pull on your big girl panties...

So on Friday morning I decided it was time to finally tackle that new year's resolution and start flying! I took my very first flying trapeze lesson! it was the most exhilarating and insane thing I have ever done...and it was amazing. I mean what on earth possessed me to climb 25 feet up in the air to this tiny little platform and then jump..errr hop (must use the proper lingo) off?
After my heart stop pounding and the adrenaline wore off I realized that the only thing holing both me and my sanity up was two little ropes... and I'm not the only one being held up by ropes- they are hanging around interiors more than ever!
Hanging beds and benches are all the rage for bringing that unexpected whimsy and hammock feel inside

I love the idea of using rope as a stair rail

or use rope accessories- especially if you are wanting just a touch of nautical

or when all else fails use some rope as your art!

time to break out the index cards

Gracias, Tack, Merci, Ta, Danke, Mahalo, Toda, Grazie, Xie Xie,
 Anugurihiitosumi (yeah ... that's sanskrit!)

I just realized that yesterday's post was my 100th post...now that might not sound like much to any of you out there but for me it is! 5 months ago when I started this I figured it would be a good outlet for me as I was feeling like my creativity was a bit stifled...I knew my mom and my sister would read it daily as they are the co-chairs of my fan club and I knew my friends would skim it occasionally- mostly because I plaster it all over my facebook profile...but I just checked out my stats (love love love all the info Google gives you!) my little old blog has had over five thousand unique visitors and it has been translated into over 15 different languages! and I particularly find it amusing that my most viewed post is the one I wrote in honor of my Great Aunt Edna on her birthday!
So a huge thank you to everyone who reads my blog...let me know what inspires you, as it is the people in my life that inspire me the most! xoxo

hope: verb. to cherish a desire with anticipation

I find it fitting that the color most often used to symbolize hope is yellow...I have been hoping with my whole heart that spring is coming soon and we are past winter's harsh grasp. And despite Monday night's snow in DC, I got my first sign of hope yesterday...in the form of blooming Jasmine cascading down a front wall.
 In your home yellow can help lend a sense of happiness and cheerfulness while softer more buttery shades give a more calming happy feel.

And leave it to mother nature to give us yellow's perfect partner...green. Green is a secondary color smooshed in-between yellow and blue on the color wheel; this gives green a unique characteristic of taking the calming qualities of blue while still holding onto the energy of yellow. Being analogous colors (next to each other on the wheel) they go really well together and are an easy combination for color harmony.

  

Something borrowed...something blue...

It's that time of year again when the spring wedding invitations start rolling in- and this year it is two of my very best girlfriends from college that are getting weekends all blocked off on the calendar- to clarify they are both getting married not marrying each other- so two weddings and even better two weddings resulting in two beach trips for me! So in their honor a little something Blue for this snowy Tuesday morning (yes- it snowed up here last night!)

Blue- the color of both the sky and the sea, with so many different shades and hues there is one for everyone- I have literally never met a person who didn't like blue. The color blue is a beneficial color to both the body and the mind; blue actually slows the human metabolism and causes a calming feeling- thus making shades of lighter blue a go to color for master bedrooms and spas because of its association with health healing and tranquility. Darker blue is associated with depth, expertise and stability- no wonder it is the preferred color for corporate America.

Blue is often used as a symbolism of loyalty and I can tell you- I am loyal to blue! Blue is a no fail color and a great way to go subtle or bold(how many colors can claim that?)! Don't get me wrong I love a light blue as much as the next UNC fan but increasingly blue is being used in a more more dramatic fashion- with shades of electric blue otherwise known as cerulean finding their way into contemporary and traditional homes alike. and nothing makes it pop more than bright glossy white trim!

I mean really what's not to love about a color that gets to be called names like: Summer Nights, Poolside, Hawaiian Breeze and Crisp Morning Air...

Do you give gifts for Federal holidays?

The best thing (today) about living in DC- people actually observe federal holidays like President's Day ! Too bad the weather isn't cooperating for this glorious Monday off- but anyway in honor of the holiday I think it is time to pull the rug back...

Through the years the oval office has seen so many transformations... always with a rug...

Obama has a fresh take on the sunburst idea in a lovely soft  color scheme that works really well with the sunshine that flows in through the windows

Lyndon B Johnson was a man to keep with the times...his television sets worked perfectly with the grey rug

I think we all recognize Clinton's bold rug...really would love to make some inappropriate comments about rug burn here...

Nixon actually updated natty grey thing he inherited  from  Johnson to a bright blue putting green apparently- way to get some work done!

Bush Papa went uber traditional with the light blue and ivory theme which really made the gorgeous mahogany furniture pop!

This picture was hand tinted of Taft's oval office- let's hope it really wasn't that green- even those gorgeous windows couldn't brighten up that much emerald!

Eisenhower kept thing pretty darn boring during his turn at the helm 

Roosevelt was said to have kept with the green theme he inherited from Taft and  Hoover but thank goodness he lightened up the walls!

I actually love how cheery Ford's oval office was with the striped sofas and pumpkin drapes- it actually feels like a home office! Carter and Regan both liked it so much it remained that way until Regan's second term in office.

When Regan updated he kept it elegant and simple...hmmmm- Obama- looks like you are trying to play a little copy cat here?? you wish buddy!

But what's under that darn rug? Well it is a gorgeous wooden floor that was last replaced in 2005

I love this gorgeous design for the odd oval shape! and apparently the design dates back to the 1930's when it was designed by Eric Gugler.

Sorry for the lack of chronological order...I don't know it so I went with the order I found the images...