{She Looked Like Art}

Inspiration for today: Frida.

“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it's true I'm here, and I'm just as strange as you.” 

― Frida Kahlo

{In a Sea of Mystery}

"No matter what you touch and you wish to know about, you end up in a sea of mystery. 

This is the greatest damn thing about the universe. That we can know so much, recognize so much, dissect, do everything, and we can’t grasp it. And it’s meant to be that way, do y’know. And there’s where our reverence should come in. Before everything, the littlest thing as well as the greatest. The tiniest, the horseshit, as well as the angels, do y’know what I mean. It’s all mystery. All impenetrable, as it were, right?" --Henry Miller

Creating My Happy Place by Renée Foster

The journey to creating my happy place was a long one, but not a complicated one. As far back as I can remember I have loved displaying my favorite people, things, and memories (photos) all over my walls.

This was my desk when I was 14. My love for Ricky Martin was real, and it was well-represented in my room (as you can see). You'll also see other gems such as Freddie Prinze Jr. and Chris Kirkpatrick (of *NSYNC).

Zoom out to see I also had an appreciation for Leonardo DiCaprio, X-Files, and Jesus. Anyway, a mere 5 years later, I got married at the ripe old age of 19. I quickly learned that the way my home looked was no longer solely up to me. I have one of those husbands who really cares what is on our walls and where furniture goes, etc. As a result, for the past 10 years I have been gathering a lot of decorative items that only I like into boxes--hoping that one day I would again have a space that is ONLY mine. Finally, we have a house where I have my own home office (a necessity, as I work from home and have two kids).

Along with the blessing of having a space that is 100% my own came the challenge of turning my childish collage-style tendencies into a space where adult-me could feel clean and organized, while still somehow displaying everything I love.

Here's what I came up with:

I have about 1 million pictures that I love that have been saved and viewed on my computer only, so I decided to have one gallery-style wall, and three large photo collages.

Almost all of the furniture and frames are from garage sales. The rest is from Ikea. That shelf is where I put all of my journals, yearbooks, trophies, and books that I love. I chose periwinkle as the color of the walls because it's feminine, but different, and it changes colors depending on the light (sometimes it's blue, sometimes it's purple). Then I added all of the twinkle lights last because the room needed a little more magic.

It's so delightful to see my little girls run and play around among the many pictures of my ancestors, my childhood, and my favorite things.

{Brocade & the Slow Melt}

I found this brocade skirt at Rewind in Uptown a month ago, but today was the first day warm enough to wear it. Russell and I walked from Uptown to Seward. We managed not to fall into any lake-sized puddles along the way. So, success! 

{Matisse & Dresses}

My friend and I went to the Matisse exhibit this weekend at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. She thought it would be cool to do an outfit / fashion shoot based on Matisse's Yellow Dress painting. After about an hour of searching Polyvore, Modcloth, and Free People, I found a few dresses that seem to echo the spirit of the painting.

"Slowly I discovered the secret of my art. It consists of a meditation on nature, on the expression of a dream which is always inspired by reality. With more involvement and regularity, I learned to push each study in a certain direction. Little by little the notion that painting is a means of expression asserted itself, and that one can express the same thing in several ways. Exactitude is not truth." --Matisse

{Creating a Personal Space}

Since I spent my 20s moving between continents and U.S. cities, I have a difficult time making big purchases that anchor me to a place. I've been in the mindset of thinking that in a few years I'll be somewhere new anyway, so what's the point. Lately, though, I've been trying to buy a few things that make my apartment feel more comfortable and inhabited. Here's my inspiration.

Celine's apartment in Before Sunset

Photographer Noa Azoulay's home in California:

I love the feel of both of these places, mainly because, while there's an element of thematic cohesion (e.g., boho/eclectic), the overarching feel of each one is natural, relaxed, and personal. 

Here are a few pieces that emulate the style of these apartments. (I've bought a few and will post pics if I ever get my place organized.)

Faux Cowhide Rug: Rugs.com
Canvas Map Print: Dot & Bo
Cushions: Dot & Bo
Coffee Table: Anthropologie
Couch: Anthropologie