Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

Tuesday, March 17th, 2020

How are you? Yesterday felt like it was played out in slow motion. I wasn’t really down, but it felt like I was spinning my wheels. Low grade anxiousness?? There are projects that I’ve wanted to complete for months. However, they are the type of projects that need momentum. Instead, Henry and I changed light bulbs. I established a 9am start time for the large teen in our house. He didn’t rise out of bed until 11:45am. Nothing is normal inside our home because nothing is normal outside our home. Around 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, I went for a REALLY long walk. Listened to podcasts and came home to cook dinner. We argued at the dinner table (thank you teen boys) and then we played a rousing game of Exploding Kittens. It just is! How are you? Is there any bright side to this? Can we find it?

ideas/ updates/ links / recipes

UPDATE: Today the developers of Down Dog apps announced they are offering FREE access to all students and teachers (K-12 + College) until July 1st. This is awesome! See their website for more information.

IDEA: Mo Willems the author of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Elephant and Piggie books, is hosting Lunch Doodles every day at 1:00pm ET. The videos will also be available to stream after each session. I love Pigeon! This is a great thing.

LINK: This article about a photographer taking photos of her parents waving goodbye made me smile. We should all take less selfies and more pictures that will matter to us!

RECIPE: Confetti Cookies. We all deserve a freakin’ cookie right now and these are so happy!

4 ETSY SHOPS TO LOVE

Tuesday, January 16th, 2018

Some of favorite things in my home have been found in Etsy shops.  I am consistently impressed by the creativity and quality of products offered by shop owners.  I thought it would be fun to share a few shops that are saved as my favorites.

4 Shops to Love (clockwise, starting with top left image):

1|  peastyle  |  Not a large shop, but her natural Seagrass baskets look versatile and perfectly imperfect.

2|  MintThreads owned by Amanda Wade | Authentic vintage threads.  Perfect way to find vintage clothing to add to your wardrobe without having to do all the hunting at thrift stores.  The vintage T’s are my favorite!

3|  TheLightFactory owned by Ashlie Ewen. | Gorgeous light fixtures. Her bubble chandeliers are striking!

4|  ThePrintableStudio | Printable wall art.  Unique and totally approachable.  A great way to add art to your walls with out the heavy price tag.  The prints are sold as instant digital downloads.  Instant gratification.

Do you have any favorite Etsy shops?  Please share!

 

SIMPLE HOLIDAY WREATH

Monday, October 30th, 2017

simple holiday | Where is June?

I received a West Elm catalog last week and while flipping through I spotted this simple holiday wreath.  Well, not really a wreath.  I guess it’s more like a wall hanging. It always astonishes me how much fresh wreaths cost during the holidays.  (Only to put it in the yard waste come January.) I bought an artificial wreath last year, but it isn’t great.

This one looks simple enough to do yourself.  My local nursery always has clippings you can buy as a bundle.  It’s not easy to see what is wrapped around the stick to hold the greenery, but one can get creative.  If all else fails, I’ll take all the supplies with me (and the picture) to our neighborhood florist.

What do you think?

PS//  Looks like stacked wood, as a design feature, lives on.

 

GORGEOUS MODERN HOME REMODEL

Tuesday, October 24th, 2017

modern home remodel| Where is June?

Disclaimer:  This is one of my best friend’s home.  It’s still beautiful though!

The remodel of this modern home is featured on dwell.com!  After moving in, my friends knew they wanted to open up the main floor so the dining, kitchen and living spaces flowed and accentuated their knock-out view.  They are both engineers, so to say they are exacting is an understatement.  Elements such as raising the ceiling, adding pops of orange on the exterior, outlets in the drawers (in order to keep a clean counter),  to trimless interior doors and a freestanding stove were all deliberate.  Their attention to detail paid off.  The amount of natural light that flows into this home is amazing and essential in the PNW.  In the summer months, the deck becomes an additional living space and is ideal for lounging and entertaining.

modern home remodel | Where is June?

I’m in love with the simplicity of this kitchen.  Can you spot the fridge?  Covering the refrigerator door with a cabinet front makes the kitchen seamless and cohesive. My favorite feature of this kitchen?  Two beverage drawers that can be stocked for parties and everyday living.  Brilliant.

modern home remodel | Where is June?

A staircase was added from the upper deck to the back yard, which was lacking before the remodel.  The covered patio underneath provides ample shade in the summer.  An old chairlift from Crystal Mountain transformed into a swing was seemingly destined to be part of this home.  The project may have taken 6+ months, but it was well worth it!

To see more photos of this home, pop over to Dwell.

Photos by Benjamin Benschneider

 

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INDEPENDENT SHOP: ONE FORTY THREE

Wednesday, October 4th, 2017

one forty three | Where is June?

I’m known to fall down a rabbit hole time and again!  I want something for my home, or my boys, or my wardrobe and I know that Google will give me the answer.  A couple of years ago when we were remodeling our family room I decided I wanted to hang my guitar on the wall. (Insert shameful emoji that I haven’t shared more about the finished project.  Are you still interested? I digress!) Guitars are so beautiful they can easily be used as wall art.  Lo and behold, my guitar hook wishes were granted by One Forty Three.  The hook is made of molded plywood with a leather grip to keep the guitar safe.  It’s gorgeous.

What?  You don’t have a guitar you want to hang on the wall?  Don’t fret.  They have so many amazing products.  Lighting, tables, chairs, and accessories.  Check them out!  I’m still in love with that delightfully cute plywood side shelf.  It would be perfect next to a guest bed.

