These are random pretties around the house.
real branch, faux flowers
Euphorbia cut from the garden. I love the color.
Little things I buy for myself as a reward for going to the dentist (going this Thursday, yeah!)
Something fluffy wrapped around something hard for no reason at all.
Oh the irresistible charm of paper garlands, open and folded ones
C'est tout
Balance in my life where are you? Here is where i would like to live right now. In this very room. You can't lose your temper, be in a bad mood, or fret, or feel sorry for yourself in a room such as this one.
Thank goodness I'm off to see my friends Lenora and Robin for some therapy. I've been cranky as hell when I should be celebrating, and my bad mood adds to the guilt. What is wrong with me?! They will tell me for sure.
Often after visiting decor8 I wonder why I blog at all. Everything that I find beautiful and irresistible in decor and design is already there. Here is an example:
My neurons go 'smack, crackle and pop' when I see this room.
ahhhh....
Ohhh...
This is what I love about those spaces: the imperfections, the mismatching, the noble surfaces and the eclectic and colorful objects. I'm trying to track down where the photos are from. Maybe I could move there? Apparently it was found on this website in Swedish I'm unable to navigate, via this other site.
I am spinning and loving it. Of course I do not mean spinning on those torture devices called stationary bikes. In fact the only exercise I'm getting lately is to my fingers as I type and to my jaw as I munch on snacks. I mean my mind is spinning, I'm fully engaged intellectually and emotionally promoting my novel Hidden in Paris (in case you were hiding under a rock, on planet Mars.) I've received tons of emails and comments of encouragement, and I'm starting to get reviews and they are all GOOD! (thank you mom). Many bloggers have accepted to trade advertisement buttons with me, which is also GOOD and you'll start seeing them in the margin.
I was particularly touched by a certain blogger, who who went out of her way for me, so let me tell you what she does. The blog is called Une Petite Folie and the author of the blog, Linda Carswell lives in Tasmania but travels A LOT and I'm astounded at the beauty of her photography. But forget telling you. Let me show you.
There other thing that she is passionate about are miniatures, so if you're into the mini lifestyle you really should bookmark her site because it's shock full of the most delicate miniature house she is creating, as well as mini rooms, mini furnitures, mini objects and even mini food.
On an embarrassing note: The first edition of the novel has typos in it. I knew it but I did not know where to find them. Now I do... ahem. Sorry guys, I'm fixing this. If you get a copy of Hidden in Paris riddled with as many as twenty typos you can feel special because you know you are in possession of a first edition, (in case i become famous or something--doubtful, but hey, looking for a silver lining to this.) I know some will crucify me for this but what can they do to my sense of shame that I haven't done to myself already :(
How about some fearless interiors with colorful upholstery via living.com to illustrate my present mood?
I had such a great week. I was just in a good mood for no good reason at all. Having my life back is one awesomely good feeling!
And just as i write this I'm afraid to jinx it. Happiness can be a fleeting feeling. Or so i have managed to convince myself. Because feeling happy these day is not as fleeting a feeling as it used to be.
Maybe i'm getting the hang of this mood thing?
A really good week-end. My husband did not work. Amazing. I can count of the fingers of one hand how often that happens in a year. He had in mind to plant a vegetable garden. It reminded me of 'if you give a mouse a cookie' story. When he asked for the pic axe, I should have asked more questions.
For years we had a minuscule plot of land inside a community garden. We planted everything in that garden; corn, potatoes, of course tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, beets, broccoli, artichoke, stwawberry. Well, we called them that. A more exercised eye would have mostly seen crawling ants, worms, beetles, weeds and disease. You sure had to close your eyes before you swallowed. Oh it was organic gardening all right.
The point was, we got closer to the land as the kids played in the grass, I napped and blew on dandelions and he used brute force, pic axes and shears. Whatever money we saved on veggies, we spent on gas and water trying (and failing) to clean the vegetables. It was great.
Di did it again. Who else in the room loves Designer's Block? She must have small blogging angels whispering in her ears at all time. I don't know where she finds the stuff. One thing is for sure I know where I find my stuff. Here is favorite images from Hotze Eisma in the Netherland. Go to the site for photographer credit.
I see myself as a multi-tasker. I can write and listen to music while I eat and answer the phone. I can clean while cooking while checking over the children's homework. I can pay bills while listening to NPR while looking at blogs.
Here in L.A. the sky is ominously darkened by the smoke of a distant fire and the air smells of judgement day. The wind, cold and mean slithers under your skin. Palin and McCain are sounding increasingly like friends of the KKK, and the stock market is doing its mad Jekyll and Hyde thing.
Rather than giving you a lengthy and discombobulated post about the state of my in box (full) , my laundry basket (overflowing) and my nervous system (maxed-out). I'll post a few images that give me joy and peace as well as the blogs that introduced me to them.
British photographer David Giles's website is teeming with gorgeous shots from interiors to still life. Most are tiny (The large ones have a watermark. Is david Giles trying to tell us he rather not have his work floating around cyber-space?) Here are some of my favorite. All found via, you guessed it: Desire to Inspire.
Missing summer already?
Maybe because I grew up in gray Paris, surrounded with antiques, draperies, year-round central heating and a lot of dust, I love a house where I can live barefoot, where I can go from swimming in the pool to making dinner without getting out of my wet bathing suit. I like my windows open, my floor mopable, my couches slipcovered. I don’t mind flies at all, and I actually like it when the kids throw balls inside the house, which is really an extension of the garden. Beach House Style, a delightful store in Fairfax California in Marin County represents the casual, unfussy style that gives a home the feel of year-long summer vacation. Here are photos taken from the the beach house style website.
Susan Delurgio & Alisha Peterson, the owners have contributed to the decoration of the Sunset Magazine's summer retreat, an idea I fell in love with at first sight. This is, to me the perfect concept for a summer house. Purchase a small piece of land in a place you adore, and live like artsy nomads.
An assortment of outdoor tents are arranged around the main structure, (the only solid tructure, the one with running water and electricity) were the kitchen and bathroom are. The construction cost is minimal, and the outdoor life is maximal. It’s unpretentious, inexpensive, adaptable and built with mostly green materials. I just love it. Click here for a virtual tour of the Sunset Magazine summer retreat.
Here are a few pictures
Annie-Pierre and Jean Loup Moissonier’s house is featured on Cote Maison. The house was built originally in 1965 but it has been remodeled and modernized. I love the combo of ultra contemporary pieces with antiques. They apparently create furniture that can be found inside their Rue de L’université store, in the seventh arrondissement of Paris.
Additional pictures of the house can be found in Cote Maison's website: .
Here are photos taken from Sandrine Herlin's website. She creates tablecloths, curtains, bags, children decor etc... I love this tablecloth with removable silk flowers.
I adore those panels made out of linen.
She also makes pillows embroidered with linen, cotton and silk.
