hello lovely inc.

paris secrets {pavillion de la reine} & update

2013-06-16T21:44:00.000-05:00

Thought I would update you on my BRCA2 journey

in a gorgeous setting far away...a fantasy destination

we stumbled on in Paris (must stay here someday).

my photo

In the heart of Le Marais, is the loveliest first-class hotel

Pavillon de la Reine.

my photo

		Learn more about a suite I love at this place right here.

Join me in the library for a chat, won't you?

Oh my, the elegance. Heavens, the discreet luxury!

Let's whisper here about victory.

I made it through the bilateral mastectomy

and reconstruction (NOT a cakewalk).

I do not resemble Angeline Jolie in any sense

except I can now join her in the great relief

of decimating the significant risk of cancer

which has tortured our mothers.

Where is the Pavillon de la Reine?

my photo

Slightly set back from the Place des Vosges.

Just around the corner from the

Place de la Bastille,

Hotels Particulieurs (my fav museums!),

and the shops of the rue des Francs-Bourgeois

(no shopping on the planet like the Marais!).

It's Sunday evening, and I feel pretty dang fierce.

My surgeries were early morning on Thursday.

I went for a walk around the block today.

my photo

Surgical chit chat on my Paris balcony.

Some high drama. Not enough Alloderm (cadaver skin)

for reconstruction, and in case you were wondering, you can't

ask your nurse to make a 7-11 run for a lil' mo skin for a petite fairy

in the middle of surgery. A small miracle...more skin secured.

We are hoping and praying all of my skin survives.

I am so grateful for my surgeons and medical team.

Post-op, I had intense hallucinations, steroidal rage, freeeeeky

side effects of anesthesia, and no sleep until Friday afternoon.

On the upside, my view of the Chicago skyline was rad.

I left the hospital Friday at noon.

There has been no pain (believe it!)

except for migraines from the evil anesthesia.

I am sure I'll be working out in no time.

Wouldn't this be a sweet space for cardio?

Didier Benderli (Kérylos Intérieurs) is the designer

of the interiors, combining aesthetics with innovation.

my photo, my man

my photo

Ahhhhhhh, Pavillon de la Reine relaxes me.

The journey continues, but today was a

simple lovely day of rest and time with my family

after a challenging chapter...victorious is the mood du jour.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart

(which is serving me quite well)

for all the loving comments and concern.

8 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris

Telephone: + 33 (0)1 40 29 19 19

standing up to cancer

2013-06-13T03:25:00.000-05:00

jo and me

When this post airs, I'll be in surgery again.

Prophylactic bilateral mastectomy due to

BRCA2 mutation and family history.

In the past 7 months, my mom, sister, and I have

undergone multiple surgeries in conjunction with

breast and ovarian cancers.

We don't have time to be shy. We're standing up to cancer.

Thanks so much for all the supportive comments

and emails expressing encouragement and hope.

just before my mom's mastectomy

It wasn't my idea to be public about our journey,

but my mom and sister felt strongly about it

to raise awareness and support for those

battling feminine cancers and who test

positive for BRCA, so we did...

then Angelina Jolie

did the cause a HUGE favor

by sharing her story.

just before jo's surgery

I feel great about taking this next step.

Am I gonna dish/rant/blog in the future about implants?

*AGITATES MAGIC 8-BALL,

a hard sphere girlfriend hopes is

far firmer than her new ta-tas*

Signs point to yes.

peaceful paintings in my shop now

Am I gonna keep creating paintings

and collages and beautiful pastry?

No doubt.

My faith, my medical team, and my

family make it so much easier to

stand up to cancer and watch

the risk plummet.

For updates on my BRCA2 journey, click like

on Hello Lovely Inc's facebook page.

See you on the other side of breast cancer risk!

mini coffee cakes

2013-06-09T19:54:00.000-05:00

I'm a girl who loves to eat.

Especially breakfast.

Also, I'm a girl who MUST bake.

So today I'm sharing a recipe I developed.

I'm calling them

Michele's Mini Coffee Cakes.

Coffee cake?

O my goodness, those words tickle

my ears like a 6-month old baby's laughter.

The lovechild of a cupcake and a muffin? Coffee cake.

My Swedish Gram (not a blood Grandma

but the Gram who took care of us in childhood)

always had coffee cake for us to spread with butter.

Also Swedish Pancakes which are the only

pancakes our children know.

Food memories are powerful, yahhhh?

Swedish Gram didn't speak English and

always responded with the long yahhhhhhhh.

