10 Things I Can’t Live Without: Nicole from Sketch42

 

One of my favorite things about the blog world, is that I am constantly discovering new blogs to delve into. I started reading Nicole’s blog, Sketch42 earlier this year. I love the combination of beautiful design and pop culture snark. It’s the perfect destination for me. I can get design inspiration and laugh at the  hilarious posts on The Jersey Shore or The Real Housewives in one place!

Hey all, Nicole from Sketch42 here! Thank you Paloma for including me in this really fun series! Ten things I cant live with out... Hmmmm... All this is going to do is showcase how nerdy I am, but anyway, here goes! The top ten things I rely on to keep me sane:

1. Beverages: Lets start with this one, because I am being literal. I am the thirstiest person ever. I start my day with an iced Nespresso latte that I make the second I wake up, by 11 am I am in full Diet Coke mode. I use Diet Peach Snapple to perk me up mid-afternoon and with meals I love Pelligrino. I'm a junky. I just discovered this site called SodaPop Stop that caters to connoisseurs of soda and I cant wait to try some of these!

{Diet Coke Break? Even as a kid, I knew this ad was sexy.}

2. Technology: I'm going to lump my iPhone, MacBook Pro, Canon G11, THE INTERNET, TV, especially reality TV, and blogging all together because if I didn't they would take over the whole list. Sadly, after all my bodily needs are met, these are the things I really cant live without.

{You all know what an iPhone looks like, so I figured we could talk about GTL instead.}

3. Painting/Creative Activity: I love making things. Paintings, decorative objects, rooms... even blog entries fall under this category. I have so much creative energy lately that if I don't get it out, I get really cranky! I started an Etsy shop, so that I could have room to make more stuff! Some of my recent work:

4. Antiques/Antiquing: I love finding old things and making them new. It's REALLY fun, plus you end up with something unique, something you helped create and something no one else has. I SO enjoy the act of scrounging through crap... it makes it all the more fun when you find something special!

{The sideboard and the striped chair were both antiques that I had refinished. I made the paintings!}

5. Maldon Sea Salt: Try this salt and you will never go back. I scoff at table salt these days.

6. Brown leather accessories: I could live without this stuff, but then I'd be naked. I collect riding-looking belts, shoes and bags. If it comes in brown and black, I NEVER buy the black. Even though I live in NYC and all my clothes are black, accessories are always brown.

{My addiction to brown leather products. Sadly, this is just the summer stuff.}

7. Kelly Wearstler products: Once again, I could live without these but then my house would be naked! I've used her fabrics in every room... That goes for ikat too. I'm obsessed. {My Bedroom: Imperial Trellis wallpaper, still cool to me. Especially in black. And Gordian Weave neck roll.}

8. Molton Brown: Start washing with this stuff and you will NEVER go back! I'm in love with their Black Pepper body wash, although I think its for men.

9. Wanderlust: I have a case of it, big time. Every few months I need to pick up and go somewhere or I start getting mentally itchy. Sometimes you need to leave your bubble and explore. Plus that’s where you pick up fun stuff for your house that will make your friends jealous. {The Tugu Hotel in Bali. Um, Heaven}

10. Books: I LOVE technology more than the average Joe, but I do NOT want to ever read a book on a "reader." It was always my dream to have my own library and when I finally had the space, I kinda built one. I'm also obsessed with coffee table books and decor magazines.(Oh and truth be told, the not wanting to read books on the Internet kind of goes for magazines too. I want print copies please!)

{The bookcloth Penguin Classics.... You know I owned them all in softcover and bought these anyway.}

{Finding this vintage Picasso book made my day!}

I also love my family, (Duh!) Howard Stern, salt and vinegar potato chips, sea salt dark chocolate, running (to work off the other two things), Calvin Klein underwear (grandma sizes please!), lucite, NYC, and all the AMAZING design obsessed bloggers I've "met" over the past year!

Thanks for having me Paloma, it's been a treat!