Round Up: Cozy Weekender

Who doesn't love a spending a cozy weekend at home?  Since it's the finest time of year to do so, here's a little round up of some of my favorite things to do while lounging...

No. 1  A soft cozy shirt.  With stripes, of course!

No. 2  I bought a pair of these socks from Madewell when we visited San Francisco.  Pretty + comfy!

No. 3  A great pair of sweatpants.  These beauties aren't the tattered balloon-y versions we knew as kids.  You'll look {and feel!} refined {even if you are just taking a nap}.

No. 4  Is there anything better than wrapping up in a cashmere blanket?  Maybe, but not much.

No. 5  A campfire candle!  It will smell like fall even if it's 90 degrees where you live. 

No. 6  These are my go-to movies.  Little Women, A River Runs Through It and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. {As a southern girl I must also include Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias on this list}

No. 7  Pumpkin soup.  Let your taste buds delight!

No. 8  I first read Prince of Tides when I was in college.  If you've never read a book by Pat Conroy, you simply must.  This book is magic.  It will make you laugh, cry and want to read all day.  His writing is so beautiful that I find myself reading passages out loud just to hear the words.

If you haven't already, add Fannie Flagg's novel Welcome to the World, Baby Girl to your reading list.  This woman is seriously funny and you'll laugh out loud at more than one part in her feel-good, fire-cracker novel.

No. 9  Le Pen est magnifique! And comes in a whole host of colors. 

No. 10  Catch up {or start} on your correspondence with pretty stationary from Austin Press.  

So what does your cozy weekend look like?  Is it similar to mine or am I missing out on a key cozy item?  I'd love to know!

Favorite Things: Weekend Recap

Hi loves.  My Monday was so full I felt a bit overloaded.  So, to catch up, here are a few weekend moments I loved thinking about during my very on Manic Monday.

After soccer, Dylan and I ran to the grocery store.  I've been splurging and going to the gourmet one lately.  The food is just so much better and, I admit, I just love walking around the store.


Dylan loved the lobsters.  Poor guys...

I loved this clever Obsessive Chopping cutting board.  Wouldn't it make a fun gift?  

 And, of course, my weakness for Weck Jars.  They're just so pretty!

I picked up some Lemon Fettuccine!

 Eiffel Tower pasta!

Pac-man candy.  This took me back, man.

We saw the Lion King with my sister, Kim, and niece, Brooke.  It was so good.  I got chills at the beginning and teared up (again) when Mufhasa died.  Dylan loved it!

 Dylan practicing his pouncing after the movie. Can you spot him?

 This just makes me laugh.  Dylan in our construction zone of a backyard.  Porch in progress...

I'm dreaming of the yummy grilled cheese sandwiches I made on Sunday,

 And I love that Dylan lines up all of his toys...

Hope you all had a wonderfully happy weekend.

a summer catch-up + happy friday

After a long time spent unplugged, I'm back.  I've tried hard to figure out how to avoid the ubiquitous I'm back blogging post, but I've come to the conclusion that it's best to just dive right back in to this little world I created and then stepped back from.

Summer is slowly fading here in the south and I can feel the tiniest bit of fall in the air and see it ever so slightly in the light.  Since the last post on my blog was about swimwear, I figured I'd catch up first with some fall-ish links to love.

I stocked up fun bracelets at Forever 21.  This one, this one and this one!

Back-packs are back!  Paul used this one (in gray) on our trip to San Francisco.

Linda Rodin, you're the coolest.  And those silver boots!

Zara! Online!  Whoo-hoo!  p.s. Don't miss their Dear America photo series. It is beautiful.

This trench is already on my Christmas list.  But Oh! How I want it for fall : )

Our cousin's use these adorable bins for their daughter's toys.  The fox is too cute (and fall-ish!)

My favorite fall purchase.  Great inside a purse + on it's own!

After two months away, there is lots to catch up on!  Here's a little look-see into what's been going on in my world since July (!)....

new look + fun news!

Morning + happy Friday!  Do you like the new look?  I hope you do!  I'm still working on some of the details, so hang in there while I tidy my space up a bit more.  I ended up pushing my blog re-design because of some very exciting news I have to share with you later today!

Until then, you can admire the gorgeous peonies I picked up the other day; they make me ridiculously happy.  And so does the new issue of Veranda, which is a.m.a.z.i.n.g.  More on that later, too!

xo
steph

{image: meyer on the wire}

January Fresh

I know spring gets all of the hoop-lah when it comes to cleaning house, but I've always gotten a major organization bug in January.  This is most likely a direct result of my post-holiday home being covered in a smattering of wrapping paper, shopping bags, glitter, tape and what seems to be an endless number of random pine needles. Combine these elements with the horrid six o'clock darkness that keeps us inside and I am forced to come to terms with the amount of crap accumulating in, on and around my little abode.  Because, here's a dirty secret about me: I'm messy.  But, few things make me happier than organizing and, when I do it, I'm really good at it.

