Love: Rustic Chic

If there is any style that captures the way I want to live every day, it is that rustic/industrial chic that I have been seeing all over the place.  There is something so alluring about the juxtaposition of rugged industrial elements and refined modern pieces and I'm simply smitten with the aesthetic created.  It is my latest obsession and I do hope it sticks around for a while.

Image courtesy DesignSponge

             Image courtesy Marie Clare magazine

Image courtesy DesignSponge

Image courtesy DesignSponge

Image courtesy Rue Magazine Online

Source unknown

Image courtesy Lonny Magazine

Image courtesy Lonny Magazine

Image courtesy DesignSponge

Image courtesy DesignSponge

Image courtesy DesignSponge

                                 Source unknown

Oh Christmas Tree

This year we contemplated having no Christmas tree.  Yes, it's true.  Gasp if you must.  I'm ashamed to say it, but with the baby and everything else going on, we thought it would just be less hassle if we skipped the tree this year.  Lilly won't remember and it would spare us both time and energy, which are scarce commodities right now.  Then, I got to thinking... If we omitted the tree this year, what else might get the axe?  Valentine's cards?  Pumpkin carving?  The Thanksgiving turkey?!  So, I put my foot down and I sent the Grinch a packin'.  Tradition is important, even if it is a "hassle," and to be honest, I enjoy putting up the tree.  During the four hours I painstakingly wrap each branch in lights, cutting my hands with every move, I think of all the wonderful Christmas memories I have.  I think of my grandma and how she would hide all the presents and then forget where she put them.  I think of my mom's yearly battle with the fuses in the strands of lights and the endless quest to find the one light that went out and caused the entire catastrophe.  I think of Clark Griswold in all his glory and I think of my dad's persistence about not decorating the back of the tree because, after all,  "No one will see it anyway."  I think of the time I went to the Christmas tree farm with my beloved Aunt Laurie and how, while attaching the tree to the top of her '89 Acura Integra, we were tied in and didn't discover it until we got home and tried to open the doors.  So many cherished memories made possible by one tall, evergreen fire hazard set aglow and lovingly decorated in a cramped corner of the living room.  And so, without further ado...

 I'd love to hear your Christmas tree memories.  Please do share.

Treasure Hunting

When the Saturday Sun decides to take the weekend off, it can mean only one thing: It's time to go antique shopping!! Although I did not find what I was looking for, I found oodles of other treasures.

I have been eyeing these two tables for weeks and want to use them as nightstands, but I'm second guessing myself and can't seem to make up my damn mind! They definitely need some TLC. I must go one day and do some negotiating with the booth owner, which is not a task I look forward to at all.

I can't explain my obsession with enamel ware. It just is. I can't get enough enamel covered things, especially when they hold darling pieces of faux food.

I am always attracted to old, beautiful doors. This one is a real looker, but I don't know what in the world I would do with it.

Mmm.. Black iron bed. Dreamy. I love these beds and although it is so beautiful and I could love it exactly how it is, I fantasize about spray painting it green or mustard or bright red.

Hey girl! These little lovelies always catch my eye.

This would make the most handsome umbrella stand and goes perfectly with our entryway decor. I'll put in on the negotate list.

I thought this rocking chair was purdy as a picture. With a different fabric on the seat it would be darling.





















What a fascinating specimen.








Mmmm... I love the smell of old books. Musky.

If I would have seen this crib six months ago, it would have been a game changer, though I doubt it meets current safety regulations..hmm..

I love these chairs- they're modern, but earthy.  I could picture them perfectly adjacent to that large tufted sofa I want from Restoration Hardware...

I thought this little fella was super sassy.  I like to imagine that he dresses up in old Barbie clothes and reorganizes the miniature furniture once the owner closes up shop every night.

I'd like to put one of these lovely ladies over my mantle just so all who enter know I don't take myself too serious, unfortunately, I'm the only member of the household to find that idea quirky and charming.  Hmph.

