siss boom bang!

much to delight...in white!

I tend to always lean towards bright, colored things... any turquoise, lavender {I die!}, chartreuse, orange or citron... oh, CITRON!

But today at my desk I looked up at these beauties hanging from the rafters and realized that you know, sometimes, there is just as much joy in the simple, pure color of white...

This color, to me, is very intriguing.... maybe it's because sometimes when I see white, I'm overcome with a sense of calmness and peace... other times I feel like someone just threw 6 + espresso shots into my drink to electrify me and jolt me awake!

So I started looking around to find more vignettes that I would be enamored with, and this is what I found :

Aren't these just lovely?!?

I think I've added a new color to my list of faves... and what a magnificent one, it is, indeed!

Cheers to white!

H 2 whoa!

Well, since it's the first official week of summer and it's nearing 100 degrees daily outside, it all has me thinking... about what else? WATER!

No, I'm not dehydrated {atleast, I don't think} but really all this heat & humidity makes me want to go jump in a crisp, cold pool.

And, if I was lucky enough to have such a luxury in my backyard, I think i would want it to look something like this:

{elle decor via Shelter}

or this would do also.

{elle decor}

Either option must be paired with a reasonably-sized float in the middle that holds me - with chilled beverage in hand, of course.

And, after my divine dip, I believe it wouldn't be too terribly difficult if I just curled up somewhere like here

{via desire to inspire}

or here

{source unknown}

- but just for a little cat nap, right?

Well, how about a little bit of sunshine that I could add in my real house?

And, if I'm wanting to get really tricky I could start going into fabrics... {Hummmmm, now maybe I should give Katie a call?!?}

Well, you too, can have these things - all found here at the studio.

Now, hurry... because I'm not making any promises that they won't be coming home with me.

{Note: Husbands are not allowed to comment on this post!}

Here's to daily sunshine {and plenty of water!} this summer,

mirror, mirror on my wall

Finally got around to having the backsplash in my little reading nook/bar area covered in antique mirrors. LOVE IT! This little room is easily one of my favorite spaces in this old house...bright but cozy, and now it's even more so! I often employ this age-old technique in small areas...to open up the space visually. Works every time, of course. That's the thing about a mirror {new or old}...never gonna lie to you, doesn't run out of batteries, and what you see is what you get. Dependable. {Unless it breaks, but that's a whole other story and then there are issues of luck and possible misfortune, etc...let's not think about that}...I'm a sucker for some authentic antique mirror glass though...I get my friends at D&B Glass here in Greenville to save any scraps or discards of the good stuff they may have. The enviable patina of old glass adds just enough sparkle {but not too much!} and a layer of time and "crust" to any room.

We have this set of gorgeous floor mirrors at the shop right now, and for the life of me, I can't understand why they are still with us?! Maybe they are waiting for ME to bring them home. {I have nary an inch of space or I'd try to squeeze them in!} They are newly constructed from aged glass and antique bits and pieces of architectural moulding.

Just lovely. Could easily be the fairest of them all.

i got the blues...

My world has been a pink explosion of late...due to BabyGirl showing up. But some of my favorite things lately {besides my pink lady, of course} have been in one shade or another of this dreamy hue: blue.

Early this spring I painted my stair landing and kitchen door the most soothing turquoise : Benjamin Moore 2050-40 Florida Keys Blue {semi-gloss for these applications}. It's a gorgeous white sand beach, frosty mojito and resplendent sunset in a quart-size can. Get some for yourself! If you're local, visit our friends at Suburban Paint for all your paint needs.

{Benjamin Moore}

I've been true to blue when pulling concepts together for new clients recently too...trying to work it in when I can. Blue, in most every shade, offers a clean slate, a deep breath. Hope. Clear skies. Placid waters. It says: fresh, crisp, confident.

One thing's for sure: if we have to do laundry and vacuum, we may as well look cute doing it. Hence, my new Miele canister vac. This is dang cute, don't you think? LOVE this little wonder...excellent performance, lightweight, not to mention it's color makes me smile every time I see it! And the cobalt Electrolux washer and dryer were a nice step up from the dingy basic white laundro-matish editions that preceded them. Makes housework a breeze! {This is not really true, but sounds good...the breeze part, I mean, since I still have to be Cinderella and do the work!}

Last, but not least, thought I'd throw in my boys who greet me each morning. They've clearly been up to something. Got this compelling painting from my artist/foodie/mystic friend, Sermet in Charleston. You may have eaten at his delicious cafe, Sermet's Corner on King Street. I love the quote written at the bottom of his painting: A youth without fire is followed by old age without experience.

{Sermet's Corner, 276 King Street, Charleston, SC 29401. ph 843.853.7775}

True that. So, light it up!

chasing fireflies

{google images}

Ok, here goes: I'm new to this blog-thing. I still don't fully understand it...and frankly, it intimidates me. There, I said it. But our marketing diva and dear friend, Taylor, assures me that all I have to do is write about "what inspires" me. Well, this could go on all day, right? As sleep deprived as I am these days {having given birth to little Virginia 5 weeks ago}, I still find my spirits buoyed by the unexpected. Could be the way the pink/aqua/chartreuse evening light filters through century-old trees that canopy our house. Or the perfect pitch of our black lab, Bryson's soulful howl...whatever the "inspiration" of the moment, it is always accompanied by a rush of deep gratitude.

I grew up in Alabama where many a thick, balmy evening was spent running barefoot, stringy-haired around the neighborhood...Mason jar in hand, grasping for little magic bits of joy we called "lightning bugs." My sibling and I spent hours creating natural "lanterns" which we placed beside our beds. Last night, my ten-year old son, Guy and I were looking for some trouble to get into...so we grabbed a plastic Crystal Light container {fresh out of Mason jars here} and lit out into the perfect sticky Carolina dusk to catch some fun. WOWEE! The dark woods behind our house had become the perfect layered stage for a synchronized electric show! Nature's own Lite Brite {remember those?!} We stood wide-eyed, mouths gaping at the mesmerizing display. Crickets chirped and birds chattered about it...even one of the {creepy} neighborhood raccoons stopped near us to watch before he scuttled off into the brush. Guy said, " I always liked that word, 'scuttled'." And I said, "Me too." And that was that.

How's that for inspiration?

My crazy wonderful dreamy boy, Guy. He's without a doubt, my greatest inspiration.

I'm gonna take all those greens and citrons and lavenders from those bugs and the gorgeous twilight and pick back up a series of paintings I started a couple of years ago...of swinging chinese lanterns, ribbons, fireflies and the like. A party on a canvas. Stay tuned. I'll post them as I get them finished.

Be happy. Be grateful. Mostly, be kind.