ruuuuuuuugs, people.

that would be my answer if you asked me what i'd buy today if i won mega-millions.

just after i had told you that i'd adopt a few precious babies who need a good home.

honest.

i love rugs.

the more colorful and quirky and ethnic, the better.

seriously. brighter = better.

(like this one. it NEEDS to go in my hallway. i'm holding out for one just like it.)

that's the problem. the brighter = better thing poses a problem for me.

you see, the older antique/semi-antique rugs were usually made with natural dyes

and they were brighter and less muddy.

today, most rugs i find available (that suit my budget) are murky colored

and brand spankin new out of the factory.

the holy grail.

i know you pay for what you get, i just can't swing that in my stage of life quite yet.

there are some really great and usually better priced options on ebay.

i just haven't gotten the guts to pull the trigger on any one yet...

the next 5 rugs were found there.

obviously i even like the strange ones.

more on this beloved weirdo here.

and i haven't forgotten about my favorite rug from madeline weinrib

that inspired the significantly more affordable ikea option.

no, it's not colorful but it'd look insanely awesomely good layered with any of the other options i have above.

is it odd to ask your husband for a rug for your birthday?

some girls want jewels, i'll settle for a kilim.

more maggie and derek coming up this afternoon!

JILL

{rugs from the top: amber interiors, apartment therapy, freepeople blog, domino, pinterest, see saw designs, that kind of woman, the decorista, the selby, undecorate, ebay, my own rug, and gary spain interiors}

i need your help!!!

my mom just picked this stool up for me. it's pretty filthy but it was only $2 (!!) at an estate sale. i've been looking for one to go under the front table in my house for a bit.

she's always been destined for a makeover but i didn't have any exact plans....

i like stools that are covered in rugs............

so i remembered i had this one hanging out without a purpose as well.

it's outrageously awesome to me.

maybe not to you.

i'm aware a stack of neon animals on a rug isn't the most coveted but that's what made me like it even more.

that and did i mention it was neon?

i picked this up at a flea market years ago. it was $6 i think. and also pretty filthy.

just couldn't go home without it, though!!

you can't fully tell by these photos but that orange and that pink are BRIGHT.

so here's where i need your help:

the rug, a weird size in it's own right, is too big for my stool. i want to know if you think i should go for it and upholster my stool in this weird and crazy mexican rug while sadly cutting off the last mammal...

or if i should stick it back in the cabinet and hold onto it for a better use. where the bottom donkey? cow? horse? doesn't get chopped off. 

he half way makes it.

 i highly doubt that i will ever stumble upon such a find ever again. but it isn't that sacred.

besides, my favorite part is the neon rooster and i made sure he fit :)

again. i am aware not all of you think this is the best potential diy project i could show you. in fact some of you may be thinking what is she thinking?!!

but i kinda heart it.

spill em.

your thoughts.

don't be shy.

please.

love.

JILL

feliz cinco de mayo!

i'm partial to mexico. here are some of my reasons (besides just being beautiful and thriving with culture) why i think it's awesome:

the food. have plans to eat mexican for lunch or dinner today? chances are, lots of you do :) my husband and i have a little, authentic hole-in-the-wall place that is our favorite of favorite mexican restaurants here in kc... we've taken friends there and we can see their hesitation... until they get their giant plate of mexican amazingness in front of them and dig in.

tonight, we'll take a little of these...

and some of their acapulco shrimp tacos.

it might be my favorite meal. like, if i only had one left to eat on this earth, it might be numero uno on the list.

{images via food network}

their textiles!! i have already proclaimed my love of the otomi fabric to you here... but there is more love there.... lots more.

{image via flickr}

this is a 1965 vintage mexican wedding dress. do you die? i die.

{the above clothing images can be found here}

another reason: mexico's all around festiveness. color abounds south of our border and i think that is what keeps calling me back.

mexican papel

{placemat found here.}

wedding papel picardo

their jewelry. my friends have called me an "expensive hippie" since college. i think part of that is due to the turquoise...

and last but not least:

vacations and sunshine and oceans and LOVE (met my husband there!! you can read that story here)

here are some photos of our vacations past, i didn't post too many... i know how it is looking at other people's vacay pics:

cabo

the place we met as 18 yr. olds... romantic, no??

playa del carmen... before the drug war, which has sadly kept us from going back. i hope that gets resolved soon, so sad.

this nice german man found a baby sea turtle on the sand... i didn't think he should be touching her but it didn't stop me from taking a picture or 9.

and snorkeling here. now, i have snorkeled a few times around this great globe of ours, but this place beats the others by leaps and bounds... it's the national coral reef between cancun and playa. go there, it's truly beautiful.

happy cinco de mayo, everyone.

hope you can fill your bellies with some cheesey mexican once or thrice today. i will be!

JILL