Colorful and crisp living room

This room from House Beautiful is a cool mix of juxtapositions: traditional-feeling yet fresh, colorful yet not over-the-top, old-ladyish yet young all at the same time. I don't have this much color going on in my own house, but I kind of love it - the turquoise art with the pop of orange from the pillow especially. What do you think?

Spotted on 6th Street Design School.

The smallest horse in the world

My boyfriend is very sweet. He sent me an email yesterday with a link about the world's smallest pony; he thought I would think it was cute and that I should post it here on sea*life*style. Wasn't that nice of him to think of me and this blog?

The pony is cute, true. Check him out:


Snark alert:
But what kind of blog does B think this is? I am not posting about cats here, people. (Oops.) Sweet thought on B's part nonetheless.

And just to prove I am not the world's biggest beyotch, here is a bit more info about Einstein the tiny pony:

Einstein was just 6 pounds and 14 inches tall when born. He is a half pinto stallion and was born last week in Barnstead, New Hampshire. He is not a dwarf, he was just teeny tiny at birth. You can get the full story here, if you're interested.

And to prove that I really love B (and horses too, right?), here's video of the little guy:

Kinda cute, no?

Here's a link to the video, in case you can't see embedded vids (via YouTube).

So there it is, the world's smallest pony. Enjoy.

Mutlicolor modern mobiles

Oh, holy moley, Jordan Ferney has done it again. These DIY mobiles are amazing:

Can you believe she made them herself? They're simply sewn-together strips of vellum, hung from the ceiling on their own string and weighed down by a fishing weight. I love that you can make these mobiles in any combination of colors you want so that they match your party!

Also, she made all of these for less than 25 bucks, so that's a huge amount of impact (it basically transforms the space) for not a lot of dough. I'm a little intimidated by the sewing aspect, but it seems pretty simple overall.

Thankfully, Jordan was kind enough to provide instructions and photos for how to do this yourself, here.


Wouldn't these be perfect for a wedding shower or modern grown-up birthday party? Just tweak the color scheme accordingly and you're seriously set on decor. Love, love, love.

Bringing the outside in, part deux

I featured a lovely round plant table here and a garden window (a greenhouse window/shelving set-up type thing) here. So - for posterity's sake, and perhaps for some inspiration if you're looking to bring the green in when you don't have your own garden (like us!) - here's another bringing-the-garden-in way to go:

This look is a bit more organic and unstructured than the plant table or garden window (see links above for photos), but I like the layered look it creates. It's much more wild garden and a little less English garden, but it's cool nonetheless. Would you do this in your home?

Photo of Nina Shen (of Dwell Studio)'s apartment, as spotted on Design*Sponge.

Sleep with the fishes, literally

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.

I'm in.

Spotted here.

That's bananas (pudding)!

It is annoying that someone as gorgeous and fashion-forward as Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere would also be so talented in the kitchen. :) She recently documented a perfect summer-y dessert recipe she made the other day, and I nearly drooled right onto my keyboard.

Have you ever been to Magnolia Bakery in NYC? Their cupcakes are what's made them famous, but B and I both agree (shocking, since I have a major sweet tooth and he's more of a salt guy) that their banana pudding is the best thing they have to offer. It's a perfect sweet treat, without being too over-the-top sucrose-y.

Emily made it herself (using this recipe) and it looks like it turned out amazingly:

Mmmmm. I also love that instead of using regular Nilla Wafers, she went for the mini versions, so you could fit one cookie per spoonful. I am clamoring to try this. More photos and info here.

Emily, won't you come over to my house and braid my hair like yours and make this recipe for me? :)

Font selector

This typeface guide by Julian Hansen is hilarious - and useful! If I were creating a logo or an invite, I would totally check to see if I were going down the right path by referring to this chart.

And if you're a really big design buff (or type nerd, perhaps?), then you can pre-order a print of this poster here to have on your wall all the time.

Rainy Monday

Goood morning, all! It's so hard to get out of bed on a rainy Monday, no? I was able to drag myself out (reluctantly) this morning, and have been a busy bee all day so far - I'm hoping this momentum lasts despite the gray day. How about you? Are you dragging just a bit today or not minding the rain?

