After all of the traveling – being on airplanes and eating out every day, my body was craving a little refreshing juice to get everything back in sync. Of course, Susan of Peas and Love came to the rescue with a delicious juice that completely rejuvenated me. The combination of carrot, apple and cucumber is simply divine. I hope all of you enjoy this juice as much as I did! A Refreshing Pick-Me-Up Juice Ingredients 6 Carrots 1 Apple 1 Cucumber 3 Celery Stalks 1 Lemon Directions Bring all the ingredients together and press each through your juicer. Makes enough for now and a little for later. Enjoy this very simple yet nourishing drink! Recipe & Food Prep by Susan Whang / Photography & Styling by Caitlin Flemming #entertaining #cooking

After an incredible weekend touring showrooms, talking with editors and getting totally inspired – I’m ready for a nap. Both Grant and I were incredibly inspired when walking through Hickory Chair, Century Furniture, Bernhardt, Cisco Home and CR Laine. We were in awe of the way they designed each space. This photo in particular comes from the Oly Studio – it was heaven. I wanted to move right in! Now I’m on the road to Charleston – I can’t wait to discover this southern city! Check back this week for a new refreshing recipe, a new blooms in season feature and much more. Photo by Caitlin Flemming #lifestyle

I first “met” Simone LeBlanc through her inspiring blog and our friendship has blossomed from there. Back track three years and you’d find us commenting back and forth on each others posts – we had a friendship even though we had never met in person. In January as I was planning my trip to LA, I reached out about shooting her workspace because I knew from her instagrams and sense of style that it had to be beautiful and inspiring. Let me say, as you walk up the stairs to Simone’s workspace you are transported into a lovely cabin that has inspiration in every nook and corner. Simone’s company offers personal styling, gifts, and creative services. She is the creative director for her clients personal lives – it can range from simple day to day creative details, or projects of a much broader scope. When I was visiting her workspace she was putting together a leather-bound book for a fathers 60th birthday – his children were compiling memories, quotes and photos to give him. All of the details Simone was piecing together were amazing. Now, sit back and enjoy this stunning workspace. What tips would you give to those that work out of their home? I love working out of my home – it has always been a dream of mine to have a studio that is conducive to quiet creativity. I am often out in the stores and with clients and for 3 months out of the year I rent a raw space for my Holiday production – so you can imagine how I relish in the calm of my home! My best productivity-at-home tips are to schedule small breaks throughout the day, away from the computer. These can be 10 minute breaks even. I schedule a late morning break, lunch, and then one again in the afternoon. I’ll walk away from the computer, make tea, stretch my legs. Constant computer work can be a drain so this helps me stay refreshed and focused. When did you decide to start your gifting service? My official start date of my business was in the end of 2011. I had been working as a lifestyle/tastemaker consultant with private clients and the gifting needs kept increasing while at the same time inspiring me. It felt like the floodgates opened – as soon as I started focusing on gifting, the projects started coming at warp speed. So I can almost say my gifting service chose when to start on it’s own! When you get a project where do you first look for inspiration? I look through my gifting inspiration library of ideas. I’m constantly collecting and gathering concepts – details that are waiting to become fully formed projects. For me, the real magic of my business is that although their may be similarities at the root of an idea, each project becomes unique because of the client and their recipient. Each idea takes on the personality of the people involved, which makes the creative possibilities endless. I have a library of ideas – each containing parts that are tweaked and shaped for each individual. During your busy season, how do you manage your time since most of it is before the holidays? Plan for the unexpected – that is the golden rule of Holiday Season. I have a stellar team – we work as a stealth, focused, creative little workshop and schedule ourselves for intense work mixed with self – care. I (attempt) to plan and schedule every step of the production to the nth degree – which allows me to say yes to the unexpected projects. I schedule in morning hikes, yoga and a trip to the Korean Spa when possible. It’s a given that I’m going to be working on high speed for 3-4 months straight and it will get intense, so mixing in down time is absolutely essential. My fiance now knows to book something special for us starting on Dec 27th – I need silence and nature to unwind! What’s the most creative gift you’ve had to create for a client? The one that takes the cake these days is when I recreated a room from a client’s childhood home, photographed it and presented it as a piece of art. It was incredible and invoked so many emotions – memory, disbelief, nostalgia, gratitude. It was an extraordinary project and the unveiling was a truly personal moment between the couple. What the source of your never ending inspiration? I’m a romantic at heart who longs for era’s past. This keeps me endlessly inspired and searching for the ephemeral….fleeting moments of emotion and beauty. How does travel influence your eye? I love the open mindedness required when traveling. This instantly allow me see to see things differently – knowing that my surroundings, the creations & life around me were built from completely different reference points than my own is liberating. I never know what will surprise me next – the light is different so color combinations are fresh to the eye, the smells and sounds are unfamiliar so they mesh in a new and unexpected way. When I travel it is often for pleasure so I am in a mood to absorb. Whats the perfect hostess gift? The gesture of giving is the perfect gift. It’s much less about what you bring and more about the idea of bringing that shows gratitude. Stay away from flowers that need tending to or food to be opened that evening – a gracious hostess will feel the need to include the food or prepare the flowers and that can disrupt her flow for the evening. A unique & specific wine from a different country in the spirit if the season is lovely; a prosecco or lambrusco that reminds you of travel and can set the stage for a future evening together is fun. A sampling from you favorite chocolatier or specialty salt is always a great idea. Keep it simple and in the realm of a gesture. Also – stock up on hostess gifts along the way. I have a small gifting closet of items that are inexpensive, but interesting and beautifully packaged. Olive oils from trips to Napa, incense from my favorite spot in Big Sur – something simple with a story is always appreciated. A huge thank goes out to Simone for letting me visit her beautiful home and workspace. When I have a workspace of my own I’ll definitely be taking inspiration from this feature. Photos by Caitlin Flemming #lifestyle #interiors

