Girl Crush

I adore fashion photography!  I often get inspiration for color combinations from fashion.  Here's a color I haven't really used much.  Green.  Of course, I love chartreuse, but pure green I haven't been so fond of.  But this photo could change my mind.

Doesn't she look fabulous!  Love those shoes!  This picture proves that green (like any color) looks fab with hot pink and large amounts of white.  Image via sfgirlbybay.  Please contact me if you know the photographer of this beautiful photo.

My color lab, ho hum

There's only so much you can do with color when you live in a rental.   I think I'm overcompensating because I am dying to paint the walls (and the kitchen cabinets and the doors).  I'm jonesin', I need a large canvas...or two.  When I get this feeling, I move things around.  Today I thought I'd go crazy with saturation.  Fun experiment, but I'm not happy with the rug.  I got it from Urban Outfitters a few years ago.  The price was good, but the color isn't exactly what I wanted.  I have a little trouble ordering online, it's better for me to see pieces in person.  I think this look would work better if the walls and floor were bright white.  Why do landlords insist on muddy puke for the walls?

Okay, failed experiment.  I started to panic when I looked at the room, so made the wise decision to sit down with a cup of coffee and a fortune cookie left over from last night's Chinese take out.  I am not kidding, here's what the fortune said.

Oh right, one of the big rules in decor:  don't panic.  Thanks for the reminder, universe.  We should always feel free to experiment in our homes, after all what's the worst that can happen?  You don't like it and have to change it.  No biggie.  I probably will change this look tomorrow.  In the meantime, I still felt like painting, so I painted my nails to match my decor.

I am totally in love with the latest nail colors!  Yes, I tried to make this pic look a little groovier by adding a border from Rollip, ho hum.

Don't Give Up! We're Only Half Way There!

Akron Art Museum

I know it sounds crazy, but I still get homesick for Cleveland.  However, there are a few pluses to living in Akron.  One of the biggies is that I get to spend more time with my nephews.  This is a good thing because they are growing up so fast!  On a recent outing my nephews and I went to the Akron Art Museum.  It's a wonderful museum and here's a few pics from that day.

A big pink sculpture by Claes Oldenberg greets you in the lobby.  I love large installation pieces taken out of context.

Another shot of the lobby.  With a mountain of milk tin lids, by El Anatsui.

Even the polyurethane furniture in the lobby is art!  I'd love to have this furniture for my balcony.

These may look like mountains, but they are actually bags made completely of newspapers.  They are very tall, I think the tallest one was about 8 feet high.  I love the irony!   Mountains of newspapers.  If you ever get a chance to see an exhibit of Anatsui's work, you simply must.  It's incredible!  He turns detritus into large shimmering pieces of art.  There were areas of the museum where photographs were allowed, and areas where it wasn't.  Anatsui allowed photography of his exhibit, but I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted.  My nephews were getting embarrassed.  :)

Here is a pic I took on the down low.  It is, of course, a Mark Rothko.  Rothko's work seen in real life is almost too much for me to bear.  It gives me heart palpitations.  The combinations of color, the simplicity!  Swoon.  I wish I had painted this!

Here is an interesting Mermaid sculpture in the permanent collection.  I think she's cool.  My nephews weren't as impressed and told me to put my camera away before we got kicked out.  It was a great day!  Two of my favorite things:  my nephews and art.  It doesn't get any better than that.

New Vase

I like to live simply, but I also love pretty things.  It's a delicate balance.  Beautiful things, but not too many.  I still want to flirt with minimalism.  I think that's why I love pottery in simple shapes.  Here's a new vase I recently picked up on the cheap from TJ Maxx.

It's the one on the bottom shelf.  I love its simple shape and lovely matte finish.  The hot pink and blue vases are ones that I painted.

New Stuff: Hello Kitty, McDonald's and Soup Cans

My nephews and I recently went to the flea market.  Look what I found!  This adorable Hello Kitty toy!  It's been so long since I bought a toy.  She's so cute!  She's wearing a chef hat, apron and scarf.  And she's holding a hamburger!  Can you believe she only cost $1.00!

Do you remember Speedee, McDonald's first mascot?  She reminds of him, which I think is awesome.  I love vintage mascots and logos.

Image and history of Speedee via Retro Planet.com.  My mom and I recently ate lunch at McDonald's.  It sure has changed since I was a kid.

It's not the drive up I remember!  This one was a little over designed, but still cute.  I do appreciate the attempt to bring beauty to the masses.  I want the acrylic chairs in the first picture, they would look great pulled up to the counter in my kitchen.  Acrylic chairs are perfect for small places as they take up no visual weight.  I'd also love to have that white chair.

Here's some new stuff in my apartment.  The soup cans are another very fine gift from my sister-in-law.  Andy Warhol 50th anniversary soup cans from Target.  I love them.  I can't seem to decide how to decorate this little spot in my apartment.  I change it every couple days.  Here's it's current display:

The black vase is another birthday gift from my sister-in-law (she also bought me the pink Ikea bud vase a while ago).  She buys me the best gifts and I have them all over my apartment.  I'm so lucky she has great taste!  Dear readers, which vignette do you prefer?

All photos (except Speedee cup) by Peggy

My Apartment for Today

I celebrated my birthday recently and my mom gave me money to buy pretty things for my apartment.  Thanks mom!  I was ecstactic.  Seems like it's been forever since I actually bought anything.  My mom knows I'm picky and sometimes our tastes differ. However, we avidly agree that that color is magical and has the power to cheer you up.  So my favorite cousin and I went shopping.  First stop TJ Maxx.  I admit it.  I'm addicted to TJ Maxx.  It has replaced Target as my go-to for cheap home accessories.

