Leona Lane

THE LITTLE THINGS / / NO. 62

These little cactus babies are rocking my world right now! I've decided every girl needs a little bit of hot pink in her life - even me.

Years ago, (before Pinterest was a craze) I saw this photo of a kitchen windowsill lined with Harney & Sons tea tins growing different herbs. The perfect windowsill garden! So I was over-the-moon thrilled when my friend Hannah handed me a couple of empties recently. And that peppermint one - perfect color right?!

So I decided it was time to get some new plant babies and make myself a little cactus garden! I love how sculptural cacti are. They have always fascinated me a bit - ever since my dad had a little cactus garden when I was a kid. All the different shapes, the spines, the brilliant colors...

All you need to make your own is some containers with drainage holes, cactus/succulent potting mix and some cacti! I punched holes in the bottom of the tins with a hammer and nail. Then carefully potted them and placed them in a little galvanized tray. I've heard they like sun and infrequent watering - fingers crossed!

What little things are brightening your days?

THE LITTLE THINGS // NO.61

Back with another episode of the little things. For this week it's just like I said on Instagram yesterday ... all the plants, a cup of black tea, corners getting cleaned and an ultra colorful maxi skirt.

I love plants! I'm still not sure that plants love me... but we're working on that relationship. I find plants super therapeutic, they add so much life to a space. And in February, there is so much need for new life. And they're relatively cheap compared to fresh flowers. And to top it off, they help clean the air! Triple win in my book.

The overly cheerful maxi skirt was found at Target recently, in the clearance section. Love finding something that is perfect and is a bargain too boot. I can't wait to wear it every other day this summer. But until then I'll just blast the heater and wear it inside. 

I've had a few extra days off this week, so the house is getting cleaned. Things pile up, dust collects, you know the drill. But I decided no need to wait til spring for the proverbial spring cleaning. It feels good to have stuff off the floor and dust bunnies in the trash. Office up next - it is a disaster with a capital d.

And a good cup of tea never hurts. What's livening up your February?

7 TIPS FOR SHOPPING AT IKEA

Let's start with a disclaimer... this is not a about 50 ways to hack a Lack table, or any other kind of Ikea furniture for that matter.

When we lived in Spokane, I hardly ever went to Ikea, partly because it was hundreds of miles away. But when moved back to Seattle, and were to trying to find stuff for our new rental, I turned there for some basics. I hear a lot of Ikea bashing in the design and home decor arena, and while I certainly wouldn't recommend furnishing your entire place by going to Ikea, I think they have some great stuff and wouldn't count them out, especially for those of us on a budget. 

Here's a few tips on how to get things from Ikea that you will be happy with. 

1 | Have an idea of what you want, don't go to browse. Think about what you need because going to IKEA is a trip, it's not something you do just spur of the moment. At least I don't. 

2 | I find it's a great place to get staples. I've gotten two down blankets there that I love, as well as duvet covers, cheap white curtains and basic storage containers.

3 | Look through the catalog or at source lists for inspirational pictures when you can find them. When I was looking for a new desk, I was surprised to find out that the desk in my very favorite office inspiration picture was from Ikea! I also found the piece I'm using as a TV stand in an inspirational picture, and then realized it was from Ikea. 

4 | Look for pieces that will compliment not compete with your unique decor pieces - that favorite couch or designer rug, etc. whatever it was you finally splurged on.

5 | Touch the displays, does a piece look flimsy? Does it move the way it's supposed to? Was the display piece put together properly or is it just poor quality? When I went last week, I had seen this little greenhouse online that looked really cute but in person I could tell it was very flimsy, so I decided to pass.

6 | Continuity is good, I try to buy things with repetition in mind. Especially simple, small items - those tend to look better grouped together. For this reason, I tend to buy the white storage pieces at Ikea (no matter how cute the other colors are) because they will always have white. 

7 | And perhaps most importantly - don't buy the cheapest stuff. As they say, you get what you pay for. 

And Bonus Tip | I love picking up house plants there, they seem extra hard to kill. If they can survive at Ikea, they should be able to make it at my house! 

EASY HOLIDAY DECOR IDEA

Life has been so busy that I haven't had much time for decorating lately! This little project took one trip to the Grocery store and about five minutes of my time. Even better, I love how it brightens up my livingroom with greenery and holiday cheer!

I purchased a little collection of holly at Trader Joe's on Sunday morning. I already had a 12 pack of Pellegrino (I'm obsessed with the stuff) and I dug through my recycle bin to find some empty bottles. I used the bottles as vases, and separated the holly into three little bunches. There were several loose leaves that I sprinkled at the base of the three bottles. 

In other news, we completely rearranged our living room, and we now have our table right next to the largest window. I love that anything I put on the table refects alot of light into the room. We have our Charlie Brown tree and my succulent on the table right now too. I have a few more holiday decorations to get to, such as my white lights and my collection of snowmen. But for now, these little bouquets are brightening up out house.

Now all we need is a blanket of white snow outside to complete the picture!

NEED SUCCULENT ADVICE

Hey folks! Happy Friday! A rainy week here in Seattle is going to turn into a super nice weekend, or so I hear! I'm excited. We have been so busy at our place getting ready for Lucy's birthday party on Saturday. We turned one on Wednesday and we celebrated with a #1 banana pancake, a painted T-shirt and a pink bow. We will save the food and gifts for this Sunday! It has also been a sad week for us, because we had to say good bye to our cat Flash, who has been with us for 13 years! We will miss him so, so much.

So that brings me to my topic for today, which is actually more of a question. I need some advice for succulents! Matt bought me this beautiful grouping of succulents at our local grocery store in May. I've been keeping it outdoors on our patio during the summer and as it faces the South, the plants get a fair amount of light. I usually water the succulents about once a week, although sometimes I forget, so it's longer.

As you can see in this second photo, just taken last week, that several of the plants have really grown! Others, however, have passed away, such as the nice purple one in the middle. My concern is what to do next? I'm sure I will have to bring the pot inside for the winter, and I'm wondering if the lack of sun will affect them. I also don't think the group of plants is as pretty as it used to be, so I"m thinking of separating them into their own little pots.

So what do you think? Any advice for this poor girl with a brown thumb? I know that alot of our friends/readers are plant people so I was hoping to get some feedback!