tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18978882510722137632024-03-13T02:05:13.041-04:00Eclectic InspirationsA glance at what inspires me - interior designer, small business owner, business consultant, mom, wife, sister, daughter & literature lover. Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-423781026886313252014-02-19T15:18:00.001-05:002014-02-19T15:36:14.716-05:00What do Interior Designers Know Anyway?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, a hair stylist said to me, "I don't get why you would go to school for interior design. You either have an eye for it or you don't." Hmmm...to a point, I agree. Some people just have a refined eye and limitless creativity. Most people who have that refined eye, though, have had training, whether formal or informal.<br />
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The same could be said for styling hair. Some people have the touch and others don't ( I certainly DON'T). And, I think most people know, from experience, that just because someone has a license to do hair, doesn't mean they have the touch or the eye for it.<br />
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A lot more goes into designing a home than choosing just pretty fabric or the right paint colors. Architecture & Design go hand in hand, and a good designer is well-educated to know how they work together. Just like a good stylist knows that the hair cut should work with the shape of a client's face and her hair color needs to compliment her skin tone.<br />
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Actually, interior designers have a ton to learn, but everything a person needs to learn about being a good designer, doesn't necessarily come from a set number of college courses.<br />
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I feel the classes I have taken were truly helpful and inspiring, and I can't really imagine launching a career in interior design without having had some formal training. Although, there are many great designers who probably never sat in a "design class."<br />
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But what<i> DO</i> interior designers learn in school? Designers learn about furniture - to recognize Rococo from Regency styles; they learn about fabric - what double rub and warp and weft mean; they learn about color - the difference between a tint, tone, and shade. They learn to draft floor plans and create renderings (like the one above). They learn to always remember the fundamentals of design - scale, proportion, and balance. They learn the steps to renovation - like before you can start a bathroom makeover, you need to know the dimensions of the toilet and how far from the wall it should be placed. Seriously. But most importantly, future designers learn from other designers who have been there and done that.<br />
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I feel my training has been a combination of informal and formal - kind of the "semi-formal" type. My "informal" education has come from the School of Home-Renovation and from design magazines, visits to museums, and studying art, film, and fashion. And from just paying attention when my husband (who isn't a contractor but could be one) speaks about following code and what size a 2x4 board really is these days. I am Certified in interior design, which is pretty much the equivalent of having an AA or trade degree - my "formal" training. But, both parts of my education in design prove to be equally valid and significant.<br />
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However, the MOST important thing I have learned in studying design is that you must KEEP LEARNING. I consider myself a life-long learner, and continue to take classes, read books, participate in webinars, etc. I think that anyone who wants to be successful as a designer, entrepreneur, or successful at whatever job you have, must devote themselves to the business of learning.<br />
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So, to that hair stylist who questioned learning to be an interior designer, I say, <i>keep taking those cut and color classes and going to hair shows. You still have a lot to learn. We all do.</i><br />
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0Gloucester, MA, USA42.6159285 -70.66198880000001742.4290095 -70.984712300000012 42.802847500000006 -70.339265300000022tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-9649706041718267182013-08-27T12:14:00.002-04:002013-08-27T12:15:53.589-04:00Back-to-Boots & Scarves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How fun is this Diane von Furstenberg Infinity Scarf?</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Guess Vale Boot - Love the fawn color & gold heel!</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Michael Kors Ailee Boot - Classic & Timeless</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">BOOTS! I am so looking forward to fall because I get to wear boots again! They are my favo</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">rite type of shoe. Tall, heeled, equestrian...it doesn't matter. I love them all. These are just a few of my favorites from the new fall lines. All of these can be found at <a href="http://nordstrom.com/">Nordstrom.com</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My other favorite accessory returning in the fall - SCARVES! They are like cloth jewelry; they pull a look together and turn a dull outfit into something sassy or sophisticated. Check out the Autumn-hued lovelies I found below.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Ripple Effect Scarf - Cotton/Silk</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These scarves are a steal at $18.00 each, plus they fund 25 c. of food when you purchase them from </span><a href="https://thehungersite.greatergood.com/store/ths/item/43965/ripple-effect-scarf?source=4-321-5">thehungersite.greatergood.com</a>. L<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ook great and do good at the same time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Description from the website:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Created to help women worldwide gain economic security for themselves and their families by earning fair wages for their handiwork, Global Girlfriend sources women-made, fair-trade imported, eco-friendly products. By supporting long-term partnerships with the artisans, it fosters equal employment opportunities, healthy and safe working conditions, technical assistance, and development strategies to help reduce poverty, one community at a time. Become a "Global Girlfriend" and help build a brighter future for girlfriends around the globe!"</i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Leopard and Lace Print Scarf - via <a href="http://www.anntaylor.com/">Ann Taylor.com</a></i></span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-88163162271566168752013-08-13T15:51:00.000-04:002013-08-13T15:52:37.505-04:00An Inexpensive, Inspired Summer <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester, MA</td></tr>
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So, I have basically taken the summer off. I haven't worked, blogged, marketed, taken any classes, or even been on Pinterest...much.<br />
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But, I have been inspired this season. Just not in the "usual" ways. I have been inspired by beach views, friends, FB posts (yes, seriously!), and the simple and relaxed (lazy) pace we've kept for the last two months.<br />
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Of course, there is a price to pay for all this relaxation - a steep decline in our expendable income! In other words - no play money. No new summer clothes for mom. Very little dining out. Zero budget for new home furnishings or for new cars - which my husband and I both need/want. (He needs a new one, and I want a new one...but that's another story.) However, there has been a BIG pay off too.<br />
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Usually, I work during the summer and my kids camp-hop = exhausting and doesn't feel much different from the rest of the year - there are just more towels to wash. And/or, we go on vacation and take a long road trip to see family and friends. And though I truly love our road-trip adventures, we seem to speed through the summer on overdrive, going from one planned event to the next = fun, expensive, & exhausting! And, before we know it - before we can transport nearly enough sand home from beach trips - the summer is over, and we are back-to-school shopping.<br />
