Boys Of Summer

Let the baseball season begin!  Major league baseball pitchers & catchers reported for Spring training this week.  University of Florida baseball kicks off this weekend and most importantly my son's middle school team's first game is tonight! 

I love baseball and especially when my kids are playing.  However it does monopolize alot of my time.  My schedule completely changes.  So blogging will be slowed down quite a bit.  I don't have much time to work on projects right now.  I will be posting only 1-2 times a week for now.

Let's play ball!

Knock Off Decor

Knock off Decor is a fairly new blog created by the crazy talented

 seasoned blogger Becky of Infarrantly Creative. 

KOD features fellow bloggers knock-offs from all the catalogs that we love

 but don't want to shell out the moolah for. 

Thank you Becky for featuring my Pottery Barn Inspired Decorative Accents!

I am flattered to be part of this group!

If you haven't been over to visit Knock Off Decor.  Don't walk but run over!

You won't be disappointed!

I am....New Photo Blog!!

I am...is a new blog by Megan from Brassy Apple that features photos submitted by women that meets the theme set each month.  Febuary's theme is Love.  

I recently submitted a photo from Molly's first date with her dad.

Hop on over to I am... to see this sweet pic!

Here is Megan's description of her blog.....

 To connect through photos with other women and what they wanted to share - to be seen, to create, to capture life, to capture the everyday. To connect, to uplift to embrace, to empower and to relate - all through a single colorful snapshot.

This blog is about sharing snapshots from women all around the world. We are more than just all the labels, advertising, and categories we are put in or put ourselves in.

We are more than just...........

We all have different forms of beauty, different talents, traits that make us who we are and ideas that drive us and mold our character. We all have a story to tell.

So what can you capture through the lens of your camera to share? Often we as women and mothers are behind the camera capturing life without us in that moment. I want you to share those moments and occasionally step in front of it as well. We capture so many beautiful moments, images, stories and emotions through a single photo. We can learn so much from each other.

This blog will have a monthly theme that all the photos will be based on - like a tiny window into your life wherever you are on the globe. My hope is that we will see how similar we may be, to connect with others, to share a bit of our stories through a picture and a few simple words. To be intrigued about our differences. To laugh, cry, smile.....to be seen.

We are more than just............women, mothers, teachers, stay at home moms, working moms, single, divorced, married, tall, short, blonde, brunette.........."I AM" will let you declare through a photo bits of yourself and your daily life to share with other women.

------------------------

You can find out more about me - Megan - on my crafting/sewing blog Brassy Apple

 

Thanks Megan!  I am loving your new blog and look forward to seeing all the new pictures each day!

Eloise at The Plaza

Eloise was the inspiration for Molly's very berry pink room. 

 Originally I had planned to use an Eloise print I had.  Unfortunately I lost it.

But I thought you would enjoy seeing this...

You can stay in Eloise suite at The Plaza. 

"The Plaza Hotel is rawther thrilled to announce the launch of the one-of-a-kind Eloise Suite, designed by celebrated fashion designer Betsey Johnson. Channeling the ebullient spirit of The Plaza’s most famous “resident,” Eloise, the irreverent and irrepressible fictional heroine of Kay Thompson’s classic book who skibbled her way into the hearts of generations of readers. For her first-ever hotel collaboration, Johnson has designed an exclusive Eloise Suite that blends luxury and whimsy for a charmingly original result."

As is only fitting for New York’s quintessential “city child,” Eloise’s suite is located on the 18th floor and is comprised of two rooms – one for erstwhile young Eloises and one for their parents – resplendently rendered in an Eloise-approved palette of pink and black. Décor highlights include: a signature Plaza chandelier fitted with pink, candy striped wall panels outlined with gold leaf molding, a white zebra-print carpet, a King-size bed made up with custom-designed bedding depicting images of Eloise, a sparkly padded pink headboard and nearby ottoman, and Eloise’s name scrawled in neon lights affixed to the wall above. The suite is also equipped with original Hilary Knight prints adorning the walls, a disposable Eloise camera so that guests may snap photos of their stay, a wall-mounted flat screen TV and DVD player, Eloise DVDs and books, a tea set and Eloise and Weenie dolls, Eloise robes and towels.

The Eloise Suite Experience:

Upon arrival, a dedicated Eloise Ambassador will escort guests to the Suite where they may sign the official guest book and have their photo taken. The photo will be framed and given to the guest as a memento of the experience at turndown.

Rates for the Eloise Suite start at $995/night and include a monogrammed Eloise bathrobe, a $100 gift card to the Eloise shop, an Eloise camera, a framed photo of the guest inside the suite and an Eloise book. Guests also have the option to book an adjoining ‘grown-up’ Edwardian Suite, which includes both champagne and truffles. Rates start at $2045/night for this two-bedroom option.

From the movie..

If the suite is not enough for you can visit the Eloise shop.

Photos & article courtesy of The Plaza

What little girl wouldn't want to don a pink tutu and dance around a room like this?

I know I would.  Maybe one day!

