i heart... MISSOURI!

Photo from love, california's Etsy shop.

I'd like one mustard yellow Missouri pillow with a heart in Kansas City and St. Louis.  I miss Missouri and all it's familiarity...

Aren't they adorable!

What state would you choose?

XOXO

STUCK IN MY HEAD...

And now, it can be stuck in yours!

FAB FIND!

photo by KateKellyPhotography.com 

I've fallen in love with this gown.  If only I had somewhere fancy to go with it and the balloon... Isn't it just lovely.  

LoveJune, on Etsy, has created a shop full of beautiful dresses and gowns.  This one is named Georgia (have I mentioned that I adore it?).  I'm so impressed with fashion designers and sometimes wonder if I could have pursued that career path... as if Interior Design isn't competitive enough!

XOXO

NEW FEATURE

Today I've added a new feature to 'i heart...'.  At the bottom of each post you can quickly select from a variety of 'reactions', similar to Facebook's Like.  I of course still want to you to leave comments but I thought this would be a fun way to get more feedback on posts.  It's easy and simple and you don't have to type a thing!

Happy Tuesday!

XOXO

DO YOU RECYCLE?

Would you if it were easier?

I image you would...  We've been regular recyclers for a few years now.  In St. Louis, before we were able to be a part of the Earth Circle Recycling program, we'd just drive all of our recyclables down to Target or near the Y and drop it off in one of the large dumpsters.  It was fairly easy... minimal effort on our part.  And there was always room, the areas are well kept and easily accessible.  Then we found out that we were in a zip code that was eligible to be a part of the weekly pick up program.  I was super excited when I found out about that... how much easier would that make it!  And it did... they dropped off a bin and we just put that out front every Thursday for them to come by and empty.

Recently, we got a letter in the mail saying that St. Louis was putting a blue recycling dumpster in the alleys.  WAY TO GO ST. LOUIS!  I was so happy to hear that... and even happier to see that we were one of the first alleys to get one.  And yes, they added a fee to our refuse bill... but who cares!  It's the right thing to do.

We have noticed here in Chicago the city doesn't quite have the recycling thing figured out.  For some they do but for those who don't have a bin in their alley it's quite a pain. First off, it was impossible to find a location near our condo.  And once we did we found that the drop off center was full... beyond full.  With all sorts of recycling waste lying all around the dumpster ready for the wind to blow it away at any moment.  And I've read a lot about how these large drop off centers never get emptied.  

I hope to see Chicago embrace recycling as I've witnessed how the city of St. Louis has made it so much easier for it's citizens! 

XOXO

A BEAUTIFUL WEB

There's more to see!  Check out Studio KMO's Etsy shop.

Can you imagine cutting all of this out by hand!?  Isn't it beautiful?  I love the chaos that the lines make... all those streets and boulevards intersecting to make a web of sorts.  It's really interesting to look at a map this way and to see the differences in cities around the globe.

An Etsy shop, Studio KMO, sells these beautiful hand cut pieces of art.  I would love to have one.  It's no surprise to me that an architectural designer is behind this madness.  This kind of work could only be from someone who has learned patients and dedication in design school!

Beautiful work!

XOXO

TWO PEAS IN A POD

Ridiculous and adorable! I heart kittens riding turtles!

XOXO

PRETTY IN PINK

If you've know me for a while you know that I'm a fan of the color pink.  It was a color I once wore nearly everyday (and I'm not only talking about when I was 5)!  I've gotten away from that habit... but I still love the color.  If we ever have a child and it turns out to be a girl, lets just say, I hope she still loves me after all the pink she will be dressed in.

I'm not sure who to credit this photo to but you can find the full article here on Design Sponge.

I came across this image the other day and just fell in love.  I absolutely love the soft pink of this designers office... one day I will have my own private office that is painted this lovely shade of pink.  Actually, from what I can see, I'd take the entire room!  From the coffee colored floors to the white bookcases and a ton of natural light, there's a lot to adore.

XOXO

OUR TREE, CHARLIE BROWN

We own and really beautiful 7-1/2' fake Christmas tree.  I love it... it's really pretty, could totally pass as real from afar and it was given to me by my mother so there is history with it.  Unfortunately, we have NO storage in Chicago.  I have nowhere to put it for 11 months out of the year.  It didn't make the move (I've still got it St. Louis... just in case a closet magically appears in the hallway?).  So I just figured... I guess it really won't feel like Christmas this year.  We just weren't going to buy a big tree.

