A Little Spin Around Post Apocalyptic Bohemia

I had an unexpected day off today: no obligations, no husband, no agenda, no automobile... just time alone in the house on a blustry spring day to read, Facebook, blog, nap, & cuddle with Junior. Sometimes don't you just desire some alone time & a rare chance to "just be"? 

Before

After

(You can click on any image to enlarge)

The Husband on the other hand, can hardly stay still. On his own day off with the house to himself, he reworked the front room & edited some of the collections. In the winter we use this room for the fireplace, in the summer we move to the back of the house to enjoy the back garden & The Boys' Fort. 

Below are some details from the mantle. More than a half decade ago, the Husband removed the original tiles surrounding the fireplace with the intention of replacing them with mirror tiles. I loved the resulting look so much that I had The Husband put off finishing it. He did silver leaf a corner. The fireplace & mantle have that Post Apocalyptic Bohemian look that I have a passion for. This part of the house seems to be part New Orleans shotgun shack & part Venice Palazzo's decaying sitting room.

The framed ExVotos are early 19th century Venetian, purchased at a favorite junk shop in Venice on our anniversary in 1991.

The crucifix is early 19th century Indian carved ivory, found in a NYC shop that sold goods from India. Also in this tableau are a hand beaded sea anemone (a wedding gift), a piece of coral, & a pencil that belonged to The Husband's sister who, in the beginning of the 1970s, passed away in her early 20s from diabetes.

Mantle details

The Husband collects boxes, possibly to balance my collection of orbs.

Details from one of the Husband's in process assemblages.

The ubiquitous shots of Junior.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. I hope you will come back soon. I feel bad that you didn't have time for a cocktail!

I will not lie. I have a small girl crush on Olivia Wilde. If my brushes could get their bristles on that face... oh the things that I could do! But really... her face is AMAZING for make-up, as you can see that other artists have benefited from. I actually used her layout from the December 2010 issue of Instyle as my inspiration for the South by Southwest portion of the photoshoot I did for the Two Point Oh LA Spring 2011 Lookbook (last seen here and here). And then I saw her on the cover of Cosmo this month, and decided I needed to do a post on her make-up (though its probably more just her face I'm obsessing over). So here is my ode to her, her face, and her make-up.

Photos via Instyle.com, Cosmopolitan.com and other misc. sites via google

This last picture is ridiculously gorgeous! MAC Viva Glam or Chanel Lover would be good to create that lip. God...... can I come back as her in my next life? Pretty please? 

Sigh. A girl can dream.

Stay Tuned!

XOXO

Harry Wales Watch

Fashion forward & wearing the bright orange waterproof suit is part of my secret boyfriend’s training for the Walking With The Wounded trek to the North Pole. My Ginger Lover will walk alongside injured servicemen during the first 5 days of the expedition. From there the team begins a 200-mile challenge to the magnetic North Pole. Harry will miss the actual trip to the pole because of his selfish brother’s stupid wedding thing.

Prince Harry, patron of the Walking With The Wounded charity, will sleep out on the ice & drag a 220lb sled in temperatures set to plummet to -5 degree temperature. Members of the expedition will be expected to carry a share of the cooking equipment, fuel for the stoves, tents & communications equipment. Each will need to take food, clothing & a personal kit.

It is hoped the Prince's involvement in the trek will help raise funds to help other injured servicemen & women find work, security & peace of mind.

The Prince: "It went up my nose. It had to be done."