D A I L Y G R A T I T U D E

I'm actually leaving for vacay on Sunday, down to sunny (hopefully) Florida. We might be staying with the bf's father in Trinity, the quintessential golfer's retirement community, but not far are some natural, coastal areas worth a look-see. I'm excited regardless. It's not a dream vacation by far, but it will do as we save up for that trip to Italia.

Image source.

Image source.

I'm looking forward to:

• The Greek sponge wharf and markets (pictured above).
• Picking out my very own bathing sponge for self-pampering.
• The ferry ride over to Caladesi and Honeymoon Islands.
• Beach-combing and picture-taking on the pristine white-sand beaches of Caladesi Island.
• Relaxing and nursing tired hiking feet in the family hot-tub.
• Curling up with my beloved with a glass of wine and not worrying about anything!

Product Flashback

As i prepare for the launch of my next creative venture, Wolf Moon Willow on etsy (a vintage and handmade home decor shop coming soon) and Society6 (available now), i'm revisiting my products from my Ernst & Thistle days to re-inspire myself, see what worked and what didn't, what i could improve, and what i might want to make again. And when i put them all together like this, i am so proud of myself and think, " Man, i am talented and creative."

Humble Abode Tour: Bedroom

The afternoon sun is so brilliant this time of year! It hangs low and shines right in my humble Westover Hills apartment. It is some of the only sun i get in this place, since it is a very wooded neighborhood. Needless to say, I cherish the bright rays, and am taking the utmost advantage of it: forcing bulbs on my nightstand and nursing an abandoned orchid and two Boston ferns (radiator) back to life. I can't help but love my bedroom during these rare sunburst moments, so I've taken a few pictures to share the love.

My birthday present paperwhites, thanks to Noel, in bloom on my night stand. They smell intoxicating, and the scent travels all the way to the living room!

The bed cover is a vintage popcorn chenille found in Cville for only $10. In front of the bed lies a vintage clay water pitcher picked up by my grandparents in a Mexican market and a ceramic Chinese style octagonal side table bought at Homegoods for $75.

I've got three rugs in the room, an oriental scored at an online auction for only $58, a vintage Navajo hand-woven rug --another score from my world-traveling Grandparents-- and a modern Turkish Kilim, pulling the red, pinks and oranges from the wall art to the floor.

Across from the bed is the all-important vintage wardrobe, a thrift-store steal at just $61. It contains my collection of vintage and spring/summer dresses, scarves, and shoes. Alternate storage (woven bins, vintage suitcases, picnic baskets) abound in my teeny apartment. It's smart storage: functional and aesthetic.

Deck the Halls!

Sir Davis, our Douglas Fir Christmas Tree on the lot of
Hanover Pines Christmas Tree Farm in Beaverdam, Virginia.
(Before the blessings and prayers and sacrificial rites.)
We go every year, on the Sunday before Christmas,
and hike a few acres to find the perfect winter companion.
We liked the curly-Q top ala Dr. Seuss. $75 later, he's happy at home.

I'm decking the halls this winter with all things natural:
pinecones, feathers, berries, moss, twigs, herbs, dried fruit,
and evergreen boughs, wreaths and branches in
Fir, Cedar, Cypress, and Magnolia.
It's a veritable winter woodland wonderland in here!
It smells of the woods, herbs, and rotting fruit.

This awesome bush on my boyfriend's property has a whole lotta these blue berries.
We have no idea what it is, but it is simply brimming with them.
I made sure to leave some for the birdies nesting nearby
and trimmed a box-full for wreath making.
With several bunches left over, i slipped them into vintage apothecary jars
and scattered them throughout the house.

A large driftwood plank is adorned with vintage postcards,
and a treasured vintage pic of a young Shirley Temple-esque girl,
sitting on the lap of St. Nick. Blue lights add some festive cheer.

Inside the wooden dish on the crate coffee table is an aromatic collection:

driftwood
dried lemon slices
sage
rosemary
holly
and a pomegranate

Above: Leftover holly and greens find a festive home
snuggled amid the vines of my handmade wreath
and stacked gourds,
still fresh from All Saints Day,
transform into a jolly snowman
with clove eyes and a bamboo skewer nose.

Humble Adode Tour: Flashback

To say i rearrange my apartment often would be an understatement. I do it every week practically. Its a joyous pastime of recycling, revamping, and reinvigorating.The same item, tired and boring in one room, can be re-awoken in another with different light, furniture and placement. Now, question is, how can i make a career out of this habit?

Above are some snapshots of my bedroom and living room over the past year.