Sequins

In an effort to constructively indulge my luxurious whims, I've launched Sequins - my glamourous alter ego blog. It's the Vogue to Horizontal Stripes' Real Simple. Image via Fashionising.

Icon III

I grew up listening to The Rolling Stones (thanks for the influence Dad!), and it is important to note that horizontal stripes are for boys too. Check out Mick Jagger. Image via Mail Online.

Chair

Greg brought a perfectly functional, ergonomic office chair into our relationship and boy, is it comfortable! Pretty? Not so much. I'm feeling inspired by this chair makeover on Design*Sponge. The exact fabric is available for purchase here but I'm also loving this pattern.

Plus, a super cute horizontal striped ensemble, complete with full fringe and ponytail (so cute!), also on D*S.

Icon II

Today's offering - Jean Seberg in stripes (I'm loving the confidence of her pixie cut). Via Mom Style Icons.

20x200

I've written about this fantastic site before and my love continues! To thank our beautiful friends for their support as our wedding party this past May, we selected a print for each friend that we felt matched their personalities - it was a hard task and I hope we succeeded. Our selections are above.

For friends reading, I'm keen to propose a little game: any guesses on which pictures above match which attendant?

My current favourite? Try Letting Go.

Post

Today a friend introduced me to Booooooom - a blog community of art and creativity hailing from our beloved Vancouver (thanks Amanda!). My first find? Awesome mail art by Ritta Ikonen. I've been sending more items in the mail in the past few weeks than ever before, but this portfolio is encouraging me to be even more creative! Wouldn't you love to find one of these in your postbox alongside the typical leaflets and credit card bills?

P.S. More of Ritta's art.

Icon

As a new feature here on Horizontal Stripes, I'll be sharing beautiful images of style and fashion icons sporting my beloved horizontal stripes. To kick it off, Francoise Hardy. Image via Tongue in Chic.

Timeline

Check out this awesome timeline of the horizontal striped t-shirt (via Cup of Jo). Image via Chance.

Lady

Hello there :) Just popping by to share a beautiful watercolour (via Lolita) and inspiration for our future.

Stars

Thank you to my lovely husband for introducing me to Stars, and this tune in particular. Images via Busy Being Fabulous.

Cakes

My cake stands are crying out for cakes. I'd like to gift them a caramel cake or a chocolate mango cake or really any cake with cream cheese icing. Above cake stand for purchase here.

P.S. Am I the only one who thinks that DC Cupcakes and Cupcake Girls are the same show, just set in a different city?

Nest

This is the (new) inspiration for the family home I hope to build with Greg some day. Images of Maxine Brady styling via Desire to Inspire.

Records

Aren't these record covers the epitome of great design? For more, check out Project Thirty Three. I'd love to frame a collection in our den.

Elizabethtown

After an extra long week at the office, I'm slipping into the comforts of ice cream and enjoyable music soundtracks, such as my beloved Elizabethtown (I'm particularly enjoying this song and this song... oh and this one too). Image via Le Love.

Puppet

My cousin's set to have her second baby in September (a girl named Charlotte... which is also the name of my paternal grandmother though she's better known by her middle name - Viola).

While meandering about Water Street ce soir (on our two month wedding anniversary - it's all about celebrating every step, no?), we stopped by Gingersnap, Twisted Sister Boutik and Newfoundland Weavery seeking out the perfect (pink!) present for her baby shower this coming Sunday. I fell in love with Camper baby shoes and tree house mobiles. My heart melted over sailor rompers and sequined slippers. I debated purchasing a kimono dress and polka dot bloomers. We ultimately settled on something else entirely - a Cate and Levi hand puppet. I love it! I hope my cousin adores the sweet puppet as much as I do!

P.S. Coincidentally, Greg and I returned home tonight to the second message today enquiring about whether we're set to have children!

Globe

How exciting: today the Globe and Mail's Life section online is profiling four of our wedding photos! Photography by Sally LeDrew.

Hipster

How close are you to being profiled on this site? Via Thinking Aloud but found via SwissMiss.

Vase

My peony display. That's all.

Frances

I love this delightful "church and state" shift from Frances May (isn't the garment's name a riot?). The image reminds me of this blog, whose author never reveals her face. I'm intrigued by the blend of keeping ones face private, but yet displaying one's fashion persona for all the world to see.

Sea

Given there's talk of a sea kayaking adventure in our future, this article on teaching English aboard a tall ship caught my eye on my morning Globe and Mail scan (I have to admit, I would have thought such a life would have been glamourous as well). Speaking of the sea and glamour, aren't these chandeliers gorgeous? Image via this is glamorous.

Creativity

Feeling lackluster on this Monday? Here are great ways to boost creativity. Image of Stockhausen Spherical Concert Hall via I Hate Music.

P.S. I secretly love Mondays - they hold such promise for the week.

