Man, it’s holiday gift-guide central in blog land huh!? I thought I would jump on the band-wagon but instead of making gift-suggestions, I’m sharing MY ultimate dream-christmas wish list… I’ve preached many times before about how de-junking my life has been a big priority these days. Although, it’s hard to do that when I’m constantly wanting and purchasing new things!!

Everything on this list is something I believe would be very useful to me right now. ( …and here is where I try to justify that statement, ha ) For example, that felted beanie would be perfect for my freezing cold bike-commute to work! The candle will help me relax-to-the-max, as I seem to be a bit too stressed these day. Etc Etc… P.S. Don’t get mad at me that there are some super expensive things in there – key words: “ultimate dream-christmas wish list” Hope you guys are having fun putting your list together. It’s fairly easy when there are so many amazing products out there right now!

01. Wine Stopper | 02. Brimmed Hat | 03. Rose Gold Candle | 04. Suede Ankle Boots | 05. Copper Mug | 06. Bronze Palm Dish | 07. Breakfast Board | 08. Bucket Bag | 09. Felted Beanie

Introducing the seriously amazing Brooke Baker. I can’t remember how I “found” Brooke but I guarantee you, it was love at first site! She left San Francisco RIGHT when I got here so we’ve never had the chance to galavant around in real life. I’ve been told by mutual friends that we are the blonde and brunette versions of each other – I hope to find out if this is true sooner rather than later! Anywhoo, back to Brooke! Not only is she a talented graphic designer but she’s an instagram-bad-ass and interior decorating extraordinaire! She also has a great VSCO feed and tumblr. Girl-be-talented.

…a bit from her:
“I recently moved to Seattle after a few projects took me from San Francisco, to Austin, and to New York. I was able to work for Google’s Creative Labs which has always been a dream of mine. With that project wrapping up, I’m looking forward to spending the next 2 months finishing my own projects that I never seem to have time for! One of those is my curated craigs list blog called, Brookeslist (coming soon). Since decorating is one of my passions, I developed a little Craigslist addiction while living in SF. You can find so many great things on there and I started a blog where I go through and curate it. I’m building it now for 5 cities and hope to launch it soon! After I finish that I plan on looking for whatever is next here in Seattle which is really exciting!”

…and now her favorite piece and why:
“This sweater has quickly become my every-day-sweater. It’s the best! It’s seriously warmer then most of my coats. I was walking Crosby when I spotted it in the window of this vintage store and just had to have it! If you get the chance go check out Lucky Vintage on Ballard Ave in Seattle.”

Brooke recently had her home photographed by Marissa Maharaj. It’s so stunning – I couldn’t resist sharing some of my favorite images!! Although, you have been warned: It’s a long post! I had a lot of favorite images, haha.

A few words from Brooke about her home:
“To me, home is a special place — a place for rest, a place of creativity, a place for friends. After traveling around for work for 6 months in San Francisco, Austin, and New York, I’ve finally been able to make myself a new home in Seattle. I saw my new place as a blank canvas and with that, I chose to create as many custom pieces as possible. I decided to use copper and raw wood as my main materials and used them when I could. I also wanted to surround myself with plant life. Having plants around you makes you happy and I swear by it. Stock up Seattle, winter is coming.”

What is your decorative style inspired by:
“It’s inspired from many things, but mostly people and experiences. When I look around my apartment I’m constantly reminded of places I’ve been and the people I love. At the end of the day I find myself happy with my new home and proud of the things I was able to create.”

I asked Brooke if she has ONE favorite item in her apartment?
I know this is an annoying and difficult question, kind of like – what’s your favorite song!??

But hey, she was able to pick…
“All of the pieces I build are like my kids, and you know that you can’t pick favorites! However, I do love my desk. It took quite a while to find and put together all the pieces, and once I did it made the whole apartment come together.

Now, we head outside! There is so much eye-candy out on this little covered patio! Brooke did a great job at making this feel like an extension of her living room but with a greenhouse vibe that houses lots of lush plants! There is rich color, texture, and detail in every corner.

I’m trying to keep this post at a reasonable length so if you want to see MORE photos of Brooke’s place, head over to Marissa’s blog. She has a nice selection up as well!

Tell us about this lion made of nails:
“I’ve had the idea to make art out of nails forever! At first I was going to do a lion and a lamb, but once I realized how long it took and how tiring it was to hammer each nail… I decided to just stick with the lion. I’m hoping to finish it soon, but due to how loud it is, it’s tricky to finish it when you have neighbors.”

Do you truly play the accordion?
“I’ve had ‘learn the accordion’ on my bucket list for quite some time now. I was in an antique mall in Texas and finally found the perfect one, I had to get it. I’m actually going to start taking lessons soon, but it’s also a tricky project due to the noise! (sorry neighbors!)”

Hey Bay Area – I’m having a San Fran Book party this Saturday – Nov, 30th! and would love to see you there! It’s at Little Paper Planes on Valencia St. in The Mission! It’s an amazing little shop that opened in May and has been kicking ass ever since. Come enjoy a few drinks, check out the book, and shop!

One more thing: Kelly Jones, the owner, has created a space that is not only full of amazing products but creates opportunity. The shop assists artists in their careers through print editions, publishing, curatorial and licensing projects. It also provides opportunities for lectures, events, exhibitions and workshops! I feel very lucky to be celebrating the book at such a shop. COME!!

photos from: Daily Candy

I went into an actual Zara store for the first time this past weekend! Needless to say, it was wonderful. I have been looking for a new coat and found like… 10 respectable options. Who knows how I will choose. I took a look at their website after my visit and fell in love with this “in the evening” lookbook. I wanted to share some of my favorite images!