I came up with the recipe on a whim

at midnight last week when I had a craving,

blueberries, granny smith apples, and a kitchen

full of 21 year old nightowls cheering me on.

Since I am sensitive to gluten, I made mine g-free.

Better Batter gluten-free flour is DA friggin BOMB.

It's high quality schtuff you must discover if you

are eliminating or minimizing gluten in your diet.

They are so moist, you will freak.

Rich and sweet, you can skip

buttering em if you like.

A beautiful French dishtowel from

The Enchanted Home

makes a lovely mini table runner

for mini cakes on a teeny plate

by Rae Dunn...and a mini candle

from Diptyque works magic too.

Not a coffee drinker like Gram?

Neither am I.

OJ with calcium works for me with these.

My family is loving m'cakes,

and there is little chance I'll ever turn into my crabby neighbors

who wouldn't dream of sharing a yummy family recipe...

they will never taste the joy of

giving and spreading pastry love!

Gram taught me that feeding scrumptious fare

to the ones you love is more than

a simple act of nurturance...

it creates sweet memories to last a lifetime.

Michele's Mini Coffee Cakes
Makes 2 dozen

2 1/4 cups flour
OR
2 cups high quality gluten-free flour (Better Batter is my fav)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced small
3/4 cup to 1 cup fresh blueberries
More sugar for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray standard muffin tins with non-stick spray.
Sift dry ingredients in bowl.
In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar.
To butter, add vanilla and eggs.
Begin stirring dry mixture into butter mixture
alternately with sour cream and grated apple
just until combined (do not overmix).
Fold in diced apples and blueberries.
Divide evenly between 24 muffin cups.
Optional: Top each cake liberally with sugar.
Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
Let cool completely on wire racks.

lettering lovely {2 ways}

2013-06-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

Ever tried calligraphy?

I came across an incredible guide

for instruction and inspiration called

Mastering Calligraphy:

The Complete Guide to Hand Lettering

(Chronicle, 2013)

by Gaye Godfrey-Nicholls.

I remember humbly hand-lettering

our wedding invitations 25 years ago,

but ohmyword (get it?), look at the artistic

renderings a master like Maria Eugenia Roballos

accomplishes with ink and pointed metal nib!

Maria Eugenia Roballos

She is but one of the many talented artists

offering advice within Mastering Calligraphy.

If you love words and typography like me...

art by me

...remember my panels from years back????

Then you will likely enjoy the portfolios

of nearly 100 typographers contained

in this sweet gem:

via

Little Book of Lettering

(Chronicle, 2012)

by Emily Gregory.

Chris Silas Neal

Christopher Silas Neal is one of the innovators

profiled in the book, and I have admired

his work for awhile.

This one's an ultimate guide to the

still very hot lettering revolution.

When was the last time you played around with lettering?

abstract lovely {betsy eby}

2013-06-04T16:37:00.001-05:00

I love her work so much.

Betsy Eby creates these ethereal encaustic
paintings that speak to my soul.

I interviewed her here.

A classical trained pianist,
her abstract art has a lyrical quality.
I was soooooo hoping to meet the artist
at a recent exhibition at Winston Wachter
in Seattle,
but my current BRCA2 journey
made that impossible.

So I'll shoot for the next one, and in the
mean time, we can enjoy these images
of her work displayed in various settings.

Traditional Home

Song of the Indian Guest, 2012

There's a weightlessness, yes?
A gentle energy moving, moving freely,
yet with perfect order.

Architectural Digest

American Embassy in Dubai

Elle Decor

Chanson de matin

2012

Encaustic on canvas over panel

30 x 48 inches

Winston Wachter

via

Le Deluge (After Mahler)

2013

Encaustic on canvas over panel

60 x 60 inches

Finlandia

2013

Encaustic on canvas over panel

46 x 66 inches

I am sure I can find a place
for the super-sized Eby and the
magical Bo Bartlett masterpiece
with Betsy in the left corner!
(The creative geniuses are married.)

Isn't it lovely?

See more of Betsy Eby's new exhibit Chromatic Fantasies here.

landscape lovely {doyle herman design}

2013-06-02T21:05:00.001-05:00

Let's start this new week with a
lovely landscape equation, shall we?

Presented Architecture

+ Artistic Expression

= Extraordinary Design

by Connecticut-based

Doyle Herman Design Associates.

And here are a few proofs

from Doyle Herman:

photography by Neil Landino Jr.

images via

See how it adds up?

what art in the garden!