And then I saw it... Charlie Brown, in all his glory!  I fell in love...

Home Depot was selling these adorable little potted trees!  Norfold Island Pines to be exact.  I had to go do some research and be sure that if Coach ate it he wouldn't get sick and I had to convince Mr. D that it was a good idea and by the time we went to pick it out they had dropped in price.  A steal of a deal at $12!

We put him up and decorated and then enjoyed a movie with only the twinkling lights in the background.  Pretty, pretty!  Hopefully I can keep him alive until next Christmas!

XOXO

IT'S BEEN TOO LONG!

It really has been too long...

But we are all moved!  I say all moved but really it's only mostly moved.  The house in STL is still furnished with probably over half of our furniture but none of it will be moving up with us.  There are a few things that will be moving like picture frames, lamps and other odds and ends.  But those are the things that make the house feel 'good'.  **We love you house, very much, but please sell soon!**

So moving is my main excuse for the lack of blogging.  Last week I unpacked... EVERY LAST BOX.  I have to give props to our moving company.  They had 5 guys in STL helping pack us up and moving all the furniture out but on the move-in day... there were only 2 guys!  We live on the 3rd floor... I felt awful!  But they were so friendly and accepted my pleas for them to drink water (we have some heavy furniture!).  Box after box, piece after heavy piece it all got moved and I was left to unpack and organize everything.  It is my thought, because we have very little space and even less storage, that we need to be as organized as possible.  Which means everything must have a place.  And everything has a place... for now.  I'm sure over the next few months we will be reorganizing but for now, it feels good! 

I will also blame my lack of blogging on having an interview last week.  I did a lot of prep work for it and felt like it went really well.  The interview was with a hospitality firm (which seems like it would be really fun and interesting work).  It would really be such a change of pace for me... and I think that is good!  Making the brain think in new and different ways seems good for it.  So we will just see where that goes and I will just keep on truckin'!  

Hope you all had a nice week and are all ready for the holidays!  

XOXO

ROCK THE VOTE!

Yesterday I submitted a Save the Date design on Minted... my very first submission, of many I hope!  I think it's a really neat thing that they've got going on.  Anyone who would like to enter can... you submit your design for the challenge and there are prizes for those who win.  Now, i'm not exactly sure how this all works but you've got to vote when it's time.  I'll keep you updated!

Vote for my design on minted.™ see more from V vote for me! Check out my competition in Christmas cards and birth announcements at Minted.

For those of you who were around me in my wedding planning (more like blog stalking) days, you know that I just love all things weddings!  I was so excited when I saw the design challenge and was hoping to get 5 of these puppies whipped up and well, that didn't happen!  Lots of ideas but nothing turned out worthy enough (at least in my eyes!). But I did end up with OMG Yes! and I love it.  I find humor in the whole 'OMG' craze (I use it more often then a 29 year old should) and I feel that it's a perfect funny message for young professionals who are getting married and purchasing Save the Dates.  I think it's exactly what they'd want!  

Let's just be honest... I know when I was proposed to the first words out of my mouth weren't 'Yes'...

XOXO

p.s. Don't forget to ROCK THE VOTE! 

SONG OF THE WEEK

Do you get addicted to one song... and listen to it over and over again?  That is me... drives Mr. D crazy.  This week it is My Moon Man by Feist.  Take a listen...



XOXO

WEIRD?

Probably...

I often eat breakfast sitting 'criss-cross applesauce' on the counter tops while surfing the web.

Weird?  For sure.

XOXO  

WOO-HOO!

Today I couldn't be happier (aside from the lovely cold I've come down with)!  A date has been set for us to move a portion of our furniture from the house in St. Louis to Chicago.  I say a portion only because the house is so much larger than the condo we've moved into (we are selling most of our STL furniture to friends and family).  But this means a number of things to me...

