What I'm Wearing Weekly: June 22-28

Welp, here we are at the end of another week. This was a long frustrating week for me and I'm glad it's over! Do you guys have any fun plans?

Here's what I wore this week. For other editions of WIWW, please click here,  here, here, here and here :)

What I'm Wearing Weekly: June 22-28 by mjchirpich-1 featuring a button front shirt

Outfits were a bit boring this week, not going to lie. My favorite thing is the fuschia shift I bought 40% off at the Loft last weekend--this picture doesn't do it justice, and it's about the most comfortable dress I own. To see someone who wore it much, much better than I, pop over and check out Kendi's outfit (posted the same day I wore it, no less!), which singlehandedly drove me down the dark tunnels of the internet in search of the perfect minty blue heels and earrings. I think that color is flattering on just about everyone, and it makes you feel so happy :)



Truth in blogging: In these boards I try to use the exact items I own, but if those items aren't available I've replaced them with visually similar items. This week, I actually own: Monday's dress and shoes, Tuesday's dress, Wednesday's entire outfit, Thursday's shoes, and Friday's shoes. Saturday not pictured this week because I just wore workout clothes to go rock climbing, and that's boring to look at :)

Product Review: Stark Skincare's Cypress Purity and Defense Oil!

It's been a while since I've reviewed any natural beauty/skincare products, mostly because I'm pretty happy with the routine I've developed, so I haven't been testing as many new products!

One that I did recently add to my repertoire, however, is Stark Skincare's Cypress Purity and Defense Oil. And I'm in love.

Why I Bought It:

I first became intrigued by this oil after numerous recommendations on No More Dirty Looks. I know that my skin likes sweet almond oil,  and I've always wanted to try out the rest of the product list anyway, so this seemed like the perfect combination to do so!

Ingredients: 

Ingredients: Rice Bran Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Camellia Seed Oil, Argan Nut Oil, Vitamin E, Cypress Oil, Bergamot Oil, and pure essential oils.

To paraphrase Stark Skincare, the benefits of the ingredients include: 

• Cypress: purifies pores; cell-renewal properties, regulates sebum production
• Bergamot: soothes irritation
• Rice Bran: antioxidant-rich, reduces skin's UV ray absorption
• Camellia seed, argan, sweet almond, apricot kernel: antioxidant-rich, light, moisturizing

Review: 

Before using this oil, I was going through a long period of breakouts on my cheeks, seemingly out of nowhere. I was getting frustrated with trying out new cleansers, moisturizers, etc., so I was pretty skeptical that this oil could moisturize while controlling breakouts. But I gave it a whirl anyway, and I'm so happy I did!

First up, this oil has a really unique smell that I happen to love, but I could see others not being so on board with it. It smells like (surprise, surprise) cypress, which if you haven't smelled cypress trees before kiiiiiind of smell like evergreens? But yummier. The smell fades pretty quickly either way, but initially I was surprised.

I use this oil after toner and my Mad Hippie Vitamin C serum. While my skin is still damp, I pat 2 drops on one side of my face then 2 drops on the other. It absorbs quickly and temporarily leaves the skin beautifully glowy but not greasy-looking. 

The first thing I noticed when I started using this oil is that I didn't want to use as many other products--I just wanted the oil to do its job without cluttering up my face with other 'stuff'! Which I think is a pretty rave review. Immediately it made my skin really soft, although by the end of the work day my skin needed another boost (I have really dry skin though). I didn't notice immediate improvement in breakouts, but I wasn't expecting much on that front anyway, as I've struggled with adult acne for years and haven't really found a 'miracle cure,' dirty or clean products included.

The more I use it, though, the better shape my skin seems to be in! I've been using it for about a month now and can honestly see improvement in my skin, in terms of reduction in breakouts, overall appearance, AND that it isn't as dry. At the end of the work day, I no longer feel parched.

This oil is a real treat and it feels so luxurious to pat it onto my face. It probably won't be heavy enough in the cold, dry winter, but it's perrrrrfect for my dry skin this summer. I rarely find I have dry skin anymore, and if I do I just pat some more oil on!

