Look Linger Love

May 16, 2012

Second Street East Giveaway

I love when I get to introduce a crazy awesome new sponsor. And today is one of those days. Say a big hello to Second Street East!

I bet that many of you recognize Michelle's shop because I featured one of her pillows in my most recent Etsy Favorites post. Well, she just so happened to see that post, sent me an email, and the rest is history. I'm really so excited to have partnered up with her! At Second Street East, Michelle repurposes vintage Kantha quilts into pillow covers that are simply stunningggg. See!

And as a generous hello, Michelle is giving away ANY pillow cover from her shop!

Yep, you get to choose.

Total badassness.

Here's how you enter:

*Visit Michelle's shop and tell us which pillow should be yours.*

So simple. But maybe you want extra entries.

{Get an extra entry for each thing you do. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each}

*Tell us how awesome Michelle and her shop are*

*Share where you plan to put your new pillow*

*Share this giveaway on FB or Twitter*

This giveaway will end Sunday night. Winner will be chosen at random. Good luck, ya'll!

PS: For those of you wondering, I'd pick this one. Gah!

or this pinky floral one...

Luckily (or not, actually) I don't have to choose. Which is your favorite?

May 15, 2012

Southern Charm Party + Q&A

Tinsley Mortimer visited Charleston last week to kick off the book tour for her first novel, Southern Charm. Hampden Clothing & Leapfrog PR hosted a book signing party that I knew I wouldn't want to miss. And I was right, it was fabulous.

I read Southern Charm while I was traveling a couple of weekends ago and finished it in 24 hours. What can I say, I have a thing for girly novels. And this book hit all of my favorites - love, fashion, drama, southern based (Charleston, SC to be exact!)... And seeing as how it was written by an NYC Socialite the story was all the much more interesting.

{Images from Tinsley's Harper's Bazaar Home Feature}

So I thought it would be fun to get to know a little more about the girl behind the glitz and glamour. And happily, Tinsley was game for a little Q&A...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Look Linger Love: What made you choose Charleston, SC as a setting for Southern Charm?

Tinsley: I have to be totally honest, I have never been to Charleston! But I've always thought of it as an iconic "Southern" city--there's so much history and beauty. It seems cosmopolitan without being intimidating, which is similar to my hometown of Richmond. I wanted a place that was similar to where I grew up.

LLL: When it comes to southern style, what are your favorite looks?

Tinsley: Always color to start (I can't remember the last time I wore black), and I gravitate toward feminine looks--skirts, dresses, ruffles, bows--which I think is very "southern." But I've lived in NYC for years, so I also like to add a bit of edge to an outfit, like some fringe or studs. Overall, the look is always "girly" though. I love my partner on this tour, HPNOTIQ Harmonie, because it is a lavender-colored liquor. We’ve done a lot with this color, I’ve had a lot of fun picking different dresses in shades of lilac and lavender and wore a custom made wide-brimmed lavender hat to the derby inspired by Harmonie.

LLL: And are there any southern styles that you're not digging so much?

Tinsley: Southern women tend to be very "preppy," and even though I went to boarding school in the Northeast and there's certainly a preppy contingent in New York, I've never been a huge fan of the polo shirt and khakis look...for one, it's not that feminine and I just think there are so many ways to have fun with fashion and express yourself without looking like everyone else. That's how I first got noticed, after all!

LLL: When you visit Charleston which shops are you looking forward to visiting?

Tinsley: I'm looking forward to visiting King Street. I've heard great things about Hampden Clothing and also Bob Ellis shoes. I would love some suggestions!

LLL: We're going out for a girl's night in NYC. Where do you want to go?

Tinsley: Beauty + Essex is a fun restaurant on the Lower East Side that is fairly new. There's a "pawn shop" in the front where you can buy fun jewelry. In the back is the bar and restaurant which has big tables that are perfect for a fun group of girls. Le Bain in the Standard Hotel is a great place to go dancing! I also love Avenue and PHD at the Dream Hotel.

LLL: What is your greatest extravagance?

Tinsley: Like most New York City women, I love expensive shoes.

LLL: You're such a style maven. Do you have a style muse?

Tinsley: I really look to classic beauties like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly for inspiration.

LLL: What would you have been found doing on a Friday night in high school?

Tinsley: Nothing super exciting, probably hanging out with my friends or boyfriend. I went to a boarding school that was pretty strict!

LLL: Do you have any exciting summer plans (other than your book tour)?

Tinsley: I'd love to spend some time in the Hamptons (actually, I'm doing a party there for the book in June!) and maybe get over to the South of France. That said, I don't have anything set in stone yet, I've been so busy with work!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Tinsley signing for my gorgeous friend, Way Way.}

Tinsley's such a sweetie! And she can now add "badass author" to her list of accomplishments because I absolutely adored the book. If you're looking for a great summer read, pick up Southern Charm. Thanks for visiting us here in Charleston, Tinsley. It was great having you.

May 14, 2012

New Paintings

I've finished up a new batch of paintings. I had some time over the last week to work on these and really like how they turned out. I hope you do too.

Abstract #1:

{Guache & Ink on 12x18 rag paper $115} SOLD

Abstract #2:

{Guache on 12x18 rag paper $115}

Abstract #3:

{Guache on 9x12 rag paper $75}

Abstract #4:

{Guache & Ink on 9x12 rag paper $75}

Abstract #5:

{Guache on 9x12 rag paper $75} SOLD

Abstract #6:

{Guache & Ink on 12x18 rag paper $100}

Abstract #7:

{Guache & Ink on 12x18 rag paper $100}

I envision these last two blush & black pieces hung stacked together, or possibly paired up like this picture below... Of course they would be cute all on their own too.

{via Lonny and designed by Jaime Meares}

If you're interested in one of the new pieces, please shoot me an email!

* Dimensions are in inches.

May 11, 2012

Fletcher's Nursery

I can't even believe that it has taken me so long to share Fletcher's nursery. Where has the time gone? He's now 5 and a half months! And with the big move coming up soon it got me thinking that I better get around to finally sharing this room! You may have seen Fletcher's room tour yesterday on Jenny's awesome blog, Little Green Notebook. But I want to share them here too.

So you all know that I definitely had a moment of "nursery panic" when I found out that I was having a boy. After 2 years of major girly mode with Lilly I had to completely switch gears. Of course it was silly to worry (and you all told me that) as boys' rooms are easily just as much fun.

My Nursery Design Series last fall really get some great ideas rolling. The nursery boards that my talented guest writers came up with were incredible to say the least, and they were such a great source of inspiration for me. My main goal for the room was to give Fletcher an eclectic, comfortable, and safe space to call his own. And I wanted to look beyond the "matchy" set of furniture and bedding that can be typical of nurseries.

While it wasn't my intention, I like the voyager feel that the space ended up having. I chose items that would grow with Fletcher. For example, instead of a changing table I chose the steamer dresser to work double duty. Likewise, I envision Fletcher and Lilly reading books together on the JA mini sofa for years to come.

What do I think makes the space? The Madeline Weinrib rug definitely adds visual interest to the room. But beyond that it's the sentimental items that are in the room. Cuddling up in the middle of the night is much more cozy with the navy & white throw blanket that my Granny knitted. And while Fletcher isn't sitting in the chair just yet, I'm glad that I was able to find the cowhide element that my Dad was adamant about seeing in his grandson's room. And I smile every time that I look at the painting that my friend Sally King Benedict painted for us as a baby gift.