The City Sage

Gallery Walls Are My Fave with Melanie from You Are My Fave

Hello from Melanie of You Are My Fave! First, I have to thank Anne for letting me guest on her delightful blog. I feel like a struggling actor who finally got to be an extra on NYPD Blue and see Zach Morris (is he even still on that show?). I just hope I don't sneeze in the middle of this take.

So, let's move on to some interior photos that make us curse our stained carpet and lack of home improvement skills. Today's topic is gallery walls - nothing new, but I think they're like a little black dress and will never go out of style. I'm in the process of spiffing up my own wall and I have a gazillion inspiration photos but for some reason it's hard to make it look random yet cohesive yet like you meant to do it but it didn't take much effort. Am I making sense? Maybe you can help. What look do you like? A colorful lot of both artwork and photos?

A mix of 2-3 colored frames with a little more rhyme and reason?

This one below is my fave!

Or all the same colored frame with a uniformed shape?

Frankly, I love them all. Tough dec-idge. And after the frames and shape are figured out, what am I going to fill them all with? Maybe I'll just go eat some leftover Easter candy and watch 30 Rock instead.

Image Credits: 1. Scanned from Real Simple; 2. Scanned from Domino; 3. Scanned from Domino; 4. Design Sponge; 5. James Merrell 6. Indie Rocket Flickr; 7. Scanned from Elle Decor; 8. Joe Schmelzer 9. Dooce Flickr; 10. Lovelydays Flickr ; 11. Door Sixteen Flickr ; 12. Scanned from The Nest Home Design Handbook.

DIY Jewelry Display with Rachel from Heart of Light

Hello, City Sage readers! This is Rachel from Heart of Light, and I'm so thrilled to be guest posting on Anne's lovely blog. I'm constantly inspired by the gorgeous images she shares with us. For those of you who don't know me, my blog is a mishmash of everything I'm interested in, but I primarily focus on food and DIY projects. I love cookbooks, simple sewing projects, champagne, things with ruffles, and anything in a shade of grey. I also love organization.

I have a little DIY project for you today, inspired by my desire to be both uber-organized and slightly girly. I love my jewelry, but the tangle of necklaces on my bathroom counter was finally getting to me. I found this darling picture frame at the thrift store for $3 and the wheels started turning. I'd seen jewelry displays before, and I love how space efficient they are. 

I actually liked the way it looked (white with gold rim) but it was seriously beat up in person. I gave it a glossy new coat of white paint, taped it carefully with blue painter's tape and sprayed the interior and exterior edges gold (using Montana spray paint, which is hands down the best spray paint you can buy, even if it is a bit pricey).

I cut a piece of wood to fit inside and painted it glossy white as well. Simple screw in hooks (available in different sizes at the hardware store for a few dollars per pack of 10) make perfect hangers. 

To decide on placement, I flipped over the cardboard "painting" that was inside the frame originally, lay the frame flat on the ground and arranged my jewelry. I then added little pencil marks to show where I wanted hooks. I placed the cardboard over the wood insert and tapped nails through to make indentations in the wood. Once I was done, I removed the cardboard and it was easy to see where my screws were supposed to go. (If your picture frame didn't come with a cardboard insert, you could cut a piece of paper to size and use it the same way). 

{teeny tiny bathroom + new jewelry display}

Hung jewelry. Voila. No more counter mess.

{two of my favorite pieces - gold bangle + ring from saudi arabia}

I love making functional items into display pieces. Ideally, I'd love everything in my apartment to be both useful and beautiful enough to sit out all the time (see my Dansk display for another example), but I'm not quite there yet.

Escape to the Loire Valley with Sarah of Classic Bride

Hello from Sarah at Classic Bride! I thought I would try and follow Anne's superb stream of travel posts with a spin of my own...and also because I can never stop lusting after the idea of packing everything up and moving to the ever-serene Loire Valley! While that whim is a lovely one, the reality of it actually happening may be a bit less lovely to ponder. So, I thought I'd share a few ways I bring the French countryside into my own world {and how you can, too}!

There's nothing better than fresh flowers from the market and picking them up always reminds me of visiting Paris in the springtime. Besides being instant mood-brighteners, they also inject a spark of color to the space they end up in - whether it's a window box, table or nightstand.

Next up, open the windows! This may not be specifically French but letting fresh air in and feeling a breeze always feels great and it's the one thing I remember about my years living abroad. If the sun was out, the windows were usually up or open {and the linens were usually hanging out to dry}. If you're looking for a more permanent French-inspired addition to your home, consider investing in a chandelier or two. They come in all sorts of styles, sizes and price-points. I especially love placing the smaller varieties in unexpected spots like an uber-modern bathroom, a rustic kitchen or a deep walk-in closet.

