This Week: Spring is in the air!

 photo by me:)

I know it's officially Spring but I worry that Miami might have skipped Spring and gone straight into Summer. It was 93 Degrees this afternoon and we're still in March! And I must say that even the evenings are getting a little sticky around here. The good news is that the evening air smells of night blooming flowers! Several nights this week, on my way out, I picked Gardenias from our Gardenia bush at work. They make our apartment smell sooo lovely! So this week...

1. After a facial and some girl time with my sister, we went shopping and I finally visited Casa Ideas! It's a great shop, filled with inexpensive, colorful goodies for the home. They also have a fabulous stationery department. I did not LOVE everything but came out with a beautiful tin to keep my tea, a pastry brush, a bath mat, a runner for our dining table, a rug for our kitchen and 2 kitchen towels, not too bad!
2. Interior Designers in Florida are fighting to remove Interior Design from Bill CS/HB5005. Our Governor is looking to Deregulate several Professions inorder to create more jobs. The Interior Design community has come together to fight this possibility. As a designer at an Interior Design firm who spent many years and many (MANY) dollars to study Interior Design I am worried that this ridiculous bill might be passed and that just like that an entire profession will be wiped out on a whim:( You can read the bill here. If you have a little minute, please sign the petition. You can read about how you might be affected and/or how else you can help here.
3. We started dieting:( But as soon as we take a break from our regimen (very ambitious, aren't I?) I am totally making these Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies I found on pinterest! Have any of you tried these before? I love the idea of a sweet/savory treat! I cannot wait!!
4. I read the lastest issue of Rue Magazine, you can read it online (for free) here. There are so many pretties to see, including a Milo Baughman chair upholstered in that Sarah Morris fabric I raved about here and a lovely spread titled, "Tea by the Sea" styled by David Stark!
5. I came across "Paper Cuts" an article in T Magazine about Anna Wili Highfield an Australian artist who makes animal-free animal sculptures as an alternative to taxidermied animals. They are so lovely (look at that Pegasus!!), you can see more of her work here. I love so many of them, the horses, the birds, the owls! Which is your favorite?

Have a WONDERFUL, sunshine-filled weekend!! XO

I fancy: A spot of tea

photo credits top photo and a little tea history via Adore Vintage, bottom photo by Claire Richardson via delish

Lately, I have been enjoying tea more and more. My babysitter introduced me to tea when I was a very little girl. She would serve me tea with a splash of milk and sugar with cookies or toast and I remember enjoying it so much. I would love to incorporate a tea time into my afternoons. Do you observe an afternoon tea time on a daily basis? I love the idea of taking a little break and kicking back and relaxing while enjoying a cup of tea and some baked delicious treats or tea sandwiches! Speaking of tea sandwiches, I want to try these recipes, they all sound amazing! Have you any amazing tea sandwich recipes to share? I think I am ready to begin working on my tea sandwich making skills so I can host a proper tea party soon. So my first step towards beginning a tea time ritual....to buy myself a dainty tea cup, of course! I will begin the search tomorrow, will post pictures once I find THE one:)

 photo credits (from left to right) Martha Stewart, photo of Pink Rococo Tea Set via thisnext, One-lump-or-two-lamp via Anthropologie, pink and gold tea cups via Weddingthings

 tea party photos via Country Living

 

French Tea Bag and French Madeleine prints by magalerie via etsy