The Admiral Contemplates Escape

Mas Endtables

I try to hit up the used furniture store at least once every other week. Usually, a walk-through takes five minutes and I leave empty-handed. Yesterday, however, my walk-through took five minutes and I left with a giant grin and a car full of stuff. The stuff being these:

TWO of these!

I love them so much! They each had a slab of glass on top, which means they are pretty much pristine. You cannot beat $17 each! Perfect!

Now to figure out where to put them....
I guess I could always sell them on ebay, make a few extra bucks....

Living Room Art

This wall hanging by Pony Rider would be groovy over our sofa in the living room. Or would it clash with our rug? Who cares, I love it.

Happy Wednesday

I feel like everyone should have to watch these:

And then read this article. 

All I want for Christmas...

I know it's a little early to be thinking about this, but all I want for Christmas is a shopping trip to Ikea and this:

A grow-your-own crystals kit. Haha! Amazing! :)

Weekend Wrap-up: Chico & Camping

Eric is working some crazy hours this month, so I compiled a giant list of things I would like to accomplish. But instead of finishing my chairs, knitting a scarf, and vacuuming, I went camping this weekend with some friends. We built a fire, sipped some wine, then spent a most of the day Saturday at Chico.

Now, back to the list.

The Admiral on Safari (i.e. We Really Need to Mow)

Black & White

It's already been established that I LOVE my iPhone, and fast becoming one of my favorite apps is Instagram. Not only for the filters it provides, but because of the network of designers, bloggers, and stay-at-home moms that detail their lives through their photo feeds.

I'm discovering that there is a strange clique of women out there with incredible homes, lovely cothing, fascinating Etsy shops, and who, as far as I can tell, live in completely different states, sometimes continents, and only know one another because they admired each other's artwork (via Etsy) and noticed (via instagram) that they own the same Ikea lamps.

It's super weird to see these pictures of a stranger's life - the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the homes they occupy, but at the same time it's really inspiring. It's like receiving a new decor magazine every day. I want to be an Etsy-shop-owning, super-stylish, owner-of-oh-so-many-tea-towels Instagrammer.

Boy, isn't that about the best life ambition ever.

While basically stalking these people, I've noticed a huge trend in these magazine-come-to-life-women's feeds. It's pretty difficult to miss. Soooo many of them live their lives in black and white. Don't believe me? A perfect example of this is @apieceofcake82 - or - some lady named Deborah. Not only is Deborah's entire house black and white (figs. 1 & 2), but her kids are black and white (fig. 3), her food (fig. 4), her knick-knacks (fig. 5), her parties (fig.6), even when she goes on vacation, her clothing is all black and white (fig. 7). You may be doubting, thinking, "duh, Brianna, she probably just used a black and white photo filter." Nope. Proof. Green (fig. 8).

These ladies be loco. But beautiful. I find myself inspired by all the black and white, and while I could never, ever, have my house this pristine, I am  drawn to how graphic and clean everything is. I can't help but be influenced a liiittle (hence the black linen dining chairs). I'm sure you'll see more of @apieceofcake82's style creeping into the things I find drool-worthy.... be on the lookout people....lest I become a monochromatic mess.

A Little History?

Well, my "dining" chairs just got a little cooler...

There's a pair of them on etsy for more than twice what I paid for my four. I'm not sure if they're worth that, or even if the info provided about them is correct, but it's cool to see them nonetheless. Supposedly they're American rip-offs of Peter Hvidt's original chair design. They even have black seats!

Weekend Wrap-up: Artsy Fartsy, Carrot Rarett & Grubby Ruggy

Gosh I hate titling these posts. Just silliness, I tell you.

Friday night was pretty wild and crazy in the Brindle household. I got down to business and made some paper shapes. We are one out-of-control household.

I feel like these would be dope if they were made out of clay or cement or some kind of material that's a bit more permanent. Or a chain of shapes. OOoo! Or a garland for a Christmas tree?! Ooo! So many papery possibilities....

