Arcadian Home Decor Guest Post

Hi there! My name is Jenn and I’m a writer for Arcadian Home Decor, an e-commerce website that follows popular home decor trends from around the world. I'm a Martha Stewart protégé, a lover of anything vintage, a wall art aficionado, and an all-around interior design fan... and I also adore the posts on It's Simple Love. I'm regularly scouring the blog, and you can imagine my delight when I found out I'd be writing here today.

A residential and commercial furniture manufacturer based in North Carolina, the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams collection of incredible pieces is awe-inspiring. Their upholstery, casegoods, and home accessories like lighting are all clean, simple, and uber-stylish. Here are eight rooms with everything Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams for this weekly wishlist.

Blue and grey palette

Bromeliad via

Navy blue and soft grey create a serene and modern living room. The grid-configured wall art adds some balance to the space.

Black and white spaces

elle decor via

Signature Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams furniture in natural colour tones is tied together by the black and white accents found in the striking floor and wall decorations.

Plush purple

G3Living via

While it may seem out of place, this purple velvet sofa looks exquisite in this breezy space. The clean lines are stylish too, like the rug, tables, and mirrors.

Chic creamsicle

decorpad via

A monochromatic backdrop is the perfect setting for flecks of wood (in the coffee tabletop and exposed beams) along with a few jolts of colour in the throw cushions.

Boutique hotel elegant

Aol Shopping via

A more modest guest room still looks airy in calming eggshell and a splash of cranberry red. Although there are a few pieces of furniture it's designed in a way that it doesn't feel cluttered.

Music-inspired living room

City Living Magazine via

A sheet music wall hanging adds visual impact to a peaceful grey Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams' living room.

A nod to the past

Inspired Home & Design via

These designers never ignore the past, as one can see in this vintage kitchen, with a stunning old-fashioned stove and sleek subway tiles to tie in the now.

A stylish showcase

apartment therapy via

If a homeowner has Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams then it should be showed off - here various wall art and table decor are flaunted in an entryway.

Content provided by Arcadian Home Decor, a site that specializes in top quality home accessories at extremely affordable prices. If you want more clean, simple, and uber-stylish pieces, make sure to check out them out for all of their home decor products. Visit today!

Guest Post on Boho Market

Hello to my wonderful readers new and old!  Today I am guest posting over on Boho Market.  Take a wild guess on what I am posting on.  Did you say foxes? How did you know?  You are good.  To see more, just head on over {here} and let me what you think!

{Remember to enter in the Photo Print Giveaway!}

Guest Post on Style'n: Thrifting "How To's"

Do you ever find yourself saying;

 "I wish I knew where to a find a good thrift store."

"I wish I knew who to turn to for some advice on how to thrift."

or

"I wish I knew how to tell if a garment is actually vintage."

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, your world is about to look a little brighter.  Head to {Style'n}, a fabulous fashion blog, for all the answers you have been seeking.  {Here} you can find tips and tricks on how to find a thrift store in your area, how to tell if the garment is vintage, and some tricks and tips for everything in between.  My gift to you.  And hey, talking to yourself is perfectly normal. Happy Wednesday all! 

Be sure to enter to win a vintage purse form my shop {here}!

Fabulous Friday Finds: Ivo Mayr Photography

Happy Friday to you all!  This is my grandma!  Okay no it's not.  To see what this is all about please go to my guest post over at Tales of Me & the Husband.  There will be more eye brow raising photography from Ivo Mayr there.

(If you ever need me to guest post for you don't hesitate to ask.  Email me at itssimplelove(at!)live(dot)com)

Guest Post: Where I Come From

In the desert land of Utah lies a tenacious little blogger named Rachael.  Rachael, as in me.  If you want to know more about me and where I come from, head on over {THIS WAY}. I am guest posting on A Diary of Lovely today.  And lovely it is.

This weekend I am going to the Jack Johnson concert with the hubby and going rock climbing.  Pictures to come. 

What are you doing this weekend?


Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY.

And while you are at it, be sure to enter in THIS giveaway at Michabella for a pair of Tom's Shoes.

Picnic Essentials: Guest Post

Today I have the lovely pleasure of guest posting on Rambles with Reese.  I highlight some picnic "must-haves" via etsy.  Be sure to check it out {HERE}.  The photo above is from this flickr and in it lies some of my favorite musicians.  I have posted about their band before: The Honey Trees.  And he is also Bellarayne.  They both have such dreamy voices, they are too adorable for words, and they somehow magically ended up together.  I have just been in love with this couple since I found them on myspace four years ago.

