
Photo Credits from top: Art.com; lamp from Arteriors Home; William-Sonoma Home Pierced Ceramic Gourds; from The Artful Home, King Tut Vase; room photos from Domino & ShootFactory.

Photo Credits from top: Art.com; lamp from Arteriors Home; William-Sonoma Home Pierced Ceramic Gourds; from The Artful Home, King Tut Vase; room photos from Domino & ShootFactory.


Delicious desserts: Lemon Meringue Tartlets & Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes.
I'm loving the Citrus Twist party theme - fun, fresh and hip!
Instead of your traditional shower for mom-to-be, throw a Bling Baby Shower!
Throw your girlfriend a Modern Parisian bridal shower.
When first discovering Rubie Green through an article in Domino, I was instantly smitten by the beautiful fabric line, which also happens to be made from 100% organic cotton! Finally, a super chic fabric line that is both amazing and environmentally friendly. "We know that natural does not mean boring, and that interiors make a house a home." - Rubie Green
This week I've scoped out Aid to Artisans to share with you. "Aid to Artisans, a nonprofit organization, offers practical assistance to artisan groups worldwide, working in partnerships to foster artistic traditions, cultural vitality, improved livelihoods and community well-being. Through collaboration in product development, business skills training and development of new markets, Aid to Artisans provides sustainable economic and social benefits for craftspeople in an environmentally sensitive and culturally respectful manner."
Handmade and dyed in Senegal by a cooperative of handicapped artisans, the Batik Scarf (shown in purple on the right and teal on far left); in the center is the Edric Ong Silk Scarf, crafted in Malaysia.
Beautiful necklaces crafted from recycled glass from Viva Terra; The Bottle Rim Necklace made from recycled bottle rims and the African Bead Necklace - made from recycled glass beads from Ghana.
Found on Etsy, the Circus Lariat Necklace - hand crafted from vintage glass beads; Selene Ring - flawless white sea glass gem; Dreams Necklace - crafted from tumbled sea glass, mixed with a vintage bead and lead free pewter.
Also found on Etsy, this beautiful Middletown Necklace - the amber piece of glass is surrounded by turquoise; Mojito Earrings - genuine lemon lime sea glass attached to hammered sterling rings.
I found these lovely photos courtesy of Traditional Home. They are all weekend living / second homes. I dream of the day my husband and I can afford a "vacation home." But before that happens, we need to actually buy our first home...
This is how begin creating a design concept. It usually starts with a "lead" fabric - something with a pattern and at least two colors. From there, I decide which direction to take the design and begin pulling in other elements, magazine tears, paint chips, etc.
The lead fabric I used to inspire this concept was from Scalamandre. I mixed in a subtle blue fabric, a white linen and a textured neutral. I kept the paint colors soft and neutral and to add some interest, threw in a natural seagrass wallcovering (maybe for a ceiling, trimmed with white crown moulding?).
I love using color in my designs, especially when it comes to paint. I think a lot of people are "afraid" of color so they opt for neutrals or white to keep it safe. However, I do think there's a time when too much color can be overwhelming and while the photos may be nice to look at, could you really live in a space with so much color?
This space feels good to me - a nice punch of turquoise used as an accent to add an unexpected burst of color.Photo Credits: Domino Magazine
The 29-Day Giving Challenge - "Give a little each day. Make a big impact." Give one thing away each day for 29 days and see how it impacts your life to focus on giving...
cabana print outdoor pillow - available in 2 colors.
blue thistle outdoor pillow in light turquoise.
According to this month's issue of Elle Decor, Casamidy's boldly enameled metal tables are it! I checked out their website and fell in love with so many of their pieces. They are based out of Mexico and have a fantastic product line. Here are a few of my favorites. Above: Almidi Star Tea Table.
Almidi mirrors - available in different shapes and colors.
Featured in the What's Hot Section of Elle Decor was the Almidi Arch Table, available in several different colors, with a glass, leather or mirrored top.
Fantastic large scale Symi Lanterns and the Panier Lantern, which is available in different sizes, the largest being 48"R!
The Jarral Dining Chair - so unique and unlike any dining chair I've seen! And how beautiful is the Wing Chair?! Sophisticated with a bit of a rustic twist.
From West Elm, the bi-color silk window panel. I like how they paired it with a shear panel! My favorite part is the hardware - the over sized wood rod is fantastic!
Wide Stripe Drapes from William Sonoma Home. Made of silk taffeta and 49"wide, these panels are so sophisticated and elegant.
This geometric pattern adds interest and depth to this space. The bold contrast adds drama and interest, making this room feel very special.
The beautiful geometric pattern above the crisp white wainscoting really makes this foyer a special space.
I'm loving the very subtle striped wallpaper. Instead of painting this room just a soft blue, the designer chose to add more interest with wallpaper and it makes the room that much more fabulous! Tip: to save some $$, tape off sections of your wall and paint alternating stripes yourself - get as creative as you want with 2 or 3 colors and play with different sized stripes.
This is the first post of a new weekly feature I've created. Every Tuesday, I'll dedicate a post to "giving back." Topics will range from featured charities and organizations that help with various causes; home design resources that donate portions of their profits to a good cause, etc. I did a post a while back about how important I feel it is to give back to the community by donating time and/or money to help make the world a better place.
The first organization I'd like to feature is The Nature Conservancy. Their mission statement: "To preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive." Since their founding in 1951, they have protected more than 117 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide and operate more than 100 marine conservation projects globally. Among the many different ways to donate and give, they have an "Adopt and Acre" program that is dedicated to protect the rain forests of Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. The Osa Peninsula is one of the most beautiful and diverse habitats, home to lush rain forests, beautiful beaches and some of the most precious creatures God has created. The expansion of urban areas, farming, tourism, illegal logging, and poaching are destroying the rain forests and natural habitat for animals such as the jaguar, puma and sea turtle, among many. With just a $50 donation you will help protect and restore one of the world's most extraordinary regions that is slowly diminishing. Click here for more information on how you can give back.
The Bolero Rug designed by Kim Parker. What a beautiful, cheerful room. The rug really ties it all together.







