You Light Up My Life

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Good lighting, from sun, to candle, to lamp, makes things lovely.  Whether soft or high-contrast it can be dramatic, poetic, crisp, festive and frankly make all the difference.  Here are some inspiring examples.

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Pile On

I make piles.  And I like them.  I do much better if I can see my stuff (and that of my fam), I often forget about anything that isn't out (blue blouse in back of closet - not gonna happen until it's front and center, and it doesn't help my closets are tiny but that's another post). My husband is naturally quite tidy and any piling he does is out of sight (better?  I'm not sure).  Me, I make piles. . . that you can see, much to his chagrin.  I spotted these piles around my house last night.  Don't judge and pile on, my friends.

Spotted iii

image from babble
taped pumpkin tutorial - love the non-traditional colors!

image via redvelvet
hand-dyed suede fringe. . . need I say more?

image via One Sidney Road

these striped tea towels by studio patro are timeless.

image via pinterest
word.

image via soyouthinkyourecrafty
Adorable bean bag tutorial.  LOVE!

Friday Tune for a Good Mood

 

Heard this Yo La Tengo song, Mr Tough on KXT on the way to work this morning and it put me in the BEST mood!  Hope you feel the same.  It's Friday, after all.  Have a great weekend. xx -m.m.

Greenroom[s]

image and source: colorfulhomes
rootsy modern

image & source the househome
Boho

image & source myfavoriteandmybest
funky bohemian

image & source Dwell
Bam.

One Rad Chick and the Collaborative Home

 images via kellianderson.com
Damn, this is freaking awesome and blowing my mind.  This being a couple of things.  1) Kelli Anderson's (aka "Rad Chick) ahhhhhmazing infographics and 2) The Collaborative Fund itself for which these infographics were made. 

Kelli Anderson is self described "artist/designer and tinkerer who is always experimenting with new means of making images and experiences".  Bravo, friend.  I was immediately drawn to the work with it's bits of nostalgia rooted firmly in twenty-first century interaction - hello "audible paper".  But particularly these images of the Collaborative Home both in design and content completely drew me in.  I'd say it's rootsy and modern - just what we like here.   

The Collaborative Fund gives me hope.  I happened upon it through Kelli Anderson's site, and thank goodness. We spin our wheels everyday trying to make sense of this life, how to enjoy it while working all.the.time.(sometimes towards our goals, other times not so much), how to provide a good life to our child, how to have fun and have some things we want without being completely consumed with consuming (kind of funny since I often talk about "what to buy" on this blog. i know i know). . . It's a balance I think, like the Toms approach, you know?  We all the want people to prosper, for the economy to not be in the shitter (and "shitter" is the only term that works here), to have hope for our future, but can't there be a better way?  Well, Collaborative Fund thinks so, as they rethink a "shared future".  Their aim is to support creative entrepreneurs who want to shift business values (c'mon! people matter!), modern economic pillars, and thus our daily lives for the better. . . together.  OK - I'm in.  It really speaks to my entrepreneurial spirit, and especially taps my own (idealistic as it may be) hope for the world. . . and for my kid's life.  And, plainly, I'm just happy to know I'm not alone in this hope and that there are smarties working on it out there, too.  xx -m.m.

Prep Up

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I'm kind jazzed by the preppy trend even though it's not always my style, it totally getting to me (in a good way). I particularly love it in the earth-tones and spotted these cool examples. I always think of prep in a colorful way (I came of age in the 80s and 90s, ok - prep was all about pastels or red and navy), so expressing it in browns and greens with pops of color totally speaks to me and feels new but classic. . . totally prep.

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image and Decor Allure

image from Modcloth

Birds, Butterflies and Bee Things

red-winged blackbird print

Aren't these the grooviest prints?  These are just a taste of the genius handmade, limited edition prints that define Bee Things.  The Dallas based Bee Things designers produce prints, posters, apparel and such, and I am always inspired to see their colors, shapes, themes (mostly insects and animals - ahhha!) and that they are Dallasites makes it even better.   I love these as gifts, especially for baby showers - just the right price for a thoughtful forever gift. We'll just say it's perpetually on my "must-have-obsession-go-to-fave-things" lists.  Want to see what inspires the Bee Things designing duo, Shay and Jeff? Check out their crisp blog that is full of good tidbits of coolness.  Love it.  Happy Friday folks! 

zebra finch limited edition

jezebel butterfly print

Inspired by: Start Something That Matters

 I haven't even started reading it. . . but I'm feeling changed.  My Hubs brought it home to me yesterday and even without having read a word in the body, I'm already immensely inspired.  I'll keep you posted, or check it out for yourself.  Chances are if you are reading this blog, you are a dreamer, doer, worker, idealist, searcher. . . so it may make you giddy too, to see this fairly normal Texas kid that made something from nothing.   Here's to hanging on to the good.

It's Not Just a Box.

UPDATE -Oh cardboard.  You are awesome.  It's not just for packing and recycling, this versatile material is used for everything from the beautifully refined products to quirky crafts and every imaginative place in between. "It's not a box", as the children's book says.  And I love it.  

 Seriously amazing images of laser cut cardboard by the super designs of  Studio Modo - "somewhere between textile and structure. . . " -@studiomodo

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Sad cardboard robot, I love you.

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two words: cardboard magic

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gray pants fixtures all of cardboard.  beautifully refined.

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genius cardboard highchair.

Cardboard Lion handmade by my parents for their grandchildren.  SO. Cool. 

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cardboard star

Coat Check

Smythe Piped Jacket - image from shopbob

Obsessed with Smythe jackets.  Did I say obsessed?  OBSESSED.  Word is that these made-in-canada beauties, from the label that believes in impeccable fabrics and tailoring for their menswear driven designs (a jacket makes a wardrobe, yes) are the brainchild of Christie Smythe, sister of the fabulously adorable Tommy Smythe, Sarah Richardson's design partner.  I always love the jackets Sarah wears on her design series. . . now I know why.  Smythe. So, they are a little on the high end, whew, but I think a piece to keep forever.  Timeless.

Smythe tweed riding jacket - revolve clothing

Week's Review: to NYC & Back

Hi Smmidgers!  I've missed you!  I had quite a busy week last mostly taken up by a business trip to NYC for Fashion's Night Out, filled with green jeans, rain, crisis, shoes, shopping, crying, laughing, flying, fatigue, life questions and hanging on to happiness and dreams.  Whew!  How's that for a whirlwind? What a silly life. Here are just a few images from the week since it took me so far away from this blog - I missed this so much -  and I'm happy to share and looking forward to some letting you know about some new projects and changes to smmidge very soon.  Have a happy Monday.

I'm super into green jeans - the images doesn't do the bright color justice.  Here is a layered way I've been wearing them.

my view of NYC last week.

the rainy streets of NYC were not kind to my spray painted shoes - I'll be touching them up this week.

The rain led me to some new galoshes.

My cute look for FNO that made the trip all the way from Abilene's Betty & June Boutique

Charlotte Ronson walking the "pink carpet" at the event.

back home to this sweet face at last!

and finally a rustic dinner in the country with some of my dearest friends and their families. SO. Fun.