Vacation.....

We are out.....

 This week is our family vacation so I had a little trouble posting and getting out of town.  But have a great week! 
 

We will be back next week!

Pinkalicious......

I could not live without pink in my life.  

"More pink here, if you please." - Franz Liszt

 This is a Steven Grambel space that I have always loved.  It hangs on my inspiration board for so many reasons.  But his use of the pink and grey paint is wonderful.  Pink and grey is such a great color combination.  It also worked well earlier this summer when I showed you my "Pink Margarita" toes!

This child's room that Angie Hranowsky did is so cute.  I love the pink and red Raoul Textiles fabric.  I actually did the blue colorway of this fabric in my sons room for his roman shades but I have always liked pink and red together.  Everything here is just perfect, everything from the pink flokati rug to the darling pink day bed to the spunknic chandelier.  I know this is a kids room but I think most women would be happy here.  

There is not much I dislike about his bedroom but maybe it is how the space makes her pink skirt stand out that makes me love the over all feel even more.  I want that skirt!

 

This pink foyer is radical......most people would be scared to use a paint color like this.  And don't you just love that groovy chair.  I might not want this in my personal house but I would love to go visit.  

Even Batgirl needs a little pink in her life......

I am having an obsession with graffiti art.  I have decided that in my next house I am going to have a wall of graffiti, somewhere.  Maybe my kids can create the wall.  It can come to life over time with words, hand prints, color and design.  I will keep you posted when we start the graffiti wall in the new house.  The kids will probably be in college by then!

"I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick.  I believe in PINK. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." -- Audrey Hepburn 
 

What goes better with pink than........purple!  Lily's two favorite colors.  Maybe they are mine too.  Let me think. 

Lily's pink chandelier.........so sweet

 It really does not get much Pinker than this.......you have to be pretty cool to call yourself "Pink".....she really is cool as a fan. 

 “I was extreme... from skateboarder to hip-hopper to rave child to lead singer of a rock band - I did it all, and all at the same time.” -- Pink

And the pink Cheveron Stripe rug and the pink Moroccan poofs.....well, they just make me want to be hanging out in this space.  So playful!

This has aways been one of my favorite Domino Magazine pictures.  The soft pink walls looks so pretty with the Carrera marble vanity, and that mirror makes the space feel even more feminine.  I have this picture in an idea folder for the house Joe and I never built.  I don't know if he would go for this look abut it feels very romantic to me.  

This was a child's bath that I did here in Charleston. Yellow is another color that is really fun with pink.  These bright pink walls are so playful with the pink Raoul Textile fabric we did for the cafe shades.  I think the mom liked the daughters bathroom better than her own. 

I know I have already shown this picture but it shows my favorite pink dress, favorite pink chair and I still love that wallpaper.......it is just a good shot for the pinkalicious week!

"I don't think I will ever get tired of wearing pink."  -- Emma Bunton

Oh and we cannot do this post without showing off Miss Pinkalicious herself.  This has to be in every little girls book collection!

•   "Pink is the colour of passion"
  - Aerosmith (on Pink)
  
  
  I just won't ever get enough of this pink tutu......have a great weekend, Jenny
  
  

Lazy Summer Days, coming to an end........well not quite yet!

The end of the summer is near.  People are starting to talk about school starting and getting back into a routine.  The kids have had such a fun summer, they go to the beach or swimming everyday.  They have it made! We still have my parents family vacation to look forward to, so lets don't call it over just yet.  It is in Wrightsville Beach in NC, which is where we used to go when I was a child.  I don't know if this trip is more fun for me of for the kids.  Maybe just being there makes me feel like a kid again. 

Playing in the soft sand.......the best

"A people free to choose will always choose peace." -- Ronald Regan

 

This picture of one of Suzanne Kaslers beach house spaces is one of my favorites.  The light greige  and white color with the pops of orange is so crisp. This rooms is refined but still playful and the bunks are a great use of space. 

Ladies all the ladies.  This was a special treat picture that was taken just for the blog.  These are my girlfriends toes, taken when we were in Las Vegas earlier this summer.  We have a little rainbow assortment here.  This is inspiring me for my next polish change......hum, which color will it be???  Silly girls.......

This Steven Grambel room is one I could live in.  It is the perfect beach house space.  I just did a similar driftwood table to go between two sofas for a client.  It is everyone's favorite thing in the house.  The natural shape of driftwood is so organic and artsy.  I love this coffee table and when I get some photos taken I will show you how my clients side table turned out.  You also have to love the white sofa, soft white sheer curtains and the blue suzani pillows......oh and the view doesn't hurt.  Yes, I would be quite happy here.

As  much as I love color, I still like the soft greys, tans and creams you see here in Lily's shell collection.  If I had the pleasure of owning more than one home I might try to do one in these natural tones.  These natural colors all together in nature are just beautiful......this would be great for the spa I dream about designing one day too!

Jimmy, oh Jimmy......Thank you for being you.  This little book is one that should be in every beach bag.  How he sees the world is just so spot on, and funny too.  It also does not hurt that he is such a cutie.  When my mom and I decided to take Jay (age 4) to NYC during the summer our philosophy for getting through our days was saying thank you to everything.  For instance, "Thank you Empire State Building Line, for looking like you were going to be about 5 minutes outside the building and then being over an hour once we got inside.  Really, Thank you, since I am standing here holding my 4 your old son!"......it really did help us to laugh in some intense situations.

