Shorely Chic

FLAMINGO FRIDAY

2013-05-17T09:14:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday - woohoo!!! I'm so excited for the weekend! We have friends visiting from St. Louis & Boston and the weather is supposed to be perfect :) We're heading to a Yankees game on Saturday and will come home for a good ol' summertime BBQ. The menu is still developing but here's what I got so far:

appetizer: some pickies and a new favorite: tomato, avocado, and crabmeat towers with truffle oil
dinner: grilled corn, tomato and mozzarella salad, cuscus salad, london broil
dessert: watermelon and...???? something I can make ahead of time...homemade ice cream sandwiches?

Anywho, enough blabbing, let's move on to today's featured flamingo shall we?

Hand Beaded Flamingo Clutch - Anthropologie

cool, isn't it?

Have a great weekend everyone!

One Love One Heart

2013-05-15T09:55:00.001-04:00

I've added some new Bob Marley love to the shop :)

One Love (anchor) One Heart

and a custom version for the bride and groom :)

Prints can all be customized with your choice of colors:

shop here :)

MOTHER'S DAY CARD PRINTABLE

2013-05-10T09:38:00.001-04:00

Happy Mother's Day weekend to all you mommies out there :) I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that in one year, I will be celebrating this day with my little monkey (who is currently training to be an olympic gymnast right in the comfort of my very own belly)!

I'm working on some new stationery designs and thought I would share this downloadable card in case you're in last minute need of a mother's day card.

link to download card

Instructions to print:

Click on the link to download the card and print on size A2 folded cardstock. If you don't have any folded blank A2 cards, most probably won't, take a nice thick piece of paper and cut it down to size: 5.5"wide x 8.5"high. Print the design from your printer and fold down the center :)

Enjoy your weekend!

MAKING WHOOPIE...PIES

2013-05-07T09:17:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we were invited to a friend's house for dinner and I offered to bring dessert -- I decided to try the good old whoopie pie because they look so ridiculously delicious every time I see them it's almost painful to look away...and they were.

Here's how it went:

I cheated and used a box of cake mix for the chocolate part - The truth is I love boxed cake, it always has the perfect texture of light and moist and the taste can not be beat.

I baked the little sandwich halves in a muffin pan, pouring only enough to cover the bottom of the shape. This way, all my halves would be the same size. I first tried pouring a teaspoon out onto a cookie tin but the shapes and sizes were all so crazy and different when they came out of the oven.

Next I made the filling --

1 1/2 cups of marshmallow fluff (I've been craving this stuff since I got pregnant, great excuse to buy it!)

1 cup of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick of butter

After the filling is complete, you simply make your sandwiches and serve! Also very easy to transport :)

St. John Bliss (USVI)

2013-05-01T09:13:00.001-04:00

Brian and I just returned from a beautiful week in St. John...pause...daydream...and it was nothing short of magical. The beaches were incredible, landscape nothing short of gorgeous, island architecture done to perfection, the food was delicious and fresh, and the tropical drinks (from what I witnessed) looked and had nothing but the most perfect tropical potions. We were there for our dear friends Kelly and Carlo's wedding on Caneel Bay and made a babymoon of it. We stayed in the beautiful Tennis Villa with 11 others and had the best time, it was the perfect combination of relaxation and fun and I would go back in a heartbeat!!!

I've never seen water so pretty

taking a breather on the veranda

We took a day trip to the BVI's and had a blast at Foxy's and the Soggy Dollar (yes, only virgin drinks for this mamma)

There is nothing like that blue...

or this aqua...

our Jeep rental

We went to this little bakery every morning for iced coffee and mango muffins, which I feel in love with - recipe to come!

That is a sunburn on my arm and the heels had not been put on yet, but you get the point...

lunch at Skinny Legs

followed by relaxation on the beach

Smoothies

Sunset

We can't say enough good things about St. John but here are a few key pointers:

Definitely try and fly direct into St. Thomas -- we took a connection and it made the journey too long for what it should be.

Rent a Jeep

Our favorite beach to spend the day was Hawksnest because it was super convenient. Cinnamon Bay was great, too for water sports.

Definitely eat at ZoZo's and La Tapa

Be prepared to be indulged in nothing but relaxation and decadence in the form of nature's most tropical beauty :)

GREG NORMAN'S EASY BREEZY HOBE SOUND GUEST HOUSE

2013-04-26T09:00:00.003-04:00

I feel in love with the laid back easy breezy home of golfer Greg Norman situated on the beach in Hobe Sound, Florida, just minutes up the road from our beloved Jupiter.

Doesn't the surfboard in the corner of the room just set the tone of, "take it easy, nothing else matters because you're on the beach"? The view doesn't hurt either...

Like those nautical flag prints hanging above the bed? You can purchase them in my etsy shop!

sold here!

