Swoonette

Wherefore Art Thou Swoonette?

2010-03-08T15:05:00.000-05:00

OK, so I have definitely been significantly missing from the blogosphere recently... for which I wanted to apologize. As you all know my creative inspirations tend to come in spurts. I can go great lengths of time with none, or I can have 20 different ideas come at me all at once! Right now my inspirations are lacking. However, I wanted to let you know where I am using them... and it's on a whole new blog redesign!! I've decided it's finally time to switch over to Wordpress (and to check out all of the glorious things it has to offer). So I've been a busy little bee attempting to code up a snazzy new look for Swoonette over there! It's not ready, nor will it be for probably a bit longer, but I did make a good chunk of progress this weekend. And so in honor of the new design, and this gorgeous sunny weather, I thought I would share with you the pretty picture that is inspiring the new Swoonette look!

Photo taken from The Sweetest Occasion. I saw this featured wedding, and knew right away that these cheery colors were the way I needed to go!

Rain Boots

2010-03-03T08:30:00.004-05:00

I LOVE rain boots! The more colorful, the better. And now that the NYC snow has started to melt, and the sidewalks have turned to piles of dirty slushy mush, I have been wearing my rain boots on a nearly daily basis. There is just something about seeing a pair of brightly colored boots on a gross gray day that somehow seems to make it all better! So hopefully this roundup of colorful boots (all via Flickr) will be enough to bring a little sunshine into your day!

dedmonds

CharlotteSpeaks♥{Charlotte.Morrall}

Paper Garlands

2010-02-24T16:09:00.000-05:00

Recently I've been totally crushing on paper garlands. I'm not really sure why, and I'm not really sure what I'd actually do with one. However, with all that said and done, I'm pretty sure at some point in the near future I'll find myself sitting at my sewing machine, with a stack of paper scraps, whipping one up! There is something so whimsical and delicate about them... and they are just so beautiful in their simplicity.

Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Paper Acorn, 3GIRLS + a goat, copabananas, {traveling} mama, metrochic, It's Great To Be Home

Sheets For Molly

2010-02-17T18:17:00.001-05:00

My friend Molly recently asked me to help her gather up some ideas for some much needed new sheets. Her bedding is mostly earth tones: reds, browns, dark oranges, and occasionally hints of green. Needless to say I couldn't resist, and I put together a little roundup of bedding I think will fit her color scheme quite nicely!

Clockwise from Top Left: Orange Duvet Cover and Shams, Cotton Sateen Sateen Sheet Set, "M" Pillowcase, Striped Sheet Set, Solid Brown 600 Thread Count Sheet Set

Clockwise from Top Left: Multi Colored Striped Duvet Cover and Shams, Medallion Coverlet, Reversible Microfiber Comforter, Cotton Sateen Polka Dot Sheet Set, Marimekko Sheet Set, Garden Trellis Sheet Set (center image)

Blog It Forward: What Inspires Me

2010-02-15T01:18:00.011-05:00

I can't believe it's finally my turn to post for the "Blog it Forward" mashup, and I somehow managed to get myself sandwiched in between two pretty awesome blogs, Sweet Sassafras (who blogged on Friday), and Sycamore Street Press (who blogs tomorrow)! It's been pretty amazing to read all the inspirational posts so far, and it's definitely a nice way to start the day, so without further ado here is what inspires me.

For me, inspiration comes in spurts. It's not a steady stream of consciousness running in the back of my head. It's not dependable, and I can't call upon it whenever I need a little extra push. It's like lightning. It strikes at random and without much warning, and it leaves my senses tingling. It excites me, and moves me, and fills me up so much I feel like I could burst. But just as quickly as it comes, it also then sadly slips away, and I question when the next wave of inspiration will hit. I am not an artist. I am not focussed. My mind wanders, and with it so does my creativity. I dabble here, and I dabble there. But each time I express this creative side of myself I allow my mind to grow just a little bit more. Creativity is my love... my passion. The things that inspire me weave in and out of my life, touching my soul, allowing me to expand my creative canvas, and leaving me fulfilled and content. There is not just one thing that inspires me, and there is not just one part of my soul that is affected. With each strike of my inspirational lightning a different part of my being is awakened, and allowed a chance to take flight.

I am inspired and fascinated by the ever changing beauty of the ocean. The sand surrounds me in a comforting blanket, while the music of the water sets me free and let's me get lost in the moment. Together they wash away my worries, and cleanse my soul.
Nothing is more perfect or inspiring then natural light. The way the sun (or even the moon) can dance across a surface, and play with the air, makes me strive to stretch my creativity in order to capture it, and its essence.

My pets inspire me to pursue my love of photography. Even though animals can not talk and can not smile, they can love. They can love unconditionally, and without expectations, and my camera allows me to capture this love.
My mom, my Mummy, inspires me in ways I can not even express. She continually offers me never ending love and support, and is truly my best friend. She is always there for me when I need her, whether it is to celebrate in joy and happiness, or it is to pick up the pieces of my broken heart, and attempt to mend them back together. She is always inspiring me to be a better version of myself.

With his Top Chef worthy skills and passion, my dad inspires me to cook... when nobody is looking. He inspires me to stretch my DIY wings, and allows me to explore my every artistic whim and fancy. He influences my passions in ways that he doesn't even know, or realize.
Project Runway inspires me to whip out my sewing machine. It only takes me viewing one episode for me to think that I can be the next sewing genius... forget what a whole marathon can do to me! Sewing aside though, and this show is forever inspiring me to whip up something fun and crafty.

The kiddos in my life (not my own... I was a nanny) are a constant reminder to me at how quickly time passes. They inspire me to enjoy all the small things in life, stopping every now and again to take it all in, and allowing my heart to fill up with love. {In addition to the kiddos, my friend Wendy is also very good at inspiring me to have this same attitude, and her words always make such a lovely lasting impression on me.}
The people I care about inspire me to write, by fueling the emotions that allow my words to come to life with such passion and meaning.

Inspiration is different for everyone, and even though many of us are inspired by the same types of things, it is the way that we each personally see them that makes them unique, and makes them special to us. Now in the spirit of the mashup, and the blogging community, please be sure to check out the other wonderful posts that will be inspiring the blogosphere today (A Diary of Lovely, Bread of Many, Darcy Rogers, Green Chair Studio, La Dolce Vita, Mocking Bird, Paper and Thread, Seek & Find Design and The Yellow House in The U), and don't forget to check out Sycamore Street Press when she blogs it forward tomorrow! AND I also just want to send out a HUGE thank you to everyone for stopping by today, and for reading about what inspires me. I hope you all have a lovely and inspiration filled day!!

"Little One"

2010-02-11T22:24:00.001-05:00

I'm currently in a deep photo hunt, searching out pictures to use in my mashup post for Monday. I want to use only my own photos, so I am frantically searching through my computer in hopes of finding enough pictures to make my post as visually pleasing as I hope it will be verbally. In my hunt I came across one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE photos, and since it never fails to make me smile, I wanted to share it with the rest of you!

"Little One" Hawaii 2005. If you look really closely in the left lens of my sunglasses you can see me, my glass of wine, and my camera...which in my mind make this picture even more swoon worthy... the camera and the wine that is!

