HOUSE PROUD AND BLOGGER PROUD!

My friend and fellow blogger/designer Valorie Hart has just had her first book published!

It's a beautiful volume featuring unique homes in Louisiana with Valorie's inimitable viewpoint and insights resulting from her years of design experience and style savvy. Valorie has been a sweetheart and so supportive of me since we were both green bloggers years ago and the design blogging community was so much smaller. Thanks so much, Valorie for featuring some of my work and adding me in your art sources! I am honored. Please check out her book - "House Proud". It's available on Amazon here

If you're in New Orleans, stop by Modern Market on Magazine St. for a book signing tonight

 from 5:30-7:00.

You can meet the ebullient and charming Valorie for yourself!

Congratulations, Valorie! xoxo

LAYERED NICENESS

Hello Everybody!

I have emerged from my work cave to bring you an update. I am sure you haven't exactly been on tenterhooks, waking up wondering when I am going to post again, but I do feel remiss for having neglected posting lately to get other things done. I just love this room and it's relaxed cottage style. Those lampshades are calling out to me as I attempt my own lampshade customization project. That is just one in a long line of projects I am trying to pull together to inject our new place with some life, color and personality. I am attempting to convert our new home from the most generic, pablum, blah, lack of personality/color interior that you could possibly imagine to something eclectic,  interesting, comfortable and unique. I will post some before/after photos in the near future. IN the meantime, I will be posting sporadically and send you all my best. Thanks for reading and have a terrific day!

PRIZE DOORMAT

I saw this online and thought it was fun. What a great way to welcome people to your door....with a bit of humor. Find it here.

I hope that your week is going well!

TOTAL SLACKER

T.G.I.F.

I know that I have been terrible about blogging lately, but sometimes there are things that are pressing and you have to just stick to priorities and let the rest go without stressing too much. It's been another very busy week, but I am feeling better because I am checking some major tasks off my list and just met a big commission deadline. Time to take a little time off this weekend to spend celebrating my husband's birthday and catching up on a little rest. I love this photo because it conveys a homey kind of warmth and looks like a niche somewhere in a cozy London breakfast room.

Thanks to all of you fine friends who continue to read Annechovie, in spite of irregularities.

Have a wonderful weekend and see you soon!

ITALIAN GARDENS PILLOW
My latest pillow design available now HERE
HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!

PHEW!

This photo I found on Pinterest of a nook looks like a cozy spot for a little respite, something I am needing right now!

I apologize for being so MIA right now. We are still getting settled after moving and I am setting up my new studio while trying to keep up with my work, orders and a big new project in the works. Things may be a little thin here on the blog for a bit, but thanks so much for your support and patience!

Hope your week is going well! xx

CAMPAIGN CHESTS

I am drowning in a pile of to-do's but enjoying every minute of it! Today marks my 41st birthday, and I have a lot on my plate, let me tell you.

This is one project I am attempting to undertake. Transforming a notty pine, non-descript piece into a "Campaign" chest. I found it on IKEA hackers, courtesy of Pinterest (where else?) I bought 3 of these Rast chests. My sweet husband looked a little skeptical when he asked why I wanted them and what my plan was. Being the great guy that he is, he only said "I trust you" when I grinned and attempted an explanation. I will let you know what color I paint them and how they turn out.

Here goes nothin'!

CALLING ALL SCOUTS!

I am happy to say that I am still alive and survived the move this weekend. 

How was your weekend?

If any of you shrewd and sharp-eyed shoppers with style know where a similar salt and pepper mill can be found, please let me know. I'd be eternally grateful as I love these and have not been able to locate any in the US anywhere.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

I love this room from the Don Alfonso Hotel in Capri, Italy.

The colors are soothing and it looks like a great place for a respite. Good thing I am not superstitious, as I am closing and moving on Friday the 13th. Maybe when the madness of moving, work and life subsides a bit my husband and I can schedule in a get-away to such a place. Ahhhhh.

I hope that you have a great weekend. I may or may not resurface on Monday depending on how I survive the move.....ta-ta for now, Kiddos.

THINGS I AM LIKING THIS WEEK

A pic of a grimacing dog taking a "selfie". 

