Outdoor Eye Candy

What time is it?

It's time to order your spring bulbs and plant them when the frost warning is over. Which I'm hoping for sanity sake will be soon.

One of the bulbs that I like to plant in my spring cutting garden are gladiolus. They're great for tall containers and vases that I own that require tall stems like these ...


NIEMAN MARCUS

WILLIAMS-SONOMA

You can learn more about planting gladiolus here and here. You can purchase the bulbs here or at your local garden center. When planting bulbs you need to know your planting zone ... you can find that here.

This is a quick shot of how I used them this weekend. 



When I plant my bulbs I like to put them in a specific cutting garden on the side of my house that's not very visible because when they start popping up I'm so tempted to pull them because they look like weeds to me.

Also, if these flowers are in one section of my garden it makes it easier for me to surround them with wire or remember to spray them with Liquid Fence to prevent them from being eaten by the deer who hang out and leisurely graze in my backyard. Two others I like to plant at this time of year are Dahlias and Lilies.

How about you ... what do you like to plant? Do you plant annuals or bulbs or both at this time of year?

Random Thoughts

OK, she's at it again. I just can't seen to get enough of her ...why is that? Every time she posts a makeup tutorial I find myself getting sucked in. Here's her latest.

You can check out her website here.

Who Lives Here?

Praying for our friends in Boston. Please keep everyone safe today.

Take a gander at my curated collection of  

There-is-no-way-children-or-dogs-live-here rooms

all images via pinteerst

Am I white or am I right?

I would love to have an all white house with painted wood floors. Doesn't it look so relaxing and serene? sighhhhhh ... someday.
I would need a full time staff just to keep up with the mud and grime that would plague me, and honestly, ... aint nobody got time for that.

But I do want to let you in on a little secret about these spaces ... in reality, most of these rooms don't even look like these rooms.

It's kind of like celebrities before and after a makeup artist gets a hold of them. Most of the beautiful rooms we see in magazines are photographed and styled by serious professionals (see some below).


Scott and Emily have worked at Martha Stewart Living and countless other place on styling photo shoots -- not sure who the other guy is???

Before a magazine shoot, stylists and decorators come in and remove clutter, change out rugs, add accessories, side tables etc. And the photographers -- well they can transform any room into a work of art with lighting and their mad photography skillz. It's basically like airbrusing for your home!

Feel better? No?

Do you know there is an entire website dedicated to poking fun at the way stylists arrange a room for catalog/magazine photo shoots?

It's called Catalog Living ... a glimpse into the exciting world of  the people living in your catalogs. Check it out here. Total silliness.

Stuff I'm loving

This Flooring

Could my love affair with dark hardwood floors be over?

source?

dcasa.it



I don't know these are looking mighty good to me. Pretty french oak flooring ... possibly in a distressed grayish finish? I've been seeing it all over the shelter magazines.

MUCH easier to  maintain ... would hide the dirt ... the dog could do 360's and I think it would actually make the floor look better??? What do you think?

This outdoor fabric

Windsor Smith for Kravet

Lisa Mende Design

Kravet

But I could be biased...

My chairs

This Throw


But this is always on my list so you can just ignore it.



This necklace



jcrew

These Plates

here

This Book

here

This Hair

 

Gwyenth

Speaking of hair, I have a confession to make I have frizzy, curly uncontrollable locks. I love them but every once in awhile I feel the need to get my hair straightened.

I go to Salon Ziza in Ardmore to get a process called Lazzio (not sure of spelling) so that my hair is summer-ready. Gone are the days of waiting three days to wash your hair to get that sleek smooth straight hair -- its only 24 hours now.

They do an amazing job -- also, wait -- are you sitting down? Salon Ziza offers a rewards program where you can get a shampoo, express conditioner and an amazing blow dry for $20! Yep - doesn't get any better than that my friends. Now there are specific rules that apply in order to receive this discounted price but call them and they will explain. BEST DEAL IN TOWN!

Ok, bye for now -- next time we are going to discuss outdoor rooms-- so fun!!

Feast Your Eyes on This -- I'm Just Green With Envy!

Those lamps

That wall color

This wallpaper

These rugs

images above via pinterest

I picked one element in the above rooms that I adore,  but they can be big ticket items.

So on that note ... here are my top five most-adored accessories that you can add to any room that will make an impact, look fantastic and not cost a lot of money or time! 

Here we go...

#1 

Call me tra-zy!

West Elm trays are my go-to's because they're inexpensive and big. I like big trays and I can not lie, so if I want to add texture to a room I use the raffia version below.

West Elm


When I need to add a pop of color it also comes in this great orange.

West Elm

Furbish

Jill Rosenwald

#2 

It's aint a party unless your wearing ...  a fabulous lampshade.

A quick way to update a room is to change out your lampshades.  You could add a large, plain drum shade like this.



Restoration Hardware

Or why not get all funky and stuff and add one of these



Shades of Light

Shades of Light

here



Shades of Light

#3

Flowers, Branches and Greens ... oh my!

Live and fresh is best for your table.

But, if you don't feel like buying fresh every week they make great preserved boxwoods that you can buy.

Restoration Hardware

#4

What the What?

Kelly Wearstler

West Elm

Furbish

here


These are little doo dads that are usually small in scale and just add interest and fun. They serve no real purpose but they add a little somethin-somethin to your table/ottoman/bookcase.

#5 

Read about it!

Coffee table books. These are my favorites...

here

here

here

Now that you have all of this stuff what are you supposed to do with it?

Well silly, if I told you that what would you need me for?:)

Until next time!

If you've been reading this blog since its inception, you know I have no problem with words. I am however totally speechless over the senseless tragedy that occurred in Boston. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and the far-reaching impact this tragedy has had over all of us who have been watching this unbearable act unfold.