.corner view

This week the corner view is staples. I do not count my family as a staple, but an absolute necessity, so besides them, here are a few things that I enjoy each week in my kitchen... and not necessarily in this order!

You?

Please see the other corner views.

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,

caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian,

jeanette, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, satsuki

.never too many

I love stripes. My Gramey told me when I was about 19 to never wear horizontal stripes as it was not ladylike. I weighed about 98 pounds and was wearing a guys Ralph Lauren rugby shirt with giant black and navy stripes. I think I must have been quite fetching. But it stuck. I like my stripes better on pillows and rugs. But I do love me a striped dress now and again, and she looks pretty lady-like to me!

You? How do you use stripes?

(image garance dore, pillows Lisbet Fris, rugs Dash and Albert)

.S.O.S.

The pretty picture I started this post with is to rope you in as it has nothing to do with my post at all. But it is pretty and I felt I owed you eye candy given what follows. Sneaky? Maybe. But necessary.

Meet my new sofa. Comfortable does not even do it justice. Unbelievable is more like it. Ninety four inches long! The lines are a dream. I love the comfort and get ready, I love the flea market price of $100.00!! Someone else bought it right away, but as the day went on, she could not get it home, so I SCORED! But I am a bit on the fence as the wear and tear on this gem could be almost too cruddy to be cruddy-cool. Make sense? It has some rips inside the seat and that makes me know there could be life there, and that is not what we need, more beings living here. You know how people often say the picture they are showing you does not do a person or thing justice? Well, these do the sofa more justice than it deserves. I couldn't take a bad shot of this baby, almost like it knew what I was up to! Odd, but true, so don't get all ohmygodleaveitjustlikeitis on me, until you factor that in person, it is not this good.

So, what to do?

Option one-Clean her up and revolve my room around this interesting shade of blue that I and child four adore, but may shelter an entire universe inside??? I will clean it well, but still, it is from the sixties-we see the original tag on the bottom of the sofa-so there could be some hippie bed buds living in a seat commune and well, how do you get them packing?

Ew.

Option two-Recover in a delicious, buttery soft, creme leather. I am a wholesaler who just happens to design leather books so I will not need to rob a bank for the leather, just a

7-11. (John, please breathe. This is just a thought. I know upholstery was not in the plan as you helped me lug it home with a huge smile on your face, but I fully plan on driving the getaway car if we go with this option.)

Option three-YOU TELL ME!!!

It's a diamond in the rough and if I just stick it in the playroom, part b of option one, it will be like, gee, thanks lady, why didn't you just let me fall out on the highway and call it a day. Yet option two is a bit scary as well (see above) and the blue color is one of the things that made me adore it in the first place. Oh, the drama.

Ok. Enough said. I believe my dilemma is clear. I could really use some input.

Please.

.friday floataway

Hello weekend! Time to strip off that business attire and RELAX. I have no true business attire, but I am going to wear my lazy flip-flops instead of my serious ones and hang with the family.

Please join me, shoes off, at this lovely little outdoor area for a drink

in the breeze(A small fantasy as I can assure you there is no breeze south of the

Mason-Dixon line). Can't wait.

Any great plans? Have a great one!

(images Marie-Claire, Anna Skoog)

.style or vile?

This look was sent over by my favorite Janet ever at the gorgeous French Blue. I know there are a lot of interesting hair fascinators(a word I didn't know until I moved to blogland-we call them "clips" where I come from.) and hats these days, but is this fashion statement for the birds?

Style or vile? Do tell!

.corner view

Music was in the air in Chicago last week. We were lucky enough to be in town for the Blue's Festival and it was amazing. Some played music, some danced to it, some listened and some just tapped their toes.

I did most of the above! What a great event.

P.S.-Sweet PJ has asked me to remind everyone that she has a great giveaway over at her blog today! Run over!

(illustration and images me)

Go visit: jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon,victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel,nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit,goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama,amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily,gillian, jeanette, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, satsuki

.i'm hot

I am hot. It is in getting up to 95, 96 again today and it feels like a noose. Summer came two days ago, and while welcome, it is being a bit pushy. Even in the cool air conditioning, which I do not prefer, it feels like all of my furniture and fabric are trying to smother me. I need very simple, sparse places right now to let the cool breeze run through.

