I am so in love with this home. This is where Miranda Brooks, Contributing Editor at Vogue, and her architect hubby, Bastien Halard, live. It’s an old row house in Brooklyn (yes, Brooklyn) that they completely transformed into this magical home that feels plucked right out of the country. You can read all about it right here.

Now, while the style of this “decor” isn’t necessarily what Jack and I would choose, what I love about it is that it looks REAL and lived in. It’s layered and imperfect and just looks like a home where people with good taste kick it with their kiddies. As we work on our own house, I am definitely steering away from coordinating and matching and over-planning and am instead just collecting things we love. Someday (years from now), I hope that it has this same homey, comfy feel.

It would also be nice if our animal visitors included a pony (as seen below), vs the dead mouse Rosy snuck in Saturday night.

Time to get back at it… Happy Monday!

images via Vogue

Oh, I am so excited about this post! It’s Friday, so things at the office always get started a little slow, right? Get yourself a cup of joe and sneak in a couple movie trailers before you get down to business today.

Jack calls me a serial movie watcher, and it’s true. I am a tough crowd when it comes to movies (and television) but when I find something I like, I become obsessed. I have seen all of these films multiple times and after rounding them all up for this post, I am determined to have a movie marathon on my birthday weekend (it’s January 31st, so you have time to shop) and watch all ten.

So here we go, below are my Top 10 (in no particular order) that I strongly encourage you to check out. Unless you are my friend Jon who hates every movie I recommend. Oh and I should also note that I have a Top 10 list for movies pre-1990 which I will share another time.

1) Stranger Than Fiction (watch trailer here)
I saw Stranger Then Fiction five times in the theater. It’s funny, romantic, and creative. The Art Direction is phenomenal and there is all sorts of quirky eye candy. It has a killer cast of Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman (bonus cast: Queen Latifah and Tony Hale). Lastly, the music is the tits (Spoon).

2) Somewhere (watch trailer here)
I didn’t know much about this movie going in, but I love Sofia Coppola and that was enough for me. I don’t know if this one is for everyone, but if you were a fan of Lost in Translation, you’d probably dig it. It’s slow and quiet but beautiful and introspective too. Music is great (Phoenix).

3) Beginners (watch trailer here)
You’ve probably never heard of this one, which is a shame. I feel like little gems like this always slip through the theaters without any recognition. There is a cute doggie who speaks to the viewer through subtitles (see him eating at the table with them?) and my favorite scene is where the couple roller skates through a hotel. It’s sad. I guess I like sad movies. Check it.

4) Billy Elliot (watch trailer here)
I own this on VHS. And the case is all tattered and torn because I’ve watched it so many times. I don’t know anything about the musical/broadway thing so don’t relate it to that. I’m sure this is much better. It’s so cute and funny and sad and is beautiful to watch.

5) Cyrus (watch trailer here)
Watch this up until John C Reilly’s dance scene and if you don’t like it, I’m not sure how I feel about you.

6) Lars and the Real Girl (watch movie trailer here)
Ryan Gossling. Um, yes please. This is a highly imaginative story about a total weirdo who falls in love with a life size sex toy. Enough said.

7) Lost in Translation (watch trailer here)
A Sofia Coppola classic that I’m sure you’ve all seen. I forgot just how good it is until I recently watched it in my hotel room in NYC one night. Love the scene where his wife mails him carpet samples. That’s totally something I would do.

8) The Future (watch trailer here)
This is my favorite Miranda July movie and seeing as how Me You and Everyone We Know was pretty much one of the best movies ever, that says a lot. There is a cute talking cat and some awesome dance scenes

9) Moonlight Mile (watch trailer here)
Oh, I love this one. LOVE. IT.  It’s set in the ’70s so the music is killer as are the sweaters. It’s sad but in a good way. With a cast of Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ellen Popeo (pre-cheeseball Grey’s Anatomy), and Holly Hunter you can’t go wrong. The trailer does not do it justice (it’s actually kind of terrible), but you’ll get the gist.

10) You Can Count On Me (watch trailer here)
Man, I wish I could remake some of these trailers. I own this one on VHS too. Laura Linney and MARK RUFFALO (MEOW) and Ferris Bueller star in this one and it’s just an all around good story about life, family and a hot guy (Mark Ruffalo, not Ferris).

For REAL, well-written movie reviews, you should check out my kid sista’s movie blog found here.

It’s the moment you have all been waiting for! Carla Fahden of Color Me Carla is going to reveal what she keeps at her kitchen sink!

I have always been very particular about what gets displayed at the kitchen sink. I know some of you are thinking “oh, come ON”, but for as much time as I seem to spend in front of that bad boy (cooking, doing dishes, obsessively washing my hands), I want some luxurious suds and scents to scrub down with. Plus, who wants ugly stinky sponges and gaudy packaging on display in one of the most used rooms in your home? Not this broad!

