"breathing Paris preserves the soul…"
Victor Hugo
the navy yard
The Navy Yard in Philadelphia is known to most locally as the headquarters for Urban Outfitters. Every time I visit the URBN campus, I find myself intrigued by the worn and retired ships that rest there. On my last trip (an overcast day with hints of sunshine) I drove off the designated path and took some photos. I learned it was our country’s first naval shipyard, with it’s beginnings in 1776. It has been inactive since 1995, but a few navy offices still remain. There is something beautiful about the shabby state of the vessels, don’t you think? The shades of grey and aged salmon color are a lovely combination in my opinion…you have to use your imagination a bit, but they can inspire!
sneak peek…
Billy and I were thinking we should share a *peek* of our living room with you! Just a peek, because it is not complete…but we are really digging our new cowhide rug, which we've lovingly named "Herman". Herman has hand painted metallic spots on him…he is a special cow. Resting on top of him is our new lucite coffee table. Yes, yes…it's the CB2 one you see so much, but honestly, it is the best looking out there for the price, and it ties in the lucite & glass we have elsewhere thoughout the house. Our pumpkin pine floors seem more beautiful in the fall, and we recently lit our first wood burning fire in this home. Yes…home…It has evolved from just a house, and we'll be sharing more of it soon!
hand in hand…
I just learned of this lovely new business, Hand In Hand Soap, conceived by local Philadelphia photographer Courtney Apple and her fiance Bill. I had the opportunity to chat with them both recently about their new venture, and was inspired to share! With a passion for giving back, they did a ton of research to determine what they could do, and realized that a simple bar of soap could save lives. They determined this was how they could make an impact in a global sense, and set out to produce a fabulous soap that all would enjoy and benefit from. For every bar purchased, they donate a bar to save a child's life. I know I will be adding this to my gift giving repertoire, and hope you will too.
dollhouse challenge!
My grandfather built beautiful dollhouses, and I was the lucky recipient of 3 of them in his lifetime. He donated most to his church, and was passionate about his hobby…only stopping when he could no longer handle such tiny parts with care. I have always loved miniatures, and I decorated my dollhouses continously, and am convinced it played a big role in my interior design career! Recently, Emily Henderson (of HGTV fame) launched the "I'm a Giant" challenge, encouraging us to build or buy a dollhouse, decorate it, and share the fun! Well Emily…I accept, with glee! I will be repairing and renovating the custom dollhouse above (that's how it looked when I was 12)…I can't wait to share my journey. It will be sweet & sentimental for me, as well as fun! Are any of you taking the challenge?!