Tuesday, April 27, 2010

April Snow Showers

Photo by Jessica Bue-White via Facebook

Today I spoke with both my family in Wyoming who complained of clearing ice on their windshields and my in-laws in Quebec who have seen several solid hours of snowfall since this afternoon.  Both these scenarios sound divine! I want to be in adorable little Brae-Lynn's boots right now, making a snow angel in crisp mountain air.  Instead I am still sweating, long after sundown, still hot after two cool showers, three dips in the pool, and several ice cold beverages.  It's suddenly summer here in Turks and Caicos and being that it is only April, I simply refuse to turn on the A/C, a luxury we reserve for our hottest summer months in August and September.  I'll make do with the ceiling fan, and I'll get used to it as I do every season, just a little reminder to those out there in the cold . . . . the grass may be a shade of olive, lime, or forest, it's all in the perspective.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Art From the Islands


This photograph of a Turks and Caicos sailing regatta was taken by Federico Bigazzi.  Federico, originally from Italy, came to the island two years ago as an autocad expert, formerly applying his profession to automobile design.  Federico is a program whiz, anytime we have a computer related dilemna he is the first person we call.  I greatly appreciate that his technical understanding does not overshadow his artistic eye; his photography represents a great understanding of both. This image is Turks and Caicos timeless. I gave it an extra painterly texture to further express that it could be from yesterday or yesteryear.  You will be seeing a lot more of Federico's photography to come.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Parrot Cay Wedding

Any opportunity that arises to set foot on Parrot Cay is a welcome one.  It had been nearly a year since my last visit, a location scout for Self Magazine.  We boarded the boat at noon and upon arrival to the island immediately got to work constructing a driftwood chuppah for the ceremony on the beach.  Just in time for the island drum band to set-up, the structure and it's fragrant adornment was complete;  white confederate jasmine vines meandered their way up each post, large white orchids potted in moss nestled in each empty nook, and hundreds of single stem cymbidium orchids dotted the wildly organic and wonderful structure.   


While my assistant packed up, I quickly rushed over to see what Environmental Arts and wedding planners Nicole and Linda from Hopple Popple, had been hard at work on.  The reception looked flawless; driftwood took center stage on each table, the worn and sun bleached greys were balanced beautifully with floral arrangements of white blooms, pale pink peonies, and delicate splashes of green and coral colored buds.  Fabric lanterns hung in clusters from the timber roof, dark espresso chivari chairs, and embroidered tablecloths added elegance to the simplicity of the space.  After these few quick snapshots on my phone, we rushed down the beach, and loaded our gear onboard Beluga.  Our dear friend Captain Tim had come to our rescue as we had missed our 5pm boat while applying the finishing touches.  Just as the guests began to arrive we were sailing off into the sunset.  A great way to end the day.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

JCrew Behind the Scenes


JCREW is a fan of driftwood too!


Photographing the jcrew kids at one of my favorite places on Provo, Pirate's Cove.

All photos by Pepper Key Stacie
Our final day and final shot highlighted by a gorgeous Fort George sunset.  How cute is the crew's thank you message to Turks and Caicos Productions?  We, and the islands, thank J.CREW for selecting us for their location and production team and capturing our little Caribbean country with such grace and style.  We welcome you back anytime!

JCREW Wedding Collection

All images by Mei Tao

JCREW first launched it's wedding collection in 2004, creating an alternate avenue for couples seeking a simpler approach than the typical taffetta and tulle overload.  By 2009 even high fashion brides were hooked and W Magazine was taking notice "I do" to J.CREW .  Their collections always have something ideal for beach weddings (like these sand, soft peach, and pale pink options above) and everyone should agree that the prices leave breathing room in the wedding budget.  As a bride or a bridesmaid you can easily wear that dress again, a practical and eco savvy choice.

