Castle on a Cloud

I have long been fascinated with castles.  They evoke a sense of grandiose luxury and wealth, but also a sense of mystery and the dream of a fairytale.  I am fascinated by their stunning architecture, immaculate gardens, but overall their presence, whether standing tall surrounded by a moat or alone on top of a hill.  It is my dream to rent a castle in the Loire Valley in France. I hope that day arrives very soon, but until then I am currently dreaming about these...

All images from here

For the Love of Peonies

My love affair with flowers is broken into two categories - fragrance and texture.  My first favorite aromatic bloom is the gardenia.  The heady aroma of this delicate white flower is truly unbelievable.  Although there are not any oils in this flower (isn't it crazy to think that all gardenia notes in fragrance are synthetic?), despite the fact,  I have tried numerous times to dab the petals on my skin hoping that it's fragrance would linger. My other favorites are jasmine, narcissus and lilacs. 

In the texture category, it is a tie between the gorgeous fluffy light pink cherry blossoms that only grace us with their presence once a year and then of course, there is the peony.  There is something about peonies that are just so beautiful. It could be their layer upon layer of soft petals, or it could just be their beautiful hues ranging from light pink to dark magenta.  These beauties can liven up any room because there is something about them that evokes pure glamour.  

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2012 - A New Beginning

1. Organization

2. Continue down the path of pursuing my dreams

3.  Take a flower arranging class

4. Reconnect with friends that I have lost touch with over the past year

5. Enjoy life's simple joys

6. Eat/drink more greens

7. Embrace moments of  quiet and solitude

I cannot believe that the year is almost over.  So many exciting things have happened over the past twelve months.  I have been blessed in many ways.  And with the ringing in of the new year brings a clean slate - new days, weeks and months that will bring infinite possibilities.  I cannot wait to see what happens. I typically set goals not resolutions, I find that giving up something is just setting yourself up to fail.  Life is about living and enjoying and aiming higher.   Cheers to a happy new year!

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Primary (Winter) Colors

One of my favorite movies growing up was Heidi. I loved the story, but I loved the scenery of the snow-capped Swiss Alps and the wide open fields even more. I adore these photographs, especially how the sharp contrasts of the greens and blues stand out against the snowy rocky terrain.  A makeup trick to try - bright blue eye liner and a red lip that when paired together are absolutely stunning.   

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Inspiration: Bedroom Side Tables

 (Clear Acrylic)

(IKEA White Lack tables)

Our bedroom decoration project is slowly coming along, but the room is still lacking necessary furniture pieces, like two side tables to accent our bed.  We have one side table that is in need of some T-L-C. I have been on the look-out for inspiration on just how I can re-do this wood table that has a lot of potential.  Here are some gorgeous images that are allowing me to imagine just some of the possibilities. 

(White with Drawers)

(Mirrored Vintage)

 (Mirrored Accents)

(Mirrored Dresser)

(White Cafe Table)

(Silver Cafe Table)

(White Patterned Garden Seat)

 (Vintage Louis Vuitton Trunks)

 (Wooden Table)

(Gilded)

 (White with Gold)

 (Lacquered Finish)

 (Weathered Romantic)

All images from lonnymag

Campaign Trail: Spring has Sprung

Spring 2012 has sprung - in the fashion world that is. These are some of my favorite advertisements that will be begin appearing in magazines starting in February. My favorite? The Louis Vuitton ad campaign shot by Steven Meisel.  I adore the powder yellow and pinks and the way that the light creates a gentle glow - in a word, stunning.   Another interesting point is the return of the Amazonian models - Giselle is gracing quite a few of the campaigns below, and the return of Adriana Lima is marked in the tribal Donna Karan advertisements. 

(Prada)

(Prada)

(Prada)

(Valentino)

All images from here