Inspiration In My Hand

With a new year ahead of me I have been looking for the perfect "thing" to hold my inspiration. An inspiration board is the perfect place to gather your breath, but in my apartment it would loose that special quality of being "just for me". So when I came across this binder, I was sold! Its perfect size, my style, and a touch enlightening on its own. The binder is from Russell and Hazel. The price is perfect, and they are made from 100% recycled post-consumer content. Now I just need to pick a color - I think gold!

Birthday Week

It was my birthday this past week and I snuck in a little time off blogging. Up early. Out late. Birthday's are always less relaxing then you imagine - which was a great thing! Lots of vino and cheese got me through the week. Great friends, good conversations, and tasty food! Now back to real life, a year older and with an entire new inspiration. Here is just a taste - 

All Lacquered Up

The first day of Spring! New clothes. New trends. Warmer weather. Longer days. And an entire new set of nail polish colors! I can't find the exact moment that I began my love for nail polish, but I think it started with a sticker collection I had when I was four. I would put different stickers on each of my nails - it never caught on. Now I'm that girl with a ten day max  between manicures. One of my resolutions for this year was to learn how to do my own manicures (I'm still working on it!).


My favorites are OPI and Essie. Last the longest, most even color, and best selection of shade. I can't wait to have an entire collection, displayed in a chic white cabinet. Another resolution! Until then here are my choices for Spring...

 Essie | Chinchilly

 Essie | Fifth Avenue

 OPI | Glitzerland

 Essie | Haute as Hello

 Essie | Mademoiselle

 OPI | My Chihuahua Bites

 OPI | Over the Taupe

 OPI | Pamplona Purple

 Essie | Peepshow

Essie | Topless & Barefoot

 OPI | You Don't Know Jacques

 Essie | Tart Deco

Books & Libraries

I love books. The smell. The feeling. The ink on the pages. The words. The colors. I continually fall in love with storage ideas for all the books I have started collecting. I have a love for coffee table books recently, and know I will need somewhere to place them all one day. 


I remember the first time I was inside my boyfriends parent's place. Their entire home feels like a personal library. Each book has a place, each room a certain collection, each corner a place to curl up and get lost. The kitchen is full of cook books - almost an entire wall! The living rooms are lined with books that make you want to discover. And the entire place is organized to perfection!


So as my collection grows, I'm taking note on some of the most beautiful libraries and book collections. 

A Touch Of Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day! A little fact to share about this holiday, the original color associated with today was blue! But in tradition, here is a little touch of green to keep from getting pinched! 

All Tied Up

I have been finding myself getting creative with my hair. Whether I change the color or cut, make it straight or curly, leave it down or throw it up, I am always trying new things. This weekend I discovered a perfect messy bun on top of my head. While I had the ladies giving me compliments, the men... not fans. The bun is very popular right now - found on runways and editorials. Whether it is a ballet bun, french bun, or top knot, it is a chic way to get all those messy (dirty) tresses away from your face. And I for one, love it piled on top of my head! 

Artisan Cheese Gallery

I love cheese! All types, all kinds, on anything and everything! Cheese. Cheese. Cheese. So when a lunch date was in need, Artisan Cheese Gallery was the place. Looking through the plate glass windows of this charming, airy gourmet cheese store and sandwich shop you see the dozens of cheeses that grace the butcher block counter. Rarer goat, sheep and cow products ranging from Europe to Tasmania, and exclusives from small American Farms are just a few of the highlights.

Artisan Cheese Gallery seems to live by the philosophy of having a simple menu and letting superb ingredients be the highlight of the dishes - which is of course CHEESE! Everything is served on wood, which is simply the perfect way to serve cheese! From salads to sandwiches this place was amazing. The Bistro Salad is packed with Italian tuna, cooked red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced artichokes, and crispy cheddar flakes! Yum!

I chose the Italian Bruschetta Panini. Yep. Yum. Stacked with finocchoina salami and bruschetta, provolone cheese and romaine lettuce. The bread - olive batard! So simple. So delicious! With a glass of Pinot Noir, nothing is better on a sunny afternoon!
It would be a shame not to sample some of their cheese inventory, and they have a Classic Grilled Cheese that lets you do just that. The ingredients are fresh. The cheese simply amazing. And the bread ties everything together. This place is a must stop!

Spring Forward

I have been longing for days where it stays light just a little longer... and it's finally here! The air feels fresher today. The sun was out. All a sign that Spring is near. I love Spring!


On another note, I wanted to take a moment for Japan. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected in Japan. If you have a moment please head over to american red cross or text redcross to 90999 to make a $10 donation. When tragedies like this happen it puts everything into perspective in your everyday life. 

Happy Weekend DIY

I am always looking for another item to add to my wrist. Jewelry seems to be the link that brings everything together. I love bracelets! Gold. Silver. Sequined. Leather. Diamonds. Everything. With a creative side of me wanting to break out why not create my own this weekend. Gathering a few items from a hardware store - yep! go with your man next time you have a chance! A little twine and a few brass nuts go a long way! Get ready for a transformation into a chic fashion accessory. 

You will need: 

3 strands of twine cut into 1 yard pieces

18 brass hex nuts

Steps:

1. Gather the 3 strands of twine and tie a knot at the top - leave about 2 inches of slack

2. Start braiding

3. About an inch of the way down begin braiding in the nuts

4. Before you braid the far left strand over the middle strand, thread on a nut, push it against the base of the braid, and crossover 

(try wrapping tape around the bottom tips to prevent fraying)

5. Keep your thumb at the base of the braid, holding the nut in place

6. Before you braid the far right stand over the middle - thread on another nut and push it against the base of the braid and crossover

7. Again hold your thumb tightly against the base of the braid to keep the nuts in place

8. Thread another nut onto the far left piece and crossover

9. Repeat the steps - by threading the rest of the nuts to the outer pieces of twine before they are crossed over

10. Tread, cross, thread, cross...

11. Finish the bracelet with another inch of braided twine and knot

The bracelet should wrap around your wrist 2 or 3 times!

Mix it with silver and crystal and AMAZING!