Pantone Fall 2014: Bright Cobalt & Royal Blue

I just took a stroll through my closet and I only need one hand to count the number of blue items hiding out in there; excluding jeans, of course! Interesting. I guess it might be safe to say that I am not particularly fond of the color blue in clothing or home goods. However, another side of me loves the blue colors that come in the form of rocks, gemstones and art glass. Chalcedony, agate, sodalite, lapis and pietersite…are a few of the gifts we get from ol’ Mom Nature! I am also drawn to a variety of vintage Czech glass buttons that are blue and gilded with gold and silver and love working with them whenever I can.

Morning Moon, Traffic Jams & Flags

It tickles me as I read through my Twitter and Instagram feeds – everyone is so busy and so hungry! I don’t know if it is my age now or my current country living self but I find myself wondering if anyone ever just hangs out at home. I know that when I lived in New York way back when, there were days I met up with friends for dinner, farmer’s markets, museums, Central Park and shows but I know that I spent a lot of time at home on the Upper East Side with Agatha, my Norwich Terrier. I’m the first to admit that I am a homebody to the max – to the point that people have stopped asking me to join in since they know I will most likely turn down their invitations.

Pantone Fall 2014: Mauve Mist

Lepidolite, amethyst and purple banded agate in a toss with coin pearls, crystal quartz and some old-school Judith Ripka.

With New York Fashion Week in full swing, I know that all of our attention has been thrown to Spring 2015 and the colors for that season – all of which look pretty remarkable. But, come on, if you’re a little bit like me, you live in the real world and we still get to traipse through fall and winter 2014 before those spring colors and fashions hit the arena!

Throwback Thursday: 1953, Balboa/Newport Beach & Photo Booths

As summer rolls to a close here I’m thrown back in time. By now you have figured out that much of my time as a kid and an adult was spent at the beach in Southern California. Lucky I was to have a crazy uncle who, for many years, lived on the corner of 10^th Street and Bay Boulevard in Newport Beach.

For the Love of Lavender Essential Oil -- Part Two

Out with the stitches…on with the lavender essential oil. Lucky you, I’ll spare all of you the gory details; but in a nutshell one week ago, I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from right above my brow and the stitches were removed on Friday. Before the doc removed those stitches he had to put many more in my calf where he had removed another skin cancer.

Pantone Fall 2014: Misted Yellow

Misted Yellow – with just a hint of spice. I'm thinking that sounds either very exotic…or a bit like Dijon mustard! And, for me, and perhaps all you moms out there, a third image comes to mind; but I’ll spare you those details! Yes, Misted Yellow is a color selection in the Pantone® Fashion Report Fall 2014. How do I feel about yellow? I really do love it, but I struggle with wearing big hunks of yellow, misted or any other hue, in my clothing. In fact, I don’t think I have one thing that is yellow…do I? Sadly my skin and hair color really aren’t that chummy with yellow – but pushing that fact aside I still sneak yellow into my look. How? You guessed it…jewelry and shoes.

Throwback Thursday: 1995, Stripes, Brave or Not

Oh boy…am I being really brave or am I being really stupid? Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that question. What I do know is that I am wearing the same shirt in both of these pix. Yes, the exact same shirt! In 1995 with Agatha, the Norwich Terrier, who charmed my world when I lived in New York City and made the journey with me here to the Pacific Northwest; and, me today snapping a selfie almost twenty years later – at least the shirt has conquered the test of time!

Pantone Fall 2014: Aurora Red

Don’t you just love the word “verve?” Something about it makes me smile. While reviewing the Pantone Fall 2014: Fashion Report, I came across a line that describes Aurora Red – “a more sophisticated red that adds verve and spark” in comparison to the Pantone color Sangria which is described as “an exotic red that evokes a sense of glamorous adventure and faraway destinations.” I swear, when I read these color descriptions I always feel like I should be in the caverns of a winery doing a bit of wine tasting.