good bookie - the ellements of personal style

This is an interesting study of what "personal style" can look like by illustrating "how 25 modern fashion icons dress, show and live."

I sometimes wonder what my personal style is - if in fact i even have one. I think i might, since I know there are certain things I just won't wear. But is that enough for a signature style?

I didn't really identify with anyone in particular. But, there were certain images that spoke to me.





Angelica Huston has the most fabulous 18th century mirror (p. 63). I do love antiques, especially as part of an eclectic mix.

How fun to see Diane Von Furstenberg's original wrap dress (p. 99). My mother was a dress designer on seventh avenue so it brought back memories.

The most spectacular closet? Olivia Wilde's (p. 104). Maybe I will just have to add another room for this?

A great book to flip through on a lazy Sunday morning with a cup of coffee.

 The ELLEments of Personal Style by Elle Editors Joe Zee and Maggie Bullock

off to the races

my dad was an avid horseracing fan and attended to the races every August in Saratoga. i often went along, but had absolutely no knack for it. in fact, i was so bad at betting, it broke me from gambling altogether. it was really fun to watch him win, though.

this is a photo from the late eighties of me and my stepmother walking to the track. i think by then i just showed up in a hat and sipped the mimosas.

are you wagering this weekend?

beautiful looks from oscar de la renta resort 2012

 

so gorgeous. i bet we see this on the red carpet soon.

 i love this because it could be dressy or more casual. and its my colors.

 dare i say it? this has a bit of a chanel vibe to it. the shoes on this model are a bit stuffy, but the dress is so cute.

embarrassment of riches

 

lilacs everywhere. i wish there was smell-blogging so you could enjoy the aroma. i have an arrangement in every room. this morning i woke up to that sweet, beautiful, clean scent.

i couldn't help a little playing around in photoshop. 

 

gardening around here is in full swing. yesterday, i did the full mow, even the back 40. we've had so much rain here in the past few days that it grew up at least 3 inches.

the lilac bushes are pretty overgrown, so clipping the flowers will help get them back in shape. at least that's what i am telling myself. there is a still a bush on the north side of the house that hasn't yet begun to bloom. yippee.

now its time to plant, plant, plant, so there are plenty of flowers all summer long.

p.s. the mom's day package was a big hit. i sent tungsten toffee - made up in nederland by a friend of steve's. soooooo delicious.

mother's day gift in the mail

i sent my mom's gift off today. here's a photo of the outside. i wish i had remembered to photo the inside wrap job and custom card. oh well.

i usually like to take the time to make the package look a little special. decorating a box is a pretty low-risk artistic opportunity. get out some new supplies and let them rip. i wrap the box in brown paper and did some doodles on the outside using sharpies, gold shading paste, a levenger green highlighting pencil and some crayons.

i 've been sketching little butterflies everywhere lately–here too!

(one little note - i always want to put twine around my packages, but the p.o. doesn't take 'em that way any more. just so you know.)