Fancy Antlers

You may ask what?...antlers? Living in the South, we have grown up surrounded by hunting men with antlers being one of the perks. One Christmas, I asked for some and bleached them crisp white to hang over a doorway (a trick picked up from my Mama). But these antlers take it to the next level. 

Milwaukee based artist, Cassandra Smith paints these- how fun! Her Etsy store is full of more goodies.

These are my favorite!

How cool would these be sitting on top of a stack of books on your coffee table?

via Pinterest.

Not brave enough to attempt painting? Add bleach and a smidgeon of water to a plastic bucket and stick your antlers in there. It is best to put the bucket outside as the fumes from the bleach may overwhelm your house. Leave in the bleach as long as you want- the whiter the better!

The Art of Italian Finger Food...

  My family visited Italy for spring break a couple of years ago, and ever since then, we have all been obsessed with extra virgin olive oil, fresh colorful food, and the family style atmosphere of each eventful meal.  Back home in Birmingham, Momma started putting together an anti-pasta plate from the fabulous Frank Stitt Bottega Favorita cookbook.  

Bottega Favorita

Cookbook 

  This particular plate includes hard boiled eggs, roasted red peppers, olives, cucumber, tomatoes, prosciutto, salami, etc.  However, on my current budget, it works better to empty the fridge... in my fridge turkey, hummus, tomatoes, arugula, cucumbers, and beets.  The more color the better!  Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, add salt and pepper.  Use your hands, and don't worry if it gets a little messy!

via instagram

PS if you crave the rich, colorful, awesomeness of beets... Momma taught me to put them in the oven at 400F unpeeled wrapped in foil with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper... for about an hour... when soft, peel and eat!  

Delicious!

Pink Orange Red Hot

If you have seen any kind of spring 2012 clothing lately, by now you can tell that pinky orangey red is HOT. I have never really been a strictly pink, orange or red girl when it comes to clothing, but this mixture between the three is perfect. Some call it cerise, punch, melon, whatever the name I like.

Some Shopbop goodies...

Of course J.CREW makes this color combo effortless. One of each please!

Trusty find from Gap. Well done.

  

Throwing interiors to the mix

paint, chair, sofa, nudes, lipgloss, dress, necklace, clutch

Via Instagram.

Tired of plain old paint

Lately, I have been obsessing over finishing my room. I still need to hang things etc. I have this one awkward wall that I cannot figure out what to do with, and I am so sick of staring at this putty-yellow color that my landlord so kindly painted every wall in the apartment...

So I am thinking of an inspiration wall? Anything but this stale paint color.   

This inspiration wall of Sid Mashburn store in Atlanta is male friendly. And below his wife, Ann Mashburn has her own mood wall in her store in Atlanta...what an awesome, creative couple.

Adding other touches such as fabric swatches paint decks, what have you make an inspiration wall more interesting. It adds texture to an otherwise collage of glossy magazine tear outs and pictures.

This is to me a little quirky, but more mature in a sense because it's like an inspiration wall of paintings 

(minus darth vader).

Pow! this is amazing. I realize it is loud, but come on I could look at everyday when I am a real adult and I have spare rooms to do outlandish things such as this. Designer Kelly Wearstler deserves applause.

 

Here she is again. Most definitely kicks my putty-yellow wall's hiney

A more monochromatic design for you neutralites out there.

Food Lover...

I admit, I am not a precision cook, I am a guess-estimator.  I love putting on some music, pouring a little wine, and just going to work.

fresh kale... great winter green

 Usually I look through my cookbooks and on the internet (foodgawker.com is a favorite) to find a combination of vegetables, take notice of any other special ingredients, and then I just start... olive oil and minced garlic are a base for any dish.  

chickpeas...

On the menu tonight... pasta with kale, chickpea, and sausage served with bread and lemon based vingerette salad.

baby argula + salted almonds + parmesan cheese + homemade lemon vingerette dressing

sauce = kale + tomatoes + chickpeas + sausage

over whole wheat pasta

all photos via instagram

BON APPETIT!

Old Hollywood

   

Bathing suit season is right around the corner, and every year I long to wear a chic suit such as the one Marilyn has on above. However, I have tried them on and I have decided that you must be 70 lbs. and already have a small boootay. 

The lines of this era were ultra chic and feminine friendly. The high waist lines and plunging necklines...they knew how to flaunt what they had. And they always looked so glamorous, even eating a doughnut.

   

I have not seen "My Week With Marilyn" yet, but I have no doubt that Michelle Williams is fabulous and the fashion is to die for.