I was saving the above photo for fall (crunchy leaves don't seem quite right with spring in full swing), but the wellies caught my eye - I think some fun rubber boots will be just the thing to keep me going today.

Hope your Monday is quick and painless! Be back soon... xo, r.

Photo via mix tape.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday, y'all! It's absolutely beautiful out today, but we're supposed to get rain allll weekend and into next week. B and I are going out of town this weekend and it looks like we may do some serious standing in the rain, since we're supposed to be tailgating at a Penn State football game tomorrow. Better bust out the wellies! I wish I were wearing an incredible dress like the rainbow one above - isn't it amazing??

Wherever you are and whatever weather you're having, hope your weekend is a good one!

xo, r.

Dress by Alexander McQueen (RIP); photo via Brooklyn Bride

Flowers in unexpected places

I've been a huge fan of the succulent arrangements that Kelly from Yes, Please creates for, like, ever now, but she's blown me away all over again today.

Kelly came up with three amazing guest posts for 100 Layer Cake where she focused on using "everyday objects...to create some unique centerpieces." She even created DIY step-by-step instructions for each one (links at the bottom of this post).

Peonies in pegboard - who knew the thing that once held your grandpa's tools could look so soft when paired with frilly peonies? These two are so perfect I almost thought they were fake.


These yellow "billy bobs" are so cute when coupled with succulents, and even more unique and rustic when housed in a railroad tie. I also love the modern metal table number leaning casually on the wood.


A cement block as an arrangement holder? Sure, why not? Looks lovely with these anemones, fragrant rosemary and field flowers. Nice (and cheap!) use of a cinder block, Kelly!

You can see additional pics on Kelly's site here, or get the DIY instructions here, here, and here - let me know if you attempt any of these - so pretty!

Ring a ding, bike with basket

It's beautiful out today! I'm stuck inside working, but wouldn't you love to be out riding a pretty blue bike like this?

Image via From Me to You

I love the pretty aqua color and the basket on the front. I'd take it for a spin, buy some flowers from the farmers market and put them in the basket - sounds like a sweet Friday, right? All that bicycle needs is a bell (or is that what's on the handle bar and I'm just missing it?).

Golden braids

Hot weather is coming, I can feel it. On days when it's sticky, hot and muggy (thanks for that, Maryland), all I want to do is get my hair off my neck. I so wish I had even an ounce of talent for doing my hair so that I could make mine look like this on those summer days:

Photo via Design Crush

Aren't these golden braids gorgeous? I was totally inspired by that breezy do, so I went looking for some other braids. Here are my faves:


Photo from ellybeth on flickr

This girl's hair looks neat, out of the way, and cute.

And here's the girl who might just be the most recent originator (we couldn't forget Heidi of course) of the ubiquitous casual CA style, braids and all:

Lauren Conrad from The Hills

Jennifer Aniston rocked a little braid at...the Oscars. Who knew braids could be so fancy? I love this look on her, though, and she is the consummate California girl, so it works:


Blake Lively's braids look more Grecian to me, but I'm still liking them:


And another CA girl (I'm sensing a theme here), the ever-stylish Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere, donned these braids when she needed a versatile style - she took this hair from a formal birthday party to a night out at the bar.

And she teaches exactly how she did this hair here.

So what about you? Do you ever sport the braids? Do you like the look or is it too Pollyanna for you? Do tell!

Earth Day 2010

Photo 1- via Fairy Tale Diaries; photos 2&3- by Paul Costello

I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge today, Earth Day 2010 - which also happens to be the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Appropriately, it's beautiful here in Annapolis today: sunny, warm and pretty. But if the insane volcano in Iceland has one thing to teach us (other than the fact that international air travel is less reliable than we think), it's that Mother Nature really is boss.

I don't like to use this blog as a platform to preach, but I do want to say quickly that I hope you're all doing your part to keep our planet healthy. Please, please, please, if you don't already recycle, start now - there's absolutely no reason other than laziness or ignorance why anyone shouldn't be recycling at this point. Switch out lightbulbs, unplug appliances, buy locally and organic, stop buying bottled water (I love these, these and these options), plant trees and so on.

