casapinka

Qualy Sparrow Key Holder

I love creative key holders. Having a resting place for my keys is instrumental in maintaining sanity at Casapinka. That said, I would rather put them in a birdhouse holder than on the mantel. This sparrow key holder is from Qualy in Thailand. They use recycled materials to make unique items for the home.

I don't think I could convince Husband to carry this bird on his manly keys, though, so I might just get a single birdhouse/key holder.  I adore products that have a hidden function and this bird whistle  is multifunctional genius. Seems I'd be safe (in terms of color) with the pink one, don't you think?

Hot Pink Toile

 

Yesterday, Mo and I were working on a project in my knitting room. Despite the green walls (which I admit are relaxing despite being blech) it's become a sitting room for adults. The living room is next door and the other night, while Junior et. al. were watching tv, Husband and I fixed tea and sat in the knitting room and talked. It was so civilized having a conversation with Husband on my very own couch and without Junior perched ready to Pitty City me.  Pink toile may be just what this room needs. From Zoldan Interiors.

Pink Couches and Pretty Pictures

My camera is broken so today I thought I'd post some inspirational pictures. Abstract painting by Yangyang Pan.

Gorgeous colored couch via Project Nursery. I find these colors so comforting and pretty.

Karlsson Splash Over the Rainbow Clock from Homeware Accessories.

And finally, pink Chinese lanterns from Selina Lake's Flickr Stream. We are all huddled in bed and it's very dark outside despite being 10am. There is a raging thunderstorm going on and the lights keep going out. The kids are having me read Tikki Tikki Tembo and Dying to Meet You and have convinced me that eating coconut macaroons in my bed is what they need.

Every time the thunder crashes, they dive under the covers with their little stuffed animals. It's kind of fun, with the foghorn audible in the distance and the rain pounding the roof.  These gorgeous postcards are from All the Luck in the World's Etsy Store.

Pink Knife

It's hot. Sooooo hot. I have a knife and a watermelon but very little energy.

I think I'll get in the car and go to Ikea instead, the substitute grandparent who provides babysitting, feeding and design inspiration, but most importantly central air conditioning. Maybe I'll bring my computer and some DVDs. They won't notice us huddled in the back corner by the dog bowls watching Phinneus and Ferb, will they? If they do, it'll make for good footage, maybe as good as the Ikea cats.

"Frantic mom clings to faux Swedish Ficus as police remove her from Ikea after 9 hours of  'shopping' in the plant section while sitting in a beanbag. Mom begs, "Please understand:  Our other option was the McDonald's Playland!"  Watch Fox News at 10 for the full story. "

Pink Crown Molding Part 2

Here is the living room fireplace makeover. The tan brick just annoyed me. Ditto all that beige! The house was built in 1902 and tan brick was clearly on sale at Home Depot because it's all over the place. I had it painted without consulting Mr. Brick Lover but luckily his response (a week later when I pointed out that the living room had been painted) was "Wow honey, it's great - it's just what this room needed!"

You think I'm kidding.

I haven't chosen any art for display yet, just put up some pink pieces when we moved in. It's slow work for sure. I've also been distracted by this which we bought last week. Now I'm busy with pressing issues like pool pH and lazing in Japan. Japan is our side porch. It reminds Junior of shoji screens in Power Rangers so he named it Japan. Now we all call it Japan (sorry if I've explained this before.) 

Japan is also getting a slow makeover. Here it is in its "before" state. I took a break from all of the house stuff yesterday and the kiddos and I went to Mystic Aquarium and later to the the library. There, a five year old punk told Junior that he had a girl's name.  Juniorette immediately got all in his face, informed him that she was 8 and her brother's name was a BOY'S name and she's older so she KNOWS. Junior, mimicking his assertive sister added, "Yeah!" My lord, those were proud moments for me. That said, maybe we shouldn't have named him Veronica if people are so quick to judge.  Incidentally, the girl next to them, building with Legos, was named Princess. How do you pick on sweet little Junior with someone named Princess right there? Later, with Husband getting killed at work, we all sat in bed together and read our library books. Yesterday was a day I looked at my wee brood and thought, "Pink, you guys have done a really good job with them. They're sweet, funny and just great."

