One blistery Texas summer many years ago, lived two best friends down the street from one another with adventure stirring in their young hearts. When the family packed up the minivan and invited the girls on a trip out West little did they know how that summer adventure in the Davis mountains would burn within their hearts forevermore.
Ah! If only I had the snapshots of that summer on my computer to share with you the vivid floral short shorts, sunglasses, golden tans, incessant laughter, Dwight Yokum on the tape player, iridescent swimsuits, inner tubes, trail rides up mountainsides (feeling the burn the day after), sun-bleached adobe homes, and fresh tex-mex cuisine. Those were the days of yesteryear before Marfa, Texas had a "Prada"store and glossy magazine features. Those were the golden days of my youth. Even though we both now live miles and miles from Marfa, those days still color my life, my art, my color choices, my home which blushes with a desert complexion.
Since it is February 1 and a monumental blizzard is crossing the continental US, I figured it was time to warm things up around here. So here is my color inspiration gift to you gleaned from that golden moment in time. Do you draw inspiration from memorable moments of your youth? How does your story affect your creative influences?
Top image: Thunderbird Motel, & Pretty Little World
Interiors: Lanalou Style & Florals: Once Wed
Oh, I love this, Heather! It IS exactly what I am craving today :) Stay cozy! xo Laura
Posted by: Laura Gaskill | February 01, 2011 at 08:02 AM
wow, Marfa Texas! I've actually been there a few times. But i've never seen the famed "mysterious lights"...
Posted by: sam | February 01, 2011 at 08:07 AM
lovely writing in this blog post. wistful and hopeful at the same time. and i love the idea of the desert in the summertime. magical.
Posted by: Katie Steele | February 01, 2011 at 08:28 AM
Sam, I've never seen the lights either. Maybe we should take our spouses back and have a summer va-cay there. Or you could propose your next conference in Marfa! The hotel is really nice.
Posted by: Heather | February 01, 2011 at 08:31 AM
thanks katie! your words mean so much to me! what a treasure. thanks for stopping by. hope your week is going well. :)
Posted by: Heather | February 01, 2011 at 08:34 AM
what a lovely memory and a lovely story :)
Posted by: kristie@thedecorologist | February 01, 2011 at 09:39 AM
LOVE IT!! They were the blue floral jean shorts. Remember plucking my eyebrows to within an inch of their lives?
What a trip!
What memories!
And I have seen the lights!! They are so cool.
It's a blizzard outside. These shots help to warm me up!
Posted by: Ginny | February 01, 2011 at 10:16 AM
so gorgeous! and such a delightful retelling of memories! thank you for sharing... I haven't thought a lot about color inspiration from my youth, actually. This would be good to consider. Growing up as a floridian, the first thing that comes to mind are the peaches and pink shades of Flamingos, terra cotta spanish tiled roofs, and various shades in the yellow-orange-persimmon family of citrus fruit. Wow, I miss warm weather! breath....count blessings....but the snow sure is pretty.
Posted by: Elizabeth | February 01, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Love this post Heather!
Posted by: Maria | February 03, 2011 at 03:52 PM