Carnival Style

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There's something beautiful about a carnival.  Yes, they're full of over-the-top pictures, rides, toys, signs and loud noises, but there's a beauty in the mayhem.  We went to a carnival recently and to me, when I looked at things individually, they were just rides or tacky signs or whatever, but when I looked around at the carnival as a whole, it was something better.  It was a little world of whacky and crazy and vintage-feeling fun.  And it was beautiful. 

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Once nighttime falls over a carnival, it becomes special.  Whatever field or parking lot that used to be in its place is totally transformed, and you forget all about what used to be there and what will be there again when the carnival leaves town. 

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I haven't been to one like this is a while, but my favorite carnivals or fairs are the kind that have sideshows.  I was fascinated by these when I was a little girl and won't ever  forget the sword swallower I once saw in a tent...  or the contortionist.

I love that sense of mystery...

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I would always try to pick the prettiest horse on the carousel...  usually pink with lots of roses.  ;)

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...  And the food is so bad but so good...  I love the crazy vintage signs.

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It was sitting here, at the counter of the carnival snack wagon the other night, that I started appreciating the details.  I mean, how perfect is it that the snack truck had this little fold-out set of shiny blue barstools to pull up to the counter?  They were just the right size for our boys.  And I love that they serve sodas in the vintage style glass bottles.  They taste so much better that way. 

{my guys- Christian and Justin- sharing a funnel cake}

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I love that all of these little over-the-top details and the busyness makes something that's just right.  There's an energy & an excitement about carnivals that's fueled by all the bright colors and the in-your-face everything.  All of the colors and things shouldn't work together, but they do. 

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And it reminds me of certain rooms & styles of decorating.  (In a very good way.)

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There are so many different bright colors in the room by Miles Redd above, that you wouldn't ordinarily think could all work together, but they do.  It has this great energy to it.

The room below has a bit of that quirky vintage feel to it of the classic old-fashioned carnivals.

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The whacky mix of patterns on the floor in the room below creates that happy feeling.  It's so perfectly "off." The little stack of books on the table reminds me a bit of circus tents.

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The tufted turqoise sofa, below, is one of those super-saturated colors seen all over carnivals.  The vintage touches and quirky shapes throughout the space add to the excitement.

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The mix of art and patterns below totally comes off as crazy in a good way.  There's so  much going on, but as a whole, it just works.

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The space in my friend Jenny's house (of Little Green Notebook) is perfect in its mix of bright happy colors combined with the vintage gilded mirror.  It's so unexpected but just comes together to create a truly charming space. 

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I'm sure none of the designers of the rooms above were inspired by carnivals, but they all managed to create spaces that, to me, are energetic and fun-feeling and are really unexpected.  Some are more dramatic while others are more laid-back but they all have that fearlessness that I think epitomizes a carnival.   I reminds me to look harder at everything I'm exposed to, because there's inspiration in all of it, even in a place that at first glance is loud and garish and a bit sticky.

Our boys are already asking about when they can go back.  And next time they might actually reach 42" which means a whole new set of rides!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

A Great Trip, A Beautiful Garden and A Winner!



My kids just got out of college for summer.  They are on quarters, so they start much later and end much later than a lot of other schools.  I was fortunate that it's late enough in June that the weather was gorgeous, I got to spend time with them,  and spend some time with friends while I was there.  Of course seeing friends means shopping and spending time looking at their beautiful gardens and beautiful homes.  :)

I found some fun things that I loved and could fit on the airplane with me.  I also found some great things that would've required their own seat, so I couldn't get them...

I love Coke memorabilia and have a couple of Coke crates.  I found this one that had the dividers.  I thought about using it to plant flowers in, but then decided to use it as a display case.

I found a few things to put in it, but I'm sure I'll switch things around a bit.  Right now I have it sitting on a bench, but may hang it later.

 I love little oil cans, and this one especially! 

I found this little birdcage.  I'm a sucker for birdcages! 

This bird letter sorter is perfect for my desk.

And the best part was spending time in my friend, Heather's GORGEOUS backyard!!  She is so amazingly talented!

The winner of the My Memories Giveaway is Pam at DIY Design Fanatic.  Congratulations Pam!

Thanks for your visit and sweet comments! 

Pam



I am linking to the following parties:


Jennifer Rizzo's Thrift Store Makeover Party

My Memories Giveaway!

