Art books into framed art

The Book Store, Downtown Chico

Have you ever seen a great art book at a thrift store, wanted to buy it but passed it over thinking it would just sit on your bookshelf collecting dust? I have the perfect way for you to spice up your home decor and put those art pages to use. Pull out a few choice pages and frame them. It's best to group odd numbered pieces together with similar frames. Not the same exact frame but similar in color and style.

Search Amazon.com for coffee table art books

Retro kids room, art inspired

While having our traditional Sunday morning family coffee at Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe I noticed these whimsical pieces of local art. I think they would be so fun for a kids room or nursery. They could be used for a boy or girl, throw down a brightly colored flokati rug, paint furniture a bright shade and distress it to add character. I love that look, especially with children. No one will ever know when they take a "tool" and try to scratch their name into it. It's added character, right? The large piece is a magical scene with underwater creatures. There are dragonflys and another underwater scene. I love them.

What I stared at all week from the couch

This week definitely did not turn out as I expected, although it started out lovely. Valentine's Day for Eric and I is never a big deal. We'll try to steal some time together by going out to dinner or coffee or something like that, but we're not big gift, card or flower givers. This year I got a big, unexpected surprise. A friend of Eric's happens to be the #1 florist in California currently and he works out of Chico. So Monday morning in walks Eric with this work of art, a bouquet of flowers. I've decided that I would much rather have a "work of art" bouquet occasionally than Costco roses for every holiday. Anyway, after this lovely beginning I ended up spending the rest of the week lying on the couch staring at this bouquet because I had the flu.

Chico's unnoticed glamour

While walking from one of our favorite cafes through downtown Chico I noticed, for the first time, these beautiful lights in the downtown plaza. Maybe it was the fact that almost everytime we're there an event is happening, like the Thursday night farmers market or concert in the park, but I just never noticed them. They're so gorgeous. Although the lights are copper, in my mind I tend to group it with antique bronze and that is one metal that I haven't had much affinity for, but after finding this vase at a local thrift store I'm finding that I really love it and I'm starting to see and appreciate it all around me.

An amazing local artisan (happens to be a good friend)

My friend Noreen recently took up knitting again after a long hiatus, since 2nd grade... Now when she puts her mind to something she does not stop until she has produced something fabulous. I love this about her. Well, she has been knitting up a storm and since opened her very own Etsy store, LemongrassandMango, and is selling her creations. I had the privilege of modeling for one of her items (that she then gave to me) and now I wear it ALL the time. Since I want this blog to be about sustainable design, I thought she would be perfect to highlight. Please check her out and let me know what you think.

Navy blue infinity cowl. Taken at our local tree farm.

My Favorite!

Incorporating Nature into your space

Look around the room that you want to spruce up, completely re-design, or just update. What do you have that reminds you of nature. I look around my living room and I see the beautiful dark wood ceiling beams. They are gorgeous. Instead of trying to copy these exactly I've brought in the idea of wood in by placing a vase of freshly cut branches off of a tree outside on our fireplace mantel.