Milestones

cute Japanese poster will have to stand in for a trip to Paris... for now.

Yesterday evening we officially enrolled Audrey in kindergarten for this fall.

She was so excited and worried about being late for kindergarten round-up that she wanted us to eat dinner standing up to “save time”… Afterward, we celebrated her impending move to big girl school by going out for ice cream, and Bryan taught her the fine art of biting off the end of her sugar cone and slurping the melted ice cream out of the bottom.

She’s becoming such a big girl -- so interested and bright, funny and spunky. A couple of days ago she informed me that she was (in her words) “dying to go to Paris, cuz she just had to see the Eiffel Tower in person as soon as possible.”

Man I love that kid.

The Spending Hiatus Support Group – Week Eleven (Food Edition)

lovely images via the jewels of ny... yet another food obsession

This week in non-spending went pretty great in that I didn’t buy anything… Well, anything except food – lots of food, which is definitely essential, no?

My lack of shopping, Molly’s book, my new found addiction to the Tamra Davis Cooking Show (this ravioli is on my to-do list next) + the lovely Jewels of NY site have come together in sort of a perfect storm that has me cooking (or thinking about cooking)… a lot.

There was a lovely date with hubby on Friday at Bolsa (so good) that had me obsessing all weekend over how to re-create the fava bean/mint puree that my scallops were swimming in, then there was the giant Mexican feast we made for two of our favorite families on Saturday (green chili chicken casserole, guacamole with feta cheese...) Sunday dinner for lovely cousin Erin and our neighbors consisted of grilled skirt steak, homemade yucca fries and more of that quacamole followed by Molly’s Winning Hearts and Minds chocolate cake with fresh whipped cream…

So no shopping, but lots of cooking and eating... I better be careful or I’ll have to shop all new clothes post-hiatus (as I won’t be able to fit into my old ones), and that would completely defeat the purpose!

How are you all doing?? It’s the home stretch.

Blogger's Favorites -- Sara of Party Perfect

Whenever I'm planning a party, thinking about planning a party or just wanting to see what kind of parties other people are planning, (which is pretty much every day...I love a good party!) I visit Sara's brilliant blog, Party Perfect... She manages to capture all the absolute most clever, creative, interesting, cool ideas + she's an insanely talented lady herself -- i.e. former art director for Martha Stewart Baby and Kids, now designs gorgeous stationary and paper goods...oh and check out her painting below! So of course, Sara's list is rather perfect.

Herewith Sara's favorites. Enjoy and happy week-end!

Big Black Scrapbooks (artist sketchbooks found at Michael's) -- I've been 'scrapbooking' since my senior year of college, so I have oodles and oodles of these big black notebooks full of images that inspire me. I paste cut-outs of anything that moves me- whether it is a beautifully set table, a well-styled fashion-y shot, or an inspirational room. Over the years, I have found that I edit a lot more out then I once did, as I guess my style is becoming more refined. I turn to my books whenever I am looking for help in some creative endeavor, such as decorating my house (a constant work in progress!). I often feel as though my style is all over the place, but it's interesting to look back and see what things have maintained my interest over the years.

Fruit Tea -- I'm convinced Nashville-based Bread & Company's fruit tea (a Southern concoction) is laced with crack, because it is totally addictive. It is a blend of un-sweet tea and various fruit juices. Almost every place in town has their own version of fruit tea. I personally think Bread and Company's is the best, particularly if I add a sprig of mint. It was an un-kept New Year's resolution to phase this beverage out of my life, though I am still trying to cut back.

Fabric -- I don't know why I collect fabric, but I do without meaning to. I guess I'm in love with pattern and the 'possibility' that comes with fabric...will it be a pillow? a shower curtain? the perfect finishing touch on a room? I don't know. I don't sew (though I have tried), so my addiction is totally unwarranted. I have spent way too much money on scraps on eBay and from various other online sources. I give a lot of it away, because often the color won't be exactly what I had envisioned.

Creative Time Away from the Computer -- Almost all of my work is based around the computer, so I really have to force myself away from the screen to get some hands-on creative time. Often it is in the middle of the night when I can't sleep or my son can't sleep. I am almost always surprised by how happy it makes me, even if the end result is not something particularly beautiful. The other weekend I painted this treetop- it was a great creative release.

Hello Naomi -- Anyone that reads my blog is probably familiar with this Australian- based cupcake maker, since I can't get enough of her. I'm pretty much obsessed with anything she does- all of her creations are brilliant.

