What I Got From Downtown Chic

I recently got an email from someone at Sixx Design saying they read my blog &  asking if I would review their latest book Downtown Chic.  I was thrilled!  I love getting new design books and of course have been intrigued by this young stylish family of (now) 9 since I'd first heard of them.

In case you haven't heard of them, they are the Novogratz's: super-chic Mom & Dad (Cortney & Robert) who run a wildly successful design business with 7 kids!

I wasn't the only one who got the book & reviewed it so you can check out some great reviews here:

http://paloma81.blogspot.com/2009/12/book-review-downtown-chic.html

http://www.strangeclosets.com/?p=18800

http://designfabulous.com/2009/12/22/downtown-chic-a-book-review/

I'm a little late on the reviews since Baby 2 came right after I'd received the book, so I'm going to approach this Downtown Chic book "review" a but differently.  Yes, it was an awesome book design-wise (bold, a bit funky- industrial, fearless, personal and very instructional)  but my favorite parts of it actually pertained to the Novogratz's themselves & their philosophies.  Cortney & Robert met and fell in love when Cortney was finishing up college.  Since then, they've married, had a beautiful (really beautiful!) gaggle of children and fixed up an insane amount of buildings- turning them into gorgeous unique homes & selling them for a nice profit.  They've invested wisely & have taken risks where others were afraid to & it's paid off. 

They have this amazingly laid-back parenting style & it's SO refreshing to see.  In a time where kids' lives are completely structured & parents worry about everything, it's awesome to read about a family who doesn't succumb to all the HOVERING & STRESSING. 

A Novogratz kid has a birthday, so they throw a party.  Cake & food for the kids and drinks for the adults.  Simple. Easy. FUN.  No big deal & no reason to stress.  They just live.

They party like rockstars too & they even had a catered party in one of their unfinished buildings.  (Cortney & Robert if you're reading-  I'm SO up for being a "filler!" ;)  You'll have to read the book to check out what a "filler" is, but what a true/ hysterical idea & I'm on the look-out for some in my life! 

The book is full of perfect quotes like "The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow." (H.G. Wells)

and

"Enthusiasm is life." (Paul Scofield)

I ended up reading the book in one sitting & reading a lot of it outloud to my husband.  From there, he went to the computer & started looking up real estate listings- wanting to flip our house & start all over again.  The Novogratz's feats are that inspirational.  I've said before that one of my favorite things about life is the feeling that there's limitless potential & that we can do anything we set out to do & that so much excitement lies ahead of us.  Well, Dowtown Chic really got us thinking in that direction.  Not only do the Novogratz's have a bright future ahead of them, but by reading about their path so far, I really got excited about my own family's future & creative potential.

So what are your thoughts?  Has anyone else read it?  Would love to know!

xoxo,

lauren

ps-  How gorgeous is the color scheme in the room above??!! 

And thank you SO  much to my Maria at Colour Me Happy for including one of my posts in her Top 10 Posts and to Cristin at Simplified Bee for including Christian's bedroom in her Favorite Posts of 2009 Roundup!  What awesome surprises & I'm honored!!!! :)

Pure Organization 2010: Project #1

So I had an idea for 2010.  As I mentioned before, this year we're really going to focus on getting our house organized.  We've hit most of the major eyesores in our 70s split, but open up almost any closet or drawer, and you'll see a mini trainwreck.  Not good. 

In our old house,we tackled every nook & cranny and it seemed that as soon as we'd gotten everything perfect, we moved.  And I don't want that to happen again.  SO this year, we're going after our closets, our drawers, our fridge, our laundry room, our pantry- one space at a time-  And I'm inviting you to come along!

Each week we're going to do a little job or tackle a project---  most of them are small EASY steps we can take to make our life more organized and run a bit more smoothly--- and you're welcome to join me.  It's sort of my way of holding myself accountable.  If I tell you I'm going to do a little job each week, then I'll do it.  So if you're anything like me & want a friend to hold you accountable, join me!!  [image below from here]

Every Monday, I'll list a new task or project we're working on.  On the following Monday, when I list the new "to do" job, I'll also show readers' photos -THE PROOF!- of the completed project from the week before & ask for feedback from anyone who joined in.   (I'd love for you to send me photos of  your completed project & I'm even thinking of figuring out the Mr.Linky gadget for those of you with blogs who'd want to link up. )  (Some projects we're doing are pretty to look at whereas others- as you'll see- are more functional than pretty.  So maybe we'll just do pics of the pretty ones??  I'm up for ideas! :)

Some of the things we tackle will be things you've aleady done & other things we do might not appeal or apply to you, but if any of the projects are ones you're interested in, then join us! :)  I think it'll be helpful & a lot more fun if we do this together!  (And to clarify:  in most cases I'm really not talking big projects.  I'm talking about those little jobs we've been putting off.  The things that make life easier &/or prettier but don't take much effort. ) [image below from martha stewart.]

