Home Inspired

Catching up

2011-06-03T06:27:00.001-07:00

Lots and lots have happened since my last post. The biggest happening is that I quit my bank job to work part time for an interior designer and part time for Calico Home. This has been my dream for a long time so OI am thrilled to be able to pursue it. My husband keeps kidding me that I work harder with 2 part time jobs then I did with 1 full time job. It's ok because I'm loving it! The only hard part is working with beautiful fabric all day and not being able to buy any for my home.

The house is still for sale. No bites yet. Some nibbles, but that's about it. We have found our dream home. A 1920's Federal Style beauty. It's at an amazing price so please keep your fingers crossed no one buys it before we can.

Needless to say we are ready for a much needed break. We have a wedding to go to tomorrow. I'll be wearing this...

Then we are off to Amelia Island for a few days of R & R. I plan to lay in the sun, eat good food, and laugh a lot. See you when I get back!

On the hunt...

2011-03-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

I came across a wonderful artist by the name of Bella Foster. She's an artist in Brooklyn, NY and last year she did the illustrations for Kate Spade's daily planners and calendar. It doesn't look like you can order from her site, so I'm in search of one of her prints. Her work just makes me smile. I think I need one for my office, or maybe 2?

Snow Day!

2011-01-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

We are now in our 2nd snow day with no work. Hooray! Ir's been a long time since we had this much snow...5 inches...in Georgia. We're making the most of it, although I don't think the hounds care too much for it. Can't say I don't understand. They're low to the ground and if I had snow up to my armpits, I probably wouldn't like it either.

Getting in the Christmas spirit

2010-12-18T14:56:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had our annual Christmas party. It's always a great time with friends, family, and co-workers. I love getting our house ready for Christmas. We are "Christmas junkies". We put up 5 trees this year...too much? Nah.

I'm all for beautiful, coordinated trees, but my favorite tree will always be the one in our family room. Wwe decorate with ornaments my hubby and I have collected on trips and ornaments family and friends give us. Some might call it tacky, but it makes me smile.

A little something different this year. No, your eyes aren't playing tricks. That's an upside down tree!

A festive foyer in green and silver...

How do you decorate for Christmas?

What I've been working on

2010-09-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a nursery for a sweet friend of mine for her sweet baby girl that's on the way. The idea behing the nursery is to keep it restful with shades of cream and chocolate and to bring in a little bit of sweetness with a raspberry pink. The Mommy-to-be wants to incorporate angels into the room. That's where the wall decal comes into play. More to come..this is just a sneak peek on some of the items going into the room.

Laundry Service

2010-08-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

I hate doing laundry. I often forget the wet clothes in the wash for a few days and have to re-wash them. Now you all know my secret laundry shame. However, if I had one of these laundry rooms I think I would learn to love to laundry. Wouldn't you?

For those of you with limited laundry space...

And for those of us (me included) without fancy-schmancy front loaders, a chic storage idea from Martha Stewart..
*forgive me-I'm not sure where I found the 1st 3 images.

Amelia Island

2010-08-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

My Hubby and I went to Amelia Island a few weeks ago for vacation. It was such a great trip! We stayed at this place...

Addison on Amelia

We had a gourmet breakfast every morning and happy hour every evening. The restaurants on Amelia Island are sooo good (gained a few pounds). The trip was a much needed break from our day to day. We took a river cruise around Cumberland Island and saw these guys...

I also saw this house... definitly unique.

New to love

2010-04-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the new online magazine Nonpareil? It is so fresh and fun! I am loving this idea they have for a spa themed girls night in.

And how sweet is this idea for an after-courthouse-wedding reception?

Spring cleaning with Martha

2010-03-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

Are you as in love with Martha Stewart as I am? I am gearing of for some spring time freshining up. This will include painting, organizing, and cleaning. Martha is going to help me all of it.

On top of her fab paint line, I saw she is also offering a line of cleaning products at Home Depot.

And to help organize...how cute are these for less then $7?

Check out Martha's Spring Cleaning tips here.

In need of a pick-me-up...

2010-02-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

I've been stuck sick in bed for 3 days now. I need something to cheer me up-some bright color perhaps? A few things that do the trick...

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Problem solved...

2010-01-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have been trying to comment and can't...the problem is fixed. Comment away! Looking forward to hearing what you think!

