Jewelry Hanger

I was catching up on the blog decor8 yesterday and came across a post about the home of a Norwegian design blogger, Siw Haveland (blogger of Design Shimmer).  First of all, her home is just incredible.  Her bedroom has to be my favorite room in her house, from the blankets to the closet headboard.  But the most inspirational part of it to me was the way she displayed her jewelry on a hanger...

It is so simple and looks so great!  So I decided to try it myself.  The best part was it only cost me $1 for the ribbon.  (gotta love that half-off Christmas ribbon at Michaels!) I have an accordion closet door, so it can easily be tucked away inside.  I am quite pleased with it :)

New Specs

It's been a loooong time since I've purchased new glasses.  Mostly because they are just so darn expensive! But I have found a savior...Warby Parker Eyeware.  It's an online boutique that sells glasses (frames, lenses and shipping) for a total of $95!! What a steal!  And each time you buy a pair from them, they give a pair to someone in need.  And the selection is pretty stylish!  I've utilized their "at-home try-on" option twice now (they will send you up to 5 pairs for free so that you can try them on!) and finally found a pair for me.  Say hello to the Wiloughby Eyeglasses in striped chestnut. Can't wait to get them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

London and Buses

How adorable is this London Bus Print from Rockett St. George?! It looks so simple and clean and it would look excellent in my living room.  Speaking of buses...I'm about to jump on one to head back to Iowa for the Holiday.  Happy early Thanksgiving!

London Undercover

This has to be the coolest umbrella shop ever.  London Undercover has all these classic and chic looking umbrellas and when you open them up they have these awesome patterns hidden underneath!  They range from maps of London to alphabet soup to pigeons (yuck!).  Pigeons aside, they are all just so great!  These two have to be my favorites.  You can't go wrong with and English breakfast and Fish n' Chips!  Priced in pounds, they are a bit out of my price range, but a girl can dream :)

Downtown From Behind

Have you seen this new blog called Downtown From Behind?  It a collection of photographs of bikers in New York City, all taken from behind.  They are the most amazing photos! This one has to be my favorite.  Don't you just want to know where he's going? I wish those flowers were for me!

Shadowbox

I have a cute little shadow box in my room that is about halfway filled with various knick-knacks I've acquired over the years.  I've always thought that I could get more use out of it, and make it more appealing to look at but I wasn't quite sure how to go about that.  Then today I came across this image of artist Sarah Illenberger's shadowbox which she uses for both knick-knacks as well as jewelry.  Brilliant!  I think I might have to put some nails in mine and get started on this!  Hopefully I can make it look as effortlessly cluttered and cool as she did!

Photo found via Freunde von Freunden.  Check out the rest of the potos of her house.  I swear she designed it with me in mind.  From the furry seat-cover to the globe collection.  I want it all!

I am One of One Million People

I just read about the project called One Million People.  Basically, it's one man's quest to put together a coffee-table book comprised of the faces of one million people of "today's digital generation."  It's totally free to sign up and select a spot in the book for your face.  So of course I had to do it.  Anything to get published!  So when the book comes out, please be sure to check out the center of page 11 for a photo of yours truly. 

Cozy Corduroys

I was browsing through Nordstrom the other day and stumbled upon these fantastic corduroy leggings from Hue.  I absolutely love corduroy pants and I constantly wear leggings, so what could be better than putting the two together?!  I think I might have to spring for a pair quite soon!  And don't you just love the fallish feeling of this chestnut color??

Gloomy Monday Goodness

It is a dark and rainy Monday morning in Chicago, so I thought it was appropriate to post a few pictures of things that make me happy to lighten the mood a bit.

A traditional English breakfast.

Tulip fields.

(Gorgeous photo via mogh_ip's Flickr)

Anything glittery!

I Heart Matt Lauer

Is anyone else totally loving the "Today Show Gone Viral?"  Yesterday they remade Mike Tomkin's video when he covered Taio Cruz's song "Dynamite" completely acappella. It was so great!  Al totally cracked me up when he started spanking himself and peeling the banana.  And my love for Matt Lauer only grew deeper when I discovered he can carry quite a nice tune!  If you haven't see it yet, you must watch it NOW!

