Interior Inspiration :: Leonard & Sheldon's Apartment

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With the premiere of the ninth season of The Big Bang Theory tonight (one of my favorite shows!), Sheldon and Leonard's apartment is my interior inspiration of the day. Their apartment is, hands down, one of my all-time favorite on-screen apartments. I mean, it's a pretty awesome space! Have you seen this really awesome floor plan of Leonard and Sheldon's apartment? The artist has renderings of other on-screen apartments as well (I really want Carrie Bradshaw's apartment, too). I always pictured Sheldon and Leonard's room next to each other since they're always talk to each other through the wall. But regardless, it's pretty cool floor plan. And a HUGE apartment.

I think it's all of the personal items items that draw me to Leonard and Sheldon's apartment. All of the  science books, action figures, and other super hero and science-y memorabilia -- it's homey and comfortable. I love checking out the things people have on display in their homes. It's probably mostly because I'm nosey, but I find what people put on display in their homes -- their most private space -- fascinating. It's like a visual anthropology. My photography professor in college was also fascinated by visual anthropology and loved it when students brought in photos of interiors for critiques. She also loved using the term "visual anthropology."

Anyway. Back to Sheldon and Leonard's apartment! It feels like a space that would be totally comfortable to hang out in, thanks to all the warm tones, big cushy sofa, and all those books. Books are just comforting and cozy. Here are some ways you can add a little Sheldon and Leonard style into your space!

1. Boudreau Leather Sofa, $2,299.95 - Totally ready for deep-couch-sitting. Just don't sit in Sheldon's spot.

2. 1921 USA Weber Costello Globe, $83 - For a touch of academia.

3. Library Style 24 Drawer Multimedia Cabinet in Oak, $233.99 - Get that library-vibe with lots of books and this sweet storage solution!

4. Gianna Recycled Yarn Kilim Indoor/Outdoor Rug, $649 for 8'x10' - Warm colors make a space feel cozy -- plus this rug is eco-friendly. Score!

5. EKTORP Chair in Risane natural, $399 - The perfect spot to watch a Batman marathon. Or Lord of the Rings. Or America's Next Top Model.

6. Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope, $149.95 - Get your astrology on and find the constellations.

7. Westland Giftware Ceramic Batman Cookie Jar, $48.25 - "I'm Batman."

8. Viz-pro Double-sided Magnetic Mobile Whiteboard, $259 - You're going to need a good whiteboard for writing out all of those equations and formulas! 

9. Molecular Models 14-DNA2700C 17 Base Pair DNA Model Kit, Completely Assembled, $808.77 - No Big Bang Theory space is complete without a DNA model.

10. Tanner Round Coffee Table, $381 - Ready for a round of 3D chess? Or maybe some Klingon Boggle?

11. You're In My Spot (Sheldon's Pillow), $20 - An exact replica of Sheldon's pillow! I'm sure Sheldon would beg to differ, though; and Canvas Cushion Cover in Dark Orange, $6.99

You're welcome. :)

Friday Freebies :: 5

This is my current mantra. 'Nuf said. You can download it here and print it out!

And now for some links to kick off your weekend:
1. This lip-sync battle between Jimmy Fallon and Ellen Degeneres. Two of my favorite people ever! And, of course, it's straight-up hilarious.
2. Pinterest fails from Good House Keeping -- just keeping it real, people!
3. Make your own tablet and laptop cases -- hopefully this DIY doesn't fall into the fail category! I bet it would inevitably fall into the fail category for me, however. And that's for ANY sewing project. I'm constantly searching for sewing projects, reading about how to sew, and pinning sewing tutorials, but every time I actually attempt a sewing project, it's a major fail. But I'll continue to read sewing tutorials, and maybe, someday, by osmosis or something from reading so many tutorials, I'll actually be able to complete a sewing project.
4. And one more Jimmy Fallon clip because a) Jimmy Fallon, b) Puppies, c) Kaley Cuoco Sweeting, and d) did I mention puppies?!

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Interior Inspiration: Brooke Shields' Living Room

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Holy smokes -- it's almost fall and I haven't posted anything since...June! In all fairness, it was a crazy, busy summer involving a move to the other side of the east coast. But now that fall is (almost) here, it's time to get back to down to business. Fall always seems to usher in a sense of organization and routine. I guess it's that whole back-to-school thing, but back-to-school always starts while it's still technically summer. Anyway. Point is, it's time to get back to blogging and time to talk about my new blog series -- interior inspirations. 

