{ Today I love... }

Anyone in my family will know why green
is a special color.

And it all begins with a little woman we called "Sugarbee."

Sugarbee is my grandmother. She lived from 1919 to 2004 as the true embodiment of femininity, kindness, and grace. She was our Melanie Wilkes; and for me represented the gentle South where the romantic notion of moonlight and magnolias really do exist.

And she loved the color green.

Kelly, lime, harlequin, jade, teal, vert, chartreuse... anything green.

Her eyes were the bright hazel, of course, and her wardrobe consisted of plenty of shades of green. She was the person you would pick up a cute green trinket for, because they reminded you of her. Once, when I was little, I proudly presented her with a stick I'd covered in Crayola "jungle green." In my mind it was art at its finest, and Sugarbee absolutely loved it-- or at least she told me she did. Another example of her uniquely gentle spirit.

She even had a mint green bedroom. It was soft, and soothing, and pretty. Like her.

I have a very dear Aunt who has carried on this love of green. Jewelry, towels, granite countertops... there are tasteful splashes of "Sugarbee green" throughout her home.

So here is my post about lovely things in shades of green, for my sweet grandmother.

Velvet and Linen

I love the gorgeous wooden mantelpiece and beveled mirror against the crisp white and green wallpaper pattern.

Vietri Italian Garden Pots
What a happy, chubby little kelly green planter!

kate spade "Gardner Street Green" Dinnerware Collection
Intertwined green vines on porcelain white make for a simple yet lovely pattern.

Be still my heart.
From Schlumberger’s garden of spectacular diamond flowers. Clip in 18k gold with an emerald and round brilliant diamonds in platinum.
This can be yours for $275,000 at Tiffany's

Sandy Koepke Designs
Two of my dream gardens. This designer, Sandy Koepke, is amazing at creating an effortlessly sumptuous outside space.





Anthropologie
Anthro never disappoints; from housewares to Sunday brunch dresses, this is one of my favorite stores.

Coastal Living

This came from an article in Coastal Living called "Colors of the Sea." I love the potpourri of greens in both the living room and the kitchen.

{ Today I love... }

"This season, soft is not just about frilly blouses. Pick any article of clothing and you can find it in tempting colors and textures. Pieces in jersey, cashmere or silk are layered and draped with an emphasis on smoothing over curves and adding a sense of ease. Spring’s biggest delight is discovering that comfort doesn’t have to be compromised."

~InStyle


Yes, please.

{ A Little History Lesson }

"Divorced, beheaded, died; Divorced, beheaded, survived."

Now that's a martial track record to write home about.

Regardless (or maybe because of?) his love life, I am always drawn to anything to do with the Tudors-- today, I'm talking specifically about the wives of Henry VIII. While this topic didn't make the initial "lovely" list to blog about, one of my best friends has encouraged me to post on this topic. And today, I am stuck at home sick so .... blame her and the antibiotics if this one is a snoozer ;)

Can you imagine marrying someone knowing he could wake up one day and decide he doesn't like you... then have your head cut off so he could check his status box as "single"?

Here they are. Mrs. Henry VIII 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

My interest in these queens started in college with dissertation on Elizabeth I's leadership style.* (*Copies of this are available for your summer beach reading list, please let me know if you want one.)

Elizabeth I was an extraordinary monarch; she ruled with an unprecedented style that was somehow innate in her personality. I wanted to know more about her, and how she became the Queen she did-- so I went a generation back, to her parents, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

I started with this book, written by Alison Weir about all the wives of Henry VIII (because, after Anne Boleyn was gone, Elizabeth had to call the rest of these ladies "stepmom.") While I admit I'm a history nerd, this one is written to appeal to a wider audience and if you're interested in these stories at all, this would be a great book to pick up. It stays historically accurate while still keeping a narrative tone. And the historiography is fantastic-- I love reading Henry's love letters to his wives. He had game.

I went to see The Other Boleyn Girl with two of my friends, and upon exiting the theater one of them (the one that requested this post, may I add) deemed the movie "the most depressing thing I've ever seen." She then continued with, "That is so unfair, he could just have her killed like that."

