pretty pieces

i’ve been in fence sitting mode. i found two fabrics that i love for my formal room. both a linen. one is a brown stripe. its subtle, elegant, and will look great with my mossy walls. the other is a large scaled ikat pattern in bright green and raspberry. a family pole says i should go for the bold fabric but my instincts tell me to play it safely. but i want it to be a young house that is a tad daring. i need to decide. my vintage sofa needs to be reupholstered & i want to get my living room together. any thoughts from anyone? i am so over sitting on the fence. the spikes are starting to hurt

this is my month of beaches- from st. simons to rosemary beach. the girls and i are camped out in rosemary beach for the next week. we’ve been here since monday & we plan on returning next thursday. my brothers & their families joined us & its been crazy fun. with 5 kids, maybe more crazy than fun. we’ve been hitting the pool, the beach, and cooking up a storm. really- they’ve been cooking. i’ve been eating. i am blessed to have a mother who is a fabulous cook, a sister in law who loves to cook, a brother who masters the grill, & i myself am good at making the cocktails & cleaning up. we are a great team. this will be my third week of beaches. i’m a beach slut

i’ve discovered a few new things,

susan masseys shop in rosemary beach is gorgeous & i hope to have my own athens based shop like hers some day. look as this gorgeous kitchen she designed

i love bamboo. i bought three bamboo braclets for summer & some shiny bamboo pulls for my formal room cabinets. can’t wait to install them. i now want some bamboo picture frames. hell, i want bamboo everything

more tomorrow apres cocktails
xoxo
jade

we left wednesday for st simons & spent 3 days on the coast of georgia exploring. photos and more details to follow tomorrow- right now i’m just plain car sick. 5 hours, 4 kids, mcdonalds, back seat. yuck. i hope to be more pleasant tomorrow

xoxo
jade

i’m told we are leaving tomorrow morning for a trip away. it’s to be a surprise & i have no idea where we are going. i do know we are driving, that its not too far, no one else is going with us, & i need to bring a bathing suit. it’s fun to have someone plan a trip for you. but it’s the surprise factor that throws me. actually, i dislike surprises very much. i like to know what i am getting myself into & i like to have an appropriate outfit. this is probably no fun & maybe even dull. but it’s the truth. once s threw me what was supposed to be a surprise birthday party in budapest & i called every restaurant in town to find where the reservation was being held. he was less than impressed with my nancy drew ways but at least i had a great dress that fit the venue. and thank goodness i did because it was way dressier of a place than i had imagined. so today i’m packing my cutest things & hoping its either by the beach or in acity. i’ve got outfits for those. i’m hoping its not an adventurous journey- i don’t have any adventurous outfits & i don’t camp. my friends were joking that it was going to be dollywood.god help me. i hate not knowing. at least if i knew it was going to be bad i could practice my fake excited face. in any case, i’ll be back with details soon

may the gods of good surprises be with me

our low key, low cost fathers day celebration was delayed due to delayed flights on sunday so last night we had a simple dinner of roasted chicken, grilled asparagus, & a greek salad. we started the party with a orange rum punch made with fresh oranges, lemons, bitters, & rum. we toasted & roasted s while we presented him with our gifts of love. our final choices came down to a coffee table sized book entitled bond girls are forever because we are both a little obsessed with bond girls. its a beautiful picture book filled with the bios of all the leading ladies in 007 stories by decade. the girls gave him these gorgeous hand made shot gun shell cufflinks as he fancies himself a very good shot (& he really is). we finished the night with a few glasses of wine on the deck together. it was kinda perfect

i read many blogs. well… let me be honest- i skim & scan many blogs. i find few that keep my interest daily. at first, i had a whole list of blogs that i HAD to frequent & now only a handful. my focus has turned from my daily dozen to finding new blogs that inspire me. welcome to party perfect- my new favorite blog. a sweet little place to find fun party & gift ideas written by a former martha stewart baby & kids magazine art director. i stayed up late last night reading almost every post & being inspired by her perfect party creativity.

