Botanical Thrift.

Goodwill was extra good to me today as I walked out of there spending under ten dollars and with a collection of treasures that seemed to compliment one another. This was somewhat of a secret garden thrift, and even if only one of the items is actually going to help me keep flowers blooming, the rest still fit the botanical vibe. Not planned, at all! I walked into Goodwill with the intentions of picking up an old book that I could use the pages of, but then found so many other things I left without the book. Oops! I was thrilled to find a watering can that is well loved. The grass green color is just perfect, and it is hefty so I know it will continue to endure a life of watering my plants next spring ($1 and made ins the USA!). The watering can is vintage-esque (love!). We plan to plant some tulips, soon I hope, so they can get that winters freeze they need to germinate and bloom come spring. How fitting that this can has embossed tulips, cute right?!

The botanical coasters are a fun find. I plan to paint the wood edges. Maybe Robin's Egg Blue or Rose Copper. What do you think? The vases were also $1 each, and I plan to paint those as well. The red one is actually a hobnail vase (it is hard to tell from the photo). This vintage style is classic, so I was thrilled to find this! I am thinking the hobnail vase will look better as opaque white or blue (like THIS), and the white ceramic bud vase as a compliment with nautical stripes. I was really excited to find a delicate little floral tile. I love tiny details in my home, and the color combinations are just darling. I have a lot of cobalt blue in my kitchen, with hints of red, teal, and green, so I think this tile might fit just perfectly in there! Maybe in the space above my stovetop? Oh how I love floral prints. I will be sure to share what I end up doing with all of these treasures! 

We spent an hour at the park today, to end my botanical themed Thursday on a great note. Yellow and orange leaves are everywhere! We love this park. There are lakes, geese, cranes, dogs, fountains, boats, trees, and lawns that stretch forever. Just add the view of the city, and you have the reasons why this is my favorite neighborhood park. You can see more from our City Park afternoon over at my personal blog. Happy Friday!

{Darling Magazine} The Hostess.

Friends, no words may better sum up the heart and intent of many of you than the description of Darling Magazines' the Hostess. I had to share this well written description of a persona that you, and I,  most likely have in common. Read the description in full-- over here.

You can read more about the personas and meet them yourself (and another one of my favorites, The Stylist) in the continued series over at Darling Magazine. I hope you find to love this Magazine as much as I do!

The Hostess, by Darling Magazine

Color Translation: Snowy, Two Ways.

Last Friday we had our first snow as Colorado residents. Being from California, and this my first October living states away from my sunny beginnings, the autumn snow was a stark contrast from what I am used to from falls past. It was light, crisp, cold, and made me want to sip tea and stay in my slippers all day. I did not stay locked up inside, but rather faced the lovely white that danced around from above, melting as it hit the ground. And of course, boots and knits were brought out all over the city for the few days of cold and bit of snow that fell. For a color translation inspired by this snowy  autumn weekend, here are two snowy day looks that are easily translated into home design, decor, and other girly accessories. 

Snowy, Neutrals, and the Black & White Stripe.

Neutrals, stripes, cozy knits, and a bright snowy contrast translate to worn in, plush couches, white pillow accents, black and white lines, a steaming cup of tea, and that feeling of morning air on a crisp autumn's day. There is a feel of modern, nautical, and vintage combined in one.

 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

Subtle Snowfall, Mint, and Pink.

There is something charming about combining mint and light pink. It tells a story of femininity, somewhat lost in a 1950's past. The muted tones and subtle hues are sweet and innocent in this first photo. When out of the cold, I like to think this girl's home smells freshly of apple pie with mason jars collecting the last bits of fall blooms and a cast iron stove warming the green and pink knits she wears.  There are feminine details scattered throughout her home, just as in these photographs.This combination may be one of my all time favorite combinations in home design, especially for a girl's room or when wanting a retro feel. Which of these would be your snowy day look or color translation favorite?

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Terrain Autumn.

I just discovered Terrain, which has been a place of inspiration as I've browsed their planters, dried flowers, wreaths, and outdoor decor. One of the things I often do in my personal home design is take inspiration from stores like Anthropologie or West Elm and then see how I can achieve the look for less or by making it myself. Terrain is another one of those inspiring stores, specifically in the realm of outdoor decor. They have some great decorating ideas too! This calendar month is downloadable at Terrain-- you can go get the PDF version over here. I'm currently using it as my desktop background! I am so inspired by this wreath I stumbled upon at the site and am going to try and make a similar version myself. Is it not gorgeous? Have fun browsing, you are sure to be inspired at this site!

whirled leaves wreath

Project Round Up!

