barnyard behavior

Heavy, rustic wood is truly "my look".

So I am truly loving these sliding barn doors...

This is the first I saw this idea and it is still my favorite - I love the old, beat up, natural wood...



(via: cococozy)

The painted door is gorgeous too - especially in that eye-popping yellow!

(image source unknown)

This is what one would probably look like from the inside - when it's open. 

This door is painted to match all the trim and wall color.

(via: the lettered cottage)

But my favorite is when it's natural and contrasting and steals all the attention!

(via: gingerella)

You can even hang them as a double sliding door to cover a larger opening!!

(via: from greenwich with love)

I'm all about bringing the barnyard inside!

~ the brunette

so blue

I'm not really "blue" but wasn't it SO HARD to go back to work today after a long holiday?!

I was one of those unfortunate iPhone users whose alarm clock did NOT go off today (thankfully I have a back-up alarm clock!)

I am SO EXCITED to see the blonde tonight and hear how her 1st day at her NEW JOB went!!

But back to being BLUE...

I don't consider myself a "blue" person - I can't really think of anything blue in my house, but this throw knocks my socks off...

(image via: from greenwich with love)

I don't know what it is - perhaps the pairing with that gorgeous gunmetal pillow - but this is so stunning and eye-catching to me!

So I started looking for more "blue" inspiration...

I love a good accent wall...

(image via: eric roth bedroom via cococozy)

Something about this color backdrop is so stunning to me -

(via: musings)

the laquered look is definitely on-trend...

(image via: cococozy)

I don't think I could brave it with cabinets because they are just so...permanent.

But I applaud designer Miles Redd for going for it!

(image via: miles redd portfolio on apartment therapy)

(via: bright bazaar)

This lighter blue is really fresh to me.

(image via: cococozy)

But I'm in love with the dark, bolder blue!

(image via: decorista)

My sister got me the Sharon Montrose macaw print for Christmas so I'm excited to start adding a little blue to my home!!

Blue Mondays aren't so bad!

~ the brunette

Happy New Year!

I'm ready...are you?

Growing up, a friend's dad would keep our sealed "resolutions" tucked in his Bible, and pull them out January 1st so we could read what we had written a year earlier.

It was always fun to see what silliness we had written, and broken, the year before!

I'm proud to say I kept my resolution last year!!

My secret is keeping it vague: something do-able, instead of setting yourself up for failure.

My resolution for 2011 is this:

I want to make a conscious effort to not waste so much food.

I hate grocery shopping and buy things that I don't need when I go, and then throw them away.

This year, my means to this goal are as follows:

Don't buy things if I don't know what I'm using them for.

Shop the perimeter as much as possible.

Quit buying "snacks" just to buy "snacks".

A second resolution is to be a better "picker-upper" around the house. 

 I've started working on this habit a couple months ago but want to keep this up and get better.

Oh and I also eat black-eyed peas for luck on New Years Day.  :o)

But cupcakes are nice too...

What about you?

Did you make resolutions??

~ the brunette

Simply Put: I Am a Bandit

Some "Christmas babies" despise that their birthday is at Christmas time. 

People cheat you out of presents and just give you something for both.

I have never ever had that experience.

I make out like a BANDIT at Christmas/Birthday time!

So in honor of my amazing family and friends making me feel like a Bandit, I'm all about stripes today!!

This is one of my all-time favorite pictures - I think it's the heart that catches my eye more than the pretty blue stripes.

I love the contrast of this whole room and adjacent room!

I adore the creativity of extending the stripes onto the ceiling!!

I even love these intentionally "messy" stripes!

Probably my favorite look of all is these horizontal stripes that are all different widths.  I also love the round mirror on them - a contrast in shape!

Being the flea market sucker that I am, I think these aged paintings look so unique on these narrow, crisp black and white stripes.  The paintings really catch my eye against this backdrop!

How fun is this door??  I think this is perfect for a courtyard or poolhouse or something!

I love the holidays and all that comes with, but this birthday girl is ready to get back in the routine (and the GYM) today!  Because let's be honest - with all I've eaten lately - stripes are NOT my friend!!

~ the brunette

happy birthday, brunette

Today is the brunette's birthday!

I wish her nothing but happiness! 

Cheers to the brunette...

~the blonde

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a little cheer...

lots of love...

plenty to eat...

and sparkly things to unwrap!

~ the blonde & the brunette

Too Good for Santa

My first thought when I woke up yesterday (Thursday):

"I don't have to set my alarm clock for the next 6 days!!!"

Somehow I'm up and going at 7 this morning though, and everyone wakes up early on Christmas!

I was playing on google and came across a "Santa Tracker" on Google Maps!

Isn't that fun??  Right now he's in Australia, poor soul, but he only gets about 30 seconds per city so he's MOVING!  No wonder he needs all that sugar and milk!

Speaking of cookies and milk, I really wish I had one of these mugs to help Santa out.

It is perfectly sized to hold one of these!

(and I could keep the rest to eat)  :o)

Halfway to Heaven Peanut Butter Cookies

If you've really got some time on your hands, I think Santa would really appreciate this:

Truth be told, if I were Santa and had to cover an entire city in 30 seconds, I would need some coffee:

As good as Santa's been to me over the years, there are always a few items that I want more than anything, and those items I REFRAIN from putting on my list!  These items are the ones that I'm afraid Santa's elves won't be able to make, and he might miss purchasing it.

I will say these items are kind of RARE. 
Thankfully there are only a few items that I feel this strongly about.

Here are two:

This sweatercoat from Anthropologie - we have both been dying for this one.  This week, it went on SALE, plus Anthropologie was having 25% off sale items, PLUS it's my birthday month so I got another 15% off!  Sometimes things are worth waiting for!

This green wool blazer from LOFT has removable faux fur collar. 

I removed it and wore to work once already, but I love that you can "dress it up"!!

I just couldn't wait for Santa on these two items, so I think I should wear one to Christmas Eve service and the other on Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas (eve)!

~ the brunette

(for image sources, visit our pinterest page "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas")

a spunky design....

My Sputnik love affair began last year when I found an amazing chandelier at one of my favorite antique stores, but the affair abruptly ended when my husband when to look at it and realized that the wiring nightmares with that early 1960s style light would be extreme.   

You can find the sputnik chandelier in so many styles, sizes and finishes...

This flush mount is super cool!

Another beauty...

This office belongs to fellow blogger, Knight Moves.  Her Sputnik is from Z Gallerie...check it out here.

The fabulous Sputnik design isn't just for hanging...

I want one of these sculptures immediately!

This is a such a statement piece...

Jonathan Adler and Kelly Wearstler both offer pretty pricey Sputnik sculptures, but hopefully, the knock-offs will start coming soon:)

I'm not really sure if these wall sculpture/art things qualify as a Sputnik design or if they are just more of a starburst...either way, I like them and thought they fit in nicely with this post:)

These are sold individually by Jonathan Adler...

But this set is from Chiasso and it's $118 for all three...that's not too bad and they would definitely make a statement in any space!  I think these are a yes!

~the blonde