A Little Studio Decor

Earlier this year I worked on organizing my studio (aka the corner of my bedroom) with a trip to IKEA as a major part of that process. (How many IKEA products can you spot in this photo?

I've concentrated so much on trying to get everything organized and neatly in its own place, that I've neglected to actually decorate the space at all. (Granted I do have 3 huge windows and staring out them is already a great source of distraction inspiration.)

This weekend I just wanted to do something different. So with a paper lantern from Pier 1 (one I've had for a while and just never found a place for), some neon pink string and a chunky skeleton key, I added a bit of interest to an otherwise empty corner. First I looped the string through a Command hook and stuck it to the ceiling (an difficult process considering I'm just over 5 feet and my ceilings are 9 feet). Then I tied one end of the string to the lantern and the other to the key as a counterweight. With the loop system I can adjust the height of the lantern (at least a little bit).

Now I just need to work on that blank wall...

The Weekend

I had a fun Mother's Day weekend hanging out with my mom. We went to tiny Woodbury, Georgia to go antiquing. There are two good antiques malls in the blink-and-you'll-miss-it "downtown". Seriously, the town looks like the quintessential small Southern town populated with quirky but sweet characters from a movie or television show.

The photos above are of a pretty little sunflower they were selling outside one of the antiques malls and the other is a church with an interestingly shaped grate over the vent.

As a result of our treasure hunt, I have exciting news...I bought a house!

A little joke, sorry; I couldn't resist! I absolutely love this adorable ceramic house-shaped planter. It reminds me of a house from a fairy tale or nursery rhyme. It was sitting on a high shelf and I almost missed it, but when I found it I knew it was coming home with me. I thought it would be appropriate to photograph it with my favorite home decor books. (Talk about your small, cool space!)

Look at the giant keyhole! And that crazy chimney! This cottage would totally make it to Apartment Therapy's house tour!

I also found a vintage souvenir glass featuring Florida (my second favorite state behind Georgia of course). I love these glasses and I plan to start collecting them for every state that I've traveled to. And then I found the plant stand. I love the really simple lines of it.

So, all in all a pretty great weekend: quality time with one of my favorite people AND fun new additions to my home! How did you enjoy the weekend?

What I'm Reading

In anticipation of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby opening today, I've been in the mood to read some F. Scott Fitzgerald again. I've read The Great Gatsby several times so I'm exploring more of his work now.

These hardbound editions of Tales of the Jazz Age and This Side of Paradise offer the perfect combination for a design-savvy bookworm like me: great literature in a shiny little package!

Happy Great Gatsby Friday!

More Patterns

I've gone pattern crazy lately. About a month ago I shared these patterns with you and well, since I don't have any big projects going on, I thought I'd share a couple more. I'm working on some variations on these too. I'm also working on putting these patterns to use and I hope to have some images of that soon. Happy Thursday!

Play Ball!

[I'm a little late with this post. What can I say, spring fever has me outside a lot more these days!]

All the signs are here: the flowers blooming, the longer days and the start of baseball season. Now, I don't follow the great American past time but I'm always excited for the beginning of baseball season because it's one more indicator that spring is here and summer is on it's way.

Just recently, I found a fitting outdoor accessory that pays homage to the old ball game. While thrift store shopping with a good friend, I came across an old baseball basket and immediately saw it as a plant stand for my balcony. The open structure, size and height make it perfect for this new purpose. The sedum I picked up at a local nursery is a nice contrast with the orange color of the basket.

Spring Music Picks

Happy first day of spring! I am more than ready for a new season. And along with the longer days, warmer temperatures and blossoming flowers, I am taking inspiration from some new music just recently released.

Rilo Kiley - Let Me Back In (Single)

I am so excited about the "new" single from Rilo Kiley released just yesterday. I have been following Rilo Kiley since "More Adventurous" and I have most of their earlier albums as well. I first heard "Let Me Back In" on Austin City Limits way back in 2005 before they'd even given it a title and have been waiting since then for the band to release an official recording. (The song starts at about 21:48, but I recommend watching the entire video if you have the time. I'm just in awe of Jenny's voice!)

Atlas Genius - When It Was Now

I found this one while browsing Amazon.com (for me, almost as bad as Pinterest in terms of a "time suck"). Atlas Genius is a new band from Australia with a fun 80's throwback pop sound.  I can imagine "Trojans" as a fun dance-along song for the summer.

They Might Be Giants - Nanobots

And now for something completely different...
I'm not a huge fan of They Might Be Giants, but their new album has some fun, catchy songs like "You're on Fire" and "Call You Mom". But my main reason for mentioning the album is the artwork. I can't help but get excited about an awesome album cover featuring one of my favorite pre-modern era painters, Jean August Dominique Ingres...with a twist.

All images from Amazon.com

Rilo Kiley - Let Me Back In (Single)
Atlas Genius - When It Was Now
They Might Be Giants - Nanobots

Spring Inspired Patterns

As the temperature rises (along with the pollen count) I am very excited for spring's arrival. This week I've been working on some new patterns inspired by springtime and the plant life that reappears with it. These are inspired by pods and hanging plants. More are in the works. Happy Thursday!