Arachnophobia!

Man, I need to start blogging and stop neglecting my 359 followers! So today, I shall begin again.

Naturally, my first post in weeks, months, years would need to be pointless, as staying with my general blog style. So, here's a picture of a baby spider takeover on my porch. I snapped this shot with a macro lens, which means I was way too close to these little dudes for comfort!

Stay tuned because I made Mushroom Risotto, and I'm gonna share the deliciousness with you all! SOON!

Let's Play Catch Up : Sundance & Home Decorating

Wowza! I haven't blogged in quite a long time! What's going on with that?! So sorry all, sometimes my brain gets all A.D.D. on me and it's all I can do to just hold on for the ride :) I promise I've been absent for good reason! Let me explain...

Well first off, as you may or may not know, The Sundance Film Festival was this past week! To my utter euphoria, I was involved in an amazing art collaboration of video shorts that screened at Sundance on Friday! So exciting! Wahoo! So, that ate up quite a bit of my time last week, taking away from my blog of course :( It was all worth it though, I watched the screening via a Live Feed on the internet and I'm not sure I've ever had such an extreme overwhelming sense of pride in my life! It was truly otherworldly to see some of my contributions make it to Sundance! YAY!

Aside from the hoopla of Sundance, I've been spending a lot of time conceptualizing/sketching new designs for my Etsy Shop! As well as coming up with fun new ideas to make your A.N. Original Jewelry experience more fantastical! Oh yes, I'm also putting together some bead DESTASH lots to make room for new gemstones...yippie! Stay tuned if you want to get a sweet deal :)

Last but not least, I've been obsessed with trying to revamp my bedroom. I'm in an apartment so I'm avoiding the paint situation, although I'd really LOVE to paint, gah! I searched far and wide for a new duvet cover but opted to stay with the one I have for now and choose to revamp the artwork in my room. This is where you come in...

See, I have lovely Red/Cream Toile patterned Pottery Barn bedding, with accents of red around my room, as well as very vintage-y old hollywood looking lamps and floaty drapes that are a gradiation of sage green.Now, what I need from you is your assistance in choosing a huge ol' painting for above my bed! I have a thing for Vintage Ad Art, they are all over my apt so I think thats the style I'm going with! I also have a thing for monstrously oversized art...so all of these prints would be purchased in a very LARGE size :)

I've narrowed it down to these 3 options, HELP ME CHOOSE! Which one do you think would be most majestic and fabulous?

That's What She Said...

To counteract yesterdays blog of frustration, I think a lovely compilation of "That's What She Said" is in order, to turn my blog frown upside down. In fact, I think you'll be seeing a lot more from "The Office" on this blog, because....well, because it's awesome. Clearly.

In a valiant effort to break up the monotony of a slow, frigid, gray January, I think I might take a trip to Marshall's Home Goods to frolic amongst the discounted, yet unique and almost always enjoyable home decor, kitchen gadgets and wall hangings. Yes, I just might do that. I just might...

Marshall's, here I come! (That's what she said!)

Homesickness, The Format & Origami...

Crap, man...Homesickness is the worst! Have you ever felt homesick, eventhough your actually already home? It's like your homesick for your "home" but the way it was 10 yrs ago? Or 5? It's such a weird thing, and I can never understand it when it hits. It's kinda like having a little pit in your stomach, like the feeling you get when your missing someone/something terribly, but you can't even put your finger on it. Life moves a lot more quickly than you anticipate, and homesickness may strike around any corner. This is what I'm learning at least. Growing up blows, but I guess I'd rather be getting older than getting deader...is deader a word? I'm thinking not...

That was my deep thought for the day, and clearly I really dug deep for that so don't expect anything monumental in the near future. So profound, as usual. * chuckle chuckle *

Ok, I'm done making fun of myself for my weird, random, slightly whiney homesickness blog, I'll be more awesome tomorrow, so check back :)

For now though, I'll leave you with a little diddy by The Format, make sure to watch the video, it's filled with fun origami goodness...

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS PILLOW! I have a big red chair in my living room that Ive been searching for the perfect, cutesy holiday pillow for, for the past month! And of course, TODAY, Christmas Eve Eve, I find it. Where were you all that time before, dear pillow? Why did you hide from me for so long??? Gah! It breaks my little heart to not have had this little beauty in time for my apartment's holiday makeover.

I love it SO much I just might buy it anyway and use it through the winter, so I can be sure to have it for next year :)

Anyway, check out this adorable pillow and more fun fabric wonders over at allisajacobs! Her Etsy shop is just too cute for words! I've developed a love of fun fabric that satisfies both a modern and whimsical aesthetic, which is exactly what you'll find over at allisajacobs!

