Around the same time last year I posted about a particular bike I had my eye on. Well, I didn’t get that bike for my birthday last year, but my boy didn’t forget how much I wanted a vintage one. This year he totally surprised me on Mother’s Day and picked up a 1975 vintage Schwinn Breeze off of a Craigslist seller for $60 bucks! After researching the serial number, I also found out this particular bike was made not only in the year I was born, but the same month as well…July! I just dated myself, but I don’t care. So cool!
*sorry for the blurry Instagram pic!*
She looks pretty good in this picture, but the paint is dull and chipped, she’s missing her pedals, the tires need to be replaced, and the chrome is all rusted and pitted. My hubby use to do triathlons in his teens and early 20s, so he’s pretty good at taking apart and fixing up bikes.
I decided to try and make this bike as New England-y as possible and go with a navy, white and tan color combo. Here is what I’m doing to fix her up… Thank you hubby!!
She’s getting a new powder coat paint job in Sapphire Blue (my fav color). We’re replacing the grips with some cool cork ones and staining them a darker color to match the seat. The old leather seat is coming off and I found a vintage style quilted one that will feel nice on the tush. The old black tires are also coming off and being replaced with a set of fresh, white ones. And the final accessories are a large wicker basket just perfect for carrying groceries or a picnic in and a cute little brass bell! I’m excited can you tell?
I’m sure you are wondering if I’m really going to spend a ton of time on it. Well, already Ellie and I take quite a few bike rides throughout the week! Our neighborhood is also filled with lots of summertime activities…concerts and movies in the park, etc. Parking a car can get pretty crazy, so it will be nice to have a bike to avoid all that. The vintage bike thing has definitely caught hold in our household and now the hubby is looking for a Schwinn of his own and I’m looking for the kid version of my Breeze for Ellie. They made a smaller girl bike version of the same bike!
I’ll leave you on this beautiful Friday with some pretty bike images that I’ve found to inspire me!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
1. begbicycles.com 2. lovelybike.blogspot.com 3. modern-sophisticate.blogspot.com 4. unknown 5. weheartit
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Hi all! Today my buddy Andrea over at For The Love Of is showing her readers how I helped her create an orchid and fern centerpiece for her dining room table. Please stop over and say hi and learn how to make this easy and quick arrangement for your home!
It’s no secret that I LOVE summer! My little girl and I share a July birthday and combined with all the beach days, bicycle rides, bbqs, ice cream cones and outdoor concerts…well it pretty much encompasses all the things I love in life.
As far as our dinners around here, I have definitely been switching things up and making my menus a bit more light and grill friendly. This yummy recipe was an older one I stumbled across in my recipe folder filled with lots of handwritten recipes and torn out pages from magazines. You will NOT be disappointed! The hubby and I SCARFED up our food, it was that good.
To make it a little kid friendly I just sliced up the steak, made her a simple salad of lettuce, carrots and garbanzo beans on the side and added a slice of the DELICIOUS grilled ciabatta . She was happy!
So get all the ingredients before this weekend and make sure you don’t forget a nice bottle of wine to go with! This is perfect for a relaxing dinner on the patio.
Makes 4-6 Servings
40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pound hanger, skirt, or flank steak
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato (about 6 ounces) halved
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 5 teaspoons of olive oil, divided
4 spring onions or 6 scallions, bulbs halved, dark-green parts discarded
5 1/2- inch thick slices ciabatta
8 cups mixed summer lettuces (such as mizuna, baby mustard greens, and tatsoi) *I just used baby herb greens and it was great!*
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2 inch strips
Preparation:
Season steaks with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper; set aside. Grate cut sides of tomato on coarse holes of a box grater into a medium bowl down to the skin; discard skin. Add shallot and vinegar; whisk in 1/4 cup oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead.
Heat a gas grill to high. Toss spring onions in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill onions until just tender, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2″ pieces.
