Little Boomba's Nusery & tottini $100 Giveaway!

Hello sweet friends. I hope you all had a restful weekend. I'm really excited to share today's post with you all! You may have caught L'il Boomba's Bohemian Chic Nursery Before & After on Design*Sponge last week (I describe my process in detail, so if you want additional info on how we did everything, head over there)--but before you do--I want to share some additional pics with you AND today we have an extra-special treat because our sponsor,  tottini--a sweet boutique for modern baby nursery furniture--is going to give an $100 gift card to one reader to hook up your nursery (or a friend's nursery!)

If you've hung out around this blog much, you know that I love to mix handmade, modern, vintage and international pieces. Our little nursery contains of all of these things: pieces from our travels, hand-me-downs, thrifted finds, hand-crafted elements and a few modern pieces to give the nursery a fresh feel. We also have worked hard to keep the nursery green--we have wooden and bamboo toys, upcycled pieces (like our closet bars that used to hold pots and pans in out kitchen and the curtains that used to be a table cloth). 

Because the nursery used to be my closet, the room is really small--so we used the height of the room, hanging a lot of things on the walls to maximize space. 

Above photos By J. Blakeney

...and now for the giveaway! It's simple, really. First of, you must be a follower of this blog. Next, just head over to tottini, drool a bit over all of their insanely adorable stuff--from the practical, like strollers--to the fanciful, like all their sweet plush toys. Then come back here and leave a comment saying which item you'd choose if you were the lucky winner of the $100 gift card. For additional comments, tweet, pin or share the giveaway on facebook and leave a comment here with the URL. You may leave up to 3 comments. The winner will be drawn at random and announced Monday, June 11th.

Good luck!

Botero, Pinterest, and the NAEA

Colombian artist Fernando Botero has been one of my favorite artists ever since I moved to Florence, Italy for my junior year abroad in college.  Upon my arrival, Botero's enormous sculptures of voluminous men and women conversed with replicas of Michelangelo's David and other Renaissance sculptures all over the piazzas of the city center. I was truly saddened when cranes came into the city just a few days later to lift away the statues--seeing as how this was my first trip to Florence, I was under the impression that Botero's figures were going to delight me every day on my way to and from class. 

As I become more voluminous every day with my pregnancy, Botero's nude ladies inspire me even more. Full of confidence, grit, sensuality and matter-of-factness, Botero's quirky style speaks to me on many levels. 

It was for this reason that I pinned a few Botero paintings this week. Due to my large following on Pinterest, it no longer surprises me when there are smatterings of rude or off-color comments on my pins.  Although, I must admit, that I was quite dumbfounded by some of the comments that ensued on the three Botero Painting pins.  What strikes me as inspiring and beautiful---apparently strikes certain people as inappropriate, gross, and unsafe for kids.

I keep on looking at the paintings, trying to be empathetic. Do I see how this work could be inappropriate for Pinterest? Do I see how this could, in any way, be unsafe or unfit for kids to see? Seeing as how I'm about to become a parent, I am taking these types of questions very seriously. But even after doing some deep thinking, my answer remains the same. No. No no no no no. 

This is art. It's not some trashy photo of celebrity nipple.  Do kids not visit art museums anymore? Do kids, themselves, not contain bodies, sometimes nude?  Do kids not have mothers whose breasts they drink from as babies and small children?  I feel that this closed-mindedness can only be the result of one thing--MAJOR lack of arts education in public schools in this country. 


It deeply saddens me. So, to make myself feel better about this whole situation--I will donate a dollar for each comment* that is left on this post to the NAEA. It may not amount to much, but I can't be inactive anymore.


Thoughts? I'm deeply curious to hear your feelings about this...
  
(*I will donate one dollar per comment, up to $300)

My Sister, Faith on One Kings Lane Tomorrow!

Big news today for my family! My big sis, Faith, of Call Me Faith Design Studio has been invited by One Kings Lane to curate a Taste Maker Tag Sale of her most prized vintage art, furniture and accessories collected from all over the world!

It's a pretty amazing opportunity to peek inside her treasure trove of vintage goods as it opens to the public for the first time.  I've been over to her Atelier a couple of times to see some of the stuff she's been collecting--and let me tell you--it's going to be off the chain.

The sale starts tomorrow morning Saturday June 2,  at 8AM PST  and goes until Tuesday morning. Please check it out and tell all your friends! Faith has amazing, quirky taste and I know you're gonna get a kick out of her 'Tree-House-Style' is all about big style in small spaces, relaxing palates, and incorporating nature into the home.

Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend...

Six Mismatching table settings

It stands to reason that after years and years of thrifting and collecting odds and ends I have very few matching sets of anything in my kitchen. That having been said, lately I love the way totally mismatched items look decking out a table. I have put together six different place setting as inspiration--each in different styles: natural, eclectic, boho, 70's, earthy and contemporary. What style is your favorite? How do you like to deck out your table?