One thing I did notice, and this may be entirely coincidence, is that although my pores seemed less clogged (dare I even say smaller?), I have had more whiteheads. My skin typically develops blackheads or cystic acne, so it was interesting to note this change. Could be just the changing whether or my diet, though. Just thought I'd note it.

Moral of the Story: 

I love this oil. I think it would be great for anyone with dry skin, but since it's a very light oil I could see it working well for combination/problematic skin as well (actually, that's who they target it to). Another Holy Grail product in my book!

Where to Buy: 

Now that I've convinced you that this is amazing, go get you some! It's available for $45 for 1 oz. Stark says it should last 12-16 weeks, which I agree with since I've used it for a month and am probably just under a quarter of the way through the bottle. 

UPDATE: I've included this lovely oil in my post on my Summer Natural Beauty Regimen, check that out here!

For reference:

Face: dry skin but prone to breakouts. Pale, burns easily then tans. Pretty neutral skintone with slight tendency toward blue undertones.
Hair: Blonde, fine but lots of it, prone to greasiness/limpness with the wrong products, not frizzy or easily tangled, dries pretty straight and holds curl (via curling iron/flat iron) well.
Body: Dry skin, no problems with eczema, rosacea, etc.
So hopefully that helps you determine whether the products I use may work for you too!

B(est of) ETSY: Volume 2

It's about time for another round of BETSY! Since my last BETSY post, I've come across some more wonders in the world of Etsy, see?

B(est of) ETSY: Volume 2 by mjchirpich-1 featuring bridal necklaces

Starting top left, working clockwise and spiraling inward:

1. B&W Pillow: love the graphic punch this gives. It would play nicely with yesterday's living room inspiration!

2. Abstract Art: Not sure quite why I love this so much, but I find the color soothing.

3. Ikat Pillow: Even though I'm getting a bit tired of ikat prints, this pillow is an exception--I want to design an entire room around it!

4. Custom Stamp: so much better than hand writing your info, and I like the styling of washi tape! Great wedding gift?

5. Geometric sculptures: I think these would be pretty on my floating shelves. Great, simple objects for styling!

6. Mountains artwork: This reminds me of home in the winter. Love the diminutive size, too!

7. Elaborate necklace: I see this as a major statement necklace over a simple black tank maxi dress.

8. "Classy Ostrich" is the name of this piece, and deservedly so. Is it weird that I want this terribly bad for my house? She cracks me up!

9. Arrow/chevron pillow: Love the color!

10. Barstool: It's great how simple and sculptural this stool is.

11. Clover necklace: this whole shop is brimming full of super cheap but lovely jewelry!

12. Grey bolster pillow: I'm seriously contemplating these instead of the bolster pillows my sofa came with. I love that they're not chevron, but still add some great lines and simple geometry.

13. Heart glasses llama: apparently I'm on an 'animals doing human things' kick today. I want to buy this one too and start a gallery wall of anthropomorphism...

14. Hand-carved Stamp: I'm in love with everything in this shop. I actually bought a lovely stamp from here for a DIY I'm working on, and it's even more amazing in person. I plan to frame it in a shadow box for my wall when I'm done--it's like mini art!

15. Ceramic vase: I'm a sucker for anything white, grey, and gold, and this little vessel is no exception.

16. Watercolor moths: This shop is really lovely and has some awesome watercolor gemstones too. I see this in a really simple bedroom, or as part of a wall of books.



What's catching your eye in the grand world of Etsy lately?

Further Musings on my Living Room: Color Palette and DIYs

My boyfriend can attest that I've been a bit obsessed with creating a plan for our upstairs living room. I gathered lots of general ideas via Pinspiration here, explained the plan for one of the sofas here, and now I'm trying to nail down some specifics on color palette and projects I'll want to tackle.

