Category Archives: I'm Such A Techie

It’s The Homies, homeys…

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890a1791Guess what. It’s that time of year again

I have the flu, just found two more grey hairs in my left eyebrow

(OK, 3 if we’re really splitting hairs)

and ”The Homies” are back!

(actually, they started 5 days ago so I’m kinda getting creamed)

For readers new to my blog in the past year, The Homies are like the blogging world’s “Oscars” and “Slim Paley” is nominated in the “Best Home Design & Inspiration” category. Of course there’s no money or statue involved but it’s really nice to receive recognition for all the time we bloggers invest in writing our blogs.

Now, just because I’m under the weather and getting old and grey, don’t think I’m looking for sympathy votes. Simply hoping that if you DO enjoy reading “Slim Paley” you will please take a minute to register your support by voting for me.

 The 6 blogs with the most nominations move on to the finals. We can do this!!  Voting closes at 11:59EST Feb. 8th.

I Pinky Swear  you will not receive any unwanted emails from Apartment Therapy.

 Could the 3rd year be a charm for me?? That’s up to you!

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HOMIES LINK

I’ll be back with a post very shortly.

Thank you!!

~

Blog Love

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The only privately owned version of Edvard Munch's The Scream is to be sold at auction in New York

We have been without internet in our house for 2 days now.

TWO DAYS.

I don’t know why, but OMG. Seriously. I mean it’s one thing if you’re on holiday and have no service, but the unimaginable INDIGNITY of no service in your own home-WELL, let me tell ya… the entire household is in an uproar. While the mystery of the downed service remains unsolved, I hate to suggest things are getting testy but, at one point, even my bill paying skills have come under suspicion (FYI-it isn’t that)

So, right now I’m sitting in my parent’s kitchen hijacking their internet (apparently they pay their bills :) )

The upside of the situation is as I don’t have access to my photo files, it affords the perfect opportunity for me to have a little ‘brag moment’ and share this ;

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Needless to say I was both honoured and excited to participate in this blogging article for HouseBeautiful.com.

It wasn’t easy to narrow my ‘Blog Crush’ down to just one blog (story of my life) but that was our mission should we choose to accept.

I hope you have as much fun as I did discovering some new design blogs here!

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Link to story HERE

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Wishing everyone a lovely, cozy weekend. I know it’s very cold in many parts of the country.

I’ll be back as soon as the Internet Gods allow. In the meantime, I’m at the mercy of my iPhone ( I love you iPhone)

xxSP

~

Instagram Friday

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Good Friday to you all. It’s very dark and raining heavily in Santa Barbara. Practically pea soup as I look out my window. Sunset was at 4:38pm yesterday-yuk ( I have a Sunrise/Sunset App.).I snapped this Instagram photo of the granite grey sea and sky yesterday morning. It made one want to just stay in bed with a frothy hot drink and a great book while a hearty stew simmered on the stove. I wish I could say I did just that, but I dihn’t.

77e9008038f711e2a88722000a1f90d0_7The sky the night before was a good predictor of what was coming. I’m having fun with my Instagram App.  Are you using it? Are you following moi? This is with no filters, just plain.

db1f8d0a3b1711e292a022000a1faf61_7This morning there was a brief lull in the rain so I took a walk through the garden. Look at how gorgeous the trunk of the Cork Oaks get when they’re soaked through.  I think these are such under-rated, beautiful trees.  I wonder if Oprah has any on her property :)

1c8ece443b1911e29f1422000a1fbc0e_7Still with the roses… God bless em.

825649843b2111e292eb22000a1fbd89_7-1And can you believe it’s this time of year again?!  The house is filled with the scent of drying orange slices for the Christmas tree.

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It’s definitely this kind of day today. I’m staying in, staying dry & cozy and hopefully get some writing done.

Cocktail hour might even commence before 5. The weather made me do it.

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PS. I took the above photo with the “Cinemagram” App.-it’s also fun, check it out.

Hey wait- did that just technically make this a “Friday Favourites” post?!!

Wishing you a wonder-filled weekend.

xxx

~

Catching Up

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Slim Paley photo

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A quick catching-up post

a bit all over the place- like me at the moment.

I had a lovely birthday despite beginning the morning with my bathroom makeup chair rolling out from underneath me and landing on my arse.

Well, that’s not even quite true-

would that I had had that much padding

it was actually my tailbone that took the  direct hit.

Believe me, the irony of my “Vanity” chair being the culprit of such a mortifying pratfall is not lost on me :(

Luckily, I don’t think anything was really damaged, except my pride…

though I’m still nursing a very tender lower back

and feeling somewhat sheepish that my birthday resolution to go running again was dashed.