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But this budget-tight summer, we didn't go on vacation, enroll in one camp program, visit an amusement park, a zoo, or any other pricey, exciting location. And it has been so nice. We have done and enjoyed so much right here at home. We got super friendly with our local beaches and our hometown ice cream shops; we played in our own backyard, exercised, danced to music, played board games, ate lots of fresh fruit and veggies (some from our own garden), made our own ice cream, spent time with friends & made new ones. We walked to our favorite parks. We watched movies together and became hooked on the TV show, American Ninja Warrior - talk about inspiring!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-4fzf6wu5BLiTG3UEpnUApF24yK0A23PDw1fkkRvaeEGEBtvv5e1kLdfn1OIm0EdEUqzn6QQjgykJ2Pa2JJyWAGRuvQSNGmR-lwKrRETlcY2mloytkUgvK8fRqJCEDpAeDp1oSUZiek/s1600/stage+fort+park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-4fzf6wu5BLiTG3UEpnUApF24yK0A23PDw1fkkRvaeEGEBtvv5e1kLdfn1OIm0EdEUqzn6QQjgykJ2Pa2JJyWAGRuvQSNGmR-lwKrRETlcY2mloytkUgvK8fRqJCEDpAeDp1oSUZiek/s400/stage+fort+park.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stage Fort Park, Gloucester</td></tr>
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My husband and I were even able to spend a kid-free week together completing home-improvement projects, while our kids were camping with their grandparents. THANK GOD FOR GRANDPARENTS!<br />
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But the biggest payoff for me, has been time. Time to Read. Not just magazines and blogs. But a real, hard-bound, literary, written-by-a-Pulitzer-Prize-winning author, BOOK. Time to Learn - from blogs about parenting, to posts about exercise and eating healthier. Time to Explore and appreciate our town. Time to Dream. Time for Friends. Time to Sleep. Time to Reminisce. Time to Love. Time to Teach - teach my children that KINDNESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POSSESSION. Beyond having smarts, beyond having beauty, having kindness is the most important thing to have. To teach them about getting along and to love one another. To teach them that money doesn't come easy and goes very, very fast.<br />
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And, the summer isn't over yet. We still have TIME. And it doesn't cost a cent.<br />
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-39498599937100758402013-05-10T14:18:00.002-04:002013-05-10T18:02:57.538-04:00The Great? Gatsby <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgiJ10J8NxZfWU440B9dxRCZ3roklg07VF_kFd8jSxrbwnhJGZaUrys5gbq5zlNZPoBjrm66A9uC-EGM5EsCV9h3wHC7BS48BKQSzEt-5GtdpOojWxgA45DXvjWuLpEV92Jxd-C0Kbcg/s1600/leo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgiJ10J8NxZfWU440B9dxRCZ3roklg07VF_kFd8jSxrbwnhJGZaUrys5gbq5zlNZPoBjrm66A9uC-EGM5EsCV9h3wHC7BS48BKQSzEt-5GtdpOojWxgA45DXvjWuLpEV92Jxd-C0Kbcg/s400/leo.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<i>GATSBY</i>. It's not just a dusty required-reading text anymore. With this new movie comes an extravagant homage to an era and an artist. The new 3-D, "spectacular, all-star production" film, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, has been inspiring everything from ice cream flavors to <a href="http://www.jonathanadler.com/Trends/deco-revival">Jonathan Adler's</a> "Deco Revival" to wedding themes.<br />
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And I confess, I am inspired as well. I've been secretly getting ready for Gatsby, as if I were planning to attend one of his parties. I have re-read the novel and bought the May issue of <i>Vogue </i>just to read the article about Carey Mulligan, who plays Daisy in Baz Luhrmann's film. She looks stunning on the cover of the magazine in a CITRON velvet dress, and it's a lovely article about her role in the film. Beautiful photos of the actress wearing some incredible 20s inspired dresses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUbhlPIJb_wlNkPXXXMOOQmZ6cuwsVdT3kYmPW8n2InZZP1LZYmCvZxaVRe_EnGP5TYv5QLpsA50Sz-GUvITms5OzkDMLNx29ZfVwL781Nysb3KK18yJTk5pK3igrGjBFTg4rii4Gyps/s1600/o-CAREY-MULLIGAN-VOGUE-570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUbhlPIJb_wlNkPXXXMOOQmZ6cuwsVdT3kYmPW8n2InZZP1LZYmCvZxaVRe_EnGP5TYv5QLpsA50Sz-GUvITms5OzkDMLNx29ZfVwL781Nysb3KK18yJTk5pK3igrGjBFTg4rii4Gyps/s640/o-CAREY-MULLIGAN-VOGUE-570.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq62_xjaDJhTwSwBr8ESBxWABGOI5uC2mdWMmjFY2ZUsO5jd3KP0QVx4sQ1V1GcWQoOamdFgwnW3HTHQn9BM-ioQ7hkeAA38EXfZoNDn_h0-KPrQXFvDBzVKVoV7T2J5B-51cqRByXPwM/s1600/carey-mulligan-cover-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq62_xjaDJhTwSwBr8ESBxWABGOI5uC2mdWMmjFY2ZUsO5jd3KP0QVx4sQ1V1GcWQoOamdFgwnW3HTHQn9BM-ioQ7hkeAA38EXfZoNDn_h0-KPrQXFvDBzVKVoV7T2J5B-51cqRByXPwM/s640/carey-mulligan-cover-4.jpg" width="470" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite! LOVE that chain-metal background and the Nina Ricci dress!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVkaPUct3A2grWsA49nbjas6n4hpKNM3xxZbFvrrd1IhrMWFNTIrYqkEPoFkwHXuqWXVGzjzWF0ttgVfZqlKHuScA5Zi32qEYiK-09gooLMbWah2qrAI48O8Zs2lMhXHDCne_FLioz0Y/s1600/carey-mulligan-vogue-inline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVkaPUct3A2grWsA49nbjas6n4hpKNM3xxZbFvrrd1IhrMWFNTIrYqkEPoFkwHXuqWXVGzjzWF0ttgVfZqlKHuScA5Zi32qEYiK-09gooLMbWah2qrAI48O8Zs2lMhXHDCne_FLioz0Y/s400/carey-mulligan-vogue-inline.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miu Miu dress with Swarovski Elements</td></tr>
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I anticipate great costumes, sets, and acting in this film. However, I wonder how accurately the story will be portrayed...Will the movie reflect the emptiness and raw desperation that you read between the glitter and indulgence in the pages of the novel? Will Leonardo DiCaprio capture Gatsby's obsessed paranoia? And how will Jay-Z's sound track mesh with the 20's era setting? How <i>does</i> an actress learn to speak with a voice "full of money?"<br />
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Can't wait to see the film and find out!<br />
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-85714618818959471662013-04-11T12:59:00.002-04:002013-04-11T13:08:52.601-04:00Best of the Best: March & April Favorites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The months of March & April offer so much eye candy that it is hard to take it all in. Between the new Spring lines in home and fashion, outdoor furniture, and garden gear, I could spend every hour shopping! <span style="font-size: small;">But, without fail, there are 3 things I always gravitate toward when I shop or meet an interior: Fabulous Lighting, Intriguing Tables, and Fine Fabrics. I have posted some</span><span style="font-size: small;"> examples that</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I have drooled over this spring.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGG2Wx9FFR4cBiun8f2AR6SULIcRLK63xUivc7lqcW4YR-yU3GeuTpESWZ1MBxJuY1hsUTayrS_y4ro9-mgvtsJMyeAmZ2-_dhoHOz_nWjv9xdnroNHFieKWohjjHHcHlpuyDLCN9BQU/s1600/Charles_Edwards_Pagoda_Lanterns.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGG2Wx9FFR4cBiun8f2AR6SULIcRLK63xUivc7lqcW4YR-yU3GeuTpESWZ1MBxJuY1hsUTayrS_y4ro9-mgvtsJMyeAmZ2-_dhoHOz_nWjv9xdnroNHFieKWohjjHHcHlpuyDLCN9BQU/s400/Charles_Edwards_Pagoda_Lanterns.png" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Edwards Pagoda Lanterns via charlesedwards.com</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAuVu-IjREES3JohfKTP_iqQnsoNNxPa0wlQOpOYvCrw1U9JOKMgA-BOdXUXL6HRHsXQx4iTLOW9vKVZ-kNKs8a3wi6TPMwU78FZSp1aY294GiplifNRfdlH_kYdgnBV21OXltfUKtTQ/s1600/Barry_Entner_Aquas_chandelier.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAuVu-IjREES3JohfKTP_iqQnsoNNxPa0wlQOpOYvCrw1U9JOKMgA-BOdXUXL6HRHsXQx4iTLOW9vKVZ-kNKs8a3wi6TPMwU78FZSp1aY294GiplifNRfdlH_kYdgnBV21OXltfUKtTQ/s640/Barry_Entner_Aquas_chandelier.png" width="433" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Entner Aquas chandelier</span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">To me, a great light fixture makes the room it illuminates. Lighting must be scaled correctly for the room, support the mood and, above all, be interesting. Nothing ruins a space more than an outdated or boring ceiling mount!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMSTrsWXdyLXam1VmcKafILKlfJp8ZOlLf7Uead03IkkSq3iWiWJ3n09GO6ObPRDEPizOoMmg-MgnW_W2Vba1jElwzo5diFEpQLE6ECY2xRIAJwkX0GDYJsA5N8mgjBUC2NmAixOkIYE/s1600/Restoration_Hardware_Farmhouse_table.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMSTrsWXdyLXam1VmcKafILKlfJp8ZOlLf7Uead03IkkSq3iWiWJ3n09GO6ObPRDEPizOoMmg-MgnW_W2Vba1jElwzo5diFEpQLE6ECY2xRIAJwkX0GDYJsA5N8mgjBUC2NmAixOkIYE/s640/Restoration_Hardware_Farmhouse_table.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restoration Hardware 17c. Monastery Table in Grey Acacia</td></tr>