Regardless of why, come January my OCD heart starts to pitter-patter with organizational excitement.  I day-dream of perfectly staged vanity, pantry and laundry room shelves.  Canvas baskets and rows of white bins are the keys to my heart.  My idea of pillow-talk is Paul turning to me and asking, "Would you like me to help you organize the closets by color?"

Yes, darling, yes I would.

Mostly this kind of purging produces a wonderful sense of order in our home and leaves me feeling refreshed and in control.  But, every year at this time I also end up convincing myself that the only way I can survive is with a, for lack of a better description, craft room (for some reason I hate this phrase).  By the time I am done designing it, it usually costs us $50,000.  (But, that includes pouring a concrete slab for the addition, so don't think I'm totally nuts.  Concrete is expensive people.)

Luckily, my purging usually keeps me up until all hours of the night for multiple nights in a row, so I usually get so tired that I forget about my Martha Stewart worthy addition.  And, in case you haven't already decided that I actually am crazy, you should  know that Paul has a 2,000 square foot art studio next to our house, so a measly little "craft" room for me is hardly too much to ask.  Right?

For all of you other self-proclaimed organizational crazies enthusiasts: some eye-candy.

If you are like me and these pictures only make you crave more organized goodness, visit Pinterest and you'll be happy for hours.  You can find the links to all of these photos on my Pinterest board, here.

xo,

steph

p.s. I feel the need to admit to you all that I did, in fact, organize my ever-growing ribbon addiction collection by color this week.  It. is. so. awesome.

chicken coop

{image via stephmodo}

I've wanted chickens ever since we moved out to Montgomery four years ago.  There are two issues with this desire though: my fear of finding a snake when reaching for eggs and the cost of building the chicken coop itself.  It seems like the chicken coop is always pushed to the bottom of the house project list.  Probably because the coop I have in mind includes a 25 foot concrete run.  And, when it comes down to it, pouring a concrete slab for a chicken coop just isn't a priority.

But, this chicken coop wouldn't require a slab.  Plus, it's adorable.

Maybe my speckled, blue eggs aren't that far away after all.

xo,
steph

happy weekend

{image via the cherry blossom girl}

Lovelies,  I am always ready for the weekend, but after this week, I am especially happy.  It was one of those weeks where you demand the universe tell you, 'what is going on!' and I am glad to bid it adieu.

What will you be up to this weekend?  We have a f.u.l.l. schedule which includes shopping for a new car and franticly preparing for Dylan's birthday party.  I am really excited about my little man's 3rd birthday festivities, but didn't realize that I would only have one weekend to plan it when I set the party date for December 4th.  Whoops!  Darn December birthdays...there really isn't an easy way of doing one.  But, I can't wait to share the party details with you!

Some link love...

It's my sister, Katie's, birthday today.  She was going to amputate a patient's leg on her birthday, but that got cancelled.  So she did fat injections to the buttocks of another patient instead.  WOW. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!  You are truly a special duck.

If you think the feathery purse above is gorgeous...wait until you see the wedding.  Oui! Oui!

Beautiful polaroids.

Oh, wouldn't it be amazing to spend a day here.  I don't know if I'd ever leave.

A pretty Thanksgiving paper-chain. Free template download + instructions!

More pretty Thanksgiving decor!

This is my kind of library.

The pesky coat closet organization solved.  At least, it's something to think about doing.

Speaking of coat closets...check out this glam entry way.

How to properly warm up.

The perfect striped shirt. 

A gorgeous calendar.

xo,
steph

An escape...

{images via pia jane bijkerk}

Today was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  I just want to scoop up my little one, grab Paul's hand, pack up Django and go stay in this quiet, little tree house for days and days and days.  

When (if) we decide to come back, I'd like to return to a clean home.

xo,
steph

Fall nesting...

(image via inspire*dream*create*}

Fall has always instilled a kind of nesting desire in me.  Maybe it's the way the sun is warm without feeling too hot and how all the trees and grasses seem filtered by autumn's cozy light. Maybe it's the yummy scents of clove and allspice and the thought of pumpkin bread and apple cider.   It could very well be that winter in Houston is hardly winter at all and my mid-west heart will always long for the four established seasons of my youth.  Whatever it is, something about the fall makes me want to clean and organize, bake and cook, create and collect.  This fall I've felt especially homesick when I am away from our little country place.  It feels good to have a home that is missed--even during the day.

I think these collections are amazing.  I recently started collecting pottery and found a number of pieces over the weekend.  Mine are in shades of green, which is different for me since I'm drawn to white and cream.  These photos make me want a collection of both.

{image via the style-files}

{via gentl & hyers}

{image via anson smart}

Wherever you are, I hope your day is as gorgeous a day as ours is here in Houston.  It is fall perfection.

xo,
steph

Little Miss Perfect...

