Some Scenes From The Weekend...

The weekend was filled with all manner of festive happenings. We celebrated Bryan's birthday with a family Mediterranean feast on Friday, during which I ate my body wight in hummus. I spent an altogether glorious Sunday at the Nasher with my lovely friend Lucia where we helped littles create mini Christo and Giacometti- inspired works of art at The Great Create (an utterly awesome family fundraiser that D Moms was involved in). And, to cap things off, the girlies had their dance recital last night, and, really, what's sweeter than a gaggle of 4-9 year-old girls sporting tutus and twirling around...

And, yet, despite the hummus and the tulle and the soul nourishing art making, I'm feeling decidedly in a funk. Melancholy, uninspired, generally Bluesville, USA. I had planned to analyze the potential factors behind my lack of mojo here on the blog, but as I was gearing up get all navel gazey and what not, Millie burst in and excitedly declared that she had just "thought of something really crazy," and "did I want to hear it?"

Ummm...Yes! 100%, totally and unequivocally yes. Do tell Millster.

She went on to say that she couldn't stop thinking about what would have happened if instead of  "Life of Pi" it was "Life of Pie" and said pie was floating around in the ocean, little bits of crust and filling falling off into the water, before being totally gobbled up by the Lion.

To which I responded, "Yes, that would have been totally crazy...and it would have been a much, much shorter movie."

Then she asked me if she could have some candy and ran off to the kitchen.

That kid's brain never ceases to amaze me. And while my funk hasn't lifted, in the face of her newly scripted movie about baked goods lost at sea, narcissistic blog ramblings just seem, well...pointless.

So she saved you guys from my blathering. She saved me too.

Thanks M.

D Moms -- A Peek Inside...

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned (ad nauseam) that the spring/summer D Moms is out on newsstands in Dallas, and given that I teased you guys with behind the scenes snaps, I figured the least I could do was show you a bit of the finished issue, yes?

Herewith a few (or eight) of my favorite pages...

Happy weekend! 

xx

Loving...On A Wednesday (Inspiration Edition) + A Winner

First there was last week's collection of images that made every fiber of my (OCD-loving) being feel warm and fuzzy. Now I'm getting all misty about other people's (inspiration) boards (OPB if you will). It seems I'm on a roll with the themed "Loving" lists of late.

There actually is a bit of rhyme and reason behind this one... I'm announcing the winner of our first "Inspired By" post (drum roll...congrats Jennifer John on being the lucky recipient of those killer Heather Taylor textiles), so a little roundup of inspiration board goodness just seems appropriate, yes?

Ok, let's get started. Hello Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock hanging out in front of your awesome mood board. I love the clothes you make, for the record. You guys are killing it. 

Joanna, your assemblage of art and photos and fabric scraps and dried flowers is, well, the perfect embodiment of you. (Which, I suppose, is exactly the point of a good inspiration board...well played my lady, well played.)

Clare, you make my favorite bags of. all. time. Full stop. Your board is pretty rad too...

French Vogue, I'm also rather smitten with the inspiration-board feature that you did on Sofia Coppola in your Dec/Jan 05 issue.... But then again I'm pretty smitten with everything that you (and Sofia Coppola for that matter) do.

Oh Jenna Lyons...there are no words, really. Your wall sized board, your Moroccan rug and pink sheepskin, that Cherner armchair barely peeking out over the top of your watermelon Blu Dot Strut table.

Sigh.

Christene given my own inability to publicly declare my deep and abiding fondness for pink (wait, I just did it, didn't I?) your pink-centric inspiration board makes me almost unnaturally happy.

Jennifer S. your board makes me immensely happy as well (as does your beautiful jewelry). In fact, I love your entire feature on The Makers...

Simone, I love that you have lots-o-boards...and that they're little...and really well curated. I'm stealing this idea, cool?

Some Scenes From The Weekend

It was a"blink and it's Monday" weekend again... Bryan and Millie were off on another father/daughter camp out (they are camp out machines those two) involving hiking and archery and petting baby horses and all sorts of loveliness involving nature. Audrey and I, on the other hand, opted for a more ZsaZsa Gabor in Green Acres (am I dating myself here?) version of nature and hit some shops and painted our nails and went out to eat...twice. (We did manage to squeeze in a bike ride, but we were wearing dresses, so it wasn't a particularly athletic enterprise. More of a bike "stroll" if you will.) 

We redeemed ourselves on Sunday though. As in preparation for two little events we're hosting for lovely cousin Erin and fiancé Ben's upcoming nuptials, we spent the entire day digging and planting and generally getting dirty in our backyard as we spruced the heck out of the patio.

