Food for Thought Friday

I came across this letterpress artwork featuring the following quote by philosopher Bertrand Russel, "The time you enjoy is not wasted time". I appreciate this thought, especially considering I found it on Pinterest, a site full of visual inspiration that some may or may not consider a total waste of time. For me Pinterest has provided endless inspiration for new projects, recipes (like the strawberry salmon salad above, which I made this week and it was in fact as delicious as it looks), and style inspiration like the mod hair and peplum jacket above.

Here's to time wasting time enjoying yourself. I will certainly be doing just that during my first visit to Wine Country this weekend! Have a great Friday and a fantastic weekend! 

Clockwise from left 1, 2, 3

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Projects + Preparing

I have been busy the past couple weeks working on projects around the house (including a shelf inspired by this), spreading the word about my new Etsy store, and preparing for house guests. I would love to say that we have an amazing guest room, but the rental market in San Francisco is not so generous. The little lady has been with family during her summer break so her room has become the landing place for projects in transition and visitors from out of town.

via

via

After having a few visitors over the past several months, I have learned that there are a few things that you can easily do to make a space feel more accommodating.

Hello + Happy Friday!

It's a bit overcast in San Francisco today and I am craving some sunshine and warm temps. This scarf would be perfect for a pop of color on a dreary day. For nonstop cheerfulness at home, maybe a pink counter top would do the trick? We plan on checking out the Silent Film Festival tomorrow and we might escape the city for four a few hours of warmth on Sunday. Hope you have an amazing weekend! 

see more inspiring images at my Pinterest page

clockwise from top left 1, 2, 3, 4

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Mad Over Molly M

On my way back from hiking in the North Bay last weekend I stopped to pop in Trouve, a little boutique featuring vintage home decor, new jewelry, and art. Jewelry by local San Francisco designer, Molly McGrath, immediately caught my attention. Her geometric and organic laser cut forms are right up my alley. At top of my wish list are her superwax necklaces.

I took the time to check out her site once I got home (and couldn't get her necklaces out of my head) and was really inspired by Molly's story. While in school for architecture she began considering how much she could do with the laser cutting machine she used to build her models. I am sure that Molly would have been an amazing architect, but I think she definitely found her calling with the jewelry and home decor she creates.

Say Hello to My New Etsy Shop!

Drumrolll please... my Etsy shop, The Bells & Whistles, finally went live this week! The store features vintage jewelry and home decor. There will be more products added over the next few weeks and I have some fun up-cycling projects in the works. It's honestly a little more work than I imagined, from researching to photographing and measuring each item, but I have enjoyed every minute. If you have a moment, please take a look at my shop and if you feel so inclined "like" it on Facebook. 

On a side note, I am getting back into the swing of things after having my mom here for a week and a half. I had fun playing tourist with her, stay tuned for photos from our explorations. Today, we are off to the North Bay for a hike with the pups. Hope you have some fun adventures this weekend! 

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A Midweek Thought

I have been staying super busy playing tourist with my mom in town and while walking from the Financial District to Chinatown yesterday I came across this incredibly random building addition. 

It goes to show that you never know what you are going to discover when you allow yourself to really absorb all of the sights and sounds around you. 

P.S. I would love to know more about it so if you do please let me know! 

Update: A friend sent me this article after seeing the post. Local designer Jenny Chapman created the cabin from reclaimed wood from an old barn in Ohio. Read more about it here.

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My Mom's Comin' to Town!

It's been about six months since my move to San Francisco and the day before we drove out of Atlanta was the last time I saw my mom. She had recently discovered that she had thyroid cancer and underwent one surgery a couple weeks before I left, and then another to remove the remainder of her thyroid just after. It was hard not being there when she got out of the hospital the second time. She is the sweetest, most loving person I know and I cannot wait to give her a huge hug.

Me + my mom on Easter, many moons ago...

Always stylishly feminine, she is a rocking a polka dot dress with a ruffled peplum-like detail.

Starting the Weekend Off Right

My spring cleaning has turned into summer purging and I spent last night going though my dresses and skirts in order to streamline my closet. What I decided not to keep I sorted for donating and re-selling. It's amazing how long you can hold on to a piece of clothing because you have good memories attached to it. I suggest enlisting someone close that isn't scared of being honest to help you with your wardrobe cleansing.

photo from Santa Cruz

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Drumroll, please...

