Monday, September 2, 2013

"By Invitation Only" the 3rd Year !!!

International Blog Party

as we begin the 3rd year of our monthly international series
please help me welcome 3 new members, all of whom you will enjoy and each of whom
will bring something unique, different and vibrant to us.

from Rome, Italy we welcome
Eleonora Vacanti
a brilliant interior designer with a blog you will love, featuring
all things Italian & European,
BOISERIE & C.

from Montecito, California we welcome
Penelope Bianchi

probably already known to most of you, the iconic owner of
one of the most amazing properties you will ever see where all wild animals (& tame)
are welcomed, the witty & wise interior designer with a unique take on everything.
with McCormick Interiors
found here

 from Dallas & France
we welcome Audrey Friedman

a fellow Texan whose blog
MY AMERICAN FRENCH LIFE
is beautiful, and so is her story.
found here


our general subject of today's post was chosen by Penelope in June.
'PATINA'
is all she told us,
so I'm certain you will find many different interpretations of this word through
our group...I do not think you'll be bored !

before I get into my actual post I would also like to mention
that one of us,
precious & talented TISH JETT of A Femme d'Un Certain Age
has a NEW BOOK OUT,
"FOREVER CHIC"



Frenchwomen's Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style & Substance.
on my right sidebar there is a clickable icon which will take you
right to the place where you can order this delightful book ($14.95),
something all of your girlfriend's would love to receive for Christmas!




now, about "Patina" ... we all know what this actually means, and it means something
really special to all of us who love, appreciate and/or collect vintage or antique
objects.  there are a few interior designers among us and I'm looking forward to what they post today.

for me, I'm taking a different tact (in honor of The America's Cup races being
held in San Francisco)...

suddenly, last week this thought just came to me...like the approaching Fall.

the autumnal leaves begin changing color(s) and, to me, this is patina,
nature's patina.


I recently did a post showing a Polyvore creation of mine
featuring russets & turquoise...I hadn't seen the above photo yet.


See Splenderosa’s Handbag & Jewelry to Accessorize by splenderosa featuring gladiator sandals

but, isn't it amazing?
nature gives us these colors every Fall, every autumn & they are perfect.

will you wear something rust/amber/russet-colored this Fall?
like these?






goodness, I do love a well-dressed man


****************************************


now, another question for you...

what if we made "By Invitation Only" into a brilliant e-zine?

with a rather famous guest contributor each month?

this would not just be an interior design magazine, or a fashion magazine,
but a lifestyle and travel magazine,
an advice-giving magazine,
an informative, interesting, wise & witty, festive e-zine,
& it would definitely have a section devoted to food/cooking/recipes.

would you guys read it?
would you subscribe to it for a nominal fee?

please give us your input
don't be afraid to say if the answers are NO, we need your answers, me especially.

you see, I think we have the readership, but now we must prove it !

thank you so much for your candor
and for reading Splenderosa
& the rest of the B.I.O. membership.

****************************************************** 


members of "By Invitation Only"
in alphabetical order

Audrey Friedman @ My American French Life
Catherine Robinson @ Cashmere Lover
Cecilia Gonzalez @ Desde My Ventana
Christina @ Greige
Coty @ Coty Farquhar Styling
D. A. Wolf @ Daily Plate of Crazy
Eleonora Vacanti @ Boiserie & C
Tina @ The Enchanted Home
Francine Gardner @ Interieurs
Virginia @ Glamour Drops
Heather Robinson @ Lost in Arles
Isa Chandler @ The World According to Isa
Jacqueline Mumford @ Home
Karen Malan @ Pas Grand-Chose
Karin Jansky @ La Pouyette
Lene @ Essence of the Good Life
Mona Thompson @ Providence
Penelope Bianchi @ PB McCormick Interiors
Shari Miller @ Little Blue Deer
Sharon Santoni @ My French Country Life
Simone  @ Bottom of the Ironing Basket
Lisa Carnochan @ Privilege
Susan Blakey @ une femme d'un certain age
Tish Jett @ Une Femme d'Un Certain Age
Vicki Archer @ French Essence
Veronica @ Tassels, Twigs & Tastebuds
Yvonne Pratt @ StoneGable



you will find all these ladies on my blog list which is below,
click on their icon to visit them or if they are participating today they
will have linked in 
below.





42 comments:

  1. Bonjour,

    Comme prévu, après mes longues semaines éloignées des blogs, me revoici parmi vous ! Vous m'avez beaucoup manqué...
    Je suis heureuse d'ouvrir aujourd'hui la page de votre dernière publication. Plein de choses intéressantes !...
    Gros bisous

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Voulez-vous lire notre e-zine? Voulez-vous payer une petite taxe pour souscrire?
      Questions très importantes que je demande aujourd'hui. Serait donc recevoir vos commentaires.
      Merci beaucoup.

