Behind the blogger...meet Jennifer from Belclaire House!

Good morning, so happy to be here with yet another fabulous blogger, say hello to

Jennifer from Belclaire House

Jennifer is a newer blogger but what she lacks in months blogging she more than makes up for with her very discerning eye, beautiful taste and a funny spin on every day experiences. (Did I mention she bears an uncanny resemblance to Elle McPherson, yea that ugly duckling..haha) She is a young mother who has a lot of wisdom and design sense. We have many similarities....when I read her interview, I kept laughing to myself at how much we have in common, a big one being our undying devotion to all things blue and white. Then you throw in her sense of humor which I so "get", her love for Starbucks anything, spaghetti (practically my middle name), The Notebook being one of her favorite movies, loving all movies with a pretty house and her design icons.

 Jennifer has a truly beautiful take on everyday things and if you aren't already with her fabulous blog, do hope you will stop by and say hello. She also regularly posts things from her mother  who is affectionately known as "The Suze"...and you see where she gets her fine taste from! Her blog is one of the handful where I know I will truly love whatever she has posted. I can nearly assure you that you too will want to make it daily habit as it is mine. Thank you Jennifer! 

Click on the header to visit Jennifer's blog............

So....... what inspired you to start blogging in the first place?

I've been reading design blogs FOREVER (they got me through law school), and I was always saving images and sending them to my mom.  It occurred to me that my mom might like to read a blog with lots of blue and white and other pretty images so I started Belclaire House to share with her.  We have all of our favorite images in one place now. 

How did you come up with your blog name?

My best friend grew up in a house on Belclaire in Dallas, and it was the first place I started noticing interiors and design. Her mom has wonderful taste and their house continues to serve as a source of inspiration for me.  Also, the name Belclaire just sounds pretty. 

Do you have a favorite all time movie?

I pretty much only like movies set in pretty locations.  I could watch The Notebook over and over and over.  It's the perfect movie, pretty houses (one's even blue and white), pretty scenery, pretty people and a beautiful love story.  I also watched Marie-Antoinette at least once a week last summer, I was obsessed. 

You get to spend a month in the European  countryside.....is it Italy or France?

I do?? That's awesome!! I'm going to flip a coin because there's no possible way I can make that call.  Heads is France. Tails is Italy.  ... It was Heads! Looks like I'm going to France for a month! (I may sneak over to Italy for a few nights...shhh) 

Favorite meal?

Spaghetti (hmm maybe I should go to Italy) 

Tell us as little or as much as you want to about your family.

I'm married to an adorable man named Kip whom I met in law school at a Halloween party - he was a Ninja Turtle and I was pregnant Britney Spears.  He was instantly attracted to the bag of Cheetos I carried around as well as the fake baby bump. We've been married two wonderful years and have an active little boy named Edward who will be 1 in September.  

If you could have any career what would it be?

Pop Star/Interior Designer 

Favorite design style?

Right now I'm really drawn to very traditional, but not fussy rooms. I currently live in a sea of baby toys and burp clothes and safety gear, and while I'm certainly cherishing these precious moments of chaos, I find myself gravitating toward clean, white simple rooms. 

If you could only live in one color what would it be?

Blue & White! (It's technically one color) 

Favorite season and why?

Fall. It's the most beautiful time of year in Missouri, the weather is perfect and the trees are gorgeous.  Also, I love football (especially the Missouri Tigers) and Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks, which you can only get in the fall.  

Design icon?

So many! I'm learning about new (to me) designers everyday on my blog.  I feel like I could learn a lot from Charlotte Moss.  Her rooms are always so inviting. She has amazingly high expectations when it comes to quality of living.  I've been in a house she designed and her attention to detail is impeccable (for instance, you won't "see" a plug anywhere and if, say, the power should go out, you will use lots of beautiful candle lit lanterns as opposed to unsightly flashlights). She's fabulous.

One place you haven't been that you want to visit-

I keep hearing Interlaken, Switzerland is stunningly gorgeous.  I would love to go there.  I also get travel ideas from watching The Bachelorette (don't judge) so now I'm on a Thailand kick.  

What's your number one pet peeve?

I don't get annoyed very easily. However, it drives me bananas when intelligent people say "expecially" or "supposably" or "alls I was saying." I start to develop a tick when I hear that kind of language from otherwise well-spoken people.  

What are the two best things about blogging?

Meeting people who love the same things as I do and having something that is entirely mine.  

You get to have a private dinner with any two people in the world, they can be from the fashion, design world, literary world, Hollywood, politics,etc....your choice. Who are the lucky two? OK, don't judge, but I don't want to be fake.  Paula Deen and Jessica Simpson.  They are both silly like me, but also two incredibly successful Southern ladies.  I could ask them lots of questions, but I don't have to feel intimidated when I inevitably drink too much champagne and say something wildly innapropriate. We're all really good friends in my head. 

Do you have a favorite saying or quote?

"Don't cry over something that can't cry over you" and "The secret to happiness? Be Satisfied. Be Grateful." - Mitch Albom. These are particularly good for someone like me who covets things all day long on my blog. It helps me check myself before I wreck myself (words of wisdom from the great Ice Cube circa 1993) 

Most overrated trend right now?

DIY - only because I never actually do it myself.  I have the best intentions, but then I get distracted by something shiny and pretty and whatever creative craft I dreamed up falls by the wayside.  I actually did a lot of painting and putting things together in my son's nursery, but I chalk that up to the whole nesting thing.  I sort of blacked out and woke up with striped walls and pretty painted furniture.  It was weird. 

Reading anything interesting that you want to share?

I just read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and it was the best book I've ever read.  It's not my normal genre of book (it's a WWII story), but it was incredible. I harass everyone I know trying to get them to read it. 

You are 18 again. What do you do?

Go on a mission trip somewhere. I thought I knew everything at 18 and I think a trip outside of my comfort zone would have brought a lot more clarity and perspective going into college.  

What are your plans for the summer?

I'm really looking forward to my best friend's wedding in Aspen at the end of August. 

In ten years I will be.................... rich and skinny? Just kidding, err, kind of. Hopefully, still blogging and maybe working on my own dream home or helping other people with theirs.  

If you could live anywhere on earth and money was no object where would you go? I wouldn't want to be too far from my family and friends, but I'd definitely want to live on the beach so probably Sea Island, GA. We've been going there in the summers for so long that it feels like a second home to me. I would have a big fabulous house so that everyone could come visit me, blog friends included of course.  

Best tip or two for any new bloggers reading this....... I'm relatively new so I'm always seeking tips, but I'd say lots of pretty pictures.  I don't always have time to read so it's OK to have nothing to say and a bunch of random but pretty images.  I'll get it. 

Blogging to me is design school and good times.

Give me four words that describe your personality.

Bubbly, silly, easy-going, happy (I had to ask my husband for these, he tried to say expensive-taste, which I rejected) 

And finally a recap of all the things Jennifer loves.....

Isn't she great? Love how she is honest, fun and puts a humorous spin on things. Laughter really is the best medicine. Jennifer, when you have your lunchdate with Britney, please ask her what possessed her to shave her head and tell her we all like her much better with her blonde hair!Hope you will stop by and explore her blog a bit, she has some really fabulous posts, click here to visit....thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!
I just found that sweet Mon from the beautiful blog of Splendid Willow was so amazingly kind to have posted a beautiful post today on the building of my home. Thank you so much Mon! I had no idea and am so touched! Please visit her wonderful blog, click here.