A model hotel

If this morning's hotel wasn't quite your thing, how about this one? This is a snap shot from The Exchange hotel in Amsterdam. where each room is designed by a student from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. Talk about staying in style!

Picture: The Exchange Hotel via April & May

Tomorrow...Ugh, Here We Go

Tomorrow Henry starts daycare and I would be lying if I told you I was completely okay with that. I have been dreading this day for a while now. It is not that I don't want to go back to work; if you work for yourself you know "maternity leave" is a fictional event. Henry and I have been working basically since he was born. This juggling act- having a newborn and working- has worked basically by taking him everywhere with me when our parents weren't in town to watch over him. We have amazing parents but when they are not here he has been content to nap at client's homes, showrooms, etc. Well except for the fit he pitched last week at a house (talk about feeling unprofessional, thank goodness for amazing clients as well).

Above pulling fabric with his Mom, below waiting patiently at the receiving warehouse for furniture to be loaded. (the guys at the warehouse are great with him, a plus in my book)
In some ways I am looking forward to having a routine and this not being a sight seen one too many times in my car...

Also, I am sure Henry gets tired of running errands all the time (note the expression)....

And while I may not be winning any mother-of-the-year awards anytime soon I have loved all this time spent together. We have a schedule that works for us and it is nice to be working along and catch a glimpse of that face.

Tomorrow though change is coming. I know it will be fine if I can just get past the first few days. I LOVE my job and that makes it so much easier. The place he is going came highly recommended by several friends and that is comforting. It is just the thought of someone else feeding him and holding him and playing with him all day gives me a lump in my throat the size of Texas. So for those of you who have been through this and have any advice I would love to hear it. Talking to other mothers has been wonderful so far and made me feel so much better. I have a feeling I am going to need some help tomorrow....

Surround yourself with beautiful pieces

Morning and happy 'lilla lördag' (little saturday) as it's known in Sweden as everyone should go out and have a mid-week drink. Not for me unfortunately, so instead I am mentally transporting myself to one of three apartment suites in the Azzedeine Alaia hotel in Paris....

Photographs: Persona Production via SF Girl By Bay

The rooms, designed by Yatzer, have carefully selected the furniture and lighting and kept everything else minimal so that you can enjoy its beauty and your stay. Oh and I would Yatzer, I would. It also supposedly leaves room for the guests own creativity. What do you think? Something for the weekend? Or to stark for your tastes? Read more about it here.  

Hello Headboard

Via Dwell Studio

Wonderful Copenhagen

I am in beautiful Copenhagen this afternoon looking for a cool home for a press shoot. I love the Danish capital, it's so relaxed with a lovely bohemian feel. I might just stay all afternoon....

Picture and poem: an exquisite waste of time

Christmas Craft- Advent Calendar

Hi peeps!  Are you ready to get this party started?  Cassie (Hi Sugarplum) is hosting today's party, so if you have a Christmas Craft to share, go HERE to link up!

I'm linking up the advent calendar I created.  I'm especially giddy about it this year because we have a little one (19 months old) to start sharing the season with and creating our own memories and traditions.

I made this advent calendar with our family in mind, and considering our child's age, but of course you can personalize it to suit your family's needs.  I printed the labels on the computer and taped them to the tags with Japanese tape.

ADVENT CALENDAR ADVENTURES

Take a family photo in front of the Christmas tree

Sing Christmas songs

Make Christmas cards for Grandparents

Make a Christmas ornament

Color a Christmas picture 

Make paper snowflakes 

Drink hot cocoa with marshmallows

Watch a christmas movie 

Go out for a Christmas treat 

Drive around the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights 

Visit Santa Claus

Call Grandparents 

Wrap a gift for your teachers

Read a story about the birth of Baby Jesus 

Make cookies for Santa Claus 

Write Santa Claus a letter

Read the book: "The Night Before Christmas" 

Make a snowman

Make a yummy treat

Build a gingerbread house 

Buy a Christmas gift for Toys for Tots  

Donate toys and clothes

Visit Grandparents

Make chocolate covered toffee

I'm hoping to have this advent calendar for years to come in our home! 





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A Swedish apartment in monochrome

A little morning monochrome to share with you today! This Stockholm nugget of an apartment (I say 'nugget' as it's 45 metres square!) is light, white and completely clutter-free. There is no way I could have so few things around me, no matter how hard I tried, but it does look rather lovely....

All pictures: Alvhem via 79 ideas

PS I especially love the calendar, which you could make at home perhaps, using computer print outs stuck to the wall with oh-so-now masking tape. Or any other tips? 

Kram!

Support Movember!

Hej hej! A hairy reminder that there's only a few days left of the month formerly known as 'November' where cool men (Mo bros) sprout moustaches around the world for 30 days to raise money and awareness for men's health issues such as prostate cancer. Find out more at Movember!

Moustache bedding: Urban Outfitters

A Book Giveaway...

In honor of Cyber Monday I thought it would be fun to do a little giveaway and I knew just the book! Recently I was informed that Haven & Home was included in a book, The Meghan Method by Meghan Carter. When I received the book I was thrilled to be included in such a well thought out book about decorating.While other design book offer hints or advice here and there, this book is a comprehensive guide to decorating in your own style, something I believe a lot of blog readers would be interested in.

To enter the giveaway just leave a comment below. The winner will be picked Thursday morning. If you don't win you can still benefit from Meghan's advice with her comprehensive gift guide out now available here.
Leave a comment below and good luck! Thank you Meghan for including Haven & Home in your wonderful book!

Monday DIY: Stag wall hanging

How about this for a Monday project? Fun, cheap and hopefully you'll have a wonderful stag trophy like this one to hang on your wall at the end....for the complete step-by-step 'know-how' click here.

Picture: Instructables via April & May

If you make one make sure you share it with us, we'd love to see it....:)

Photographer's studio in a plough factory

So it's Monday. And hopefully not to manic?! This morning I spied this beautiful studio belonging to creative couple Rob & Jill Brinson, which they've converted from an old plough factory, I had to share it with you as I think it's a wonderful space, so light and airy.

All pictures: Via Design Sponge


I particularly love the brick wall gallery and the office.  I'm not sure I could have my bed in the middle of the room though as I have enough problems with my pillows as it is! I'd love to hear your thoughts. For more pics and the complete interview click here. Back shortly with a fun DIY project for the wall....Oooooo!

Our Gold Christmas Staircase

Hi everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed the long weekend.  I spent the better part of Friday and Saturday decorating our home for Christmas and it's feeling quite festive here.  I went with a metallic gold and silver color scheme, which I've never done before, and I really like it.  Today, I'm sharing how our staircase turned out.



If you follow me on Twitter, you know that on Saturday night I about gave up on these stairs in the middle of it because I thought it was looking terrible.  But, I got some words of encouragement from Courtney (Courtney Out Loud) that were much appreciated.  I'm glad I stuck with it!

 I used garland from WalMart (the same garland I used last year) and then added the string of gold beads from Hobby Lobby.  

The gold bells were also found at Hobby Lobby.  

I added decorative snowflakes and star ornaments that my mom gave me.  The pine cones provide a natural element. 

And now the tree is up where the chair and table were:)  If you'd like to look at last year's stairs, you can go HERE.

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Thank you to everyone who entered the RoRo's CinnARolls giveaway.  The WINNER is:

And don't forget to link up your holiday craft with Cassie (Hi Sugarplum) tomorrow:)