Vintage Serving/Entertaining Pieces -- I don't have a large collection of vintage pieces, but if I allowed myself to run amuck, I would have closets full of the stuff.
Fortunately- or unfortunately, I have very limited closet space so it helps curb my buying behavior. I fell in love with this teal serving piece in an antiques mall a couple of years ago, and don't regret the money I spent on it one bit, except that it sits in my closet more then I wish it did.


Magazines! -- I've been a magazine hoarder since I can remember. I used to save all my Sassy, Victoria, and Home mags back in the day and store them in big plastic bins under my bed. While I've long gotten rid of those, I'm currently hoarding my old Blueprints, Domino's, Donna Hay's, and select Martha Stewart Weddings. Nothing beats curling up with a magazine in bed. My husband doesn't get it- he wants to know how I can look at the same magazine more than once- but it's like a good chick flick, it never disappoints!

Fresh Flowers -- This is a clichéd favorite, but with spring upon us in Nashville, my yard is blooming, and I can't get enough of all the pretty colors. The buds on the trees and the blooms in the yard always make me giddy.

SLEEP!!! -- I wish my 15-month old had gotten the memo that I am a mom that L-O-V- E-S to sleep. If I could sleep 10 hours every night, I would. Unfortunately- that- or anything remotely close- hasn't been part of his agenda. He didn't sleep through the night for the first time until he was about 10 months old, and still usually wakes up at least once a night. My dear husband lets me sleep in on the weekends, though- so I can still remember how sweet it is. I guess the positive spin is that sometimes it makes me more productive- I prefer just staying up and working, rather than being woken up after just falling asleep.

Viver

So I'm pretty much in love with Viver bags (by Clare Guerrero Vivier) spotted via L.A. in Bloom. They're so cool, mindful and well priced... I'm dying for one of her big fold-over clutches made of recycled leather and her teal suede messenger tote.

(+ Clare has a seriously kickin blog!)

images via la in bloom

"Go-To" Clothes

images from the source of Audrey's very favorite clothes... Peek Aren’t You Curious

Now that Audrey is largely selecting her own ensembles, I’ve noticed the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, in that she regularity gravitates toward a particular selection of “go-to clothes.”

I’ve pretty much extolled the virtues of a "uniform" ad nauseam in this space, but if you’re new to the blog, you may not know that I too am a big fan of “go-to clothes." I wish I was as creative and daring as Whitney and could pull together a wholly unique (and completely adorable) look every single day, but I’m a creature of habit (and I’m lazy), so I inevitably gravitate toward my Paige jeans and one of five or so tunics/short dresses that I combine with a couple of layered gold necklaces and a pair of wedges… Wham, bam…done.

Based on her wardrobe choices, if I had to classify Audrey’s “look”, I’d say it’s sort of a boho Punky Brewster...My A can seriously rock some color. Her “go-to” pieces consist of a pink embroidered cotton skirt, a paisley print "apron" top (seen here), a purple ethnic print skirt (seen here) and a green Mexican dress (seen here) + lots of tights.

The common thread in all these pieces is that they came from Amy’s genius, genius kid’s shop Peek Aren’t You Curious, which Audrey and I are both totally smitten with…

So…do you have go-to clothes? What’s your version of a uniform?

Hmm...

Whatever Michelle is up to, I'm intrigued.

I'm Especially Loving

Pia Jane’s new site design…

Everything in this etsy shop (but especially the Annie bag and Campbell dress.)

The Tamra Davis Cooking Show… ever since reading the interview with her in a recent Goop newsletter, I’ve been obsessed…love her utter lack of vanity, her insane loft, her simple recipes, the music…love it all. You must watch.

Lovely photos from Peonies and Polaroids...

Practice Makes Perfect (or something like that)

The fruits of my very first sewing project

It was a "homemade" weekend around my casa.

First up, there was the sewing class with Miss Aimee on Saturday where I made the above purse. I can’t begin to adequately describe the satisfaction that came from creating something of my very own… But it was hard. I have a touch of the OCD -- I’m wired to want to get things exactly right the first time, so sewing was rather humbling.

It was even more humbling that prior to the class I was confident, all full of vim and vigor only to be transformed into a discouraged perfectionist five minutes into the project, while Aimee, who was far more nervous about the entire enterprise than me, had a blast from start to finish. Toward the end of the project (after a major attitude adjustment), I started to have fun -- that is until I realized I’d sewn my strap on twisted. It’s a “design element” the teacher assured me. Umm... OK. I think I’m just gonna need to mellow out and go with this one.