Our shelves are finally finished!

The project began back in Atlanta when I spotted some old mill spools in an antique store, Vintage Village. Right away we began brainstorming ideas for re-purposing them. During our last few months in Atlanta our collection of spools grew along with the idea for a large wall shelf. Once we got settled in San Francisco we began the hunt for salvaged wood. We drove to a few places in Oakland and Berkeley in search for just the right thing, finally finding it close to home in the City at Building REsource.

DIY Spool Shelves Update!

We have made some serious progress on our custom spool shelves this week! Here is a peek at our progress...

Instagram: A Visual Journey

I have blogged in the past about my love for Instagram and after reading a post by fellow San Franciscoan, Anne Sage, I started thinking about what makes the platform so successful. The appeal for me is the simple creation of a visual diary logging my journey through the everyday.

Here are a few recent snapshots from my "diary"...

Cleaning House

With the little lady gone for the summer I have turned my attention towards purging and cleaning our home. Apparently it's not officially summer for 19 more days so I can still call this spring cleaning. As we have settled into the space I have learned what does and doesn't work in regards to the furniture we brought from Atlanta. I want to make room for our custom shelves and some new pieces that will suit the space better. It's funny how you become attached to things... 

Summertime

On my summer to-do list...

Source: cheapthrilllls.tumblr.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Tell me, what are you going to make more time for this summer?

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Day Trip --> Santa Cruz

A couple weekends back we sought out warmer temps in Santa Cruz. We made our first stop at Henry Cowell Redwoods park for a short hike (one of the few parks in the area with dog friendly trails).

Catalog Love: J. Crew Style Guide

One glance at the cover of the J. Crew Style Guide when it arrived in the mail and I had to open it immediately. Their lucky crew flew off to Bali where they took advantage of the 1,000-year-old temples and the lush landscape to create an ad campaign that makes me to hop on a plan ASAP. My infatuation with the idea of a Bali vacation first took hold while reading the infamous Eat, Pray, Love.

LEIF Lustin'

A close friend came across this necklace and said it made her think of me. She knows my style pretty well and was right on target. I have crossed paths with a few of  their home goods (these salt + pepper shakers seem to be everywhere) but this is my first meeting with their jewelry.This piece along with many others at LEIF are now on my wishlist.  

Wouldn't this be absolute perfection with a simple white tee?
I am also loving this version with red + pink accents!

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Beautiful Science

This past Saturday we headed to Golden Gate Park to check out the California Academy of Sciences. The combination museum / planetarium / aquarium / rain forest was pretty amazing. It was busy but not too crowded to relax and thoroughly enjoy the experience. There is a vast amount of information to absorb (it is a science museum after all) so allow yourself plenty of time to explore so that you get the most out of your visit. My favorite part, the planetarium, is the largest in the world. 

DIY Spool Shelves

Remember this custom shelving project we hunted down reclaimed wood for a couple months ago? Well it had been pushed to the back burner for a bit but things are back on track. We now have all of the shelf supports (old cotton mill spools) screwed together in sets of two.

Next up we need measure and cut the wood for the shelves. Cannot wait to share the final product!  

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West Coast Adventures

One of the best things about living in San Francisco is our close vicinity to so many other interesting cities and destinations. The little lady will be spending the summer with family and we plan to take advantage of our adult time to do a little (well maybe a lot) of exploring. It just so happens to be unseasonably cold in SF during the summer so it will be nice to escape to some warmer temperatures on the weekends.

Blithedale Summit trail, Mount Tamalpais in the North Bay 

Style - Hair Bungees

Selecting a new hair salon is never easy, especially when you are new to a city. It's even more difficult when you seeking a cut for under $60 from a well reviewed salon. I stumbled upon Mes Amis and decided to give them try. Fortunately, I made a good choice and my stylist, Jerry, turned out to be both friendly and knowledgeable. So thorough that he almost immediately pointed out that my hair was damaged due to my affinity for ponytails and buns. Eeks! Not something a girl wants to hear. Ironically I often wear my hear up to avoid damage from heat styling. What did this mean for my morning routine? What about those extra windy days when gusts from the Pacific make wearing my hair down a nuisance?

Source: prettystuff.tumblr.com via Melanie on Pinterest