these things I's been readin'

I'm a pretty fast reader, so the bulk of the reading I did during the school year was on my iPhone (yeah, ebooks!)  They were cheaper and it was easier to not carry around anything else with my already giant and heavy schoolbag, but lately I've been missing real live books.  There's nothing like the feel of paper and the heft of a book in your hand.

A few weeks ago, I spent a glorious hour at Book People, (the best book store in the whole world, y'all) and picked up an old favorite, a present for a friend, and something new.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides is one of my favorite books of all time.  I let someone borrow it a few years ago and never got it back, so I figured I needed another copy.  Read it, people

A Practical Wedding by Meg Keene is a fresh, sane look at wedding planning.  Now, don't get all excited... I'm still very single, but my friend Angie is getting married and I think she'll love it.  I've been reading this website for a few years (why I read a wedding blog, I dunno...) and it has a great take on feminism and weddings.  Getting married?  Check out the site or buy the book, trust me.

How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran is (according to the New York Times) "a glorious, timely stand against sexism so ingrained we barely even notice it."  I didn't agree with every single word on the page, but it all made me think.  Love, love, love.

The prettiest book I've been toting around, however, is this notebook Evane gave me for Christmas.  It's got pretty (unlined! - which is important) paper and a sweet ikat cover.  I've been keeping it close for those moments when I need to jot down a brilliant idea.

Trust me, I've got lots of brilliant ideas.

spice shelves part 2

When I was looking for the shelves Ikea sells for their spice jars for this morning's post, I came across the cutest idea!  I've never read this blog before, but good job, lady.

photo via Domestic Simplicity

Kid's books have such wonderful cover designs but traditional bookshelves only show the spine!  These spice racks are only $3.99 apiece and seem perfect for a nursery.  I'm filing this idea away, for reals.  I'm churning out little book nerds, just like their mama.

I like you...

I'm loving this vintage book and its illustrations.  It's the sweetest story; I can totally imagine a passage from this read at a wedding.

I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg

I like you because you are a good person to like I like you because when I tell you something special, you know it's special And you remember it a long, long time You say, Remember when you told me something special And both of us remember When I think something is important you think it's important too When I say something funny, you laugh I think I'm funny and you think I'm funny too Hah-hah! I like you because you know where I'm ticklish And you don't tickle me there except just a little tiny bit sometimes But if you do, then I know where to tickle you too You know how to be silly - that's why I like you If I am getting ready to pop a paper bag,  then you are getting ready to jump HOORAY! I like you because when I am feeling sad You don't always cheer me up right away Sometimes it is better to be sad You can't stand the others being so googly and gaggly every single minute You want to think about things It takes time I like you because if I am mad at you Then you are mad at me too It's awful when the other person isn't They are so nice and oooh you could just about punch them on the nose I can't remember when I didn't like you It must have been lonesome then Even if it was the 999th of July Even if it was August Even if it was way down at the bottom of November I would go on choosing you And you would go on choosing me Over and over again And that's how it would happen every time

not that my iphone isn't a perfectly professional camera...

Evane (the middle sister) has been in Texas for the summer and we've been working on a few photo shoots.  Nothing fancy, just good quality pictures of things I've done for future interior design relating job hunting.

I know she wants to edit these, but I was really excited to have a better shot of my living room than my iPhone camera, so here you are...

$25 Goodwill rug.  Coffee table made out of a stolen pallet from the outlet mall parking lot, a few cheap casters and a piece of plexi glass Lowe's cut to size for me.  The ultimate $350 Craigslist find, my vintage Chesterfield leather sofa.  My precious home-made bookshelves, full of all of my favorite books, art, and vintage trophies.  (This un-edited picture doesn't show it well, but the coral pillow matches the rug perfectly.  Thanks, Target!)

