Everything Old is New Again...

Isn't she lovely... isn't she won-der-full? (I've been listening to vintage stevie wonder... lol) 

Found this fabulous beauty a while

back when a friend introduced me to one of my new faves, Kouk's.  It's a quirky little antique shop that is also a coffee shop.

It serves as a place to store more of my books and does nicely in tying my love of old with my love of something contemporary.

And of course it goes without saying, I adore the color!

And Baxter loves it, too.

...scatter joy...

lindy

Pillow Punch

My wonderful friend beat me to the punch and crafted some fabulous felted pillows upcycled from old wool sweaters! (I have felted the sweaters, and have yet to utilize in a project.)  She gifted me with this one after she saw me lusting after it.... isn't it just adorable with the button placket down the front??? (Thanks, Fran!)

I think this Punch of Orange is going to be simply luscious with the lime green, chocolate, and blue color scheme!

What colors are dancing in your dreams?

...scatter joy...
lindy

"Drum" roll, please..... or should I say Drum Shade???

I'm not sure if it's retro, modern, or funky.... I just know that I like it....  and the great thing is that I see it from the living area as well as the kitchen.... !  It makes me smile.  I picked this beautiful light up at Stacy O's in Saginaw.... she has great style and wonderfully unique items... I love her AND her store.

What lights you up inside?
...scatter joy...
lindy

simple & quick holiday decor

Sometimes it takes very little effort to add some twinkle and merriment to your space... check out this cute little holiday decoration that is also quite FUNctional..... and you KNOW functional art is my favorite...  I have this on the little cupboard that greets you as you enter my space!

1. Take one gorgeous jar... any jar will do... I used an antique canning jar I had on hand
2. Hang beautiful candy canes (ORGANIC!) around the rim
3. Enjoy!

I added a cut-out snowflake.... you could also add dried berries, or twigs or holly to the jar for added flair.

What makes your holiday spirit soar?

...scatter joy...
lindy

bax's new bowl

CUTE CUTE CUTE ... found Bax a bowl that matches the new dishes and the new colors in the kitchen.... It is the small things that help pull the whole look together and add a bit of whimsy!  Don't forget the small stuff....

What is your color?

...scatter joy...
lindy

Awesome Autumn!

Yesterday and today were simply glorious... we've had a very wet and cold start to our fall this year and it must be said, Autumn is my favorite season... it always has been...so I felt overjoyed at the sunshine and blissful weather... and since I had the luxury of working from home today, Bax and I escaped to the lake for lunch today.....

I have no idea what I am going to do with all these beautiful leaves I brought back, but I needed the beauty of the season back home with me... and they were calling out to be part of a collage... if I come up with something fun, I'll post it here!

what is your favorite season?
...scatter joy...
lindy

Progress????

You know the mess that happens when you are re-organizing and re-decorating??? Well I'm in the midst of just such a mess!

I am seeing progress, however, and here is a bit of a 'before & after' shot of the open shelving in my kitchen...  isn't it delicious???  It's just enough to keep me motivated to work through the rest of the chaos....

What spurs you through your mess?
...scatter joy...
lindy

rugamarole part II

One of the best things about spending design time on my space is watching the seemingly random choices all come together in an eclectic beautiful harmony..... this rug is from Stacy O's and is called Cat's Paw, although Baxter has asked for it to be renamed.... *grin*

I love the colors of the circles.... they are happy and vibrant yet soothing all at the same time...

what soothes your senses?
...scatter joy...
lindy

Plates a Plenty

I've always enjoyed having friends over... cooking, eating, sharing.... and one of the things that makes it so fun is in the presentation.... I admit it... I LOVE dinnerware.... and have some fabulous new finds for the new look of my kitchen & dining area.... here's a sneak peek....

What would you like for dinner?

...scatter joy...

lindy

rugamarole

My current design obsession is the kitchen dining area... so for the next bit of time I'm sure it will also be the focus of my blogging....  I felt as though I accomplished a lot this weekend and yet still had a lot of fun as well... it was the perfect blend. 

I found a rug for my kitchen... it is wool... felted wool.... and baxter approves....  

I think one of the most important things when designing-decorating on a budget is knowing when to invest money in quality pieces and when and where to shop for deals (and still get the look and or quality you are going for...)!  One of my favorite places that delivers on that is Crate and Barrel Outlet.  I'm lucky enough to live in a city that actually has an outlet storefront, but shopping them online is almost as much fun and can definitely garner fantastic finds....  (a few others I'll be sharing with you later this week...).

What do you do to design on a dime?
...scatter joy...
lindy

Lights.... Camera.... AcTioN!

I love being able to say 'I did that' or... 'I made this'.... but sometimes, it's just as great having a handywoman who can do 'it' for me.... my new island pendant lighting for example....  she removed an ugly ceiling fan (err... wait a minute, I forgot, I'm trying to sell it on craig's list... so really it's a gorgeous, beautiful ceiling fan)... and then did some sort of electrical magic to install the lighting!  AND... she installed dimmer switches... oh so cool....  I am loving re-doing my whole place... sort of like 'The Antonio Project' but not.  (My place is much much smaller and it is taking me much much longer than 5 days.... )

What project currently has your attention?
...scatter joy...
lindy

fabric...fabric...fabric

All it takes is a quick trip back to Michigan to add fuel to the flames of design inspiration.... I have a vision.... and of course it includes green in all its fabulous shades with a special emphasis on my current favorite color 'celery-lime' (thanks, Stacy, for the perfect descriptor name....)... here is a preview of some of the fabric I'll be using to create new beauty...

...visions of slipcovers, valances, & pillows are dancing in my head....

