Rebirth of Cool: Blair Eadie

I love the feeling when I discover a new blog.  I recently found Blair Eadie's Atlantic-Pacific and have been enamored ever since.  First, the girl has a certain style that really speaks to me.  I love taking a peek at the ensembles she creates and I especially love her up-dos!  Reminds me of when I was in my 20s, hanging out in San Francisco having the same kind of fearless fun with fashion (my best friend lived on Jones St. and I've even noticed some of these shots are taken around Russian Hill and Shanghai Kelly's).  

Here are some of my favorite looks:    

I am loving this Ralph Lauren blouse, canary yellow cardi, and red flats.  This is totally country club chic that reminds me of something my friend Elizabeth would wear.  Adorable!

Seriously, the dose of purple is perfection!  

As you all know, nude, camels, tans, and black are my favorites!!!  This is probably on my top choice for #1 outfit to covet!

Accessories galore!  I've been collecting since high school and I adore the way Blair pulls all her accessories together.

Simply amazing!  I'm hunting for the perfect white blazer as we speak, this one is just killing it for me!  By the way, Blair's boyfriend is on the other side of the camera lens, snapping all these gorgeous shots!

Where can I find that black and white DVF chevron stripe dress???  I want it pronto!  So gorgeous and the purple faux fur vest and oxford = perfection!  Ok, I'm inspired now to have fun with fashion!

What's on your list to buy for spring???

To Stripe or Not to Stripe?

 I've been working on re-styling and cleaning out my office.  In the process I've decided my lamp needs to be re-vamped.  Apparently Target no longer sells black lamp shades, or least ones in West L.A., so I hit Lamps Plus and found this black and white striped one that was in the clearance aisle!  I love the graphic print, but can't decide if it really works or not in this space?  My preference would be to find a second striped one and use them as a pair on my mirrored Borghese Buffet, but unfortunately they are out of stock and I really don't have the patience to search for one!

Here is the original boring white lamp shade that I started with.  

Question for you dear readers: do I keep the white shade, hold off and keep searching for a black one, or go with the black and white stripe???  

Organized: Jewelry

I've been on an organization kick these days and the focus has been my vanity area.  I LOVE accessories and have accumulated quite the collection, however organizing them is another story.  I keep seeing trays, trays, and more trays as a great way to neatly display pieces.  I even read that Miles Redd uses tons of trays all over the house to keep trinkets and items in neat little stacks.  Well, I'm taking his advice and trays have become my new best friend.  

I love the way this gal used cups and saucers to hold earrings and bracelets!  Such a clever way to show off your favorite pieces! (I wish I could remember where I found these pics!)  

Notice the sunglasses in the mint julep cup!  Love that!!!  Getting ready just got a whole lot easier!

Damn straight...

...Words to live by!
Have a great President's Day Weekend everyone!  I'm off to the Desert (Palm that is) for some much needed R+R. 

The Parker Palm Springs


image via We Heart It

My Manicure

I'm off for some quiet + relaxing + me time at the nail salon today.  After months of deep reds and wearing my trademark Chanel Vamp all winter I'm loving this shade of nude.  I feel spring is in the air and  this color makes me want to go out and get a spray tan!

Happy Friday! 

Thirsty Thursdays: Cosmo Please!

 It's after 5 and time to play...

What will you be drinking tonight? 

The Baby Diaries: L'Alphabet Francais

I stumbled upon this adorable French Alphabet again today over on Etsy and it's just calling my name!!!  I've been looking for the perfect wall art to hang and this one caught my eye with it's effortless style and charm.

The pastel colors of robin's egg, apple green, and pink would add the perfect touch to my nursery...

... and little Barron will be on his way to learning French!  How sweet!

Ikat Lampshades

I stumbled upon these ikat lampshades at Bermingham and Co. the other day and am completely in LOVE!  The pink is on my list of accessories to purchase, but the purple is blowing me away too!  I've been tiring of ikat lately, however used in a lampshade has got me really excited!!!

What's your favorite color?

Happy Birthday Miss Valentine!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS CHELSEA V!!!
Here's to my baby sister on her 30th birthday!  

xoxo,

Vanessa

Image via We Heart It

Be Mine

Tell someone you love them this weekend!!!

xoxo

Thirsty Thursdays: Tall Coffee

I'll take one please, and make it strong!

