monday musing

 

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favorite find of the week 1.28 {and a little bonus for readers}

I am in love with this little Etsy gem I discovered this week, kassapanola!  They make tons of beautiful throw pillows for a fantastic price, and the bonus...they are a local company based right here in Tampa!

Who couldn't use a little leopard in their life?

 

Or zebra?

I never say no to a classic houndstooth....

This one is perfect for the "Flip Flops and Pearls" lifestyle...

A special treat for all my readers...the owner of kassapanola is offering a discount for all you guys! So, now you can get some of these great pillows for yourself!!

Here is the promo code to receive 10% off your purchase...FFPBLOG.

Hope you guys love this Etsy seller as much as I do!!

designer crush :: summer thornton

I am in absolute designer love with Summer Thornton! Her style is the perfect mix of classic and current thrown in at all the right moments.  She calls Chicago home and has completed projects all over the Chicago area as well as around the country.  Summer studied art and business in college which gave her the perfect foundation for her thriving firm.

 

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A velvet tufted headboard takes on a whole new life when it's in a peacock blue color and sitting against a fabulous metallic damask wallpaper...

Classic Louis XIV chairs upholstered in an updated zebra-like print...

I love the antique brass nightstands, totally beats your typical ho-hum wood nightstands, huh?

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oh the pressure!!

As everyone knows, my husband and I are planning on building a new house this year.  We held off on starting construction until we put our current home on the market, thinking we would have plenty of time to get our act together on the new home. Months and months of time...no rush. Well, that isn't exactly how it played out. We put our home on the market officially on January 16th and it was under contract on January 21st. Um, yeah, waaaay faster than we thought!! That's great news but now there is so much to do to get the ball rolling.

I have contemplated finishes and talked about my ideas on the blog for awhile now, again thinking I had plenty of time until I had to really decide. Now, I feel like I have designer stage fright! Not sure where to start and nervous that I am not making the right decision...this is what it sounds like in my head all the time..."I really want a white kitchen, am I going to love it in 5 years? 10 years? What about moving this wall this way a few inches...oh wait, no"...ugh, my brain is fried!! I think it's crazy how for clients it is so easy to make the decision. I am not emotionally attached to anything. I am confident in my selections but then it comes down to my own house and I am so torn!

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 I know I am probably being a maniac about it right now because I am thinking about all that has to be done and worrying myself sick about the selections. I am sure in the next month, I will have a clear head and will be able to make confident selections. Fingers crossed!!

monday musing

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favorite find of the week 1.21

I had such a welcome surprise this week...I had a little mention in this month's issue of 'The Nest' Magazine!!

I was a part of the organization tip section of the magazine. I was in the company of other great bloggers like Marianne from Haven and Home, Traci Zeller, Jen Ramos of Made by Girl, and Michelle Jennings-Wiebe of Studio M (who happens to be a Tampa blogger too!).  It was 5 words but those 5 little words were followed by my name and blog name. Enough to make my day!!

Thanks sooo much to 'The Nest' for including me!! It's my first magazine mention so forgive the crazy enthusiasm coming through!!

Happy Friday ya'll!!

wingin' it

I have had wing chairs on my mind for a week now after searching the internet and catalogs for the perfect one for a client.

Wing chairs have got to be one of my favorite upholstery items. They can be used everywhere, they make a cozy reading spot in a living room and a luxe addition to any dining room as host chairs.

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Wing chairs can vary in style from traditional to modern and some with a little of both thrown in. Here are some of my favorites I have come across--

I love this one from Restoration Hardware with the natural linen upholstery and nailhead trim. It brings the wing chair to a more natural, rustic state.

 This one designed by Celerie Kemble is all glamour with the tufting and velvet upholstery.

A blend of traditional and modern, this wing chair could be at home in either setting.

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 Vincente Wolf's wing chair design is unique in the exagerrated curves in the "wings".

I would gladly take any of these in my home!

window shopping :: pieces inc

I decided to do a little "window shopping" at Pieces Inc. last night. I hadn't been on the website in awhile and I had some extra time, so why not? (Side note...that is how so many of my real life shopping trips start, "Oh I have 30 minutes to kill, I will just run into the mall and look" and 30 minutes later, I have my hands full with bags of things I probably don't need). Luckily for my husband, my debit card was nowhere in sight when I browsed around the Pieces website.

My mental shopping cart looked a little like this--

Who wouldn't want a pair of these pristine beauties? It would have to be in a no-kid zone because I can only imagine what these would look like after an afternoon with a two year old!

Oh, how I love a Chippendale chair! The bright apple green lacquer gives a modern twist to a classic.

I am in love with this desk. It's a mix of rugged glamour with the wood top and bright chrome legs.

Love this...again wouldn't work with kids or pets but this is just for pretend anyway!

I love most anything made from reclaimed wood and these look so refined yet rustic with their architectural form.

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blogger crush :: jess constable

How did I not know about Jess Constable?? I just discovered her blog, Makeunder My Life, this weekend and I sat for hours reading all the posts. So full of inspiring articles and knowledge... I felt like I was talking with a friend with all her advice on pursuing your life's passions.  I can't say enough about how wonderful the blog is and how Jess seems like one of the nicest people you will ever meet, someone who would always have your back and be one of the most supportive friends ever. That is why I added her to my Google Reader stat, so I can get a daily dose of that inspiration!

