Suzeday Tuesday: Twenty Year Love Affair

Morning y'all! The Suze is heading back to Dallas today :(  It's been a fun week and so helpful to have her here as I slowly climb out of the exhausting, sickly 1st trimester.  It's times like these I wish we lived closer.  So I'm dedicating today to The Suze.  Specifically, her 20+ year love affair with this wallpaper sample that she's carried with her for equally as long.

It's pretty amazing in person, but ...

it's a wallpaper border, which you pretty much never see anymore and The Suze doesn't want, and ...

it's nowhere to be found.  So ...

These are small obstacles in Suzedayland, which sits on the border of reality and blue and white heaven.  So what's a girl to do?  Well, in Suzedayland one would just call up Pierre Frey and be like, "Hey P, I need something like this, hand painted, but in full panel form, stat."  This is where I would make a great rich and famous celebrity.  I bet Beyonce or Lisa Vanderpump could make this happen.

Pierre Frey does make a fabric in the same tribe as this, Macao Bleu de Chine

Gorgeous, but not as gorgeous and doesn't come as a wallpaper.

There's also David Hick's The Vase, which we all know and love.

 

via Chinoiserie Chic

But still doesn't quite stand up to the beauty of The Suze's sample, which has more depth, detail and color variation making it more traditional. 

So maaayyybe it's time to move on and say goodbye to someone who just wasn't quite working for you.  Give the Final Rose to another, more deserving, more emotionally available wallpaper.

Might I suggest Delft Bleu from Pierre Frey? 

 

or Canton Bleu? 

or Tarantelle? 

 

or throw caution to the wind and go pink with Leandre Rose? (I want this baaaad)

 

I think all of these are worthy of a hometown date, even a trip to the fantasy sweet, no? 

Feel free to share your feelings on these wallpapers or last night's Bachelor.  I equally care about your opinions on both.  

Suzeday Tuesday: Blue & White Heaven

Morning y'all!  It's Tuesday and The Suze came in town to help me try to function like a normal, not-pukey person and sneekily do my laundry while I sleep (angel's work, I have an obscene amount of dirty laundry). 

So in honor of the super hero mom and grandma powers she's bringing to my poor neglected household this week, I am giving her this home designed by Pam Pierce.  Please celebrate Suzeday Tuesday (with Booze-day?) and enjoy this bit of Blue and White Heaven (preferably with a giant glass of wine for me, since I can't have one until August - that's depressing).

* images via Antique Shops & Designers Volume 7 

{Last week, Joni from Cote De Texas ever so kindly alerted her readers to the online presence of this magazine that is not available in print to mere peasants like me in Kansas City.  I spent 45 hours this weekend going through every issue.  If you're bored you can check them all out here}

So refreshing right?  I would kill somebody for that screened in porch and those french winery doors in the third picture, those would be great for smug conversation with people taking a tour of your house. 

Have a lovely day y'all! 

Who's The Suze?

See all of The Suzeday Files

Suzeday Tuesday: Vignettes III

Thank you soo much for all of your sweet comments on the new house pics.  I can take no credit for any of the prettiness of the house since it was there when we bought it, but I'm excited to play with it and share all of my crazy whims with y'all! On the advice of The Suze, I'm leaving things as they are for a moment and living with it.  Nothing in this house needs to be changed for safety, health or mental health reasons so I want to make sure I get to know the house and make thoughtful choices before I do anything. 

Speaking of The Suze, it's been awhile since I've done a Suzeday Tuesday post.  (For new readers who are all "who's The Suze?" see here and then here).  The Suze has not provided me with any house porn lately, although she did rip out every page of this month's House Beautiful before she realized she could have just kept the entire magazine.  Anyway, I'm bringing you some more blue and white pics I took while I was in Dallas.  I stayed on the couch most of my trip because I threw out my back whilst moving big boxes and picking up my 2 year-old as he practiced his dead-weight fall (anyone familiar with that?) It was good to recharge before our big move-in day.

Enjoy!

Edward is thinking about touching the dog, but he knows it's a "mommy's toy" or a "mustn't touch." Still it's so shiny and tempting and it's a dog! Maybe it wants to be pet.  Just one touch.  I love to watch his little mind work, especially when he's up to no good. 

Hopefully, tomorrow I'll have some front door pics for y'all! That is one thing I will be changing right off the bat.  Have a lovely day!

Moving is Not for Out-of-Shape Ladies (like myself)

Hey y'all! It's been a couple of days, since I've checked in on the old blog.  Can I tell you what I'm doing right now? Sitting on The Suze's sofa.

I've been here for about four days.

At first I was just recovering from the exhaustion of having a sick toddler, packing, moving and driving 8 hours.  But then, I slept funny and woke up with my right shoulder about an inch higher than my left shoulder thanks to some massive knots and muscle spasms.  I have never had anything like this happen and it's making me feel every bit the 30ish years I am about to be.  I mean, 30ish isn't even old, but I'm starting to feel old and that's not a good thing.

