We have been visiting Santa Barbara for years. When our kids were still home, it was our annual Spring Break trip. More recently Steve and I have enjoyed the Santa Barbara County wine areas as well. We love the weather, the food, the creativity, and the overall vibe. We stopped on our way back from the Wedding Celebration last weekend and weren't disappointed. Let's take a look at the Collected Style Edit-Santa Barbara. The tiny hamlet of Summerland has always been a great stop for antiques ...
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Two Weddings, Santa Ynez and more
Happy Sunday everyone. We are in Santa Monica celebrating the wedding of Mary Ann's darling daughter Ali. We stopped in Santa Ynez on our way here so my Sunday favorites are all about our trip. Let's join Classic Casual Home and Most Lovely Things for some Sunday fun, Two Weddings, Santa Ynez and more. SANTA YNEZ We love wine tasting in Santa Ynez. They have great Pinots and Chardonnays, beautiful wineries, and more and more great restaurants. We love Babcock. We have been wine club ...
Fixer Upper Living Room Before and After
I have been meaning to do a post on our new old living room for a while but there are still a few things that aren't done like some window repairs etc. but I decided I may as well go ahead. Let's take a look at my Fixer Upper Living Room Before and After. Here is a shot of the living room from the entryway. I probably will get an area rug at some point, but I am loving the openness of the room right now. This room (as does the entire house) has great natural light. It has high ceilings ...
Favorite Skincare Products After 50
Those of you who have been reading for a while know I can be a bit of an over researcher. When I decide on a topic for a post I take a deep dive and read everything I can find relevant to the topic. I am certainly no skincare expert but one of my goals is to take better care of my skin and experiment with some new products. So let's explore our best options and I will share the products I am using and the ones I plan to try. Let's take a look at Favorite Skincare products after 50. It's a ...
Johnny Was, Peach Salad & Anna Spiro
Welcome to our five favorites on Sunday. Annie, Mary Ann and I love sharin our Sunday faves. Let's take a look at Johnny Was, Peach Salad, & Anna Spiro. ANNA SPIRO LOVE Anna Spiro's designs always make me smile. I devoted an entire post to her here. I love her unabashed use of color and pattern in her work. I would never have the guts to go as far as she does but I absolutely love what she does. You can see all of her projects here, and you can follow her on Instagram here. She ...
How to Arrange Flowers Simply and Beautifully
I did wedding flowers when I was younger, so I have seen a few trends come and go. When I started doing wedding flowers the bouquets were very formally styled. As time passed they became more informal as have flower arrangements in general. I prefer a bouquet that appears naturally gathered or a simple single-species bouquet. I don't have much blooming in my new garden but bougainvillea. Look how beautiful it looks in this gorgeous vessel. That is the beauty of a single species ...
My favorite Ways to Style a Shawl
Is anyone else looking toward fall for fashion inspiration? I hope scarves are still considered "in style" this coming season. They are one of my favorite accessories. I love their versatility and bang for the buck. They can take an outfit from simple to fabulous. I love scarves of all kinds but my favorite is the shawl. The shawl is generally the largest scarf you own and can be worn so many different ways. Experiment with different methods like wrapping it around your neck, on the shoulders, ...
Matthew Carter, Outfit of the Week and More
Hi Everyone, Happy Sunday. Today I am joining Mary Ann and Annie for our Sunday favorites. Let's take a look at Matthew Carter, Outfit of the Week and More. BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS FROM MATTHEW CARTER If you love a collected, colorful look, you will love Lexington, Ky designer Matthew Carter's portfolio. Crazy about all the layers in this room. Love the hint at the tropics without being too beachy. I want this bedroom!! FRESH SUMMER PASTA WITH SUMMER'S TOMATOES On ...
BACKYARD TOWN GARDEN DESIGN
I feel like this post should be titled "Where's Waldo?"One of my favorite blog readers submitted a request for "ask Cindy" that hit a personal nerve with me. She recently moved and has been struggling to find patio furniture. As most of you know we sold our lake house and our personal home within a week of each other. Our lake house was sold completely furnished including our patio furniture. We did save two beautiful tables that were crafted by our friend Jim. We sold all of the chairs, ...
