Happy New Year! Here’s a lovely little quote from one of my favorite authors. Such a bright thought to kick off the new year, no?

Look for more posts from me soon. Until then, I hope you are enjoying a restful New Year’s Day!

Let’s just let that sink in for a minute.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like October went by at lightening speed. It’s my favorite month of the year, and this year certainly did not disappoint.

Settle in for a little catch up…

The biggest event of this past month was definitely the marriage of my little brother! Michael and Leslie (remember the bridal shower?) tied the knot, and it couldn’t have been more special. This is the reception site, a renovated barn at Heartwood Hall in Piperton, Tennessee.

Reclaimed wood beams, tealight candles in the trees, floor to ceiling stone fireplace – this place is breathtaking. And, what did I do? I danced. I danced and danced and did not take one photograph (save this one). I’m a bad blogger. I’ll leave the question as to whether I’m a bad dancer up to any impending video coverage (which I can guarantee won’t make the blog).

Of course, with the wedding came a weekend of hanging out with family, including this guy. Jack may be getting a little white in the beard (do dogs have beards?) but don’t let that fool you. Jack (Jackson, if you’re feeling formal, Jackie if you’re feeling cuddly) will get tired of running after a ball long after you get tired of throwing it. Jack is the son of our beloved Ginger, who passed away last year, and I stand by my claim that between the two of them, we have lived with two best dogs ever. Period.

I’ve done some sprucing to my bedroom lately, and this may be my favorite addition. It’s a bit more whimsical than I usually go, but I just couldn’t resist. It fits in perfectly on my nightstand and it makes me smile.

I also fixed up a little jewelry station on my dresser. It’s perfect for getting ready in the morning and let’s me see all my jewelry at once. Love it.

This weekend, the River Arts Festival took place downtown, in the South Main area. It’s one of my favorite Memphis neighborhoods, and its old storefronts and warehouses provide the perfect backdrop for artists selling their wares and demonstrating everything from pottery throwing to glass blowing.

I picked up this beautiful mug from local potter David Johnson and I swear it made my coffee taste a little better this morning. Love local, usable art (complete with a Jack photo bomb).

How’s your world been lately?

PS. October 20th was the 1 year anniversary of this little blog! Thank you so much to all of you have followed and participated over this year. I have learned so much this year, and I’ve enjoyed it immensely. I hope to get back to a regular schedule soon. I hope you’ll continue to have some pretty little fun with me!

Of course, it got me thinking about fabric. The colors and textures described throughout the book are so rich, yet so simple – shades of black and white, with a pop of crimson. The gold stars in the sky provide the only other pop of color at the circus.

Click the image to enlarge the fabrics and learn about sourcing.

Wouldn’t these fabrics make a cozy movie room or reading nook? I am especially fond of the black and white dots. The one in the upper-right is Michael Miller Atomic Dot ($8.98/yard Fabric.com) and the one below that is Mesh Polka Dot White/Black ($3.98/yard! Fabric.com).

Another cozy idea for these non-traditional fabrics would be a non-traditional room, like these lovely attic converts.

These rooms are like little bits of fairy tales. Love.

Would you use whimsical colors and patterns in your home? Or would you rather leave them for a set decorator (what an amazing job that would be for this story!)

The air was crisp enough to pull out an extra quilt for the bed, break out a scarf and swing by Starbucks for an oh-so-delicious hot apple cider.

I also had a few lazy mornings of magazine reading over breakfast.

The first of the holiday catalogs arrived!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal – yummy and makes the house smell amazing!

Friday night after a great dinner with a dear friend, I returned home to a power outage. A freak storm had brought crazy winds and rain to the area, and it took our power along with it. The result? Candle burning, blankets and reading by flashlight…I can’t say I was so disappointed…

I did get out and about Saturday though, and cherished the opportunity to wear some of my fall clothes (I had to restrain myself from piling on too many layers in excitement).

I hit up one of my favorite antique stores, South Front Antiques, and almost squealed (ok, so I kind of did) when I found myself all alone in a room – a whole room! – of antique shutters.

I didn’t take a picture of this wonderful room because of the previously mentioned squealing, but here’s a picture of the almost-as-cool elevator shaft from the third floor. This building is itself an antique and so fun to explore.

Just one of the cool things at South Front Antiques

Back to the shutters…after a while of perusing, and talking to the owner about the origins of several, I settled upon two very different styles that caught my eye when I first entered the room.

Here’s one…it’s from the 1890s, probably from a house on either Pontiac or Vance in downtown Memphis. The old wood has aged beautifully.

