Passion for Prints

The only thing that ties these rooms together is how much I love all of the textiles.










images via marthastewart.com

Porch Envy

Ben and I have a cute little porch on the front of our house, but it is so small, and Columbia is so hot, that we really spend zero time out there. So, as I was browsing through this tour of homes on marthastewart.com, I was hit with a little porch envy. You can probably see why.

Our porch...



Dream porch...



Can't you just imagine spending all day here?



Here's another one.



And this little side porch is perfect for the buggy days since it's screened in.

Sigh...

Another New House

Recently I posted about a friend who just bought a new house, and needed inspiration. Well, I have another friend who just bought her first house and has painted the kitchen a VERY bright yellow. She wants help knowing what else to do with it. I suggested using black and white as accents, but she also wants to work in red to match her dishes. Here are some pics with yellow as a part of the room. Any suggestions of what to do with this much yellow on the walls?
















images via elle decor and house beautiful

Lazy Blogger

Okay, so I know my posts haven't exactly been on topic--I've been pretty preoccupied with life and haven't had time to search for inspiring new rooms, but I saw this cutest picture ever on Blah, Blah, Blahg announcing the arrival of Skippy Designs
and I coudn't resist them. To me they evoke feelings of fun and relaxation, which is great as I head back to school!!! Hope you enjoy!

Tuesday's To-Do:

image via mary ruffle

Sorry I missed the last 2 Tuesdays.

Okay, it's almost back to school time for me (so my posts will probably become fewer and farther between) but today's to-do is easy: Do something special for a teacher! It's a tough job, that doesn't pay that well, but most teachers are in it for the good they want to do in someone's life. So, bring a little back to school gift, or just a kind word, or a note, whatever it takes to make a teacher smile. What are some great gift ideas (tangible or intangible)?

Boho, eclectic chic?

I have some good friends who just bought their first house, and she's trying to figure out what to do with it. So, I was looking through House Beautiful and Elle Decor (the old stand-bys) to try to give her some ideas. (I like to pretend like I know how to advise in these matters.) She doesn't know exactly what her style is, but based on her fabulous fashion sense, I'd say some form of eclectic, bohemian, artsy style. Do you have any suggestions for other good websites to check for this style? These were some of my ideas...






images via elle decor and house beautiful

She said one of the rooms in the house is already eggplant, and she was trying to decide if that was a workable color...maybe some of you color experts would have an opinion on that. I think it works nicely in this room.

It's All About Sarah Richardson

I was inspired to check out the work of Sarah Richardson when I saw some of her turquoise rooms posted on none other than House of Turquoise. Since she delightfully showcased the best of the aqua, I thought I'd bring you some of the other beauties that I loved. I think what made each of these rooms jump out at me are the different fabrics she uses. What stands out to you?



Not only are the drapes fabulous, but I love the light fixture.



Again I'm in love with the drapes.



Pillows are lovely!





And this whole nursery is to die for! But again, check out the fabric!



I love the unique way she's upholstered the whole bed!

It's a Fiesta!

So, I don't post too many pictures of my own house because 1) I'm not a talented photographer and 2) It's usually a mess. But I was reading my daily blogs the other day and Paloma over at La Dolce Vita (one of my favorites) posted about her dish dilemma. She's tired of her plain white dishes. So, since I LOVE my dishes, I thought I'd try to to showcase them for you. Well, it's an attempt!









So what do you think? Can you ever have too much color on your dishes? Can you ever have too many dishes? (I think not!)

With school about to start (teaching classes and taking classes), and my life in a pretty hectic place right now, when I saw this pic on Slices of Beauty, I had to stop and take note. This shall be my new mantra.

The Open Road

Where would you like to go? This road might take you anywhere.

Image via Whatever

Can't Get Enough Turquoise

I saw these images on House of Turquoise, an interesting concept for a blog. Erin is obsessed with the color, and all the images on her blog feature it. You might think that would get old, but nay, I've been following this blog for a few weeks now, and the color has yet to bore me. Maybe because it is such a soothing color. Anyway, her post today of the E.J. Sooley house in Newfoundland is just too cute to pass up, so I thought I would post a teaser (just in case any of you don't already follow her blog), and you can see the rest of the images at House of Turquoise.



Don't you love the yellow mirror?




And the tablecloth is so charming.
Enjoy your day!

More Monograms

I was going through an old issue of Domino (sigh, it is no more) and I came across the work of Mae Mougin, incredibly talented ceramist. All her work is beautiful, but I just loved these plates! The simplicity gives them such timeless class.





And if you're really head-over-heels for monograms, consider personalizing an old chair you've been thinking about re-covering.


image via Cottage Living

These chairs have the same simple charm as the dishes and lend a personal touch to the room.
What other unique monogram ideas do you have? Post a link if you've seen something we'd like.

Asheville Art

While Ben and I were in Saluda, we couldn't resist a quick trip up to Asheville to see my parents and my brother and nephew. And of course, I can't go into town without stopping at a few of my favorite spots downtown. So, here are a few art pieces that I enjoyed.

I love these shoes by Donna Brown.



I also liked the umbrellas in Florence.


This art would be perfect for a kids' room by Melissa Moss.


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2

3

4

5

Which piece do you like best?

I'm Back!!

Just in case any of you have noticed that I haven't posted in a while--it's because I've been on a few trips. First I went to Richmond for the weekend to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday! It was a great time, and I have a few pics to document the event. You can also check out her blog Blessed Chaos as I'm sure she'll be posting on the entire weekend soon.



We started off Friday morning with an incredible breakfast. Marjorie's mom treated us like we were at a fine B&B (she could definitely start a new career if she wanted to). In fact, when we arrived, she had chocolates on our pillows and fresh flowers by all the beds. What a treat!



Then when Marjorie mentioned Anthropologie, we sprang from the table to get ready (we are deprived living in Columbia, SC of most good shopping).



The next day we started at Agecroft Hall. It's a beautiful Tudor style home with a long history that was moved to Richmond from England, and it had the most delightful gardens.



Stacy was most excited to tour the antique mall (and as you can see, I dragged myself along). I would love an antique stove (if had all of the modern amenities!).



We finished the day with a gourmet meal cooked by Marjorie's sister, which we enjoyed outside in her beautiful yard.

We certainly had a wonderful time and I must say Marjorie has an incredible family. Everyone (including her) has a true gift for hospitality. Richmond is a beautiful city, and I would love to go back and see even more! We only had time to scratch the surface.

After arriving home Sunday evening, Ben and I turned around and headed up to Saluda, NC for our 6th anniversary...more on that later.