Happy {Wine Country} Weekend + a Winner

Did this week smack you around as much as it did me luvies? That's why I'm so excited to be escaping to Napa for a little rest, relaxation and blogger bonding this weekend!

The details of our trip are rather hush hush {which I actually kinda love}, but I'm sure all will be revealed in due time.

I must dash to pack my bag, but before I go I wanted to announce the winner of the Tim Gunn Giveaway.

THE WINNER IS SPARKLING AND SWEET

Please email me to claim your prize since the event is tomorrow! I'll be back next week with some more loft life details, an ice cream making lesson and a new set of Noteworthy Newbies. Don't forget to send nominations, but remember, I'm uber picky!!

Now I've gotta hit the road.

Till Monday luvies,

images via here and by tinywater via here

Life {& Style} Imitating Art 3.0

In the mood for summer?? If so, than this post is for you! This week Kate, of The Forgetful Wife, is striking the perfect summery note with her latest installment of our Life {& Style} Imitating Art column. I dare you not be inspired! 

Hello again Apartment 34 readers! Kate from The Forgetful Wife here back for another installment of Life {& Style} Imitating Art.

This week I wanted to share a piece from one of my personal favorites - Henri Rousseau. Henri wasn't recognized for the self-taught artistic genius that he was until after his death. For most of his life he was mocked and ridiculed for his "child-like" technique. Like this painting titled The Equatorial Jungle (1909) he is best known for depicting elaborate jungle scenes even though he has never seen a jungle in real life, or even traveled outside of France. He is the perfect example of staying true to one's calling and the power of imagination.



This time of year I always catch myself day dreaming of far away places and tropical getaways. The jungle theme of the Henri Rousseau with its dusty greens and earth tones, inspired an easy vacation look and airy sun-room - perfect for afternoon naps and getting lost in a good book. Here's our latest art based inspiration for your life and your style.

 images via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

I don't know which I want to do more: decorate a vacation home or head out on a fashionable safari!

Color Craze {Ruby-licious}

For this week's installment of Color Craze, Whitney has chosen my go-to hue - Red. I recent discovered its powers and from pants to lips, I've fulled embraced rockin' this shade. If you haven't tried it yet, I'm confident this will convince you!

Hi All! I hesitated at first to choose this strong color for Color Craze this week, because I’m normally timid around vibrant colors, and red in particular. Sure, I have one red sweater and one red dress in my closet… But I rarely wear them! So, in the spirit of broadening our color horizons, here are some lovely red choices. 

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

My first love in this selection is definitely the J.Crew bathing suit. I can’t wait to get out in the sun this summer and I think a pop of red on the beach or by the pool will be smokin’ hot! 

The little red dress is definitely a keeper. It reminds me of a Parisian lady who would probably pear it with a small neck scarf from Hermes. 

If you need a bit less red, try an accent like this Anthropology necklace with just a hint of red or Kate Spade heels with more than one accent color. 

Feeling crafty? Divine twine looks cute on any diy project or wrapping project. 

So how about you guys?! Is red your favorite color to wear out on the town? Or do you prefer a few pops of ruby here and there? 

Don't miss all of Whitney's previous color faves here! 

New Trend Alert: Kilim is Killin' It

Say good-bye to chevron. Stripes are now passe. There's a new kid in design town and his name is Kilim.  And I'm pretty sure you don't want to mess with him!

I was totally inspired when I spotted this moodboard:

Infused with character, culture and history, kilim is a fantastic way to add a little rustic personality and vintage style to any space. Rugs, pillows and throws are popping up everywhere. Obviously, I would argue that true vintage vs. a reproduction is the ideal way to go. I'd love to add one to our couch or better yet, a rug for our hallway!

What about you luvies? Are you going to jump on the kilim bandwagon?? Hope I don't run into you on eBay!!

inspiration image via bash, please, kilim examples via here, and eek - help!

Would You Like a Free Wedding? Thought So.

Wedding planning is stressful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. No matter how easygoing you are or how low key your wedding, there will be a tough time or two in the process. But I've found something that might take a little bit of the pressure off....

The fantastic ladies of Bash Please wedding planning in LA have teamed up with an all-star collective of wedding related talent to give away an entirely, 100% FREE WEDDING!!!

That's right, you get everything listed above for FREE. And from some of the coolest wedding professionals in the biz.

Note, there are a few restrictions, and I quote:

"By entering the YEAH! 2012 FREE WEDDING GIVEAWAY you and your fiancée must commit to have your wedding on August 19, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. You must limit your guest list to 75 people and subject all wedding plans including, but not limited to: styling, photography, and location to the YEAH! 2012 FREE WEDDING GIVEAWAY vendors and creative professionals. You must also be willing to have your wedding photos used for editorial and advertising purposes"


And you also have to prove why you're worthy of such a phenomenal gift. Twenty finalists will be selected for the FREE WEDDING and the winner will be determined by public vote.

So if you're itchin' to get hitched this summer but didn't think it could ever be possible - Bash Please and the gang have come to your rescue.

Head here for all the nitty gritty details.

image via here, spotted here