Need a Monday Morning Laugh?

I just discovered "Dam You Auto Correct" and it's taking everything I have not to bust out laughing at work from this.  It's various chat scenarios from iPhones when the auto-correct function interferes.  It's hilarious! So great for a Monday morning!  Here's a few of my favorites...

Corky!

After about a year or so of collecting wine corks, I now have quite a collection displayed in a tall glass vase.  Even though it is a nice decorative piece, I'm feeling the itch to do something crafty and I'm thinking it's about time to do something with them.  I haven't quite made up my mind yet, but here's some projects I've compiled for inspiration!

Wine cork bath mat (or possibly kitchen mat?!) from Crafty Nest

You can buy a kit from Wine Stuff to make your own wine cork bulletin board. Since I have all the corks I need, maybe pair them with a thrift store picture frame to get the same effect?

Gorgeous wine cork wreath made by Le Girasole on Etsy.

Anyone have any other great ideas?!

HOO Loves Owls?!

I don't quite get the new trend of animal jewelry, but I must say...I love it!! I'm the proud owner of a lion's head necklace and my favorite...a colorful owl necklace!  I think the new wave of owls everywhere have to be my favorite.  I don't know what it is about those old birds that I find so appealing, but they are just too cute!  Check out these fun and fab owl accessories...

Adorable owl ring (with glasses!) from Topshop

A fun little patchwork-ish owl necklace from Forever 21

 

Awesome owl tights from ModCloth

Litty bitty owl hair pins from VeryVintage's Etsy shop

The Queen

Look at how gorgeous these rugs from Stamp Rugs are!  I would just love to own one of these.  They come in all different colors too!  I'm loving this pink one right now.  I have to say I like their idea of putting it up on the wall for some stylish decor.  I'm not sure I'd feel right about using it as a rug and walking on the Queen's face all day...

Bansky

Now that I've got Banksy on the brain, here's a few of my favorites of his for your Thursday morning enjoyment.

 

I Need it More, NY

I am loving this street art called "I Need it More, NY."  It totally looks like a Banksy (who I just adore!) to me, but I can't find anywhere online who did it.  But either way...I love it!  It is so hard looking, but so sweet and soft at the same time :)

Kitchen Art

I love the idea of art in the kitchen.  I think there is no better way to give your kitchen more personality or color.  Here's a few prints I've found that I would just love to have in my kitchen.  Especially that conversions poster...it would save me so many trips to the computer to google them myself!

Kitchen Conversions poster from SweetFineDay.  It comes in teal and white too!

Artichoke Heart Painting from Fine Artichoke Prints.  Definitely check them out...they have so many great prints!

My parents have this Periodic Table of Vegetables poster in their kitchen.  I love the antique-ish look of it.  You can find it lots of places, I found it at Food Posters.  And it does include Tomatoes...does this mean they are in fact a vegetable and not a fruit?!

Shoe Crazy!

Look at these amazing and crazy shoe designs by Kobi Levi!  He must be a creative genius...I've never seen anything like these before!  I would just love to own these snazzy banana slippers!

 Love these...they look so seductive

The chewing gum is the heel!  So quirky and cool!

Cylindrical Glassware

Gossip Girl does it again!  I have found yet another item from this show that I desperately want.  How gorgeous are these cylindrical wine glasses from Crate & Barrel?!  I was watching old episodes from Season 2 last night and saw the classy upper east siders drinking wine, champagne and OJ from these.  They instantly made the breakfast table more gorgeous!  But at $11.95 per glass, I will just have to add them to my "wish list" for now...

Hoping for Rain

I've been thinking about purchasing one of these clear bubble umbrellas for a while now, but I kept going back and forth on it.  But after seeing Blair and Serena sport them on Monday's episode of Gossip Girl, it totally sealed the deal for me! I hit up ebay today to place the order and now I can't wait for it to rain (in 4-6 weeks of course) so I can look as stylish as these two under my plastic dome!