& i think it maybe time to plan myself a little summer soiree

today i so wish i’d had a front row seat at this african fashion show. i love the colors & concepts
today i opened up my recent order from anthropologie & i’m thrilled! this is the cutest dress ever for summer
today i fell in love with this womans shoes
today i tried out this new dish
& today i played outside with two little girls in the sprinklers
yes ma’am. it was a beautiful sunday
xoxo
jade

-he didn’t have to be-
lyrics by brad paisley

dedicated to him

“when a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new. it always winds up feeling more like a job interview. my momma used to wonder if she’d ever meet someone who wouldn’t find out about me and then turn around and run. i met the man I call my dad when I was five years old. he took my mom out to a movie and for once I got to go. a few months later I remember lying there in bed. I overheard him pop the question and prayed that she’d say yes. And then all of a sudden oh, it seemed so strange to me
how we went from something’s missing to a family lookin’ back all I can say about all the things he did for me is I hope I’m at least half the dad that he didn’t have to be.met the girl that’s now my wife about three years ago. We had the perfect marriage but we wanted somethin’ more. Now here I stand surrounded by our family and friends. Crowded ’round the nursery window as they bring the baby in. And now all of a sudden It seemed so strange to me. How we’ve gone from something’s missing
To a family Lookin’ through the glass I think about the man. That’s standin’ next to me. And I hope I’m at least half the dad. That he didn’t have to be

Lookin’ back all I can say
About all the things he did for me
Is I hope I’m at least half the dad
That he didn’t have to be

Because he didn’t have to be
You know he didn’t have to be

right now i’m really into gray. i’m putting together a room for client that is going to be done in rasberry & gray. we’re painting the room white with one accent wall of gray. the old hospital bed my client has been saving for a while will be repainted in a dark matte gray. we’re going for stripe for the bedskirt & two oversized rasberry pillows. it hasn’t come together totally in my head yet but i’m working on it.

this is my gray master bedroom- i’m doing a gathered silk circus stripe bed skirt & matching gathered silk drapes next. the wallpaper & mirror are my favorite features so far. each time i enter this room, i want to stay

which brings me to my next current obsession: circus stripes! goodness knows i love them. i mean LOOK at these images. how can you not love? i want them everywhere!

which brings me to WALLPAPER! as you alllllll know, i am a wallpaper f a a a a a n. what i love the most is that wallpaper can bring an element of design or texture to a flat space. check this out:

i am SO into this kitchen. my ideal look: a super modern kitchen with colorful, traditional wallpaper. beautiful. you have got to take note of the kartel stools. love love love them. want want want them

happy friday to you! i am spending the day at my favorite place in the world: the fabric stores. if you’re looking for me, i can be found running my fingers across all the bolts & cutting off scraps of my favorites

xoxo
jade

i am in love with this project & feel so very snow white these days

i just found this & i’m head over heels for it. maybe its because i’m redoing a little girls room & maybe its because i have my own little girls room underway. whatever the reason- i’m getting one. the map is a whimsical paper cut out of the streets of paris & london with funny characters & a graphic appeal. yes. it should be illegal for me to be on the web

i’ve been working a lot lately. i have two new clients that are just starting, two local projects that are constantly keeping me on my toes, my own office to fit out, & my own house to pull together. plus while reagan has been away, i’ve been redoing her room

the modern house (seen above is their entrance with the round mirror & console table) has three more rooms until whole house completion. well- unless we decide to do the master bath as well. we’ve completed the family room, library (a small picture seen above of the desk view), the master bedroom, the guest bath, the screened in porch, & i love it. the house has gone from small & cluttered to stream lined & happy. it’s now a bright, beautiful home with a modern edge & an eclectic flair. most importantly, my clients love it

my new office is in an industrial building & is currently in a pathetic state of nothingness. i need shelves & sample books & art work & furniture. i just had the door sign installed & i am so proud of it. it represents my style perfectly

