birthday wishin

Friday marks my 27th birthday!  I realize I'll get a lot of disagreement here, but I'm not ready for summer to end... Swapping out my sundresses for jeans and sweaters just doesn't sound appealing to me yet. 

But in an effort to get in the mood for fall, I'm posting my (mostly) fall-themed birthday wish list...

{Toms Womens Classic Cords}

{Rustic Pedestal Side Table}

{Eternity Circle Bracelet & Gold Beaded Bracelet}

{Plaid Blanket/Throw}

{Comfortable and cute sweatshirt}

{J. Crew Leather Tote}

And in a complete in-my-birthday-dreams moment...

{Nikon Digital SLR Camera}

Feel free to send gifts and/or donations in an effort to get me psyched for cooler months ahead...

This or That?

After careful consideration and about a million different options, I have finally narrowed down my choices for spending the remainder of a few Crate & Barrel gift cards.  Sarah recently gave me some great advice on breaking up all the square/angular lines in our living room... So I've decided to use the funds to replace one of our current side tables with either...


Option 1:

{Jules Accent Table}

Option 2:

{Quarry Side Table}

I am kind of obsessed with both… I love the classic look of the Jules side table, but am crazy over the marble top of the Quarry.  Which one gets your vote?

A Rant & Rave...

To the person who snagged the FREE campaign chest off Craigslist before me... I hope you stub your toe on it... every.single.day.

I'm just kidding (kind of)... But I do find campaign furniture to be incredibly elusive.  I have been searching for a full-size dresser or small chest (like the free one from this week) for literally the past 6 months!

I have emailed 3 different Craigslist finds, only to have the item already sold each time... So tell me, how do I find one of these puppies?!  In blog land, it seems like everyone has found one (at a great price too)...

Bryn found this dresser on Craigslist for $50

Jessie also found her dresser on Craigslist... with matching nightstands! (check out the 'after' too)

And there's Jenny's amazing campaign dresser find (also CL) for $60

And now Mr. Goodwill Hunting has done an entire round-up post on all the bloggers with campaign dressers and chests... Including his own find.

I don't know if I can take it anymore... Oh and if you help me find one, I will love you more than my husband forever.

Kitchen Rug Love

It's no secret that I love rugs... In fact, I have an extra 8x10 oriental rug rolled up in our bedroom right now (long story).  Like all other home items that I love and have extra of, I can't stop myself from browsing...

Overstock is a great resource for rugs, and here are a few of my current favorites (which all happen to be in the running for the spot in front of our kitchen sink):

Black & White Maze Rug

Grey World Classic Rug

Diamond Rug

I also can't stop thinking about this rug from Rugs Direct (as featured on Copy Cat Chic)...

 

Which one gets your vote?  I'm leaning towards the second one from Overstock... It looks like it needs to come live with me.

Small Request

So, for today, I am lobbying to pack up all of our friends, moms, dads, sisters, brothers, nephews & my grandparents... and move. To New Orleans.

And live here:

{Garden District via CocoCozy}

Which would probably look something like this inside, obvs...

Or here would work too...

Or just insert me & the hubby's faces here...

{images above via}

Whether or not you decide to move with us, be sure to check out the incredible design of New Orleans at The Bayou Contessa blog... It will pack your bag for you.

Christmas Giving List

I can't wait to show off our holiday decorating from this weekend!  And be sure to get your pictures ready too, because I'll be hosting a linky party later this week... We can all share ideas & pictures with enough time left to actually use them this holiday season!

But for today, I'll be sharing my own holiday wish list... Hopefully this will help inspire you with some gift ideas for someone on your list!

eternity scarf from Etsy... In light gray (pictured) or 'bold blue' to go with my new winter coat (a merry-Christmas-to-me purchase)

holiday tidbit plates by Vera Wang... To dress up our china for the holiday season!

gray leather tote from Etsy... Totally stolen from Bryn's holiday list (she featured in tan, and you can only imagine my excitement to find it in gray!)

the wonderbar... yes, I am asking for face soap for Christmas, but not just any old face wash!  If it makes me look like Erika, then I'd like a stocking-full, Santa!

Revue Retro reading glasses... Just in case asking for face wash didn't make me feel old, I wanted to throw in a new pair of reading glasses.  But I do get tired of leaning in so close to this computer screen (oh, in dark burgundy, please)

white sapphire stud earrings from Etsy ... to save this list from practical items!  And because they are adorable, handmade & economically priced (hint to hubby)

What's on your holiday wish list?  Do you ask for practical, or fun gifts?

Charlotte Friends

Anyone interested in checking out an estate warehouse sale?  I saw this flyer over at Matter of Style and am just itching to go!