Snow Day

2010-01-08T05:12:00.001-08:00

This is what Atlanta is looking like this morning. It's a big deal in the south when it snows because it isn't that often-and we don't like driving in the ice and snow. So while I am waiting for the sun to come out and melt the ice, I thought I would share some favorite snow day things with you.

I wish I could have made these this morning. Have you tired this pancake mix from Williams-Sonoma? It's perfect for when you snowed in....no eggs required, just a little milk or water. However, I am out so coffee will have to suffice this morning.

I have these in gray from Gap....the warmest most comfy slippers ever!

And something for Hester and Buster to wear out in the snow.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

If I were having a New Years Eve party, it would like something like this....

Sadly I will have to wait until New Years Eve 2010 to try these ideas out. What will your New Years Eve be like?

Photos Martha Stewart

Happy Howlidays

2009-12-23T10:32:00.000-08:00

I'm sure all you dog lovers out there get your furry friends some kind of Christmas goodies. I stumbled upon this easy recipe from Paula Deen...I have already made a ton for my two hounds and they LOVE them! I'll be baking up more for all my family and friends with dogs. Bone appetite!

Found this cute bone shaped tin at Traget for $2.99

Watch out Martha

2009-12-20T14:31:00.000-08:00

I enjoy cooking, but I love baking. Cookies however, are my weakness. I can do slice and bake like no other...but making cookies from scratch has never turned out well. Last year I saw Martha make these on her show....

This year I decided to tackle her recipe for cut out cookies and royal icing. This is what I ended up with...

Not to shabby, and even my husband agreed they were delicious. You can find Martha's recipe here. Happy baking to you!

Puppy Love

2009-12-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

This week I received a flyer in my mailbox from Four Legged Creative. They offer adorable and sylish tote bags, t-shirts, and other items for the "stylish dog owner". And the best part....a portion of your purchase is donated to animal rescues and causes. What a stylish way to show your love for dogs and give something back!

My personal fave.....

New Inspiration

2009-12-04T17:31:00.000-08:00

Have you checked out House Beautiful lately? They have featured 20 new interior designers to watch. Some of my faves....

Lisa McDennon:Love this room! Can I please have a guest room like this?

Melissa Warner, Julie Massucco, Carrie Miller: I am in Pink heaven!!!

Gary Spain

Turkey Day

2009-11-24T16:15:00.000-08:00

This year I am hosting mine and my husband's family for Thanksgiving. I will be making this yummy pie....

And thanks to Martha Stewart....these place cards....

How will you celebrate Turkey Day?

Wino

2009-11-08T14:43:00.000-08:00

I spent the weekend with some old friends and some new in the N. Georgia Mountains. Saturday was a day filled with winery hopping. We visited 3 wineries...

Frogtown might have been my fave. Unfortunately there was a wedding that day so I couldn't go in the gorgeous house. The view was breathtaking and the wine was excellent.

Three Sisters was also excellent

If you can manage to get away, head to Blue Ridge, GA. We used this rental company, and our cabin was amazing. Overall a much needed break before the holidays come.

Pumpkin...Yum!!!!

2009-11-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

This recipe is for all you pumpkin junkies out there like me. These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are easy to make and I am sure they would go wonderful with Darby's Pumpkin Butter recipe. I paired mine with the store bought variety. Sorry no photo...it was early this morning when I was baking. :)

1 can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups flour
4 eggs
s tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, & oil until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture & mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased muffin pan 3/4 full. Bake at 400 for 16-20 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.

*You can also use a mini muffin pan for bite size treats (I use mini choc chips instead).

Rainy Day

2009-10-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

It is raining yet again in Atlanta. At this rate I may need to invest in some stylish rain gear. I think these from Kate Spade are a definite possibility. Have you ever seen rain boots with a heel?

Am I too late?

2009-10-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

I realize that it is only 1 week into October, but by now I usually have my Halloween decorations up in full force. I have so much going on this month I may have to only do some Fall decorating around my front door and make it last through Thanksgiving. In searching for inspiration this is what I found.....

Photo Tatertots & Jello

Photo Country Living

I love this front door!!So chic and festive. You can the find the directions here

Photo The Party Dress

And something yummy.....

