Friday Snip-It's ... YaYa Style!

1.  Lisa always packs something fun for dessert!

2.  Lots of these!

3.  Cindy's Rockers that welcome us!

4.  Fun packaging to some Ya Ya Gifts.

5.  Yes, We did.  YOLO!

6.  My Ya Ya's.  Life Long Friends.  Family.

We always leave feeling inspired, motivated and energized by one another.  And the men in our lives deserve awards for putting up with us for the weekend!

Making the World More Beautiful.  One Room at a Time.

xo,

kim

Feeling the Heat ... in Hot Springs!

Yes, it is one of my favorite weeks in the year ... the YaYa week!  And we are Road Tripping.  We are driving from Massachusetts to Alabama.  Why you ask? Well, my favorite people in the world and I ask you ... "why not?"!

In our quest to make life fun, we decided to stop along the drive at the Homestead in Hot Springs VA.  When I was in the hotel business, I visited ... it was probably 15 years ago at least.  And I started telling Callie about it and how fun it was, families vacationing "old style".  And one of my favorite memories was going to the Jefferson Pools that have been there for over 200 years and soaking in the 

"healing" waters of the baths.  

After an 11 hour drive on Day 1, it just seemed fitting that we begin our celebration with some bubbly!

Now Callie is an only child on this leg of the trip ... so she got to pick ... we started the day with yoga.  Thankfully the class was small and we were all pretty much beginners!

Then off to the Jefferson Pools BathHouse ... 

It looked just like I remembered and couldn't wait to have Callie and I put on the Rompers!

Then the note ... 

I told Callie of the beautiful older black woman who gave me my romper to put on and she told me how she made all the rompers for the guests.  

She is no longer there and I have to believe no one else wanted to take up that task in today's world. 

I was sad not to see her and I hope she felt my love today.

The Mineral Pools have never been proven to really be healing ... but they are certainly good for the soul.

I loved thinking about all the people that have come there before us looking for something.

I hope they left happy like we did.

I truly don't think much has been done here over the years and there was a terrific loveliness in that.

Our Dressing Room ... 

I love feeling history ... and I mean "feeling" history.  We spent about an hour here and when we walked out there was truly a feeling of peace.

Making the World More Beautiful.  One Room at a Time. 

xo,

kim

Friday Snip-its ...

This week was about me.  Not intentionally, it just happened.

This week I was blessed with GirlFriends.

1.  I got to see my Ya Ya's for the second time this summer.  

We were waiting for the last one to arrive.  All glasses and hearts were filled.

2. Visited Jill and lived her "in-town" life for a day. 

Restoration Hardware ... Large Relief as a centerpiece ... Beautiful.

3.  Still working on Dorm Living and this laser cut bulletin board was an inspiration.

4.  Purple Sunflowers at the Boston Farmers Market while walking around town with Jill.

5.  Spent the day on the Cape with Karen.  Nourishing my Soul.

6.  Fruit and Veggies at the Boston Farmers Market.  Nourishing my Tummy.

7.  I never have a good solution for my silverware for outside dining.  Restoration Hardware solved it by using small urns and beans!

8.  Old Style. BeachClub Storage Lockers on the Cape ... I love the History and Feel.

9.  Hydrangeas and Shakes. Quintessential Cape Style.

We all do what we have to do. Day in and Day out.  And some days work themselves out to bring the nourishment we need.  This was my week.  I am ever Thankful.

What do you do to nourish your soul?

Making the World more beautiful.  One Room at a Time.

xo,

kim

YaYa Weekend 2013 ...

1.  The Ya Ya tradition begins - 1997.

2.  Panama City Beach ... sugar sand ... can't get any better!

3. The Originals.

4.  Don's intro to the YaYa weekend.  He was a hold out.

5.  The Petites.

6.  YaYa Gifts.

7.  Pimento Cheese Sandwiches for the Beach. Yes, on white Bread. I know.

6.  Don and I celebrated our 9th Anniversary.

7.  Erin and Callie ... hip pose.

Life from Instagram.  Did you know that Instagram is the BIGGEST Data suck on your phone?  I just had to stop by Verizon and change my plan.  It's worth it, right?

Have a wonderful Weekend ... we are looking for a little heat relief ... what are you doing to stay cool this weekend?

Making the World More Beautiful. One Room at a Time.

xo,

kim

Fabrics and YaYa's ... no better therapy!

I like to touch fabrics.  It is kind of a sickness ... but it is also Therapy.  I love touching, feeling ... I want fabrics that not only look good, but feel good, physically AND mentally.

The three fabrics in the middle my client already has. Chair, Window Seat Cushion and MGBW Sofa  ... we are looking for a little fluff for the room. You know ... in Pillows.

Therapy day at Forsyth's ... I've mentioned them  before here ...  