The Sweeterie

2010-02-11T19:36:00.002-05:00

The "Blog it Forward" mashup has started, and it is happily leaving bits and pieces of delightful inspiration everywhere! Quite honestly, it's sort of a force to be reckoned with! It's amazing to be given little glimpses into these ladies lives in such a personal way... through what inspires them the most. And personally right now, I'm rather enjoying what other people have to share, then attempting to use my own creativity, so today I just wanted to share with you this really sweet little blog I recently stumbled upon, T.ruffles. It's ridiculously sweet and simple, yet oh so complex and inspiring, and it sums up what blogging is really all about... community. You see T.ruffles is a blog between two "imaginary friends." Mary opens up the day with an absolutely stunning photograph, and Karey (who I also just discovered is in the mashup... eek... yay!) closes out the day with some very heartfelt words to accompany said photograph. For me, this blog is a match made in heaven, and not just because of the way that their words and photos compliment each other so well, but because it combines two things I hold near and dear to my heart... photography and writing. On a side note, I actually attempted a project like this myself in college, when for my final photo class assignment I combined my own photography with some of my own quick little poetry bits. Needless to say these ladies do a MUCH better job than that old project of mine, but the sentiment is the same! So if you have a few extra minutes in your day, I strongly suggest you take a peek into The Sweeterie that is T.ruffles, it's well worth the trip! And if you need a little teaser of their goodness, check out this great sample below (I found this one totally fitting for my life since 98% of my emails start out this way these days!).

Photo from T.ruffles

Oh And P.S.

2010-02-09T16:04:00.002-05:00

I have totally failed to mention that the "Blog it Forward" mashup starts TOMORROW!! Be sure to check out the schedule, and be prepared for plenty of inspiring posts! Since there is a total of 300 (yup 300!) bloggers participating in this crazy adventure it will be kicking off on 10 different blogs (Creature Comforts, Design for Mankind, Heart Fish, Hula Seventy, ink on my fingers, oh, hello friend, the paper pony, Poppytalk, sfgirlbybay and Smile and Wave). My post will be coming to you on Monday the 15th, and you should also be sure to check out my friend Elizabeth's post (of Beer Barn fame!) when it hits on Wednesday the 24th... it will be featured on her new craftalicious blog Button & Bean!

And p.s. sorry for all the link madness in this post! I just needed to make sure everyone got credit where credit was due!

Do Brides Have More Fun?

2010-02-09T15:30:00.003-05:00

I'm currently convinced that brides have more fun... well more design fun that is! I could be completely wrong about this, having never actually been a bride I don't really know. However, my stints as a bridesmaid did allow me to get my feet wet in the world of wedding planning, and I must say the design lover in me enjoyed every minute of it! It seems like every time I turn around these days there is a new wedding magazine or blog popping onto the scene, and of course all are filled with countless pieces of design inspiration to share. And while I am nowhere near becoming a bride (I'd have to find that special Mr. Someone first!), I can't help but drool over all the amazing pictures that fill these blogs and magazines. Even though these things are being written with brides and weddings in mind, they are still able to provide plenty of design inspirations that can be applied anywhere. So instead of thinking bridal when I look at these things, I instead think how can I translate the ideas and design elements into something that can work for my everyday life, whether it be in fashion, in my house, or something else all together. So be sure to check out some of the blogs and magazines listed below for some beautiful bits of design inspiration... and on the upside, you'll get to leave all the stress of wedding planning to someone else! Hope you enjoy! All photos are from their associated websites.

The Cool New Kid On The Block:
Nonpareil is a brand spanking new e-zine that is already garnering lots of love and attention in the blogosphere, and even though they only have one issue under their belt, they have already outdone themselves with beautiful imagery and plenty of inexpensive DIY projects!

The Tried And True Elegant Standby:

Martha Stewart Weddings is pretty much any bride's bible. This magazine is filled with a little of this and a little of that, but it packs a whole lot of wow and glamour. And with an equally fabulous website, now anyone can have a little touch of Martha on their special day!

The Cult Classic:

Style Me Pretty is an absolutely phenomenal blog, filled with endless awe inspiring photography, and oodles of real weddings. While most posts "feature" a specific vendor, the focus is always on the absolutely stunning pieces that come together to make a truly personal, special, and lovely day.

The Unattainable Crush:

Utterly Engaged is like that high-school crush you admired from afar: simply stunning, can do no wrong, and absolutely perfect! This e-zine is filled to the brim with the most amazing styling ever seen, and since it covers all different aspects of planning a wedding there is truly something for everyone.

The Sophisticated Girl Next Door:

100 Layer Cake is a lovely blog bursting with beauty and style, and with plenty of DIY tutorials and mood boards, there is plenty of eye candy to inspire your every whim and fancy.

Honorable Mentions: Merci New York, Snippet & Ink, and The Sweetest Occasion.

Windows To My Soul

2010-02-05T17:04:00.001-05:00

The windows to my soul, well not exactly. However, the windows to my bedroom are finally dressed, and ready to show themselves off, and I've officially closed the books on this project! In the past months I've: changed out the curtains twice; spackled the sills and painted them white; tore open the plaster on the sills, patched them back up, and painted them gray; hung and rehung the curtain rods at least 20 different times; added curtain tie backs, only to decide I preferred none; continually patched and re-patched all the holes I made, not to mention sanded and painted each of these patched holes; and traveled up and down the ladder one too many times. The windows now each have one set of blinds on them, and a floor length curtain... and I'm finally happy with them!

When I moved in I inherited the rather awkward "curtains" pictured on the left. They weren't really curtains, but they were pieces of ugly fish fabric, with holes cut in the top to fit a curtain rod. My first attempt at painting and patching up the uneven sills was a bust, and unfortunately required a second round of DIY fun!

I guess I should probably mention that attempt number two was probably required due to my tendency to poke and prod at chipping paint and bubbling plaster, but oh well. And now in an attempt to distract you from this fact... doesn't that bucket of plaster just look like so much fun to play in... kind of like marshmallow fluff... but not as tasty!

And finally the completed project! The blinds cover up the lumpiness of the quicky fix it job I did, and in the end I actually think that all the plaster I had to slap back up on the sills made them sturdy enough to hold the blinds in place (I am keeping my fingers crossed they don't fall out though, just in case!).

I'm Dreaming Of Muffins

2010-02-01T18:31:00.002-05:00

I'm seriously craving muffins right now! I'm not quite sure why, but I think it has something to do with the fact that I've been a total slacker in the breakfast department recently, and this is SO NOT good. So I hit up the grocery store today, made sure to stock up on a couple key ingredients (butter, flour, sugar), and now I'm ready to bake up a storm, and fulfill my muffin dreams! I'll leave you with these lovely images, and perhaps it will spark some muffin obsessions of your own!

Top to Bottom, Left to Right: bitterlemons, lauren {elycerose}, sonicwalker, strph, Zoë Austin, aloalo*, Delairen, Catherine Reyes, the boastful baker

Blog Mashup

2010-02-01T12:46:00.001-05:00

Ugh... sigh... hmph. So unfortunately the babysitting job that I had set up for this week fell through at the last moment, as the family decided to cancel, and have some friend watch their children instead. Again, ugh... sigh... hmph. With that said, I do get to bring you the details of the special blog project (the one I hinted at on Friday) all that much earlier!

