Martha Stewart At Wal Mart

Good ol' Martha has a wonderful line of wedding favors and decorations at Wal Mart. I was at my local Wal Mart, and just happened to see these. They are so cute and affordable, and some of them would be just fine and dandy for any party, or even for a little whimsy in your home decor.
My favorite, very on trend store Perch has had them hanging in the shop for months. When I first saw them I commented to the owners, and they said, oh yeah, they're cute aren't they, they're Martha Stewart. I thought maybe they did a craft project from the magazine, and was impressed by their crafty skills.
My Wal Mart is a dinky one, and it has never recovered being fully stocked since Katrina, so I was surprised to see these there. So I checked on line, and there it all is! It says these things are only available on line, but check your local stores too. There are invitations, programs, favors, cake toppers, stacking boxes, etc. - you could do a whole paper wedding!

Perch. HERE

Pom pom kit $9.97 HERE

Set of 3 eyelit lanterns $11.96 HERE

Paper flowers $9.97 HERE

Peony bouquet $19.96 HERE

Eyelit lighted garland $14.96 HERE

6 piece lantern set $11.96 HERE


Use them like Lynn von Kersting!

Lynn von Kersting Shares Cottage Style Know How

Lynn von Kersting has another feature in the Summer 2008 issue of decorating, one of those special interest publications done by Better Homes and Gardens. At $5.99 these slim quarterly issues are nice little spin-off money makers. One wonders what makes an editor choose to put a major designer/decorator such as Lynn von K in the spin-off, rather than feature her in the main magazine. Anyway, it is a pleasant surprise, that makes an otherwise ordinary super market magazine rack offering very special. And of course that's why I bought it, instead of putting it back on the impulse buy rack once my checkout was completed. In all fairness, the enitire slim issue packs in several nice offerings.
I had to do a double take, since I saw another von K house featured in the June/July issue of Western Interiors HERE
Both homes are in the Los Angeles area, and both have similar use of fabrics and furniture, but they are not one and the same home. So if you're a Lynn von Kersting fan, pick up this issue.

Signature von K elements: prints, comfort, color, collections

Ticking stripes and shell covered mirror look fresh again,
and I love the colored silk Burmese lanterns

Lynn does another brilliant DR chair -
remember the red stripe one we all love in Western Interiors?

I have not seen this much editorial on Lynn von Kersting. Joni Webb at Cote de Texas did a wonderful piece on her, naming her #7 on the Cote de Texas Top Ten Designers list, where she used several von K photos HERE. Joni noted that published pictures of Lynn's work are rare, and that there is no von Kersting book. You can of course see her work at her store in Los Angeles. Lynn is a special type of designer - she owns a restaurant (The Ivy) that has been a watering hole for the celeb set for a long time (maybe 20 years by now). She has her store Indigo Seas, which is styled to the nines. Through the store, and by word of mouth of many happy clients, comes her commissions to do interior design and decoration.
It is so refreshing to see Lynn keep traditional and romantic decor alive and well and current, especially in the Los Angeles/Palm Springs mecca of all things Mid Century fabulous.
It is curious that her work is appearing in what I think of as off- shoot and regional publications (Western Interiors and decorating). The big two guns left standing, Elle Decor and Domino, haven't published any of Lynn's current work yet.
I predict we will see a Lynn von Kersting book very soon!

The entryway: More stripe ticking
Note the white tile floor - something many of us have
How "green" of her not to rip it up, but make it work

A guest room using all the things that we love,
that have been discarded for the Domino groovy rooms:
Chintz, florals, quilts, wicker!

The master bedroom - there's that red stripe we love
used on another style of chair to great effect


Detail of a corner in the master bedroom -
Another fab shell covered mirror -
Love the turquoise accent color
used throughout the entire house

Below: Another dining area on the sun porch
I love the straw fan display on the mantle

Western Interiors June/July 2008 - Inside Peek

Just a small peak inside of the June/July issue of Western Interiors. No great shakes this month. Hope Elle and Domino are better...
This is a story called Beach Party. Western Interiors describes it: "Brilliant colors and vibrant patterns give a coastal retreat in Southern California a sense of carefree tropical fun..."