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Etsy Monday: Annechovie. And GIVEAWAY.

Welcome to Monday, ladies and gentlemen! This past week has had us East Coasters very spoilt with proof that Spring has arrived without the threat of disappearing again. Having been victim of some pretty rotten winter seasons throughout the years, I have to admit…this wasn’t the worst. But the tease of a beautiful day tricking us into thinking nice weather had arrived early only to be met with, literally, feet of snow the next day, was seriously irritating. That being said, I am going through a pretty heavy phase of bright colors and fresh flowers. Because I can.

Chanel Chance Print

Flamingo Abstract on Canvas

Which is why I am so excited to be sharing the stunning work of Anne Harwell, aka Annechovie. While her prints and paintings strike a very excitable chord in my fashion nerve, it’s the colors that really draw me in. And for good reason too…Anne herself says, ‘Color seems to define my style more strongly than any other element and I love to work in clear, saturated colors’. And I love that she loves it. Her combinations are striking and demand a head turn and a smile. Anne’s aesthetic brings together a mix of materials and skill with a sense of humor and passion that brings her work to life. And her work injects a little bit of life into the viewer as a result. It’s amazing what a punch of color and a beautiful object can do to a girl.

English Roses on Canvas

Chanel No 5 Print

Ginger Jar on Canvas

Strike My Fancy Matchboxes

Working mostly with gouache/ink and acrylics, this self-taught artist found her talent as much as it found her. ’After school, I went to work for my parents who owned a home furnishings boutique at the time. I became interested in picking up a paintbrush and trying my hand at some watercolors and then I found I really enjoyed it. I took on a few commissions from customers and sold some pieces in the shop and then decided I wanted to pursue art more’. For those of us trying to make careers for ourselves without the same level of formal training as others we may be competing against or working with, Anne is a real inspiration. ’As far as any formal art education, I have none (other than a 1 week art camp in 7th grade). I am pretty much self-taught. I’ve been through the school of hard work, close observation, long hours, trial and error and the passionate desire to create.’

Chanel No 5 Print

Queen Swirl Collage

Now if we really want to talk about inspiration, I think Anne’s work screams about where hers lies. ’I am totally energized and inspired by color and living in a place where the light is spectacular and there is a great deal of natural beauty, Florida.’ As a fellow seeker of daily inspiration and beauty, Anne works to take in the world around her. (If you need a bit of help in this, like I sometimes do, check out my post on this amazing book that works to help you ‘be an explorer of the world’, no matter where your own personal world may be.) ’I am inspired by everything around me, nature, books, travel, different cultures, interior magazines, design blogs, fashion and especially COLOR!’ Love it.

Chanel Chance Print

Hermes Bag Print

And now…YAY, A GIVEAWAY! Anne is going to give one lucky Thrill of the Chaise reader a paper print of their choice from her Etsy shop! Open internationally, all you have to do is click here to enter before the end of the day on Monday, June 3rd…and don’t forget to visit Annechovie and leave a comment on this post letting us know your favorite item from the shop! Look at all those exclamation points…I MUST be excited. Good luck and spread the word!

(All images c/o Annechovie)

Tags: art, chanel, color, etsy, giveaway, hermes, prints, spring

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Categories Blogs, Fashion & Shopping, Interiors and Decorating, Uncategorized

Being Inside On The Outside.

16 May

Coming home to Connecticut after three weeks, I was amazed at how quickly the landscape had changed. Canopies of green had appeared, trees had burst into beautiful flowers, the grass was suddenly alive and emerald again. It was a real reminder of how much I love the summertime and all that it brings. One of the things I love most is the idea of being able to really live outside as much as possible while the weather is balmy, the sun is out longer and the stars seem to shine a little bit brighter.

I am completely obsessed with the idea of indoor/outdoor living. Move the living room out to the patio. Create a bed out on the lawn. Set-up the dining table on the patio. Make the most of the warm skies and a bigger world. Get inspired and have some fun! And if you’re down for building a tree house…I’d love to host a party there.

(All images c/o Pinterest)

Tags: decorating, hammock, indoor outdoor, outdoor, outdoor living, treehouse

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Categories Blogs, Interiors and Decorating, Uncategorized

Etsy Monday: Owly Shadow Puppets.

13 May

After a small hiatus (I’ve been kicking it with the love of my life, aka London), I am back on the map and feeling re-energized by a little bit of time away. So let’s get back into the swing of things with one of our new Etsy Monday posts!