Jetsons

As a child, I wasn't one for cartoons, but I made an exception for The Jetsons. While eating breakfast this morning, I came across grain edit, a fantastic modern graphic design inspiration blog. I stopped to ponder this post for two reasons: the lead image reminds me of (a) The Jetsons and (b) a presentation I observed last week on smart grids and emerging energy technologies while on a work conference in Massachusetts... And who said you cannot appreciate modern design while also being a public policy wonk? Image via grain edit.

Peonies

This evening I returned home from a bbq with family with a bunch of cut peonies from my mum's garden - love! The fragrant fluffy flowers are my favourite (for now!). This centrepiece (which is actually made from garden roses not peonies) seems the perfect way to display my favourite stems in a new way. Image via Project Wedding but found via Frolic.

Novel

Yesterday afternoon, while cleaning the kitchen, Greg's current literary pursuit (Not Quite Supreme: the courts and coordinate constitutional interpretation by Dennis Baker) got damp on the corner. His solution? Duct tape on the corner to prevent curling.

An alternative? Art work constructed from the legions of books that have fallen in bathtubs (inspired by Jonathan Callan). Image via Brian Mac D via Mint.

Beach

When I saw this photo on SF Girl By Bay, I thought to myself - someone else finally understands what it is like to live in Newfoundland in summer! Image via Dances with Voices.

TV

I've been likened at work to Peggy (of Mad Men fame). While I'm not sure of the comparison, 1960s heels and pencil skirts are delightful! Image found via Milk (where it was found via this isn't happiness).

Speaking of tv-land, I've caught a few episodes of Big Love season 4 while flying on Air Canada and am super excited to watch the remainder.

Jeannette

If you haven't yet read Half Broke Horses or The Glass Castle, please do add them to your library list. I promise you will not regret it.

America

I'm feeling an increasing curiosity to visit the US. We spent our honeymoon in California. I have just returned from a business trip to Massachusetts. I was once stranded on a bus on an interstate for two days in a snowstorm in Pennsylvania. My first trip to the US was when I was 19 for a Model United Nations conference in New York City.

Beyond this, I'm a stranger to our neighbour to the south.

Greg and I think about vacations and dream destinations from time to time. We have a curiosity to drive down the Oregon Coast, to spend a sleepy week in Savanna, to explore Philadelphia. Frank Chimero's illustrations are a fun and quirky depiction of the US of A and they help to sustain my curiosity. Via Jeremy and Kathleen.

Breakfast

As a child (and teenager... and young professional living with my family a few years ago,) pancake breakfasts were a weekend staple, and in graduate school peanut butter toast was a daily indulgence. I've gone through fits of Pop Tarts (while living in the UK for the first time on my own and missing anything processed and 'North American') and healthier peach yoghurt. But right now, and for the past two years, I've typically enjoyed multigrain cereal and a small glass of orange juice religiously for my petit dejeuner. I tend to chase it with a Granny Smith apple mid-morning. When I'm travelling for work, or am craving something sweet, I reach for a sugary danish or carrot muffin (yum!).

While I've accepted morning food variations in my life, I do not drink coffee or tea in the morning (or at any time of day) and am unwavering in my convictions on such matters. Greg is a cereal guy too, but he substitutes the orange juice for a latte (made lovingly with his gifted espresso machine from yours truly last Christmas). What did you eat for breakfast this morning? What do you plan to eat tomorrow? Check out what other people enjoy with this photo series from Jon Huck. Image via Jon Huck. Via Cup of Jo.

P.S. I cannot believe how many people only drink a hot beverage in the morning. I'm not a nutritionist (by any means) but am nonetheless feeling the need for an intervention.

Pillows

In terms of seating, our living room offers only a denim couch and a matching leather arm chair and foot stool. Across the pieces we can seat 5 comfortably and 6 or 7 if people are feeling close. At our last mini party, people ended up perching on the area rug - a fact that left me slightly embarrassed after the fact (why I didn't think to pull over a few chairs form the dining room is unknown to me). These Hawaiian floor pillows from the Purl Bee are the perfect solution. I love the colours. Image via the Purl Bee.

Football

Who will you be cheering for tomorrow? Image via Bloesem.

Bag

Isn't this mother-child bag ingenious? It's perfect for all those times the little one doesn't want to hold your hand. For purchase here. Via Minor Details. This lounger is also a must-have for new parents.

Months

Since moving to Newfoundland and Labrador, Greg's become curious about a common phrasing pattern - specifically, referring to May as "May-Month", and June as "June-Month" (note: one would never refer to September as "September-Month" or January as "January-month"). I cannot explain this. It is simply the way it is around these parts. A little quirk, one might say. Given our chat about this curiosity on our honeymoon, these posters caught my eye. Aren't these month wallpapers awesome? Available for download here. Images via Able Parris.

Bicycles

I'm planning on dreaming tonight of riding a bicycle with a basket to Belbin's Grocery to purchase sun-dried tomato baguettes to sop up big bowls of carrot and coriander soup. Yum! Images via I am A Greedy Girl and Happenstance.