Ikea's ubiquitous $70 Expedit.  Vintage mirrors my Granny gave me.  Owl print from B. Lambert's Etsy shop; $8 people, art doesn't have to be expensive.  Lots of (mostly from thrift stores and Half Price) books.  $5 coffee filter/cupcake liner/thumbtack "flower" installation.  Vintage needle package art in Ikea frames.  (Post on those to come; they are some of my favorite artwork in the house)

I'm a big fan of these billy buttons (or Craspedia if you want to get technical) and they last forever!  This might be the laziest/cutest arrangement I've ever made: chop them off all the same height and throw in vintage water glass.

(Side note:  I found this picture when I was googling the Latin name for the flower.  Succulents and billy buttons in a wedding bouquet?  Sign me up.  Cutest wedding ever.)

Chris and Kelly's wedding, shot by Erin Hearts Court

It's not hard to style bookshelves.  Lots of books, placed horizontally and vertically, to give it interest.  Art (This particular piece is a page from a calender that I framed in my good ole' standby, the Ikea Ribba.)  Knick knacks; tchotchkes; things you find pretty.  Whatever you call them, they don't have to be expensive.  Every single thing in this shot came from a thrift store; I just pop in when I'm close to one and have a few minutes and just browse the "accessories" aisle.  When I find something I like that's priced right (read, only a few dollars) I buy it and throw it in my "When I need to decorate something" box.  That horse bookend was an ugly fake marble color, so I spray painted it high gloss white.  The wooden artist's model was $10 at Ikea.  The gold dinosaur was $.99 and is the best thing I ever placed anywhere.  (I wrote that sentence and all I can hear is Peter Griffin saying, "That's the smartest thing I've heard anyone say about anything."

I love my vintage trophies.  I also love paperbacks printed in the 60's. (The best cover design!)  I love these two things stacked up beside each other even better.

There you are.  My living room, hopefully a little prettier than you've seen it before.

right now I'm loving...

the Last Kiss soundtrack.
a few of my favorite songs:


"Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" - Rufus Wainwright


"Arms of a Woman" - Amos Lee


"Hold You in My Arms" - Ray Lamontagne


"Paperweight" - Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk

hanging out with these crazyfaces.

this book I stole from Amby.

storing the chalk for my new chalkboard on my coffee table.

not that I don't normally enjoy lectures...

But I just really loved this one.  (Ok, so I don't normally pay attention in my Russian class...)

The translator for Thirst, by Andrei Gelasimov spoke in our class today about her career in translating Russian literature.  It was super interesting and I might have avoided zoning out for the first time ever.

If you do end up reading it, feel free to tell me what you think.  It'll be on the final, I'm sure.

monday.

Wake up early.  Wear a handmade colorful skirt.

Do homework on the bus.

Drink some oj.  Go to the financial aid office.

Listen to Adele.  Walk to class.

Read books by old Russian guys.

(Escape Hatch by Vladmir Makanin)

Make salted caramel dark chocolate brownies (from scratch!) with your sister.
Ruin the carmel three times.
 Discuss life after college.

Watch a traumatising documentary about natural birth and then decide to adopt.
Stay up late doing homework.  Go to bed.  Wake up.  Do it all again.

look what I got yesterday!

In a day that included a new haircut (so cute!  I'll show soon) and a late lunch at the highly anticipated new neighborhood restaurant (hopdaddy - super yummy hemp veggie burger), the best part of my day was the email from the library saying my book request had come in...

YEAH! (Already finished.)

I just finished #2 as well, but luckily there are a few more waiting.

I rarely read the book after the movie (tv show) but it's been fun to see Micheal C. Hall and the others in my head.  The first two books have followed the first two seasons semi-faithfully (well, I guess it would be the other way around) but it's different enough to still be interesting.  I really hope Trinity shows up in book four and that they find a way to make the Jimmy Smits character better - I didn't love season three. (Of course, that is when Quinn shows up and I love him...)