Here's what I'm thinking right now:

Inspiration: Living Room Color Palette by mjchirpich-1 on Polyvore
Inspiration images can be found on my Inspiration: Living Room Pinterest board

Seemingly random collection of images, no? Well, from the top images I decided on a color palette of:

Living Room Color Palette by mjchirpich-1 on Polyvore

Dark grey, citron, and paprika, with brass and wood accents and lots of greenery via plants (until I kill them with my black thumb, mwahaha). I'll probably temper these strong colors with lots of white, too.

From the bottom two Inspiration images, I've pulled together a project list. I recently came across the brilliant DIY interior design blog, Sarah M. Dorsey Designs. The projects she creates are so beautiful and professional-looking, they put mine to shame. Go check out her blog immediately for some great inspiration!

Her living room projects alone have my brain buzzing with ways to adapt what she's done to my own plans, like so: 

DIY: Rug, table, curtains, pelmet by mjchirpich-1 on Polyvore
Central image courtesy of Sarah M. Dorsey Designs

Top Left: Sarah created a beautiful table out of driftwood pieces she laboriously hacked down to size. Although I don't have that level of ambition for this project, I do plan on hacking her idea for the table base. She used angle irons from Home Depot in her project, and while looking for the ones she used I came across these great steel beams that I want to use as the base of an industrial-inspired coffee table. I'd use just wood planks on the top, being much lazier than Sarah and her driftwood beauty.

Top Right: My boyfriend likes the curtains she made, a riff on the Schumacher Zimba print. I'd like to nab some cheap white curtains from Ikea and stencil my own, maybe using her stencil or maybe doing another pattern entirely.

Bottom Left: I've long admired the Ikea Stockholm rug for the way it adds a graphic punch to any room, but it's waaaay too large for my space. I plan to buy this cheapo Ikea rug and get a little paint-and-tape happy, like Sarah did here.

Bottom Right: We've been thinking about creating pelmets for our upstairs windows for about a year now, and Sarah's tutorial finally sparked the urge to actually complete them. I plan to make mine out of foam core board and batting rather than wood, though, and have them be a dark grey (same fabric as the sofa) with white velvet trim.


Lastly, I saved the image below on my Pinterest board months ago and still haven't gotten it out of my head. Thanks to a helpful post from Sarah, I found the fabric used on the curtains, which created a snowball effect of projects I'd like to accomplish based on this image:

Living Room DIY: Footstool and Pillows by mjchirpich-1 on Polyvore

Top Right: Since I have the fabric source now, I'd like to either recover some inexpensive footstools with it, or create a stencil to paint the same design in my own color onto the footstools.

Bottom Right: I love the tailored look of the white pillows with black border, but those would never stay clean in my house. I'd like to pick up these cheap Ikea pillow covers and paint an inch-wide border around them in citron.

Not Pictured:  I love the combination of multi-colored, geometric pillows in the inspiration image. I'd like to pick out some fabrics and create my own pillows!

So those are a few of the plans I have for the space!

What I'm Wearing Weekly: June 15-21

This week flew by for me! The Supreme Court overruled a genetic testing patent, which was a major ruling and had/will have a major impact on my job, so I was running around figuring that out. My little brother is also in town for the weekend, so I took Friday off and went rock climbing and to an art festival.

Here's what I wore this week. For other editions of WIWW, please click here, here, here, here and here :)

What I'm Wearing Weekly: June 15-21 by mjchirpich-1 featuring boho earrings

I jumped onboard the jumpsuit train! The one I wore on Friday is from the Loft and it's 40% off right now! It's super duper soft and comfy and much more flattering than I would have guessed. I also really liked this one on, but I'm waiting for it to go on a better sale.

Truth in blogging: In these boards I try to use the exact items I own, but if those items aren't available I've replaced them with visually similar items. This week, I actually own: Saturday's shoes, bracelets, and necklace, Sunday's tank and shorts, Monday's pants and shoes, Wednesday's skirt, Thursday's shirt and shoes, and Friday's shoes and jumpsuit.

Weekly Wishlist: Spending Ban

Do you ever notice that when you are on a self-imposed spending ban, suddenly you want everything you see?

