The Antiques Garage in NYC

It's funny, the last time I was in New York City vacationing, I went to the Antiques Garage. It's a 2 floor car garage in the Chelsea area, that's now converted into an antique market. How cool is that? 

Well, it was def interesting....and there were plenty of vendor booths to check out on both floors. I took some snapshots so you all could see how much they had! I think I was there for about 2 hours!!!!

I loved visiting & hope to go again soon!  If you're in the city, stop by there...you never know what you'll find!
 

The Antiques Garage 

112 W 25th St (between Sixth & Seventh Ave) Chelsea

-images by jen ramos

Fashion: Spring Bags

Hello everyone! It's Casie Mace, from Whipped Style bringing you some Fashion!   

Can you believe it's March already? 


As I've mentioned before, I get really excited to shop for spring staples and year after year, one of my favorite purchases is a spring bag. Whether it's just a fun now-and-then clutch or an everyday lasts-forever white bag (something I only treat myself to every couple years), the spring bag purchase always kind of feels like my shout out to the new season.  

 Of course I'm loving neon this year along with florals and bold hues but there's something so classic and PERFECT about a nice white bag for spring, don't you think? Here's a few of the bags I'm loving this year! 

1. Rebecca Minkoff 'Mini MAC' Croc Embossed Clutch 2. Rebecca Minkoff Woven Mac Clutch 3. Marc Jacobs Too Hot Too Handle Hobo 4. Rebecca Minkoff, Swing Bag 5. Lulu Townsend Floral Bow Clutch 6. Hobo International Allison 

*All product images via their respective retailers

-post by casie mace

Joss & Main

Hello friends! Have you heard of Joss & Main??

Joss & Main is one of my fave sites for great deals on just about anything home decor related! 

Just last week I splurged on 6 Iittala Ultima Thule highball glasses (they're so gorgeous) & so glad I did! Just ask MY HUSBAND, he's not allowed to use them! Ha!  Anyhow, if you haven't signed up for Joss & Main, you must... they have some amazing deals on so many items you see floating around the internet, that I know you were dying for! 

I'm signed up for their email newsletter too, which informs me when new items go up! Love this site, it's my go-to for cool home accessories and so on! Enjoy your Wednesday!

-all images via joss & main

Bfrend is back....

Via my shop MadeByGirl

-image by jen ramos

Who is Joseph Kony?

Often times I'll see a video that will really touch my heart. I watched this video today - as it's being spread on the internet like a virus....

The video is about a man who could be Hitler.  Well, that's my description, but I don't want to judge. His name is Joseph Kony. You can find his info on Wikipedia if you like.. What I'll say is, this man is dangerous & he's allegedly killed & mutilated many children. This man should be stopped!

As I started watching this video, I didn't know what to expect...but it became clear to me that the director/creator (Jason Russell) has an interesting approach.  He certainly knows how to reach people, wonder what he majored in in college? Obviously, some people will NOT agree with his approach, but we live in a world where celebrity & social media is top-of-the-news.  What Jason is doing has def capture the attention of many people worldwide.  Including myself.  I will research even further & I hope you will too, so if this all turns out to be B.S. - then I've learned my lesson, and many of us will have gotten fooled.

I know, this is NOT about design...but my life isn't ONLY about design, I also care about social issues.

So, that's what I'm doing now.  I can't explain anymore - try watching this video.

As the director of the video, Jason Russell said, "KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice." 

 Bloggers, feel free to follow @bloggersxkony

on Twitter. Thank you!!

I pray that God is with these kids.

Food: Bison soup

Soup. S-O-U-P. Say it with me... SOUP! Hi friends. It's Heather from The Lovely Cupboard back to share another healthy soup with you today. It's a simple vegetable bison soup that's sure to warm you up on a winter day. If you've never tried bison meat before, here's a little run down on why it deserves a shot in your kitchen. First of all, it has less fat, more protein and more iron than ground beef. (Actually it has almost 1/4 the fat that ground beef does.) 