Pink Crown Molding

 

Here is a before and after of a living room corner at Casapinka. There is nothing hung on the walls, or pretty curtains fluttering in the breeze, nor furniture arranged artfully as in Elle Decoration. I do well to try and keep waffles and syrup from being eaten on the sly in front of the tv. All paint is from Benjamin Moore. I used Simplamente Blanco, a nice bright white, on the walls.  I wanted a whitewashed look reminiscent of Greece, which is silly since this room is in the shade of a mulberry tree and in Rhode Island, USA. Decorating is all part of a dream, though, so I permit myself to make trite statements like this. The crown molding is Pink Taffy, and much less purply than my original color choice. I'm so happy with it!

For the aqua door panels, I had a sample of Jamaican Aqua in my inspiration journal, yet it was too bright for what I wanted which was Painterly. Aqua is a rare color in paint stores and in my experience looks much brighter on walls and furniture than anticipated. So, after a bit of cajoling the person at Ben Moore agreed to mix in 50% white and presto, perfect color. Even he was surprised.

So, this is the initial change to the living room, with more photos to come as time goes by. Thank you Mark for the wonderful job you did. And all of you - please Google Pink Crown Molding so I can become a brand new Google Category...and leave a proper pink legacy to my children. 

Romantic Homes

Thanks so much to Beth Livesay of  Romantic Homes for the write-up in their July issue. Four bloggers were asked to share their romantic or vintage vignettes. Pink flowers seem to abound in my life, although I think of my style as more Colorful Optimism than Romantic.

It was fun to be in the grocery store last night with very grumpy, whiney kids, only to stop at the magazines and show them this. "Are you famous?" they wanted to know. "Yes, VERY," I told them, "So when we stop at the wine store you'll stop fussing and playing Chicken Dinner (where they pretend that the other sibling's arm is a drumstick and fake gnaw on it. Completely annoying and always ends with "He BIIIIIT me!!!!)  Due to Romantic Homes, we were able to make it back without any arm gnawing, bake homemade pizzas, and sit on the steps of the side porch, me drinking wine and reading out loud to them. This was followed by a game of whiffle ball while I sat and knit. Fame has its privileges...I'll take agreeable kids over a tricked out Escalade with tinted windows and pink underlighting any day.

Little Watercolors

Mo tells me that I should do a painting a day if I want to improve.

 She's always reminding me that medical school took hard work and lots of practice and tells me that painting is just like that.

I personally think I should be able to paint wonderfully despite no innate ability or dedicated practice.  Really,  having kids who regularly shove their dad's pillow in the freezer and a little boy who jubilantly pees on his sister's leg "because now I have a backyard!" should count for something in the fine arts. Life is so unfair.

Mod Knitted Dress

You may remember this post in which I was specifically instructed to knit the dress, shown below. Labeled "dress" since I'm liable to take poetic license and knit her a pink tank cover.  

I followed her design like a good knitting soldier, adding a little yellow trim at the bottom and a checkerboard design on the skirt. The teal bow was an after-thought. That je ne sais something. 

This is the result of our collaboration. The small person involved is very, very pleased and asked to wear it while riding her bike. Accessorized with Silly Bandz, all that's missing is an ability to glow in the dark, although we should really test that out!

Haruni Shawl

When we left off I was experiencing steamy fantasies of the Pink Smeg washer with the sink. I had three hours before dark to complete mowing a massive amount of lawn and finish this Haruni shawl, designed by Emily Ross. I managed to finish most of the lawn (see below, pride forces me to record the rare times I actually pull something off) and several episodes of    MI-5 helped me finish the shawl which is ready to be given to Junior's teacher this morning. She is retiring and a beloved teacher, which calls for a special present. 

To say nothing of successfully prepared canned chili and nachos in the oven (see? no Spam!) eaten around the table while laughing about stupid things, like daddy having kittens when he sees the painted living room. When the shawl was done, it looked like a dishrag from K-mart, despite being made of beautiful organic merino wool from Swans Island in Maine. It's all in the blocking, if this sort of thing interests you. Every single border loop needs to be pinned to the blocking boards so it opens up, and the shawl must be stretched out so the lace is visible.

The cat is also threatened because she reliably stands at the edge of whatever knitted piece is being blocked, looks at me with her FU Penguin face, and sharpens her claws a half centimeter away, daring me to stop her. Repeatedly. So far, she's never gone beyond the border of pins but I can only imagine if I had woken up to a shredded shawl this morning. Finally, I have to determine how to gift wrap the shawl since I have no wrapping paper. Junior suggested tinfoil and I'm inclined to agree. How fun to think you're opening brownies made by Junior (clearly suspect for anyone with a survival wish) only to find something entirely different. Smoke that, Martha Stewart.