AHHHH The Color Green!

My Old Cottage House in Nashville that I'm currently missing!

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Ahhh the color green, and as you have probably already guessed by now, it happens to be one of my favorite colors!

In our old bathroom in Nashville, I used Benjamin Moore's

Fernwood Green # 2145-40 and absolutely loved it!

While out a few days ago, and strolling through Crate & Barrel, I noticed a few home accessories with the color green that I'm adding to my spring sprucing-up-the-home list.

Such as these pretty Hampton Green Dinner plates! I'm thinking of just doing the salad plates to mix with my all white dinner plates.

Also, spotted this Marimekko Madison Green shower curtain. Since I'm going to be overhauling bathrooms later on this year...I certainly hope so anyway!

Nonetheless, I'm adding this pretty bathroom to my files. Just spotted this the other day while reading a Habitually Chic post on the Spades. Hence the bathroom is Kate's. Does any one happen to know the wallpaper that she used, here by chance?

Last but not least, spotted these bamboo Caspari napkins at the market last week and bought them. What can I say, instant gratification!

Loving Marilyn!!!

Image from Lonny

The other day while reading through Lonny , this ad for Rubie Green's quickly caught my eye. And after doing a little digging I discovered that one of Lonny's creators is Michelle Adams, a former Domino Editor and also the creator of RUBIE GREEN...go figure! The headboard fabric to me is very similar to a fabric by Clarence House--"Dahlia"--to be exact (see About Time). A fabric that I've tried to get my grubby little hands on but unfortunately found it a little too high for my budget. The fabric on the headboard is "Marilyn" and can be ordered directly through Rubie Green. I came very close to ordering a yard yesterday but I figured I had better wait to see how all my projects shake out this year. I would love to see this fabric in a sunroom (preferably my own) on a tufted ottoman, or perhaps a breakfast room (preferably my own), or an office on a settee (preferably my own) or exactly just like it's used here in this application as a headboard.

Marilyn

Here is a picture of Michelle's bedroom...fresh & crisp!

Image from Mabelle Michelle's blog

One thing that I was wondering though...Do you think that Michelle was inspired by this Kate Spade room? I've always loved this room!

What Will You Be Doing for Valentine's Day?

Drinking wine, eating cheese with candles aglow while sitting by a roaring fire?

Or having a nice private dinner for two?
Image here & above from Victoria Magazine




or

Admiring your beautiful roses that your sweetheart got you?
Images from Martha Stewart

Or making a nice chocolate fondue... like this one, from Carolyne Roehm.

I'm dying to try this recipe!

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For me, this coming Sunday the Hubby and I will be having pizza at our favorite pizzeria. In Charleston it was Andolini's. In Nashville it was Mafiosa's. Here in Atlanta it's Felini's.
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Please don't get me wrong about Hubby. He's really not that mean. He would buy me a piece of jewelry or even take me to a nice restaurant of my choice. However, a couple of glasses of red wine, a nice pizza, perhaps a box of chocolate that we can pick over and I'm pretty happy. I know, I'm one of the few women, just not into jewelry and as for the roses well.. I did scream at him one time for bringing me long stem roses. Needless to say, he has not came home with them ever since. Why, would I scream at such at such a nice gesture, you ask? Let's just say it had to do with my old job description of selling rose bowls and chopping up roses to display them...see The Quintessential English Rose Bowl .

FYI - Hubby did make the Red Velvet cupcakes using the Country Living Magazine recipe, I'm taking them to work in the morning...fingers crossed! In case you're in the mood, it's not too late I did find another recipe for Red Velvet cupcakes with Pinch My Salt. Also, Pinch My Salt pointed out a nice article on Red Velvet Cupcakes from the New York Times just in case your interested. WHO knew?

Your turn!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How Do You Organize Your Books?

Here I have my travel, self help, old college books (I was a Political Science Major, Hubby was Finance), travel guides, antiquing, and finding a job of my dreams types of books. And yes, we're big fans of Harry Potter !

