lit*chick

Book Decor

I don't know about you, but one of the first things I notice when I visit someone's home is if they have books. I think a home is incomplete without a bookshelf or six and if you were to come to our casa, you will probably trip over a book on your way to the shelves. So I'm always noticing book decor and tips for organizing etc. Here are some I've come upon in the last week.

seen on ohdeedoh

Nesting Place - in the midst of an EXTREMELY insightful series "31 days to a better dressed nest" is a post about bookshelves.  On a tangent, this is the site where I found my basement paint color Tobacco Road...having never actually seen it in person before it went up on the wall. And she is right, it's fabulous - and now I do whatever she says.

stacked paperback wallpaper @anthropologie

 wakefield chandelier @ pottery barn

AND a baader-meinhof moment

While reading The Three Robbers to Owen we happened upon the word blunderbuss. I thought it was made up, but turns out it's really a nice way of saying gun. And then I saw this book:

Feel free to link to your favorite bookish pics or products in the comments. I'd love to see more!

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i'll tumbl 4 ya

follow me on my new toy...

http://lit-chick.tumblr.com/

thanks to all my tumbl tutors - E, M & S.

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Nursery Art - Prints

Obviously these prints don't HAVE to go in a nursery, but I'm a big fan of using pieces I love in kids' rooms.  Nothing against theme rooms - I've been there too (Curious George)...now in the age of etsy and online design you aren't limited by what can be found in stores. I'm drawn to certain color combinations and art that either includes books or looks like children's book illustrations.

From etsy:

My main inspiration in Evie's room (apart from Charlie & Lola) was a print from Cathy Nichols. Part of the plan for the big wall opposite the crib is to include more of her work. Here are some more examples - I love how she brightens up nature.

  Sanctuary

 Ice Cream Girl

 The Boys of Summer - I love this for my boys' bathroom, anytime I see 3 dudes I can't help but think of them

Cathy's blog is www.cathynichols.blogspot.com .

Swallowfield is another favorite shop, here's my latest fave:

   "six"

The Reading is Cool print (called Imagination) in Evie's room, is from DazeyChic - I love her bold graphics like this:

  sweet and sour

    curiousity

from seaspray blue's shop - pink & green, anyone?

the caravan exhibition

I've seen people framing & hanging gift wrap or craft paper - this would be great, from enna:

matryoshka wrap

jane mount's shop carries her bookshelf series:

#22

and another was featured on 20x200 a few weeks ago and i snapped it up:

Ideal Bookshelf

Lisa Congdon has an etsy shop with originals (out of my budget), but she had a print on 20x200 that i'm saving up to get in a larger size...

birch forest no. 7

creative thursday has wonderful whimsical prints AND a children's book for sale too!

 sock monkey tree

  eli (i know a lil Eli..)

andannechovie's new chair print - so colorful and fun

I could go on all day, here's my final suggestion.  I am loathe to rip apart books - I don't even dog-ear pages - but someone on a message board was looking for a Chesley MacLaren print on the cheap. My suggestion was to buy a book she illustrated and frame some pages:

like this one... Let's face it I'd love to own an Oliver Jeffers or Melissa Sweet original, but until then I'm not totally above taking a page from one of their books, cringing all the way. The same goes for vintage children's book art (particularly one that might be already falling apart).  I picked up a book of National Children's Book Week posters at a yard sale and one day plan to frame some of those :)

 available used here

tips for hunting on etsy:

• you can use their search function, of course- by seller name if you know it, or color,or by number (if you have a favorite number) - i used to search for 3 (no. of children) or 5 (no. of people in our famiy) now i'm all about 4 & 6

• but the easiest way for me, is to go to an artist i admire and click on favorites (under their picture along the right column in their store) - because the etsy community is so supportive of one another, you are sure to find tons of great art being nosy :)

• and once you register as a buyer, you can add items to your favorites and refer back

• if you see something you like, but it isn't the right size, email the seller - cahty nichols was able to make a bigger print than the 8x11 that was offered on the site

Happy Hunting! Let me know if you find some cool stuff :)

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Hello I Must Be Going...

I'll be back VERY soon...working on the Reading Round Robin.

Until then, the lovely & talented Suzanne at suziebeezieland has posted an interview with lil ol' me - so go check out her fantastic blog and join in.

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One Good Loaf

One of my favorite bloggals - Molly -  has started a weekly baking initiative on her blog. The series is called One Good Loaf.  I'm so there.

Because when you are reading a book, you need baked goods.

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The Beckoning of Lovely

One of my favorite people, who happens to write books, Amy Krouse Rosenthal emailed this. And I thought it was perfect for today. Or I'm turning into a softie. Either way...it's lovely.

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My Three Favorite Girls

It's their birthday, please wish them a happy one!!

Love you, Faith (faafe), Hope (hopey) & M (Miss Miji).

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one word meme

hello friends,

the delightful Trish at Hey Lady! tagged me. I thought this would be easy as I am a woman of few words...i was wrong.

all you have to do is answer the questions with one word, and tag four people. 

 1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your significant other? Karl
3. Your hair? brown&gray
4. Your mother? lovely

5. Your father? bookworm
6. Your favorite thing? books
7. Your dream last night? forgot

8 Your favorite drink? coffee
9. Your dream/goal? editor
10. The room you’re in? family
11. Your hobby? reading/scrapbooking
12. Your fear? flying
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here 
14. What you’re not? disloyal
15. Muffins? bananachocchip
16. One of your wish list items? slr carmera

17. Where you grew up? maryland
18. The last thing you did? icecreamed
19. What are you wearing? pjs
20. Favorite gadget? ipod
21. Your pets? no
22. Your computer? laptop
23. Your mood? content
24. Missing someone? juliana/annemarie/leslie
25. Your car? windbag
26. Something you’re not wearing? promdress
27. Favorite store? b&n or homegoods
28. Like someone? usually :)
29. Your favorite color? green

30. When is the last time you laughed? now
31. Last time you cried? mornin'

Thanks for the challenge, i had to get creative on a few and now i'm fine :)

okay- your meme if you choose to accept it...laura, jill, carrie k, & mindi...have fun!

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The Prettiest Quilt that I Ever Did See

is at Old Red Barn Co. and is being GIVEN AWAY. Unbelievable, really. So go enter here.

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book break

let's take a short break from book talk and browse for things beautiful and/or useful:

  I got my summer necklace at nora drew's shop.  She has excellent customer service and I have a long wish list here.

these paper sculptures are beautiful. from cottonbirddesigns

  adorable hand carved stamps at corabelle's shop

i've always been a fan of cathy nichols, esp her seasonal prints

 

i saw this in dwell mag and thought how cool:

the notebook grill. just google it.

and for the boys:

not like they need another excuse to eat...from cb2.

and for me:

 voila. from williams sonoma.

cool tees at indiebound

they also have eat,sleep,read. :)

back to etsy - just discovered junecraft's shop :

if i traveled, i'd get some stitching postcards to frame - at uncommmon goods.

and finally,

decorative tape that makes a frame :) i found it here.

i think that should do it. enjoy :)

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