In summery, check out MY GUEST POST and check out HIS and THEIR musical talents.

Interview with "Project You"

    
      Please welcome Alyssa from Project You (check out her personal blog Just Puttin It Out There)!  I first discovered Project You when reading a post of a fellow blogger, Gracie Bella Butterfly, and I fell in love with the idea and story behind it.  The message that Project You brings to women is powerful and vital in the world today.  I invited Alyssa to share more about the cause and what's behind it.  Take a peak and join in the fun!

      Where are you from and what do you love about your hometown? I’m from Sydney, Australia. The thing I love most about my little town is walking into a store and being greeted with “hi Alyssa, how are you, how’s the family”. The strong sense of community is comforting! 

Describe yourself in three words. Cheerful, spontaneous, passionate

What is Project You? Project You is your own mini cheer squad. It sends you a weekly email cheering you on, or complimenting you – something that will make you smile!


How did Project You start? Project You started after a chat with my nana. We were discussing that girls are losing confidence and do silly things to get boys attention and think thats normal. There is not really anyone telling us we rock, just the media saying nasty things. I wanted to do something to change that.

(image via)

What makes Project You unique? Along with being your own personal cheer squad, you become co-owner of a pair of heart sunglasses! There are two pairs of heart glasses travelling between PY members around the world, sisterhood of the travelling pants style!

What is one Project You post that you adore? I love them all. But I think the funny ones are the best. 

      Where is the furthest corner of the world Project You has touched? From Australia everything seems far  but I think the furthest would be Norway.

      How do you get involved? to get involved you just need to send an email to project.you(at)live.com.au and you will be added to the list. You can also check it out at the blog or the facebook .

My Favorite Place for Lemons and Laundry

Hello to all!  Its Simple Love has the honor of guest posting on Lemons and Laundry today!  

Be sure to check out my "Favorite Place" post.  

Happy Wednesday!

Weekend Wonderment: Guest Post

Large straw sun hats are right on trend for summer but have you ever thought of decorating with them? To see more visit Inspired Design, a beautiful home decor blog by Debby.  She is visiting Nantucket right now.  How amazing does that sound? Guest post {HERE}.

Tomorrow I am headed off to Washington DC for a Conference on the Do the Write Thing Program, for the National Campaign to Stop Teen Violence.  I haven't been to DC in ten years!  I am so excited to go visit.  I use to live in Virginia, so I am hoping to see old friends.   I will keep you updated on all the excitement in Washington DC.

And congrats to entry #113 in my CSN Store giveaway Tamara from Memory Bean Designs!  You won the $50 gift certificate!  I will be contacting you through email.

Have a fantastic weekend!

{Picture Via}

Guest Post by Another Blond in Beijing

I adore Steph over at Not Just Another Blond in Beijing.  We can relate on many levels when it comes to travel opportunities, passion, and obstacles.  I go to her blog to see her adventures and to get great travel tips.  Do make sure you sneak a peak at her blog.  Below are some quick questions about the girl behind it all:

1. Where are you now and how did you get there? I'm currently living in Beijing, China. My husband and I have spent the last year and a half studying Chinese in California, and we are here now continuing our studies and traveling! We have a plan to travel at least 2 weeks out of every month for the year we are here, and an itinerary that includes every province and some of the surrounding countries.

In Beihai Park, Beijing, China

2. What has been your favorite vacation/ travel adventure and why? Each place I've been to is really special, but one adventure that sticks out in my mind is staying in a cabin in a small town on Vancouver Island, Canada. Tofino is a small coastal town with the Pacific on one side and snow capped mountains on the other. We were on our own island - during high tide it was an island, but during low tide you can walk across a spit of sand to the mainland. We stayed in an entirely eco-friendly cabin that is chained to the rocks. It has solar panels for electricity, and the water is rainwater. The shower was outside and there was an outhouse! We read on the deck, explored the beach, hiked in the forest, watched bald eagles return to their nests & otters play in the ocean, and stayed warm at night by huddling around the fire.

