Three cheers for Cherry blossoms and a giveaway!!

Hi there! I have sooooo missed being in blogland, making my rounds and really missed all my readers! My little getaway was wonderful and I came back to an overflowing mailbox, and lots of orders to get out. No rest for the weary...but I love every minute:) We are off again later today on a mini road trip for the next three days to do some college visits so I am thrilled to share with you a post I had put together a week or so ago, I will be back on Sunday and just in case I do not have the chance to post want to wish everyone a very happy Easter! Next week.....everything goes back to normal!

I looooove cherry blossoms. I can still remember the first time we attended a cherry blossom festival in Washington DC when I was a kid, I was totally transfixed in a way I cannot quite explain. As a young girl, we were also in Japan for the cherry blossom festival and have lots of pictures of my sister and I standing against natures most spectacular backdrop. Perhaps this was the very beginning of my love for flowers and nature in general, without my even knowing it. They are as beautiful and elegant as they are dramatic. Only downside is that they don't last as long as would be ideal (forever would be ideal).

I  have searched high and low for a very realistic looking cherry blossom and finally found them! I am soon going to be offering them  on  my online site,  under new arrivals. These blossoms are exceptional! Best part, they really do last forever!!

 I am also offering up a wonderful giveaway from Madhouse by Michael Aram, the maker of beautiful and sophisticated melamine and paper dinnerware.  Love the line....all details below.

 So first a look at all the beautiful ways cherry blossoms can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors........

 Simply breathtaking! The public Asian

 Japan cherry blossom festival, Artsonearth

 DC in all its cherry blossom glory! Jennings and Gates

 Nothing quite like the wow factor that cherry blossoms always bring to a table! Theknot

 Walking underneath a huge canopy of cherry blossoms is like walking down heavens path.......

 

Florie Hupert

 Stunning cherry blossom inspired wallpaper in this gorgeous bathroom is so fresh, Houzz

WOW!!! Themetapicture.com

 They certainly make a beautiful wedding cake! The cake girls

What room doesnt' look instantly spectacular with a huge spray of cherry blossoms?

Love them as inspiration for beautiful cookies, Callmecupcake.com

Preston Bailey has proven over and over again he knows how to create total fairytales out of flowers!

 And can a party table look any prettier than one set with an explosion of cherry blossoms? Collection 26

 Love the idea of spring-y dinnerware with a cherry blossom theme, Macys

 Against the all white, the effect of the pale pink blossoms is simply breathtaking! Elizabeth

 Stunning cherry blossoms cake Let them eat cake

 Cherry blossom festival in Tokyo, Japan

They make a lovely card even lovelier....Mujka

Bellaink

Adore this bathroom! So elegant and refreshing with the pink cherry blossom paper!

How incredible are these etched glasses with cherry blossoms!! I love them! Branca

Wow.....this just takes my breath away! Calligraphy by Jennifer

Now to show I practice what I preach, here they are in my own home.............

Love them! They add such elegance and a bit of drama to any room they are used in. The height does magic.......I love real of course but a good faux is hard to beat as they last forever! How about you? Do you love them as much as I do?


Now onto this wonderful giveaway from The Madhouse Collection by Michael Aram . The giveaway is for a dinnerware setting for 8. They make beautiful papergoods and melamine dinnerware, looks really expensive but the prices are amazing! Their designs are simply gorgeous, so unique and really sophisticated. The lucky winner will get to choose their pattern. I will announce a winner on Monday. To enter simply visit Madhouse by clicking here, come back and tell me your favorite collection. Simple as that. So much to love!

Good luck and thanks as always for stopping in! Thanks Madhouse for your giveaway.  Hope alls well over in your corner of the world and once again wishing everyone a happy and healthy Easter!

Designer Spotlight: Palm Design Group

Hi everyone......things are moving along, just super busy as you can imagine trying to settle in and get somewhat organized, feel like we are just scratching the surface. Tomorrow next round of personal belongings arrive, so it will mean another frantic round of unpacking, organizing, sorting,etc.....but I hope to do a small updates post in the next few days, I promise! Here is a post I worked on in advance and I still have a few more amazing guest posts coming your way....

Hi there! I found the Palm Design group by accident looking through a design magazine in our hotel, The Phoenician (which I highly recommend by the way) while in Scottsdale a few years ago. I was immediately taken and smitten over their knack for creating beautiful rooms that combine American sensibility with the trace of a European feel. Their spaces are light and airy, inviting, classic and above all else supremely elegant.

 I was intrigued and suddenly started to see more of their work  published which is very understandable. After looking at their portfolio, I realized their entire body of work is quite spectacular. Based in Arizona, this firm has officially won me over. What I love about their rooms, is that they feel like they could have been there for years (my favorite kind of space) and are really timelessly elegant. The interiors are simple and very classic, not fussy, overdone or too formal. I love the vibe that that seem to create time and time again. Clearly this is a very talented group over there. Take a look and see what you think about their look. Enjoy......

These colors are so beautiful together, what an inviting and elegant room!

Great kitchen, full of character

Lovely guest bath....love the "chest" console and bench

Here the mantle appears to take center stage, a very inviting space 

Love an ottoman in a bathroom, this ones a beauty

A delicate dressing table....

Soft colors make for such a cohesive feel to this bedroom

Another charming bedroom

I love interesting sinks and vanities, don't you?

Wow a visual masterpiece!

Absolutely love these colors...cools and warms, beautiful!

A tonal and very elegant living room

Those soft washed colors again....so soothing

Love this bath, the perfect balance of rustic elegance and coziness

Amazing how something so simple can be so beautiful

Love these chairs flanking the gorgeous stone fireplace

This backyard is dreamy........love everything about it!

Ahhhh...something about a white bathroom and how gorgeous is this settee?

Love the colors in this room, the light is just fantasy like.

Great looking space, with its vast size, high ceilings, this is one dramatic room

Wow...just wow!

I want this!

The light colors do it for every time.....makes it so inviting

Gorgeous kitchen with the old hand molded brick floor, stunning!

Love lanterns and they apparently do too!

Arent' these colors so soothing for a bedroom? Love the washed floors.....

How gorgeous are these rooms?  Do you have a favorite? What do you think about this particular design style? Would love to know which and what you think about the cool soft palette they tend to use. To me, its a winning combination all the way. I especially love all those washed woods mixed in with the rich blues. And those outdoor spaces, so glamorous and beautiful! Wishing everyone a wonderful day!