happy day!

a few weeks back i did an inspiration board post for miss bea's 1st birthday party.

well, it went off without a hitch and i think it was exactly what her mom, deb, was hoping for!

here are a few pictures, by the amazing amanda harris, from the day...

                                                    

the little miss in her polka-dot party dress that i made for the occasion

  

tissue pom-poms hung from the ceiling in various shades of pink made for a girly, but chic and modern look. a few now hang in a cluster over beatrice's crib.

                                  

in an issue of martha stewart baby, there were some "mum" cupcakes that were similar to these... we wanted to mimic the look/feel of the tissue pompoms, so i made them in a few colors.

these were organic whole wheat applesauce cake with cream cheese frosting. YUM!

deb's final touch was the cheerios in the crystal bowl for the smallest guests.

here's to another wonderful year!

family history

every time i go back home, my mom has new photos that she has found to add to our family genealogy collage wall in our upstairs hallway. 

i love the way it takes on a new shape and life with each special addition. 

i am inspired to start one of my own in our apartment with all the photos i have scoffed from my mom's stash...

these images are totally inspiring me.

     

         

 

                                             

   

                                     

                                          

1. garance dore 2. paul costello

3. andrea fazzari

4. matthew hranek 5. nienie

6. livingetc.

7. howard chu

spring weekend

HALLELUJAH is all i can say.

spring is finally here!

i am headed to our fresh market...
inspired to get my home spruced up...

books to read ...

flowers will be brought home...

my new bike will be taken for a spin...

what will you do to celebrate spring's arrival?

american family

i have stubbled upon a blog of an amazing little american family.

she is adorable. a starting-out stylist. a fantastic mom. and beautifully pregnant.

he loves to photograph his wife. and her belly.

and his stepson, littlest buddy.

he is writing about their struggles in these uncertain times.

and for them, they are more uncertain than for most.

but they laugh. and talk. and make art. and love.

and so, there is hope.

this is what america needs more of.

thank you.

ps- someone, somewhere needs to HIRE this man QUICK. his talent is out.of.con.trol.

what to wear: a wedding photographer's dilemma

i think this will be the start of the "what to wear" series... friends so often call me wondering what would be appropriate to wear to certain events, and while i am in no way an expert, i have a lot of fun putting looks together for various scenarios.

my dear friend from high school amanda emailed me last night wondering what i thought about gaucho pants...

amanda of orchard cove photography is a fantastic wedding/children/pets photographer (she shot our wedding!) and gets caught in the bind of being at formal weddings and needing to look appropriate while also being able to crawl on the floor, in the grass, etc. for the perfect shot.

here is my solution, two outfits that can easily go from day to night...

the first option would be a black tunic- my personal favorite is this super affordable american apparel version.

eileen fisher also makes a beautiful dress in this style.

in the summer, a simple tank would work perfectly underneath, and once the weather starts to cool, a 3/4 length white t-shirt will be equally as chic. 

black leggings are critical for ease and movement. 

add a hint of color with a bright bead necklace for a daytime affair or outside wedding or a simple strand of pearls for more of an elegant event.

i'll let you keep those black danskos (because i know how comfy they are to work in!), but be sure they are clean and buffed up... personally,  i would recommend the style with the back.

for a warmer weather look, a snazzy silk tank would be lovely.

pair it with a pair of super-easy, flowy, gaucho pants.

here's to a stylish wedding season!

xoxo

when antiquing goes horribly wrong...

heaven. on. earth.

seriously, sign me up...

yeah... i'll live here

or visit here

or create here

basically... i was the tomboy in a party dress growing up and am really not yet over the treehouse lifestyle.

and

i'm desperate for a vacation getaway.