Color Block

There's something so refreshing about summer. The colors, the heat, and the long days make it easy to fall it love with the season. I'm getting inspired this year by fun Etsy finds - including Kilim's shoes. Made from hand-woven Turkish rugs and bound by supple leather, they might be the perfect go-to slip on for that unique pop this year. Of course, Ikat pillows are always on my mind, especially when it comes time to find that perfect summer ensemble that'll put me in the right mood. 

{images: pinterest, Etsy, Kilim's, Free People}

Winter + Spring

Joanna's bedroom makeover was totally inspiring - and showcased a great mix of feminine decor that might also appeal to a male uncomfortable with color. 


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Bits of Home

Josh and I are getting ready to head to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving tomorrow {we're hoping to avoid as much traffic as possible}. This year we'll be bringing back our green bean recipe from last year to the table, complete with fresh and crispy prosciutto, roasted pine nuts and lemon. We have a macaroni & cheese recipe that might come into the weekend later on, but we couldn't steal the spotlight from my mom's famous mashed potatoes and yams.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

This weekend a friend and I headed north to the Long Beach Antique Market. I didn't find everything I wanted, but I did spot a pretty lovely tray that fits my new ottoman perfectly {despite having finally found a place for my Missoni tray}, and a new nightstand for our guest bedroom {at a steal for just $10!} I'm still trying to convince the boy on that one.

Last night we took apart a pumpkin for a new recipe, and while I mashed it up I toasted up some pumpkin seeds for the ultimate holiday snack. On the table are a few seasonal decor items that I'll need to replace once Thanksgiving is over. Here's hoping that they last longer than my carved friend (he's now made a home in our front porch). Happy Halloween!

Green Escape

We finally put together the blank wall in our kitchen. In about four months time it went from having some color...to paintings and shelves...to finally stuff on those shelves. We picked up the indoor plants at a local nursery during one of our weekend bike rides, on a hot and sunny Sunday that felt like summer - and I'm honestly surprised they lasted through the heat wave we had a few weeks back. 

water diving

Colors with a yellow hue. Whatever that means. A little bit of sunshine is really all anyone needs to pick up their day. Snap a photo. Smile. Breathe in the fresh air. It makes a big difference in a day filled with stuffy shoulders and stuffy heads. 

a list

Things to try this summer:

1. Attend a showing at the local drive-in theater

2. Make my own jewelry {inspired from Anthropologie above}

3. Travel...a ton

4. Finish up the house (new sofa, coffee table and kitchen painting

5. Run a race

6. Learn to sew on my machine 

7. See a new band in concert 

dippin dots

Just a few snapshots of the new place. All taken at night because I don't have the time or energy to do it before I go to work at 7am, and it's not on my mind during the weekend. Such is life - what can I say. 

swing swing

There are few things more exciting to me than visiting a new home store for the first time - especially one that is as chic as this one from La Jolla. There's a new one right by my house that I have been wanting to visit, hopefully if it's rainy this weekend I won't be distracted by the beach again, and head there tomorrow!  

a handful of characters

My first Picnik experience - it's with pictures that i have used before on the blog, but since we have been using this photo tool at work, i thought it'd be a fun experiment to use it for Surviving Green. Hopefully i'll be able to use it a little more often.