Love These

weathervanes...All are from the 19th century. The top two are being auctioned at Sotheby's. The bottom two at Pook and Pook. I think they're beautiful.

Playroom Design Board

Our little library became the playroom when our son was born. It's been through many transitions and it's going through another one now. It still has the bookcases along the back wall, filled with our books on the top shelves and toys and children's books on the bottom shelves. It has a small table and chairs, and a big, ungainly train table that is now used to hold our (astoundingly large) collection of Legos. This room always looks cluttered and I can't stand it. I think the Lego table has to go. It is almost too low for our son now and it looks like a dump, which it is... for Legos. We need more, attractive storage and a new rug. So, I've put together this...We've had the bookcases, the table and chair, the posters and the soft storage baskets for a while, so I'm incorporating those. I think this looks quite boring and I'm tempted to add some color, but I know what happens to even the nicest of calm, neutral, or white spaces when the reality of a five-year-old with his (or her) stuff moves in...Stuff everywhere...every surface covered! This is not to say I don't love these, but there are belongings to deal with - lots of them. Add a wall of bookshelves... and maybe you can see why I'm staying away from color in furniture or rugs: it's too much for the eyes.
Ahhh, well. In my dreams, our little room looks as adorable as these... I will show you a picture when it's done.
Board resources: bookcases, Argington giza table and chair no longer available, blockbox, posters, storage cubes, Lego storage, flokati, rug, drawer unit, and storage baskets.
Images: Desire to Inspire, Stil via Elmarie on Pinterest, Hop Skip Jump, Slumber Designs, Elmarie, Desire to Inspire, Emma via an earlier post, Ikea.

Brrrrr!

What a fantastic, but COLD, snowshoe we had today...our family's ritual on New Year's Day. Brrrr - it warmed to only 8 degrees (Farenheit). But happily we move into 2011, hoping that will be the coldest day of the year!

ps... that's my 25-yr-old Patagonia hat on Eddie!

Happy New Year

I wish you all good things in 2011! Thank you for visiting me here this year. I feel inspired to make this a happy, beautiful place in the coming year. Be safe! Hug your loved ones!
photo by Michael Buholzer/Reuters

December 30

New Year's Eve is tomorrow. We're planning one this calm, cozy and quiet...Ahhhhh. I hope whatever you do, it's happy!

image from here.

A Few Pretty Ones

Taken by a friend on Christmas day in North Carolina. Wow.

Gifts

ShukuruMutaraI hope you've had a beautiful holiday weekend! Our Christmas was so nice. It was a happy, quiet day, and we felt very loved with all the thoughtful gifts we received from family.
I did not do quite so well as they did in the giving department this year, but I did love fostering Shukuru and Mutara (gifts to my sisters) again this year through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. Among other significant conservation projects, the Trust takes in and raises orphaned elephants and rhinos. With a small donation, you can foster a young elephant or rhino for a year. I'm happy to report that Shukuru and Mutara (each almost one and a half years old) are thriving.

Christmas Wishes

I wish you a peaceful, joyful holiday! Thank you so much for visiting me here. I love your comments and love visiting you, too. I'm off to spend some happy time with my family. I hope the same for you.
via here.

Sweet Christmas Work from Nulka

Perfect December images by Nulka. How sweet are those legs?!You must go look at Nulka's photostream on Flickr. She has an uplifting holiday set, one for each day in December. Originally seen on Decor8.

(photographs shown with permission.)

Time for a Fire

Fires in the fireplace, and beautifully stacked firewood, always make me happy...

From these inspiring places: Emma, Red Ticking, My Scandinavian Retreat, and Desire to Inspire.

Be Kind

Seen here.

Pretty. Just Saying...

A few favorites from 1st Dibs ultimate holiday gift guide...in case you have just a little bit of money to spare. Just saying...

The Grinch

A favorite around here at this time of year...We watched last night. I giggled right along with my little one.
images from here.

So Sweet

Yum. I saw this sweet scene on the lovely greige today. Perhaps I'll try to create it in our home.
I'm off to my little one's holiday performance at school. Can't wait. Have a beautiful weekend and thank you for visiting here!

Ball of String

Every year, my mother would say that all she wanted for Christmas was a ball of string. When we were young, we didn't believe or understand her. Now I think I really do and I wish I could tell her that.

These are from antiquity by sadieolive, re-found via Bliss today.

These Make Me Happy

images: 1. per breiehagen (you must go visit)(thank you Elsa!), 2. The SoHo, 3. Huset, and 4. the lovely Solid Frog.

Little Scenes

as seen on les fifoles, mar, munted kowhai

Inspiration

A sweet bit of holiday inspiration, the first from automatism, a long-time favorite...

images from automatism, lucky boy sunday (via all the mountains, a new, great find for me), hello neest, and mar via bird and banner.