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A great table is an essential in every home. I'm not talking about the shiny, for-when-guests-are-here dining room table. I mean the family table - the one where your family sits down to dinner every night, the one where the kids do their homework, and where you pay the bills or do laundry. That table should be solid, smooth, and able to take a beating and look better for the ware and tear. A great farmhouse-style table, like this one from Restoration Hardware, which is very reasonably priced.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAWx0y02CEYrVn99Yewhq609850URoeJJSKLwZjivFpdyax66uFv3v9-8FdAB0cN_fFC6_x94x1ZqBL0ZDEQMspY2stMA7MUNVVbndfvXwEsGRH2Eq2sTgtKu-o2rSETBhC2Q6IKNEG8/s1600/Brunschwig+and+Fils+LHASA+Green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAWx0y02CEYrVn99Yewhq609850URoeJJSKLwZjivFpdyax66uFv3v9-8FdAB0cN_fFC6_x94x1ZqBL0ZDEQMspY2stMA7MUNVVbndfvXwEsGRH2Eq2sTgtKu-o2rSETBhC2Q6IKNEG8/s400/Brunschwig+and+Fils+LHASA+Green.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brunschwig & Fils Lhasa Green</td></tr>
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And, nothing makes a house a home like fabrics that speak volumes about who lives there. Whether fabric is used sparingly on accent pillows or hung floor to ceiling, framing huge windows, we are drawn in to a room by the pattern or texture that fabric adds to a space. And, I just can't get enough of the joyful, vivid prints from Manuel Canovas' New Collection; they just say "come look at and touch me and be happy."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfmW_KH4ZjU4OtVNk7Cm6fNvhb7VbceUR2BmPEylTCHnYfAhSFpkjEebE7nbqBPf_ftqii9Gpm7RwipszhyphenhyphenOWyhNCkyPRiJnEUQVAtNfhmAzFNaZK56ZpP7iqGgZjyKrl7OLWkVXvmFU/s1600/1-Desktop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfmW_KH4ZjU4OtVNk7Cm6fNvhb7VbceUR2BmPEylTCHnYfAhSFpkjEebE7nbqBPf_ftqii9Gpm7RwipszhyphenhyphenOWyhNCkyPRiJnEUQVAtNfhmAzFNaZK56ZpP7iqGgZjyKrl7OLWkVXvmFU/s640/1-Desktop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manuel Canovas - part of the New Collection</td></tr>
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0Gloucester, MA, USA42.6159285 -70.66198880000001742.4290095 -70.984712300000012 42.802847500000006 -70.339265300000022tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-3051938225890709382013-04-05T18:16:00.001-04:002013-04-05T18:16:43.350-04:00It's Just Scandalous<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoAUjvzQqSp8_oGd9JZfN2XlY1Noui5A7ySlKOaJpo5rqY0nqpyef_JLyrQHO3VNrF90rQAd8_LlJbo5tHPqfz-O4cYhakYK-st4iorw3DNWFbcLH_UvdD2a7BkA78OfxwoaY6fwcN8I/s1600/scandal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoAUjvzQqSp8_oGd9JZfN2XlY1Noui5A7ySlKOaJpo5rqY0nqpyef_JLyrQHO3VNrF90rQAd8_LlJbo5tHPqfz-O4cYhakYK-st4iorw3DNWFbcLH_UvdD2a7BkA78OfxwoaY6fwcN8I/s400/scandal.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>
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SCANDAL, is currently my favorite show on television. The main character, Olivia Pope, is a powerful woman, who has an on-and-off-again affair with the President of the United States, aka Fitz. The show is, well, scandalous...and sexy and intriguing, and most of the characters have committed major crimes and live within the shadow of their misdeeds. For me, it is a guilty pleasure to escape into this political and powerful world, which is completely unlike my own, every Thursday night at 10 pm. But the scandals are not why I watch or why I love it....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4eZ-YVe5XO0H6rAsP_96fbCoyvmY7MisZkfdu_CGcOTHCBycMKRVsOgUEQxPfzw4F1iOGNZAshKKG9elMNxsR4Aj3sdPVTjwvOEoYyvHC4cxGP9HnjyCRvWBUUfqJ9cUVVPpdBKw_rM/s1600/Olivia-Pope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4eZ-YVe5XO0H6rAsP_96fbCoyvmY7MisZkfdu_CGcOTHCBycMKRVsOgUEQxPfzw4F1iOGNZAshKKG9elMNxsR4Aj3sdPVTjwvOEoYyvHC4cxGP9HnjyCRvWBUUfqJ9cUVVPpdBKw_rM/s400/Olivia-Pope.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia Pope played by actress Kerri Washington</td></tr>
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I am so drawn to the show because I LOVE the character of Olivia Pope - her desire to set things right, her gladiator-in-a-suit attitude, and most of all her style. I love the decor of her apartment and her office, and her wardrobe is off the charts! I definitely have closet envy. Everything in her apartment says sophistication and elegance, and yet, it looks completely comfortable and soft. Her office is another extension of Olivia's elegance, but it also has a get-down-to business, almost industrial-chic vibe.<br />
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I just can't get enough of the impeccable, neutral outfits she wears that compliment Kerri Washington's flawless complexion and the setting of each scene in which she acts. And speaking of the set, Olivia's apartment is simply fabulous.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi8ZXzUt4WJf_eZh4ZwvzedfFh63L_xDgGohhkNeK7HHZEWkHmElrEVB_KoU-yjR8eLu8m1xeFp6vD99XapZQs0NEpanYESyn2aUE8T4Dp4KgYLejA-QctAvtbc0UngZB3ZooUQU4-Co/s1600/oliviapope_apt6_zps8e7d1e02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi8ZXzUt4WJf_eZh4ZwvzedfFh63L_xDgGohhkNeK7HHZEWkHmElrEVB_KoU-yjR8eLu8m1xeFp6vD99XapZQs0NEpanYESyn2aUE8T4Dp4KgYLejA-QctAvtbc0UngZB3ZooUQU4-Co/s640/oliviapope_apt6_zps8e7d1e02.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia and Huck (played by actor Guillermo Diaz) in her bedroom after the fall out</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinn Perkins (played by Katie Lowes) in Olivia's apartment watching over a client.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO0WM6RRDmHUcCsiSCYkitVrMo1NX60ni3eWgGV6iHw2cvSzOFzpL_oWR46KtNzIENL0iNVnXTNHyK9JYR4WV9YIG70kX28DlPOmT5HvVzDNFYdiG5BpZFnYQyEtuOorUc7ecNQRTlxg/s1600/Olivia+Pope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO0WM6RRDmHUcCsiSCYkitVrMo1NX60ni3eWgGV6iHw2cvSzOFzpL_oWR46KtNzIENL0iNVnXTNHyK9JYR4WV9YIG70kX28DlPOmT5HvVzDNFYdiG5BpZFnYQyEtuOorUc7ecNQRTlxg/s640/Olivia+Pope.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia Pope in her office at Olivia Pope & Associates</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIq58KL8XA1kn5iwxkLW7T9skDBPGuCizAncCeDMRJN1FPrdWdZnKPyYI1Wt2JNF9NSC9KwGtAZbpxrQYDSyt1Hh6_TKii3186LeA_GB7ijwkJeDyn8u1pyLZgLzdfeoR-XxVtR2LJb8/s1600/Olivia-Popes-office-on-Scandal-TV-show-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIq58KL8XA1kn5iwxkLW7T9skDBPGuCizAncCeDMRJN1FPrdWdZnKPyYI1Wt2JNF9NSC9KwGtAZbpxrQYDSyt1Hh6_TKii3186LeA_GB7ijwkJeDyn8u1pyLZgLzdfeoR-XxVtR2LJb8/s640/Olivia-Popes-office-on-Scandal-TV-show-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia' office </td></tr>
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For more about Olivia's signature look, click on the link below to a great video <a href="http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/scandal/video/PL55126743/_m_VD55234965">http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/scandal/video/PL55126743/_m_VD55234965</a></div>
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Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0Gloucester, MA, USA42.6159285 -70.66198880000001742.4290095 -70.984712300000012 42.802847500000006 -70.339265300000022tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-3767295806362075552013-03-11T14:15:00.001-04:002013-03-11T14:15:38.832-04:00Surviving a Tween Sleepover 101<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Table was set and ready for when the girls arrived.</td></tr>
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Recently, my daughter turned 9, and her idea of a great party was to have her 5 closest friends sleepover. I thought, OK, no problem! Should be easy and inexpensive, right?<br />
