Late week musings....and a winner!

Hello everyone. Busy week....can't believe we are officially in  March, so spring really is not so far away. Cannot wait. Bring on the flowers, pretty soft colors, blue skies and bright green grass! I am ready. How about you? Happy to say goodbye to old man winter? I definitely am, really happy we got that one huge monster of a snowstorm but am perfectly happy to skip into spring now........lets get started! First things first, was so happy everyone loved the new kids in town, (they are now online click here to visit) the wicker bags are under new additions. I picked a winner and that lucky person is.......

Result:

56 

Sam @ My Carolina KitchenFebruary 27, 2013 at 11:05 AM

The silver salt and pepper set would make a lovely addition to my table. Love the handbags and clutches too.
Sam

Please contact me by clicking here.....and congratulations!

Moving on.......on the homefront, I love crystal decanters. Bought one old Baccarat and one Waterford  to add to my growing collection. I have more in storage which I really need to bring out.  Love them.....I have some beautiful silver wine tags I need to find (think still in one of my storage boxes up in the attic) and get busy pouring! A few odds and ends.....

 Say hello to my newest paintings, these are quite old, signed and stunning!! I loooove them. The frames need minor repairs but aren't these such gorgeous landscapes? (G.Williams)

 Love my new tureen, now on my online shop.....it's so elegant!!

A few random spaces that I awe of. I  just love love love these rooms each for totally different reasons........

I need a tackroom like this, antlers, oil paintings and all. Oh wait....first I need some horses:)

This is kind of like the ultimate cool, sophisticated ultra swanky ski house...I want it.

 

Is this a perfect pool house or what? Sign me up! Love seeing all the green... I need spring! 

 If this were my beach house....I would never ever leave! This is exactly how my future beach house will look (notice I didn't say if I get one)

 How spectacular is this room? OMG...I can almost feel that warm air coming through those french doors!

 I want to have a intimate dinner party it this room, then kick everyone out kick off my shoes, settle into a cozy worn cracked leather chair, light a fire, pour a glass of bubbly and get into a great book...sound good?


And my blogging friend Teri from La Dolfina saw this at a salvage yard for $6,000. Seriously if it was not sold I would have thrown all my sense of reasoning out the window, jumped on a plane and bought this. It would have been worth reconfiguring my kitchen for. I am in LOOOOOVE with this piece!!

The armless dude on the left would have had to stay behind though........

My friend Marilyn, author of the blog, Pink Martini and pearls. is the genius "behind" these cookies. Are these not the cutest cookies you have EVER seen? She is soooo talented and is always being commissioned to create  cookie masterpieces for big corporations to university fundraisers. I thought these are possibly the cutest cookies I have ever seen,they are appropriately entitled " tushie cookies" and were made for her sons fraternity fundraiser! How wildly appropriate! Visit Marilyn here. 

Books. Can you ever have too many? Not in my world.  The new book by Hilary Geary Ross, New York, New York just came out so I got a signed one from my buddy Leta Austin Foster......yes that talented dynamo who creates the most scrumptious rooms out of NY and Palm Beach.

The book features pictures by society photographer Harry Benson.Well this is a funny story. So she sends me the book and it doubles as a free weight...probably weights a good 10 lbs, it huge and glossy and fabulous and keeps you captivated for a long long time. Somehow it ended up in my powder room.
A friend stops by last week with a very "colorful" and 'flamboyant" character, her friend who is a designer from NY (visualize) really funny, full of life kind of guy visiting Long Island with her. He asks to use my restroom, meanwhile she and I get busy chatting in the kitchen and its a looooong time before I realize hes still not back. I wonder has he taken it upon himself to take a self guided tour of my home? I politely creep towards the powder room and the doors still closed, hum! I quickly get my can of air freshener at the ready for battle..and he soon finally emerges.

He has a smile on his face telling me he got 'lost" in the book. What book? Then he shows me...oh that book! Totally forgot its there. He loved it and apologized but he said he couldn't  put it down, that he knew some of the people featured,etc and that he could not wait to go and buy it....so Hilary if you are reading this, your book delivers even in the powder room!
Its a great book and perfect for anyone who loves reading about the glamorous life, the swanky movers and shakers of the big apple and social doyennes that dominate. Think of this as the love child of New York Social Diary, Vogue and Town and Country. Great coffee table book. Wonderful job Hilary and thanks Leta! Click here if you want to order one for yourself!



Speaking of books, say hello to my new official favorite design book. If I were to put out a glossy coffee table book full of beautiful images, this is what it would look like., this practically could have been authored by me. One luscious page after another, it doesn't just tease you with the front cover, it delivers from front to back! Any book that opens with a two page picture of chinoiserie, then the next page with a luscious blue velvet sofa and blue and white ginger jars is a major keeper. This is  an absolutely gorgeous book that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to add a winner to their design book collection......best one I have seen in ages!

One more thing on the subject of books. Did you like Olive Kitteridge? I did, and Elizabeth Stout's new book is coming out mid March. I can't wait.....sounds like a good one! I preordered it, click here if you want to read about it.

Have you seen this scrumptious new china/dinnerware by Scalamandre? Its a new collaboration with Lenox and its so pretty.  Its a love for me! I think the orange might be my personal fave.........

I must end this with the cutest photo session I have ever seen. Entitled "Just let me sleep"....is this melt your heart kind of cute or what!! How did she get the pups to cooperate like this! How can you not smile when looking at these......

 I am dying from the cuteness over these.......just totally made my day and melts my heart! On that precious note, wishing you a wonderful day and a good end to your week!