Ottoman Empire

[Photo courtesy of Carolina George]

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[Click here to buy this find]

Inspired today by my friends at Carolina George (the aesthetically gifted New York furniture and interior designers) and their punchy line of fabrics, I am doing some digging on Etsy for a vintage ottoman or foot stool that I can pair with a simple cream glider for the nursery. Somehow, I don't think this little boy will fully appreciate the effort put into making his living space look effortless.

Now I'm about as handy as a Real Houswife in a Home Depot, but with the right ottoman, all you need is a staple gun and some batting to reupholster a pretty new piece for your home.

Our first contestant makes me smile. I feel like somehow this funny little tweed ottoman was once a puppy and has been bippity-bopped, Disney style, into a piece of furniture. With a coat of stain and some new fabric this little munchkin could be made epic. A plus for Baby Bean? The wheels make it possible for him to harness Opie and/or Boo and a take a little Nantucket sleigh ride around the house. The downside: its pretty darn tiny.

Behind door number two: A taller spindle leg stool which I am feeeeeeeeeeling, but the price is a little steep for a piece I'd have to re-work entirely. It does match my spindly crib though. Oy.

Thoughts dear readers?

Tweed Foot Stool. The Enchanted Fig Tree. $75.

Vintage Spindle Leg Stool. {rak}' designs. $175.

Animals on Parade

[Photo Credit: Aubrey+Lindsay's Little House Blog]

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[Click here to buy this find]

Happy Summer! Its a balmy 90 degrees here in D.C. and my extremities are just swell(ing). Today's post sprung from the design blog rabbit hole. You know how it goes, you hop on briefly to order a crib sheet and the next thing you know its 2am, you've mentally committed yourself to several new monster DIY projects and you've clicked so many links you couldn't retrace your steps if you tried.

Well thats how I felt after bouncing around from With Two Cats 10 Neutral Nurseries post to Aubrey+Lindsay's Little House Blog. Toronto bloggers Aubrey+Lindsay's  neutral nursery is a dream come true.  The simplicity of the space, the teeny pops of color and even the animals are exactly what I'm going for. And that Lion print! I have to have it, and I think it sets a strong educational example to Baby Bean on proper Zoo etiquette. So thank you Aubrey+Lindsay for the inspiration, I think I might pivot slightly and cluster three smaller prints. And thank you Sarah Jane Studios for these cheeky little prints.

I'm not surprised that Sarah Jane is on Etsy, whenever I see something really fantastic and original down the rabbit hole it usually is. Make sure to check out her shop, her work is so great I couldn't squeeze it all in.

Prints starting at $26. Sarah Jane Studios.

Ain't no party like a Papel Picado party

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For my own wedding on the South Shore of Massachusetts, I had grand plans for the rehearsal dinner. Fiesta! Papel Picado! Mariachi! Lights would be strung from the trees and guests would saunter around in linen suits and appropriate ruffles, sipping fresh Patron margaritas and remarking at the authenticity of the stone ground tortillas. When I came to my senses (or was shaken to them like said margarita by Mr. Etsy Detective) we decided to give the people what they really want at a summer New England wedding; a lobster bake. The lobster bake was perfect, but mark my words, someday I will throw the above fiesta, whether my future son's fiancé likes it or not. Muahaha! 

If you find yourself an appropriate setting for today's find, consider yourself muy muy lucky. Papel picado, the classic Mexican paper cut art, is put to stunning use here as a beautiful and unexpected wedding or event invitation. Fair warning: if you receive this in the mail, even death may not part it from your fridge magnet.

Papel Picado Wedding Invitations by Avie Designs.

On the Road

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[Click here to buy this find]

7 months into carrying this little bundle of joy, I am slowly coming to the realization that my mobility and joie de vivre is shrinking faster than John Travolta at the Miss Universe pageant.

Today's post is inspired by the retro airstream print you see above. Growing up, my parents called these mobile Twinkies "Silver Pickles," and I'd love nothing more than to go exploring the Wild West in said pickle, bedecked in find's worthy of Thelma and Louise. Git' along little doggies!


Retro Airstream Print. $12. David Lloyd Gallery.

Custom Aztec Toms. $90. Marissa Fawcett.

Turquoise Spike Necklace. $49. The Black Feather.

Vintage Cali Souvenir Scarf. $22. Foulard Fantastique.

