The Ikea Expedit Shelving Unit - A Design Classic!

In honor of January and the organization mania that comes with it, I am dedicating this post to my favorite organization workhorse: 

the Ikea Expedit Shelving Unit, weighing in at only $129 (as pictured)!

(No- Ikea isn't paying me, I just like it that much! I have five.)

This thing is CRAZY-versatile. It can be used decoratively, for storage (you can buy lovely add-on baskets and drawers), for a room divider, even for a doll house!  And, there's a use for it in almost any room. It's finished on both sides and comes in the natural wood color above, or black or white. It comes in sections which you can arrange as above, or use individually.

Let's look at some uses, shall we?

via

seemeeverywhere

via

Apartment Therapy

Project Nursery

Clean and Scentsible

HGTV.com

A Thoughtful Place

via

Pinterest

The Story of Home

Ikea Hackers

Have a great day!

Is Tangerine Tango on YOUR Dance Card?

Have you heard? Honeysuckle is so OVER. The newest Pet du Pantone is (drum roll, pleeeeze....)

What does this mean to you? It means you will see it EVERYWHERE. On shoes, couches, pillows, jewelry, dog collars, curtains, underwear, you name it. Even if you had not read this, your mind will become slowly infused with the need for a Tangerine touch in all aspects of your life. 

So, let's just get started now, shall we? Following are just a few ways to infuse some Tangerine into your life. 

Trina Turk for Layla Grace $130

Mac Neon Orange Lipstick and Creamstick Liner - $14 each

DesignSponge.com

Kate Spade Melinda Bag $425

Coco & Kelley

H&M $49.95

Z Gallerie Geo Bedding Queen Duvet $149.95

Betsey Johnson Hippo Face Stud Earrings $35

KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Mixer $269.99

Natalie Umbert

Art Glass Coral Bowl $58 - Etsy

Warning: unless you are financially favored, keep in mind that by this time next year, Tangerine will be so OVER.

Have a great day!

The 10 Essential Ingredients for Simple and Inexpensive Christmas Decorating

So this Christmas, I've been perusing Pinterest like a crazy person, searching for easy ways to get a lovely holiday look for less. I've noticed some repeating themes and have whittled my shopping list down to 10 low cost items:

1. Fruit and Nuts - Cranberries, Green Apples, Oranges and Nuts with Shells

2. Burlap

3. Ribbon

4.White Candles

5.Cinnamon Sticks

6.Glass Bell Jars  and Hurricanes

7.Peppermints and Candy Canes

8.Kraft Paper

9.Soft-White Christmas Lights

10.Natural Greens, Pinecones and Grapevine Wreaths

That's it! With these 10 items, you can set beautiful tables, put together amazing mantle displays, decorate your tree, the door, the walls and wrap all your presents -beautifully!  Have a look at just how lovely it can be:

BHG.com

Etsy

www.southernliving.com

www.google.com

www.marthastewart.com

www.goodhousekeeping.com

www.33shadesofgreen.blogspot.com

www.pinterest.com

www.realsimple.com

www.vickydar.com

http://wohnidee.wunderweib.de

www.re-nest.com

www.fudgeripple.blogspot.com

So, gather your list and let your imagination take over! Let me know what else you come up with using these items!

Merry Christmas!

My Summer Vacation, Mixbook and a Photo Challenge...

So, my family is blessed to be able to take advantage of my (very generous) in-law's summer house up by Sleeping Bear Dunes, Lake Michigan. It's always the highlight of our summer - staying up until 3am every night, catching crawdads, tubing, climbing the dunes, exploring little towns, and simply taking in the extreme beauty all around. This year, I was inspired to dig out my camera and keep it with me throughout the trip. I had a photographic blast!

After I got home, I went to the Mixbook site and made an incredible little book for about $19 (includes shipping)! I was SO impressed with it!

(It's 8X6 in real life)

I'm ordering my 3rd copy today because my relatives keep taking it.

Anyway, I decided to enter one of my photos in the Crazy Days of Summer Photo Challenge at Live and Love... Outloud which, by the way, ends tomorrow (in case you're interested in entering).

What about you? Did you get inspired by anything new (or old) this summer? As summer ends, and winter approaches I'm challenging myself to save time for creativity - no matter where I am or what the season. I hope you will too!

Have a great day!