...this original RAPHAEL SORIANO home for sale in studio city is amazing....!

Sometimes a house listing comes up that I instantly am thinking "So, when is that next Lotto drawing again"? This is one of them. Between the fact that the original owners have preserved this Raphael Soriano home in Studio City, CA, to the furnishings, all the steel and glass.......MOVE ME IN!!

Raphael Soriano worked with so many incredible architects including Ricahrd Neutra, Gregory Ain, Rudolph Schindler and Joseph Eichler to name a few. He designed famed photographer Julius Shulman's home (still standing) as well....the list goes on and on.

Drool on....

please with those perforated screens.

just needs a scooter/motorcycle garage

love that office view....

that bar!!

oh, the brunches I could do here....

all images taken off of CurbedLA's site and listing here.

a look back at 2015 in PHOTOS.....!

2015. This year has marked a lot about "practicing what I preach and preaching what you practice". I've been on a path for a few years of really trying to connect to something more - to find my significance in this crazy world. Trying to better understand how my actions affect those around me and those I may not even know on a personal and emotional level. It is hard shit. But then on a certain level it isn't hard at all. Being a nicer, calmer person is easier than being angry....it takes a lot less energy, don't you think? So as I look back on this year while I acknowledge the tough times I also reflect and remember the sweet moments. Knowing you take the good, you take bad, and there you have......The Facts of Life. Right, Tootie?

My thoughts on New Years Resolutions haven't changed - you can read about that here if you wish.....but I do resolve every day I wake up to try to connect better, do better, appreciate more, stress less about the small stuff and soak in the good stuff. I feel very fortunate to have a great family and so many wonderful friends. An amazing community in my yoga practice and talented, inspirational people in my design community. I wish you all a happy last day of 2015 and a healthy and inspiring 2016.

More SOUL FOOD.....less eye candy.

With that here are a few of my favorite moments from every week of 2015 captured through my Instagram....

loving on Miette on her 3rd adoption anniversary and designing a super fun space

quick trip to Palm Springs to celebrate a friend's 50th and filling up the guest bath with pretty blooms for a girlfriend's weekend

stepping onto a new project and watching the clouds roll in in the 'hood

remembering amazing artist Rex Ray and adult pinata-ing it for a good buddy's 40th

remember and thinking about my Lu Lu and the opportunity to use these rad acoustic tiles on a project 

cruising on Harlow and always looking up

installing a favorite project and visiting the birds at the zoo with my momma

mixing patterns and hanging at the Madonna Inn for a bestie's bachelorette 

acquiring pretty shoes and visiting a bff's new and fabulous house in Denver

same bestie's wedding with other besties and hanging at the BMW vintage car show

installing these cuties and fun wallpaper and hanging in wine country in Santa Barbara for Mother's Day weekend with moms, friends and my oldest nephew

soaking in the Central Coast and chanting and sweating with a hundred yogis with Rusty Wells

riding around the Sugar Lamb with dozens of other Lammys and hanging with Kimmy in Sonoma en route to Snoop Dogg 

peony still life and chatting with my main OG on the east coast on his birthday

cute install of a little lady's bedroom and getting my green thumb on

hanging with the Hallows and quality time with my youngest nephew

Giants in jammies and more installation of the little lady's bedroom

a trip from SLC to DCD with a bestie for MHM18 and studying for my first yoga teacher training 

seeing old roomies from college and swimming in the ocean during a pink sunset

coastal hikes and practicing yoga on the Giants field (after they won) with 2Tone!

vintage car rides with buddies to wine country for my birthday and more fun installations

riding in the Italian Heritage Parade and watching my nephew shred it in Seattle

a pretty wallpaper install and leaving our mark

getting fancy with the hubby for a xmas party and meeting new and wonderful friends

dinner parties with friends and feeding the monkeys in Costa Rica  

christmas in Santa Barbara and rollerskating with friends along the beach

H*A*P*P*Y N*E*W Y*E*A*R, friends.......xo!!

all images by Janel Holiday Interior Design - use with permission is totally cool.

....the PINEAPPLE express.....!!

