summer road trip {booked!}

Our summer road trip down the Southern California coast is booked for September, the camp sites are all reserved, plus a few nights at the magical Les Artistes in Del Mar and a tent cabin in El Capitan. We are so excited to pack up the tent trailer and take it on it's maiden journey! We've booked a few nights at each of these at the end of September:
Refugio - Santa Barbara
Leo Carillo - Malibu
El Capitan Canyon - outside of Santa Barbara (was just on the cover of Sunset mag & here in Cookie)
Les Artistes Inn- Del Mar, San Diego (our favorite spot for the last 12 years!)
I would totally recommend any of these places, they are all beautiful, serene and just a few steps to the sand...

let them eat cake

This poster is pretty darn sweet. Proudly displayed on a wall, how could you not crack a smile? By Blu Lima.

taking the pain away {coconut cake}

This Memorial Day weekend was eventful to say the least. It started out relaxing with a fantastic lobster fest to look forward to, but then on Sunday while I was busy shopping, I got the call. Dave (husband) had been in a mountain biking accident, he'd fallen 8 feet off a cliff, on to a sharp rock, and was being rushed to the emergency room.
His friend's described it as a "clean cut" telling me how lucky he was that it hadn't hit his spine or head. It's a 10" deep cut, by the hip where all that fleshy lovehandle meat lives (yeah for that - it protected him!).
80 stitches later, along with several gruesome phone-text images, he was home resting, and I've been nurse Amber on-call ever since. I've got the meds all spaced out, his dose times all in line and everything he needs at arms reach.
And now, about that delectable 4 layer coconut cake - our friend Jenny made it and brought it for Dave the next morning. Her husband was with Dave at the time of the fall and is pretty much still in shock from it all. This cake has been rocking our world, nothing like something sweet to brighten up the day!

new pillows!

I made these pillows the other day with this silk fabric I bought on Etsy. I just love the look of an all-white bed, but I really needed some color to complete it. The fabric came straight from Japan from Karaku Fabric in only 5 days (she also sent a bunch of pretty samples in a beautifully wrapped package). I love me some Etsy.
photo: Phoebe & Ruby being cuties

wedding wonderfuls

I know pink & green are classicly "preppy" colors, but to me, they look fresh and clean, like a summer smoothie. These wedding ideas are just lovely. And the pots, don't get me started, I've done these little pots for a wedding shower (as favors) and they're every bit as cute as they look here - and simple as can be.
Image: Martha Stewart Weddings and Country Living via toast & tables

long dresses? {it's a toughie}

This new dress from Anthro is C U T E, however...being short (see below post, it must be getting to me today), will this look like a mu-mu or will it look flowy & fabulous like it does on the model? I'd wear it with flip flops, a great Tano bag and call it a day.

shoes {for short people}

I am short, so looking at these shoes makes me smile. I've never owned white shoes, but I'm up for something new!

{happy friday}

Have a great holiday weekend everyone, try to find a cool, quiet spot to relax in.

gossip girl finale {beautiful & dark}

Watching Gossip Girl is like reading my favorite magazine, I can't pull my eyes away from the beauty and I want more when it's done. The vintage-style dresses in the big "wedding finale" blew me away. The icing on the cake had to be the oh-so-perfectly placed flowers in their hair. Serena's dress, by Ralph Lauren was head to toe glamour with those cascading ruffles. Blair looked sweet in a pinky floral-print bubble hem frock from Colette Dinnigan. Pure eye candy, I tell you, can't get enough of this stuff!

hanging vases

We just got the new CB2 catalog and these little teardrop hanging vases caught my eye. In the catalog they are shown filled with sand and succulents, which is right up my alley. Their only about $3 each, so I ordered a few today. I think I'll hanging them at different lengths in a cluster in the sunny part of my kitchen.

these scents are life {bottled}

I love the look pf these apothecary style packaging by I Hate Perfume. The typography is so simple, so clever, they almost look handmade. With scents like "The Beach 1966", "Just Breathe" and "Winter 1972", I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to try at least one...

{color} dressing for your mood

One time when I was in a gloomy mood I decided to wear the color I wished I felt. I wore a pink, long sleeved Michael Stars shirt with a worn pair of Citizens and flip flops. Can I just tell you how quickly my mood turned around? I'm a firm believer in this stuff, colors really do have an effect on the ways we react to what we see. Carl Jung encouraged his patients to use color in their paintings to express the deepest unconscious part of their psyches. Here's a handy chart on how color relates to your wardrobe:
Wearing Yellow = warmth, optimism & light
White = a clean slate, new beginnings
Pink = approachable, open hearted
Blue = calm, comforting
Green = healing (turn over a new leaf)
Grays & Blacks = depressive
image by Amy Neunsinger

let's take it back {way back, circa 1982}

Long before Sarah Jessica Parker was teetering around NYC in her Manolo's, I was watching her geek out as high school-wannabee Patty on Square Pegs. For it's time, this was THE show to watch. If you weren't down with the daily happenings at Weemawee High School, and your idol wasn't pep squad leader Jamie Gertz, then just what were you doing on Wednesday evenings in 1982??
I realize I'm totally dating myself here, but I just had to spread the good news: today, Square Pegs has been release on DVD. Yep, all 17 episodes, so add it to your Netflix queue and get watchin'! Wait...was I the only one watching this show?

