Lilly Pulitzer Backgrounds

I may sometimes complain about living in Ottawa, but today I was rejoicing! With the royal couple making a visit to the National War Memorial I made my way to downtown with my camera and royal tour itinerary in hand.  Luckily the crowd wasn't overwhelmingly large, so I managed to get close to a barrier and close the red carpet upon which the royal couple would be walking.  Unfortunately the parade of black security cars quickly parked in front of me, so I took only a few pictures. The crowd awaiting Will and Kate. To the left you'll see the monument, to the right you'll see Chateau Laurier.  Fun fact: Chateau Laurier is part of the Fairmont chain of hotels placed along several Canadian railway stops.  One of the other Fairmont hotels is Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, which was designed by Emily Post's father, Bruce Price. Mrs. Harper (wife of our Prime Minister) in the red jacket The car of the royal couple.  Yes, they really are in there! I saw Kate wave! Ka...

Holy moly am I unbelievably impressed with the seamless integration of the myriad of marketing and branding materials produced by Tommy Hilfiger lately.  Between the Hilfigers, True Prep pop-up stores, actual Tommy Hilfiger wagoneer for sale , impeccably designed stores, and the Country Club games on Facebook , I'm both smitten and blown away by everything Tommy Hilfiger. Granted this game has probably been out for quite a while,  but I just discovered it and have had a lot of fun playing croquet, tennis, pool pong, and golf since!  Plus you get a discount if you win.  So if rain is keeping you away from the actual country club, I suggest you spend a little time indoors at this virtual one! xoxo,

Looking to add a touch of the whimsy, glamor, and elegance of Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry but don't want to pay net-a-porter prices? Then look no further than etsy!  Etsy truly has some incredible finds (including a vintage Dior sailboat scarf for $4.99! ), and its selection of Kenneth Jay Lane vintage jewelry is wonderful! Here are some of my favorites. (1)  starfish pendant  $33, (2) lion head door knocker earrings $23, (3) faux pearl floral necklace $55,  (4) Jackie Kennedy faux pearl necklace $150, (5) runway necklace $200 , (6) circus elephant pin $125 xoxo,

Are you a fan of the Rat Pack? If so, well I've got the deal for you!  For a mere $5.99 on iTunes you can buy a compilation of 110 Dean Martin songs featuring all the favorites, including  That's Amore , Volare , and Memories Are Made of This.  So join me in my Sunday morning plans: lounging on a pile of pillows on the floor, sipping cappuccino, eating croissants, browsing through old magazines, and tapping my toes to the whirlwind of trumpet and piano sounds! xoxo,

I made this guacamole last summer for a party (and many more times since), and I love the combination of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy.  I also love the added crunch from the green apple. xoxo,

Given that I'm a recent graduate on a job hunt, my indulgences are highly limited. So I thought I'd start Fabulous Fridays, inspired by some of the glamorous locations, activities, fashions, and luxuries taking over my daydreams Today's inspiration : The Metropolitan Museum of Art (one of my favorite places in the world, and by far my favorite museum).  I dream of wandering the crisp, clean spaces filled with fabulous works of art; perusing the gift-shop for unique tchotchkes; and sketching what inspires me. Perhaps I'd stop and analyze the many layers of a Pollock painting,  then compare the sculptures of Ancient Rome and Greece to those of the Renaissance, followed by a few moments of imagining myself frolicking within a Renoir landscape. What Fabulous Friday activity is inspiring your daydreams? xoxo,   

A friend of mine asked me to paint a Will and Kate wedding inspired card for her cousin's wedding.  Using watercolor pencils, a little acrylic paint, and a fine black marker, here's the final result for the image.  I just have to flatten it out since the paper curled a bit and then mount it on thicker paper to finish the card. Inspired by this image from People What do you think?  Should I do anything to the image before I send it off? xoxo,

I didn't get to buy much while in Italy, but I did come home with a couple spoils from my trip. I of course picked up some typical tacky tourist goodies to bring back for friends.  Each time I go on a trip anywhere I bring back a mini monument for DW.  I think she's got a little collection growing of all the typical monuments, brought back by family and friends.  I also picked up some kitchen products and a painting for friends' birthdays.  I was determined to find an " I heart Roma" bag.  I kept an eye out as we past every store or kiosk, with no luck.  Finally on our last day, I spotted the bag I wanted. I have a couple traditions each time I travel to foreign countries, and one of them is picking up a small canvas tote bag from a museum, city, or store.  I have one from an amazing used book store in Krakow, and this bag will make an excellent addition to the collection. I bring them with me to the market, reminding me of my travels with every grocer...

Finally Blogger is working again for me!  I've had a couple of posts lined up for a couple of weeks, but unfortunately my pictures just couldn't be uploaded.  So these next few posts are a little old, but there are still some great pics from my trip. ******************************* So I'm not sure how many of you have seen the recent movie The Tourist with Jolie and Depp, but if you have, let me just say that my train ride from Florence to Venice was freakishly like a scene from the movie, or at least it felt like Depp's doppelganger  had taken a seat only a couple rows in front of me.  A youngish gentleman walked on the train, wearing a dark somewhat disheveled three-piece suit, had chin-length wavy dark brown hair, the same facial hair, similar rounded horn-rimmed glasses, and a mysterious slightly disturbed demeanor.  It was scary. I honestly felt like an Angelina doppelganger was going to walk on to the train at any moment. Nevertheless, it made for a pretty...