reagan’s room will be a well edited girls room with all her favorite colors represented: red, pink, & yellow. behind her bed we will wallpaper in this gorgeous trellis print. right now i can’t decide on whether to use the pink or yellow. i love both. i painted the entire room ben moore super white. i took down her fan & installed this large west elm pendant. also from west elm is her new daybed which will be brimming with oversized pillows. i got her small candy apple red night stand & bookcase from pottery barn kids. we kept her chaise lounge that’s recovered in a minky mink hot pink fabric & her plain white desk with a stainless steel top. i added in a few whimsical pieces and some plain white lamps. i found most all of these items at the pottery barn outlet for 60% off. final pictures will come mid july. i can’t wait to show it to you

my girls are too little to get into fathers day right now but i think that will change. i see them eventually shopping in vintage stores for cuff links he collects or music he likes, hunting down his favorite shirt makers & finding that perfect gift that will light up his eyes. but at 7 & 3, they could care less. sorry stephen. so the task falls upon my plate. a happy task. i like making fathers day special- no matter how hallmark it may be to him, it teaches the girls to give to their daddy who gives to them without hesitation. this year we’ve got a theme: low key & low cost

what he doesn’t want (i’m guessing here based on previous near misses) is:
a picture of his kids (he has several million)
a hand made card (sweet but useless)
a massage (he’d rather stay home and nap)
power tools (he’s not so hands on these days)

what i do want to give him is :
something from each girl & me
something he actually will get excited about opening that is useful
something that will bring a huge grin to his handsome face
something that reflects each girls personality as well

i’ve found a lot of inspiration on uncrate - a web magazine for guys who like stuff. i like guy stuff. each gift should be under $20. & i want the day to be an occasion. something that defines the day like an adventure.

these are some of my uncrate favs,
if he skateboarded, i get him this cool oil painted board that is beyond wicked
if he was a treky i’d love to buy him this rockin’ chair
if he loved to grill, this would be first on my list

stephen’s not really that into anything like that though. he’s a reader, a historian, a drinker, an entertainer, and a little bit old school. my search for the under $20 presents has begun

i look good in my clothes. with the right undergarments & good make up & blown dry hair, i hold my own. i will even venture so far as to say that i don’t look awful naked- make up or not. i’ve got a womanly body & heck, let’s just get it out there, i even know how to work it. but there is one thing i can not wear well. i can’t wear bathing suits. i have a super long torso & ribs that stick out no matter what size i am & a large chest that makes fitting into anything that fits my waist impossible. i can wear bikinis but only if my tummy is as tan as my arms and that takes a while. plus while trainer robert is amazing my love for wine has not helped in the six pack arena. i don’t think i’m fat. just not as flat as i would like. & flat is key for bikinis in my book. don’t EVEN suggest a tankini. way too mini van mom. i’d rather not look perfect in a bikini than hide under a blanket of mom fabric. a size 6 ain’t that bad (that is of course until you try on a bathing suit)

last summer i was not so lucky with my choices. you can read more here & here. this year i’ve decided to go for a patterned one piece possibly strapless. i’m a little crazy for this number:

it’s not super inexpensive. but i’m hoping its happy. i can’t decide whether to work the bohemian cowgirl hat beach look or the glam gold on the beach uber big sun hat look. i’m kinda stuck in the middle. i don’t like coverups. unless they are silk. and i don’t like those little tubby dresses everyone is wearing- not me. sigh. what a drama this is. to pick one simple piece. one look for summer. i think i need a stylist

on a side note-

my cute sister-in-law sent me this email yesterday as we are all going to rosemary beach together in 2 weeks. she & i have been bitching about our summer wardrobe choices. her email made my laugh. she’s funny. i have funny sister in laws. thank goodness. cause a good sense of humor and loads of liquor is about the only way to get through family beach week in unflattering bathing suit pour moi. ps my sister in law is thin as a rail (no cottage cheese anywhere) but it rings true that everyone feels fat & ugly when buying new swim suits

