Tuesday, July 17, 2012

A perfect summer day with Debby of Inspired Design



Hi, good to be here. Was on the road again...its been non stop! I am looking forward to hopefully taking a breather in August before the back to school madness begins.
 So happy to present my new series, "A perfect summer day". It was intended to "launch" around Memorial day but time slipped away and here it is second week of July! No time like the present though and I will be featuring some of your favorite bloggers every Monday in this new series until around Labor Day. There is so much to love about summer, the abundance of fresh fruits and veges, farm stands, beach outings, lobsters rolls, the plethora of hydrangeas in full bloom everywhere, freed up schedules and late summer nights spent dining al fresco, I could go on.....when I was on the beach all alone with my book and some cold beverages at the ready, I thought "this is truly the perfect summer day". I was in absolute heaven!

It got me thinking about what does the perfect summer day mean to you? So I asked a bunch of my favorite blogging friends to come abroad and share with me their thoughts on what that means to them. Thrilled to launch it with  one of my faves, the lovely and super stylish Debby from Inspired Design. To know her is to love her, but if you don't know of her yet...you must visit. You will be thrilled to have made the discovery of her gorgeous blog, I promise. In addition she recently launched her online store featuring the most beautiful photographs of her favorite places like Paris, Nantucket, (mine too). Without further adieu, here is Debby telling us about her perfect summer day!






Hi it's Debby from Inspired Design. I am thrilled to be here because I love summer almost as much as I love Tina. I think Tina puts Martha Stewart to serious shame. Whose with me when I say Tina needs to publish a coffee table book of her beautiful home? I'd be the first in line!


My perfect summer day would start..... by savoring a freshly brewed mug of coffee, (or two), in a pretty and comfortable setting. I would curl up on the sofa with my laptop and do my morning blog work before hitting the beach for the day.



The bedroom I would wake up in..... would look something like this.  It would be airy with sunlight streaming through the windows. There would be beautiful french doors that I could open to let in the fresh morning air, and revel in all the promises that a summer day holds.


And my bathroom would be.... a calming escape where I could rinse away the residue sand from the  beach. The color scheme would be reminiscent of shades of sea glass.


A favorite beauty product I love to use during the summer is.... Vanille Perfume. It's inexpensive and smells delicious. It is not a bit overpowering in the summer heat and it holds is scent. I also love shades of pink, coral, and orange to compliment the perfect summer mani/pedi.



An ideal summer outfit for me consists of... preppy attire. My go-to outfit is usually a colorful pair of shorts, a summer blouse, and some Stella + Dot jewelry to give the outfit some personality.



The view from my bedroom window would be..... of a unspoiled sandy beach. The sound of the waves would lull me to sleep in the evening and I would be awaken to bright sunlight streaming through my bedroom windows, and the harmony of sea gulls.


And of course this perfect summer day is located..... on the quaint island of Nantucket, MA. If you read my blog, then you already know all about my incessant love affair with the island, and my dream to someday live there.

For breakfast I would indulge in.... freshly squeezed orange juice, a flaky croissant, and slow cooked scrambled eggs with goat cheese enjoyed al fresco.



After I am showered, fed, and revved up to start my day I would.... take my dog for a long walk on the beach, get some exercise, and hunt for treasures to add to my collection.


For lunch my absolute favorite summertime meal is.... a simple salad of fresh greens, ripe avocado wedges, kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes.



An afternoon snack might comprise of.... freshly picked strawberries enjoyed either plain, or blended into yogurt with granola.



My afternoon activity would be.... relaxing with a great summer read and reveling in a bit of a cat nap without feeling a wee bit guilty.



The ideal summer drink is.... Lemonade Iced Tea. Love the combination of the two.


A perfect summer dinner would consist of..... marinated grilled scallops upon a bed of rice or served with grilled sweet potatoes. A green salad or grilled asparagus with shaved Parmesan would complete the meal.



And where I eat might look like this.... Dreamy, sparkly lights, in a star-filled sky. Candles aglow, music softly playing, all helping to create a feel of living in the moment.


A perfect summer ending to a perfect summer day.... would end with those I love, sitting around a fire pit sharing stories, laughs, memories, hopes, and dreams.



The best part of my summer day is..... knowing that there are many more summers to come. Many more days to make memories, feel free, relax, enjoy, and live. Even when things are not all right with our world... it's bitter January, a loved one is ill, a job has been lost, or a heart has been broken... we can always hold on to the hope that a summer day is just around the corner. It's a promise that lives in our hearts, that seasons renew, there is a time to reap, a time to sow, and a time to play in the sun.


Thanks so much for having me, Tina! It's been a pleasure.  -Debby xoxo

Thank you Debby for describing MY perfect day...oh my you really got it covered, from the sophisticated beach house to the yummy drink and tantalizing food, stylish summer frocks mixed in with a little bit of retail therapy...we could be great summer friends!! Thanks for stopping by and thank you Debby for such a wonderful post. Be sure to stop on over at Inspired Design, but be forewarned.... its a blog that is easily addicting. Wishing everyone a wonderful summer day......and would love to hear a little about your perfect summer day?





