Pier 1 - who knew?

Yes, maybe we've been in the Caribbean too long, but I won't have expected a pillow like this from Pier 1. Too cute, especially for $30.


Anyone want to pick up two for me? :)

Couture storage bins

Esty seller Attiahome has taken storage to the next level. Her white hand-beaded storage baskets are divine.

Platter Pleasures

These serving platters by Simrin are fab. How great would it be to welcome barbequing delights on these lovelies?

Simrin platters via Apartment Therapy

Ideas for those left over wine bottles

What to do with the remnants of a good bottle of wine? We don't have a glass recycling facility on the island, but apparently we are waiting for one to arrive. We have an entire cupboard full of wine bottles! A quick search across the internet revealed some interesting options for reusing our goods.

Spray painted centerpieces by PH Design Group

Bud vases via Design*Sponge


Carafes and vases by Transglass via Apartment Therapy

More vases by Franz Maurer via Inhabitat

We always knew that certain bottles had beautiful form. Maybe we can make something happen with them now...

Etsy, etsy, etsy

My husband is learning to say this like tsk, tsk, tsk. Get off that site girl! But there are so many little treasures to be found.

I love Plywood Birds by etsy seller AnikaEaster for our powder room. I don't think that it's going to get too rustic (trying to introduce more modern into our rustic/modern home), but may need to get some friendly input. It's 30 inches long by 10 inches tall. Thoughts?


It would hang in this bathroom opposite the mirror.


Rainy Day Feeling also really hits home. With all the sunshine that we get on the island, I love cozy rainy days. Mr. Big immediately understood why I adore this image from etsy seller everydaymoments.


And who doesn't always need extra thank you cards around the house. Etsy seller Michelle Brusegaard hit a homerun with these pretties.


Any input on the Plywood Birds piece would be much appreciated. Am I just getting distracted by etsy or could it be right?

Oh no...Etsy bites again

How amazing would these look on a desk holding paper clips and rubber bands? Sigh.

Urchin bowls from Element Clay Studio on Etsty

And these beautiful pitchers on our new concrete countertops? I can visualize them way too easily.

Gray ceramic pitcher from Up in the air Somewhere Etsy shop

What was I saying below about not getting sidetracked? I'm such a girl...

Where is the number for that guy....?

Our home is not completely organized yet.(shocker). And despite spending a fair amount on a beautiful home office, it started out it's life as the the catch-all room for the house. This makes it particularly difficult to find that one receipt (feel free to replace with card, instruction manual, phone number, etc) on a moment's notice.

Today I stumbled across this handy Home Maintenance Organizer on Knock Knock. What a clever tool to keeping everything in one place.

I particularly like the important Phone Numbers summary, life expectancy (of fixtures, etc.) chart, and maintenance calendar. Keeping everything in one spot seems way too obvious. And by the way, why didn't I come up with this idea?

See Jane Work also sells a good general organizer that holds all your critical documents, such as insurance, certificates (life, marriage, etc.), caregiver info, etc. This is worth a peek as well.

After shipping, duty and all that extra stuff that comes along with living on an island, $30 spent on each of these littly buddies might just keep my sanity. Might.

We're officially on a budget

What a bummer. Now that we finally have a home to fill up with goodies, we're on a strict budget. This probably happens to most people, at least that's what I tell myself. Our walls are pretty bare, but IKEA has a few pretties that could add some flavor (without a lot of cost) for the time being.





They all run around $80 for pretty good size prints (i.e. most are larger than 36 inches). Unfortunately, these images aren't available for purchase on the internet. Pout, pout, pout. Don't be surprised if you're a long last family member that gets a call for help... :)

Totally not needed, but fun to think of...

I'm just going to leave this post here for my margarita-loving husband to find. This is just that type of guy-gadget that he would find amusing.

Original Margaritaville Margarita Maker from Frontgate

And we all know that this little island can get quite hot. For those afternoons spent in the garage, this could be a welcome relief.