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of eye candy and beach house inspiration today :)

Images scanned from Coastal Living Magazine, May 2013

GOING COASTAL BACKPACK

2013-04-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

I love a cute backpack and think it will be the most convenient option once I'm pushing a stoller or have a baby in my arms so I decided to invest in a little tester :)

How sweet are these Going Coastal backpacks from Roxy??

Perfect for riding your cruiser to the beach, walking around town, as a carry-on for vacation, you name it!

On sale for 35.99 here :)

NAUTICAL BABY SHOWER INVITES

2013-04-09T10:54:00.002-04:00

Hey Y'all! I've been missing you but I've been so terribly busy at my school job that it's been hard to find time to write. By the time I get home I'm usually exhausted and in bed trying to keep my eyes open to read "What to Expect...", or creating what you see below!

I love designing invites so when my mom asked me where we should look for my shower, I volunteered to make them. I think they turned out pretty cute, do you?

I'd love to help with your next event, too! For custom invites, please contact me so we can chat!

SPERRY - THE KATAMA

2013-03-30T09:33:00.006-04:00

Pardon the interruption on this beautiful Easter weekend, but holy summer get here now please!

Check these cuties out:

The Sperry Katama

enough said.

A Sea-Inspired Coral & Turquoise Table

2013-03-25T09:22:00.002-04:00

There are few colors that perk my spirits like a beautiful blend of coral and turquoise - throw a little gold in and I'm yours. I LOVED Lindsey Harper's Palm Beach inspired table setting for April's Southern Living, perfectly punchy, fun, preppy and posh:

Don't you LOVE?! I decided I had to have the place settings (such a sucker for china) but they are quite pricey at $165 per plate *sigh* so I guess that won't happen anytime soon.

If you're in the market or just want to browse, see the full set here: Raynaud Cristobol Coral.

COASTAL IN BLACK

2013-03-22T10:06:00.004-04:00

Happy Friday!! The sun is shining nice and bright here today and although this sounds crazy, I actually have my lounge chair all set up on our porch to take in some rays. I've been doing this the past few weeks and actually have a little color to show for it. I just replace the lemon water for hot tea and I'm good to go :)

I've been itching to paint our chest for our new entryway, and I've been thinking BLACK. I've had it this pretty shade of green since I lived in NYC (6 years ago!) and have enjoyed it in all my different pads since. Black is certainly not the obvious coastal choice but I just think it will look absolutely stunning with a little gold trim, a nice starburst mirror hanging in back, and some bright white coral chunks sitting on top.

Here it is in it's current state:

but I'm leaning towards something like:

What do y'all think?

image 1/image 2/image 3

RIKSHAW DESIGN

2013-03-20T10:35:00.002-04:00

Happy Spring!! Can I just say I am SO relieved I won't be saying "spring is right around the corner" anymore!? It's been a loooong winter and the promise of sunnier days to warm me and my little boy makes me so happy. Speaking of my little boy, I've got nothing but nursery, baby and summer on my mind lately and am on total cuteness overload with all the inspiration around the web.

A long time favorite that I can actually see happening in my life in the near future is Rikshaw Design. I have loved following owner Catherine Fitzsimmons' inspiring blog over the years and am now envisioning her adorable frocks on our son and sweet blankets wrapped around him...

I mean?! How cute are these?!? Anchors, waves, fish, and seahorses adorn these adorable baby and children's clothes, so perfect for summer days spent by the beach, don't you think?

Mammas and Mammas-to-be can get involved in the women's line, too :)

Perfect to let the air in during the summer heat...(Brian, are you reading this today? You know that trip we have to St. John in a few weeks...?)

Take a visit to Rikshaw Design to see all the other cuteness and pick something perfect for your next baby shower or momma to be!

TORY BURCH : FLAMINGO FRIDAY

2013-03-08T09:35:00.003-05:00

For those of you in the Northeast, Happy Snow Day!! Can you believe it?? I mean honestly, get me out of this cold and into the sun!!

Anywho, I wanted to share a little Flamingo Friday love with you today and feature Tory Burch's super cute flamingo items for spring. I'm so happy she jumped on the flamingo bandwagon with us with these designs, aren't you?

1. Sanibel One Piece

2. Flamingo Poplin Case

3. Sanibel Reversible Bottoms

4. Sanibel Reversible Top

5. Printed Flip Flop

6. Beach Cover Up

7. Flamingo Tunic

Happy Friday!!

Baby Joy's Nursery

2013-02-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm dreaming of the nursery for little Baby Joy lately and can not wait to start putting a design plan together. I'll be so fun to share this exciting project with you, so let's start looking at some inspiration photos, shall we?

I am IN LOVE with Molly Sim's nursery designed by Layla Grace and Kishani Perera for her sweet baby Brooks:

I have a vintage dresser from my childhood bedroom that I will certainly be painting in this fashion, the blue is perfect to make it boy friendly and the size is perfect for a changing table. Also need a pouf!