Friday, April 23, 2010

JCREW Shoot

Photographed by Paola Kudacki for JCrew May 2010 catalog

I am pleased as pie to finally be able to share the fruits of labor for a shoot I worked on in late January and early February.  The "CREW" (pun intended) were a real pleasure to work with, especially producer Tara Rehak who was consistently, 10 days straight, full of sunshine and incredibly on the ball.  I saw a couple of familiar faces upon arrival; Troi Ollivierre, hair stylist extroardinaire who created these wild and lovely windswept do's and Brian Jensen, props assistant who helped transform Southwest Bluff beach into this ridiculously cool kid's camp:

Photographed by Mei Tao

A new noteworthy face was Erica Muncy; an assistant wardrobe stylist with a super fun, foot loose, and fancy free sense of fashion and humor that kept me anxiously anticipating what she would not only say but wear next.  All in all, we had a very talented group of professionals who made this shoot as fantastic on set, as it is now reads in the catalog.  I have purposely left you craving for more so please visit
 A Day In Paradise Behind the Scenes, you will not be disappointed!  To view Turks and Caicos specifically featured in the catalog, please see pages 1-33, 82-94

Many thanks to all involved, including our local catering, pa's, transportation and prop suppliers.  Well done everyone! Please visit Turks and Caicos Productions to see more recent clients and works and stay posted here for Wedding, Swim, and Behind the Scenes Images!!!



Thursday, April 22, 2010

Driftwood Versatility

  Driftwood has a tendency to have a rustic reputation, but as these photos demonstrate,
when used as an oversized piece of furniture
Styled for Tommy Hillfiger collection

or a small detail

driftwood can have relevance in any room;

REFINED


CLASSIC


or CONTEMPORARY

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Driftwood Decor

Images: Coastal Living on My Home Ideas
Karen Robertson safari tents on Love Embellishments

Images: Lamp styled by
Foyer by Richard Gloullet and Roman and Williams armoire image on desire to inspire
House Beautiful on love my earth
Driftwood lamp on apartment therapy

I am infatuated with driftwood, and luckily I live on an island where it is readily available.  I can't go on a walk without major urges to take these natural treasures home with me. Fortunately, driftwood is making a big appearance in design these days and am finding more and more purposes for my collections; table bases, sculpture, lamp remodels, even structurally as railings and upright posts.  Yesterday I met with a client and suggested she transform a chunky bamboo coffeee table base for a more appropriate island style like seen above.  Keep posted for images of a driftwood chuppah we will be constructing for an upcoming beach wedding.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Visitor

Fleur de lys villa had a special visitor this morning.  Meet Olie, a pink pet cockatoo who flew in from our neighbors on the beach.  Olie is extremely intelligent, and a social butterfly . . .  make that bird?  He often visits various residents in the Leeward neighborhood, announcing his arrival with his distinctive chatter and famous whistle.  This whistle caught me by surprise the first time I heard it, while on a morning jog on the beach with my dog four or five years ago.  He whistled several times, probably getting the biggest kick out of me looking around wildly to discover the source.  After much confusion on my part, he finally showed himself and decided it was time to further demonstrate his sense of humor by dive bombing our potcake Pepper.   Pepper chased furiously, jumping madly for a nip at the tail feathers, but gave up after 30 minutes of failed birdcatching and nowadays when he starts in she sticks her nose in the air and pays him no mind.  Today Olie landed on the balcony outside the office so I thought it only polite to invite him in for a chat.  An hour later I tried to tell him I had work to do and it was time for him to go home.  I'm certain he understood me perfectly well but refused to budge until I petted him (yes, he will rub his head on your hand until you give in), paid him a dozen compliments, and escorted him out the door on my shoulder. 

All photos by Pepper Key Stacie
  As luck would have it, I sent in two photographs to Desire to Inspire last week and our cat Pikey made the cut for Monday's Pets On Furniture posting.  Little did I know I would have a my own "pets on furniture" posting!  This blog is an absolute treasure chest and the duo behind it, Kim and Jo, self described design junkies, have got some serious style radars.  I'm especially gaga for the RETRO postings. 

Sunday, April 18, 2010

A Boat Wedding and a Beach Wedding



All photos courtesy of Lynn Robinson via Facebook
Lucie and Shaune hosted their wedding aboard the Atabeyra.  How extraordinary to take 50 of your closest friends and family out to sea for your ceremony.  For this couple the setting is only appropriate, Lucie a dive master and Shaune, a well rounded waterman with expertise in fishing, lobstering, and handling TCI boats big and small.  Shaune was the captain on my very first island hopping experience, a boat trip to Middle Caicos where he pointed out a flock of flamingo's en route, led us to the majestic Mudjin Harbor, and prepared a freshly caught picnic for our group. 
Years later I booked Shaune for transportation for British fashion photo shoot on Fort George, where the art director took one look at the towering athletic islander, with the charming grin and signature dreadlocks, and immediately asked to hire him for the day to model.   I relayed the deal; he would make excellent pay on top of his captain fee, and the only thing expected of him was to frolick on the beach with the gorgeous swimwear girl.  The only stipulation of getting paid to flirt with a magazine model and have his five minutes of fame commemorated in fine glossy print, was to wear a Euro brief.  Where I think most men would have been willing to skip buck naked at the offer, Shaune wasn't interested in the least.  In production where scantily clad beauties are involved, you occasionally have to request the ogglers to move along.  Shaune on the other hand, informed us he would be back to pick us up at the end of the day.  I pretended to be as perplexed as the art director by his rejection at the offer, but inside I was laughing hysterically.  Lucie, Shaune might be known as one of the greatest fisherman on the island, but I think you've just proved your skills at landing a great catch!  Congrats you two!