I was so excited to hear about MyMemories.com and how easy they make it to create beautiful ways to showcase my pictures!  I was always the one who printed off my pictures and immediately put them in photo albums. I had so many friends that were scrapbooking with their pictures. I loved the idea, but it seemed like a lot of work and a lot of expense. 

With this software, it is SO easy, even for me! I just downloaded their software suite and got started. I was able to add pictures, captions and even journaling.  You can create digital scrapbooks, photobooks, cards, calendars and gifts without having to buy expensive and complicated software.  My Memories Suite is rated #1 by Amazon and Top Ten Reviews.

I love this Gardening themed Designer Pack:

























I know when my daughter comes home from college, she will be so excited to capture her memories from the school year. I think she'll love the idea of photobooks and even videos!

MyMemories.com has offered the lucky winner a download of their My Memories Suite software for free! (a $40 value!)

I will be choosing the winner on Sunday, June 17th.  Here's how you can enter to win:

• Be a follower of my blog 
• Visit MyMemories.com and come back and leave me a comment about your favorite Designer Pack.
• That's it!  Now if you're eager to get started right now, you can purchase the software and get $10 off.  Just use this code: STMMMS17684

Click HERE for their website

Thanks for your visit! 

Pam

I was given a copy of the software to review it.  My opinions of the product are my own.

Getting Your Sofa Selection Narrowed Down

By Oliver Bray of Web Marketing London

Oliver Bray’s has been interested in interior design and furnishing since first refurbishing his house a decade ago.  

Evangelising how our environment affects our performance, he now researches and writes about the latest trends in fashion, technology and interior design to help you transform your life.

Getting your sofa selection narrowed down to the one that is right for you and your family can be difficult. It is an expensive and important decision, and there are many factors that need to be considered.

Features

Yes, most sofas are designed to be sat on. However, some can come with several other practical purposes. A fold out futon-bed can come in handy if you frequently have the in-laws dropping by, but a sofa with recliner features can greatly enhance the comfort of sitting down and putting your feet up. Stitched down and fixed cushions might come in handy if you have children, and easily removable and washable fabric covers could make life a lot easier if it needs cleaning often. Think carefully about the little things; they could make a big difference.

There are a number of online stores who stock a range of sofas with different features. Selling sofa beds, recliner sofas and even sound sofas with built in speakers and Bluetooth, they can cater to everyone's personal taste.

Colour and Style

The colour and style of a new sofa is very important. The wrong choice can really clash with the style of a room, but a matching or complementing colour can enhance the look and even the feel of a living space. Think carefully about the different styles available. Sofas come in patterned, vintage and retro designs, as well as colours ranging from traditional and neutral to bold and vivid. Even the shape of the frame and cushions can differ between modern and sleek to vintage designs. Likewise, the material can make a big difference; suede can be a beautiful and elegant fabric, but can clash with the rest of the room. Leather is a popular choice but comes in a limited range of colours. Think carefully about the design of the rest of the room when making a decision.

CSL Sofas has a wide range of different colours to choose from. The decision can be even easier to make by using CSL Sofas free "In Your Room" phone application. Using augmented reality, you can pick out a sofa on the app and see what it would look like in your home. It's as simple as taking a photograph and is a sure way to see if the new furniture suits your style before you buy it.

Size and shape

Will the sofa be the focus of the room or will it be complemented by other armchairs? Is it for a busy family room or a more laid back living room? A sofa with built in reclining features can be ideal for quietly settling down and enjoying the television, but a large L-shaped sofa might be better for a bigger family or a more open room. You should always consider whether you will have other furniture such as footstools or a coffee table around the new sofa.

Kids and Pets

Never underestimate how mucky children can be, or how sharp a cat's claws are. It's ambitious to say "We'll keep the pets and kids off it!" but it doesn't always work out. Both pets and little children can be more destructive than they look so you'll need a couch made out of a hard-wearing material. Compared to upholstered fabric, leather is durable and easy to wipe clean. However, it can still be scratched so caution should be taken with any particularly persistent pooches.

Simple Pleasure Friday: Fresh Sugarsnap Peas

One of my favorite things to do (and don't do often enough) is to peruse our local farmer's market with my boys, tasting and buying fresh food.

Last week we bought some sugarsnap peas and as soon as I tasted them, memories rushed back to me.   I haven't had fresh sugarsnap peas since I was a kid. 

