officially obsessed

if anyone asks, i always freely admit to being less than skilled in the kitchen department. have you had my cooking? i didn't think so. and that's because it consists of mostly three food groups: cereal, salad, and chocolate. er... i guess none of those count as 'cooking' anyway.

it's really unfair to be the only woman in your family who doesn't have a natural aptitude for putting ingredients together. so when it came to registering for the wedding, i was determined to register for things that would magically transform me into a culinary goddess... and what is more necessary for a a culinary goddess than the beloved, widely sought-after and dare i say coveted KitchenAid Mixer? nothing, my friends. there is nothing more necessary. at least to me.

and yesterday, i arrived home to find a large brown box waiting on our front porch. i could barely get the door open while juggling my purse, computer, said box, and excitement. KitchenAid, you've finally come! i had struggled for maybe hours, trying to decide upon the color of my mixer. normally i would have gone with white or chrome (you know how i like my neutrals). but for this precious tool i decided to go wild - i got the color ice (shown above!). i love it. it's so fun and flirty - can a mixer flirt? mine can! when i took it out of the box and placed it on my counter, i immediately wanted to throw on a cute apron and whip something fabulous up. problem - no idea what to whip up or how to whip it. nevertheless, i was convinced my culinary skills were forever changed.

and that night - i made... whipped cream! it was fluffy. it was sweet. it was just 3 ingredients. it was what i could handle. and spooned atop a warm chocolate dessert, it was heaven. i made whipped cream! perhaps tomorrow will bring bigger KitchenAid adventures. if you have a good KitchenAid recipe, please do pass it along!

ps - how awesome are these? i want one! i know... i'm a little crazed about the Mixer today.

happy weekend!

don't you just love summer weekends? i am really looking forward to this one. i finally am beginning to feel a bit more settled in our newlywed digs. we only need a few more things, some photos on the walls, and one big dinner party with friends. it's been completely wonderful to feel 'home' even among the mess just because m comes home every evening after work, and i get to run up and plant a big, wet one on him. i love that.

so the weekend started with the Harry Potter premier last night at midnight! did anyone else go? wasn't it awesome? although i feel a bit sad - it's the end of an era! i remember reading the first book lying in a hammock one summer at our summer house in Wisconsin. those books are the kind of reading you can just fall into for an afternoon - just magical (!). i'm headed to Wisconsin next week actually (sans m so i'll be a bit sad), and i think i'm going to reread HP 7.

tomorrow i am throwing a little soiree for my dear little sis who is sadly leaving us to finish school in Illinois. you go, girl! one day, kirby is going to be traveling the world, caring for the impoverished, and making a difference - all while cooking incredible meals. at least that's what i think. we'll be celebrating her in style with some cornhole in our backyard and some sweet summer foods (i've been obsessing over watermelon this year!).

hope your weekend is full of popsicles and slip n slides!

rugs

rugs. i've always hated them. floral print after oriental print after floral print - bleh. rather than bring lightness and cohesion to a room, rugs often turn an otherwise clean design into a muddled mess. but. there are other ways! and perhaps for the first time (because for the first time i actually have a home to decorate) i'm taking note.

rugs have come a long way from the suburban country home where everything is printed, printed, printed. i am loving the bold statements in these rooms. a rug can really change a space, can it not?

i'm looking for one long runner and at least one, maybe two, area rugs for our dining and living rooms. what do you think? i have a pretty much blank slate - white walls, white couch, no throw pillows yet, wood barn table, antique wood baker's table. i'm usually a woman in love with soft neutrals, but i feel the time may have come to choose something bold.

nesting

back from the honeymoon and fam vaca with my (brand new!) family, i'm in nesting mode! i've been scouring pinterest for images, and the above room has me hooked. our small room doesn't have nearly enough natural light, so i'm finding creative ways to make the room appear brighter. anyone have any suggestions?

we are also in the market for a few essential furniture pieces. i've been frequenting circa and perusing etsy for antiques. i'd love to hear any suggestions you may have! i found this beautiful vintage natural wood desk a year ago, and i adored it so much we used it at the wedding for our guest book table.

i can't wait to share more of the wedding and honeymoon with you all. i'm not able to publish wedding photos yet, so honeymoon may come first!

thanks for sticking with me, readers.

for the love of neutrals

eggshell, ivory, cream, champagne. i love neutrals. they largely define our wedding color palette, and they largely consume our registry. so i had to repost this stunning australian home captured by the style files. and you know my obsession with bathtubs? see the last photo. right out of a countryside dream!

stunning staircases

i love the idea of a minimalist, classically-styled home having a surprisingly outlandish set of stairs. aren't these wonderful? the first image has made its way around the blogosphere and was first captured by the lovely cherry blossom girl. and the last is from a design sponge sneak peek at the colorful home of Fiona Douglas of Bluebellgray. ah, i love.

diy light art

how awesome is this diy canvas? it would look gorgeous in a front entranceway, softly setting the mood as guests arrive for a dinner party. found via apartment therapy.