Fruit of The Vine

We had a nice long weekend visit with a very dear friend ("sister from another mother" kind of friend) at her ranch just south of San Jose.

And of course I must include our "bunk mates", Scooby and Scrappy...

While there of course we visited 3 wineries after a long day of riding horses....

Sarah's Vineyard was crazy busy, but we still got to taste all the great wines they were serving. I had alot of favorites but my most favorite was the 2007 Pinot Noir, yummy!

Martin Ranch Winery was HOT and by that I mean it hit 100 degrees while there, they were serving outside so needless to say we didn't stay to taste too long. I think we each got about 3 tastes before we folded, but the 3 we had were amazing, especially their J.D. Hurley 2006 Zinfandel.

Lastly we stopped in at Clos LaChance. They were getting set up for a wedding (gorgeous grounds by the way) so we stayed just long enough to linger in some whites.

To continue on with the wino theme started this weekend, I saw some fun wine accessories to check out.....Added Bonus: Most of these products are made from recycled wine product.

This Wine barrel lazy susan made from aged oak barrels would look great in the center of your outdoor dining table. This comes from 100% recycled barrels.

I love this authentic green glass wine bottle chandelier each repurposed wine bottle is detailed with a cork stopper.

The Bottiglia Doorstop would work perfectly for any door.

These wine barrel candelabras are a great idea for outdoor dining tables. Made from aged French oak barrels that were used in wine production for 2-5 years and are made in Sonoma County.

I know everyone has seen these probably by now, but flat wine bottle platters are awesome for your cheese spread and not only are they from recycled wine bottles but they make a great host gift too.

Okay, enough with the wine already, It's only 8am in the morning and I am starting to crave a glass.

Cheers to a great Wednesday!

All About Paint

I recently helped a client warm up her jewelry store, All About Diamonds. The store itself was very pretty but it felt cold and what little color they had already accented with just wasn't popping.

So I recommended we take that deep purple from the stools and the accent glass tiles in the floor and cover her already faux painted walls with it and then faux once again on top of that.

She was very tenative but trusted me (I have worked with her on her own home). After only getting one wall painted her customers were coming in and falling in love with her new wall, at which time, she finally full heartedly was committed.

This fabulous color is Sherwin Williams Plum Brown #6272, which we then fauxed with a silvery/gold finish to soften the color and make the walls shimmer.



Paint makes all the difference, don't be scared, try a bold color.

Do you Believe in Vampires?

You will after you read this....

Oh, and I couldn't resist posting Grandpa Munster's handsome mug for this post but this isn't really the kind of vampire I am talking about.

Do you know that when you plug in your cell phone to charge it and then unplug your phone but not the charger when you are fully charged you are still pulling power? It's called Vampire Power, also known as Standby Power and Phantom Load.

Not only are you paying for that, (all Vampire Power costs you about 10% of your electricity bill), but it's a waste of power too.

*A cell phone charger uses 2 watts while charging a phone. 2 watts even when

the phone is fully charged and STILL 1.5 watts when the charger is plugged in

without a phone.

*When you plug in your phone or camera to charge overnight, it usually finishes charging after about an hour, what about the other 7-8 hours you are sleeping?

Here's a green tip. Unplug your charger when you unplug your cell and don't overcharge your phone, it's not worth it...Easier said than done, personally this is one of the vampires I am trying to slay myself currently.

An Award For Me?

Wow, you know there are some really great bloggers out there but I have to say one of the coolest chicks is Kathy over at Creative Home Expressions. She is not only very talented in interior design but she is a major supporter of other bloggers plus she just always makes me feel good!

She has outdone herself once again, by posting awards to other bloggers, always thinking of others.

She gave some creative awards to some great blogs and I got one too..."The Fabulous Sugar Doll Blogger Award". I humbly accept this award....By the way, isn't this the cutest? It was made by Miss Eve of Absolutely Ladylike.

Thank you Kathy for not only this award but for your support, you truly are a rock star in the blog world and I am sure the real world too. :)

The French Connection

HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!

Teo Jasmin is a company in Paris, France, (yes, lucky them by the way), who contacted me awhile back about sharing their exciting products.

They specialize in digital printing on wall canvases, cushions and even classic furniture pieces.

New collections are launched twice a year.

Check out this 50s-60's French superstar Brigitte Bardot in pop version that is highlighted for the 2009 collection.

Also in their latest collection is one of my favorites...Doggy Queen.

Previous collections included the Beatles and London and of course are still very popular.

Consider using some pop culture for your own interiors, it just might put a smile on your face.

Art Imitates Blog

Alluminare saw my blog and created a beautiful, custom, drum pendant to match it. How creative is that? Well they definitely got my attention!

Let's not forget how COOL is it that you can now customize so easily online to really give a unique look to any space.

It's Curtains For Unexpected Visitors

Now that lofts seem to be here to stay, I had to share my lastest discovery... Check out these awesome curtains to "hide" your mess on days when you don't have time to straighten up.

This curtain gives the illusion of a spotless and stylish space even when that may not be the case.

Ice Ice Baby

These chandeliers look like beautiful ice sculptures that are about to melt and lose their shape but instead are suspended in "perfect".....

Have you discovered the original Murano glass chandeliers yet?

These are all available for purchase or if you are feeling really creative you can create your own "ice", shaping it to your needs and wishes.  Does it get any better than that?

Made in The Shade

This umbrella, oh excuse me parasol, is PURE PERFECTION.....

I love how when you look up you get the effects of being shaded my a big tree. 

I think the bird at the top is the perfect topping to this creative parasol.  

By the way it comes in white too but I think the green is more "authentic".  I think all umbrellas should be this gorgeous!

The Good Kind of Mold

Yes there is a good kind of mold, it's crown molding!  Maybe a stretch but I am a little punchy right now....

Decorative crown, chair and floor moldings can not only completely change the way a room feels and looks but it's a great way to add value to your home as well.

I have found a fairly new product that is not only inexpensive, and USA made, but easy to install too, and when I say easy I mean it, no nails, screws or hammers needed, just a small bead of wall adhesive.  Check out their products here at Creative Crown Molding and in the meantime here are some pictures....

I always like gallery pictures much more, but to show some of the depth of their product following are some baseboards and chair railing styles...Just some, there is a lot more to see online....