Now What?

Why do I wait so long between hair cuts?  What am I afraid of?  I just don't like change but as in life, change is often necessary.  I don't want to be one who has the same exact look all the time but I also don't want to be one who is always doing something drastic.  I have to find just the right tweak to freshen things up.  I'm thinking the long bob is just what I need!

theglitterguide.com

Now it is just the question:  With or without bangs?

I'm off to sub a home economics class.  Perfect!

Welcome, Fall

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I'm not normally one for camping of any kind (what can I say? I'm more of a room service, hotel kind of a girl), but this picture makes me want to rent a cabin for the weekend.  The weather here has turned a little bit chillier, and I think a weekend at a cabin would be such a great way to formally welcome fall.
In the meantime, I've been gobbling up everything pumpkin in site- pumpkin yogurt (both the frozen kind and the breakfast kind), pumpkin soup, pumpkin hard cider, cookies, bread, cake...
Too bad my next couple of weekends are already booked, or I'd be booking it to the mountains for a little r & r.

Because I'm Happy

rstyle.me

Ah, fall.  I am in my element this time of year.  Over the weekend we are having friends over--as we almost always do--and I love to plan for beautiful evenings outdoors, dining.  This week there have been many beautiful images on Pinterest and online that make my heart skip a beat.  I am grateful the week (and a very long week it was) is over and I'm one happy lady as I look forward to the weekend and the season.

alex-quisite.tumblr.com

Some of my favorite shades right now.

handcraftedinvirginia.tumblr.com

I'm helping a friend with their home office/lounge space and I love this image as inspiration.

rosewholesale.com

A leather jacket like this one is definitely on my radar.

barefootcontessa.com

I made this Ina Garten recipe, chicken with  40 cloves of garlic, on Monday and it was amazing and simple.

apartment34.com

I think this is the perfect image to inspire a fresh fall make up look.

mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com

Isn't this the most perfect casual fall table?  I'm doing it.

Have a fantastic weekend friends!

Is it Friday Yet?!

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What can I say...
I'm ready for the weekend!
~Lori

Favorite Beauty Products

Favorite Beauty Products by rebecca-iverson featuring a curling mascara

I don't talk too much about beauty products unless they are really, really good.  These are so good that they deserve to be shared.  I received a sample of Urban Decay eye primer (Eden) as a gift with purchase and now I can't live without it!  The same goes with the Living Proof line of hair products.  I use almost everything from the volume line and love them.  Everything here is fantastic!  

I would love to know what products you can't live without.

Artist Spotlight: Don Moyer

Recently, a friend posted a picture on facebook of some "traditionally styled monster themed dishes," and I immediately loved them.  They are called Calamityware, and are created by artist Don Moyer.

Giant Robot, $42

They are a fun twist on the traditional "Willow Pattern" that has been popular for well almost 300 years.  The original willow pattern was popularized in England, and even had a story created about the picture- two young people fall in love, but because the young man is not of the same social status as the girl, her father refuses to grant permission to marry and instead arranges for her to marry a rich old duke.  The young couple devise a scheme, steal some jewels, and escape together, on the duke's ship, to an island.  They live for many years in a small house beside a willow tree, until the duke, seeking revenge, finds and kills them both.
Calamityware takes the traditional patter and injects a little fun and whimsy into it with the addition of some kind of monster; in the plate above, it is a giant robot.
Other monsters include a troop of flying monkeys, a sea monster, and a UFO invasion.

Set of 4, $150

I think they are so much fun, and thanks to the techniques used when creating the plates, they can actually be used to eat off of!
I hope your week is going well; I for one am really missing the ridiculously comfortable bed from our suite in Vegas.  And the massive soaking tub, and room service, and massages...
Oh well!  When we got back into town, I got to see my kiddo, who was home from her first sleep away school weekend trip.  I missed her the whole weekend, and was so glad when we were back together!
Happy Tuesday!
~Lori

Organizing the Garage

Folks, I'm pretty excited.  Not because our garage and shed are main spaces for beauty and design, but because an organized home is a happy home.  My husband is very handy but he is also a daddy with very few free hours in a day.  Because of this our garage is pretty messy and disorganized.  For the past weeks he has been hard at work insulating and dry walling our garage (it was just studs before) and re building shelves and work benches and painting.  We have gone through everything in storage and purged.  I can't tell you how good this all feels!  It is starting to actually look nice; which for a garage is saying a lot.  He are a few design inspirations we have had for the space.

homeandgarden.nl

countryliving.com

countryliving.com

dukesandduchesses.com

homedit.com

diyncrafts.com

I can't wait to show you the finished product and I hope this has encouraged you to take the plunge and organize your own garage this fall.