Grill steak until seared and cooked to desired doneness, 3-5 minutes per side for medium rare, depending on steak’s thickness. Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make croutons. Brush both sides of bread slices with remaining 4 teaspoons (or more) oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill bread until dark golden brown and nicely charred in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Set toast aside until cool enough to handle, then break into roughly 1″ pieces.
Thinly slice steak against the grain. Toss lettuces, basil, spring onions, croutons, and some of the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add steak and toss gently to coat. Serve with remaining vinaigrette along side.
Enjoy!!
Mother’s Day is right around the corner. Do you know what you’re doing for your momma? We basically all want the same…. a little relaxation and appreciation for all our hard work and pain! *wink wink* So let her relax and spoil her right. Give her a day that’s all about treating her nice.
1. I NEED this skirt! Ok need may be a bit much, but want? Oh yes…definitely. Sheridan French was brought to my attention by a friend of mine. Thanks Trista! And I instantly fell in love with her gorgeous tunics, bright colors, and THIS SKIRT!!!! It would be perfect for summer soirees, date nights and my birthday in July. It’s absolutely beautiful and it needs to be mine.
2. This soap caught my eye at West Elm a few weeks ago. My husband comes from Swedish ancestry, so I tend to pick things up that even hint at being swede. Haha! The smell is divine and it looks so preppy cute on the countertop.
3. Our dogs are mostly indoors, so consequently they require big cushy beds to lounge on. They currently have beds from Martha Stewarts’ line at Petsmart and I haven’t been too happy with them. And…they are definitely NOT as cute as this Dash and Albert dog bed! I’m a huge fan of the line and have been very happy with the quality of their products. These will be seen in my home soon I think.
4. We ventured out to the desert for the big Coachella event a few weeks ago. Having previously attended the concert (this was my eighth year), I knew that makeup tends to melt right off your face. I decided to give this beauty balm a try after hearing so much about them. Light weight coverage, primer, moisturizer, anti aging treatment, and sunscreen all in one….it sounds too good to be true. However, I can tell you first hand THIS IS THE BEST STUFF!!! I’m hooked. It gives my blotchy, acne prone, sensitive skin a nice amount of coverage and hides my flaws, and I’ve also noticed an overall improvement to the texture. You must try this!
5. I instantly fell in love with this tunic when I laid eyes upon it at Anthro. It’s has a slight vintage feel and is just the look I tend to lean towards for summer. It will be a great piece to dress up with bright skinny jeans and wedges or down with cutoffs and sandals.
6. It’s no secret that I love a good monogram. This pillow would look adorable in our British inspired living room.
Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
The other day I joined my good friend Jenn and her adorable new baby Laird for a little Ikea shopping trip. I like Ikea (mainly for the meatballs), to stock up on Swedish food (my husband is from Swedish roots) and usually to grab cheap supplies for parties. This time I was searching for items to decorate my husbands’ new office! That will be another post for sure.
I’m not always the biggest cheerleader of Ikea to be honest. I think cheap finds, but I also want things to last and I don’t always find that combo there. But this time I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few items that looked really good and of quality!
This Flatweave Rug caught my eye just as we were checking out. It was just laying across some boxes in the wrong area. It looks much more expensive than it really is. But like most flatweave rugs, you get a great look for a great price!
It’s no big surprise that I love anything woven, rattan, cane or the like. It gives a room such a warm cozy feeling. Another thing I love…a shot of black in a room. This Rattan Chair fits both those bills! I think a bright floral pillow and a light weight throw would look great on this chair.
This Buffalo Check Bedding isn’t new, but everytime I see it at Ikea I fall in love with it all over again. It’s just perfect for a little girls room. It also comes in tan and it would be great paired with dark navy accents and rustic furniture for a boys room.
I’m sort of still kicking myself that I didn’t grab these Pastel Check Towels. They’re kitchen towels, but they would be SO cute as napkins for our Easter table! They’re borderline neon they are that bright. You could also unfold them and hang them off the table as placemats. I think I need to go back and pick these up!