29 comments:

  1. Tina nice to see you are back! This was a great idea, I love the idea of a perfect summer day and Debby seems to know her stuff. Love every one of her ideas (even the healthy eating). Her room, view and location are a dream.

    Mine would have to also be centered around the beach, a perfect small beach house thrown in would make it perfect for me. Enjoyed this!

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  2. What a heavenly post - I think Debby and I share very similar tastes, especially in food!

    Reading this was like taking a little mini vacation from home. I hope both of your summers are as wonderful as this post!

    - Holly

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  3. Sounds like a perfect day to me too! The breakfast, coffee and beach treasure collection all sound heavenly....

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  4. Sounds like a day I would sign up for! If we are going to talk about them dont we need to do them? When does the tour begin? Could spend all evening on the patio shown in the last picture.

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  5. Tina,

    Thank you for having me. You are always so sweet to me and I always feel a bit better about myself after having contact with you. That is how you know someone is a true friend...they lift you up. I loved doing this post, it was so much fun. Would love to spend a beach day with you alternating between being buried in our books and deep conversation!

    Love,
    Deb xo

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  6. Debby ... sounds like a perfect day! xo HHL

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  7. Fun series, Tina! I just recently found Debby and love her blog and photography - and share her love of Nantucket! Wish I was starting the perfect summer day with coffee on the porch of a Nantucket beach house, but I'll just have to make this Seattle summer day as perfect as possible. Hope yours is wonderful! XO

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  8. The new series is fabulous, you're off to a brilliant start with Debby! I would love to have a day like this, from the 'unspoiled beach' for a view to the strawberries to the 'preppy attire,' I'm all in!

    Have a splendid day Miss Tina!
    tp

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  9. Love, love, love Debby and her blog! This has also made me REALLY want to go to Nantucket! I've been once but it was about 7 years ago and these pictures brought back such great memories!!! It's truly beautiful! Hope your summer is going well! Thanks for sharing this!

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  10. What fun to read this Post! I enjoyed my Summer Day reading this one! It reminded my of the best vacation my husband and I ever had. Last summer we spent a few days at the Harbour Camden Inn, in Camden, Maine. We had never been to Maine! I hated to leave. It was heaven.

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  11. Love this new series....such a fun post! It's always fun to daydream and take a little break from the reality of every day life sometimes :o)
    ~Des

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  12. This one was a very, very pleasant read. I will have to go and check out the blog.

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  13. What a talented writer and "dream weaver" Debby is! I could hear the waves crashing and taste the scallops! Very fun!
    Cheers!,,
    Barbara

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  14. I could just tag right along on Debby's day...sound perfect!!

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  15. Hi Tina!

    Debby is wonderful and I always look forward to her daily post. Her day sounds perfect and her photos are incentive to schedule a trip to Nantucket!

    leslie

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  16. Debbie, it sounds wonderful and perfect.

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  17. Debby and I are so in sinc, Love all of her dreamy ideas for the perfect summer day, especially love that she would want to be in my Master bathroom,what an honor that she used my master bathroom as her choice, thank you Miss Debby!! xo Kathysue

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  18. LOve your pretty blue, white and green header.....is refreshing to see!

    As for this perfect day, i izzzzzz dreamin'!!!!!

    God bless and may the rest of this summer be a delight,
    d on the prairie

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  19. Love reading your blog. The food featured here are surely delicious to follow and to make.Thanks for sharing.

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  20. mouth is watering.

    eyes are big.

    loving this whole day and wanting it for myself!

    smiles to you lovely bloggers.

    michele

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  21. OK, that was just so beautiful. Loved reading it.

    Simone
    www.simonedesignblog.com

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  22. Where, oh, where do I sign up for this summer girls' camp???

    Debby's choices are all mine, too. I love to walk the beach looking for the tiniest pure white stones...those of you in the Hampton's know the ones I mean, and scoping out the high tideline and the water line for sea glass. The sounds and the smells keep me in suspended sensory delight!
    Fun post!
    xoxo, Chris

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  23. Nantucket would make the perfect backdrop for a perfect summer day and that bedroom I am in love with. Love the outfit, all of her choices are just heavenly and I would be delighted to share the same perfect summer day, what a fun idea for a post, Tina. Nice job both Debbie and Tina, the beautiful images made me feel like I was almost there.

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  24. It all sounds perfect to me too (except the scallops...for some reason, they are not my fave). You have impeccable taste Debby! I enjoyed your answers and the beautiful images to accompany them.

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  25. Love her ideas, Nantucket is such a dream spot. We were there for the first time about 5 years ago and I have dreamt of going back ever since. Her prints are just beautiful. Love her ideas of a perfect summer day, the only thing I would add is taking my dogs, Cutie and Petutie, for a long walk along the beach at sunset.

    PS Love your blog ever since I discovered it via pinterest. Its so full of amazing ideas.

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  26. Beautiful post Debby! Your perfect summer day looks remarkably similar to mine, even down to the meals! xoxo ~L

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  27. Debby, your day sounds absolutely delightful! I'm happy to know about you!

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  28. This is truly the perfect summer day, so many marvelous ideas. Debby is such a talented and lovely lady! Thanks for choosing a fantastic guest Tina!
    Enjoy all the summertime fun!
    Mimi

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Would love to hear what you have to say......happy thoughts only please!!