ikea.

Oh, Ikea. We are going to have some fun together this weekend. On my shopping list:

• Graphic throw rugs
• Succulents and pretty pots
• Industrial lamps
• Curtains/fabric
• Dresser
• Organizational supplies
• Office chair

What do you zone in on at Ikea?

chevron love.

I have an addiction. And like most addictions, it's unhealthy, but I know it's one I share with many. I just can't shake my love of the chevron.

 prudent baby.

oh joy, via pinterest.

this is glamorous. 

west elm.

kitchen nightmares.

I ran across some pictures of our house pre-renovations. It made me so, so happy it was all done when we moved in and we didn't have any work to do. Here's the kitchen now (a bit tight and cluttered but clean and nice):

Aaand here it is a year ago:

Thank you, contractors, for saving me from the ugliness.

porch.

Remember when I asked you guys what color we should paint our patio set? Well we went to Lowe's and my decided-upon color went out the window when we spotted this minty shade of green. Todd did all the work, and I can't wait until it cools off enough to actually use them. I think I'll pick up a few cushions for them at Ikea this weekend.

the trouble with charlie.

This is our cat, Charlie. You may have met him before. He enjoys catnip, cuddling with our dog, and napping with his paws over his eyes. Since we've moved into our new house, he's taken up some not-so-cute habits as well, like peeing on our nice new floors.

It might be that he's trying to mark his territory, or maybe he doesn't like his new roofed litter box, but I think he's just mad that we won't let him stay outside. Besides the fact that the heat index is well into the hundreds, I'm just nervous letting him roam around now that we're back in a more urban environment.

When we lived a few blocks away, we had a neighbor turn him in to animal control several times because, technically, leash laws apply to cats as well and he was trespassing on her property. And then there's the matter of fast cars, mean dogs, and just the fear that he'll get lost.

That said, we're slowly acclimating him to the new neighborhood, letting him out for a few hours each night. So far he's always come in at the end of the night. Here's hoping Charlie can cut it in the new 'hood — and that he stops peeing on the floor.

happy weekend.

 

***

It's our first weekend in our new home in which we don't have a million errands to run. And yet my to-do list keeps getting longer. Good thing it's almost all fun stuff.

• Hit up some early morning yard sales, on my bike if I'm ambitious. (It's a wee bit hot in Charleston.)
• Spend at least half a day at the beach.
• Take our kayak on its maiden voyage in Shem Creek. 
• Work in the garden a bit.
• Stock up on veggies and herbs at the farmers market.
• Go to a cookout, and host one myself complete with melon-y cocktails (although choosing which one will be a tough decision).
• Finally see Midnight in Paris. 

What's on your weekend to-do list? 

frocks.

This whole home-buying thing has put a serious dent in my shopping budget. Here are some summery dresses I'm currently in unrequited love with.

1, 2, 3, 4.

DIY jewels.

I've been seeing some really cute DIY jewelry around the internets lately. I think this calls for a craft night.

 

we could do this (although my first attempt was unsuccessful.)

or this.

 

or this'un. 

this doesn't have instructions but I'm betting we could figure it out.

and another need supply necklace I want to copy.

backyardigans.

 

***

I'm worn out after a long, wonderful week of settling into our new home. We've met many of our neighbors, unpacked most of our stuff, and been to Lowe's about 15 times. With the house mostly done, we turned our attention to the backyard this afternoon.

***

The yard is on the small side, surrounded by a tall privacy fence with a big tree right in the middle. Although it's kind of a mess right now, I like it because it feels like a blank canvas. I want the backyard to be an extension of the house, a place where we (and our friends) can spend hours eating, drinking, playing, and lounging when the weather's nice — and when the mosquitoes leave.

 ***

We had planned on putting in a patio, but we realized that the tree's roots are big, and they reach all over the yard. Now we're considering a gravel patio area or a low deck. We want to do it ourselves, but we're starting to think we'll need an expert opinion. If any of you have some insight, I'd love to hear it!