Photo & Recipe Better Homes & Gardens

Off to the beach...

2009-09-30T17:51:00.001-07:00

I am heading out tomorrow for a MUCH needed vacation. We are driving down to Pensacola, FL for an annual golf tournament my hubby plays in. We will be staying with some of our good friends and their 3 precious children. Hope you all enjoy your weekend!!

Catching up......

2009-09-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Lots of craziness last week. As if the flood rains we had here in Atlanta weren't bad enough-then the car decided not to start one morning. Ended the week on a good note though. Had all my girlfriends from work over for dinner on Saturday. Had I taken pictures I would have posted them (for nothing else but proof that my house CAN be clean). The dinner was combined with a "mini" baby celebrataion for one of the girls whose preggers. Had I been able to do a full on shower it would have looked something like this....

Back in the swing of things

2009-09-15T15:21:00.001-07:00

I know I've been gone for awhile. Life gets crazy and kind of gets in the way of things sometimes doesn't it? Here is what has been happening in our lives....

Last March we started to remodel our master bath. By "we" I mean me and my husband. Had ever tiled before? no. Were we confidant we could do it? yes. Did it turn out well? no. The floor came out well, but the shower....that's another story. I won't even post pictures b/c it was too shameful. The shower was unusable since the floor was not sloped properly. When we tried to use it there were puddles of water on the shower floor. We had to use a wet vac in order to drain it. Needless to say I wasn't prepared to do that every morning. We were so sick of the whole project we pretty much shut the door on the bathroom and tried to forget about it. A few weeks ago I decided it was time to reconcile with the shower. Here is what our contractor has done so far.

He says it is so waterproof we could shower in it now without tile. (We won't be trying that). More pics to come of the finished product.

Windsor Smith

2009-09-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the feature on her over at House Beautiful? Her home is to die for!!!

I love the wingback chair at the dining table. It just begs for long leisurly
dinners. Check out the detail on the ceiling.

This black family room is fabulous. It's so dramatic....hard to belive she has a ping pong table in there!

Can I be a Teenager?

2009-08-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this light fixture at Pottery Barn Teen today. It is on sale for an incredible $59.99! They have some really fun things over there at PB Teen. Makes me wish I could be a teenager again.

They also have these glavanized tiles. They would be perfect in my mudroom for keeping up with all the notes I am always leaving around. They are on back order right now, but will be available in September so the web site says.

Closet Envy

2009-08-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

My closet is in desperate need of a little TLC. I keep telling my hubby that we need to re-do out little walk-in closet to make it more "efficient". The problem is that the previous owners attempted to do their own "custom closet". The result is not so good. My purses and shoes are spilling over (they need room to breath)and I have stacks of clothes everywhere. It needs some immediate help, so I went in search of inspiration.....

Naturally this is my fave....this fab closet belong to Jenna Lyons over at J. Crew. Who wouldn't want a fireplace in their closet? And all those windows!!!

Love the shoes on the wall.

Photo Courtesy of This is Glamorous

Healthy Hounds

2009-08-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce Buster.....

and Hester.......

These are my adorable hounds. They are rescue dogs (the best kind) and they bring a lot of joy to our lives. Yesterday we took our hounds to the Pet Supermarket near our Atlanta, GA home for their vaccinations. Once a month they offer discounted vaccinations for your dogs and cats. You will pay about 1/2 of what you might pay at the vet. We were in and out in about 45 minutes. Our dogs were a lot less stressed then they usually are when we take them to the vet. I think they only offer it in Florida and Georgia....so if you live in these states check it out!!

Dining in?

2009-08-11T17:24:00.001-07:00

I am in search of some new chairs for my kitchen. So far I like these from Ikea. The price is perfect - $50 each and I want something with removable slip covers. Not crazy about the light wood legs, so I am thinking about painting them chocolate. I plan to go to Ikea this weekend (which is always a nightmare) to test out the comfort level. Anyone out there have these?

I painted my kitchen table black last year, but seriously underestimated the dust that shows on it. So the solution: paint it again! (I do a lot of double painting)I tend to be somewhat fickle on paint colors. I think I've settled on Martha Stewart's Soapstone Gray. Pictures are to come as I work on the table!

