Fun finds

 

Here are a few items we are loving lately that won't break the bank - starting with this great clock from Crate & Barrel. Simple, modern face with fresh orangey-red hands...and the best part is the color - a glossy machine grey. At first glace in the catalog, I thought it was chrome and and felt a bit bored, but once I saw it in person and laid my eyes on that grey powdercoat, I was smitten. The perfect replacement for our master bathroom clock (which we took down for paint, and just haven't wanted to put back up because it had started to feel a bit too fancy).

Also - these acrylic block frames are the best. We got the unusual 5x10 size and use it vertically. We loved it so much we ordered a 5x7 as well, and both will live on our new fireplace shelves in the great room (hoping to have before and afters up soon, just waiting on the surround).

And from Urban (can't forget they often have really striking finds) this awesome denim flag. It may go in our little guy's future 'Big Boy' room - we are not 100% certain - but it is really versatile enough to go in many different places.

Just wanted to share!

Modern Cottage birthday

Over the Labor Day weekend, the little guy turned one so we threw him a bash in the front yard. Fortunately lots of his friends were in town for the holiday so it was a great crowd up on the porch and spilling into the lawn. We kept things simple and pretty with the only real 'theme' being about those relaxing final days of summer...

The food was simple: Fresh squeezed lemonade, delicious turkey sandwiches made by a local shop,  fruit skewers, peanut butter sandwiches (no crusts, of course), and a quinoa salad with tomato and cucumber. Oh, and for dessert: cupcakes!

And we couldn't resist these when we noticed them in the beer aisle... the light blue label was perfect. Good thing they tasted good, too.

Party favors included adorable handmade paper pinwheels found on Etsy, balloons tied with cotton cording, and white beach balls. We figured the little ones would need something to entertain themselves during the party, and thought the beach balls would fit the venue perfectly. It was hilarious to watch the kiddos walk up the front steps, immediately catch sight of the balls scattered across the lawn, and make a beeline toward them to begin gleefully kicking them around the yard.

All in all it was a fantastic party and the little man had a blast!

(Lovely photography by Kristine)

Easter egg experiment

We realized late last night we had forgotten the Easter egg dye at the store earlier. And, of course everyone was sold out (we had hoped to get something all-natural). So, we took to the internet thinking there must be some homemade methods using foods and what not and found tons of ideas. We went with a few recipes from Better Homes and Gardens in the end:

We got yellow eggs using tumeric; blue eggs using red cabbage; and gorgeous green eggs by mixing a separate dish with part of the yellow/tumeric mixture and part of the blue/cabbage mixture (it turned an odd dark orange in the dish, but the eggs still dyed green). They all came out a little different, some with spots, some pale and uniform.

I was certain the cabbage dye was going to turn the eggs purple, but indeed they dried blue!

I think they are stunningly beautiful (as far as Easter eggs go :) and now we are super excited to color eggs this way each year.

And here is the little pail our guy used for his first ever egg hunt... (assisted by Dad, of course :)

Happy Easter!

Welcome to the garden, little blue hose

Yes, that is the Water Right hose I lost my mind over featured a while back... I couldn't resist the specially-created Martha Stewart color. I ordered it quickly but we have been holding out for the right hose hook to hang it from since most of the ones sold for this specific purpose are generally a bit, well.. tacky. I think this one from Gempler's is great, but we needed to mount to a post which wasn't wide enough. And this one tracked down by Remodelista is nice but a bit spendy for what it is, and it didn't get me crazy excited. So, the other day we were at a local feed and garden store to get more Hendrikus lawn care products and some organic weed spray, and low and behold I found myself in an aisle filled with all kinds of steel brackets, braces, bolts and other crazy-looking things. I immediately grabbed for one of these:

Super thick and heavy, great finish, and looked like it would just about work for the Martha hose which is quite dainty actually (very narrow and lightweight which I love). At under $20 we decided to go for it. I still have no idea what is supposed to be used for ... I didn't ask. But as you can see it went up quickly and now our sweet blue hose has a permanent home in the garden with the peonies. It may seem strange, but to me it's a little piece of beauty for the garden (and so much better then the giant construction style hoses the husband was using..!). It's so pretty in fact, that if it gets left out, haphazardly strewn across the walkway, I don't even mind :)

Hose love

My heart pitter-pattered over a hose in the April issue of Martha Stewart Living. Yes, you read right. A hose. As in garden hose. The color is called Sunken Pool and was created especially for Martha Stewart's April issue (a collaboration between the magazine's garden editors and the hose manufacturer, Water Right Inc.). And get this: the fittings have even been plated in chrome! Ah, thing of beauty... Safe for humans and pets to drink from and no unsightly brass. How will the team at MSL win us over next? The hoses will be available on the Water Right website through the month of April and come in 25', 50', 75', and 100' lengths.

Oh, and check this out - the perfect galvanized steel hose rack for your new designer-colored garden hose (you can see it in action here).

Now you're all set for spring! (Whenever it may arrive.....)

Sunny, happy art

Modern Cottage style is all about taking advantage of natural light and finding ways to bounce it around interior spaces to promote a fresh, airy feeling. Maybe that’s why we’re so drawn to these cool prints by artist Leah Giberson. I love how she plays with light and shadows – it seems like she captured these scenes at the very best part of the day. Plus they have such a fun, mod vibe. These are two of our favorites, from the colors to the composition (have I mentioned we have a minor obsession with chairs?). You can almost feel the warmth of the sun on your skin just by looking at them, like they’re beckoning you to climb in, take a load off, and just bask away.

Get an extra dose of joy with fresh photography

Art is a vital part of any Modern Cottage. Great photography, simply framed, can add a crispness and life to your space. Choose images that make you happy or affect you in a positive way, whether family photos or works by esteemed photographers. The important thing is the feeling and flavor they add to your cottage. I particularly enjoy these images by photographer Kristine Sitko. The subject matter and color are spot on -- and the interpretation quite modern.