More from Florida...

Clair has put up more of her artwork

 in their New Smyrna Beach condo, 

where we stayed recently.

 She may have some pieces for sale in the near future. (I will let you know).  I suggested that she at least have some limited edition giclées made. 

I love her colorful style.

 My friends Stacey and Lindsay stopped by for a visit. For lunch, I made a platter of sandwiches with smoked turkey, ham, capicola, provolone, avocado, tomato and arugula.

 We sat outside to eat.

Then, we experimented with a recipe for a 
signature cocktail for the Florida/Georgia football game.

 This was our creation...

But YOU can give it a different name!

Basil-Lime Gator Cocktail

Crushed Ice

2 oz. good quality basil infused vodka* 

2-3 tbs. simple syrup

2 lime slices and 2 basil leaves

6 oz. San Pellegrino

One Spritz fresh lime juice

Two to 12 hours before, soak one-cup basil leaves in a 1.75 bottle of vodka

We served the drinks in mason jars bought at the grocery store ($9.99 for a package of 12).

 Here we are goofing around in Atlantic Beach the day after the football game.

...Eric, standing on the far left, was the mastermind behind these shots.

Fun time with good friends.

Also, I am over at Bliss and Tell showing my office...which, in real life, is a wreck right now.  Check it out when it was clean HERE.

Cheers!

Beautiful Lakeside Living in Florida

 We're here, Clair!

We stopped by Clair's and Andy's Floridian-style home 

in Winter Park, Florida for lunch.

 Look at the cute Vespa parked out front.  I like the wide, welcoming brick steps.

Notice the working shutters.  These chairs are a comfortable spot to sit and view...

the lake across the old brick paved street.

Here's a pretty bench by the front door.  Clair is an artist.  She and Andy are also big art collectors.

This living room is to the right of the entry.  I like the pitch of the ceiling and the wood treatment.

There is a nice book collection and beautiful piano. 

To the left of the entry is the dining room with more views of the lake.

 

Someday I'd like to have a round dining table...I think it really encourages conversation. 

Some more art...the one on the bottom looks like Clair's cute dog. 

 

Here is the family room with the substantially framed French doors to the patio. Painting the French doors black really pops against all the white wood. 

(my husband, Howard and Clair)

This is where we sat for lunch.  They have a cool outdoor table with the top lined with pebbles. 

Here is their outdoor fireplace with soft blue throw blankets...I would love to sit out here in the evening with Clair and Andy.

 The powder room is lined with more art and a lamp softens the lighting.

Here is the antique French sewing chest that I bought with them at Porte de Clignancourt when they visited us in Paris years ago.  Notice the gorgeous dark herringbone floor.

This is the breakfast room. 

Sorry about the glare from the sun...
this room also looks out over the lake.

Nice swinging bench on their boat house deck. 

Now we are headed to Clair and Andy's 
beach condo for our house swap (like we did last spring). 

Isn't this a classically comfortable Floridian 
home?  I could move right in!

Office in the Bedroom?

Since it is supposed to be a 
peaceful haven, it's bad feng shui 
to have an office in your bedroom. 
But living on Lido Isle means space is limited, and my client had the perfect little unused alcove.

To keep the calm feeling, I recommended soothing whites and creams that were already in her bedroom.  The walls were painted Benjamin Moore's Manchester Tan.

 I like the clean lines of the credenza 
from Crate and Barrel.  We used her 
existing chair for now.

 Proper feng shui is a lot of common sense, for example, keep clutter to a minimum.  You can read more about it from HGTV here.

How about this funny, little cubical 

in the Atlanta airport?

We are just here for a bit on our 

way to Florida to see our son 

at school. Can't wait!  Of course, we'll see family and friends and do a little tailgating.

Thanks for visiting!

Oh So Pink!

Hello everyone!  

 Jennifer of The Pink Pagoda is featuring pink each day during the month of October.  She asked me to participate.  Very fun.  
Please go HERE to see my post.

For a pop of pink in your home, Jennifer sells these giclées in her Etsy store.

My friend, Netta gave me the book 

"An Eye For Design" by Allegra Hicks. 

 In this book, Allegra articulates where she gets the inspiration for the patterns she designs. Much is from nature and the book is broken up by season.

I am finding it inspirational for an obstetrician's office that I am working on.   

In these offices, they want it fresh and feminine using whites, creams, greens and touches of rose.

Look what my husband got for me instead of a birthday cake.  

Does it seem like I have been celebrating my birthday for, like, EVER? 

Don't forget to hop over to 

The Pink Pagoda.

Thanks for being here!

"Pillows or Shoes?"

Tough question.  

But I have to go with "pillows" much to my daughter's chagrin. She'd like to see an improvement in my wardrobe.

How about this new baby made of linen with black stitching? 

(Vervain ISHTAR in Cinnabar)

With the summer slip covers off the seats, the salmon/coral colors are revealed...

I wanted compatible shades in the adjacent living room.

So, here we are...

The green Raoul linen on the chairs is replaced with off white linen for now.

The coral velvet pillow on the sofa 

is new, too.

The pillows make me happy, but I have had my eye on these too...

I'd like them better if they were on sale though. 

(They cost a lot more than my new pillows).

Here's another question:

"Chilled Champagne or Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies?"

I said WARM...so I am going to have to 
go with the cookies.  Number 2 Pencil 
has a recipe to make a batch of 
two delicious home-made cookies.  
Perfect serving size.  Talking two big ones...even though not all of my dough actually made it into the oven.

Final question...

Fresh Flowers or Coffee?

(Tulips in October?)

Oh, this game is too hard. I give up.

And, Alie, I really do not have that many pillows.

If you are receiving this by email, please click here (or on the post title) to see 

much more such as, past highlights of interiors, parties and recipes 

and outdoor spaces...available in tabs across the top.

Thanks for playing along.

participating in:

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style, 

Wicked Awesome Wednesday @ Handy Man Crafty Woman

Show & Share @ Southern Lovely, Open House Thursday @ No Minimalist Here,  

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage