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Thank God it's Friday! With August in full swing, it's time to enjoy those last days of summer and make the most of the weekends. It's also a good time to plan ahead for fall and think about ways to make your home cozy and welcoming this fall and winter (they're closer than you think!).

If you're planning on freshening up your wall decor, be sure to head over to our Red Hot Summer Art Sale. There's quite a wide assortment of images to choose from, and everything's framed and ready to hang -- which makes life that much easier!

Have a great weekend!

I don't know about you, but I've been glued to the Olympics events on TV these past few days. The athletes are so impressive, and I just love all the fascinating little vignettes on Beijing and China. I've sure seen a lot of this landmark recently:

Great Wall of China
By Steve Bloom

Chinese landscape photography like this and other types of Asian Art are, and have been, extremely popular trends in the design world for some time now. I'm sure you've seen many Zen candles, rice paper lanterns, Chinese calligraphy and rich silk brocade cushions in all your favorite home accent stores. Some of those motifs have certainly made their way into my own home! These days, though, my favorite Asian-inspired accents these days seem to have a bit of a retro or nostalgic feel to them, like this beautiful piece:

Shanghai Lady with Hound

And this one:

Grasshopper

If you're a fan of Asian Art, you should really have a look at our Global Art collection sometime! There's all sorts of wonderful, lush, exotic stuff in there -- from Chinese Art to Japanese Art, African Art and other goodies. If you're already a fan of Chinese Art in particular, and Asian Art in general, you might be surprised what other treasures you find! Here's a pretty link to the collection:

Global Art Collection

Until next week!

Gone with the Wind
Framed PosterZ

The new school year's just around the corner! For those of you heading off to (or back to!) college, our Framed PosterZ collection offers tons of great artwork to make your dorm room feel like home. In a nutshell, Framed PosterZ are iconic art posters that have been mounted on hardboard, laminated with a textured glaze, and finished off with sleek black frames. In other words, posters with a little more class (and longevity)!

Jimi Hendrix, Psychod
Framed PosterZ

There's quite a wide range of poster styles to choose from, including Movies & TV, Music, Celebrities, Vintage Art and more. They say that what you put your attention on grows, so be sure to pick something that deeply resonates with you and will inspire you to get going in the morning (whether that's Gandhi, The Girls Next Door or scenes from France).

Martin Luther King, Jr., Darkness
Framed PosterZ

The entire collection's 10% off right now, too, so now's a great time to stock up. Happy decorating!

Well, anyone who's ever read this blog knows I'm a big fan of cats and dogs -- just like Andy Warhol was, it turns out. We recently got some terrific new cat- and dog-themed Warhol art prints in, which had me reading up on Andy and his love of animals. Apparently, he was quite fond of cats:

So Happy
By Andy Warhol

Warhol lived with cats throughout his New York City existence and always had many in his home. They were his favorite subjects during the '50s and '60s, before his famous Campbell's Soup cans and celebrity portraits. Warhol even published a book called 25 Cats Name[d] Sam and One Blue Pussy. Dogs were also top on his list of favorite pets, especially after his partner, Jed Johnson, convinced him they should get a dog together.

You Are So Little
By Andy Warhol

I'm not quite sure "who" the dog is in this image, because Johnson and Warhol ended up getting an adorable dachshund -- which this dog seems not to be. In any case, Warhol loved his dachshund and took him everywhere -- to his art studio, to gallery openings, to his local haunts and restaurants.

Oh, how I wish I could bring my pugs with me everywhere I go. But then the other dogs might get jealous, and I'd have to drag all six of them (that's right, six) with me. And maybe the barn cats too. People might start to think I was a little bit eccentric, don't you think? Maybe a little like Warhol himself...

By the way, Warhol's birthday was earlier this month - August 6. A belated happy birthday to the Pop Art King!

Olympic Games
By Franz Wurbel

Ok, ok, I know my blogging day is technically Tuesdays, but the Olympics are in full swing, and there's so much I want to talk about.

My husband and I were watching the diving finals the other night, and we were so amazed by the athleticism, power and all around beauty of the divers - both women and men. It takes an incredible amount of coordination to get the elements right, whether you're diving alone, or doing synchronized moves with another diver. Here's one of our diving-themed art prints, to commemorate the sport:

Highboard Diver
By Patti Mollica

I love this image. It has such a soaring, summery feel to it, don't you find? Here's another great art print, this time, from the perspective of the fans and family members watching below:

Swim Meet
By Dale Kennington

As the title states, this image shows a captive audience at a swim meet - probably something local, nothing near Olympic status. But the spirit is just the same! Don't you love when the cameras in Beijing pan through the crowds and show the divers' parents (and swimmers' parents, for that matter!)? They all look so rapt, and so proud of their children. I know how they feel, because as a parent, my son is always a gold-medal winner in my eyes.

Here's to the athletes, and have a great weekend!

Props to AskTheDecorator.com's Meghan Carter!

I've been a fan of Meghan Carter's home decorating tips for some time now! Her site, AskTheDecorator.com, has terrific advice on everything from organizing your closet space to creating delectable, edible centerpieces for your dining room table. Just recently, I stumbled upon her video about designing yourself a beach-themed bathroom. Here it is:

I love Meghan's sensible approach here. All too often, in our zeal to create a themed room, we can go overboard and enter the kitschy zone! Not good. As Meghan points out, you don't need everything in a beach-themed bathroom to scream sand and surf -- you just need a few well-chosen accents. A beautiful work of art makes an excellent focal point, and a terrific place to start. Here's a lovely heron art print inspired by the image in Meghan's video:

Keeper of the Pond
By Brent Heighton

Here's the companion piece, also by Brent Heighton:

Silent Vigil
By Brent Breighton

Herons are so graceful and serene, don't you find? I think the transparency of the colors in these images contributes to the peaceful quality they project -- not unlike water itself!

I chose to frame these two images with distressed whitewashed frames for a rustic look and feel that's reminiscent of beachside living. Little touches like that -- a seashell here, a twig of coral there -- can all conspire to create a quietly themed room, without hitting you over the head.

Thanks again for a great video, Meghan! Keep 'em coming!

Summer's lazy, hazy last days are upon us, so now's the time to soak up the sun while you still can! This Labor Day weekend, get out your beach towels and bathing suit, and hit the lake, seaside, or any outdoor spot where you can kick back and relax, like these adorable little chums:

Seaside Adventures
By Donald Zolan

You can also go surfing, if you're a big boarder:

Surfer at Huntington Beach
By Thea Schrack

For me, that image really sums things up. This surfer's heading out to catch the day's last sun rays, and quite possibly, the season's last good waves. If kicking back on the beach is more your thing, then by all means, pull up a chair and share a sweet summer sunset with a loved one:

Paradise Sunset
By Diane Romanello

When you're through with your beach-side adventures, feel free to stop by our Labor Day Art Sale for all sorts of beautiful, autumnal art to dress your walls for the new fall season. All items in the sale are 15% off, so it's a great time to save!

Happy Labor Day from ArtSelect!