This week Susan of Peas and Love brings you the last recipe from our Supper Club dinner. I have to tell you – everyone at our dinner table wanted seconds of this salmon dish. The miso sauce was scrumptious and made the salmon have tons of flavor. Miso-Lemon Glazed Salmon Ingredients 2 6oz Salmon Filets 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Tbsp Miso Paste Juice of 1 Lemon 1 tsp Oregano Salt and Pepper Directions Preheat oven to 350. Rinse Salmon and pat dry with a paper towel. Transfer to a piece of heavy duty foil and coat the filets with a light drizzle of oil. In a small bowl, bring together the oil, miso paste and lemon juice, and whisk with a fork. Spread mixture over the filets until the tops are evenly coated. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and serve over rice or with a green salad. Now that you’ve seen all four recipes from our Supper Club, you can host your own dinner party. Green Detox Salad w/ Avocado and Fennel Roasted Asparagus w/ Lemon Butter Sauce Coconut Rice All of these recipes are simple and will wow all of your guests. Plus, each recipe is healthy! Recipe & Food Prep by Susan Whang / Photography & Styling by Caitlin Flemming #entertaining #cooking

I’m back from a wonderful trip to Mexico City and Cuernavaca. I have to say, the best thing I ever did was leave my computer at home for this trip – something I’ll be doing more often. Being completely unplugged made me enjoy days at the pool, sitting in a hammock for hours on end reading and enjoying the family around me. I’ll be sharing photos later this week. This photo is from the hacienda we stayed at in Cuernavaca – the walls surrounding the house had stunning bougainvillea in tons of different shades of pinks, corals and magentas. As for this week – I’ll be sharing the last recipe from Supper Club, a new workspace that will have you brimming with inspiration, and a new getaway series. Friday I’ll be sharing from fun news – it’s been in the works for a few weeks now and I can’t wait to share it with all of you. Photo by Caitlin Flemming #lifestyle

Our third dish from our Sunday Suppers dinner is one I’ve become quite addicted to making. This rice is scrumptious. I can eat it with a meal or on its own for lunch. The medley of ingredients Susan of Peas and Love has put together makes this rice unique (and colorful with the pistachios). At the end of our meal there was a small helping left and I immediately called dibs. Pair it with salmon, chicken or beef and it’ll be a hit with your family. Coconut Rice Ingredients 1 cup mix of Brown Rice and Wild Rice 1 cup Coconut Milk 1/2 cup Water 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup Pistachios, crushed 1 Tbsp Chives, chopped Directions In a rice cooker, bring all ingredients together (except pistachios and chives) and cook until done (about 30 minutes). Once rice is fully cooked, transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle over the pistachios and chives to top. Serve as a side with fish, or mix in with greens to make a grain salad! Recipe & Food Prep by Susan Whang / Photography & Styling by Caitlin Flemming #entertaining #cooking

Today, I’m showing you how decorate the West Elm Parsons Tower in two different ways. One is in my own dining room the other is in my mom’s bedroom. Bookcases can be a great feature in any room. They’re an opportunity to showcase your interests and personality through books, art and curated items from traveling. There are times can also run the risk of having them look cluttered and end up being the catch-all. I’ve received many of emails from readers asking about tips for styling a bookcase. Now that you’ve seen our bookcases I want to give you a guide to styling your own: 1. Books: Mix it up – instead of going vertical, stack books horizontally. It will create a graphic feel and alternating stacks between vertical and horizontal can create a more relaxed. 2. Incorporating Art: Having framed artwork adds another element to your bookcase. They can be propped up on shelves or can be leaned to create a layered effect. 3.Vary Scale and Height: Rather than simply lining items up on a bookshelf try, to create small groupings that combine similar items in different sizes, colors and textures. 4. Creating Vignettes: When you are looking at your bookshelf create little moments with items – a bowl of treasures or necklaces, a grouping of vases, layering art, stacking books with a few items on top. Imagine if someone was taking a photo of that little grouping and if it would look good. I hope you enjoy another installment of One item. Two spaces. I’m thrilled with the way each Parsons Tower turned out. It was such a pleasure working with West Elm on this project. Photos of Caitlin Flemming’s home by Bess Friday Photos of Julie Goebel’s home by Caitlin Flemming #interiors

