Race and Religious

Do you remember that incredible wedding weekend we had a year ago in New Orleans?  Remember the gorgeous site of the Rehearsal Dinner? Well, the lovely home of Gran and Billie Semmes has been featured on Design*Sponge and they have a brand spankin' new website up with all the rental details.  Check it out!  Make sure you read the history section. What a labor of love the Semmes have undertaken with this exquisite property.

photos via raceandreligious.com

Frosted Glass Pharmacy Bottles

Happy Tuesday!  How was your weekend?

Bathroom organization project update: Since I am essentially in a panic state of organizing, I didn't allow myself to scour antique stores but these bottles are doing the trick nicely.  Promise to share photos once the project is wrapped up.   

Frosted Glass Pharmacy Bottles | Countertop | Restoration Hardware

Fever Pitch

It feels like Spring here in Houston, and I have Spring Cleaning Fever. I am hoping to spend every minute of this weekend organizing in preparation for the bun.  Let's hope I have a productive enough weekend that I can share some images with you next week!  

Source: livingetc.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: myvibemylife.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: thewrendesign.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

What are you up to this weekend?

Quilting is a scrap of happiness

Hello, I hope your weekend is off to a great start.  I just popped in to finish this post about these wonderful quilts at Anthropologie {started the post Thursday and ran out of time finishing it and I hate to leave anything unfinished}. We've all seen and loved Gee's Bend quilts. Well there is a new kid on the block in softer color palettes with more fluid designs, Fred Shand. Available exclusively at Anthropologie, each quilt is a work of modern art.  Collaborating with artists all over the globe from Dehli to New York to London.  There is so much to love in each of these designs: the signature panel on the back listing each artisan involved, the back designs, how effortlessly fabulous they look draped, and lastly the wonderful names.  In order of appearance: Green Wink, Fire Line, Pigment Curl, Bolt from the Back, Stripes Overcome, and Weathervane.  

All images via Anthropologie.com

Thanks Anthro for constantly delivering inspiration right to my inbox.  

Have a great weekend y'all!

Beyond the Quarter

Anthropologie has commissioned several New Orleans artists to create/re-create a collection of interior wares for an exhibition titled Beyond the Quarter.  I, for one, love the title!  If only everyone who landed  in New Orleans would venture out of the Quarter to experience the rest of what the city has to offer.  The artists and pieces were selected by Keith Johnson {another reason why he has the most incredible job in the world}.   

Hat tip: Lloso Image Credits: Mixed Media light fixture image via The Editor at Large, All others via Casa Sugar  

Painted Chairs & Mixed Media Light Fixture by Kaki Foley; "Front Porch Storm" by Rebecca Rebouche; Laissez Les Bon Temps Roule Settee by Alexa Pulitzer.  

Deck the Halls Reveal, Part II

I am a pretty sentimental person, saving Christmas cards for years, storing them away in zip-lock bags.  In the spirit of my upcycle decorating, I was inspired to create festive bunting (after I spied this on Martha's site.)   Merry Christmas to you and yours!  

I have to say it was much easier than the pom-poms...once my template was created I just traced and saved the portions of the front, back, and inside of the cards.  Created a layout and strung on string that was lying around.  Ta-daaa!  

I hope you are having a wonderful time with those near and dear!

Ceci n'est pas une cheminée

"This is not a fireplace." 

When we bought our house it was advertised as having a faux fireplace...so we imagined a beautiful historic mantel installed on a non-working fireplace. Were we surprised to find a lovely little piece of SkyMall furniture.  In five years we have grown to appreciate its kitschy, humorous nature.  Will thought of the perfect way to wittily celebrate our awkward acquisition.  He is a Rene Magritte fan so he "commissioned" me to create this piece, drawing inspiration from one of his favorite paintings.  Neither of us speak French so we might have botched the translation, but we kept it close to Magritte's painting inserting the word 'fireplace' for 'pipe'.  

On a side note, we finally burned our only can of fire gel and it really does add a nice ambiance to the room (as long as you remove the paper label before burning...or else it stinks up the house).  

Deck the Halls Reveal, Part I

I have this ridiculous nesting/crafting bug right now, so rather than attempting to knit everyone on my list a pair of socks, which could go horribly wrong, I am sticking to what I know best, decor.  Everyone loves tissue pom poms and short of ordering tons off of Etsy, I decided to see if I could whip up a few.   It was so simple, especially with the slew of instructions out on the web.  In lieu of a whopping eight sheets of tissue per ball, I used one single sheet per ball and cut it into eight smaller segments.  The result is the perfect size for a pom pom garland. I am not one to save wrapping paper but I always save tissue paper, especially Anthropologie's.  I also saved their felt circle gift ribbon to use as accents and the actual strand.  And since this is Christmas, I added a few red felt circles to give it a little more cheer.  The color scheme was inspired by my robin's egg blue ceiling + how fresh red and apple green look when thrown in.

Deck the Halls

I love decorating for the holidays and this year is going to be a pinnacle year.  This season is so special because we will be spending the entire holiday in Houston with all my family arriving from the east and west. With five of us living in four states, it has been over six years since we were all together for Christmas.  So this year I am gathering inspiration for over the top holiday decor from garlands galore, to pretty packages, to anything fabulously felt, and even chalkboard inspiration (last year's design was a huge hit).  I know that this year will be as magical as I have conjured it up to be in my head....like the magic of childhood. Now if I could just find some elves to help me get it all done!

All images via my Deck the Halls board on Pinterest {click for even more!}  Do you pinterest? I find that it is an amazing way to catalogue inspirations and highly recommend it!

Happy Haul-idays!

What an amazing giveaway Chronicle books is hosting!  Simply curate a list of books valued up to $500, then blog about your list and you'll be entered to win your very list.  Plus the generous folks at Chronicle Books are also going to give one of your readers the chance to win your list of books...so be sure to comment!  (Only open to US residents...sorry!) December 10th is the last day to enter.

As I am attempting to make my list and check it twice, I have two totally different rough drafts working here.  I am completely torn between my responsible list which will contribute greatly to my resource library for work, or throwing my whole lot into finally owning Terra Incognita Limited Edition which I guest blogged about over here and have been hoping to add to my coffee table.  What is a girl to do?!? As my computer is most likely to self-implode soon, do I have to be a responsible adult and go with the aids to my profession?  Who would have thought narrowing down to $500 worth of books would be so difficult?  .......So it seems that my good work ethic will not win out on this one...I am going to go whole hog Terra Incognita, with a few other goodies on the side!!!

Terra Incognita Limited Edition Photographs of America's Third Coast, By Richard Sexton

Small Stakes Music Posters, By Jason Munn

Little Book of Letterpress By Charlotte Rivers
Decorate 1,000 Professional Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home, By Holly Becker, and Joanna Copestick
Photographs by Debi Treloar

Polaroid Notes 20 Different Notecards and Envelopes, Curated by Jenifer Altman
Cart Total: $499.85!  Now its your turn....leave a comment and you will be entered to win my list. ...also let me know if you post a list :)  Good Luck!!

Here is my very responsible list which will have to wait:
Narrow Houses, Material Immmaterial, Anna Sui, Design Reseach, Small Scale, The Exquisite Book, The Small Stakes, Kitchen Centric, New Restaurant Design, 1000 Interior Design Details for the Home, Decorate, Paper and Craft.