shrinkage

keepcalmandcarryon.com

My house shrank this week. At least it felt like it did. Having two kids in 900 square feet (actually 847 square feet to be accurate) isn't as hippy-romantic-artist-chic as I had imagined it would be. The facts are these: one bathroom for four people is completely insane; 90% of everyone's time is spent in one room (the living room) where there's one sofa and one television; the dining room is currently serving as a storage unit for the baby's stroller, car seat, play mat and whatever gifts arrive from the grandmothers that week; I'm losing my mind. 

No matter how many loads of laundry I do in a week or how many times I vacuum and clean the bathroom and pick up the things scattered about the house, the space gets no bigger. So in the midst of my anxiety that the house will never sell and we're sentenced to a life of 847 square feet, I'm reminded of a phrase that the British government used during World War II to keep up the spirits of its countrymen: Keep Calm and Carry On. I find the phrase very fitting in today's economy, and it looks like I'm not the only one...

Image from Domino magazine

sfgirlbybay

apartment therapy

flickr

color me happy

Although I now live in a beige world--at least until this house sells and I can begin decorating a new place--I can't rid myself of color entirely. Years ago I was leafing through a design magazine and saw an article featuring a home in New Orleans where the owner had covered the windowsill of her loft in brightly colored glass vases and bottles. The image stuck with me, and I eventually adopted a similar look--on a much smaller scale--in my own home. I found these colored vases at TJ Maxx for about $10 each when we moved to Charlotte. First I placed them on the mantle, then I had them on the dining room table; they even sat on our console for a while until I happened upon their final resting spot in the fireplace. I realize the idea of decorating with bottles and vases is not unique to me, so here's a look at the work of some others:

Country Living

Design by Jonathan Adler

Image from Southern Living

Display by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

House Art Journal

my day so far

Time I woke up this morning.

Hours I slept last night.

Strollers I saw on my walk this morning.

Hours since Scout last ate.

Thank you notes written.

Cup of coffee down the hatch.