Design

Quality over Quantity

September 24, 2015

This is definitely not a brand new thought or idea.  It’s really just something that has been resonating with me lately.  This article, Owing Less is Great. Wanting Less is Better., struck a cord with me. I believe Less is More, but living it is a totally different thing.  Living in a small home, I feel like I have to purge and reorganize often, or we get swallowed up by the stuff.  And nothing stresses me out more the stuff everywhere.  Right now, I’m ready to part ways with so many of my possessions.  
I think my desire to live a little more minimalistic comes from my years of living overseas and in 3rd countries.  I’ve shared this before, but I grew up in Papua New Guinea.  Just the nature of being halfway around the world, my parents couldn’t bring a lot of their stuff with them.  Our home was very minimal as a result.  And it didn’t feel cold or uncomfortable.  Then, when Lonnie and I moved to Papua New Guinea as newly weds and also Yemen with 2 little kids, we took just our suitcases with us.  And guess what? You really don’t need all the STUFF.  I think my life was so much simpler with less things to take care of and clean up. Sure, I missed some of the sentimental things.  But, most of the stuff that fills my home now, I really have very little emotional connection to.
It turns out that having very few possessions as a child totally didn’t ruin me.  Hey, maybe having just a few toys was good for developing my creativity. 
So now, where do I start?  Being a design blogger, and really just having a passion for creating comfortable and fresh spaces, I find I want to buy and hunt down cool stuff. I need a way to get rid of what I have before I bring in new things. My new mantra is Quality Over Quantity. Before I buy that cute trendy item at Target or that killer mid century piece at the thrift store, I need to make sure I really have a place and a purpose for that item. I really don’t want more stuff, so why do I feel compelled to have it. I know it’s a huge part of our culture as Americans, but I really want to be more conscious of my actions.  
To start, today I’m taking a load of furniture and clothing to my local thrift store.  I have furniture pieces in my garage that I think I’ll refinish or use for something.  But, really they are just adding clutter and stress to my life.  It’s time for me to part ways with my $5 thrift store chairs you guys. Really, how many chairs does a girl need?  It’s hard, I see potential in these items.  But, if they’ve been in my garage or closet for a year now and I haven’t done anything with them, it’s time for them to go.  
Next step, I think I’ll have a little prop sale at my studio.  I’ve got some really good stuff you guys. Maybe these items can find a new home.
To keep me focused or this new goal, I created a little 8×10 printable.  If you are on a mission to become more of a minimalist or just be more aware of what you are buying, maybe this little print will help you as well.  Download the free printable HERE!
Ok, enough of my rambling, now I want to know what you think. Do you have any advice for me? Can you relate? How does you stuff make you feel?  

DIY

Geometric Pattern Art

September 22, 2015

I love geometric shapes and patterns.  They instantly make a space feel more modern.  I created this fun peach and blue piece with just a simple black frame and a couple of sheets of card stock.  Big art pieces for your home don’t have to cost an arm and a leg.  
Head over to Curbly for the full how-to.  

Oh and that cute tropical leaf print is from Minted.  It’s one of three fun leaf prints on a pale pink background.

DIY

Numbered Shower Bottles

September 21, 2015

Two weeks ago, Lon and I spent the night in LA at the Ace Hotel to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary.  It was so great.  It was only 24 hours, but it felt like we had been gone a whole week. The hotel was amazing. It’s all about the details folks. There is so much thought put into the little touches at the Ace. 
One of my favorite things was the bathroom in our hotel room. It was gorgeous you guys.  Amazing brass fixtures and the cutest 1-2-3 bottles for shampoo, conditioner and body wash (you can see my instagram of them here).  On the way home I found some 16 oz. bottles on Amazon.com and ordered them right away. I wanted to recreate this simple look for our bathroom at home. 
Using my Cricut Explore and some white vinyl, I quickly cut out my 1, 2 and 3.  I love the font Bebas Neue. It’s clean, blocky and perfect for labels. With Cricut Craft Room, you can use any font you want. 

Since the bottles came in pairs, I had an extra one. So, I labeled it with the word ‘wash’ and filled it with hand soap for the bathroom sink. For this one, I used the font Blackout.

Look how great they are in my bathroom? They fit perfectly in the little nook in our shower. No more clutter of mismatched bottles. We are showering in style now.

Design

Bold Black and White Walls

September 18, 2015

I hope you’ve had a great week. I’m pretty excited that the weekend is here.  I need some down time, but I’m pretty sure that I’ll just have to settle for playing catch-up. Can you relate? This whole mom gig is really getting in the way of blogger (tee hee). I’m tired and we are about to start the busiest time of the year. Ok, I’m not complaining, well maybe a little bit. 
So, just for a minute, let’s ignore the laundry that needs to be put away, the floors that need to be swept and the bathroom sink that needs to be cleaned. Let’s pretend we have lot’s of extra time for projects and crafts. If I had that wonderful extra time, I might like to recreate a bold, graphic black and white wall, like one of the ones below.
Tear Drop
Criss Cross
Leaves
Do you have a favorite?  I love the criss cross one a lot.  It’s busy, but it sure would be fun to replicate somewhere in my home.
Happy weekend friends, and don’t forget to enter the $150 Minted Giveaway over on Instagram.  

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Palm Study Prints and a Minted Giveaway

September 17, 2015

I just hit a big number over on Instagram!!! Well, it’s big for me. Oleander + Palm now has 5000 followers there. I’m totally flattered that these folks follow what I’m up to from day to day.  
So, to celebrate, I’m hosting a fun GIVEAWAY over on Instagram.  I’ve teamed up with Minted to treat one of my lucky followers to $150 worth of art prints at Minted.  These gorgeous Palm Study prints look amazing in my studio.  Wouldn’t you love to win them?  Head over to this Instagram post to enter!

