Where The Wild Things Are (Color Theory)

I had a little color theory series going earlier in the year and life got in the way! I do plan to finish it up but I decided to stick this post in (that I had near completion) right now because of a fun animal print collaboration I'm in on IG! 

Not exactly true color theory subjects but I decided to include Animal Prints simply because I personally love them. Maybe too much - we will see :)

I have a group of IG friends who feel the same way and we will joke from time to time that "leopard is a neutral" and "never too many animal prints!" Jenna Lyons was quoted as saying "As far as I'm concerned, leopard is a neutral." How do YOU feel about animal prints?

 

(This tiger print pillow from Annabel Bleu looks good literally everywhere!!)

I love a great zebra print rug (mine are faux!) and have them in more than one spot. I have an amazing new one in a softer gray in my entry way and a fabulous bold black and white one that I thrifted in my Library. I think they are different enough to use side by side. You can read all the zebra rug details here and here.

At one point I had an indoor/outdoor zebra rug on my screened in porch. It was a great online buy years ago and looks like a hooked rug. 

I've got this fun zebra fabric waiting  in my "stash" while I decide where I might use it. 

Tigers, Zebras and ... Leopard print!! Interestingly enough what you call this spotted animal print seems to be generational and not because we are able to tell one spotted animal from another zoologically. I say "leopard print" but many younger people call it "cheetah print!"  There is a difference - leopards have rosette markings and cheetahs have solid spots! We do tend to use the terms interchangeably in the design world. 

Some people feel strongly about unnaturally colored animal prints but I do not draw the line there - I like a blue leopard print or turquoise zebra print. I've used them both and more!

I love this blue leopard chair that came from Tortoise and Hare Vintage in Chattanooga TN. I've got a bright tiger print pillow tossed in it (Annabel Bleu again!) Makes for a very fun corner in my family room.

My kitchen curtains are an orange and coral leopard spot print. They are fun and bright but still a little understated because they read like a texture from a distance.

You don't have to make a big commitment to using leopard print in your home. I use these inexpensive (under $10) fleece throws on our porch to add a little animal print to our screened porch. A touch of British Colonial, maybe?

(Note: the back pillow is a brown and white outdoor zebra print pillow!)

Remember how I said you don't have to make a big commitment to animal print in your home? Well, I don't have a problem with making a commitment to animal print! I slipcovered the cushions on the wicker couch in my family room in leopard fabric!!

I searched high and low, over several months, to find a nice looking, neutral indoor/outdoor leopard print that felt nice and I could afford. I spent hours on this. And then one day I discovered ShopFabric.com and there it was. I ordered samples of two different colorways and then ordered yards and yards of it. I love it. From a distance it reads as a neutral and it looks great on the dark wicker couch. And it was $7.98 a yard. I know!! Amazing.

(I've now purchased yardage from ShopFabric.com several times. Great service and quality each time!)

In case you were wondering why I was hoping to find an indoor/outdoor fabric that had a nice feel to it for the humans sitting on it :)

Cooper has always been a fan of leopard print!

You can add just a touch of animal print or you can go WILD!!

Do you decorate with animal prints? Do you wear animal prints (I do!!)?? I'd love to know!

January!! How Did That Happen??

 My previous post was titled "December!! How Did That Happen?" and before I could post another thing we are 10 days in to a new year. How DID that happen??

I don't have any resolutions to post. I don't have a word of the year. I am starting to think a little bit about a project or two but really, honestly, there isn't much going on around here. You are probably thinking "then why is she even putting a blog post up right now?" I've had that same thought ;)

We have been admiring Cooper's ability to ease very, very slowly in to the new year!

He is basically a professional!

I haven't been much more energetic either.

It's cold in the South (20's at night and we aren't very tough when it comes to the 20's!!) 

I'm channeling Cooper and being lazy and wearing thick wool socks. Mollie and I are hooked on these socks from Target!! They are the only thing keeping my perpetually cold feet happy right now. 

Another thing I wanted to share is the link for one of my zebra rugs. I have been answering the "where do you find your zebra rugs?" question on my Instagram pretty often lately.

The zebra rug in the Library (foreground) is one of my all time most amazing thrifting finds. The whole story is here. It is an Ethan Allen wool rug that is amazing quality and huge.

The zebra rug in my entry way is an Amazon find and available at a great price. 

I have it in the gray colorway but I've always been tempted to buy it in the black and white version as well! For those of you thinking I have two many zebra rugs - you may be right!!

In addition to  snoozing with Coop and answering DM's about zebra rugs I have been doing a deep dive into this Instagram account. Lots of inspiration!

And I've been trying to figure out how to make and where to put a chandelier like this one. Once I saw this image I was hooked. They are in a boutique hotel in Orlando - all the info I have. I'm thinking sticks and coral-y red paint would be a good starting point. Where, oh, where could I hang one??

That's truly all I've got for now. Hoping for more motivation soon. 

And warm sunny weather!! That motivates me :)

Forcing Spring

We are closing in on a year of being confined to our homes. 

I am anxiously waiting on Spring. I know I'm not alone in this and I'm always anxious for Spring to arrive any year!  I'm just extra excited this year!

I have always loved having forced bulbs in my house during the Winter months. Honestly, I never care if my paperwhites or amaryllis are potted up late and bloom in January instead of during the holidays. 

And I always buy hyacinths in the quaint little glass bulb jars when I find them in the stores. 

They are my favorite!    This one bloom is making the whole Library smell fabulous.

I love to put them around the house on tables near where we sit to relax, read or watch TV. 

They scent the entire room!

After the bulb blooms inside I plant it in my front yard 

(never in the back yard because bulbs are poisonous to dogs and Cooper would definitely dig them up!)

I ran to Wal Mart today for a few non-plant related necessities and treated myself to a spin through the garden center... and they were rolling out the forced Spring bulbs. Many are a $1 each. I grabbed a few to update my head or bust planters (I never know what to call them but I love them!) from their Christmas look below.

I love that Wal Mart has these forced bulbs each year because we don't always have the best luck with bulbs in the South. Using these inside and out in February also helps me be patient about planting a little longer!

I can't wait to get these potted up. I'll be sure to share on my Instagram account!