...because home doesn't happen overnight.

Dear etsy,

I like you. Especially your art, handmade treasures, and vintage textiles & knick knacks. I just want you to know that you’re appreciated.

xo,
Dana

And now for some stuff I recently bought on etsy…

etsy stuff

 

1 – vintage indigo jar ($20) I store garlic bulbs in this lil’ cutie and keep it next to the stove.

2 – red sliced wood garland ($30) This crazy cool garland is going in the boys’ room. (An update on their room is coming next…) I probably could have made one for less but who has time to paint a wood dowel, cut it into a million pieces, then string and knot each slice? Apparently, not me.

3 – hanging planter ($57) The boys requested more plants in their room. To optimize floor space, I thought a hanging planter would be the way to go. Again, I decided to leave the tedious task of knot-tying to someone else. WHO AM I?

4 – vintage Hmong fabric ($35) I bought two Hmong pillow covers a while back for the mudroom and ever since I dream of covering my house in Hmong fabric. It has the best patterns and patina in a denim-like indigo color. I’m going to sew more pillow covers and fill my house with them. Because I do have time for sewing but not for knot-tying??

5 – vintage kilim pillow ($55) I put this beauty in ‘my favorites’ weeks ago and would stop in daily to gaze longingly at it. Then I decided life was too short to love a pillow virtually when I could love it in real life.

6 – New Zealand panoramic photography print ($145) I’ve slowly been adding black and white photography prints to our home. (I spy three from my desk right now.) I guess I’m into them. The scale and orientation of this panoramic should be perfect for what I have in mind.

I go through phases of browsing etsy and curating ‘my favorites.’ Then every once in a while I pull the trigger on items I’m especially drawn to. I have to have a clear purpose or spot for each item. That’s the one caveat. There’s no room here for buying first, thinking later.

What about you? Any recent etsy purchases? Any etsy shops I should know about?

images: polyvore collage by Dana Miller

nook after

I’m calling it. The mudroom / dining room nook is D-O-N-E. Done.

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We added two freestanding wardrobes to this room as a storage solution. The addition of a custom bench and modern sconces in between the wardrobes gave this wasted space a purpose.

nook collage

Accessories like the woven shade, hmong pillows, textured blankets and a floor basket give it a style.

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Sources: PAX wardrobes // bamboo shade // Jonathon Adler wall sconces // hmong pillow covers // knit tassle throw // faux fur blanket from West Elm, discontinued but similar to this one // woven basket

My goal was to create a cozy spot for reading. I filled a large basket with my favorite shelter magazines for spontaneous inspiration and covered the rustic bench with pillows and throws for comfort. I considered adding a cushion to the bench but decided against it for now while my kids are little and likely to get mud and dirt on it. This room is part mudroom after all.

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While my older boys are at school and my toddler is napping, I try to sneak in a few minutes of reading in the afternoons. But sometimes a certain pint-sized bibliophile wants to join me and I have a hard time saying no. Mabrey loves to sit on my lap while I flip through a glossy. Atta girl.

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She also loves the camera.

The little nook provides a secondary purpose as well. The neighborhood bus stop is a few houses down and Layne takes pride in walking down to catch the bus in the mornings. Everett and Mabrey are usually still sleeping so I perch on the bench like a mother hen and watch him through the window.

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Our standard 1950’s rancher doesn’t boast many architectural details so carving out little moments in nooks and corners makes it feel special.

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Why, hello there, special lil’ nook. You make me happy.

Thanks to Wayfair for supporting my habit!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking