So just let me introduce myself…

Hello!  Karrie here.  This is me:

Like Stephanie, I was born and raised in the Midwest, with the sounds of John Mellencamp’s Greatest Hits serving as my life’s soundtrack.

Where, if you turn off the engine, you can hear the wind create a gentle rustling of the cornfields.

And days and nights are spent perfecting a hook shot on the rusted out basketball hoop.

Though I loved my upbringing there, I smelled the vibrancy of California a million miles away, and post-college promptly traded the Midwest for the sunny beaches of Los Angeles.

I haven’t looked back since.

Living by the beach, and riding my bike-with-a-basket to work, I’ve become totally hooked on the So Cal lifestyle and am completely inspired by it on a daily basis…

The laidback attitude…

The openness and diversity…

And the never-ending Pacific that seems to swallow all worries when staring out into it.

So who am I?  Well, personality-wise, I would say I’m equal parts old soul and clown. I was blessed with a dry wit and uncanny ability to tell it like it is, for which I have my little Mexican grandmother to thank.

My family – well, they are what keep me grounded in my adult life, and I talk to my mom every single day.

I believe in things like telling it how it is…  spending Saturdays on the beach…  and every once in awhile, watching E! for an entire afternoon in my PJ’s and eating homemade macaroni & cheese.  I’m always searching for a new hobby; in recent years I’ve taken DJ, ballet, Spanish, photography, cooking, and knitting classes, as well as surfing and skateboarding lessons.  Bring it.

In my dream world, I would be living in a California beach bungalow, steps from the beach…:

…With this little guy as my buddy to ride alongside me on the boardwalk…:

My neighbors would have the elegance of Ina Garten…:

The spunk and penchant for recipes with massive amounts of butter and cream, like Paula Deen…:

And the homey recipes of Italy from Giada…

Oh, and I’d own this winter cottage located steps from my parents’ house in sunny Florida:

A few years back I got hit by the decor bug when Steph flew out to help me decorate my new apartment.  We ooh-ed and ahh-ed our way thru every home store from Santa Monica to Venice and have been exuberantly exchanging ideas and inspiration ever since.

(Left: Weego Home, my fave store in Santa Monica.  Right: Neptuna in Venice)

This blog serves as a testament to both our friendship over the years and our love for life and all things design.  Hooray for Covet Living!