    

Happy Thursday! 

*images

Guhlitter

Today I was driving and Rhianna's "We Found Love" came on my radio. Every time I hear this song I think of glitter...? I have always loved anything with glitter, but I have never fed into my alter ego glitter-glam girl, so I will for this post! 

 

  

These images from Geronimo Balloons in LA make me want to put on my best glitter dress, throw a party  with streamers and huge balloons and throw glitter in the air.

  

Ok, so the wall is a little flashy, but for a glamorous shin dig don't think I wouldn't cover the table in glitter.

I stare at these shoes and long for my dress-up college days. I would have worn these with any theme: 80's, disco and the list goes on...

Just for some extra glitter watch this...you might recognize it from the Heineken commercial

Bring on the gold

The new year has started off rather busy for us (hence the lack of posting).  Thus brings a new obsession: anything gold and antique brass. Here are some goodies that are floating around on my wish list...

table, screen, lamp, glasses, bowl, flatware

check off the holidays... it is time for spring?

The holiday season is over but the stark, cold winter is still here, so I too find myself wishing for a warmer climate... 

for those who love neutral, green and white, like my mom... 

a small pops of contrasting colors add a little spice without over doing!

And, though we still must suffer through the bitter cold for a bit longer, spring is coming and I am looking forward to the fresh, new life which it brings...  Last year my mom and I attended a garden tour of Birmingham, a unique look into a few gorgeous, local residential gardens.  

add a beautiful urn to the cluster of pots...

As we perused each layout, we critiqued styles and looked to pick up tips for our own back patio.  I must admit we were nosy and opinionated throughout each visit... We took excessive photos for later inspiration and peered in the interior of each residence (not part of the garden tour).  

not a cluster, but still an absolute classic!

We left no small path unexplored.  During all this, the aesthetic which inspired us were the clusters of pots brightening dark corners and softening bare courtyards.  This year as spring approaches, Mom has selected clusters of varying pot sizes to adorn the concrete patio behind the house.  Surrounded by white wall of the house and a beautiful rough stone wall, the space demands careful use of pot clusters.  As we sit waiting for spring we contemplate the possibilities...

natural beauty... cluster all shapes, sizes, and textures

Bitter Cold

While hard at work today, I found myself longing to be in front of the fire, similar to the examples below.  Unfortunately, the quaint building that houses our little studio takes the outside weather to new, terrifying extremes- it is frigid in cool weather and scorching in warm weather.  Today's high - 38 degrees, so, I was numb.  Needless to say, I craved to be in warm, comfy loungewear... which I had given to my mama for Christmas.  You would think loungewear, strictly for comfort, would be easy to pick out... wrong.  I never knew there were so many options for this so-called "lazy" category.  But, if you were to know my mama she never looks "lazy" in loungewear.  True to form, her style is ever present - collar poppin'. ballet flat. skinny pants and probably some awesome necklace she just "happens" to find in her jewelry drawer.  She always looks fabulous!  So, naturally, I was dreaming of the comfy pieces I had picked out for her... or any of the other following options... loungewear, excluding velour Juicy jumpsuits, may undoubtedly be the best category of clothing.  

For the "Indie lounger"...turban anyone?

vest, tunic, pants, turban, boots 

For the " I will act like I'm lounging with my Louboutins and wreath close by..."

Channeling her "inner Audrey"

eye mask, tuxedo shirt, pants, pumps, wreath

For the ultimate lounger...

vest, sweatshirt, sweatpants, t-shirt, boots, socks

Stay Warm!

Off to a new start...

As our family gathered together to celebrate the New Year, we decided to take advantage of the clear, cold night and eat dinner outside.  Though it was a last minute decision, we were able to put resources together quickly.  We moved the table toward the outdoor fireplace, threw a circular burlap table cloth on a rectangular table, added mismatched candles, surrounded by different peas and beans, add everyday woven place mats, plates, and silverware, and viola... we had a lovely, simple table to begin the new year.  Though we were worried about the cold, we have pyromaniac family members who were overly ecstatic to build a scorching fire, which kept everyone comfortable, except for those nearest, who, of course, had to move.  Inspired by the simplistic beauty of the evening and the warmth of the fire, we began looking for future outdoor settings, after all you never know what may happen in the new year...        

Our cozy ambiance via Instagram.

Modern outdoor fireplace via Coastal Living

We could definitely deal with this setting...

Plates, napkins, flatware (fancy gold), woven placemat, cozy throw, amber goblets

Just for future reference...maybe 2013?