On top of being a stellar blogger, she is a jewelry designer to boot! I fell in love with a lot of her pieces! So, please, if you haven't checked out Makeunder My Life or Jess LC Jewelry, you should pronto! You won't be disappointed!

On a different note, thanks for all the comments on the new look for the blog! I wanted something crisp and clean and I think Bailey from B's Blog Boutique did an excellent job with the redesign!

monday musing {and a new look}

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favorite find of the week 1.14

Earlier this week, I got an email in my inbox from Melissa Warner from Massuco Warner Miller...I know, I was pretty excited. I clicked on it and it was an announcement. MWM are now carrying a line of throw pillows! It was only a matter of time until these uber talented ladies ventured into product design.

There is only a small collection right now but I am sure it will be expanding in the next year. Here's a few that I loved...

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i want to work here!

Did anyone catch Bunny Williams' fabulous resource room in the new issue of Lonny?? I have seen a few resource rooms in my day and I have never seen one as beautiful and organized as this!  Totally sending my resume in tomorrow!!

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design done right

I am starting a new series on the blog called 'design done right'.  I will take a picture of a space and call out where the designer got it right and what makes it great.


I found the perfect image to start this series while perusing the latest edition of Lonny.  I usually lean toward a more traditional or transitional room but something about this space stood out to me.  It is the home of West Elm's manager of color and concept, Angel Dormer.  Her home is filled with color, eclectic finds, and great artwork. This is a perfect example of modern eclectic design done right!

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monday musing

 

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I wanted to thank everyone for all their encouraging comments on the blog, Facebook, and Twitter over the weekend! I am so proud of myself for completing my first half marathon! Loved it so much I am already signed up for another one in February!


Happy Monday!

favorite find of the week 1.7

I haven't done a 'favorite find' post in awhile and I found something totally worthy yesterday! I discovered the blog, "Simply Seleta", and I am hooked!!  How did I not know about her?  She is a sassy, Southern stylista with 4 beautiful kiddos and a handsome husband.  I can't wait to read all her past posts and I look forward to all her future ones!

 

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How can you doubt her fabulous-ness with a photo like this??

I have something pretty exciting going on this weekend...I am running my first half marathon! I am very excited to be running the Disney World Half Marathon with three of my girlfriends.  After 11 weeks of training, I am ready for Saturday! Wish me luck!

resolution three

Ok, this is a fun one... I am making a pretty easy personal resolution for myself this year. I want to make it a point to watch some of the classic movies and read great books, the kind that inspire people and make the lists for what you must read or you must watch.  I would love to hear your suggestions...what book or movie do you suggest for me???

resolution two

In continuation with my resolutions and goals for this year, I will lay out my goals for myself professionally this year.  These goals and wishes are always in the back of my mind every day and have been for years.

I know that I am not living up to my potential in my field and have kind of short-changed myself and taken the easy road for awhile.  2011 is going to be the year where I want to break out of my comfort zone and push myself to be the kind of designer and business person I know I can be.  I know I have a long road ahead of me and people work for years and years to establish themselves and I guess there is no better time than the present!

I am looking forward to all that this year is going to have to offer for me professionally and as I talked about in the last post, I am planning on giving you all more glimpses into that life more often!

fresh start~ resolution one

I know the blogosphere is going to be buzzing this week with everyone's New Year's resolutions and I am totally jumping on that band wagon. I started working on my resolutions as soon as I returned home from Lavish in Atlanta. My head was full of ideas for my blog, business, etc. and I had to get them all down. In the weeks after, I have created some more resolutions for my personal life. I am going to share all of these resolutions here this week.

I am going to start with my blog. I could have never imagined how much I would love having this outlet and actually having people read and comment and interact with me. I have found a little family, full of people who share the same interests and inspirations. I love this family and it deserves more of my time. I feel like in the last month, I haven't been giving it my all in blogging. The holidays are mostly to blame, with everything going on, I had no time to devote here.

I have many goals for my blog for 2011.  One of them being to make my blog more of an extension of my professional life, I am an interior designer, not just a person with a passion for beautiful interiors, and I feel like I could offer so much more to readers if I showed more of that side. I have come up with many post ideas that will help me convey that side of myself.  Another goal for myself is to interact a little more. When I first discovered blogging, I would comment like crazy and would always reply back to all the commenters on my blog. I need to get back to that! I really do love everything I see and I appreciate every comment...I just need to start telling ya'll that again! I would also love to do more guest posts for other bloggers as well as feature other bloggers on my site.  I love this community and I want to feature that more.

A new year means fresh start so also be on the lookout for a new, updated layout soon!

Tomorrow, I will talk about my goals for the new year in my professional life...

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monday musing {fresh start to a new year}

I can't believe it's 2011!! It is crazy how the last year flew by and I am looking forward to the possibilities and adventures the new year will bring!

I must start the new year off right with an inspirational quote that is very fitting to the fresh start 2011 brings...

 

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