I went and got a sparkly new piercing in the flat of my left ear! That brings my total number of piercings up to 8. I begged to get my earlobes pierced when I was a kid, and I got them done at Claire’s for my eighth birthday. Some time in my early teens I got the seconds done, again at Claire’s. At 15 or so, I did the helix myself with an ice cube, an earring, and determination. It took a long time. I could *hear* the progress I was making, and at a certain point, I just figured I had to be almost done and should just keep going. First thing I said to my mom when she got home was “I did somet ..read more

Hey, that’s me! I want these things! Perhaps you do too. And anyway, I’m just having some fun with the title. Let’s look at some pretty things for all of us. First off, #1 on this list is clearly gray hair. Let those sparklies grow in! I realize I missed the whole silver sisters grow-out culture that has been taking place by not photographing myself constantly but here I am, fully dye-free. (That hasn’t happened since I was 13!) I’ve had just about every color, and this one’s my favorite. Next up, embrace those piercings! The 90s are back, and thankfully I put plenty of holes in my ears back ..read more

Sponsored by Calico I loved my loud floral armchair. It was a floor model, and there was a small rip in the linen fabric when I bought it. I experimented with ways to fix it, ultimately landing on a patch that blended pretty well! I was proud of my handiwork, and the chair was really cute in our last home and in this one. Ten years on though, the fabric on the seat had started to look a bit threadbare. It went from noticeably “hmmm” to “oh no” pretty quickly and it was beyond my abilities to repair any further. But I still loved the chair! No need to replace and treat it as disposable — it was ..read more

But not like marshmallows. You know? More like the “ooh, you smell so good, what are you wearing” kind of way. Let’s look at some gourmand fragrances that give off that vibe. Fall is here, let’s celebrate! Smell like a marshmallow! (Fun fact, I do not like eating marshmallows. But all of these, save one, have something more to them and that lets me forgive the fact that they remind me of the worst of confections.) Let’s just smell delicious. Eau Duelle, Diptyque To be fair, I don’t get marshmallow from this, but a lot of people do. What I do get is vanilla, and that is what gets us there. Bu ..read more

The things I want tend to fall into a cohesive color palette. Shall we just ooh and ah over warm caramels together? Plus a hint of blush? Let’s. Standard Jumpsuit in Cotton Twill, Alex Mill I shied away from dresses for a while and went almost exclusively to jumpsuits. I’m back into midi skirts and dresses, but this jumpsuit remains a go-to. Punk Lamp, Blu Dot Brilliant proportions, super cute. Lockhart Tabletop Sculptures, Crate & Barrel Sculptures and art from mainstream or big box retailers lose a sense of their cool, but these are really good. Azalea Brown Chair, CB2 I want these in ..read more

I feel sad, but my garden looks great! The roses I still have in my garden are hardy and easy to keep alive, and they’re looking great this year. The catmint and aliums are thriving and spreading, and everything else is looking pretty good too. There was a 10′ shrubby rose that almost completely died over the winter though, and since it had murder thorns (seriously, it was a danger), I dug it out. I wanted to replace it with a flowering tree, and I spent days researching varieties that could be a good fit size and style-wise. My grandmother died in late April. We were close, and complicated f ..read more

I created a series of outdoor rooms when we added new fencing a few years ago (which has finally grayed nicely). Ideally, I would add a patio to the far back section and furnish it, but it might not happen this year because I’ve got my hands full with other projects. I know what I want though when it’s time! Gnomes and mushrooms? I don’t care if it’s kitsch, embracing my love of whimsy in the garden. Mixed with modern furniture and nestled in among flowers and bushes, it’s charming. Palissade Bench, Hay Roly Poly Armchair, 2Modern (Driade) Attilla Gnome Low Stool / Side Table, 2Modern (Karte ..read more

I am the new owner of a used Gazelle! It’s so fun to ride around town. I had been deep in research mode since Eleanor was interested in a new bike for her birthday. She can ride an 26″ adult-sized bike now, and she wanted something similar to the kids’ Gap-branded Electra Cruiser she learned on. She didn’t just choose something similar, she ended up choosing another Electra Cruiser, this time in the adult size. I wrote this post a few years ago about wanting to become “a bike person.” I still feel intimidated by the Capital C Cyclists, but I’m finding friendly people that are happy to help e ..read more

I made a version of this last year for myself. I’ve expanded on it since then, making it possible to choose the colors of your cabinets, counters, hardware, accessories, and appliances. (You know I only make mods to make my games prettier. Can’t stop decorating, even virtually!) Set different combinations for your farmhouse, the upgraded cabins, and the island house. Go get yourself a Lovely Kitchen! There are 12 cabinet colors: gray, pink, birch, white, mint, green, walnut, cream, sky, blue, oak, and black. Appliances come in pink, sky, mint, white, cream, stainless steel, and copper. The ..read more

“This will be quick and easy,” she thought. I went into this project thinking that this wouldn’t be too difficult. New wallpaper, a fresh coat of paint, a new window shade, and a change of lighting. That’s it! It has taken some time though, as these things often do when you’re doing all of the work yourself and fitting it in around other work and life in general. The bathroom on the first floor had a lot going for it that I liked. It’s small by modern standards, but perfectly sized to me. The beadboard is charming, the wood floor keeps continuity with the rest of the house, and the leaded glas ..read more