something to wrap your hands around.

For some crazy reason fall/winter means I need a new coffee mug (Although if you look in my kitchen cabinet it is clearly evident that I have no shortage). It doesn't feel like I have officially rung in the new season without a little ceramic goodness to wrap my hands around. 

and because I majored in psych...a little Xanax with your cup of joe.

yabba dabba doo.

I have so many great memories of my childhood summers. Lots of camping, water fights with the neighbor boys, chalk paint, fashionably skating around in my Barbie roller skates (and matching elbow/knee pads) and the best part...Push Ups. Ahhh those delightful sherbert-y treats with Flintstones characters adorning the packaging. Pretty much my favorite summer snack. So you can only imagine my joy when I came across Shop Sweet Lulu's push pop containers. YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN PUSH UPS?! Yes, please. 

I may need to create some push ups before the summers end!

bring to a boil.

I wish I could cook quinoa as delicately and beautifully 

as Sarah Britton of My New Roots can.

Teach me your ways.

just a dash and a pinch.

Salt and pepper shakers. So under appreciated, yet such a lovely addition to any table. Especially when they are not your run of the mill shakers. (haha get it...mill...pepper mill. I know, I'm clever)

Personal DIY favorite...

Nesting doll salt and pepper shakers via design*sponge

sunshine in a glass.

Day dreaming of the summer and drinking everything from jars. 

iced sun tea, lemonade, and wine. 

jar of joy.

homemade nutella? Yes ma'm.

Grown-up Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (Nutella)
Makes about 14 ounces

10 oz/ 300 grams hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
2 oz/ 60 grams cocoa nibs
1/2 to 2/3 cup/ 60-70 grams powdered sugar
7 teaspoons unrefined hazelnut oil
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

To toast the hazelnuts, preheat your oven to 300F and spread the nuts on one layer on a large baking sheet. Toast the nuts for about 15 minutes until golden brown, then rub their skins off with a clean cloth. Set aside.

Toast the cocoa nibs by placing them in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they darken and are slightly shiny. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the nuts and cocoa nibs in a food processor and chop them until they liquefy. Your processor will sound as if it’s throwing a hissy fit and about to implode, but keep your finger on the pulse button until you get a thick, lovely dark chocolate hazelnut butter. The nuts and nibs will first gather into a ball before turning into butter. To help move things along, you may need to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl to ensure that everything is pulverized.

Add the sugar, oil and espresso powder and pulse again, scraping down as needed until everything is well incorporated into a lusciously thick sauce. There will still be chunks of nibs remaining which will give a slight crunch to each spoonful.

Store the spread in clean and dry airtight containers/jars and refrigerate. Bring the spread to room temperature before using. 

source.

my favorite rooms.

For the moment...this is what I want my future home to look like. 

lots of space for entertaining. 

munchkin included.

Cary Grant + James Stewart will be frequent guests. 

Love the use of old doors as a headboard. 

So I realize that it looks as if my house will have a lot of white walls...this is most certainly not true. I despise white walls....I just like these hypothetical ones.

i give in.

Growing up with a mother as an interior designer, I constantly preached about not caring about the difference between eggshell white and antique white and that I would never "crease" a pillow so that it would look pretty (yet lived in). Well mother....you may have just rubbed off on me a little, because I am a little obsessed.

These kitchens make me so happy!

love the hanging mugs! 

all i want for christmas.

I'm officially part of the tea towel craze. If you didn't realize there was one going on, now you know. To Dry For is an online boutique based in England that sells the most beautiful, fun, and creative tea towels! I already have a few, but I want more. I know it's an unhealthy tea towel habit, but how could I resist? 

How awesome - Mr. Tea Towel. 

To Dry For