Pools, Palm Trees and Swank

It's been incredibly hot here in the southeast, and all my body has begged me to do is splash head first into a giant, masterful pool! Once that's done, it wants to relax and lounge around great sceneries of mountains, palm trees and cute cabanas! 

Am I the only one feeling this way?!

Didn't think so! I'm imagining this kind of pool below, surrounded by posh and tropical ambiance!

Someone save me once I drift off into a heavenly deep nap for hours on end!...(Actually just let me be ;)

sources* imgs, canopy chair, swim cap, beach bag, sandals

Sheridan French Giveaway

I found Sheridan's blog a couple months ago and fell in love with her love for family, children, fashion and addicting sense of humor! She is an all around down to earth MOMMY DIVA! Her love for bright, neon colors is what really drew me in to her style and finding out she owns her own clothing line made my heart flop! The fabrics, prints and colors she combines are just incredible!

And as if that wasn't enough, she owns this incredibly gorgeous home! I'll let the images speak for themselves!!  (I can't blush enough over her living room though! Those bright orange and pinks! The wall art that dazzles the room with brilliant neon colors! I'm just smitten!)

And last, but definitely not least, she rocks these footwear fancies!!

Enough said!

So I'm pretty sure I don't have to convince you to head on over and check out her marvelous giveaway!

You could own one of her brilliant dresses or tunics with just a few simple clicks! 

P.S....Go check out my second guest post over at Love, Julie today on a Greece attire I put together! ;)

sources* all courtesy of The Southern Eclectic

Run & Plant

Hoping everyone had a lovely weekend! Mine was sure relaxing and much needed! Although, I did get a couple long runs in on Saturday to prepare for my 5k in July I mentioned a couple weeks ago on my summer bucket list! I'm sure taking that bucket list seriously! It's pushing me to do the things I really want to accomplish this summer.

As mentioned on Friday, I took a little shopping trip around town and slurped on my delicious coconut frappuccino! I gave in and got this cute little hanging glass planter. I saw it a couple months ago when I was in Atlanta, and realized Friday I had to take it home with me. I even got an air plant to go in it. You just have to dip the plant in water twice a week and it will grow and possibly even bloom! I'm so excited to hang this cutie pie at my desk to admire everyday as I work. 

Ahhh, the little things... 

How was your weekend?

Go check out my guest post today over at Love, Julie while she's on an incredible 3 week trip to Turkey and Greece! 

Today's guest post is inspired by Turkey! Go check it out here!

Shopping & Coffee

I plan on doing a little sidewalk window shopping uptown Charlotte today, getting a dose of my toasted coconut frappuccino, then cuddling up in a big comfy chair at the bookstore. I'm discussing some design ideas with a friend and then diving into magazines and books to get the creative juices flowing for my next design project!

This outfit incorporates all the needed styles and comfort to transition from one stop to the next. 

Multi-purpose outfits are the way to go!!

Head over to the 30th link of Long Distance Loving's Friday's Fancies for more outfitscapes!

Walking the Catwalk

I fell in love with these catwalk pieces. I love the draping dresses, 

the long pencil skirts and the combinations of colors and bold prints mixed together.

That pretty much sums it up!

sources* link

Lovely Aubrey

 I have a pretty great treat for you today, sweets! I invited my sweet, hilarious and spunky blog friend, Aubrey, to grace you with her bodacious style. From the moment I saw and read a smidgen of her blog,  I knew she would be bookmarked and her blog would be a place I would visit on the daily! She never seems to let a sentence go by that I don't giggle, smile or literally laugh out loud at! It's real and totally relatable! And that to me, my friends, is a pretty great person to model after.

(And it just so happens, I've always said I wanted to name my child Aubrey if I have a girl one day ;) 

Alrighty, take it away, Lovely!

Hi all you Drew lovers! I am proud to count myself amongst your numbers! (c: I'm Aubrey from All Things Bright and Beautiful and I'm here taking over guesting and Miss Drew made the mistake of letting me talk about whatever I wanted (cue the hand rubbing and evil villain laugh)!  

I swear I will try to behave myself. Ignore the fingers crossed behind my back. 

I figured since I can talk about *whatever*, then I'm going to talk about being happy. That's right. And you know what makes me happy?

Okay, besides my husband and my children (and to be frank, today, the munchkins may or may not be on that list...did I just say that out loud???)...

YELLOW.

I mean, seriously, can you look at that color without bursting into a big ol' goofy grin???

I knew you couldn't!!! Me either. (c:

So let's get our grin on:

Nothin' mellow about *THIS* yellow...

Wanting some yellow in your life, but not sure you need a big honkin' yellow sofa or miles of yellow curtains???

Add some lovely pillows:

I own the one on the right from good ol' Tar-jay and I *LOVE* it!

Here are some pretty fab ones from Etsy:

 Via

 Well, unfortunately, it's time for me to skedaddle (isn't that word awesome? I don't think I've ever seen it spelled out before (c:), but I'm so glad Drew let me be my ham bone of a self  silly here today! Thanks!!!

