For the love of color

Image via pantone.com.

Pantone announced its color of the year for 2010 as turquoise. I'm a huge fan, although I tend to enjoy a more dark and saturated version of the color - I think turquoise can mean many things to many people. Overall, I'm loving the image they created to promote this year's "it" hue. The orange and yellow make the entire look feel very fresh to me. And I feel a courageous decision coming on for a bedding direction...this could be huge, friends. I'll keep you posted.

Here's a bit on how the company explains the importance of PMS 15-5519.

"Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing."

Sounds ideal for my bedroom.

Currently obsessing

All photos via Make Something.

I can't shake these beautiful prints from Karyn's site. She makes things from Japanese dress books and she totally inspires. I just finished a tunic similar to the one above only it's in blah, blah, boring black. Her dress makes me want to branch out of my comfort zone.

Where dreams begin

This dog-eared copy of "A Very Young Skater" by Jill Krementz (circa 1979) is one of many well-loved books from my childhood. I'm not sure what came first: this book. Or, my best friend from Kindergarten, Shiloh, who happened to be a competitive ice skater. And by competitive, I mean that she had a very fancy green dress that she had once worn in a skating performance. I coveted that dress during every play date. My skating career lasted just a few months. I never got a pretty dress but I would mentally choose one every time we walked through the skate shop for my short-lived lessons.

I spent many years pouring over this book. Rereading every page for new insight in to young Katherine Healy's life. The pre-dawn workouts, the private ballet classes, the performance at Madison Square Garden. Large black and white photos drew me into a life that seemed like pure magic to me.

My mom found this book a few weeks ago packed away with some other childhood treasures. I cannot over-state the very private and sweet memories that flooded back at the turn of each page. If you can find it, I would highly recommend this book series for your daughter. The author also wrote books on young girls chasing dreams of horse riding, gymnastics and dance.

The winter Olympics always reignites my ice skating daydreams. Can't help it. Some dreams will simply not relent. Do you have any childhood dreams that still haunt you? Are you currently pursuing one of them? I would love to hear about it.

Side note:

Here is my dream job list from about the age of 4 to roughly 24 - in chronological order:

Professional ice skater, artist, fashion designer, Molly Ringwald, actor, broadcast journalist, magazine editor, florist. And rather than chasing any of these dreams, I studied journalism and public relations and have spent more than a decade working in various shades of grey cubicles. Not exactly the stuff of childhood fantasies.

Proof

This package of goodies arrived yesterday morning. Turns out my hubby reads this blog. During a layover in Paris he had some Valentine's delivered my way. They took a bit longer than he expected and he ended up beating them home by a day. That's o.k. I was more than happy to sit on the couch, watching Project Runway with him while devouring a box of sinful French macaroons. Thanks lovey.

Happy weekend, friends.

Good on paper

Greeting cards found at Pop+Shorty and originally spotted on Dani's blog.

Snarky humor will get me each and every time. But I also have a terribly soft spot sweet little birds in trees.

I am complex like that.

That girl

Photo via ban.do.

I have long wished to be the type who could pull off frivolous fashion. I lean hard on beige and black. It's my comfort food. My go to for shoes and bags and cardigans. But secretly, I want to be that girl who rocks sassy headbands in her hair and dresses just for fun and less for function.

What do you think of this pretty little head piece? I'm thinking it may be my birthday gift to myself. But then if I get it and don't wear it with abandon I'll mentally kick myself in the ass for years. I have issues, friends.

Delicious daydream

Laduree won my heart many years ago. I stalked it online for months before my last trip to Paris. And let me just say, it totally lives up to its hype. Waiting in line for one of their pastries is worth all the anticipation and mouth-watering impatience. But be warned, once your turn comes up you better be ready to make some serious selections. The ladies behind the counter do not mess around. They are ready and willing to pack you a beautiful box of perfection but they will not endure your wide-eyed indecision. I learned this the hard way. I walked away, shell-shocked from all the options, with a handful of macaroons and several creme puffs to enjoy in our hotel room.  

Every so often I visit their website as a sweet little reminder of this mecca of sweets. It's my reliable online escape. Tell me, what sweet escapes do you have online?

P.S. For my little giveaway, I asked my hubby to choose a number between 1-10 and he immediately came back with "7". I am so happy that Kristi of Kristi Workman Photography decided to "de-lurk" (as she said) and leave a comment because that's how she won the felt garland. I'll be putting it in the mail today. Now let's all keep keep an eye on her website, as she will soon be launching it to showcase her photography.

Fear for all it's worth

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."

-Anais Nin


I mentioned here a little while back that I have a long list of fears. Lots of big and not-s0-big boogie men in my closet keeping me from all kinds of fun on a very regular basis. And the thing I'm learning about fear is that you really can't run fast enough to actually escape it. It pretty much sticks with you wherever you go.

And I should preface that the fears I'm about to share are quite luxurious. I have a safe and warm home. A secure job. A healthy family. Loving friends. I am blessed beyond belief. Because of all those gifts I am able to worry about silly things. None the less, some of them keep me up at night.

So here's the very short list. And yes, it's been edited to only include items I think I may actually attempt...this year. You see, I want my life to be big and full of courageous acts. Here are a few things I am afraid of doing and now, apparently, I am committing to try.

In no particular order, I'm afraid of:

Speaking in public (my hands shake and my face quivers)

Baking from scratch (can't help it - I secretly want to be that mom)

Redecorating my bedroom (it's hard, nearly impossible, totally agonizing for me to commit to bedding. Don't even get me started on paint.)

Writing about my life (you might judge me)

Reading A Year of Magical Thinking (I cannot fathom how Joan Didion gets out of bed every day)

I'm not sure when, but I'm going to give these a go and I promise to share the details here. Are there any boogie men you'd like to banish this year?

Happy bloggy birthday (and a giveaway)

I can hardly believe how quickly this past year of life and blogging has gone. This online world has proven to be a little slice of happy for me. A place where I am accountable for my creative life. And a place where new friends and old come to visit and encourage me with kind words and enthusiasm.

Thank you, friends, for supporting me in this journey. Your comments are the highlight of my day. As a small way to share my appreciation, I'm giving away this cheery little garland I made (thanks to the Purl Bee inspiration). Help me celebrate by leaving a comment here by Midnight, Monday, February 8 and I'll chose a winner at random. (Link to it on your blog and consider yourself entered twice).

Thanks for all your love and support and have a lovely weekend!

Garden skirts

Just had to share a couple skirts I made a while back for two of my favorite little girls, Lark and Rita. Found the tutorial here and her directions could not have been easier to follow. The fabric was such fun to work with and I'm just itching to use these combinations again. Would it be totally offensive to make matching skirts for their mamas?

I must take a moment to apologize to all my friends with little boys. I have yet to find a sewing project that a little man would appreciate. For now, it's the ladies in my life who are benefiting from my sewing addiction.

P.S. My blog anniversary is coming up so stay tuned for a fun little giveaway I'll be posting on Friday in honor of the big day.

Pretty progress

Been waiting since last spring for this. One sweet blooming Camellia in my garden. Out of four dwarf Camellia bushes exactly none of them have bloomed for the past five years. Turns out they hate fertilizer (oops) and they love water (double-oops). So the all these past years when I've completely ignored them, save for the weekly dump of Miracle Grow my poor little Camellias were protesting with their bare branches. Last spring I stopped fertilizing, started a regular watering schedule and sweet-talked my little lovelies.

And here I present the lone result. Representing for her three sisters.

P.S. I took this photo in "manual" mode after playing with the exposure and f-stop settings. Knowledge is power, people. So here's to progress. In the garden and in my painfully slow photography journey.