Five for Friday

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I can't believe another week is over!  We have been in school for 31 days (not counting weekends and holidays); it's crazy!  This week has been a busy one; my first ever project on Donors Choose got funded, and I wrote a second grant for another project, which just got published to their site.  I love that they match donations for the first week with the code is INSPIRE (nudge, nudge, wink wink).
I am one of the supervisors for student council at my school, and elections are today.  There is a lot of work that goes into getting everything set up, but it is rewarding when 50+ kids show up, wanting to be part of something that helps out their school.  We are planning on doing a lot of community based projects, so I am excited to get out there with our students and get them excited to help make the world a better place!
The Cat is going away for a weekend field trip; this will be her first time away from home, and we are both freaking out a little.  I know she is in good hands with her teachers, but still!  That's my baby we are talking about here!
While the Cat is away, the mice will play-- my boy and I are heading off to Vegas as soon as my work day is over.  I am hoping to meet up with some family that lives there, and my best friend from Tennessee and her boyfriend are going to be there, playing a show.  I'm hoping to meet up with them, too.  And get a massage.  I am really, really looking forward to getting a massage.
Since I've already written a small novel (thanks for hanging in there!), I will jump right to the good stuff- my five favorite things from this week!  And the first one is ah-maze-ing!

Waffles and Toasted Marshmallows.
Hello, Heaven!
Paper & Stitch

What a great sentiment!
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I would totally wear this to work!
image via popsugar

I know this isn't necessarily new, but I want to order this for the Cat!
Rifle

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How gorgeous is that room?!  I love those couches.  Mmmm!  The weird thing is, individually, I actually don't like quite a few pieces in the room,  But together, they work!

I hope your weekend is a fantastic one!

Lori

DIY Acorn Vase

I'm thinking that I need a fun little DIY project to do over the weekend and this acorn vase fits the bill.  It looks simple enough and I like the natural, woodsy feel that will complement fall floral arrangements or bundles of branches.  This lovely project is by eclectically vintage.  

If you like this little DIY then I suggest you go check them out and see all the other ideas.  There are many.

What I Want: Perfect Shoes for Fall

Umm, hello, perfect little shoes for fall!

6 p.m.

I love these. What do you think?

Closet of My Dreams

This morning I skipped on over to Vintage and Chic blog, a lovely French site so use your translate mode, in order to gaze at more images of this perfect and gorgeous closet/dressing room.  I don't want to gush but, come on, this space is the reality of all my closet dreams.  The clean bright palette and girly details make me swoon.  See if you don't agree.

Can you even believe that such a space is possible using mostly Ikea elements?  It's the truth.

Anyway, I am off to have a TB test (every 4 years) and then I plan to treat myself to a coffee.  I hope your Tuesday is off to a great start.

What I Want: Library Card Catalog Furniture

I have always loved the look of apothecary cabinets and library card catalog holders. There's something about all those drawers and the possibility of what could be inside them. There was a shop in Chicago, Uncle Fun, that had an apothecary cabinet that was filled with different goodies in each drawer.
I love the look when they are incorporated into the home, too.  When done right, it can look amazing.

image via

This first piece can be found in designer Genevieve Gorder's home.  It's an old bait and tackle cabinet that she has used in different spaces in her home.

Here is the piece in the designer's home.
image via Genevieve Gorder

The next piece is from West Elm, and I love it!  I saw it for the first time in their new catalog, and I think it looks fantastic.

West Elm Librarian Media Console
$999

image via Emily Henderson

Doesn't this piece look like the one from West Elm?!  It is actually an antique card catalog that was put on hairpin legs, and then a mirror was added to the top.  Emily Henderson found it at a flea market for $250.  I'm thinking West Elm must have seen her post that this piece was featured in, and realized what a fantastic piece this is, and decided to recreate it and sell it themselves!  For a tiny increase of $750!  I love this piece; I think it would be a great replacement for the console table I have in my formal living room.  $1000 is not in my budget, however, so I guess I will just add it to my ever growing list of things to keep my eye out for!
I hope your Monday is going well!

Fall Wreath

We are having a serious heat wave here, folks.  That isn't going to stop me from pretending it's fall!  I made my fall door wreath yesterday, and while I hate working with moss (messy!) I love the results.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Perfect for Fall

image via Hemingway & Hepburn

Doesn't this look like a perfect outfit to recreate this fall?
I've got the leather pants, the ballet flats...  I'm almost there.
Oh, and by the way, I am going to shamelessly plug a personal project on here right now.
As you may or may not know from reading our blog, I am a 5th grade teacher in California.  I love my job, and I count myself very fortunate indeed that I get to do something that I adore every day.  My school has great families and great kids, but not a lot of money; we are classified as high poverty. In my classroom, I have one computer for my 32 kids to share.  I wrote a grant through Donors Choose to get two tablets for my classroom.  Among the multitude of projects I have planned for my students, one that I am very excited about is our classroom blog.  I have 3 News Reporters who write blog posts one time a week, and every student is responsible for guest posting throughout the quarter.
If you would like to help me bring my love of writing and blogging to my kiddos, then I've pasted the link to my project: Teaching With Technology: Blogging in the Classroom.  And bonus- if you enter the code INSPIRE, then Donors Choose will match any donation dollar for dollar!
Thanks in advance (even just for reading that little novella right there) and wish me luck!

I hope your week is going well!

Essential Stripes

crushculdesac.tumblr.com

I think stripes always look right but I think they are perfect in the summer and leading up to fall.  They look so great layered under solids and they are fantastic as accents in the home.  

classy-inthecity.com

megapicture.info

lefashionimage.blogspot.com

indulgy.com

sanfranciscochic.me

houseofideas.de

I'm so glad it's Wednesday.  It's gorgeous out, if hot.  I plan to do some errands and gardening so it is shaping up to be a great day for me!