Lovely And Amazing

What an amazing dress Sarah Burton designed for Kate Princess Catherine.

 

Along with many, I've been hoping for a McQueen dress for the Royal Wedding for months. Ms. Burton couldn't have designed a more lovely gown. Just the right blend of drama, restraint and prettiness. Love it!

And now,  I'm going back to bed!

R&R In Provence

Now that the wedding is over, why don't we cross the Channel to recuperate from all the excitement?

How does Provence sound?

I've been on the hunt for the perfect Provence summer rental.

 

 

 

I've found some lovely prospects.

 Images from Telegraph U.K., I French Property, Provence Luxury Retreats, Home Away, and Avignon et Provence

A bottle of Cote de Provence, a good read, my art supplies, and some much needed sun. Sounds like the perfect recipe for getting away from it all, don't you think? 

Happy weekend everyone, hope it's lovely, long and relaxing! XO

Only A Wedding?

By this time tomorrow, it will all be over. We'll know who made the dress. Who wore the best hat. But if you're still searching for the perfect commemorative something, there's quite a lot to choose from on Etsy--from refrigerator magnets to cupcake toppers.

I've always loved hand-drawn maps, so my favorite is this sweet illustration of the Royal Wedding Procession Route from The House That Lars Built.

 

 

The Corgis who put in an appearance on these limited edition prints are especially charming:

From Taylors Type and lil3birdy.

Or if you'd rather put your own artistic stamp on things, perhaps this colouring and activity book from happythought.

And for those of you who still aren't sure what all the fuss is about and are ready for it to be over already:

From eighteen9

Are you setting your alarm, your DVR or should we just wake you when it's all over?

Up At The Vicarage

Perhaps it's due to the impending Royal nuptials, but suddenly I'm struck with the urge to decamp to the English countryside for the summer.

 Image from RDuJour

This former Vicarage, built in 1774, is currently available. Doesn't the idea of residing in a Vicarage sound like something out of a Jane Austen novel? It makes me want to wander through the hedgerows and drink tea.

Image from RDuJour

Looks like the perfect blend of vintage charm and modern amenities to me. 

Image from RDuJour

Image from RDuJour

Image from RDuJour

Image from RDuJour

 

Liberty of London 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to pick out some floral chintz--I'm suddenly overcome by the impulse to slipcover all the furniture.

Cath Kidson 

Where do you fancy spending the summer months? And if you could live in a novel, which one would you choose?

Inspired By...Perfect Imperfection

Did you catch the recent New York Times article about Karina Gentinetta and the house she rebuilt and resurrected in New Orleans?

Hurricane Katrina left her home a total loss. It took her family years of struggle to rebuild.

I'm inspired by her philosophy of  "perfect imperfection" -- that things are more beautiful with a little age, a little wear and tear. 

The tray above, an anniversary gift from her husband, owes it's patina to the post-Kartina muck that it was pulled from.

The teak secretary desk weathered the storm, was painted gray and now looks like a Swedish antique. Ms. Gentinetta refinished the chair, but left the fabric in tatters because "there is beauty in the imperfection."

 

 All Images from Sara Essex for The New York Times 

"They all look as if they have history," says Ms. Gentinetta about the finds in her home. "All of us are damaged in some way, so why should we not love something that had a previous life to it. Just because it's old and damaged doesn't mean it's not beautiful."

Sounds like a lovely way of looking at things--both for living with what you love, and for navigating through life, don't you think?

Dreaming Of...A Lazy Day

Hi all! Did you enjoy the weekend? Find all the eggs the Easter Bunny hid? Perhaps it's the sugar hangover, but I'm having a tough time dealing with reality this morning. I think I'd prefer to ignore the Monday factor and just lounge about all day.

 

I'm dreaming of spending a lazy afternoon in the sun.

 

 No projects or to-do lists. 

Images from British Homes & Garden 

Won't you join me for lunch?

What would you rather be doing this Monday?

Hats Off!

Hi all, happy Friday! Here we are at Easter weekend, and just one week to go until the ROYAL WEDDING, I think it's the perfect time to talk about hats!

 Image from VogueUK.com

Love them. Years and years ago, when I was still in school, I attended the Royal Regatta at Henley. It was all  about the hat. There I was, top to toe in Laura Ashley. I have to say, it was one of the most fun and memorable events, ever. Sadly, life in Seattle doesn't lend to many hat-worthy occasions--and I'm not talking baseball caps, or rain hats. But real fancy hats.

Ascot Hat, The Guardian UK

 

Image from VogueUK.com

Image from Tommy Ton

So next Friday, in addition to finally finding out who made the dress, I can't wait see the hats.

 Princess Beatrice in Philip Treacy Image from The Guardian UK

 

Image from the Huffington Post

Irish Milliner Philip Treacy has been the Mad Hatter, working his fingers off designing hats for many a wedding guest, and reportedly the wedding party, too.

 Getty Images

NY Mag.com

Could all this Kate frenzy lead to a hat revival? There certainly were a lot of hats on and off the runway at Fall Fashion week this year...

Image from Vogue.com

Image from Vogue.com

Image from Vogue.com

I think Her Majesty would approve...

 Image from VogueUK.com

(It was her 85th birthday yesterday, BTW, in case you want send a card!)

 Image from The Daily Mail

So, how about you? Are you ready to don some fancy headgear at, well, the drop of a hat? Do you have your Easter bonnet picked out and ready to go? Or are you more a baseball cap kind of a girl?

Happy Weekend, everyone!