Chinese Lanterns

I love both of these interiors. What I love most is that their owners used Chinese lanterns that were less than $10 each to create a look that was interesting and invididual to their own styles.

Design by Amy Campbell. Image from Design Sponge.

The designer of this little girl's bedroom, Amy Campbell, used tissue paper to make homemade "pom poms" and wired them together with different sized paper lanterns and homemade garland.

Image from Architectural Digest.

Roderick Shade's Harlem apartment is featured in the Feb 2010 Architectural Digest. He used six white Chinese lanterns to line his once-dark hallway. On a side note, I'm very impressed that Architectural Digest ran an article about renovating an apartment on such a small budget. That is not a topic that they tackle often. Good for them!

Fans of the Blog

As requested, I have added a 'Fans' feature to my blog. Anyone with a Gmail/Google account can become a fan of this blog by clicking on the 'Follow' button, which is in the column to the right of the screen. The button is under the heading 'Fans of Girl in the World'. So sign up, if you feel so inclined!

Vintage Inspired Fans

Image from Restoration Hardware.

I've never been a fan of ceiling fans. So many people love them but for some reason I just don't like sleeping under them. We needed a way to keep the air circulating in our bedroom when the radiator gets too hot, so we opted for this really cool oscillating fan from Restoration Hardware. It's sleek and vintage inspired, and we can take it with us when we leave our little rental.

Our version.

Only in New York

Check this out. Only in New York! What do you think? You've got to love a station wagon with chrome rims and dark-tinted windows.

Costco!

We braved the freezing cold to walk to Costco today. It was totally worth it, as always! We're so glad to have a normal Americal store in Manhattan.

Our favorite thing to buy is movie tickets. It's the best kept secret in New York. You can go see a movie for $8 a person instead of $12.50 if you buy your tickets at Costco!

Comments

I'm still figuring our how to respond to people's comments on Blogger. Especially those of you who do not have Gmail accounts and have to post anonymously. So, until I figure it out, thank you for your comments and keep them coming!

And to answer Rhonda's question, we eat the artichoke lemon pesto on linguine pasta.

Sunnier Days

Today it is freezing cold in NYC. It started snow flurrying early this morning and literally has not stopped all day. It's not sticking, but it makes it miserable to be outside!

I'm remembering sunnier days.

These pictures are from the vacation we took in October.  

Bermuda. This was the photo on our Christmas card last year!

St. Kitts.

St. Thomas.

Gourmet Pesto

I found artichoke lemon pesto by Bella Cucina Artful Food when I was buying kitchen props for an apartment photoshoot while designing at Campion Platt. We ran into Crate and Barrel, grabbed a bunch of gourmet food and accessories, and the photoshoot went great. Luckily, I went home with the pesto when the day was over.

It's a little too expensive to buy often, but we like to splurge on it every once in a while. My friend Heather J gave me a jar as a Christmas present, so we're rationing it out into a couple of dinners!

You can find it at http://www.crateandbarrel.com/ or http://www.bellacucinaartfulfood.com/.

My Laundry Fantasy

Today I am at home sick due to the lovely stomach issues that I battle. I have been looking around our little apartment this morning, and eyeing the laundry that needs to be done. If only our little apartment had a washer/dryer hook-up! I would be able to get so much done today.
This is the fantasy...

Image from LG Profile.

This is the reality...

Oh how New York makes you appreciate the little things!

The Help

Image from Barnes and Noble.
Over my Christmas break, I spent a lot of time in airports, on airplanes and in rental cars. I passed the time reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. (I bolded the title instead of underlined because I don't seem to have that option on Blogger.)

This was one of the best books I've read in a good while. It's set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s, and revolves around several black housekeepers and the white ladies that they work for.

It was thoroughly entertaining. And for what it's worth, I highly recommend it!

So Appropriate

I recently purchased this poster  to hang in my apartment. It is so fitting for my life I had to have it. I'll post a picture of it once it is up.

These propaganda posters were originally commissioned by the British Government's Ministry of Information before WWII when the UK was preparing for the inevitable war with Germany. The posters were never officially issued, and were forgotton until one turned up at auction 50 years later.

You can find the posters at http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/, or multiple vendors on http://www.etsy.com/.

Be Funky

A few months ago, I found a website where you can manipulate photos online for free. You can find it at http://www.befunky.com/. There are several different style options to choose from. I particularly like the Pop Art style. The website gives the option to become a member and pay a $4 monthly fee, but you do not have to join to use the website. The photo below of me, Kane, Logan and Logan is from Florida, December 2008. Enjoy!

Original photo.

Pop Art style.

Inkify style.

Cartoonizer style.

We're Back

We made it back to New York. It is late, we are tired, and work starts back tomorrow. Here's hoping that I can keep my New Year's resolution to stress less!

Last Night in Tennessee

Our whirlwind journey through Texas and Tennessee is over tomorrow. We spent tonight having dinner with Kane's old neighborhood. All of the Wilsons and the Collins were there, except for Chris and Brandy. Luckily we got to see them in Nashville on New Year's Eve. Rhonda's dressing (which I have attempted to make for Kane the last three Thanksgivings without much success) was excellent. This trip has flown by far too fast.

From left to right, back to front: John, John Ryan, Murphy, Kane, Josh, Kendall and Karen

Back on the Mountain

We drove to Signal Mountain today for the last three days of our trip. Keith and Kathy have a new house that they have put lots of sweat and tears into. I took the tour and it is looking fabulous.

From left to right: Logan, Kane, Keith, Kendall, Kathy and Marybeth