A huge thank you for making my wall so happily yellow today! The sunshiney color always lends a welcoming and bright appearance to any look or room! Pretty, pretty please come back to visit soon! ;)

Beauty from a Building

I am so amazed at the talented and intriguing artist, Nuria Mora. Take a quick glance at her work and you will fall in love with it's bold and simplistic beauty. 

She takes an urban space and recreates the entire ambiance and atmosphere by painting over existing buildings and doors. When I say I love the look of modern-vintage, this is an explicit example of just that, in terms of a public wall of art. It's the grainy, worn, rustic display of brick and wood, covered by simplistic, bold shapes that build such a contrast to the look and feel of modern-vintage in my mind. 

I designed and painted a similar style while in college and this just brought all of those wonderful aesthetics back to mind. And the fact that it's displayed out in open space for all to enjoy makes it so much grander!

source* Nuria Mora

The Love of a Father

God took the strength of a mountain

The majesty of a tree

The warmth of a summer sun

The calm of a quiet sea

The generous soul of nature

The comforting arm of night 

The power of the eagles flight

The joy of a morning spring

The faith of a mustard seed

The patience of eternity

The depth of a family need 

Then God combined these qualities

And then there was nothing more to add

And he knew his masterpiece was complete

And so he called it.....Dad

Happy Fathers Day to the Best one out there!

Friday's Fancies: Picnic

Friday is FINALLY here! It's been a pretty long week over my way. I've been a tad bit under the weather...but it's funny how a Friday can really lift your spirits and make you start to get a little bitta pep back into your step! Who wants to be sick on a weekend?! Not me! It's Father's Day weekend and I'm spending time with the family!

I'm super thrilled for the summer and weekends like this!

Check out what all the other lovlies are fixin up!

sources*, blouse, handbag, skirt, earrings, sunglasses, bangles, heels

Registry Dreamin

sources*  China and tableware

Summer Bucket List: Link Up

Linking up over at Cornflake Dreams and Ten June to bring you my 2011 Summer Bucket List!! Jillian had such a great idea to make this list and wanted to share it with others to give us a chance to ponder over the main goals and plans we wanted to accomplish over the summer months! Michelle also had a great idea for a Summer Fun Link Party!  There were some obvious decisions I knew I would make happen and then others that I wanted to push myself to accomplish. I'm holding myself to this list and looking forward to completing them by the end of August!

Combo Style

The centerpiece of this living room speaks volumes about colors, textures and moods all encompassed in a wonderful work of abstract art. I love how the wall color has a worn, vintage coat of paint to blend in with the background color of the painting. That white cushioned coffee table is just lush! And how brilliant to place a wooden tray on top to hold books and decor. The furry throw adds a touch of eclectic vibe, while the black and gold column represents a touch of royal flavor. This is my favorite kind of approach to an interior! Mixing of styles, combined to present a richness of depth and progression.

 

The left image shows the remainder of the living room, offering a combination of Victorian and Contemporary style in the seating. Yet again, an eclectic element is shown through the light fixtures on the ceiling. 

The right image showing the dining room speaks more of a medieval language with the black chandelier and vases on the table. And then feast your eyes on those lights on a pedestal!  The shimmery gold seating adds luxuriousness, and hello traditional rug! You dear, add another layer to the mix!

What more can I say? Visiting these spaces would definitely encapsulate an array of characteristics and auras.

How do you feel about mixing numerous styles in a room?

Good Monday to Ya!

Hello Monday and hello bloggeritas! Good Monday to ya! Hope you all had a lovely weekend!!

I chose to spend mine pretty low key..

Saturday- woke up next to a smiling curly haired bebe wanting to be read to

(aka..had a slumber party with my little 2 yr old "niece")