Good Luck friends and thanks for following!

Food & Drink

Watermelon Feta Salad

I’m really excited that my friend Sarah Hearts has moved to California.  She is only 2 hours away now, that’s a lot closer then Florida.

While she’s moving into her new place and getting unpacked and settled, I’m helping her out with a post.  I’m excited to be over on Sarah Hearts today sharing the recipe for this refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad.

Head over to her adorable corner of the world wide web and check out this easy recipe.

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Brass + Copper Beds

September 11, 2015

Ok, lets talk about brass bed frames and how the don’t have to feel straight out of the 80’s and early 90’s.  For the last decade or more, everyone has been painting brass beds white or poppy colors like teal and yellow.  I say, stop painting and embrace the marvelous metallics.

The shape does matter, in my opinion.  I recently got rid of my scrolly metal bed and replaced it with a bed that has gorgeous straight modern lines in brass.  If you stick with a simple straight shape, a brass bed doesn’t have to feel like it’s your grandma’s.  I think these clean shapes will be classic and timeless.

Ok and maybe even better then brass, copper.  Holy Cow, I need a guest room so I can get mya hands on these gorgeous copper master pieces?

Copper and pink – does it get any better?

So what do you think?  Can metallic bed frames feel modern and fresh, or is it hard for you to see past the dated brassyness?  

Design

Master Bedroom Update

September 7, 2015

About a month ago, I decided I wanted to finally get rid of my dated wrought iron, scrolly bed frame and give my bedroom a mini makeover. I haven’t liked it for a few years, but didn’t have a replacement plan.  I didn’t have a new one picked out yet, but I decided the first step would be to sell the old one first.  So, I listed it on my facebook and sold it in an hour.  Then I was on the hunt for a new bed.  I really wanted something without a foot board.  For a while I thought I might enjoy an upholstered headboard.  But, they seem to be everywhere right now, so I decided I’d go with something a little different.  I found this gorgeous brass bed frame at West Elm and was instantly in love.  When I bought it, it was on clearance, but now they seem to have it back in stock and it’s full price again.  

I think this bed is a really great match for my two thrift store nightstands  The headboard has a beautiful curve to it, but its  My room feels like a brand new space, and I didn’t even change the bedding.  I just added a pink pillow and a couple new prints to the gallery wall above my bed. Minted has an amazing selection of art prints.  I chose a couple of their photography prints to bring a little more life to my gallery wall.  This Pink Cactus and the California Succulent photography art prints complimented the pieces I already had on the wall.

And here’s a quick look at the rest of the room, so you can get a better idea of the space.  We used to have a rug under the bed.  But, it was tired and worn.  I’m actually loving the room without a rug.  It feels clean and lighter. 

Our room feels like a brand new space and all we changed was the bed frame and added a pillow and a couple prints.  Change feels good, even if it’s just the simplest adjustments.  My husband says he’s a modern man, so the tiny itty bitty bit of pink is just fine with him.  I want the space to feel like it’s both of our space, bits of me and pieces of him.

Are you a fan of a gallery wall?

Design

Green Tile

September 1, 2015

About 6 years ago, when we remodeled our kitchen. I was dead set on a green tiled backsplash. And I got it!!!! We couldn’t afford to take the tile all the way up to the upper cabinets, but someday, I’d love to. 
Sometimes I wonder if I should have been little more boring and gone with a simple, more neutral color. But, I haven’t tired of the green yet. And now I’m seeing more and more of it everywhere. Green has always been my go-to color, so it always feels on-trend for me. This week, when I saw Justina’s kitchen (of the Jungalow), I DIED!!! Such a gorgeous, organic, and comfortable space.  I want more copper do-dads in my kitchen.  
Here’s a few more spaces with gorgeous green tile done right.  I’m pretty sure you’ll be scheming a room to retile after you see this inspiration.
Square Green Tiles
Forest Green Tile with Open Shelves
Floor to Ceiling Bathroom

Green with Copper Accents

What’s your go-to color? Are you afraid of a color trend in something as permanent as tile?

Food & Drink

Pineapple Rosemary Spritzer

August 31, 2015

Hey friends, I’m back with another refreshing mocktail recipe (did you miss last week’s Blackberry Ginger Cooler?). Cocktail hour is pretty dang popular, so I thought I should create some fun drinks that the whole family can enjoy.  And it’s A OKAY to sip this drink every hour of the day. Feel free to spike it if you want, but I think this is going to be your new favorite drink! I’m such a fan of fresh herbs paired with fruit.  Sweet pineapple and the warm, woodsy notes of rosemary go perfectly together.  I love sips and bites that make you stop and say, “Ooh, what is that?”.  This easy to make drink, will have your guests asking that very question.

Pineapple Rosemary Spritzer
2 cups of pineapple juice
1/2 cup of rosemary simple syrup
2-3 cups of club soda
pineapple wedges and a sprig of fresh rosemary for ganish
ice

In a pitcher, combine the chilled pineapple juice and rosemary simple syrup.  Fill each glass with ice. Fill the glass half full with the pineapple juice mixture and then top off with club soda.  Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a wedge of pineapple on the rim of the glass.

This recipe make 4-6 servings, depending on size of your glasses.





Rosemary Simple Syrup
2 tbsp. of finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Place all the ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Allow the syrup to cool. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.  Place the syrup in an airtight container and store in the fridge.

Stay cool, stay refreshed.