Now, for PROJECT #1:  Fill mason jars with paint for touch-ups, label them, and store them in the room where they're needed with a small paint brush. 

Paint scratches, walls get scuffed, and it's SO EASY to do touch-ups when the paint is accesible.  It only takes 5 minutes!  The big hassle is finding the paint & getting out the can & the brush and taking it to the right room.  Eliminate the hassle, and it's really no big deal.  Today I did Project #1 and it only took 15 minutes- most of it spent cleaning out out old jelly from the jar.   I also attached the paint brush with a ribbon so it will always be with the paint.

I hope some of you will join me on a few of these projects, and just think how much more organized & beautiful our homes will be after 50 weeks of baby steps!

Anyone game???
xoxo,
lauren

ps-  Thank you SO much to Joni of Cote de Texas for including a renovation of ours in her post "The Top 10 Best Renovations of 2009"!!!  It was such an awesome surprise to be listed with such a talented group of bloggers!!  Check it out here.

UPDATE:  I'm getting some awesome pics from reader!! :)  Keep 'em coming!!

Happy New Year!!!

Since we're not doing anything very exciting or glamorous for this New Year's Eve, I thought I'd compile a group of pretties that scream "New Year's Eve" to me...  Tables I'd love to sit at...  Things I'd love to wear...

The perfect black crystal chandelier for New Year's Eve...

Aren't these black and white chinoiserie plates gorgeous??? 

If I had some place to go other than the living room, I'd love to wear this fun cocktail ring (from here)

And how amazing is this wallpapered closet?!!!   (from Houzz)... 

I could see putting on my "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" dress in there...

Seriously I'm in love with that dress.  (And don't have it btw) but there are so many places online you can find who sell a version of it:

...  But in reality I'll be at home in my pjs...

Enjoying one of these with my husband:

Celebrating this:

Happy New Year!!!  Thank you so much for your support & friendship. You've all been so amazing & your comments & emails mean so much to me.  Have fun & be safe tonight!!!!

xoxo,

lauren

ps-  a little heads up on what's to come in our house this next year:  ORGANIZATION!!  We're hitting the closets, laundry room & work spaces, and are on a mission to make them functional and pretty.  Can't wait!!!

New Baby!

Well our "new baby" BOY finally came!   His name is Justin Alexander and he was born on December 22nd.  

We had a huge snowstorm here last weekend so we took Christian (our 2 yr old) to my parents' house just in case I went into labor. 

On Sunday night I started having regular (but not painful) contractions.  I didn't call the doctor until the next night when they were a couple of minutes apart (STILL not painful) and she told me to go on in to the hospital just in case.  SO we went in & yes I was having contractions but still wasn't at a point where I should stay, so we went home.  The next day (the roads had cleared up finally!)and although I was still having contractions, (going on 40+ hours--- seriously???)   we went to get Christian from my mom's to take him home.  (We'd missed him like crazy and I was giving up on ever going into real labor :)  And of course my water broke.  My first thought was "not the sofa!!!" and ran as fast as I could off of my mom's velvet sofa & off the rug & onto the hardwood. 

We said our goodbyes (again) to Christian and off we went back to the hospital.  They gave me a good ol' dose of pitocin and off we went into the real hard labor.  Justin was born at around 11 that night and it was such a smooth delivery.  He weighed 6 lbs 13 oz and is healthy healthy healthy!! :)

I feel GREAT and really couldn't have had an easier delivery and am so thankful.  I'm SO ready to jump & dance around but am being good & am going to wait until I'm supposed to.  (less than 2 weeks! wahooooo)

We came home from the hospital on Christmas Eve and I could NOT believe how big my little Christian seemed!!!!  He got to meet his brother & so far has been really sweet.  He gives him kisses and checks on him when he cries & generally ignores him most of the time.  :)  We had an awesome Christmas Day with just us & it was so crazy to look around and see that there are now 4 of us.  2 boys.  (Well, really 3 and I'm totally outnumbered.)  WOW. 

So for now, we're hibernating.   (It's pretty much what we like to do when we have a baby. ;)  I'll keep you posted & will try to muster up some design-related posts soon!! :)  Hope you all had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and thank you all SO much for your kind emails & well-wishes.  It was really fun (and took my mind off things) at the hospital when my blackberry would ding and I'd get a sweet wish from one of you.  :)  I really appreciate it.