I thought it might be fun to do a round up and highlight a few of the projects and other bits of lovely here at Pearls Poppies Pinkies Up. Oh! And, happy six month old birthday to this little blog! Its growing and going, and I love all the support and connections made through the creativity and thoughts shared. Thanks to my biggest fans out there and the other blogs that have featured and highlighted projects. You are just so great. Here we go with the round up! 1 Trio of Nautical Mirrors || Mint and Orange Sherbet.  2 "Others Make a place Beautiful" Pitcher || Sharpie Art || Darling Magazine feature.  3 Tray Chic || Framed art as collection displays.

4 Hand Painted Pumpkin || Russian Nesting Doll || And other fall pumpkin inspiration.  5 Do it yourself coat rack || Just in time for coat season.

6 Upcycled drawer organizers || Birchbox inspired.   7 Thrifted Chair find || For the love of a seat.

8 Fan Revamp || A $7 spray paint fix.   9 Ombre jean shorts || Bleach it and do it yourself!

10 Color blocked bauble necklace || Repurposed napkin rings!  11 Dalmatian hearts || Canvas shoe DIY.  12 Faux succulents || No mess, no maintenance. 13 Hand painted tea towels || Black floral tea towel || The perfect gift idea.  14 Hardware store jewelry hanger || Tangle free and lovely.  

Here are the links for the photos above:  1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14

I hope your weekend was refreshing! Matt was in Kansas celebrating grandpa Clarence's 80th birthday and time with his folks while I held down the fort. I volunteered with work, spent time with my cousins at a taco bistro (ooo la la), enjoyed a crisp walk in the 27 degree Sunday morning, ventured to REI where I FINALLY found my perfect sleeping bag (a necessity for future camping endeavors) , enjoyed some time catching up with a college friend, experienced some light snow fall (while you Californians blast the 90 degree heat, I hear), kicked out my crazies at Turbo Kick box, enjoyed a bit of down time, had a coffee date with a two of my favorites (one being a four legged friend), and started rearranging the spare bedroom a bit! 

{Fabric & Threads} Blazer, Drop Down Waist, Leggings.

In this series I've been sharing with you a few of my favorite outfits. When I went shopping for work clothes, for more suitable Downtown business attire, I knew I wanted a navy blazer. And I also knew I did not want to spend a fortune. I ended up finding a blazer at Charlotte Russe (believe it or not) for $20. It really has pulled together so many of my work looks. Worn with a t-shirt and trousers, over dresses, and to make jeans a bit more dressy on casual Fridays, it really is the most versatile piece in my closet this fall. And I love that it is lined with a silky fabric (navy with polkadot hearts), so that when the sleeves are rolled, a bit of the pattern peeks out! The blazer combined with navy knit leggings and a drop waist shift dress make the outfit casual cute yet put together for the workplace. The purse is the most costly item in the entire look (from my trip to Rome!) and the turtle necklace I bought at a car show in Burbank, California (random, yes). The shoes and leggings are hand me downs (thanks, mom!). Leaving just the drop down dress, which was a sale item at Anthropologie. I wore this outfit to work today actually, and the children wanted my necklace! It spurred on many renditions of "I had a tiny turtle, his name was tiny Tim, I put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim...." I hope you are enjoying this series! 

xo,

Lauren

PS.  Anyone else notice that this outfit coordinates so perfectly with my last DIY project?  I just did!

Wander over Wednesday.

I have some more DIYs in the line up for you, to be shared soon. My October is finding itself busy (and it has been beautiful outside, so we have been riding bikes and picnicing at the park more often than not). In the meantime, wander over to these links for some inspiration this Wednesday...

photo source

• This is such a cute idea, perfect for reusing old t-shirts, and wonderful if you are loving chunky necklaces like I am. Wander over and see how to do this project at I still Love You.
• Wander over to Thoughts by Natalie for some soul loving. Read her article Finding our Unique Kind of Beautiful. You're sure to find more ways to remind yourself you are cherished, loved, and beautiful when reading the content of Natalie's blog.
• Windy days may find you hating your bangs, if you have them, so why not braid them and rid yourself of crazy wind blown fringe. Wander over to A Beautiful Mess for more on how to get the braided bangs look.
• Wander over to Happily Grey for Fashion Sense and Style, and a bit more on how to empower women to overcome poverty.