color trends {emerald}

I love color trends.  I love that some amazing group of designers and buyers somewhere meets in secret to decide on a new color, give it a cool name, and splash it all over all the latest fashions and home decor so we'll have to go shopping!  This drives my husband crazy.  He predicts they just let an intern throw a dart at the colorwheel.  (No!)

This year's Pantone color is a trusty friend.  Revived from 80's jewel tones and vintage green glassware, who doesn't love Emerald?

Source: twirlingclare.blogspot.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: m5.paperblog.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: melanieturnerinteriors.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Sparking any ideas?  

I must confess, while I can appreciate these inspiration pics, I'm not scheming on how I can work this in to my home or closet the way I did last year with tangerine.  But with Saint Patty's Day around the corner, I'll do a little something fun and see if I get the bug.

So if you were the intern famous designer who got to name this color, what would you call it?

valentine's mantle

Yay!  A few snow & ice days stuck at home have pushed me to tackle my Valentine's mantle.

Last year was the first year I had done any special decorating for Valentine's Day.  Being hopeless un-romantics, Charles and I usually don't mark the holiday.  But having children who might someday marry someone of a different grain has prompted us to give it a little more attention, just so they will know how to go pick out roses and candies if necessary.  Having a home blog certainly makes me look for any excuse to decorate too!

As it turns out, I actually fell in love with my birds + burlap mantle last year and was sad to take it down.  I used several of the same elements from last year, plus my wooden blocks from Christmas.  I also added a Keep Calm sign and a Mod Podge piece to give it a little more staying power.  Our anniversary is March 2, so with a reference to our upcoming 17 years, I can keep it up for a couple more weeks, right?

{Linking up to a few of my favorite parties...}

friday faves {life as a thrifter}

One of my favorite blogs is Life as a Thrifter.  Holly has a great sense of style and a bold approach to color. She's also really great at staging her stuff and taking some fun photos.  

If you haven't visited Holly @ Life as a Thrifter, I encourage you to hop over.

First stop, take the home tour that got her featured on Apartment Therapy.  Then take a minute to go to to this post about her nomination for the Reader's Choice Top 10 House Tours of 2012.  It will only take a couple of minutes more to vote, although you'll probably spend a lot longer perusing all the amazing homes in the running.

I've gotten so much great inspiration from Holly and really enjoy her blog, so I'd love to see her win this!  Let's help her out.