Mrs. Meyers

I am obsessed with my sample of Caldrea's dishwashing liquid that sports the scent "Ginger Pomelo".  Of course it's by the same company that created my favorite Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products. Although I thought that Mrs. Meyers was already a bit of a "designer" cleaning product that only sometimes will I splurge on, Caldrea is the high end line. Seriously? Yes. And I'm hooked. Not only do these companies have beautifully designed labels, they have sweet smelling scents. Ginger Pomelo is grapefruit, Asian ginger and and sweet basil. I want to wear this smell. It makes me so happy! Former blue chip marketing exec Monica Nassif pays homage to her mom, Thelma Meyer in this fabulous midwest success story. Celebrating the season, Mrs. Meyers is offering an Iowa Pine Holiday Hand Care and Candle Set. You betcha! A female owned business with ties to Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, this entrepreneurial endeavor is a great inspiration.

Breakfast Nook

I guess I was on holiday most of August. Miss me? After popular demand (from my mom) I decided to share the images of my mini remodel. Unfortunately, I must have archived my photos of the kitchen as it was when we bought it. Grrr. It's so nice to have Before and Afters. I've held off long enough though and am sharing now. The paint is Decorator White, Premium by Behr and the table is from IKEA. This will have to do until I inherit a small fortune and can afford a real Saarinen. Sigh.

Our kitchen still sports a rockin' 80's tract home decor--complete with oak cabinets and (now) crumbling brown grout and oatmeal colored tile--but this little upgrade will inspire the rest of the re-do at a later date. In the meantime, I'm pleased as punch. I love this happy place and the boys eat breakfast there everyday while I make their lunches. Yay!

Special thanks to my dad for spending many a weekend building this out....

A Beautiful Eye

I discovered Bell'occhio (Italian for "beautiful eye") this week, a charming store in San Francisco which carries some of the most beautiful gifts and goods. Of course, I discovered the online version, which I'm sure is not nearly as magical as the actual shop. Sigh. It doesn't matter because I was wooed by numerous items in their Maison and Papeterie sections.

Finally I found the uber chic black chalkboard oilcloth that I first saw in Domino {RIP}. I can't wait to order this and put in on my dining room table.

What homespun cake wouldn't look wonderful on this "woodsie" faux bois cake stand?

Such a perfect little heart. True love my dear, true love.

I think eggs are one of nature's most perfect foods.
This porcelain carton gives these fragile orbs a proper home.

Looks for the Nook

I'm working on my kitchen breakfast nook (okay, my dad is), and am now ready to get quotes on custom bench cushions and hopefully a re-do on two Louis XVI chairs to go with it. I am channeling a little bit of Miami with green, orange and pink guiding my way. My other kitchen post features a lot of bright white. This palette will give it a fresh pop that will carry through, and connect with other accents in my house.While I dream of owning an Eero Saarinen table, my budget only allows for an IKEA Docksta table. Sigh. For now, this is a fabulous alternative.

I can't wait to get the cushions and table ordered and move the project along. I'm envisioning a sunny Sunday morning with a hot cup of strong coffee, my favorite design mags, and Greek yogurt with farm fresh strawberries, honey and walnuts. Mmmmmm...

Kitchen Inspiration

I'm in a SLOW process of updating our awesome 80s tract home kitchen. Starting with the creation of a breakfast nook. There is an awkward open space just calling for a cozy corner, and my dad and husband are graciously taking this project on. It's just the tip of the iceberg, though as I can't stand the dated and flaking tile countertops and wood cabinets. The kitchen is the darkest room in the house and has the lowest ceilings. It needs a light injection. I discovered a host of kitchen shots that feature bright white floors, which would solve the dark issue. Uugh. My floors are wood, but a bit over done. A little on the orange side I would say...Do I counteract that with white cabinets or go bold and paint everything dark? Oh, and I HAVE to have that red Brady lovin' phone.

{All images courtesy: Domino and Country Living}