Guided by inspiration from the past,

both traditional and modern styles,

and seamless correlation between

structure and setting, this

design firm has been featured in

Veranda, Elle Decor, and more.

No mathematical ability is required

to appreciate this new title by

Kathryn Herman and James Doyle

called

The Landscape Designs of

Doyle Herman Design Associates

(Images Publishing, 2013),

featuring 400 color illustrations

of show-stopping gardens.

Ohhhhhh, it's overflowing with lush lovely landscapes!

via

I adore how the projects within the book

have been organized by theme...

dramatic bucolic restrained composed harmonious atmoshperic

legacy contained tranquil juxtaposed theatrical

Whether you have mad gardening skills

or just a fraction, this beautiful book will

fill the noggin with fresh inspiration.

I am savoring my copy page by page...theme by theme...project by project

and would gush more but the weather is agreeable,

and there are too many weeds to subtract.

glimpses of paris lovely {jason brooks}

2013-05-30T11:09:00.001-05:00

gazing out of the Louvre (my unedited photo)

Love Paris, fashion, travel guide books,

sketches, or all of the above?

my photo

Then il ya bonne chance

you'll delight in Jason Brooks'

Paris Sketchbook

(Laurence King, 2013).

Pourquoi?

Charming chapters devoted to:

architecture,

street scenes,

the cafe,

fashion,

shopping,

art,

getting around,

and

la nuit.

The author studied graphic design

at St. Martin's College and is the recipient of the

Vogue Sotheby's Cecil Beaton Award

for Fashion Illustration.

It's his first book.

Paris is a wonderland of moments to sketch.

Not sure why I have been so lazy about

organizing photos of the moments

I captured digitally.

It's interesting. The pics don't seem to

require any tweaking or editing.

The light there is magic.

from our apartment's balcony (my photo)

i observed so much warmth between children (my photo)

graffiti - my favorite type of art in paris (my photo)

Paris Sketchbook makes an excellent gift

for the Francophile!

another white guest room {hello lovely}

2013-05-27T16:43:00.000-05:00

Recently I shared peeks of a guest room

I painted, and here is another one recently

spruced up (with stuff already owned)

for a special young lady

(fresh from Switzerland and bearing chocolate!)

who is spending the summer here.

pillow cover

The palette?

The usual suspects.

White, grey, and warm golds.

True Feelings Candle Holders

I love my modern textured candleholders on the old dresser.

They have an otherworldly charm and glow so sweetly.

The slipcovered chair is from RH

and is super comfy.

The german grainsack was won from

the gorgeous industrial, primitive, and european

wares shop in Cali owned by Kymberley Fraser:

A Beautiful Mess.*

I'm especially fond of this textile

because...omg, a million reasons:

it features my favorite number (6!),

it is covered with the most fabulous mends,

and because the girl using this space

happens to be an equestrian gal.

It was meant to be.

*The shop in Agoura Hills, CA is launching a new furniture line June 1st!

son mowing the lawn

The large painting is by Aimless Olive

and felt a little too formal in the space

until I lent it some fairy lights

and Sonny Angels.

More quilted white paisley, which I have

owned for close to 20 years now and never tire of.

I don't have a closeup of the chair under this throw

and pillow, but it is a handmade chair from the

19th century I found at a tag sale.

I reupholstered the comfy, wide seat

years ago with ivory dupioni.

Exhausted from graduation festivities,

I need to slow the pace a bit so I hope

to do some lounging, chocolate eating,

and surfing

of your blogs very soon!

{Graduation day was chilly. I wore a black Ralph Lauren dress,

a very studio 54-ready blazer, and vintage Chanel heels.

Our graduate on the right sports a Jedi braid, and

the other son tied a particularly bitchen

knot in the lavender tie.}

Love to you right where you are.

linking with FNF, Romantic Home, Jennifer Rizzo, and MMS

sarah richardson {a london home}

2013-05-23T14:54:00.000-05:00

Bonjour, peeps.
Hope this post finds you happy
and healthy.
I slept brilliantly last night and feel fierce.

Even though it's a busy time with graduation
and houseguests and various stressors,
we're feeling blessed and very peaceful.

Not unlike the results of this project by
Sarah Richardson.

houseandhome

I love this woman, and call me whack on crack,
but I believe it's a magic wand she wields
in the image above.

* * *

If there is anyone left in the blogosphere feelin pity for me
about the genetic cancer stuff and hearing Angelina Jolie's
story, SNAP OUT OF IT.
I'm so ready to move past this chapter.
I may be missing from blogland for a bit.

