perfect!

What do you use ladders for? Which room do you like to see them in?

Sweet Vignettes

Been working on my "Vignette skills" lately, and have found that it is harder than it seems! I always seem to get tired of the ones that I set up, and feel the need to change them more often than I should. I set off for some inspiration, and have been hard at work the past couple days around my own house- practicing.

Here are some that I especially loved and was inspired by...

The Happy Home
I adore this sweet set up. I love the frame especially and the pop of color with the flowers.

Purple, lime green, and teal- my favorite combo! These little vases are just adorable!

Peacock Feathers
This girl knows how to work it! I look through pics of her home, and instantly want to do mine all over again. She has such a great eclectic, colorful style that I find extremely inspiring. I think she is especially talented at creating Vignettes.

Flikr
I always love the idea of covering books. This is a very sweet set up, and I love the clean, Asian feel. So crisp and comfortable!

Perfect. All the things put together make me want to travel...

I love the lamps! The fish vase is a super adorable touch

Bright, simple, and earthy. I like the look of the plant on a tall stack of books as oppose to a short stack.

Clutter is probably my biggest pet peeve. I just can't handle it. If most of the things in this pic were different colors, it would look cluttered- but they are all white and blue, so they look stunning all together and clutter free. Stashing that info away mentally...

Just a couple of small sweet things put together to make a sweet set up. Love the use of the boxes! It adds the perfect amount of depth and height.




Do you have any tips on how to create a sweet, simple vignette? What kinds of things do you like to use? Would love to hear some feedback!

Chair Love

Some random chair love for you today... Got them on my mind due to a "contest" and have been keeping my keen eye out for a pretty baby on the side of the road that I can give some lovin' to... (I'm too much of a cheap-skate to actually buy one).

In the mean time- here are some chairs and spaces worthy of dreaming about...

Simple and precious. Love the mirrored screen behind the chair!

Wow. That window. That dresser. That table. That chair. Wow. Enough said...

Something about this pic I just love. This chair looks like its seen many interesting conversations...

Purple. Need I say more?

In love with the shape of this chair! I have a thing for swirls...

Spicy, cozy, and fun. Love it!

That is definitely what I would be doing on this soft cozy chair too!

Cute Find: Hanging AirPlant Pod

I'm loving these Air Plant Pods! How unique, and what a great idea! This is a great way to add low-care plants to a space that can't otherwise grow plants, or for a person who isn't lucky enough to have a green thumb. I just love them!

Found these wall bubbles at Poppy Talk
For more information on them and where to get them look at Flora Grubb Gardens


I found these ones at Sunset and really fell in love with the shape. I love the look of the sand in the bottom- very beach cottage


The last three I found on Etsy Here

How cool is it that you can hang a plant upside down?!?! That just goes to show how easy these plants are to take care of! They require little to no attention from you and will live for a long time.


Super adorable

Pillow talk

Pillows really do make the world of a difference in any room. They are the perfect accessory- varying in size, shape, color, pattern, texture, softness, and overall appeal. You can have a neutral room, and lots of interesting pillows, and your whole space will look colorful and comfortable.

I am in the process of trying to find the perfect pillows for my living room so this is an inspirational post indeed!

I believe anybody can tell that I really like purple, and I also really like the lotus flower (hence the header) and even have a tattoo of a purple lotus flower. Having said that, how much do you think I love these pillows? A LOT!!!!!

Layering them in any place or room brings in color, pattern, and textures to any space. They are a great accent to the bed, and the other colors that are around the room.

I love this space! The pillows and the lamp add nice pattern and interest, while the branch vase with the flowers, the baskets on the shelf, and the curtains, add fabulous texture! All playing off the same neutral colors. I love it. The pattern on these pillows is one of my favorite patterns.


Here are some pillows that I found that I would just love to have in my house!

These from Crate & Barrel are fabulous!

I love the pattern and the bold color of the first, and I especially love peacocks. I have been wanting a peacock pillow for a long time...

The oh so talented Jonathan Adler always has fabulous things and his pillows definitely aren't an exception!

Mmmm look at all that color! I love this design! This pillow could go with anything, in any room!

Love the boldness!
Of course I had to put in another peacock pillow!


And when it comes to pillows, we can't ever leave out the amazing selection from Anthropologie!

Again with the owls... They are just too cute!

Great spring pillows!

My sister would have gone crazy over this pillow! I would love it on my bed right now. It would be just the perfect touch to my otherwise white room, and it would give it a more cozy-homey feel.

Love the dark pattern with a punch of yellow! These on a couch, with yellow gourd lamps on a console table just behind the couch. So adorable!


I must say, this one is probably my favorite. I love the bold lines, and the pop of the red and pink. My living room would look awesome with these pillows! They might be a little too girly for my man though...