So all of my plans to shop and play outside with Edward have been put on hold so I can rest my aching back. I need to be in tip top shape for the big move-in/unpacking day next Monday, and right now I can barely hold my own child.  You can see into our house from the street when the drapes are open and I am now a permanent fixture of the interior decor.  Me on the sofa, a heating pad, white cheddar popcorn and any Real Housewives that Bravo is airing*

This is my view from the sofa.

So pretty right?  Our house always looks slightly different when I come home, but I think it looks the best it's ever looked this visit.  I'll try to take a few non-Instagram pics.  I have a couple posts I'm going to try to work on this week, so hopefully I'll be checking in before we move in to the new house!

Also, we have our pup with us, so there are three big dogs in the house.  Clearly, my dog has no problem making herself at home here.

Hope y'all have a lovely day!

* RHONJ fans, did you cry as hard as I did during the reunion?? When Theresa tried to turn the conversation from Jacqueline's child's autism to herself, I decided she's officially off-the-rails crazy.  I mean, INSANE.  I also felt like I was being hit with a baseball bat when they showed the footage of Jacqueline's son.  Serious, heaving, ugly sobs.  I was not expecting it to get so real and I had to go hug my Edward.  Ugh, I'm teary just thinking about it.

Suzeday Tuesday: Book Hoarding is Good

"I don't want to buy this."

The Suze is whispering to herself as I turn down the aisle of Tuesday Morning.  She's flipping through a decor book, eyes glazed over, both clutching the book and slightly turning away from it.

"I don't need another book," she says to herself unconvincingly.  She doesn't see me coming.

"What are you looking at Mom?" I ask gently so she doesn't suspect another intervention.

"Oh, just another book I don't need ... but I might have to get it."

I knew when she didn't look up it was over.  She fell off the wagon.  I mean, let's be honest here, she was never really on the wagon.  Instead, she shuffled her feet behind the wagon eyeing it suspiciously while flipping through pages of the very decorating books that are threatening to close in on her personal space.  Literally, she'll set her handbag down and big, hardback decor books spill out as she quickly tries to push them back in so no one will see.

If The Suze is the Lindsay Lohan of decor book addictions, then I am Dina.  I'm an enabler.  I get the leftovers and the duplicates.  The duplicates are usually the ones she loves the most. She often can't remember if she bought them already, so she just buys it again to be safe.

So here's today's book in question:  Victoria Romantic Window Style (Victoria Magazine)

And here's my advice: Go get it.  You can afford it.  It's like $10.  It's nothing fancy on the outside.  I probably would have walked right by it because I judge books by their cover.

But then I would have missed out on that gorgeous, delicate, crisp, scalloped, pleated toile window action.  I might have gone through life never knowing that was even an option.  Never able to share it with y'all.  

Book hoarding is good.  

{images from Victoria Romantic Window Style (Victoria Magazine)}

The Suze Reviews (with booze) ~ Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors

Morning Y'all! Today, I have a book review for you.  Well, actually, I asked The Suze to do a little review after I poured her a couple glasses of wine.*   She happened to be in town when the book Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors arrived on my doorstep and the style of decor I found within the pages was very suited to The Suze's style - elegant interiors with luxurious decor.  That's not to say it's not my style, because it definitely will be when I am of a certain tax bracket, but I just knew she would love it so I had her take a look first.

* Just kidding it was one glass (two glasses) of wine, but it makes it funnier to pretend she was buzzed (to use her lingo)

Let me preface this by saying The Suze is not so much the "talker" that I can be, especially when she is deeply engrossed in the magical world of interior design books.  She's in the zone, muttering observations under her breath and occasionally gasping.  She sits taller when she looks at these books and raises her eyebrows and nods as if she's agreeing with everything on the page.  It's a sight we are accustomed to in our household.

So here we are in my kitchen, The Suze has opened the book even though I've told her to wait until after dinner (she never listens to me).  Her words are in italics. Go.

I really like it (quietly to herself)

I really like this.  Sometimes less is best, but not less quality.  It's the yin and the yang.  They (no one in particular) usually don't get it right like this.  


(The Suze flips through the pages slowly, ignoring her wine - good sign)

I actually like it a lot.  This is getting it.  I really like it.  

I really like this Dick Van Dyke chaise.  It's a nice addition to seating.  But my family would Dick Van Dyke it.  (Then she laughs because she realizes she has no idea what that means)

(upon seeing an adult beverage somewhere on a page) Oh good! She likes to drink! 

Pretty, pretty! This is well-balanced.  I wish I could find another word.  

Love it! I could live there.  I really love that! 

I LOVE this! It makes me feel weak.  It's very, very sophisticated and very, just good. 

I need a thesaurus (pronounced tesaurus)

She's going to give what's her name a run for her money. Who? Oh you know, what is her name?  You know her.  