I hope everyone is soaking up the last bit of time left in the holiday season and are all set for a wonderful Christmas Eve/Day! I always feel like this season comes and goes so fast. I try my best to enjoy it the entire time, I just never feel like I will ever have a tight enough grip on it! But alas, I will eat, drink and be merry, with the merriest of them, and enjoy every second of it!

Happy Holidays to you all!

Design Envy: Time for a Bedroom Re-Vamp

Yesterday I toured the Saratoga Springs Parade of Homes with my Mom. I had never been on one of these things before so I wasnt expecting much going into it but I was in for a pleasant surprise! On The Parade of Homes, you tour model homes which are typically decorated to the nines, in unique color schemes, over the top accents, and decor one might typically be too afraid to try in their own home. That said, the decor is the COOLEST part about all of it. Sure, some of it is just too over the time, too many faux finishes, murals etc, BUT there are some awesome introductions to color schemes and motifs you might not have previously considered for your own home.

My personal favorite aspect of the tour was getting to walk into these decked out designer rooms and taking note of the initial feeling I got when I walked in. I was amazed at my reactions to some of the rooms because in my mind, the decor or color schemes werent something I'd go for if we were just chatting about preferences, but being able to step into the room physically, without the mind full of hypotheticals, can really change ones mind about their own "personal style".

Right now, I live in an apartment, a very nice apartment but alas, just an apartment. The Parade of Homes gave me home owners envy big time! I will be so excited when the day comes that I can really put everything I have into decorating my home, rather than decorating an apartment that you have few options with and know is going to have to be reverted back to its original state when you move out. Anyway, while home ownership is probably not in my near future, I've decided that I'm going to re-decorate my bedroom and change the color scheme a bit to mimic one of my favorite rooms I saw during the tour. I will be going from a red and green themed room to a room filled with serene blues, black, vintage patina metals and maybe a pop of red here or there. I just wish I could put rich, dark, wide planked wood floors in, I guess that'll just have to wait though and settle for my ugly apartment style carpet :)

The above picture is a little inspiration board I've done for myself. I'm dieing for all of these items! This process might take longer than I'd like it to since I'm going to need to aquire items slowly as not to drain my bank account :)

Clockwise from top left...

1. Pottery Barn Duvet Cover, love love the pattern and shade of blue!

2. Pottery Barn Vintage Inspired Wood "Rare Prints" Sign, it's huge, and I love HUGE art!

3. 2 Dorit Candle Holders in 12K White Gold Leafing, so gorgeous and unique! (ETSY Artist!)

4. Bella Lumina Teardrop Table Lamps, by Pablo Pardo, LOVE THEM! So graceful!

5. Dachshund Wine Co. Vintage Style Print, I have a dachshund, this is perfect! (ETSY Artist!)

P.S. Stay tuned guys! I will be blogging about how to throw your own home trunk show in a way that sets you apart from the pack!

An Exercise in Relaxation and Self Preservation...

There's absolutely nothing like the feeling of "home" you get when you can lay in bed, in the dark, and listen to your favorite song. For me, this is what my life is all about. Remembering who I am via some of my favorite music is my personal favorite way to relax and get centered when I'm feeling "me" starting to slip away in the madness of owning my own business, the rat race on Etsy, and the seemingly never ending piling up of bills. Sometimes I just need to escape to "my" place, where I feel untouchable and safe. This is how I get there...

Take a listen to one of my all time favorite songs, "For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti" by Sufjan Stevens. Enjoy :)

P.S.- Isn't this picture so fun? Took it the other day just for kicks, and ended up loving it. Holding onto the sun :)

Etsy Lust Series #1: Rollandtumblepress

Since opening a shop on Etsy.com, Etsy has become a large part of my life, maybe even a strange obsession. I'm always trolling Etsy late at night for my next "gotta have it" find.  I love buying gifts there, picking up unique art prints to decorate my home, and even order a handmade treat or two from some of my favorite sellers. As I embark on this blog journey, I will be highlighting my favorite Etsy Items in a series I like to call, "Etsy Lust". Sometimes I will choose a theme, but for the most part it will just be whatever item I am particularly lusting after at that time! This post marks the first in a series of many :)

First up, we have a gorgeous handmade vintage style letterpress art print made by Rollandtumblepress ! The "SMILE Letterpress Poster" is an overall win in my book, and at only $20.00, it is hard to pass up. Each print poster is hand printed on a rolling press, from a hand illustrated and carved print block! I love the subtle color in the print and the simplicity of the vintage style illustration of a camera. I'm currently trying to make room on my walls for this print, matted and framed. Check out the rest of the Rollandtumblepress shop at Etsy for more fun and unique prints. They all have so much character, can't wait to get my own!