Radio Silence

Just for today. I'm trying to avoid all social media today so when I watch the royal wedding I can be surprised.  My son just started sleeping through the night so there was no way I was going to get up at 4 am for anyone, not even Wills, not even Kate, not even David Beckham (whom I heard was almost as breathtaking as the Princess).  Also, randomly the letter "t" and  the letter that comes after "a" are not working on my computer.  I have to cut and paste every "t" in this post.  It's extremely tedious.

So in he spirit of wedded bliss, I will leave you with a few images from my wedding because it was in my opinion Epic as well :)

Tootles!

How did I miss this?

Veranda 

I just came across this dressing room by Windsor Smith and I can't stop looking at it.  Much like the Robert Pattinson photo I have saved on my desktop (thank you Joni at Cote de Texas), I keep peeking at it.  Like somehow if I stare at it enough, if I burn the image into my little, tiny, overstimulated-by-design brain, it will be mine ... the dressing room that is.  I don't know why I'm so obsessed with it.  I don't know why I'm obsessed with pre-haircut Justin Bieber either.  I cannot count the number of design images I see in a day, and while I'm certainly not bored or jaded, I love when I come across something so delicious I want to eat it.  I want to eat this dressing room.

My other favorite Edward 

Hanging Up Her Uniform

 I have mixed feelings about Meazi's current school. I could handle the time-out for whistling, and even the dinner table talk of temptation and hell. I really didn't like the 'marriage is between a man and a woman' reminder. I have many, many issues with the Catholic church.

 Things I do like about her current school. Tinkerbell pictured above. She is Meazi's closest friend in kindergarten. Like Meazi, she has been in American for just under two years. They are girls with two countries, and two languages, and each of them have an ENORMOUS brain! We were at her house yesterday and they were talking about how many wings butterflies have, (Meazi was insisting that all butterflies have four wings), what it is like to travel in outer space, and if wild dogs eat zebras. (Is that really what they were discussing Kate? That last part?!) Masha and Meazi are great pals.

Masha's mommy Kate told us we should consider applying to a very prestigious private school for first grade. I thought this school was not even a possibility for us. She said they they were looking for families that were different. She said that they provided financial assistance for many families.

I applied. They invited Meazi to spend a half-day at the school with other potential first graders. I had to go in shortly after this for a parent interview. It lasted for over an hour. Kate watched Melese in the lobby. If you ask him who his favorite babysitter is, he will continue to say Kate. Sorry mom. Sorry nasty ladies at the YMCA.

Meazi has been accepted into this school. We have been given a generous tuition package. It will cost less than her current school.

It is more diverse than her current school, and Meazi said they 'let her express herself the way she wants', this having more to do with art. At her current school she must use 'real colors', skies have to be blue, suns have to be yellow, etc.

She is ecstatic and I am too. It is an amazing school.

I hope we have found our place. It is described as progressive and developmental. It goes from kindergarten to 12th grade. And well, they have their own swimming pool.

The thing that I am happiest about is the idea that I won't have to see Meazi fall apart about being the 'darkest child in her class'. She spent an evening last winter completely inconsolable, even though I named every child of color in her current school. She is right, she is the darkest child in her class. This will not be the case next year, and in her words, "Mom, even some of the teachers are chocolate."

So off we go! Bring on the gay-friendly whistlers! Bring on the purple cats and polka dotted pigs! Bring back the pink skirts and the shiny silver Tom's! 

I have to say that I am not completely surprised.

Most people after spending time with her, would like to spend more time with her.

Guest Post: Arcadian Lighting - Coastal Interiors Bring Beauty of the Beach Home

Today is the perfect day for a guest post because I got nothin' y'all.  Actually, that's not true.  I have lots of pretty images in the archives, I just don't have the patience to put them in some sensible order.  So I'm thrilled to let the nice folks at Arcadian Lighting take over for me today.  They've got some purdy pics and great advice for bringing the beach into your home.  Yesterday I purchased some beachy frames and have been hanging a bunch of our pictures from our Sea Island trip so this post is very timely! Enjoy! 


Although it would be lovely to actually own a cottage or home on the beach, that isn't possible for most people. But wouldn't it be lovely to bring a little bit of beach inspiration into your home, even if you were in some landlocked city, miles away from the beach? It would be and it is doable to look towards coastal interiors to bring the beauty of the beach into your home.

