Featured Artist: Kelly Rae Roberts

"side by side II"

"discovery"

" begin today"

"friendship"

"enough"

1) (from left) seeker, 2) leap fearlessly, 3) in her hands

I discovered these beautiful pieces of art on Etsy by Kelly Rae Roberts and then visited her website, which has even more of her incredible work! She creates her lovely masterpieces using "acrylics, oils, inks, heart, soul, imagination, pencils, papers." Kelly ignored her dream of becoming an artist until she was 30 years old. She says, "when I finally began putting paint on paper, my heart exploded with a joy I hadn't known before!" Having spent most of her life in the company of women, her pieces are inspired by the support and appreciation of many of them throughout her life. How incredibly inspiring! What a great testimony that it's never too late to pursue your dreams! What have you always had a passion or calling for but haven't explored yet? What's holding you back?

Wedding Weekend

What a fantastic weekend! A good friend of mine got married at Bella Victoria Vineyard in Camarillo, CA. The location was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was perfect and everyone had a great time.

My first gig as a "wedding coordinator" went better than expected! Thank God for my wonderful husband who helped me set things up, problem solve and kept me from flipping out a few times. Other than a few minor hiccups, I was able to pull the whole thing off with ease (and a lot of sweat)! In the end, the bride & groom were very pleased with the turn out and the bride's mother even tried to convince me that I should start doing this full time! Ummm...thanks for the compliment, but I think I'll stick to interior design :)

Once everything was settled and my "shift" as coordinator was over, I was able to switch gears and enjoy myself as a wedding guest. Here I am with my husband Ryan (and my 3rd vodka martini?) and with Amber, the beautiful bride. I had a wonderful time and am glad I had the opportunity to help out :)

P.S. - I'm leaving for a mini business trip to Sacramento today. I'll be back here on Thursday with more fun posts! Have a great week!

Quote of the Week

"Always scale up, not down. Everyone is terrified of making things too big - if in doubt make it bigger, not smaller."

- Roger Banks-Pye

PHOTOS FROM HERE

Happy Friday!

Well, I'm signing off early today to head off to Camarillo for a wedding weekend. I'd love to relax and enjoy my time away but have been named "wedding coordinator" for the big day tomorrow...when I agreed to 'help out' a few months back, I had no idea I was going to be officially known to all the vendors, etc. as "Julie the Coordinator." My list consists of about 45 things to do in a 3 hour time span. I'm a little terrified, especially since Ms. Bride has 100% faith in me to pull everything off with ease! So I've called in for back up. My husband Ryan will be "assisting" me while I run around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Oh yes, I'm sure he's thrilled to death to hear me bark orders at him in 80 degree weather (it's outside, on a vineyard), but I had no choice. Can't let the bride down - must pull the whole thing off with perfection. I'll take lots of pictures and meet you back here Monday to share the details! Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KNOT

Rockett St George

Thought I'd share some of my favorite items from Rockett St George. They have a fantastic variety of fun & unique home accessories and decor. From the top: I didn't know these even existed but I want one...Pure Wood Toast Rack & Ceramic Bird Salt Dish; Vintage Pendant Light (love these!); Cake & Cheese Knives (so clever!); 123 Creamware Storage Jars; Love Double Coat Hooks; Home Sweet Home wall sticker; I love the adorable Russian Dolls Storage Tins - great to use just about anywhere in your home; how can you resist the cute Benjamin Hubert Yum Brella Bowls?

Blog Love and Appreciation

It's been almost 5 months since I began this blog and I must say, it was one of the best things I've ever done. I barely even knew what a blog was when Dianna over @ Seams of Thought introduced me to hers...I was inspired to figure out how to start one of my own and as soon as I got the hang of things, I was hooked! Sometimes I wonder what the heck I did before becoming a blog addict...what did I do in my spare time?!! (okay - I do have a life, I swear! I just really enjoy sitting on the computer for hours on end, discovering and exploring other blogs and new post ideas). I have met some really fantastic people and a whole new world has opened up for me. I love the "community" that I've become such a part of and enjoy reading up on what inspires and moves each and every one of you; not to mention the supportive and encouraging comments consistently given to one another. This whole experience has taken me on an exciting new journey and has brought much happiness my way. A big thanks to all of you who visit my blog every now and then (or daily :) and thank you for your great comments and support. I appreciate you all very much! What has your experience been like since beginning your blog?PHOTOS CREDITS: FOCUS GROUP II & JOYFUL DANCE - BOTH FROM ART.COM

