That’s What He Said.

By Mandi | 02/23/2015 | 1 Comment

Happy Monday!  You know those Monday’s that you are actually sort of excited about?  No?  Just me?  Today is one of those.  I have got some REALLY amazing stuff coming to the blog starting this week that I have been DYING to share with you!

Now that I have the sisters in my life, I feel like I can finally do something that I’ve always wanted to.  A Q&A Video Interview with Court.  The man and muscle behind everything that happens here.

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So do have anything you want to ask him?  I know that there are things that happen here that you’ve thought (probably out loud) “Why does her husband just go along with this?!”  Or maybe you’d like to know the secret to getting your husband to help you with projects?  What his favorite meal is, and what its like to eat it in an eternal construction zone?

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I want the questions to be a surprise for Court, so if you would kindly submit via the Google doc below that would be amazing!

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How To Do Basic Boho With Dash & Albert

By Mandi | 02/18/2015 | 19 Comments

Hellooooo! I have good news, I didn’t burn my house down yesterday. It was a little touch and go for a minute but survival won out!! More details on that later.

I have SUCH a fun post for you guys today. I feel like everyone needs a little bit of Boho in their life, the problem is that there isn’t really such thing as a little boho. Its a fun and over the top style that has a few key ingredients. I’ve teamed up with Dash & Albert to help define this quirky and colorful style.

First things first, you know those freaky moments where you make a little wish and then it immediately comes true?! A couple of weeks ago I shared this picture in my Loft Living post and commented on the rug, because it is so good right? Guess what?

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Dash & Albert’s Gypsy stripe rug, that’s what.

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I feel like there are 5 main ingredients to capturing a bohemian spirit animal for your room.

Color Explosion .

Color. Lots of it. It doesn’t need to match it just needs to go. Choosing a main statement piece (like the Gypsy rug) gives you a massive range to choose from.

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ETHNIC FABRIC

An Array of Ethnic Textiles. The more the merrier. I am beyond obsessed with this resist dot indigo pillow.

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And speaking of spirit animals, I know that at least 84% of you are feeling like the Rhapsody pillow is yours. Its ok, I feel like we can all be spirit animal sisters about it.

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Unruly Plants

I LOVE when the seasons change because HD gets a whole slew of new plants in, like this massive fern. A critical element of boho styling is at least one (usually more) plants that look like they might want to give you a sloppy kiss. Try mixing super leafy ones with cactus (just don’t really kiss those guys!)

 

Rattan

Can you guys even believe that I found this bench at the thrift store for $25? Adding rattan to the space instantly gives you major boho street cred. Picture all of the elements with a streamlined upholstered couch, its just not as wild right?

 

Moment of silence

With all of the happenings that are well, happening here, you’ve got to give your eyes a place to rest. I put the Ibiza Shale pillow front and center and the perfect white knit throw on the arm of the bench. It gives you a breather.

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These fun products are a little more than what you would spend at Target or UO but the quality is unlike anything that I have ever owned before. Kind of makes me feel like a grown up. There are SO many other amazing pillows and rug patterns over on Dash & Albert, Pine Cone Hill, and Fresh American. Go check it out!!

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Upcycled Love: Project+Video

By Mandi | 02/13/2015 | 8 Comments

Do you guys have massive amounts of these L shaped wine racks at your Target stores? At mine there is an entire clearance shelf dedicated to them. And you know how I feel about things that nobody wants…  I thought that they would make the perfect little Valentines day project (that you can keep up all year long!)

 

 

Happy Valentines Day!!

 

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A Tale of 2 Couches: Part 2 Retro Naugahyde

By Mandi | 02/11/2015 | 134 Comments

Yesterday I shared Part 1 of the couch saga all about the green chesterfields. If you haven’t read it you will absolutely want to get caught up before continuing!

Today you get to hear the rest of the story!

Before I found out that the green couches were still available, I found a SUUUPER good couch on KSL (for those that aren’t in Utah, it is a classified site that is more popular than Craigslist.) The style is totally the retro fabulousness that I was talking about in this post.

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And it totally reminded me of an old chair that I had.