I'm Back

2009-08-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

Ever feel like this picture? It's about how my office looks right now. Thanks to computer drama I have been out of comission in the blog world for several weeks now. Well, my computer is back in action and so am I. So I promise to make up for lost time and bring you some fun, inspiring things this week!

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

Happy fourth of July everyone! I would like to say that I will be throwing a fabulous party complete the following.....however, more then likely I will spend it by the pool. Still not a bad way to celebrate though! How do you plan to spend your Fourth of July?

Photos courtesy of Martha Stewart

It's just not the same

2009-07-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

I received this in my mail box today.....

Photo courtesy of Glamour

It came with a letter stating that I would now receive Glamour instead of Domino. While I'm pleased to be getting another magazine, it just isn't even close to being as good as Domino. Will there ever be another magazine that comes close to replacing Domino?

Picture Perfect

2009-07-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

When I hang pictures on the wall is usually take 3 holes in the wall before I get it right. It's not that I don't have the right tools to do it right the first time.....I just lack the patience. The Perfect Picture Wall found a way to do it right. All you do is tape the template to the wall and then mark where the hooks should go. And poof! your pictures are perfectly spaced and hang evenly. So for $349 you can have a picture perfect wall!

Photo courtesy of The Perfect Picture Wall

Of course if you are on a budget (like me) you can still achieve a similar look. I apologize for not taking step-by-step pictures, but I will try my best to walk you through what I did. I taped off a large rectangle with 2 inch tape for the white border. After gathering a variety of frames I laid them out on the floor to figure out placement. Then I just hung them one by one on the wall. It's a little bit of trial and error when you don't have a template, but it worked really well for me. And the best part...it didn't cost me $349!

We all Scream for Ice Cream!

2009-06-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

I have been lusting after this for weeks. This Cuisinart Ice Cream maker is almost 50% off at William-Sonoma right now. Something about the hot, hot, heat in the summer makes me crave ice cream. I may have to take the plunge and pick one up this weekend. Any other Williams-Sonoma junkies out there?

Photo Courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

And I would serve my homemade Ice Cream in these......

Photo Courtesy of Wrapables

Sleeping under a canopy

2009-06-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Elle Decor

Photo Coutesy of Decor Pad

I have wanted a canopy bed ever since I was a little girl. Of course my tastes have somewhat changed since then(thank goodness!). I imagine if I had had a bed like this when I was younger....I never would have gotten out of bed. Unfortunately, my current bedroom (and husband) will not allow one, so for now I will settle on daydreaming about sleeping in one of these beds.

Louisiana Living!

2009-06-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

Prepare yourself...this is going to be a long one......I was fortunate enough to spend last weekend with my amazing friend Kellye. She was sweet enough to show me all around her home state of Lousiana (I've never been), and if you have never been-I encourage you to go and have an awesome time! If you have been, I hope you have visited the following places. I know I'm going back with a u-haul as soon as possible!

I would happily live in any of these homes!

This is a fantastic place called Circa....full of awesome finds like farm house sinks and old doors and windows.

One shop used these pans (that were once used to bake hamburger buns) on their ceiling. Gives it a funkier pressed tin vibe.

I want to be Barbie

2009-06-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

For those who have not seen this masterpiece.....

Barbie turns fifty this year and she's finally gotten a Dream House that any girl would want to live in. Mattel challenged designer Jonathan Adler to create the real life version of the Barbie Dream House which first debuted in 1959. While the first one was made of cardboard....I think we can all agree that Jonathan has succeeded in creating a posh house Barbie would be proud to call home.

And of course the perfect closet for all those shoes

Photos Courtesy of HGTV & Chateau de Lu

Cupcakes anyone?

2009-06-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Those of you who love Martha Stewart as much as me know about her new cookbook.....Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. Filled with 175 scrumptious cupcakes recipes, who could resist? I can't wait to pick up this book and start baking. The book offers tips and techniques on how to decorate the perfect cupcake. Happy Baking!

Welcome!

2009-06-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Home Inspired! This blog is the work of me, Jenny Burklow, a girl who loves all things design, craft, and home related. I have enjoyed following many fabulous blogs out there and have finally decided to indulge my desire to have one of my own. So whether I inspire you to beautify your own home or simply bring you something pretty to look at, I hope you feel as inspired as me!

Photo courtesy of Domino Magazine