Before I give you the details though, let me quickly give you the back story as to how this project was born (this is my favorite part!). I happened to be cruising through Twitter-land when I stumbled upon sfgirlbybay's brainstorming session on how to spread the blog love. She and some friends of hers were throwing ideas back and forth on how to incorporate each other's blogs in a new and fresh way. Immediately thoughts of music mashups and crossover TV shows popped into my head. I mustered up 140 characters of courage, and replied to her tweet for help with this: "a sort of blog mashup! Or like when TV shows collide, you could start a post on one blog, only to have it end on another..." Somehow this was immediately responded to, people clapped, and the "Blog it Forward" mashup was born. It all happened rather fast (thanks social media!), and now I can't wait to read all the posts that will be gracing the blogosphere in the upcoming months.

And now for the actual "Blog it Forward" mashup details! Be sure to check out sfgirlbybay's post, because she is the amazing lady in charge of this huge project (not to mention she has graciously taken on all the organizing). But basically, if you blog, you are more than welcome to join the mashup! We are all going to be writing about what inspires us, so no matter what type of blog you have the theme will remain consistent. Should you choose to join, just be sure to email Victoria at sfgirlbybay no later then Friday of this week. After that just sit back and take it all in!

Stay Tuned

2010-01-29T14:57:00.001-05:00

So I'm not quite sure where exactly this day has gone, and I truly need to go be more productive, because quite honestly the only "real" things I've accomplished thus far have been: showering, moving my car to a new space and back again for street cleaning, and successfully securing a temporary babysitting job for Monday-Thursday of next week. However, I wanted to quickly introduce you all to a fun new project that's brewing out in blog land. The lovely Victoria over at sfgirlbybay is organizing this whole BIG event, and she'll be kicking off the project on her blog sometime in February. It will be a way for ANY and ALL bloggers to come together and really embrace each other, and the blogging community (so my fellow blogger friends, if the fancy strikes you once you hear the details, be sure to sign up)! I am SUPER EXCITED about this project, so be sure to check back next week when I'll reveal to you all the real details! In the meantime I will leave you with this AMAZING mashup by DJ Earworm (which may or may not be a small clue to the new blog project)!

United State of Pop 2009 Mashup - "Blame it on the Pop," and be sure to check out the original from 2007, it's my personal fave!

I Changed My Mind

2010-01-29T14:08:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I've changed my mind, and hopefully you all won't mind. I've decided that the original lineup for Swoonette, the one that I so carefully thought out, just isn't working for me. I'm sure this probably comes as no shock since the only day I actually ever hold myself to is Wednesdays. However, even the past few roundups haven't exactly fit into the mold of my original description, and thoughts on what The Wonderful Wednesday Roundup would be. So anyway, from now on things will be a little different, but hopefully still just as lovely and enjoyable. I much prefer blogging "on the fly," and when the whimsy strikes me. Holding myself to a schedule for blogging is clearly NOT working! From now on I'll simply post whatever and whenever. It will still be the same stuff, just hopefully more of it, and more often... and hopefully a bit better! So even though I'm scratching that original lineup off the list, I'm still thinking more design inspirations, more of my swoonettes, and more of The Apartment (obviously!) are in store for you all! In addition I'm also thinking of adding in a few "extra" things, but we'll see! I still plan on doing roundups, because I really enjoy that aspect of the original lineup (maybe they just won't be on Wednesdays, and maybe they just won't be about design related things). And also, once I eventually find my way back to Photoshop (it's gone missing in all my computer drama) I'll be bringing back my favorite color combos, mood boards included. Soooo that is all my friends, I'm not going anywhere, but I am hoping to be a bit of a better blogger for my own personal sake! Thank you to everyone for reading, and always being so supportive and kind with your blog love and comments, I appreciate it always!

Under The Milky Way

2010-01-28T18:22:00.001-05:00

I've been swooning over Sia's cover of "Under the Milky Way" (originally by The Church) for MONTHS, thanks to this car commercial below, AND now it is finally available to buy on iTunes (hooray)!

The car does nothing for me, but I do think that the way the music shows it off in the commercial is sort of amazing. Personally I think commercials are one of the best ways to discover new music... in addition to such guilty pleasures such as "The Hills" and "Laguna Beach" (not like I know that from personal experience or anything though... hehehe, yeah right).

Kiddo Art

2010-01-28T17:46:00.007-05:00

Coffee, coffee, coffee. I am one of those people that needs to have at least one cup of coffee a day or it's not a pretty sight, okay so it is usually more like two (one in the morning, and one in the afternoon), but that's beside the point. I never used to be like this, but over the years coffee just sort of snowballed into this necessity of life for me... I blame college. Anyway, where I was going with this was that today I had to go out for my coffee, as I was out of cream AND milk (I don't like black coffee). On my way back from the coffee shop I strolled past a group of kiddos waiting to be picked up from school, and it made me miss my kiddos, and our little school pick-up routine (for those of you who don't actually know me, I used to be a nanny, I don't actually have any kids of my own!). Then I remembered that I had this wonderful piece of kiddo art tucked away, and bringing it out was just the little pick me up that I needed to put a smile back on my face. There is just something so sweet and simple about kid's artwork, it sort of melts my heart. I love the way they come up to you, grinning from ear to ear and holding this piece of paper in their tiny little clenched hands (so as not to let it drop and get ruined), and then they excitedly utter those special words "I drew this for you." Yeah, I pretty much turn to mush right there, and for an instant I always feel like THE most important person in the world. It's really instant happiness!

My portrait drawn by my favorite 4 year old (looks just like me, right?!?)

Clever Animal Valentines

2010-01-27T13:51:00.004-05:00

I'm a huge animal lover, so here are a few more (very clever) valentines to finish up the roundup!

Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Night Owl Paper Goods, egg press, Hello! Lucky, La Familia Green, Pearl & Marmalade

Etsy Valentines

2010-01-27T10:00:00.004-05:00

So in case you hadn't guessed it, this week's roundup is valentines! And of course there is no better place to go when hunting down the cute and handmade than Etsy! Needless to say there were oodles and oodles of adorable valentines to chose from, but I picked a sampling of my personal faves, and then I broke them down into two groups to share with you all!

First up is the not so girly (i.e. not smothered in pink and red, and oozing with hearts) group. Because quite honestly I sometimes think that "typical" valentines are a little vomit inducing (if you know what I mean), all that mush and gush, and lace, and blah blah blah. I much prefer things that are a little quirky and different, because it's about the sentiment, and letting someone know that you care, and that doesn't need to be said with red and pink and all things tacky!

Top to Bottom, and Left to Right: PaperMichelle, perfect dressipe, imeondesign, Storeyshop (I of course being the Facebook junkie that I am was drawn to this valentine, but she tons of other great "I love you more than..." cards in her shop), Alf, Persimmons

The second group is indeed the girly group, because let's face it I'm a girl, and I like the romantic sentiment behind Valentine's Day. However, these valentine's are far from tacky, and even though they are littered with shades of pink, they are sweet and classy.

Clockwise from Top Left: Flapper Doodle, sarah jane, Mew, Pinecone and Lola

Handmade Valentines

2010-01-27T08:00:00.005-05:00

Last week I went home for a dentist appointment (yuck...), it was a short but sweet visit. When I left I made sure to bring back to Brooklyn with me some of my crafting supplies... because, Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and I was itching to craft up some cards!

