Our Bedroom Before

The first day of Spring brought a ton of sunlight into our apartment, so I decided to clean it up and let you guys in on a before tour.

As you enter our bedroom you're greeted with our 'gifted' Hotel Vitale Newspaper. I promise I didn't steal it- the Hotel staff just happened to load it into our car the day after our wedding, so I like to think that they 'gave' it to us. And I like that it makes our room feel kinda hotely.


Right away you check out my 'Street Chic Chair' with a picture from Hawaii that I got on my 26th Birthday.


To the right is our dresser with our 'wall-o-pictures.' Please excuse the crooked frames and the sunlight reflection:

I tried to use this fabulous tutorial from the awesome kids at Young House Love as my guide.

To the left is our bookcase:

And unfortunately, the wall above it is still empty- I still need to frame our Ketubah.

And next to the book case, you finally get to the bed with our old duvet:


Mr. Spice's side of the bed with evidence that he's getting his MBA:


At this point in the tour I was greeted by a furry friend:

The 'Before' bed shot with my nine year old duvet and yes, that is the 'ruined' luxury throw:

Due to the possibility (knock on wood) of earthquakes in CA, it's best not to risk hanging anything above your bed. But this wall taunted me with it's emptiness, so I solved the problem with some super light plastic flowers that hang via magnetic thumb tacks.

All of a sudden, the other furry guy got jealous and joined me on my tour:


My side of the bed- with my 'retro' alarm clock.


And of course, at this point Mr. Spice was wondering where everyone was, so he joined in on the action:


So there it is. Our Bedroom before the new added pop of color.

And just in case you care where is it from:
Bed, dresser, bookcase and bedside tables- Hand-me-downs (we think they are from C&B)
Mirror- CB2 (the only new thing we bought when we moved).
Lamps- the one on the left is from the C&B outlet and the one on the right is from a friend's garage. I believe both lamp shades are Target.
Flowers above the bed- Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Alarm Clock- Walgreens (2006)
Current Duvet- Pottery Barn from 2001.
Green Pillows- Pottery Barn.
Rug- West Elm (which we highly don't recommend).
Doggie- Ventura County Animal Shelter.
Kitty- an abandoned house.
Husband- hummm, not sure where's he's from?? Mars?

So what do you think?? Are you ready for the after pictures? Stay tuned.

Jonsing for this Poster

I've wanted this poster from Ork Posters! since the very first second I spotted it. And every time I see them on the web, I get super duper jealous that I don't have one. Just. can't. pull. the. trigger.

Now that you've had a sneak peak into our living room. What color do you think should get?

Black and White.

Or Grey and Yellow.

The second one is $5 bucks more. Either way, I love them. One day it will be mine.

Do you have art that is specific to the City you live in?

Happy Weekend: Earth Hour Sat Night

The Golden Gate Bridge will be turning off all non-essential lights at 8:30pm on Saturday night, March 27th. Will you join the movement??

"On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations. Learn more about how Earth Hour began, what we’ve accomplished, and what is in store for 2010."
source.

These kids in Singapore are doing it. I think we could all find 'something' to do for an hour Sat night that doesn't involve lights?? Let me know how it goes.

Happy Weekend

Eco-fluff of the Week.

As you all know, I purchased some pretty fun Organic Euro Shams from Pottery Barn last week, yet I quickly realized that I didn't actually have Euro pillows. HELLO? What was I thinking.

I dialed up my trusty friend, the internet, and viola, I found the perfect eco-friendly pillows. You know that bit of money I had left on a Williams-Sonoma gift card- well, it was well spent on two organic euro pillows from West Elm.


Priced at $24 each, these puppies weren't cheap, but I am hoping they'll last for years to come. Unfortunately, they didn't have them in the store even though the website didn't say internet only, yet some how I was able to finagle free shipping out of the deal by buying them over the phone!! Some time my mad shopping skills amaze me.

I promise pics of the pillows in action as soon as I get them. They should fit right in with our organic pillows from Bed, Bath and Beyond that we purchased last year.

What kind of pillows do you lay your head on at night?

A Bit of Inspiration in Days Like These

I found myself debating with a co-worker about the passage of the recent heath care legislation. We weren't debating the bill itself- but the attitude we had regarding the bill. We both admitted that neither of us knew each and every point about the bill, but she readily admitted that with all the unknowns she's decided to turn against it, and view the passage of the bill as a negative.

I felt deflated.

I decided right then and there that I would view it as a positive step. Time will tell if it's the step in the right direction, but it's change.

And then again tonight, the news focused on all the negative energy that the Republican Party is aiming towards members of the Democratic Party that voted for the bill. The death threats. The violence. The hatred towards the democratic process. The misleading representation by supposed 'news' organizations.

I felt deflated.

And finally, I was given a bit of inspiration. I was reminded of the change that this country is capable of. A change that this country voted for. A change that I voted for a year and a half ago. Last November, I was moved. Moved by the thought that 'we can.' I don't care what your political stance is, but in my book, I'd rather be inspired by change and the positive than anger, violence, and hatred.

So instead of saying Hell No We Can't.

I am reminded to say that, Yes We Can.