While I hate that it was a downer for her, it's proof that the story is timeless.

{ Bargain Alert! }

As if I needed more of a reason to love this Etsy seller, I just received the sweetest email from her offering my readers (hi, Mom)...

5% off any purchase from her store for the month of March 2010!



Some more eye candy from her shop:

And here's her other shop, the "big sister" to Shup(g)lite, with more gorgeous handmade accessories!
I LOVE her stuff.

{ Shopping With a Story to Tell }

“People respond much more to authentic, human-centric design now,” said Chee Pearlman, a design consultant. “As opposed to the extruded-plastic sort from China. It’s clearly a time for genuine connection to the objects in our lives.”
New York Times article, 11/25/09

One of my favorite things while procrastinating as of late has been to peruse Etsy, an online marketplace full of beautiful antiques, vintage pieces, custom-made clothing, and other hand-made things.

I love the layout of the site (you can shop via "color"-- click fuschia on the color wheel and it will pull up all things hot pink, regardless of item type).

I also find it charming that each and every piece has some element of a human touch. The site is eclectic, whimsical, and lovely.

It's like eBay in the fact that you start looking and realize there are things you need now that you never considered buying before; but without the cluttered garage-sale atmosphere. And a lot of things on Etsy are super-affordable.

Take, for example, this silver double chain necklace I purchased from a precious girl who lives in Singapore and Sidney:

It was called "Believe in the Crown of Glory," and was $28. And if the look and price wasn't enough, I was sold by the item description:

"Crown of glory and a simple reminder to Believe. Double chain necklace, you can adjust the crown to be above the silver "Believe" charm or vice versa!

When the necklace arrived, it was packaged in a charming box, with a hand-written note from the sweet seller. Her creations are beautiful and unique, and I will be back for more from her store, Shupglite

Here are some more of the lovelies I have seen on Etsy...

How fabulous is this? A jewelry holder (or serving piece for petits fours) made from antique plates and tea cups.
$85.50, WhoMadeIt

These two gorgeous prints are only a sample of what this seller has to offer. Appropriately, this store's motto is "Poetry for the Eyes," and most prints run around $20. ISPhotography

And here is the shop of one of my favorite bloggers, Eddie Ross.

His shop's description says it best: "Eddie Ross at Etsy, a unique collection of hand-picked, vintage tabletop and giftware. Every piece in the collection I selected and refurbished myself. Every piece carries with it detailed descriptions full of ideas. Every piece I would most certainly use in my own home. And every piece is $100 and under."

Eddie Ross Vintage

This barely touches on the fabulous finds on Etsy.com, but gives a little preview of why I love shopping there so much. I would love to hear about your favorite Etsy shops, so please feel free to share!

{ Today I love... }

Courtesy of Vogue

Marchesa

"Courtesan-esque... delicate tulles, silk chiffons, suede, and ombre silk organzas are accented with intricate hand embroidery and lace, bringing whimsical design to the center ring.”
- Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig, Marchesa


Anna Sui

"Inspired by the American Arts and Crafts movement (1880-1910) . . . that celebrated artisan handcrafted decorative arts as a response to the mass-produced products of the Industrial Revolution."
- Anna Sui


Oscar de la Renta

“Polished and elegant—a celebration of modern femininity”—Oscar de la Renta

This is Glamorous: Soft Neutrals and Pale Pastels

Velvet and Linen: Hooked on French Homes

Balenciaga

House of Turquoise: Tobi Fairley

{ Valentine's Day }

Country Living

"To write a good love letter,
you ought to begin
without knowing what you mean to say,
and finish
without knowing what you have written."

~Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Notes to self.

This blog is going to be about all things lovely.

Travel, literature, design, clothes, history, music... I just want to share some of the little frivolous things that make me happy. I've gotten a lot of enjoyment from looking at other blogs and have found that people are incredibly generous in sharing what interest them. This has inspired me to do the same and start my own blog; in turn, I will hopefully pay it forward a little.

And, if nothing else, it's a way for me to put a lot of pretty things in one place. :) Thanks for visiting!