My grandma would have said of me today:
MA-SHAY-UHL IS FEELIN HER OATS.

The rare diagnosis, God's goodness, the journey,
and the discoveries have prospered and strengthened me.

Fully recovered from the first surgeries, I'm set
for the bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction which
begins June 13...I'm not crazy about the 'previvor'
label you may have heard floating around town.
Too confusing. A little gimmicky and soft for me.

Mine's a gentle soul, but I'm tough.
Am I a warrior?
Hmmmmm. Yes. With the upperhand in a battle.
Just an ordinary intellectual girl willing to
walk through some fire
to prevent cancers which have tortured
and proven deadly to my family.
AND I'M A SMILING WARRIOR
armed with hope and cute earrings,
which has got to just scare
the friggin devil out of cancer.

linking with MMS

muted lovely {i gigi}

2013-05-19T22:07:00.004-05:00

Tonight I am eveningdreaming

a little bit

about owning a shop.

What would we sell?

How would it be staged?

Zoe Ellison and Alex Legendre

of i gigi General Store in the UK

are responsible for igniting this

dreaming of mine.

The designers' motto:

WE LIVE OUR LIVES BY THIS.

Take a gander at i gigi.

*spoken in my very best Cuba Gooding Jr.*

Ya know? Ya know?

Ahhhhhh, the muted quietness of it all.

The soothing, natural good vibe.

located in East Sussex

Any of these serene images make you giddy?

Cuz when I saw this vessel, my reaction was

ohlordjesusthere'safarrrrrr!!!!!

If the Sweet Brown reference

puzzles, I am concerned,

and you must indulge me here.

Shells and white and rustic elegance!

I didn't grab no shoes or nuthin, Jesus!

Oh dear, i gigi goods and walls...

you do set my heart ablaze.

Aint nobody got time for dat!

The shopowners have written a promising new book.

Can't wait to get my paws on a copy and share

more tranquil soul candy with you.

Everybody loves a shop that serves cake.

Wanna go?

images: i gigi

linking with MMS

BRCA stuff

2013-05-15T17:49:00.000-05:00

Do the words spiritual and journey

make you wanna throw things?

You're safe.

I just wrote a long poignant

stream of consciousness thing about mine

then blew it up.

It's too important to get it right,

plus I'm in the throes.

Here's a peek though:

my journey involves BRCA2,

physical challenges,

and feeling spiritually opened.

What has arrived with genetic test results

and surgeries is also an opportunity

to surrender.

So I am.

I'm still trying to be a light for my mom.

Honestly though I think I am failing

my BRCA2+ sister

who is blogging about her journey.

She's very brave. She wants all the info.

I keep hearing myself ask her

some version of 'will we ever discuss

anything other than 3-D nipple tattoos?'

I'm not sensitive or compassionate enough.

I'm too busy broadcasting my own needs and

hotflashing and seeking distractions.

I want to do better, and already I can tell

He's burning all kinds of unGodly crap

out of me.

Dude.

Is that what a hotflash is?

It is a humbling journey.

Even for

a girl occasionally clever

with 'silver linings within the suffering' schtick.

For a mama with her head in the clouds, painting

dreamy abstracts stoned high on buttercream.

For a Real Housewife of True Dork City,

who just angrily called her shih tzu a weenie

(#menopause).

For an ungraceful

lover of words who can't

pirouette for shizzle.

For a Sunbeam for Jesus with

doctorates in blogology and self-deprecation.

It's helpful to write this schtuff down

because it leads to discovery and leaves

me only a tad nervous that at this

juncture you are looking for a blunt

object to hurl at the screen

because it sounds an awful lot like

a spiritual journey post.

Just before my mom's surgery.

Thanks for all the hand holding.

I honor you for reading.

linking with MMS

sarah richardson {farmhouse chic}

2013-05-13T12:39:00.000-05:00

What a great Mother's Day it was!
The tradition here is my three men work
tirelessly on the yard and landscaping
all day according to my instructions.
I know. Freakin fabulous.
* * *
It has been two years since I blogged
about the multitudinous reasons I'm a huge fan of
Sarah Richardson's farmhouse.

For the pleasure of discerning
farmhouse chic
connoisseurs everywhere,
here's a reprise of the lovely:

This time 'round I am including seldom
seen shots for extra perspective via
Fieldstone Windows,
the supplier of windows
for this home.

Isn't this spot majorly heart-stirring?

in process

Why we're diggin the place?

Vintage Corbels.

create balance with modern enhancements

in a farmhouse kitchen.

