Made up Spring

March 20th was the first day of Spring. However, there is still snow on the ground and my coat still feels like a second skin.

After being cooped up for 4 months, I can't wait to be able to go outside to enjoy the fresh air and the pretty flowers. I'm beyond ready for Spring, but it seems Spring is not ready for me. I certainly can't do a thing about the weather but I can bring Spring into my home.

So, I bought some flowers, made a colorful and springy pillow cover for my living room, and invited some girlfriends over to make Spring wreaths. Not only did I have a wonderful time, but also, I feel a lot less frustrated about the long winter and super excited about the Spring! If you feel like me, I encourage you to made up your own Spring until the real one decides to show up! :)

                            Happy Spring!

             

xoxo,

                    Angelica

*Please note that content in guest blogs is not necessarily shared by the station manager (i.e. Wendi!)

Style: Wolrd Bazaar

Home decor represents you, your family, your likes and dislikes. It is a creative expression of self splashed with lots of personality and love.

I'm really enjoying these interviews. I hope they are helping you gather ideas and examine different styles.

Meet my friend, Stephanie!

 

I'm a mom, a wife and a "currently-on-hiatus" model home designer. With a husband who works full time for the Air Force, runs a flight school, and works as an examiner for the FAA, I'm taking a break to raise our awesome 7-year-old- daughter. After living all over the U.S. and in Okinawa, Japan, we are hoping to stay in Las Vegas, Nevada for a while. We love spending time with friends and family, and we love to travel. We are currently looking forward to trips to the Grand Canyon and Disney World!

1. What makes your house a home?

As Winnie the Pooh said, " Home is the comfiest place to be", and for me, home is wherever my family is. As long as I have my husband, my daughter and out sweet dog, any house can be a home. I try to create a sense of "home" by adding personal, and unique touches to my house. I have lots of family photos, fun art work and accessories from our travels, and special furniture pieces that have been passed down in my family for several generations (like my great-great- grandmother's sewing table). Someday, I hope to pass the family heirlooms on to my daughter. I also keep a Texas-themed guest room wherever I live. This reminds me of growing up with my dear family.

 

 

 

2. What is your decorating style and why do you like it?

A friend once described my decorating style as " World Bazaar". I think she nailed it. I have a very eclectic mix of rustic pieces, antiques, new pieces purchased through my various design firms, and lots of items picked up in my travels. Everything is anchored with bits of blue (my favorite color). I definitely draw influence from my years living on the Florida Coast and the Island of Okinawa. My walls are painted colors like: Beach Glass, Watery, Rainwashed, and Tidewater. I love having a little of that coastal feel even though I now live in the middle of the desert! I try to keep my artwork fun and every piece has a story. For example, I picked up my "House Elf"at a little antique store in east Texas. The whimsical little elf greets my guests as they enter our home.

 

 

 

3. What decorating accessories are a "must" in your home?

I love all of the pieces I picked up while we were living in Okinawa. I have beautiful collections of shells, glass and coral gathered on the beaches, and various Asian-influenced imports picked up at local gift shops. Family photos are also a "must" in my home.

 

 

4. What are your go-to places to find unique decorating items?

The answer to this question is constantly changing. I have quite a few pieces that were returns from my design jobs. I was able to purchase them at bargain prices! Many of my accessories came from the military gift shops in Okinawa. Those shops imported some incredible items from various countries in Asia and Europe. I've also had luck finding treasures at discount stores like Ross and Home Goods. And of course, some of my favorite items come from antique stores in Iowa and Texas.

 

 

Thank you so much, Stephanie, for your collaboration on this post! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much I do!

Take care!

                                 Angelica                              

Happy Birthday Angelica!

My dear friend Angelica (aka "The Interiorista" on my Blog) is celebrating her last birthday of her 30's today, and I wanted to give her a shout out.

I may have told this story on my Blog before, but when I moved to Turkey, I was truly praying for "my people." I wanted a really awesome community living SO far away from all I knew and loved.

A few days after arriving on Base, I was out for a walk, and I ran into Angelica's husband Dan, and their two children (at the time) Noah and Rowan. I chatted with Dan briefly, thought he was a very cool guy (I mean he flies an F-16. How can you not be cool?) and then walked away.

As I walked away, I truly felt the holy spirit whisper: "You need to meet his wife."

It was that statement, whispered into my heart that lead me at church the next day, to seek out Dan and introduce myself to his wife, Angelica.

The rest they say, is history.

Angelica became one of my greatest friends -- a lifelong friend for sure. She was born and raised in Spain and met her husband there. He was a missionary kid, and their families grew up together. 

We travelled together quite a bit in Turkey. Firstly, when I was about 25 weeks pregnant with Abigail, and Angelica was newly pregnant with their third (Reese -- whom we would later be asked to be the godparents of), they took us on a five day tour of Spain. Oh was this wonderful. You can click here to visit past blog of this trip. It was so wonderful to see a country through the eyes of people who "know" that country so well. I especially enjoyed watching Angelica in her element. While she is an outgoing person, in America, speaking English, and especially on the Base in Turkey and traveling around Turkey, she would let me take the lead (probably because I learned Turkish). But in Spain, she was large and in charge, and it was so fun to travel with them.

Here are a few more pictures of us around Spain:

We also spent our first Christmas in Turkey in Istanbul with our family and the Stebbins family. We had a total of five children under four on this trip. Are we crazy or what? Here are two favorite pictures of mine from that weekend:

We also took a girls' trip to Cyprus with Linda and Stebbs as well. Here is a photo from that adventure:

Oh there is so much more we did during that two years, like the Air Force Ball for instance:

It took a bit for all of us to end back up in the USA after our two years in Turkey drew to a close, but once we did, we reunited -- where else? Washington D.C.!

She came to visit me on my farm. and we took all of our kiddos to Dollywood for the day:

And I went to see her in Boston:

I could go on and on, but I will leave you with two of my favorite videos of Angelica. (After I quickly mention that they just added a fourth child to their family -- an adopted son from South Korea!) 

I have always said that pictures don't do her justice. They just don't capture that "flair" that make her who she is. But these videos come a little bit closer to capturing my friend. Thank you dear  friend for being a special gift from God during two of the most challenging and wonderful years of my life. And our friendship continues. Here are the videos:

On her visit to my farm

With Abigail in Turkey

Style: Exotic

I met my friend and fellow military wife, Casey, when I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I loved sharing our backyards and being able to chat often. She is one laid back, down to earth, cool gal! I hope you enjoy her style and interview as much as I do!

We Franklins are a small family of three. We do pretty much everything together even as our teenager is becoming more and more independent. We love to get out and explore our surroundings and love to sample the local cuisine. Nothing is too strange or weird (except maybe if it is still moving). We actually have been able to sample crickets from Thailand and Mexico. Both very different yet equally delicious! We are looking forward to new adventures now that we are back in America. So much to explore in our own backyard!

1. What makes your house a home?
Anything that really reflects where we've traveled. Photos of family and friends. Cozy warm textiles. Bright vibrant color schemes. I find I tend towards dark wood and the color red. My husband is all about the rugs. I've jumped on his band wagon.

2. What is your decorating style and why do you like it?

We have an eclectic style that tends to reflect an Asian/African theme. Bits and pieces from all over.

3. What decorating accessories are a "must" in your home?

We always try and grab original art from local artists.

4. What are your go-to places to find unique decorative items?

Antique shops primarily, World Market, Pier One. Local artists as well whenever we visit.

Thank you for stopping by! You don't need to be a professional decorator to make your home look beautiful. Just let your creative juices flow and let your place speak who you and your family are!

                                                XOXO,

                                                   Angelica