Have you noticed how pineapples are popping up everywhere in the design world? From jewelry, to wallpaper to shoes, to cell phone covers - I mean, everywhere. But really this fun, spiky fruit has quite the long social history and has been a status symbol of wealth and hospitality and an artistic motif for centuries.

The pineapple was - and still is - a symbol of welcoming. In the United States this is especially true in the South and traces of this can be found in pediments/transoms over front doors and on front gate finials.

I rounded up a few pineapple designs that I especially love:

1. pineapple shirt by Scotch and Soda - hipster pineapple

2. SHAG Exotica font by House Industries

3. hand screen printed wallpaper by Hygge and West. Obsessed.

4. gold pineapple necklace by Lee Renee

5. pineapple Vans for teeny feet - whats up with no adult sizing?!

6. cute + tropical key fob by Tory Burch

7. brass pineapple door knocker

8. pineapple wood + fabric fan

9. pineapple printed iPhone 6 case by Skinny Dip

10. cross-body pineapple purse by Kate Spade

11. these heels by Aquazzura that are just insane enough that I would wear them. In a heartbeat.

12. vintage pineapple mix sticks - search that on Etsy and get your Paypal finger ready.

13. outdoor pineapple towel holder

 

DIY bachelorette PARTY INVITES: for a cute + beautiful bride-to-be....!

I love a party. Especially a party that involves a cute outfit or two or three. And champagne. Of course. So when I recently took the my "matron-of-honor" reins for a bachelorette party I was in charge of throwing for the bride-to-be I got a bit crafty on the invites. First of all, us ladies were going to stay at The Madonna Inn...you've heard me talk about it before, right? It is glorious. Kitschy, pink, gold, thematic, tufted, dripping in roses and super campy....I'm obsessed with it. One thing I love to do with for any party I am planning is to run with a theme and I was thrilled to incorporate The Madonna Inn into the invites and get the girls prepped and excited for what was sure to be a weekend to remember.

I like to do all my own graphics for my invites if I'm making them. #1: It's nice to put that school stuff to use and #2: I'm a control freak. For Jamie's invites I looked back at some photos I took of The Madonna Inn for inspiration and knew I wanted them to be: pink, green, gold, rosey, striped, tufted and glittery....!

Paper Source is my go-to for invite supplies. They have a wide selection and range of colors for the basics (card-stock, envelopes, etc.) and tons of great roll and single sheet decorative paper to do custom envelope liners. I decided on large bright pink envelopes, blush pink and bright pink cardstock for a two part invite and gold glitter paper to line the envelopes. They will totally oversell you on all the stuff to do these crafty things at home. Let them - the stuff works!

Once I had my supplies I designed the two part invites to fit the cardstock knowing I would embellish them with glitter (because, glitter) and other fun stuff that would embody The Madonna Inn.

I like to use thicker PhotoPaper.....glossy is good. It makes a sturdy finished product, it takes hot glue and Modge Podge (see below) really well and basically creates a good foundation to glue stuff to. Easier to cut as well.

It's very important to have an assistant on hand. even if they just stand around and look cute.

 

I love these envelope liners from Paper Source....just trace out, cut and then use double-stick tape to secure....

save your scraps for other things...I made gift bag tags and heart cake toppers for the weekend with mine. I try to carry the theme throughout the party.

gold glitter + pink. what is not to love?!

I use glue sticks to secure the invite to cardstock and then wedge the finished dealio under something heavy to get them to stick and dry flat.

Once dry, I used things I picked up from Michael's and just piled it on until it felt Madonna Inny enough.

to finalize them I brushed a layer of Modge Podge (with glitter of course) over the tops. On a side note, I realized that I have "sparkle" Modge Podge and that an "Extreme Glitter" one exists without my knowledge. How I did know this is bizarre. It's been ordered.

Lastly, I always want whomever is opening the invite to have maximum enjoyment (while thinking, Janel is flipping NUTS)....so for these puppies I found a gold striped paper that I cushioned between the two invites and then wrapped each invite with a pretty bow before tucking them away in their hot pink, glitter homes. So it was like a little present to open...!

And there you have it. Fun and festive invites for a beautiful bride-to-be....! If you make your own invites I would love to see them - please share!!

All images by janel holiday interior design - be a doll and ask permssion before using - thank you! xoxo, janel