Then she got distracted trying to remember the name of the person whose work is apparently inferior to that of author Leslie Sinclair and her team at Segreto Finishes.  And thus ends The Suze Reviews (with booze).  Hope you enjoyed it!

But really y'all,  Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors is a beautiful book.  I never thought I was one for decorative painting, but this book changed my mind.  It's a great compilation of the different ways one can use decorative finishes in the home. I found so much inspiration for my own new home in the images selected for the book as well as on the Segreto Finishes web site.  Plus there's an extensive list of resources at the end of the book.  That in itself is worth it's weight in gold.  So, yes, The Suze and I totes approve and recommend Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors. 

You can purchase the Segreto book directly from the web site here or on Amazon here.

Also, check out Leslie Sinclair's blog Segreto: The Secret to Beautiful Living

If you want moi and The Suze to review your book (with booze), call me, maybe. 

Have a Lovely, Lovely Mother's Day Weekend!

Happy Mother's Day Y'all! Just a few of my favorite mother & child pictures (excluding all animal mother and child pics - there were just too many).  Obviously, the last one is yours truly getting a big ole juicy smooch from my Edward.  I can never get enough of them. The picture above that is of another famous mother-daughter duo, The Suze and little me.  She's coming in town in a couple of hours and I'm so excited! We have plans to go to a Mother's Day brunch at Powell Gardens.  I've never been but always wanted to go.  Hopefully, we get some more amazing pictures of Edward smelling the flowers like he did when we went to the Dallas Arboretum.   Smelling flowers is serious business for that child.  

And finally, I'm going to try something new this Mother's Day.  Last year, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself because I didn't feel like I got a big enough celebration of my mother-ness (I mean, a parade would have been nice).  Honestly, with that attitude, I will always be disappointed.  I know that I am very, very lucky to be a mommy, and especially to Edward, so I'm going to sit down and write him a letter telling him so.  (I'm sure I got this idea from Pinterest).  I never want to take for granted how lucky I am to have the best job in the world and I want him to always know how much I love him and love being his mother.  By changing my perspective, I've managed to ensure that I will never again be disappointed on Mother's Day because I'm truly blessed. Hopefully, I can make it a tradition for years to come.

I hope all of y'all have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend, and to my friends whose mama's can't be with them (I have far too many) just know that I'm thinking about you and I will gladly lend you The Suze, as long as you can provide her with crushed ice and a DVR full of Bravo reality shows (I know, such a diva). 

Enjoy these weekend links: 

Baby elephant annoys his mama

I would love one of these cute cover-ups that also offer protection from the sun! 

Adorable bedding for a young girl's room! 

Lots of pretty blue and white rugs

Lots of pretty blue and white things

I have this custom silhouette charm and I'm so in love with it.
Dudes, if you accidentally forgot Mother's Day you can order this and pretend you didn't know it would take that long to ship and all will probably be forgiven.  Maybe.  


My friend and fair trade jewelry designer Ashley Pittman has amazing horn and bronze jewelry that would make a perfect Mother's Day gift for the stylish mama in your life.
Check them out on Net-A-Porter!
Also available at Neimans and Bergdorfs

More Mother's Day Gift Ideas: here, here, here, and here

If your mom likes all things Bravo (ahem The Suze), then you have to get her Andy Cohen's new biography Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture
I can't stop tweeting Andy my impressions and accolades like we're besties.  I love him. 

Notes from Dallas

Morning y'all! I've been busy in Dallas being Dallasy, which pretty much means I've been going out to eat a bunch.  I need to get my Burger House/queso/sushi/queso/queso fix.  Here are some pretties from in and around The Suze's house. 

You see: pretty spring blooms.  I see: allergy city  

I found this sweet little girl at a store near our house.  I have a similar little boy in Edward's nursery that his dad and grandfather had in their nurseries.  

My mom got these cute green bunnies at Nicholson-Hardie, a local nursery & garden center.  When I was little, we would always make a trip to NH to pick out flowers for spring.  It was one of my favorite places.  Those bunnies have become Edward's favorite toy, which is unfortunate for the bunnies.  He hugs them and kisses them and then tries to feed them to the dog.
  

Vignettes of the blue and white variety.

Logs for the fire in a blue and white planter.

I love this house down the street from us.  I love a white house, especially white painted brick and a slate roof.

Blue & white fabrics that The Suze is considering.

Dash & Albert rug that The Suze is also considering.

A book that we all should consider buying.  Again with the white houses.  If my suitcase wasn't 54 lbs on the way here, I would try to find a way to stuff it in my bag.

And a cherub with a full baby belly.

I'll be sad to leave tomorrow.  We're headed to meet Kip in San Francisco for a short weekend trip and then finally home.  If y'all have any suggestions for things to do with a 1 1/2  year-old in San Fran let me know! Have a lovely day!