      Delete
  2. Third year Marsha...I can't believe it!!
    A beautiful post, as always...gorgeous images; the photograph of autumn leaves...absolutely stunning, I adore this time of year...I always feel it's the start of new happenings...an exciting time.
    A great choice of subject from Penelope I think there will be a variety of interpretations here...and a very big welcome to Eleonora and Audrey :-)
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the series and to be honest I think it would depend on many factors: price, amount of articles, publication times. ( For me anyway) I know the content is quality already. But I think it would be an interesting idea and perhaps you could do a test and starter one for everyone to try out first? Great stuff as always Marsha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you're correct, we need a test 1st issue. I know it will be successful, we already are. Thank you for this input.

      Delete
  4. Hooray! Our third year! Oh my. Just looking at the list of the participants...well, I am proud to be a part and would also be for the possible e-zine. I will look forward to seeing the responses here and to diving in to the patina posts as well! Yours was gorgeous but oh I will have to wait for autumn to come in Provence--I am still in linen...le sigh.

    A huge welcome to Penelope (!!), Eleonora and Audrey...
    Gros Bisous to you, wonderful friend,
    H.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PS. And an additional HOORAY for Tish's book!!!!!!!!

      Delete
  5. Love your beautiful take on patina....gorgeous Marsha. Fall is loaded with so many different and wonderful patinas, my favorite season.

    Have to order Tish's book today and a big welcome to the new members. We will talk about your wonderful idea!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Marsha,dearest...........!!!
    I have not enaugh wonderful woords for here!:)*
    This breathless vibrant and absolutely radiant post of you.

    I think I need sometime to read all posts about ''Patina'' from all these talented womans-members of ''By Invitation only''....:)))*

    It that already 3 year...?!
    Totally amazing ideas from you,you see it: they works!!! And HOW good!
    I like your Polivore collage really much:)* That's SO true,the nature looks us wich of color you may use in our own wardrobe!!!
    You blows me away with those fall image of a mother Nature....

    You know,Marsha! I think that this new idea of you about Lifestyle and travel magazine should be also very good,depends on what it costs....

    Thankyou so much for your radiant and beautiful post,
    This makes my day:)*

    XXX,
    ***Violetta***

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, V, as always for your valued input. It means so much.

      Delete
  7. I adore autumn most of all the seasons...each has their charms (spring is exciting, summer is dreamy and full of lazy sunny days, winter is cosy and full of theatre visits) but autumn has the most wonderful sunlight...that elusive golden light...and together with the colours of the leaves, I simply adore all of its beauty. I so agree, nature puts on the most amazing patina of them all. xx

    ps...love the idea of a e-zine...one with the depth which comes from our fabulously wide cross section of thoughts...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Virginia. I think all we need is a concept, which I'm working on right now.

      Delete
  8. You have such an amazing fashion sense! Nature in the fall is magnificent, just as the picture you showed us. However, i am not ready for fall, i am hanging on to every last moment of summer. I have not been blogging very much this summer and i guess i am a little rusty. I am not sure that my post is up as i cannot get it to go on my blogroll... Looking forward to reading everyone's interpretation of Patina

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Marsha,
    What a brilliant take on our BIO post subject ..... I do so love the way that everyone is different when we do our BIO posts. Beautiful images and, you are so right, Autumn really does have a 'patina' all of it's own.
    It's also lovely to welcome Penelope, Eleanora and Audrey to our circle of friends.
    Your idea of an e-zine is a great one ..... I don't know the in's and out's of it all but I'm sure that it could work.
    Oh, and many congratulations to Tish ..... what an achievement.
    I cannot believe that we are into our third BIO year !!!! A big thank-you goes to you Marrsha for all of your hard work in getting it off the ground and making it so successful. Much love. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Entering our 3rd year! And, know what, I have the biggest readership on our BIO days, I hope you do too.

      Delete
  10. Dear Marsha, I would certainly encourage you to do the lifestyle e-zine magazine! I will be one of your first subscribers...!

    Terri ~ the countrypolitan

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you so much dear one for hosting BIO! What a wonderful subject for this time of year.
    Welcome to Elenora, Penelope and Audrey! I'm sure you will enrich our group... I hope we enrich your lives too!
    Marsha, your sense of fashion just boggles my mind! It is perfection! Especially as I am sitting here writing in my pj's... no make-up and coffee in hand! I say you have "grand style", my dear!
    As far as the e-zine... yes, yes, yes! It would be magnificent... actually anything done by you would be!
    Thanks again, dear friend! xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing can be done without you, my darling Yvonne!
      You enrich all of us, the world over.

