The Domino Effect

Anyone who is as design obsessed as I am fell head over heels in love with Domino when it first made its debut back in 2005.  It started with the idea that style is for everyone, and that great design truly was attainable on any budget level.  And this is where my obsession with graphic prints began with this little beauty from their premier issue.  It sparked what I like to call "The Domino Effect". 

It completely transformed the way I looked at design,  and was instrumental in my desire to create beautiful interiors.  For years, I flipped through the pages of design magazines like Elle Decor, Traditional Home, and Architectural Digest whose pages were filled with only aspirational photos, and the "maybe someday" fantasies of having one of those spaces.  Their interiors were so stunning, but also completely unattainable for the average person on a budget.  Domino completely changed that for so many of us in our quest for creating a beautiful space.  Not only did they show us beautiful interiors, they showed us that it was attainable, and gave us the tools to do it.  Sadly, they became a casualty of the failing economy, and we saw their last issue in March of 2009.  I'm still lamenting over it.  All I can do now is oogle over these inspiration photos, and let out an audible "oooooh" or a "wow" from time to time.  Oh Domino, how I miss you.

And, the issue that never was featuring up and coming designer Sara Gilbane.

Isn't that bold and preppy Lallarookh poppy print by Brunschwig and Fils stunning?

Thank goodness for this little book!  It's' filled with Domino's best of the best, and I look at it all the time for inspiration.  It's not only filled with beautiful interiors, but also helpful how to's and inexpensive design alternatives to help you get the look you want for less.  I highly recommend picking up a copy.

images via design sponge, flickr, pinterest,  sara gilbane interiors, and brides.com

J crew to the rescue

After surgery last week, I was feeling pretty down in the dumps.  My wrist was sore and swollen, and I couldn't perform any of my usual day to day tasks.  No longer could I fix my own hair, put on makeup, or just plain get dressed without help.  It stunk! Thank goodness though for a helpful husband who was quick to come to my rescue.  I know he thoroughly enjoyed being on hair duty.   I'm pretty sure that it was the highlight of his week.  And I'm even more certain that he is thrilled to now have been relieved of said hair drying duties.  It just isn't in his DNA.  Go figure.  And on another note, I did manage to master the art of the one-handed diaper change.  It's a tricky one with a squirmy little toddler I tell you.  Do you think this is a skill that would qualify my entry into the Guinness Book of World Records?  I could be right between the lady with the longest fingernails, and the guy with the largest collection of barf bags.  I'm convinced that I have a pretty good shot.

Anyway, with this glum state of mind that I was in,  I needed a little pick me up.  That's when the new J Crew catalog arrived in the mail.  I know it's silly to think that a magazine could cheer a person up, but it did.  Each page was splashed with vibrant and cheery colors.   Bright yellows, bold blues, eye-catching oranges, and gorgeous greens.  It was just what I needed - a little reminder that spring was just around the corner.  I mean, aren't we all just a little bit tired of winter?  Hurry up spring and get here already!

Isn't J CREW is the master of casual sophistication?  They always mix very refined, tailored pieces with pieces that are more relaxed, but bold in color, and pattern.  Never dull, never boring.  Thanks for the pick me up J CREW!

New designer cast

I think that doctors should offer all of their patients this casting option, don't you?

Gray's anatomy

I'm having some major surgery today to repair a damaged tendon in my wrist from a friendly game of volleyball.  Maybe while I'm dreaming Patrick Dempsey will be my surgeon.  Hope I don't wake up with one of these instead.

Patrick Printy

David Nault & Paul White

New Year's Resolve

 I've returned from my trip to sunny Arizona where I attended a cousins wedding in the Mesa Temple.  The skies were blue, the weather was spectacular, and the time with family was priceless.  Rarely do we all have the opportunity to gather together in one place with our busy lives, and to be able to gather together in this special place made it all that more precious.  The temple grounds were dotted with fragrant lemon trees, various species of flowering cactus plants, and towering palms.  It truly was  a beautiful little piece of heaven on earth.

 

  Sadly, these were the only two pictures I managed to take of this beautiful day before the battery on my phone died.

 We did some shopping....

......lots and lots of it.  

I enjoyed the time I had to spend with just my mom and my sister away from our hectic schedules and family obligations.  We stayed up late, talked about our favorite memories, and laughed A LOT.  It was good practice for our upcoming trip to New York this June.  Can't wait!

And as much as I enjoyed all of the shopping and traveling around, I was also reminded of the things in this life that matter most.  There will always be something new and fun to buy, a new design magazine to read, and exciting new products on the market to oogle over, but just how important is it really?  At the wedding dinner, there was a video montage of both of the lives of the bride and groom from birth up to the present day, carefully documenting all of the important events and milestones they had experienced throughout their lives.  I couldn't help but think to myself, "Where does the time go?  Soon that will be my own children".  And as I sat on the plane on the way home, I read this article that really put things into perspective for me.  It was a little message just for me I think.  A gentle reminder to slow down, and enjoy the moments of life that pass by so quickly.  So often we as women especially, believe that our worth depends upon the length of our to-do list.  We over-schedule our days, increase those to-do lists, and at the end of the day often find ourselves exhausted, stressed out, and unhappy.   We forget that our worth is so much greater than that to-do list and daily schedule.  It would serve us best to slow down a little, take on a little less, decrease our daily to-do's, and spend more time doing the things that are most important.  That is my resolve in the new year.  Take the time.  Slow down, and enjoy life at optimal speed.

Hope you all have a wonderful and happy new year in 2012!  Thanks for all of your support!