It's Taco Tuesday!

I can't imagine how I've gone this long without sharing my favorite weekly ritual: Taco Tuesday. Dave has Tuesday's off, and tacos just happen to be his specialty, so he head's up this weekday feast. It's make-your-own style, so we line up the toppings in bowls, keep the shells warm in the oven and keep 'em coming until we've reached our limit. My favorite is grilled shrimp, avocado and cabbage, so fresh & tasty!

I was just reminded of the episode of Real Housewives of NY when Noel, the son of the Countess, tells his mom, "You're never home for taco night!". So very sad, one must never, ever miss taco night.

NYC vacation rental {on the hunt}

For a mere $800/night we could have this!

Has anyone stayed in a great rental in NYC? We're headed to NY in July for my cousins wedding, and we'd like to rent an apartment in the city for a week. I'm looking in Chelsea, Greenwich and Soho mainly, hoping for tree-lined streets within walking distance to cafe's, shops and the subway. VRBO has some great places, and Craigslist has some that are super affordable, but I'm a bit worried about getting scammed.

For only $168/night we could grab this little gem

in a sea of butterflies {Ruby's invites}

Ruby is turning 5 (!!) in June, and she wants an enchanted garden party filled with butterflies, lots & lots of 'em. We finished up the invites last night, they were so much fun to make with their wings "fluttering" about. Now I'm on the hunt for butterfly wings (in bulk) for the kids to decorate, and even live cocoons to give as favors (just an idea). I'll try not to go too crazy, but I'm thinking a butterfly cake and big tissue paper butterflies in the trees, like the flowers from last year. This is going to be so much F U N! And, I did cut out each one of those butterflies, I have the callused thumb to prove it.

grilled panini {dinner time}

Last night we made these grilled Italian delights, a different version for each of us:
for Dave: grilled chicken, baby spinach, pepper jack & roasted peppers {yum}.
for moi: heairloom tomatoes, fresh mozerella, basil, baby spinach = {double yum}.
for Ruby: straight up grilled cheese.
I'm kind of in love with our George Foreman Grill now, I've been concocting new panini ideas all morning! Anyone have any good ones?

{white} is the ultimate neutral

These white-based interiors have me swooning, so simple and clean, I can almost hear the ocean pounding surf outside the windows. images from Coastal Living by Colleen Duffley

{outdoorables!}

I'm a sucker for outdoor accessories this time of year. I love vibrant textiles against worn outdoor furniture. Moroccan style lanterns, billowy curtains and a crochet hammock. If I click my heels together a few times I can almost place myself in the middle of it all. Ah...sweet, sweet summer accessories. the goods: beach ball round chaise oudoor mats hanging lantern yellow lantern

A is for Apple {and Art}

A Little Hut sells these framed limited edition gems, all hand made, signed and numbered. I love the bold graphic style, and that they are super affordable, I don't know how she does it! She also sells pretty favor box templates great for any party or wedding. via prettyandwittyandfey

home interiors {not too overdone}

I won't lie, when I look at fancy home magazine's like House Beautiful, Arch Digest, or even sometimes in Domino (gasp!), I get overwhelmed. Maybe it's because I do all my own dusting, but between the fabrics, chochkies and the gilded mirrors, it can all look a bit overdone and over styled. Like living in a gallery. My worst nightmare is for an interior designer to fill my home home with "stuff" that has no meaning to me. On the flip side, these images by interior designer Nathan Egan are simple, but filled with curiosity. I could breathe in these rooms, I just love them. via Sarah's Fab Day

summer dresses {steals, deals & splurges}

{The Deals & Steals}
{The Splurges}

It's officially getting HOT, it's supposed to reach 95˚ by Friday, and I need some fresh new dresses to kick around town in (both day and night). I've been finding some great deals, too, so I may just have to scoop some up just for the fun of it!
Deals & Steals: from Delia's, Forever 21 & Fred Flare
Splurges: Net-a-porter, Bergdorf Goodman

handmade birdcage {so tweet}

I first came across these beautiful handmade birdcages by Tamar Mogendorff at Haus in Sonoma. The picture doesn't really do them justice, they are such detailed works of art. I'd love to be greeted by one of these beauties in a baby's room, they make me happy.

corners I covet {my home}

This is the first thing I see when I come in the front door, it says "ahhhh, I'm home." The poster is a vintage find that I bought a few years ago, it's kind of a relic and not in great shape, but how could I resist the gorgeous yellow and the block print? Well, I couldn't. The yellow dish, from Soule Studio, was a wedding gift and is really the catch-all for just about everything; keys, mail, remotes, tiny Barbie accessories and the occasional lost earring. I received a few emails wondering when I was going to post more "corners I covet", so if you've missed my other posts, visit them here and I promise to keep up!