You? How you feeling about the Summer days?

(some images are from this is glamorous, if the lampshade fits)

.foot fetish?

I am attracted to photographs of feet. Sometimes one person, often two. Sometimes inside, often outdoors. These shots always make me want to know more. Isn't it quite the talent that can tell a story with feet?

.link love

I am a newby at this blogging and some things have gone right over my dazed and confused head. I learned yesterday that it is proper blog manners to link to anything that is written about you and send people over to that blog. So, to all of those really great bloggers that have written such sweet and encouraging things about my business and me, forgive me! I did not know. It feels like bragging. So I hope my private thanks and appreciation were ok.

So, now as a newly converted braggart, I suggest you take a peek at Mostly Mod and see the Saturday Spotlight. This is one of my favorite blogs and I am honored to be included! I love everything they do.

Hope your weekend is going great.

.home sweet home

We're home! I do love home, although I also love to roam. Ha! Time for unpacking, getting the mail, filling orders and looking at the empty fridge! Quite the mix. But the best day will be Sunday, Father's Day, where I can celebrate the best men I know and love.

I hope you had a great week and your weekend is even better!

.style or vile?

I like whimsy. But the price of this chair might make your skin prickle. Is this creative design to be applauded, or left in the sand with the scorpions?

Is this style or vile?

Happy Tuesday!

Missed you this weekend, but having a blast in Chicago. Still away, and so bummed as I realized I am taking all of these fun shots, but did not bring my computer thingy to upload them!!! Yikes! Bad amateur photographer. I am so loving it here. Every time I visit a new place, or an old favorite, I fantasize about living there. My husband says I would last about two minutes in Chicago as I only visit in the Summer and have no clue what the winter looks like. I get crabby when it drops below 50 in the Carolina's, so it may not be a good fit. But since I can be practical,(stop laughing, John) daughter three and I decided over lunch that we may live here from May to September and split as soon as necessary. Either way, I love it and seem to be drawn in by the people and places every time I travel.

Do you get that way? Where do you want to split to???

(image Hello friend)

.oh, weekend!

Thrilled to be visiting the windy city this weekend.  And even though the majority of our time will be spent in a windowless sports complex watching hundreds of 14 year old girls hit a volleyball, I am psyched for the time we'll have to explore between matches.  The last time I was in Chicago, the city was breaking a one hundred year heat wave record.  Swear.  We were so excited before we landed dreaming of cool breezes from Lake Michigan.  Insufferable heat is one of the summer pitfalls of the otherwise delightful South.  Instead of escaping, we saw people passing out in the streets. Swear. I remember my son saying maybe people in Chicago did not know about sunscreen as they were dropping like flies.  I said that was possible.

Hoping to take in a Cubs game, get some pizza, and see the Cy Twombly exhibit at the Art Institute. Any wonderful suggestions? Do you have fun weekend plans?  See you Monday!

.style or vile?

Ok, vile would be quite the push for me, but the pitchforks made me ponder: 

Are there limits in bringing outdoor utility items inside for interior design?  Raina at If The Lamp Shade Fits is always one to make me think, and I loved her post this week. She asks if humble is the new grandeur in design and shows ripped-up feed bags made into pillows, along with many other interesting items. And as I had this image in my treasury, it seemed a good time to ask...

Style or, and if vile seems a bit dramatic, unnecessary?  Is it charming, or should you leave the pitch forks and barn broom outside?  Or is it good to have them handy to yank down and herd the kids to bed?  I'm on the fence.  Get it? Fence.  Outside. Ok.

Do tell!

(images craig kettles, If the lampshade fits)

.corner view

I am so excited to take part in Corner View, a fun game of sorts that Jane created over at the lovely Spain Daily. The problem is that this is my first week and I am already cheating! According to the theme, I am to  photograph the view outside my window or back door, and I am sad to say, these are not the views I see from my window or backdoor. But I am having camera issues, and I so want to play, so I have included the views outside my window from a few months ago in the Bahamas. Does that count?

They say it's better in the Bahamas. You decide.

Please go visit the corner views from: jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin,joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage,trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss,jennifer, dana,denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle,amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna,skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, nicola, malo, vanessa,britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, kyndalesamantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie,janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymamaamanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille,cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, jillian, doobleh-vay