High-velocity garage fan from Frontgate

We very likely could be investing in something along the lines of this step ladder to reach the top of our kitchen shelves (more images to come soon).

Foldaway ladders from Frontgate

And finally, the ladies out there may be able to appreciate this shaving pedestal.


Just a few little ideas that we may come back to in time...

Leave it out

Mr. Big always laughs at me because I'm constantly removing items from our countertops (not so big on the clutter over here...). But these are great...leave them out!

Fruit vessels by Helena Schepens via Crib Candy

I would get one of these immediately if I could figure out where to get them? And for those who love who enjoy browsing home decor websites, be forewarned that Crib Candy is a major time sucker. (Yes, that means you up there in Calgary with the new condo....) :)

Boys will like these

There have been quite a few "girly" posts recently, so here is one in honor of those boys. These fun items are found on the Urban Outfitters website and are sure to get a few "Man is that cool" comments out of the important-to-impress buddies.

The glass to the left would be a fun addition to summer barbeques. With that being said, I'm not sure some girls would be too keen to be reminded of all those calories (moi for instance).

My boy loves his rums and this dispenser had me wondering if something like this would be good in his outdoor sports bar (as we are now calling it). A permanent wall-mounted unit may not be appropriate in a few years when kids are around, but this fun contraption also can be countertop mounted. Perfect!

Note: If any of Mr. Big's lovely under-age family members are reading this, please let me assure you that this appreciation of fine rums came about well after he passed the legal drinking age...and he assures me that he always drinks responsibly! :)

Minimalist bedside clock

So often bedside clocks end up looking like boom boxes. This option from Park Life is simple and organic.

Gardening skills

Pretty soon our landscaping skills are going to be put to the test. Correction, it will be our gardening skills put to the test. This is a difficult entry to write because I seem to (correctly or incorrectly) associate one's gardening skills with their cooking skills. And seeing as my cooking skills are appalling, I'm a bit worried about what will come of our gardens.

Mr. Big is extremely excited to start an herb garden, fruit tree plot and all sorts of other vegetation. It all sounds wonderful, but I am secretly admitting (albeit on a very public forum) that I am scared to death about the disappointment that he will experience when he realizes that my thumb is brown...not green. (At such moment, I shall seek to remind him that I play decent golf...)

Just to demonstrate....I went to see the house at 9am on Saturday morning, and being the diligent wife, I watered one of our prized palms. After leaving the site, I attempted to sell my car, find pavers for our driveway, consider decking materials, meet a friend for lunch, pick up beers for the boys, sort out our cabinetry design, cook dinner (gasp), sleep a full 8 hours, eat breakfast, play a round of golf...and remember that I never turned the water off. Eek! I arrived back at the property at 2pm this afternoon to an entirely flooded front yard. In fact, the water covered the two lots next to ours. Mmmm, I don't think Mr. Big is going to be pleased with this month's water bill. And yes, I think it might be wise if I treat him to dinner tonight.

When I came across these cheeky garden stakes from Uncommon Goods, I burst into laughter. We are so going to need these. Just as a reminder to my dear husband that I don't do these things on purpose...


Yep, that's right. Let's try to add a bit of humor to the situation. Maybe that will help (enter uncertain expression here).

Now this is a wine rack

With the Sporadic Wall Panel from Modern Cellar, your wine becomes a conversation piece. The oil-stained walnut panel is from reclaimed wood (the design is also available in bamboo). The unusual, unexpected placement of the bottles is quirky, while the dark wood is distinguished. Five minutes down and I'm already a fan.

Risk free artwork

This is a really neat concept...grown up paint-by-numbers by Weego Home. Honestly, how many of us (ok maybe just me) want to try our hand at painting but just don't have the courage to do so? This is a great opportunity for us. The images are beautiful and you are provided with the canvas, paints, brushes, and instructions.

I'm slightly suprised that these cost $200 for a 32 x 32 grown-up coloring book. I suppose that you are paying for the original artist's design and the materials. Cost aside, this looks like a lot of fun...and plus, you can finally say that a canvas on your wall is yours!