Since our custom slipcover is going to be a bit of a splurge, I'm watching the rest of my budget...which is hard when these lovelies are on my Weekly Wishlist:

Weekly Wishlist: Spending Ban by mjchirpich-1 featuring maxi dresses

1. Dark Leaves Wallpaper: This is even on closeout sale! That NEVER happens! I want to buy it all and hoard it until the perfect place to use it presents itself....is that weird?
2. Grey/Green pillow: You know I'm a sucker for ethnic prints, grey, and green! This one actually hurts that I'm not buying it...
3. B&W pillow: would go well with a grey slipcovered sofa, that's all I'm saying...perfect mix of funky for me plus masculine for my man.
4. Little earring box: there's absolutely no reason I need this little box, but it is just so. darn. cute.
5. Kilim: I adore the colors in this rug. So, so tempted....
6. Wood-topped glass jars: At heart I'm a minimalist, so if I am buying a functional piece I want it to at least be beautiful. I want to stock my entire (nonexistent) pantry with these beautiful jars a la Emerson Fry.
7. Asos Dress: isn't this very Mara Hoffman, but without the sticker shock? Love.
8. Slingback chair: again with the minimalist beauty thing. Not surprisingly, the glass jars and this chair are from the same beautiful store.
9. Wood-topped enamel boxes: Again, minimalist functionalism (I just made that up)
10. Pendant: Not surprisingly, the earring box, glass jars, slingback chair, enamel boxes, and this pendant are all from the same beautiful store, Merchant 4. Check it out!
11. Brass bowls: because who couldn't use a little more aged brass in their life?
12. Laser cut bikini: so cute for the summer!
13. Knock-off Eames chair: I love the legs and hate the price tag of the real deal. Sue me.
14. Console table: I am all about mixed materials in my furniture, like this lovely simplistic console table with wood drawers.
15. Flying birds wallpaper: Another one on closeout...I can't NOT get this, right?! Amazing.
16. Another kilim: perfectly worn.
17. Duffel bag: For all the festivals I regularly attend. Oh wait...
18. Side table: Seriously pondering making a similar table for my house. love this!
19. Leopard shirt: equal parts classic and funky.
20. Safari sandals: I love the shape of the brown leather straps--these seem like the sandal that surprisingly goes with everything in your closet.
21. Wire chair: I bet these are uncomfortable, but if they're good enough for Keri Russell they're good enough for me!

Of everything here, it's killing me most not to buy the top kilim and the green/grey pillow. What are you lusting after lately?

Progress on the Livingroom: Custom Slipcover Goodness

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” -Paolo Coelho in The Alchemist.

I 99% believe this, mostly because of things like what happened this weekend. I recently wrote this post about my long-term plan for my living room, in which I stated that I'd like to replace our existing sofas with new ones in charcoal grey. I put a caveat on that plan, stating that it would take a while to save up the money for a nice sofa set. 

Well, in perusing our local classifieds sofa section (as one does when one has no plan to buy anything yet can't stop looking anyway...duh), I came across this ad:

Custom-build sofa, tuxedo styling, and only $45?!?!? I immediately showed it to The Boy and got his sign-off; I called the poster the next day and went to see it this Saturday.

You guys. Yes, the fabric is dated and floral and not charcoal grey at all....but it's pretty much my dream sofa in every other way. I LOVE the lines of the sofa, and it is SO comfy! The cushions are in great shape too, and since it's custom-built the frame is very high-quality and sturdy. I immediately began calling upholsterers to get quotes on how much it might cost to reupholster it in grey (I got anywhere between $495 and $1500, although the $495 estimate seemed too good to be true and the man couldn't spell in his email so I thought it was maybe a bit shady). Then, in doing a little digging, I came across the work of this magical artist, Shelley Anderson of Custom Slipcovers by Shelley. 

