Blame it on Casablanca...

Since day one they all doubted me...they said that will never catch on...people are too afraid...finally my time has come...people are finally embracing the beautiful colors and shapes that envelope Moroccan style. I've loved it since day one, as long as I could remember..the daring color stories, unique earthly textures, and over the top, ornate furniture....blame it on Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman...and now it's the biggest craze. Check out these beautiful spaces...

Love the color, and those sliding doors...forget about it...

Love the jewel tones...an amazing outdoor space...

Not technically a Moroccan themed room, but those Moroccan style fabric backed bookshelves are great and add so much to this room...

Once again, the gorgeous jewel tones in this picture are perfection...

 A blue outdoor dream...
So how do you guys feel about the Moroccan style that's taking over?

If you want the source for the picture just click on it :)

Let me apologize one more time for my absences, and strange blogging gaps. Between, preparing for our much-needed vacation, refinancing our house, looking for a new car, 8 birthdays and 3 weddings (yes that's happening), and life in general, the things I actually enjoy in life are getting pushed aside. I promise to be back in full swing soon, and actually will have a couple new projects (paid and personal) to show you!
In the meantime some pretty patriotic eye candy for you!

Have a fun and safe holiday!!!

What I've been pinning...

For anyone who doesn't know, I'm obsessed with Pinterest...its a sickness...I may need an intervention....In the meantime, here's what I've been pinning...

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I am obsessed with these studded doors...what an amazing idea!

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Forget our future kids, I want one of these diy playhouses...imagine it with a small light and curtains around the sides for a reading nook...love it...

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I love the idea of the sliding barn doors, so I really love the idea of sliding mirrored doors...Plus think how much light would bounce around the space!

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I REALLY want to put in a cool backsplash in our kitchen, and while it probably wont be anything this intricate, I love this!

What have you guys been pinning lately?

styling a bookcase

There's something about a well-styled but still practical bookcase that makes my soul happy. Like these...oh my heart is smiling...

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This bookcase is styled simply, with two groupings on each shelf, each grouping the same scale. It feels balanced and effortless....plus I love a brass bookcase :)

 

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The styling of this bookcase is so good. It's well balanced between books and vessels, with added storage (those baskets), and I love the color coded books....This is the Expedit bookcase from Ikea for anyone interested, this is the one I planned to put in my living room originally, until I saw the shipping price...shame on you Ikea, shame on you...

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Another styling by Emily Henderson, and it's perfect. A perfect mix of large and small objects, still at a perfect scale of size and color. The layering is so good in this one. Also you'll notice that when you look at each shelf you see pairings of three, which is kind of the golden rule when it comes to this type of styling...

This is what I imagine Martha Stewart's bookcase would look like...only in my mind, they are only books she has written, that have her face on the cover...oh Martha...And again you'll notice the small groupings of two or three...

While, I'm not an expert, I have learned a lot about styling bookcases in my few short months of school, but even more from other bloggers and stylists. Here's a few tips:

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1. Start at the back...I love an open backed bookcase like the Expedit, but with regular bookcases try dressing up the back like I did in my bookcase in my living room. This could be with wallpaper, paint, or fabric (which is what I used).
2. Layer....Start with bigger items and fill in the blanks...it's that simple....A bookcase needs depth and interest. In the styling by Emily Henderson, you'll notice that she doesn't just have a few items in a line across the bookcase. When styling a bookcase, you have to think in layers and once again, start in the back. You'll also notice she adds balance, by stacking the books, which alternate sides on each shelf. All different textures and colors add to the        appeal of this style of bookcase.                                
3. Mix it up....Did you know there are 7 ways to stack books? There is a great post on The Art of doing stuff about all of them. It's great to mix it up, it keeps your eyes moving and keeps it interesting.
4. The Rule of Threes...Did you know it's easier on your eyes to see things in odd numbers? Hence the rule of threes. Objects tend to look better when gathered in odd numbers, and the basic design principle of the rule of threes is a good one to remember, but for a more general rule, try to group things in groups of threes or fives.

Any other great styling tips out there? I'd love to add them to my list :)

I'm Lovin' It....June

Sorry for the random post times and strange absences lately. I've been crazy busy and this post was scheduled to be posted yesterday (still later than normal) but I ended up spending 8 hours putting new floors in my parent's kitchen. Anyways...
Here's what I'm lovin' in June...

I've noticed every month one of the things I'm lovin' is coffee...I might have a problem...in fact, I'm drinking coffee as we speak...hmmm, oh well..
Iced Caramel Mocha....from, you'll never guess...McDonalds...I'm definitely not usually a McDonalds kind of gal, but these are freakin' delicious...

Dark Shadows...I am a huge (and I mean huge) Tim Burton fan, so anything he is a part of I'm all for...and of course a huge Johnny Depp fan as well...go see it, you wont regret it, it's an easy watch, and pretty funny too.

I'm a little behind on this one...but The "friendship bracelet" fad...These bracelets are everywhere, in every color, and I looovveee them. The ones below are from here.

The Love print in metallic gold from Made By Girl...I've seen this print everywhere for awhile now, but sadly just recently found out where I could get one...Love the print, love her blog! From here...

What have you guys been lovin' this month?