Loving: Caravans

My parents are hosting a huge camp-out this weekend. My aunts and uncles and cousins are all coming over for a barbecue and s'mores and campfire stories. Then we're all going to get in our sleeping bags and sleep under the stars — well, in our tents under the stars but still. It sounds pretty awesome and will be the perfect way for me to see all the family I've missed this past year. However, as much as I'm going to love chatting and giggling with my cousins late into the night, I can't help but wish I was in one of these sweet caravans as opposed to laying in a sleeping bag on the ground. My parents use to have a pop-up camper that was such a gorgeous way to be in nature without being so IN nature. At least I'll still have access to running water (and a shower!). Look at how charming these caravans are.



images (from top left and across): fairway // constance // airstream // little girl peeking // cushions // couple lounging // kitchen // teepee // floral bench // blue windows // checked floor // wood paneling // scalloped cupboards // green + white // white interior // matilda // airstream + awning // in the woods // plaid curtains // quilted door // trunk // red + white // pink fan // cute couple

Meet: Clair Olivia Wayman

You know how much I love my magazines. It broke my heart to leave them behind in Australia but I just absolutely could not fit them in my suitcase. Seriously. The weight of my three suitcases, one massive carry-on duffel bag and a shockingly heavy purse almost brought the plane down. But I had to buy one last magazine at the airport and it was the September issue of Real Living. I can't tell you how much I love this magazine (I love it so much that I looked up how much a subscription to the US would cost me - let's just say that it's around $15 an issue. I'm still considering it.). I love the photographs, the recipes, the product suggestions, the whole thing. So it's not surprising that I fell in love with the portfolio off Melbourne-based stylist (and now shop owner) Clair. She's worked for years for Real Living and her style certainly reflects that. The images are light and easy and livable yet beautifully styled and inspired. I think you'll definitely spot some good ideas.



So much loveliness. (images are from her site and you can read a great interview here)
Oh, and if you're ever in Melbourne, visit Curio and Curio on Flinders street — this is the shop of Clair and her partner Nick. I'm bummed I missed it when I was there, but something tells me that wasn't my last trip to Melbourne. Just in case your trip is still a few years out, here are some shots of the store.

Look At This: Ms. Sadie North

Sometimes I feel exhausted immediately after I get up in the morning. Sometimes I don't have the energy to take my lunch dishes to the sink. Occasionally I don't get dressed and watch Law and Order SVU all freakin' day. The days when I start complaining about getting old/not having any motivation/not getting enough sleep — those are the days I come across someone like Sadie. This sweet lady is 77 years old (or was in September 1952) and is as inspiring as they come. She mows her lawn, sings in the church choir, earns her money by babysitting and as a practical nurse, teaches young women swimming, learned to ride a bike when she was 67 and now rides it everywhere, taught herself to type (and wears a visor like a newspaper editor while she composes her letters - adorable)... geez. I should stop complaining and actually go do something with my life! Sadie, you're forever an inspiration.

Does she remind you of anyone you knew/know?
(sadie images are from LIFE magazine [via Miss Moss] and the print is from natalie candlish)

Listen To This: James Darren (and Gidget)

I've had a hankerin' for some Gidget for awhile now and hanging out on the California beaches has only increased the want. Luckily I found the three-disc set (Gidget, Gidget Goes to Rome and Gidget goes Hawaiian) at a thrift shop here in Ventura. And it's so amazing. I love this era: dashing men, gorgeous fashion, whimsical vocabulary (who came up with "Moondoggy" for goodness sakes?!). It's all too perfect, especially since I've spent the past few days soaking up the Cali sun. Enjoy my dear!

James Darren // No Such Thing As The Next Best Thing To Love

And here are this week's tweets (@hellomydeartweets)

my friends letterpress // great read // a little about ventura // i want to go to there // great design on sale // my new fools gold necklace

Pack You Bags: Wandawega Lake Resort

If you never thought you'd be booking a flight to Elkhorn Wisconsin you were sorely mistaken because after you see what I'm about to show you you'll for sure be checking your schedule. Wandawega is this cool, retro-styled, charming lake resort (on Lake Wandawega of course) that has a lodge as well as cabins. It's got great history (a place to get a drink during prohibition, visit a lady of the night or if you're a Latvian Priest it was a great place to retire) and the current owners have really embraced and honored all of this by returning the space to it's former glory. They encourage anyone with stories or photographs from the resort to share them. I love this. They have a great video and some lovely photos on their site (check it out!). In conclusion, let's go enjoy what's left of the summer at Wandawega.




