come on in!

Let me welcome you to my coffee shop.
I have not chosen a name
( maybe you can help me with that)

This is what I dream about everyday:
owning a little corner shop
brewing coffee all day, overhearing warm conversations
welcoming guests and visiting with old friends
living above in a fancy vintage apartment
large windows viewing the quaint downtown

Open the door and step on it...
This is how it goes:

sweet door knob invites you in...

the coat rack will take your peacoat or tophat as you enter...

distressed round tables fill the room, of all shapes and sizes

a simple bud vase rests in the center of the tables..
caramel curtains and simple artwork cover the walls...

you ponder over what delicious
treat you want to indulge in this morning
as you read the menu printed in cursive
on an old wooden chalkboard...

lighting pendants line up above the countertop...

you are greeted with a smile by a woman
with the cutest apron tied around her waist...

fresh brewed coffee is served
in precious mugs of all styles...

you meander over to your friends by the fireplace
and take a seat... carrying on lovely conversations...

the mug full of warm coffee rests on this serving
table as you finish your favorite novel..

and then you return tomorrow to
enjoy another morning at my coffee shop.


doorknob, coat rack, coffee bean and table: [flickr]
bud vase: [ikea]
curtains: [ballard designs]
chalkboard and mugs: [etsy]
pendant, aprons, rug, furniture: [anthropologie]

Pop Goes the Weasel

"Pop Goes the Weasel" grew closer and closer, and the line of impatient children at the curb grew longer and longer. Cool water from wet bathing suits sizzled on the burning asphalt, soothing little toes. Every child remembers blistering days at the pool and the excitement from the ice-cream truck singing "Pop Goes the Weasel" as it rounded the corner. I teetered on my tip-toes and peered over the towering window of the ice-cream truck to offer the shady looking man my handful of wet nickels and dimes. Pictures of Sponge-bob, Spiderman, Bubblegum, Cotton Candy Swirls, and Klondike Bars scattered the side of the truck. Spending me hard-earned lemonade stand money on a melting Popsicle highlighted every summer afternoon.

My grandma never owned an ice-cream truck, but her home always held this same special indulgence. Whenever a family gathers together, ice cream presents itself. I gently tugged on my grandma's navy pants while she was scooping my favorite homemade vanilla ice-cream into my red and white checkered bowl and stared up at her with my big brown eyes. "Nana," I requested, "my stomach is still really grumbling. May I have one extra scoop?" My grandma slyly looked about for my mother's conservative eye and then quickly shoveled one more heap of vanilla ice-cream into my cramped bowl. Her traditional vanilla ice-cream greatly surpassed all the other ice creams and flavors I ever tasted. The extra ingredient of love had something to do with it.

"Happy Birthday!" squealed all the youthful girls in the crowded skating rink party room. Michelle wanted me to open her fancy Barbie gift first, and Julie sought to return to the ice despite the huge Zamboni monster tearing through the rink, but every girl anticipated the moment when my parents distributed the ice-cream. Whether in a little carton with a plastic spoon or on the side with a mound of cake, each girl giggled with delight as the frozen delicacy hit her already shivering body. I preferred to receive containers of ice-cream, especially mint chocolate chip, than a silly doll that was out of proportion. Okay... maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but I sure looked forward to this treat on my birthday, and I expected to receive it at all of my friends' parties as well. Interestingly, I quickly slurped up the last smidgen of ice-cream from my bowl, so I could soar back to the ice, yet I still remember, so vividly, the taste of those spoonfuls and the activities that surrounded them.
Orange Sherbet... Rocky Road... Strawberry Chip... Chocolate... Peach... Cookies & Cream...
and so many more flavors. However, it does not matter the kind of ice-cream the child receives, how a girl eats it, or how many scoops your grandma serves. What matters rests in the memories that the ice-cream paints in a mind and heart. Every time the fresh chill of ice-cream tingles your taste buds, your mind traces back to an expression, location, or emotion that warms your soul.

Indoors Outdoors

I have passed this shop a million times on the

way to the Dog Park*, but I finally dropped in last week!

It's called IndoorsOutdoors and they have the cutest
outdoor furniture, gardening supplies, rugs, patio decor...

Some of the items are pretty pricey, but she
was having a big sale last week!
Also, it is worth it to spend a little more on
quality decor that will last forever.

Here are some of my favorite things on the website:

This wooden potting bench is my favorite!
Her friend makes them and each one is unique.
The one in the store doesn't have the bowl in it
and I could see it in a kitchen or entryway-
add a few hooks for coats and baskets at the bottom
or display dishes or serving buffet...
(made from a vintage door and crown molding)These chairs come in all shapes and sizes:

IKEA day!

Sunday is the perfect day to shop at Ikea.
(in West Chester, OH- take I-75 N of Cinci and it's exit 19)
about 8 o'clock in the evening
zip in and out with NO crowds,
They close at 9 which gives you an hour
to shop, but not enough time to buy
everything you see :)

As you know, I was looking for some curtains for my bedroom.
I have some, but I switched them into my living room
and wanted a neutral color to match our bedding:

(Pottery Barn Garden Gate- discontinued)

Before finding the curtains,
I saw these cute little plants:

I got the one on the far left and
it's perfect because I can't kill it :)

Then I found the perfect curtains:

Or so I thought.
The tabs are too big at the top and show my blinds
a little cheap and thin
but of course I should have known that
(they were $14.99)
So sadly they will be returned

I have been working on a collage for our bedroom
of wedding pictures for quite some time now
I picked up six of these frames:

I'm waiting to get the pictures back tomorrow
to see if they are big enough on the wall.

If they don't work, I will return them as well.
But that's okay because I may get this instead:

an Ikea desk lamp for Patrick's office
Isn't it nice?!

fall in love with boden

so adorable & so expensive
but so fun to dream.

Boden's Autumn Favorites:
(Marching Band Coat) *my top fav*

(Rosebud Cardigan)

(Satin Trim Top)

(Fabulous Overnight Bag)

(Marylebone Coat)

(Ruched Waist Shift Dress)

And, of course, a backpack for school:

(Autumn RuckSack)

Click on name to visit website page
Oh and remember all sizes are UK sizes :)

framing a window

Curtains.
Should they blend in or stand out?
I am on the lookout for the perfect ones.
Tomorrow I am going to go to Ikea and maybe they will have some!
Here are some pictures I love:

(that purple dress is gorgeous.)

(southern accents & this is glamourous)

Love Like Salt

It lies in our hands in crystals
too intricate to decipher

It goes into the skillet
without being given a second thought

It spills on the floor so fine
we step all over it

We carry a pinch behind each eyeball

It breaks out on our foreheads

We store it inside our bodies
in secret wineskins

At supper, we pass it around the table
talking of holidays by the sea.

by: Lisel Mueller