Downton's Darlings

      This morning I discovered fashion illustrator David Downton, and nothing gets a fashion designers blood moving in the morning then some fabulous inspriation. David Downton was born in Kent, England in 1959 where he freelanced on various projects as an illustrator. It was not until 1996 when the Financial Times asked him to do illustrations of the couture collections that his career as a fashion illustrator began.

      I came across his work upon seeing his beautiful illustration for the new Oscar De la Renta perfum campagn.  Mr. De la Renta was bored with the many celebrities that blur together for the hundreds of various fashion and beauty campaigns, and he wanted to take a step back in time when advertising was entirely done by hand. Anyone who is a fan of Mad Men will surely appreciate this as well.

I love his lose hand and line quality, each illustration oozes glamour and sophistication.

His use of vivid color and saturated black marker is bold and eye catching, I am dying to try this on my next project!

I love the simplicity of this illustration, the way he can say so much with so little

This is another favorite of mine. I love his use of color, it is so modern, and so fresh yet with a dash of retro all at the same time.

     

A little bit of Heaven

     Every year since I was a little girl, my family packs up the car and heads down to my favorite place in the world, to the sleepy beach town of Charlestown, Rhode Island. Our house is on an special little street known as Hoxie Ave, and it stands across the street from the house my dad grew up in as a kid. Its the kind of place where everyone knows each other, and time never seems to pass.

  Rhode Island is one of the best kept secrets of the east coast, and it is a place filled with little treasures. Next June, I will be wearing a big white dress and celebrating my wedding on one of the local beaches and I wanted to share with everyone why it is so special

The week began with stormy weather, and I love the beach on an overcast day, the sky is alive with marbelized clouds and the ocean is angry and full of life

The best part of a cloudy day is having the beach all to yourself

My Yellow Umbrella 

Me and my Dad

The Ocean House is one of my absolute favorite places in Rhode Island, located in the elegant coastal town of Watch Hill. At one time, the Ocean House was the oldest hotel still standing on the East Coast, it took you back to another era, another world. It is the place where my father proposed to my mother and we have celebrated many birthday's and other special occasions. A few years ago, the old Ocean House was knocked down and rebuilt, restored to its original beauty, and few things in life would be more lovely then a cool glass of wine on its huge porches overlooking one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. 

Aunt Carrie's is a Rhode Island institution. Established in 1920 and located on the tip of Point Judith, they serve the best clam cakes, seafood and chowder around. It is a beloved place and it just wouldn't be a vacation without a visit to Aunt Carrie's

The town where I will be having the wedding is known as Narragansett, and upon entering you pass through the icon of the town, the Towers. Built in the 1880's as a resort and casino, it lights up the evenings over Narragansett Bay giving a magical atmosphere to this beach community

As you walk down the beach from the Towers, you come upon the North Beach Clubhouse where I will be having my wedding. A simple building with an AMAZING deck, you are right on the beach and steps from the ocean. There are few other places with a location like this, and I hope it will make for a memorable evening. 

The Sheltor Harbor Inn is a charming inn located in Charlestown. The food is fantastic and the rooms are filled with New England warmth and charecter, it is home to beautiful gardens and croquet courts and a short shuttle to the private beach. It is a lovely way to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and relax in Rhode Island.