Blog Envy: The Boo And The Boy.

Julia, mother and blogger, has done an excellent job finding great spaces on her blog "The Boo and The Boy."

Here.

So many wonderfully eclectic kids' rooms, and other fantastic interiors.  Check it out you'll thank me!

Blog Envy: The Blog of Michelle Armas.

Here.

Great photos mixed with witty writing, and I'm hooked.  Go check it out, you won't be disappointed!

Blog of Note: Lisa Daria's Painting A Day.

Here.

To have the commitment to do a painting a day.  I've attempted to do it a couple of times and always seem to fall short.  I'll keep trying, and I'll use her lovely pieces as inspiration to keep my going.

Blog Envy: Mimi Thorisson's Manger.

Here.

Beautiful photos paired with interesting writing and mouth-watering recipes.  Plus, it pulls at my "I want to travel" heart.  Love everything about it.  I'm positive you'll fall in love too.

Blog of Note: This Momma Makes Stuff.

One of my biggest goals / dreams is to learn how to sew.  I came across a tutorial for sweaters turned into a baby blanket and it led me to this girl's blog.   Sigh, my heart aches now.  So much sew-y goodness.  I've got the sewing machine, just gotta find the gumption.

Here.

Blog of Note: The Jealous Curator.

I can't believe I haven't blogged about her before (I honestly thought I had in a previous "Blog of Note").  I'm remedying that right now.  Such a fantastic blog which has introduced me to sooo very many new artists.  It's a great place to get lost for awhile. 

Here.

Blog Envy: Black*Eiffel.

Here.

Blog Envy: Hula Seventy.

Here.

Fantastic photography, great writing, excellent finds.  The whole blog package!

Blog of Note: EMMAS DESIGNBLOGG.

Here.

Really enjoying the photography and interiors featured here.  Great curation.

Blog Envy: Refueled

You'll thank me, I'm sure.

Gotta Make Something Soon.

I saw this diy on Design*Sponge the other day and it really got my creative spark going.  I like the map idea, but how cool would it be if your shoved the slats together first and painted an original work of art like a neat portrait or landscape before your separated it slightly.

Via Design*Sponge.

Or even better, get a print of one of your favorite works of art blown up extra large and paste it to the boards before separating them.  I think my photograph "Holding" would be a great candidate for a slatted format.  You'd still see the image, but it would be slightly abstracted.  

"Holding" by Me.

An old advertisement would look nifty segmented like that too.  Such as this label from LABELSTONE on Etsy.

Bronco Buster Crate Label via LABELSTONE on Etsy.

Craigslist Cravings: A Couch to Paint.

I'm wanting to find a couch like this one:

Via Craigslist.

And paint it so it looks like this one from Design*Sponge.

Via Design*Sponge.

I'm thinking perhaps a mossy green.

How Have I Never Heard of This?

Brooklyn to West did a post about their finds from the Bay of Dead Horses.  Apparently it's a whole beach of amazing (albeit sad) trash from forever ago.  I'm a sucker for ancient glass and metal.  I've got to go to New York now.  Go look and drool for yourself.

Holy Cow I WON!!

So, you know how I entered THIS great contest via The Farmer's Trophy Wife?

Well, this morning I checked my email, and she'd chosen the winner...MEEEE! I've never won anything before, and the Junk Gypsy store has been something I've drooled over for so long, so this is such a big deal to me. I don't know how I'm going to decide what to buy. I'd take everything home from their store.

Thank you so much to The Farmer's Trophy Wife and Junk Gypsy for this awesome belated birthday gift. You have no idea how happy I am!!

Junk Gypsy GIVEAWAY from The Farmer's Trophy Wife.

I can't say enough amazing things about the Junk Gypsy company. They've got this vintage-y, rustic, rugged quality that is so natural and not contrived. Everything they have for sale is so fantastic you just want one of each (sometimes two). Well guess what? Right now over at The Farmer's Trophy Wife you can enter to win $50 Junk Bucks to buy a few Junk Gypsy items for yourself.

Here are a few great items from their website:

Quote Tank.

Prairie Petticoat.

Heart Like Mine Tee.

I entered to win the giveaway myself, and it would make a great belated birthday present...so wish me luck. Unless you're hoping for the prize yourself, and then, may the chosen person potentially send some Gypsy Lovin' my way.

Blog of Note: Design Seeds.

I'm a sucker for colorful images. Take those colorful images and pull potential paint colors and I'm hooked. Design Seeds does just that. I'm really digging the turquoises and minty greens these days. Here are a few of my favorite posts:

Shuttered {Color} Post Here.

{Color} Way Post Here.

{Mental} Vacation Post Here.

Blog of Note: Leslie's Drawing a Day.

I came across Leslie Hawes' blog by accident a few days ago. She does something I never thought of doing, but it is really neat. She finds scenes on Google Maps Street View and uses them to inspire her art. Genius!

Below is a Brown Swiss cow along an Italian roadside that caught her eye.

Via Google Maps Street View.

And this is the artwork that was inspired by the image. Absolutely beautiful.

Image via Leslie's Drawing a Day.

It was very inspirational to look at the images she created and the scene that she worked off of. So that's why she's this week's Blog of Note. Have a great weekend everybody. I'm going to the auction barn tonight (which I've not gotten to do since around last October), so I'm a very happy girl!!

Chow Down.

Photo via Framed Cooks.

I have absolutely become a 'foodie' in the past year. Never did I think I'd be the girl scouring the internet for food blogs and drooling over the beautiful food photography. I envy the bloggers who take amazing photos just for their blog. I usually end up having to go through my archives for a photo of mine that matches the theme of the post. That's something I'm going to try and work harder at this year. I've got to do a better job at taking my camera everywhere with me and actually taking photos with it too. It's a habit I got out of, and that needs to change.

Anyway, back to my post: there are so many amazing food bloggers out there (that's why I started the 'Chow Down' themed weekly post, so I could feature them), and the blog "Framed Cooks" is definitely amazing. The photography alone makes me so jealous. She's one of those bloggers I'm going to try to emulate in the coming year. This is her recipe for "Naked Ravioli" and it looks delicious.

Naked Ravioli via Framed Cooks:

1 Pound ground meat (beef, pork, veal, etc.)
1 Egg
1/4 Cup grated parmesan
1/4 Cup fresh parsley
1/4 Cup chopped onion
1 Pound bow-tie pasta
4 Tablespoons butter
20 Fresh sage leaves
1 Cup frozen peas, thawed
Salt and pepper
Extra grated parmesan for garnish

1. Combine meat, egg, cheese, parsley, and onion. Roll into balls about 1/2 inch in diameter and pop into fridge until ready to use.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt. Cook meatballs in boiling water for five minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Put in a bowl and cover to keep warm. Cook pasta in same water until done, adding peas in at last minute of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, cook butter and sage leaves in small pot until butter is light brown, about five minutes. Toss pasta and butter mixture, researved meatballs and pasta water to make a light sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Add parmesan and serve.

Sounds delicious.

Blog of Note.

This blog is an inspiration of mine. So many beautiful images combined with lovely quotes. I go through and say, "Ooh this is my new favorite quote." And then I scroll down to the next one and it's "Ooh this is my new favorite." It's not that I'm fickle, but that there is just too many good things to be had on the Daily Poetics blog. Take a look for yourself and have a wonderful weekend.

Blog of Note.

I recently found this blog, and it is my new favorite. The architecture and interiors featured make me swoon. Definitely worth a look, but be warned, you'll be there the rest of the day.

this is my absolute favorite image from this blog so far. Amazing building isn't it. What a beauty.