Shades of Grey.

They're cool.

They work magic with stainless ensembles.

Comfy Barstools.

Here they are upholstered in oilcloth.

You know you and guests will spend tons of time

here so why not just say no to good looking but

uncomfortable tuffets?

Give Me Liberty.

For me, farmhouse architecture means

we don't have to take ourselves too seriously.

*Rosy doors and hardware are pure yum.

More farmhouse chicness here.

Stairway Runners.

Is there realllllly anything else to say?

Paisley.

Heavenly dots, a herringbone-y quilt, and

a rooster on a clock...farmhouse mixes

up the chic.

Unexpected Unpainted Wood.

Yes, everyone and their great-grandma is

chalk painting a kitchen table, but

still no legislation prohibiting

us from stepping away from the paint.

(A white painted 4-poster maybe

would have been expected here.)

Punch.

Neutrals get busy with

burnt orange, apricot, and garnet

without overwhelming contrasts.

(Am I still the only one who sees Jesus

in the woodgrain of the clock?)

Unicorns.

A crown, a crest...

the piece deserves to have a home

designed around it.

Romance.

Farmhouse chic can be feminine

as Sarah proves.

Innovative Customization.

Since the bones of this farmhouse were

worth honoring, they preserved the

window in the design with this

custom counter/cabinet.

Oodles and oodles of beautiful showing-its-age

Maple Hardwood.

Restful.

This farmhouse feels clean,

not cold,

nostalgic, yet modern.

How bout you, farmchix and citychix...

got a soft spot for farmhouse chic?

* * *

*More babbling bout Sarah Richardson's work here (cottage), here, and here.

linking with these lovely parties

uncommon lovely {kate lewis}

2013-05-08T05:10:00.000-05:00

Psyched about this juicy
lovely art print titled

BIG ORANGE CHAIR

by Kate Lewis
found at Uncommon Goods.

Aren't the colors delish?

It's the kind of inspiration that makes
you wanna design a whole space around it.

*kate's adorable family via

in progress!

Familiar with Uncommon Goods?

They're an online shop of creatively designed,

unique, high-quality items including

wall art.

I discovered new-to-me artists within

the Uncommon Goods Artist Gallery here

and have a serious crush

on this Maira Kalman poster

and a few others in the Wall Art section here.

Kate Lewis lives with her family
in an 1894 Chicago farmhouse,

where she paints boldly energetic,

happy pieces inspired by interiors,

fashion mags, and the art she loves.

Her engaging blog is right here.

at work in her studio

Baby on board...congrats, Kate!

Her palette

Kate's much re-blogged painted stairs

green poppy love chair

It would appear Kate loves chairs,

and this one has whimsy written

all over it.

Kate's whimsical home

twinkle twinkle

Feelin the colorful happy chic vibe?

Uncommon Goods Artist Gallery here

Uncommon Goods Wall Art here

popelini & ENCHANTED giveaway

2013-05-05T20:31:00.001-05:00

It's been a few moons since I've pushed
the pastry porn envelope, soooooo
BAHDA BING BAHDA BOO!!!!

i t ' s P o p e l i n i
t i m e.

via

Popelini?
Oui oui.
A patisserie in Paris.
A sensual mix of empty wasteful
calories with creamy oozie goodness inside.
They're choux a la creme.
They're cream puffs.
(and they have gluten
so they'll zap
me puffy
in more
ways
than
one).

via

I mean!
Look at beret icedlovely tops!

via

Move over, unrefined empty wasteful jelly donut.
Step off, messy not-terribly-tidy-to eat cupcake.

Popelini is named for the Italian
pastry chef who came up with
the recipe for choux in 1540
at the court of Catherine de Medicis...
this queen who knew her way around the kitchen.

Know who else knows her way around the kitchen?

Shopowner and blogstar
Tina of The Enchanted Home!
She is giving away the simple seascape
above by yours truly in an
amazingly generous
giveaway
on her blog right now.
Win it, friends!

Here are a few more pieces in
my shop right now.
They are painted in quiet tranquil
colors with acrylics, latex,
and secrets.

find them here

Back to choux.

via

via

Bummed I didn't sample
this sin while in Paris.
They belong on the menu for the perfect
tenderlovely breakfast rave party for the mouth,
ne fait pas ils?

Ever bitten into one?

timeless interiors {kathryn ireland}

2013-05-04T12:01:00.001-05:00

With all this down time, it has been my privilege

to feast on some very lovely new-to-me

titles like Kathryn M. Ireland's

Timeless Interiors

(Gibbs-Smith, 2012).

