Such a dreamy collaboration . . .

Designer Mary Katrantzou and Photographer Erik Madigan Heck

Twig and Tree

New Southern Dream Life

So now I have a new Southern gentleman husband . . . 

 . . . & four new kiddies (yes, 4), who I cannot stop taking photos of.  

I especially like it when they blend into my apartment.

Who knew the South would be so magical?

P.S. Someone sent me this necklace and I have no idea who but I love it more than kittens.

Dreamiest invention yet? Probably Contact Paper

Not only do I line all my shelves and drawers with it - but I can't stop putting in on my furniture as well.
I scoured TJ Maxx and Home Goods for rolls and rolls.  The more patterns and colors, the better.

For my mini-bookcase I used three different patterns (because I can't stop).  Plus, I considered painting the bookcase like the Roll Top but just the thought exhausted me.   

This night stand came off lucky since I only used one and one color of paint.

I dreamt I had money to buy an awesome sofa

I mean like real money, like ABC Carpet & Home money or Anthropologie money (don't act like they aren't high end - their prices and patterns are so alienating they screams 'high end').

But alas, I do not have said money, so I had to settle for a Rooms 2 Go sofa, which was tres comfy. 

And brown.

Again, like the Roll Top (not to be confused with Roll Tide), I do not have a before photo but you can imagine a plain (read: ugly) brown and black fabric-covered sofa.  I dare say it's made of terry.  

So I took two table cloths from World Market (my version of ABC Carpet & Home in AL) and stapled it to the back and bottom frame and wrapped two cushions in it.

Since it's backed against the wall, you can't even tell how horribly I stapled it to the back.
But soon that wasn't enough - with no experience and without reading about upholstery, I bought a few more table cloths and literally sewed it on the arms.

  Suddenly, a thimble sounded like the best invention in the world, but I was working with such bare bones material, I had to suffer instead.  

Of course, if you look closely you see seems don't meet or match but who's looking that closely?

Not this guy, he just wants to cuddle. 

Did I mention that in AL I met and married a MS boy?  He's so patient with my hobbies and interest as I am with his.

(I am still learning how to dress for these activities.)

Zebras might be my dream animal

Ah, zebras, you have everything a girl could want: stripes, black and white and smaller versions of horses.

My mom is obsessed with black and white animals and growing up we were surrounded by toys and pictures of her favorite animals: panda bears, zebras and snow leopards.

Snow leopards and pandas are fine, but zebras are my jam.

So when I saw this white lamp at Home Goods I knew what had to happen.

Stripes

And florals, of course.

And baby zebra matches perfectly in the family room/ parlour/ living room/ library.

And clearly, between my two preferred home decor aesthetics, I've veered more towards the loud, brash, pattern on pattern type.


Now, when it comes to shoes, specifically Jeremy Scott sneakers, then we can talk pandas. 

I'd wear these so fast.

And maybe get front row seats as a Reward.

Who knew roll top desks could be so dreamy?

I don't have a 'Before' shot but just imagine a plain dark brown roll top desk that I bought on Craigslist and then image that I have tons of free time because I moved to a new city and don't know anyone and so I start to paint to fill my time.  

And here are the phases for my Roll Top:

 I considered writing a quote about Alabama or the South on the front but then I decided that would be too forced for me, so I settled on my trusty purple prince, Prince.  

And because I cannot stop using contact paper on everything. . . I added more pattern and color via my best friend, sticky, shiny contact paper.

I tried her in the bedroom but I wanted her to be seen by my fellow Prince lovers, but mostly I needed a catch-all in the main room.  Plus, this space was eventually needed for a second rolling rack.

And here she is, months later, in her rightful place: