A whisper of summer ...

Tomorrow is the last day of the York Decorator Show House in Kittery Point. I am feeling a little sad! It went by far too quickly and I did not get enough time up there to really enjoy the visitors who stopped by my two baths and the other Trio Design spaces. The time I thought I would be able to spend with the other designers was also not enough. We will have to make up for it tomorrow evening at the Closing Soiree and Secret Garden Party! Show house tours are ending a bit early on Thursday (call ahead to confirm exact time) so if you are planning your visit for the last day don’t go out for a long lunch first! I will be back later with more photos from the show, snapshots from summer design events, some completed project photos as previously promised, and a few special announcements ... 

Birthday Wishes and Fairy Dust

My Birthday Surprise: London Calling

So today is my birthday. I should be taking the day off from social media, but I had to pop in to share a special gift I received. Yesterday afternoon I was on twitter and noticed that a bunch of people – many that I have met at various blogger events – were being introduced as being selected to travel to London to attend the London Design Festival.

Check it out! The London Design Festival

BlogTour by Modenus

11 people were named, all of whom had expressed interest in being on this very exclusive list. Several times a year, Veronika Miller of the interior design curated site Modenus, organizes these all-expense paid blogger participation trips as a way to introduce fabulous products and share design inspiration with bloggers who then share what they discover on their journey with their audiences. Pretty amazing, huh?

From my recent Brizo trip to Memphis (More on that later! Still working on posts!)

on left: my friend Barbara Elza Hirsch went to BlogTour in New Orleans in April

middle/right: Marilyn Russell and Laura Bielecki are on the list for BlogTourLondon

It was fun to see each blogger being introduced. Especially when I saw a number of friends from my recent trips with Brizo and the Blogger19 filling the coveted spots. This is very much like winning the blogger lottery! Plus it is an incredible opportunity to be exposed to cutting edge design while in the company of some amazing (and seriously fun!) people.

Then I saw my name in a tweet. What’s this? Something about a vote? One blogger (there is supposed to be 12) was unable to attend. All of a sudden there is an open spot and six bloggers have been selected as vote-in candidates. To see my name on this list came as SUCH a surprise! I felt like I had been handed a golden ticket! Honestly I never even put my name in the running to go as I have been sincerely fortunate this year to be able to travel to a number of blogger events that were also unexpected opportunities. What an honor to be chosen!

At Itta Benna in Memphis for the Blogger19 Reunion hosted by Brizo

Cast your vote before 5pm today!

So now I have until 5pm today to find out if my name ends up filling the 12th spot on the London BlogTour list. But you know something? I already feel like I have won something. I have been blogging for five years. I have written over 500 posts (hello, could have written that novel by now!) I have made some wonderful connections and real life friends as a direct result of engaging with the creative community I have found online. Just being selected and having my blog recognized for the original content I work so hard to create is the real gift. It makes it all worth the effort. Tonight I will eat cake with my family, drink champagne and celebrate the fact that doing what you love is its own reward. In the meantime, if you would like to vote for me, click here. Cheers!  xoxo yvonne