As the name implies, Shelley does custom slipcovers, and they're amazing! Here are some examples of her work: 

All 7 images courtesy of Custom Slipcovers by Shelley

I think it's amazing how well she matches up patterns, and most of the slipcovers look upholstered, not removable! Anyway, when I saw her work and that she's local, I got really excited, so this happened:

Yup. Spent my Sunday morning hauling our old couch out and new one in. Charli-dog approves. It's so comfortable!

I'm now on Shelley's waiting list and should have my new slipcover by early August. Slipcovers in general are not cheap (even ready-made ones will start at around $75), and Shelley's list price for a custom sofa cover is $420-$480 plus the cost of fabric. So although it's not cheap, slipcovers of the quality that Shelley creates take a lot of time and expertise, and I think her price is fair. Plus, the Boy and I decided that since we have a dog and are in the habit of washing the covers from our previous sofa frequently (dog hair, bane of my existence!), it is a better fit for us to do removable slipcovers than pay just as much or much more for an upholstered, permanent option. 

So, long story short, I've been brainstorming slipcover options! I've been Pinteresting my little heart out and this is what I've come up with sofa so far (mockup courtesy of my boyfriend's two-second 'OK I'll humor you, crazy gf' Photoshopping:

 From: 

to:

It's a bit hard to tell and our fabric wouldn't be quiiiiite so dark, but I'm planning on a charcoal grey fabric with black piping just on the sofa's outline, not on the cushions. I want to take off the skirt completely but don't know if I can yet--the legs are ugly and the skirt is attached pretty strongly. If I can't remove the skirt, I'm planning to make it all one long skirt rather than have the two pleats as it is currently.

What are your thoughts? My mom thinks it will be too dark, but we're eventually planning on getting wood side tables and a wood coffee table rather than the black items we have currently, so I think it will be ok. Plus, my dog is black and sheds, so I have to avoid too light of fabrics too.

Do you think I made a good $45 sofa purchase? Would you upholster or slipcover?

What I'm Wearing Weekly: June 8-14

Friday is finally here!! Is it just me, or was this the Longest. Week. Ever?!?!

Here's what I wore this week. For other editions of WIWW, please click here, here, here and here :)

What I Wore Weekly: June 8-14 by mjchirpich-1 featuring rebecca minkoff jacket

As for Saturday's look, no, I'm not preggo, the regular version of the dress just sold out before I had a chance to clip it to Polyvore. Ha.

I've realized in doing these posts that I have very little clothing that is not neutral. Like, I have one single necklace that has any color to it whatsoever. Working on it though--this week I bought a mint blazer similar to Monday's look, and I'm still loving on my hot pink flowy trousers!

What is your closet missing?

Truth in blogging: In these boards I try to use the exact items I own, but if those items aren't available I've replaced them with visually similar items. This week, I actually own: Saturday's dress (the non-maternity version), Sunday's dress and shoes, Monday's skirt, shoes, and tank, Tuesday's shoes and pants, and Thursday's dress, shoes, and scarf.

2 Quick Natural Beauty Product Reviews

It's been a while since I've reviewed any of the natural/green beauty/skincare products I've been using...mostly because I've found a collection of products that are working well for me, so I'm not testing as many new things out!

Two things I haven't talked about yet are my current face cleanser and mascara.

1. New Holy Grail Mascara: Real Purity Navy Blue Mascara

Guys, I love this mascara. I've used natural mascaras from ZuzuLuxe and Mineral Fusion and, frankly, wasn't really impressed. They were pretty dry and flakey and smudged easily by the end of the day. 

Not so with this little wonder from Real Purity. I have it in Navy Blue, which looks intimidating in the tube but ends up being really lovely and subtle--I only really notice that it's not black if I smudge some on my eyelids when applying. I find that this mascara looks and works a lot like conventional mascaras. It stays put, doesn't flake or smudge, isn't too drying, and makes my lashes look thicker and more curled than the other natural options I've tried. I really love the formula and don't see myself straying from this product anytime in the near future!

2. Face Cleanser: Organic Honey!

You know, I kept reading about natural beauty bloggers using honey as their cleanser and it just seemed weird. Then I gave it a whirl....and I like it! 