I really enjoy handmade goodies of any kind, but for me there is something a little extra special about a handmade valentine. I think it has something to do with the fact that from 3rd-8th grade this is how my Valentine's Days rolled. At my school the typical kiddo friendly boxed valentines were forbidden, and in their place a rather lovely tradition was implemented instead. The concept was simple, but yet so sweet and so kind. Much like a "Secret Santa" names were picked at random, and kept secret until the revealing ceremony on Valentine's Day. In order to stretch our creative minds, we had to craft our own valentines. Buying cards, candy, or other trinkets was out of the question, it was all about what you could make with some paper and a glue stick! Every single child got ONE valentine. Of course some cards were far more DIY fabulous than others, but the point was that everyone felt loved, and no one felt left out or more popular than the others. We all felt proud of the cards we created, and we all felt special knowing that the cards we received were just for us. I love knowing that this tradition still lives on there, since sadly many of the other important ones have been let go of.

My mom actually works at my old school, and although she moans and groans about how much she dislikes being "stuck" in this tradition, I always looked forward to our nights of valentine card crafting together. It was a really nice time for us to share together, letting our minds wander, me offering up color combination and cut out heart placement advice, my mom struggling with the hot glue gun, but all the while the two of us laughing and smiling. So while unfortunately this year I will not be at home to share in a night of crafting with my mom, I did make sure to craft up a storm here in Brooklyn by myself. And so now that I have talked your ear off, and traveled back in time to a gawky middle schooler ready to unveil her most recent valentine creation (can we say braces, bangs, a bad perm, and glasses!), I'll give you a glimpse at some of the valentines I crafted up this year, and that will be making their way to some special mailboxes very soon!

Owen Maxwell

2010-01-26T15:22:00.006-05:00

Last night I discovered my upstairs neighbors have a cat (in addition to their two dogs). My downstairs neighbors also have a cat. I am in a kitty sandwich, with currently no kitty of my own here in Brooklyn (insert my sad face here). I do have two kitty boys (Owen Maxwell and Sullivan), but they live at home with my mom... and I was by no means being allowed to move them to Brooklyn with me (once again insert my sad face here). It's okay though, they are very good company for my mom, and I get to see them on my frequent visits home (I'm still not quite ready to part with my car... we'll just call it a mild case of separation anxiety... I mean I have been driving since I was 16, that's over a decade!). I'm hoping I can convince my roomie that we need a cat, and by that I mean I NEED a cat... and soon! She's allergic, but I'm hoping to work some magic on her at some point, thus allowing me to bring a fur baby into The Apartment. In the meantime I dream of this cutie below... he's just one of my many swoonettes.

Isn't he ridiculously photogenic?!? I'm convinced if Tyra Banks had an "America's Next Top Animal Model" he would win (he would of course be the plus sized model of the group, but I'm pretty sure he could stomp out the competition with his fierceness!).

Organized Chaos

2010-01-25T22:34:00.001-05:00

I kind of love organizing! For me the whole process is like a form of stress relief. I enjoy taking on a giant crazy pile of stuff and cleaning it all up into one very neat and tidy little package. A mess is like a big puzzle, and I must use my logic and creativity to make everything fit together. When I finish not only do I get a lovely organized end result, but I also get the biggest rush of happiness, and sense of accomplishment.

I'm really good at making a BIG mess!

But I'm actually quite a bit better at cleaning it all up! Tah dah! An hour or so later and back to normal!

P.S. Consider this a sneak peak into my bedroom! However, once I get a few more things finished up in there I promise there will be a full post/tour dedicated to it. So stay tuned... slowly but surely...

Beer Barn

2010-01-15T16:21:00.004-05:00

So I've been attempting to clean up the chaos of The Apartment all day, in order to have things slightly neat and tidy, before I have to head to the airport to pick up my friend Sarah, who is coming to visit for the weekend (YAY!). However, I'm finding putting things back together in an orderly fashion, after my week of DIY projects, is a bit harder than I had anticipated... mainly due to the fact that I keep getting sidetracked by all things cute and funny in the world today! For instance I've watched Ben's stint on "Parks and Recreation" about a dozen times so far (and I still can't stop laughing). I've contemplated what bacon cupcakes might taste like (thanks Rebecca, I'm totally intrigued now). And I've spruced up the amaryllis plant my aunt gave me for Christmas (see picture below).

Presto chango! Bye bye ugly plastic container and hello totally Swoonette worthy replacement! It's actually just some painter's paper I happened to have hiding out in the closet, and a cute ribbon bow! I think it looks SO much better now though... and actually sort of chic!

However, my main distraction of the day comes from the adorableness that is my friend Elizabeth's daughter Emma! I kindly convinced my lovely friend that she NEEDED to guest blog here on Swoonette today, and she agreed! Hooray! My first guest blogger! So without further ado here is what I just can't take my eyes off of... because, I love beer, and I love kids!

The Beer Barn: By Elizabeth

Emma and I found a make-shift barn for her animals today.

Perhaps I should actually make it look like a barn instead of a weird animal brewery.

OK back to cleaning! Thanks Elizabeth for sharing your swoon worthy family, and your clever six pack idea!

MIA/DIY

2010-01-14T09:00:00.004-05:00

Sorry I have been a little MIA lately. I haven't quite been able to get myself back into blogging mode since the holidays ended. It was so nice to be home for all those weeks, and now that I am back in Brooklyn I'm staring down a HUGE pile of projects that need to get finished (and some that need to get started too for that matter). I am notorious for starting a project, getting about half way done, and then calling it quits. Because of this, one of my New Year's resolutions is that I am not allowed to start a new DIY project until I have completed ALL the unfinished ones I currently have going. So instead of blogging these last few weeks I've been hopping about The Apartment, trying to finish many of my unsolved projects.

I finished painting the storage buckets that sit on top of our kitchen cabinets. Now you can't see what we're hiding in them (wink, wink). However, in all actuality, they are currently empty (except for a few paper napkins)!

I also jazzed up our front door with some chalkboard paint. Originally the door was a hideous shade of forest green, and for some time we actually thought we would just leave it like that. However, the more we stared at it the more we grew to hate it. A few coats of chalkboard paint later though, and we've gone from drab to fab (and we now have an awesome, and totally handy, place to leave notes)!

I'm now working on the windows in my bedroom (stay tuned for a future post on that one), but I also managed to finish painting the kitchen, fix a few other odds and ends, and have a fabulous day out with a few of my good friends (I totally regret though that I didn't bring my camera along, because some of the places we went were TOTALLY Swoonette worthy!). There is still so much to do, but one little step at a time!

Etsy Calendars

2010-01-13T10:50:00.005-05:00

The other day my friend Molly sent out a Twitter plea for help. Her request seemed easy enough, she simply needed help finding a wall calendar. However, the catch was that it had to have plenty of space for her to write down her appointments, because Molly is one busy lady between school, work, family, and friends! So in honor of Molly's request, I put together a little roundup, featuring some oh so cute calendars from Etsy.

Top to Bottom, and Left to Right: Letter C* design, emilie boudet, leah duncan, PaperVeil, p.s. Paper Goods, tummy mountain (since both Molly and I used to be nannies, I just had to throw that last calendar into the mix!)