This daybed is a great idea, though I don't know if it'll work for us.

I love all the animals, baby joy will have plenty and you know I'll put a nautical spin on that...I'm thinking whales, turtles, sharks, etc...

print: My Etsy Shop

adorable animal prints by The Animal Print Shop

I definitely need some John Robshaw prints, they're so soft and lovely for a baby...

More to come!

Flamingle Party!!

2013-02-22T10:16:00.003-05:00

Are you ready to Flamingle?! How ADORABLE is this Flamingo themed ladies luncheon hosted by Dana Small, owner of Matilda's and Cabana boutiques in Stuart, Florida:

Lily and flamingos everywhere! What could be better? Such a fun idea for your next ladies get together or little girl's birthday party :)

Photos by Lindsey Potter

MY COCONUT SMOOTHIE

2013-02-21T14:15:00.001-05:00

Hi Y'all! I've been feeling the winter blues this week as my Florida tan fades and the weather here continues to chill so I came up with this little remedy for my morning routine. I'm trying to pack as much nutrition into my diet as I can for our little baby boy -!!!!!!- so I started on smoothies in the morning and I'm hooked!!

My favorite is the Tropical Bliss:

1 cup Coconut Milk (which is soo good and has 50% more calcium than regular milk)

Handful of Frozen Pineapple

1 Frozen Banana

A couple scoops of Chobani yogurt, any flavor really works. Today I had peach and it was delish!

Try this to warmen up your winter chill and let me know what you think!

NEW LUCITE TRAYS AND A GIVEAWAY!

2013-02-20T12:16:00.001-05:00

*UPDATE* Congratulations to Beth Peele on winning the lucite tray of your choice!!!*

Hi Everyone! I'm so pleased with the start of my lucite tray collection I couldn't wait to share it with all of you and send one to the lucky winner!!

These vanity trays are perfect for your perfume, tioletries, desk clutter, etc...and come completely customized to your preferred design and monogram!

To Enter:

1) Leave a comment below letting me know your favorite
2) Pin an image of your favorite tray and mention @shorelychic

3) Send a tweet about this giveaway and mention @shorelychic

4) Instagram your favorite tray and mention @shorely chic

*each step equals one entry to a total of four*

Winner will be chosen on Sunday at 8:00 PM

San Francisco in Color

2013-02-18T10:54:00.002-05:00

I was smitten with the overall light and airy feel of this home and punches of color. Owner Mary Graf of Le Carte turned this simple San Francisco dwelling on the beach into a chic and cozy home full of treasured finds and unique touches for her husband and daughters.

these colors had me at hello - coral and aqua, you have my heart...

This is definitely an old hutch, painted with a fresh coat of white paint and how good does it look? Many times you can find pieces like this at your local thrift for under $100!

Gotta have a sunburst mirror over the bed!! This one looks great and is a bargain at under $60! I know because I have the same one, found on Joss & Main.

I love this home because it's so not "designer elite" looking, do you know what I mean? The look is attainable for everyone with a little time and effort, and maybe a friend who has a really good eye :)

images via Glitter Guide

MUSIC FIND: CURRENT SWELL

2013-02-14T09:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!! I hope you eat lots of chocolate and sweets today and spend some quality time with those you love most :) I think I'll take Jack for a walk in the freezing cold after to work to prove my love to him, and then have a nice dinner with Big Brian and of course Little Brian in my growing belly! I'm starting to feel him move around in there which is one of the coolest things that's ever happened to me, it's so sweet to lay there and feel his teeny little gabs, really melts my heart...

Anywho, I discovered this new band while listening to the Spectrum, my go-to station on Sirius Radio: Current Swell. I'm always looking for new artists who make me feel good in that beachy, laid back sort of way and this band definitely fits the bill. I would say they are a mix of Jack Johnson, Sublime, and Dispatch which is pretty perfect for moi, tu?

Actually, this is a good last minute gift for your guy today!!

visit: currentswell.com

Bliss Design Firm

2013-02-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

So delighted to find a new to me design firm specializing in the realm of beach chic. Ohara Daveis-Gaetano's Bliss Design Firm hails from Corona del Mar, California (along with my gal pal, Cher of KulaKai Designs) and is in the business of creating some serious beauty along the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean. The homes below represent how beautiful and elegant interiors can be when replicating nature's finest colors and bountiful natural elements found at the beach:

coral makes everything beautiful, check out those!!

To see more, check out Bliss Design Firm on HOUZZ.

Have a great week!

FLAMINGO FRIDAY

2013-02-08T10:05:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! There is a full out blizzard coming and they are calling for 12"-24" of snow!! Can't wait for some quality relaxation and a little play time with Jackster in the yard.

