I’m going to be Katherine Armour!!!

The upcoming announcement I alluded to in yesterday’s post is that John and I are now ENGAGED!!!  He proposed at my grandmother’s home our first night in California and I happily accepted with lots of jumping up and down, tears, hugs and kisses.  One minute we were on the back deck taking in the beautiful view of the Edna Valley vineyards and the next he was down on one knee…  It was all a bit surreal really, I can’t even remember what he said exactly, just that it was sweet and kind and heartfelt and that he looked oh so handsome.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

The ring was the diamond and platinum love knot I’d fallen head over heels for at Finn Jewelry on Great Jones Street in Manhattan.  I had looked high and low for a unique, vintage-inspired ring and when I came across the image above in the pages of Vogue I just knew it was the one.  It’s unlike any I’d seen before and has just enough sparkle without any showiness.  Feminine and practical, modern lines with a hint of deco in the design…  A special thank you to Candice and Soraya at Finn for making such a beautiful ring!  I’m still on cloud nine.  Let the wedding planning begin!

(first image of Milla Jovovich via Bohemea )

Quote of the Day

(image courtesy of Kate Spade)

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig….

My dear readers how I’ve missed you!  My apologies for the lack of posts last week, I tried to keep up, but it seemed I never had a spare moment!  John and I are finally home from our sunny California escape and I’m ready to collapse (hours in airports, missed flights, you know how it goes…).  While the trip itself was magical, I’m just so happy to be home and get back into the swing of things.  I have an exciting announcement to make and so very, very much to share with you.  I trust you are all out and about enjoying what’s left of summer!  Much love, Kate “the NEO-trad”

(image from here)

Quote of the Day

(Image from here)

John Dickinson African Table

If I had $34,000 to spare I would buy this 1973 Large African Table by John Dickinson from Downtown in San Francisco.  It’s the real deal—directly from Dickinson himself.  Ever since I saw the image below of Belvedere founder Julia-Carr Baylor, I’ve been lusting after a piece (or two, or three…) by Dickinson.  I love how Dickinson’s tables can add a dash of whimsy to otherwise serious interiors.

(Lower image courtesy of House & Garden)