2010 Goals

2010-01-03T01:05:00.005-05:00

In a way January 1st is like a get out of jail free card. It offers us the opportunity to put behind us anything that we were unhappy with in the past year, and start over with a clean slate, and a fresh outlook. So even though I enjoy the idea of making New Year's resolutions, I am absolutely AWFUL at keeping them. But I am determined to make this year a great one, and so I decided to try something a little different. I made lists... and lots of them! I am hoping that by putting my goals down in writing that I can make a better effort at holding myself to them. I also figure that these lists can serve as nagging reminders in a couple of months when I decide to conveniently "forget" my resolutions. I won't bore you all with every single one of my resolutions (surprisingly there were A LOT!), but I have really been enjoying all of the picture resolution lists that so many wonderful bloggers have been posting over the last few days, that I thought I would make one too!

List number one is a list of goals I hope I can accomplish for this blog. While I blog purely for my own enjoyment, I do tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to the creative endeavors that I take on, and there are just some things about this blog that are irking me! Plus I would really like to attempt to switch over to Wordpress at some point (not that you have been anything but kind to me Blogger, but I need a change!).

List number two is a life list, or a bucket list. I toyed around with this idea last year but never actually went through with it. I guess I felt like people would laugh at me for making this type of list, and that they would laugh at my ideas when I attempted to accomplish them. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is a list for ME, and it doesn't matter what other people think. These are MY dreams, no matter how small or ridiculous!

My third list is my New Year's resolution list and it contains lifestyle changes and goals that I hope to accomplish in 2010. Some of the goals are insanely small and easily doable (like make a chicken soup), while others are going to require a LOT of effort on my part, and be a bit trickier to accomplish. But, I am going to think positive and really try to push myself to do these things, because in the end it will be worth it!

Living in a new city means I know NOTHING. Add to this fact that this new city is New York City and I really know NOTHING! So this year I hope to really enjoy my new home, and explore the marvelous city around me. However, since I am a driver by nature, and not a bona fide subway taker, I am hoping to throw in a healthy dose of road-tripping (long or short, I'm not particular). Basically it would be wonderful if this year could just be one fabulous never ending adventure!

Oh music how I have missed you! For me music is like a comforting blanket. It has the capability to envelop me and keep me in the moment, or help me move past it if the case may be. Whatever my mood is I can always find a song to help me, either by putting me at ease or by setting me free. This past year I fell off the music scene, and I actually think my spirit sort of suffered a little bit because of this. I've missed going to concerts, making mix CD's, and finding new music to enjoy, so this year I hope to get back in the groove (hehehe... no pun intended).

Yup, I AM that girl... the annoying one who hits the snooze button ten times before actually attempting to get out of bed. What can I say though, I like to sleep, and dreaming is one of my favorite pastimes. However, I seriously need to work on going to bed and getting up at more reasonable hours, in addition I need to get my snooze button habit under control.

All photos from Veer

I am an expert at lounging. I always have been, and I probably always will be, but I think I really need to tone it down just a smidge this year. My life is not exactly made any better by hanging out in my sweats (or pj's) and being a huge waste of space all day.

For all of you out in blog land I wish you a very happy new year, and the best of luck in following through with any resolutions you may have made. Hopefully 2010 can be a year filled with enormous amounts of wonderful things!

Picture Display Inspiration

2009-12-23T22:00:00.002-05:00

So now that I have successfully bored you all to death with my personal photo montage, I thought I would at least bring to you some design inspiration in the form of creative ways to display these photographs. Hopefully some of these images will inspire you to dust off those old photo albums and proudly display some of the treasures that are hidden inside them!

Both images from Smile and Wave

Heart display - featured on Cookie Magazine online, Photo Wall - featured on Remodelista

And of course Pottery Barn has a knack for displaying frames.

Extra Special Types Of Pictures

2009-12-23T19:00:00.002-05:00

Do you ever find that there is a certain type of photo you just have to get when you have your camera out? Maybe it is a shot with your best friend. Or maybe it is a picture of your cute shoes. Whatever it may be though, it is something you see as "special" and something that you think deserves the opportunity to be remembered through a photograph. So for the last collection of my personal pictures, I thought I would share with you all my go-to types of favorite photos.

There's the kiss on the cheek pose.

The "Cheers" we're celebrating something pose.

The "I'm wearing something ridiculous and totally out of place" pose. This one just always begs for photographic documentation... at least in my mind!

The tongue sticking out pose. This one's a classic in my book.

The let's shove every inanimate object we can into one frame so as to accurately capture the "mood" picture.

And last but not least there's the "Wait we are actually ALL together! This rarely happens!" group shot. Which of course is then broken down into girls vs. boys, and ensued by utter chaos.

So now that I've given you an extensive peek into my vast collection of personal photos (probably more then you ever wanted to see!), I hope that you'll take this opportunity to look back on, and enjoy, some of your own personal photos.

Favorite Photographers: The Girls

2009-12-23T17:00:00.007-05:00

Next up for favorite friend photographer is Rebecca! Rebecca's style is sweet and romantic, and she loves trying to capture the quintessential "perfect moment". Her photos are dreamy, sometimes a little out of focus, and oozing with passion and emotion. Not only does she have a great eye, but she is also incredibly adept at catching the feelings of a moment. Even though Rebecca excels at taking all types of photos, her absolute favorite to snap is the candid.

One never knows when Miss Rebecca might snap a picture...

... but many times we are also set up for a "faux-candid photo shoot", in which moments like these are captured! We totally look like we're having fun, right?!?

One can always count on an absolutely gorgeous (and frame worthy) photo to come from Rebecca's camera, and more often than not there is even a cute candid in there too (real or fake!).

Next up is a trio of photographers, my friends Sarah and Gina, and myself! Individually our photographic styles vary, but in an AHA moment (otherwise known as "OK we just did a tunnel run AND we have our cameras! Now what randomness can we get into?!?") we decided to create our own unique "together style." We dubbed it the "Random Photo" (we are so clever huh!?!). While none of these photos are exactly of the "keepsake" variety, they are ALWAYS good for a great laugh, and they remind us not to take life too seriously.

The start of it all.

There are plenty of odd things on our college campus just begging for "Random Photo" ops.

Our other friends quickly caught on to this great photographic style.

The "Random Photo" takes the boring everyday stuff we see all the time, and creates something fun and original... because memories can really be made anywhere at anytime!

Favorite Photographers: The B-Man

2009-12-23T16:00:00.001-05:00

For those of you who don't know this about me, let me just tell you now... I LOVE pictures! I also love taking pictures! In high school and college I passed a good chunk of time in the dark room, letting my creative mind wander, and along the way I managed to accrue a group of friends who love pictures and photography as much as I do. Because of this, needless to say, we are never without good photographic coverage of an event! The best thing though, is that we each have our own personal photographing style. So in honor of this I thought I would roundup some of my favorite pictures, from my favorite photographers. My friend photographers that is!

First up is Brant! Brant has the most unique style of anybody I know (in general he simply holds the camera at some bizarre angle and snaps away without ever looking through the viewfinder), but my most favorite thing about his style is his amazing ability to capture the spirit and soul of all of his subjects. He generates pictures that are energetic, fun, and happy! And like many other "great" photographers Brant also has certain areas that he specializes in.

Like the walking shot, and the "Are we having fun yet?" shot!