What is YOUR favorite color?
...scatter joy...
lindy

Fun & Fabulous

I get to live part of my fantasy this weekend... I'm going to Michigan to help one of my nearest and dearest in her fabulous wonderful shop, Stacy O's.  If you're ever in mid-michigan it's soooooooooo worth the visit... definitely something for everyone!  Stacy has been a part of my life for a long time and has influenced my sense of decorating style more than she knows. 

Oh... and the fantasy part... well... to be able to help decorate and be surrounded by all things fabulous.  I think I might pretend to be hosting a new HGTV program..... yes.... one where I find these small business owners who have these fantastic shops.... and highlight ways that the every woman (or man) can make her space just as she has always wanted it...   incorporating what the home owner already has with some fresh new bold pieces that help with that transition.....

Hmmmm... now for a great name that is NOT cutesy......
oh... and I wonder if she will have a carpenter there helping us get everything together in this tight timeframe??? hey... a girl can dream, can't she???

what is the name of your fantasy show and are you the star?
...scatter joy...
lindy

gorgeous in green...

Small touches can really make a big impact.... it's the little things I surround myself with that bring me daily joy.... fresh cut flowers is just such a joy.  I recently had a small dinner gathering and this was our centerpiece... my friends thought the blooms were great because they actually are a 'lime' green and notice what I've added to the jar vase.... LIMES!!!!

What have you recently used in a non-traditional way?
... scatter joy ...
lindy

5 minute valance

I am loving the process of changing my space to truly reflect me..... and I am closer and closer each day.  There are still a couple areas that are causing me pause.... one of these areas is my kitchen window. 

Because my kitchen and dining area are really one large space I feel as though I can't have competing fabrics (although coordinating or complementary are perfectly fine....) and now that I've found out I can go crazy with a pendant lamp that I've been jonesing for (oh. my. god.  ... I think I just got that reference.... lol) which has a gorgeous shade options and I'm talking retro mid-century modern chic....................................! 

I'll be choosing it this weekend as I help one of my dearest friends celebrate 'It's a Brand New Day' with her big reveal.... visit Stacy O's to read more!

To get me through til I finally figure out what the perfect window covering is, I sewed up this cute little valance with a scrap of fabric... seriously It wasn't even 1/2 yard... lol and it took me less than 10 minutes.  (I didn't even press the seams before sewing... ) and.... it must be said... I'm loving it... ; )

What has brought unexpected joy into your life recently?
....scatter joy...
lindy

pillow talk

As soon as I saw it, I fell in love and simply had to try it... of course I had visions of making loads of these and selling them .... uhm.... yeah.... these take a bit longer than I had anticipated, although I did streamline a step or two.  Thanks, Jess from How About Orange for posting this and sparking my interest! (If you click on the title, it will take you to the etsy blog and easy to follow instructions.)

Still..... I adore the pillow and it has found a new home on my bed... it makes me smile everytime I walk in and of course I get to say 'I made it!'

I had some felted wool fabric on hand and simply used it... I think it would be interesting to try different fabrics and textures and see what might happen... for now, though, it's 'on to the next thing...'

what is your 'next thing'?
...scatter joy...
lindy

Making my List and checkin' it twice....

The more I realize that my 'entry level' space is going to be home for quite some time, the more I want to do... and so the list begins.... fireplace, new furniture, customize the closets, rugs, paint, refinish floors.... and on it goes. It could become overwhelming if all I do is keep letting the ideas wash over me without capturing and planning... which for me is all part of the fun...

I would love nothing more than to have the Rate My Space aka: team Angelo come and make over my space... the funny: the makeover is for one room, but in my reality those rooms usually equal the total main living square footage of my place... they are connected so would be very easy to incorporate (see my justification system working??)... *sigh*...

Hmmmmm, well, supposedly all you have to do is post your photos on the Rate My Space site... people vote LOW and then you get picked! So I'm putting it out there, Universe... you've been served (of course I haven't done the posting of my space yet...) ; )

here is one small thing that brought me great joy over the weekend.... I traded out an old lamp for a newer modern version.... what do you think?

If you could have a room made over, which would you choose... ?

...scatter joy...
lindy

Functional Art.... Again!

As you may already know I have a passion for FUNctional art.... it's wonderful to surround ourselves with beauty (however you define it for yourself...) I picked up these wonderful Salad Servers from an artist at a Chicago show.... Each time I use them (several times weekly...!) I smile because of the beauty as well as the memory of the day...

In what ways do you add joy to your day?

...scatter joy...

lindy

Post Again, Post Again, Jiggity Jig!

It's been a crazed summer... I am looking forward to a fall filled with transitions and forward movement. I have made great headway on my space and am filled with all kinds of ideas for decorating it.... I look forward to sharing my thoughts, pictures, and ideas about the the inner and outer spaces I occupy.

Here is a quick art project I created a few days ago... I have been hanging onto these canvases that I want to repaint ... but have paralyzed myself with over-thinking the design.... so to move myself through it, I opted for utilizing some of my favorite decorative papers.

It will definitely work for now....

...How do you help yourself through 'stuck' times?...

...scatter joy...

lindy

Fresh Cut

Sometimes all it takes is fresh flowers.... as I continue to wade through my place, trying to organize... simplify... and beautify it is easy to get lost in the chaos.... I saw this bouquet while at my favorite farmer's market (evanston farmer's market) and they immediately made me smile inside.... they made their way home with me and I wake up each morning and fall asleep each night gazing at the blooms. *sigh*... they make me smile and breathe just thinking about them.

what small rituals ground you?

...scatter joy...

lindy