Lamp or Jewelry Holder? Try Both!

via

This lamp really struck my fancy this week when I was patrolling my Google Reader and came across Kate's apartment design for her daughter.  The entire room is amazing - a beautiful mix of coral and navy with lots of beautiful furniture and accents.  But man oh man, this lamp!

I don't know how this double duty combo has never occurred to me before... But that's the beauty of blogs, you get inspired by other people and their ideas.  When I finally get to make my desk-vanity dreams come true, you can bet your tush a lamp like this will be present.  Front and center!  So go check out Centsational Girl and get inspired.

What accessories would you use on a double-duty desk/vanity?
What bloggers inspire you with fresh ideas?

Please comment and share!

Friday Favorites

In honor of yesterday being the monthiversary of Just Squeaks, I wanted to give another round of my favorite things. 

1. via Polyvore   2. via Pretty Stuff tumblr
3. via Whole Lot of Lovely tumblr   4. via Live Simply


1. Tortoise Shell Watch.  I'm a huge fan of the tortoise shell design.  The mix of black and brown makes it a great neutral pattern that is still quite interesting.  It has become pretty popular in both fashion and home design, but my favorite use of it is in this Fossil watch I got last year.

2. Elephants.  I love these little giant babies.  I think these animals are so beautiful.  To me, they are the perfect mix of exotic and ethereal.  They're also said to be good luck when their trunks are up.  I have random elephant things all over my house, from jewelry to statues.  It is definitely on my bucket list to ride one before I die. 

3. Accent chairs.  My mom and boyfriend will probably both let out a knowing laugh as they read this.  A room doesn't seem complete to me without an unexpected pop, and accent chairs are my favorite way to do this.  I begged my mother (to no avail) to let me get an accent chair for their living room, and when it came time to decorate my new apartment my boyfriend came with me to countless stores on the hunt for the perfect chair (which I finally found at Home Goods).  The brighter and more patterned, the better!

4. Scarves.  Anyone who knows me will certainly back this one up... Scarves are my absolute obsession.  My collection has reached about 30 and every time I go shopping or even walk past a store that sells them, I have an intense internal battle over how much I love them but should really be putting that money towards something more practical.  They are the perfect accessory for any outfit, occasion, and the possible colors and patterns are endless!

What is your favorite animal?  How about your secret style obsession?
Comment and share your favorite things!

Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are (not) a few of my favorite things

As a blog kickoff I figured I would compile a list of a few of my favorite things to showcase my style a little bit.  So here goes, my favorites of the moment:
 

1. via Zappos  2. via Caribbean Living  3. via Fanpop  4. via
Blueprint Modern and Couture & Cosmetics  5. via Juxtapose




1. Steve Madden leopard loafers.  I recently purchased these beautiful babies from Piperlime and I love squeak them!  I am very particular about my cheetah prints.  I've been searching for a good cheetah flat for quite some time but the spots and material have to be just right for me to like them so when I found these I was super pumped.  Cute and comfy, what more could a girl want?!  To order a pair from Piperlime click here: http://piprl.me/LWT6md

2. Exposed brick walls.  My parents' house has an entire brick wall in the living room and growing up with it I never realized how much of a true gem this was in a home.  It is by far my favorite thing in their house and I would absolutely love to have one in my home. They are so gorgeous, require minimal maintenance, and they really create warmth and coziness in a space.

3. Twix.  Not much explanation needed for this one.  Twix are the bomb diggity.  Lately I have been obsessing over them and I'm really not sure why.  I get serious cravings on almost a daily basis. 

4. Gold.  For 22 years I was a strictly silver/ white gold kind of girl.  Give me the most beautiful yellow gold necklace and it would have sat in the box for years.  But this year all of a sudden I had a golden epiphany and now I adore gold.  Yellow gold, rose gold, I don't mind!  In homes and in jewelry I am loving this color and I don't see myself going back to a strictly silver girl anytime soon.

5. Cardigans.  These lovely sweaters have held a very special place in my heart for years.  They are perfect for any weather and come in any color or pattern you could ever imagine.  Not to mention they are super easy to dress up or dress down.  My closet is stocked and lucky for me they are a classic piece that never go out of style.

So there you go my friends, my top squeakalicious items!  Are any of these your favorites?  What would be at the top of your list?  Comment and let me know!