Next up, I set out to tackle two recipes from Molly’s book on Sunday afternoon – cream braised cabbage (which knocked my husband’s socks off) and banana bread with chocolate chips and crystallized ginger, which was the equivalent of the twisted strap on the purse.

Things started out fine… I was grooving to Vampire Weekend and Audrey was sampling the batter with smacks of hearty approval, then into the oven went the bread, and I set to work preparing the cabbage. About 5 minutes later, I turned around to find the bowl of melted butter (6 tablespoons in all) intended for the banana bread still sitting on the counter. There was much swearing, and desperate to salvage the bread, I took it out of the oven, dumped it back into the mixing bowl, added the butter, gave it a good stir and started over, hoping for the best. That maneuver pretty much turned it into chocolate banana bread as all the chips were melted and now mixed into the batter, which turns out was also a “design element”... but a pretty freakin great one.

One for two's not bad, right?

The Spending Hiatus Support Group -- Week Ten + Looking Forward

Some pics from Sunday at the Arboretum...Millie was obsessed with picking the flowers, which was a bit of an issue as you can imagine.

You get two spending hiatus updates in one week... Hope you don't mind!

I was 100% diligent this week up until Saturday when, while at Target (of course it’s Target) picking up a few groceries for dinner, I bought a little beach cover-up. This time of year things inevitably start getting "spendy", as our annual beach trip is just around the corner, and with the beach trip comes the burning desire for new bathing suits, sundresses, sandals, sunglasses... In fact, we leave for the beach on the final day of the spending hiatus, April 10th, and the timing is no accident -- I knew if I ended the hiatus earlier, there would be well, trouble.

I'm trying friends, I really am... but I caved for that cover-up, and I'm allowing myself to purchase one black swim suit (my current one is seven years old and looks it) and one pair of flip flops and stopping there. I'm not sure I can call those items "essential", but my strategy is to allow for a few basic things in order to avoid a total beach binge.

Now for the looking forward part…Since we've got just over two weeks before spending can commence (can you believe it?), I'm thinking a lot about "re-entry.” I have several planned tactics, like waiting 24 hours before buying something or forcing myself to donate/giveaway an item for every new purchase, but by far the most effective plan for me is just to stay. out. of. stores. If I'm not tempted, I can't succumb to temptation, right?

To that end, I'm making sure we have lots of activity options at the ready, so we don't fall back into the old pink cookie, Northpark mall routine. While at ArtScape yesterday, we went ahead and got a membership to the Arboretum, and we're planning on adding Sunday afternoon picnics on the Arboretum lawn into our repertoire along with our Nasher trips, cooking...and now sewing (more on that later!)

So how are you all doing? Are you starting to think about life post-hiatus? Any strategies to share?

Week-End Plans?

My all-time favorite boss (who is no longer my boss, but is now one of my best friends) instituted a fun tradition at our weekly team meeting where we’d go around the table and tell the rest of the group our plans for the weekend… I loved hearing what everyone was up to. I still do.

So, I thought I’d give it a spin here… This is what we have planned:

• Miss Aimee and I have our very first sewing class tomorrow at Make. If all goes well we should both come home with a purse of our own construction…v. exciting.
  
  
• Cooking dinner for two of our very best friends on Sunday (one of which happens to be the boss in the story above -- actually they were both my bosses at one point, then they both quit, got married, and now they’re our dearest friends…)
  
  
• And, as I’m completely and totally addicted* to Molly’s book, I'm going to take a stab at making her ratatouille and raspberry blueberry pound cake.
  
  *You must read this book… seriously leave this blog and go buy it now. I’ll wait. You won’t be sorry….
  
  
• The weather is insanely beautiful so we're planning a jaunt with the girlies to ArtScape at the Arboretum.

So… What are you doing this weekend?

Blogger's Favorites -- Cassandra of Coco + Kelly

photo by yvette roman via Coco + Kelly

This week’s list belongs to the lovely and incredibly taste endowed Cassandra of the brilliant Coco + Kelly. Cassandra is a seriously stylish lady… I’m completely addicted to her room of the week feature and am equally smitten with every single one of her color trend posts.

And of course, her list is just as fab as her blog.

Without further ado, Cassandra’s favorites. Enjoy!


