Conran Shop

This Garden parasol makes me smile - good enough reason to love it!



Image Conran USA

Reasons I need to sew

The fabulous fabrics of one Angie Lewin. So wonderful, they make me want to take up the needle! But after my one foray into the sewing world, I think I will just buy the fabric and let someone else do the stitching! Not my forte and that is okay!





Images via Angie Lewin

Happy Father's Day

I lost my father over a decade ago. I still miss him every day and that will never change. However, there is now another father in my life and that is the father of my children. He is a good man and a good father. So to him, I say "Happy Father's Day, We all Love you".

Happiness is.....

An armful of warm fresh magazines! Dearest husband was in the DC area this week and picked me up some much needed foreign reading matter. Lots of eye candy - perhaps too much eye candy! Vogue Bambini made me break out in a sweat and I have yet to peruse the Marie Claire Maison! It made my day to hold these in my mitts. Thank you husband!

Grandma Becky

Here is the photo that I was telling you about!

Marie Claire Photos

I love the lighting in these photos. Just so ethereal.






Photos via Marie Claire (British)

RH Baby update

I finally got a look at the Restoration Hardware baby and child catalog and I was not really that impressed. I was not expecting anything ground breaking but it was just what I thought it would be - no surprises. That is not really a bad thing I suppose but nothing really made me gasp. A few things I liked were the following





images via RH baby

To Dream

It has been raining and dreary here for what seems like an eternity! I need to do some online traveling! If I still lived in Europe, I would be in one of these places right about now!!! I miss Italy! C'mon Spring, hurry up and come shake off my funk!







From top: Sailing off Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Trulli Imperiale in Puglia, a beach in Sardinia, Costa Smeralda in Sardinia

PB Teen Armoire

My daughter has a large walk in closet in her room but I don't think that is going to stop me wanting this. I love the color, the three doors (one with mirror) and the drawers at the bottom. Just perfect!




Chelsea Armoire from PB Teen

our little science experiment

I had lots of containers filled with white ranunculus on my front porch. As they were on their last legs, I decided to cut them and enjoy them in vases inside the house. We decided to try the old food dye in the water trick to see if it would turn the flowers blue. My son was enthralled with the process and just loved the outcome. A fun and silly way to spend a rainy afternoon!

Before


After

First Butterfly of the Year

It has been a cold long Spring here in the Pacific Northwest. Sunny days have been few and far between and I am beginning to think that we are just going to skip summer and go straight to Autumn. However, this sight, out in my garden, gave me much hope!

Beauty in the Sadness

The memorial service for a sailor killed in action. The 1100 sailors lining the streets under gray and gloomy skies. Pristine in their dress blues. The majesty and pomp all just conspired to send tears streaming down cheeks. Bagpipes, roll call, 21 gun salutes and a bugler playing taps - a beautiful moving send off for a man who touched so many. His family will always be in my thoughts.

 

Ink & Wit

This is one of those online stores that make me sigh! It is all so beautiful.

I love this animal poster




and these postcards make me happy




images via Ink and Wit

Charmingwall

I love this gallery and I love that in lieu of a trip to NYC, I can just visit here and drool over my keyboard!

I also love that you can buy prints from over 150 illustrators for just $20 each - awesome! So much talent, so little dollar.

An example - if you please


Image by Evan B. Harris via Charmingwall.com

Barenaked Ladies

While I was perusing the Land of Nod website, I came across this



The Barenaked Ladies have released a childrens album. I listened to a little and it seems like it may have to find its way to my ipod. My children love They Might Be Giants and I think this will be a sure hit with them too. Bonus, I do not want to drive into a wall if I am listening to it!!!

Seen at Land of Nod

Land of Nod

I am a big fan of this catalog and store. They have some lovely things but these sure grabbed my attention! I wish spring or summer would make it's way here to the Pacific Northwest for longer than a day so I could put these bad boys to use. It is cold and pouring out there right now! To dream, to dream!




I love this bag and think it would be great for farmers market trips



And finally, I know Owen would love these. Today he is all about cars and rockets and ships. Yesterday dinosaurs, today transportation, tomorrow - who knows?


All images and items from Land of Nod

Yves Saint Laurent

Bonne nuit Génie. Nous vous avons aimés et maintenant nous disons au revoir. Paix

I have always had a fondness for this man and his work. He embodied all that was French to me at a very young age. I watched my mother wear his clothes and they brought something out in her that was not always apparent. A sophistication that she allowed to emerge on special occasions. She was always beautiful and fabulous and robust in that wonderful earthy Italian way, but then she would slip into something with YSL on the label and French chick with a pout would emerge. I did not inherit this chameleon like ability but I sure enjoyed watching her. I also grew a foot taller than her so all her fabulous clothes went to my two petite sisters - c'est la vie!