Vacation Inspiration

As I mentioned in a previous post, Mark and I really got a kick out of the retro "Doo-Wop" style of architecture of many of the motels in Wildwood.  Our favorite, by far, was the Caribbean, above, which was right across the street from where we stayed.  Above you can see the neon sign which glowed bright fuschia-red at night and the walking ramp that leads up to the ultra-cool lounge above.  Below is a view of the pool from the lounge deck.  The predominant colors here were yellow and lime green.

 Below are two interior shots of the lounge which was updated in 2005.  I love the cactus behind the bar, the leopard print upholstery, and the boomerang-shaped coffee table!  Also, notice the walls which are all glass and angled in, and the groovy lamp in the corner.  It reminds me of something out of The Jetsons cartoon from way back!

 On the next block over was the Bel-Air motel, which we could also see from our motel.  The aqua louvred doors, bright white walls, and hot pink umbrella kept catching my eye -  what a great color palette!  (It reminded me of my "Margaritaville" charm bracelet, which you can see by clicking here.)

This morning I dug around in my stash and came up with these fabrics that might make the same fun-in-the-sun statement.  I would love to make something with them, but I'm not sure what yet.  Maybe a larger abstract piece.

 Meanwhile, I had already pulled a few fabrics before I left and found them still sitting on my work table.  I fell in love with the fern batik, which I got in PA last summer, but wasn't sure what to do with it.  This morning I cut the fern shape out of it and fused it to the background neutral.  I dug out all those coordinating fabrics and I love the way they look together, but I'm not sure if I want to simply frame it with the other fabrics, or make it part of a pieced top.  I'll have to try out some options and play around with it all.

Meanwhile, I'm already lining up some other fabrics that would also work with the fern motif.

 I have so many ideas and color combinations racing around in my head, I'm not sure what direction to go first!  I probably should sketch some design ideas out with colored pencils so when I find myself with some free time, I'll know where to begin.  It's great to come back from vacation with renewed interest and energy!