It's All in the Shade

Nothing updates an old lamp better than a fantastic lamp shade.  You can take an inexpensive lamp and make it look expensive with the right shade.  And shades get old and dirty and need to be replaced.  When I moved into the farm house I took many lamps and updated the shades. it is almost time for a reboot.

There is the most fantastic lamp store in Charlottesville, VA (shop their site here) that has the most incredible (but expensive) lamp shade selection I have seen. But I imagine there are good stores in most big markets.  You can't buy a shade off the Internet, you have to try it on the lamp.  You can change the harp too to give your lamp a totally new look.

(Fermoie Shades)

(Brunswig Shade)

And I love that patterned shades are back in style again.

(Sari Silk Shades)

(Sari Shade)

You can also decorate with cute, fun shades for your chandalier.

(Shades)

If you are daring enough to shop for shades on the Internet then Etsy is the best source.  The prices are great too.  Love this one!

(Etsy Brunswig Shade)

(Pink Shade)

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

Thursday Treasure Hunt

It's almost the end of the week.  TGIT!  Here are some fun finds this second Thursday in June.

1) Hand-Painted Jungle Mules
Love these hand painted mules, perfect to wear right now.

(Mules)

2) Puffy Tiger Headband

Did you know that headbands are back in a big way? Love this one for fall and beyond.

3) White Birkenstocks

Love these white ones that scream summer.  They'll go with everything you own.

4) Lattice Garden Stool

Love this garden stool - it will go everywhere!  See it here.

5) Vintage Horse Scarf

Love this very reasonably priced silk scarf that will go with everything you own!  See it here.

6) Vintage Thelwell Books

Remember the Thelwell ponies?  Love these old books from back in the day. Loved these cartoons!  See them here.

7) Madewell Apron Dress

Love this fun dress for summer!  See it here.

8) Fun Dinnerware

Love this fun dinnerware from Katie Klime.  Perfect for the patio.  See it here.

9) Woven Bistro Bar Cart

Love this bar cart - for wherever!  See it here.

10) Pink Layered Necklace

Love this fun necklace that will go with everything this summer. See it here.

Drunken Elephant

The name alone gets your attention as does the really cute packaging but that's not enough to sell me on somewhat expensive cosmetics. I love this brand and my goal is to eventually try all of their cool products.

(The Littles - Sample Pack)

Their eye cream is a winner and I like that it's not greasy, not a gel or too thick.  

(Eye Cream)

They also make an eye serum which is more like a serum than a cream.

(Eye Serum)

The Protini Polypeptide cream is a lightweight cream that can be used every day.

(Cream)

I am trying this celebrated facial mask this week and will report back. Let's hope it lives up to its accolades.

(Mask)

I love this line of cosmetics - natural, less is more, no synthetics, good for the environment.  You can see the entire line here.

Trunk Show - Equestrian Needlepoint Picks

Needlepoint.com is having a Meredith Collection Trunk Show so the canvases are 20 percent off.  It's a great time to stock up on some really cute canvases and they offer many equestrian-themed canvases.  Here are some of my picks.  Stitch on!

(Keep Calm - Sign or Pillow)

(Sign or Door Hanging)

 (Ornament)

 (Ornament)

(Ornament)

(Ornament)

And while this one is not equestrian-themed, I love it!

(Please Come In Sign)

Happy Friday!

Sandal Love

Now that summer has finally arrived it's time to pull out the sandals.  I love wearing sandals in summer and could easily pack my closet to the brink with only sandals.  Here are some fun picks, budgets beware!  Common denominator - comfort!

 (Alexandre Birman)

(Anthropologie Sandals)

(Manolo Blahnik)

(Ancient Greek Sandals)

(Suicoke Sandals)

(Arizona Love)

(Chloe Horse Print Sandals)

(Prada Slides)

(Tabitha Simmons)

Monday Musings

It's been a busy summer so far and it's only the first week in June!  There's a lot on the calendar.... Here's what's cooking......

1) The Belmont
Saturday at the Belmont is the place to be. Love this article in the New York Times about the Garden State Hotel.  Would love to have their drink list of this year's entries - so cleaver.  My money is on Tacitus to win and War of Will to place but would love to see WOW win again.

2) Metropolitan Mile
However, the better race IMHO will be the talent-packed Met Mile so get there a little early and watch this one for sure.  Some of the names in this year's sprint for 4-year-olds and up will sound familiar:

Firenze Fire (on last year's Derby trail), Thunder Snow (winner of the Dubai World Cup), McKinzie (a Baffert-trained colt that missed the TC last year due to injury), Coal Front, and Promises Fulfilled.  Some very good horses have won this race:  Frosted,  Palace Malice, Shackleford, Quality Road, Tizway, and Ghostzapper.

This is Frosted who won the race in 2015. We saw him at Darley last year.

2) Alfie Love
Alfie has been pulled out of moth balls, clipped a few times, and kicked backed into first gear.  He showed in March (after not jumping a jump since October) and pulled three 2nds to win Reserve Champion.  Two weeks ago we pulled him out again where he won the tricolor. We ventured over the mountain on Saturday to support the Farmington Hunt and he won again, this time two 1sts and a 2nd to win his third tricolor of the year. Love my 18-year-old-boy. He's the real deal and I love that he's giving me 85 percent!  (not kidding).

3) Birkenstock Love

Love these Birkenstocks!

				5) Vintage Lilly Love I have taken several older Lilly skirts, bought from Poshmark for $8 and $21 respectively and am loving them.  The classics never get old.  Here are few to pick from and who does not love a bargain!

(Lilly Skirt)

(Lilly Skirt)

(Lilly Skirt)

(Lilly Skirt)

Bill Steinkraus' Grand Island Estate is for Sale

Would you like an address to impress?  Look no further than to the late Bill Steinkraus' Grand Island in Darien, CT.  It can be yours for a cool $120M.  This place is incredible, irreplaceable and tasteful. For the horse and boat lover, this estate (it's an island) has it all.  It's dock can accommodate an 100-foot yacht for the boating enthusiast. 

The 63-acre estate has an 18-stall barn, indoor and outdoor grand prix arenas, a 13,000 foot main house built in 1905 with 15 foot ceilings and 7 fireplaces.

Purchased in the early 1900s by baking powder tycoon William Ziegler, the estate that lies just 50 miles north of New York City has remained in the family ever since. 

 According to the listing, following the death of William Ziegler in 1905, his granddaughter Helen Ziegler-Steinkraus lived on Great Island with her husband William Steinkraus, the famous equestrian.  Ms. Steinkraus died in 2012, and Mr. Steinkraus passed in 2017.  The family has said that they are selling off the island because the “next generation has moved to other places.”

Love this place!