Another fabulous piece for your table! This Stripe Table Runner would just be the perfect first layer on the table. I would line up colorful tulips in vases down the center of this. Pretty!
I about fell over when I saw this Graphic Pillow. It is THAT good! TEN DOLLARS PEOPLE!!!! And it looks so much more expensive than that. I wanted this, but it really wouldn’t go in my house. But someone needs this. Please go buy it.
Another shocker was this Poster Set of 3. It looked like something wonderful I would find on Etsy. These would be adorable in a little kids room. I may go back and get the set just for the London poster….being the big ol’ Anglophile that I am. It would look cute in my office.
These lanterns are a staple at Ikea, but I’ve never seen these Pastel/Neon Lanterns before. My friend Jenn and I both went nuts for them. She’s already planning on buying a bunch for her annual Fiesta Del Sol party, that she and her family throw every summer. Umm, and how cute would they look along with the pastel check towels as napkins? Cute!
This Oversized Floor Lamp is going to find a new home in my husbands’ office. $69! And it’s large and such a great look for a room. A must.
I am off to spruce up our patio area for some major lounging this weekend! It’s set to be in the 80s all weekend…HALLELUJAH!!! I see surfing, sun bathing, bbq’ing and doing nothing in our future.
Hope you have a good one too!
I thought it was just my kiddo, but no…it seems to be a common problem. Tangles and kids who DO NOT like their hair to be brushed! I wash Ellie’s hair usually about two to three times a week. That’s all she’ll allow me to do. Her head (like many other kids out there) is SUPER sensitive. So I can shampoo, brush, whatever…as gently as possible and she will still scream at me that it hurts her noggin.
But not now!
This is the magic potion….
We just got our brush and spray yesterday. I immediately sprayed it in her…just home from school/ crazy tangled up hair…and wouldn’t you know it, I could easily brush her hair with the detangler brush. And she didn’t complain one bit! She actually asked me to keep brushing her hair because it felt nice. NO JOKE!
I think it’s a miracle.
Get it here:
Rugs.
Love them WAY more than carpet. Please, if you have or want carpet…reconsider. Ok, I’m not talking about carpet in a bedroom. That’s a whole different subject. I mean in the living room, family room, the SOCIAL spaces of your home. Rugs add such an interesting layer to a room and bring in another shot of color and/or pattern. And you can switch it out down the road if your style changes or if you want to do something new to the room. I just love them.
Here are some that have caught my eye as of late. I give the prices for the large sizes, but many of these come smaller too. I’m crushing on….
Aztec Rug 8×10 $883.20
To do a room like this…
{via So Haute.com}
Overdyed Aqua Rug 7’10″ x 11′ 2″
Just like this eclectic dining room….
{country living}
Cream Garden Floral Rug 8×10 $699
Adorbs in a girls room! But this could be so fun in a breakfast area or maybe a family room with buffalo check! Cute!
Fair Isle Grey/Platinum Cotton Woven Rug 8×10 $385
You can’t BEAT Dash and Albert rugs and their pricing! This fair isle beauty is a perfect layering piece that will give your room instant texture and depth.
Olivia Jade Area Rug 8×10 $623
I have been crushing on this rug for a while. I just love the jade mixed with turquoise and then accented with black! It’s definitely not an expensive rug, so I’m not sure about the quality. But I may just have to get this for myself and my new office! More on the new office next week friends! But this little number seems like it could be really pretty in person.
And a side note, I’m not usually a big tea drinker. However, in my attempt to not always relax in the evening with a glass of red wine, (I like red wine…a lot!), I’ve been trying out hot teas. I recently picked up this tea at World Market and I’m really enjoying it!
It’s caffeine free and is suppose to clean out the liver. Which obviously this red wine drinking/ coffee lover needs every once in a while. Haha!