I first came across Owly Shadow Puppets a couple of years ago when I saw a beautifully cut out heart that read: Your crazy emotional needs give my life purpose. To be fair, it was the perfect gift for my search but I am not sure the other party would have found it as entertaining as I did. So I kept it to myself, secretly coveting it and falling in love with the work of Andrea Everman, the mastermind behind Owly Shadow Puppets.

There is something mystical and whimsical about shadow puppets that has always fascinated me…and in this day and age where we begin to become obsessed with everything being done digitally and thus quickly rejecting it at the same time, the notion that this world of handmade whimsy still exists is beautiful. Andrea’s main focus is shadow puppetry and her work combines traditional paper cutting, ink drawing and laser cutting. In her own words, she’s ‘been making puppets and other tedious items since 2008′ which, in itself, is an adorable and refreshing outlook on art.

Not only focused on creating items for her Etsy shop, Owly Shadow Puppets, Andrea also teaches shadow puppet workshops and designing for various theaters. A steady hand, an open heart and a sense of imagination. All things Owly Shadow Puppets demands and creates.

Check out more on Andrea’s website and her Etsy shop.

(All images c/o Owly Shadow Puppets)

Tags: etsy, hearts, paper art, paper cuttings, puppets, shadow puppets, valentines

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Categories Fashion & Shopping, Film and Music, Interiors and Decorating, Uncategorized

A Beautiful Day.

29 Apr

Things have been all quiet on the Thrill of the Chaise front for a few days and I wanted to catch you up on the reason for the radio silence. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may have caught on that I flew across the ocean this past week to celebrate the union of two of my favorite people in the world.

I wrote about Stu & John for the first time almost two years ago (goodness me!) when I helped John in planning a two-week proposal extravaganza, where he surprised Stu with a ‘birthday trip’ to NYC. And it was a birthday trip to NYC but it was also a big plan to propose and also visit my family and I in Connecticut for a week to further help them celebrate. It was quite the whirlwind and you can read the entire, lovely story here. I wrote about Stu & John for the second time when I used their lovely story as the subject of a school project. You can see the video I made, complete with my attempts at being at artist, here.

This past week, my parents and I flew to England for their wedding…which could not have been more perfect. The ceremony was heartfelt and personal. The details, including Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote encouraging us all to type the boys a note on her ancient typewriter, a candy bar to celebrate where the boys met (a club called The Candy Bar), and cake toppers complete with their two adorable Labrador’s, were constant delights throughout the day. Our Alice in Wonderland themed English tea was just about as precious as it got. And it really is no surprise that we all danced into the wee hours of the morning. So I wanted to share some of my favorite shots from the day.

Wishing Stu & John a huge congrats on their union, a lifetime of love and happiness, and a freaking incredible two weeks in Thailand!

Tags: english wedding, proposal, tea party, two men on a cake, wedding, wedding day

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Categories Food and Drink, Interiors and Decorating, Travel, Uncategorized

Give Us A Hand.

16 Apr

Though the point of this post was never to be sombre or find a deeper meaning in this little treasure that I wanted to share, it struck me that there is a place for it, even a need for it. But when I heard someone last night say ‘you’re great Boston and have many greater days ahead’ and then my Dad saying ‘Boston doesn’t need the White House, they are gonna look after themselves’, it suddenly seemed necessary to make this link. As someone who experienced 9/11 in my first couple of weeks away at college and as a member of the Newtown community, the kind of horrific event that happened yesterday strikes a very personal chord in me. But Boston is nothing if not an incredible community of hard workers, big givers and huge hearts. So as they all extend a hand to each other while they just begin to cope with this tragedy, let’s all try to remember the give a hand when we are able too.

But what this was really to celebrate was one of my favorite hidden details in the gorgeous San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The first time I went to visit this magical town, I remember saying that it wasn’t a pretty place but it was a beautiful one. Which may be a bit awkward a statement but it’s the beautiful little details preserved in a crumbling building or the peek of artistry beyond the dusty air. San Miguel is not some kind of run down city, it’s incredibly preserved and precious about its historical features. However, it is a different kind of beauty…a less traditional version, in our eyes at least.

The doors of San Miguel can open onto a hidden paradise. Books have been published about the gateways of this special place…some imposing, some almost unnoticeable, but all with their own special details, colors and meaning. So what is it that I love about these doors? Aside from the fact that you never know what kind of treasure you’ll find behind any given one? The hands that ask to enter. One of the most incredible details of this town are the ever-present door knockers in the delicate shape of hands. Unless you are paying very close attention, you might not notice this detail on every other home…but you’ll become infatuated when you do. It becomes a little game to find them through your day, to study the differences of each one and to think about how kind it seems to have a friendly hand knocking at your door.