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I planned well. I made a timeline, ordered invitations and party decor well in advance; I even had her choose the treats and dinner we would serve weeks before the party, so that I could shop for groceries early and nothing would be last minute. (Me overcompensating for my habitual procrastination.) Of course, everyone knows, even the best plans, fail! So, there is always plan B = rolling with the tide of tween imagination!<br />
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<b><i>My Rules for Surviving a Sleepover</i></b></div>
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1. <b>First, order or print invitations that go with the theme of your party </b>and send them out 3-4 weeks in advance. Don't forget to include a request for guests to bring sleeping bags and pilllows!<i> Suggestion</i>: Limit the number of slumbering guests to 4-6 children, unless you can bring in reinforcements...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4PX7rMgTa8vo79h8R_RPsI-oALt060VB0CNw1N2kFw5urab0HzvDBeYI4AF5LWXShu9NnTy8oaIDa_weuWjQJFEsyEcQG0q3OKsAMhrKzP0Bs6iu4znmNt7Q-k0uJ7GQg4bSTb_Oex8/s1600/1-DSCF0896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4PX7rMgTa8vo79h8R_RPsI-oALt060VB0CNw1N2kFw5urab0HzvDBeYI4AF5LWXShu9NnTy8oaIDa_weuWjQJFEsyEcQG0q3OKsAMhrKzP0Bs6iu4znmNt7Q-k0uJ7GQg4bSTb_Oex8/s320/1-DSCF0896.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Custom but inexpensive invitations from Zazzle.com</td></tr>
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2.<b> Create a basic outline or schedule for the party.</b> Plan an activity, craft, or game - it might not happen, but you don't want 6 bored kids on your hands for hours - they WILL find something to do and it will involve screaming...<br />
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This was my timeline:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; line-height: 115%;">Evening<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i></b><b><span style="color: #666666; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; line-height: 115%;">5:30-6:00 Arrival<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">6:00-6:30
Dinner<br />
<span style="background: white;">6:30-7:00 Dance
Party</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">7:00-7:30 Dessert </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">7:30-8:30 Makeovers/Nails<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;">8:30-9:00 Photo
sessions <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; line-height: 115%;">9:00-11:00 Movie &
Popcorn</span><span style="color: #666666; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">11:00 Lights
Out </span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><i><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; line-height: 115%;">Morning</span></i></b><b><span style="color: #666666; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; line-height: 115%;">9:00-9:30
Breakfast – Donuts & Fruit cups</span><span style="color: #666666; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">9:30-10:00 Get girls dressed &pack up</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">10:00-10:30 Pick Up<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i><u>Reality Check # 1:</u> </i>The girls arrived very excited, ran around laughing, screaming, and talking about One Direction until dinner.(The dog also got very excited and created a few messes for me to clean up while I was trying to order the pizza.) What I expected: they went through 2 cheese pizzas and a gallon of lemonade in about 10 min. What I didn't expect: they threw marshmallows at each other and talked about farting and constipation while at the table. And, I went through a tub of baby wipes and 2 rolls of paper towels cleaning up random messes.<br />
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<b>3. Plan to serve your child's favorite foods and treats </b>- you won't please every child, so don't try. Make sure the foods you serve are easy to dish and clean up. You won't have time for complicated meals or to scrub up pots and pans. And I don't recommend serving soda! They don't need the caffeine or sugar and are perfectly happy with milk or water with their dessert.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut Bon Bons & Banana Muffins - 2 of my daughters favorites</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrenHVwTLAV27unx7QGWovU8wwqmXAx-IglBBDiGvSzuh2-LcNL8eVtQHbKyHAOWM91sVSzwBtyWY6tnnim4Rpq_9eqHpO9QgW3sfbEaXAvQ1t7zIiRTp4yNZDM8dpBS4Q7vjRi4dpTLk/s1600/1-DSCF0900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrenHVwTLAV27unx7QGWovU8wwqmXAx-IglBBDiGvSzuh2-LcNL8eVtQHbKyHAOWM91sVSzwBtyWY6tnnim4Rpq_9eqHpO9QgW3sfbEaXAvQ1t7zIiRTp4yNZDM8dpBS4Q7vjRi4dpTLk/s400/1-DSCF0900.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cupcakes are easier to make and to serve than a whole cake.</td></tr>
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<i><u>Reality Check #2 </u></i>- I underestimated "The Group," as my daughter calls her little circle of friends. Days before the party, she came home from school announcing that they had decided they didn't want pizza for dinner, and they wanted pancakes for breakfast. Well, I was firm on the pizza, and thankfully, my husband volunteered to make biscuits for breakfast. (I am NOT a morning person, especially after spending the evening with 6 children who were awake until 1:00 am, and there was no way I was committing to standing over the stove for an hour, making enough pancakes for a hungry mob of prepubescent girls.)<br />
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4.<b> Make sure to check your sweet little guests for smuggled goods they brought from home! </b>One friend brought clay and my clean dance party idea turned into "make your own pottery hour" and had me scrubbing the play room table for about 20 min. And after dessert, the "makeovers" turned into "let's paint the pottery hour!" (They did dance and sing VERY LOUDLY to music, which was quite cute and fun to watch) while I did their nails.)<br />
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While painting the pottery, they also took a shot at painting one another with acrylic paint! This led to my HUGE MISTAKE of offering up face paint...which led to their idea of making a horror movie and covering themselves in face paint (NOT so easy to get off of faces, bodies, walls, sofas....).<br />
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Needless to say, we spent 2 hours while they created their own G-rated "horror" movie, and I acted as camera mom. They didn't settle down to watch the movie until after 11:00 PM and were awake until 1:00 AM...And, the next morning, another friend brought out actual make-up from her home (to redo their faces in order to redo some scenes from the movie.) Which basically means that their parents will hate me forever, because along with their children, they also picked up zombies and mutants and ghosts from the party.<br />
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But, it was absolutely priceless to watch 8 & 9 year-olds imagine, develop, and direct their own "movie,"<br />
and I saw texts between them saying, "I am having soooooo much fun." And, despite the zombies, and fake blood, we all survived.<br />
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-18463125013677546242013-02-04T19:30:00.000-05:002015-02-12T10:08:05.958-05:00This time it's PERSONAL<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cs5XEUAt4jBNDMnITheXGJ8i-2SBpUI6nGtdOqQZTSWfYbLfObCm-pgjb-FPHvMbJ7OBzy_nq_S8eRZcYzrKvTiSmrVGL_GZaGdJm40WWy4Ioaae_zTTUfo8Nujehq5hj0Twj6fJlyI/s1600/672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cs5XEUAt4jBNDMnITheXGJ8i-2SBpUI6nGtdOqQZTSWfYbLfObCm-pgjb-FPHvMbJ7OBzy_nq_S8eRZcYzrKvTiSmrVGL_GZaGdJm40WWy4Ioaae_zTTUfo8Nujehq5hj0Twj6fJlyI/s640/672.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home in Gloucester, MA</td></tr>
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This is our home - built in 1900. Nothing fancy, in need of much TLC, and right on the corner of a busy street. But, we just loved the character of this 5 bedroom, 1 (yes, just 1!) bathroom home and had to have it. We bought it 6 years ago, moving across country with 2 children under the age of 4, and with the knowledge that it needed major renovations - inside and out. We should have a sign on the door that reads: INSANITY LIVES HERE.<br />
