Colorful Friends

So much going on. So, so much.

I need to take a little vacation from my life right this minute so I am going to address the fact that I have found the last few of my blog post a little absent of color. Bright, splashy color. Oh, sure, there is talk of color, colored tiles, colored floors, colored lives, but color? Well, raw clay is grey, construction is grey and Piemonte this November is really grey (but thankfully not rainy)...

But today a splash of color arrived in the mail and today on my friend Allison's blog, color inspired me!

First, the blog. Allison at Campbell Soup Diary, one of the most lovely blogs out there from one of the sweetest girls out there, has been posting about quilting and has been very busy doing shows -- she makes gorgeous things -- jewelry, handbags -- and sells several lines of fabrics, from her studio in Hamburg, Germany. She is now heavily into future motherhood and quilting, and today posted some fabrics which made my heart jump. Why? Well, I am planning the design of a guest room here at the B&B and I am looking to use oranges, creams, chile reds, bronzes, celedon, pea green, olive and chocolate browns.

This photo totally speaks to me of the color and pattern world I am thinking of.

Second, I have been looking for a scarf for a very special occasion, with no luck. The dress I have. In fact, I have two, one black, one pewter. (That last one was purchased in a real wild moment. The only colors I wear in winter other than black is off black and really dark brown. Or a jeans jacket).

I am not very good at dressing things up or accessorizing. Hence, an emergency call to my friend and guru in all things fashion, Birgit. Birgit is tall, gorgeous, lives in Berlin (one of the hippest places on the planet), pairs mink with fatigues (successfully) and, well, let's just say she changes her purse - every day. The girl knows more about accessorizing than I do about making breakfast. So I sent her on a task -- to find me a Pashmina which would work with black. Or pewter (actually I never told her about the pewter dress, just the black one). She would be working at the Import Shop International Trade Show in Berlin, and told me she would take a look around for something that could work.

Today the most beautiful silk pashmina arrived at my doorstep. Rich russets and reds, and a flicker of turquoise which actually has a pewter-effect in this gorgeous scarf. It's heavy enough to be appropriate for a winter event, yet light enough to wear all evening.

Thanks, Birgit and Allison! You girls from Germany added SO MUCH color to my day, and to my blog!