This century-old art form is making a comeback as a contemporary home decor trend this year! I've been seeing silhouette art quite a bit over the last few months. While I love the classic black and white silhouette, I'm seeing them in color, which is so much fun and whimsical!
Simply Silhouettes is a fantastic website offering customized silhouette products, ranging from pillows, stationery, artwork, jewelry, tote bags and much more! What a great gift idea! It's easy to have anything customized...click here for more info.
Another great source is Cut Arts by Karl. The above silhouettes are from his limited edition prints gallery. He takes custom orders for you, your child, your pet, or anything else your heart desires to be silhouetted! Click here for more details.
Found on Etsy from the shop of Nestahome, is the Pretty Pink Silhouette 8 x 10 print. It's also shown in red, framed in turquoise - great color combo! The orange and pink silhouettes are from Cut Arts photo gallery.
Atticmag.com is the website for Attic, an up and coming magazine that will focus on collecting and home design. The website is full of fantastic articles, shopping sources and design tips and is a great place for those who share a passion for architecture, home design, collectibles, auctions and antiques. They also have a message board / design forum that covers topics from outdoor spaces, to cooking, to home decor and is a great place to swap ideas with others who share a creative passion for the arts! I urge you to check out this great website for some inspiration!
Found objects such as pebbles, shells, leaves, etc. are great to use as place cards - customize them to your theme or color scheme by using an ink pad and rubber stamps! I love this idea because it allows you to be as creative as you want. What other items would you personalize for place cards? Above are painted pebbles that are stamped and can be used as a chopstick rest and a place card holder!
As a follow up to my previous post on historic homes, I thought these interiors, created by Martha Stewart for KB Homes (I don't know if SHE actually designed them...), would be the kind of interior design that would compliment the historic exteriors nicely. Each room has a great balance of traditional and timeless design mixed with a clean, fresh updated look.




I admit that a part of me covets these big, beautiful old houses - I've always been fascinated with them, ever since I was a child. What is so intriguing to me is the attention to detail that went in to building them. Houses just aren't built like that anymore. The big porches, the interesting shapes of the structure, the ornate details that were created by true craftsman...it's almost as if a lot of heart and soul and passion went into designing and building historic homes. They weren't just mass produced "cookie cutter" track homes (which is what I've grown up with), they seemed to have been built with a meaningful purpose; each and every one of them. I also can't help but wonder who lived in these homes 40, 50, or 100 and something years ago? Times were so different and I love to imagine what family resided in the home or what the interiors looked like...I could go on an on! Obviousley I have a soft spot for these old beauties and maybe some day, I'll own one...
Blue and Green Collection