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6 years later, after doing much structural work on the inside and building a patio, moving a garage, building a concrete wall, moving the garage back, spending a lot of money, time, and DIY sweat/slave labor - not to mention slammed doors and many arguments - we have only ONE ROOM completely remodeled. Two bedrooms are in transition (one currently serving as a workshop) and my office is <i>almost</i> complete - but is currently being used as our children's bedroom while they wait for their's to be finished.<br />
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So, when I tell people that I am an interior designer, it is with the hope that they do NOT yet visit my home! Seriously, if you saw the laminate floors in my kitchen and dining room you would die....But, if you could read my mind and see the design plans I have for this albatross....<br />
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My point? If you are thinking of doing a DIY renovation project but do not have every-tool-known-to-man, a great imagination, extreme patience, and 5+ years and thousands of dollars to invest, call a professional or move on to the next house!<br />
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I will, for kicks and giggles, share some "before" photos. Hopefully, another year will not go by before I get to share some beautiful AFTER shots. Right now, I am most excited about my daughter's room design - an icy blue wonderland fit for a family of polar bears (or an 8 year old girl who loves them). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB40b9GC78FOxnhWbfBBSQsxTErg26yXwdipuj2AfdQ0vVzzo89dyA8j-Z3qms6SfRm2FcqYF1z5NwNjt4VT2iwNkbbKXDJFKWhzBNTCKvlUR0Z_pAtJo8jP5mFhdMXHb3gXKUBhHX8Y/s1600/1-DSCF0888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB40b9GC78FOxnhWbfBBSQsxTErg26yXwdipuj2AfdQ0vVzzo89dyA8j-Z3qms6SfRm2FcqYF1z5NwNjt4VT2iwNkbbKXDJFKWhzBNTCKvlUR0Z_pAtJo8jP5mFhdMXHb3gXKUBhHX8Y/s400/1-DSCF0888.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son's future room aka my husband's wood-working shop</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Most Dysfunctional Kitchen Ever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ebCsCHw6HpdIzOU29jjhHDFYKJUndiw9bPH9hXm-C8KaPXK6OV1EJAsHPI4QveCdR3v0jZgvHZ7v0N5axaeYHcJ957VO0P53hoDLlUDxfusZFqSvCwybsMCByrFBaV2XBvfMttCazO4/s1600/DSCF0883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ebCsCHw6HpdIzOU29jjhHDFYKJUndiw9bPH9hXm-C8KaPXK6OV1EJAsHPI4QveCdR3v0jZgvHZ7v0N5axaeYHcJ957VO0P53hoDLlUDxfusZFqSvCwybsMCByrFBaV2XBvfMttCazO4/s400/DSCF0883.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugliest hallway leading to a wallpaper covered window </td></tr>
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0Gloucester, MA, USA42.6159285 -70.66198880000001742.429011 -70.984712300000012 42.802846 -70.339265300000022tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-31661645075914640322013-01-25T13:08:00.000-05:002013-01-25T13:08:16.387-05:0050+ Shades of Grey<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What do designers Kelly Wearstler, Nate Berkus, Ralph Lauren, and Jan Showers have in common? Besides being very successful, they have all created reach-out-and-touch-me interiors by using alluring shades of grey.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">design by Jan Showers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmNrEHZTRaJVjFNIBFGqU72eqb09H3R2ivcv-eVRqxV_510c_NE_-tZwov_uTOIgdihSJNWEM2qpLBoBgzJwcsl1wFbSSH9yqIOVdUXFXs6STOz6tfSqXeHJ17fXpty0BK2_j_LrKiPM/s1600/courteney-cox-home-ed-0711-01-lgn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmNrEHZTRaJVjFNIBFGqU72eqb09H3R2ivcv-eVRqxV_510c_NE_-tZwov_uTOIgdihSJNWEM2qpLBoBgzJwcsl1wFbSSH9yqIOVdUXFXs6STOz6tfSqXeHJ17fXpty0BK2_j_LrKiPM/s640/courteney-cox-home-ed-0711-01-lgn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney Cox's Home</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKj-5rMUorSf939nxm2F2Hq95tVnZ_9YqJQQ7UOOU0hMhZ2tb_3JJhtaHxM9SW5nrSa3qQEvSd2llISg84fDyBjMV49q6_akSMXAbgO_VzFKL7L8IAa3clqyGThwI5j7TjPA_2AJu37B0/s1600/grey+and+pink+Kelly+Wearster+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKj-5rMUorSf939nxm2F2Hq95tVnZ_9YqJQQ7UOOU0hMhZ2tb_3JJhtaHxM9SW5nrSa3qQEvSd2llISg84fDyBjMV49q6_akSMXAbgO_VzFKL7L8IAa3clqyGThwI5j7TjPA_2AJu37B0/s640/grey+and+pink+Kelly+Wearster+room.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room design by Kelly Wearstler </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Design by Kelly Wearstler</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whether creating an elegant sitting area or a more dramatic entrance, grey can create just the right mood. The versatile neutral blends well with other neutrals, can ground a room, highlight more vivid colors, or stand on its own with all the subtlety or depth you desire. I just love this color's ability to be elegant, playful, modern, timeless, serene and sexy. It's almost foolproof!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, what's your favorite shade of grey?</span></div>
Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-5485221095899400632012-12-31T19:00:00.000-05:002012-12-31T19:30:17.712-05:00Bye bye 2012! Hello 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQwQ5EWk_OKMlvWb4TC4ORg0mdLazqNou97WGbZtZYrQTfdgsiSIgQcwbJcynj08mbZcZEEvUQ0_dZPqt6JTt6nGcpvoXNNsbzZ464GHx_744a9rnEoc3mqXb5jCIaXbXHIH6xZG2yWk/s1600/black+and+white+rooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQwQ5EWk_OKMlvWb4TC4ORg0mdLazqNou97WGbZtZYrQTfdgsiSIgQcwbJcynj08mbZcZEEvUQ0_dZPqt6JTt6nGcpvoXNNsbzZ464GHx_744a9rnEoc3mqXb5jCIaXbXHIH6xZG2yWk/s400/black+and+white+rooms.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the color palette in the room on the left and the creative wall treatment in the room on the right - we will definitely see more incredible selections of wall treatments in 2013</td></tr>
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With pleasure I say good bye and good riddance to the doom and gloom of 2012. It was not my favorite year - too much tragedy occurred around the world, and I had few personal triumphs. The world did not end, but for too many, life will never be the same.<br />
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However, in the world of interior design, I can say it <i>was</i> a fabulous year! Creating a space reflective of the person (whatever their style may be) who inhabits it has become the goal, rather than patterning design after some fleeting trend. I love the infinite possibilities that exist in current design, and I am amazed by the selection of products that are available now.<br />
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Of course there are some trends that I would like to see gone along with 2012. Neon colors - too harsh. Sequins covering entire outfits - they are much better used sparingly. The word "chic" to describe everything! Vary your vocabulary people, please!<br />
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But some timeless and important styles emerged (or re-emerged) in 2012, and I hope they stay strong throughout 2013. I love the return of gold and the use of all metallics, birds, chinoiserie, organic elements, reclaimed wood, recycled glass...that we are seeing used in some of the best designs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even functional rooms got glamorous!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite bedroom design from 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pewter with red accents - a color combo for 2013</td></tr>
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To a fabulous 2013. Hope it is full of hope, inspiration, and beauty!</div>
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0North America51.399205653553778 -91.757812527.626964153553779 -133.0664065 75.171447153553771 -50.4492185tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-8713881902989249102012-10-22T12:03:00.002-04:002012-10-22T12:03:57.495-04:00Reclaimed & Recycled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beautiful living room with reclaimed wood floors</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I'm
not really the "outdoorsy" type - I don't spend my free time camping