Brant has the talent of being able to bring out the goofiness in everyone, and thus many of his pictures wind up being an expose on the most ridiculous faces ever! But unfortunately he does have one downfall as a photographer, he is NOT to be trusted with taking the "group photo", because the results while entertaining, are never frame worthy.

You'll get shots where nobody is paying attention...

... or where the subjects aren't in the frame...

... or where nothing is centered, and only one person looks "nice"!

I always love Brant's pictures though, no mater how crazy and ridiculous they are, because he captures the best in everyone!

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

2009-12-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

Today's roundup (besides being a bit late to grace you all with its presence!) isn't exactly a design element, but it is something that the majority of us use to decorate our spaces, and it's one of the key elements in turning a house into a home. What is it you ask? Why it's none other than the personal picture!

These special pieces of paper allow us the rare opportunity to go back in time, even if it is just for a brief moment. With the push of a button our memories are magically transformed into something tangible that we can see and hold (and remember forever). And so even though we can't physically relive the past, we can at least freeze a moment of it in time with the use of a camera, thus allowing us to look back and smile.

Before, During, and After: My Tattoo (Fall 2002)

And So It Begins

2009-12-20T20:29:00.001-05:00

I meant to write this post far before I ever actually posted anything about The Apartment, but I was overcome with excitement due to the completion of my bathroom makeover that I decided to go out of order. Oh well! Consider it like having dessert before the main meal! You got to see some of the goodies (i.e. the bathroom before and afters) before actually having to deal with the boring stuff (i.e. the nitty gritty details of the actual apartment!).

The Apartment resides on a busy street in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, just down the street from the Brooklyn Flea, and nestled in between a laundromat and a bagel shop. While my roommate (Jenna) has lived here for several years, I am just now beginning to call this place home. Earlier this Fall I decided it was time for a change of scenery, and thus with many teary goodbyes, I packed myself up and made my way to The Big Apple! It's been a big adjustment, and I am by no means "settled" yet, but I am loving the fact that there is so much to do right outside my door.

You may think that since my roommate has been living in our apartment for a couple of years now that we would be all set and decorated... but it's quite the opposite actually! When Jenna's last roommate moved out he took with him all the furniture (it was all his), thus leaving us with one VERY EMPTY apartment. While it has been slow going furnishing our space (unfortunately we are not made of money... *sigh*), we are loving every minute of having a clean slate to work with.

We are lucky in the fact that The Apartment is what one would call a "huge space" when talking about NYC apartments, complete with four closets (one of them being our own "Harry Potter closet" - as in the cupboard under the stairs!), and TONS of natural light. It's also ridiculously close to many subway stops and Manhattan, but unfortunately, we are stuck with some rather loud and obnoxious upstairs neighbors who fail to have ANY respect for the rest of us who live in the same building. However, it's a small price to pay for such a great apartment in such a great location!

So since the main purpose of this blog is to keep my friends and family up to date on the goings - ons in my new life in the city (of course it also serves double duty as my "design journal" - i.e. the place where I can store all the pretty pictures I come across on the web), be prepared for many a post on The Apartment!

Roomies! Me and Jenna (Oct. 2009)

HTML Genius? I Think Not!

2009-12-15T12:54:00.010-05:00

A couple years ago I was bitten by the blogging bug, and I must say it is something that I ABSOLUTELY ADORE! I love being able to unload my creative writing passions on many an unsuspecting reader! Around the time that I was in middle school I realized that I love to write. At the time (and at my school) this was very much encouraged, but by the time I hit high school and college, this proved to be a bit of an issue, as I would routinely be awarded with papers and tests that said "Great job... but next time try answering the question!". Whoops! Instead of actually writing about what was expected of me, I would instead eloquently spin a story of my own works, only quasi relating to the subject matter at hand. However, once I discovered the blogosphere, my creative writing juices once again started flowing, and I realized that there is a whole realm where I can let my thoughts go crazy!

When I started this blog, I knew I wanted to do more then just share with my audience my writing, I also wanted to share with them my overall creative vision. In my mind Swoonette had a very specific look and feel, but it was something that I could only define in my head. So, because of this, I took it upon myself to actually create my own blog design! I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing when it comes to HTML and CSS, however, I was convinced that I would be able to work some DIY magic spell and have a close to perfect end result. So now, after many trial and error moments, I am pleased to say that I was able to turn a very blah basic Blogger template into the vision of my dreams, and what you see here today at Swoonette! Of course I'm no professional, and I know that a true web designer could really amp up my blog design and add all the bells and whistles that I really want, but I feel so proud of myself to know that even though my design is simple, it is EXACTLY what I want... and I did it all by myself!!!

From the standard Minima Blogger template...

...to the Swoonette blog design!

So... Swoonette says:

If I can do it, so can you... so have no fear
Prior experience in web design is not at all necessary... I have none! (of course it would come in useful, but then where's the fun DIY challenge in that one... hehe!)
Don't start entirely from scratch (you'll only find yourself wailing in despair), instead pick the plainest template you can find (or for an even easier time, a template that is already very close to what you would like your end product to look like!)
Be sure to continually save and download copies of your template as you make changes to the code (I failed to do this many times, and thus had to keep recreating my blog from start... no fun!)
Sketch out on paper, or in Photoshop, a template of your ultimate design, it will help you stay organized and serve as a visual checklist of pieces you've already coded or have left to work on
If you can think of it, chances are there is a tutorial for it... Google is your best friend (I actually never once cracked a book for help!), everything you will probably need is right on the web
If possible gather your friends to have them "test" out your design on various browsers, platforms, and screen sizes (there is still a hiccup in my blog design, as the footer doesn't appear quite right for my Internet Explorer viewers... sorry everyone... but it's such a minor detail I was willing to let it slide)
Most of all though, just have fun, and let your creative juices flow

Not Your Average Chandelier

2009-12-09T18:14:00.002-05:00

Typically a chandelier is viewed as a purely functional source of lighting, used for creating visibility over a larger table, and defining a more formal eating area. However, nowadays design junkies are taking it upon themselves to break this stereotype, and they are finding new and unique places to hang these gorgeous lamps. And because chandeliers now come in such a broad range of styles, you can easily find one to place in almost any area of your house. Chandeliers aren't just for the dinning room anymore!

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom, and Left to Right): Kitchen - Unknown, Bedroom - Turquoise, Laundry Room - Saucy, Nursery - featured on Parents Magazine online, Bathroom - Country Living, Living Room - Unknown

Chandelier Roundup

2009-12-09T11:41:00.002-05:00

I'm a bit of a daydreamer, kind of girly, a hopeless romantic, and drawn to things that sparkle. What design element fits in perfectly with all of these things? Why the chandelier of course! Chandeliers are elegant and glamorous, and they come in so many shapes, styles, and colors that there is one out there for everyone, no matter what your budget! However, for this post I didn't want to just roundup a collection of purchasable chandeliers. I wanted something a bit more interesting and personal. So instead I hopped on over to Flickr, to check out people's real life pictures. There I sought out some of the most inspiring and gorgeous chandeliers that I could find. To me chandeliers are not just about looking pretty, they are also about evoking a special feeling or emotion, and I think that the pictures I found do just that. These are the chandeliers that fairy tales are made of!

