There are several specific places in the world that feel magical to me. New Zealand was one of the first places that spoiled me day after day with sheer amazement of the natural beauty that abounded everywhere. The Amalfi Coast of Italy made me squeal at every turn as we Vespa-ed around the gorgeous (and steep!) mountainous seaside. Cape Cod feels like home and nostalgia and happiness wrapped into neat summer packages. And the coast of Maine to me sings of relaxation, fresh air, and the sea.
My aunt owns a house near Boothbay Harbor, Maine, that is all at once beautiful, inspiring and creaky (it is over 100 years old, after all). The cheery blue ceiling of the huge wraparound porch beckons you to relax the moment you walk in. The back looks out onto the water, and the sounds of seagulls and lobstermen conjure up classic American novels and old whaling stories. I love it there.
We don't get up to Maine very often due to work, schedules, etc., but I just read about a possible new lifeline - it's a perfume called "Maine." It's made with sage, seaweed, beach plum and pine. I wonder if they were able to bottle the crisp sea air. Originally spotted on A Cup of Jo.
Folks. I AM BACK. :) I've missed you all! Fo reals. Did you all have nice Labor Day weekends? Ah, the last holiday weekend of the summer. When did it get to be September?? I feel like summer just started and now it will be over - officially - in 19 days! (Though Labor Day weekend really feels like the true end of summer.) Boo.
In the meantime, I'm grasping on to the last semblances of summer, which to me right now is feeling like a nautical tone - for the home, clothes and accoutrement. Here are some of the nautical items inspiring me right now:
The above living room really started off this seafaring feeling for me. I don't like an overly "theme-y" room, but this one is done nicely and without getting too crab shanty. The striped rug, the tufted ottoman and the pseudo-leopard stripe pillows are killing me with goodness. (Also this room kind of looks like a much more chi-chi version of my own living room, so of course I'm in love.) ;)
These sheets are totally nautical with a touch of French provencal - and would be perfect in any crisp guest room. Can't you just picture visiting the coast of Maine, sleeping in a white and blue room, with a lovely ceiling fan overhead and a seabreeze through the window? These would be the sheets I'd imagine gracing that bed. Ahhh....
I would wear a stripey sweater every day if it wouldn't be just plain weird (and slightly dirty, no? or require tons of washing...). Oh yeah, and I'd happily float around all day on a lovely boat in Napoli, too, but that part may be a little less realistic than just rocking a sweater daily...
35 buckaroos for some seaside style in your house isn't half bad. I'd snap this up instantly if we had any doors that needed holding up (I don't think my bathroom door or the front door would work...).
I saw these dishes in person the other day and they are amazing. They're reasonably heavy-weight and the illustrations on them are gorg. They're a little pricey and maybe a bit much for everyday (the octopus tentacle handle on the teacup is both genius and creepy), but I still love 'em.
I mean really. Who doesn't need a pair of gold docksiders in their closet? I know I sure do. (Also please note that I had an identical pair of these when I was in elementary school. They were fresh to death and I wore them allll the time. Such a trendsetter at 10. [haha])
And finally, this fun guy was too cute not to include. We all need a little whimsy, especially when doing nautical, and this guy is pretty good. In fact, I would wear his outfit anytime.
So what do you think? Is this nautical route way too overdone these days? I'm not planning to run out and buy all of these accoutrement anytime soon (or any, likely), but I did love the breezy and clean feeling these pics gave me. Hope it helped you hang on to summer just a wee bit longer!
This morning is sunny and beautiful. I'm wishing I were out on the water, sailing and enjoying that full-on summer is here. In the meantime, this photo will have to do. Isn't this snap of Jackie O and JFK watching the sailing boat races dreamy? They really were American royalty.
Be back soon for more, in the meantime, hope you're either outside or at least able to peek out the window and enjoy some of this sunshine!
I am running off to a busy day, but I'll be back a bit later today - at least to wish you a happy weekend - so check back in (when you're pretending to work but really just obsessively watching the clock to see if it's 5:30 yet...). ;)
We haven't been able to hang out for real in days. (Silly scooter theft, kickball play-offs, baseball game, charity event, Stanley Cup and so on have kept us apart). I miss you.
May I remind you: "Crab cakes and football! That's what Maryland does!" (It's from Wedding Crashers, people.)