Someday Sunroom

We have been seriously reviewing the budget, trying to find a way to squeeze in our sunroom addition. This summer certainly turned out to be incredibly fun, but not budget friendly (although we're not complaining, with San Francisco, New York, and multiple beach trips).  However, all of our travels, fun, and a certain Mr.’s boat projects, have delayed our long-awaited sunroom addition.

One point of contention in the household is the purpose of said sunroom. I’d like it to function as a sitting area and office. I just feel like we would use the space more, if we could be connected to the main living area of the house while we blog and check fantasy football work. As a bonus, we would have a second extra bedroom – which I have heard looks great when we (eventually) put the house on the market to sell. Jeff, on the other hand, doesn’t like the idea of the computer sitting in a room full of windows.

Nevertheless, I have not been able to control my impulsive online browsing for new ideas for a sunroom that functions as a living area and office space. I absolutely love the Matters of Style sawhorse desk Ikea hack. I think that a glass top desk in the room would keep it from being too visually imposing, and look great with all the natural light.

Plus I adore how they spray painted legs for a brass look!  I'd pair the desk with this Craigslist chair, reupholstered in this fabric.

Then I would love to find a campaign chest, like this one on Atlanta’s Craigslist, to make up for all the lost storage when we eliminate desk drawers. And you’d have the perfect location for your printer.

To keep things from feeling too stuffy, I would add a wide striped rug and the Ikea Lack bookcase.

We already have a couch (oops) for the room... So couch, plus Ikea hack desk with 'brass legs,' and... 

Makes for a very happy Whittaker sunroom! 

Dream Dining

Since we are sadly running out of rooms & budget to keep redecorating around here, I've decided to try something new on the ol' blog.  Lately I've been thinking about how I would decorate if Jeff & I lived in my dad's house... So here are my thoughts on virtually redecorating his pad!

For anyone who doesn't know, I adore the house I grew up in.  My dad is a retired architect and general contractor, so he designed and built the entire house (literally, built it with only a handful of other people to help).  The house has amazing character, with lots of stonework... giving it kind of a cottage feel. 

Go ahead and humor me, as I go through my fake makeover (with an even more fake large budget) for his formal dining room.

{dining room current state}

I have to admit that I've never been a fan of dark rooms... And this formal dining room is filled with dark wood furniture and a dark wall color.  I would love to add white wainscoting all around the room, and paint above the wainscoting a nice, light gray - like Benjamin Moore's Edgecomb Gray (seen below).

Then I would go with a wooden farm-style table, like this one found on Craig's List or this one from Ballard Designs.

Adding two wing back chairs in this ikat pattern for each end of the table...

And six of these tufted chairs in a 'dijon' color for the rest of the table...

I would without a doubt keep the sideboard that belonged to my grandparents (see the original dining room picture above - it is below the current mirror), but replace the current mirror with this mirror set from Horchow...



Finally, I'd remove the old light fixture and replace with this amazing chandelier for a kick of glam!

Perhaps throwing in some dark blue silk dupioni floor-length drapes for a little color...

And lastly a sisal herringbone rug for under the table.  All together now...

Maybe one day... Until then, thanks again for humoring my inner-decorator!

One More Want

This Greek Key bracelet from Furbish online... I am Greek, afterall...

And for only $26... Yes, please!  Someone save me from this recent shopping bug.

Breaking Bread?

A quick poll to my lovely blog readers (yes, all 10 of you!)... Has anyone used a bread machine before?

With logic that I am sure Kat will appreciate, Jeff recently read an article about how much money a bread machine will save you in the long run... I don't remember the details, but just think about multiplying the $3-7 per week spent on bread by 52 weeks in a year.  It is a lot of dough (sorry, I couldn't help myself...)

{via Amazon}

While the cost of a basic model bread machine can be around $60, I still wonder about the costs of wheat flour, yeast, flax seeds, oat bran, dry milk... Everything it would take to make that low cal, high fiber, wheat bread we all love.

I like the idea of having homemade bread every week, but am wondering about logistics (especially for just two of us!)  Any thoughts?

T-Minus

My birthday is 3 weeks from yesterday… not that I’m dreading it counting or anything. We are hosting an engagement party that weekend, but are also hoping to find time to have a mini-mountain-get-away to celebrate (I know, like we really need more travel!)

But just in case we don’t and you find yourself looking for present ideas (hint-hint to the hubs), I am currently loving…

Cord Toms in plum… perfect for fall feet.

Garmin Forerunner… I might not be going far (yet) but I love the reviews for this and my non-working iPhone apps just aren’t cutting it.

Oh, and I'll also take one of these iPhone arm bands.

Nikon D40 was going to be a list addition… Then I googled it… and looked at the prices for a refurbished camera… and realized I could never own one and be married to Jeff.