or kayaking (though both sound fun!), but you could call me a bit of a "tree-hugger." In fact, </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I spent a lot of my childhood sitting in the maple tree in our front yard. I have a sincere respect for the beauty found in nature, and</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> I believe in protecting our environment and using recycled and reclaimed materials whenever possible.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This past spring, my husband, Daniel, planted our first garden (and grew it organically), and I was so proud when he built planters recycled from wood that he had used on a renovation project, instead of purchasing new pots. He also made a great storage box with a hinged lid to conceal the hose. It took extra time, but he saved money and saved perfectly good wood from being thrown in the dump. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">When renovating attic space into what is now his office, Daniel spent hours refurbishing an old barn door, using non-toxic strippers. Now, the sliding closet door adds a great amount of character to the space. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Going "green" is not a good idea purely for the sake of being gentle on our natural world, it is also a great way to enrich and add texture to a room's decor. Below are some fabulous pieces from one of my favorite sites, <a href="http://vivaterra.com/">VivaTerra.com</a>, which have been given a second chance.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Recycled glass vases</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Vintage fir armoire </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I absolutely love the shape of the headboard on their Gustavian bed.</i></td></tr>
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<br />Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-31991628638935858022012-10-19T07:00:00.000-04:002012-10-19T12:39:45.769-04:00Nature's Beauty...On the Inside<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is something about fall that awakens in me a deeper appreciation for nature than during the other seasons. Perhaps that is because winter is coming soon, and we don't have much time left to comfortably spend with it. Or, maybe it's the captivating colors and seasonal traditions like apple picking and pumpkin carving. Whatever the reason, I enjoy being surrounded by the earthiness of autumn and like to bring some inside with me. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have always had an obsession with organic elements - wood and stone, things that grow and are green - especially when brought indoors and paired with less than rustic elements. Furniture, accessories, lighting...they are all more interesting when fashioned after elements in nature. When you look through a magazine, you will find</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> that each photo of a home or room have something in common - something organic that draws you into the room -</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> a vase of flowers, a bowl of fruit, or a great wooden table. Below are amazing examples of organic-inspired designs that I find go a bit farther.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ironies Tallinn Buffet</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Adriana Shumaris Organic Teak Bench</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aqua Lighting Creation</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">aquagallery.com</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In this living room, it is the organic elements that make it a welcoming space.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-27266797777437895242012-10-12T11:49:00.000-04:002012-10-12T11:51:22.141-04:00Orange Crush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincocPuavD0lBybhOOozMDsbg58Ao9gBZNhOxLToBRPgrnONtuQkNk3Kie7auRT32mQ1L5PrDO40OD-4Ad4pv2WVtb5Rfz3vWYihlAx4yZbGlU1Pn7etlRZLmdG4i-zeM_ukWp6bZsz_pN/s1600/Arizona-MuseCream+and+Orange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincocPuavD0lBybhOOozMDsbg58Ao9gBZNhOxLToBRPgrnONtuQkNk3Kie7auRT32mQ1L5PrDO40OD-4Ad4pv2WVtb5Rfz3vWYihlAx4yZbGlU1Pn7etlRZLmdG4i-zeM_ukWp6bZsz_pN/s400/Arizona-MuseCream+and+Orange.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of my favorite things about fall is seeing ORANGE everywhere - from fun accessories to falling leaves and fat pumpkins. The fabulous hue goes amazingly well with soft, rich, and bold colors, and orange is such an invigorating and exciting color that you can't wear it and stay in a bad mood!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJxiQKsBDY2JuLISe9k1kqF7aXsMrOL__f436NPCX-rVu63NHqRObowIZEFl3rBlptXVxutxL7EWLikgAoLcS1I5r_3my4hyphenhyphenJlbEs6GAg1-9DeM-Htgnk7LpIVLWTitww7y8cDygxP5vK/s1600/Orange+room+from+Trad+Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJxiQKsBDY2JuLISe9k1kqF7aXsMrOL__f436NPCX-rVu63NHqRObowIZEFl3rBlptXVxutxL7EWLikgAoLcS1I5r_3my4hyphenhyphenJlbEs6GAg1-9DeM-Htgnk7LpIVLWTitww7y8cDygxP5vK/s640/Orange+room+from+Trad+Home.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Melanie Elston designed this kid-friendly room using orange with<br />other bold colors like raspberry and plum.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Personally, I love the combination that <i>Traditional Home </i>magazine featured in this month's issue: Hermes orange paired with Tiffany blue, similar to this room design (below) by Tobi Fairley, so fresh!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa9IiQy_6dcNVM0JsnXWQ2f8rUEXi7LULbq576oCowz76-uw01DIxE5m5YuxjKou-_3F4AXoWk8FQMHDKlqZkLaCZ2ZsiiTMapJ0OfI6ctF0fs77cSjqD9J2fMyBdg47uyjVJvty6rutM/s1600/orange+and+blue+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa9IiQy_6dcNVM0JsnXWQ2f8rUEXi7LULbq576oCowz76-uw01DIxE5m5YuxjKou-_3F4AXoWk8FQMHDKlqZkLaCZ2ZsiiTMapJ0OfI6ctF0fs77cSjqD9J2fMyBdg47uyjVJvty6rutM/s640/orange+and+blue+room.jpg" width="499" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4xH1hldQfrdvQJWByLtc9ZlM0PR2VpCe2eW0qLZfeEK7Bsgi7R-zgAe3SQxpSCU_H5NjGNCG-UMwg2MIm7LjiysQ_KBXDEbeJj5QHW4DLjRUiFWbGMohHhB1EX_6IGURAlpY150ImPEx/s1600/Carolina_Herera_dress.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4xH1hldQfrdvQJWByLtc9ZlM0PR2VpCe2eW0qLZfeEK7Bsgi7R-zgAe3SQxpSCU_H5NjGNCG-UMwg2MIm7LjiysQ_KBXDEbeJj5QHW4DLjRUiFWbGMohHhB1EX_6IGURAlpY150ImPEx/s640/Carolina_Herera_dress.png" width="270" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And orange isn't just for fall...I would strut this Carolina Herrera dress</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(from the 2013 Spring Collection) in any season!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-49046066963141423542012-09-28T12:02:00.000-04:002012-09-28T12:02:33.110-04:00Friday's Frugal Finds: Organic Touches<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCJjQMH6Qq2ebUx5Novrb9JKOI_z0AwZifIJQZDXBvec3lM8J5ALu3ITFTed5a7PLX92cAP5XgQWN92ERT3Z9zALKomNXBJFXjno3lGpRiayopDPB5hYfsjB0IseCzZu_pukAZPVXgq2v/s1600/Prada_Slingback_Sandals.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCJjQMH6Qq2ebUx5Novrb9JKOI_z0AwZifIJQZDXBvec3lM8J5ALu3ITFTed5a7PLX92cAP5XgQWN92ERT3Z9zALKomNXBJFXjno3lGpRiayopDPB5hYfsjB0IseCzZu_pukAZPVXgq2v/s320/Prada_Slingback_Sandals.png" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Prada Leather and Wood Sandal<br />$356 at Saks</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbFstB6mo5XBBqLMmopaOUONJB4goQ2o9by0Hko_BmDpPmuyoOPpqGj2T7EXc-QDBYWdnpL3n-Ud6od42SIg_8ycGrJCHfCwkwazkQ5yP8H-u_EU11tCD7OCO3YQ6OGgHJn5EQARrFTmY/s1600/Nicole_Lee_Python_Hobo_.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbFstB6mo5XBBqLMmopaOUONJB4goQ2o9by0Hko_BmDpPmuyoOPpqGj2T7EXc-QDBYWdnpL3n-Ud6od42SIg_8ycGrJCHfCwkwazkQ5yP8H-u_EU11tCD7OCO3YQ6OGgHJn5EQARrFTmY/s320/Nicole_Lee_Python_Hobo_.png" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nicole Lee Python Bag<br />$69.99 at Target</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD3vaPiNB6LcfiVeU54KAmLQjrkNsIpZFJQJigSwPVZq9JyctQopsMt22k11d2bDcfy219To-1dMvydRFKFjexPWSrH9aDrAIw2QwBLcSZ5R0Tk0bqPS4eOOJYxAROkAMpiFhkhWwlK6t/s1600/Glass_Menagerie_Tray_Table.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD3vaPiNB6LcfiVeU54KAmLQjrkNsIpZFJQJigSwPVZq9JyctQopsMt22k11d2bDcfy219To-1dMvydRFKFjexPWSrH9aDrAIw2QwBLcSZ5R0Tk0bqPS4eOOJYxAROkAMpiFhkhWwlK6t/s320/Glass_Menagerie_Tray_Table.png" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Glass Menagerie Twig Tray Table<br />$249 on OneKingsLane.com</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whether complimenting your outfit or accenting your living room, products with organic nuances add great textural interest. Finding good deals on them is just sublime!