Reunited. And it feels so good.

At long last, my favorite purchase of all time is back in my life. It's an old tribal runner I bought from Rahim at Nomad on one of my trips to Kabul. I loved it then and I love it now because the colors remind me of my Simy.



After almost 4 years stored in mothballs, it will now take its place on my side of the bed, right near where the Sadie Bug rests her little head at night.

Career colors

Here's another fun color quiz found via How about Orange. Go here to take the quiz.

This one sends you through several series of color choices where you rank colors by which you most/least prefer to see, and then it tells you what careers most suit your personality. (You don't have to give your email and you can skip the part requesting information and still get your report). Here's what mine said. I think it's right on the money!

Best Occupational Category: You're a CREATOR

Keywords: Nonconforming, Impulsive, Expressive, Romantic, Intuitive, Sensitive, and Emotional

These original types place a high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self-expression. They enjoy working independently, being creative, using their imagination, and constantly learning something new. Fields of interest are art, drama, music, and writing or places where they can express, assemble, or implement creative ideas.

CREATOR OCCUPATIONS

Suggested careers are Advertising Executive, Architect, Web Designer, Creative Director, Public Relations, Fine or Commercial Artist, Interior Decorator, Lawyer, Librarian, Musician, Reporter, Art Teacher, Broadcaster, Technical Writer, English Teacher, Architect, Photographer, Medical Illustrator, Corporate Trainer, Author, Editor, Landscape Architect, Exhibit Builder, and Package Designer.

(Right on the money: My "real" profession is as a technical writer/editor, and I can't draw a straight line but my main area of expertise is medical editing and I LOVE medical illustrations. I love all things related to packaging and I think my interest in landscape architecture and anything related to plants is well documented here... I love me some good architecture and interior design [within a certain range of styles]. Many people have said I should have been a lawyer because I can usually put together a really good argument for what I want. I'd love to be a web designer if only I could learn the programs! On my list to get soon is a REALLY good camera so I can learn to be a better photographer.)

CREATOR WORKPLACES

Consider workplaces where you can create and improve beauty and aesthetic qualities. Unstructured, flexible organizations that allow self-expression work best with your free-spirited nature.

(Right on the money: I've been living the full-time freelance lifestyle since 2006 and can't imagine ever going back to a structured work environment again!)

So what's your color-based occupational category?

Need more color? Here's a fun color focus group video by Devo found via Dude Craft.

What's your color?

This is interesting. True Value Paint has a color quiz.

I think their description of my personality is mostly accurate:

"You are quite the powerful thinker. It’s this talent that allows you to overcome a plethora of great obstacles. Luckily, this doesn’t affect your ego and you give off a pretty easy-going appearance. You enjoy the finer things in life and also have an attraction to art. If you can help it, you try not to rock the boat. But you also can’t stop yourself from searching for new ideas, methods or styles."

But they say my color is yellow. I have never thought of yellow as something I want in my life except for sunshine, sunflowers, and lemons. Interesting.

So what color are you?

Found via How about Orange.

Bathroom remodel

Whoa. I'm really impressed by this bathroom remodel featured over at Design*Sponge! It makes me want to get back to work on my own bathroom remodel. If only I could finish all my Christmas shopping and present wrapping and cookie baking...

Great white gift wrap

I feel like I've been MIA from blogland for ages. I'm catching up on posts in my google reader, and I've saved so many pretty images to my inspiration folder.

What really caught my eye in today's posts are these ideas for some simple but gorgeous gift wrapping by Grey Likes Weddings featured on Style Me Pretty. Each year I pick a main color for my holiday gifts. This year is red, but I think next year I might just go with this white, cream, and beige palette. I love it, and I especially love that I can buy all the pieces in bulk and be able to use them for gifts throughout the year, with just some small tweaks to make them occasion-specific.

You can find the DIY tutorial for all these lovelies right here.

Pericarp oil packaging

I'm loving this beautiful packaging (for a serum made from the mangosteen fruit) I spotted over at the dieline. I'm a sucker for patterns and color combinations like these.

Patio color palettes

I'm still at the daydreaming stage for my backyard. I can't do much other than that until we get the stucco done, which they'll hopefully start in a week or two. In the meantime, I'm searching high and low for inspiring photos. Here are a few I found a while back on Coco + Kelley, organized by color palette or by their contemporary vibe. If you have a favorite patio photo you'd like to share, please let me know!

Awesome little toolbox

The husband would probably laugh at me if I tried to put this toolbox in his workshop, but looking at it sure makes me smile.