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Sarah~Peters, Christine&Eric, Edward Willett,

frida!!!, Soggy Semolina, Johnnytakespictures

Vampire Weekend

2009-12-09T08:30:00.001-05:00

Oh Vampire Weekend. How I do love thee, let me count the ways. Everything about you is so swoon worthy, from your amazing music to your cute quirky band members. Heck, even your album cover sets my heart aflutter. So because of this, I thought the image below would be the perfect way to introduce this week's roundup. The chandelier!

Tweet Tweet

2009-12-07T16:17:00.002-05:00

So... even though things are currently a little slow here at Swoonette, I've gone ahead and set up some helpful tools so you faithful readers can stay up to date! Swoonette is now on Twitter! So if you desire, feel free to follow me! Also if you ever want/need to get in touch with me, Swoonette now has email! Feel free to drop me a line at: swoonette@gmail.com

Scrub a Dub Dub

2009-12-02T19:13:00.005-05:00

I know it's odd, and I feel a bit awkward admitting this, but the bathroom is actually my favorite room in a house. I think that my love of the bathroom started due to the fact that I LOVE taking a nice hot bath, being surrounded by candles, and enjoying a good magazine and a glass of wine, but that is not at all where my bathroom love ends. To me the bathroom is like an escape, and I like to make it as serene and calming as possible. It's a place where you can sneak away from everything else in the world (and for the most part no one else is going to bother you in there as long as you have the door closed!), relax, and think about whatever is bothering you, all while being surrounded by the soothing sounds of the water and the comfort of the hot steam.

Upon moving into The Apartment I announced to my roommate that the first thing I needed to do was to decorate (and clean) the bathroom... before we tackled any of the other rooms! Unfortunately the bathroom was also the room that needed the most work. So with a few IKEA purchases under our belt, some paint, and the help of my dad (a.k.a. Handyman Larry) the bathroom has finally come together! There are a few more things that need to be added, like artwork, but for the most part it is complete and I am content!

Before

After

But... my favorite part of the whole bathroom is the goodie basket that sits right between the tub/shower and the toilet. In it is almost everything you (or a guest) might need. The basket has plenty of towels, extra toilet paper, magazines, air freshener, and it's all right within arm's reach!

Sad Sad (Computer) News

2009-12-02T12:51:00.001-05:00

Although Swoonette has only just begun, it is with sad news that I must say that this blog is already on a bit of a break. Over Thanksgiving, while we were all enjoying some yummy food and wonderful company, my computer decided to take a vacation of its own... and unfortunately it has decided NOT to come back! I was hoping that my computer's issues were minor, however, after visiting the friendly peeps over at the SoHo Apple store I'm afraid that it is more of a major disaster. So while I mourn the loss of my computer golden child, and do some research on what my next technological move will be, the posts here at Swoonette may be a little bit haphazard. Luckily I have my old trusty iBook to work off of until I decide what to do next, but unfortunately slow and steady doesn't necessarily win the race when it comes to blogging! So blog land if you can just bear with me for a little bit of time, I promise that once I get my computer woes figured out, that I will be back to bringing you some beautiful design inspirations!

"Save The Tureky"

2009-11-26T17:04:00.002-05:00

Unlike any other holiday, Thanksgiving always seems to bring about only happy memories for me. I can think back to amazing moments spent with friends and family, and there are plenty of inside jokes ("Save The Tureky" is just one of them!) and entertaining moments from Thanksgivings past to fill my day with joy. When I was growing up Thanksgiving held an extra special place in my heart though, because not only did I get one fabulous Thanksgiving with my family, but I also got another amazing Thanksgiving with my school!

Long before my school grew to what it is now, we had one very special holiday tradition that us students looked forward to all year... our Thanksgiving feast! The preparations always started weeks before the actual holiday. Giddily all of us students crafted ourselves a special placemat (a highlight to the school year), and came up with the Turkey Day menu (each classroom was responsible for cooking at least one item). The few days before the feast were spent with all of us cleaning, chopping, and cooking. Come time for the day of our actual celebration, we would come to school all dressed up, and grinning from ear to ear. Goodies were exchanged with the other classrooms, so that everyone had a little of this and a little of that to feast upon, and then we would sit down to eat. This tradition, while painstakingly labor intensive for the teachers, was something so meaningful for us students. There was a huge sense of community and independence that was created by not only being able to cook our own food from scratch, but from also getting the opportunity to share these yummy treats with our fellow schoolmates. I wish that this tradition still lived on for the students that are there today, but I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to partake in it for so many years. Thanksgiving is all about sharing our blessings (even if they are small) with one another, no matter how different we all are. I'm not sure that I ever would have learned the true meaning of Thanksgiving without this tradition, and for that I am forever grateful. I learned about Thanksgiving in the best way possible, by experiencing it.

So to all of you out there in blog land, I want to wish you a very very happy Thanksgiving. May your day be filled with loving family and friends (and some yummy food too of course!).

One More Window Seat

2009-11-25T14:30:00.002-05:00

And here's one more... just because! Don't you just want to escape there?!? Happy daydreaming!

Photo via Purple Area

Window Seat Roundup

2009-11-25T12:39:00.003-05:00

If I had to chose just one design element that I covet the most, I think it might have to be the window seat. My love of them started sometime around the time when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. My best friend at the time lived in a 200 year old house, and upstairs in the hallway there was an almost daybed sized window seat nestled into a cozy nook. It was surrounded by beautiful dark wood, and a set of built in bookshelves that were filled to the brim with all sorts of different books. Many a time our playdates would at some point come to us plopping ourselves on the cushy window seat, gazing out the window, and having girl talk. These were some of the best moments... and since then I have always wanted a window seat of my own. I can think of nothing more magical then curling up on a rainy day with a warm blanket, while being surrounded by soft cushions, and daydreaming the day away. Pure bliss!

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom, and Left to Right): House Beautiful, CoopTours, Unknown, Southern Living

IKEA Hacks

2009-11-24T17:10:00.005-05:00

So... What's a girl to do on a tight budget, with an empty apartment, and a specific design vision? Why hack her way through the IKEA store of course! As this is my first apartment, I have SO much furniture that I need to buy, and that is where IKEA comes in handy. I love their stuff, but when buying it in mass quantity it can often leave one's home looking a bit IKEAtastic and like one of the pages from their catalog! Hence why I took it upon myself to hack several of the IKEA accessory items that I had purchased. This way I could have an item that matched the design style I was going for, but was still in my price range. Why none of my IKEA hacks are earth shattering, and I don't even technically consider them hacks (more like stylish embellishments!), I do think they show how you can customize a very ordinary IKEA item and make it something totally stylish and unique.

The Lamp: I had been wanting a mercury glass lamp forever, but all of the ones I found were in the 100+ dollar price range (way out of my budget for a lamp!). Then I stumbled upon some DIY instructions over at Weddingbee Pro, and I started to get excited. Perhaps a mercury glass lamp wasn't out of the picture after all! Then I came across the Jonsbo Orod lamp at IKEA and my dream came true! The mirror glass spray paint proved a bit tricky to find (try looking in the glass painting section of your craft store though - NOT the spray paint section, which is where my "issues" stemmed from), but once I found it the lamp was super easy to make and it looks incredible in person!!

