Things I'm all about this week...

How cute are the royal couple with their new baby?

I mean seriously???

 

Look at them.

 

 Adorbs.

 

And Kate's hair?

 

Off

The

Charts.

 

You can get Kate's similar polka dot look here or here.

Thin lips? Whaaaat??... yes, I have thin lips. But not any more... not since I watched this video. Check it here.

 

on your phone? click here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n7C22qHYjQ

 

 

I wore this dress over the weekend. LOVE. It's soooo pretty and it was on sale to boot. Score one for me.

 

 

I'm obsessing over this wallpaper that was featured by Beth Connolly on Chinoiserie Chic.

 

 

I don't know what's beyond that entry I just know I want to live there. It's navy and white perfection.

 

I managed to throw these flowers together for my goddaughter's christening this weekend.

 

 

Fun and girly aren't they?

 You can never go wrong with white and various shades of green and pink. All of these flowers came from Produce Junction and cost $35 in total. Love that place.

 

Also coveting my friends fire table from RH

 

 

Fabulous, right? I want to roast marshmallows here. Among other things.  If you want to pull the trigger on it go here.

 

And these jeweled-tone pieces for fall?

 

jcrew

 

gap

tory burch

 

 

Yep, I said fall.

 

Thanks for reading!! xoxo

Line 'em up! A great idea for container gardening ...

I don't know about you but when I design my container garden I usually think in pairs. Two planters together with a bunch of colorful flowers or boxwoods.

Entrance at our beach house rental

This year I'm going to create a more elegant feel and use multiples of the same container with the same plant in each. Say what? Check out the below images.

It's almost like creating a living wall or border on a patio or a deck.  This look would also be pretty amazing lined up around a pool or on a porch too. I'll be honest I'm so drawn to this look ... I just love it!

Pinterest

here

here



here

via Proven Winners

The best thing? You don't need fancy or expensive planters.  In fact, I really like containers with clean simple lines for this look because the impact is all in the numbers.

Here's two I have contemplated:

target

home depot


Thoughts? Do you like this look?? Too simple for you??

In other news...
In my weekend bag -

jcrew

 

 jcrew

 jcrew



jcrew

 

jcrew

Did you notice a pattern? Why all jcrew? 30 percent off today of course!!

Oh ...and I found out the secret to making the best homemade lemonade on one of my favorite blogs Design Mom! You should check it out here!

Have a GREAT weekend and thanks for reading!!

Father's Day is on my mind....

In honor of father's day these rooms come to mind

 

 

 

All images via pinterest

 

Masculine with just a touch of feminine detail. Love them all!

 

 

I'm also thinking...

About a small project for my daughter to make for her dad -- an adorable card for father's day.

 

You can learn how to make it here at Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

Need a gift for dad? How about...

jcrew swim

US Open Paraphernalia (especially for all of us local peeps)

jcrew T

Customized Nike Sneakers-- I'd like to design a pair myself!


How about a DIY? Perfect for young kids...

Buy a small pack of canvases from Michael's and acrylic paint in a cool color along with a coordinating sharpie.  Have your kids write their name, year and stamp their hand or footprint on the canvas --- perfect for dad or grandpop's home office!

Not digging any of these?

Check out this month's Real Simple magazine for more ideas!

Needed to take a break from the bookcase situation will be back next week with my secrets to styling!!

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!

Let's take it inside shall we?

I've had several reader requests (okay, three people asked me after a few cocktails this weekend) to do a post on fireplace mantle styling.

Not always on my radar in May, but let's be honest a fireplace is usually THE focal point in a room so what goes above it ... well, it's gonna make a statement. 

I see it this way. There are two camps -- those who love ...

#1  Symmetrical design above a fireplace which is one large piece and maybe two objects flanking the piece on either side (objects can be sconces, vases, topiaries, hurricaines, etc.)

Houzz



splendid sass

house of turquoise

#2  And those of us who like asymmetrical design with lots of layering of art, accessories and collected objects.

So your first step is to look at the above images and decide which style appeals to you most, stick with it and go from there.

Now, let's tackle the symmetrical style first.

My one rule of thumb here is to make sure your statement piece is BIG. HUGE.  We definitely don't want any dinky pieces hanging up there looking all lost and lonely.

If you look at the below examples you can see the art or mirror is filling up most of the space above the fireplace.

cynthiaweber.com

Also, if you want to flank the main piece with flowers or accessories on either side remember scale is important. We must never use objects that are too puny or too small:). Remember, they have to hold their own weight with the piece they're standing next too:). 

Okay moving on to asymmetrical design. Here you start with one large piece, but there are no set rules. Just use objects you love of different sizes, shapes and textures and layer them. You may have to step back from your work a few times to make sure it looks cohesive.

I actually like the example above to demonstrate. I would start with one large piece and would layer two pieces of art of varying size and shapes (always work in odd numbers). Then I would layer working from the middle out --adding objects and vases from tallest to smallest like above. Or below where they placed the smallest objects in the middle and worked their way out placing the taller objects on either end. Either way looks fab.

Here's other fun ways to style your fireplace for summer since we won't be lighting any fires anytime soon:

These are just magazines and books turned with their pages out and layered on top of each other.

source

source

Coral and Shells

 And this ...  I'm not really sure what this is?  But it looks cool.

So, I hope I was able to resolve your decorating dilemma and give you a little help on styling your fireplace.

I also want to add a big thank you to everyone who has sent me emails, stopped me on the street, at yoga and in car line letting me know they read my blog. Words can not express how thankful I am to all of you and your kindness -- so keep these ideas coming and thanks for reading!! Hugs to everyone.

OK, back to Bizness...

Random Thoughts

JCREW gone and done it again. Love this.

www.jcrew.com
I think this line is all sold out -- all that's left is the sweater in this print. Such a tease.

Moving on, 

We're friends now, right?

I need to let you in on a little secret that has changed my life (well maybe not changed my life, but I feel a whole heck of a lot better about myself!)

I've been trying to change to a plant-based, real food only diet -- whaaaat???? Trust me it aint easy. And, I know its not revolutionary but I swear it's truly amazing!

After the holidays I was looking to do a cleanse not a Gwyneth Paltrow serious cleanse. Just a cleanse that little ole me could do and still eat real food. And I stumbled upon this book.

here

I'm not going to bore you to tears with the science behind this book and I am not a nutritionist I can only tell you that eating this way gives me way more energy, helps me think clearly, sleep better and has knocked off a few of those stubborn pounds too.

I use this book only as a guideline and try to eat as many fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains (basically anything that is grown from the ground) and stay away from anything that is processed.

Have any of you guys tried eating this way? Anyway, give it a try -- see what you think... curious to get your feedback.

Until next time!



oh, and don't forget to like me on facebook, follow me on twitter and sign up for my blog via email on the upper right hand side of my website. Thanks!! xoxo