kitchen decisions

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How gorgeous is that kitchen? I have discovered that I am obsessed with globe pendant lights. I adore them. Just doing a quick Google image search for them has me dreaming new glorious dreams of our future kitchen, with our little island topped with the magical orbs.

Kitchen decisions are often the most difficult, and the most impactful, when imagining the final vision for a new house. The kitchen is where so many important things happen. Namely, the eating of food and the sharing of food. These things are sacred and the space in which they occur is crucial to establishing the central ambiance of the home. 

This past weekend we moved mountains. We went to visit our siblings in California, and their home happens to be full of white cabinetry and grey walls - and my husband finally received that eureka moment when he realized that my pleadings for a white kitchen might actually be brilliant. He just needed to see it in-person to be able to really imagine our kitchen that way. Thus, the mountains were moved. He's on board, and I couldn't be more ecstatic about it!

Our kitchen progress has been slow but sure. All of the tile has been ripped out, we're in the process of purchasing brand new countertops, and our new black granite sink (yay!) is waiting patiently in our garage to be installed along with the countertops. Our entire kitchen and living room is painted a beautiful light grey (with that fantastic blue pantry accent wall), but going that extra mile and picturing this dull kitchen brightened up by white cupboards and some cabinet hardware lights up my life.

I know that people are really strange about painting wooden things of any sort. Everyone cringes at the thought of painting over wood as if it's inherently priceless or holy. I am quite blasphemous in this regard. I wanna paint it all. These cupboards are not particularly beautiful to me. While they're in relatively good shape, they are mediocre color-wise and very plain...I think this space would be enhanced greatly by painting them. I don't think white can ever really go out of style, although I do understand that it's all a matter of personal taste and opinion. It might be a risk, but it's one that I'm more than willing to take. Our first home is bound to have some decisions we end up regretting or redoing later on, but I think that's part of the fun and the freedom. I'm ready to experiment, take on big projects, dream a little, and delight in this new space that's all our own.

More inspiration: 

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featured artist: theater clouds

flight // an unexpected journey

Have you ever experienced that deep-set melancholy that nestles in your being when you witness something beautiful? It's not a truly sad feeling, really, but it isn't quite happy, either. It's just a nebulous feeling of appreciation and wonder when something moves or stuns you. It's a whisper to the soul. It can take your breath away and resurrect old memories. 

That's how I feel about the stars sometimes, when I stare too long at the freckled night sky and get that wandering, longing sweep of emotion. It's how I feel about the Ever After soundtrack, and it's how I feel about this entrancing artwork by Theater Clouds on Etsy. 

close your eyes and i'll take you to the moon... // endless everchanging clouds
take me where i want to go... // two families // mountains in the sea

Everything you see in these images is paper. The creator, Elly MacKay, delicately paints yupo paper and then cuts and designs intricate layers in a kind of miniature theater. She uses mirrors and tissue paper to achieve the dreamlike horizons and filters, and then she plays with light and perspective to photograph her incredible creations. These little paper 3-D worlds are so entrancing, I could stare at them for hours. They stir the imagination into wild action. It's so hard to pick a favorite, but I can imagine designing a child's nursery around them and creating the perfect space for vivid dreams and adventures.

Other than simply saying that they're amazing (which they are), it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is about them that I love so much. Their color palettes are lovely, and the way they softly glow with light is so enveloping. I think the heart of my admiration comes from her ability to capture the essence of childhood daydreams and that irreplaceable kinship between siblings. I love the scenes she creates with little brothers and sisters, experiencing the world the way only little kids can. They're beautiful pictures and they feel real because of that inner spirit.

Feel free to check out her Etsy shop, her blog and her website to see more.

In the last few years she has also illustrated several children's books, including If You Hold a Seed, Shadow Chasers, Fall Leaves (see photos excerpts below), and the upcoming Butterfly Park. 

You should also definitely take a look at her new edition of the Anne of Green Gables books. I couldn't imagine a better series to apply these magical images to!

anne of green gables series // fall stays // leaves leave

the lay of the land

I've recently become obsessed with landscape print dresses.
I've seen a few abstract/landscape type dresses on a few other bloggers, like this dress from The Clothes Horse and Delightfully Tacky.

I think the first dress in this category that really caught my eye was of desert canyons, and it's a dress from Modcloth.

Glam Canyon Dress

In my heart of hearts I know I would never wear this dress...or at least, I wouldn't wear it often. The fabric is shiny and the print makes it a statement piece, to say the least.

Yet still, I find myself yearning to find a lost $100 on the sidewalk to splurge on this impractical purchase. 

Some more Modcloth scenery dresses:

Mount Desert Dreaming Dress

Graceful Greenery Dress

Little Mesa Perfect Dress

Jenna's Field Good Dress 

Scene and Believed Dress

I just can't get over how gorgeous these prints are.

The only down side is that they are all way out of my budget, save for The Mount Desert Dreaming, which rings in around $60 (still a little steep, unless it was for a really great occasion). And I am pretty partial to the desert color palette!

I was able to round up a few more affordable options, which I also love, although they are definitely not as vibrant and breathtaking as the choices above.

Afternoon at the Oasis Dress

Glacial Relationships Dress

Key Best Dress (such adorable detail)

I think I finally realized how in love I was with these prints when I stumbled across an amazing print from Anthropologie. It was on sale, and I was this close to dropping $80 for this thing.

I wracked my brain for a good 10 minutes, trying to find any justification for buying it.

I just stood in the dressing room, not wanting to take it off. What a cool dress.

Skyward Dress

Speaking of skyward, there's another style of landscape print that is definitely surfacing. Not of earth, but of space. The final frontier. Amiright?

Supernova Twirl Skirt (love!)

Moon Rock Concert Dress

Saturday Night Thrive Dress
(technically of city lights, but has a similar vibe)

Moonlight the Way Dress
(question of the day: why is this $350?)

Which one is your favorite?

One of these days, I'll invest in a landscape dress.

Right now my vote is with a galaxy savvy skirt, or one of the three budget-friendlier landscape dresses, like the Key Best. Something I can remix often, and get a lot of use out of! 

Gotta start small, right?