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-29684905242827215652012-09-19T13:16:00.001-04:002012-09-19T14:13:27.596-04:00What I saw in the Mirror Mirror<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5O5fghFS6Fd7c2u87F5hLxqM74ZQx52m5Z-ZHPxoDAUgNLsUcFIX8E8QHa-k1ezaJrVFVqFxUhVwt5xyAvqcigo14mrqyP0lLQcOAR5cNHjyF69bpZD-ng1-GhKd4TP8uI14dtQcnBc/s1600/snow+white+in+forest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5O5fghFS6Fd7c2u87F5hLxqM74ZQx52m5Z-ZHPxoDAUgNLsUcFIX8E8QHa-k1ezaJrVFVqFxUhVwt5xyAvqcigo14mrqyP0lLQcOAR5cNHjyF69bpZD-ng1-GhKd4TP8uI14dtQcnBc/s320/snow+white+in+forest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This past week I enjoyed watching 2 movies with my children. One was fabulous and inspiring; the other was, well, not a great movie. But, I loved watching both of them...for different reasons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first was the Oscar-winning film by Martin Scorsese,<i> Hugo</i>. It had everything a movie should have: great cinematography, great acting, a great message, humor, mystery, etc. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I highly recommend it!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqGKx0P-Uci1PrVSujeEU2dqO_ovtLGq1oO7xU-OHwbFVOdjQQHTlsZq7yUQoAfyw3EBlHV_vwu2v0Sonro0zZ3z-qiVAppb8DseozQBGVYXLrsyeEByElsTEYOYXSxUpPLJb2g20DY0/s1600/Hugo+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqGKx0P-Uci1PrVSujeEU2dqO_ovtLGq1oO7xU-OHwbFVOdjQQHTlsZq7yUQoAfyw3EBlHV_vwu2v0Sonro0zZ3z-qiVAppb8DseozQBGVYXLrsyeEByElsTEYOYXSxUpPLJb2g20DY0/s1600/Hugo+image.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR-kP-olcpM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR-kP-olcpM</a>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second film is a reinterpretation of the classic Snow White story, <i>Mirror Mirror</i>. Mostly, I wanted to see the movie because Julia Roberts stars as the evil queen, and I just love her. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF8n1mD209HNdpA787ohjkAicCVPp-jGsrk-nMFjb7Cm-qxje69bUd0iLBdV0cgEmYQZ5QOKb1IWRbMdDprTa8qj6fyXcdNdqqkPaTbUuzK7hc6FeXutiMFUpaXhEXxgx2ginWqPaH3M/s1600/Julia+in+peacock+feathers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF8n1mD209HNdpA787ohjkAicCVPp-jGsrk-nMFjb7Cm-qxje69bUd0iLBdV0cgEmYQZ5QOKb1IWRbMdDprTa8qj6fyXcdNdqqkPaTbUuzK7hc6FeXutiMFUpaXhEXxgx2ginWqPaH3M/s320/Julia+in+peacock+feathers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And though I did enjoy watching the actress playing mean, I was underwhelmed by the movie as a whole. However, what I LOVED about the movie are it's costumes and scenery. For me, watching a movie isn't just a passive, entertaining experience (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I can't help but to see past the story and wonder at the artistic elements of the film. I find myself admiring architectural details, the colors, the clothing - the way the atmosphere of the movie has been <i>designed</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I delighted in the costumes, colors, and textures showcased in this film. From the white birch trees and peacock feathers to the amazing dresses, the movie is a design dream come true!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BYGwvxriTa9FiYa3UlKpFmi4muFC_4S77u4IKznvgNjD6ZFpvgybLpz7eoPPwOgzOT9zY7C3sPZeSqZnAhrFo0KPn70JiNRqBI8beyCjWc6gSJ0-JRYJxHxQmKWz9r7Mj_TpvBx1BKE/s1600/Ballroom+scene+from+Mirror+Mirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BYGwvxriTa9FiYa3UlKpFmi4muFC_4S77u4IKznvgNjD6ZFpvgybLpz7eoPPwOgzOT9zY7C3sPZeSqZnAhrFo0KPn70JiNRqBI8beyCjWc6gSJ0-JRYJxHxQmKWz9r7Mj_TpvBx1BKE/s640/Ballroom+scene+from+Mirror+Mirror.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9x6Yyq-ZdQeV15BciCJ2cYqELw7nPlUD3V8F4XzhtDTXcmiJkSCZmlI2Pe0JwwABTw6NaJ6hzFYa0NnirtVcVVmBypIcg9GZTvkEwNqPR-H3fbwxzDAgeVL-yjVDjyeaZ1SgnED81qI/s1600/Amazing+dress+from+Mirror+Mirror.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9x6Yyq-ZdQeV15BciCJ2cYqELw7nPlUD3V8F4XzhtDTXcmiJkSCZmlI2Pe0JwwABTw6NaJ6hzFYa0NnirtVcVVmBypIcg9GZTvkEwNqPR-H3fbwxzDAgeVL-yjVDjyeaZ1SgnED81qI/s640/Amazing+dress+from+Mirror+Mirror.png" width="430" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>The End</b></i></span></div>
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Ashley Gulletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16659942411366388445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-87435227452598119812012-09-17T16:28:00.000-04:002012-09-17T16:28:03.645-04:00Not your grandmother's pearls<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #330000; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens." -</i></span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #330000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-left;"> Author Unknown </i></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Custom cake by Sweetcakes, LLC</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxVJKTVM9hABDaYWobSUgcsLNSkbW99fdDTpRNbIuCr8zJA9qcpuq0V7JWoby0iQHKxlOuB2pJAocYOl8f9WB1Z6j5iMdVprQ_nZKG2x2HaKJFadHP06jCbkNrm6Bl4266PWeogZJ-xDw/s1600/1-katherine+wears+a+pearl+jumble-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxVJKTVM9hABDaYWobSUgcsLNSkbW99fdDTpRNbIuCr8zJA9qcpuq0V7JWoby0iQHKxlOuB2pJAocYOl8f9WB1Z6j5iMdVprQ_nZKG2x2HaKJFadHP06jCbkNrm6Bl4266PWeogZJ-xDw/s1600/1-katherine+wears+a+pearl+jumble-001.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Actress Katherine Heigl</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Holly Hunt Showroom</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wedded Bliss necklace by Arhaus</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR030u8aiMmwd3Cu7SiG8EKkkKgjJlTUTFiYMVfwu-tW781H_dhOsKxqBwDvJNTLx-CplXFRutUa3iGHm31Rb9WiquTbIeVeTgmIs1xgNpGLnAz9IvIbBkPu1gEi1pGrPa6wh8rU5kCA_/s1600/pearly+room+by+Stan+topol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR030u8aiMmwd3Cu7SiG8EKkkKgjJlTUTFiYMVfwu-tW781H_dhOsKxqBwDvJNTLx-CplXFRutUa3iGHm31Rb9WiquTbIeVeTgmIs1xgNpGLnAz9IvIbBkPu1gEi1pGrPa6wh8rU5kCA_/s400/pearly+room+by+Stan+topol.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Room designed by Stan Topol</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ivanka Trump's glam apartment featured in Elle Decor</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Timeless and classic. I view pearls as the most sophisticated of jewels. Whether resting around a beautiful actress's neck, acting as the feature detail on a wedding cake, or creating inspiration for a room design, pearls add luminosity and a feeling of luxury. By using the colors and the silky, reflective quality of pearls, the designers of the rooms above have created refined texture and </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">shimmer throughout the spaces, which I find simply exquisite.</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-31295089372113995882012-07-03T14:58:00.002-04:002012-07-03T14:58:55.574-04:00A little Red, lots of White, and Blue too<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's July! And in the USA, the beginning of the month is met with stars and stripes and explosions of our patriotic colors. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While Americans</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> celebrate independence and freedom and watch our hometown parades, we also pay homage to 3 essential colors which can be seen on everything from cupcakes, clothes, faces, floats, politicians, pinwheels, sofas, and the now famous, </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKZqGJONH68" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">SOLO Cup</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Together, red, white, and blue ignite visions of summer - pools and grills - and the flag and all it stands for. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But used separately in design, these colors create their own dynamic. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">RED</span></b> - I love red! But when designing a space, I like to use it like sugar in my coffee - just enough to enhance the flavor. Red is a fabulous color because it makes everything around it more beautiful and interesting. A red accent piece does for a room what the perfect shade of red lipstick does for a woman.