{pretty color palette}

Completely inspired by the color palette of the Still, TORRI, Paris Installation by artist Landon Metz.  The above color combination has to rank as one of my favorites as of late.  Just a little tidbit but Landon Metz is from Phoenix, AZ.

If only we could all go to Paris to see the art in person.

Speaking of color palettes, according to Martha Stewart the above paints are what she recommends for super neutral decorating palettes and projects.

{pendant lighting}

Let's see..the latest thought on my mind has been pendant lighting...for say like over a kitchen island or bar area. I have lots of children so I am envisioning something with 5 barstools where I can quickly serve them up some snacks while we talk about all of the important things in life. Of course there will a great countertop but the thing I look forward to choosing and installing the most is the jewelry of the kitchen AKA as pendant lighting.

My latest obsession for pendant lighting is the "Lucille" from Bradley Hughes. The J.Crew shop in San Francisco just installed a handful of that very same lighting over their cash wraps. I need to find the price point. In the meantime I'm showcasing a few pendants that have caught my eye..some even are at a very inexpensive price point.

I also have a lighting pinboard right here if you'd like to see a little more.

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14

ponderings for the weekend

It is my weekend wish that every single one of us are as happy as kids at a free splash pad.

I am absolutely crazy for the above pictures that my sister took when we got the cousins together this summer.  I am also absolutely crazy for my kids dialogues.  In fact just this morning two of my boys were reflecting upon and discussing their tea that they had the night before.  One of the boys was telling the other boy that he went back and and grabbed the honey to put more in.  Wells (one of the before said boys) then said, "Hey I did that too but it made my tea too sweet and I didn't like it anymore".  Other brother then said not mine it was so much better with more honey.  They kept going back and forth until their big sister Maile decided to intercede by saying, "guys everyone doesn't have to like the same things..like some people eat tripe and like it...Mexicans like to eat tripe and it is good for them..other people do not like to eat tripe and that is ok..we all like different things"  She then said "but I think most people in the world like to eat ice cream though".  Seriously out of all that comparisons.."tripe"????  Oh and she did make sure to educate the boys to the fact that tripe was cow stomach..kids these days!!!

Whenever I can feel summer winding down I always seem to feel a charge of inspiration take over in the form of decorating, crafting, finishing projects, cleaning and cooking.  The following are a few things coming and going through my fall focused mind.



Remember a year ago when I covered an ikea malm table in faux snakeskin? Well I started pounding in the upholstery tacks and never finished. It will get done this weekend if it is the last thing I do. I just used fabric and an upholstery staple gun, It has held up well. This week I came across some really great instructions on how using Modge Podge to cover a table with fabric. Go and visit Emily to get the shake down. Isn't her styling just great??


Below is the mother of all snakeskin upholstered pieces..found here.


I can't get shoulder patches and fabric studs off the brain. I feel a DIY coming on.


Ok and speaking of fall and pumkins, I think Jaimee Rose and her mother made a cool version of a decorative white pumpkin. I'd copycat for sure. Jaimee has been blogging on her newer website and in fact updates us quite a bit with things that outta make one excited for the change of seasons.


A little bit obsessed with the color of the below dress and the backsplash in Lilly's kitchen as featured in this months Lonny.



Pretty blankets for when it gets chilly. Found here and here.



The below has me inspired to find some pretty plates while on a tour de thrift.  Photo found here.



I will make a wreath this year and it will look like the below.  I also want to use more brown craft paper in my life.  Perfect for hosting a party.



Happy happy weekend!!!

deep dark blue in the kitchen

Today I have kitchens on the brain.  I love white kitchens but dark deep blue cabinets have been making special appearances in my thoughts.  Even if a deep dark blue does not make it into my next home don't worry because you can almost 100% count on cement tiles making the cut.  I am so loving cement tiles..we can save that for another post though.