Even yoga was out.

Which was not a good thing considering

There were more than a few caloric falls from grace this week…

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starting, but not ending, with champagne before 12pm ( it was 5pm somewhere)

two chocolate cakes

(yes, one was the Costco Cake I believe we’ve discussed with due reverence before)

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and fresh truffles for breakfast.

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Many, many thanks for all your sweet wishes & funny comments on my birthday post.

As I said, each & every one, a lovely present.

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In other ‘catching up’ news…

After a brief hiatus from coconut oil “pulling” due to travel constraints, I’m back in the routine and feeling pretty good about that.

The bad news is I’ve managed to find probably the only naughty coconut product out there …

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Expresso made with coconut water.

Seriously.

Who thinks these things up and why are they out to get me??

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Meanwhile, long time reader and faithful commenter  ”Marsha C”

was so inspired by my colourist’s assistant’s two-toned, bedazzled, bedecked & bejewelled  manicure from the

“City of Brights” post

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that she went out and got one herself.

No moss growing on Marsha!! :) ..

 

Meanwhile, I haven’t had a manicure since  Lincoln was assassinated .

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Lastly, in literary news…

My Monty Don book arrived yesterday

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Yay!

Love him.

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A good friend tells me she found “Gone Girl” impossible to put down, so I’ve downloaded it onto my iPad

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and another trusted pal tells me I must watch “Homeland” and catch up before the new season starts later this month.

Are you a fan??

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Lastly, the postman also delivered my issue of Canadian “House & Home” which looks full of juicy fresh Fall inspiration

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but  as the hot, summery weather in Santa Barbara continues to hold steady

Except the day of my birthday when it rained!

(Though I’m not complaining, we needed it)

I’m still finding it awfully hard to hit my Fall stride-

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Not to mention cracking the bedside behemoth that is

the September issue of Vogue.

Fuggedaboudit.

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Just…

can’t…

go there…

yet.

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Hope YOU had a great weekend!

xox

~

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Watercolour Wannabe

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Slim Paley Photo

..Painter’s palette plates at Fishes Eddy NYC.

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I had such lofty plans for doing some painting this summer.

I was saving,

saving

and saving this post until I could add just one finished painting of my own.

:(

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I’m not going to suggest it would have been anything like this

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John Singer Sargent was in Greece.

I was in Greece too!

One of us was a bit more productive.

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though I did take my watercolours to Paris

and I certainly visited Laduree…

This is not my painting. (via Pinterest)

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 even just a little bird like this would have been something

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But alas, my painting muse flew the coop

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 I did find a few pretty images of paint boxes in my travels both on land and the internet :)

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and colours blending in a water coloury fashion

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 I could certainly paint this, couldn’t I?

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Perhaps I simply spent too much time on my ‘gadgets’

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ah-D’ya think???!

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Let’s all take a collective moment to be thankful that Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso et al didn’t have an iPad.

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These sweet little slippers from Anthropology whispered;

“You never painted this summer! For shame, for shame”

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 ”Christopher Clutches” filled with watery colour goodness mocked me too

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Watercolours in every permutation floated through my days,

a spectral  reminder of broken promises to myself

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Black Crow

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Tablescapes

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Pillows

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Baboucherie

Down the runway

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…and back to the table again

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John Singer Sargent

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Images abounded to chide me;

PAINT! PAINT! What’s the matter with you? PAINT!!

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Tamara Comolli Collection

Well, actually, this image was more like “Buy me! Buy me! What’s the matter with you?? Buy me!”

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My little box of travel watercolours (Winsor & Newton)

and one very tightly painted pear from my class. I had to cut it out from the page because my shadowing was so bad.

Did I mention I’m a Virgo?? Albeit one that doesn’t feel the need to clean her paintbox or cut her pear particularly well?!)

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Sargent.

LOOK at this!

I could say this is why I don’t even try

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Paola Navone china

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Sargent.

He kills me.

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Wallpapers available at BLACK CROW STUDIOS

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If one were really, really brave, you could forgo the wallpaper altogether, soak the wall and just go at it with your own paints.

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Issey Miyake feeling it

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Who would think baking a cake would ever start looking like the easiest option?!

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Fishes Eddy NY

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Sargent

I’m visiting friends in Santa Fe, New Mexico soon.

My travel paints will be going into my luggage.

Taking bets??!

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How about you? Have you been artistic this summer? 

I hope so!

~