Look towards certain color palettes like oceanic and turquoise blues, serene white and sandy browns. Textures can include linen, raffia and rope. You can even look towards certain lighting fixtures for inspiration and decorate your home with pretty hanging lights and paper lanterns for a beachy look.

Decorology {via}

This bedroom takes nautical décor all the way with beachy inspired bedding, nautical striped espadrilles...even a little wooden fish adorns the wall just above the headboard.

Decorology {via}

Well if the surfboard and starfish-adorned wall mirror doesn't inspire you, then perhaps the coffee table that looks like a bit of beached flotsam will? Bright greens, yellows and an azure blue surfboard compliment an otherwise neutral room.

Coastal Living {via}

This kitchen is absolutely astounding, but the best part is that pair of woven raffia pendant lights.

Belle Maison {via}

Beachy inspiration nearly overflows this living room. The wall is adorned with starfish and sea shells, while the blue and white fabric on a few of the floor pillows closely resemble coral.

Lilac and Grey {via}

The color palette of whites, creams, sandy brown and tan, along with a few little beach accessories (see the book ladder) create a serene scene in this interior.

Domino Magazine {via}

Certainly the color palette helps, but what's really gorgeous about this room is the hanging woven chair. It's like a hammock that you can curl up in!

Heather Thompson {via}

Everything about this dining area is inspired by the beach: from the scrolls with names of beaches around the world, to the table decorations, right down to the homemade pendant lights.

The Lennoxx {via}

A pretty ikat duvet and an actual view of the beach are the icing on this beautifully-decorated (bedroom) cake.

Until you can afford that second beach home, bring a little bit of the beach into the home you're in. Stick with nautical color palettes, textures and patterns and relax...you're at the beach.

Lindsey is a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

Wordless Wednesday

I NEED a place like this to cook

Ugh why am I so high maintenance! "A barn?  To cook?" my husband would say.  But I need one.  Ina Garten has one.  All that space! This is an oldy but goodie from House Beautiful.

Can you imagine reaching for a pan without making a sound, and not having all of the other pans next to it come tumbling out?  It's the little things, people.  For more, visit House Beautiful here. 

Remember, if y'all like me, you should like me like me.  I'll post some of my favorite Ina Garten recipes on my facebook page later today.   

Closet Envy

Hello Lovelies! I hope y'all had a lovely weekend!

First things first, Belclaire House is now on Facebook.  So if you're on Facebook and you kinda like me, you should totally like me, if you know what I mean.  I'll be posting more images that don't make it to the blog and other stuff like recipes, links and things I like.  Here's a sneak peak of a pic I posted today:

Cuteness Overload

That's right.  Baby rolls in pea coats and knee socks.  You won't get that anywhere but here.  

And now for today's inspiration.  'Tis the season to clean out the closets.  I'm dreading it, but anybody who's been to my house in the last year will tell you it needs to happen.  It's embarrassing how much we are bursting at the seams.  It's like me in my pre-pregnancy jeans, which still do not fit by the way.  Kourtney Kardashian made losing the baby weight look so much easier than it actually is.

Big & Carrie's Closet from Sex & The City 2 

I loved the caption on this photo in the New York Daily News:


'One side of the closet is Carrie, and the other side is Big,' says production designer Jeremy Conway. 'What I love about that, of course, is that there’s not enough room for Carrie, so she has to come over to Big’s side a little bit.'

Another view of Carrie & Big's closet via New York Daily News 

That is the issue we're having at our house, only our closet is a smidge smaller.  And by smidge, I mean maybe 1/16th the size of that closet.  When my husband bought our house (before we were married), he built this amazing large shower at the expense of some of the closet space (what is it with men and giant showers?).  It didn't really become and issue until I moved in and now my shoes alone need their own room.  Proper etiquette mandates that guest room closets be empty, but unfortunately at our house (and probably most people's) that is impossible.  So as I sit in a sea of my own shoes and clothes as I attempt to clean out some closets this week, I will silently covet the many closets of Carrie Bradshaw and others like her.

