May 2012

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Friday Favorites!

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Friday! Already? Well we did lose a day there with the holiday. Not that I'm complaining. I'm all for long weekends. But really...Friday already. I'm really gearing up for a crazy weekend. My sis officially moves back to Jersey from Brooklyn...with my help. Well mine and one of my brothers. We'll be renting a car (since My sis drives a 1954 Ford Custom line) and first grabbing boxes at Lowes. Then we're heading into the city for 3 days of packing like lunatics. She has been living here in Jersey with us for the past few months...but still had her fully furnished apartment sitting there. Aaron has had some heavy duty neck and arm pain the past few months and has been seeing the Chiropractor. His arm goes numb from simply painting or using the computer, so it goes without saying that heavy lifting is out of the picture for him. He's staying back in Jersey with all of the pups.

We'll be packing the place up and on Monday she has a guy that will be driving it all back to Jersey. It's probably going to be hot...plus it's a 3rd floor walk up. Party!! haha...can you sense my sarcasm? Well...you gotta do what you gotta do. We need to help her close this chapter. :)

anyways...yes...that will be my entire weekend. How about you guys? Anything fun planned? Tell me!

Well, just in case you don't have enough fun on your agenda...or if your fun is only fun in the sarcastic sense...then I've got some decidedly fun stuff in my Friday Favorites for ya!

by Rui Pereira and Ryosuke Fukusada

How FUN is this?!! I absolutely love this cake mold and the genius designers behind it. In their words: "playing with your food is now allowed. Serve your favorite pieces of furniture to your friends and kids."

The name is so perfect "Beachfront View Dress". Just makes me sigh and think of being in Wildwood NJ :) After a day at the beach and boardwalk...coming back to our motel room...freshening up...and going out for dinner. LOVE it!

I can always count on IKEA for having happy practical affordable things to make me happy! I adore these vintagey looking floral trays ! Perfect for summer day lunches on the deck, or for the pups water/food dishes...or the bathroom...or studio... :) And the price RULES!

This perfect little thing was on the etsy homepage last week and I couldn't have been more bummed about being so broke right now. It is the cutest little thing! I'm camper crazy and dream of one day owning one of my own. For now this would cetainly have fit the bill! I'd be happy just dreaming while staring at it on my coffee table...but it just wasn't in my budget. Not that it was a lot...pretty much what you'd expect at an antique shop...50 bux-ish. I was actually surprised that it took a few days to sell. I thought it woulda been gone the second I pinned it on pinterest. Ah well...one day!

I am so so in LOVE with these incredible "utility lamps" by Deborah Bowness. They are in fact wallpaper art. This collection features all sorts of gorgeous graphics on panels of wallpaper. And that happens to also be a faux clock on the wall. I just plain ol' adore them!

Ok, happy Friday to you guys. Wish me luck this weekend!

xo, Jenny

A Place In The Sun

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Wishing I was here .... and not stuck in the office with this cold and rainy weather. I couldn't imagine a nicer place to be right now :- sunshine, warm weather, daybeds covered in overstuffed pillows, a good book and not a care in the world! I love the textured, organic forms of Greek architecture and the white looks so crisp and brilliant against sparking Mediterranean seas and bright blue skies. I would give anything to be able to dive into one of those inviting wet edge pools right now! No harm in dreaming!

Melissah xox

Images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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Style Crush: Lynn Yaeger

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portrait by Dietmar Busse

Blogging, writing, painting...for me these three actions stimulate many of the same synapses. In this instance I'm speaking of the connective spark between one act and the next. Every time I work on a new painting my mind gets crowded with images of what the next painting in the series will be.

So it was with my first edition of Style Crush, when I profiled Aaron Ruell. I'd been wanting to share my love for his style for a long time, and naturally, in the process of writing his profile my mind was filled with images of my very next Crush who would appear here. And that is none other than one of my ALL TIME favorite peeps! Lynn Yaeger, aka Baby Lynnie. I have been a fan...no scratch that...obsessed with Lynn for well over 15 years. Stretching back to when we had our furniture line...which I have mentioned was highly inspired by fashion, Lynn was always on my radar. I had photos of her all over my giant inspiration wall. I love her antique boudoir porcelain doll like style.

Her cupid's bow lips...the way she gets extra bang out of that same lipstick...using it to dot her adorable cheeks with a bit of "rouge". And her chosen silhouette, to say that I have worn nearly that same silhouette forever might just be an understatement.

(source)

Lynn Yaeger is a contributing fashion editor to Vogue.com and a contributing writer to Vogue. And for thirty years she was a fashion reporter for The Village Voice. You've probably seen her unforgettable face on tv whenever there's an in depth report from New York's Fashion Week.