(P.S. Their rugs are worth a peek as well. Swirl has my head doing just that. Thanks to Design Milk for the site link).

Just waiting for the tool shed

This is a great little device...a flashlight that is held on a tripod. No, I'm not saying that I don't enjoy helping Mr. Big around the house. I'm just pointing out that it might be useful for those rare moments when he can't find me around. ;)

I bet most homes could use one. It also might make for a good Father's Day gift. Mom, are you out there...? (no, I'll never grow up)

Monday evening internet finds

So I felt like shopping a bit this evening, and absent a mall nearby (no...groceries do not qualify as shopping), the internet provided ample entertainment. These are a few finds worth bookmarking...and no, I didn't indulge myself in any of the super amazing design sites. These are all actually from places that we could afford to step within.

Gorgeous, but ridiculously expensive, bamboo and wood chairs (Vivaterra)
(And yes, we have dining chairs, but I still reserve the right to be inspired...)

Lost my breath again at Vivaterra. Remember it from anywhere?
(After further consideration, I'm not sure that the light carries evenly through the flowers...?)

Outdoor mat from Anthropologie
(not so sure Mr. Big would allow it, but worth an admiring eye anyway)


Verde vases from Crate and Barrel

Hope you enjoyed this evenings shopping!

Boys, pay attention...

Around the holidays, I posted about finding the online mecca of men's gift ideas at Uncrate. The pressure to come up with clever gifts somehow miraculously dissappeared after scrolling through their suggestions. It almost felt guilty having it so easy.

So imagine my pleasure when I came across the female version today...Outblush. There are literally loads of ideas for gifts for girlfriends, housewarmings, etc. I was giddy over gorgeous bags, clever garlic graters, and useful travel lotions. It's certainly worth a visit. (Psst boys...don't say I didn't help you on this one!)

An opportunity for development

I would consider my interest in lighting as an opportunity for development. Sounds like "performance evaluation" term, doesn't it? Other than the chandelier post below, it's just not an area that evokes much emotion. Many people have outlined how the proper lighting can have a huge impact on a home. Yes, I hear them, but to be honest, I would rather drool over textiles and artwork (and yes, I realize that drool would ruin the artwork...).

While perusing a magazine today, I came across this cool little gadget...a parrot corkscrew. How cute is this? Seeing as it would make for a fitting Caribbean gift idea, I googled it and was sent to a lighting website of all places. (By the way, the corkscrew also comes in other fun colors and you can find it here...)

Lumens Light and Living is an interesting site because it has all different ranges of lights, from $30 to true art pieces (loads of zeros behind those!). The nice part is that the styles are generally fairly contemporary, while offering more than the standard white plastic shade that you see on most sites these days. Just for the record-keeping, here were a few items that caught my eye:

Porcelain pieces by Justice Design that give off a beautiful glow
(and are surprisingly reasonably priced)

Basket sconce from Dform that gives a similar effect


Wall sconce by Sonneman (perhaps a bit too ordinary?)



Okay, I can hear my dad groaning in the background with this one,
but for some reason, I like it. Sorry Dad.

After looking them all over again, I think the porcelain lights are taking the lead. I'm pretty pleased with these finds.

But before I close, I have to leave you with one more treat from the site. I was very eager to see this floor lamp after the following description:

The (Mrs. Big doesn't want to get sued so she removed the name) Large Floor Lamp, by (again covering her rear), is a bold statement of tightly clustered, sculpted metal flowers forming a nosegay light bouquet for indoor living area tables or floors. Guaranteed to garner attention in any environment.

Are you kidding me? I realize that I don't know much about design (and please excuse me if I am offending you...), but I am quite certain that one of my brothers made this in the fourth grade for a science fair project. And it's worth pointing out that this is listed for a mere $4,060. What a bargain considering the lovely red cord that you get with it! Don't all rush out at once please.

Well, I'm feeling a bit better after my excursion. I may have opportunities for development when it comes to lighting, but then again, I'm not the only one. :)