flower power...

aren't hydrangeas wonderful? they come in so many different colors (depending on the ph of your soil) and look great planted outside of your house or growing along a fence, or cut for a simple centerpiece displayed in a shallow vase or a sterling cup.

their origins are rooted in asia (japan i think) and were introduced to european botanists in 1788. the greek word for hydrangeas are broken down to 'hydro'= water and 'angeion'= vase.... this actually relates to the shape of the plant's seed capsule, but could also be because when cut the flower needs lots of water!

northeastern beach side communities like newport & nantucket are full of these botanical beauties and make the perfect backdrop to any photo. this is one of my favorite pet portraits of my beloved westie, mackenzie (god rest is soul) from a weekend trip to newport about 7 years ago...

bend me, shape me, any way you want me...

so now that i've fallen back into my weekly yoga routine i've decided to not be so half-assed about my practice. before i would move from one pose to the next, not really caring if i mastered the pose or my breathing. now that i'm back into it i've decided to focus on one thing per week, really understand it and execute it correctly, in class and at home. the first 2 weeks i actually spent focusing on my breathing, which believe it or not plays a huge part in my practice (vinyasa), it really brings everything into focus. then i was working to perfect my sun salutations, these 12 poses are an easy way for me to start my practice, getting me into the rhythm. along the way i continue to work on my basic common poses; downward dog, warrior I, II, & III, triangle & revolved triangle, etc. but now i'm focusing on what i consider the harder poses (although some gumbie-girls in my classes make them look like a piece of cake)....

i can do wheel pose (urdhva dhanurasana) but would like to try some advanced variations of it...


others i don't yet have the strength/flexibility/balance for but am looking to master are...

crane pose (bakasana)...


a headstand (sirsasana)...


and the one-legged king pigeon pose (eka pada rajakapotasana)...


i know, i've got a long, hard road ahead of me, but one that i'm willing to spend some time on. i think it's important for me to have goals, keeps me on track and genuinely interested. if you get a chance i highly recommend taking a class with nicoline at back bay yoga, i like her teaching style a lot and think you would too.

MJ's still got it...

i love these impromptu public dances. here are two sparked from the recent passing of michael jackson....

elephantastik...

do you have a signature animal? i don't, but i know a few people who do, including my sister. hers in the elephant (as is my aunts). and since it seems like everyone i know these days is pregnant, or talking about getting pregnant, or just had a baby (is baby fever starting to set in?) i thought it would be fun to design a room around my sister's signature animal (disclaimer: my sister is NOT preggers). here are a few fun elements i would include (and yes sister, when you do have children you can use these ideas as your own)...

wall decal from romp brooklyn

elephant parade sheets from petit tresor

elephant pillow from dwell studio

elephant print from etsy


lamp from zwello


wicker table from pier one


eames vitra elephant stool from stardust


rattan elephant hamper from home decorators

the laundress

i'm sure i've mentioned this before, but i love doing laundry. unfortunately i have limited space, in fact, my corner in the kitchen houses the stacked washer/dryer, the various detergents, the ironing board/iron which are attached to the rear egress door, brooms & mops tucked in a corner, the dog food & bowls, and the wall mounted racks which hold my pots. needless to say it's cramped, and there's certainly no folding table, so i usually transfer everything out of the stacked dryer onto the bed to do the folding (while trying to avoid dropped freshly clean clothes into the dogs water bowl). i'd love to someday have one of these cheery rooms dedicated entirely to the act of laundry doing (and possibly using it as a crafty space as well)...a girl can dream can't she???...

image courtesy of southern living

image courtesy of varnish design


image courtesy of davis kitchens

image courtesy of decorology

image courtesy of asko

image courtesy of design hampton

image courtesy of design hampton

image courtesy of hampton design

image courtesy of country home magazine

image courtesy of country home magazine

here kitty kitty...

i decided to have a sunday afternoon photo shoot with graydy since the girls usually get all the attention. he can usually be found lounging on 'his' chair being warmed by the sun streaming in through the window. and well, he's quite the little model...


ok, so i couldn't resist...

new york, new york...

the boyfriend and i went home to new york to visit my dad for the weekend. to say my dad is a sports-o-holic would be an understatement, the man is a walking encyclopedia of sports knowledge (not to mention owns more baseball caps than any man i know). we got to spend a very special saturday afternoon together at the new yankee stadium. and even though the boyfriend is a red sox fan through-and-through he's also working on making his rounds to every major baseball stadium (notice his brewers hat?), now he can check this one off. here are a few photos from a great day with two of my favorite guys...

octabong, here we come...

my little sisters bachelorette party is coming up in a few weekends (i'll post about it after the event as to keep a few things a surprise to her since she reads this blog). her future in-laws have been kind enough to allow us to use their beach side house in nantucket and there could not be a more perfect spot for a summer bachelorette party, let me tell you. aside from it's incredible proximity to the beach, it's ability to house nearly 17 girls, and the fact that the island has great shops & nightlife, the group of girls invited couldn't be any more perfect. and although i haven't met many of them personally just yet i've been in constant contact via email with almost all of them. the boys had their bachelor party there a few weeks ago, so when the girls caught sight of their festivities on facebook they got excited! one particular activity stood out... the OCTABONG! Have you ever heard of such a thing? well feast your eyes on it...
of course i won't let any of these ladies even think about putting their mouths on such a contraption until i fully disinfect the crap out of it. but leave it to the ladies to suggest fashioning a 2nd OCTABONG for 'team races'...oh yeah, and did i mention they want to bedazzle it too? i can hardly wait to experience the debauchery that will be my sisters bachelorette! stay tuned...

fabric frenzie...

now that my mother reminded me how to use my sewing machine i've been attempting to use it more. bags & pillows are my forte, and i'd like to learn how to sew an apron in the near future...oh, and maybe when i get really good i can do my own curtains as well. but i'm getting ahead of myself here. it's easy to be inspired when there are such incredible fabric selections! here are a few that excite me from home decor's fabric archives...

a famous back bay icon...

if anyone's been to visit me in boston chances are you've encountered this guy...

image courtesy of beantown bloggery

i've always wondered about him, and apparently so have a few other people. well here's his story...

does it 'pay' to go to college???

this article, posted in the new york times 'economix' section, was brought to my attention by a writer friend. it was always emblazoned into my brain growing up (by my parents) that if you don't go to a good college you won't get a good job (and therefor won't have a good salary)....




i'm a fan of liberal arts colleges in general, and maybe i'm biased since i went to hobart & william smith, the epitome of liberal arts schools, that i think you get a more well rounded education rather than concentrating on one particular subject. liberal arts colleges teach you to be analytical, philosophical, open minded...right? but does that pay the bills? this graph below also brings up a good point... maybe it's not where you went, but what you went for (or possibly just who you know). is interior design considered a fine art? if so i'm screwed on the pay scale. is it just me or do the "high salary' majors seem like a total drag? shouldn't being creative & empathetic be compensated for something?...



fortunately (or unfortunately) hws isn't listed on the 'salary report', you can check to see if your school is HERE.