Friday, February 27, 2009

link love



Saw this on
m.writes and loved the idea, here are my links to love. Happy weekend!

link a blogger who...
has an online shop: secondsister suaviloquy
takes fantastic photographs: pioneer woman
has a new baby: marta
has flawless taste: emily style
is unique: poppy talk
has admirable qualities: nie nie
crafts up a storm: isly
is an artist: a little sussy
is intriguing: house of turquoise
you've bookmarked: oh joy
lives far away: absolutely beautiful things
an old favorite: black eiffel
is creative: life frosting
features fabulous ideas: say YES! to hoboken
features loveliness: room somewhere
features pretty products: not too shabby
features fantasticness: my notting hill
features weddings: style me pretty
writes about life: happy life
is a daily must see: emily style
tells great stories: a cup of jo
is funny: certain crossroad
is a designer: design to inspire

works a letterpress: round robin
you are inspired by: oh happy day
recently added to google reader: interior candy
gives fabulous tips: stephmodo

charleston, south carolina


Charleston, South Carolina is a place that is rich with our countries history. It is said to be one of most well preserved southern cities in the United States, with its oldest buildings dating back to the 1600's. It was the heart of southern trade and shipping in the colonial and Civil War days.

Market Place and Angel tree


St. Phillips Church
Charleston has been known historically for it's large variety of religions. It was one of the first colonies to welcome the French Huguenot church and has the only two remaining congregations in the United States. The skyline is peppered with steeples from the various churches which was a problem during the Revolutionary War. The British could see the steeples from the bay and would aim their cannons at them, the people of Charleston painted all the steeples black during the war so the British couldn't see them at night.
Old exchange building and Fort Sumter
Fort Sumpter is where the first shot of the Civil War was fired.
You can find more information on places to see in Charleston here.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

retail therapy


I saw a post on Design Mom on affordable art and I was inspired. This was one of the artists listed on the post and I bought this painting for $10! I can't wait for it to arrive.

i spy



Metallic Egg Vases and Eclectic Bottle Collection

I found these on sale at Pottery Barn, do you think they fit my new found french eclectic style?

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

kate spade


It's been a busy day... stressful in some ways. Sorry for lack of posts. If I had lots of money I would spend it on this Kate Spade purse for a little retail therapy today. I strongly believe in retail therapy.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

style guide


I found this personal style guide quiz on a friend of a friends blog. You rate the different rooms and it will tell you what your style is. Mine was French Eclectic, which they described as,
"French Eclectic somehow manages to be both formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time. You like your spaces to feel inviting from the moment you (or your guest) opens the front door and this feeling should continue even after you've entered your most formal room.
Even though there are French antiques here and gold details there, the rustic country elements provide a balance and warmth that seems to say, "come in, relax and stay a while." Your love of antiques leads you to flea markets, garage sales and hours of eBay hunting."
I like it, now if I can find a book or article to give me more detail on how to achieve this look, I will be golden.

etsy by color


Diner and Nantucket


Have you ever tried searching Etsy by color? I tried it this morning, it is pretty fun to see what it comes up with.

Monday, February 23, 2009

guest bloggers amy and trey

Introducing Guest Bloggers Amy and Trey! From the fashion blog A Certain Crossroad.
Oh, oh the Oscars! You know, never believe it's about anything but fashion.

It's me and my blog partner here. Let's get started by recapping some of the trends.

*White

Taraji P. Henson (of Benjamin Button, Cara!), Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, and Sarah Jessica Parker (though she described her dress as "barely mint") are just a few of the many who chose wh
ite last night.
http://im.rediff.com/movies/2009/feb/23osld1.jpghttp://www.gossipgirls.com/files/images/sarah-jessica-oscars-229-5.preview.jpghttp://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jj1/2009/02/hathaway-oscars/anne-hathaway-2009-oscars-07.jpg

More controversially in white was Miley Cyrus: who has been called a "cream puff" and a "Disney Princess" in this Zuhair Murad ensemble among other things. Personally I think it is beautiful and age-appropriate. I also appreciate that it is quite different from all the other (sometimes snooze worthy) gowns.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/images/2009/02/22/miley_cyrus_2.jpg

Another white-wearing gal was Penelope Cruz. If you didn't catch the television airing of the Oscars and are forced to view them online like me, I hear you may be at a loss on this dress. Apparently the detailing is gorgeous and stunning, but does not show up well in most photos. Here is the most sharply focused image we found:
Tim Gunn called this a "museum piece" and he is absolutely correct. Look at the insanely fine work cascading down amongst layers of tulle.
Lovely as a cloud was Evan Rachel Wood.

http://foreveramber.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c873353ef011168919487970c-800wi
When she lays off the super-heavy Dita Von Teese makeup and puts her hair up, you can see how beautiful she really is. And though her role in The Wrestler was kinda of a less-intense reprise of her role in Thirteen, I still loved it. A lot.

Another "trend" (if we can call it that) which is always present, who knows why it just happens are:
*Poorly fitted, awkward, just not nice gowns
Check out Meryl Streep and Heidi Klum. Something just looks weird, doesn't it? Neither among the faves.
http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Oscars_Arrivals_Ramo(15).jpg
What's that, Amanda Seyfried? You want to be included too?
http://a.oscar.go.com/media/2009/images/galleries/redcarpet/81st/81st_SeyfriedA_01.jpg
Of all the Valentino gowns in all the world, you chose this one. Why? WHY?

