Flutter By: July 2014

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Coastin': The Best Coasters Around

I've never had a desire to go hunting for the following reasons: 1) You're cold. 2) You head out at an ungodly hour in the morning. 3) You can't talk. Sounds like a frigid version of hell.

However, I think I would have been a damn good hunter because when I set my sight on something, it's going down. Today, I was hunting coasters. And boy did I harvest some good ones. I realized that I was constantly wiping up ring marks on the glass on my bedside tables so I decided to go coaster hunting. And the beauty of my version of hunting is that you get to feast on my bounty with me! And get to sleep late and talk all you want and end by spending money!! Glorious!

GLITTERATI

Hello Kate Spade Glitter Bombs!! These were the ones I ended up buying.

PROUD PEACOCKS

Hello Waylande Gregory. I love everything you make. Especially your coasters. Lions, tigers, elephants, oh my! There all so great.

JUICY

Hello precious citrus coasters. I can't think of anything my limeade would love more than you.

MALA-RITE

Hello Mr. Adler. You did it again. Another groovy chic ceramic. And my two favorites: malachite having a love child with black and gold. Done.

ETSY FIND

Hello DIY Project. Future Cat Lady Alert: I love needlepointing. I say this as I dust the moth balls off of my favorite cardi/cami set. But seriously, how cute are these little needlepoint gems? I love all of the bold geometrics. Very Trina Turk/Palm Beach. Perfect for poolside.

WHERE DA GOLD AT

Hello ballet slipper pink quartz hugged in gold leaf. Happy all around.

STUD MUFFIN

Hello stud central! You'd have to make sure these went in the right house or else I could see it looking a little cheap-- Z Gallerie bachelor pad-esque, but overall, I love them.

CHEVY RUNS DEEP

Hello chevron! How you never fail.

MOM MAGNET

Hello shagreen! Nothing triggers my gag reflex faster than the word "neutral." And my mom loves to throw it around. That, and "practical." I just threw up again. If the world only had room for practical, there would never be red lipstick or high heels. But sometimes mom knows best. I can't argue with the fact that OPI Sweet Memories (similar to Bubble Bath) will always be the most flawless mani shade. And that certain things, like greige shagreen coasters, will always be beautiful in any home.

SATAN'S HIDE IS PRETTY

Hello python! Stick it to the devil and chill your margarita on his sorry little ass. Actually, it's not really python, it's leather. Ah, well, at least Chic-fil-A will benefit from it. #winning #lovethosenuggets

COLOR BLOCKING

Hello happy hues! Cheerful and cheap-- 8 bucks a pop.

EMERALD CUT

Truth be told, I already used my malachite plug, but then I started actually craving a real malachite option to add to the mix. Love these.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

From Ruins to Royalty. Recapturing Your Abandoned Palaces.

In the past week, I randomly kept coming across insane photos of grand old homes and palaces that had been forgotten over the years-- time hasn't been kind to them, but beauty still glimmers through the decay and neglect. There is something tragic, yet so magical and captivating about them. It's funny what God uses to speak to us. And this week, it has been these palatial places from the past.

I don't know why these images have taken me the way they have. I think because they remind me of myself. And what happens we abandon the thrones and the titles that have been given to us. When I look at these pictures, I see God's heart for me. I see his desire for me to live in a place of extravagant, unthinkable beauty, that's so amazing and overtop. And then I think about myself. And I see a girl from Cullman, Alabama, whose feels more normal than royal. I have a hard time getting my head around that fact that God desires for me to inhabit dreams that are palace level-- no double-wide dreams. Or even McMansion dreams. When I think about living in a house like that, I'm totally down for the servant role-- and I can feel confident that I'd be a pretty fab one, at that, like Anna from Downtown Abbey. Head Lady's Maid. You get to live in the house, rub elbows with the fam, be a part of the whole "life" in a kinda/sorta way. I would dominate braiding their hair, picking out their outfits, and cheering them on when a new suitor came knocking.

But when it's my castle and no one else's, do I feel big enough to walk in those shoes? Ummm.... not so much. My Steve Maddens feel a little lowly for such a lofty calling. In my head, of course I know that I'm worthy of that. But in my heart, it's way more comfortable, and believable, to be on the sidelines. The hair braider and suitor cheerer. Not Queen B. It reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movie lines from The Holiday when Kate Winslet says, "You should at least be the Leading Lady in your own damn life." And that's how I feel about living in these palaces. I want to start living like I'm the Leading Lady of my own damn life. All the time. Not just some of the time. In my head. And my heart. No more, "Leading Lady if I lost 5 pounds." No more, "Leading Lady if was dating ___ or married to ___." No more, "Leading Lady if I landed a big client." No more, "Leading Lady if ___ accepted me."

I don't know what titles you've been looking for to make you feel worthy of your palace, but today, instead of being comfortable as the Lady's Maid, or only feeling worthy to rule your castle if you got a few more badges to finally "rank up" to the next level, own your birthright, the title you were given from before you were born and the one you are being called today. And that's the Queen of Your Castle (with the full deed, no mortgage payments or interest). Put on your crown, take back your title, and walk the halls of your palace like you own the place. Because you do.

Here's my prayer today, "Jesus, thank you that you call me who I am, even when I don't see it. And thank you that my title and my crown is already secured in you. I repent for choosing the servants quarters when all along you've had a full palace waiting for me to rule it. Today, I pick up my crown and put on my sash and I wear them with pride. Help me rebuild and restore the royalty that you want me to live in every day. Thank you that that is your true heart for me."

photos by Patrycja Makowska unless otherwise noted

And how FREAKING COOL IS THIS??? an Australian couple bought Chateau de Gudanes, a crumbling estate in France, and are in the process of restoring all of its 94 rooms back to their former glory. Ah! I know, so awesome. You can follow their blog and Instagram feed here.

Reclaiming the chateau.

18th-century wallpaper and horses munching on the grounds.

Hand-painted ceiling panels are being restored.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Roundup: Mixed Medium Bits & Baubles

One of my favorite looks right now is mixed medium jewelry-- specifically with tortoise and lucite. Here are my top pics-- some spendy and some thrifty. I was totally on board with the heavily bejeweled bibb necklaces and massive chandelier earrings when the trend came out a few years ago, but I've been wanting a new twist on it. I think the lucite and tortoise are exactly what the doctor ordered. Happy Monday!