Inspiration at Anthropologie

If you're looking for a little fresh creative inspiration, you could do worse then to spend some time wandering in Anthropologie.

It's not just the actual stuff that's cool; they are really creative in how they decorate their stores.

It's fun to wander a bit & see what's new.

Jenny & Mom & I were downtown last night & popped in to have a look.

As Jenny says, Anthropologie makes you want to go home & light a scented candle.

I just snapped these pictures with my iPhone; & came home feeling a bit more inspired.

Fall Projects

There is something that happens to me every year when fall comes around. As soon as the air gets crisper & the leaves start to turn, I get the urge to make something. I think I've had it especially bad this year (can you start nesting in the first trimester?), so I've been pouring myself lots of tea, turning on BBC Radio 4, & pulling out my sewing supplies.

I have big plans for nursery sewing projects (a play quilt for the floor, a pink & purple quilt for the baby girl!, travel-themed cloth blocks, a rain & cloud mobile, etc.).

I'm also starting a quilt for our living room (5+ projects. See? I have it bad.). The quilt was inspired by this quilt and I am using random fabrics from my collection. We used a lot of my fabric as centerpiece tablecloths for our wedding, so it will be fun to see them around the house & in the nursery!

Hopefully this urge to make things will last long enough for me to finish all of these projects! It shouldn't be a problem, with a long winter ahead before my March due-date, an endless supply of Tetley tea, & so many great programmes on BBC Radio 4.

Emma Approved

Have you seen The Lizzie Bennett Diaries? It's a modern adaptation of Pride & Prejudice done as a video diary. I usually get a little twitchy with all the crazy Jane Austen adaptations & spinoffs (although I do kind of want to read Death Comes to Pemberley) but I got pretty hooked on Lizzie Bennett.

Now the creators of The Lizzie Bennett Diaries have launched a new series based on another Austen classic. The first video of Emma Approved went up last week, with the "handsome, clever, & rich" Emma Woodhouse (& a quick Mr. Knightley sighting.)

I only recently realized that Hank Green (brother of John Green, author of The Fault in our Stars) is the co-creator, with Bernie Su. They actually won an Emmy for The Lizzie Bennett Diaries.

The Emma Approved characters have their own Twitter accounts & sometimes even Pinterest boards. This time there is also a blog where you can find links to the clothes worn in the videos, like the "E" monogrammed necklace worn by Emma & available on Etsy. A couple new short videos go up every week.

The whole thing is so clever &, I'll be honest, totally addicting.

What do you think? Will you be watching Emma Approved? Do you like all the Jane Austen spin-offs or is it a little too much?

Emma Approved picture

Good Books: A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book

We're big fans of Elsie Larson & Emma Chapman. We've been reading A Beautiful Mess for years & we even took a road trip to Springfield once to see their store (but that's another story.)

It's been fun to follow the process while they wrote & promoted their first book, A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book, & now to see it on the shelf at the bookstore. (It's even sold at Urban Outfitters.)

I'm reading it now & it's already got me so inspired. I've started taking more (& better) pictures. I'm organizing piles of photos on my hard drive. And I even ordered an Instagram photo album from Blurb.com.

I'm having a lot of fun looking through years of pictures, & actually getting them off the computer & onto paper.

My favourite thing about A Beautiful Mess is that they live with such creativity. Besides the specific tips & ideas, you'll come away from A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book inspired to look at the everyday things around you with fresh eyes.

2nd A Beautiful Mess book image via Ruche

Inspiration from Castle: Kate Beckett's Apartment

Nathan Fillion used to be in this great old 90's show Two Guys, a Girl & a Pizza Place with Ryan Reynolds.  (Jenny & I still refer to Ryan Reynolds as "Berg," his character in the show.)

Also, my friend Sharelle, who has impeccable taste, has been raving about Castle (Nathan Fillion as a writer!) for years.

So when I finally got around to watching Castle, I was not surprised to find that I loved it.

Let's take a moment & admire Detective Kate Beckett's sweet loft apartment, shall we?

A union jack pillow, always a good thing.

Check out those bookshelves on the left. They are individual shelves, staggered randomly on the wall.

Industrial lights attached over the bookcases. In fact, the lighting in general is really good.

Supposedly that door leads to a rooftop garden.

And Stana Katic (who plays Kate Beckett) is adorable as always.

Those bookshelves again.

A little fireplace.

And that room you can see is a little home office.

The look of Beckett's apartment is more stark & industrial than the way I tend to decorate.