Eric got called into work early Saturday morning, so our plan to go on a hike didn't work out. Instead, we went for a walk, had lunch out, wandered around Target, and harvested carrots....

...many teeny-tiny carrots.

Eric had to work again Sunday (his schedule SUCKS right now), so I bought a rug. You know, because rugs make people less lonely.

And then I rearranged the room one zillion times because moving heavy objects often helps one miss one's spouse, less. Obviously.

 This is how it is right now:

I showed Eric all these pictures and asked him his favorite arrangement and he said it was this one. I dig it (because the drafting table gets more light and I can now see out the window), but suspect he liked it just so he wouldn't have to help me move things back to their original locations.

But we were talking about the rug. I'm thinking of returning it. Shocker, I know.

Pros: I dig it's creaminess against the dark floor. It is 100% wool. It's in our house at this instant (ie I don't have to wait months for it to appear). At 6'x9', it's the perfect size (5'x8' is a tiny bit too small, 8'x10' is a little too big).
Cons: It's twice as much money as I wanted to spend. It's just....a nice rug. I don't love it, I don't hate it, it's just....nice.

Ope, confirmed, it's going back. If I'm going to buy a kind of crappy rug from World Market, it's going to be this pretend Moroccan shag, not the one I got.

I wonder why this one wasn't in the store? It's cheaper too.... hm......

Or I'll just go to Ikea (over Christmas, I think?) and get one of these:

Alhede - 5'3"x7'10"

Vitten - 5'7"x7'10"

Alvine Ruta - 5'7"x7'10"

About as boring, and maybe a little small, but half as expensive.

Eric will be pleased :)

The Admiral Surveys His Territory

Dream Shower Curtain

I have discovered the shower curtain of my dreams. Well, two shower curtains of my dreams. Better than my dreams. They are both from Ferm Living, and I am soooo tempted to order one (or both) right. this. instant.
The first one is just black and white.....

Very cool. I made a print of this pattern once.
But I'm seriously WILD about the second one. I LOOOOOVE these colors! This would be such a cool, modern, stylish way to add color to our bathroom!

Dying! Should I do it?! I don't spend this much money on, well, anything! Super tempting....

Nice work, Fern Living!

OTW: All By Myself....

Had a lovely time all by myself. Mostly because I wasn't all by myself. Chrissie came and kept me company for much of the day on Saturday. Then Eric came home Sunday and life was complete once more.

Even after sitting on a plane all day, Eric still had the energy to install our new stair treads. What a stud.

The Admiral in Hiding

Stairs! Rug! Nutella!

Well holy smokes. I haven't posted anything this week.

This is what has been going down....

1) Awesome football watching with Nick & Hanna in Bozeman. Cats win!
2 & 3) Stair-making in the den. Still working on this. Though the treads are now polyurethaned and are waiting to be installed.
4 & 5) Dope rug. Which Eric's father gave me. Which was super nice. I adore it. I have been coveting similar rugs for a while but cannot afford them. Apparently his DOG was using this for a bed and when Eric told him I liked rugs like that, he showed up at our house and handed this one over. That is kind of a big deal. He really likes that dog. However, I am thinking that everything is going a bit BROWN in this area, so there might be some chair cushion fabric changes coming soon. And possibly some paint application to one of those end tables? And possibly a light-colored soft and squishy bigger rug to also live in this room. You can layer rugs, right? Or have more than one in a room? Yeah. You can. I'm doing it. Gosh I hate buying rugs; they're so expensive.....

On the completely indulgent side of things, I bought Nutella at Costco a week ago. Biggest. Mistake. Ever. I now have two giant vats of a completely addictive substance hanging out in my cupboard. And Eric is leaving me this weekend (for a wedding). My weekend will probably involve the following:

Or just straight up this:

Haha! Just kidding.

I'm actually hoping to finish my dining chairs this weekend. I am halfway through sanding my third chair, so completing that project would totally be doable this weekend. If I avoid putting on sweatpants, that is.

The Admiral - A Fearsome Foe