Category: Books + Magazines

Poolside Perfection

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Happy Memorial Day! I sure wish swimming was on the agenda for today. When Mr. B and I were searching for a home a few years ago we contemplated the idea of purchasing a property with a pool. In our case, it wasn’t meant to be as our seaside ranch home is sans pool. But it doesn’t mean that I can’t covet the patriotic pool on the six-acre property in Northern Italy of noted photographer Oberto Gili and his wife Joy Sohn. I finally ordered Oberto’s book, “Domus, A Journey into Italy’s Most Creative Interiors”. With Amazon Prime shipping, my book should arrive today (on a holiday?). Now if I could only read my new book next to a beautiful pool like this one, it would be pure poolside perfection!

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Image via Architectural Digest

ADVENTURES IN GARDENING

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image via.

I have always loved and appreciated beautiful lush gardens but it wasn’t until Mr. B and I moved into our seaside ranch home that I became interested in our own landscaping. This is primarily due to the fact that we bought a fixer and the gardens left little to be desired. At some point we will rework the outdoor spaces. But for now everything is kept neat and tidy since we are currently focusing on the interiors of our home. When the time comes to reevaluate our outdoor spaces I would love to work with someone like Molly Wood. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the garden as it is, particularly the when the roses and spring flowers are in bloom. I love when I can cut flowers from the garden and bring them indoors. Simple pleasures.

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Flowers from our garden waiting to be arranged – Spring 2016

Even though the garden isn’t quite where I want it to be I have enjoyed trying out new plants and flowers in various areas of our property to see how well they respond.  Since I am a planner by nature and have a great affinity for stationary supplies, I am not surprised at the fact that I wanted to purchase a gardening journal to document events in our garden. I recently purchased this journal from Color Box Design & Letterpress. I can’t wait to put it to good use.

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My new garden journal from Colorbox Design & Letterpress.

It has a sweet letterpress design on the cover and is wire bound with 60 blank pages leaving me to decide exactly how I want to put it to use. I am planning to document planting instructions, including what has been planted and where. I plan to incorporate pictures so I can see progress (growth) through pictures and note at what time of year specific plants and flowers were planted and how long they lasted throughout the season. I know it’s winter and but it is never too early to start planning for Spring. Note to self: need to order spring bulbs soon. 

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Flowers in our garden – Spring 2016

A gardening journal accompanied by a nice pen or pencil (my mechanical pencil shown above is from A.G Spalding & Bros.) would make a great housewarming gift or the perfect gift for the gardener in your life. Heck, they are so affordable why not treat yourself to one also. In addition to Adventures in Gardening, Color Box Design & Letterpress has a few other designs that would make perfect gifts including Adventures in Parenting, Adventures of the World and Adventures in the Kitchen. Journals can be purchased here.

All original photos by Reviving Charm via iPhone.

YVES ST. LAURENT: THE PERFECTION OF STYLE

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I am a beauty product junkie and my favorite lipsticks are by YSL. My current favorite shade is a beautiful wine color (No. 54 – Prune Avenue-Dark Maroon). The little gold tubes make me very happy and are definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. Speaking of the French designer Yves Saint Laurent….

YSL lipstick watercolor via RevivingCharm blog

Original photo via Reviving Charm using Waterlogue

Did you know that tickets are now on sale for the special exhibit entitled “Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style” at the Seattle Art Museum, affectionately known as SAM. The exhibit will run from October 11, 2016 through January 8, 2017 and will showcase highlights from the designer’s 44 year career which will include items that have never been seen by the public before. In 2008 Mr. B and I were fortunate to see the YSL Style exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the SAM exhibit is something I don’t want to miss. These special fashion exhibits are always fun and informative. Trust me, you definitely walk away with a greater appreciation for the world of fashion.

YSL in his Paris studio, 1965.

YSL in his Paris studio, 1965. Photo courtesy of the Seattle Art Museum.

AW 1965

AW 1965. Photo courtesy of the Seattle Art Museum.

1961 or 1962. Photo courtesy of the Seattle Art Museum.

The upcoming exhibit does not cover the personal life of YSL but I thought I would take advantage of this post to include a few pictures from one of the homes he once inhabited with his partner, Pierre Bergé. Villa Mabrouka, which means “House of Luck”, is located in Morocco situated on the terraced cliffs overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar above downtown Tangier. The home measures 9,688 square feet and is situated on two acres. The home has since been sold since Laurent’s death in 2008 but you can read more about his history with Villa Mabrouka Mabrouka here. 

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Alternatively, you can also purchase the book “The Private World of Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Bergé” by Robert Murphy for an indepth look at their stylish lives. Although the book has been around for a bit (published in 2009), it is a must for anyone who loves the world of fashion and interior design. I just love when these two worlds collide, don’t you?

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