I wish these drafting stools weren't so uncomfy because they go perfectly with that rustic, industrial chic look that I so desperately desire.

I am lusting after this spice rack big time.

Over-priced scaffolding of sorts that inspires me.  Isn't treasure hunting fun?

My Latest Crush

I have been drooling over this since I received my Elle Decor this month (it's on the cover) and I just had to share. 

Saturday Sun plus A Quiche

( Listen to this song while reading this blog:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5G242IBygM  )

Saturday has long been my favorite day.  The week is freshly finished and Monday is not tomorrow but some day after that- just far enough away for me to pretend the weekend might last all week.  I particularly love lazy Saturday mornings that melt slowly into afternoons.  This time of year the sun seems to be more crisp and I'm convinced it shines brighter on Saturday especially.   I've been craving this Salmon Quiche for weeks and finally decided to make it this morning, crust and all.  It was delightful and added to the splendor of the Saturday sun shining in my kitchen window.  Happy Saturday. 

Smoked Salmon Tart

Serves 6

Buttery Pastry Dough

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

4 oz smoked salmon sliced

1 cup (4 oz) grated Swiss cheese

4 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Roll the pastry dough into a 12-inch circle about 1/2 inch thick on a sheet of waxed paper or countertop lightly dusted with flour.  Carefully lift the dough and press it into a 10-inch tart pan or 9-inch pie plate.  Trim the edges of the dough and crimp them with a fork or your fingertips.  Cover the pastry shell with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

3.  Take the pastry shell from the freezer and brush it with the egg white.  Bake for 5 minutes. Set it aside to cook slightly.  Meanwhile, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.

4.  Lay the salmon slices over the bottom of the pastry shell and sprinkle with cheese.

5.  Beat the eggs, milk, cream, and dill with a fork and season with pepper.  Gently pour this mixture over the salmon and cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.

6.  Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and the custard is set.  A 10-inch tart will bake a little faster than a 9-inch pie.  Cool slightly before serving.

Recipe from Autumn Nights, Winter Mornings by Barbara Scott-Goodman

Dreaming of Cassis

It needs no words...

Photographs courtesy of Christina Arthur, my momma

Impromptu Fall Foliage Wreath

In my final days before the little bean arrived, I had a sudden urge to do some fall decorating.  I'm not really a fan of seasonal decorations because you have to eventually take them down and it just seems silly, but I have been anxiously awaiting fall for so long that I thought its arrival deserved a celebratory wreath and maybe a few odd pumpkins.  I wasn't about to go spend money on a brightly colored and mostly tacky faux fall wreath at my local hobby shop, so I decided to search the internet for something I could make at home.  I love me some Martha and I was delighted when I found how-to instructions for a Fall Foliage Wreath on MarthaStewart.com.  Unfortunately, my craft arsenal is pretty pathetic and I didn't have Kraft paper, metallic paper, satin ribbon or a wreath form.  Basically I had none of the required materials, so, instead, I made the wreath out of a hanger and some brown paper bags saved from the grocery store.  I bought some ribbon for a couple dollars at Wal-Mart and voila.  It's not nearly as pretty as Martha's, but it looks just fine from the street! 

I followed the exact instructions from MarthaStewart.com, but instead fashioned a wire hanger into a circle and cut the leaves from brown paper bags.

Born On A Sunday Morning

"Heaven blew every trumpet

 and played every horn

on the wonderful, marvelous

night you were born."

Born on a Sunday morning, like my favorite verse from my favorite song.  The moment she arrived was truly musical as, far and wide, church bells rang, gospel choirs sang, and my world changed.  Forever. 

Introducing... Lillian Grace.

"On the night you were born,

the moon smiled with such wonder

that the stars peeked in to see you

and the night wind whispered,

'Life will never be the same.'"

