I'm the girl who's gonna win the special prize at the end...

Poor little Violet Beauregarde should have bit her tongue... if only she had known what she was in for.

June 7th's color is Violet Ice (Pantone 15-2706)
Seductive
Musical
Inspiring

Surrounding yourself with Violet Ice helps you maintain balance as you share your life with others.

While not the shade of our poor friend from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Violet Ice lives up to it's name... it is a soft, dusky, grayish purple that is romantic and seductive.

Looks a little better!

This lovely light shade is almost a neutral it is so soft- it works beautifully with gray and beige or even my favorite vague neutral...greige

I adore this homemade eurosham the soft violet and the shimmer would make for a very sexy touch to a guest bedroom

Violet Ice is not the violet of your childhood bedroom, it is more sophisticated and modern and fits in beautifully to a contemporary setting

And if you happen to be a brown eyed girl like myself... don't shy away...

violet eyeshadow makes brown eyes pop!

or cover them up in style...ala Prada!

And if you need another reason to jump on the violet bandwagon...

Violet is by far Ben's best accessory! 

unlikely but perfect pairing...

I spent last weekend at the wedding of one of my very best friends... hence the lack of postings (packing before, recovering afterward). Now don't get me wrong, I am happy for all of my friends- but from the very first time I met her now husband, there has been something about them as a couple that I just love. She is one of the most important friendships I have so I frankly didn't think anyone would be good enough for her but she found her one- they are the perfect balance for each other; her dry wit is countered by his sometimes over the top silliness and they bring out the best in one another.
So when she said they were getting married at the yacht club I knew it would be the perfect wedding for them. The old gray sand battered yacht club got swathed in gorgeous greenery that made for the most fitting color story for them...
Green tends to symbolize life, nature, fertility and well being
Gray tends to symbolize security practicality and maturity. Native Americans associate it with friendship...
This combination is them perfectly!
This unlikely pairing of colors also happens to make the perfect palette for your home... Gray is the ultimate neutral- it can go masculine or feminine, it can be bold or subtle, it can be modern or traditional. Green is possibly the safest color on earth to use- when in doubt go green! Green goes with virtually any color- don't believe me- go take a walk outside and see what good ole' mother nature pairs it with...

grayish green cabinets paired with stainless steel make for an unexpected yet extremely cozy kitchen

ok- so this isn't so much gray but there are definite gray undertones to this eclectic work space

Soft greens and gray can create an ethereal romantic feel

soft bluish gray is the perfect background for a bluish green giving just enough contrast while still lending a monochromatic feel

bright pops of green make this open space feel young and fresh

I love the gray tones of worn wood

The traditional bottle green on these modern chairs is kept in check by the neutral gray walls

acid green and gray are popping up in fabrics and trims everywhere

so this is way more a greenish yellow but still...

I adore painting the insides of cabinets- it is a fun surprise and it looks great with glass front cabinets when you have white dishes

did I mention green and gray can be traditional....

Steely green plants like olive trees and lavender can create an uber romantic feel in a garden and look amazing with the worn wood of a well used deck

trying to make a gray day pretty...

So I am helping my sister with her baby, who bless his adorable little self  still isn't sleeping through the night...so she picked a plan and we are going for it...and it all starts with breaking bad habits during the day- Oh lucky me! the author refers to doing things in three days steps where the first day is the darkest- then the gray day then the bright day where the bad habits are going away and it isn't so bad. Well today is the gray day of no pacifier outside the crib and well surprisingly it isn't as bad a yesterday and it got me thinking about just how lovely gray is...and how very many shades of grey there are!

Gray is often omitted early on by people because it is considered cold and boring but I disagree- I love gray and think it is a great neutral- way  better than builder beige! Pearl gray is soft and romantic and can make a room feel quite bright. and then you get deeper into the charcoals and brownish grays (yes gray works really well with brown leather!) and you get a rich, warm masculine feel- Guys-dark gray is so much more sophisticated than black- trust me! Dark grays make a great option for major upholstery pieces(- especially if you have a black dog) it is forgiving and will go with nearly anything you want to mix with it.

Grey is also making appearances on the floor with grey-washed wood being extremely popular right now. It gives a more rustic feel and more unexpected than traditional white washing

Grey is also a great color scheme for wall paper patterns- there are so many shades of grey that you can have pattern and still be monochromatic.

and while I love grey and yellow...

I also love Purple and Grey...

But mostly I love Pink and Grey!

So don't be afraid of the many shades of gray...make your gray day pretty!

and yes Grey and Gray are the same thing- us Americans tend to spell Gray however the color is more typically spelled GREY