Giving Back Tuesdays

I missed the last 2 weeks of posting on giving back...but today, I'd like to share a charity called One Buck for the Planet. Their philosophy is to make giving back SIMPLE. All it takes it $1...really, that's it! Here are a few words from their site, " Launched in February 2008, One Buck for the Planet is a nonprofit organization based in San Diego, California, USA. Our idea is simple. Let’s provide a fun, low-cost, and innovative way for individuals and businesses to reduce their footprint and make a huge difference for our planet. Instead of pricey annual memberships or time-consuming volunteer commitments, we’re asking for you to donate just One Buck (US$1) to your favorite cause and to convince all the people you know to join your ripple." They've handpick a group of our planet's top caretakers and all you have to do is tell them where you'd like your dollar to go. Click here to view a list of their top picks! I like this simple concept of donating to a good cause. It's a good reminder that it doesn't take much to contribute to making a difference in this world...something small is better than nothing at all and if we each give a little once in a while, I believe we can make a big impact. Click here for more info...

PHOTOS FROM ALLPOSTERS.COM

Quote of the Week

"I am going to make everything around me beautiful. That will be my life."
- Elsie de Wolfe

PHOTO CREDIT: POINT CLICK HOME (CANDICE OLSON) / QUOTE FROM HERE.

PaPaYa!

I recently discovered amazing art and stationery from PaPaYa! I had to share with you the wonderful, vibrant, inspiring creations from their line. What I love most about the company is that it's run by a mother/daughter team! "We are devoted to creating luscious, brave, heart-centered artwork and high quality products. We feel the visual style of PaPaYa! has been so well received because it reflects the global culture that is synergistic with modern times. In this exciting point in history we have the luxury to explore a broader perspective and interlace it with art, culture and commerce."

Shown above: a few of their love magnets, art panel prints, a few of their envelope sets, and samples of their fine paper wrap. Quote from their website.

A Special Award...

I received this lovely award from Fifi over at Fifi Flowers Decor! I feel so special and honored to have received this award! Thank you Fifi! Fifi's blog is really fantastic and if you haven't visited it yet, you're in for a treat!

• The rules are with this award, that as soon as you receive it, you in turn give it to 7 other deserving blogs. The "BWA" is given for "brilliant photos & text"! I nominate...
  
  Seams of Thought
• Paper Schmaper
• (Into) the Fray
• Fiore Fresco
• The House That A-M Built
• That Girl Designs
• Simply Grove

Congratulations, ladies! Here are the Rules:

• Put the logo on your blog
• Add a link to the person who awarded you
• Nominate at least 7 other blogs
• Add links to those blogs on yours
• Leave a message for your nominees on their blog
• Enjoy your award!

What's New @ West Elm

I had to share with you all the wonderful new things at West Elm! I was pleasantly surprised to find such fun, graphic patterns and prints, with a bit of an edge. My favorites are the telephone pillow and the bird plate :)

Clockwise from top: art insert, telephone; art insert, brooklyn; art insert, blackbird; art insert, black urn...globe pendant; bird salad plate...selvedge letter pillow; telephone pillow; country code pillow; keys pillow.

Eco-Fabulous Wednesdays

Organic and fashionable - two words that don't always mesh -describe the Spring and Fall lines by John Patrick Organic.

Clutches and bag by Ecoist - they use mostly recycled and organic materials to create their products, including items such as recycled candy wrappers and recycled movie billboards.

I just love these fun, fresh pendant lights by Paper Cloud, found on Eekowire lighting.

Noted Photographer: Alexey Titarenko

I saw a photograph posted on the blog fiore fresco, by photographer Alexey Titarenko and was instantly intrigued! I had to see more of his amazing work so I hopped over to his website. These photos are from his collections "Time Standing Still, " and "City of Shadows." (Note: take a good look at the first photograph...it's easy to miss the ghostlike detail).

Illustrator Steven Wilson

"Steve takes the spirit of 80’s New York, combines rock imagery from the 70’s, and squeezes it through a brain full of circuses and tribal body art. As you’d imagine, Steve’s techniques are as eclectic as his influences, harnessing the spontaneity of pen, pencil, collage and play-doh, with the endless possibilities of contemporary tools like photoshop and Illustrator."

If you look at some of his pieces close enough, you can make out other figures and images (hint: closely examine the illustration located in center of bottom row).

PHOTO & QUOTE CREDITS: Steven Wilson's website

Quote of the Week

"I'm for style - fashions change too often." - Coco Chanel

Quote from here; Photo: Jacques Garcia for Baker

Cote Maison = Eye Candy!

I discovered this unbelievable website Cote Maison, which is home to several French magazines. Although the site is entirely in french (I'm trying to pull out the french I learned back in high school but am pretty rusty), it is filled with beautiful photographs of amazing design! The color combinations are phenomenal and there are several design details that I'm in love with, such as the chalk board in the kitchen and the LOVE canvas next to the stairs! What are some special elements that you stand out to you?

To view more stunning photos, click here! I can't get enough of this site!!!