A friend’s family owns Bicycle Gift Hub and it’s an online store of all things bikes! Now, it’s a bit more for the seriously-in-love-with-the-sport type, but I did find these adorable book ends!

Want to know the funniest thing about this crush?  I stink at riding a bike! Like seriously am awful. The phrase, “It’s like riding a bicycle” has a very different connotation to me.  My husband played college baseball and one time, when we were dating, I rode my bike across campus to meet him at the gym.  The whole team had just finished up BP and I came riding up, looking all cool, didn’t stop soon enough, hit the curb and went flying.  Seriously, I was wishing the little accident had taken my life so I didn’t have to face all those guys! Oh well, they must have found it endearing because most of them still came to our wedding the next year!

2- Industrial Eclectic courtesy of The Vow.  First things first, I’m pretty sure “industrial eclectic” isn’t real, but I sure love it as a style.  I might have been one of the only women in America more smitten by the apartment in The Vow, than the likes of Channing Tatum (although, don’t get me wrong, their chemistry was really sweet.)  If you haven’t seen the movie, I actually liked it and the hubs said it was really good for a “chick flick”

Now, onto the apartment.   It was a little too urban loft for me, but soooo much of it I loved.  These island light fixtures are calling my name.  One of my favorite things was the sliding metal doors on the bookshelves.  I need that in my world somehow!

I love all the color in the kitchen. I love the mismatched light fixtures.  I love the clock. I love the island.  Sensing a trend here?

Now this picture is a wee bit cluttered for me, but look at those metal doors in the back!

So the point of this rant is that I’m determined to find a way to make my so-far-from-a-New-York-loft house have an “industrial eclectic” feel.

3- Ladies Home Journal I’m crushing on LHJ for two reasons… #1- they’ve completely launched a new and improved magazine that’s awesome.  It’s totally focused on the reader and what stories they want to see in the mag.  #2- We’re going to be collaborating with LHJ for DIY and design stories! We were in NYC on Monday meeting with the editor in chief and her whole staff.  It was pretty amazing.

Lots more to come about LHJ, but for now, how about you go get or renew a subscription so you’re sure not to miss any of our contributions.  Just for a short time it’s only $5.99/year! That’s insanely cheap, so there’s no excuses for not joining in on the fun! Head here to subscribe.  

I’m most definitely crushing on brownies right now, but that’s besides the point. I know you’d rather hear about my design crushes than my brownie addiction, so here goes:

1. Coral & Blue. Goodness, I’m in love. When I first saw that Ikea-hack buffet on the right, I was immediately mesmerized. Until then, the color coral never entered my mind for my dining/living room (I was going for more of a rust color), but now it’s there in full-force. After an impulsive coral search on Pinterest, I found that amazing room from Southern Living on the left, and the Waverly Sea Scallop Coral Reef fabric that just sealed the deal. Expect a coral invasion into my home and onto this blog in the very near future.

2. DIY Furniture. In case you haven’t heard, Ana White is the source for free furniture plans and I get sucked in just thinking of all the possibilities. I  might have said to my husband tonight after seeing the apothecary console table, “Why would we ever buy anything ever again when we can just build it?”, to which he replied, “You are an absolute madwoman.” Ok, he didn’t say that exactly, but I know he was thinking it. Anyway, my hubs and I have been scheming for months to build this playhouse loft bed for my daughter’s 4th birthday coming up in a few weeks. One time I showed her this picture:

….and she hasn’t stopped talking about it since! I can’t wait to surprise her with it, and I’m also strangely excited about painting and decorating the little house. I’m hoping she doesn’t have any ideas of what she wants it to look like (wishful thinking, I’m sure, because there is very little that my girl doesn’t have an opinion about), because I’ve got the whole thing planned out in my mind already!

What things are YOU crushing on?