Ever enjoy Kathryn's wit and talent on Bravo's

Million Dollar Decorator?

Let's feast and dish a little about how she

manages to design playful spaces in

New York, Malibu, the English

countryside, and Southwest France.

Her rooms are consistently inviting

and livable.

They're traditional but also fresh.

In her latest book
Timeless Interiors,
Kathryn works it
in a film director's screening room,

a playwright's home, a formal estate in Brentwood,

and a Spanish Colonial Revival in Palos Verdes.

If you've got an appetite for European traditional style

and Cali informality, bet you'll eat this right up.

aimless olive & update

2013-05-01T23:10:00.000-05:00

How are you, blogland peeps?

So sorry I cannot read all your lovely

posts as I used to, but I tire easily now.

Writing my own posts is as effortless as ever, but

visiting and commenting requires energy

and time of which I'm short.

Ilse Jacobsen boots - find them at Splendid Avenue

It has been a month since my first surgery

in conjunction with the BRCA2 stuff

(my sis had hers a week ago and is doing well),

and the instant m.pause creates quite a lot

of unwelcome and unsavory symptoms.

read: insomnia, mood swings, severe hotflashes, bitchiness

However, this journey is rich with lessons

in suffering, healing, and transformation.

I'm a mess but a warrior.

I'm muddling through but a champion.

I'm vulnerable, open, and thirsty yet full.

I'm finding out what I'm made of.

These photos were shot recently at Lake Michigan

by the talented Melissa of Aimless Olive.

She has a magical way of putting one at ease

and is such an amazing stylist and director.

Capturing the contemplative season I find myself in,

there's maybe a loneliness conveyed that is only a sliver of the story.

Truly I am blessed with many friends and family who do everything in their

power to cheer and join me, always pointing me toward hope.

druzy necklace by Jen Cornell Studio

How can I not be gazing skyward with gratitude!?!

Don't ever be afraid to hope, friends!

british lovely {carey mulligan}

2013-04-29T19:11:00.000-05:00

For those eagerly awaiting
The Great Gatsby,
English actress Carey Mulligan

morphs into character

for May's Vogue, and this
image at top had me at
rose petaly-flapper-with-tassel.

Gimme those shoes in a 5.5, Vogue!

photography - Mario Testino

In other non-Gatsby news:

Merci beaucoup to the tres jolie
shop in Cali A Beautiful Mess
for the German grainsack I scored in
a giveaway the very same week
goodies were won from:

The Enchanted Home!

Spoiled rotten she is!
Thank you so much for the lovely loot,
Kymberley and Tina!

By now you know the no-fail formula
to win a blog giveaway, don't you?
Enter every cotton pickin one, and I
assure you, within a year or five?
WINNING.
* * *
The movie opens May 10th.

white and lovely {my guest room}

2013-04-25T20:07:00.005-05:00

It hasn't been a stellar day.

I look awful and have a canker sore.

I feel like a pathetic loser.
Everything I wrote was mediocre.

I burned a whole batch of G-free chocolate chip cookies, then

proceeded eventually to eat them all.

Just as I suspected:
menopause IS terribly glamorous.

Thank you, Cher.

At least my rooms have their act together.
As promised, a peek at a guest room spruced up via:

*Painting walls and trim my favorite color: WHITE

(Benjamin Moore White Dove).

*Adding more function, and

*Allowing myself to get girly.

We bought the cottagey bed (by Lexington)
about 20 years ago.

This spot is a sweet place to write...the room's

southern exposure draws me in.

dresser by Lexington, sailboat created by Michelle of Emerald Cove

Sis just returned from Paris with macarons in this bag for me!

My collection of books by Rachel Ashwell

is always near at hand.

The room was formerly our elder son's room,

and its best feature is a dressing area which

he did not want fitted with closet organizing

schtuff...he actually had his bed in here (cozy!).

I commissioned my husband to build

industrial rolling garment racks

with wood and pipes from Home Depot.

I swear it took him like 10 minutes cuz he's awesome like that.

Some pretty clothing and a growing collection

of used pointe shoes as I don't think one can ever

have enough 'dead' satin slippers lying around.

Taking my sweet time as far as wallcovering or art

for the back wall which could be spectacular.

I may just collage it with inspirational images.

my treasured handmade French boho bag, Byloom & Hyde

This is a humble cupboard for storing vintage jewelry,

magazines, and assorted girly styling props.