I was so excited to be asked to contribute to Joslyn's wonderful blogger's favorites series because I thought it would be a great little exercise for me. With so many trends and beautiful pieces passing through my daily life, it's incredibly hard to pick only a few to make the cut. MUCH harder than I thought, in fact! But, here we go...

Hermes China -- The one piece I knew I had to include right away is my favorite china pattern from Hermes: Balcon Du Guadalquivir. For me, it's the perfect mix of a pattern that is incredibly classic, yet unique and special at the same time. So far, I have a teacup... I hope someday I'll at least have a pair of teacups! (Photo by Martyn Thompson)

Dinners & Entertaining -- Some of the 'must haves' in my life revolve around more intangible things, and (being raised in Italian traditions) the most important of these is meals with friends and family. Cooking, enjoying the company of others, entertaining, throwing little dinner parties... these are the things in life I cannot do without! It really comes down to making time for the people you love, and having a wonderful time doing it. (Photo by Marcus Nilsson)

The White Oxford -- Most people will tell you a little black dress should be the number one staple in your wardrobe. I think a crisp white oxford makes the top of my priority list. To me, you can't go wrong with a clean button up, a flattering pair of jeans, and great accessories.

Signature Jewelry -- I wear a pair of diamond studs nearly every single day - they will stand the test of time, and are appropriate on every occasion. I also adore a good vintage piece of jewelry. I really wish I had nabbed this horseshoe ring from Erie Basin when I had the chance! Opals are my birthstone, and impossible to find in a setting I like. *sigh*. A friend of mine has an emerald ring that was her grandmothers that she wears every day, and it's become a part of her, which I think is a lovely side effect of having these heirloom pieces.

A Handwritten Note -- There is nothing better than opening the mail to see (amongst piles of bills and catalogs) a handwritten thank you or hello. I've started the tradition of adopting a signature stationery for the year, starting with this sweet pony in a crest design I found in January. It encourages me to use it all up instead of stashing it away, and reminds me to reach out to friends with a special little note instead of an email!

Beautiful Bouquets -- What can I say? Flowers perk up the dreariest days and make every room a little more fresh and special. My favorites are the arrangements that look a little more wild and natural - if I could have a bouquet every week from Saipua, I would! They do an amazing job.

Vintage Chandeliers -- On the interiors side of my favorites, I would say the one piece that can really complete a room is a vintage chandelier. It could be anything from midcentury modern to a true antique. Either way - if you take a plain, sparse room, and throw up a gorgeous chandelier - you're done!

Simplified Rooms -- Speaking of plain sparse rooms... I love a basic room with organic textures, neutral pieces, clean lines and bright white walls. To me, these create a core aesthetic to design around. Accessories and smaller pieces can come and go, paint can be changed, but the basics are the bones to the design. (Room via Living Etc.)

The Dress -- Every woman should own a gown that makes her feel beautiful, sexy and confident. For some people that may be their little black dress (I admit to having several of those!), and for others it could be a piece in a signature color, an incredibly flattering fit, or an original design. Whatever it is... tuck it in the back of your closet as your go-to for last minute occasions or anytime you want to feel fabulous, and you'll never regret it. (Photography by Dirk Rees)

Sunshine & Beaches -- I actually don't think I'm exaggerating when I say I think I would die without a little sunshine and beach time in my life. Growing up in Southern California, both of these elements mean so much more to me than they stand for on their own. My design aesthetic in both fashion and interiors is heavily influenced by a more laid back, beach living style - a little bit of bohemia and simplicity, a bit of mid-century modern, and light, bright open sunshiney spaces. I'm also addicted to dresses - something not easily pulled off by a girl living in Seattle at the moment, but there's just something about the whole vibe of a beach town that really defines me... it's an absolute must in my life! (Photography by Tamara Schlesinger)

The Spending Hiatus -- Week Nine + A Winner

If I were buying (more than I’ve already bought that is) this “dress” from beklina would surely be on my list…

I didn’t want to skip a week of a hiatus update, so here’s a recap for you…

This week wasn’t as bad as it could have been (I’m apt to spend when I’m prepping for vacation, not to mention my insatiable urge to buy something every. single. time. I find myself outside the city limits), but it wasn’t as good as it should have been… which is the long way of saying I bought a few things.