B and I are doing our best to do better little by little (we're certainly not perfect but we're trying) and I hope everyone else will join us in doing what we can for our beautiful planet.

And if you have a spare moment, check out The Official Earth Day 2010 Campaign to see what you can do to help.

Okay, stepping off the soap box....now. Thanks for listening (er, reading). Happy Earth Day, all! :)

Wall struck: wallpaper

Step aside, Golden Girls! We're stealing yo' style. Wallpaper is back with a vengeance and this isn't just the palm leaf paper from Blanche's bedroom...(that was for you, Val - I love GG references!)

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm totally digging the wallpaper style as of late. Take a look and let me know if you're into it too (or if I'm rapidly slipping into geriatric territory - yikes!):

Kelly Wearstler's imperial trellis print is by far my fave. So hot.
Photo by Elouise, spotted on Oh Happy Day!


The ever-famous Miles Redd did this room (as seen in Domino Mag, RIP). I love how the slightly overly feminine wallpaper is punched up with turquoise and chevron stripes - two of my favorite things.


More imperial trellis; I couldn't resist. This time in green and, surprisingly, looking a bit traditional when paired with white and dark wood.


Before I get too carried away with the old-looking stuff, I thought I'd revert back to the style that really calls my name - young, light, fresh and quirky. In case you're wondering what's on the wallpaper above, it's ostriches. Take a closer look below:

Yep, these snaps are from the living room of Michelle Adams (the genius behind Lonny Mag). I never knew I'd love ostriches on a wall so much. Oh but I do.

And finally, wouldn't this be amazing to come home to?:

Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day's entryway - pretty and sweet. Pretty sweet. The best part? That's temporary wallpaper that can be removed - a renter's dream!

So what's the verdict? Love? Hate? I need to lay off the Metamucil?

I am very tempted to try the temporary wallpaper idea on our tiny entryway, but I think B and I might get a preemptive divorce (is that possible if you're not yet married?) if I try to rope him into helping me. I do love the look though!

Want to see more? Check out some of my other takes on wallpaper here, here and here.

Silhouettes, part quatre

This quote and silhouette pairing is so pretty, I'm tempted to print it out and put it in a frame on my wall. I couldn't find an original source for this, but I found it on Yes and Yes (and Sarah Von is a genius - maybe she made this? With help from Buddha of course...).

And just because it never hurts to throw in another silhouette, here's a sweet one that's cross-stitched and custom-made just for you (or the luckiest friend ever, if you get this as a gift).

Available from The Time Is Now on Etsy. Spotted on Twig & Thistle.

Want more silhouette madness? Parts une, deux and trois for ya (and a bonus!).

Banter Banner

A little dose of fun or inspiration (depending on which banner you choose) + works for either every day or for all kinds of parties (again, your choice) + only 10 bucks = perfect.

And hey, there's even a "Cullen at heart" option in case you're lusting for some more Edward in your life, subtly.

I can't decide whether to buy these for myself or for gifts, or both. Love. Buy them here.

Spotted on Walking Around.

Denim done right

Wishing I was about a half a foot taller and with legs like those so I could rock the wide-leg jean as well as this chick:




Photos from Glamour UK (August 2008), scanned by {this is glamorous}.

M is for Mom

These cards from Rifle Paper Co. are the perfect sentimental-without-being-sappy cards for Mother's Day. So pretty!

I also just saw that they're now available at some Anthropologie stores - congrats, Anna!

Inspired by: bookcases

With all my reading of late (thanks in part to a gift from my mom and also thanks to our public library's awesome online hold system where I select books I want to read, they get them in and set them aside for me - for free [woohoo!]), I am in need of a place to put all my books (not the library ones obviously).

Aren't these perfectly styled bookcases gorgeous?

From MDEsign via Shelter


From Domino (RIP) via Say Yes to Hoboken


From Domino via Oh Happy Day


From Domino via Say Yes to Hoboken

I love that the top image and bottom image both show bookcases with colored backs. I'm considering doing that with one of our bookcases (don't mind the crappy iPhone photo):

What do you think?

Also, do you spy the "This Land is Your Land" print nestled in there? I'm not yet sure that's the perfect place for it, but I do love that print!