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Showing posts with label exteriors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exteriors. Show all posts

C.WONDER HAMPTONS TRIP

Blogging isn't always as glamorous as it seems. I've had a few friends take a stab at blogging for all the perks, only to jump ship when they realized how hard it is to actually sit down and make yourself write something new every single day. There's a lot of alone time, constant comparison to what other people are doing, and plenty of self-doubt over whether your diligence will ever amount to anything. That said, I'd be lying if I said the pros don't completely outweigh the cons. I've met so many incredible people, had so many cool experiences, and even seen new-to-me places because of this little blog I started back in college. So while I'll never complain about getting to collaborate with a new brand or receiving a free handbag in the mail, it's the experiences and the friendships I value above all else.


Getting to travel out to the Hamptons with C. Wonder last week is exactly the kind of experience I'm talking about. Fill a bus with my favorite bloggers and business women and drop them off at a gorgeous home in Southampton... It's the kind of day that dreams are made of. The public relations team at C. Wonder is one of the most awesome groups of women I've met in New York; they're all so perky and smart and just really well-suited for their jobs. They wear the clothing in a way that makes me see C. Wonder totally differently — I swear I could have stolen their outfits right then and there. (D-y-i-n-g for this silk dress in olive green.) Instead let's settle for a little early summer shopping spree, shall we?


Can we talk about this pool? It's definitely the crown jewel of Chris Burch's home. (And it should come as no surprise that I love all the hot pink and navy!) It was such a treat to get out of the city and spend a little time in the Southampton sunshine. 


Want to know the way to my heart? Easy: lobster rolls. My favorite summer food and extra pretty when served on a navy coral tray.




Oversized pots of hydrangeas? This must be heaven on earth.


I loved this side view of the house. Such a dream home! I dream of having that much space to decorate and landscape and wallpaper as I please. I'm pretty sure every other blogger there felt the same way!


Thank you, C. Wonder, for getting together such a good group of people and showing us all such a wonderful time! 

P.S. If you've had your eye on something from C. Wonder but haven't pulled the trigger, there's a good chance it's in their epic summer sale. Shop it here!




MEMORIAL DAY IN ROWAYTON

It's a pretty rare occasion that my three siblings and I are all at home at the same time. With me working in New York, Reilly working in Massachusetts, Grayson at school in Pennsylvania, and Camden in high school in Connecticut, it just doesn't happen nearly enough. The stars aligned this weekend, though, and we got to spend Sunday dinner and all day Monday as one big happy family. (Has anyone else found that they're even closer to their siblings now that they're a little bit older? All the petty arguments have stopped and it's pretty much constant storytelling and tears-rolling-down-your-face-can't-take-a-sip-of-water kind of laughter.)

On Sunday night, we sat outside on my parents' back deck and ate berries, corn on the cob, hamburgers and hotdogs for the non-vegetarians, yummy salad, and Brussels sprouts from my mom's garden... Easily the best meal I've had in months and the most I've laughed probably since we were all together at Christmas. On Monday morning, we woke up early, got coffee, and found seats for the Memorial Day parade. Camden is an EMT with the local ambulance crew (run by high school students... no big deal) so we were sure to embarrass him with lots of cheering when he walked by. I also ran into my old gymnastics coaches which was a welcomed blast from the past.

Then it was off to Rowayton for lunch by the water. We almost always skip lunch at a real restaurant in favor of grabbing a baguette, cheese, and fruit and eating on the back deck at Rowayton Market overlooking the water. Highly recommend! Then it was time for a leisurely stroll around my favorite Connecticut town. There are so many beautiful homes and views I figured it'd be rude not to share ;)

Patriotism at its finest.



Adore this little garden planted on top of a stone wall!




I'd like to camp out in these Adirondack chairs all afternoon, please and thank you.





If you live in the tristate area and you're looking to plan an easy weekend day trip, put Rowayton on your list! It's an hour long train ride from Grand Central and has the feel of Nantucket without the travel time. And don't forget an ice cream cone from 101... There's an amazing art gallery in the back and the Mount McKinley mint is not to be missed ;)

What's your favorite day trip in New England? Always love to hear your recs! xx



BLUE CRUSH

Sunglasses  //  Exterior  //  Tassel  //  Jeans  //  Stripes

Just a few inspiring images in my favorite hue... Can you tell I'm daydreaming of warmer climes?! 

P.S. For lots more visual inspiration, follow me on Pinterest here

DREAM HOME FILE...


How cool is this? It's an 1840s Methodist church on Martha's Vineyard (a hop, skip, and a jump from my favorite place on earth!) that's been converted into a vacation home. The ceilings and floors are all original — I can't think of a more fun renovation! Definitely one for the dream home file... Speaking of which, do you know what your dream home looks like? Where is it? Do you have it all planned out on Pinterest? I'd love to see!  






PHOTOS FROM NANTUCKET...


She's going to kill me for this but please allow me one moment to brag about my friend Amy's photography. Honestly I get by on Instagram but Amy's snaps from our weekend on Nantucket had me wondering whether we were even on the same island. She has the best eye for color and composition — it was kind of amazing to just watch her at work. I'm so excited to be working with her on a few upcoming projects — stay tuned!

Here are a few of my favorite photographs she took last week. Beaches + family + girlfriends + hydrangeas + iced coffee + my favorite place on earth... You can bet I'm already counting down the days until we head back!

P.S. How gorgeous is my grandmother's lightship basket? It was a gift from my grandfather :) I love that she paired it with her Design Darling bangle

P.P.S. Check out Amy's blog here and be sure to follow her on Instagram! You won't regret it.

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WHAT'S YOUR DREAM HOME?

Let's do a little Tuesday morning daydreaming, shall we? I think it's such fun to think about the future and play pretend about where I might live ten, twenty, or thirty years from now. I grew up spending summers on Nantucket and can imagine nothing more perfect than a 'Sconset cottage with weathered shingles, perfect hedges, and this lovely little chandelier hanging somewhere inside. I'd love to know what your dream home looks like: a cottage by the sea? a Parisian pied-à-terre? a suburban manse? Do tell!

P.S. Peruse more dream homes here and here.

*Images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

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LANDSCAPES TO LOVE

There's nothing like a chilly New England day to remind you how much you miss spring and summer. To make matters worse, I discovered the dreamy portfolio of landscape architect Renée Byers and I've been drooling over lush lawns, pretty plantings, stone steps...
Gorgeous, don't you think? My countdown to spring is officially on.

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DIY LETTER WREATH

In the spirit of Monday's post about ten ways to decorate for Christmas, we got started this weekend placing candles in the windows and hanging garland over the front door. My mom had seen this adorable wreath and decided to recreate it with materials we had on hand. I love the way it turned out!
Materials: hand pliers, chicken wire, metal wire, and some sort of greenery (we used boxwood from our backyard but any kind of garland would do!).
1. Cut your chicken wire and lay out your shape. We did "H" for our last name but you could make any shape you like or even three letters for a monogram!
2. Twist each piece of chicken wire into a tube shape. This doesn't need to be perfect — just three-dimensional so you can secure your greenery to the wire.
3. Wrap your greenery around each part of the letter and secure with metal twist ties as needed.
5. Go back and trim as necessary. 
6. Ta da! You're almost finished. Now wrap with Christmas lights...
7. And hang on your front door! You'll be the envy of the neighborhood. ;)
What do you think?! Any fun holiday DIY projects you've tackled lately? 

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