I'm back...

I've been having trouble coming back to blogging after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School...   I'll be honest that every time I try to write something, I can't because the things I write about here are mostly frivolous & pretty inconsequential, and it seems ridiculous to be writing about those things like everything's okay when it isn't.

I know so many of us feel this way and that the pain won't ever fully go away for most of us...  And that's okay because it means we love and we care.

There are times when I look at my profession- decorating houses- and feel like what I'm doing is crazy when there are so many more important, life-changing things that need to be done.  There's been a stirring in me for a while now to use it to help others more.  I don't think there's any greater pain than losing someone you love and I know I want to somehow try to ease this pain for others.  Dave & I have been doing a lot of talking about it over the past few months & have some ideas cooking...

I've also heard that the students at Sandy Hook will be returning to school in a new building after the new year & that they are trying to turn the new school into a "winter wonderland" by filling it with thousands of paper snowflakes.  You &/or your kids can make snowflakes & send them to the PTA for them to hang.  Here's the write-up I read: "When school resumes for Sandy Hook, it will be in a new building. Parent-volunteers are working to ensure that the students are welcomed back by a winter wonderland with the entire school decorated with as many unique snowflakes as possible. We encourage senders to be as creative as possible, remembering that no two snowflakes are alike. Please make and send snowflakes by January 12, 2013." 

{image via here}

Please send all snowflakes and donations to:  
Connecticut PTSA 
60 Connolly Parkway 
Building 12, Suite 103 
Hamden, CT 06514

It's a simple project that can hopefully make some of the kids feel a little less frightened when they go back to school...

So...  I probably won't be talking about it much & I'll continue to write about the frivolous little things in life, but it will always be with me...  I won't ever stop praying for & thinking about all of the families in pain and I'll always worry a little more about my own babies.

{Our Christmas Eve snowfall}

I hope you had a happy holiday & this year, Christmas was really special for our family...  I'll be back after the New Year & am taking the time with my family & trying to savor every minute of it- and also to keep my eye from twitching when I look around at the mess that is my house.   ;) 

{My littlest one- Luke or "Louie" as we call him-sorry kid!!;)-  all tuckered out from the Christmas excitement}

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read my blog {and for not emailing me about the constant typos that I know are present ;)  and for coming along for the ride.   I truly value your time & your encouragement.  My very best to you & yours.

Heartbroken

 

 

I don't really have words for Friday.  I don't think many do.   

 

We've been holding our babies especially close and my heart truly breaks for the parents who can't. 

 

 I feel immense pride in the heroic teachers & administrators who died to protect the children, and it hurts so badly that these all of these beautiful lives are gone.     

 

Please take care of you & yours.

~Lauren  

image via here.

Pretty Little Friday

Happy Friday!!  I wanted to pop in really quickly to say good luck with the holiday rush.  I try to periodically remind myself to appreciate the little things & so much of that for me (and I'm sure many of you ;) is about seeing the beauty in the every day...

Being able to sit down & share a meal with friends or family, having a moment to yourself, and yes, even appreciating the pretty produce at the grocery store...

{Would love to do a fabric based on these leafy clementines}

 

I am (as always) terribly behind in my holiday shopping (meaning I haven't done any;) but I've also learned that this is a time to be enjoyed & even savored.  This time wants to fly away.  The anticipation in our house full of boys is really cool and it brings back those Christmas-kid feelings I used to have.  Lately, life (although crazy-sort-of-losing-it-busy) has been exciting & special...  Full of lightning-quick days interspersed with moments where I notice something & really take it in...  and feel thankful for it.  I've been reminding myself to slow down and appreciate and I do think it's working.

Sending hugs & love your way and hoping you get some time to take the moments in.



If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Into Golds...

For a while now I've been noticing that gold tones have really been catching my eye.  I've always been into brass & the warmth that gold tones can bring to a home but I'm wanting it more & more in my own home in things likes fabrics & art...

 

{Loved the way Christian's hair matched some of the leaves this Fall}

I haven't been able to get this orangey-mustard beauty out of my mind since I saw it on my friend Seleta's blog, years ago for her Thanksgiving tablesettings:

I came across this gorgeous tree this Fall & it reminds me of the chandy:

I love the gold tones mixed with earthy & moody ones.

  I first became conscious of how much I was loving golds when I did the boys' room at my dad's lake cottage this summer:

 

 

There's something about those mustard throws that I couldn't stop thinking about.  (Yes, I know, other people have more important things to think about...  but I occupy my brain with ponderings of color ;)  Just thinking about this room since we left it makes me happy & in the strangest way, redoing this bedroom made us start thinking of moving this past July.  It was just a tiny itch, but with us, an itch can lead to a serious rash & we were off to a new place!

 

I came across this beautiful ancient Egyptian Wall painting on wreckorated.blogspot.com and am crazy about it:

 

 

 

Around the same time I did the boys' bedroom this summer, I finished "buttercup" and naturally, it was yellows & earth tones:

 

 

I'm really not one for "trends" & knowing what's "of the moment" but I do think I have my own little love affairs with colors & objects & themes in design.  I start to notice them in life & in photos & just ccan't seem to get enough of them. Whether they're current or not, I never really care or am aware, but they're right on for me. 

 

 

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.