Our gorgeous cabin in Tofino, Vancouver Island, Canada

3. Do you have any favorite helpful travel websites? I almost always plan our own travel, and the #1 website I use is Tripadvisor. It includes hotel (and B&B) reviews from travelers who have stayed at that hotel in the past, area to-dos and attractions, as well as awesome forums where you can post questions specific to your city/region/country, and get answers from local experts as well as other travelers. You can also search the forums for past travelers' experiences. One word about the hotel reviews: take them with a grain of salt, consider what is important to you, and then judge according to whether or not that particular thing is important to you as a traveler.

Other favorite sites: Lonely planet, Frommers, and Fodors. I also love to search travel blogs for other information, especially less-traveled destinations.

4. How can people travel nowadays without going over their budget? One of the ways my husband and I save money when we travel is by:

A. Don't have a set destination in mind. The plane ticket is usually one of the most expensive things, so what we do is enter different destinations into sites like Kayak.com and Sidestep.com, and we will often choose where to go based on the best ticket price.

B. Stay in bed and breakfasts. Bed and breakfasts are usually much cheaper, nicer & cleaner than hotels, more intimate, and you often get personal suggestions from the host/hostess.
C. Be spontaneous - if you are spontaneous and have a flexible schedule, take advantage of "last minute" deals - many travel sites offer them & you often save big time.

and finally,

D. Don't be afraid to take advantage of travel agents. I plan most of my trips myself (especially to somewhere like Europe), but occasionally have used a travel agent, especially for logistically-complicated travel, like for our safari trip to South Africa. Most travel agents are FREE to you - they make money on commissions they get from hotels. Sometimes they can get much better deals because they have relationships with certain hotels, airlines, etc.

The room from our amazing B&B in a very small Belgium town

5. A couple words on how you can vacation while saving money and not going very far at all: Staycations! Many people thinking of traveling when they think of vacationing, but it doesn't have to be that way. There a couple things that can make a successful staycation. 1. See your city/town/surrounding area like a tourist would. Many of us live in some really great places but don't take advantage of it at all! So, see your area like a tourist would! A staycation may or may not include staying in a local hotel - if you do, look into bed and breakfasts, and another thing to keep in mind - many local hotels and B&Bs offer local discounts (as do area museums, parks, etc!). 2. Treat it like a true vacation - that means no work, no chores. Enjoy yourself, you are on a vacation! You deserve it.

I hope you guys enjoyed my post, I am truly honored to have been asked by Rachael to do a guest post on her blog.

Not Just Another Blonde in Beijing - Steph

Grubs, Elixirs, and Floating Houses

Be sure to check out my {GUEST POST} on Wild and Precious.  I never shared my experience of the Belen Market and the floating village of Belen in the Amazon Jungle of Peru.  Amazing photos.  Don't ask me why I never posted these!  There where too many amazing things to share, what can I say?  

If you want to see more, visit my guest post on Blair's blog {HERE}.

Guest Post by Melissa from Purple Deer

I asked Melissa from Purple Deer to do a guest post today!  She has been blogging for a little over a year now and she started when " I realized I didn't just need one extra closet for my vintage, I needed four" (I wish I had that "problem").  I adore her sense of style and fashion.  Her blog is clean (which is a must for me!), fun, and well laid out.  Her posts are mainly on fashion which some feature items on her fabulous etsy, Purple Deer Vintage.  She is a new mama and she knows what's hot when it comes to trends.  I asked her to share something she is obsessing over.  Here's what she has to say: 

Aw, summer is here! Sun is out, birds are chirping, and the wild outdoors are calling out our names. It wouldn't be summer with out some picnics or camping. So why not tag along some cuteness on these adventures.  Anorak is a fairly new design company based out of England. And do they make the cutest animal prints I've ever seen. Who wouldn't want to snuggle in one of these deer sleeping bags, or eat a lavish packed meal on that bunny blanket. Enjoy, the outdoors just that much more.

Interview with Hope from Hope Chella

(Jeremiah and I 09)

Hello …It’s Simple Love… Readers,

I am Hope from the self-titled blog Hope Chella. 

I’m an elementary school art teacher, fine artist and lover of blogging. 

I live in the beach town of Newport, RI with my boyfriend of almost 2 years Jeremiah.

 I have a photo blog of my inspirations from around the web.

I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend.

Go America!!!

(Via My 1st Graders Artwork, My Picture From Sailing and We Heart It)

Thanks Rachael for featuring me on your blog!!!

