Deanna became a real-time grown up this week when she closed on her very own house. She is the new proud owner of the cutest little bungalow in the Highlands. The house has had the same owner since 1948, and man, this place is a gem. The previous owner was apparently very handy...and a bit neurotic, the basement came with a hand-sorted collection of nuts and bolts screwed into the ceiling - genius!

Check out this light fixture!

And a clock hard-wired into the wall - with incredible wallpaper.

We christened the house this week with a champagne party, the first of what I expect to many good evenings. We're going furniture shopping this weekend, I'll keep you posted on the re-do!

I just came across designer Thomas Paul and I was immediately sucked in to his line of textiles, rugs, accessories and lighting. His design statement rings so close to my heart, I wish I had written it first for myself!

"Thomas Paul's concept is simple, mix historic design styles -- Art Nouveau, 60's Pop Art, 70's Minimalism, 18th Century Baroque -- and reinterpret these disparate periods into a unique style with a color palette that works with today's interiors."

He is one of those designers who does "it all", and does it disgustingly well...

My Valentine's Day flowers opened up last night and they looked so lovely this morning that I just had to share...totally brightened my sleep-deprived stupor.
And...I've been working on some new jewelry! They're not ready just yet... but soon. I promise!

Normally I'm not big on spaces that have painted scenes on the walls, but there is something about these rooms that get me. Oh, and it might have something to do with that furniture too...it's lovely. Makes me want to invest my weekend in flea markets and a couple gallons of paint.

Photos courtesy Robyn Glaser

This video reminds me just how much I want to be a French woman.

Have you seen this? It's incredible. Changed my life. The wonderful blog that the masterminds over at Urban Outfitters put out have created 3 playlists so far of their favorite music - and their totally free to download. I've been in a music slump lately and I was really needing some new tunes. I highly recommend getting them for yourself, right here. I put the playlists directly onto my Ipod and headed straight to the gym, cranked up the volume, and surpisingly pounded my way through 5 miles! Tam and I just started a new training schedule for a race (more details to follow on that front - we still have to work out some of the minor details; location, distance, if we really think I can survive it!). I was supposed to do a long run yesterday, but since I went snowboarding Friday for the first time in about 5 years (and believe me I wasn't good to start with), I was so sore yesterday I could barely walk. If my muscles were a 3-year old they would have been screaming and pounding the ground just at the thought of running. But today, I overcame, and conquered, and now I'm really glad that it's over so I can lay around again for the rest of the afternoon.

saturday.

What a week. My blog voice has been a little quiet this week, but I have to really say, it's been an extraordinarily strange week. One that has left me with very little time alone to collect my thoughts. It's been really good, just strange. Between a mid-week rendezvous with Tam, an unexpected Wii-fit night, a booze-filled day on the slopes, odd encounters with strangers (the kind that make you scrunch up your brow and wonder "really? did that just happen?") and a party last night that lasted into the wee hours of the morning, I let myself sleep in this morning only to make a pot of coffee and climb back into bed with my laptop and my favorite Facebook updates and blog reel. I didn't actually get out of bed today until after 1pm...it felt like such a treat! Of course once I did will myself into the real world my landlord came knocking on my door with a bloody mary in hand and pulled me over into their backyard to sit around the fire and sip on bloody marys with their signature "bloody beans". This afternoon Ross and I capitalized on the free day at the art museum and are now enjoying a glass of wine at The Market - leave it up to a couple of designers to spend their Saturday night at a downtown cafe with dueling macbooks on a tight wire-frame cafe table. It's been a good start to the weekend...