Well friends, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
There have been quite a few times that while working with clients on a room, they tend to want to use their entire budget on the BIG pieces. Namely things like the sofa, the occasional tables, chairs, the bed, etc etc. The things you sit on or place things on in a room. Often when I’m presenting a plan, the thought of using part of the budget for the things that will really make the room feel pulled together, cozy and lived in, seems to scare the clients. They often just want to use what they have…the ten year old quilt their grandma made them that has a hole (not joking), the 1970s floral painting that was given to them by their aunt, the knick knacks that are too small but were SUCH THE DEAL at Homegoods, things like that. Believe me, if a client gives me something that is sentimental and fabulous, we can use it to design a whole room around it! I LOVE doing that whenever possible actually!
But sadly, I usually have to persuade the people I work with quite a bit, to finish out a room completely and not just stop at the big ticket items. This means bringing in a great rug or flooring, pretty lighting, well thought out and curated accessories, and one of the most important of all… fabulous ART!
Yes, ART! It helps bring a room together, give it personality, and set the tone. It draws your eye up to the liner space in the room, and keeps the viewer interested in the room. Recently I have been searching for a fairly large piece to go in my own home, as well as spec’ing out a few pieces to go in my clients rooms. Etsy is still one of the best go-tos for affordable, great looking original art. And these particular artists caught my eye and I thought I would share them with you!
This artists’ work has such a beautiful tapestry quality about it. Michelle Morin can be found HERE.
Her pelican reminded me of this room…
I will never tire from a simple landscape painting. I’m always drawn to them and love to work them into a room where a client wants a peaceful, soothing experience.
These landscapes are a little haunting and I love them.
JShears can be found HERE.
See how the landscape in this casual living room just highlights the fireplace even more and creates a soothing environment?
A great portrait painter is hard to find in my book. Well…but I have high expectations since my favorite portraits happen to be by a Master. But this artist is phenomenal!
Here’s a cool vignette with a similar painting. Although, I don’t like it as much as the two above!
And his landscapes are pretty darn good too!
This simple still life would look so awesome over a bar cart or in a man’s study.
These were done by Kai Samuel-Davis. His work is found HERE.
* I have a strange “thing” for graveyards.We just don’t have the cool old ones that they have back East.*
Thor Wickstrom, shop HERE.
There are so many more talented, wonderful artists on Etsy. I need to make up my mind on which one is going to be going over our living room sofa possibly. So many choices!
We’ve been completely blessed since having Ellie, with an abundance of fabulous babysitters for her. Lydia was her first sitter and over the years she has passed along a few of her friends for us to use as well. Carly of Carly Rae Weddings was one of those friends! Not only is the girl great with kiddos, but she is THE go-to for a fabulous wedding!
Recently she asked me to give her a little help with her newlywed abode. She knew what she liked, but she needed a little jumping off point to start from. The Ikea sofa and the table lamp were the only things that needed to stay in their living room. The rest was where she was having trouble. I tried to keep things super affordable and budget friendly for her. And since they’re a young couple, I wanted to keep the feel fresh and bright.
Living in an rental can make personalizing your space a little more difficult. Since the walls must be left boring white, it’s important to bring in color! Starting with a fun aqua chevron rug (which happens to be a fav print of Carly’s), it instantly adds some personality and color to the space. A mirrored, lacquer console will double as a television stand and extra storage. It will also create a focal point for a fabulous gallery wall! Then the big grey sofa gets a punch of color by adding a fun mix of pillows… metallic gold linen, a quirky Thomas Paul bird print, a small scale faded coral and a cute monogram accent pillow. For extra seating and another dash of color, two Moroccan turquoise poofs can go on the opposite side of the coffee table. Add a fun faux fur throw to cuddle up in on colder evenings, and simple linen panels that can be spruced up with fun trim and you’ve got an expensive living room that can move when you do!
floor lamp | coffee table | side table | console | metallic pillow | bird pillow | diamond pillow | monogram pillow | leather poof | chevron rug | faux fur throw | drapery rod | draperies