I’ll share this week how I’m going to incorporate both shutters in at home. And yes, staring at them smiling is part of how they will be incorporated.

How was your weekend? What did you do that felt like fall?

October makes me want to curl up with a thick blanket and a good book. Where is your favorite place to read? Wouldn’t you like to curl up in one of these cozy nooks?

Happy Monday!

What is it about the kitchen that begs for some dancing? When I’m cooking or doing dishes, I’ve got to have some upbeat tunes playing. It gets me thinking…what’s the soundtrack for your home?

When I’m getting ready to go out, girly pop is where it’s at. Madonna, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears…oh yes. Nothing says “gettin’ pretty” like applying lip gloss to a little Vogue. Don’t judge.

Lately, the all-around soundtrack of Casa Katie has been the new album from the Avett Brothers. It’s brilliant from start to finish, like their other albums. It’s available tomorrow; check it out if you’re in need of some great fall music!

What’s the soundtrack of your home?

Kirsten Dunst attends the New York premiere of her movie Bachelorette dressed in Stella McCartney. Look familiar?

We’ve all heard that some people start to look like their significant others, or even their pets, after years together, but how about their houses?

Do you dress like your home? By that, I mean, do you decorate your place with the same style – colors, patterns, etc. – as you decorate yourself with your wardrobe, accessories, etc.?

For me, I’d say yes. I tend to gravitate toward a romantic fashion style, as my friend Penelope would say, and I think the same is true for my home. I like found objects combined with classic pieces in both my closet and my decor.

My friend Kirsten (I can say that because I’m pretty sure she doesn’t read this blog) has already demonstrated dressing like home by dressing like MY home at the New York premiere of her new movie. It’s a little Sound of Music in that the the fabric is very retro home fabric, but in the same breath I’m kind of digging it, in a Moonrise Kingdom sort of way. What do you think?

As I thought more about the similarities between my closet and my home, I pulled a few comparisons (using some clothes I actually have and and others similar to clothing I have, all via Polyvore).

Maybe that’s why I like my house so much; I want to wear it!

What about you…do you dress like your house?

I hope it was as relaxing as mine, which consisted of baking, shopping, Downton Abbey marathons, the last stretch of birthday celebrations and getting some art on this place’s naked walls.

I’ve been wanting to fill the large wall in my bedroom for some time, but the sheer size of it had me at a loss for what to do. A few weeks ago, I remembered the large fabric-covered canvas I had hung above the couch in my old place. It was pre-blog, so no pictures, but it looked good at the time.

The fabric doesn’t really go with the new place, but the large canvas does! After tearing off the fabric and covering the entire canvas in white primer – the canvas used to be a really, um, let’s say interesting, splatter painting – I was ready to start anew.

You may recall my love of gold right now, so I decided to carry a bit of that into the bedroom. There are already touches of it in my mirror and in the curtain fabric, so I knew it would work. I wanted some texture, so I decided to sponge on some gold acrylic paint.

I know what you’re thinking. Sponge painting? You mean the horror from childhood bedrooms in the early 1990s? Sponge painting has a bad reputation, and a lot of it warranted. But, if you use the technique sparingly (i.e. on a canvas instead of on a whole room) it can be pretty modern.

After dipping the natural sea sponge in water and ringing it out completely, I dipped the sponge in the paint and started dabbing it around the canvas. I worked outward in a circular motion, but really had no further intention for how things would turn out.

This was the third life of this old canvas, so I kind of just wanted to see what would happen.

Here’s the finished product. It has a marbled feel to it, almost as if I crumbled up a piece of gold paper and then flattened it out again.

I love the waves created throughout, and even how the texture from the previous splatter painting comes through just a bit.

The best part? When I grow tired of it, I can just slap on some primer and start again. I have a feeling this canvas may live many a life by the time I’m through with it.

Do ever paint over old canvases? What’s your favorite piece of art in your home?

Enjoy!

I’ve been wanting to lighten things up around this blog for awhile, and I hope you like the changes. I’m not done – there’s more color I want to add, more images and some overall tinkering – but I’m pretty happy with what I was able to do on Sunday with the help of some smart bloggers and a lot of Googling.

My goal is to make this little corner of the Internet more reflective of my style right now. It could, and probably will, change as my tastes change, but hopefully it will always be a happy and bright place for you to spend a few minutes of your day.

Tinkering around on your own site? I’d suggest checking out Creative Kristi. She’s full of great tips for customizing your blog.

Happy Monday!