(Fermented) Wedding Favors

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[Click here to buy this find]

If Mr. Etsy Detective had his way, our guests would have walked away from our reception with nippers, scratch-off tickets and loose change for buying more nippers and scratch-off tickets. While this appeals to the latent Ke$ha in me, today's finds strike a tasteful balance between black tie and frat basement.

As much as I appreciate flower seed favors and homemade jam, there is a certain childish thrill to walking into a hotel room and finding a naughty little goodie bag, like Bad Santa paid a visit to your room block. So who says the joining of two lives for eternity has to be a sober affair? Get the party started early (and prepare them for the aftermath) with some boozy treats and a fun little emergency kit (I'm thinking Shout wipes, Excedrin and a reminder when brunch starts).

Custom Mini Bottle Labels by Liquid Courage.  100 labels for $49.95.

Custom State Beer Labels by Coast 2 Coast Design. 12 labels for $12.

Mini Emergency Favor Bags by Noteably Unique. 20 bags for $15.

Hearts A Flutter

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[Click here to buy this find]

[Click here to buy this find]

It's wedding season folks, and that means GIFTS! If choosing from the dregs of the registry isn't your thing (I know you need a mattress pad, but I don't want to be the guest that gave you a mattress pad), London artist Sarah & Bendrix might just be your ticket to the wedding guest Hall of Fame.

This customizable fluttery heart art can include secret messages, initials, dates, lyrics and so on. As a bonus, the bride can use this gift a an excuse to repurpose (Cough: toss) the framed athletic jersery currently occupying the foyer.

Personalized Hearts. $72.

Pride and Prejudice Vintage Hearts. $72.

Come Fly With Me

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Lets chalk quilting up to one of the skills I truly envy. I have approximately five unfinished needlepoint works, and thats about as close as I'll ever come to being a quilter.

So join me in living vicariously through today's post. The Flying Geese quilt reminds me of a Hudson's Bay blanket in the best way, with less boiled wool. If I had my druthers (and some cash money to burn), I'd attempt to commission Bungalow Quilts in Cincinnati to make me two twin quilts in this high-flying pattern. So picture yourself tangled in one of these bad boys, as mist off the water drifts in through the sleeping porch screen. And...SCENE.

Flying Geese Quilt. $380.

Happy Feet

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[Click here to buy this find]

[Click here to buy this find]

About as practical as bringing a knife to a gun fight, baby shoes are often the topic of heated MommyBlog exchange. Sure, they serve little purpose for non-walkers, but sometimes bespoke baby gentlemen deserve a new pair of slippers.

That brings us to today's finds, hip little slide-ons in linen, felt and denim.  So before I give birth and come to my senses, let me just exist in this dream world I've created for myself, where BabyBean rises in the morning after a full nights sleep, coo's and points to his favorite skull-and-bone moccasins, and we go on our merry way.

Felted kimono slipper. From Ana with Love. $22.

Skull and bones baby moc. She's So Crafty Goods. $26.

Organic khaki hemp linen shoe. Bobka Baby. $45.

Orange Crush

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[Click here to buy this find]

[Click here to buy this find]

Hola chicas and happy Cinco de Mayo! Apologies for the lack of Friday posting, I was, uh, washing my hair. 

Screw green, it ain't easy being orange. Relegated to bad jokes and bad politicians, orange doesn't even realize everyone is rolling their eyes at its happy little hue.  

**The following is a public service announcement brought to you by The Etsy Detective** 

Color bullying hurts everyone. Please consider becoming a mentor to orange in your community, and show the world it doesn't have to be afraid of apricot. 

I've heeded the call, and bring to you today some fantastic finds. Whether you dip a toe in the shallow end with a beaded bib or take the plunge with some killer ombre tights, every little bit counts. After all, orange is also the color of sunsets, clementines and Victoria Beckham. For more orange love, check out my ideas for a unisex creamsicle nursery on Pinterest.

Beaded bib necklace. Tastes Like Gold. $38.

Hand-dyed sunset ombre tights. BZR. $50.

Ombre linen slouch tote. Cheri Demeter. $42.

Etsy Dream Closet: A Perfect Summer Outfit

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[Click here to buy this find]

[Click here to buy this find]

Oh this old thing? I threw it together from my Etsy dream closet. Today's finds are inspiration for a perfect summer outfit. If I wasn't currently hiding a human beachball under my shirt, I'd probably swap the baggy white T for a slinkier white tank, but I'm a harlot that way.

Inlaid birch, mahogany and brass bangle.  Last Prize. $55.

Turquoise striped maxi skirt. Hope and Jane Designs. $52.

Natural linen bag. O'HAT. $55.