I was confused about how one cleanses with honey because it's so sticky. I just wet my face with some water, and then the honey slides around just fine. I massage it in a little and let it sit for a moment, then wash it off. My face feels just as clean as when using other cleansers, but I've noticed that it's not as dry or stripped as when I used, for example, my Andalou Naturals cleansers. 

Honey is not my holy grail cleanser--I'm not getting the miraculous results and completely clear face that others have boasted--but then again, neither did I when I was using traditional cleansers. My thought is, the fewer ingredients you use, the better, so if a single-ingredient product (honey) gets the same results as another, multiple-ingredient cleanser, makes sense to me to stick with the honey.

One thing that I don't like about it is that if you don't wash it all off completely, obviously it will dry a little sticky. Some people also have sensitivities to honey, so I'd for sure spot-test it first. My skin felt a little itchy the very first time I used it, but I haven't noticed it since.

So there you go! Two products that I fully endorse. I've also been using Stark Skincare's Defense Oil for a couple weeks and have really liked it so far. I want to test it a little longer before giving my full thoughts on it, but you can look forward to that review in the near future!

Living Room Inspiration: Gathering my Thoughts

To build a home that truly reflects its occupants, I think it's really important to reflect on where you've come from and where you want to go with your home. In that spirit, I started last weekend by making a long list of the things that drive me crazy about our home and what I need to do to fix them. This led to several trips to Ikea, Home Goods, and Target (of course), and I'm finally starting to be happy with our downstairs living room.

Latest update: We just added these $15 floating shelves from Ikea, and they have done wonders to help make the room look more complete. Although, they do make the bare windows look a little more sad...

So, naturally, with the downstairs living area nearing completion (fingers crossed--still need to buy a large piece of slate and a mantle for the fireplace before we can finish that project!), I'm turning my attention to the top floor living room. This room gets the most use in our home and, paradoxically, is the least complete. 

Here's a quick idea of what we're dealing with:

View from the dining room, facing the front door

Working fireplace--which we use all the time in the winter :)

The windows are French door-style and I love them, although they leak badly and I wish they'd swing the other way. Hate the TV console, hate the Lack coffee table from Ikea.

Hand-me-down sofa with a mismatched ottoman from our old sofa set. The only things I like in this image are the large photo and the big brass thrifted lamp.

With my back to the French windows, you can see the dining room with our chalkboard wall off to the right, and the door to the hallway with the 2 upstairs bedrooms and bathroom straight ahead.

And from the front door, facing into the dining area:

Yes, those ARE folding chairs as dining chairs. Yes, they ARE covered in paint from painting our house THREE YEARS AGO. No, I don't want to talk about it...

As you may be able to tell, this room has become a breeding ground for all of the 'stuff' that doesn't fit elsewhere. Things I'd love to ditch: every single piece of furniture (sofa, futon, crappy ottoman, side table, coffee table, and media console). Things I love and will keep: large brass lamp, console table that my bf and I refinished together, large photo artwork over the sofa, most of the room's accessories. And the TV, like duh.

So given the room's constraints (and...ahem....monetary constraints), I turned to Pinterest to help me formulate a direction for our living area. I find that when I have a clear vision of what I want to happen, I get less "internet anxiety" when it comes to pulling the trigger on big-ticket items. Here are my favorite inspiration photos (all images can be found on my Inspiration: Living Room or Living Rooms boards). 

My number one favorite image is from the home of Emerson Fry of Emerson Made:

I love how truly livable it is--lots of neutral colors, great mix of texutres, nothing is too fussy or perfect. My boyfriend likes the wood beams.

My second favorite is from the Refinery 29 offices:

I'm a sucker for the white/dark/wood mix, plus mixed metal and wood, lots of textures, and ethnic patterns.

Other images that have caught my attention include:

I like the mix of patterns without it all getting too crazy. Boy likes that it's symmetrical.

Fairly neutral with several nice bohemian and naturalist touches. Love the wood support beam!

