Rustic Centerpiece

Rustic is really trending right now and so are succulents so why not combine the two and have a succulent centerpiece on a rustic table. Looks great and adds a touch of the Wild West to your dinner table. Combine it with a menu of sourdough biscuits, stew and burnt coffee (special coffee that contains alcohol) and all that will be missing are the cowboys! 

Photo courtesy of Alpha Smoot for A cup of Jo. 

Dip Dyed Denim

I am loving these dip dyed boyfriend shorts from 3 X 1. It can't be too hard to do this yourself though which is definitely something to think about. It's probably just done with bleach. I wonder if I have any jeans that I could use to try this out on......I'll keep you posted.

Potted Plants with Punch

My sister in law Luisa has the knack of making everything look great. It doesn't matter what it is, it's going to look fabulous once her hands have touched it. I have witnessed this many times - one of my favorites being when Luisa crafted tiny little rosettes out of smoked salmon for a Christmas ordoeuvre. Given my cooking skills or lack thereof, I was beyond wowed. 

This morning I called my brother up and said I was coming over. When I arrived Luisa was creating her potted plant arrangements and once again, I was gobsmacked (wowed for those of you who don't speak British!). For someone who generally prides herself on out of the box thinking, I have definitely succumbed to...dare I say it....ho hum arrangements for my front entrance. I will have to remedy that next year. In the mean time here are a few of Luisa's flower arrangements which I hope will offer you some inspiration. 

Close up of the purple flower - isn't it beautiful!

Zinc pots totally make this green with a smidge of red arrangement pop (close up shot). 

This the same arrangement but taken farther back and from the other side. That tall plant looks like an alien. 

Here's my favorite - the lasagna plant. I'm sorry you can't see the pretty purply flowers around the base. I was too happy to pose the plant and forgot to take one from the side. You can see a couple of them peeping out on the bottom left. 

Happy Gardening!!

All photos taken by Tracey MacKenzie

Are you a single fold kinda girl?

So how do you guys feel about the single fold? I have to admit, I'm a fan. I'm a wee bit on the short side so having to hem every single pair of pants is getting annoying especially when it comes to jeans. I never really liked the double or triple fold.....I say good riddance!

all photos via 

Emily Gray & Marius Haverkamp's Rustic meets Industrial Home

This is my type of home - Rustic meets Industrial. I love the cement floors, loft windows, exposed brick and wood. I also love that outdoor space. Absolutely Perfect! 

For more photos click here.

Eco-Conscious design by "Mater"

Mater means mother in Latin and it is the name of a Danish design brand founded by Henrik Marstrand in 2006 which creates sustainable, eco-conscious and socially responsible design. Their products not only possess a timeless quality and a classical beauty but are often made entirely by hand by local craftsmen. I invite you to read more about their beautiful products here. 

Luiz lamps made out of cork. 

Shell bar stool with frame made out of oak and seat in premium brown saddle leather.

Mango wood bowl tables with steel legs

 Natural Mango sideboard with front panels stained black. 

Bar Stool with dark stained beechwood and black leather seat. 

Photos courtesy of The Design Chaser

Palo Santo Incense Sticks

I first read about these Palo Santo incense sticks on A Cup of Jo and I couldn't wait to try them. I ordered them from Amazon.com but you can also order them directly from the source here.  Palo Santo is a mystical tree that grows on the coast of South America and is related to Frankincense, Myrrh and Copal.  In Spanish, the name literally means “Holy Wood”. 

You can use the wood to clear the energy in your home simply by lighting it. Hold the stick at a 45 degree angle and once lit you will wait 30-60 seconds before blowing out the flame. Now the wood will be lightly smoking so you will proceed to walk through each room letting the smoke purify the energy. You can do your whole house or just a room, whichever you want. Once you've finished you will place the wood in a fireproof metal, glass or ceramic bowl and it will go out by itself. Always use caution when handling burning wood please and make sure wood is out before going to bed or leaving your home. 

You can also use this wood outdoors to keep away bugs and mosquitoes. Just blow on the wood to keep the embers glowing and the smoke wafting. 

Sacred wood essence also sells the essential oil which has been diluted in an Organic Sesame & Jojoba oil base as well as some great travel wipes. Check out their shop here. 

Image from A Cup of Jo. 

Blue Mason Jars + Beautiful Blooms

I am a big fan of Mason jars, as I'm sure you've noticed by all the posts I've done, but these blue ones really caught my eye. I am totally loving the way the flowers look in them. I generally like flowers in clear vases or bottles but the blue jars seems to add a bit of punch to the bouquet that I wasn't expecting. It's almost as if the sky has been added. The beauty of these jars is that you can be as fancy as you please or as simple as can be. Doesn't matter which way you go, the bouquets are all beautiful. If you are lucky enough to find some vintage blue ones I would highly recommend that you snap them up. If not you can order new ones here. 

All photos via Pinterest

Spring Shoes

You know it's Spring when you see polka dots! 

Finally the sun has come out after six months of non stop cold and gray and I am sooooo excited I can't tell you. These are some photos of my friends shoe store called "Europa". I am very excited about all the silver and gold that is popping up everywhere this year. I find that both go well with just about everything so I can't wait to buy a pair. I already went out and bought some gold sandals which you can see here. I am also in love with that "Love" purse - it's perfect for an evening out. 

Photos by me.

IKEA Hack - Vittsjo Shelving Unit

Spray paint your Vittsjo shelving units in a bright yellow to add a pop of color to your living room or office. 

Or how about spray painting them in Gold to add a touch of class. 

Or, how about this beautiful arrangement of white and wood created by Centsational girl. 

This one is my personal favorite. Spray paint the Vittsjo nesting table bases in a shiny chrome or apply silver leaf for a more glamorous look in order to replicate the Horchow Coffee tables. 

images via Centsational girl. 

Iced Coffee Cubes

I love coffee. Deep, dark, rich coffee topped with lots of cream...YUM! 

Boy that sounds good right now.....Unfortunately since I developed some heart issues a few years ago I've had to say goodbye to coffee with the exception of an occasional decaf. Lucky for me there are quite a few coffee houses that make really good decafs so I no longer have to suffer in silence. Even luckier is that I stumbled upon a recipe for iced coffee cubes from Kiran Tarun's blog which I slightly adapted and posted after the picture below. What a great way to get a little coffee, caffeinated or not, during those hot summer months. 

Here is my adapted recipe for Kiran's iced coffee cubes:

Ingredients:

• A pot of your favorite freshly brewed coffee (stronger coffee will not taste as diluted once combined with the milk or cream) cooled to room temperature. 
• 1 tsp of your favorite flavoring such as organic pure vanilla extract or Kahlua. If you are making these for a dinner party you may want to add 1 tbsp or more of the Kahlua. Taste test the coffee before freezing. 
• I don't like to add any sweetener but if you like your coffee sweet, add your favorite sweetener. 
• Organic milk/cream or better yet, whipped cream. 

Directions:

• Add flavorings and sweetener to the cooled, freshly brewed pot of coffee. Stir to combine. 
• Pour coffee into ice tray and freeze overnight. 
• Add some iced coffee cubes to your favorite glasses and top with the organic milk, cream or whipped cream. 
• Sit back and enjoy!

Both photos courtesy of Kiran Tarun.