The Boxes: I wanted some sort of stylish storage on the cheap, and something that looked a bit different than say a wicker basket, but also something that in a couple years if it fell apart or I needed to get rid of it I wouldn't necessarily be super upset. I love the look of the Kassett boxes, but none of the colors matched the look I wanted to achieve. Anyways, I snatched up several of the white ones and decided to think upon how to make them special. Then I remembered I had some great wrapping paper at home. So with my trusty glue stick in hand I went to work. I covered the boxes pre-assembly and then used an exacto knife to cut around the silver details. End result = AMAZING!

The Curtains: We have really tall ceilings in our apartment. And really LARGE (which is totally awesome) but very BORING windows. We knew we wanted to dress up our space with splashes of hot pink, and IKEA was stocking products in just the shade we were looking for! We picked up a pair of the Felicia curtains in dark pink and a pair of the Aina curtains in the unbleached fabric (which totally fit our need to provide a bit of privacy in our front room but still let in the natural light which is so amazing in our space). Since the Aina curtains weren't anywhere near long enough to fit our windows we chopped up the Felicia curtains and used them as fabric. By adding the hot pink on the bottom we created a curtain that looks extra special. It now pulls the room together by adding an extra pop of our accent color. The curtains are now long enough to puddle on the floor and with the added sparkle of the Felicia "fabric" we got the sophisticated somewhat casual glamourous look we wanted... and what girl doesn't want a little glamour in her life!

The Pillow: I can't take credit for this one, as it is all the roommate's doing, but I will fill you in on what she did. It is simply the Felicia curtains again cut up and used as fabric and sewn into a pillow case, inside is a pillow form from IKEA (although I can't figure out which one it is from online... sorry). In order to make the pillow have that little something extra, my roommate cut up the tie back (it's the same hot pink as the curtains but it has this really incredible gold flowery swirl pattern all over it) and attached a strip of it to the front of the pillow. Voilà!

So... Swoonette says:

Don't judge an IKEA product by it's looks and function, instead think of IKEA as a place to purchase "materials"
Don't be afraid to cut things up, paint things, or add on any embellishments that you may like
The fact that IKEA products come disassembled makes it easier to be more creative
Since IKEA furniture is fairly inexpensive, and far from a family heirloom, there is no need to become distraught by hacking away at things
And if you need a little extra inspiration be sure to check out IKEA hacker

Cozy Blue and White Moment

2009-11-23T17:37:00.002-05:00

Home again, home again, jiggity jig! Wouldn't you love to come home to this cozy blue and white chair, and snuggle in with a good magazine and a glass of wine!?! I know I would. But I get to snuggle in with something even better tonight... my kitty boys! Since I'm home for Thanksgiving I'll get to spend some extra quality time with the fur babies... and my mom of course!

Photo from House Beautiful

Blue and White Rooms

2009-11-23T12:30:00.008-05:00

Here are some absolutely drool worthy blue and white rooms to help you get revved up on this Monday before Thanksgiving! I've made sure to showcase a sampling of different rooms to point out how this color combo can really go the mile. It can feel breezy and free in a family room, inviting and restful in a bedroom, and quirky yet casual in a kitchen. There's no place that blue and white can't go! Even though this color combo is an old classic, there are so many ways to alter it to achieve a look that is right for your life and design style. So whether you want a refined more traditional room, or something a little more fresh and modern, the possibilities are endless!

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom, and Left to Right): Bathroom - Country Living, Bedroom - Unknown, Family Room - Ideal Home, Kitchen - Country Living, Bathroom - T. Keller Donovan in House Beautiful, Living Room - Martha Stewart

Blue and White Mood Board

2009-11-23T08:00:00.005-05:00

While there are several versions of the blue and white color scheme (all equally beautiful), I have to say that my personal favorite is the good old classic of crisp bright white and dark cobalt blue. Perhaps it has something to due with the fact that I grew up near the ocean, and so very often you find this color scheme present in seaside homes. Or perhaps it is because blue is my favorite color, and there is no better way to showcase its beautiful hues then on a blank canvas of white. Either way though there is something so elegant and classic about this color combo. It's a timeless design chameleon, shifting itself to fit into the homes of both the fanciful artist and the elegant designer alike.

Towels by Ralph Lauren, Tea Set from Wedgwood, Dress by Roxy, Fabric Swatch from the Whimsy Collection by Pillow & Maxfield, Shoes from Marc by Marc Jacobs, Bag by Buti, Fabric Artwork by mondocherry.

The Lineup

2009-11-20T00:01:00.001-05:00

What's better (but maybe not quite as stylish... wink, wink!) than your trusty old collection of "days of the week" undies?!? Why Swoonette of course! While things here are still in the works, the ultimate goal is to have a special theme for each day! So without further ado here is what will hopefully be the future lineup of this design blog!

However, the fun doesn't end there! So make sure to always be on the lookout for updates to the "My Swoonette" and "The Apartment" sections, because honestly these are the real reasons behind this blog. I needed/wanted a place to share my new adventures here in NYC with the kiddos/family/friends back home! And of course there will always be random posts thrown in here and there to keep you on your toes!

P.S. Eventually I hope to be adding a navigation bar to the top of this blog! That way each section can be grouped together, allowing you an easier way to cruise through posts. But in the meantime just be sure to keep checking the labels featured at the bottom of each post!

Swoonette?

2009-11-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

I know, I know! Right now you are all staring at your computer screens asking yourselves the same question! Swoonette? What in the world is a swoonette?!? Well... I don't really know either! Let me explain...

It dawned on me the other day that there are so many beautiful things in this world. However, the things that I find beautiful might not be the same things that you find beautiful. While I may find the way that the sunlight creeps into my room in the mornings, and splashes across my bed, to be utterly breathtaking, you might view it as nothing more than a reason to lower the shades a bit more. However, while you might find the way the rain droplets pound against your window sills to be the most amazing symphony, I might find them to be highly distracting and headache inducing (I don't actually feel this way, but you get the idea!). To each their own! And thus this idea of a swoonette popped into my head. AND... yes it's a totally made up word! But, I can sense you all still asking what exactly is it! So let me give you a quick little definition before I carry on:

swoon \'swün\ verb: 1. to become enraptured. (swooning with joy) (definition courtesy of Merriam-Webster)

swoonette \'swün-'et\ noun: 1. the things that make one swoon 2. an object, person, feeling, moment, song, picture... ANYTHING... that causes one great happiness. (my cat is my swoonette) (definition courtesy of my brain!)

So... hopefully we are all on the same page now! If not, no worries, just wait it out, and maybe you will get the idea! So as I was saying, there are so many lovely things that we encounter every day. Sometimes we realize them... and sometimes we don't. Either way though, I always find it quite intriguing to see what everyone else finds inspirational and beautiful, and so Swoonette was born! Every morning I love sitting down with my cup of coffee and pouring through the posts in my Google Reader. I have so many WONDERFUL blogs that I follow (check out the daily eye candy section in the sidebar!), and the imagery fills me up with happy thoughts and wonderful scenes to take with me as I head out into the day. I too wanted to be able to share with the blogosphere the things that I find beautiful... my swoonettes!

So what will you find here on Swoonette? Well... basically it will be a little of this, and a little of that! But what I will promise you is that the things here will always be beautiful (well at least what I consider beautiful that is!). So sit back, grab a cup of something yummy, and let the posts here wash over you and leave you all warm and tingly!

Hope you enjoy!

Victoria