I don't know where it'll go...

I find this appealing. I have no place for it, but whatevs.

Hey look, technology!

So I finally got my act together and loaded some photos. Ta. Da.

Here's the room:
.

My favorite place to read:



Beware the yellow bathroom:


Well, don't we all feel better now?

Okay, I Give In.

I'll get a new damn bed. Boyfriend, you better send Pottery Barn a thank you card.


(the crewel-floral embroidered duvet cover and sham...)

My Boyfriend Hates Me

No really. True story.

Okay, okay, he hates my bed, but that cuts deep. You see, the boy is a rather tall fellow, and my bed is a full and so he suffers from that curse that plagues boyfriends everywhere: feet dangle. And apparently this hurts his ankles and then his legs and then he can't sleep and then he begins to-- just a little-- hate me.

But gosh, what am I supposed to do? I love my pretty white duvet cover and iron headboard. They did not come cheap, let me tell you. Also, the room is not huge, and someday I will finish repainting my mother's old china cabinet so it's a bureau and I like my nightstands and the old rocking chair in the corner. There's just no space. Really. He claims otherwise but he has ulterior motives.

Cohabitation, however, is something I would like, so I know my loss on this one is inevitable. Just as is my overuse of commas. So I've been looking for duvet covers. I must say, I'm struggling a little. I kind of like the embroidered "ethnic" stuff at West Elm, but I'm not gaga over it.

What is a girl to do?

Somebody Slap Me

I did it. I bought the damn hourglass. It has a delicacy to it that I really dig. I also bought a candle holder and a glass with an Indian print, which I'm actually having some buyer's regret over. My lovely boif pointed out that the glass looked kind of like a fancy version of the things fast food joints give out for a buck and a hamburger (I wanted to throw it at him, but he was right). The candle holder is cool except it turns out that its intended shelf in my bathroom slants downward slightly, which is pretty unnoticeable but becomes very obvious once you look at the top of the taper. It's the whole "if a pilot is off by two degrees he'll end up a batrillion miles from the right place" thing. Argh. Also, if I'm being completely honest, the hourglass is a little crooked.

All this made me think of my love of home goods. Why? Why do I love matching things and putting stuff together and vases with China mums and little bird figurines and why, oh God why, hourglasses? Have you read Bee Season? It's not a book I loved, but the mother turns out to be a huge thief of knick knacks. She calls them "perfectomundo," and this was an aspect of the book I really, really got. I don't know that I'm necessarily trying to fill some void, but there's a charm in tiny, perfect, beautiful things. I know I shouldn't be some happy about or want so much these material objects, but is it so bad? Isn't it okay if it gives me some satisfaction?

And that is why I will eventually buy this stupid Victoria Hagen hurricane from Target.

Time Trend

What's with all the hourglasses all of a sudden? CB2, Anthropologie, and Z Gallery all have 'em. I have always thought hourglasses were kind of cool. I especially like these simple glass versions. It seems we will all have to rearrange our coral and foo dogs to find a space for this new trend.

Still alive

Sorry the posts have been few and far between lately. Grades are due next week. I will return after that...

Swoon

Okay, so my eyes would immediately turn purple and fall out (due to cat) the second i got near it, but do you think Nicole of Making it Lovely would notice if I stole her chair? Lovely, indeed. Thanks to Apartment Therapy Chicago for forcing me go to her page and stay at work even later. Jerks.

Tord Boontje, Thomas Paul and I Will Have Great Times Together

Good news, Thomas Paul: Tord Boontje wants to be our best friend. No, don't worry if you can't say his last name. We'll call him Big T and he'll never know how clueless we are. Won't we have fun?

I'm rather the Johnny come lately when it comes to this guy---I first noticed him when he did his Christmas stuff for Target (cool plates and a nifty garland). I like how he combines bright, modern colors with whimsical nature prints. I also like his Transglass products--vases and glasses made out of recycled bottles. It's just that particular shade of green I love. Man, between Tord and Tom, I am going to have the BEST plate collection ever. They had better get started giving me stuff, though, 'cause the only plates in my family are those Norman Rockwell Christmas things. Great for Grandma, but me? Not so much.

More good news: I finally tracked down those damn white birds I've obsessed about since my boyfriend took me on a charming walk through downtown Claremont (yeah, don't think he's so great---I went to a football game first. (Okay, yeah, he's pretty cool)) and I went into a home store and I saw them and I decided I didn't want them. Anyway, I now remember why I didn't buy one. I just can't make myself pay 24 bucks for a bird. Argh. Anyway, they're at Global Table. Enjoy.

The Times They Are A'Changin'

I've never liked the barrel/drum side table/stool/ottoman thing. I tend to favor straight lines. Lately, though, I've begun to think they're the bee's knees. In their February issue (that of the infamous Zac Posen dress-induced despair), Domino showed where to find a "cheap" version. I will look tonight and post the picture and link of that. I especially like the Gervasoni take on the table; it's made of pressed newspaper. How cool is that?
I have a small space next to my adored $35 gold craigslist armchair that would be perfect for this table (without the black top though...). Pier1 has something similar--the "Handan Stool." I like it, but the color wouldn't work for me, and I'm not crazy about the trim or little dot things. Is there a technical term for little dot things? Crate and Barrel has the "Congo," but it's $379. Ouch. Do any of you have know other sources for similar pieces?

By the way, how do we feel about all this rattan/wicker/natural grass stuff? Pottery Barn's latest catalog featured tons of it--I liked the cover and the picture in my previous post, but wasn't nuts about the rest. And Pier1 has always had a lot, but they're just loaded with it now. By the way, the one chair I do really like, the Dayton, is on sale for $65. You still have to buy the cushion (for around $44), but I find the chair price rather reasonable.