Is anyone besides me sick of the term "selfie" and the whole concept behind it? T-I-R-E-D.

"Unexpected" Cheddar from Trader Joe's. I don't know which is better, the name or the cheese.

The best cheese I've ever had....ever. I am ashamed to say that I could easily consume an entire brick in one sitting if it weren't bad for me and totally and disgustingly gluttonous. 

Tigerlily flat weave rug from Dash and Albert. Love Dash and Albert rugs.

That's about it, folks. My week is crazy because I am working on some illustrations for a client's book project as well as a million other things, including trying to close on the new digs and move (mortgage lenders and mean people.....rrrrr, don't get me started)  The serenity prayer would sum it all up about now. I hope your week is going well.......

The original, attributed to Niebuhr, is:

God, give me grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

FLUORO FRINGE

one of my latest original paintings available here

NEW ABSTRACT WORK

Time has been at a premium for me lately, folks. Lots going on around here, but still have found time to paint a few new pieces and this is one of them - "Tonic Water". It's larger than most at 24x36x1.5 and features some colors that will perk up your place! 

Can be hung vertically or horizontally and in any direction as you see fit. Find it here

Hope you have a really nice weekend!

ONE KINGS LANE

I hope that you had a nice Holiday weekend. I got a lot done, as we are supposed to move in less than a week and there's still so much to do! I cannot get over how flash sites are making online shopping so much easier these days. I have been able to pull together some great pieces for our new home in my spare moments on the computer.
I especially love One King's Lane for the style and quality of their stock. From furniture to decorative accessories to basic necessities, they've got it covered.
Check out all of One King's Lane great buys here

ANNECHOVIE LABOR DAY SALE THIS WEEKEND!!

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I am celebrating by offering all of you wonderful readers 20% off any purchase in my shop totaling at least $20 with the code: LABOR20

type it in at checkout to receive your discount and enjoy the holiday (if you live in the US!) and

 have a great Holiday weekend!!

COLOR FEST!

Sometimes I just need a color boost mid-week!

What's your favorite color pairing?

THANK YOU, BLOGGERS!

HOLA - THE STYLE RACK

ART BY KARENA

I just wanted to thank Rocio at the Spanish fashion blog Hola and my friend Karen at Art by Karena for posting some very kind mentions on my work recently. Please check them out by clicking the names above below the photos. Thanks and have a terrific Monday!

I SPY....

Did you see this great post on fellow blogger and businesswoman Mackenzie Horan on the Glitter Guide?

I was "chuffed" to see that she had my ginger jar print hanging on her gallery wall (above)

Mackenzie carries some Annechovie products in her Design Darling store

(my matchboxes are on the windowsill here)

She has done a lot with 300 square feet in Manhattan!

Congratulations, Mackenzie!

Have a great weekend!

CHEVRON OVERKILL

I just had to post this!

I like Chevron as much as the next guy (or girl....) However, I cannot bring myself to paint it or to have it in my home. It was just emerging (again) about 6 years ago when I used it as a background for some of my silhouette paintings, but it has been beaten to death since then. It's one of those patterns that will define the last few years in decor and will look dated. So, I just can't do it. Oh, that and juju feather headdresses. What about you? Any design trend that you have seen enough of?

ALL CANVAS PRINTS 20% OFF!

All mounted canvas prints are 20% off this week in my Etsy shop.

Just use this code at etsy checkout: CANVAS20

Find them all here

LAZY WEEK'S END

I have had a hectic week catching up on work after I have been away and so am a little behind with my blogging! I am leaving tomorrow for a weekend away with my husband. We are doing some more furniture shopping combined with beach time as we need to get things together and ordered since we are due to move into our new digs in about 3 weeks! Yikes.

Anyway, I saw this gorgeous, light-filled studio via The Design Files and it's a bit of an inspiration for my new studio (although I don't envision a hide rug on my floor somehow). The white shutters are already in place along with the wood floor, I just need to paint the walls white and I will be ready to go.....

These two images are not really pertinent, but just make me feel happy. The good thing about being an independent blogger is that you can post whatever you want for apparently no good reason, right?

Don't you love how Bonnard captured the light in this painting? Timeless!

Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you next week.