Christmas time is here and winter is approaching, so I decided to post about an outdoor umbrella? I know my timing is off, but look at this thing. Who cares what time of year it is! Well, in some parts of the world it actually is summer time right?
This is the Frou Frou umbrella, made by Sywawa. It is made from a raffia type material, that sways gently in the wind as you dine underneath it. I can picture myself in an old Italian movie, drinking espresso, and living La Dolce Vita. All the while I am actually sitting at a computer with a whining toddler, and living La Vida Loca. Oh well, one can dream.
Arriverderci!
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I have to admit , I am not really big on following too many trends. I think I have always been a bit of an "anti-trend" person....yes, that made me the "weird kid" when I was growing up. Despite that, a trend that has caught my eye, is the use of striped rugs. The graphic nature of these rugs serves as an anchor for many design schemes. Below, is a beautiful handwoven rug from Ebelladesigns. 
A sparse room can benefit greatly from the dramatic lines and movement a striped rug offers. I found the picture below from Domino's site. The colors and lines remind me of a painting, maybe Matisse.
Nate Berkus designed his bedroom (and my new dream room) using very bold colors set in an all white room. Although, the room is relatively sparse, the bold lines add a lot of visual interest, and keep your eye moving around the room. Love, love, love!
To show my love for stripes, I even decided I needed to wear them! These are my new socks from Urban Outfitters.
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Thanksgiving is over and its time to get back to work! Still, today I am feeling very thankful, for the first sunny day we've seen in about a week. Days like today, are why I am willing to endure Gulf Coast summers.
Its Thanksgiving, so it means its time to start holiday shopping. If you are like me, I start thinking about what I would like to buy for myself...I know its so selfish. I found these two cool furniture pieces on Etsy. The first is a rocker called "Mesedora", which means rocker in Spanish. It is made by hand, with a stainless steel frame and cotton rope, woven randomly , for the seat and back. You can find it at the Elemento Etsy store.
Priced at $850.00 it is a bit pricey, but it would be a very interesting conversation piece.
This is a tea ceremony table. It is handmade steel with a ceramic tile top. I love the patina of the steel and the aggressive silhouette. Ironically, it has a very soothing and calming feel. This table can be found at Neil Collins Etsy store.
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I wanted to share a great blog I discovered, Kris's Color Stripes. I found it while reading Another Shade of Grey. The woman behind the site is Kristina Klarin, an Italian fashion designer and artist. She uses her blog to record all her favorite colors and forms.
As we exchanged emails, Kristina explained that she grew weary of the never ending deadlines of the fashion industry, so she left to start her own business. "My dream is to create a line of silk printed home textiles, that will make me and other people relax, enjoy and smile". I love Kris's Color Stripes, because of the way colors from photos are broken down into basic forms. Personally, my color sense is inspired by nature, and the environment around me. I find that when I am working on a design project, I am constantly searching to find the "perfect color". What I am trying to capture is the colors of nature, which; Kristina captures in her paintings.
Below, is a view of Kristina's work space. Drawings from her 2008 calender, and crafts, including a decorative mushroom and cooking utensils; are shown. I recommend this blog, when searching for beautiful color combinations, or as a starting point to make up your own. 
Just a quick update. I have added a link to Home Girls new website.
You can click here, or on the Home Girls name in the prior post.
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This is the last set of Austin photos. I am including a few of the places I always enjoy visiting. I did not enough time to catch all the places I like , so I might have more Austin shopping at another time. The first store is Home Girls. I first discovered this store earlier this year and have become quite smitten with it. It is filled with many refurbished vintage finds.
You can find funky furniture and very fun accessories. Several of their displays were done by Alyson Fox, (I'm sure many of you bloggers are familiar with her work). The clever displays give the store a bit of an art gallery feel.
This is the last set of Austin photos. I am including a few of the places I always enjoy visiting. I did not enough time to catch all the places I like , so I might have more Austin shopping at another time. The first store is Home Girls. I first discovered this store earlier this year and have become quite smitten with it. It is filled with many refurbished vintage finds.
You can find funky furniture and very fun accessories. Several of their displays were done by Alyson Fox, (I'm sure many of you bloggers are familiar with her work). The clever displays give the store a bit of an art gallery feel.
Home Girls is owned by mother and daughter, Sarah and Kathryn Blanchard. I have conversed with both ladies on my visits, and they are both very warm and friendly. Ironically, I found out that they were included in Lucky magazine's list of " The Best Stores in Texas." Had I received my copy of Lucky, I would have known this. You can check out the list here. I guess its good to know that Lucky and I are in agreement.
If gardening is more your taste, their are a couple of nurseries that you must see. Gardens is the first. It is included in Lucky's list also,(P.S. the list also included Raye, here in Houston: that I mentioned in my Brasil post). Stepping into the Nursery is a real treat for the senses. All the colors, fragrances, and textures are very inspiring. I also love their charming store. It houses unique home accessories, bath and body products, and gardening supplies. Overall the plants and accessories they sell, go hand in hand with modern homes.
The final location is another nursery called Big Red Sun. It is located in east Austin, which has become a very funky and creative part of town. What I love about this nursery is that they don't just sell plants but they make plants into art. Their landscaping and floral arrangements will blow you away. Check out both of these nurseries websites by clicking on their names.
