{The Apartment} Bedroom

I've (obviously) taken a break from blogging, but this break hasn't at all included champagne drinking and binge eating bon bons. Bummer, right?
I've been somewhat productive; I painted our bedroom. While there are more things I'd like to do with this room (bamboo shades, an awesome rug, etc) I'm happy with it enough to post photos on here ye blog.

{Life} The Dallas Chapter

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm ready to say "see ya later" to Dallas.  This place has a lot of perks, but I'm ready to travel and find a new place to call home.  The hubs and I both share this wanderlust.  We've tentatively decided that Austin would be a great first move as a married couple.  It's close enough to his family, and awesome enough for my family to want to visit.

The thing is, are lease is up in August.  Yeah, yeah, I know it's the 28th of August.  I thought the same thing.  The landlord of the small apartment building where we live possibly forgot about our new lease?

And.... that would be no.  We received a lease renewal form on the 23rd.  Very timely, right?  Unfortunately, those 23 days really gave us a false sense of hope.  We could continue to live here, without the bindings of a lease, and move to Austin when we felt we financially were comfortable to do so.  Yeah, I'm going to stop my whine now.

I guess we'll just have to make this next year as awesome as possible.  I've been putting off painting our place for the last two years because I didn't know how long we'd be here, etc etc.  But two years has come and gone and that definitely should teach me a lesson.  Live in the moment.  Be happy where you are at the moment.  And "bloom where you're planted."

Currently blooming: 80 year old concrete pineapples.

The Birds.

A month ago, the Mr. and I went to an incredible Japanese soba house.  This restaurant, named Tei An, is honestly, one of the best meals I've ever had.  Everything served was delicious and inventive, yet comforting and soulful.  And even better yet, the food matched the interior.  While I was marveling at each and every dish, I was as equally enchanted by the beautiful, secluded dining room in which we were seated.  The style of the restaurant is beautifully modern, without being cold.  It has a warmth and comfort that I sometimes find difficult to achieve when designing modern spaces.

Above and to the left of our table was a flock of beautiful origami birds.  They seemed so delicate and whimsical in the moody, grey dining room.  I was instantly inspired by them, and knew that I wanted to incorporate something similar into our home.

I wondered, however, how it would fit in with our current decor, which currently has lots of curvy pieces, and a few modern touches.  I like to mix these things, but find that balancing them incredibly important for flow and continuity.  I'd say our place is 80 % traditional and 20 % modern.

While brainstorming one afternoon, it occurred to me, that if I could find a beautiful birdcage, I could house the origami birds.  It could be kitschy and whimsical, but most importantly that traditional meets modern balance that I really love.  And I did just that.  One afternoon, while browsing for housewares, I found an inexpensive, and decidedly plain birdcage.  Gold spray paint, origami birds, and tiny bits of string brought this idea to life.  It fills up an otherwise empty corner of the small bedroom I share with the Mr.  I like it because it isn't just a picture on the wall; it's art suspended from the ceiling and is viewable from the two entryways into our bedroom.

I'm sure this idea isn't for everyone, but it works for us.

Le Bureau

In the tiny, little, apartment that I share with my husband, I have a small parsons desk, a framed wedding photo, and a couple of candles.  It is my office.

This is where I blog.  This is where I write papers.  This is where I surf the web for hours, "oooing and ahhhing" over Interior Design websites.  This is where I scheme my schemes. :)

One day, when perhaps I take a more conventional profession (but hopefully not; hoping to make it in interior design), I might not have this kind of office.

I once worked in a place filled with grey cubicles and massive fluorescent lights and really crappy coffee.  And I didn't like it.  The job.  Or the office.

And I'm scared about that.

But, whatever.  Maybe at this very spot, I can figure out a way to get paid to drink wine, blog, and make stuff pretty.

What does your office look like?

My Little Garden

I have a black thumb, no more!  Every day I've (im)patiently waited and checked to see if my plant babies have grown and yesterday they finally have popped up.  And today, they look even better.

So far, cilantro, basil, and chive have arrived.  I'm very pleased about this, but I will tell you, I really want the lavender to show up soon.  That is the one I'm most excited about.  I can't wait to cut sprigs and leave it around the house.  It's supposed to help with sleep and with mood and of course, it smells amazing.

My mom suggested I talk to the plants.  Crazy, I think, but I've done a little research and evidently something in the level of decibels related to the human voice actually help encourage plant growth.  So, I'll talk to them, I guess.  I'll look crazy, I'm sure.  But whatever.  I'm doing it for the plants. 

I can't wait until I get more plants and my little garden will look like that of my neighbor downstairs...