What can I say, we like to stay balanced friends. We're all about the yen and yang. It's good for the soul (though not so good for the nails...suffice to say that paint job from Saturday is a bit wrecked, just sayin'.)

Inspired By: Heather Taylor (+ A Giveaway!)

I am endlessly fascinated by the creative process, specifically what inspires artists, makers and just generally amazing ladies. So in a twist on my old "Blogger's Favorites" series, I'm launching "Inspired By" here on the blog, where I occasionally share the inspirations of, well...inspiring people." (How's that for eloquent?)

I'm kicking things off with my virtual friend, and a woman that I admire greatly (let's just say that she's a major girl crush), Heather Taylor.

A gallerist, cook, weaver, maker, entrepreneur, bon vivant, entertainer, blogger... (the list goes on), Heather embraces creativity in a way that is wholly infectious. In addition to her day job running Taylor De Cordoba, a Culver City art gallery/creative lab that she and her husband Alex opened in 2006 to showcase emerging artists and serve young collectors as they begin building collections, she produces a series of webisodes and pens a stunning blog that celebrates living a beautiful, meaningful life (a woman after my own heart).

In her free time (?!) Heather has also recently launched Heather Taylor Home, a line of textiles that perfectly encapsulate her aesthetic sensibility. 

Clearly Heather is the perfect person to kick off this new little series, yes? So I asked Heather to share some of the things that inspire her creatively, and she happily obliged with the seven items below. She also offered to do a giveaway of some of her beautiful textiles to one of my readers. (Thanks Heather!)

Just leave a comment on this post about what inspires you creatively by midnight on Tuesday, April 23, and I'll announce winner on my Wednesday "Loving List" to receive one of Heather's gorgeous table runners and  four of her lovely napkins in the color/print of their choice.

(* To be entered in the giveaway twice, "Like" Heather Taylor Home on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.)

So, without further ado, to help get your creative juices flowing, herewith Heather inspirations.

1. Travel. Last summer I went to Santa Fe and was in awe of the architecture, textiles, colors, and food. I still reference the notes I made following an inspiring tour of Georgia O'Keefee's home. 
2. Cooking. Creating a beautiful meal always gets my creative juices flowing.
3. Books. My favorite books are always on hand for design reference and insight. 
4. Museums. I am always looking to the past for reference, and the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is a treasure trove.
5. Flowers. The colors and composition of a good flower arrangement can be the jumping off point for my designs.
6. Color. A table of radishes and eggs can inspire my vibrant yet earthy color palette.
7. Yarn. The colors and textures in my yarn basket always give me ideas and the making textiles by hand (knitting, weaving) is so satisfying.

Loving...On A Wednesday (OCD Edition)

I tend to have, well...obsessive tendencies. I like the order. A lot. I like to tidy, straighten, and arrange. I live for the tossing and minimizing and purging. In fact, I might be the Goodwill's biggest patron. In the midst of all sorts of things I can't control (global warming, random acts of violence, the amount of homework the girlies bring home. e-mail overload, traffic), organizing my home, my possessions, my desk and drawers and closets brings me immense comfort. It keeps me sane even.

So this week's loving list is a bit of an homage to my love of order. I'm not gonna lie...these photos, starting with that one above via Cicoute Bakery,  make me far happier than a photo should. But I'm not afraid... Long live OCD!

How lovely is this sublimely organized table spotted during Caitlin's "perfect Saturday?"

I love everything about these beautiful (and beautifully arranged) Elephant Ceramics.

Then there's the matter of these perfectly styled bits and bobs via Mokkasin...

And the equally admirable styling prowess spotted on the new (genius) online shop Drifting Arrows.

And last but not least, how about some Studio Deseo action for your viewing pleasure?

Some Scenes From The Weekend...

The weekend involved some massive regrouping on the home front punctuated by a couple of rather swell events, namely a trunk show for (the incredibly lovely) Viktor & Rolf at Forty Five Ten, family dinner at Janet's, and an insanely adorable fiesta celebrating our sweet friend Dottie's 3rd birthday. (Holy cow can my friend Alicia throw a party). 

Given my tendency of late to not budge from my computer (a.k.a. the glowing albatross) during the week, there's something wholly satisfying about the aforementioned home front regrouping come Saturday. I actually look forward to folding the laundry and lighting incense, and sweeping and cutting branches from the lawn to plop in vases throughout the house. I like to make cookies and a big pot of Mexican soup and a vat of green juice (also big). It's restorative, this weeding through the previous week's flotsam and jetsam and putting my home back in order. It is the magic of the mundane... And it's almost as good as a birthday fiesta. 

Almost.