A Colorful Day!

Yesterday was one of the most colorful days I have had in a long time, from beginning to end. I started the day with a color consultation that I gave to my friend Megan as part of her birthday present. She’s a beautiful, vibrant person but she doesn’t wear much color and if she does, it’s usually blue, black or gray. I was determined to help her pick a signature color that she could own and feel great in. I used my “color guru” Leatrice Eiseman’s Colortime system to help determine the best palette of colors for Megan. From there we honed in on a signature color for her. It was hard to pick just one but we ended up in the hot pink and purple range.

In addition to picking her colors, we spent our time together talking about spring fashions, how much we love color and how much it influences our lives. Her husband even joined the conversation exclaiming “I love color!” It was a bit surprising coming from him but it only confirmed what I already believed: everyone loves color, they just might not be aware of it. But once they are, I’ve found that everyone has a color story and they fess up to how much color influences them.

Next stop – an afternoon treat with Sofia and Geoff. Sofia and I have been in search of the best French macaron in Seattle for about a year. I think we found it yesterday along with the most colorful café in Seattle – Ines Patisserie in Madison Valley. It is an authentic French patisserie with delicious French pastries, brightly colored walls and three glassybaby on each table. I can’t wait to go back for a yummy, green pistachio macaron.

My final stop of the day was at a very swank event at the downtown Seattle Nordstrom featuring Kate Spade New York’s creative director Deborah Lloyd. I met my good friend, Tessa, there for girls’ night out before she has her first baby in a few weeks. I arrived a few minutes before Tessa and at first was a bit intimidated by the super chic crowd. I was wearing my super colorful vintage Kate Spade-esque dress that I bought at the Pretty Parlor on Seattle’s Capitol Hill a couple of months ago. It felt a bit risky wearing something like this – what if it was “so last year?” Well, I think it got me noticed by Ms. Lloyd. I found her amongst the crowd immediately and caught her eye as she was eyeing my dress! I waited for a few minutes while she finished a media interview and then she greeted me. She was even lovelier (and tinier!) than I expected. She told me twice how much she loved my dress. It made my day… I’m glad I went out on a limb and wore it. Just more proof that people connect over color.

There was a lot of hot berry pink going on at the Kate Spade event. I think I will send Megan shopping there for something special in her signature color.

Deborah was wearing this darling orange and hot pink patent leather purse with a black and white dress. It may be just the pop of color I need for spring!

It was a lovely, lovely day all around. I wish everyday was this colorful!

Cure for the Winter Blues

One word: RED!

Sofia and I got our nails done today, a big treat! As I was getting pampered and watching the drizzle come down outside, I kept thinking how excited I felt having a bright, happy color applied to my nails. I chose my favorite red - O.P.I.'s Cajun Shrimp - and Sofia chose hot pink sparkles for her finger nails and purple sparkles for her toes (surprise, surprise!). We went to lunch afterwards and kept smiling about how much we loved our nail color! It's not a trip to Hawaii, but it's a fun way to kick off mid-winter break in Seattle! 

For those of you on break this week, enjoy! And do something colorful. It truly will cure the winter blues!



Life is in the Details

Happy Valentine’s Day friends!

Yesterday we hosted a Valentine’s tea party for 14 little girls. Sofia (4 ½) came up with the idea for the party all on her own, which she reminded me of many times as we were negotiating every last detail of the party, down to which heart wreath would go on the front door! As we were planning the party, I realized that one of the things I love most about entertaining is the details. And it is also one of the things I love most about life in general – it’s all in the pretty little details.

My mantra for the party, which I had to share with Sofia several times as her plans started to get bigger and bigger, was “it’s not about spending a lot of money, it’s about spending time with friends.” This meant we re-used decorations we had, borrowed tea cups and tea pots, and didn’t buy a new dress, which she wanted to do! We did “splurge” on paper invitations because she balked at my idea of sending an evite. I love stationery and usually it would be my preference too but I was trying to keep things simple. I’m glad she insisted on “real” invitations and all the other details she came up with.

Here I share some of the special details that made this party so much fun to plan and host.

If you would like to see more pictures from this special party, click here.

Xoxo,

Amy

A Thing for Green

I was planning to write about my Valentine's traditions today because I LOVE traditions and I LOVE Valentine's Day, but I'll save that post for next week because I am SO excited about the color green today.

I stopped by one of my favorite places this morning – Volunteer Park Café – for a cup of tea. I was planning to take it with me until I saw the annual “Color Issue” of House Beautiful calling my name from the magazine rack. I scooped it up, along with latest issue of Martha Stewart Living. They were both calling my name with the color green.

I have blogged about green before. It was my “one and only” favorite color for most of the early to mid 90s. (My bridesmaid’s dresses were the most gorgeous shade of light chartreuse in 1997… I still love them!)

As most of you know, I’ve been on an orange kick for the past many years, but after devouring every beautiful green page of House Beautiful this morning, I’m back in love with green. I have a lot of green in my house and it has always felt so comforting and so “me.” It truly makes my house feel like home. Living in Seattle I am surrounded by green (thanks to the rain and the mild climate). It is a healthy, comforting, calming, fresh and even, yes, romantic color.

I snapped these photos of the House Beautiful magazine spreads with my phone so they’re not the best, but I just had to share them with you. Sit back and soak up some green…. It’s good for your soul.

In fact, I think I will bust out my green purse today for a pop of spring color.

I am also going to order this beautiful necklace from Stella & Dot. Happy Valentine's Day to me! It will be the perfect spring accessory and pop of color.

And finally, I have to put in a plug for my favorite pen. Le Pen is the perfect instrument for writing the old-fashioned way, on paper, not the computer! I have used them for years and was tickled to see that the editor of House Beautiful does too!

My favorite pen!

Ok, I’m back in love… if I’m not careful, this could become a series of green posts like my pink series last year!