SMP Inspiration to Reality Photoshoot Challenge, part 2

Here's another try at the Style Me Pretty Inspiration Challenge. I've noticed this color combo is quite popular around the style blogs as of late, so I decided to use it. It's actually really fun and pretty and I think it would make a fabulous Photoshoot.


Credits: thisisglamourous (2), Weddings and the City, Lisa Lefkowitz, Jose Villa, Jose Villa Photography, anthropologie, red velvet cake, lunalux, bando

Kitchen Accessories: Top Five Goodies

1. Globe Pendants from West Elm.

2. A perfect poster from keep calm gallery.

3. Keeping with the cursive...fun glass from Zara Home.

4. A ridiculously expensive yet extremely useful knife set by Global at Williams-Sonoma.

5. The Francis Francis Espresso Machine. 'Nuff said.

Style Me Pretty Inspiration Challenge!

Before I get to the kitchen goodies, I wanted to share my entry for Style Me Pretty's new Inspiration Board Challenge. The winners' inspiration board gets the privilege of inspiring an amazing photoshoot by designers SD Events, photographers Person & Killian, videographers GENERATIONS Cinemastories and Faxon Green florists, which will be featured on Style Me Pretty. A girl could be so lucky, so here's my contribution. Obviously I hope it wins, but all the bloggers on Style Circle are fabulous, so it will be a tough decision. 

I, for one, am already in the holiday spirit. As much as I wanted to try and do a holiday-themed board without using red, it’s just such a beautiful color and really symbolizes both the beauty of the season as well as our love for family, friends and fiances! Use pops of red throughout the naturally gorgeous winter whites and neutrals and let tradition guide, not deter, you. 

Credits: martha stewart (3), sunday suppers, anthropologie (2), vol 25 @etsy, ticings, Carla Ten Eyck, ruby press @ etsy, furious photographers

house or home? style wish list

As soon as the money situation gets a bit more stable around here I will be rushing off to buy these items. I'm trying desperately to control the urge to shop, but it can't last much longer. It's just that, well, an unfinished home is no fun. My living room is aesthetically confused, my kitchen is an organizational disaster and the bedroom is blah. Hopefully these few things will pull everything together...my top five living room wishes.

1. Edland linen cabinet used as china storage for the living room @ Ikea.

2. Dash and Albert's zig zag rug is perfect for adding a bit of color.

3. A black base Saarinen dining table with wood top.

4. Sheepskin pouf from West Elm! How comfy!

5. A framed vintage poster. There are so many good ones it's painful.

All posters available from allposters.com

Next up: kitchen accessories!

November 30, 2009

Five favorites for the last day of November...

1. Cutest crochet dachsund @ anthropologie.

2. Canvas tote from Avril Loreti's etsy shop featuring

everyone's favorite retro housewife fantasy appliance.

3. Gorgeous new baby family portraits from boutwell studio.

4. Vosges bacon chocolate chip pancake mix. Need I say more?

5. DIY tufted ottoman project from littlegreennotebook.

Happy Monday!

Intro.

This blog is a long time coming, as I've been racking my brain for months trying to find a concept that suits me and my interests. There are so many amazing blogs out there and most are essentially copies of each other, yet everyone has their own twist to it. So I've decided that this blog will be a kind of daily inspiration list to help me get through my current situation.

Let's get it all out there on the first post, shall we? I'm 27 years old and engaged to a great guy. I moved to his country (Italy) from New Jersey, right after I met him about six years ago. I can hear the oohs and ahhs, although I must warn you - I'm not so enamored with life in Italy. After becoming fluent in the language and actually understanding everything on a much deeper level, things can get difficult and culturally shocking (and this is coming from an Italian-American).

I've been exploring my interests for a year,  with no job prospects and a lot of pessimism on my part thanks to Italy's negativity and sense of impossibility; the bureaucratic system quickly deems your creative endeavors  impossible (especially if you are young, a woman and/or missing an important last name) and Italian consumerism is so fickle (most only shop for serious discounts) that opening any kind of business would be a death wish. You would be bummed if you were me, trust me. I'm just so "yes we can" American, so relentlessly positive and open,  and giving up so many long term dreams of creativity and prosperity because of geographic location really brings me down.

BUT! This blog is my way of returning to the happy-go-lucky American girl I used to be and staying connected to a world I long for. These are my top fives of the day and I hope they do for you what they do for me. :)