On top is an antique window frame with screening stapled to it

to display jewelry.

Also on top are Sonny Angels

(saw them in Paris) and...

a small fabulous painting of me by Malik.

looking back into the bedroom

The small stained glass window is an antique

and draws natural light from this space into

an adjacent bathroom...the glass is textured,

keeping the bath and dressing room private.

Artwork by Emma Cassi purchased in Paris,

a vintage rosary, handmade bracelet from

a vide grenier, and gorgeous photography

from Loretta Lux round out the vignette.

Keeping my eyes open for a pale pink throw for
the end of the bed but pleased with my progress.

GREAT BIG HUGS
from a teeny tiny lover of white rooms
and anything chocolate.

linking with these lovely blogs.

soft pink and white

2013-04-22T19:19:00.002-05:00

Smitten with this joyful lovely

room for beautiful sisters

found on this

gorgeous blog.

The space is featured in May's

Bolig Pluss magazine.

stylist: Anna Truelsen

photography: Catrina Olander

Loving the femininity and youthfulness

which has crept into my own home...

Wanna see more of my guest room/workspace
after gallons of white paint?

Stay tuned, kittycats!

Peace to you.

linking with MMS

transparency

2013-04-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

A peek at our new coffee table and etagere.

A snapshot of my favorite stuff to wear

(denim and white tees).

A spin in the egg chair.

A glimpse of my brand of feminine sass.

A reminder that even when life gets messy...

we can rise.

Sending love and inspiring vibes to you

right where you are.

linking with MMS.

bella's cottage {breaking dawn 2}

2013-04-16T16:15:00.002-05:00

My favorite part of the last Twilight film?
BELLA AND EDWARD'S
HONEYMOON COTTAGE.
Did you like it?
Don't you dare judge me
for spending $5 to see it
with my sis and cry
during the credits
because it
may be
some time
before
Rob Pattinson's
Edward
captures
my
imagination
again.

This is the newlyweds' daughter Esme's room.

Oh the closet!

Just so charming.

It was difficult to find still shots of this
charming Hollywood set, but finally
I found a video of a clip from
the movie!

Click it and see why I'm
crushin on this
fairytale lovely.

You don't have to be a Twihard to appreciate
the cozylovely of this lil' starter home.
Wouldn't it be a great future
grandma's house
for moi?

linking with MMS

low key lovely {amanda peet}

2013-04-13T21:44:00.000-05:00

Hello, blogland.
Hello, lovers of:
creativity,
laughter,
and style.
Hello, lovely.
Hello...you.

danish chairs and kermit make me tingle.

Man-a-live, you bretheren have been checking up on me,
worried and schtuff...but I am good. Still weird, but good.
I tire easily at the moment but cannot complain one bit!

Oh, honeychild, please do not force mama to transform
the blog's agenda (essentially creativity, laughter, and style)
on accounta some new rotten freaky gene knowledge.
Cuz we gots ta be freeeeeeee and random, up in heee-ahh *insert AMEN!*
Gots ta have unpredictable whimsy and irreverence *YES, LORD!*
Cannot nooooo wayyy be achangin into a mean ol' crybabyin'
blog-opera *PREACH, HO, PREACH!*

* * *
Let's remove our choir robes,
ditch the deep south, and discuss
Amanda Peet's pad now, shall we?

This loveliness is brought to you
by Vogue.

I could spend time here.

Isn't her place comfortingly humble,
personal, and lowkeylovely?

me like.

If you are an experienced blacksmith and can
make us a stair railing like this to replace
our orangeycountryblah one, get in touch.

If you are not a blacksmith,
thank you for reading.
Thank you for smiling
with me if you are smiling.
Thank you for scrolling
quickly through the text
and just absorbing the
visuals cuz you have
no time to read
the nonsensical,
pre-toxicated,
blabbering
(and by blabbering
i do mea the poetic
language of angels...)
of
a self-deprecating
blogchick
with
real
guts
and
real
p
r
o
b
l
e
m
s.

linking with MMS

paris daydreamavoo rendezvous {roseline granet}

2013-04-10T14:28:00.002-05:00

Today, with a moment to daydream about
French lovely actually experienced
(daydream + dejavu + woozy),
I invite you to join me on a
daydreamavoo rendezvous
to Paris.
*
A few months ago, my
senses were overcome with
all things Paris lovely
including
ART, art, ART
EVERYWHERE.

(My favorites breathe outside of the Louvre btw.)

this photo via

The bronze sculptures inside and out
of the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome,
for example, wooed me and
play a starring role
in this daydreamavoo of ours.