Right now we're in that sleep-deprived but lovey-dovey wonderful stage of life after a new baby.  He really is a little angel and we couldn't be happier.  We're so thankful to have such a healthy little boy and are taking each day (no hour!) one at a time...

xoxo,

lauren

Ten Things I Can't Live Without At La Dolce Vita

The beautiful Paloma of La Dolce Vita has asked me to join in on her "Ten Things I Can't Live Without" series.  You can check it out here

Right now I'm at the hospital for Baby #2.  And my husband will keep you posted!  Have a very Merry Christmas!!!!! 

xoxoxo

Lauren (David typing)

Peanut Butter Christmas Cookies in the Kitchen!

This year we had so much fun baking Christmas cookies!  Christian is at an age (2 1/2) where he loves helping & doing projects.  Our kitchen's working really well for us...

...  and as you can see from the pics below, Christian was THRILLED   to help bake cookies for our friends. (when we were rolling the cookies into balls he couldn't stop giggling)

 

Here he is below with the peanut butter cookies all laid out in nice rows, waiting patiently after being told he STILL can't eat them...

And finally, our work paid off!!!  (We have a HUGE stock of Hershey bars in the pantry from s'more season leftover so we used chocolate bar pieces instead of hershey kisses.)  And mm mm mm!!  We gave out the cookies to family friends and of course had to keep a few for ourselves ;)  It's the little simple things about Christmas that make it so special & fun. 

We had a huge snowstorm here in Northern Virginia this weekend & school's been cancelled, so my husband is totally OFF for Christmas now!!  Still no baby but I'll keep you posted!!  Wishing you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & Happy Holidays!!!

xoxo,

lauren

Wreaths To Love

The entry above is perfection to me. A moss Christmas wreath?!! All that white!!!The urns!! Ok & the lantern & the garland. I just love it all. (Martha) If I had this type of house I would SO go there!! This year, I've been pretty slack wreath-wise (our entry, below)... There's a plain Home Depot wreath on our front door and at one point I had intentions of doing something special to it... and not that I've ever really not been slack actually... because the most I've ever done is added a ribbon to a wreath, but I always have better intentions for my wreaths.


It's not happening this year, but maybe for NEXT year! I was just browsing around online & looking at wreaths and found so many pretty ones & wanted to share. They all seem rather doable if you actually set aside the time to make them & one day when there are less renovation projects, I will. This perfectly simple & natural wreath featured in Country Living is by Minna Mercke Schmidt who has a BEAUTIFUL blog here. (She got everythign for the wreath from her own yard... ok honestly, I MIGHT add some things to my wreath now... this is just too pretty.)


And now here are a bunch of wreaths from Martha Stewart. Below is a perfectly traditional silver fir and holly wreath with a big red bow. It's just so classic & I could see it with white or burlap too.

Below, using 3 wreaths on a ribbon makes such a statement! So easy to do and it really is a show-stopper! (All I'd need to add is more ribbon & pick up 2 more HD wreaths!! EXCEPT I don't have the extra wide ribbon or the wreaths at home... which means it's probably not happening this year... )

Ok and I love this sweet gum one below. (I didn't know that's what the "prickly things" were called until today.) They're everywhere & I'd even love it unpainted. But you could spray them any color & this would be awesome... It would be fun to collect the prickly things with the kids too.

And below is a simple & ruggedly elegant pinecone wreath. The snow sprinkled on it is so pretty too. This would be easy to make, again if you only set aside the time to do it. (I think we will have to start Christmas prep in the summer next year??!!)

Oh and I just LOVE this mistletoe wreath below!! It's misshapen & looks so homey to me...

This is a beauty with golden cedar laced in the center... Again it would be really easy to grab a cheapie wreath from a place like Home Depot & embellish it with things from your own yard...

Below is a gorgeous eucalyptus & fir wreath. (Imagine the smell!! :) It looks like it might be over my head but who knows? It really is just stunning.

I could SO handle this one below. The cranberry string would be so easy to wrap around a standard wreath... THIS i can do.

Ok, and this wreath chandy below is just amazing. I love it over the drink station. This would be AWESOME for a party.

This one seems pretty out of my league too but just had to show it. A carnation wreath! And picture a poinsettia one! Definitely for an occasion & you'd have to be okay with them not lasting long... (I don't know if it would be worth it to me.)

And finally the wreath that launched a thousand blog posts! Eddie Ross's vintage Christmas Ball wreath!!Did you see his ornament wreath challenge? So beautiful & so much fun & MAYBE next year will be my year...

...At this point, if NEXT year really is "the year" I will be swimming in wreaths!! haha But aim high, and even if I only do one that would be an improvement on this year, right??

Merry Christmas!!!

xoxo,

lauren