” jade, after spending a better part of several hours in Newtown at my very favorite bathing suit shop I decided on this one. Of course, my size…..well…is much larger than the one the girl is wearing. Damn models. I tried to stay away from black, again, but alas…I failed. I tried on at least 10 of the suits they feature on the website. I looked like a dork in the white and black one, and quickly revealed my left boob when I tried to raise my arm. I even attempted the two piece. I was almost kicked out of the store for stretching out a non-stretch material. Can you say “oh, honey….I’m sorry you tried that on!” lol I found many others that I liked on the hanger, but they didn’t like me. Maybe it was the bad lighting? Maybe it was the confined space with a way big mirror? Chad swore that my ass didn’t look like I was hit with a cheese grater. God, please be with me on Rosemary Beach”

maybe it shouldn’t be legal for me to internet shop or even gaze. for it leads to poor financial choices. i am craving these pillows by thomas paul for my linen sofa. especially the goldfish ones. but at $100 a pop, i just can’t. can i? should i? no. i won’t. sigh. it sucks to live in the real world. i should have been born into money.

reagan & emma arden outside of st. stephen’s cathedral in vienna

ms reagan (our 7 year old) has been spending the last 10 days abroad. first she flew to vienna with our athens friends, bo & birgit & their three little girls. then they all drove to birgits hometown of krems- just 30 minutes from vienna. she spent her days in krems with the rutledge family eating grandmothers cooking (birgit- can you send home some schnitzel?) & having ice cream in the town square & going on boat rides on the river danube. she’s not really roughing it. she picked up a few german words i’m told & visited a local school. yesterday she was transported to her god mothers house in vienna. becca & rodney are from arkansas but reside in vienna… on the graben… right downtown… in a gorgeous flat. i’m not sure what their plans are but knowing becca it will be perfectly planned & executed. i wish i was there. reagan and emma arden (beccas daugther), a beautiful red head only 4 months younger than reagan, have been friends since birth. on thursday, they are all off to budapest (where reagan was born) via train to visit my best friend, erica, who has 3 charming girls also all about reagans age. so in total there will be 5 girls all staying with erica. its going to be a girl party & i can’t think of a better host. i think the plans include swimming, lunching, and laughing a lot. friday stephen flies into budapest and sunday they fly back via rome to atlanta together. it’s a whirlwind of girl fun & i know she is having a ball

everyone keeps calling to ask if i miss her? i do. but i know that she’s experiencing life. having one hell of a good time & with my favorite people in the world. yeah. i miss her. i can’t wait to see her. but most of all, i am happy for her. she is beginning on her journey to total independence, she’s being bitten by the travel bug, & she’s being loved by people who we love dearly. what could be better in this world than that?

i’ve just returned from a 16 hour drive in a 24 hour period. i’ve just returned from saying my final good bye to my grandmother. i’ve just returned from florida where she lived. & i’m spent. & it’s sad. i feel my mothers pain. i feel life catching up with us. i feel mortal

my maternal grandmother was strong willed, talented, & beautiful. she loved things that shined. metallic. gold lame. she always put satin sheets on the bed for me when i was a little girl. gold satin sheets, of course. i remember her teaching me to crochet. i remember her washing my hair. i remember her laughing & her hands & her snow white hair

& now i’m back. we’re back. my mom & i. spending time together. being sometimes sentimental. sometimes joyful. mainly we’re exhausted

after this close death- which shouldn’t seem as sudden as it feels- i want to hold on tighter, hold those i love closer, & enjoy every moment i have in this life time. i hope you do that today too

xoxo
jade

i’ve been choosing summer shoes for the girlies. sounds simple, right? not so when you have my freakishly controlling ways & a small budget multiplied by the sheer number of kids & occasions. no- its not simple. you’ve got a blog worthy task

