WPA & War posters

I'm taking a US History class right now and totally enamored with the posters from the WW2, Works Progress Administration (thank you FDR) period. Thought you might like to see some of them too. It's amazing how en vogue they seem even after 50, 60 or even 70 years.

Source: vi.sualize.us via Liz on Pinterest

Source: typophile.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: inchmark.squarespace.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: inchmark.squarespace.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: zazzle.com via Liz on Pinterest

Open House: Living Room

Welcome to our living room, that we never live in although it holds some of my favorite furniture pieces.

Sources:

Paint: I have no idea, it was this color when we moved in. It's reading really "granny smith" in these photos, it is much more sage in real life.

Couch: Craiglist $75 score - it was originally in the psychology department at USC

Coffee Table: vintage military cedar trunk

Chairs: Ebay find, anyone know what they are?

Rug: jute from Lowes

Side Table (by the couch): vintage desk

Bar: family heirloom - it's actually a drop leaf dining room table

Blue Hutch: we built this!

Glass Lamp on the Bar: Thomas O'Brein (I think) for Target

Lamp on the side table: Walmart circa 2000

Artwork: over the bar - Sarah Pollock Searle; over the couch - original pieces mixed with friends work from college and a few garage sale finds in Ikea Ribba frames; on the mantel - hodgepodge of ceiling tins, mirrors and frames, original work and Lemon print from DearColleen

Recent Pins

Not too many words today, I am buried in homework. How about a little Tuesday inspiration via some of my recent Pins.

Source: lonnymag.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: sfgirlbybay.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: poppytalk.blogspot.com via Liz on Pinterest

Source: lonnymag.com via Liz on Pinterest

If you haven't discovered Pinterest - go NOW!

Open House: Master Bedroom

By popular demand (by Hawley, thank you very much), I'm going to give you a little tour of the house. It's about time right?

While Jess was down this weekend, she was like "Let's take pictures of your house so you can blog about it." I said, "BUT, It's not done yet, I mean I have to finish x, y, and z." She said, "So what!" and that was that.

Lets start in the Master Bedroom shall we?

This might be my favorite room in the house. (I have a feeling I will say that about every room).

Now for the sources:

Paint: Zen by Behr

Bed: Ikea - Vanvik frame, I think it's discontinued, this one is pretty close.

Linens: Grey from Ikea, the white shams were cheapies from TJMaxx, Yellow Flower from Target

Side Tables: thrifted and painted sunny yellow

Dresser: hand me down

Lamps: thrifted and painted white

Accessories: old yearbooks on the night stands, jewelry box from Pottery Barn, Shadow Box from Hobby Lobby for hanging jewelry, E&E Print from Silhouette Blue.

They're dropping like flies

We have a problem and I need your help to solve it.

These are our front porch steps. Yes, they are covered in gross pollen but thats the least of my worries.

See how the terra cotta tile is not everywhere? It once was. I am sure it was beautiful back in 1954 when our house was built. Leaving grouted tile exposed to the elements for 50+ years in a spot that doesn't get much sun = drainage issues =
One by one, they are dropping like flies. Right after we moved in we lost one, then another, then another. I save the whole tiles thinking once the weather warmed up I could use some heavy duty outdoor adhesive and fix it right up.
But now, piles like this one show up on a regular basis.

What to do? I love the tiled look, I would even do it again if I could find the exact same tiles...

because they are on the landing of our covered front porch. Those tiles are in great shape. Just covered in gross pollen at the moment.

So, as I see it, here are my options. Paint or re-tile the whole dang thing (landing and all). I am pretty sure I won't be able to find the exact same tile and I know mismatched tile will probably look worse than what it looks like right now.

Painting without ripping out the tile on the landing is what I am leaning towards. It's quick, cheap and durable. Worst case scenario, I can tile over it. Should I go grey? red? black? taupe? pink? neon yellow?

Here's a picture of the front of the house for inspiration. (Taken back when the front porch had all of it's tiles.... )

HALP!

Every single time

This poem gets me every.single.time.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling) i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart) E. E. Cummings My dear friend Jenny read it at our wedding and I just half-heard it on some random TV show and my heart swelled. I love that feeling. **Paper cut by Julene Harrison. from here.

Our Liz

We lost Elizabeth Taylor today. She was beautiful and talented and charming and intoxicating. I am honored to share her name.

Spring Break recap

Well, Spring Break is over. Time to get back in the swing of things at school.

Over spring break I did manage to successfully add some gold to the bookshelf and got started on the trim painting. The master bedroom and hallway are DONE!

I also got to do a little shopping, have lunch with a friend and cook some dinners. Believe me, it would have been nice to lounge in the South of France but I'll take a little mental break over anything.

Eric also ran his first 5K in Charlotte over the weekend! WAY TO GO ERIC!

So, its back to school here. This week I've got 2 papers to write, 2 tests to study for and about 5 other assignments. Blerg. When is summer break? Oh right, I don't get one until next summer. Blerg again.

I loooove gold... SUCCESS!

Thank you Hobby Lobby and your Brush 'n' Leaf. You kept my dream of gold alive for just $6.99.

This stuff rocks. First, it's pretty gold, like a gilded frame around a priceless piece of art not shiny gold like cheap jewelry. Second, it covered in one coat, went on smooth and dried mega fast. On the downside, it smells like turpentine and I'm pretty sure I got a contact high.

Second time is the charm people (1st time FAIL). Allow me to introduce you to my gold buddy.

I used a small artist brush because the bottle top is little and I didn't want to waste a precious drop by decanting it. So it took me like 3 hours to paint the back of the shelves. Up close, you can see a brush pattern but in reality it looks more like a "hammered" finish than actual brush strokes. BONUS.

She's photographing really yellow in the top pictures but believe me, she's beautiful. So glamourous! Now I just need to find some retro handles for the drawers.

**Featured on The Lettered Cottage March How-To'sday Party

Fashion Dilemma

I'm having a bit of a fashion dilemma lately. I need some new clothes that are suitable for student teaching. This is one category of clothes I just can't swing with my current closet. A couple of years ago I was in Public Relations/Marketing/Event Planning so I wore cute dress suits and chic little party outfits. Then I worked part time at a spa and I wore their uniform. I have casual weekend clothes but nothing that really fits in the "dressy-casual but comfortable and must not expose the girls or the crack when crawling on the ground drawing with chalk" test. AND, I refuse to wear the teacher uniform of khakis and holiday sweater. REFUSE.

It's been challenging. Pair the aforementioned test and the fact that I am late twenties and I do not want to look like I shop at Charlotte Rouse OR at Chicos. I want to be somewhere in between. I typically love stores like J.Crew, Ann Taylor, Anthropologie - think classic, feminine but not stuffy or overly trendy. One more criteria: I don't want my new wardrobe to cost the same as my graduate education but I do want it to last longer than 1 season.

PHEW. That's a lot of criteria. Can you help? Where have you found some good quality, timeless, economical pieces?

ALSO, have I been living under a rock or am I finally of the age where it is suitable to shop at Talbots? Have you been in here lately? Or maybe you've seen beauty Julianne Moore in their Spring fashion?

She is gorgeous. The clothes are gorgeous. Can I please have a $1000 shopping spree?