Image via We Heart It

I Adore Snow Leopard

I'm currently obsessed with this fabric from Hinson & Co. called Snow Leopard.  I'm planning to recover my bedroom bench in this one.  It adds just enough leopard glam without being too cheesy!     

 You may have seen it before, Jan Showers regularly uses it in her interiors and she used it for the cover of her book Glamourous Rooms!  

Aqua + Pink

Currently, this color combo is inspiring me as I look towards spring.  

Does anyone know where I can find a print of the beach scene below???

Untitled by souzli01 on Polyvore.com

Amazon.com: Kinfine Zebra Nail head Bench: Kitchen & Dining
$130 - amazon.com

Table Lamps | LampsPlus.com
$205 - lampsplus.com

pink decorative ikat pillows - Ikat Pillows - Pillows & Cushions
uzbek-craft.com

sellr™ | Gift Mark Child's French Chantilly Style Arm Chair - White...
sellr.net

Starfish and Sundresses
blogspot.com

Fabric By The Yard - Bright Pink Linen
fashionfabricsclub.com

Starfish and Sundresses
blogspot.com

Starfish and Sundresses
blogspot.com

  

I Heart Books

I've been on a book buying binge these last couple of weeks after receiving an impressive Borders gift card over the holidays...  

...now I just need to find a large square 2 tier glass coffee table to display them on and make one last purchase - the TOM FORD book (perhaps a Valentine's gift to me?)

What do you collect?

Jules Still Rules

To Paint or Not To Paint???

I've been wanting to do something different with my little antique desk I received as a gift for my 7th birthday from my grandparents so many years ago. I'm a bit apprehensive to paint over the wood, but when I stumbled across this desk at Full House I'm totally inspired!!! The orange reminds me of Tory Burch or Hermes and I think trimmed with gold, it could be quite stunning to house my jewelry, perfumes, and candles!

My other absolute favorites would be an aquamarine, Tiffany blue, or crisp white like the desk pictured above.

I need your opinions: Do I paint my little desk or keep it traditional in the wood finish???? Here's how it looks now...

What are your thoughts???

Fabulous Find: Faux Bamboo Stool

A couple of weeks ago while searching Craigslist, I stumbled upon this bamboo stool for sale at one of my favorite stores in the valley, Hotel Surplus! I was immediately intrigued since I've been looking for a stool to sit at my vanity in my bedroom and I love the look of bamboo that you see so often used by designers like Jonathan Adler.

While looking for inspirational images on how to re-design a bamboo stool, I found this one at Gump's for $298!!! I was amazed at how similar it looks to my stool, and was stoked that I got mine for only $45!!!

Here is the final product: I spray painted it gold and found this leopard fabric at F & S Fabrics for $30 yard to recover the cushion!

I'm thrilled at how it turned out and tempted to go back and buy one more stool so I have a pair. I think they would look so good paired in front of a fire place, at the foot of a bed, or even in an entry way tucked underneath a console table.

The Perfect Push Present

If you were reading my blog back in the Fall you may have seen my post about signet rings. I've had a love affair for this classic piece of jewelry since I received my first one from my high school when I was a senior. My husband got me this piece from Tiffany as a push present and I had my son's monogram engraved on the top so I am always reminded of him when I'm wearing it. I'm beyond thrilled at the quality of workmanship of the engraving and the style of the letters turned out just the way I wanted them. If you are interested in buying a signet ring from Tiffany I suggest you do it soon! They told me they will soon be discontinued...bummer!

The Baby Diaries: He Arrived!!!

Barron Edmund Stern came charging into the world on December 5th, 2010! It's been a whirlwind since his arrival, we made it through the holidays, and I am managing to operate on very little sleep...and now after a month our little family has adjusted very well! Barron is a great little traveller going on little "field trips" with his mommy to the mall, fabric and furniture stores, and of course Starbucks, to keep on going. I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions, but at the top of my list is to de-clutter, clean out, and get organized. I also am going to try to get a blog post or two in between feedings, naps, and diaper changes. Motherhood is a lot of work, but good work and it feels great to be back in the blogosphere!

"Hi I'm Barron!"

2 weeks old