Summer is upon us and the time is ripe for both outdoor sports and delicious Maryland blue crab. But if you don't live in Maryland or don't eat crab, you can at least wear one: I seriously love this belt from J. Crew - it's Maryland to the core, plus if you didn't have a bottle opener around, this puppy could come in handy. Too bad it's a men's belt (hopefully it wouldn't fit me...) or I'd snap it up. It's only 58 buckaroos - I wonder if I could coerce B into wearing something this preppy? I'm totally into how this guy styled his, all off-t0-the-side and jaunty: Photo from 13th and Wolf
Of course you can't miss the pink shirt and madras tie he paired it with. That's preppy to the nth degree, another thing Maryland does. Yikes. Sweet belt either way you cut it though...
I featured a floating, underwater cabin a bit ago here, but it just got totally schooled by this: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, a luxury hotel in the Indian Ocean, is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its underwater restaurant by turning it into a private two-person suite temporarily. Private champagne dinners and breakfast in bed are only part of the perks, though I imagine that sleeping under the ocean is pretty cool in and of itself. Looks like sunglasses are required during the day.
Lovely readers, I need your help! I know most of you don't have time to comment on here regularly, but if you could take a second and give me a simple "option 1," "option 2" or "you're a crackhead - I say neither," that would be so appreciated!
Here's the conundrum:
I absolutely love Sherry and John from Young House Love, and am so impressed with how they've renovated their 50-year-old house - not to mention their awesome design skills on a budget. Ever since I saw this photo of their kitchen(below), I've been totally into their clam-shell-as-fruit-bowl. See it peeking out from the counter on the right-hand corner?
Here's a close-up: Pretty cute, right?
I don't need a fruit bowl (we already have a tiered thing-y [that's the technical term for it] that we use for fruit), but I love this clam shell dish nonetheless and am sure I could find a home for it somewhere. I even saw the exact same one on Cougar Town last night as a mail bowl in the front hall (crap, did I just admit that I was watching that show?).
So my question is this: I have a few options for buying this seashell bowl, but can't decide which way to go. I need your help!
Enter option 1: This is the exact clam shell from Sherry and John's house. It's from Z Gallerie (here) and costs $49.95. It's made of resin and it's 12" x 20". Don't mind all the filler-junk (bark, ephemera, etc.) shown in the above photo - just think about how cute it looked in the Young-House-Love-ers house.
Option 2:
Okay, admittedly, this one probably looks pretty gross because it's set up with ice and actual oysters in it. Ew.
Here's a close-up in case all the crap on the table above is too distracting: This one is from Pottery Barn (here) and was originally $139 (woah there), but is currently on sale for $99.99. Before you freak out over the exorbitant price tag for a knock-off crustacean, consider that I have an $82 credit to PB (that I haven't found anything else pertinent to use on), so that makes this shell only $18 for me. Just got a whole lot better looking, right? This one is sand cast of aluminum with a polished finish and is food safe (I'm not sure the Z Gallerie one is).
Option 3: neither. Why buy a giant shell for the home without a solid use in mind first?
So whaddya think? Option 1 - the Z Gallerie shell at 50 bucks; Option 2 - the PB shell at 12 bucks (with my credit); or Option 3 - neither, and I am pyscho for being that into shells...?
Looking forward to hearing back from you on this or any what-is-sure-to-be-entertaining commentary on my thought process and shell obsession. :) Thanks for any help!
I don't have kids yet for whom to plan birthday parties, yet I still feel oddly compelled to buy all of these amazing cupcake kits immediately. These gorgeous mermaids are perfectly at home here on Sea*Life*Style. I can think of a certain little boy (Finny Finn Finn) whose mom is going to snap up these pirate toppers immediately...
A cute gender-neutral option:
This one's girly all the way:
Perhaps I'll host a tweet-up and serve cupcakes adorned with these (grasping at straws here, looking for a reason to buy one of these kits!):
I can honestly see some dog-obsessed grown-ups buying these for their dog's birthday party (I still think it's hysterical [cough *weird* cough] that people do that):
Maybe I'll get these for the next friend of mine who has a baby shower: I die with the cuteness.
p.s. Most of the cupcake themes also have coordinating party supplies, from invites to paper plates and napkins, etc. Check out the full selection here. So cute!
