Nicole Marie Salon & Spa Sneak Peek!

I've been in the Nicole Marie zone lately trying to get all our social media in order.  We're moments away from launching the website but I wanted to sneak you guys a few pictures of how things turned out before it goes live.  Our full before and after post won't be up for a few more weeks (you know how finishing touches can drag on) but here's a couple shots of how things look at the moment.  Oh, and follow us on Twitter (@NMSalonSpa), Pinterest, and Facebook if you get a second!

Crushin'

I've got a big time photography crush on Michael Graydon.  I mean, I've got it bad.  I think my favorite thing about his work is his ability to capture that weird phenomenon when the exact right amount of less than perfect makes something exponentially more perfect than you ever thought it could be.  His subject material makes me way happy.  And hungry.  Just look at these photos!  Seriously, how can you not love this guy?

Images Via: Michael Graydon

My New Thing...

Fun fact: I've started antiquing and I'm super psyched about it.  I'm still abuzz from the amazing pieces I picked up on my Florida trip, most notably my beautiful gold tea spoons.  Somewhere along the line I decided I want to start collecting gold silverware...so if all goes according to plan, these spoons will be first in my long line of flatware family.  And if the rest of my flatware family tree looks anything like the photos below...well...so be it.

Images Via: Remodelista, Merriment Events, Coco Kelley, Brown Dress With White Dots, 

Design Stiles, Rue Mag, Twig & Thistle, Gold & Gray, Chic Provence, Citified

Happy Leap Year!

Those of you who read Design-Muse regularly know I have a thing for celebrating obscure holidays.  I can't offer an explanation, the best I can tell you is it's really, really fun.  As you can imagine, it was all but impossible to resist the opportunity to celebrate the most obscure holiday of them all- so obscure it only shows up once every four years...Leap Year!  I did a good bit of research on the matter and found some really interesting information.  It seems back in the day, women were not only permitted to propose on a leap year, men were actually charged a hefty fine if they refused a proposal.  I seriously can't get over it.  I found a fun intersect in my new favorite hobby, antiquing, too.  Apparently the great souvenir postcard boom of the early 1900's produced quite a few Leap Year postcards, most of which are exceptionally frightening.  Some, however, are quite pretty.  I grabbed a few of the loveliest ones I could find (and a couple funny ones, too).  While I'm more convinced than ever that I won't be proposing to a guy anytime soon (seriously, some of these post cards are massively disturbing...Google search it if you don't believe me), I was thoroughly entertained by the sentiment of it all!   

Images Via: Etsy, Christina Weddings, pzrservices, Poetry Man,

Matterhorn 1959, Vintage Postcards, Joyce Tice, Intuit Websites, The Old Collector

Max & Bean

How's everyone's Christmas shopping going?  I moved from phase 1 (strategize and budget) to phase 2 (start buying) over the weekend, but I've still got a ways to go before I'm done.  Christmas shopping is a marathon, not a sprint.  Remember that.  For those of you looking for a really unique present, might I suggest my very favorite Etsy shop, Max & Bean?  They have a lot of really amazing, affordable vintage pieces, but my favorites are their color-coordinated book bundles.  I snatched a few up during my big house re-design and boy did they ever add something special to our space!  They're a relatively new shop and brand spanking new to Twitter, so spread the word and make sure you follow them ASAP (@MaxAndBean).