It was listed at $150 so I called the guy and told him that I would be in Salt Lake in a week and asked him if he would be willing to hold it (because remember you always ask!) He said yes, I love it when that happens!!

We picked the couch up yesterday and I and having mixed feelings about it.

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I was SURE that this was the couch that would go in my living room, but I don’t know if I am 100% sold on the fabric.

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Its pretty texture-y and shiny and the foam underneath needs to be replaced, but I am beyond obsessed with the shape and overall vibe.

 

So which one is your fave? The green Chesterfield, or this black beauty?

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A Tale of 2 Couches: Part 1 Craigslist Chesterfields

By Mandi | 02/10/2015 | 50 Comments

You guys. Have I got a story for you!

I’ve been on the hunt for a vintage leather couch for what seems like my whole dang life. The search was kicked into overdrive when the orange couch was moved into the storage unit. 2 weeks ago an ad popped up in the nearby area section of Craigslist (you guys have seen that right? When you have a specific search typed in it will pull things from the Craigslist in surrounding areas)

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This was the listing:

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It was one of those running around the living room screaming moments because I have not found another colored vintage leather chesterfield since this horrible tragedy in ‘12.

The problem was that it was located in Bullhead City AZ (about 4 hours south from where I live). I contacted the seller and told him that we would be in Vegas in 2 weeks and asked him if he would be willing to hold them for me. (It never hurts to ask!)  He said that he couldn’t, and the reality was that I couldn’t make it down there to get them, so I had to have a broken heart about it.

THEN last Friday I sent him a text (because the time had come for our Vegas trip) and asked if they were still available.

THEY WERE!!

What??!? WHY?!? EEEEEEE! (That was what I was thinking). I asked him if he would be willing to go down on the price (because you always do that) and he said to make an offer. So I was like “How about $250?” and he said yes! HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPY AND JOYFUL AND FULL OF JOYFULLNESS!!!

So Court and I ventured out in the wee morning hours to take the trip for the couches.

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You guys. They are so good.

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The only issue that they have is that the big couch has 2 buttons that are coming out. You can bet that I will be figuring out a way to fix it (even if that means taking it to an upholsterer). And lets be honest, for $250 I wouldn’t have cared if there was a possum family living inside.

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But, the story doesn’t end there…also, don’t hate me ok?

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Loving Loft Living

By Mandi | 02/06/2015 | 19 Comments

What is it about lofts that are just so cool? Maybe because they are usually in amazing cities? (Dudes there isn’t a cool loft or old studio space within 300 miles of southern Utah.)  There is something so free spirited about them wouldn’t you agree?

So while I dream about a loft that I will probably never own (along with my pioneer house) I thought you might want to dream too!

Why cant giant brick pillars exist in my real life?

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Love the plants, love the rug.

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I know what happens when I get like this (loving things I cant have) it means that I am itching to completely overhaul a space.

Insert evil laugh. Watch out Court.

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Saturday Snaps

By Mandi | 01/31/2015 | 5 Comments

The internet is full of amazing things, here are a few of my favorites this week:

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ONE || Have you read the site Messy Nessy Chic? The author Vanessa aka Nessy, finds the absolute coolest things. I think it is safe to say that she is the most interesting person on the internet.

Do you ever feel like the world we are presented is similar to the checkout lane at a grocery store? It is full of the same stories (is Bruce Jenner a woman?!) that we glance at and then go back to our daily routine. Maybe its because I spend so much of my time browsing over things that I am feeling like I just want something deeper. THAT is what Messy Nessy Chic is. Amazing stories full of history and wonder and mystery and magic and things that you would never know about unless you venture outside the norm. Nessy makes this world that seems (at times) to have no secrets left feel like a completely new and unknown gift.

I loved this post about the construction of the Eiffel Tower (and the penthouse + theatre inside!)

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Or this one about abandoned greenhouses

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TWO ||  So in love with this simple geometric washi tape project from Homey Oh My!

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THREE || Most of Nate Berkus’ new collection at Target is 20% off today only!!

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FOUR ||  These Rosemary Roasted Almonds were a yummy snack this week!

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FIVE ||  This post about propagating succulents is fantastic. The photography is so so beautiful!!

 

See you on Monday!

 

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