Friday Morning Paper -- Write a Letter

Don’t you miss handwritten letters?

I do.

Writing them was a bit romantic. It actually required a smidge of time and effort + you could save them (in a nice little stack, all tied up with ribbon or twine) to re-read later when you wanted to be transported back to some specific time in your life. (Oh gosh am I starting to sound like Andy Rooney?? Yikes.)

We still write thank you notes of course, but that’s not quite the same…

So I think I will start to write a few letters again to those that I know will really enjoy them. And when I write them, I’d like to use Abbey's elephant emblazoned cards and envelopes made from vintage wallpaper.

Wouldn’t you?

Get Inspired

board via arugula press

My love for inspiration boards is well documented, so it’s no surprise that I really love this flickr pool, and I really, really love this post over on design mom by the brilliant and awfully clever Amy Turn Sharp.

Audrey and I are definitely giving this project a whirl this weekend. It seems incredibly therapeutic. So much so, I might even enjoy it more than she does. Then again, that girl does love to throw paint...

Validation

image via haus maus

photo by james merrell via judith miller inc.

These photos have me even more excited about the wallpaper project… Although I have to admit, every time I see a picture of the woods used in yet another room, I worry it’s going to be the one that pushes me into “overplayed” territory.

Luckily, so far, each time I see that print in action, I’m even more enamored of it, which is a good thing since the paper’s been ordered and the installer’s been booked. (We’re attempting the cow parsley panels ourselves, but that bar area is pretty wonky -- all crazy corners and odd small wall spaces -- so I called in reinforcements.)

I figure either way I have to get it out of my system, as I've been obsessed with that paper forever.

p.s. check out the rest of James Merrell’s portfolio…some seriously gorgeous shots in there.

Only 25 More Days to Exercise Your Photographic Prowess

We’re down to the final month for submissions to My Heart Wanders. You know the drill, pull out your camera and get cracking on your brilliant + inspired + subtle shot.

You know you have it in you…

Previous submissions to jump start your creativity.

And the Obsession Continues, and Continues, and Continues...

I’m seriously swooning over Page’s white pottery collection via Bluelines.

Yellow

Playing around with natural light again + spots of yellow around the house...I really can't get enough yellow right now. It's becoming a problem.

The Art of The Party

Snaps from Achlee’s daughter (and our dear friend) Molly’s 9^th birthday party on Saturday, where cupcakes, water balloons and "Pop Its" ruled the evening...

When it comes to birthday parties, I tend to prefer the old school, backyard variety to a location shindig. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had loads of fun at various bowling alley, zoo, science museum, gymnastics center, puppet theater parties. And, I completely understand the allure of no post party clean-up -- I found sprinkles embedded in every crevice of our house for a full three months after Audrey’s last b-day party. But I am completely and totally smitten with a classic party. I love a wonky homemade cake topped with melty vanilla ice cream, I love the inevitable chaos of a piñata, I love bouncy houses and balloons and crepe paper…the whole enchilada.

My friend Achlee is particularly genius at throwing a massively successful backyard birthday party. (I, on the other hand, am perhaps not so adept at it. Case in point, last year I was made fun of mercilessly for serving a giant platter of fried chicken to a slew of four-year olds at Audrey's princess themed party, but friends, let me assure you, those kids loved that fried chicken. Loved. It. ) But back to Achlee...She comes up with brilliantly simple themes at midnight on the eve of the party that turn out better than something I’ve worked on for months. And, she’s super gifted at the art of “the favor.”

It should be said that I’m not a huge fan of the concept of party favors or more specifically, goodie bags. I know, I know…It’s a bit of a faux pas not to love goodie bags, but back in the day wasn’t it "treat" enough to leave someone’s home having had a blast, on a total sugar high, with a fistful of hard won piñata candy and perhaps a slightly deflating balloon? I wrack my brain over what to stuff in that little goodie bag, and it somehow manages to stump me every single time. But not brilliant Achlee, who seems to hone in on exactly what every kid aged 4-14 would love to take home after a party. She doesn’t waste a lot of time with fancy packaging or plastic doo dads. She just fills giant bowls with jumbo packs of fruit stripe gum (so flavorful, so fleeting) mounds of gummy bears, gold foil wrapped chocolate coins and big bottles of bubbles, and the kids giddily grab fistfuls on the way out the door.

Brilliant, right?

Friday Morning Paper -- Collage Edition

I love Dallas born artist Wyane Pate's work at Good Shape Design, but I'm especially taken with his collages. Making little collages is a favorite pastime of ours...Pate's work makes me want to bust out the scissors and paper this weekend.

p.s. Rachel is having a little collage contest right now in case you're feeling similarly inspired.