If you can find organically raised bison,  you'll get the added benefit of hormone and steroid free meat. (Don't even get me started on my love for organics!) As far as taste goes, it has a richer flavor than beef, and some might say it almost has a hint of sweetness to it. I Personally can hardly tell the difference. When you put it in a soup, I would bet most people would never even know it wasn't beef. 


So, if you're convinced and want to try it, here's the shopping list. (Oh, and if you're still a little leery, you can just substitute ground beef in this recipe. No worries!)

              Now That You're Ready to Cook...

1. Start by browning one pound of ground bison in a pan. Drain whatever fat might be left (it won't be much) and set aside.
2. Dice one small yellow onion and mince three cloves of garlic. Saute in your stock pot with olive oil on med heat.
3. While the onions and garlic are heating up, chop carrots, green beans, and potatoes.
4. Add 4 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of your favorite herb blend. If you don't use a blend, try thyme or winter savory. to the garlic and onion mixture.
5. Bring to a boil. Next add 3 bullion cubes. (You could also use 4 cups of beef stock; I just didn't have any at the time I made this.)
5. Reduce heat to medium. Add the bison and your chopped veggies.
6. Simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
6. Add 1 cup of frozen corn (thawed) and 1 can of stewed tomatoes. Continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes cooked through.

This is such a healthy soup that truly is a staple "comfort food". Has anyone ever used bison in their cooking before? How did it work for you?
 

 
-Post & images by Heather Freeman

Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Hello! I'm Anna from A Newfound Treasure Blog, and today, I'm sharing my current rental experience on Jen's fabulous blog.

Not too long ago, we happily moved from Florida to South Carolina, but we had difficulty trying to sell our home. This forced us to find renters for our FL home, as well as, search for a SC rental to move into. Now, we're on both ends of renting, which has caused me to be extra mindful of our landlord's property while still trying to create a home reflective of who we are. South Carolina is where we want to be, so we can suck it up to be in our "happy place," right?

The GOOD

Renting allows you to be flexible. Last minute moves or job changes, that perhaps cause you to move from one end of the country to the other, can (hopefully) be less stressful. (ie. Vegas to NYC) ;-) You can have a "no strings attached" approach to where you are, which can be freeing in and of itself. A rental is the perfect option for an ultra spontaneous person that could up and move at the drop of a hat.

It is also great if you're moving to an unfamiliar place, because you can really shop around for your perfect part of town without committing to an area right off the bat. The great thing about our rental is that we have an abundance of space, being that we're in a house, not an apartment. 

Also, when things need to be fixed, it doesn't come at our expense -- major perk! All of those little things add up, and it's so nice to know that if something goes wrong, our landlords are just a call away.

The BAD

There are plenty of things that aren't ideal when living in a rental. Most of what the house is probably isn't your first choice. Wall colors and light fixtures can sometimes be total eyesores, but you must remind yourself that the time and money investment to change out chandeliers and repaint the walls aren't always worth it.

Instead of focusing on the actual home, try to incorporate art, fabric, and furniture that draw your eye away from the things you dislike the most about your home. I chose to use bright colored furniture and fabric that hopefully distract you from noticing the pukey-beige walls that coat the entire downstairs of our home.

The UGLY

Gracious, I have a list of things that I would do differently if we owned this home. Why the tacky carpets? I wish more than anything that linoleum wasn't a word in my vocabulary, but it is all over this place. The kitchen, the bathrooms, the laundry room… it's hideous. Rugs have been a lifesaver for me. 

With 2 little boys running around, rugs are essential in preserving the carpet. More importantly, rugs do a great job of grounding a space while hiding that ugly carpet or linoleum!

 
If you'd like to share, the good, the bad, the ugly of living in a rental, email me your submission with 3-4 pictures of your apartment! Pls use the same format as above!