And yes, it is a big f-ing deal!

A very unprofessional labor of love.

Speaking of chairs.... I think it's about time I show you more than a sneak peek of our living room chair.

When Mr. Spice and I first moved in together I had my sights set on recovering this old baby blue hand me down chair that he had. The bones of the chair were/are in amazing condition, but the baby blue had seen better days. In fact, the cat has been using the chair for eons as his own personal scratching post. The only good thing about the chair, it was hidden away in our office nook at our old place.

Flash forward to this last summer, and I still hadn't recovered the chair. And now that I couldn't hide the chair away it became even more of an eye sore:

Ekk. Do you love the blue in all it's glory. What about that terrifying cherry fabric that I used to 'spruce it up.'

Well, finally about eight months ago, I decided to take on this project in earnest. I really had NO idea what I was doing, but I figured, I'd just wing it. If I failed, well, I'd be out a few bucks.

I have no 'in the process' pictures because honestly, it was a pretty pathetic process. I couldn't tell you how I did it because honestly, it'd be more of a how NOT to recover a chair.

So with that as an introduction. Here she is:



As you can tell with that horribly crooked line at the bottom, I still have some touch up work that needs to be done to finalize the chair. But I am not sure I'll ever have the heart to finish it. It does look better, but I am already saving my pennies until I can shell out the 500 bucks or so that it would cost to professionally recover it. At least the animals love it.



Just in case you want the break down, here's what this project cost:
Grey corduroy fabric on sale: $6 a yard. (yes, I am cheap and I didn't even use upholstery fabric). So for 6 yards= $36 plus tax.
Yellow velvet fabric (not on sale): $14 a yard. For two-ish yards= $28 plus tax.
Grey thread: no idea, $3 bucks maybe?

So all in all the project was about $70. And just because a good before and after is always great, here's our little nook in the living room today:

I am still working on the drapes. But I think my homemade pillows are the real success here- not the chair.

So, have you ever taken on a project that you have no idea what you are doing??? Or finished a project and then immediately want a professional upgrade?

From the Streets of SF

I think it's about time for me to introduce you to our 'Street Corner Chair.'

It's my very first DIY. Sister Sugar spotted it on a street corner near her old house; parked the car; told me to grab it and to make it over. Much to my surprise, I did just that, and I am very glad that I followed her advice. After a quick 'stain' job- I more like painted the stain on, and a new cover it looked like this:

It's been with me through four moves in the last five years. When we moved into our current place, it went from the living room to the bedroom, so I took the opportunity to recover it again.

I love the white texture with the splash of color from the pillows:


In an ideal world, I'd have a set of these chairs around an amazing dining table. C'est la vie. For now I will just have to adore my one and only 'Street Chic Chair.'

Do you have a DIY project that you've carried around for years? Or anything that you've picked up from the street corner?

Don't Stop Until You Get Enough

I had to add this picture to my farmhouse sink tour. I'd love to have this kitchen:


Thank you Verdigris Vie for sharing.

Happy Monday!

Happy Friday

I don't know about you, but this whole day light savings thing has thrown Mr. Spice and I for a loop. It doesn't help that the pollen count in this neck of the woods is through the roof, so between allergies, sinus headaches, and animals that don't understand time changes, we've been struggling to sleep through the night.

I am hoping that all that will change next week. I've been dying for new bedding since we were married last May. I really really wanted all white organic bedding with some great texture. As shown here. But Mr. Spice kept telling me how very boring they all looked to him. And after thinking about it, I finally agreed. Our bedroom does need a serious splash of something, and I was having a hard time mixing texture with color.

After months of scouring Pottery Barn, West Elm, and even Williams-Sonoma Home (wedding gift cards, yo), I finally put together a look that we surprisingly both agreed upon. It's not completely organic, but after nine months of searching for the perfect organic comforter, I had to give a little bit.

So here's our new look all from Pottery Barn:

The Pearl Embroidered Duvet Cover in Green Apple:

With two Woodland Organic Euro Shams to add a big splash of color:

And just because, two monogrammed pillow cases in Green Apple:

I've never had anything monogrammed before, so I am kinda excited about this.

I saw this cute little frame months ago and loved its charm. A pic of my Nieces at our wedding would look perfect in this, no?

Most of it was on sale, so we got everything for $220 bucks. Even better, we paid it all with Gift Cards. Once it comes next week, I promise to post some pics!!

In the mean time, we have a few more bucks left on our gift card, and I need your help. Mr. Spice really likes this organic pillow from PB Teen (don't judge- it has some cool stuff).

He's voting for pink (he's not afraid of his masculinity), while I am leaning towards white or green. What do you think?

Sneak Peek at Summer

It suppose to be 70 degrees today in SF- Holla!!! Seriously, summer weather here sucks, so I am freakin excited for this little heat wave. I guess this means that I better go get a pedicure this weekend.

I also got a glimpse of the Eat. Pray. Love trailer this morning. I just finished Elizabeth Gilbert's new book Committed, and I promise a raving review will follow soon. In the mean time, get excited:


How's your Summer (and Spring) shaping up?

