BLUE & WHITE STRIPE: WHAT TO WEAR

In the summertime, I can't get enough of blue and white stripe fashion.  Shirts, dresses, skirts, and espadrilles serve as the perfect beach - side attire.  I love pairing blue and white stripes with a straw bag for a trip to the beach or gold jewelry and accessories for a low key evening. Here is some blue and white stripe inspiration for your Labor Day last hurrah activities.

Images via Pinterest

BLUE & WHITE STRIPE: AT HOME

Blue and white stripes add a crisp summertime feel to any space.  I love a great blue and white awning for an outdoor space, or a set of Cornish ware cream and blue china by  T.G. Green, for a summertime breakfast.  Here is some blue and white stripe inspiration for your home.

Images via Pinterest

BLUE & WHITE STRIPE: LAST HURRAH

There comes a time when I look forward to fall.  A return home after summer vacations and a shift to warm sweaters and riding boots.  Despite the many exciting factors of fall, I always find myself sad to see summer come to an end.  For this reason, I take Labor Day very seriously.  This is the last hurrah, or the time to do all of your favorite summer activities one last time.   

In the fashion of a last hurrah, I thought I would feature one of my favorite summertime color pairings, blue and white stripes. This classic color arrangement is frequently seen on nautical or beach items; umbrellas, towels, chairs, shirts, and dresses. It can be used anytime of the year and in various locations, but I find it most successful in the summertime.  

As the weekend rapidly approaches, I wish everyone a happy Labor Day weekend, filled with summertime favorites.  

Image via Pinterest 

A CHAMPAGNE TOAST: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGA DESIGN BLOG:

A lot can happen in a year: Birthdays, holidays, and family events.  Births and deaths. The beginning and ending of friendships.  New opportunities; some good and others bad.  Memorable trips and events.  And the passing of 365 days.

A year ago, I sat at a long table at the Boston Public Library, with tall bookshelves surrounding me.  It was here that I created the first AGA Design Blog post.  I was unsure if I was really going to be able to follow through with this.  A blog is a huge undertaking. But within a month of blogging, I was hooked.  Yes, there have been the good and the bad weeks.  Sometimes I am bursting with ideas and I can't get them posted quick enough.  Other times, I feel exhausted and I am lacking inspiration. But there are two things that always keep me going: one, I have an entirely new perspective when I walk down a street or step into a space, and second, I love hearing that friends, or friends of friends are following. As AGA Design Blog celebrates it's first birthday, I would like to say thank you to all of my supporters and followers.  And may we have many more birthdays!  

Cheers to 1 year of the AGA Design Blog! 
xoxo
AGA 

Image via Tumblr

SCALLOPED: GET THE LOOK

Get the scalloped look at Club Monaco. In a variety of patterns and materials, it's difficult to select a favorite pair.  

Amber Scallop Dot Short www.clubmonaco.com

Amber Strip Short www.clubmonaco.com

Amber Faux Leather Short www.clubmonaco.com

Amber Solid Short www.clubmonaco.com

Amber Jacquard Scallop Short www.clubmonaco.com

Amber Jacquard Scallop Short www.clubmonaco.com

SCALLOPED: OBSESSION

The other day, I was thinking about my new obsession for August.  After a quick run through of what I've recently seen and bought, I determined that I am a bit obsessed with scallops.  Not the food, although I love grilled scallops in the summertime. But, the detail of a scalloped edge on a pair of shorts, a skirt, or maybe even a skort.  This summer I purchased a scalloped seersucker skort, complete with pockets.  I find I am wearing this on a weekend afternoon, or out for a low key evening.  The detail of a scalloped edge adds a feminine and finished touch to any summertime short, skirt, or skort.  Here is some scalloped inspiration for the final weeks of summer.

 

Images via Pinterest 

MARTHA'S VINEYARD: RAY ELLIS

I always look forward to summer evenings, when my mom and I visit the art galleries in Edgartown.  I appreciate all forms of art, but my favorite is always the Ray Ellis's seaside watercolors. Located in downtown Edgartown, North Water Gallery devotes an entire area to Ellis's work.  Last year, my mom and I made plans to attend an event with Ray Ellis.  Unfortunately, other plans got in the way and we didn't make it.  I was recently saddened to hear that Ray Ellis passed away a month after the event.  

Ray Ellis was born in Pennsylvania and attended the Philidelphia Museum of Art.  After serving in the Coast Guard during World War II, he worked in advertising and painted on the side.  From 1969 on, he was a full time artist.  Living in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and then finally Martha's Vineyard.  Ellis started his own printing business in Savannah, Georgia that served as his headquarters.  In addition to selling and printing his art, he collaborated with Walter Cronkite to create a series of books showing the coast of the United States: South by Southeast, North by Northeast, and Westwind. Ellis was also commissioned to create the White House Christmas Card for 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. 

South by Southeast, North by Northeast, and Westwind - See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2013/10/07/renowned-artist-ray-ellis-dies-92?k=vg53d00a6e04073&r=1#sthash.ToooCxT9.dpuf

South by Southeast, North by Northeast, and Westwind - See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2013/10/07/renowned-artist-ray-ellis-dies-92?k=vg53d00a6e04073&r=1#sthash.ToooCxT9.dpuf

South by Southeast, North by Northeast, and Westwind - See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2013/10/07/renowned-artist-ray-ellis-dies-92?k=vg53d00a6e04073&r=1#sthash.ToooCxT9.dpuf

South by Southeast, North by Northeast, and Westwind - See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2013/10/07/renowned-artist-ray-ellis-dies-92?k=vg53d00a6e04073&r=1#sthash.ToooCxT9.dpuf

Many years ago, I remember my mom telling me to look at Ray Ellis's clouds for painting technique.  To this day I am still in awe of the way he captures the lightness of a cloud. In addition to his spectacular clouds, I also love how he magnificently paints an object without fully painting it.  For example, the people on his boats are merely two or three brushstrokes, suggesting the form of a person.  Even at the age of ninety-two, Ray Ellis was capturing the seascape at it's finest.  Here are a few of my favorite Ray Ellis paintings.

Images and info on Ray Ellis via www.rayellis.com

MARTHA'S VINEYARD

A short ferry ride from Cape Cod, the island of Martha's Vineyard features several unique towns, public and private beaches, and great bike paths.  With so much to do and see, Martha's Vineyard quickly became my family's summer vacation destination. Sadly, another vacation has come to an end.  Our time was filled with afternoon trips to the beach, morning bike rides around Katama Bay, lobster rolls at The Black Dog Tavern, and fresh oysters at Larson's Fish Market, in Menemsha. 

A vacation's end is always sad; a return to the normal routine and daily tasks.  When the end-of-vacation blues sink in, I try to think of all of the great memories, that I have from my trip.  There will always be another vacation, but it will never be exactly the same as the last one.  For this reason, I love taking photographs while traveling.  In addition to great inspiration, a personal photograph serves as a reminder of a special moment. Here are a few of my favorites.   

 

 Images via AGA and @AGAquadro on Instagram