Here's a couple of pieces I considered.  I really love this ottoman.  It was made of a soft vinyl and I love the quilting.  At $24.99 it was very reasonable, but it wasn't quite the color I wanted.  I had my heart set on a hot pink ottoman.  I also considered this lamp.  Really cute shade, love the simple white base.  But, I have my heart set on a very retro looking over sized lamp.  I know I'll find it eventually.

Something like this.  I love the teal color, love the shape and would love to have an over sized lamp shade.  I don't remember where I got this image.  Probably Etsy.  From TJ Maxx we went to Burlington.  Where I got this gorgeous pillow for $12.00!

I've been wanting to add some chartreuse to my decor.  I think it looks lovely with the hot pink sofa cover.  The stitching is very beautiful.  I really haven't been a huge fan of patterned pillows, but Hilari Younger may have changed my mind.  I adore the pillows she used in the final challenge of Design Star All Stars (see previous post here).

I also found this cute ottoman at Burlington.  A little small in scale, but I don't care!  It was the last one so it was only $9.99!  Perfect color and it provides storage for my winter blankets.  Did I mention I love hot pink?

Painting Vases

Have you ever watched the show 'Til Death?  It's hilarious!  During my recent bout with illness, I couldn't get off the couch and it was just the medicine I needed.  In one episode the long-married couple's daughter decides she's going to major in ceramics studies at college.  Her parents are horrified! I couldn't stop laughing, but I must admit I wish I knew myself that well when I was young.  If you've been reading my blog for a while you know I am obsessed with pottery.  I love the shapes, the textures, the finishes and I love arranging it like sculpture.  I keep thinking I'd like to take a pottery class, but I must admit I'm too lazy for that.  I'd love to own a pottery store, where I could arrange and dust the pottery all day long.  Ahh.

My latest obsession is to search for unloved, abandoned pieces at the Goodwill and give them a new life by painting them in updated colors.  I am particularly in love with neon colors!  I love the look of spray painted vases, but spray painting is a lot harder than it looks.  It takes a lot of patience and I'm not very good at it.  So I am always on the look out for a vase with a porous surface so I can paint it with a brush.  And I love simple shapes.

Here's my latest transformation.  

Before.  The vase on the right was begging to be hot pink.

Here's an after shot with a couple of other vases I've painted.

 I love it!  I just can seem to get enough hot pink!

Pink Accessories

Just a few more quick words before I wrap up our discussion of pink (for now).   I'm not sure why pink is such a hotly debated color.  It looks great with any other color, it looks good on everyone.  Pink is not a strictly girly color.  Pink can be used in a thoroughly modern and edgy way.  You can never have too much pink.  There are tons of variations on this fascinating color, from light pink to hot pink.  Mixing pinks gives spectacular results. Still not sure you want to add pink to your living room?  How about a pink accessory?  A lamp, a vase or a pillow.  Pillows are a great way to experiment with color and textiles and can be changed easily on a whim.  Here are some beautiful examples. 

Look at his gorgeous origami lamp!  It's pink, but it's also very modern.  It would look great in mid century or industrial decor, just to name a few.  This baby would look great in just about any room.  And check out the rest of their lamps, they are fab!  Available at Studio Snowpuppe.

This happens to me all the time!  I see something I like on the internet.  Either I pin it or favorite it on Etsy.  I intend to order and then don't.  Who am I kidding?  Why am I always teasing myself with beautiful objects when I have no money to spend?  And truth is, I have enough beautiful things... but the artistry of humans fascinates me...or am I just greedy?  Why can't I ever be satisfied?  It is a dilemma.  Sorry, I digress.  That was a lot of wasted words to simply say that I dig the hell out of this pillow and I wish I had bought it!  Formerly available at idari.  Do check out her shop she has tons of gorgeous pillows in pop and retro designs and they are affordably priced.

Is this the coolest vase ever?  It is slip cast from duct work.  Unfortunately, I can't find the source for this vase.  It was on Etsy.  I have a couple of emails out.  Once I find out the artist, I will update this post.  This gorgeous vase would look so fab in an industrial loft.

Vintage hot pink art glass is hard to find.  This is a rare piece, and it has me swooning.  If you ever see a piece of hot pink art glass at a flea market or garage sale - especially if it is cased glass - you should snatch it up.  But be careful!  Watch out for those mass-produced FTD vases.  Only buy those for their beauty if you want.  Pretty things don't have to be expensive, but watch out they are usually not vintage.  I've been seeing a lot of Etsy vendors trying to pass off FTD and Ikea vases as vintage.  This image is from The End of History, and if you don't follow their blog - you should.

I love how these gorgeous vases are feminine, modern and edgy.  Love that unexpected pop of hot pink.  I think every room needs a hit of hot pink, and here's a great way to add it.  Designed by Hanna Tonek Bonnett.

Hot pink, gray, black and white.  One of my favorite color schemes.  This gorgeous pillow is from Urban Outfitters and is aptly named Magical Thinking Mystic pillow.  Remember this room from the CB2 catalog that I featured recently?  This pillow would look great in this room.  Or it could be used in a neutral room to provide a pop.  Either way you can't go wrong with pink.  Use a little or use a lot.

I'd love to see how you use pink in your home.  If you'd like to be featured on this blog, send me an email.