And finally, you know what I find the most exciting thing in the whole world? I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE when I'm looking at a website and they have something that I found a near replica of at Target. It makes me feel like a winner. And perhaps I need to seek another source of validation, but the sense of satisfaction is no less real. Behold: Crate and Barrel's Kingston for $199. I bought almost the identical table at Target. Crate and Barrel: 0; Casey: 1.

Cool Idea

Much like my students, my flowers never do what I tell them to do. They all lean to one side. Or they hug the rim of the vase, creating 360 degrees of stupidness. I've seen those things that go on top of vases. You know what I'm talking about, right? They're a wire grid? And kind of ugly? Anyway, I was checking out Pottery Barn today, and they've come up with a clever solution to that problem that ruins my every Thursday (Farmers Market day, you see (sub-parenthetical statement: look at the research I do for you.)): the "decorative wire sphere." Neato. And they're on sale for 4 and 5 bucks.

I just got my new PB catalog this weekend. I think it starts out strong, but I wasn't so impressed with the stuff in the middle. I am particularly ambivalent about their Francesca rug, which is supposed to be "inspired by early American quilts," and picks up on the multi-print trend I discussed last week. I don't really like the picture of the rug alone, but I do like it in a room. Go figure. Click on the image to see it bigger. What do you guys think? As if I will ever be able to afford a PB rug...

Split Personalities

Have you seen the mini-trend of objects having more than one print? I don't know how to articulate it, and I don't even know if I completely like it. I think I do. What do you think about this Amy Butler pillow? Or the rugs from Urban Outfitters?

By the way, Urban Outfitters has the closest thing to the blue lamp I like. Okay, not true. Lots of places have that blue lamp I love. UB has the cheapest one, and it's good enough. Not ceramic, though. Bummer. Not that it matches anything in my apartment. Double bummer. Also, I must say that it's a little embarrassing to not have grown out of my Urban Outfitters phase yet. I just really like some of their stuff. I can't say I actually own anything of theirs, but I still visit the webpage on a regular basis. I am so 15 years old.

Finally, please comment! I'm starting to get a decent number of hits, and would love to get to know my readership. Where are you from? How'd you find me? Have a great weekend, all!

NEEDNEEDNEED

Thanks to IMEDAGOZE, I just discovered Rosanna. Rosanna has, basically, everything I've ever wanted. I also think they're incredibly reasonable. I might even get over my obsession with having only red plates. I'm not going to say anything else. I'm just going to show you, and if you know me at all, you'll get it:

Creepy Coincidence

Last week, my boyfriend and I went to his parents' for dinner (side note: I think they may actually like me), and after we said our hellos, I immediately noticed the new addition to their living room. It was The Chair. The Chair haunts my dreams. Apparently, The Chair exists in reality. It's Ethan Allen's Sussex. Funnily enough, I don't really like the chair as it's pictured on the website. Bathe it in yellow damask, however, and (as my friend Cristina says-- I would never actually say this-- except for right now...) I 1-800-LOVE-IT! The boif agreed; his parents had indeed bought the chair I talk about ad naseum. Poor guy, the word "damask" has been forced into his vocabulary. It's the risk you run when you love me, I guess. I wonder how long the damask trend will continue. I really like it, I must say. Not the fussy stuff, but bold graphic prints make me a little happier than a normal person should be made by upholstery.

I am very much in the mood for flowers today. When I lived in Ireland, our farm had flowers everywhere. We had so many different kinds of daffodils it made my head spin. We had huge (and I mean HUGE) red tulips with dark black centers. When they opened all the way, well, one was reminded of Georgia O'Keefe. Little crops of flowers popped up in completely random places (next to the muck pile, for example. By the way, avoid muck whenever possible). We also had a picking garden, which was just awesome. My teeny tiny room was always filled with jars of flowers (jars, because there ain't no such thing as vases on a farm). I meant to stop by my town's farmer's market yesterday, but it was raining and I had to get the stitches out of my mouth (wisdom tooth, ick). I think I will go to the neighborhod florist this afternoon and buy myself some tulips.

Also, and I am a little upset by this, I need to buy a basket. For some reason, I have never been a fan of baskets. Unfortunately, I am a fan of piles. My living room is pretty darn neat right now, except for a pile of magazines next to my couch. And let's be honest: that pile of magazines isn't going anywhere any time soon. Because darn it, I have to keep those home design magazines that I've already read twelve times. Because I am crazy. So World Market, here I come.

Ooh, this just in: I went to the World Market website to find a basket I didn't hate, and apparently, all their rugs are up to 50% off. Nice. They're got a couple I really like. Look in the "natural fibers" section. Also, holy crap. Apparently baskets are expensive. Target, here I come?

Domino Downer

I love Domino Magazine. I really do. I am enchanted by its bright pictures, and inspired by the rooms in its pages. Lately, though, I've been a bit bummed. Because, you see, they want you to think that that room could be yours. But then the lovely wife standing in her lovely room is wearing a Zac Posen dress, and you realize, "Ah crap! I'm poor." When it comes down to it, Domino has very little I can afford. Does anyone know of a magazine like Domino, but for people on a budget? Just wondering.

In other news, I have a confession to make. I really want this Buddha head from CB2. I usually stay away from religious paraphernalia. For one, I think it's semi-disrespectful to use someone else's sacred object as a paperweight or a bookend. I also am not really into the Eastern look (Although, I admit, I covet Jonathan Adler's Chinese Chippendale chairs. But in red. Why don't they have a red one??). Once in a while, though, I will be drawn to some sort of religious statue. Why? Well, in this instance, I just love the color. When these traditional objects are saturated in bright, contemporary colors, I just can't help myself. Ah, juxtaposition, how I love thee. Ah juxtaposition, how I love using thee in dubious ways.