Happy Friday all!

Yet Another Reason to Wish I Lived in NYC

Hable Construction is having what appears to be a pretty darn swell sample sale next week. If you happen to go and stumble upon these beauties, pick a few up for me and I’ll pay you back!


p.s. and if you aren't in NYC, there's a nice tag sale on hable's site, featuring this pillow among other lovelies...

White

Some of Paige Russell's pieces

My inability to stop buying white vases, dishes, random vessels and the like is no secret...

Generally I’m drawn to the lonely “strays” at yard sales and on clearance tables, but there’s nothing like a beautifully handcrafted piece to bring the collection up a notch. I’m taken with Paige Russell’s lovely work, which seems a perfect fit for that requirement.

A few pieces of my motley "white" collection. p.s. I'm about to wallpaper that space with this -- I'm pretty jazzed about it...

A Peek Inside

The super chic Rachel from Black Eiffel featured the contents of our pantry/fridge in a cool post she did today. Given my current fixation on pantries, I loved seeing how some of my fellow bloggers were stocking their kitchens, especially those dreamy shots from Jen and Chelsea…

I Love This Bag

Giallo weekender via unruly things

This bag definitely falls into the category of an accessory* that I wouldn't have a bit of trouble donning...

*Does a bag count as an accessory?? For me it's really just a necessity, and trust me, I've justified many a bag under that premise.

Want to Share Some Wallpaper?

Photo by Ngoc Ming Ngo via layers of meaning and light

After much daydreaming (obsessing really) about it, I’m finally going to copy Lynne and do a large framed out panel of black and white Cow Parsley wallpaper to hang on a particularly "lonely" wall in our house. The trick is that I can only find it sold in double rolls and I really only need one.

So...if you're interested in splitting the order with me, drop me a note and I’ll give you details on cost.

Failure to Accessorize

All sorts of cute belts via Urban Outfitters

Generally I am not shy about piling on the accessories. An arm full of bangles, a groovy necklace, a ginormous tote? Bring it on. But belts? Well belts are altogether another story. I think the last time I actually donned a belt was in the early 90’s, through belt loops, on pants, purely for function…not exactly a fashion statement.

But now? Well now I’m obsessed with belts. It happened fairly recently (and it snuck up on me quite frankly) at Amy’s LFT trunk show. We arrived early to set-up her lovely jewels, and once everything was in place, I got to work trying on various frocks that I couldn’t afford. One of the über-cute shop girls was wearing a dress + a fun belt with great aplomb, and I was intrigued…so I asked if they had a belt that I could give a whirl, and of course they did, so I did, and now I’m obsessed…whew -- got all that?? (It probably didn’t hurt that the belt they provided me might have been the most awesome belt I’ve ever seen, in a ridiculously expensive, wonder woman, “power belt” sort of way.)

Needless to say, I didn’t buy that particular belt (it cost, after all, more than my first car…seriously), but I left that evening on an official quest to obtain a few belts. I’m taking baby steps and have started out with two simple skinny numbers that I’ve been wrapping around tunics and dresses, but based on how much I’m totally digging those belts, I’m thinking this is just the beginning.

Lucky Mom...

Always lovely photo via 3191

My sweet, sweet hubby and daughters surprised me with a huge mug of coffee and a bowl of strawberries in bed on Mother’s Day -- though it wasn’t so much a surprise, as Audrey emphatically begged me on Saturday night to stay in bed no matter what because she and daddy and Millie were going to bring me breakfast the next day… (I’m known to regularly wake up before everyone else, so she was making sure I didn’t thwart their plans with my morning industriousness.)

Oh and Audrey ate all the strawberries while I was distracted by the beautiful homemade cards and lovely gifts. That girl is some kind of clever.

When It's OK to Lie

I spotted this lovely list over on happy cavalier a while back and haven't been able to get it out of my mind... I'm definitely planning on using some of these on the girlies.

Happy, happy week-end.

Lies I've told my 3 year old recently:

Trees talk to each other at night.
All fish are named either Lorna or Jack.
Before your eyeballs fall out from watching too much TV, they get very loose.
Tiny bears live in drain pipes.
If you are very very quiet you can hear the clouds rub against the sky.
The moon and the sun had a fight a long time ago.
Everyone knows at least one secret language.
When nobody is looking, I can fly.
We are all held together by invisible threads.
Books get lonely too.
Sadness can be eaten.
I will always be there.

Friday Morning Paper

I’m always on the lookout for personalized stationary that manages to be not too formal but also not too cutsie. My fellow kirtsy editor (and new friend) Suann totally manages to pull this off with her simple + sophisticated custom cards... Love them.