All photos by Pepper Key Stacie, planning by Tropical DMC
In closing for the weekends post, I must mention yesterday's wedding for Billy and Allison.  This young couple from New York spent their morning on a snorkeling excursion!  No last minute hectic running around, no chaos, just taking the day for themselves and their fourteen guests to ENJOY!  And enjoy they did, especially thanks to Billy's fun sense of humor which kept all entertained.  After the ceremony they paraded by beach with friends and family from their resort, The Sands, to the Bay Bistro restaurant for their reception. 

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Art from the Islands


Image courtesy of Jason Soderquist via facebook

I will be aiming to feature "art from the islands" regularly here on p&p, but most often it will be imagery by individuals who would not refer to themselves as "artists".  In my opinion everybody has artisitic talent and how better to personalise your space than by featuring something that you love, that YOU created.  Some might argue that in my profession, that last statement would be bad for business.  To the contrary, one of my favorite types of jobs is assisting clients to make or feature their own art.  Which is exactly the case for the above photo.  While at dinner at our dear friends, Jason and Eliza's, (a very cool house he designed and built on a canal front lot), they inquired about an art piece for over the bed.  I immediately thought of this photo of his, taken I believe somewhere in route to the Bahamas from the Turks and Caicos.  Not only is it an incredible composition, and from a birds eye point of view, it is just too perfect considering Jay is actually a boat captain, and Eliza has a deep passion for flying and has nearly completed her pilot's license.  Today Jay is leaving for France for three months to captain a boat in the Mediterranean.  For Jay, bon voyage and take lots of pictures:) For Eliza, some choice words of consolation (stolen from her very note to us on our wedding well wishes tree)

"To the wind that blows . . .
To the ship that goes . . .
To the lass that loved the sailor . . .
And to the sailor that loved the lass."
-Eliza's version of Charles Dibdin

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Pinch Me

One of our engagement photos by Brilliant, used in our DIY thank you postcards

 
I got the unbelievable news last Thursday but was too afraid to shout it out loud in case I dreamed it all up by accident.  Abby Larson of style me pretty sent us a message that she considered our submission not only worthy of a mention here, on her stunning site idolized and adored by brides and wedding vendors across the globe, but also thought it would be a nice fit for today's guest blog entry on . . . . . . drum roll please . .  . .  . . the brides guide on martha stewart weddings!!!!!!  Sorry for the exaggerated pause, I needed a moment to spin some cartwheels.  Martha has been a fixture in my family.  A holiday would not go by without referencing one or two of her crafty creations.  I received the artsy-crafty bug (or maybe crafty-artsy according to my peers in art school who knew I was primarily more of the former versus the later) from my dearly departed grandmother Susan.  As much as I am thrilled to bits and pieces to even have our wedding  considered amongst such delicious design as you see in the last couple of entries, the biggest feather in my hat is feeling like I made Susan proud today.  A  major muwaaawh and merci beaucoup to Abby and to all those who make Style Me Pretty a joy to read each and every day.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Two Turks and Caicos Weddings


 
 

 

style me pretty
Planned by yifat oren and photographed by Gia Canali

Here we have two incredibly gorgeous weddings I stumbled across while visiting lovely blogs, very worthy of the repeat press. Both caught me by delight, and pleasant surprise as I recognized the locations almost immediately. The Turks and Caicos Islands are lucky to have hosted two such beautiful affairs.