Pictured above clockwise // guitar hook | side shelf | pendant lights | business card holder

Also, if one of you could please come over and force me decide where to hang my beautiful guitar, I can install the hook and share a picture.  (Add another shameful emoji.)

 

READ & LISTEN: ROOKIE

Tuesday, June 13th, 2017

ROOKIE POD CAST | WHERE IS JUNE?

My obsession for podcasts are not a secret!  I recently found Rookie and have enjoyed listening to the wide variety of creatives and artists in interviews.  However, I’m not their target audience.  It’s really for all of our amazing teens!

Rookie is the podcast created by the online magazine Rookie.  Self described as “an independently run online magazine and book series founded in 2011 by Editor-in-Chief Tavi Gevinson. We publish writing, photography, and other forms of artwork by and for teenagers (and their cohorts of any age!). Our contributors and readers are from all over the world.”

The online magazine seems to have a little something for every type of teen.  I love how the categories include comics, beauty, books and friendship.  Such an amazing platform and community for teens.  As a reader or a contributor- I bet it’s empowering to know a teen voice has power.  I find it refreshing that the issues and topics tackled in the podcast are complex.  It’s not condescending and it is apparent the producers believe teens to be intelligent and thoughtful human beings.  The podcasts are not cleaned up-meaning there is swearing and a lot of honesty!

After listening and a quick scan of the online site, Rookie tends to be geared toward females-but many of the topics would be interesting for our young men too.

Share this with a teen in your life or anyone trying to successful raise a teen {without losing her mind!}.

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SIMPLE PRACTICES: DOWN DOG YOGA

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017

Down Dog Yoga app |WHERE IS JUNE?

I did a little refresh of the navigation here on the site.  You may have noticed that the navigation categories have changed.  {Or you didn’t notice.  I’m never sure if anyone uses them!} Along with focusing my posts around a few big ideas, I also added my Simple Practices to the side bar.  Ideally, they would happen every day, but I am certainly not perfect.  Some are much easier than others.  {I could listen to podcasts, all day-every day.}

As you can see, Down Dog Yoga is one of my practices.  Down Dog Yoga app might be the best app on my phone.  If you are familiar with yoga, but don’t have time to get the studio on a regular basis, it will become your favorite too.  You set the level and the time for each practice.  There are practices as short as 15 minutes.  It simply fits with our busy lives.  The app is free, but I paid for a membership for the year. {Please note: it was about the cost of 1 yoga class at a studio}.  This allows me to choose from the boost menu. While I should choose Core every SINGLE time, I tend to choose hip opening and hamstring opening boosts.  The workouts are always spot-on and really challenging.  The images above are actual screen shots from my phone.  You could download it right now, roll out your mat, and start your practice in less than 5 minutes.

If you give it a try, let me know what you think.

 

MADEWELL SALE

Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

madwell-sale

Like any good girlfriend, I’ve got to give you the heads up on a great sale over at Madewell. All sale items are an additional 40% off when you use the code BIGSALE. This is not a sponsored post.  Just quality merch and an amazing deal.  I mean sneakers for $35?!?

A few of my favorites//  Flea Market Jeans | Saucony Sneakers | Peplum Top | Felt Fedora

Don’t forget the code at check out.  What would you put in your cart??

 

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CHALKBOARD WALL. YES OR NO?

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

chalkboard wall

It’s all the rage.  Grab a gallon of chalkboard paint and pick a wall.  I have to be honest.  I love the look, but I am a skeptic.  I worry that the idea of the wall is so much better than the reality of a wall you cover with messy chalk.  I don’t live in a magazine.  I am not an artist nor have I mastered hand lettering……skills that would make a chalkboard wall awesome.  I am a bit of a control freak.  Disappointment looms.

So, I have to ask.  Chalkboard wall.  Yes or no?  Do you have a chalkboard wall in your home?  Is it just how you wanted it?   How do handle the messiness?  Do you clean it often?  Where is it located?  I want to be convinced it is a great idea.  It is just paint after all.

Images 1/2/3/4/5

 

SOMETHING’S COME BETWEEN US

Monday, November 4th, 2013

somethings come between us

Lately, I feel like something’s come between us.  I’m cool with that.

My husband gave me this card a few years ago on Mother’s Day.  It still makes me giggle and I am sure many of you can relate.  This time of year, when we set our clocks back an hour, was always miserable with babies and toddlers.  My boys never got the memo that we were given an extra hour of sleep.  It always took days for their own clocks to adjust.  Which, in turn, was just exhausting.

Since my oldest was an infant we have shared our bed intermittently with a child.  In the beginning I was simply too tired and lazy to get up at an ungodly hour, so I would grab him from his crib and bring him to bed with us.  Lucky me, he would always go back to sleep-giving me a couple more hours of precious sleep.  I used to worry because there was always chatter among the mommies regarding the “right” way to do things.  Was I harming my young child for life?  Would he be sleeping with us forever?  I quietly doubted my decisions.  Well, you know what?  That big kid sleeps through the night by himself.  All that worry was for nothing!

Little Man rarely slept with us when he was tiny {mostly because there wasn’t any room}.  A couple of years ago he began crawling into bed around 4am most mornings.  It isn’t every day anymore, but we have something between us at least once a week.  Guess what?  I love it!   I know this window of time will close- in the not too distant future- and I am going to cuddle for as long as I can.  My husband just smiles and shakes his head.  He knows not to fight it, plus the kid sleeps so close to me he doesn’t even know he is there.  This time there is no mommy chatter.  And if there was, I wouldn’t give it any thought.  How wonderful is that?  Mothering isn’t for the weak, but somethings DO get easier.

Where is June?

 

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