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtkapJEIM7fQm3QRlK1TczO5Eon6Whe3ip8ZpcxHxnGP0EpsiaOzgNf3NcKSDb0ApJZ1GXHLZxEE5DZkBaE5fa-QPOMuHrppl0LKDqHcemLAxbX7peP6JLZ6z4nLVKIMsIUDF4HtYv5ZL/s1600/red+accents+in+cream+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtkapJEIM7fQm3QRlK1TczO5Eon6Whe3ip8ZpcxHxnGP0EpsiaOzgNf3NcKSDb0ApJZ1GXHLZxEE5DZkBaE5fa-QPOMuHrppl0LKDqHcemLAxbX7peP6JLZ6z4nLVKIMsIUDF4HtYv5ZL/s320/red+accents+in+cream+room.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkolxpuu2Udb62RiWooA_HKWP_rqyQu10WYWhJLnNpe0LrfOTlazKecpr64s1aTk2ZqTAbphhDQ4-gj2OQyXfZlMZufV9jq_b4AK28AFTKVdznywe7T6qoH79xAgKMGbpNzwc4Zes_aOGB/s1600/1-20120702_135534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkolxpuu2Udb62RiWooA_HKWP_rqyQu10WYWhJLnNpe0LrfOTlazKecpr64s1aTk2ZqTAbphhDQ4-gj2OQyXfZlMZufV9jq_b4AK28AFTKVdznywe7T6qoH79xAgKMGbpNzwc4Zes_aOGB/s320/1-20120702_135534.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My Favorite Red Paint: Benjamin Moore's <i>Flamenco</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My Favorite color combo with red: Pale pink and bright orange</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WHITE</span></b> - the more the better! Nothing creates a cleaner, fresher look than a good coat of glossy white paint. It is the best backdrop for bringing out any color. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Variations of white illuminate this room, designed by Jan Showers, giving more oomph to the rich chocolate used on the chairs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">BLUE</span></b> - </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Classic, clean, comfortable blue. No other color is as accepted or as accessible. Navy is neutral, so it goes with everything! From your favorite Jimmy Choos to a fabulous vintage desk, you just can't go wrong with navy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And these days, nothing says forever like a sparkling Sapphire! </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wriZ99wDL_WJxvhu-HYIrQuIBkcXr27HvCP1YRPGYxosOHOYW6dm99BbLzsdv8dzi9GrayCoICyf7_OdegRBbRaFX1I-vuAgkzNloHbwYqYzigPwe2bfZDpew1WWYY1BFoU5VX-beC_2/s1600/Tiffany_Sapphire_ring.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wriZ99wDL_WJxvhu-HYIrQuIBkcXr27HvCP1YRPGYxosOHOYW6dm99BbLzsdv8dzi9GrayCoICyf7_OdegRBbRaFX1I-vuAgkzNloHbwYqYzigPwe2bfZDpew1WWYY1BFoU5VX-beC_2/s200/Tiffany_Sapphire_ring.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then, when you combine red, white, and blue in one room like Robert Couturier did in the space below....fireworks!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_jD3y91XJneS97z_l749pNjZDVEDNyQaBVTXe7khrgl6q0W5PAh-bmNom9mfZpeK_XdTJDTWd8Z9Hgrw11Ajq7e8Gtmdkosld2351YqKI44yFPirOxK0WDCo_7QV6hhpx9xGU01s3nNQ/s1600/04_red-white-blue-design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_jD3y91XJneS97z_l749pNjZDVEDNyQaBVTXe7khrgl6q0W5PAh-bmNom9mfZpeK_XdTJDTWd8Z9Hgrw11Ajq7e8Gtmdkosld2351YqKI44yFPirOxK0WDCo_7QV6hhpx9xGU01s3nNQ/s400/04_red-white-blue-design.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Happy 4th!</i></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com09 Liberty St, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA42.6159285 -70.661988842.522447 -70.8199173 42.709410000000005 -70.5040603tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-39226380218627899772012-06-07T10:44:00.001-04:002012-06-07T10:46:19.107-04:00Bring on the shine and shimmer!<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_0Tto8X-VnGC20UJgiJMFvPMqNQ9Cnn7_c4Jz4n7AoIAcwLugevmSr_bwZHmV8-sH5bTk_wNU8DCp81vS-q1tkYCNQNPpzghg9UjOoK0xYDaxHjHhuETi5x9s5_kEbO2wifCm0BW9FYS/s1600/240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_0Tto8X-VnGC20UJgiJMFvPMqNQ9Cnn7_c4Jz4n7AoIAcwLugevmSr_bwZHmV8-sH5bTk_wNU8DCp81vS-q1tkYCNQNPpzghg9UjOoK0xYDaxHjHhuETi5x9s5_kEbO2wifCm0BW9FYS/s640/240.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Few spaces emit the opulence of Versailles. I took this picture in 2008 while on a trip to Paris and London with my husband. I remember feeling completely enchanted by this hall. The gold, the light, the reflection of the mirrors - all made me want to put on a voluminous ball gown and dance! Of course, the 100 plus other visitors there inhibited my fantasy just a bit. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ornate decor of Versailles is quite overwhelming, but I do love to see the recent return to old world glamour, influenced by modern functionality, in the design world. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSKEpuwr3XGs5nmX8wZqwuX_tqsyZ7dlFuInbbUe6S9fllS-XbAd9VRCetFCPmMeXaeAxAD6jNLHC59c2ZOoyEFkBuQH5IBB0RQsUhWwUvDAuvi-fQlV81GWBmkYtAjxOh9ZjXuVdNHqn/s1600/Tete+a+Tete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSKEpuwr3XGs5nmX8wZqwuX_tqsyZ7dlFuInbbUe6S9fllS-XbAd9VRCetFCPmMeXaeAxAD6jNLHC59c2ZOoyEFkBuQH5IBB0RQsUhWwUvDAuvi-fQlV81GWBmkYtAjxOh9ZjXuVdNHqn/s1600/Tete+a+Tete.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">These chairs by </span><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="http://www.janshowers.com/">Jan Showers</a> </span></span><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">are an exquisite example.</span>
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<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Personally, I am always drawn to a space with a spectacular chandelier. Nothing says "look at me" like a great lighting fixture. And, nothing brightens a room or brings it more depth like a large mirror. So, I say, "Go bold and decorate with gold!" Just make sure to balance your shimmer with a grounding, organic element like fabulous reclaimed wood floors.</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897888251072213763.post-66465799072711004832012-05-24T14:19:00.001-04:002014-07-30T17:06:26.076-04:00Esoclectic Obsessions: The Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSaG7Uu4P4u7saoaOpreNy9FnrrKzbodTaWCxW2YdNgrQAzFTj08cFLsmw8_2uoTJHx322tyl_F0LiNP83tT2zZu9VIn0KzQUjL3BP1yJNn9fOvQHG-lYmWASqo4__sE5kxQKF-en30hy/s1600/breakers-mansion-newport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSaG7Uu4P4u7saoaOpreNy9FnrrKzbodTaWCxW2YdNgrQAzFTj08cFLsmw8_2uoTJHx322tyl_F0LiNP83tT2zZu9VIn0KzQUjL3BP1yJNn9fOvQHG-lYmWASqo4__sE5kxQKF-en30hy/s400/breakers-mansion-newport.jpg" height="155" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since I was about 12 years old, I've been obsessed with fabulous interiors. A trip with my mother to see the Vanderbilt's summer home in Newport, Rhode Island, <a href="http://www.newportmansions.org/explore/the-breakers">The Breakers</a>, (above) was all it took to get me addicted. My love for historic homes and elaborate interiors, enhanced by my love for classic literature, inspired many trips to the public library's architecture section. Architecture. Art. Furniture. History. Literature. Texture. These passions have led me on my path to interior design. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Funny how your life's path intertwines with your passions, even when you don't set out to follow them. My passion for literature led me to attend The University of Tampa and obtain a BA in English Literature and then, to become a high school English teacher. Along that path, I met my husband, whom I call my modern-day-Renaissance-man because of his love for writing, wood-working, renovation, theater, music, and art, which all seem to contradict with his success in the IT world (but yes, he also loves sci-fi!). His love of writing led us to the Boston area, where he earned an MFA from Emerson College. Transplanting our family from Florida to New England destined us for another romance: our five bedroom, 1900 Colonial Revival home in Gloucester, which was in desperate need of re-birth and good design. Of course, after 5 years, we are still renovating!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And, the home renovation process brought me back to look through those books on architecture and design again...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meanwhile, teaching English and doing hours of homework, while managing an elderly house, a tantrum-throwing toddler and a precocious pre-schooler was feeling like a suicide cocktail. So, I abandoned the teaching profession for part-time office work at a non-profit and went back to school, taking classes in interior design.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, mid 2012, I launch Esoclectic Interior and Event Design, and my passions have become my business! </span><br />
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