We just watched the movie "Soul Surfer".  Wow, it is so inspiring.  Now seeing my little girl on this board gives me a whole new perspective.  Everyone should see this movie.  Bethany Hamilton is an amazing young woman.

"Love is to the heart what the summer is to the farmer's year - it brings to harvest all the loveliest flowers of the soul."  ~Author Unknown

Who is having more fun at this 4th of July party?????......the kids or the adults........

Out with the old (summer drinks, that is....)

In with the NEW.........about 2 years ago Joe's aunt, Joby, became sick and had to move here closer to her treatments and family.  We all got a whole lot healthier during this time and learned a lot about food and nutrition.  A nutritionist even came in and stayed with the family for a few days to teach about how to shop at Whole Foods and to show how to cook the right way.  During this time we started drinking coconut water.  Joby's son Bobby is a Dr. and when he came to town we created this healthy refreshing summer drink.  We named it "The Joby" and it is made with Mount Gay Rum, Coconut Water and 1/2 of a fresh lime per drink................Oh and lots of ice.  Yum Yum. 

Summer soccer camp with best friends......fierce competitors

"Summa, Summa, Summa-time!.......let's just sit back and unwind"-- Will Smith
Once you have kids there is not a lot of unwinding, especially on the beach or on vacation.  But it is all worth it to create these summer memories for the little ones......school will be here soon enough.

A life without love is like a year without summer.  ~Swedish Proverb

Another Birthday........hubby's

If my husband wanted to be remembered any way, I think this might be it.  He is quite the outdoors-man and is becoming more so every season.  He is a good man and he loves getting the perfect sporting picture of himself!.......yes we have deer heads and stuffed ducks too.  This year he went to Argentina to hunt doves with his father.  I don't really get it but I am glad he has hobbies that he loves.  Happy 39th honey.

"Lovers don't finally meet somewhere, they are in each other all along" --- Rumi

So we took an overnight trip to NYC this past Friday for Joe's birthday and we stayed here at the Gramercy Park Hotel.  Ok so I have a new favorite hotel.  The owner has one of the largest contemporary art collections and some of it is displayed here at the hotel.  There were million dollar pieces just hanging around all over the place.  That is not normal!  But I love it........

A number of Warhol's grace the walls of the "Rose Bar" where we had drinks at the end of the night.  The owner was also once a partner in the nightclub "Studio 54", so as you can imagine he was friends with the most Avant Garde, artist types. 

I really think this might have been our room.......don't you just love people who are not scared of color.....I wish I could work on such a crazy project.

This piece of art is by George Condo.....I saw his exhibit at the "New Museum" last time I was in NYC.....I have to be honest, he is a little to over the top for me......some of his pieces scare me.  But the "Jade Bar" here at the hotel was still really great.  There is velvet all over this place. 

And well here you go.......I could live in this room.  This light installation is unbelievable.  I think they told us there are 16,000 light bulbs in the installation.  Only 95 light up but still.  Can you imagine if all 16,000 lit up.  You would probably go blind.  Oh and there were 4 or 5 Damien Hirst pieces here.  On was a butterfly piece that was beautiful.  Joe seemed to like all the art, which was fun to see. 

So one of the main reasons to go to NYC this weekend was because the Alexander McQueen exhibit "Savage Beauty" is going on and ends August 7th.  It is the most seen exhibit ever at "The Met".  The line was up to 3 hrs long.  I will give you all a tip and you might already know, but if you want to go see an exhibit like this then get a membership to the museum. It was the best $70 I have ever spent, we did not have to pay admission, Joe got in for nothing, we got to jump the whole line and I got 10% off on the book that I purchased.  I think I made money on the deal.  It was crazy but so glad we got to see it.  What talent, so dark and so tragic. 

So the fact that Joe went to the fashion exhibit with me was amazing.  We have slightly different ideas about fashion.  We don't buy each other clothes anymore because it never seems to work out.  So there will always be differences between people but that is what keeps it interesting.  I know that I can always give him a gift certificate to Halfmoon Outfitters and he will be just fine.  I did actually get him a photograph for his birthday and I think he really appreciates, and likes it.  Who knows, at least he acted like it!

I just love this photograph.  I saw it in a large, 8' x 10' size on a white wall at market and it just took my breath away.  Isn't it so sweet.  I am not really a horse person but this is truly beautiful.  Reminds me of being in love.  

 Joe really really wanted me to post this picture........so cute.......he wants all you lovely people to see his 100 pound tarpon, caught on fly.......its not a pair of new Manolo Blahnik's, but it is a catch that he is very proud of......hummm.....I have been to the keys with him and tarpon fishing is very cool......everybody's got there thing!

Another one of my favorites of our family photographs.  Joe is such a good dad.  He loves his children more than anything.  I hope they will always appreciate him as much as I do.  So I guess, I better start planning the big 40, one year and counting.  Oh but not me!...I still have a little over 2 years...shooo weee

"Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without."  ~James C. Dobson