A Good Book.

I recently had my first day working at a library, and all I can say is that it makes you want to read read read.  That, and it being winter in western New York all I want to do is keep warm and snuggle with a good book and my little weasel doggie.  

By April Starr of FlourishCafe

This stuff is too cute, and I've recently had a minor obsession with typography and stationary......so it's an all around win in my book.  

Valentine's Day.

Can you think of any better way to spend Valentine's Day then curled up in a fort with candles all around you, takeout sushi, cake, champagne and a movie?  I can't.  So that is exactly what we did.

This year's love fort;

Our Fort.

Complete with a mix CD from Alex, and a good feel good movie.  Forts have become a little tradition for us, and it couldn't be more perfect.

New Cardigan.

What I'm wearing today;  my new cardigan.

It's nothing special, but it completes this outfit, and goes with this skirt I bought a while ago.

Cardigan: Thrifted
Skirt: Two Hearts
Belt: Vintage Versace

I love my new cardigan.

Magnets and Fur.

My Momma and her pup have been here this week visiting and recovering from a minor surgery.  We've done lots of dog walking, lots of shopping, a good amount of time eating delicious food and just generally spending time together.  It's been really fun.  And our dogs have been crazy and keeping each other very very very busy.

Monsters on the Bed.

Cuddling.  

We've been mostly keeping up with our crazy doggies, but I did have time to make some simple magnets for our fridge.

Just to hold pictures of our animals and our friends.  

These are simple and cute.  They also are better than any magnets that I've bought from the store too.  It's a win win.  I'm gonna go cuddle with those doggers.

Studio Update.

I did some organization yesterday.  It makes my studio feel a little bit more like a reflection of myself.
Here it is;

Looks a little neater.

I used old cereal boxes and some cardstock to make the trays and folder carriers, and then covered them with paper.  I like the result.  Hooray for organization!

Busy Busy.

I have been trying to get our apartment just the way I want it recently.  It's really coming along, and it makes me feel so good to be home in this space that is uniquely ours.

Anyway, here is our new dining room.

Before color was off white, did not match our bright white table.

After color!

It's a lovely light sage green, and it makes it feel a little more like ours.  I know it seems like doing a lot to a place that we won't live forever, but I love feeling like it is completely our space.  It makes a big difference.  In addition, tonight we christened the new dining room by eating a wonderful homemade dinner by candlelight.  What's better to do when it's snowing like crazy outside? 

New Headboard, & Other News.

I picked up this old headboard at a Thrift Store a couple of months ago with the plan to remake it for our guest room.  Of course it sat in my studio for about two months, and being that it is now a new year, I  am trying very hard to get organized.  Basically, I remade this headboard to get it out of the way.  But what a nice way to get it out of the way!

Here is the Before;

Before Retro Vinyl Yellow Headboard.

After!

My New Guest Room Headboard!

A Closer Look.

I love it.  My mom had given me this fabric a while ago, and it works perfectly for this room!  I love it when things work out.

In other news, Alex and I bought a new car!

Our New Baby, Gladys.

We bought a brand new (to us) 2009 Subaru Forester.  And I love it.  As you can see, we did get quite a bit of snow the past few days, but it is nothing Gladys cannot handle.  Bring on the snow Buffalo.

Cutest Smoke Alarm. Ever.

Look at this!

Order here for about 50 Euro.

It's actually a smoke alarm!  I love it.  I'm gonna need one in every room.

Pretty much the sweetest thing ever.

It is based on a chick-a-dee which have various warning calls.  Chick-a-dees used to let miners know when poisonous gases were harmful, so why not put one in your house?

Goodness gracious I love birds.  

Change.

Starting fresh in this new year means some change.

For me, I have a little more free time, I have made a serious commitment to setting up an online shop, and I'm gonna buy my first car (with no parental help, well...not much at least).  Change for my blog of course is natural and I am going to use it as an inspiration tool.  I will post projects whenever they come up along with other whats-its and oddities.  This week amongst a somewhat busy timeline, I made room for a quick makeover.

Along with the makeover we did some Buffalo exploring, we had friends visit for a couple of nights, and we took Addie to her first trip to Niagara Falls!

When I say quick makeover, I mean that very loosely because all and all the project took us about 5 hours...  It did pay off though.  It looks SO much better.  See?

Before Kitchen Window.

Ta- Da.

After Kitchen Window!

  

Pardon the dirty dishes.

We have the luxury in living in an old Buffalo house that I adore, but it certainly looks better with a fresh coat of paint over some of the beat up bits.  Just this whitewash makes the whole kitchen lighter.  Of course we now have to do the cabinets.....ugh.  Painting is so bitter sweet.  

Some other highlights;

Our walk through Delaware Park.

I love this Buffalo mansion.  Lions live here.

Our friends, Alex & Addie getting misted.

Exploring Niagara Falls Park.

Always beautiful.

I'm a happy bear.

Red.

"When you're feeling blue, wear red." - said the american designer Pauline Trigere.

I couldn't agree more.

Being that it is the first cold day we've had in Buffalo, this is the time of year when everyone starts to hibernate and perhaps feel a little blue.  Not that blue isn't just fine, but red is to needless to say, fabulous.

Take it from some of my favorite style icons.

Bridget Bardot - Somehow makes pigtails look sexy - Playful Red.

Jackie O - Somehow makes smoking/balancing/taking a picture look adorable- Casual Red.

Elizabeth Taylor - Loved love, and diamonds - Girl Next Door Red.

Daphne Guinness - Wearing 10 yards of fabric look effortless - Avant-Garde Red.

Grace Kelly - Nothing to say other than beautiful - Classic Red.

Greta Garbo - Just Plain Romantic Red.

Don't these ladies make you wanna wear red?