Some resources:
Coasters by Wolfum
Fish plates from Anthro from a couple a seasons ago--now they have these that are similarly rad.
Striped paper napkins and pink milk cup from Ikea
They have the rattan covered cups over at West Elm--and they're on sale.

less schlepping, more typing

As I settle into the eighth month of pregnancy, my work is changing form--more consulting and work I can do from the phone and computer--less work that requires schlepping and lifting. So, I'm trying to get my interior decor clients to a good place before I become more of a waddler than I already am. Here are a few iphone snaps from some of the homes I'm still working on--they have a bit more work to be done, but I am happy with the homey-feeling the homes have and think that I can tie up all loose ends in the next few weeks--at least I hope so! (and how amazing is the pendant lamp in the second pic?! It was a Rose Bowl Market find--I call it the satellight!)

Otomi--not just embroidery

I've talked about my love affair with Otomi embroidery before...but lately I've been seeing Otomi-inspired pieces that are painted, printed, monochromatic and even subdued in color. I love this exploration of the iconic Mexican folk art and can't get enough of the print on bikinis, dresses, crib bedding and even dressers. Bring it on!

Mara Hoffman Bikini
Land of Nod pillow Sham
Lena Corwin DIY dresser
Organic Cotton T shirt 
Crib Bumper
Mara Hoffman Dress
Liz Caan Interiors (painting)

Mangiona With Caitlin Levin #9: Done-in-a-Snap Pea Crostini

I can't believe summer is finally here! I love simple no-cook meals and this is just perfect with a glass of rosé.... I was out on Long Island this weekend and stopped by a local farm stand where I found the sweetest and most delicious snap peas. This is a super easy an refreshing anytime snack--that can be done in a snap!

What you'll need: 
Sugar snap peas
Radishes
Fresh ricotta
Sea salt
Olive oil
Mint
Fresh baked bread

What you'll need to do:
Slice your radishes and peas paper thin and gently tear a few leaves of mint. Dress and toss in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Slice and toast your fresh bread and drizzle with olive oil. Spread a generous tablespoon of your ricotta on the toasted bread. Top bread and ricotta with pea and radish salad. Serve as an appetizer or as an open faced sandwich--delish!
--------
 Thank you Caitlin!

Mama Style /Mini Style

I'm excited to share my second installment of Mama Style / Mini Style-- click on over to dotcomsformoms for all the links and details!

My Jungalicious Bed Makeover, Courtesy of DENY Designs

When DENY Designs asked me if I wanted to try out one of their custom-printed products, my mind immediately began to race with one million ideas. While I love many artist designs currently featured on their site (some of the shower curtains, jewelry boxes, throw pillows and duvets would look amazing as-is in the Jungalow--and I'm smitten with the watercolored designs by Jacqueline Maldonado!?) what really sounded exciting to me was to design something myself. 

I stayed up late one night a couple of weeks back just drawing. I finally settled on a design inspired by the Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree--one of my favorite plants--that I thought would go nicely with some of the other Junga-licious decor items that I already had at home, like my banana-leaf throw pillows and my vintage Disney Hotel Banana-leaf wallpaper. Ten days after sending DENY Designs my Fiddle Leaf Fig art file I was unwrapping my custom-made duvet from it's box. The duvet is made of a micro-fiber like material--super soft and very cozy. The colors are vibrant and what became clear to me very quickly was that the possibilities are endless.  Custom art printed on all kinds of home decor items could become very addictive. In my mind I was already drawing Aztec-inspired prints and jumbo polka dots, and Joseph-Frank style patterns and..and..and...

I love this new concept in home goods. Personalized home products, just like vintage pieces and handmade goods make each home look less like a box-store catalog, and more like a canvas painted with your own personality.

If you have artwork that you think would be a good fit for DENY Designs, you can submit your designs here.  Many thanks to DENY designs for my duvet cover--it was really such a fun process and really sparked my creativity.

Nesting, Nesting 123, Nesting...

Patience is not one of my strong-suits. I couldn't wait to share just a few snaps from L'il Boomba's room--even though it is not quite ready for le grand reveal. The Mr. and I have been in serious nesting mode and the tiny room that once was my walk-in closet is now really starting to look like a nursery. My favorite addition thus far? The Sleepytime Rocker from Tottini.

I don't know about you, but I am really friggen happy about this long weekend. I have been busier than ever with lots of client work (not that I'm complaining) and also hospital tours, and birthing and infant care classes. If I never watch another birth video again, that'll be OK by me.
Seriously. 

I am really supposed to be chilling out more--I currently have a condition called Placenta Previa--which means that my placenta is lying lower than it ought to, and is blocking the cervix--which means that the Boomba's exit strategy may have to be revisited. So I will take it easy this weekend in hopes that the placenta rises to the occasion. I plan to watch Madmen and Game of Thrones (my favorite shows of the mo') put the finishing touches on the Boomba's room so that I can share a full tour with you all in the coming weeks, maybe take a (very) easy hike (weather permitting), catch up on some of my blog reading and have lotsa yummy eats.  And that's it.
No really.

How about you? What are your plans for this luxurious long weekend?