28 May 2010

inspiration is everywhere.


this morning its in these ladies.

happy friday + cheers to a long weekend
i'll see you on tuesday :)
and maybe monday, if my weekend allows.

27 May 2010

happy in the morning.

i woke up this morning happy to go to work.
excited to go to work.
ecstatic to go to work.
i've never felt this:
it's a good feeling :)

26 May 2010

books, please?

dear readers,
i need your suggestions.
i've read and read til i can read no more...all the way through my bookshelf.
and now i'm lost.
i.have.no.idea.what.to.read.next.

so please, if you would be so kind and leave a comment with any titles you
think worthy of reading.
i'm not picky--i like a bit of everything--just any and every book you absolutely
couldn't put down.

i'd be forever grateful.
{photo: kaboomish gem}

en la cocina: spicy green beans and kale.










so, remember that whole "cleanse" thing i did a few weeks back?
thank goodness i did it, for otherwise i maybe would've never been introduced
to the marvelous veggie that is kale.
it's delicious...not to mention healthy...and is delectable in:


i served mine with chicken breasts that i pound flat, dip in egg, dust with flour
and parmesan and saute with white wine.

you will not be disappointed.

and how cute is this little number?
makes me want to keep a well-organized collection of recipes.
yeahhh...maybe someday...til then, i can admire this one.

happy in the morning.

what's making me happy, bright and early this morning:


also the fact that i get to interview Barclay Butera, a renowned west coast designer, alongside the editor of Charleston Home this morning. :)

25 May 2010

berry delicious.

i have been dreaming and hoping and wishing to make a berry-filled dessert.
although i probably wouldn't eat it for dessert....but for breakfast. lunch. and dinner.
my mouth is on perpetual-watering mode and i'm trying so hard to somehow imagine the taste so maybe i can skip ingesting all those calories?
so far it hasn't worked.
and now it's all i can think about.

seriously.
i need a berry fix...and fast.
anyone have any to-die-for berry cobbler or crumble recipes?
i'd love it if you'd share.

24 May 2010

...the BIG announcement!!

okay, fellow readers.
it's finally here...
the revealing of my "big announcement."
i hope i haven't built it up too much :)

maybe you know, maybe you don't, but i've gotten into graphic design lately:
designing blogs, logos, small websites, business / personal branding elements...
anything you can think of, really.
so, i thought it necessary to create a business for myself...along with a website...to extend my services to you readers and anyone else who may be interested.

behold:


The Maple Studio....of graphic design.

www.themaplestudio.com

like i said, hope i didn't talk it up too much.
if you're interested in a blog design or redesign, or any graphic design work really, visit the site or send an email to hellomaplestudio@gmail.com.

i hopefully look forward to hearing from you :)

monday, someday.

started the day off bright and early dreaming of my very own office space.
this is nothing unusual...as i always have images of interior ideas swirling around in my head.
i'm excited for the day that i'm able to graduate from the dining room table (if you can even call it that, as it's quite tiny) and take over a closet/corner/room of my very own.
i miss my light blue parson's desk.
corey's computer hangs out on it.
i've learned to admire her from across the room.
but that's okay. i like to share. and maybe he doesn't appreciate her as much as i do, but he sure looks cute sitting there.
anyway, found some office areas of inspiration.
i'll have such a hard time narrowing down a scheme when that day does arrive.
til then, i can keep dreaming.








have any pics of your own work spaee or home office?
send them my way! mapleandshade@gmail.com
would love to see them as inspiration and even feature them on the blog.

it's a girl.


good news, this morning: my sis-in-law and her hubby welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby girl into their arms yesterday at 4:25 pm.a bit of a surprise to us all...as we were for some reason expecting baby Violet to arrive next week.but a welcome surprise, none the less, as she is such a blessing to our growing fam.

i am SO very, VERY excited to have be an auntie to a third niece. can't wait to meet the little pumpkin...she's in california, so that may be a ways away.  can't believe i will have a 4th niece (my bro-in-lawand his wife's bebe) come august. guess it will be up to me and my other sis-in-law to bring about the boys (some day...far, far away!)

anyhow...i am ecstatic...and already in love with this 6 lb muffin. so i thought i'd share :)

20 May 2010

eeek...

it's taken a bit longer than i expected.
the revealing of this big news, that is.
so...i may have to postpone til monday.
my sincere apologies, but i truly cannot wait.
in the meantime, here's some eye candy.




i'm liking yellow these days, can you tell?
and i'm always loving the beach.