above tiles found here.
above paint colors are BM Hale Navy and RL Lancaster Blue

redneck tendancies

Every Fall I like to display a big elk antler that we dragged home from the in-laws elk ranch...yes they used to ranch these elk when there was a market for their antlers in Asia.  Supposedly there are some medicinal properties in the antlers when they are in the velvet.  If you didn't know this already, elk naturally shed their antlers every single year and grow new ones.  Anyway the in-laws ranch is stocked with more antlers than one knows what to do with.  As I placed the large antler upon the piano I was pondering my home.  I was thinking such things as "does my home represent my design aesthetic or how much am I influenced by what I see online or in magazines but don't really love the look?"  I started feeling bad because when I looked around it wasn't exactly how I wanted it to look...AND then I thought "bad Christina".  I do not want to ever fall victim of not being grateful for what I have or feeling like things have to be a certain perfect.  Every time I think I have mastered the concept of replacing gratitude for negative thoughts or feelings, I really haven't completely.  I'm afraid it will always be something I will have to work on.  I feel like I am much better at it in my more experienced life but still....Besides I should feel happy that I have worked over my home on one of the tightest budgets and that is something to mention.  In fact my husband should thank me profusely.

Speaking of mentionables and husband and a budget I may also need to discuss the time I decided to buy a toilet tattoo.  Have you seen 'em?  Seriously why would one ever put one up on the check out stand right next to the latest Elle Decor and feel good about it.  Oh I had big plans I tell you.  I snuck that thing into the home, placed it on husbands toilet (which happens to be mine as well) and waited.  I only wish I could have seen his face when he went to use the restroom that fine evening. I didn't hear him laugh and he didn't give me any kind of reaction but I am convinced that he must have been amused on the inside..he just had to have been.  I finally couldn't handle it anymore so I said to him, "did you um like the new toilet tattoo..I was thinking about you and your love for nature".

Always thinking of him and not me.



P.S. - My home is looking a little too traditional.  Time to mix it up.
P.S.S - If you are thinking of a toilet tattoo I must mention that it is best to have one of them small kind of toilets.

trimmed out walls {Carolina Herrera Baez's apartment in Spain}

Well hello there folks.  I'm thinking that I may hit up a discount trim store today and see what I can find in the .65 a yard and below range.  I have always wanted to trim out a small space and I think this will be the year to actually do it.  I've saved images before of trimmed out walls but when I saw Carolina Herrera Baez's space in this months Elle Decor I was reminded of how cool it could be.

Here are some other spots in her home.  I am especially drawn to her bedroom with the canopy and striped fabric.

{Kubus and a fun bargain find}

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I have loved Pierre Frey Kubus ever since I first laid my eyes upon it. In fact I immediately sent out for a sample. I thought that with my budget I could stretch and someday make a small pillow..but probably not until Christmas 2016:-) Unlike my budget Lauren Santo Domingo was able to make a whole lot of Kubus yardage happen when there were multi panels that were necessary to drape her home..(necessary is the key word..and I don't disagree..except for if it were in my home...because I am sure Pierre Frey found all of my extra coins needed to buy the before said fabric and had them melted down to use in his dear Kubus fabric...there is some metallic action going on in the fabric..
Once I got over not having any metallic action in my fabric then I found out that it made much more sense to use Annex by Robert Allen for Dwell Studio. Besides I had in my mind that it would work best for my little boys room and the least expensive the better for a space like that (as a side note I'm still trying to get smashed cereal bar out of their fairly new rug). After seeing the fabric in person I made a deal and placed an order but then cancelled because at my local fabric retailer they still wanted a pretty penny plus $25 for shipping and in the interim figured out that I could go here and get it for $18.95 plus $4.99 shipping.  It still is not quite the fabic of the Kubus but thought that it gave me a similar look, BARGAIN!!

Have you found any bargains you feel the need to share? If so I would love to hear.


(The above space was designed by Francois Catroux for Lauren Santo Domingo and was just featured in the Sept. issue of Vogue. Photos courtesy of enterloop.)

{local love} A Sonoran Desert Beauty

I think one of the reasons this home makes it to the blog is the fact that the designer made sure to off-set or balance such a rustic farmhouse style with things that are straight and modern. If you notice many of the lines on the light fixtures and cabinets are on the modern side. Secondly I love to find designers that don't have the typical "Sonoran Desert Style". To see more of this home go take a look at David Michael Miller's portfolio.

On my color radar {BORDEAUX}

Hello there..with being on the cusp of September I find my mind wandering to deeper and richer colors for fall. I really think things can be a little heavier and deeper when the temps start to cool down. That is why I think I am currently attracted to shades of bordeaux, maroon and burgundy. I think this season I wished I had saved my classic bordeaux colored penny loafers from the 7th grade.

{large image 1 via Lonny (JK Capri), 2 - Rita Konig home, 3 - AD France}