So freakin gorgeous! (images are from their blog // their site // their flickr stream)

Look At This: Lovely Lemons

While I'm here in California unfortunately my design work does not stop. Well fortunately because I really enjoy it and because my coffee addiction warrants me making money, but you know what I mean. So this afternoon I did a little design work in my friend's backyard surrounded by citrus trees - the most prominent one being a gorgeous lemon tree directly in front of me. Which obviously inspired this post.



images from top left: menu // lemons + branches // botanic print // special sale // above the bed print // lemon + rosemary cake recipe (click here to see the recipe more easily. Then send me a piece. Please + thank you.) // bedding // grater // pucker up // marmalade // gin + tonic (also send me one of these if you please) // dress // lemon curd

Moving In: Josh + Jenna

All of you non-Australians really missed out on a great reality TV show recently. The Block was a super entertaining show that centered around a row of four houses in Melbourne being renovated by four teams of two (three couples and one set of sisters). Basically these four houses had to be completely redone (surfaces, wiring, plumbing, exterior) and after they completed this massive task (in only ten weeks by the way!) the houses went up for auction. The overall winner was determined by which house sold for the most over their reserve price. I missed the finale because I decided to leave Australia right before it aired. But thanks to the internets (and a super great sister-in-law still in Oz) I know all of the details. Shockingly the only house that sold was Waz and Polly's. They didn't do my favorite work but they were my favorite team - they were hilarious and pleasant and full of personality. Oh and it felt like they really loved each other which was very sweet to watch. But this post isn't about them. The couple that did do my favorite work was Josh and Jenna. They were definitely the youngest of the teams (he's 24, she's 23) and they had that trendy/vintage/diy decorating style that I dig so much. They used grey as their neutral backdrop but then added great artwork and cushions and vintage lighting to make the room exciting and fresh. I think you're going to like this. Oh, and if you have a few hundred thousand dollars laying around the house is still for sale.



all images are from channel 9's site. Head over there to see the other houses and read all about the show - if you're interested. Oh! I almost forgot! A cute side note: Josh proposed to Jenna at the auction. She said yes. They're adorable.

Loving: Stripes

Oh hello my dear. I told you it might be a bit of a break and, well, it was. I'm officially back in the U S of A. I'm visiting friends in California before hopping yet another plane back to Illinois. Cali is really lovely and it's so good to enjoy some of the American things I've missed (Old Navy, bagels, root beer) but I am missing Australia (and my family/friends) something fierce. What better way to move forward then to get back into the bloggin' groove? So, here we go.
I've always really enjoyed stripes in interiors. My first apartment after college had a really lovely, bright kitchen with walls I  painted green tonal stripes and I think it made it my favorite room in the house - it was just so darn cheery! Yes they were a huge pain and they were uneven and bled a little into each other, but the idea was great and the imperfections made them charming. Right? Obviously. Well, enough about my design adventures, let's see some pretty stripes.


images from top left: dining room // teal bedroom// black + white rug // planter // blue + white rug // porch // bathroom // entry // yellow bathroom // gallery wall // grey + white // neutral rug // red stripe chair

Look At This: Food Trucks

Well. It had to come to an end I suppose. This week (actually in four days) I leave Australia and my brother and sister-in-law and all of my friends and family here. It sounds awful (and it kind of is) but it's also really exciting. After I leave here I'm going to spend a week and a half in Ventura, California with some dear friends soaking up some sun and enjoying some of the American things I've missed (Target!). That said, I have no idea what this week is going to look like on the blog. I really need to leave some space for good-byes and packing and then jet lag on the other side (on top of continuing to do some design work). So, when I post this week they'll probably be much shorter than normal. Thanks for your encouragement and understanding these past few weeks! Once I'm settled back in the states things'll be back to normal. Promise!
Now, for today's post!
Have you familiarized yourself with this food trend: food trucks? Well, from what I can gather they're making quite a stir in the foodie world. Not only are they fun and summery and unique, but apparently they're also delicious offering everything from all-beef hot dogs to mexican to korean bbq. Inspired Mag recently presented an infographic from Mashable that put together chronicling the rise of the social food truck. Very interesting (and pretty).

And just to give you a glimpse into what some of these beasts look like, here are a few images featuring some of the "favorites" listed above.

images from top left: spencer on the go // border grill // kogi bbq (both)

Listen To This: Raphael Saadiq

I'm about to have a very emotional week as I say goodbye to everyone and everything that has been my life for a year. I board a plane on Thursday from Australia back to the US and I'm scared and excited and hopeful. That said, today's song had to be fun and upbeat and not the slightest bit mopey because I don't need any help into a funk. Enter Raphael Saadiq. Do you know him? He was part of Tony! Toni! Tone! back in the day and he has definitely still got it. Prepare to shoulder dance in your chair my dear.

raphael saadiq // 100 yard dash
On to this week's tweets! (@hmdtweets)

sliding to work // upholstery tutorial // faux-logos // beirut! // diy table numbers

Have an excellent weekend lovelies! xo

Office Space: Urban Outfitters Headquarters

Don't you just love a thoughtful and well-executed adaptive reuse? For as long as I can remember I've loved old buildings and have valued their preservation so I was so excited when I saw this Urban Outfitters project. The Philadelphia based company moved their 600+ employees from their five or so buildings in downtown Philly to a no-longer-used and newly renovated Navy yard. The campus is stunning as is the interior of the huge buildings. I'd love to work in such a lovely (and environmentally friendly) building. Read more about the design, and watch a video on the process, here.


