I know, I know. I swore I was done with Edinburgh. Turns out I have just a tiny bit more to say about the lovely Scottish city.

When we were in Paris before Christmas, I expected to be snapping photos of inspiring design at every turn. I didn’t really expect that to be the case in Edinburgh, but it was! I came home with two cool ideas I want to replicate either in our current tiny apartment or in our some-day dream home.

First, this stuffed stag. Not a great picture, but in both the Red Door Gallery and Curioser, I saw these cool stuffed stag heads.

I’m not normally a stag head type girl. They annoy me only because they are absolutely everywhere at the moment. I can’t wait for 20 years from now when they come back into fashion and I think I’ll be able to embrace them.

But what I do like is seeing a stag head done in a new way. These were sewn, made from pretty silk patterned fabric and stuffed. I’m contemplating trying to make my own from a few silk scarves I brought home. I think it will definitely test my rarely-used sewing skills.

I noticed this second bit of inspiration on the first night at our apartment. Walking by this restaurant, I might have said will you look at those ginormous lamp shades?! about fifteen times. (Sorry girls!) The combination of the size, the paisley pattern in pinks, greens and yellows, and the rest of the cool decor in the restaurant, turned me a tad obsessed.

{I don’t know these people, but they do a great job showing the huge scale of the lampshades!}

We ate at The West Room on our last night in Edinburgh and it was really yummy and really reasonable.

But back to the lamp shades. Aren’t they just so neat?! We need higher ceilings and a bigger house. That’s all there is to it.

Happy Monday, everyone! This morning, while I recover from our cross country trip over the weekend, I”m over on few tips for staying in rental apartments when you”re traveling.

Come say hi and add your tips as well!

A friend of my dad’s sent this photo from the Penobscot Marine Museum. It’s the street I grew up on, from way back in the day!

Now it looks more like this. There are a lot fewer trees on the street, and the road is paved. I wonder what they were doing with that step ladder near the tree? And I wonder who those kids are?!

You can see more here!

One of the things I loved so much about Edinburgh was the student vibe. Admittedly, a student vibe is not something I would typically care too much about, but there were two shops that convinced me otherwise.

On a suggestion from Design*Sponge’s Edinburgh guide, we stopped into Analogue Books, a tiny art and design specialty book shop nestled into a basement on Candlemaker Row in the Grassmarket area. I was instantly smitten. Bright white walls with hints of lemon yellow, Analogue is filled with publications, serious coffee table books, and arty prints.

I could have lingered for hours, flipping through pages and pages of books and magazines I probably won’t be able to find easily anywhere else. In fact, I got chatting with Ian, who was manning the store, who told me about the store, its owners, the philosophy. He said he often sees customers scribbling down the names of publications they think they can find on Amazon or elsewhere, only to see them back a week later after they’ve come up empty.

Ian then pointed out a whole rack of student publications and explained that although the shop doesn’t make much money on student work, they believe it’s important to help students get a start in the publishing world. A few of the students who have displayed their work in Analogue have gone on become quite successful, all because someone gave them an edge.

Cut to Godiva Boutique, just across the square from Analogue, where I had a similarly exciting chat with Fi, the cheerful girl minding the shop for owner Fleur MacIntosh. I was so excited when Fi explained to me that the shop used to sell only vintage clothes and used to employ students to refashion the clothes. Over time, the shop has begun selling the clothes designed by those students! And can I mention, some of what they sell is simply gorgeous. I had to tear myself away from the hand-dyed silk lingerie and baby dresses made from vintage fabrics.

In the back of the store, Godiva still sells a collection of vintage clothes. Altogether a tempting combination of clothes and accessories.

{this was the dressing area – the birds were a three-panel screen!}

I was so impressed and felt so welcomed in both shops. Both Ian and Fi were so friendly, willing to answer my questions but also excited to tell me everything about where they work. And they let me snap away with my camera! I left both shops feeling incredibly inspired at the willingness to help students start their dream jobs – what generosity of spirit!

Analogue Books: 39 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH1 2QB, Scotland, UK. +44 0131 220 0601

Godiva Boutique: 9 West Port, The Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH12JA, Scotland, UK. +44 0 131 221 9212

I landed in Dublin last night after a wonderful visit to Edinburgh. I’ll have lots of photos and info to share later today and over the next few days, but this morning, I wanted to take a moment to remember Martin Luther King, Jr., as yesterday was his birthday.

I also want to take a moment to think about what I’m doing to change or help or fix the things that matter. My new year’s resolutions didn’t include doing something for the world or my community or even my family, that would make them all better. Today I’m going to add a few.