Playful Patterns

Designers like Trina Turk and Jonathan Adler just seem to nail colorful, playful patterns every year. I'll be soaking in as much as I can get until September rolls around...

Left to right: Stellan Herner via Elle Interior found via Pinterest;  Ogee Pillow, Trina Turk; Polka Dot Glass, Fishs Eddy;  Trina Turk Indoor/ Outdoor Fabrics for Schumacher; Hampton Links Collection Lamp, Lotus Bleu Designs; Small Acrylic Tray, Jonathan Adler; Mondavi Ikat Frame, Mmim; Hollywood Highball Glass, Jonthan Adler

STREET FAIR TIME

I love street festivals. There's something about being outside on a city street, eating grilled food and listening to music that signals summer for me.

For a few hours on Saturday, the clouds and rain disappeared and the Ye Olde Village Street Fair transformed my street into a huge block party.

I couldn't get over this women in her glasses...

This kid had a style all his own...

I can't resist free samples of kettle korn, ever...

How did you spend your weekend? 

Game On...

During the summers, my friends and I spent a vast majority of our time as kids making up games outside.  Ignoring the directions, we take the pieces of a regular game like kick ball or tennis and add our own rules. Croquet was not about getting the ball through the wickets, but instead a highly intricate obstacle course. Tennis became a race around the yard while bouncing the ball on your racquet.

With Labor Day fast approaching, I can't wait to get my hands on some brightly colored games and make up my own version of "Calvinball"...

A perfectly preppy set of playing cards from Jonathan Adler

A great cross between Scrabble and Boggle by Saturday AM Vintage on Etsy

A wonderfully retro pop art dart board from Cathode Blue on Etsy

Vintage snooker balls in a variety of colors from White Willow Vintage on Etsy

 An unexpected needlepoint backgammon board from Jonathan Adler

This is totally the thing your mom warned you would take your eye out, but still so cool by Backwoods Toys on Etsy

Rubber horse shoes by Sugar Lily on Etsy

Nautical Goodness...

Spending time at the beach always make me think about bringing some nautical goodness back to my own apartment in the city. It's so popular in fashion and design right now, there are a lot of great options...  

(Resources (left to right): Jack and Lulu tote, yellow/ white vase- Haus Interior, Silver marine life- Williams Sonoma Home, Letter N by Little White Dog on Etsy, Captains fringe by Kove on Etsy, Woven cube-Haus Interior, Flag pillow-ABC Home, Red dot curtains- Anthropologie)

The Perfect Oversized Flower...

The other night over dinner, my friends and I were discussing how to grow hydrangeas. A random topic for a table full of city girls, but everyone seemed to have something to contribute about how much light hydrangeas need, or how to get hydrangeas to turn a deep blue color.

Growing up, my grandfather had a huge hydrangea bush by the side of the house. He didn't water it, or really do anything to it, but every year it produced the most fabulous bright blue hydrangeas.The key he said was to put a couple of nails in the soil. I'm not sure if this theory is actually true, but it seemed to work. Regardless, I love the oversized blooms in the summer...

 

 

(Photos courtesy of  Narou0720 on Flickr and Sido on Flickr)

Friday Obsession- Gourd Lamps

Happy Friday! With the short week almost over, I can't wait to dive into the weekend! This weekend I plan to spend a little time, finishing some projects in my apartment, including giving my living room a little upgrade.

Lamps are a great way to update a room, without making a major commitment. Recently, I've been obsessing over gourd lamps. I love the unique shapes and the vibrant colors.  Vintage styles are fantastic, but modern versions in bright colors are also available from West Elm and Home Goods.

Monograms... oh yes!

I love monograms. They're timeless and instantly give simple bedding and glassware a classic, preppy feel. I'm even more excited that I have been seeing them show up in new and interesting ways. I love these customizable plates from La Plates. How cool would these be hanging on a wall...

(Photo courtesy of House Beautiful)

Although not new, these letter pillows from Jonathan Adler would be awesome on a sofa or bed...

 (photo courtesy of Jonathan Adler)

These Italian sheets from Restoration Hardware are definitely on the wishlist for my 30th B'day... 

(photo courtesy of Restoration Hardware)

I Heart Geraniums..

 

I recently stopped by the farmers market in Union Square to pick up some veggies. I hadn't been to the market in awhile and I was shocked that the mainly food market was now overflowing with plants and flowers for the summer.

I picked up a few geraniums to try in my apartment...

I love geraniums because they don't require a lot of attention. All they need is a little sun (about 3 hours a day), some water and an occasional clean-up. They come in so many varieties and some even have a delicious smell....

They're also perfect for small arrangements...

For those with a black thumb (or very little sunlight), Diptyque has a wonderful scented geranium candle. It smells almost as good as the real thing...

Photos courtesy of Octavia & Brown, Absolutely Beautiful and Diptyque)

Beach or Lake?

Growing up on the East Coast, I had my fair share of summer days on the Delaware and Cape Cod beaches and at the New Jersey Shore. Despite the dark seaweed-filled water and the sand flies that were vicious in the summer, I loved the hot weather, the soft sand beneath my toes and the bathtub-like water.

When I moved to San Francisco, everything changed as I became a lake girl. Summer days spent on the rocky shores of Lake Tahoe were fantastic. The beautiful, natural scenery was welcome change from some of the lively people watching at the beach. Hours spent in the water were quickly replaced by short dips in the frigid lake to cool off. The water was crystal clear, so I could see what I was stepping on which was a plus, but the rocks made it hard to get in and out of the water.

As we head into summer, which do you prefer the beach, the lake or staying on dry land?