Grey and coppery brass, yum. Once again, love the pattern mixing in a mostly neutral room.

Hate the antlers (Boy liked them of course), but everything else is pretty great. Table's too small though!

Neutral room, pattern mixing in small doses. Notice a pattern?

Stripes and textural goodness. Boy liked that the table looks 'roughed up, not manufactured' and the mantle if it was a higher-contrast color.

This room looks so cozy and livable. Love that coffee table and the sconce in the corner.

Doesn't this just feel homey? I am a sucker for all things mixed metal and wood.

Dog, obviously. But also the eclectic gallery wall and neutral tones.

Stripes + wood + metal + neutral.

I showed these images to the Boy and, not surprisingly, we disagreed on many points. Boy likes modern, straight lines, symmetrical....basically everything I don't. Ha. But, we were able to agree on the following things: Wood tones that  have character and are a bit 'roughed up,' as opposed to super manufactured/smooth-looking. Flowing greenery (a 'bringing the outdoors in' vibe). Pattern mixing that isn't too busy or too colorful. Mix of metals and wood.  Neutral base and not lots of bright colors. High contrast.

And that, my friends, is the basis of a good compromise for this room :)

So here's the general plan for the room:

Fixin' the Living Room: To Do List by mjchirpich-1 on Polyvore

The "To Do" List:

• Replace the sofa and futon with a matching set, preferably in charcoal grey (this is going to take a while to pool the moola)
• Ditch the Lack coffee table in favor of a warm, worn wood table
• Replace the old media cabinet with a wood and metal one that coordinates with but doesn't exactly match the coffee table
• Add a rug, either my favorite striped one from Ikea or a kilim (although both those looks are getting overplayed lately)
• Replace the pillows with a mix of patterned ones--I'm going for a relaxed boho look.
• Swap the ugly Walmart curtains for something more textural with a minimal pattern, plus white sheers behind them
• Keep the large brass lamp, maybe add black trim to the shades
• Perhaps replace the ski map over the fireplace with a black and white photo of the mountains out our window, probably in a large black square frame with wide white mat. Although this  has been vetoed by the Boy.
• Get a floor lamp for the far corner by the big sofa

What do you guys think of this general plan? How do you go about plotting ways to make your home uniquely yours?

Weekly Wishlist: Decorate/Dress

I don't know about you, but last weekend just flew by for me, and I find myself unprepared to deal with Monday in all its glory. I've found my thoughts wandering all day long...let's see where they wandered to:

Weekly Wishlist: Decorate/Dress by mjchirpich-1 featuring a hi low skirt

For this week's WeeklyWishlist, I've gathered a few things that have caught my eye for home and fashion. I have a major gilr crush on that Society Social sofa, which in my dream world I'd pair with the lovely Urban Home media console, a hanging planter or two from Urban Outfitters, and these minimalistic sconces from West Elm.

Of course, a fashionable home deserves its participants to be equally fashionable, no? Lately I've been eyeing up a combo of boho blues, chiffon-y pinks, and tough-girl pieces like the sandals, skirt, and leather-front leggings.

What have you been eyeing lately? Is Monday just really giving you the finger today too?

What I'm Wearing Weekly: June 1-7

Whew, this week has flown by. Work has been crazy lately and I can tell by my outfits--super simplistic and comfy. Today I don't have any patients to see so it's Casual Friday for me :)

Here's what I wore this week. For other editions of WIWW, please click here, here and here :)

What I'm Wearing Weekly: June 1- by mjchirpich-1 featuring pendant jewelry

I'm planning on a low-key weekend to compensate for this week's hectic craziness. Lots of cleaning my house, running errands, and playing with my puppy. What's on the docket for your weekends?

Truth in blogging: In these boards I try to use the exact items I own, but if those items aren't available I've replaced them with visually similar items. This week, I actually own: Saturday's pants and shoes, Sunday's tank, Monday's dress and shoes, Tuesday's necklace and shoes, Wednesday's shirt and shoes, Thursday's skirt and shoes, and Friday's pants.