1. We will have a couch to sit on... which will be much more comfortable than the lovely C&B chairs or the occasional lawn chair we use when Coach is occupying one of the other chairs.
2. We will have a desk... no more TV trays or standing at the kitchen counter to work.
3. There will be a rug... so Coach can run his little heart out and stop short to make a quick turn.
4. We will be moving the bar... so Mr. D can have a cocktail of his choice after a long week at work.
5. The bookcases will be moved and will hold the books and movies that have been sitting on the floor and counter for months.
6. The Kitchen Aid will be here and I can start concocting some yummy treats I've been thinking about  making.
7. And lastly... It's one step closer to making Chicago our home!  (Mr. D will have been in Chicago 6 months the end of December, my how time files!)

You can see in the photo above a lot of things that I as a designer am 'disgusted' by.  Big TV in the center of the room (at the house the big TV was hidden in the back bedroom turned TV room), lawn chairs... need I say more, printer on the floor... wires everywhere, inflatable mattress turned sofa, TV trays as desk/dining room table.  Really it's just a general mess... but what can you do!?  It's irresponsible and wasteful to buy a bunch of stuff that we are just going to throw away.  So we've waited patiently and this weekend we will pack it all up and hope everything makes it safely!

More pictures to come when I've got everything in place...

XOXO

THAT TIME OF YEAR

This weekend Mr. D and I went back to St. Louis to check on the house and celebrate a good friends 30th birthday.  We had a nice Saturday night filled with good food (our first visit to The Bleeding Deacon... only negative was it was a smoking establishment) and good drinks (visited the new wine bar, Winehaus, on Watson... great location for south city dwellers!).

But my favorite part of the evening was when we were on our way back to the house and we decided, cause it's that time of year, to drive down Candy Cane Lane!  Unfortunately it was pretty late and there were no crazy neighbors outside dressed as Santa or in a Christmas light-suit.  But it was magical (as it always is when we are out having a good time)!  It really is neat to drive down the block... all the neighbors participate in the holiday celebration and if you go at a reasonable time you might meet some of them.  Hot cocoa and candy canes, a fire pit and a Christmas movie on the big screen in the background. What a fun tradition, I'm so happy we were able to see it this year.

The night ended with some cupcakes from Jilly's... a birthday celebration isn't complete with out some cupcakes!

Hope you had a nice weekend... I think that winter is here to stay!

XOXO

CULINARY ADVENTURES

This December I'd like to make a few things that I've never attempted before.

For my birthday my mother bought me a pasta maker... because of all of the craziness of life associated with our move it's really just sitting there.  This weekend I will be brining it up in hopes of making some delicious fresh pastas.  I'd like to make some sort of pesto filled tortellini but should probably start with something a bit more simple like spaghetti and meatballs!

Photo from Our Best Bites Blog - Single Serving Pie In a Jar

I'd also like to make a pie... crust and all.  I planned on doing that for our first Thanksgiving here in Chicago (the plan was to go eat some good BBQ and then devour a pie at home). We instead decided to surprise the family with a visit to KC.  But pies are totally a winter food and can be enjoyed at any time, holiday or no holiday, in my opinion!  Last year I found these cute mini pies which are presented in those small Kerr canning jars... maybe I will work on making those too!  

More desserts are on the list.  Mr. D asked for some sort of Heath Bar ice cream... which sounds delish!  (The ice cream maker was also birthday gift, from my in-laws, and has gotten much use!)  And I'd like to make some festive holiday cookies that I spied in Martha's Everyday FOOD magazine.

Oh! And also some chicken wings... which I've made before but not for awhile!  An assortment of flavors of course.

This list could go on and on for sure!  Stay tuned for an update... will it be a catastrophic failure or a joyous success?

XOXO

UNPLUGGED

So I was reading Martha Stewart's October 2010 issue of Living (yep... I'm a bit behind on my magazines!) and there was a little note in there that said we should all turn off our smartphones for 30 minutes.

I am so guilty of the need to be constantly connected.  I really think this is a great idea and I'd somehow like to apply this to my everyday life.  So here's what i'm thinking.  Every night for the month of December I'm going to go totally 'offline' for one hour a night.  I'd like to think that the time that I gain from not checking Facebook or looking up silly videos on YouTube I'll spend with my husband doing other silly stuff like chasing the cat around the condo or finding our favorite restaurant in the new neighborhood.  So, no cell phone, no inter-web, no ipod... and I'd like to say no tv (but I have a feeling thats not going to fly...).

I'll let you know how it goes January 1 (or day 2 of the whole experiment)!