If you want to French-ify a special social event, host it in a cozy courtyard {find one heavy on wrought iron} and hang a few baby chandeliers from the tree branches. The shimmering light will produce an undeniably romantic vibe as the sun begins to set. Make sure fresh baguettes and good wine are on hand to get the festivites underway.

If you're really serious about adopting a French aesthetic, shop around for a few signature pieces like the chair above. If money is tight, hunt around for some good "bones" {check out the sofa below} at a flea market and take a class on reupholstering for a less expensive {yet more time-intensive} DIY route.

Thanks for allowing me to take the stage on your ever-inspiring blog, Anne! Hope you are having a most wonderful holiday and I can't wait for you to return to blogland {and hear some highlights from your vacay}!
{Images: 1+3+4: Paris Apartment 2+5: The Paris Apartment}

Imaginary Bake-a-thon with Stephanie of even*cleveland

Hello, hello! Stephanie here from even*cleveland, and today I am your guest host at The City Sage. So pleased to meet you - I'm so happy to be here. Please, pull up a chair and grab a cup of tea. Anne is one of my favorite internet people - she has her own whimsical take on fashion, design, books, art and interiors, and I love getting to see how she constructs a story around images she finds. She moved into a new apartment recently, and I wish I could drop by with a housewarming present. The little friendly things that are so easy to do for real neighbors aren't so easy to do for virtual ones, so I'll have to do some imagining to make it happen ...

imaginary outfit: stopping by a friend's house with a housewarming gift by evencleveland featuring Humanoid boots

Since it's the first time we'd be meeting, and she is so fashionable herself, I'd put a little thought into what I'd be wearing. I'd do something easy but chic, with personal touches like an extravagantly printed scarf, delicately carved earrings, and a fatigue jacket (I almost never leave home without one). I'd bring a bunch of peonies from the flower market and a reuseable tote bag full of humble treats - the simplest housewarming presents are the best, don't you think? I'd pick up a bottle of milk from a local creamery, some nutty, toasted granola, a few select berries, and some of my very own homemade blueberry muffins, and cross my fingers that we would be as good of friends in person as we are through the world wide web.

I'd be counting a lot on the muffins - who can resist a homemade muffin? They are an excellent way to make friends with your neighbors, even the kind who bang on the wall when your stereo is turned up too loud and complain about your barking dog (things I know from experience). My mother has been making these particular muffins for my family as long as I can remember, and they are very simple, nothing fancy, but sweet and wholesome. The best part is that they can be ready in about half an hour, so it's not much work to whip up batch when you are in a pinch for something to give. The original recipe came from a great book call A World of Breads by Dolores Casella - sadly, it's out of print, but here is my version in all its glory for you to try. The trick is not to over beat the batter - too much stirring will make your muffins tough, and tough muffins, although intimidating, are not good ambassadors of friendship:

Simple Muffins
1-1/2 C fruit, washed + chopped, if necessary (I have used blueberries, strawberries, raspberries - all delicious - and frozen fruit works well, too)
3 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1T baking powder
1t salt
1/2 C butter, melted and cooled a little
3 large eggs
1 C milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl using a wisk to blend them well. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Gently, fold the dry and wet ingredients together - don't overmix! Fold in the fruit. Bake in paper-lined muffin tins for 20 minutes. Voila! Easy-peasy. And if you really want to gild the lily, you can add a streusel topping to the muffins before you bake them - I mash up equal parts of butter, brown sugar, oats and flour, and sprinkle it on the muffin tops right before I pop them in the oven.

Thanks for having me over, Anne!

Affordable Artwork with Katy Elliott

Morning City Sage readers! Anne kindly ask me to contribute to her lovely blog while she is away. My name is Katy and I write a blog about renovating an old house, home design, and art. I thought I would share a few of my favorite alternative affordable art resources.

Above is great new shop I found on etsy last week. Vintage hand-colored botanical illustrations are elegant and unique. Simply slide into a frame and voila! instant art. Many of the pieces sell for around $19. I bought a few for my guest room.

Hand embroidery and cross-stitch is all the rage this spring. Hare and Drum’s shop is one of my favorites. The designs are simple but classic. Sweet in a gallery display or in little one's room. An original hand embroidered piece will run you about $30. Love. (Image three)

My last pick is calligraphy. Vintage sale slips, ledger books, and invitations look amazing in frames. Search ebay, etsy, or try the Paper Fleamarket for examples. My handwriting is horrible. I really appreciate the craft and grace that goes into hand lettering. Prices range from $1 up to thousands based on skill and age. The piece above is just $5 from the Paper Fleamarket.

Summer Lovin' with Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere

A big hello from Emily at Cupcakes and Cashmere! Summer has always been one of my favorite times of the year. As a tribute to the approaching season, I’ve picked five of my most cherished memories that I look forward to every year.