Wishful Thinking

Last night as we were hunkering down for bed, Audrey declared that she wished she was a grown-up. (She was getting into all sorts of trouble, and I'm assuming her wish stemmed from the desire to just do whatever she pleased...because apparently that's what grown-ups do.)

Right about now I'm wishing I was a kid, so I could wear all of the completely lovely little spring things over at Tiny McSmall.

I'm feeling a "Freaky Friday" moment coming on (of course the original with Jodi Foster) for week-end movie night...

A Millie Morning

My little Millie has had a rough week -- all sorts of coughing and crud and fever.

No fun for my sweet girl...

Lucky Girl(s)

I don’t tend to be a contest winner, but friends my luck has changed, as I “won” this über adorable little yellow frock from the brilliant ladies over at Sugar City Journal yesterday. Or actually (as she informed me last night when we were viewing said frock on my computer together), Audrey won the frock, “cuz mom, I’m the one that gets to wear that pretty, pretty dress.”

True that Audrey, true that…

Also

I can’t stop staring at Jen Gotch’s photo of my dream chairs taken at the Parker Palm Springs…I’m dying to stay at that place – maybe for a future anniversary trip.

I'm Loving...

These calendars and posters by San Francisco artist Claire Nereim via Lena Corwin.

Martin Puryear is Bryan's Elvis

No, there was no actual Puryear sighting, but we did hit his exhibit at The Modern on Sunday with our friends Buck and Camp. Not only was his work absolutely amazing, but Bryan got to stand in front of each piece and dissect joints, the sophistication of angle calculations, and blah, blah, woodworking blah with Camp. So it was a pretty close second.

image via pbs.org

I tease mercilessly, but it was awesome to see him so excited and inspired. Oh yeah, and a little surreal (and highly comical) to hear the guys recap their run-in with an overzealous museum guard who instructed them not to point at the art. Why??? Was he afraid they were going to offend the art? Give it a complex? Poke it in the eye?...

Suffice to say, we're getting a lot of mileage out of that one.

Monday

Still reeling from spotting la Wearstler, I completely forgot my Friday Morning Paper post... So, I’m kicking off the week with these clever + cute thumbtack press prints spotted on the quite fun blog You Are My Fave.

This one by artist Linzie Hunter is my fave. Hmm...

Happy Monday.

Recap: Amy’s Trunk Show + Kelly Wearstler is My Elvis…

A room by the brilliant Kelly Wearstler

We had great fun last night at LFT. It’s such an amazing space, and all the girls that work there are literally the nicest. people. ever. Seriously. (And don't even get me started on all the incredible clothes and home goodies.) The only thing better than a really great shop is a really great shop with really amazing service.

But the highlight of my night (sorry Amy) occurred after the show during dinner at Craft, as sitting at a table just a few feet away was, yes, Kelly Wearstler. I love Kelly Wearstler…always have. Love her design fearlessness, love her propensity for ceramic animals (even loved her crazy crimped hair on Top Design)…love it all.

It probably would have been enough just to ogle her from afar, but I actually had a chance to chat with her for several minutes, and (much like those LFT girls), she was amazingly nice -- completely humble and undiva-like, which just made me like her even more.

All-in-all a pretty swell evening, yes?

Some scenes from last night...

The lovely miss amy (in gold)...

+ her lovely jewels

Temptation

I like this...a lot.

Speaking of Dream Jobs – Part Two

It’s shaping up to be “insanely talented friend” week, as not only is Amy’s trunk show tonight (I’ll be sure to take lots of pics to share tomorrow), but our friend Camp (who most certainly has Bryan’s dream job) is showing Saturday evening in town at the Janette Kennedy Gallery. If you’re in Dallas, definitely swing by...his work really is awesome.

The Fruits of Our Labor

Get Outside Already

Images via IKEA

I think Texas is thumbing its nose at me, as despite all my earlier whining about hating the heat, blah, blah, blah, we’ve had glorious weather lately -- all sunny and cool and just pretty darn blissful. This pocket of perfect weather (and these dreamy outdoor shots on the IKEA site) inspired us to take it up a notch on the “summarizing” of our back patio, and as such we spent most of last weekend planting and sweeping and basically just prettying-up the place. I also managed to set aside my previously documented issues with IKEA and popped over on my lunch break yesterday to grab a couple of pillows for our patio couch.

I suppose I sometimes just have to eat my words a bit... Sorry Texas. Sorry IKEA.

It's Back...

via remodelista

My "pantry"/kitchen fixation has reared its head again...