Happy June 1st Everyone =)

Hope xXx

1. When did you start your blog and what was your inspiration to do so?

In 2007 it seemed to be the thing for recent art graduates to do without official websites or in addition to. My first few posts are of my artwork. Eventually I became too busy with grad school to do much art besides in my sketchbook. My blog became a place to store my visual inspiration. Ever since then, my blog has been helping me de-clutter my desktop and share my favorite pictures from the Internet.

(Via Google Images)

2. You have an "ad-free blog", why do you choose to be ad-free?

If I want to go shopping or find deals then I go straight to Amazon or eBay. I do not click on ads on other people’s blogs so can assume that my followers wouldn’t do that either!?!?!? Furthermore, my posts tend to be colorful enough. All I need is some flickering advertisements to make a reader get woozy and I don't have any Dramamine coupons to giveaway! 

(Via We Heart It)

3. How has your blog grown? 

In the past when I had no interest in the social aspect of blogging, I would get an occasional comment and follower and laugh to myself that there were actually other people (sometimes from other countries) who appreciated my compilations of found images! 

I had approximately 20 or so followers until this past year when one door closed and another opened. 

My full-time job went to part-time. To have a job that I adore be cut by 40% hasn't been peaches and cream :/ Yet blogging has become an outlet for maintaining an upbeat outlook on life. Having more free time has given me the opportunity to comment on and discover other people’s blogs.

 It's insane how many AWESOME blogs exist!!! Right????

 The friendships I’ve developed through blogging has been the silver lining :)

 

Has it had any major (or minor) shifts in focus?

In turn, my photo blog has become more personal. I not only showcase imagery found, but also my own photographs, wonderments and stories about my day-to-day life. 

It is random, but so am I. 

For instance, a week or two ago, the police came to my house twice in one day (for my neighbors not J or I) AND I found a fly in my wine and my spinach ALL in the same week etc. I couldn’t resist posting about these things and hearing my blog friends’ reactions. Their comments can be just as (or even more!) entertaining!!!

(Images Via Tumblr and Jeremiah behind bars)

4. What do you gain from blogging on a personal level?

It means a lot when I can make someone else smile. I’ve gotten comments including “Your post made me laugh and I needed one today!” or “Thanks for your comment! It made my day!” It’s nice to know that there is a community out there where our focus is sharing joy. The blogosphere has encouraged me to continue pursuing my passion for painting and given me some great lifestyle tips---especially in the kitchen. One night I couldn't sleep because I felt like the world's worst girlfriend for not being able to turn on an oven. I decided to blog about it with the hopes that someone would shed light on this situation. I was nervous since it was unlike anything I'd posted before. Fortunately, I received over 30 comments giving me tips on cooking.

How RAD is that? 

Click here to steal some ideas and recipes!!!

(Me being Silly Taking a Break from Painting)

5. What is one tip of advice to the "new-blogger" out there?

The same advice, I would give to a fellow artist: Do not follow fads because it is "the thing" to do. Be yourself. Do what you enjoy doing and are good at. Trying to fit into a mold of any sort or blogging for other people before yourself is a “no, no”. Post about things that make you passionate at that time and it will shine through. Don’t be afraid to take risks and shift your blog if the wind blows you in a new direction. It is better to be loved for who you are because in the end, the truth comes out anyway...and doesn't the truth set you free????

(Via Tumblr)

6. What do you enjoy doing outside of blogging?

Besides teaching and creating art, I am a scrabble buff, get weekly polish changes, am a fan of going out on the town and hiking (in no particular order). Most of all, I L-O-V-E traveling!!!! I've been to Paris twice and as an artist FORGIVE ME for saying this: have only been to the Starbucks in the Louvre! Sorry Mona Lisa!!! 

(Via Google Images)

Since meeting Jeremiah, I've gotten to visit his family down South in Texas and Mississippi which I love doing!

(J and I, TX 08)

Lastly, one of the perks of dating a sailor is getting to go for the ride!!!

 (Jeremiah and I a couple months after we met, October 2008)

7. You post a lot of pictures from different eras on your blog, if you could choose another era to live in, which one would it be and why?

I am fascinated with various eras and icons, however, I like living in the here and now. I’ve accepted my Internet and cell phone dependencies-and I like knowing how to discern good from bad sunscreen as I am very fair. 

 I'd like it better if there wasn’t a recession though. 

I wish I could have my cake and eat it too!!! 

Don't we all???

 (Sketch I made while watching Hitchcock's "Rear Window")

 I have a girl crush on Grace Kelly and a REAL ONE on James Stewart!!!