Taxes

My least favorite thing to do...Taxes!

My daughter has been on me to finish to get the FAFSA submitted...back to the grind!

images via We Heart It

French Macaroons

I'm in the kitchen today baking up some French Macaroons. I have been seeing these beauties in all the magazines lately and decided to give them a try.

All the recipes seem about the same on the web so I'm using Martha's for the first go around...thinking about making the chocolate version...YUM!

Wish me luck!

images via We Heart It



Artist Watch : Amy Ruppel

Amy Ruppel is a self-taught encaustic artist & photographer. I have always wanted to purchase one of her pieces, but never followed through.

Her encaustic pieces are created by using computer illustrated drawings layered into beeswax with etched drawings on top. Since the surface is smoothed with the flame of a propane torch, Amy Ruppel describes her process as “painting with scissors and fire instead of a brush.” These works represent snapped moments in time, captured and taken from one simple slice of a digital photograph, to create a field of pure and lucid color. Simple imagery of birds and nests are a recurring motif in this series.

Amy Ruppel is constantly exploring new ways to bring the digital realm into the hands-on world and is constantly reworking encaustic methods into fresh contemporary forms. Amy states, “To me, feeling the completion of a piece is like reaching that ethereal finish line, and you feel the way that you do when you see the ocean from the shore, or when you exit a matinee and squint into the sudden light, knowing all along it was there.” Which is very much how one feels when experiencing Amy Ruppel’s paintings.

Busy

Been super busy at work...arg!

I'm loving all the beautiful shades of purple right now...check these out!

Love the plush velvet sectional in a bold color!

A touch of purple on the bed makes me want to dive right in...

This armoire makes me want to paint something in a rich violet!

Adore these plum ikat chairs...need them! 

 

Modern Chic Entryway

Modern artwork + chrome console + lucite stools + faux bamboo=

Modern Oasis

Precious Metals

I love Z Gallerie for their affordable furniture and fantastic accessories...I'm so excited for the new spring arrivals…especially all the silver and gold!

I adore the Sequoia Console Table...beautiful natural form and hand applied silver leaf...can it get much better than that?

I think this would be perfect in my bedroom!!!

Glamour emanates from the Hudson Floor Lamp in its shiny stainless steel.

The Axis Dining Table could be one of my top picks for my dining room table.

I think a pair of these Troy Sconces would give off the sexiest golden glow!

images via Z Gallerie

LONNY Jan/Feb First Look

I just finished browsing the Jan/Feb issue of Lonny…awesome as always! I love that I spotted the cute Jonathan Adler needlepoint owl pillow that I am obsessing over in designer Angel Dormer’s apartment!

Check it out…

images via Lonny

Fine Art Furniture...Rococo

Rococo.

I stumbled upon this unique furniture company several months ago. Each piece of furniture they sell is an amazing piece of artwork and one of a kind.

I definitely see this furniture adding a sense of modernism to a traditional setting. I love the juxtaposition of the painted fabric on a traditional French frame.

This would be so easy to duplicate at home on a worn-out piece of furniture. As long as the fabric is in good condition, it could easily be painted with fabric paint/dyes or drawn onto with permanent markers.

My favorite chair is the Chaotic Bloom chair…it’s simple but beautiful.

images via Rococo

Cozy Bedrooms

The cold weather is beckoning me to one of these cozy bedrooms...

of course wrapped in a faux fur blanket!

Hot Trend: All Aboard

Brrrrr…It’s cold in Texas!

The thought of snow this weekend has me longing to be on the beach sipping a mojito. I can almost feel the warm sun on my skin and the sand under my feet. Since I can’t get away…I would love to bring a bit of the beach to me. My beach bungalow is right at home, with classic, nautical stripes, vintage sea inspired accessories, and a classic color combo of navy and white.

 Love the nautical rope knots of this wallpaper…how cute in a small bathroom!

I love the eternally chic look of blue and white with a pop of pink!

Love this Zebra Fish Pillow from artist Jacqueline Maloney! Check out her other beautiful watercolor pillows from her Etsy shop...



Hot Trend: Owl Love

I have a secret love for owls…our neighbors told us that an owl lived in the rafters of our house while it was being built and I hear him late at night from time to time. The owl symbolizes wisdom and is seen as a protector, so I have been looking for something to remind me of our friend the owl…look at these fantastic finds!

I fell in LOVE with this adorable Owl Cookie Jar at Anthropologie last weekend...and it’s in 2 of my favorite colors-turquoise & orange!

LOVE this Jonathan Adler Owl Needlepoint Pillow…

I adore everything about this print from Etsy…the pink/green color scheme, the freshness of the sketch, the patterns on the owl, and especially the book page background!

How cute is this Owl Bank?

My daughter would go crazy for it since it’s in her favorite color…ORANGE!

Beautiful photo...reminds me of Harry Potter!

Adler does it again with this streamlined Owl Sculpture. I am crazy about the contrast of textures and polished nickel!

 



Who wouldn’t LOVE this Owl Ring…so modern and sweet!



Inspiration Board

One of my resolutions this year is to start an inspiration board, something I can visually set my eyes on every single day. I am thinking about placing it in my bedroom so I can see it at the beginning and end of my day.

I plan on going large like Kevin Sharkey’s…

I love that it is in the inside of his shoe closet!

What do you look to for inspiration every day?

images via Martha Stewart and unknown