{Porcelain Farmer's Market container from my best friend, Frammy.  By Anthropologie}

What struck me about the sugarsnap peas was not how good they were (I like them but can only eat a few at a time... it's not "love") but how they brought me back to summers...  The flavor made me think of my Grandma Maestranzi's summer cottage vegetable garden and also of my Aunt Janet's garden in Rhode Island.  It also reminded me of snapping green beans for my Grandmother.  It's amazing how taste & smell bring on the memories. 

Had any good simple farmer's market pleasures lately?




Enjoy your weekend!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Client Family Room Sneakity Peek & a message from the past

I'm not back to work yet and am still on a "maternity leave" of some sorts, but I have gotten a few things accomplished.  I wanted to share a little sneakity peek of a client's family room:

Our client  found the old cabin blueprints above the sofa at a thrift store years ago and we loved them too so we had them framed.  The blue bowl on the coffee table is one I found a while back and its design is made out of safety pin idents into the clay that were then outlined in gold.  Right now it's a corral for the remote controls, but when entertaining it can be emptied and filled with something pretty like flowers or napkins or something seasonal.

Their new linen sofa by Lee Industries is so comfortable and I wish I'd fixed the back cushions for this pic after I put the throw blanket on but I didn't notice that until later. Oh well.  I love its lines and it's such a comfy "vegging" sofa.

The faded oushak rug has hits of blue in it, so for a bolster pillow, we used my "Pierced Porcelain" linen in a custom blue and we had the pillow edged in the Greek key trim.   

 I added a few interesting accessories to make the room feel like home (my client is very trusting and really lets me have fun & get creative with the accessorizing, which I love.  It's all a total surprise to her when she comes home-) and one of them was an antique children's book full of stories.  Glancing through the book I found this inscription:

{Hard to read but it says, "If my name you need to see, Look on page 103"

Of course I had to know the name, so I turned to page 103:

{If my name you still would find, Look on page marked 59"}

....Well, you can't stop there (at this point I'm thinking, "Ok kid, when is this going to end???") so I kept turning:

"Susan Cornelia Jones"

...

"If on that name you chance to look, Think of me and close this book."

...And that made me smile, because as I slowly closed the book, I did think of Susan Cornelia Jones.

...There was no way not to.  Reading her note gave us just the tiniest little insight into this girl...  she was fun & creative and patient... and more than that, she wanted to be thought of one day, to be remembered. 

I looked her up and found a couple of different Susan Cornelia Jones's  (I mean come on, I'm searching for a "Jones!!") but I did find a Susan Cornelia Jones who lived in Washington, DC in a Georgetown townhouse as a girl and then moved to Virginia with her husband and two children.  I found the book around here so just maybe.  And I found another from Long Island who died at the age of 24.  And then another from Texas... 

I'm not sure if any of these are her or not, but either way, I hope she's looking down today & knows we found her message.



If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Choosing Home and Building Insurance

If you own a home or property of any kind, it may be beneficial to obtain insurance for your property.  Disaster can strike at any moment, and having insurance provides you with the peace of mind that you will be covered if there will be any sort of disaster.  Selecting the right amount of insurance for your home or business property is always a challenge and dependent upon several varying factors that are unique to your situation and circumstances.

When determining the types and amounts of buildings and home insurance to obtain, consider the value of the property you own.   It is generally not advisable to insure the property for more than its current value, unless the cost associated with replacing the location are significant.  In addition, you should consider the likelihood of each disaster occurring and the geographic area where your home or property is located.  While it may be nice to have flood damage insurance, if your home is nowhere near a body of water, it may not be useful to have a significant amount of flood insurance and you may be able to trim this insurance for a lower premium payment.  In addition, you should always consider your financial circumstances and ability to pay these amounts of insurance and adjust the amount of your deductibles to meet your financial capacity or adjust your overall profit on your investment property.  Also consider any required insurance that you are mandated to obtain in accordance with your mortgage loan, which will help to protect the lender in case of your financial disaster. Finally, when selecting home and property insurance pay attention to the quality and reputation of the insurance company before selecting one, to insure that you are properly covered.

There are several types of home and property insurance out there that can be considered.  Homeowners insurance is a popular form of insurance that is generally mandated by your mortgage lender.  Homeowners insurance protects you from most environmental disasters including earthquake, flood, and tornado damage.  In addition, it protects you from theft of your home.  Homeowners insurance does not provide protection for routine repairs and maintenance.

Property and casualty insurance is another type of building insurance that is generally used with investment and business property.  It provides much of the same insurance that homeowners insurance does, but provides protection against lawsuits against your business in case of damage caused to others do to your property.