-quotes from On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman

The Nursery Unveiled

Although I don't think I'll ever be satisfied... with anything, I thought now was as good a time as any to reveal the nursery.  Perhaps it is the pregnancy hormones but I've been having this overwhelming feeling of dissatisfaction with my surroundings.  I lay awake at night contemplating whether or not I should get up and just start purging.  I dream about wild house cleaning sprees where I throw away the unused contents of every cupboard and drawer and I donate all of the things in this house that I just don't love anymore.  Unfortunately, I don't have the discipline or the energy to do any of those things at this point and so instead I will meditate on loving what is. 
In the meantime, I took some pictures of the baby's room this weekend and although I am unhappy with how they turned out (shocker), I will display them anyway, but only because I said I would. 

Probably the best "whole room" shot using the mirrored closet door and featuring Jasper, my assistant, looking super sassy on that pink zebra rug. 

The crib is a classic Jenny Lind style wooden number that we got at Babies'R'Us for less than $200.  I made the crib skirt and bumper out of Michael Miller green chevron fabric and Amy Butler's Love Sandalwood in tangerine, respectively, both of which are less than $10/yd.  The crib sheet is from PotteryBarn Baby and was on clearance.  The curtains are also Amy Butler fabric made by my lovely and talented Mama.  The two paintings above the crib are Matisse's Citrons sur Fond Rose and Raoul Dufy's Le Tour Eiffel, some colorful Fauvist favorites for her little eyes.  I'm trying to breed an artist- can you tell?

Close up of the vintage tie-backs I scored at Werther's Antique mall in Wallholler (Walhalla), SC.

Alas, the part of the room where all the magic will happen: dirty diapers and the dairy rack.  The side table, rocking chair, and green mirror are all hand-me-downs from different generous sources and we already had them "laying around."  The lamp was a thrift store find ($3) and I smacked a wicker IKEA lampshade on it.  Above the rocking chair is another framed Matisse, a platter that I collected somewhere along the way, and an original pastel drawing done by yours truly that will probably not stay there.  Having it framed has been on the to-do list for a couple of weeks now, thus adding to my angsty, unsatisfied impulses.  Rats.  As for the dresser, it was a Craigslist steal that we painted white, handles and all, and it doubles as a changing table.

Close up.

Closer up.

Bookshelf, fabric baskets and lamp all from IKEA.  The chair used to be at my grandparents kitchen table-  I painted and recovered it years ago.  Assemblage of found objects atop the bookcase mostly consists of thrift store and antique mall finds.  Original oil painting was a gift and I can't remember the artist's name.

There are about a million things I'd still like to do to make the room feel more complete, but I was reminded that if I waited until I thought it was perfect, then I would never reveal it. 

And so there it is- just like me- as ready as it will ever be for baby to arrive.

Autumn Soup to Warm the Soul

So I was going to blog about fall fashion today because I can't wait to wear non-maternity clothes again, but I have received so many fabulous foodie emails this morning that I decided to reconsider (including this one:  http://www.tastespotting.com/ ).  Since the weather has finally cooled down here in the dirty dirty (aka the south), a warm and filling stew seemed the perfect recipe for today.  It is a family favorite and so simple.  Enjoy!

Tortellini and White Bean Soup

1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning (or whatever you have on hand)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups coarsely chopped spinach
2/3 cup water
16-oz. can navy beans
14.5-oz. can vegetable broth (plus more for thinner soup)*
14.5-oz. can no-salt added whole tomatoes undrained and chopped
14-oz. can quartered artichoke hearts
9-oz. package cheese tortellini
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Saute onion, red pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent.  Add spinach, water, navy beans, vegetable broth, tomatoes, artichokes and bring to a boil.  Reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.  Next, add cheese tortellini and cook according to time printed on package.  Serve with shaved Parmesan, hearty french bread and a tasty Shiraz.

*I find that a 14.5-oz can of broth is not enough because the tortellini drinks it up quickly.  I like to get a larger carton so I can add it to the soup when I reheat it for leftovers.