And I'm sure I could find a use for it--maybe storing letterpress odds and ends.

From Alice Supply Co.

Rehabbed Airstream

A while back I saw some old Airstream trailers that had been completely refinished inside. Coupled with my desire for a cute trailer to take camping, it seemed like a great idea: Buy a dump of an old trailer, refurbish it, and hit the road and do some exploring.

The husband nixed the idea. He doesn't like being limited to seeing places that are accessible to Airstream trailers.

So I tucked it away in the back of my brain, and then, a few days ago, Faryl over at City Lady Country Girl, started posting about her own little infatuation with Airstream trailers. And now it's on the front of my brain again. And so when a post about this refurbished trailer came up this morning, I knew it MUST be a sign that I am meant to have one!









So as soon as I finish the house remodel, I'll be on the lookout for an old dump of a trailer to refinish. And then I'll give it to my husband as a birthday or anniversary present, and that way he can't say no. Hee hee.

This gorgeous trailer is from MoCo LoCo, via Dude Craft.

Paper Source French canvas

Paper Source is now offering their gorgeous French canvas by the meter!



I need to finish our house remodel and practice my sewing technique so that I can make some fun stuff with this.

I especially love the Ceret Cerise pattern, shown in this table runner and available here.



Yum.

Flowers and bird cages

Love this table setting and other photos from a photo shoot styled by Duet Weddings and photographed by Corbin Gurkin. The vintage bird cages (scored from area flea markets) are really fun, and the flowers--in what look like fun old tin cans--are just gorgeous.





Found through The Ritzy Bee.

Lovely tea cups

I love this packaging created by Sarah Walsh for a tea company in the UK.

Via designworklife.

Red and white picnic

I just love this inspiration board from Kathryn over at Snippet & Ink!



The "mood" for the board is casual summer simplicity. It makes me want to grab a bowl full of cherries and go sit in the grass under our willow tree!

Design your own pillow

Here's a neat thing I just found. Inmod lets you design your own pillow--from the fabric and style to the color of the embroidery. I'm not that big of a pillow person, but I just spent a good 45 minutes playing around with the design feature.
Found via Twig and Thistle.

Wilton House

More gorgeous work from Carrier and Company. This time, it's the Wilton House.

Love the weathered wood table and the moss. I think I've mentioned before (several times, actually) how much I love moss.


I'm seeing old tree stumps used more and more as small tables. And I love the idea of using a wall like this to divide the bed from another area in the bedroom. I tried to incorporate this idea in our house remodel, but there just wasn't room. Next house...

Barn conversion

Let's see: I love horses, barns, old weathered wood, and exposed beams. So, this place is nothing but eye candy for me.

A barn conversion by Carrier and Company.

Dandelion Ranch

Oh, my heavens. In my next life, I'm just going to live at Dandelion Ranch, among all these gorgeous flower arrangements. Stunning!





Found via 100 Layer Cake.

Daylesford Organic

I almost fell off my chair last night when I saw a post about Daylesford Organic on Remodelista. They have several stores throughout the UK. I'm especially in love with the Farmshop in Gloucestshire--all the natural stone and wood beams of the original barn. Wow.


But I really went silly when I saw a photo of the garden they created for the 2008 Chelsea Flower Show. Wow--what great inspiration!

Paris bathroom

I love the idea of a shower that you can walk into without having to open and close a door.

We're getting ready to finish remodeling our house, which will include converting our attached garage to a master suite. I originally wanted to have a separate tub and shower, with a shower that you could walk into, but we just lacked the space for it.

Now that we've been dealt a minor setback (we have to put in a new septic system before we can get a permit to add another bedroom), I have more time to go back and second-guess our decision to do a tub/shower combo. And I've been obsessing over this bathroom (from an apartment in Paris) since I saw it yesterday over at Lime in the Coconut. I especially love the stone wall and the neutral colors. Not to mention the enormous windows and all that natural sunlight!

Love it.

More March favorites

A few more from my random collection of favorite things that have been lurking on my computer for awhile.

Great exposed beams. That rug seems so snuggly. I'm sure my dog would love it... From Livingetc.



I love this calming bathroom and all that natural light. And I of course love the photo with all the beautiful bottles with lotions and liquids and other goodies. Almost too good to be true packed in that old wood box. Both from Alexia Biggs.

I could spend all day in this space, which is built on a rooftop! From Mountain Living.

And I'd love to sit around one of these copper fire pits one night this summer. From Smith & Hawken.