So the book-party in LA was… wonderful, to say the least! We had such an amazing turn out that left me feeling a bit giddy! It’s always encouraging to see friends and fellow-creatives come out of the woodwork to support each other. It’s a community that I am incredibly inspired by so spending an evening with them in one room ( with champagne ) was heavenly. I wouldn’t have wanted to celebrate it any other way. Thank you Urban Palate for capturing all of these wonderful photos!

Individual Medley was the perfect place to have everyone come together. Not only is it a gorgeous shop but the owners, Monica & Justin, are two of the nicest people I have ever met. Their shop was a safe-haven for me the whole time I loved in LA. I would constantly pop in for a chat and a shop. If you’re in the LA area and haven’t been here – drop what you’re doing and go right now. She has stocked up on some extra special stuff for the holidays. Plus, Proof Bakery is down the way and that’s a must as well.

What put this night over the top for me was having Urban Palate and Smilebooth there! Urban Palate worked with me on a custom menu of treats for everyone to snack on. OMG** I was so impressed with the presentation of the food and obviously how delicious it all was… I think my favorite was the: Pork Cutlet, Scallion Pimento Cheese, & Nueske’s Bacon Maple Biscuit. Can you say holy cow??

…and who doesn’t love Smilebooth? It’s a hilarious way to capture an evening. In case you care to look, you can see all the photos from the evening here. Enjoy!

I have the hardest time finding artwork for my home… It’s never been easy for me – committing to putting something up that will be there every single day! You should see the walls in my apartment right now, they are 99% empty. It’s sooo boring!

I was very excited when Miles of Light, an online shop that sells nature and botanical prints, reached out to me because I really connected with her photos. They are simple, beautiful, and very soothing. I think have decided to frame this Coral Fan. The color and texture are gorgeous!

Romina, the head and heart behind the shop, has graciously offered up some of her products for you guys to win! This includes the 2014 one-page calendar, 1 set of feathers blank cards with envelopes, and an 8×10 print of your choice! To enter: Follow Miles of Light on Facebook and then leave a comment below about your favorite product! One winner will be chosen on Nov 27th ( this giveaway has ended! )

Introducing Sarah Samuel, She is the founder and designer behind A Sunny Afternoon as well as the voice behind the lifestyle & design blog Smitten Studio. She actually launched a shop update TODAY that re-stocked some of the most popular and ongoing items, and released new designs along with a new lookbook! I have my eye on a few things – you guys should go take a look!

…a tiny bit from her:
“Adding new products & designs to the collection means a lot of time in our workshop making cutting boards as well as painting new patterns in my studio to apply to table linens. Planning shoots for the shop is one of my favorite steps in the process as I get to finally see all the finished products come together. It is how I share my vision and it’s also when I get to collaborate with a few other talented folks. Smitten Studio is a constant creative outlet as well where I show and share what I am up to and touch on all my favorite subjects like photography, home decor, fashion, travel, and product & pattern design.”

…and now her favorite piece and why:
“My favorite piece is that skirt! I am a total sucker for a beautiful graphic pattern.”

Thanks so much Sarah!
Follow her: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

With Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I finally gave into the fact that it’s “that time of year”. I was recently given this bottle of Henney’s Dry Cider so I decided to put it to good use by making a Cider Rum Punch. You guys…. make this, hurry!! It’s such an interesting mix of flavors! This particular cider has been described to have: a bittersweet apple character with some spicy bite and a bit of tannic grip, very fruity and quite pure.

Note: It serves about 6 people – I plan to make it again for the small dinner party we’ll be having on Thanksgiving Day. Scroll down for the full recipe + instructions. Happy Holidays & Enjoy.

Made, shot, and drank by: Me & Lo Cro.

Cider Rum Punch –

Ingredients:
8 ounces Dark Rum
3 ounces Lemon Juice
4 ounces Thyme Simple Syrup
12 ounces Apple Cider
4 ounces Water
4 ounces Club Soda
8 dashes of Bitters
Sprigs of Thyme, Garnish
Apple Wheels, Garnish

Prep:
To make thyme simple syrup, combine 2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water and 6 thyme sprigs in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring up to a boil and reduce to simmer, until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place the syrup in the fridge to cool. Place all the ingredients in a large picture or carafe with ice and stir. Fill your glasses with ice and serve the punch! Garnish with a sprig of thyme and an apple wheel. Enjoy!

Happy Monday! Did you guys have a good weekend? I did enough home-improvement to last me a lifetime. My momma is coming to visit this weekend so I was getting our guest room up and running. I installed new curtains, bought new bedding, & gave it a good deep clean! It’s so much work making a room look decent :) …sigh – cheers to a new week!

p.s. Enjoy these insta-finds!
As always, they rock.

01. Marsha Golemac- A talented stylist based in Australia
02. Lemon Glass – Lots of trees and blue skies – her feed is so soothing.
03. Cannelle Vanille – For food lovers!
04. Brooke Holm – A photographer who works with insanely talented stylist!

I’ve died and gone to cushion heaven! They are made by Bonnie & Neil, a company based out of Australia. I saw the bottom right pillow in person at a shop this past weekend and fell in love. The texture of the screen printed paint on the linen was so nice, the colors were super rich, and the fringe was a great additional detail. I have WAY too many pillows / cushions so I couldn’t even consider buying a new one. I am definitely bookmarking these bad boys for future decor needs though.