My first interior inspo is Brooke Shields' living room (as seen in Better Homes and Gardens). The September issue of BHG featured a whole house tour, but I particularly love the living room. Between the buttery yellow walls, the hot pink bergere chairs and the cushy white sofa, the room is so happy, warm and inviting. I can imagine sitting in one of those chairs, sipping tea, and chatting away with Brooke ('cause we're totally on a first-name basis). The whole look is happy, bright and comfortable, thanks to the pops of color, warm tones, and comfy, cushy seating. Here's a collection of pieces inspired by Brooke's living room:

1. Sunset by Veronica Ventress, $31.20 for 22"x22" // I love using Society6 as a source for artwork. This photograph has equally stunning shades of magenta and orange.
2. Numi Ring candleholders, $4.95 and Krylon Metallic Gold spray paint // Get a little crafty to re-create the candleholders on Brooke's fireplace mantle.
3. Kaintiba Cotton Throw Pillow in Tangelo, $39.99 and Bright and Fresh Cotton Throw Pillow in Pink, $98.99 // Love the bright colors in these pillows -- they are sure to brighten up any space!
4. Cameron Square Arm Upholstered Sofa in Warm White canvas, $1,229 // A classic sofa with a washable slipcover. It's a win-win situation.
5. Milk Vases, Bright Orange, $135 for a set of three // The pop of orange in this trio of vases adds a really fun touch.
6. Santa Monica Coffee Table, Antique Gold, $922 // The use of acrylic in this coffee table uses less visual spaces and creates an airy look.
7. Hemsworth Area Rug in Navy and Ivory, $499 for 8'x10' // It's Brooke's rug reversed! As much as I love a white rug, I know it's going to get dirty in about .002 seconds. Enter this gorgeous rug that still has the same pattern and colors, only reversed. And thus, less likely to look dirty in .002 seconds.
8. Baxton Studio Napoleon Traditional French Arm Chair, $320 and Kaufman Lush Velveteen Hot Pink fabric, $14.98/yard // Brooke inherited the chairs from her mother and recovered them with a hot pink fabric and painted the body white. Here's a similar style chair from Wayfair that you can infuse with that energetic pink color!

Key Lime Pie

Okay, so this summer has been really bizarre so far. It hasn't really felt at all like summer yet! We'll get a couple of summer-ish days, then Mother Nature is all like, "Just kidding!" It's almost July and I'm still wearing pants. I've worn shorts maybe twice so far. Yesterday, I wore pants AND a sweatshirt. Today actually has turned out to be a pretty nice summery day. It started out all not-summery, but now it's finally sunshiney and warm out. And I'm wearing shorts. Finally.


Anywho, the point of this post isn't to complain about the weather! The point is to share with you this lovely key lime pie that is the epitome of summer. Key lime pie just shouts summer. Whenever I eat key lime pie, if I close my eyes, I swear I'm sitting on a deck overlooking the ocean in Florida. Key lime pie is my dad's favorite dessert ever. When my brother and I were little, our family always took a road trip down to Georgia every spring vacation to visit our aunt and uncle. Usually we would continue down to Florida. And whenever we ate out at any restaurants in Georgia or Florida, my dad would ALWAYS get the key lime pie for dessert.

For Father's Day, I decided I would make my dad an authentic Southern key lime pie. And it came out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. The meringue has some lime zest in it, so this pie is extra-limey. And extra delicious. When trying to figure out the perfect Southern key lime pie recipe, I pulled out my "Savannah Classic Desserts" recipe book. And bingo -- there was Uncle Bubba's Key Lime Pie. Perfect! (Uncle Bubba is Paula Deen's brother -- so you know it's very Southern and filled with butter).

This recipe is pretty easy to make. I'd say the hardest part is zesting those limes (zesting takes foreverrrrr). But, I mean, zesting really isn't that hard I guess. Plus, limes give off the most wonderful, fragrant smell when you zest them. So. Good. The effort is worth it.

By this point, I'm sure you're like, "Okay, let's get onto the recipe already!" Okay, okay -- without further ado, here it is!

