TABLETOP TUESDAY - a piece of this pie

i'd like a piece of this pie...pie-wedge table, that is.

plus, the spacing of the succulents amid the mushroom cloche is really brilliant.

note it:

"mushaboom" by feist

(photo credit: house beautiful, april 2010)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - pink pop

today i feel like a pink pop....

you really don't need much more.

note it:

"raspberry beret" by prince & the revolution

(photo credits: house beautiful/door in "drop dead gorgeous" from benjamin moore; house beautiful/chair; pink window trim/lissa lowe)

SATURDAY'S SPOONFUL - a small dose of sugar, spice + everything nice

tonight, i just wanna "kick it."

(ok, i don't dance but i really like all these shoes!)

note it:

"just dance" by lady gaga

(photo credit: lissa lowe, taken in the potrero in san francisco)

HUE: lovely by the sea

i've been thinking a lot about soft pink these days....so much so that this palette is one that my client and i are considering for her seaside cottage in mendocino.

these remind me of the weathered hues of a home tucked away in the hills of the south of france.

i imagine this hideaway filled with well-loved furnishings and "found" objets d'art, treasures of the every day.

where the inspired hues of "chinchilla," "cumulus cloud," "sparkling brook," "opal," "sea glass," "spring melt," "sugared pansy pink" and "wrought iron" come to rest.*

it would be a place that shows its age and yet its timelessness too.

its soul revealed as layers of plaster chip away.

i wish it were mine...and in my mind's eye, it is.

note it:

"sea of love" by the honeydrippers

(photo credits: pottery+sofa images/essentially french, tidepool/unknown; sea glass/waterside living. hues cited are from the martha stewart living paint collection at home depot)

STYLE IT: egg-cellent news!

i am one happy chick today....

martha stewart (@MarthaStewart) is now following me on twitter.

now that's something to chirp about!

thank you, martha. i am thrilled!

p.s. from april's MSL, these "cracked eggshells" made from the jagged edges of strips of electrical tape along with this stenciled "chirping chick" are so clever....and so darned cute!

note it:

"happy" by never shout never

(photo credit: martha stewart living, april 2010)

TABLETOP TUESDAY - simple seats

simple seats. simple eats.

un-fussiness allows focus.

now that's food for thought.

note it:

"don't you (forget about me)" by simple minds

(photo credit: lissa lowe, taken at chez papa in potrero hill, san francisco)

SATURDAY'S SPOONFUL - a small dose of sugar, spice + everything nice

this set of four handmade screen printed cuties from flytrap are perfect for celebrating the change in season - and Easter too.

spring has sprung!

enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

note it:

"banana pancakes" by jack johnson

STYLE IT: happy hour

i couldn't resist....

hello friday.

hello happy hour!

note it:

"gin and juice" by the gourds

(photo credit: lissa lowe for fuss frocks, clothing for wee ones. get your "night cap" here. a portion of the proceeds will benefit the ovarian cancer research fund)

STYLE IT: clever cross-stitch

some people collect coins. i collect purses.

lulu guinness, to be exact.

while the frugalista in me hasn't bought one in awhile, the décorista in me loves this large structured handbag.

look closely + you'll see it's a cross-stitch tapestry with a cleverly delivered message.

granny chic with a twist.

i've got to get it.

note it:

"thank you" by seal

SATURDAY'S SPOONFUL - a small dose of sugar, spice + everything nice

i really need to stitch something like this...before charlie's hand (now 4) is as big as mine!

mama, dada + baby make three.

thanks, country living, for the idea.

in this case, handmade will last forever....

note it:

"history in the making" by darius rucker

STYLE IT: with heart

i want.

they will look great by day or candlelight....

note it:

"your love is my drug" by ke$ha

(photo credit: kacey k. get your gorgeous peace sign heart earrings here.)

TABLETOP TUESDAY - plum crazy

i'm plum crazy over this mid-century plaid pottery....

the frugalista in me resisted the unneeded purchase, even for $100.

sigh, crazy.

note it:

"crazy" by gnarls barkley

(photo credit: lissa lowe)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - shiny red apple

i actually have a bamboo bar cart.

what i liked about this one - as made over by eddie ross for house beautiful in 2005 - is the sultry red glossiness.

a flea market find, eddie sprayed it until it was as shiny as a red apple.

cocktail party delicious, i think.

note it:

"kokomo" by little feat

(photo credit: house beautiful, march 2005)

STYLE IT: lucite

love these....

(they'll look great poised on the carpet on date night too).

i like lucite.

note it:

"fashion" by lady gaga

(photo credit: michael kors acrylic heels. i bought mine at nordstrom, but i think they might be sold out? here they were...)

GREEN IT: kelly laplante

it's really befitting that these eco-chic images are from interior designer named kelly laplante.

near and dear to my heart, kelly is a big believer in upcycling, recycling and repurposing.

my takeaways:

repaint. totally love the artwork above that ultra fab lipstick red refurbished dining table!

strip. what a fantastic stripped down concrete floor that she kept in her loft.

collect. make you own "mix + match" set of china from

curate. artfully arrange your bookshelves. find books at library sales or thrift shops.

yep, second-hand is more than eco-chic. it's super smart!

note it:

"something, somewhere, sometime" by daniel martin moore + ben sollee

(photo credits: sunset)

TABLETOP TUESDAY - deconstruct

for dinner parties or even weddings, i love the idea of a deconstructed table.

a look like this one can run the gamut - like heirloom china + sterling meets mismatched plates + silverware from the flea.

hold utensils in jelly jars, mason jars, loving cups or jefferson cups.

rethink.

or better yet, don't think.

it's an easier way to set the table.

note it:

"everything i own" by ken boothe

(photo credit: essentially french)

STYLE IT: tinseltown toes

oscar night!

(+ i couldn't resist posting this sign from this loo....)

note it:

"come into my house" by queen latifah

(photo credit: living in morocco)

STYLE IT: the blues

(oops, this post was saved in my drafts)

working on a color plan for a client, i noticed this quiet image from the march issue of house beautiful: "all about blue." i particularly like juxtaposition of the turquoise lamp with the various blues. and, the whisper of soft pink from the throw picks up the tones in carpeting and wallpaper as well as softly complements.

i'd like to sit in this room, sip some tea and contemplate.

note it:

"killing the blues" by robert plant and alison krauss

GREEN IT: milk it

so pretty...

save your bottles. makes for a lovely centerpiece.

or gift.

milk it for all it's worth.

note it:

"smile" by uncle cracker

(photo credit: lissa lowe)

TABLETOP TUESDAY - a bag of chips

mmmmm....what i'd give for some dip and a bag of chips.

note it:

"milk shake and potato chips" by bob marley

(photo credit: lissa lowe, part of my collection of 1950s chip 'n' dip bowls)