My books are the one thing that I cannot live without! I keep everything, and not just the expensive decorating books, but my old college books, paperbacks, travel. etc. You name it, I keep them! I still have the first Let's Go Europe book that Hubby and I used on our first trip to Europe. It's quite funny to look back at some of our old notes. Another thing is that when I loan books out, I'm not a very happy camper when they don't get returned! Just last year when I loaned Sandy, our old Bohemian neighbor in Nashville, several books and she forgot to return them. In fact, I don't even think she ever read them! But that's OK, because she gave me all her old back issues of Martha Stewart Living . I had pitched my collection some time ago when we moved to Charleston. I do tend to pitch magazines collections but only when we move. I hate to do it but they can get mighty heavy!

Our night time reading...I'm currently reading The Help.

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Really, the whole reason why I'm even blogging about this is the last couple of years I've seen some people sorting their books according to their color spine. I did try that and it just did not work for me. I have found what works best for me is to have my book sorted according to self-help, travel, entertaining, gardening, you-name-it, and in different areas of my house! Hint, my self help books (Men are from Mars Women are from Venus ) are upstairs. I believe my buddy Cruella gave me that book, which is odd in and of itself because we usually get each other expensive decorating books, not self-help! In fact, I'll give Cruella a decorating book for a gift just so she doesn't have to borrow any of mine. Well...She does the same thing!

Of course my entertaining books with a few cookbooks thrown in, mostly Ina's.

Last but not least, my decorating books, which I have stacked throughout my house...here they are used to stack Hubby's bourbon. Also, I have several in my Man Cave (see Decorating A Man Cave) but Hubby doesn't mind!

I've shown you mine...your turn! How do you like to organize your books?

Are You Blue?

I remember this room very well...it was one of my first issues of House Beautiful & I've always have wanted to do a room like this!

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Just last night, I finally finished this month's issue of House Beautiful which was All About Blue the color blue that is. You know, the last couple of years I have been on a blue kick myself (see Feeling-Little-Blue-lately). Also, just this past year I bought several Blue Willow plates to incorporate with my English Asiatic Pheasant platters. The platters were leftovers from my antiquing days that have seemed to have stayed in my life. So last night after finishing House Beautiful, I realized that I love all my blue accent pieces, I even love indigo blue striped rugs. I love several blue fabrics and blue wallpaper even more. But sorry, no painted blue walls for me please. In Hubby and I's first house, the dining room walls had been painted powder blue (which, I suppose, can be pretty if done correctly) but...what do you think I did?

One of my favorite rooms by Victoria Hagan

Love this room by David Lawrence...perfect balance! Love the blue floral

fabric especially! Images via Cote de Texas.
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Oh, and by the way, I did purchase my friend Cruella's blue Canton ginger lamp (you can see it in my Man Cave). I guess before I put my foot in my mouth (I do have a few painting projects coming up), I suppose if I ever did paint walls blue, it would be above white beadboard--it just has to be mixed with white to work for me! How about you...

Are You Blue?

Do You Have Committal Issues with Wallpaper?

Here I used Farrow & Ball's Ringwold

in my old cottage house in Nashville

After writing A Room of Your Own, I've sensed that a few people have committal issues with wallpaper. I know, I hear it all the time. You don't want to commit to a wallpaper, or wallpaper is not 'in' right now! A couple of years ago, when I was putting wallpaper up in our cottage house in Nashville, everyone looked at me like I was a crazy fool! Even a few of my designer friends wondered why I was committing to a certain wallpaper. I loved the Ringwold paper so much, I even showed it to my realtor...he loved it immediately. Finally, I thought, someone who gets me. Plus, Hubby liked it as well, and, no, I don't think he just told me that, because he's quite vocal when he wants to be. So for all you folks (ladies & men) who have committal issues with wallpaper, here is what I may be doing down the road for a project that I'm currently working on.

Try it above with some wainscotting...like here at Winterthur. Image from Victoria Magazine

Still too much? Do one wall as a focal point. I'm loving this baby room, by the way! Image from Style at Home

Really afraid to commit and want a punch--do wallpaper panels.

Image from Canadian House & Home

Or just try it in your closet, and every time you open your doors--voila'. I've really been thinking of doing this myself (see Closet Envy). Image from Domino & wallpaper is Farrow & Ball St. Antoine