There is something about life at the cottage that turns even the smallest of us into collectors.  While at the beach in particular we can find beauty in the shells,driftwood, beach rocks, beach glass and even the feathers from the pesky sea gulls (who love stale Triscuits).  This summer we collected rocks and had fun on the one rainy day painting them to haul them back home and place in our garden….always a constant reminder of the wonderful memory at the beach.  One of my clients just returned home from the beach in Alabama and had a wonderful selection of beautiful shells the family collected while there.  She put them in a beautiful bowl on the table and made a very personal accessory that just with a glance will bring back a flood of loving memories. In the spring while in South Carolina my girlfriend and I collected oyster shells along the beach and in a “Martha Stewart moment” went home and glue gunned the shells to some glasses and made our own shell votives.  They actually turned out pretty good.  These kinds of sentimental keepsakes are filled with positive energy and wonderful memories!!

British Designer Charlotte Dellal was named Accessory Designer of the Year by Glamour Magazine this year.  Charlotte is the Creative Director of the Charlotte Olympia shoe label which is famous for their bright colors, prints and height!! Seriously even when I was young I could not walk in these.  Beautiful to look at but don’t know many who could stand in them for a cocktail party!!   Always fun to see different and interesting designs….like a work of art!

By now we all know that China is the land of copy…movies, designer clothing, designer purses etc. Well now architectural ideas from many famous cities are being copied there as well.  In Hangzhou we have Paris with the Eiffel Tower…granted it is one third of the size but still looks impressive. The second photograph is of replica of an Austrian town.  In Beijing. the Chateau Zhang Laffitte Hotel has over 500 luxurious rooms and is ready for your next company function. This was built after 3 years and 10,000 photographs taken in France for $300 million with over another $60 million being spent on landscaping alone. And last put not least Holland Village.This Dutch flavored development boasts of canals, wooden shoes, tulips and of course the windmill!!

Okay Gang…get your pickups ready and plan a fun girls getaway the first week of October.  This is one of the best shows in country!

Meg Ryan’s laid back cottage at Martha’s Vineyard has a casual style with many large windows bringing the outdoors in. The slip-covered chairs, white walls and white, beamed ceiling give it a feel of “come on in and relax!”