for the seven year old needed sneakers she can wear with a dress or shorts, flip flops that are stylish enough to be considered less of a flop, and ballet flats for more formal events. the baby girls needed play shoes that they can take off & on “by me self”, a dress sandal that can be worn to church, & play sandals for non dressy yet up scale events (like birthday parties). yes, it’s a major effort to decide on styles, find them, price the options out, and purchase for each child. this year, i’m really happy with my choices

for reagan- the 7 year old- i decided on these rock star cool converse in a glittery silver, lelli kellys in the polka dot pattern, cute flip flops from jcrew (got i worship them) & these go-with-anything flats

ryan & grace racked up with these vans (i mean come on, that’s cool) in two different colors and designs, sweet sandals from wee squeak (we took the squeaker out), & the obligatory english sandal

now on to me- if i could just find a great driving loafer, some designer cork heels, some non roman sandals, i’d be set (and almost as stylish as my girls)

{please forgive me for my rather dull without pictures entries. my macbook pro is on its way. just a few more days until i can’t post images again}

i’m working like cRaZy right now playing catch up, building a room, throwing a party, hosting an event for the school, the list goes on & on. it’s all fun, all exciting & all of it is giving me a headache today. mondays just do that too me. i think i should start making sundays my mondays so i take less aspirin & be a friendlier monday person. (note to self: the guy next to me at the coffee shop is smacking gum like a cow. since i now have my own office, maybe i should actually work THERE for a change … where smacking gum is off limits - but blowing bubbles is not)

meanwhile i found a few links to share with you,

what i love about this is how the collage is hung with its random frames and pattern

yum. sounds so good that now i’m making a few of these friday night

i want to work here don’t you?

if i could fall in love with glassware, this would be it for me

can’t stop thinking about this draw your own wallpaper idea

this is for elizabeth who thinks she has no relationship with the camera (and for charlotte, who is on the same page as elizabeth)

this weekend is going to be a hoot

* tonight we’re kickin’ things off early with my ADD book club where we don’t actually read books- we talk about inspiring things, the news, day to day events and moreover drink wine & laugh. tonight is a rose tasting & i’m excited to try my “full bodied” rose (didn’t even know there was such a thing). i love these nights and look forward to them more and more as i grow to know the ladies

* tomorrow i’m finally moving into my office space. if you’re around and free, i could use help. can i count you in? great. meet me at 2

* saturday is my dad’s 76th birthday party. my brother & his wife & darling daughter are visiting. my mom is cooking her world famous ribs (really, they are!) & it’s going to be a very good time with all of their friends outside in charlottes stunning courtyard (pics coming, i promise!)

* sunday is filling up fast with plans with the kiddos & a morning for mama to sleep late & wake up slow

i’m off until monday
xoxo
jade

i need a new computer. this one is broken. dying. dead. apparently the hard drive has given up on me. the apple geek says i should have bought the apple care plan. should have. could have. didn’t. & now i’ve got to buy a new mac. but that’s kind of exciting too. in the meantime, posts will be random & only links …

we just got back from spending a week in rosemary beach. in the 70s and 80s, my family had a beautiful home with a private dock in the gated community of bay point in panama city. when we moved west, we reluctantly sold it. since then my parents return to the south & they have wanted to buy in florida again so we decided to check out the new areas. rosemary beach is 20 miles from panama city. it’s well planned & well designed. the over sized gas lanterns, the manicured lawns, the endless bike paths, the quaint restaurants & dutch looking town appeals to my european sense of style. someone said “it’s like the beauty of europe with the convenience of america”. the scene is laid back with an air of formality that i welcome. people dressed up for dinner a bit- i love that in our uber casual society of tank tops and flip flops. one of my favorite finds was the sugar shak where it took my three girls 45 to decide what they wanted. it’s hard to choose between purple cotton candy, larger than life lollipops, and home made ice cream with any topping you could ever imagine. my favorite cocktail hour stop was the courtyard wine bar. we drank a bottle from the krutz family- a light pinot noir made by the courtyards owners eldest son whos small production out of california is superb. i want to buy a case