They were magnificently created
by this talented French visual artist:

still at work!

Roseline Granet.
Born in 1936,
she studied design and painting
in New York in 1954
and then sculpture in Paris.

With sculptor Jacques Delahaye,
she founded the Clementi foundry
in Meudon, near Auguste Rodin's studio.
Shall we daydream about the yummy foundry another day?
Cool.

Isn't this dream-a-woozy peek
at the
fresh infancy of one of her
sculpted beauties both
inspiring and enchanting?

Examples of Granet's human figures in movement.

This shot was taken in my half
of the Park Hyatt's dreamworthy
spacious bathroom (lit with the
most amazing natural light).
Functional art!

I loved sharing space with Granet's
mesmerizing forms who are
floating, stretching, and soaring
throughout this palace hotel.

For more pics of our suite, visit my post here.

a fabulous wine, oui. more bout that later.

In this shot alone, you may spy
FOUR lovely, weightless works.

Again with the woozy artful hardware!
Care for a peek outside?

Ahhhhhhhh.
Sans screens.
Sans noise.
An inner sanctum of Paris lovely.

My husband's half of the bathroom. Notice the door's lever to the WC.

I cannot wait to return to this amazing hotel,
and the first thing I will do is deeply inhale
their signature scent by Blaise Mautin.

Should you have the chance to see,
smell, snooze, spa, or sip at the
Park Hyatt Paris Vendome,
you will not be disappointed.

my photo - inside le spa

This is the part of the rendezvous when we
slip into a lush terry robe and drift downstairs
to the hotel's spa for sauna, steam, and quiet.
I have a sneaky suspicion another
daydreamavoo rendezvous awaits us...oui?

linking with MMS

fannings, olsens, and us

2013-04-08T22:28:00.002-05:00

Lest you begin to imagine as you peruse
this post that I am in any way
on a quest to glamorize,
sensationalize,
or humorize my
current hobby
(doctor appointments and surgeries
with my sis as BRCA2+ patients),
let me indeed set you straight.

I have no idea what my quest is.
I'm innocent.
I'm guilty.
I'm torn.
I'm just trying to friggin get through it
with Jesus, love, and some laughter.

What a sublimely divine gift to
muddle through the unknown with
a best friend who is my little sister
and lookalike.

Everywhere we roam, people
(even naturally shy people)
MUST KNOW:
are you twins?

Sometimes we lie.
Whyyyyyy?
Because the reaction is predictably
the same if we don't:
DISTRESSING DISAPPOINTMENT.
Fallen faces.
Suicide attempts.
And further questioning
about age difference, etc.

Can you even imagine how often
we have been asked in recent weeks as
we have accompanied each other
to doctor appointments?

Can you imagine how many times in the past
I have been handed my sister's drycleaning
or squeezed from behind by someone
I don't recognize?
Can you fathom each of us has 2 sons only and about the same ages?

My sis and I love the fashion ballsy-ness,

silly sisterhood, and quirkylovelybond

of the Olsen twins.

More than ever,

we feel blessed

to be bonded

from blonde manes

the mutant genes

of our

DNA.

It's hard for some folks to grasp
sisters who aren't rivals; who
can call each other 'tramp'
and still enjoy
each other's company
as much as we do.

But believe it.
We go together like
Dakota and Elle.
Mary Kate and Ashley.
Like peanut butter and chocolate.

And now we are supporting each other
on a surprising BRCA2journey to fight the
cancer which has killed too many
of our family members...
by beating it to the punch.

Together.

remember us misbehaving at the Elysian?

With courage.

jo and me. photo by Aimless Olive

With faith in our bosoms.

sexy swede style {ulrika lundgren}

2013-04-04T21:21:00.000-05:00

Swedish born and Netherlands-based
fashion designer Ulrika Lundgren
styled this petite guesthouse
in Amsterdam called Maison Rika.

Even though her signature palette is
black and white, her art choices
and injections of texture
keep the look from feeling
cold or too edgy.

How chic is all the geometry
happenin here?

Hello lovelydelicate railings.

How fun is that eye??????

photography by Kasia Gatkowska and Marijke Arden, via

Thanks for all the encouraging emails...you
uplift me in such lovely ways, and I
am feeling empowered and ready
to face the challenges ahead.

I feel tired as I recover from surgery and
grateful that I have no pain and such loving
support from my family.
Thanks too for keeping my mom and sis
in your thoughts...we're a team of strong ladies!

linking with MMS