I just threw them all in ... and started eliminating ... and re arranging ... quite like a puzzle ... but more than one possibility!

Then I popped over to Lewis and Sheron ... to throw in a few more superstars.

Open. Tight. Flowing.  Sounds like what I think a yoga class would be ... except for I don't do yoga.  But have thought about it and agree that it would be good for me.  In the meantime, I meditate with fabrics.

This mix and match all took place on the L&S cutting table.  They were extremely hospitable as I played and took photos and emailed my client. She was walking in the rain in Boston at the time and I filled her text message InBox with my Rambling Creations.

Enough ... I was hungry and ready for the next stop.  What I didn't expect, was to be stopped in my tracks.  You see, I will see my Ya Ya's and Erin tomorrow at the AU/Ark game in Auburn.  We have been planning this for days ... and as I step outside the door of L&S ... this license tag was parked next to me.  Yep ... a good day all around!!

We must not be the only YaYa's out there ... feeling a kindred spirit today. Except I am very envious.  I want this tag.  I think they might have noticed if I stole it.  So I didn't.

Damn!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and hope to see you all back next week ... thank you so much for continuing to check in with me!

xo,

kim

Monday Morning Musings ...

Interior Design is on hold today ... I am loving the design of FRIENDSHIP!  My Ya Ya's, as you know, are mine!  We were sorority sisters at school ... friendships formed and one of us (not me!) got a beach house in Florida .... 15 years ago we met there with a few babies in tow.  This is the one of the only photos of that first trip ... clearly, blogs hadn't been invented!!

It just evolved ... let's do it again ... and again ... husbands came (and went!) new babies were born and new husband's and children were acquired and a new boyfriend (um, that sounds so weird at our age!) and life just continued on it's strange little path ... but here's what never stopped.  Our annual trip.

The friendships like this are more precious than gold.  Sometimes we go weeks, even months, without talking to one another.  Random texts are sent and emails ... but we know each other is there for us, no matter what life throws at us!  We show up year after year ... right in step ... life never skips a beat when we are together!

Our children, aptly named the Petite Ya Ya's ... "Petites" for short.  Honestly believe they are all cousins.  As in true Southern Style, we raised them to call us each "Aunt Kim, Aunt Cindy, Aunt Lynn, Aunt Lisa" ... you see where this is going.  When Erin applied for college and was filling out forms to go through Rush ... she thought she was a Legacy of some sort of Chi Omega because our oldest Petite is a Chi O!  I had to remind her that she is not really related ... she looked at me completely like I had horns growing out of my head.  I just let her put it down ... she didn't pledge them anyway!!

We always bring fun gifts ... don't know how this started either ... but we all get so excited to see what everyone gets!  Matching gifts of course!!  This year was the year of the Monogram!!

Yes, the state colors of Alabama are Orange and Blue ... War Eagle!

Monogram coasters ... Erin whipped those up ... she is a Pinterest Arts and Crafts addict!

Our very own "green" grocery and tote bags ... complete with monogram!!

Hats ... this way we actually knew whose is whose!

And here we are today ....

and our Petites ... minus Erin ... Real life hits hard sometimes and she had to WORK!!

Oh, and along the way another one of us (not me!) bought a lake house ... this is why this doesn't look like the beach!

Celebrating Friendships today ... Nothing better!

xo,

kim

Lake Livin' Part II

Our second home tour on the Lake ... what appears to look like an old "camp" house turned out to be nothing of the sort once we stepped into the door!

Lots of windows brought in so much natural light ... quite the contrast to the dark exterior.

All of the rooms facing the water had these gorgeous floor to ceiling windows ... 

More windows in this office space. I probably would not get much work done here!

Overlooking the dock ... 

White Walls and a Dark Ceiling made it very light and warm.

A guest or child's bedroom with fun headboards ... 

Made out of cork!

Another gander at the dark planked ceilings!

We entered on the second floor ... then down to the main living space closer to the Lake.

Very modern, the furniture not quite as cozy warm as the first one but cool just the same!

The stained concrete floors make for great lake house floors.  No maintenance and you can't hurt them in any way!!

Part of our crew taking over the place!  Two sliding Wooden Doors close off the living space from the Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom.

Love the framed Black and White Photos hung on Wire.

View from the Master Bathroom ... 

First impression of the Master Bath leaves me feeling a little COLD!! ... and nervous!

Toward the left to the Shower ... better ... 

Back to the Right ... I don't know ... a little torturous to me!!

Master Bedroom ... a little more welcoming than the Bath!

Back down the hall to the kitchen ... still lovin' the windows!

Passing the Living Area ... 

 Up a couple of stairs to the kitchen ...

Love the separate refrigerator and freezer!

Back up and out we go ... 

House Hunting ... Model Homes ... They all bring new ideas and thoughts about Design ... 

Did you get any ideas you might use?

Enjoy your Weekend!

xo,


kim