Love it.

judge a book by its cover (you should totally)

Now that I have a coffee table (pictures coming soon) I thought I should get some coffee table books.  Not really, that was a lie.  (the coffee table book part, not the coffee table... though I haven't figured out a way to get the legs on yet, so, a double lie)  Anyways, I found these books at Urban Outfitters - I'm such a sucker for good cover design and there are some awesome ones in here.  (As well as books written by funny website creators, I like those too.)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

I have the e-book version of this on my phone and I've read it a thousand times.  She's one of the funniest people (and writers!) on The Office and this is one of the funniest books I've ever read.  Definitely my number one recommendation on this list/the only one of these books I've actually read.  Her website, The Concerns of Mindy Kaling, is fantastic and I wish she still wrote on it as often as she used to.

Texts From Last Night

This website has people send in drunk texts they get from their friends.  It. Is. Amazing.  It's always been a favorite of mine and I just might have to get this book.

(618): I'm about one sudden movement away from being able to cross "throw up in a fortune 100 company's bathroom" off my bucket list

(508): You called to teach me about fire safety, meowed a whole bunch, said "I hope you are not on fire" and hung up

(910): I just hate that one day I'll have to tell our children how we met, makes me look like a gold digger

5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (And Other Useful Guides)

Funny website, really funny book title.

The Secret Garden

Penguin Threads put out a line that (if you know me, you'd know) I'm obsessed with.  Jillian Tamaki embroidered covers for a group of classics and they're beautiful. There's The Secret Garden, Emma, Black Beauty, Little Women, The Wizard of Oz, and The Wind in the Willows.

I want all of them.  All of them!  I wonder if they have prints of the covers that you can buy.  They'd be amazing, framed.

Understand Rap: Explanations of Confusing Rap Lyrics You & Your Grandmother Can Understand

Example: "I got rubber band banks in my pocket." - from "Whatever You Like" by T.I.

- I carry such large amounts of cash around with me that a wallet would quickly wear out as it would be stretched beyond the capacity to hold the currency for which it was designed.  A common alternative to the wallet, the money clip, is pushed beyond its mechanical limit as well.  Therefore, a large rubber band will be employed, as it can expand with increased capacity.

Don't you feel enlightened?

When Parents Text: So Much Said... So Little Understood

Haha.  Nothing more to say for that - again, great website.

The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook

I didn't really look through this cookbook very much, but I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's and I'm so jealous we don't have one.  When I was in Virginia, there was a Trader Joe's a half a mile from my house.  I loved that place so much.  They don't have any in Texas because of the Whole Food's empire, but I heard one might come to Dallas soon!  So jealous...

 BRI!  I just Google mapped it and it's only 1.2 miles from your new house! Lucky...

Decor books that I want.

Hey, it's Christmas soon(ish) and somebody might get these for me!

The Perfectly Imperfect Home

If you knew of my love for the oft-mourned Domino,

you'll understand how excited I am for this book from it's old editor.

Wary Meyers' Tossed & Found

I want to do the project from the cover so badly!

How many old beat up leather chairs have you seen

that would be perfect with a patch over the rip in the seat?

(Answer: SO MANY! And for so cheap!)

Design Sponge at Home

One of the best decor websites around;

the book is supposed to be fantastic!

Hue

Kelly Wearstler is a little craycray with the serious amount of glamour for my tastes,

but the girl can make some pretty things...

Domino: The Book of Decorating

We can't talk about the editor of Domino writing a book,

without talking about the Domino book itself.

How can I hoard the few copies of Domino that I actually own and not have the book?

Bathtub full of books.

When I lived with Amber, I started collecting books.  I'm a big reader (and a fast reader) but I used to never really buy books.  I had a dream once where I had a giant library (the kind with a ladder and everything!) and I realized that in my dream I wasn't that old.  If I wanted that library, I was gonna have to start getting on it!  I started collecting books from thrift stores and the clearance section at Half Price Books (only a dollar!)  I go thrifting a lot and every time I do, I stick my nose over in the book section and see if there are any of my favorites or ones I'd been wanting to read.  I started collecting my library and soon amassed quite an amount - they overflowed from my one bookshelf and started giant piles on the floor.  Well, one day Amber and Ben decided to re carpet the upstairs and I had to get everything off my bedroom floor.  Where did I store all of my extra books?

In the bathtub, obviously.