Images by Elizabeth Messina of kiss the groom
Designed by Lisa Vorce of oh how charming

I am an overly adoring fan of Elizabeth Messina's work. It was her very own wedding that inspired me to use a vintage crown for our wedding cake topper. Her photography is simply surreal. I only wish my dreams were as soft and heavenly as her imagery.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The New Look Of Wood


All images from the April 2010 issue of House Beautiful
Apparently I am not the only one who has had pastels permeating their April inspirations. Check out the cover of the current House Beautiful (perhaps most of you are already onto May's but here on island we are a bit behind). This issue had me at hello and kept me engaged from cover to cover. As a creative designer for a woodworking company, I am in awe of all things wood; floors, doors, windows, furniture, fratwork, the list could go on and on. I am thrilled that this House Beautiful made the topic their cover girl and they did not dissapoint with covering her extensively throughout the issue. There is a feature on the beautiful raw work of master craftsman George Nakashima, who I agree with whole heartedly in his love of imperfections, seeing them as integral to a woods beauty and uniqueness, just like the grain. There is the fascinating and educational timeline on wood world history, the fun and informative pages on various wood names, origins, and uses, and even a last note on how best to care for your own precious pieces. For our TC Millwork clientele there are plenty of fantastic visuals to demonstrate "The New Look of Wood;" tinted, reclaimed, or washed, we would love to recreate any of these stylishly relaxed looks in your home.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Pretty Pastels


The imagery you are seeing above is a small taste of the gorgeousness you may find on Style Me Pretty, with a delicious dash of Martha Stewart Weddings thrown in for good measure. Abby Larson started the site in 2007 and has been sweeping, not only brides but the entire wedding industry, of their feet ever since. The "inspiration board" was made a bloggers fixture thanks to SMP, probably sharing as much carbon copied popularity as Jennifer Anistons famous tresses. Abby and her site woo and wow me on a daily basis, always something fresh and lovely to see when stopping by, and Martha Stewart herself must share the same sentiments as Abby is now guest blogging on the Martha Stewart weddings site. I have some spectacular news to share regarding these two incredibly creative style and trendsetters, but it must wait until next week so stay tuned!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Beside the Seaside Wedding


Photos by Amelia and Justin Lyon, originally posted on http://www.ruffledblog.com/.
This wedding is a treasure chest of ideas for a nautical inspired wedding and the "Beside the Seaside" photo booth is about the most darling I have ever run across. The photo booth is a wedding trend I hope to see continue for years to come; it not only creates a fun filled activity for guests, but also an amazing collection of keepsakes for the bride and groom. Designed by Heather of Amorology weddings, custom pillows by Pin Cushion Princess on Etsy.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Beachy Blue Wedding



All images courtesy of nibs blog
This spread was originally featured in British "Weddings" magazine in the spring of 2008, timeless isn't it? Nothing says nautical better than blue and white. The boutonnierre of Queen Anne's Lace, the bare feet, the bicycle basket, and the tie less groom . . .

Happy Easter!

Spring is still one of my favorite times of year, even though I now live in a place that is forever in summer season. Spring springs to mind pretty pastels so this week I hope to pay homage to that fair color palette and a few of the amazing blogs that inspire me. Images above courtesy of grey likes weddings, martha stewart weddings, snippet & ink, 100layercake.com/blog/, wedding chicks


Doug and Michelle's Beach Wedding


Congratulations to the adorable couple who wed on Saturday at sunset in front of the Grace Bay Club. This was a last minute wedding planned almost entirely by the groom! Doug delivered his handwritten vows flawlessly and Michelle took her time in response, clearly taken with his words, as were all present. Their families and friends were great fun, voicing their encouragement all the way up and down the aisle. After the signature kiss, the two started married life to the tune of Al Greens "Let's Stay Together."

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Flowerless Tablescapes


















All Images courtesy of Federico Bigazzi

In March I did a tablescape collaboration between Teresa Brunner of http://www.tropicaldmc.com/, Claire and Taylor of Belongings, and Seven Stars resort. For couples looking to wed in the Turks and Caicos, the tablescapes pictured above could be stylish options for your reception. Tropical DMC has a collection of beautiful linen rentals, all satins seen above in espresso, tiffany's blue, apple green, and fuscia, are available at $40 each. Belongings, one of the most chic interior decor boutiques on the island, offers a gorgeous selection of flatware, vases, place setting decor, and accessories. La Pergola at the Seven Stars resort, is a must see space, one of the few that can accomodate large groups. The exterior rooftop and surrounding veranda's, chandeliers dripping with pale pink crystals, a white grand piano, and a stunning mahogoney bar create an ambiance of elegance. In such a sleek space, these modern tablescapes stood out, a welcome and refreshing break from tradition.