I am a loyal fan of Mrs. Meyer’s and Kiehl’s and use both products throughout our house. I also found some spongies and a soap dish similar to the ones below. Now I’m just on the hunt for some cute little plants that will fit on our window ledge. If you’re lazy like me and don’t wanna bop around to garden centers in the middle of winter, I’ve actually found Etsy to be a great source for small potted plants.

Happy Thursday and keep it clean, yo!

1) sparkle sponge 2) creme de corps 3) veggie brush (so handy!) 4) small succulent 5) bluebell dish soap 6) recycled windowpane soap dish

SQUEEEEEL! Oh my gawd, you guys!

Meet Sharon Montrose.

Sharon is the talented photographer behind these absolutely stunning photos of every variety of animal you can think of. I love how pristine, quiet and sophisticated these images are, they almost feel like a still life illustration or painting. How cool would it be to make a living photographing cute, cuddly animals all day!? Animal lovers, be sure to poke around her website and look at the “behind the scenes” photos – so fun! And if you are interested in purchasing a print, check out her shop.

Here are some of my faves…

And here’s how purdy her images look hanging up! Someday I would love to have a huge one hanging on the 12′ wall in our entry to greet our guests.

all images via Sharon Montrose

For updates on Sharon’s work, be sure to follow her blog!

This one goes out to the ladies (and the dudes that are into beauty products). Who all watched the Bachelor last night? I think we’re in for a good season (or “the most romantic season in Bachelor history” as our boy Chris Harrison will say). How about that Fifty Shades of Grey chick? Or the chick that did the weird gymnastics move and bit it on the pavement? Yikes.

Watching two hours of made-up ladies squeezed into gaudy dresses got me thinking about my own beauty routine and favorite products. I am a sucker for pretty packages, crisp clean scents and anything that makes me feel like a rich princess when I use it. Here are some favorites I have had for years and a couple of newbies that I just started using (deets below).

1) Burberry Brit is the shit. I’ve worn it forever. I’ve tried other fragrances and they make me sneeze. It’s classic, fresh and has a plaid bottle.

2) My dermatologist recommends only two things: Vitamin C and Retin-A (I never thought I’d be talking about Retin-A on this blog). These are the only two things actually clinically proven to keep your skin healthy and looking its best. And Cheetos. Lots and lots of Cheetos. This product leaves your skin moisturized, soft and glow-y and is definitely worth the monies.

3) With the exception of my drug store mascara, all of my cosmetics are Bobbi Brown. I love the natural colors, the products last forever and the bitches that work at the counters are always super helpful. I’ve used this Shimmer Blush in Flame for ages.

4) This is a new one. I picked up a bottle of Thayers Witch Hazel Toner at Whole Foods purely because I have always loved the packaging and was curious what the product would be like. I use it after I get out of the shower and it feels like I just got done taking a dip in the Caribbean and am sailing around on my yacht with a crisp breeze blowing on my face.

5) If I could only put on one thing in the morning, this would be it. My Bobbi Brown Tulle lipstick is with me at all times. If you’re a guy reading this and want to make jokes about the R&B singer Bobby Brown, call up Jack… he’s got some good ones.

6) Just got this Clarisonic Cleanser for Christmas and I AM IN LOVE! I use it in the shower and at night and it makes my skin feel like a baby’s ass.

7) More Bobbi Brown. I’m not sure why the web description says “NEW”…  I’ve had this lip balm since before we got married. $19 for lip balm? Yeah. And I’ve had it for four years, so you do the math.

Shit that was long.

I have a maaaaaaaaaajor obsesh with Steven Alan. I recently bopped into the Chelsea store last time we were shooting in NYC and squealed with delight when I found the Ulca Pocket Cardigan (below) I had been coveting for weeks (proof: it was on my Pinterest board) was on major sale. It has brown leather buttons, brown leather elbow patches, is navy blue and is the kind of sweater that I connect with on a deeper level (it feels the same way about me).

Steven Alan kicks ass at curating seemingly random brands (Isabel Marant, New Balance, Filson) into a perfect mix that is preppy and classic yet clean and modern too. I also love that in addition to cute threads, you can find plaid wool blankets, dog collars, candles, art books and more. A word to the wise: if you see something you like, snatch that shit up because most of the stuff I pin from the website is G-O-N-E by the time I have saved up and wanna make the purchase.

One last fun fact about Stevan Alan: one of my favorite photographers to work with (and fellow Felicity addict), Anna Wolf shoots all of the lookbooks. Anna, if you are reading this will you gank me some samples from your next shoot? Thanks toots!

danielle jumpsuit, navy watch wax collar, ucla pocket cardigan, rita dress, alma dress, ipad case, blue throw  

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the topknot! The single most beautiful, easy, chic, cute, stylish, awesome-ist hairstyle on earth! Seriously, is there anything better than a topknot? Ummm, let me answer that for you… NO.