      Delete
  12. Marsha, First it's just really good to get back together as a group again...and I CAN'T WAIT TO READ every single post! Your post is gorgeous and thoughtful as always. You are one talented woman. I'm also anxious to hear more of the details of an e-zine...

    A huge welcome to Penelope,Eleanora and Audrey, and I am also excited to visit their sites and learn more about them. And you go girl, Tish! Congratulations! Will be ordering your book. Have a great day, everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Dearest Marsha, It is so nice to be back with you and all the beautiful women in this group! I cannot believe this is our 3rd, year, no I just can't get over that! Where did that time go??

    A warm welcome to Penelope, Elenora and Audrey, I love it when we get to meet new people through you and see a little into the lives of such interesting people ... and how exciting about Tish's new book, the cover is gorgeous!
    Your post is very beautiful and a really interesting take on patina, I love the way everyone has something completely different. We are now in SPRING here in Australia, very beautiful and very lifting for the soul. I have been photographing all day today in two different homes and it is the most wonderful time of the year.
    Sending love to you darling M, I look forward to hearing your news. xxxx Coty

    p.s. It's nearly midnight here, but I'm off to visit all the girl's post now before I go to sleep. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coty, gorgeousness X10, I am so pleased to have you on board!!!

      Delete
  14. I'm really looking forward to seeing the images for this topic on everyone's blog. I am sure they will be beautiful.

    As for the e-zine, in general I don't generally care for the format too much, preferring blogs. I do like net-a-porter's e-zine, so if it's simple like that, then yes. I'd certainly pay a small amount to support the gang!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I always love your By Invitation series...its fun to see what everyone comes up with. I do like e-zine..but it would be great to do a tester and see what everyone thinks...

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love both the concept and the reality of patina - the beautiful signs of aging naturally. And I love your rust and turquoise Polyvore set - the best of summer and fall combined into a fabulous transitioning combination!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Stacey. So nice to see you here again.

      Delete
  17. I adore these colors, Marsha. I am soooo in the mood to wrap myself up in them - these soft, silvering tones with dashes of deep color. What a delicious entry for patina.

    And yes, an e-zine sounds intriguing...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congratulations Marsha on your third year! Yes, I would read your e-zine for a small fee I love seeing everyone's take on a subject. As for your fall patina I already have a closet loaded with those colors and they're fabulous!

    XXX
    Debra~

    ReplyDelete
  19. Marsha...a fabulous take on pantina. As for your magazine idea, you have such a wonderful collection of talentd writers who are enjoyed by so many, you could not go wrong. What a collaboration that would be! I say go for it!
    Best wishes from Saigon....
    Jeanne xx

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  20. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  21. Love your "fall patina"! And - you are certainly Forever Chic!
    Our third year already, and always with interesting posts! Simply fabulous!
    Will think about the e-book.... still on a kind of holiday from daily things....you know what I mean. But at least, I had a night shift for this month's post, thanks to your encouragement.
    xxxkarin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so brilliant we couldn't do without you, your beauty and wit.

      Delete
  22. Patina is what adds character! I love it and the tones you picked are wonderful.
    I would read the Online magazine if it had great guest contributors... Definitely!
    xo Karolyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, you know, like Mark Wahlberg, Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer (who is a Houstonian) and so on.....how does this sound?

      Delete
  23. What a wonderful post Marsha! The fall season definitely gives us so many patinas to be excited about! The colors of fall definitely dictate what I want to wear so yes…I will be sporting some fall colors very soon! This group of bloggers is my on line support group! Seriously..I learn so much from all of you and I always look forward to your posts even when I can't seem to find enough time in the day to write to you all. I've made so many great friends through these different blogs and although they are all very different they are all very informative and caring women! Congrats on your third year! Cant wait to check out Tish's book! That is a true dream of mine one day! I've done a cookbook…thanks for stopping by today! I always look forward to it! Happy Fall!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Marsha... I am so late to this party but better late than never!
    Patina, a wonderful idea and so many fantastic interpretations, I have enjoyed so much catching up on them...
    I can't believe it's 3 years since you launched us on our way... it's been the best getting to know the other bloggers and learning about them... new friendships with like minded souls is what blogging is all about...
    Thank you for making all of this happen and a huge welcome to Audrey, Eleonora and Penelope... xxv

    ReplyDelete
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  26. Outstanding quest there. What occurred after? Take care!

    ReplyDelete


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