S’mores. Though I can technically roast marshmallows over my stovetop at any point during the year, there’s something so exciting about huddling under a blanket and enjoying this gooey snack by the light of an outdoor barbecue.

Planning a good picnic is a true art and when done correctly, it can be one of the more rewarding (and delicious) experiences out there. My essentials are: good cheese, crusty bread, sparkling water, grapes and angel food cake.

When I was in high school, I would celebrate the first day of summer each year the very same way. Four of my girlfriends and I would pile into a car and head to the water. There’s nothing as exciting as your first beach day of the year and we would always start with burgers and cokes on the sand.

Whether you go for a quick getaway on the weekend or just for a day at a local hotel, I love to get refreshing cocktails by the pool. Sunday afternoons no longer have to be detested, but instead can be celebrated with a minty mojito.

Summertime brings around some of my favorite fruits, which make for excellent desserts. I’m a big fan of having a light dinner of grilled fish and vegetables and finishing off with a decadent treat like blackberry nectarine tart.

What about you, my lovelies? What are your favorite parts of summer?

Tour London with Lynne of Tea for Joy

I'm Lynne, from Tea for Joy, and I'm thrilled to be guest posting at The City Sage today. I hope Anne is having a technology-free honeymoon, and is not tempted to peek in to see what’s happening here without her… But she shouldn’t have all the fun. How about we all take a trip too? Let’s pack light and hop on over to London town for an adventure of our own. Why don't we avoid the tourist traps, with heaving queues and extortionate prices? Instead let's explore the residential neighbourhoods, with rows of Georgian and Victorian architecture, or perhaps the edgy warehouses of East London. Don't walk so fast honey, we need to amble slowly past any houses with open curtains and crane our necks to look inside. Look – here’s one – this must be what all London houses look like.

Still feeling the effects of jet lag? Too tired to read the guidebooks and formulate a plan, why don't we just follow that local on her Sunday morning routine? It looks like she's heading to the Columbia Road flower market. A spurt of energy coming back? Then let's travel across town to the Battersea car boot sale, and come home with a stash of quirky English finds, with at least one thing to place prominently on the mantlepiece, so that when asked about it we can say, "Oh that. I got it in London, dahling."

Not over the luggage allowance yet? How about avoiding the tourist quest for a Harrods shopping bag and plumping for some unique design instead? Or does the mother-in-law really want one of those? Let’s send the other half instead, and search out the best of London's designers alone, with some swift credit card purchases which might just go unnoticed.

Happy, broke and exhausted from the cross-London crusades, it's only a brief trip home, so there’s plenty of time to freshen up before we meet back here for Anne's return, when we can compare her honeymoon tan to our damp climate pallor. Hope you're having a great honeymoon Anne! First two images by London photographer Polly Eltes. Bottom image includes designs by Claire Coles and Lisa Stickley.

Almost One Stop Shopping with Erin of Apartment #34

Hello from Erin at Apartment #34! Although Anne and her huz (how cute is that nickname, btw!) are already gone on their long overdue honeymoon, I thought I'd provide some shopping tips for anyone else who is currently trying to pack for theirs. Or pack for any vay-cay for that matter. The darling Portland-based Frances May has all you'd ever need to be well-outfitted for a fun trip. They have what you need for sightseeing...

For brunch at a sidewalk cafe...

Or for a day at the beach...

But then there's the special knock-him-dead dress that every girl needs for the night on the tow n. For this I must bring in the big guns: Miu Miu and Louboutin!


Because as I've always said, a fabulous vacation means never having to say what should I wear?! Happy travels Anne.

Sunny Days with Cassandra from Coco + Kelly

Hello from Cassandra at Coco + Kelly! While Anne is off enjoying the warm beaches in Maui with her hubby, I figured we all deserved our own little dose of sunshine, so I paired together a few of my most summery inspired rooms and fashion files to create a little dose of our own paradise... if only in our heads.

sunny days#1: room via marie claire maison, photography via russian cosmopolitain
sunny days#2: photography by amanda pratt, room via marie claire maison
sunny days#3: room via cote sud magazine, photography by erez sabag
sunny days#4: photography by christopher micaud, room via w magazine
sunny days#5: photography via vogue uk, room via elle decor

Flower Love with Chelsea of {frolic!}

A big hello from Chelsea at {frolic!}. Thank you, Anne for letting me visit your lovely, lovely blog today! Since I am madly in love with flowers, I thought I'd share just a few of my favorite flowery photos. I hope you enjoy them! Poppies from Studio Choo. Wild Roses + Honeysuckle from Flower Wild. Chrysanthemums + a pretty flower shop from Hoss Intropia lookbook via Ill Seen, Ill Said. Ink & Peat Flower Shop captured by Lisa Warninger.