make your place

i invested in this book by raleigh briggs.  it is loaded with hand-written recipes for sustainable and natural nesting. it presents simple instructions for concocting all-natural products from tinctures to facial cleansers.  any person who wishes to go back to the basics and get rid of toxins in their household will benefit from it.

tabletop terrariums

i felt our tiny apartment needed something green to liven it up a bit so i bought these beautiful terrariums at the farmer's market last weekend. i purchased two, one for our dining table and one given as gift to a family member celebrating her birthday.  inspired by west elm i thought of making it myself but the vendor at the market were selling them at a good price, $15 for the bigger one and $12 for the smaller one.


the succulents will keep inside the glass for at least four months.  when they are taller they can be transferred to a bigger pot.  they are very low maintenance, mine needs only 7 sprays of water once a week. the smaller terrarium needs only 2 sprays once a week.  i'm pretty sure i will be able to keep them alive. 

home inspiration and ideas

Pillow cases made from Ikea rugs.

source

Lay fabric flat. Fold one side in, with length the size of the pillow. Making 1/4-inch stitches, sew the sides together by hand, forming a pocket. Insert the pillow. Fold the other end over; stitch down corners to secure flap leaving an opening for removing the pillow.

Using rugs could get more expensive than just buying a ready-made pillowcase but the same idea could apply using the cute dish towels ikea currently have ($4 to $6 per pair). how about using the same technique on these dish towels for a shabby chic look?

ikea dish towels : evalill, , sickan, varligt

home inspiration and ideas

via bohemian nation 

via plumprettysugar

ideas for our patio.
we have one that is long but slim. maybe about 20 feet long but only 43 inches wide.  one side is where all the grilling action happens.  my little one calls it, "daddy's kitchen".   somewhere in the middle is a small bistro table set where we eat dinner on the warm nights of summer.

one side i would like to turn into a reading nook.  on the corner where i used to grow herbs and tomatoes in a small upside down patio garden.  i'm still contemplating whether to plant herbs or flowers.... but i just love the idea of a reading nook very much.  some place i can retreat in the early evenings, while the days are long, to read my magazines. or just to have my own space to chill with a glass of wine.