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Kindred Spirits Christmas Countdown on “Live Creating Yourself” – featuring Yours Truly!

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I want to thank Alaina of Live Creating Yourself for being so kind as to think of me to fill out her Christmas Questionnaire.

The lovely collage she made of images for Decorology

These were the questions:
1. My home isn’t decorated for the holidays until…

2. My holiday spirit soars when I hear the song…

3. If I had to be anywhere but home on the holidays, it would be…

4. (if applicable) My favorite Decorology holiday blog post was…

5. My favorite non-Decorology holiday blog post was…

6. The number one gift on my wish list this year is…

I’ll share a few of my answers here but you have to go to her blog to see them all. I promise it will be worth the time as she’s featured a lot of AMAZING talents in the Kindred Spirits Christmas Countdown. I promise you won’t leave uninspired!

1. My home isn’t decorated for the holidays until… there are string lights strewn about and candles in the window. I love the soft glow – it’s instantly comforting.

3. If I had to be anywhere but home on the holidays, it would be… in Segovia with my boyfriend where he’s teaching English this year!

4. My favorite Decorology holiday blog post was… this post – “Happy Holiday pics” – from last year.
Read the rest of my answers here!

A personal post: Remembering Cody a year later

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A year ago today the saddest event of my life took place. My 8 year old Australian shepherd, Cody, succumbed to lymphoma, just a month after his diagnosis and after one round of chemo. His weight had dropped down from 40lbs to 25lbs in just a few months. He went from a happy, lively deer and chicken chaser to unable to walk in just a few months. It was a terrible thing to watch this terrible disease defeat this poor innocent little boy, and we couldn’t explain to him why he had to go to the vet so often and why he had to take so much medicine that just made him feel worse. It didn’t take Cody long to find out that the cancer medicine made him even more nauseous and tired, so he refused to take it.

Cody was ambitious when he chose his stick for playing fetch

Checking on his chickens

A couple of weeks after his death I joined up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and ran a marathon in order to raise over $5,000 for cancer research. Many of you reached out with encouraging words and donations and I cannot possibly express my gratitude.

Cody loved vacationing at the Outer Banks with us. He made them the most fun vacations ever.

This year I’ve donated and asked my family in lieu of gifts for me to instead make donations in Cody’s memory to the Morris Animal Foundation Canine Cancer Campaign. I also want to remind everyone to stop and be grateful for the family, friends, and pets that make their life what it is, and the past friends, family, and pets who may no longer be around in body but whose memory comforts us in tough times. Reconnecting with family and friends is what the holidays are all about.

What I love about Christmas is that my parents and all of my sisters and I are all together again in the same house, just like we were as kids. The yummy baked goods my mom makes are great too, but it’s my family that I couldn’t live without. Wow, I’ve really rambled on here! I guess I’ll just end by saying that maybe today, in memory of Cody and all the loved ones we’ve lost, to remember how important friends, family, and pets are – not new clothes or shoes or electronic gadgets – but the people and animals who love you. Because I cannot remember the material gifts I received 9 years ago, but boy do I remember the day we brought baby Cody home and he joined our family.
I truly wish you all a very, very happy holiday.


The day we brought him home.

Last minute gift ideas for everybody!

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Time is running out my friends! Here are some last minute goodies I think would make good gifts!

Stocking Stuffers:

Drink Me Tags.com

For her:

This gorgeous clutch is only $12! From Toon Designs on Etsy

A charming Dahlia sash from EmersonMade.

For the pooch:
A Michael Vick chew toy!
Gift Genius

For the little people, adorable Nightmare Snatchers

via Spiderbite Boutique on Etsy

For him:
The “cable box,” for cord control

Period houses galore – people who live in centuries old homes

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I literally stumbled across the site, Period Properties the other day, and down the rabbit hole I fell! It’s like flipping through a fairy tale and seeing how people – rich and poor, lived hundreds of years ago. The catch is people live there now, have tried to preserve the character of the home, and tell their renovating stories.


unreal



I could totally call this cottage my own 🙂






My mother would love this room!

So – what do you think? Could you live in a home this old and so historically decorated?

Fun reader question – ideas appreciated!

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So, Laura posed this question to me awhile ago and I’ve been compiling ideas for the last couple of weeks:

“We’re about to get an antique brass bed from my parents, but it’s been
really hard to find examples of similar being used in well-appointed
bedrooms! So I was wondering, have you seen any great examples of this
style?

(I’m also hoping to go for a Scandinavian or lightly nautical theme,
once we get it. We have wood floors and I’m painting the walls a very
light grey.)”

I thought this was a good challenge, as one often sees brass beds only in victorian, floral-type bedrooms. The photos I found either feature a brass, or similar bed, in a way that keeps things from getting to frou-frou, or is a bedroom where I feel a brass bed would fit in well without detracting from Scandinavian sensibility and nautical details.

