Make Believe House for No.100!

Join me, won't you, as we go on a bit of a fantasy trip to GSG's land of make believe.  Here are some of my favorite design inspirations, magically combined into one!

Welcome to our home...

 

Photo: Antoine Bootz and Jeff McNamara, we adore your work Cathy Kincade--she did the first two pictures.  This is not all the same house.  

I'm so glad that you were able to make it.  Let me show you around a bit.  Here's the dining room.    We'll have dinner at eight, will that work for you?

Photo: Antoine Bootz and Jeff McNamara

Let's take a short cut to the kitchen through the butler's pantry.  

photo Tria Govan; designer Mary Evelyn McKee

Now, for one of my favorite rooms in the house.  The kitchen:

Photo: Tria Giovan; Designer: Frank Randolph

Why don't we just sit for a while and talk.  I'd really like to get to know you better.

Photo: Jeff McNamara; Designer: Gerrie Bremermann

Here's the master bedroom.  

Photo: Pieter Estersohn; Designer: John Bobbitt

Here's your room.  I hope you like it.  If you need anything, just let me know.  

Photo: Tria Giovan; Designer: Phillip Sides

Why don't you just tour around in the gardens while I get some of my writing done.  

Photo: Pieter Estersohn; Designer: John Bobbitt

Thank you so much, blog friends.  You have become such a part of my life!  You'll never know how much pleasure I get from your kind comments and emails.  You all are the reason I make up silly fantasy posts like this one!  Thank you for making my 100th post so much fun!

My Kind of Monday Retreat

Ahhh...I don't think a Monday would be bad at all waking up in this bedroom--or a Tuesday, or a Wednesday...  I really like the fact that this is a normal sized bedroom.  Nothing over the top. It's comfortable and cozy while remaining refined and elegant.  

(Photo: Jeff McNamara; Designer: Gerrie Bremermann)

I do hope that all of you are having a BEAUTIFUL Monday!  My next post will be my 100th.  I think we should celebrate, don't you?  Ideas anyone?

So tell me about something beautiful you have seen or experienced on this beautiful day.  I'd love to hear about beauty all around.  

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Speaking of beauty, have you seen Pearls and Grace's new blog design?  It's simply regal!  If you aren't familiar with the Pearls and Grace blog--start reading.  You will be so glad that you did.  I can't begin to tell you what a special person P&G is.  Now Get Ready for something wonderful.

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An overdue THANK YOU to such a spunky blogger Mrs. News Reading!  She thinks my blog is FABULOUS!  Wow!  I'm so thrilled!    Her blog, Breaking News, is such fun to read.  Thank you so much for the FABULOUS Award!

First Impressions

Don't you just love to be entertained in someone's home?  I'd rather dine at someone's table than at the finest restaurant in town.  There is something so warm and welcoming to be escorted into their private spaces.  Here are a few foyers or entry halls.

Do you feel a sense of anticipation--what's the rest of the house going to look or feel like? 

Have you been transported to the South of France or Tuscany?  Some homes tell of the owners travels or heritage.  What does this foyer tell you?

Simple, clean and straight forward.  Honest.

Cozy.  The brick floor matches that of the front porch and the driveway.  

Everyone seems to be talking about this style of hanging prints--the gallery wall.  Also, notice that the wooden floor has been painted.    

(thanks to Southern Accents, Southern Living, and Mary Evelyn McKee.  You never disappoint.)

Does your foyer welcome your guest?  What does it say about you?  Tell me about it.

The 70's, oh my!

Wow.  Aren't you glad this hasn't come around again?

Prepare yourselves.  It's really bad.

How I'd love to transform this room.  The basics are good.  What a coat of white paint could do!

Are you as confused as I am?  Ugh, sewing machines, shotguns, artificial plants?  Not exactly Garden & Gun is it?

Anyone inspired?  

Happy Friday everyone!

Missing Beauty All Around

Another AMAZING inbox story I have to share with you all:

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning.. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried on to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again.. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people.
The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour:
Do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

I'm taken back.  Are you?

Be sure to click the link to read the article and watch the video.  Thank you so much Washington Post!

Carnival!

The 12th day of Christmas has now come and gone.  Now it's Carnival Season!  In our neck of the woods,  this is the time between Epiphany and Lent.  The season ends with a bang--Mardi Gras!   We don't do the "Girls Gone Wild" type of carnival.  It's all about family, tradition and just plain fun.

The Granny Smith Green Blog was honored to be mentioned on Visual*Vamp.  She covers Carnival quite well with her post that may be viewed here.  

There's no point in reinventing the wheel, so I'll leave it to Visual*Vamp to tell you all about the Twelfth Night celebrations as well as introduce Carnival.  Enjoy her great article!

Think

Found this in my inbox today.  A good reminder for the New Year.  This could serve as a list of  "Resolutions" or goals for bettering ourselves.

What might happen if we all had a good nights sleep, ate a good breakfast and were kind to those who are seemingly undeserving?  Think about it.