Comfort Week - Candlelight

This week we are talking about comfort, and one of my favorite comfort items is candles. There is something incredibly soothing to me on a cold rainy day to light a few candles throughout my home.

Skeem is a line of candles that I absolutely love. They come in beautifully designed, silk-screened glass containers that are filled with a soy/paraffin wax blend. I haven't found a scent that I don't like! My favorite is Clove Pomegranate. The best part is that after the candle has been fully enjoyed, the container can be used as a drinking glass.

(Photo courtesy of Skeem Design)

If tea lights and votives are more your cup of tea, then check out Glassybaby. This company is run by fabulous people who have a passion for beauty and design. Each candle holder is hand blown, and the are available in about 70 different colors. If you live in the Seattle area then you should check out their store and studio in Madrona. You can watch as the talented artists create these unique pieces of art. They have also recently opened retail space in University Village and Bellevue Square!

(Photo courtesy of Glassybaby)

Comfort Week - Heating Pad How-To

As the weather starts to turn colder, I'm always looking for a way to get extra warm and cozy. I love wrapping a heating pad around my neck after a long day at work. However, I've never found one in as stylish a fabric or that smelled as good as the one I made. It may look complicated, but it can be accomplished in a few easy steps.

What you'll need:
-fabric (about 1/2 a yard)
-sewing machine
-iron
-thread and needle
-scissors
-rice
-your favorite essential oil (I chose lavender)


How to:
1. In a large bowl, mix rice with your essential oil. Add as much or as little oil as you prefer. Remember that the oil will smell stronger when you heat it up.

2. Fold the fabric in half (right sides together) and cut to your desired size. Note: I made mine bigger because I intended to use it more for my back rather then my neck.

3. Sew one short side and one long side with a 1/4" seam allowance.

4. Press seams apart and clip corners

5. Turn right side out.

6. Fill bag about 2/3 way with rice and essential oil mixture.

7. Hand sew the top to close.

Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute and begin to relax.

I Love Dirt!

While in Maine I stumbled upon a boutique that was absolutely full of creative and unique merchandise. The book "I Love Dirt!" by Jennifer Ward caught my eye. It gives a fresh approach to getting your kids into the great outdoors. Its pages are packed with activities and conversation starters aimed at teaching your kids about nature and how to be good stewards of our surroundings. It is tailored for little ones, so if your kids are under ten you need to add this book to your must read list.

This book can be purchased at Amazon.com.

All The Colors Of The Rainbow

(Photo courtesy of Ohdeedoh)

I love, love, LOVE this room! It has such a perfect mix of old and new, traditional and modern, bright colors and neutral. It inspires me to look at flea market/thirft store finds in a new way. So creative!

The Big Ugly Desk Chair

My guest room is full of relaxing, soothing tones of beige, pale sage green, warm pinks and blues. It is a tranquil place that I love welcoming guests into. However, since we live in an apartment my guest room is also the office. So sitting at the desk, smack dab in the middle of the room is a big black ugly desk chair. I have been contemplating my design options, but with a tight budget getting a new chair is not in the cards. Then I came across this post from Apartment Therapy's Re-Nest.

They have completely transformed a plain old office chair into a much more stylish and chic version. All they have done is recover the existing chair with new modern fabric. I'm thinking I may need to make a trip to the fabric store!

Wordless Wednesday - Fun with Photos

Photo Funia

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