Bloody Lovely!

This is a very catching vignette!  Why am I calling it "Bloody Lovely"?  It feels English to me, but not Grandma's English, but instead a more youthful English.  I love the symmetry.  I love the dissonance between the coral, pink, and red colors.  I love the way the warm gold, whispy wall candelabras contrast with the cool boldness of the painting.  I love the juxtaposition of traditional, contemporary, retro, and Asian styling.  I love how the color black is strategically positioned to carry your eye around, and ground, the room starting with the woman's hair, to the lampshades, to the arced feet of the sofa.  So completely pleasing to my eye!!

~~ Susan ~~

It's A Clear View

Wow, I haven't posted anything new since Dec 11th!  Can you believe it?  I feel like a human sloth.  Whoever is out there reading this, don't leave me!  I'll try to get back to my weekly submission, I promise.  Work has gotten busy, and a bit nutty, and of course that was about a month before the holiday season, which is always a bit more packed with errands and activities than usual.  Whew!  Just breathe, just breathe, just breathe...

Short and sweet today...  just wanted to share this fabulous view of New York's Central Park surrounded by skyscrapers.  I love this pic...the sky is sunny, Central Park looks lush, the water is blue, and the buildings are like tin soldiers standing guard around the park.  Enjoy!

~~~  Susan ~~~

Care to Tango baby?

Pantone, the worldwide standard language for accurate color communication, from designer to manufacturer to retailer to customer, and across a variety of industries and the creative community everywhere, has selected it's color for the upcoming year 2012:  Tangerine Tango!!  Check it out below.

Fabric swatch

Journal

Coffee mug

Love the mug, don't  you?  Tango your heart away!

~~~Susan~~~

True Design!

I adore this pic!  Complementary colors of purple and yellow play off each other so well while shapes of clean, round minimalism in the purple Allium contrast with the textural fullness of the trees.  A true designers dream!

~~~ Susan ~~~

Thank You Joan Rivers!!!

Joan Rivers?!  What?  Yes, you read it right.  We all need a little cover up now and then.  To begin, my gorgeous auburn locks have turned to gray.  Not the whole head, but enough.  HOWEVER, my hair grows so fast that within two weeks of coloring, I can see a little gray halo where my hair meets my forehead (so angelic like me, I know...). Do I have the time, or do I even want, to have my hair dyed every two weeks?  No way!  Tried the touch up dyes, disaster.  Tried brushing brown eye shadow on, no stick.  So I ordered Joan Rivers Beauty Great Hair Day from Soft Surroundings catalog.  It's a powder you apply to your hair with a makeup brush.  OMG!!  It is truly a miracle!  Totally covers my gray roots, matches my color, stays in when I brush or swipe my hand through my hair, doesn't transfer to the pillow at night, takes only 2-3 minutes to apply, and comes out when my hair is washed.  Really, I am floored and in love with the stuff.  It truly is a miracle!  Believe me, gray and auburn, when it comes to hair -- not a good combo.  You salt & pepper people got it made!

SPEAKING of cover ups...below are a few Before and Afters from a decorative painter friend of mine, Candice Simpson of Textural Hues.  Every time, I look at these photos, I am blown away by the gorgeous and transformative job she has done.  She truly is a miracle worker also.  Check it out!!

Stunning!  Feel like doing a little concealing???

~~~ Susan ~~~