Je Voudrais...

This entire outfit...

Some fall gingham...

These leggings to wear EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE!

This bangin bird duvet...

A "watercolor" fox tattoo...

This guy. 

I can haz plz??

xoxo,

Hannah

A Little Tiny Materialistic Wishlist

Tis the season to think of ridiculous crap that I don't need and forward obnoxious links to my brothers with the hopes that I'm doing them a favor by being sooo nice and helpful by sharing my Christmas List! Ho ho hoe, indeed.

I have a tiny wish list that I keep on my phone for rainy days, or when I'm feeling the holes in my pockets burn, or when I break away from my stingy genetics to buy "stuff" that will make me happy(ier).

Have your credit cards at the ready, people! The list stands as follows:

1. Lamy Safari Fountain Pen in shiny aqua blue!! I was in Rock, Paper, Scissors the other day and, as usual, found myself  testing every Lamy pen they have to offer. I have lusted and drooled and pined after these pens for years--they are just begging to be used to scrawl sweet messages to friends or little love notes in coffee shops. One of my old friends has a Lamy tattoo on his forearm and I'm starting to understand the infatuation. Let the journal-keeping documentation begin!

2. Virtuoso Conical Burr Mill for my lovely Rancilio. I've suffered enough harassment for using a sub-par grinder the last few months, and I think it would be OK by me if my fairy espresso godmother decided to drop this little beauty in my stocking this year. I'll make her a capp, for Christssake!

3. Gurgle Pot! Ever since I saw one of these at Julianne's house in Blacksburg, I've been a tad bit obsessed with how weird and cute they are. I could have a whole school of them in different colors, filled with wildflowers or punch or chilled cucumber water. 

4. A gigantic oil painting of a kaleidescope-colored, juicy, naked lady compliments of the one and only Rebecca Derring. Name your price, woman!! I would die to have one!

5. Design*Sponge at Home. This was the very first blog I ever discovered, before I even know what a blog was ("how do you follow a blog??" So cute).  Everything Grace Bonney touches is golden, and I have a hunch this would look practically perfect nestled next to my very favorite Domino hardback. It's sooo pretty. Sooo many crafts! Sooo many ideas!! Sigh.

So there you have it. The best part about this list is that I don't need anything. I have more than enough beautiful "things" in my life, and I would honestly be completely happy and satisfied with little Uli pie by my side, a book from the thrift store, and a hot mug of something delicious.

Three Cheers,

Hannah

Make Me A Bird, So I Can Fly Far, Far Away...

Ok. So. I'm back on the hunt for fabric to upholster the multiple amazing wingback chairs that I have (luckily!) inherited/bought/discovered from relatives + Goodwill. I think I'm up to 4 or 5 now, all of which are in desperate need of some fluffing, stuffing, and re-covering. I've seen so many examples of reupholstered chairs that it's a little overwhelming. Do I want traditional? Artistic? Preppy? Toile or houndstooth? Oh, the pressure... 

My first thought was to have at least one chair covered in some sort of blue and white stripe (duh). However, after seeing this photo, I'm loving the leaf-themed print and how cozy it looks next to that window.

Something about this fabric reminds my of my Aunt Margo--who was always super stylish--so maybe that's why I'm lovin' it.



I've always really liked the idea of having mismatched chairs at a big, chunky dining table. These wingys are cool, but I'm thinking you'd need a really tall table or a chair with no arms to accomplish the appropriate "scooted-in" feel. Also, I'd probably be rll stressed about spilling spaghetti sauce or lentils or red wine (winter only!) or some other tragically staining substance on them--my middle name is Grace, after all.

Mmmm...I don't know why the color yellow is always taking a bad rap. It's cheerful and bright and deliciously sunny! Look at it. So pretty... 

Ok. Obviously I was drawn to this like a squirrel to a bird feeder. However, I think it would be a bad call for me to spend (a lot) of time and money picking out swatches, figuring out the best panel placement, and mixing/matching the colors only to change my style in a year or two. Sigh. I will appreciate from a distance and harness my inner middle-school taste buds...

All right, all right. It's not exactly a wingback. But--everything about this print is pulling at my heart/purse strings.  I've always been a fan of chairs that are more long than wide. If that makes sense. Perfect leg-curling potential...

Anyway. Thursday!? Yes, it's true. Only a day left until I'm chillin' on a dirt road (kind of), stuffing my face with local seafood, jamming out to fresh playlists, gorging on Bailey's cake, and ridin' dirty (top down, chrome spinnin).

My hard-knock life...continues. 

xoxo, Hannah

I'm On A Mission

...to find the best Southern cornbread recipe known to woman. All this Twain talk about cracklin' bread and a "scenery of ham and eggs" and homemade churned butter and "the look of an apple that is roasting and sizzling on a hearth on a winter's evening....and the comfort that comes of eating it hot, along with some sugar and a drench of cream" is making me want to unearth my aprons and get.to.mixing.

I've always had a mild obsession with cornbread, even if it's the super-easy Jiffy kind that's been spruced up with corn kernels and chopped jalapenos. It takes great restraint to keep from eating the entire batch, especially when it's straight out of the oven and globbed with a huge, gooey slab of butter (mmmm...cornbread....).  

Does anyone know of a particularly good recipe? I don't care how much cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, lard, chicken fat, sugar, salt, corn syrup, frogs legs, or time that it takes--this is serious. As my mother would say, "I betcha a cookie" I won't have to look much further/farther/fuckit than the living, breathing cornbread-personified machine that is Paula Dean. Mrs. Dean appears to have had one or two cornbread muffins over her culinary lifetime and I want in on her secrets.

