. . . lately have been thinking about the things we always come back to—the crashing waves of the ocean, a favourite fragrance or countryside road, a novel or restaurant; for some, there are the same colours, designers, or interiors . . .
. . . and for me, it is this manhattan apartment, belonging to fashion designer betsey johnson—a maximalist heaven of overflowing bouquets of roses and utterly breathtaking pink walls, beautiful chandeliers and yards upon yards of antique lace . . .
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{décor inspiration | at home with : betsey johnson, new york}
{favourite five : an interview with florist, nicolette camille}
"flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world"
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
With the promise of spring just around the corner, can not help but daydream of the perfect beauty of blossoming rose gardens and picnics in wildflower fields, afternoon teas on the terrace, overflowing with wisteria and nearly every corner of the house filled with favourite blooms . . .
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{wishing you a wildly romantic valentine's day}
. . . and having been forever in love with love, and forever ever in love, it's no wonder that valentine's day is very nearly a national holiday around here, and perhaps the very best thing about it falling on a tuesday, is the chance to celebrate again, for there are dinner reservations also for the weekend, and for tonight, there will be champagne and other perfectly wonderful things, and however you celebrate, or not at all, wishing you so much love—the kind that overflows on everything and fills the air . . .
happy, happy valentine's day! hope it's sweet & sexy and positively filled with beautiful things, —roséline xo
{p.s.} and to p : ♥ & this
[& as always, more lovely things below] x
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{décor inspiration : dusky lavender and bits of gold}
. . . it always seems, about this time of year, am ready to throw open the windows to the bright sunlight, in wild anticipation for springtime, and so, it is not difficult to imagine one being hopelessly drawn this perfectly romantic home, with its dusky lavender walls and pooling drapes of the same hue, its tufted linen chairs and carved settees, scalloped and gilded and mirrored accents, its florals and lucite may bring on bouts of spring fever at any moment . . .
[more glimpses below] x
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{style inspiration | on the vanity & in the makeup kit : a few favourites}
. . . one of the fondest memories of growing up was my mother's movie-star dressing rooms -- enormous and luxurious, and with those pretty white lights that trail all the way around the large looking glass above the vanity, upon which was always a beautiful scattering of perfume bottles and golden hairpins, and every kind of beauty product one could possibly imagine -- it was a most magical place for a little girl, and needless to say, spent many, many hours utterly lost in spritzes of heady perfume, dustings of silvery eyeshadows and dashes of lipstick, and watching my mother get ready for dinner parties and evening soirées . . .
. . . and as there have been so many requests, thought it might be lovely, [with a little winter light & p's stunning photography], to share a glimpse of a few favourite things on the vanity and of the moment . . .
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{take me away № 08 | holiday etiquette}
{hosting & being a house guest }
At many points throughout the year, we may welcome guests to stay in our homes as well as be guests in others’ homes, but particularly so with the holidays just around the corner.
And whether you will be living with friends or family during such time, it is always lovely to be both a generous and welcoming host, as well as a considerate guest.
For this week's {take me away}, we shall explore different tips and ideas on how to be gracious in both circumstances . . .
[click below to read sarah's thoughtful tips for being a welcoming hostess, as well as a gracious guest this holiday season] x
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{tabletop inspiration : sunrise & cerulean}
. . . when it comes to table settings, nearly always prefer a light and ethereal colour palette -- white and gold and perhaps, only on occasion, a dash of hollywood cerise, but as the days drift steadily toward chillier temperatures, have been falling for deeper and richer hues -- cobalt & hermès, sunrise & cerulean -- intermingled, of course, with elegantly patterned table linens and astonishingly lovely chandeliers dripping in glittering crystals and bits of gold . . .
{images: eddie ross for lonny via simply smitten}
{how to : iphone photography & favourite apps}
. . . it has been said that the best camera is the one you have with you, and with all the running around these days, and always so many lovely things to capture while traipsing about, often the only camera on hand is my iphone, which have come to rely on more and more for so many things, but especially the camera; and since joining instagram some time ago, have been having the loveliest time sharing little glimpses here and there, of everyday life, and have been asked, time and again, about the photographs in my stream -- how to split images into frames, how to get that dreamy, romantic sparkle, and so on -- and so, thought it might be fun to share a few favourite apps along the way . . .
{p.s.} for those not using iphones & apps, you can view the photographs online with: instagrid // heroku // followgram
lyon in the rain // instagram with toaster filter
"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever . . . it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything."
above, instagram filters : early bird & toaster
T W E L V E F A V O U R I T E A P P S
. . . normally only use two or three apps other than instagram, but p prefers to play around with a broader range, and so, a few of our favourites:
- accu camera : to steady shots
- shake it : for polaroid-like effects
- ps express : for cropping & rotating images
- snapspeed : a powerful app for selective photo edits & filters
- instagram : for filters & sharing
- pro hdr : for combining two of the same images to extend the dynamic range
- picfx : for filters & favourite {this is glamorous} bokeh effects
- lens flare : for a large collection of amazing lens flare effects
- pic frame : to split images into separate frames & create collages
- toy slr : for creating focus & blur
- picture show : fun exposures & mirror filters
- dramatic black & white : for converting images to black & white and adding sharpness
chandelier // apps used: instagram with toaster filter, picframe & picfx
a few favourite things // intsagram with toaster filter
light effects of image on the right, created with picfx
door in geneva // apps used: instagram, picframe & picfx
the window seat of an airplane // instagram with early bird filter, no light effects, only the magical reflection of the sun's golden rays . . .
morning latte // apps used: instagram, picframe & picfx
self-portrait: vintage necklace & french dots //instagram with toaster filter
iOS 5 : new & updated features
- press the up volume button to take a photo
- access the camera from the lock screen by double tapping the home screen and touching the camera icon
- when taking a picture, touch on the screen where you want the exposure and focus to be measured from
- turn on the grid from the options tab, which can help with composition and to keep your image straight
- use two fingers to pinch the screen to access the zoom feature
. . . and may have missed a few -- would love to know the favourite apps you're currently using?
{images: all iphone photography by roséline on instagram}
{holiday style inspiration : silver sequins}
. . . vintage vases overflowing with lilies and white roses, elegant desserts and candlelight, a glass of champagne, or two, and most of all, a perfect sprinkling of silver sequins to catch the light . . .
{images: photography by greer g photography via style me pretty; alice and olivia ritchie embellished blouson dress}