Eco-Products of the Week from Trader Joe's

I haven't done an eco-product of the week is ages. So in an effort to bring this blog post back into rotation, I have three fabulous eco-products that I personally use and love, all from the price-chic Trader Joe's. Have I ever talked about how much I love TJs? Other than the parking lot issues that plague the SF store, it's my go to each week for all things semi-homemade. And they just happen to sport a few eco-friendly items along the way.

Without further ado, my three favorite eco- and wallet-friendly products:

1. The recycled and recyclable- Preserve Toothbrush:

Love the soft brushes, that it comes with its own travel case, and they are made fro yogurt cups. Who doesn't love yogurt? I may be the only one who doesn't use an electric toothbrush, Mr. Spice included, but I am not the first to blog about how great this little eco-product really is.

2. A much more personal item, but Organic Essential's Tampons. Don't hate me for writing this- but if you care about having all natural house cleaners, linens, makeup or hair products- shouldn't you care about what you put up there? Anywho, I am a new convert and give them a thumbs up.

And:

3. Trader Joe's Super Amazing Reusable Kitchen Cloth. Mr. Spice turned me on to these after reading about them here. And after using them for a few weeks, I can honestly say that we have a winner. I usually use a sponge to clean our counters and stove, and then wipe up everything with a paper towel. I kick myself every time for using a paper towel, but now I don't have to. The Kitchen Cloth is the perfect solution. And at $3.99 for two, they are much cheaper (and longer lasting) than using paper towels!


So tell me, do you shop at TJs? Do you have a favorite item?

Crazy Obsession for Farmhouse Sinks

I have a new obsession, I've shown you pictures of it before, but recently my obsession has gone to a whole new level. So big is this new obsession that if your kitchen doesn't have one, I probably won't be that in to it. (well, unless it's amazing).

So here it is, my collection of Farmhouse Sinks:

Source.

It doesn't hurt that the tile and colors in this picture are perfection:

Source.

Source.

And I saved my favorite one for last!! I love each and every aspect of this kitchen.

Source.

So what do you guys think? Are you into the whole farmhouse look?

True Love

Last Friday, in preparation for my five year anniversary with my little Huckleberry Finn, I started to write a lovey dove-y look back at my journey to adopt my dog.

Then Saturday morning rolled around, and he ruined my one and only luxury item. It was a white $150 throw from Bloomingdales. The one and only totally impractical item that I purchased with our wedding money. Totally unnecessary and silly but after a long hard day, I loved nothing more than wrapping myself up in the softest blanket that I had ever touched. Even Mr. Spice knew that if I had a bad day, all he had to do was whip out the 'luxury throw' and I'd instantly melt like butter.

So at 9am on Saturday morning when I looked down and saw that Huck wasn't chewing on his toy, but rather my luxury throw, I went form zero to 90, and promptly put him in a time out.

In five years, he's only ruined one other item, ironically another luxury splurge- a pair of Prada glasses- but I chalked that up to his puppiness. With my head reeling, I tried to figure out why he was acting out. Honestly, despite cutting our walk short the day before due to the rain, I had no idea.

Had I failed as a dog owner in some way? Had my worst nightmare come true- did my dog really not like me?

The reality- I'll never know. But I do know that as soon as I let him out of his time out (aka let him out of the bathroom) he came begging for forgiveness. With his tail between his legs and his huge puppy-dog eyes looking at me, my rage subsided down to a manageable 25. Yes, I was still pissed, but luxury throw or not, five years ago I took the risk of having my life turned upside down and adopted the (al)most perfect dog.

As I woke up this morning to take Huck our our morning walk, and I glanced over at my ruined throw, I realized that it must be true love because I can honestly say that adopting Huck has by far been the best decision I've ever made.

So here's to true love and my little Huckleberry.

(Both pictures are by Mama Sugar circa 2005).

Life comes at you fast...

Life on this patch of grass has been crazy lately. I am working hard not to feel overwhelmed, which is why I haven't posted yet this week.

Do you ever feel like starting the week over fresh? I guess there is always next Monday. In the mean time, I love this picture from Cococozy.

Who doesn't love a bit of fresh OJ or Grapefruit juice? Yummm. I'll be back next week with a new start. Sorry for the absence.

Jonsing for a Getaway

Do you ever just want to get away from it all?

I'd love to be on this hammock with a drink it my hand. A girl can dream can't she?

What are you jonsing for this weekend??

Kitchen Chair Inspiration

I am completely in love with the idea of having different, yet similar, colored dining room chairs. Or in our case, kitchen chairs. If only there were more hours in the day to get this project going.

This house is to die for. Talk about dream livin.


I adore each and every aspect of this women's house: Alaina from Live Creating Yourself, as featured on Madebyagirl.

And finally, I love the mix of chairs and blue. Thanks Apartment Therapy for showcasing these- if only they weren't $930 bucks each!! So not in the Sugar and Spice budget.

What color are your kitchen chairs? OR better yet, what color do you want them to be?

More Orange and Yellow Inspiration

Beyond this shot being perfectly stylized, I am convinced that a closet like this would end my messy ways.

And it's from one of my favorite blogs to follow, Black White Yellow.

Would you not die to have shoe storage like that? I would.