These incredible hand-drawn creatures couldn't be more at home here on sea*life*style, could they? Rachel Wilson’s gorgeous illustrations of sea creatures, some of which she developed in a collaboration withBrainstorm Print and Design, are amazing examples of not only beautiful hand drawings, but also intricate patterning. The varying patterns and amazing minutiae within each creature illustration is fascinating to check out up close; click here and here to see each in more detail.
I didn't even know what anemones were (the flower, not the sea creature) until I saw this arrangement by florist Vale of Enna: Aren't they beautiful? They remind me of poppies but wavier and more whimsical. I love how they're kind of spindly and wave their way up out of the moss. They're fanciful but still fun, and casual yet elegant enough for a wedding - a perfect combo in a flower.
These ones were flown in from Italy (not sure why the overseas trip?) and used for wedding centerpieces (note the bored looking waiters in the background of the second photo - ha). Has anyone seen them in their local flower shop or grocery store? I'll have to keep my eyes peeled once spring rolls around... Arrangements by Vale of Enna, as seen on Truly Smitten.
And here are two little sea-worthy things I saw and liked recently, especially since they're nautical without being too over the top (as in a giant plastic crab, crappy ship replica or mound of buoys on your wall): Saipua's ubiquitous go-to-hostess-gift: seaweed soap - made with nori seaweed, crushed sea salt, and rosemary - with the prettiest packaging to boot.
This chair is wicked good. Love how the knot totally makes what is an otherwise classic (and slightly boring?) chair into something so good. 214K chair by Thonet, as seen on Oh Joy.
I don't know how a normal person would incorporate this chandelier in their home without it looking totally cuckoo, but I love it nonetheless. Besides, the top photo isn't that over the top, right? Right?... Hmm.
This incredible illustration was done by co-founder and head designer of Hello Lucky, Eunice Moyle, for an upcoming book called The Exquisite Book Project.
Designer Julia Rothman conceived of this experimental project, which is a collaboration of 100 illustrators, designers, comic artists and contemporary fine artists. Each artist will contribute one page to the book, but the interesting part is this: the artists have been given no more information than the previous artist’s illustration. Meaning the book could go anywhere and in a million different ways.
"The first artist will be given a few words to inspire their drawing. Each of the following artists will see only the page that immediately precedes their own. Each artist will use images (and optionally, words) to create their continuation to the story, and the inspiration for the next artist in line. ... Each artist must have a horizon line in their image that starts on the left side of the page and ends on the right. Where the horizon line of the first artist’s page ends, is where it begins for the next artist."
Which means that other than the continuation line, the "story" is free to go anywhere, and in any direction and art style. How cool is that?
Some of the contributors include Dave Eggers (who knew he could draw too? jeesh! what can't he do?) and Jen Corace (who I've featured here), among 98 others.
I will be checking this out when it comes out in fall 2010 for sure. The concept is so unique! Originally seen here.
This would be such a beautiful gift for someone. Many of the things on the Tuvalu site are quite pricey, but this box actually comes in at only $32 - not too shabby for something so delicate and pretty. The only thing that got me was this description:
"This jar was hand made out of an antique bottle, carefully welded in copper with coral from the sea. A magnificent art piece for anyone who admires the ocean. Dimensions: up to 16" (may vary slightly)"
What?! "Up to 16 inches - may vary" is pretty vague. First of all, 16 inches is pretty large no matter how you slice it, but "may vary slightly" leads me to question how big or small this thing might be. I honestly thought, from looking at the photo, that we'd be talking about a box that is four inches or so across, not a foot and a half! Could that be possible that it's so honkin' big?
Next time I'm visiting a friend who has a 10-person dining room table with no centerpiece or decor for it, I know exactly what to get. Harumpf, I was going to say it'd be such a pretty jewelry box, but at the true size, that would be pretty extreme. Regardless, since it's so sea-ish and and stylish, how could I not share it here, on sea*life*style, after all? ;)
With winter here (and with my extreme hatred of the slightest bit of cold kicked into high gear), my tea consumption goes from zero to nightly. This Tea Sub is the sunniest looking tea infuser I've ever seen - so fun and functional! Designed by Ototo, it submerges your tea leaves to the bottom of the mug, creating the perfect infusion for your brew.
Wouldn't it be fun to drink your tea from the Tea Sub while reading with these?