images from archdaily with photographs by lara swimmer and designed by ms + r architects

Meet: Mark Tuckey

I'm getting ready to move everything I've accumulated over the past year across the world and since I'm allowed two checked bags this means I have a lot of purging to do. I've been spending a few afternoons going through magazines and ripping out lovely and important things. Today I flipped through a back issue of Australian Bazaar and came across the home of furniture designer Mark Tuckey. His beach house definitely got removed from it's binding and will be traveling across the ocean with me (where it will no doubt find a home in a binder of similarly gorgeous rooms and I'll never look at it again). I decided you might want to see it too, so off I went to explore what the internets had to say about him. I had no idea the gorgeous-ness I was about to find. Not only are his homes (yes, there are a few) beautiful, but his stores and design work and furniture are absolutely lovely. I've once again collected (maybe a few too many) images for you to be inspired by. Hope you are.



If you're a fellow Australian, are you watching "The Block"? If you are you probably recognize some of his furniture from Josh and Jenna's and Katrina and Amie's rooms. He has some really great pieces.
Images from Mark's site.

Pretty Party: Jess + TJ

I saw this wedding featured on 100 Layer Cake and was smitten. The backdrop was a lovely Colorado ranch full of mountain views and lakes and horses; the bride wore a bespoke lace gown; the groom and his men were in bow ties; they had an illustration of their pup (with a crown!) on their save the date; the barn offered gorgeous plaid couches for relaxing. Oh, and that quilt! The bride and groom asked their guests to send a square of fabric with their response cards which were then stitched into a quilt and wrapped around the newly pronounced husband and wife. Adorable. Have a gander.



Aren't those fabric swashes above the tables breathtaking? I'd love to eat beneath them.
images are from: 100 layer cake and gia canali's blog

Window Shopping: Folk Clothing

Have you seen this amazing website called hip shops? It's kind of everything I love: boutique, thoughtful shop design showcasing unique products. Oh and the shops are from Paris and London and Amsterdam and other places I probably won't be getting to any time in the near future so they're super fun to explore. So of course I did... explore. And I found one I'd like to share with you: Folk Clothing in London. I was immediately drawn to the suspended shelving units and modern, industrial decor. And those amazing yellow, grey and white sunbursts. What do you love?


images from: hip shops // iya design // folk design

Listen To This: Gotye + Kimbra

It goes without saying that I was very sad to leave Sydney after having such a magical time. Want to know what kept me from crying? Hot chocolate and tv. Now there weren't many channels available, it was pretty much just nickelodeon and fox news but I found something I could watch for more than five minutes at a time: music videos. I bet you know where this is going (cause you're so clever)... I saw this video moments before we landed and I fell in love with it. The song has an 80s feel to it and the boy is cute and Kimbra contributes her amazing talent. All in all, it's very successful.

Gotye + Kimbra // Somebody that I used to know
Oh. And. Ummmm... there aren't any tweets this week. I'm a big ol' slacker. Have a good weekend though! Book a flight somewhere if you can. Or just explore your own neighborhood.

At The Design Blog: August Calendar

Just a little bit late: August calendar for you over at the HMD design blog.

Pack Your Bags: Sydney

Hello my dear! So sorry for the (short) hiatus that turned into a big one! I won't go into it, I'll just say that life was a tad more important than this post for a minute there. But now I'm back and am so excited to share Sydney with you! A friend of mine from college arrived here just in time to board yet another plane with my sister-in-law and brother and I to travel to my new favorite city. We flew over the Sydney harbour (and the Opera House!) and my cup runneth over for the next three days. Sydney has such a great feel about it - so established and comfortable and easy. Now, to be fair, this could be because the weather was absolutely gorgeous (as opposed to the rain and chill we had in Melbourne) and because I was with two people that had visited the city before so we had a plan, but Sydney beat Melbourne for me. I only say that because apparently you have to have a favorite (it's a bitter rivalry); if it were up to me I'd say they're really different and therefore I can't pick one over the other. But it's not up to me so Sydney gets my vote. But I still love you Melbourne...
Here's a brief recap of my trip: admiring the Opera House; eating dim sum; exploring the botanic gardens; drinking at the oldest pub in Sydney while listening to a live dixie land jazz band; eating amazing mexican food at the Flying Fajita Sistas; bed; coffee!; shopping in the CBD (central business district); pumpkin soup; exploring New Town; dinner at an amazing modern Indian restaurant; sleeping; breakfast at the famous Bourke Street Bakery; Bondi beach walk and photographs; best fish and chips ever; the lace exhibit at the Powerhouse museum; walk back to Bounce hotel (which by the way was AMAZING and highly recommended) and taxi to the airport. Phew. It was a busy few days but so worth it. I know you're excited to see pictures so let's get to it...




PS. If you're the cute boy in the pink shorts playing beach rugby: hi, let's hang out.