Guest Post: Dark Romance

Today I'm thrilled to share a guest post by the lovely Andrea Despot, a gifted photographer and blogger who shares in so many of my interests and curiosities. How do I know we have so much in common? For starters, we love black lace! In fact, I'd bookmarked several of the images in this collection to use for a companion post to my dusty lace inspiration board. Absolutely uncanny- and proof that when Andrea makes her move to the Bay Area, we are sure to be fast friends!

When trying to figure out what to post here on One Must Shock the Bourgeois, I looked to my own folders and Pinterest boards for inspiration. Elizabeth and I both share a love for quirky, romantic things so I figured it would be easy for me to find something appropriate. Hence: black lace. It's a mixture of gothic inspiration and intricate romanticism and I have a feeling that Elizabeth would really appreciate it. Maybe she's even incorporated one or two of these ideas in her own wedding! 

Images (Clockwise from Top Left): Amy Claire via Pinterest, White Owl, BHLDN via Pinterest, James Moes via Pinterest

Images (Clockwise from Top Left):  Kate Forrester Calligraphy via Pinterest, Tamara Lichtenstein, Oh My Cavalier!, Family Chic via Pinterest

Image: Jamie Beck

Thank you, Andrea!

Tablescaping for... No Occasion at All!

Hello friends! I'm still bustling around Seattle... in fact, today I'm being bustled. I'm having my very first dress fitting! Cross your fingers that it zips, and head over to Maggie Rose to see my latest tablescape.

This week I'm using my collection of glass bottles to explore shapes and light, adding sparkle to my everyday table. Definitely a tip anyone could try at home!

Dare to Dream: Camera Bag

With the all of the excitement approaching this summer, I had just about forgotten that I had a birthday coming up (really, I think that post-25th, there just aren't any birthdays worth remembering). But then I came across Nicole's post on stylish camera bags at Making it Lovely... and I suppose I have to have a birthday to create a birthday wish list, right?

At first glance, Kelly Moore's Mimi Bag is an attractive handbag with handsome brass detailing. But it's so much more. It is magic. It is downright Mary Poppins.

A bag that can handle my hobbies and match my style? I guess that's worth turning 25 again. 

Girl About Town: Rockwood Bakery

With three projects on the table and a flurry of Summer events approaching, now is not a good time for a lapse in inspiration- but I'm feeling drained and dull nevertheless. I need a change of scenery. I need a slice of pie and a cappuccino from Rockwood Bakery. I wish I was back in Spokane!

The warm raspberry walls and sunlight filtering through ivy-covered windows, the pleasant ambiance of kitchen sounds and hushed chatter, the aromas of espresso and baked goods... it is my perfect place.

Do you have a favorite retreat?

In Bloom: Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are blooming around my neighborhood now, in white, chartreuse, periwinkle, and icy blue. But up the hill, just around the corner from People's Park, and planted outside an odd little cottage that makes me think of Alice in Wonderland, are these orbs of deeply saturated pink.

Apparently the coloration of hydrangeas is dependent upon the acidity of the soil. So now I have a half-joking explanation for this psychedelic color: they're high on acid. That's Berkeley for you.

I've been taking pictures of the hydrangeas in all of their hues (whether trippy or subdued), which I'll be  sharing on the Shock the Bourgeois facebook page today...

Dare to Dream: Jacques Adnet

About my apartment are scattered humble odes to Jacques Adnet: dark leather, gold trimmings, leggy tables, faux bamboo. His designs, however, are beyond my imitation. Gracefully functional and classically handsome, these are pieces I dare to dream about...

All Images Courtesy of 1st Dibs: 1 - Bottle Carrier, 2 - Side Table, 3 - Coat Stand, 4 - Daybed, 5 - Leather Tray Table, 6 - Magazine Rack, 7 - Magazine Table, 8 - Cabinet

Still Seeking Guest Posts!

My suitcases are getting quite a work out this summer... seems that just as soon as I unpack, it's time to start packing all over again. In just a couple weeks my suitcases and I will be jetting off to Washington (and, officially speaking, I'll be a married woman when I return). Beyond that, parties, planning, and then THE BIG WEDDING.

Vintage Image via Pinterest

So friends, I am in need of some guest posts! I received a stunning submission from the lovely Andrea, so you'll be in good company. For more information, click on over to my original post!

Happy Friday

A pink peony, a bowl of berries, some summer fashion inspiration... I'm ready for the weekend!

 

I so want to be that girl... crisp and lady-like, with no-fuss hair and chic black & white adornments. Forget bright colors and barely there bikinis, this is my idea of classic summer beauty.

xoxo

Elizabeth

Chain Linking it All Together

Junkyard toughness with a sultry drape. Masculine metal with feminine curve. Chain link is a trend I could trim my whole house in...

Chain Link Floor Lamp from Bermingham & Co. on 1st Dibs, Boyfriend Chain Bracelet from Bing Bang, Chain Link Cake Plate by Magenta, Industrial Bar Table from Greenwich Living on 1st Dibs

Here & Now: Right Outside my Door

Yesterday we took a stroll through my parents' lush garden in Edmonds, Washington. I'd love to be able to follow up with a tour of my own Edenic landscape, but I don't have one! Alas, we have exactly the kind of outdoor space you'd expect from an unkempt and ugly four-plex: like the apartment, the yard has gone to seed. It is, on the whole, scraggly, weedy, and uninspiring... save for one thing, just outside our front door.

This treehouse in my neighbor's backyard lends a little charm and imagination to our outdoor space. There aren't any kids next door, so the treehouse is a bit overgrown, and mainly enjoyed by squirrels. I entertain amusing notions of hosting club meetings up there, Calvin & Hobbes style, but I'm fairly certain my neighbors (and their dog) might take issue with that!

The Summer Garden

Did everyone have a happy 4th (and hopefully, a long weekend)? Adam and I tried to put a three-day break to good use. On Saturday we hiked 5 miles through a redwood forest, on Sunday we walked the rows at Alameda in 80º heat, and on Monday we could hardly get our exhausted, aching selves off of the couch! 

If you stopped by Maggie Rose to see my tablescape last week, you probably noticed (and perhaps oohed/ahhed over) the bunch of freshly cut flowers decorating my Mom's table. Gorgeous- and merely a sampling of what's blooming in the back yard. Now that I'm back to my weedy plot in Berkeley, I thought we might all enjoy a walk through my family's garden.

Ah, if only there was one more day in the weekend. I could use a relaxing afternoon in the shade to recuperate!

Today my Facebook and Twitter followers will get pictures of my favorites from the Alameda Flea... are you following?