Here’s a really nice example with the gray walls, and I think that a brass bed would work, as long as you kept your bedding free of frills and lace or flowers. Maybe a solid or stripes. Instead of the starburst mirror in this room, try a fish eye, or convex mirror for a nautical touch.
via house to home

An ornate bed works in this very Scandinavian bedroom because the colors are primarily neutrals and other elements, such as lighting and artwork, is modern.
via house to home

Here’s another bedroom which features pale walls, and I think that with all the modern elements in the room – like the bedding and artwork, that a brass bed would still feel chic.
via DecorPad

This bedroom is minimal, but still cozy, and I think that just a couple of nautical touches and a brass bed (keep the bedding crisp and simple) would work. Keep a couple of organic touches around too – like the branch ladder featured in the corner of this bedroom.
via DecorPad

This bedroom is already very nautical, and I think that if you kept the bedding similar, and got rid of a few of the overly “campy” objects (the flag, the wooden fish,etc.) in this room, that a brass bed could work.
via house to home

If you don’t mind a slightly more feminine look, as long as it’s not frilly a more modern floral could work. Switch the green stripes in the rug for blue, maybe some nautical-themed art, different curtains, and you could have the look you’re going for.
via So Haute


The above two images are from Ikea, which usually has a Scandinavian look, and you can see references to nautical in the later image, which I think would be fitting for a brass bed.

So folks – any ideas for Laura?

A really great giveaway!!! Alfi thermal carafe from All Modern!

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Boy do I have a treat for you guys! All Modern.com is graciously offering this really fun (and functional) Alfi thermal carafe to one of you! In order to win, go to All Modern and pick out one other item that you’d like to have. Come back to this post and list the item, along with your name. Or you can email me the item you like with your name at ashley@decorologyblog.com The cut off date for entries is Dec. 22, at 12 noon EST. I will announce the winner shortly after.

Now, about this awesome carafe – It’s thermal (keeps liquids hot or cold), and is really really cute! I chose one in bright orange because orange is believed to aid in the creative process. I used to try and keep orange flowers on my desk at all times, but considering that I more or less make my way through a pot of coffee a day, I just keep my carafe at my desk all day! The carafe really does keep the coffee warm all the way to the end of the day, though around 3 pm maybe 30 secs. in the microwave might be needed if you want it really hot. It just makes me happy to have such a bright and cheery object on my desk, too.
I think the carafe is not quite so red as this in reality. Based on stock availability there is a chance the winner may receive a different color. Here’s more info on the carafe.

Now, if I had to list one other item from the site that I’d like it’d be these modern and elegant butterfly stools from the Vitra line.
I’d pick the dark wood version.

Okay, well good luck! Leave me a note with your name and your favorite product on the site – here’s the link again – http://www.allmodern.com/, and you will be entered to win!

Check out my 2010 design resolutions on Discover Interior Design

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…and a big thanks to Kristin for asking me to do this!

Here are two of my resolutions – Click here to read/see them all!

via MielBakes
Keep things organized! I spent a lot of last year creating (through a lot of trial and error) and organization system that works for me. Once set up, it’s easy to maintain and it just helps me complete the task at hand much more smoothly. It might take a few arrangements and systems until you find something that works for you, but you’ll be glad you took the time to discover the best place for everything based on your lifestyle.


via Skona Hem

Edit and eliminate
. I’m pretty good when it comes to giving away items I no longer need or use, but there’s always room for improvement. I’ve also learned the value of being portable – I move to new apartments, if not states, almost every year, and all that packing has always been a natural point to purge. It’s also a wonderful feeling – fewer possessions sitting in fewer boxes in attics and basements mean fewer burdens.

A romantic turn of the century style home with a modern flair

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I don’t really know how to describe this home. It’s featured in Skona Hem, so it features smart Scandinavian style, but it also looks like it could be a home from a fairy tale, or even a doll house. It looks like a home in a period film but at the same time features modern wallpaper, lighting, and fabrics. What do you think?



I really like the tall, thin cupboard in the back

*love* this bedroom

I’m all about mixing and matching chairs


Amazing DL&Co. Candle sale going on at rulala!

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Hurry stuff is selling out fast!
Use this link for free membership if you aren’t already a member –








Cool modern gifts for the hard to impress

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From the very cool store, Mocha. Here are some of my favorites for Christmas.

I’ve had my eyes on these nesting mixing bowls for awhile!
A ceramic notepad

They also have these in white! Soooo cute and kids would love them

Adorable pot holders!

This piece of notebook paper is actually a tea towel
This is to scale, it’s a teacup stool!

There more online at Mocha.