I was thrilled when I saw that FIESTA dinnerware has a new color: FLAMINGO!! I always loved the fiesta line and think it would be so perfect for a vacation home in the tropics. The linens are TO DIE for and I think they would be perfect with a monogram in our kitchen or bath:

Actually, the aqua and coral would be perfect together!

ooo, these are also on sale! Set of 4 for $15.99 with an extra 20% off!

click here

and the dinnerware set, isn't the color just gorgeous?

on sale now! buy 1 set for $50, get one free!!

click here

Happy Friday, and stay cozy if you're in this blizzard with me!

COLOR CRAZE

2013-02-07T09:55:00.000-05:00

Hello Bloglandia!! I've missed you :( Been busy in the shop and work and being pregnant :) Guess what?? We found out we're having a BOY!!!!! So excited and thrilled to be able to start shopping and designing a blue and lime green nursery!

Brian and I took a short trip to our family's home in Jupiter, FL this past weekend and I can't tell you how good the sun felt. I soaked it up for all its worth and then some. Here are some pics I snapped on my insta account (@shorelychic)

can you see a teeny belly? It's just barely starting to pop! I'm 18 weeks, is that normal??

The revitalization from the warmness and sun of Florida brought me home inspired me to design some new pieces, with lots more COLOR! I feel like I always design in the same coral, aqua, and navy which are no doubt beautiful but why not throw some other color into the mix, right?

For now, we've got some great revamped cellphone covers all for $37.50 with ipad covers, lucite trays, and other personalized items on the way!

Take a sneak peak at the new colors and let me know what y'all think!

Cabana Stripes

Seahorses & Champagne

Flamingo Fun

Caribbean Circles

What do you think? Do you like the color bomb?

INTRODUCING BABY!

2013-01-14T10:52:00.002-05:00

Hi Lovelies :) Brian and I had such a nice, relaxing weekend. The weather was pretty crappy so it was perfect for lounging around and catching up with each other. I had some time to spend on Shorely Chic and I'm excited to share with you today that the inevitable has happened - baby products. Lately my focus has been all baby which has translated into some pretty cute designs that I'm so happy to share with and hopefully get some feedback. I'd love to know what you think, and since I'm so new to this market, if you have any suggestions on what you think the baby world would like, please let me know :)

Each print can of course be personalized with the child's name, and colors can also be customized to fit the nursery. This is just a start but I wanted to get them out there to see how they do!! Prices and details can be found on Etsy.

So, any suggestions? Do you think there are certain areas of baby decor that are lacking in the marketplace?

Thank you all, have a great day!!!

P.S. We saw the Impossible on Saturday night and it was soooo good. I haven't cried that much in a movie in a long time but well worth the tears!

A COLORFUL LA COTTAGE

2013-01-10T08:41:00.002-05:00

I adore this colorful family cottage with all of my creative heart for it's authenticity in design and the way the family worked with the little space to make it work for them.

The cottage cares little about what's "in trend" but more about what speaks to them and what works in the space.

FUN, DIFFERENT!

FUNCTIONAL

This kitchen is my favorite because so often we get caught up in the dreamy kitchens we see that cost millions of dollars (well not really millions but lots!) but this little charmer looks great and - wow -doesn't have stainless steel appliances, how do they do that!?

I love the little collections on display

Hi babies!

To learn more about this cottage and sources, see the full spread in apartment therapy

MY BIG NEWS!

2013-01-07T09:20:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone!! How are we today? I'm feeling fantastic because I can finally be honest with you! I've been waiting for this day for what seems like forever -- it's been super tough to keep such a big secret on this little blog of mine which is part of the reason why I've been posting so much less lately. I like to keep things real here and hiding something that has consumed my thoughts and emotions from you has proven very difficult.

Sooooooooooo here it goes - Brian and I are expecting our first little baby to arrive this July!!!! I can't tell you how exited I am to be pregnant and become a mom - the journey so far from seeing the positive sign on the pregnancy test, to the little heartbeat at six weeks, and last week at the first trimester screening has been incredible. It's hard to believe I have a little boy or girl growing in there, every time I look down or touch my tummy I feel thrill. There isn't much showing yet and every day I wake up excited to check on my miniature bump followed by my babycenter app to see how big the baby is - this week we're at the size of a medium shrimp :)

I promise not to turn this blog into a baby/mommy blog but I will update you with our progress during the next 6 months. We have a lot to accomplish before then like find a house, move into a new house, design a nursery, etc...but I'm not stressing, yet. We have been searching for a home for the past 6 months but really can't find anything we LOVE and we certainly don't want to settle on such a big investment. If we can't find one soon, we'll rent for another year until we do and the most important thing right now is to be excited and prepare for Baby Joy.

Whew! I'm so happy that's out and thank you for the constant love and support you give me, looking forward to going through all this with you - I'm a lucky gal :)