Side note: The Backyardigans was my favorite show to watch when I worked as a nanny in college. I miss it.

GPOP.

Yep, that's a gratuitous picture of a puppy. I'm too busy with work and unpacking to do a real post, so you'll have to be happy with this for now.

porchin'.

Our new front porch is teensy, but really I'm just happy to even have a front porch. Luckily, we have this little Ikea set that we bought when we first moved to Charleston that I think should fit perfectly. It has seen quite a lot of wear in the last four years, so I'm thinking of painting it — but I can't decide what color. My top choices are black, red, yellow, or light blue. Let's put it to a vote?

Also, let me know if you have any tips for painting stuff like this. I was just going to go with spray paint but I'm not sure how well that'll work.

Also, we bought a washer and dryer last night. We're writing so many big checks I feel like a balla.

home sweet home.

Yesterday, we bought a house. I wrote a check for nearly $6,000 and committed to paying many times that amount over the next 30 years. After 45 minutes of legal jargon and signing my name until my signature started to look weird, our realtor handed over a single gold key hanging on a gold ribbon. We are homeowners.

It's taken awhile to get here. We started looking almost a year ago. We fell in love with several places, and made offers on three of them. One owner raised the price after we made our offer (it's still sitting vacant), the other was snatched up by an evil cash buyer, and the other we discovered under a few feet of water after a heavy rain.

And then we found this house. When we first looked at it, it was more than $30K out of our price range so we decided to forget about it. When we got word that the owner was willing to be very flexible, we made an offer and it was accepted.

We moved in most of our things last night. We set up our bedroom but everything else is a mess. Still, it was the most incredible feeling to wake up in a house that feels more like home than anywhere I've lived in years. I sat on the couch in my PJs for the longest time just looking around and feeling happy.

So basically I'm obsessed with my new house, I have so many plans for it, and you'll be seeing a lot more home-related posts. Get ready for it.

fish.

Fish is one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston. And yes, I have a lot of favorite restaurants here, but Fish is where we held our wedding reception last fall, and every time I go in there I feel a little special knowing that.

What I love most about it is its versatility. It's a great spot for an affordable happy hour, with $1 dim sum and creative cocktails — try the Black Thai lemonade with Gentleman Jack, lemongrass simple syrup, lemon, and Blenheim hot ginger. At night, chef Nico Romo cooks up a menu of seasonal, Asian-inspired food — I recently had a perfect summer meal of scallops with avocado jasmine rice, roasted mushrooms, peas, and grilled watermelon. Then late-night on the weekends, a DJ comes in and the place turns into a raging dance party.

weekend.

 

***

I'll likely be doing none of this this weekend (partying or socializing), but I hope that you are. I really just wanted to show you this picture because it's inspiring — any space can be made into something comfortable, pretty, and welcoming. I love their raised beds and lanterns. And the dalmation. I'm off to be productive. Do you have anything fun planned?

white washed.

all.

I'm currently floundering in home-buying purgatory, waiting for a closing date that keeps getting pushed back. It's been a frustrating process, but the end seems to be in sight. All I really want to do is hibernate until I have those keys in my hand.

On another note, I really love white kitchens. Like, really love them. I wasn't even aware of this obsession until looking at my Pinterest Kitchens board. Good thing my new house has white cabinets, white subway tiles, and crisp white beadboard ceilings. I'll show you a picture, just as soon as I get those keys.

inked.

***

I've been thinking about getting inked lately. I've always toyed with the idea of getting a tattoo but never could decide on something special enough. I've been seeing so many cool tats lately, though, it feels almost hard to choose. That said, I'll probably never make the leap. But it's fun to think about.

Do you have any tattoos? Ever wanted to get one?

fourth.

***

I hope you all have a lovely Fourth of July weekend. Do you have any big plans? 

On my to-do list: Finish my book, finish my article on biscuits, a bit of packing, a couple of parties, baking something sweet for one of said parties, and staying as close to the water as possible.

laundry room moment.

 

I'm experiencing laundry room envy. How nerdy is that?

all images via Pinterest.