Pre-Vacation there were a few cheapy plastic toys, some candy and coloring books for the girlies that, while were not something I would normally buy, were in this case “essentials”… Miss Aimee had the genius idea to create little treat bags to pacify the kids on the long ride to Marfa. I took it one step further and numbered paper lunch sacks 1-8 and tucked a little toy, a handful of candy, some goldfish, etc…into each one (the drive was about eight hours long.) Then for each hour that Audrey didn’t ask, “how much longer” or say, “I’m bored”, she and Millie got a sack. It worked like a charm.

Oh and I also bought a brown dress from Target to wear on the trip over jeans... I thought I’d just slip that in and hope you didn’t notice it.

Moving on…

Audrey sporting her Chinati t-shirt

While on the trip I bought exactly three things. And while I can't (in good conscience) profess any of them essential, honestly I don’t feel too guilty:

1. First there was the v. cool tank top I acquired from the lovely and talented Lorna Leedy ...I was supporting an artist, thus only minor guilt…


2. Then there was a Chinati t-shirt for Audrey (that she refuses to take off) -- Again supporting the arts, so relatively guilt-free…


3. And finally I bought a hardback copy of The Geography of Bliss on the 75% off table at Marfa Book Company, and well, I never really feel that guilty about buying books…

So there you have it friends. Not my best week by a long shot, but never fear, I’m firmly back on the wagon. How did you all do?

Oh and yes, now for the winner of the generous gift certificate for a print from Wall Blank...

Congrats to a girl’s world, who (up until now) has never won a blog giveaway! Just e-mail me your contact info, and we’ll get the gift certificate your way.

Because I Don't Really Know Where to Start...

I'll just kick things off with a handful of "teaser" photos.








Suffice to say, the trip was pretty incredible. I'll share more details once I catch my breath a bit... In the meantime, take a peek of some of Miss Aimee's photos from the trip.

And We're Off...

image via dominique baynes

I'll be back mid-next week with tales of our adventure. Have a great week-end!

Blogger's Favorites -- Stephanie of Stephmodo

image via Stephmodo

This week’s list belongs to the incredibly resourceful and lovely Stephanie of Stephmodo. I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that Stephanie is pretty much a domestic goddess… Whenever I need a recipe, an organizing tip or just a shot of pretty, I hit Stephanie’s blog (who am I kidding, I visit her blog every. single. day.)

Herewith Stephanie’s favorites...


Compiling a list of favorites was a little daunting at first, as I've never been one to have a favorite anything really. I love so many places, colors, genres of music, foods, and styles to ever claim one as a favorite! But, as I thought more carefully about what I really love, I found a limited list of things I truly enjoy on a frequent (and often daily) basis. Then the fun began :) Oh, and just so you know, I eliminated more general favorites like "etsy", "ebay", "craigslist", and "epicurious" and focused more on things you may find useful or pretty, which is personally my favorite part of Joslyn's "Blogger Favorites" series.

Enjoy!

• Recycled Glass Vases: I could plan an entire room around these pretty vases. They come in the most lovely shade of green.
  
• Microplane Rasp Zester : My favorite kitchen tool ever!
  
  
  
• Kraft Brown Cupcake Boxes : These make delivering cupcakes more special...it's all about the packaging baby.
  
• Passionfruit Puree: As an adult I discovered I love the tart, tropical flavor of passion fruit. And since a little goes a long way, this bottle lasts awhile (to make it last longer freeze smaller portions separately).
  

• Papier + : This beautiful shop in Paris takes presentation to a whole new level. A new favorite indeed.
  
• Aveda Rosemary & Mint Hair Products: At home I typically use whatever is on sale that week at the grocery store; but when I travel I like to treat myself to these delicious smelling travel-size hair products. The combination of rosemary and mint is pure heaven and I don't believe I will ever tire of its scent.
  
• Bose Sound Dock: There is nothing like blasting a little Earth, Wind & Fire while you're getting ready for the day or an evening accompanied by soft Brazilian jazz. The sound on this thing is incredible.
  
  
  

• Fresh-squeezed juice: My favorite is a melange of apple, carrot & orange juices and I highly recommend trying this combination at your local juice bar.
  
• Yellow Leather Handbag: Italy is always fun to visit after a trip to France. Instead of dark neutrals (which I love and have their place) you find bright leather goods and scarves in the most amazing hues. I saw this bag in Florence and it was love at first sight.
  
• Striped Aprons from Pelote: Perfect for a man or a woman who spends a little (or a lot) of time in the kitchen. They also wash up nicely and don't wrinkle up like so many others.