This weekend I cherished time at home because I’m traveling the rest of the month. I’m excited for the many journey’s ahead. So this weekend, although I had to work, I did a have a little time to enjoy the city – brunch with high school friends, did some treasure hunting at the flea market and finished off the weekend by celebrating my hubby’s birthday. A few things that inspired me this week – the brand new issue of The Gentlewoman, fresh blooms, a necklace I’ve been wearing recently from Erica Tanov and a Picasso book I bought at the Alameda Flea market this weekend. Tomorrow Eric and I are off to Mexico City (where I grew up) and Cuernavaca for my cousins wedding. Since Eric has never seen where I grew up I can’t wait to play tour guide – we’ll be walking the streets of Polanco, going to museums (I cannot wait to see the Freda exhibit), eating delicious food and seeing where the days take us. I can’t wait to be on the plane. The best part, I’m truly taking a vacation – no computer! There might be a few instagrams here and there but for the most part I’ll be offline. Not to worry, I have a week’s worth of posts ready to inspire you while I’m away! Be sure to check back for a new yummy recipe, what I’m loving right now, and much more. Plus, if you haven’t entered the Poppy Barley Pin to Win giveaway – pop over to enter now. It’s a giveaway you don’t want to miss! See you back here in a week! Besos Photo by Caitlin Flemming #lifestyle

Every March I have the pleasure of traveling to a warmer climate – Arizona. This year I wanted to discover new things in the area and when I asked friends and readers about recommendations everyone told me a road-trip to Sedona was a must. With that being said, I knew the drive would be worth it. As I started researching hotels to include on my visit, I knew L’Auberge de Sedona had to included on my trip. As I drove from Scottsdale up to Sedona the road was breathtaking. As you wind through the stunning red rocks to Sedona all I could think was “if this is the best part, then this trip was well worth it.” However, it only got better. As I pulled into the beautiful L’Auberge de Sedona hotel I knew it was something special. My first thought – this is so peaceful, tranquil and absolutely stunning. The hotel sits next to a lovely creek that you can hear throughout the entire property, which makes you relax instantly. The property offers morning yoga next to the creek at sunrise after they feed the local ducks (how sweet is that!). Each cabin has its own private deck and every single one has a view – either of the Red Rocks, creek or beautiful forest. I enjoyed a relaxing day at the small and intimate spa, had a lovely lunch by the creek (the Salmon BLT is a must) and then sat back and relaxed by a fire pit reading a few magazines I needed to catch up on. I was in heaven. Looking up at everything surrounding me brought pure joy. As I reluctantly drove away all I could think about was my next trip to this destination and next year I’ll definitely be bringing Eric with me. If you’re traveling that way I highly suggest going! Photos by Caitlin Flemming #travel