As with all of my favorite foods, I will require offensive amounts of garlic and onions, as well as any and all peppers I can get my hands on (preferably free). Other suggestions are gladly welcome. In the meantime, I will remain diligent and on the hunt; I suggest you do the same.

Amen, sistah.

xxx,

Hannah

Pyrex Love

Look what I found! An entire glass-faced cabinet of blue and white Pyrex? Beyond love. So pretty and clean.

Also--a pie safe of Pyrex?!

I added two new pieces to my collection while traveling through New England. They're looking super fab on my blue wheelie kitchen cart, and I can't wait to find more. I'm determined to never pay more than $8 for a single piece and I want to see how far I can go...keeping my eyes peeled on thrift/antique stores and hoping my mama can swing some serious magic on her Longest Yard Sale adventure this week...

I'm Losin' It.

My debit card, that is. Yep, lost it again. Here's the thing--I'm not even that stressed about it. Is that wrong? This must be the fifth time it's been 'misplaced,' and at this point, I'm pretty calm. The only thing that concerns me is that I have less than a quarter tank of gas in my car and I've gotta drive to the mountains/boondocks tomorrow for wedding festivities. Get thee to a bank, stat!

Meanwhile, I'm over here lusting after material goods like the best of them. Get over yourself--you know you do too. So, this post is in honor of what I would currently buy if I found some idiot's debit card floating in the breeze for my expense.*

A new camera wristlet thing with a cute bohemian print that I could slip on while hula hooping and/or attending local equestrian events.

The Karma Necklace. True story--I've been watching The Biggest Loser all season. No surprise there. For 10 weeks now, I've been lusting after a necklace that one of the contestants rocks for every weigh-in. So, I slapped on my gum shoes and did some Googling and found that she is wearing not one, but two of these!! Bad ass. Plus, her name is Hannah. She'll probs win the show. I'll vote for her.

Every year when the sun sets later in the day and the whippoorwills come out and the honeysuckle is running wild...I get the itch for new bed sheets. I know--it's a completely normal response. This year I'm pining after LLBean's Sand Dollar sheets (and that delicately delicious bed skirt). I'll bet you $5 these babies would feel cool to the skin and are just begging to be tucked away at a scrubby little beach cottage.



This Max Kurzweil print, 'Woman in a Yellow Dress.' It reminds me of a Klimt painting. I love the colors, love the texture, jeal of her waistline. Gorgeous.



Also, breaking news!! I think I may have finally perfected my homemade yogurt recipe. The missing ingredient is to let the yogurt cook for at least 12 hours (rather than the 10 I had originally tried, which left me with runny, milk-like yogurt rather than the thick, Greek, deliciousness I've been craving).

Hannah: 1
Yogurt Machine: 0

THURSDAY! woot

*obvi, I would never use a found debit card. Cut me some slack, fools.

A Glimpse at the Goals

Live in a house that's been eaten by ivy... 

...and own a rescue Irish Wolfhound

Have a tree-lined escape to hideaway for spontaneous picnics

Always keep enough room at the table for friends + family

Be enraptured by an animal lover

Surround myself with creative people who are ever-changing, hound-dog loyal, and who aren't afraid to beat out boredom with a stick and a smile.

9 days!

There Must Be 50 Ways...

...to describe my love for Paul Simon.

...and to celebrate that I GOT TICKETS to see him in DC!

Let's just say we've been lovahs since I was a wee tiny babe...we've seen the good, bad, and ugly together, and May 25 can't get here fast enough!

See? Even Paulie's a Hokie at heart...

-----------------

Meanwhile, this is how I'll look whilst counting down the days (13!) till my Caribbean getaway.

Daydreaming of dreamy neutral nooks with wallpaper and blinds and poufs...

Growing out my locks to ring in the summer/new adventures coming my way.

Embracing my artsy side and getting my craft on...

Buying bushels of fresh flowers to fill my everyday delight.

...and contemplating future ocean smooch sessions, mmm...




Did I mention Paul Simon? Slip slide me away because I know what I know--Me and Julio will be celebrating with diamonds on the soles of our shoes with every obvious child out there until our glorious mother-child reunion sends us down the cool, cool river!!!!
STOKED.

Cue Bela Fleck

Today I'm pumped about:

The smell of sunscreen every morning...and inching closer and closer to spring!

Cozy Cosi dates involving tabletop Smores.

Splurging on Tom's of Maine toothpaste

My new-and-improved running legs with a side of the skinnies.

Bachlorette festivities on Saturday!

Daydreaming about this porch and applying like mad for beach-town relocations...

Big Country love,

Hannah

Bittersweet Bday

Love ridden, I've looked at you

With the focus I gave to my birthday candles

I've wished on the lidded blue flames

Under your brow

And baby, I wished for you

I Want and I Cant Find

Sorel Tivoli in Shamrock/Coal. I'm blaming Oprah for featuring them on her show. Get your stalk on and find me these babies in a 9, 9.5, or 10!!!

Love, Me

Yes, Please.

Thank you.

Today I Would Enjoy...

1. This tray, in all its preppy, dorky, holiness. Obvi with a giant "H" in the middle.

2. A wedding dress that looks something like this:

3. These scrumptious shorts...ok, and maybe the shoes, too.

.

I guess I could settle on being this girl for the day.

.

4. Meat-stuffed eggplant with tomatoes.

5. Eternal Spring!

Yum to the Yum.

xxx

hannah