went to visit friends at the pool and hang with a dear friend

Sunday- church services with a lovely message on faith 

lunch with family

heart-to-heart with mom

ZZZZZzzzzzzzz

and that was the sound of my 3 hr afternoon nap...the most productive I'll ever be on a Sunday!

~~~~~~~Refreshed and ready to get back at it with design work!~~~~~~~

Please tell me how your weekend went!!

source* img

Fridays' Fancies: Nautical by Nature

Linking up this lovely Friday with {av} at Long Distance Loving for an outfit theme "Nautical by Nature," by the ultimate nautical blogger, Jenna over at Seashells and Southern Belles. Most of us have decided to go a little out of the box from the usual nautical outfit, giving it a little kick! I'm ready to go sailing in heels in this outfit..and then probably take a face plant for it!

Happy TGIF my lovely friends! Hope it's a great one!

sources* life preserver, dress, hat, ring, link bracelet, handbag, sandals

Feeling this kind of a day..

source* img

Charleston Weekend: Day 2

The rehearsal dinner at Magnolia's was extremely good. Most of us ordered shellfish over grits, because how can you go to Charleston and not get a staple meal? We laughed, cried and laughed some more at speeches given throughout the night by my cousin, (groom's brother) my other cousins and maid of honor. It was so good to reflect back and cherish all of the memories and hilarious times we had with our cousin and our soon to be cousin. The meal ended with a slideshow of the perfect pair, their younger days and special times together. We couldn't have asked for a better rehearsal dinner!

Then of course, the cousins gathered around the pool at the hotel that night and reminisced some more of cherished stories we all grew up surrounded by.

The Big Day finally arrived! All of the bridesmaids (including my sister, two cousins, two friends of the bride and myself) sat around the Legare Waring House bridal suites getting our do's fixed, makeup done (which I had the sweet joy of helping with) and listening to my infamous ipod mix! Everyone's favorite! ;) Then we watched as the beautiful bride slipped into her gorgeous gown, beautiful jewelry and amazing blue high-heeled sandals, all the while snapping fun pics and laughing and hugging all the lady family.

When it was time for us to take our places outside and walk down the isle set under those beautiful moss trees, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and a small breeze filled the air. (Unfamiliar to Charleston's usual hot and sticky weather) It was a perfect day for a wedding. I saw the light and pure happiness in my cousins face as he watched his gorgeous bride finally make her way down the isle to her soulmate. Tears filled our eyes because of how heartfelt a moment it was.

The ceremony led by my uncle and his occasional silly antics made for a sweet and tender occasion.

Then the bride and groom kissed for the first time as husband and wife, made their way down the isle together and hovered around the bridal party for hugs and kisses for congratulatory bliss.

The reception was amazing as well. Lights under the tent sparkled and our cousins memorable music played off in the distance. It was quite apparent that Ashley and Dustin were having the time of their lives and their magical wedding fairytale had just been witnessed.

I was extremely honored to be in the wedding and share in this super sweet occasion.

Many well wishes, prayers, love and good luck to Brutherrr Cyuz and Cyuz ;)

Professional Photos will be shared at a later date ;)

sources* images taken by friends of the groom and bride

Charleston Weekend

This past weekend in Charleston for my cousin's wedding was absolutely lovely! The first day my family made it in at 10:30 in the morning to have the rehearsal at the Legare Waring House. It worked out perfect to have it in the morning since we couldn't have it that night due to another wedding taking place. We were able to practice up our walks, horse around a lot little bit and soak in the sun before heading off for brunch at Toast and then on to our horse & carriage ride around the historic parts of Charleston.

Stay tuned for more lovely events from the wedding tomorrow!

Friday's Fancies: Charleston Weekend

This weekend I'm headed to Charleston, SC for my cousins wedding! Beyond excited! The whole fam is  all packed up and raring to go for this splendid occasion! I love that all of my cousins so far have had their weddings in vacation spots so we can revel in a mini vacay. One fun event planned out is a carriage ride downtown. We'll even hop out for a little sidewalk shopping and grab lunch before the rehearsal dinner at Magnolia's that night. Word is it's pretty mouth watering!

I'll share some pics next week of the event! ;)

Cousin-Amanda, Bride & Cousin-to-be-Ashley, Me, Sister- Dana

Hope everyone has a grand weekend! 

sources* 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Take the advice...

Designers sometimes have what we call "designers block." Much like writers block. When that happens, don't fret! All you can do is live life, search for inspiration and come back fresh! Head on! And ready to jab back at it!

source*  img

Guest Post: Cornflake Dreams

I invited a special guest over today, one of my favorite blogger/designer's! She's got beauty, talent, design skills and a great story to tell you about what's given her the opportunity to finally go freelance. Let's just call her my graphic design sidekick! We're in this thing together! And it's totally worth every minute...and click!

Take it away lovely lady!

hi there! it's jillian from cornflake dreams and i am so excited to be guest posting on coral cafe. it seems drew and i have a lot of things in common... we like fashion, interior design and pops of bright color, and we have a passion for design.

i have experienced two life changing events in the last three months. i got engaged in march, and i was let go from my job in may.

the engagement was magical and i seriously cannot stop kissing my fiance and starring at my ring. i am in the process of planning my dream wedding and i couldn't be happier.

as for the lay-off, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. it was the extra push i needed to pursue my dreams of doing freelance graphic design work. i am now able to do part-time freelance marketing work at an engineering company (heck yes for health insurance!) and spend the rest of my time working with other bloggers and redesigning their sites. i. love. it. 

but back to reality and the logistics of it all. after the initial hoooray i am free i can do what i want. and i am going to actually do what i want. i needed to figure out the logistics: company name, services, pricing, payment, taxes, logos, home office furniture! whew! 

it was pretty overwhelming at first but after some research and a little help from my smarty pants fiance i got things into order. i decided on the name cornflake designs for my company and i was able to start, finish and bill my first two clients within two weeks! i had an amazing and creative experience of working with my first two bloggers. they were determined to get great blog and twitter layouts while trusting my design sense at the same time.

i am working on more blog makeovers and two wedding designs! i cannot wait to see where this wonderful world of design takes me next, but i am so happy to be apart of such a supportive community.

a huge thanks to drew for inviting me to guest post. please stop by my blog, cornflake dreams, for all the dreamy things in the city and abroad.

xo, jillian

She's definitely going places, and I'm excited to be headed down a similar path and know I can always turn to Jillian for guidance in design inquires. (and everything else in between!)

Thanks so much Cornflake Dreamer! ;)