19 May 2010

prelude to a BIG announcement.

dear readers,
something very exciting has been taking place in the maple home the past few days.
tomorrow (oh, i hope!) it shall be revealed.
i will keep you updated.
in the meantime, here's a hint:


curious?
i hope so!!

thrifty window decor idea.

i'm a renter.
i'm sure many of you are in the same boat.
and, if not, perhaps you are still in search of thrifty decor ideas.
i am constantly on the hunt for such!

so, i thought i'd share on of my own.
you see, i have these amazing curtains that i made a few years ago and will probably never tire of:


i LOVE the yellow fabric and how happy it is.
so i put them in our kitchen--which is very white. (which i happen to very much like).
white countertops.
white cabinets.
white walls.
white stove.
like i said...very white.
so yellow is a welcome addition.

we have this row of windows over the sink and i was planning on buying more of the happy yellow fabric to sew cafe curtains, because, well...i love cafe curtains. they let in so much light and are just...peachy.

so, we are on a shopping trip to target to acquire random apartment things you need when you move, and i happen to spot a placemat that very much resembles the happy yellow fabric i love.
and...the placemat is embroidered. sold and SOLD.


so this gets my wheels up there churning...and i'm very excited...because i'm thinking i won't have to sew a thing (which i am definitely not entirely able to do).

i end up buying two tension rods and a set of cafe curtain hooks and four of the placemats.

i didn't measure...
and they are a little short.
but i am ok with that because they are still happy and make my windows look much better than they did.

so, behold:
p.s.  i realize i say "so" alot :)

okay...again...behold :





and there you have it.
my $20 decorating idea.
the placemats were $3 each. the tension rods a couple of dollars. the hooks at most $5.
they coordinate quite well with the original, don't you think?
and lesson learned: don't be as impulsive as i am. measure beforehand.
anyhow, i thought it was too nifty not to share.



oh, and look: there's the mister. cooking breakfast. all the while matching the kitchen.
so color-coordinated, dear.

17 May 2010

a night of wine and lots of toasts.

so i mentioned we recently traversed the 8.5 hours home to kentucky for a weekend filled with celebratory occasions.
the most fun was this one: my friend Geneva's 30th bday celebration, thrown by her A-Okay hubby, Bo.
when i say A-Okay i mean he did it well.
he rented a barn at a vineyard for the night, treated us all to a wine tasting and plenty of Kentucky Ale and even flew bbq from the infamous Salt Lick in Texas.
(Bo + Geneva are from Austin...Geneva was working at Salt Lick when she met Bo).
so it was fun, to say the least...
and i even have the pictures to prove.





















it was the best of times with the best of friends.
was a night that lives in infamy...
purely because i miss them all so, so much.

and, that stache on my hubs is awesome--but also a joke.
not sure why i felt the need to clarify ;)

12 May 2010



congrats on winning the $25 gift certificate to Stella Bella Boutique!
be sure and email me to claim your prize.
very envious of the cute jewels you will soon be donning :)

panelling is good.

so i've always admired the look of wooden paneling, especially horizontal.
and maybe it's because i've moved to the coast, but that recent admiration has become an obsession.



{Charleston Home}


{houzz}


{houzz}


{houzz}

i mean, i kind of want to run out and buy a house and panel all the rooms (sorry in advance, Corey).
i love how cozy and intimate it makes the room feel, and how it generates comfort in a space.
i'm a fan of white walls, and how paneling allows you to achieve a clean look, yet adds interest without dominating. but at the same time, i'm rather obsessed with the darker paneling of the Charleston Home bedroom above.

i personally lean toward more casual or "livable" spaces, but am secretly dying to put a new spin on paneling and doctor a paneled room with chic design elements.


sigh.
maybe one day we will be homeowners.