When she writes about or talks about fashion I know exactly what she means. It feels like she's been peeking inside my brain. And it's this synergy that Lynn has with all sorts of creative types that has made her an icon in the field. She can see the "story" in a collection or even a single dress. And for me, in fashion, in painting, it's all about the story. The who, what, where, when and why.

And even though she can be very specific, this doesn't translate to rigidity...actually, it's the complete opposite. A dress or an accessory may speak something very specific to her, but that doesn't mean she thinks it should say the same thing to you. If she was to have one rule of fashion, she'd say "there are no rules."

You just have to adore Baby Lynnie.

xo Jenny

(source)

Claudia In The Spotlight

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Loving this photo shoot of Claudia Schiffer -

she looks casual, relaxed and beachy.

The sheer white crochet, the white lace sun dress and the floppy white hat

all pay homage to a retro, seventies feel.
It reminds me of Bianca Jagger in her hey day.

Chic and stylish perfect for relaxed beachside summer days!

Melissah xox

Images via Bella Mumma

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You still have time to WIN!

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Hey kids!

Just popping in to let you know that you still have some time to enter the giveaway I am co-hosting over at The Nearsighted Owl! :) Ends June 3rd!

when all else fails...

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Hey guys!

How was your weekend? It was mega hot here on the N.J. Shore. Big floor fans in full effect! We've got the AC going in the bedroom in order to sleep at night, but it just seems way too soon in the season to actually button up all the windows in the house and put the central air on. Though I'm pretty sure that mindset may change very soon. We're all dewy over here, and sweating and painting don't mix.

One thing the heat will do is mellow you out. The mood this weekend was a bit slow but productive at the same time. Aaron and I spent most of our time working on orders, organizing, and painting.

Speaking of painting. I had this phrase in my head and just needed to paint it. It's actually something I've fell back on more than a few times. You can ask anyone in my family...there have been moments of uncertainty, or even chaos...and next thing you know, I've got the mixing bowls out. Some might view this response as a little bit nuts. But it works for me. Baking requires a certain amount of zen and the zen is contagious...not to mention the sweet rewards in the end.

You can take this phrase to heart or it can just be a whimsical little saying. We're going to be creating a whole series of these and have a few versions in the works now. I couldn't wait to share these two with you. They're in the shop now...so you you can join the mission too! They are 8x10 and come matted and ready to frame.

xo Jenny

Outdoor Living in Black & White

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Black and white beachside accessories:

For me black and white is not an obvious choice for beachside living but that theory has now just been thrown out the window when I see these examples of stylish outdoor furniture and chic beach accessories. It is a sophisticated and timeless palette that can definitely have a 'beachy' vibe to it!

Melissah xox

Source : The Style Files

{1. Acapulco chair, 2. Zig Zag tote, 3. La Sardina camera, 4. VAGO chair from IKEA, 5. beach towel from Missoni, 6. rattan tote, 7. dress from Billabong}

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K9 Kamp and the Desire to Deter the Muffin Top

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Luckily my pooches and I don’t need K9 Kamp at this time as we are super active, but I know what it's like to have a dog who looks like a tank. For years, my darling Casey was affectionately called “The Chunk” as she was, shall we say (ahem) solid!

So I know what it is when a donut or three -- or too many great canine cookies! -- add more jiggle to your wiggle than is desired for optimum health or peace of mind and I can appreciate how a support group of dogs and owners can really help spur one another on to get up and move.

I wholeheartedly support Jodi and Kolchak’s initiative to work off their muffin tops and encourage anyone who feels the need to get on board for health and prizes. I know Jodi is getting a lot of support for this program and it makes me so happy to know that what she’s creating will be potentially powerful for so many people and dogs.

You can get full details here.

Ocean Blues

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How dynamic does a space look when you add accents in rich sapphire and deep turquoise. They suddenly come alive with depth and possess a jewel-like quality. They evoke the colours of a sparkling ocean on a hot, summer's day. It's doesn't take a lot - a rug, a cushion, a painting or a chair but it totally adds a whole new dimension to a room.

Melissah xox

Fashion by Coastal Style, images : 3, 2+4-5 via Sea Cottage

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White with Natural Textures

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I love the combination of white, wood and natural textures - particularly for a beach house although they would work equally well in a country style cottage. I love rustic timbers in their natural state but I'm also a fan of timber that's painted white, chalked or limewashed - I think it adds character and personality to a space. The Scandinavians do this so well. Fill a beach house with lots of natural light, straw baskets, cane and rattan furniture and sisal flooring and you are bound to have a winning success!

Melissah xox

(images from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 via The Style Files)

Check out Coastal Style on tumblr and Pinterest