But there are a lot of great little details & the whole thing just works.

The view from the front door. The fireplace & office are on the left, the kitchen on the right. And see those stairs on the right, with books stacked on them? That's the spot that leads to the roof.

The kitchen.

The stairs with stacks of books.

That table/stove top is awesome.

And I think this use of small space would make IKEA proud.

In the second season of Castle, Beckett's old apartment was blown up by someone trying to kill her. (It's rough being a NYPD Detective.) So when the designers planned this new apartment for her, they intentionally made it eclectic & industrial, with bits & pieces from her old apartment mixed haphazardly with new stuff.

I just love that Kate Beckett so much. She has definitely joined the list of my favourite strong female fictional characters.

And I wouldn't mind living in that great loft apartment of hers.

{More Inspiration from Castle: Richard Castle's Office}

Kate Beckett's Apartment pictures via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Dorm Room Decorating: Comfort & Ambience

Your college years can be hard. While I was in school, I went through a bad breakup, lost a beloved grandparent, & my parents moved across the country. Even when I was just dealing with stressful midterms, it was always helpful to know I could go back to my room, where I knew a cozy blanket & a nice cup of tea were waiting for me. 

Even if you get through your college years without too much interpersonal drama, sometimes you just miss your mom & your home! A cozy, comforting room is just what you need. 

Comfort

Dorm rooms are often filled with wooden furniture. Soften it up! Make sure to have lots of cozy blankets & pillows for studying, chatting with friends, & the all-important nap. 

Put down some throw rugs, have framed photos of far away friends & family, & a few favourite things from home. 

A Beverage Corner

I don't know about you, but I drank a lot of coffee in college. Make sure when you do, it's out of a cute mug! In my dorm room, my roommate & I set up a beverage corner on top of our small fridge. It included: 

a coffee pot

an electric tea kettle

spoons in a small cup

 sugar

cream in the fridge 

We hung pretty coloured mugs on the wall using 3M hooks. 

It was always fun to have girls in for a cup of tea or coffee & a study break. 

Light

  

Just say no to fluorescent lights! As if all that homework isn't already giving you a headache! In college, we were all in a Facebook group called "People Against The Use Of Fluorescent Lighting." 

Open your blinds, turn off the overhead lights, & bring in some ambience! 

Target has great battery operated candles (some are even scented & flicker like real candles!) if you can't light candles in your dorm room. 

Paper lanterns from IKEA are fun. 

Get some cheap standing lamps for lots of light. 

Clip on desk lamps & fun patterned lamp shades make it cozy & pretty! 

Put twinkle lights everywhere. These are great for getting ready on those early mornings after a late night of studying. No one needs to see you looking that tired! 

Fresh Air

It's hard to think clearly in a dirty room with musty air (plus it's kind of gross)!

Open your windows. At least once a day. 

Clean your room. Keep Clorox or Method wipes close by & shake out your throw rugs often! 

Make your bed every morning. In such a small room, it will make a huge difference! 

Spray a little perfume on your curtains to make your whole room smell good (make sure your roommate likes the scent first!). Or use a few drops of essential oil (lavendar is great!) in a spray bottle filled with water. 

Most of these ideas can be done be using things you already have plus a shopping trip to IKEA, Walmart, or Target. 

Well, we've covered creativity, style, storage & comfort. Have fun decorating your dorm room!

Banksy & Exit Through the Gift Shop

Have you seen Exit Through the Gift Shop? It's a documentary by British street artist Banksy, & it's crazy fascinating.

Banksy is arguably the most well known street artist (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie are collectors) & Exit Through the Gift Shop was even nominated for an Academy Award.

His pictures are intriguing & any wall he paints suddenly becomes valuable.

But the whole conversation that swirls around Banksy (Is this legal? Is it ART?) is the most interesting part & Exit Through the Gift Shop does a sweet job of walking you through the story & asking the questions.

I finally watched it (it's on Netflix Instant at the moment, check it out...) & I'm sort of dying to discuss it. I love seeing the weird & interesting ways people find to live with creativity.

Have you seen it? What do you think?

Images via Banksy.co.uk & Banksyfilm

Inspiration from: Harry Potter & the Black Family Tree

Ah, Harry Potter. So many reasons to love it (the books, the movies, the butterbeer.)

I love this scene in Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix.

The entire room is painted with the Black Family Tree.

I'm seriously considering making a very large collage with my family tree on it.

Genealogy & Harry Potter.

Nerdy? Extremely. But also awesome.