
Texture

I’ve always been obsessed with texture detail. The palpable elements on the surface of some objects is what makes them special. Here are three texture-heavy favorites currently residing in my apartment. Above, the hammered outside of this otherwise streamlined metal pitcher is an ode to an amazing age-old technique. The pair of framed puzzle pieces below hangs above my bed. I love these plaster frames from Pier One–they look architectural and elegant with their nested lines. I repainted their surface with Behr’s Swiss Coffee paint and added the mounted, gold-painted puzzle pieces inside. And finally, this wood-carved Arabic verse piece reminds me of the delicate, lace-like carvings in walls of the Alcazar in Spain.


Finds and Favorites

I love incense–it’s a big part of my upbringing and its heady smell reminds me of home. Lately, I’ve been using a lot of this hand-rolled in incense from Ramakrishnanda. My favorite scent is Yamuna, which has vanilla, copal and amber in it. The scent is pretty strong but it’s gorgeous and there’s a lingering after-scent that makes the room smell warm and inviting. Visitors often remark on how good the house smells when they enter–it’s all because of this incense! I buy these at a local shop but you can purchase them here.

I’ve been doing a lot of spring/summer cleaning and found this necklace at the bottom of my jewelry box. I decided to rotate it back into my summer wardrobe because the big, milky blue gems remind me of seaglass–perfect for wearing with a breezy, beachy maxi dress.

If you haven’t heard of it, Rockabye Baby makes baby-friendly versions of rock and pop favorites. For me, the lullaby renditions of the Smashing Pumpkins are beyond sweet and amazing; I downloaded a few of the tunes for fun post-birth listening. Check them out!
Finds and Favorites

Happy 4th of July everyone! I chanced upon this fantastic stool/side table by Jason Phillips on gilt.com the other day. It looks like something Hansel and Gretel would have in their living room and I’m totally obsessed. It’s pretty pricey, however. Think I should try to make one of these at home with a tree trunk section and some silver spray paint?

My go-to weekend outfit in the summer is a long maxi with sunglasses and large tote. I’m partial to purple bags but my hands-down favorite bag is my purple Beirn bag. It has a single strap so it’s easy to carry and it’s roomy enough to stash all of my stuff. Colorblock maxi: Old Navy Maternity, Sunglasses: Chloe, Stud Hoops: Forever21, Bracelets: Rainbow Stores

This was a recent last-minute brunch recipe made mostly from dinner leftovers: roasted mushrooms and potatoes got folded into eggs beaten with parmesan and the whole thing was put into the broiler for ten minutes on high. I topped it all off with my favorite summer-time salad topping: baby argula.
Outfit: Summer Wedding Maternity



Thin wrap cardigan: Purchased from a Den Haag street market (similar)
Empire-waist Bias Hemline Maxi Dress: New York & Company (similar)
Sequin Bangle: Forever 21 (similar)
Cream Enamal Bib Necklace: Forever 21 (similar)
Leather Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Affection Crossbody (buy)
Black Sandals: Aerosoles (buy)