(Photos by Kanoe Wentworth and moi)

Tags: door knockers, hands, historical design, iron work, mexico, san miguel

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Categories Interiors and Decorating, Travel, Uncategorized

Etsy Monday: Up In The Air Somewhere.

15 Apr

Sometimes the biggest statements are made not when you shout, but when you whisper. Well, that’s how I felt when I first came across Etsy shop Up In The Air Somewhere. These handmade ceramics use shape, texture and color all together to create fascinating objects that are as much art as they are house wear. I hold tight to the theory that it only takes one thoughtful touch to transform a room. Whenever I make the small effort to put some flowers in a bud vase next to my bed (especially when peony season has started…which it is about to, woop!), my whole space changes, my mood changes, everything becomes a little brighter. That is what the work from Up In The Air Somewhere does. It takes small statements and makes them transformative. Waxing a bit lyrical about ceramics? Try and prove me wrong.

Peach & Gold Dot Dish

Peach Fade Vessel

White & Gold Dot Dish

The lovely Susan Dwyer is a one woman studio in Chicago. All her work is created without molds so each is a little different, with a personality all its own. Working in both paper maché and ceramic, her work is delicate, minimal but also sweet and enchanting. ‘I like to give both mediums an airy feel and appealing texture.’ When it comes to her designs and colors, Susan says, ‘I like classic shapes and patterns like dots and stripes because they have graphic interest but are also pretty minimal. I am mostly inspired by the materials I use…like how does the clay move when it dries? What pattern and texture does the layered paper create?’ I mean, does it get more beautiful than that?!

Visit Up In The Air Somewhere on Etsy to see the full collection here.

(All images c/o Up In The Air Somewhere)

Tags: ceramics, dishes, etsy, housewear, pottery, up in the air somwhere

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Categories Blogs, Interiors and Decorating, Uncategorized

Motels Scare Me.

14 Apr

If you ask my parents what kind of kid I was, they would hopefully give you the standard answer about how lovely and enjoyable I was, obviously too cute for words. But they would probably add in some kind of comment on my also having some ‘quirks’. One of which was my intense fear of motels. I’d like to say that this was because I was so fancy that I couldn’t possibly comprehend the idea of a discount hotel. But the truth is, we have no idea where this came from. But I had my reasons and they were deep-rooted. I would make my parents always check any hotel room for bad people or monsters…and also check under the bed because I was convinced that I would someday be the one to find a body hidden under there. Yeah…weird. (We once checked into a very nice hotel in Florida and the last guest had obviously put their fist through the bathroom door. It set my development in this issue back by years.)

Now that I have over-shared about my odd childhood behavior, there is actually a reason for this story beyond some kind of personal therapy. Tablet Hotels Magazine recently posted a fantastic article on eleven revamped motels across America and my reaction to reading the title was less than optimistic. But by the time I finished reading, it actually had me really excited about this trend of taking old motels and making them into fantastic places to stay. In fact, let’s start a revolution.

The Pearl, San Diego

The Roxbury, Upstate New York

Belmont Hotel, Dallas

Hotel San Jose, Austin

Jupiter Hotel, Portland

Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Palm Springs

Hope Springs Resort, California

The Farmer’s Daughter, Los Angeles

The Modern Hotel, Boise

Hotel Valley Ho, Arizona

The Standard Hollywood, Los Angeles

You can read the entire article here. And make sure to subscribe to Tablet for great hotel deals across the world! (And no, they aren’t paying me to say that. Sigh.) So, where we going first?!

(All images c/o Tablet. Except for Pink Cloud…that bad boy is c/o Pinterest)

Tags: cool hotels, hotel, motel, revamped motels, tablet, tablet hotels

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Categories Blogs, Interiors and Decorating, Travel, Uncategorized

Wantful: Possibly The Best Gift Ever.

4 Apr

I love giving gifts. There is something I adore about the hunt for something personal and unusual for a person you care about. From the smallest token gesture to a present to celebrate something huge, it really is about the thought you put in, not the money you spend. It’s about the gesture as much as it is about what you’re giving. But every now and then, even the best giver of gifts hits a creative block. This holiday season, it hit me hard. I’ve had almost everyone I love made into Bobby Dazzler dolls and it felt a bit like ‘where the hell do I go from here?!’ And then, like a little holiday fairy with a great head of hair, Bri over at DesignLoveFest swooped in and saved the day, introducing me to Wantful!