When I started this Workspace series I knew it would open doors to share creatives here in San Francisco and the west coast, but today I’m taking you to Brooklyn. When I first started following Rebecca Atwood’s journey creating her beautiful pillows and one-of-a-kind artwork, I knew her debut collection would be stunning. With the help of Nicole Franzen, who captured Rebecca’s inspiring workspace, I’m thrilled to share photos of her space, process and lastly a few photos of her look book shoot. What first drew me to her collection was the stunning color palette of blues (my favorite) that was inspired by living and growing up in Cape Cod. But what completely had me was that each pillow is created by Rebecca and her team in New York – I think it’s incredibly important to produce as much as possibly locally and Rebecca definitely embodies that. Enjoy Rebecca’s lovely interview of where her inspiration and where she sees her line going in the future – she has big plans! When did you decided to take the leap and start your own line of pillows and one-of-a-kind artwork? If you asked me 3 years ago if I would ever want to have my own business I would have said no. The idea to start my own collection started with a little tiny thought that became something I couldn’t shake. I’ve designed home products for 6 years but needed a change career wise, and wasn’t sure where I wanted to go next. I wanted a new challenge, something that would really push me…and I also wanted to create product that I feel passionate about. There is a lot of product out there, but honestly I often can’t find just what I want. Where did the inspiration come from in this debut collection? So much of this collection comes from my personal history and memories. I grew up on Cape Cod. The water and soft neutrals of the coastal landscape became so much a part of my sensibility. I think that is one of the biggest influences for me. My family also saves everything, so I was always surrounded by antiques. My Mom has dresses from the 1920’s, beautiful hand painted china, and an attic full of interesting objects etc. We weren’t a family that never used the good china and silver – my mom taught us to live with these beautiful things. Why have them if you aren’t going to use them? She let us play with the antique dolls, even if we did play a little too roughly. I think this idea of wanting to create product that is truly special, but also not so precious you can’t use it comes from my Mom. My pillows have been made with a lot of care and attention – but are meant to be lived with, and can be thrown in the wash if they are dirty. You know I love blues – did you always think you would start with a blue hued collection? It’s definitely happened naturally, and I think that’s again because of where I grew up. Blue was so much a part of the landscape that for me it is a neutral. I wanted to use colors you can layer and live with, and that you won’t be sick of in 6 months. I’m not sure I realized how much I do love blue until I started putting this collection together. Can you explain your design process? It’s so interesting! There’s the practical part of my process, which means really planning out my calendar and starting with a deadline and working backwards. Once I do this, it gives me a bit of piece of mind and allows me to create the time for spontaneity. I try to build in a bit of time every week to paint in my sketchbook – time that isn’t necessarily trying to create a design but to get ideas down weather they relate or not. I go back to my sketchbooks constantly. For me everything starts there. The next thing I do when starting a collection is to pull together an inspiration board – sketches, colors, fabrics, little notes with reminders, all of that goes onto it. Then I begin working on the color palette. I usually have some general ideas in mind, but I start by playing around with different dyes and fabrics to see which colors really sing together. Once I have that framework set, I start playing around with artwork ideas and seeing what colors they work with. I start making swatches – testing out dyeing techniques, prints on different base fabrics, in different colors, etc. I generate a lot of different ideas on a small scale pretty quickly. I try not to think about it too much and just make. With the swatches I can start to see the collection really taking shape. Sometimes something unexpected happens in this process and things fall out and new ideas come in. I usually make another board with my favorite swatches. I like to try and let this sit for a week or so to give myself time to edit, see if anything is missing, etc. Once I decide on the swatches I start making fabric and designing the pillow layouts. I usually make loose thumbnail drawings of each design in my sketchbook so I can see how everything will look together. When did you decide to add artwork to your shop? I actually had the idea to sell artwork before I decided to start my own collection of textiles. I’ve always painted, for as long as I can remember, and actually studied painting in college before falling in love with textiles. When you first launched was your goal to produce everything in New York? One of my intentions with the line is to bring back closeness to the production process. In a lot of product development today the relationship between the designer and the maker is very disconnected. I want to really be a part of how my product is being made, because that comes through in the final result. Of course, for the first season that means I’ve been making everything myself, and having it sewn in the garment district. It’s been about as close as you can get and I love it! Another objective is to do a small part in supporting the tradition of textiles. Right now this means I’m making a small donation to Aid to Artisans for every pillow sold. With time I want to work with artisans around the world to bring awareness and admiration to their areas of expertise. I’ve worked in India a lot for previous jobs and absolutely love my trips there. The soft voile quilts from India just can’t be replicated anywhere else, and they are my favorite quality of quilts. The hand embroidery and beading is also amazing. I think every sourcing decision should be because you want to bring the best product out there. When I do expand my sourcing routes, paying workers a fare wage and doing everything as ethically as possible is very important to me. When designing a pattern or collection, where do you go to get inspired? So many things inspire me, and it’s often a mixture of very different things. A pattern idea can come from anywhere – a vintage scarf from my great aunt, the shadows on a sidewalk, an idea in my sketchbook, or even painting directly on to the fabric with dye (that’s where the spots print came from). Giving yourself time off to do the things you enjoy – going to a museum, seeing friends, cooking, all give you time for the ideas to come. I think the big thing with inspiration is to keep making, keep looking, and give yourself time to edit. We live in a world where the internet allows for such an instantaneous sharing of ideas and images, which is amazing, but I also think getting away from that is crucial. Where do you see Rebecca Atwood in five years? It’s so hard to know where things will go, but I can’t seem to help having big plans! With every collection I would like to expand the product range, until eventually I have all home products covered. I am so excited to create a real bedding collection, but also want to develop tabletop, upholstery, bath etc. I am lucky that I’ve had a chance to develop hard goods as well as soft goods in my previous jobs and I am really passionate about making home products for all areas of your life. I just need to keep reminding myself one thing at a time! I hope that in 5 years I’ve been able to realize a bit of this dream. I also love the idea of having a storefront combined with studio space, so that people can see a bit of the process and I could have the occasional workshop. Where do you see Rebecca Atwood in five years? A HUGE thank you to Rebecca for taking the time to be part of this series and to Nicole for the stunning photos! Be sure to hop over to shop her site. Photos by Nicole Franzen for Rebecca Atwood and Sacramento Street #lifestyle #interiors