Big's present to Carrie in the first SATC movie

When I saw the first Sex and The City movie in the theater, the entire audience gasped when this closet appeared on the screen.  I think I even cried.  

Let's not forget the most famous closet of all time: 

Oh so sad.  Carrie had such a teeny tiny closet before.  Not. I would take that closet.  

More non-SATC closet envy: 

Amazing Before & After from Centsational Girl 

Fairfax & Sammons 

Miles Redd

Peppermint Bliss in Rue Magazine 

Lonny 

Cote de Texas 

High Gloss 

via Marcus Design 

James Radin via Cote de Texas 

via Architect Design 

Easter Table Inspiration

While I absolutely love the stunning, over-the-top blue & white tablescape by Eddie Ross that I posted here on Wednesday, I came across another more subtle blue & white table setting that I think I love just as much if not more.  When it comes to styling, I tend to have a more is more approach. It's not even necessarily on purpose.  I'm just not very good at editing.  My brain doesn't work that way, but sometimes I wish it did and every once in awhile I would like to simplify things.

Of course, none other than the Goopster herself was part of this collaboration with Remodelista. Ugh, why is she so perfect? I regard her with a great deal of admiration as well as suspicion.  I feel like we'd probably be friends, I would just be her really messy friend whom she loves for being "such a spaz."

"Oh hi, yeah, I just threw this table together while I was practicing my Glee songs and doing backbends to harness my chi"

I'm pretty sure I need to have a set of these delftware Musical Monkey plates from Deborah Sears' Signature Collection for Isis Ceramics.  For more on this table setting, including sources visit Remodelista here.

Photographed by Simon Bevan for Remodelista 

Have a lovely weekend!

Porch Inspiration & Edgy Love

Southern Style 

I love porches.  I have had some of the best conversations on porches, bonding with my friends and family.  I have had some of my best meals on porches, overlooking Napa Valley or my grandparents backyard in Peoria.  In college, my roomies and I spent lots of time on our porches sipping cocktails and talking about boys. They're some of my best memories.  Someday I would love a house full of porches.

Country Living

Robert Stern via The Enchanted Home 

Country Living 

Country Living

Cathy Kincaid in House Beautiful

via Playful Prep

via Playful Prep

My darling little sissy lives the cutest house in Austin with a big wrap-around porch. She and her roomies affectionately refer to it as Edgy (to do with its location not it's style).  My sissy usually has very good taste.  She's definitely more stylish than I am and she put a lot of energy decorating her adorable room at Edgy.  So you can imagine my surprise when I got the following e-mail:

the outside of edgy (the house i live in) is so plain!

i'm dying for some flowers, but they have to be fake because the immense texas heat and my disregard for plant upkeep won't allow for anything else.

No Ma'am.

No. Ma'am. You may not decorate your porch with fake flowers.  I will go ahead and chalk up her momentary lapse in good taste to the fact that she's in college and her head is a bit foggy from all of her ... uh ... studying.  So I've decided to help her liven up her porch.

Edgy

Aside from the obvious landscaping issue, the first thing I thought of when I saw this big gorgeous porch, is ferns.  Lots of ferns.  

Southern Living 

French Quarter 

Ferns are classic and southern, inexpensive and pretty easy to care for.  Here's a nice article on types of ferns and how to care for them.

For a more festive look, they could go with paper lanterns.

Big Hat Books in Indiana

Or they could add a cluster of pink poms over their porch swing.

Pretty in Pink Poms via Etsy

They can also add more color to their porch with a colorful doormat and pillows for their porch swing. 

Woodland Garden Rug from Urban Outfitters 

Greek Key Pillow 

Bubble Gum Pink Sunbrella 

Crate and Barrel 

Yellow Ikat

And maybe one little pot of real flowers next to the door. 

Crate and Barrel

Crate and Barrel

Here it is all together! 

Lots of color, college budget friendly and college party friendly, very little upkeep.

One last tip:  Like my sissy, I do not have a green thumb.  Luckily my husband does so we can actually have plants at our house.  My advice to her for dealing with the ferns is to name them.  Seriously.  It's hard to neglect something you've named, right? Might I suggest the members of O-Town? Jacob, Ashley Parker Angel, Erik-Michael Estrada, Trevor and Dan.