UNCLE BUBBA'S KEY LIME PIE
gluten-free

INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
5 tablespoons butter, melted (I used EarthBalance instead. I know, not very Southern.)
2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs (the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup of slivered almonds. I left 'em out since my dad isn't a fan of nuts, but I bet almonds would be tasty)

FILLING
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (I used non-fat -- I know, I know -- again, not very Southern. Shhhh.)
1/2 cup Key lime juice
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup of sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust: Combine the graham crackers and melted butter (or Earth Balance, in my case) in a food processor. Put the mixture into an 8-inch pie pan and pat along the sides and bottom to form an even crust. Bake for around 5 minutes, until crust is set. Let cool.

To make the filling: Combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of the zest in a medium bowl. Beat in the egg yolks until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust.

To make the meringue: Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon of lime zest until the mixture is stiff. Spoon the meringue over the filling and spread it around. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.

Let cool before serving and then be transported to somewhere tropical!

Artist Spotlight :: Babeth Lafon

I stumbled across Babeth Lafon while scrolling through illustrations on one of my all-time favorite websites, The Jealous Curator. And I absolutely fell in love with her work. Her illustrations are so graceful and peaceful. Ahhhh.

So lovely!

Babeth is a French artist and illustrator who now lives in Berlin, Germany. I love that she shares little snippets of her studio on her blog. There's something about artist's workspaces that I find so fascinating; being invited in for a sneak peek of that space is something special.

I want to hang all of her illustrations on my walls. I feel if I were surrounded by her work, I'd always feel calm (well, okay, maybe like 90% of the time).

Gorgeous.

Friday Freebie (On a Sunday)

Wow, I haven't posted a Friday Freebie in a while. Or actually posted a Friday Freebie on a Friday. Or posted anything, really! Well, here's a Friday Freebie (finally) -- on a Sunday! (sidenote -- whenever I hear the phrase, "on a Sunday," I always think of that Citizens Bank commercial advertising Sunday hours, and an older gentleman says, "On a Sunday?!?!" At least I'm pretty sure it was Citizens.)

Anyhow, today's freebie is another one of my favorite scriptures. It isn't the entirety of Romans 12:9 -- the scripture goes on to say, "hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good." Verse 10 is good too, "love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor." Or, as the Message translation says, "Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle." Good words to live by! Print out this week's freebie here!

Speaking of genuine love, this video made by SheKnows, which showed kids pictures of Caitlyn Jenner, is wonderful. These kids are the definition of genuine love and empathy. "It's important to be yourself, because if you're not yourself, who are you?" Good point, kid! Genuine love is all about accepting people who have different backgrounds, beliefs, abilities -- and simply loving them. And these kids nail it. Go, kids! ♥

I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Monday Things

1. It's National Best Friends Day! So send your bestie(s) an e-mail, or a text message, or give them a call, or mail them a card, or a letter (snail mail is pretty much the best thing ever) letting them know how awesome they are and how much you love them! And check out 13 reasons a bestie is irreplaceable -- so very true.

Love you, ladies! ♥

2. The Next Food Network Star is finally back. Yesssss. It's still early in the competition, but I think my favorites are Michelle and Jay. They both seem genuine, have point-of-views that are interesting, and delicious sounding (and looking) food. I'm also pulling for Rue -- I think her background is really unique and she can bring something totally new to the stage. That Mozambique stew she made sounded ah-mazing (minus the peanuts because I can't eat peanuts. But for those who are peanut-eaters, I'm sure it was delicious). But, she's got to work on her camera presence and how to describe herself and her food. "Aggressively charming" -- what what? What does that even mean? Come on, Rue! I'm rue-ting for you! (Har, har)

And then there's Matthew. I think B. Flay summed it up best when he said, "Hashtag? More like WTF." That's pretty much all that can be said.

3. Can I just say how much I love Emily Henderson? She is one of my favorite designers, hands down. Her style is amazing, she's super down to earth and hilarious. One of her recent posts, 12 annoying things I ignore every day, is a must-read. Keeping it real, girl!

4. I've been kind of obsessed lately with putting kale and radish slices on my turkey sandwiches.

5. One of the highlights of my day yesterday was when parents were coming to pick up their little kids from summer Sunday School, and I told one of the girls that it was very nice to meet her when her nana came to get her. And she said to me, "It was very nice to meet you too. I hope that we see each other again!" Adorbs.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!