please send good wishes {Rosalie}

In the first grade I met a curly haired girl named Rosalie. I liked that she wasn't perfect, and that her clothes didn't always match. Instead of playing tag at lunchtime we stamped in puddles and collected yellow flowers. We were instant friends and then, best friends. A few years later, we pretended to be spies, walking around the neighborhood with little spiral notebooks jotting down her neighbor's every move. Life was simple and carefree.
Rosalie is my age (34) and found out she had breast cancer while she was pregnant with her daughter. Chemo started right away, her beautiful baby Sadie was born, and she's continuing on her road to recovery. One step at a time. I never wanted to talk about her on this blog, it's so private and so personal, but now I know she needs the support.
Rosalie goes in for a double mastectomy tomorrow morning, please keep her in your heart, and send your prayers and good wishes her way, I know she will feel it.

upholstery fabric {for the tent trailer}

I blogged a few months back about the new addition to our family, the tent trailer. Ready for the coastal camping trips planned this summer, all it needs is a bit of sprucing up and we're set. We took it on as a remodel project of sorts (watching HDTV will have that effect), so far tearing out the flooring and laying down new bamboo floors. Next up, reupholstering the cushions & curtains. I'm pretty sold on this fabric titled "surf & sand" that I came across on Etsy. I'll be sure to keep posting pics as we make progress!

the {huge} straw tote

Doesn't this bag just scream farmer's market?? It's all roomy and begs to be filled with heirloom tomatoes and sweet smelling tuberose stalks. I need one, and not this one which is $110, but one just like it of course.

calling cards

I love the simplicity of these cards by Brooklyn Social Cards, and of course the letterpress is so elegant and tactile. Once my design business & website is (finally) up and running, I'd like to have a selection of these. Great for moms who want to connect, and just an easy way to make a lasting impression.

cinco de mayo {fiesta!}

Our friends Aubrey & Joe had a Cinco de Mayo fiesta last night, complete with live music, fresh lime margaritas and a potluck table that would rival any authentic Mexican restaurant. Delicious! It was a great evening (and on a school night, no less!) with great friends. What better way to celebrate Mexico's victory over the French?

banana bread + wildflowers

Ruby and I woke up to 5 brown bananas in our fruit bowl and we gave eachother the "ewww" look. A minute later we both had our aprons tied and we began our banana bread adventure. While it baked, we took the dog on a walk, saw a new set of ducklings in the creek, collected handfulls of wildflowers and came home to the yummiest banana bread smell ever. If I could have bottled that moment - I would.
I took the day off today to be with Ruby, and really just to frolick around. It's the first time in a long time that I'm not buried in invitation work, but I do have a few jobs to catch up with now. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

bahama mama {the balm}

The last time I exited a Benefit I swore it was the last time, there's always a guy working there who literally can convince me to buy ANYTHING. I don't know know what's wrong with me, but somehow I end up with the most random products like frosted/crystallized lavender lip gloss and some sort of lemon eye goo that is pretty much useless. Anyhooooo, Bahama Mama promises me a "fresh off-the-beach glow", and is not by Benefit (but you could have fooled me with the copycat packaging), but I do kind of want it. Just hoping I don't regret the purchase 24 hours later.

amy butler {abode}

This is the home of fabric designer Amy Butler, whose beautiful graphic fabric patterns I've long admired. Their abode, located in the mid-west, is described as “kinda modern-organic-primitive”. I love all the personal touches, it all looks very cozy and inviting.

Invitations are d o n e!

My client is throwing a surprise party this summer to celebrate her mother surviving cancer. The job was a labor of love (even lost a finger, see post below) filled with bright happy colors, a tri-fold layout and a perforated postcard r.s.v.p. These invitations make me smile.

the {x-acto} crime scene

the incident:

the culprit:

Having 10 fingers was so 2008, but it was fun while it lasted...

wedding pretties

These gorgeous little undergarments from French designer Kiki De Montparnasse take a fun twist on the average wedding night wear (and they're begging to be mine). Sweet & sassy, without a hint of trashiness, what lingerie should look like if you ask me. ps - this site contains some fairly, um, risque items, don't say I didn't warn you... via peonies & poloroids

Dear Target,

Dear Target, (tar-jay)

Just a few props because I don't think you get enough. You've got style, Tarjay, sometimes a girl just needs some quick shopping therapy without the big 'ol pricetags.
Thank you for being there for me when I constantly change my tastes and styles like the wind...my loves and hates, all within weeks at a time.
Your collection is the coolest; gourd lamps, fun beach towels, bean bags and everything else under the sun.

You're rad, don't go changin'
Thank You,
Amber

beaded flower necklaces {DIY}

If you don't have easy access to granny's jewelry box and have a few hours to kill, this beaded necklace is just the thing. I love how it hangs with the flower up on one side instead of directly in the middle. Even though the sun is shining bright today, this seems like a fun rainy day project, you can watch the how-to video here.