There is nothing worse than giving someone a gift they aren’t crazy about. And gift hunting should not be half-assed. Gift cards are practical but impersonal. Money is a cop-out. (I will still accept money, don’t take that the wrong way, people who want to give me money.) And when it came to my brother and his lovely girlfriend, who would be spending her first Christmas among our holiday craziness which involves a lot of tequila and a lot of inappropriate Secret Santa behavior following said tequila, I wanted to do something special. Wantful is an incredible website that gives you the ability to tailor-make a beautiful, personalized book of gifts for the recipient to choose from. Let me take you through the steps and then give it a whirl yourself…it’s ridiculously fun.

1. Sign-up for Wantful and begin to ‘create a gift’ for whoever you would like. You’ll create a profile of sorts that is based around the interests and personality of the person you are giving to, including what your relationship is to the person, what the gift is for, what their style is, where they would spend their free time, the kind of home they would love to live in, how organized they are, and so on. This is all done very visually and is a joy to complete. Remember, you can save all the various gifts you are creating so you can come back, revisit and edit until you’re ready to order.

2. After completing the profile, you’ll be given a huge selection of recommended gifts according to the profile you created. All of these gifts are part of a beautifully curated collection items from artists and designers around the world. They are unusual, practical, personal…everything you could want is here. So what do you do now? You go through them all, learn more about each item, and then choose 12 items that the recipient of your gift will be able to choose from. Have fun with it! It’s brilliant!

3. Once you’ve chosen the curated collection of 12, it’s time to personalize the book or ‘catalog’ that you’ll be giving as the first part of this gift. You’ll choose cover artwork. add a note inside and get to see a preview of what the hard copy will look like. (It’s beautiful, by the way…I couldn’t believe what a stunning presentation arrived in the mail!) You have the option to send the book as an email but I think the physical book is such a treat. Send it directly to the person or have it sent so you can hand over the book yourself. You can even set a date in the future to have it sent! The folks at Wantful have thought of EVERYTHING.

4. When you give your gift, the recipient will be able to browse the collection you personally curated for them and then can choose one of the items to have sent directly to them (shipping costs are already included in your price). All they need to do is sign onto Wantful, enter the personalized code found in their book and pick them item they want sent to them. If they can’t make up their mind? Gifts are available for individual purchase. Amazing.

5. When they choose their gift, you’ll get an email letting you know what they picked and they can even send a little note along with it! How cute!

Both my brother and his girlfriend were so excited about getting to see what kinds of things I had picked for them and then getting to choose their gifts. It’s such a beautifully personal gift that allows the ability to choose exactly the gift they want. I honestly cannot say enough amazing things about Wantful. It is as much fun to create as it is to receive.

Go! Have fun! Be Wantful!

(All images c/o Wantful)

Tags: birthday present, christmas present, designlovefest, gift, gift book, gift idea, personalized gift, wantful

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Categories Blogs, Fashion & Shopping, Film and Music, Food and Drink, Interiors and Decorating, Uncategorized

Fornasetti Architettura Candles. Expensively Obsessed.

3 Apr

I am the kind of person that really wants to be into candles. Like ‘oh, that Kate always has the most beautiful candles, her place always smells like expensive taste’. That’s what I want. Except, like with most things that I decide would be fun to be really into, I tend to completely forget that I want to be into these things until I see it in all its beauty somewhere like Pinterest. Which is exactly what happened with my candle situation.

I saw this collection of Fornasetti Architettura candles and complimented them on their beauty out loud while looking at them on a screen. ’You’re great…so pretty’. Their response was to direct me to the Barney’s website and say ‘well, crap, you’re expensive’. But it doesn’t matter. Doesn’t make me love them any less. May put a damper on collecting all six of these bad boys but I can appreciate from a distance. I don’t even know which one I like the most. Owls? Smoochers? Moon?

Are you a candle person? Can you teach me the ways? I think I may be serious about it this time…maybe.

(All images c/o Barney’s)

Tags: barneys, candles, decor, home decor

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Categories Interiors and Decorating, Uncategorized

Words Of Wisdom.

2 Apr

Every now and then, I get stuck. My inspiration seems harder to find. My words don’t seem to come together as seamlessly. A bit of self-doubt can enter in and though my motivation never leaves me, my get-up-and-go seems to require a bit more effort. To pull myself out, it can just take some time or a certain song to get into my bones or just a few words of wisdom that remind me that the only way to move is forward.