Table Settings {Alameda County Fair}

My entry in the Alameda County Fair!
Table Setting theme La Vie En Rose
{French movie about Edith Piaf}

Last year when Dave and I went to the Alameda County Fair I saw Table Settings as a competition.  Immediately I was drawn to them!  Table Settings are like throwing a themed party for one!  I love to decorate for parties!  I made a vow to give it a shot next year.. and so... here it is... next year and I entered the county fair!

Feminine Bathroom {Vagabond Villa}

 

My style of home decorating is very eclectic.  I tend to lean towards bright colors, bold patterns, and a mix of ethnic fabrics.  When we moved into our Vagabond Villa the bathroom had pastel yellow and pink tiles.... everywhere... and drab {poorly painted} yellow walls.  Ugh.  Well, I just couldn't see how I would make my usual style work.  So I took a complete 180!  I embraced the pastels and went very sweet and feminine.

Autumn & Dias de los Muertos

 

I love Autumn; it is one of my favorite times of the year!  I love the leaves falling, the crisp air in the evening, the jewel tone sweaters, but most of all the Mexican tradition of Dias de los Muertos has always captured my heart.  It is so vibrant and reflective - I particularly love to see the altars that people create for their loved ones.

Poufs.... and more poufs!

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This oh-so-colorful pouf with patchwork fabric is so boho!

I love the mirror on top too - using it as a table.

I'm a pouf addict right now.  I looked at them for months in all the stores... and on Pinterest... and kept looking and finally  - when one I loved went on sale in early July - I pounced on a pouf! 

Bold ~ Beautiful ~ Bohemian Rugs!

A good rug can make or break a space.  And I love wild, bohemian rugs!  Which some might think are too much and overbearing... but I simply adore eclectic patterns, bold colors, and risks in decor.  And a bright, beautiful rug is fantastic for any room! Here are some of my most recent favorites, found via Pinterest.

Bohemian / Mexicana Budget Dining Room

 

 

I'm a thrifter.  I love scouring craigslist's FREE section, visiting second-hand stores, and finding new ways to decorate with random things.  My style is eclectic, colorful, boho.  I'm enamoured with religious iconography and Mexicana.  All of this is reflected in our little cottage, which still doesn't have a name.  I want to call it Cherryland Cottage because we live in Cherryland, but Dave has taken to calling it Mockingbird Heights - partly because we have a mockingbird in the palm tree in the front yard and partly because that's what The Munsters' home was called.  Whatever we end up calling our cottage, more and more it's beginning to reflect our style.

Happy Birthday America!

Bohemian Repurposed American Flags

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I love the Fourth of July!  Maybe it's the summer weather... or the fresh fruits galore... or memories of spending them lakeside when I was a child with family, friends, and fireworks.  Whatever it is, it's one of my favorite holidays.  As my husband and I feverishly create a beautiful outdoor space in our new {to us} cottage's backyard... I can't help but daydream of Fourth of July gatherings to come!

Here are some of my favorite inspirations around the web right now!

A Quick Patchwork Curtain.

Fabric / Fat Quarters & My Pattern

I don't think anyone else would be able to decipher my pattern scribbles - but they make sense to me!


My latest DIY project is to make curtains for our bedroom. I've been collecting scarves to make bohemian scarf curtains for the larger windows, but I've also been lusting after patchwork curtains on Pinterest.  So I decided to grab some fat quarters yesterday {half price at Joann Fabric!} and give the patchwork curtains a try. And I love them!

Laundry Room {Cherryland Cottage}

The other half of our pantry is our laundry room.  We didn't have a washer and dryer in our apartment, so we are pretty excited to have a laundry room of our own.  In fact, when we went to buy our new washer and dryer, we felt like married adults for the first time - buying major home appliances!  We're a tad dorky, but Wow! it was exciting to make such a big purchase together!

Pantry Build {Cherryland Cottage}

If you know anything about the San Francisco Bay Area, you know rents are ridiculously high.  Therefore, to find a rental that isn't an apartment, has a yard, is within a reasonable commute*, and affordable.... well, it has it's challenges.  We were fortunate recently to find such a cottage, with history and charm, and a yard perfectly sized for us.  {History and charm is my way of saying the cottage is old, strangely built in sections, and has plenty of quirks.}  Most importantly though, it is affordable and 25 minutes to work!