First Year Bloggerversary

So I just realized today is my first bloggerversary! My, my how time flies! It was fun looking back at my first year, seeing how my blog has grown, the great blog friends I have met, and all the great blogs out there I follow. Thank you for reading my blog and most likely I enjoy reading yours as well! If it wasn't for your visits and comments I probably would not be here writing my 1 year post! Thank you for the support and inspirations!

I originally started this as a way to help me store and organize my favorite images. My computer was getting too full of images in folders so I thought putting them in a blog would be a way to virtually store them. I wonder if Pinterest existed back then if I would have even started this. Now, I can't live without either one! 

Looking back over the year here is a little recap of my first year as a blogger! 

My very first blog post was on Blue & White Decor which is my fave! I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to it. 

My most popular post by viewers last year was Amazing Closets. I was inspired by the amazing closet from Sex and the City 2.

Lastly, my most commented post was the amazing Christmas with Mary McDonald post. How can you not love her work. I had actually come across these photos in the Spring and saved them up all year for Christmas. 

Rustic Cabin Charm

One of my favorite Southern magazines, Garden & Gun featured these rustic 1840's cabins that were purchased by the owners who had them transported 2 states away to their 55 acre land site. They spent over 30 years renovating and adding 3 more cabins. What a nice and relaxing retreat they have made keeping rustic charm through exposed beams, lots of wood elements and vintage accessories.

Notice the vines from the plant growing on the ceiling.

Rustic bedroom with the floors and brick painted white

Gear for outdoor exploring hangs and adds more rustic charm

Love the wood flooring and the ceiling

Loft bedroom with great high ceilings

Exterior view of these antebellum style cabins

Year of the Dragon

It's Chinese New Year and 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. Don't you remember looking at the paper place mats at Chinese restaurants seeing your birth year and what animal it was associated with? Mine was the rooster! In honor of Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon, I wanted to feature some dragon inspirations which most notably includes the infamous Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon print which was derived from a 1920's Art Deco era block print, to Meissen's dragon place setting, to fun blue and white Chinoiserie wallpapers. 

Schumacher's Chiang Mai Dragon print chair provides the perfect pop of color with the red lacquered wood from Shelter Interior Design

Schumacher's Chiang Mai Dragon print pillow is a great way to add a pop of color from Pillowmood on Etsy

Schumacher China Blue Chiang Mai Dragon wallpaper looks amazing in this bathroom from Hazardous Design

Fun and Whimsical Blue Dragon wallpaper from Paper Boy Wallpaper

Crisp linen napkin embroidered with a dragon from goes elegantly with this place setting from Southern Living

Get your own Dragon napkins and place mats from Eri Textiles at ArteDona

Meissen "Red Dragon" China Set

Dragon note cards from Petite Paperie on Etsy

Sophisticated Redesign

Trad Home featured this 70's Nashville house remodeled by R. Higgins Interiors with no more shag carpeting, pine walls or avocado colored kitchen. The walls were kept more neutral with a pale blue color that matched the ceilings, while the dining room was painted a dark bronze that matched all the painted doors.

Traditional style with solid glass coffee table to add a little modern touch

Love how the curtains are together in the corner and then separate opposite directions

The walls in this den were upholstered to hide the dated pine walls. Look at the trophy display in the bookcase.

What a great picture gallery hallway 

old bronzed lacquered walls are offset by a pop of color from the curtains. The white bamboo type chairs make this room more casual

Neutral toned kitchen. Love the mini sink on the island. 

Curtains were chosen to match the color of the blue ceiling

Here the walls and the ceiling are the same color and a darker shade of blue was chosen as the trim. By the way, how many pillows do you count?

The beautiful exterior and landscaping of this Williamsburg style brick house

Kate Singer

I came across this great New York designer, Kate Singer from Kravet's blog. Her colors and textures are serene and inspired by nature mainly the sea, sand and sky through her use of blues, periwinkles and some neutrals with textured accents. Her rooms she easy to live in and functional. Which room is your favorite?

Sheep and Chic

Have you ever seen a chic sheep and wondered what in the world? Husband and wife artist pair, Claude and Francoise-Xavier Lalanne are known for their "Moutons de Laine" which were made in the 60's and  are of the the most recognizable icons from Lalanne that even Coco Chanel owned these wooly life sized sheep in her Parisian apartment. These sheep have been featured in the Veranda Greystone Estate, and fashion designers, Marc Jacobs and Valentino own them. These sheep have become popular with art collectors as they evoke the thought that people should live comfortably with their art at home and it should never be something that is occasionally admired on a wall from afar. 

If you had one of these Lalanne sheep where you put yours? 

Sheep and stools are found at the Greystone Estate from Veranda

Marc Jacobs Paris Apartment from Casasugar

Delphine Krakoff of Pamplemousse Design showcases multiple Lalanne sheep in Southhampton.

Remodeled house which features this cute little sheep from Peppermint Bliss

Pair of wool sheep fit right at home on this green shag rug from Interior Design 

Vintage Life magazine featuring room full of sheep chairs designed by Francois-Xavier Lalanne from Material Lust

Valentino with Lalanne sheep and pugs from Little Augury

Here is the great-grandaughter of the Lalanne's at the Bergdorf book signing of their coffee table book,  Lalanne from Style.com

Get your own sheep!

Lalanne style sheep with cast iron face and legs from 1st Dibs.

Pair of 1970's French sheep from Maison Schembri

Pair of Life Sized Sheep from 1970's from Modernism Gallery

Phoebe Howard's Book

I know a lot of my readers are fans of Phoebe Howard's work. She has finally completed her coffee table book, The Joy of Decorating which you can pre-order right now for 20% off and March delivery at Mrs. Howard's Personal Shopper. Bonus gift: A pocket sized chart of Phoebe's favorite paint colors! 

I am glad the cover of the book is with my fave blue and white. 

This would go lovely next to my A Passion for Blue and White book I got for Christmas!

What is your favorite interiors coffee table book?

I can't wait to see what new images are the book that we haven't seen. Here are a few of my favorite blue and white Phoebe Howard pictures: 

Natural Curiosities Octopus print and the infamous ink blue lacquered walls

Blue and white mixed prints from her husband, James Michael Howard

Another assortment of various blue and white prints with a simple floral touch to not be so nautical and masculine themed.

Assorted plants in blue and white containers center this room, and love the symmetry of the pillows and garden stools.