This is my go-to look. I have an unruly mop of curls/waves and it is the easiest way to get out the door on time without looking like I was raised by wolves. Depending on how much time and effort you put into a topknot (and what you style it with), it can look chic and dressy or casual and messy. Got shorter hair? Bobby pin that shit up! Got a ton of hair? Wind that bad boy round and round. Sometimes I even put Fern and Rosy’s hair in little topknots (true story).

Below are some topknots I wouldn’t mind cutting off and storing in my closet and attaching to the top of my very own topknot on extra special days. Er. I think Jack put something in my coffee… that was a weird thing to say.

Have a good weekend, sweet cheeks!

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

I have an … um … somewhat obsessive personality. So when I like something, I REALLY like it. Some of my obsessions include canned black olives, goldendoodles, Windex, anything navy blue and our fireplace. You best just get your ass outta the way if you happen to find yourself between me and one of these things.

Whenever we go home visit my parents up at the cabin (as we did over Christmas), we inevitably reminisce about the four Jeep Grand Wagoneers we had back in the day (each of which was referred to as the “family truckster”). Then my dad puts on his $1.99 readers, pulls out his Hemmings Motor News, and starts reading us listings for all of the beautifully restored woodies out there priced at a meer $40K+.

I. AM. OBSESSED. WITH. WAGON. EERS. I love the wood paneling, I love the beautiful colors they come in, I love the boxy shape, but most of all I love the memories they bring back (awwwwww).

I currently drive an ’87 Cherokee Wagoneer, a smaller versh of the gas guzzling Grand Wagoneer. A couple of years ago Jack and I drove to Wisconsin to purchase this find: one owner (a grandma who wintered in Florida), 78,000 miles and fully loaded (sunroof, electric windows + locks, TAPE DECK, leather seats). Her name is Tootsie and while she may ride a little rough and her heat doesn’t always work, I love her dearly. (And just to clarify, we did not spend anywhere NEAR a FRACTION of the aforementioned price point).

Here is a photo of Tootsie crushing on an old Benz.

Me and the fam circa early ’80s.

Me and my chubby knees.

And here are some other sweet-ass rides. 
photo

photo

photo

photo

photo

Happy New Year, meatballs!

I had a totally tubular 12 days off. We hosted a couple of little holiday get-togethers, snowshoed with our new snowshoes (thanks Mom + Dad!), spent lots of time snuggling with Fern + Rosy on the couch and actually did a couple of productive things too.

I had been planning FOR MONTHS to completely gut my closet over the holidizzles. And let’s just say that after a good half day weeding through duds I never wear with Sex and the City re-runs playing in the background, I definitely got that bitch cleaned out. So now it’s time for me to buy a few new things to spruce up my wardrobe and keep me warm for the next couple months.

Sooo… why are we talking about clothes? Because, ya dingus, 2013 is the year Color Me Carla branches out with some new-ass content! Yes, I have decided that in addition to blogging about purdy interiors and our house, I am going to post about any ol’ thing that tickles my fancy. This includes clothes, design and illustration, recipes I want Jack to make for me, photos of fuzzy animals and all other things badass.

Below is an outfit I’d love to bop around in on a winter weekend. My mum gave me a very similar hat for Christmas so I just need the other six things. My birthday is January 31st.

1) isabel marant sweater 2) knit cap with pom pom 3) backpack 4) illesteva leonard round-frame acetate sunglasses 5) blee inara horseshoe ring 6) adidas originals 7) iphone case

Word up, meatballs. How was your week? Mine was a bit cray-cray but that’s okay-kay because Christmas vacay-cay is HERE! Today I will wrap up what I have going on at werkie-poo and then it’s 12 whopping days of uninterrupted R&R.

Somewhere between sitting by the fire, playing in the snow and forcing Jack to rub my back, I plan to make some progress on our house. Jack’s parents are staying with us this week and I feel awful that their guest room is just a hodge podge of random furniture with no creature comforts or cute wallpaper to make them feel at home. And tonight we will be having Christmas dinner on a bunch of free office chairs Jack snuck home from work. So yeah, having a stretch of time to devote to picking out house goodies is gonna be a damn good thing.

Below are some nifty noots I’d love to add to the pad. We are in desperate need of a dresser for our bedroom to minimize the city dump that Jack has going on on his side of the bed (the cute hamper would help with that too). We’ve got a little corner in our family room that is in need of a chair but nothing too big, so a sheepskin ditty like this one would be great. And I was PUMPED AS HELL to come across the french wall-mounted soap thing. They have these in the bathrooms at the Marvel Bar and I am obsessed with them. We will have to add this to our guest bath along with the very reasonably priced eyeball tray.

Enjoy these precious pretties and Merry Christmas!

1) wyatt barrel base lamp 2) fornasetti occhi wood tray 3) random japanese hamper that I can’t track down 4) french wall-mount soap! 5) vintage sheepskin chair I saw on Pinterest 6) classic chest