Of course
*
Beyonce
stands in a category all her own. Donning a self-made (House of Dereon) couture mermaid -tail number, she certainly stands out.

http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jj1/2009/02/beyonce-oscars/beyonce-knowles-2009-oscars-01.jpg
We can't really say we like it...but we do appreciate it.

Several ladies layered on the jewelery heavily to sparkle it up.
*
Blingity Bling!

Amy Adams borrowed quite a heavy load for her outfit:
http://www3.pictures.fp.zimbio.com/81st+Annual+Academy+Awards+Arrivals+2+PUu0Jm3n9m1l.jpg
We think it complements her eyes beautifully. Natalie Portman's jewels were actually sequins in the bodice of her Grecian gown.
http://www.mtv.com/movies/photos/o/oscars_09/red_carpet/39_natalie_portman.jpg
The color choice was unexpected for her, and it works. And then we have Alicia Keys.
http://www.mtv.com/movies/photos/o/oscars_09/red_carpet/38_alicia_keys.jpg

The earring she is wearing (count it- ONE) accents the hair style she's chosen. Quite fierce! Mickey Rourke's necklace was an homage to his recently deceased beloved dog Loki:


The Jean Paul Gaultier look really works for him. Let's look at the pup.


He even had a specially fitted tuxedo for the pup all prepared for the big night. Poor guy didn't win the Oscar either. (GRUMBLE).
Speaking of the male population, let's check out two other notables:
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/02/23/movies/23red_cluple3.jpg
Robert Downey Jr. makes a great example of what NOT to wear - the outer pockets on formal wear? No thanks. (Not to mention the sack his wife has chosen to billow around her)
In the mean time, James Franco is looking coy and hot. That's what we're talking about, folks. (His date looks good as well.)
Kate Winslett gets her own section because we can't agree. This look is out of her usual though, and at least she's thrown us that bone:
http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/81st+Annual+Academy+Awards+Arrivals+EEJiw7bVV42l.jpg

Finally, BEST AND WORST:

Best goes to Marisa Tomei. She is such a slender, darling little lady and this fabulously pleated choice was a knock-out:
http://www1.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/81st+Annual+Academy+Awards+Arrivals+IZivEs7bJA7l.jpg
That gown is timeless on her.
As far as WORST goes, we're seriously giving it to Freida Pinto for her icky lacey eighties dress. Imagine it with two sleeves. Imagine it with no sleeves. SO much better, right? The one-sleeve is just tacky, wrong, gross.

http://www.bloomacious.com/.a/6a00e5523125aa883401127904e70528a4-500wi

The kind of serious but not really WORST goes to Sophia Loren. It just hurts us so much for the former screen siren to show up anywhere (let alone the Oscars) looking like THIS:
http://www.ibtimes.com/data/blogs_editor/RTXBYY72.jpg

oscar preview

Taraji P. Henson was my favorite from last night, I don't know who she is though. Michelle Obama wasn't at the Oscar's but I loved her necklace so much I wanted to include it. There will be a much more in depth look at the Oscar fashions later from Amy of the fashion blog A Certain Crossroad, her blog has been educating me on the world of high fashion.

links to love


Delicious looking food here, here and here.

Someone found these books available somewhere on the American continent! And they are cheap too!

I want to try making something like this for baby shower season.

This got me excited about starting my container garden this spring.

I love this idea for neighbor gifts or something of the like.

Friday, February 20, 2009

bracelet craft


I think I am going to try and make these bracelets I found on Martha Stewart's website...

Thursday, February 19, 2009

calendars


I finally got my calendars for 2009. Better late than never, right? I actually went a few weeks ago to buy one at the bookstore and they were all gone! Now I am glad they were all gone, I found way better calendars on Amazon. The first is the Ultimate Trivia page-a-day calendar, to help me with the daily trivia question at work. The one for my house is 1000 Places To See Before You Die, with pictures of the 1000 places. I am so excited to get them.

victoria, british colombia


Whale watching and the a picture of the abundant rain forest
around Victoria.


Butchart Gardens here and here


The Fisgard Lighthouse and the ocean around Victoria Island

One of the most beautiful pictures I saw was Victoria at night.

Victoria is Vancouver Island in British Colombia which you can only get to by ferry or plane. I originally thought it was Victoria Island, but that is somewhere around Nunavut I believe. The Vancouver Island tourist website describes the island by saying, "Emerald forests are dense with towering trees. White-capped waves crash thunderously onto glittering beaches and jagged shorelines. Pristine bays and inlets, lakes and rushing rivers, snow-capped peaks and glistening glaciers - its nature in all its splendour."

Some of the big attractions in Victoria are Butchart Gardens, Fairmont Empress Hotel, Fisgard Lighthouse and the Parliament Buildings. If I were going to Victoria, some of the museums I would make sure to stop by would be the British Colombia Maritime Museum and the Craigdarroch Castle Historic Home Museum. Visiting old homes is one of my favorite things to when I travel though. If I had kids I would probably add the Pacific Underseas Garden to the list.

As for the outdoor recreational draw of Victoria and Vancouver Island, they list hiking, boating, horse back riding, kayaking and canoeing, scooters, and zip lines. I am getting more and more excited about Victoria, hopefully my sister can talk my Dad into a family trip there, it looks and sounds amazing.

P.S. My sister demanded more research to go with the pretty pictures, behold my research.
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