As I’ve mentioned before, I love a good stud earring. Studs with great design add such an understated detail to your outfit that makes you feel pulled together and special. At least for me anyway. We don’t put much about fashion on here but I do love me some jewelry. (click through the image to be taken to the listing)

These stud earrings from Hash and Chez are made from recycled or found materials. The geometric lines and throw back color palette make them feel fashionable and modern. I love the peach and gold combo above. The feminine colors mixed with the hard lines make these work for me.

They’ve got an excellent selection of dangle earrings too if studs aren’t your thing. The ones above seem like a futuristic puzzle piece. Love it. I also completely love what they say in their profile, “We are not reinventing the wheel, just makin’ it roll with style.”

You can’t go into Anthropologie without noticing their beautiful displays. Honestly, I know I just sound like a broken record from all the other design bloggers, but this place totally deserves all the acclaim. The store is packed with inspiring home design. For instance, this wall display above really caught my eye. The friend I was with (Hi, Jenn!) pointed out the pennies. Which are behind that lamp and I did an awful job photographing them. But the framed pennies were displayed to where shinny new pennies faded into completely oxidized ones. It was really beautiful.

I also loved the art work with color blocked frames. So cool and inspiring. They mixed the color blocked frames with solid ones and then also with wood. Mixing a neutral with two other colors really makes this gallery wall look complete and pulled together. Totally inspiring for some of the blank walls in my house.

Also, I totally caved and finally bought Design Sponge at Home. Just flipping through the first few pages and I knew that I was going home with this book. I’ve resisted buying it for so long just because, well, I’m dumb. (I’ve got other reasons but mostly those just deduce into me being dumb) Oh, and this one from Anthro says it has 16 extra pages for their customers only. I’m intrigued.

I know what I’ll be falling asleep reading tonight.

The iGattipardi tiles are a glazed porcelain tile series by 14 Oraitaliana available through Stone Source. I’ve loved tile since I started doing mosiacs my freshman year in college. These are so striking and graphic they would be an awesome addition to any home.

Each tile is 2′x2′ and so the designs create so much impact. I think how large these tiles are is the most impressive aspect to them (next to the design, of course).

Each tile is truly beautiful and I wish that I could use these in my rental kitchen. I’m loving that black, white, turquoise, and mustard tile above. So pretty and graphic!

Trust me, readers, I am still so busy finishing up this move! Oddly, I feel more relaxed about time than I should and more stressed about money than I should. I’m hoping that a switch will flip and I’ll feel more pressure to finish up the last little bits of packing tonight or tomorrow… but for now, I’m nursing a mild headache and otherwise curled up under a blanket rewatching an episode of Dance Moms. Watching Dance Moms is an obvious sign that I’m stressed out and losing it!

To cope, I’m starting to dream about the new house! Seriously, on Sunday night, I was too excited to sleep just thinking about all the fun ahead of me!

One of the things we’re planning to change soon after we move is our couch situation. Ours are nice and look fine but they’re kind of worn down in spots. Kyle basically loathes them, and I agree it’s time for a change.

Right now, I’m really into these couches from EQ3.

I really like the back cushion on the Elise Sofa and the softer lines look comfortable.

I also really like the Reverie Sofa for a lot of the same reasons. I think the two rows of buttons and the two cushions look really masculine which is the feel I’m going for in the bedroom. We can also buy this one locally from Nebraska Furniture Mart in a great grey color. We might have to go check that out after we get moved. It really is gorgeous!

It also comes in leather, which is what Kyle really wants, but I’m not sure if we can get it in leather through a store in our area. The actual show rooms are mostly all in Canada, so it’s not an easy drive if we can’t get one close by.

As much as it will frustrate me to be living in a house that isn’t decorated exactly how I want it for a while, it’s pretty fun to be thinking about decorating something new!

This weekend Brendan and I made a quick trip to Fredricksburg, Texas. It’s a day trip from Austin and truly a great little town. It is packed full of local shops and wineries. They are also known for their antique stores and markets. I, of course, didn’t hit up any of that except for some breakfast tacos from Mahaley’s and some fantastic sandwiches from Opa’s for lunch.

I set out in search of the garage and estate sales and the thrift stores. Naturally.

At the first estate sale I stopped at, I could have gotten myself in some serious trouble. Loads of beautiful and barely worn vintage. Everything there was so well taken care of including this adorable 1958 Scrabble for Juniors set. Look at those illustrations!

I snagged this with all of its pieces for $3!

Then I spotted this perfect granny square afghan with raised flowers. It’s in fantastic condition and perfect for my neice! $2.50!

I love vintage, handmade linens. Such skill! I wish these skills had been passed down to me. My grandmother was fantastic knitter and crocheter and my great grandmother was a master seamstress. What I wouldn’t give to be taught the same craft. Is that true for you too? This makes me want to take some knitting and crochet lessons…

Then, I scored these Cole Haan tassel loafers for $3! The only reason I buy second hand shoes is if they are solid quality. These are and range in price on Etsy and Ebay for between $30-$60. Brand new, they cost over $100.

When I got back to Austin, I still had the thrifting bug so I stopped in an estate sale for 50% off Sunday! The best. I got this vintage wool full length coat for $1.50. I mean that’s crazy. $1.50! I couldn’t pass it up at that price and it’s in perfect condition. Looks like it was never worn, which could possibly be true because we live in Austin.

Mary’s Picks

• These quilts by Meg Callahan featured on Design Sponge this week are completely amazing. You know I love quilts because they’re such a fantastic work of art. This quilt above, entitled Caddo,  is stunning and I want it for my bed or just to hang on the wall. Beautiful!

• This 1960s stereo cabinet turned portable party machine is amazing. I still have such a love with old record players to gutting one makes my heart a little sad, but if it’s not irreparable then totally understandable. (via Apartment Therapy)

• Cupcakes for two? Yes, please. I’m always wanting to make dessert but with only two of us in the house making 12 servings of something is a no go. So this vanilla cupcake recipe from How Sweet It Is is awesome. I made it the other night. I may or may not have eaten both cupcakes.

Jess’s Picks

• Great news! We got the house we wanted! We’ll be packing this weekend and moving in next weekend. Everything still feels like a total blur, but at least I know we’re moving in to a beautiful, comfortable house.

• One of the things I’m already planning to do is display all of my pretty scarves! I know these aren’t scarves, but I think this corner display at Oh Joy!  will be great inspiration. Oh Joy! also got a facelift! It’s beautiful.

• This deepstorage organizing solutiont IHeart Organizing is also totally inspiring. I’m not sure that I have any deep drawer storage, but it’s still pretty great.

I came across Serpent Sea handwoven mats by Sophie Aschauer on Madewell’s blog. (By the way, are you familiar with that shop, Madewell? I want ALL the things…)

I love to see mats or rugs that people make themselves by hand because it’s such a lost art. The ropes are reclaimed sailing ropes and Sophie knots them into these beautiful rugs.

All of her rugs are named after “four of the most infamous pirates from the 17th century“: Bonny, Drake, Kiligrew, and  Morgan. Aren’t these beautiful?