alys beach- a few blocks away- is so stunning. the greek architecture took my breath away. it’s an oasis. a slice of white heaven with inner courtyards & a pool so beautiful that it is the most photographed pool in america. private cabanas, an open air bar- i didn’t want to leave

on the way to the beach we stopped into dothan, alabama. i haven’t been to dothan in over 20 years. i spent the first 7 years of my life there and it was surprisingly emotional to be back. i visited my first house which is old & very southern with a painted brick exterior & square columns on the front. the garage apartment where i used to play school with my baby dolls is now a mother in law suite & the backyard now holds a pool. what struck me the most was house much i actually remembered about the town. the smells, the neighborhoods, the landmarks. i loved seeing dothan again {i’ll post a picture apres my new computer}

so i’m back now in athens & it’s been non stop since i got back. i’m ready for another vacation already

ps did you see this on saturday night? i don’t think i’ve ever laughed so hard

(still having image problems. looks like i need a whole new computer. double ugh)

* i think i have a crush on this gal & her sleep over party ideas. i’m bookmarking her site for future inspiration

* i want an outdoor shower so bad- who says you need a pool to have an outdoor shower? this one would do just fine. i adore this magazine

* having a couple of good friends over for dinner tomorrow night & i always use real simple for menu inspiration. i’m thinking a signature cocktail to start it all off- some sort of spring stew- & strawberry shortcake for dessert. yum

* totally lovin’ the lush products. i just bought skin drink for my face & it took my skin from dry to glow. their products are natural & most of them vegan. if you buy one thing today, it should be something for yourself from lush- you won’t regret

* as a greeting card buyer (there is great joy in finding just the right card for just the right person), you’ve got to want these twee cards that are funny & real. i just bought 3 for 3 important people in my life

{actually i just love that song}

people- today is my day. i’m working out, getting my botox (hooray), a spray tan, my nails done & my hair cut & i can’t wait. i think everyone needs a me day- at least once a month. i’m making it once a week for now (and i came to that by adding up 3 kids + 1 long distant husband = one day a month per obligation/person in my life = one day per week). you need a day devoted to taking care of your own temple. its cleansing, empowering, purifying. not because i want to look good for anyone else- because i want to feel good from the outside in & i think that helps to feel better from the inside out. i hope you do something beautiful for yourself today

ps- have you heard of minx nails? a friend of mine just got them done in the mirror effect - called silver lightening- & it looked amazing. so hot. and fun not to take yourself so seriously

my favorite expression currently is long in the tooth. it’s etymology is based on the idea that teeth grow longer in some animals as they get older. it means ‘elderly; old’, and by extension ‘past one’s prime; over the hill’. the expression apparently derives from horses, of all things. as horses age, their gums recess, which is the origin of the practice of examining a horse’s teeth to determine its age (and therefore value), a sort of early version of kicking the tires. an old horse’s gums will have recessed so much that the roots of the teeth are visible, thus making the teeth appear longer–hence long in the tooth to mean ‘old’, and hence used figuratively paralleling figurative senses of ‘old’ such as ‘past one’s prime’. i don’t know why it tickles my fancy, but it does

1 this fresh blog written by my client & friend who just entered the blogging world. a must read journey into the world of a green life

2 smitten is an adorable blog & their top ways to say ‘i love you’ makes my romantic heart melt. if every guy & every girl could be this romantic everyday, life would be all cherries

3 mama loves wine. but since mama has been working out so hard, i haven’t been enjoying it so much. tonight- mama NEEDED wine. like the desert needs the rain. so i’m sitting outside enjoying a rather large glass of naked chardonnay from four vines. it’s not oaky, it’s clean. and good. and oh so drinkable

4 my client introduced me to the fantastic work of joseph Scheer who is featured this month in the windows of Bergdorf Goodman in new york. these incredible moths are magnificent. nature and art inspired. we just ordered one for said clients hallway & are in the process of framing it

5 the thought that in just a few days, this will be draped upon my neck

(i’m having a small issue with the images posting, forgive me. i’ll get it sorted out by next week for sure)