In my morning blog hop I ran across this hilarious post via Say Yes to Hoboken.  Please read.  It will make you laugh, I promise.  It totally made my morning.

I adore the blogs I read and come across on an daily basis.  I find so many blogs that are beautiful, that are inspiring, that make me feel connected to other creative people around the world.  But here's the thing: sometimes I find myself trying to keep up with the perfectly staged, beautifully created worlds I view on blogs.

Then Perfectionist Steph has an inner temper tantrum.  It goes something like this:

Perfectionist Steph:  "I can't dooooooo it!  I can't keep up!  My camera was stolen HOW will I properly document my baking post?

"Normal" Steph: "Wait, am I doing a baking post?"

Perfectionist Steph: "Of course you are!  Remember?  In support of your brand-new gluten-free, sugar-free lifestyle, you are going to do a step-by-step, perfectly staged post on how to cook the most delicious and fabulous gluten-free, sugar-free muffins.  And you won't even use flour!"

"Normal" Steph:  "Oh. I'm way behind."

Perfectionist Steph:  "Yes.  yes you are. And you gave your child a Chick-Fil-A egg and cheese muffin this morning.  And you didn't wipe the coffee stains off of the kitchen island when you left the house.    And your car is. disgusting. And have you seen how much laundry you have to do? And p.s. last night's rotisserie chicken and salad did not constitute making dinner.

"Normal" Steph:  {blank stare}

Perfectionist Steph can be a bi-otch.  I think that's why, when I started this blog a month ago, I ended up abandoning it for a few weeks.  I felt overwhelmed.

I fully support and admire the beautiful, the inspiring, the creative and the motivational of the blog-world.  That's why I started this blog--to post on the many amazing things I see each day.  To me, blogs are endless little archives of the best and most gorgeous life moments.  Recipes, photography, art, music, media, humor, self-reflection...I love reading about all of it.  But, I have to remind myself that life moments are funny regardless of the state of my house or the check-list of good mother deeds I complete before 7 am in the morning.

I thought about posting this funny picture of Dylan a few weeks ago, but didn't because of several factors I found too horrifying to expose.  I am now listing these embarrassments for your viewing pleasure.  You should know, despite these admissions, that I look really hot today.

True Life:  An un-staged, snap shot of Steph Meyer's child + living room:

1. Gross floor.  And, just to be brutally honest here, those spots were from a previous day.  Or week.

2a.-2b. Toddler art on non-toddler art home objects.  From a previous day.  Or week.

3. Fruit Loops.  I know.  And they were the real deal.  Not the "organic" brand.  I was probably having a bowl, too.

4. Gross coffee table spots.  And yes, I know there are more than three stains.  I just got tired of sizing/rotating the arrows.

5. Three foot curtain "pool".
Note:  Three feet is too much "pool" for curtains.  You probably already know this, but if you don't then remember: 
Don't leave measurements at home and then call husband for said measurements while at the fabric store. Should said incident happen again, subtract at least 36 inches from total measurement husband gives you.  
Disclaimer: after 21/2 years with curtains like this, we finally fixed them.  We are so on it.

6. I have no idea why this blanket was on our lovely college-esque excuse of a television stand, but I can tell you that instead of moving it I passed by it and looked at it a few times (weeks).

7. The cord situation is just....sigh.  And I can see how it could appear to certain people as a potential hazard for oh, I don't know, a two year old, but, as you can see, Dylan is clearly content in his rocking chair.  Thank God you can't see the stains on the seat.

xo,
little miss less than perfect

Hello Mr. Dyson

{photo by LNmaze on flickr}

Ok, I'll be honest: I've always hated the hype over those silly Dyson vacuums.  I thought they were grossly overpriced and who can stand those commercials with the pretentious Dyson designer and his accent?  I clung to my beloved Electrolux as only a die-hard lover of vintage would.  "No! I will not buy into the hyper-allergenic, bag-less, Dyson mantra," I thought to myself.  Sigh.  And then my house was broken into and my lovely Electrolux canister vacuum was stolen and when I went to Best Buy on Saturday I was distracted by the shiny, blue Dyson canister vacuum...on sale.  And I caved.

I bought a Dyson.

And it rocks my world.

I take back everything I said.  Except for the part about the designer...his voice just oozes snob.

Aside from the sale highlight of my weekend, the rest of of our time was pretty low-key.  Poor Dylan was sick since Thursday night and didn't break his fever until Sunday.  We read lots of books, watched Finding Nemo and played a little bit in the yard.  Despite the horrid heat of the day, the evenings are actually really nice outside.  So we sat and looked at our knock-out roses and drank iced tea and watched Dylan play in the dirt and talked about all the plans we have for our little place in the country.  love.

xo,
steph