Museum

It's been chillier than usual the past few days, so on  Saturday we spent the day at The Getty Center. It was such a fun day; it's an amazing museum and it has the prettiest view of the city.

Also: I am guest posting today over on Nuha's wonderful blog. She's the sweetest. Go check it out!

Punch of Yellow

I really want to start a fabric collection and just make pillows and runners and cloth napkins whenever I want. I'd start with a pillow that looks like this.

image via

P.S. Thank you for all of your sweet comments about my chairs the other day! It means so much! 

Have a great weekend!

Dining Chairs

After our first successful Craigslist find, I began perusing it again in an attempt to find a set of four chairs for our dining area. And I found these girls:

I started having serious doubts after we brought them home. I really started questioning myself and my "furniture eye." The lady we bought them from was horrified when I told her I wanted to repaint and possibly reupholster them. But that well-worn, brown look wasn't for me.

After a coat of primer, two coats of paint, and some new fabric, here they are now. I'm so pleased with the result!

{Requested} Some during photos:

After removing the seats (ours screwed out, but I think most just pop out), and some primer and paint.

Originally, I bought this fabric but I wasn't too crazy about it. Nothing inherently wrong with it, but it just wasn't quite right. I ended up returning it.

Reupholstering! We left about two inches around the edges to staple. I held the fabric while Matt stapled. I highly recommend using two people for reupholstering, it made it much easier.

This is the final fabric. For some reason it's always out of stock (I kept checking up on it and got lucky before it quickly sold out again) but I recently found a similar fabric (for slightly more expensive) at Calico Corners.

Today

Thinking about spring, an upcoming trip home for a wedding shower for my sister, and whipping up this gorgeous peach cake. Mmmm.

image via

P.S. My most recent Craigslist project is almost done. Can't wait to show you all!

Blue

images 1,2

Loving this shade (and I would like that outfit ASAP.)

Shopping

via

When I moved across the country after I graduated, I purged through my closet and got rid of a ton of stuff. As I was going through it I realized that there were so many things that I had bought impulsively at the store and worn once or twice, only to realize that I didn't like it. A recent goal of mine has been to be purposeful about the things I purchase. This list is helping with that, and I feel like in the past few months I've been a lot more scientific about my shopping. Sounds weird, but it's true.

Instead of going shopping to look around or browse, I'll go in short doses, with one or two specific goals in mind. This keeps me focused and allows me to not get overwhelmed with all the other things around that I don't need.

I've been saving inspiration pictures of different outfits that I like. It makes it sort of a fun challenge to re-create a look that I like, on a budget that works for me. I'll keep the pictures on my phone or in my purse so I always have it handy.

Rather then spending a lot of money on trends, I'm focusing on investment pieces that I know that I can wear for a long time. 

Do you have a method to your shopping? I can't believe it's taken me this long to figure these things out, I've noticed a huge difference already.

Valentine's Day

The only two pictures I got of our night: The drive, the restaurant.

Our first married Valentine's Day was perfect.

Matt wore a suit, I wore pink lipstick.

We went to a restaurant with five courses and chocolate tart with sea salt for dessert.

Afterwards, we found a side table in our apartment's trash room.

And brought it back with us.

Hilarious.

How was your Valentine's Day?

Color Palette

I have tons of pictures that I've saved that I've used for inspiration as I decorate our apartment. This room  found in Rue has been my latest inspiration. I'm loving the colors! I want to try to re-create this color palette in our living room: I love how she mixes browns and blacks, whites and creams, silver and gold. Just perfect. 

P.S. The rest of her home is equally as beautiful, go have a look!

Happy weekend!

Disney Weekend

Just a quick snap from our weekend-- Matt surprised me with a trip to Disneyland on Saturday. :)

I tallied up the entries for the giveaway and random.org selected Leah of The Rife Observatory as the lucky winner! Congrats! Thanks to everyone who entered. Leah, look for your $35 credit to CSN Stores in your inbox. :)

Hope you're all having a lovely Monday!

Weekend

I'm loving this list that I've been seeing around lately (here + here to name a few), via Matchbook Magazine. I'm ready to start filling my wardrobe in with some of these classic pieces, I may do some shoppity shopping this weekend!

Dresser

After a little elbow grease, Matt and I were able to transform our little Craigslist dresser. It was such a fun project to do together, and really rewarding too! Down the road I may paint the trim and the detail a different color, but for now, it works perfectly for us. :)

Clementines with Cinnamon Syrup

I've been sick in bed the past few days and my body has been craving vitamin c. Matt brought home clementines last night and for a little extra flavor, I made a cinnamon syrup and poured it over top.  

What are your go-to foods when you're sick?

P.S. I used this to get this, and I'm loving it-- so perfect for sick days.

 Ingredients 

4 clementines, peeled and sliced, 1/2 cup water, about 4 tablespoons of sugar, 

1 cinnamon stick

Instructions 

Bring water, sugar, and cinnamon stick to a simmer and let heat for about two minutes, until the sugar is melted. Arrange the clementine slices in a bowl and pour the warm syrup over top. Let sit for about 20 minutes, and enjoy. Serves two.