Molly's Bedroom Reveal

Molly's vibrant pink room is 99% done.  I will not have her new fan and light until the end of the month.  So just ignore the gaudy white & gold fan. 

 Pantone, the leader in color forecasting, announces the "Color of the Year" is Honeysuckle.    The color is along the lines of a reddish pink or raspberry.  To read more about Honeysuckle visit Design Dazzle.  The wall color I chose is called Very Berry by Valspar.  I painted her room in December of 2009 for her birthday.  It has taken this room a while to evolve.

Let me know what you think.  Is there anything I should add or take away?

To see other posts about this room go here, here and here!

I am joining Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Trendy Treehouse for Creative Share Blog Hop

French Country Cottage for Feather Your Nest Fridays

It's a Hodgepode Life for Hodgepodge Fridays

Chic on a Shoestring Budget for Flaunt it Fridays

My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday

Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Mondays

Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Mondays

Dittle Dattle for Amaze Me Monday

Here are the details.

Curtain panels...JC Penny's Linden Street Back Tap Panels

Bed & Bookcase.. Simply Shabby Chic.. Target

Desk, Nightstand & Chair..Thriftstores

Bedding..Target

Lamps... Target

Checked Fabric.. Joanns

Paper Maiche Letters.. Michaels

Barbie Prints.. Barbie Calendar by Robert Best

Mirrors were ones I already had

Wall Color is Very Berry

Trim is Decorator's White

Furniture color is Swiss Coffee

All by Valspar!

If you like what you see, stick around and visit my older post!

I would love to have you as a follower!

The Kiss, an Unconditonal Surrender

ThPicture this, V-J Day celebration in New York City, August 14, 1945, Alfred Eisenstadt takes a photo of an un-identified soldier embraced in a kiss with Edith Shain a nurse.  Life Magazine puts this iconic moment in time on their cover.  Eisenstadt's career will never be the same.  Sure pictures of Adolf Hitler meeting with Mussolini were big, as well as Hemingway, and Sofia Loren, but nothing will ever hold a candle to "The Kiss".

In 2005 Sarasota's Island Park bay front was graced with a 26 foot aluminum sculpture by Seward Johnson called the "Unconditional Surrender".  Controversy plagued the city, when a public art committee declared that the statue was not art, but "ornamental and decorative" which disqualifies it from being in the cities public art collection..  Veterans groups immediately began petitions to save the statue.  A private citizen later donated $500,000 to the city to save what I believe to be a work of art.  New York City, San Diego, and Key West also have featured "The Kiss." 

So why am I telling you all of this?  My 9 year old daughter Molly loves this statue.  We have to ride by it every time we are in Sarasota.  Every Disney princess kisses her prince and this is just a fairy tale reminder to every little girl.

Molly can look at "The Kiss" any time she wants now.  She has 8x10 black & white photo of the statue taken by my step-dad hung in her room.  I also bought her a little image of the real picture last summer while I was in D.C..

Ah, the romance....

She's a Camera Hog!

This post was intended to show a mirror I have painted

and some wall decor hung in Molly's room.

But a little camera hog named Fifi took over. 

 I am very suspicious that this little furry devil is plotting to take over my little home decor blog.  Take a look at the progression of these photos and tell me what you think.

The evil plotter jumps up on the bed.

What's this??  The Inspired Fifi?  Really????

End of a yawn or an devious cat laugh?  I think the latter.

I have you and your readers wrapped around my cute, soft, and furry paw.

Mission accomplished...

Now let me be so I can rest.

Thanks Fifi for letting me have the blog back.  I promise I you can be in the blog anytime.

Maybe tomorrow I can show you more of Molly's room.

Valspar & Hibiscus

What does Valspar and a Hibiscus have in common? 

Pure entertainment and a bit of self satisfaction for me.

My special package with a free sample of paint and $5 coupon from Valspar arrived on my doorstep Saturday.  Woohoo (insert a little happy dance here)!!!! 

Have you gotten yours yet?  You still have a chance. 

 Visit Valspar to participate in the Power in Color Giveaway to get your very own. 

Here is what you get:

This is my new daily mantra!

How cute is that roller?

I was hoping this was the perfect color I have been searching for for the kids bathroom.

It wasn't.  But no fear.  I had another idea.

After browsing a few websites the other day I stumbled upon the 

Savannah artist Bellamy Murphy. 

Jane Coslick Cottage Collection also sells her work on her website.

I loved her work and could not get enough of her brilliant colors

 and whimsical take on coastal life. 

Bellamy's works are large canvas paintings. 

 The size of the art and the price point do not fit in with my small home and budget.

The more I looked at her paintings the more I thought, hey, I can do this! 

 I had a 8x10 canvas and grabbed my new paint sample and some other

 paint I had lying around and got creative. 

It did not fit in the space I was hoping for, but my sweet Mom asked if she could have it.

(After she laughed at me for painting a Hibiscus)

So off it goes to Sarasota and off I go to paint a blue crab!

Now, you go and register for your free sample of paint!

Thanks Valspar!

Lacy