{happy friday!}

Two words, happy + friday ~ here's to a sunshine filled weekend ahead, xoxo  image: elizabethmessina

{oh boy!}

My friend Alex is having a boy so I made these Oh boy! shower invites with fun printed envelopes. I used "O" shaped paper clips and accented the O's on the envelopes. Have I mentioned my love for cool printed envelopes? It makes all the difference in the world. Details, details!

palm springs {the lowdown}

So how does a crafty lil' thing like myself end up in Palm Springs smack dab in the middle of a Coachella afterparty at the Ace Hotel? Seriously, I have no idea, but know this - it. was. rad.
At dinner we sat by Gina Gershon and watched a gorgeous Malin Ackerman turn every boy's head. The night really began with DJ's Andrew&Andrew visiting from NY, the cutest couple who've been dressing identical for 10 years. A quick romp outside for a drink where we found ourselves next to a familiar smoky voice...of Lindsay Lohan. I kid you not, friends, I was representing. Then we met Tim, another NY DJ who took us to the afterparty where, upon searching for the bathroom, instead I ran into and stayed glued next to...John Mayer. It just keeps getting better, no? The evening ended at 3am...an hour I am most familiar with as I'm usually feeding baby and doing the hallway pace. I'm home, refreshed and it all seems like a weird Perez Hilton dream of some sort.

{all in the name}

I'm not sure if I've ever told you why this 'lil 'ol blog of mine is called daisy chain, but the reasoning is pure and always brings me to my happy place. There is nothing I like more than to sit in the park making daisy chains on a warm day. The act of popping the daisy out of the grass, splitting the stem open with my fingernail and linking the next and the next, all intertwined into a delicate crown. Simplicity at it's best!

{happy friday!}

Have a wonderful weekend - I'll be in super relaxation mode in Palm Springs, xo amber  lovely lingerie image

{SPILL it!} black eiffel

This week's {SPILL} comes from the lovely Rachel of Black Eiffel, one of my all-time favorite design blogs. Don't be shy, take a peek...xo

--Stuff in my bag --

1: Camelback water bottle : I always carry a water bottle with me wherever I go, I've tried quite a few and this has been a long time favorite.

2: Flip & Tumble bags: These are the very best fold up bags I've come across. They are great for carrying groceries or other things in a pinch, even can be used as a toy.

3: Kate Spade Wallet : My first Kate Spade wallet and I am hooked, the quality is impeccable.

4: Matryoshka doll : I like to carry a toy that my daughter doesn't play with too often to intrigue and entertain her.

5: Clean Well: We love using a hand sanitizing product that smells somewhat alright, and is natural, safe, and kid-friendly.

6: Kate Spade Glasses : Got these a few months ago, I love the pink case.

7: Flip : I make an effort to carry a camera wherever I go, usually it is a pocket camera, but lately I am carrying our flip around. You never know when you'll want to capture a moment.

8: iPhone: Hands down the best invention ever, although the iPad comes pretty close. (Yah, my husband and I are tech nerds).

9: LÄRABAR : It is tricky to find snack bars that don't have a lot of additives, but LÄRABAR'S fit the bill. Our family favorite is Coconut Creme Pie.

10: Orla Kiely makeup bag : A little on the spendy side, but one of my favorite purchases EVER.

11: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer : This is on my top five list of favorite cosmetics from my bag.

12: Moleskin + Muji pen : The tactile nature of pen & paper will never go away. I use mine as a type of sketchbook -- to tape scraps, doodle or write down thoughts when out and about.
Bag is from Sundance.

pot pie {oh goodness.}

Ever since I saw the Barefoot Contessa episode where she whips up a fresh pot pie, I swear it's all I can do not to make one. Something about that whole made crust seems so daunting, but it looks so good, right??

take me to {the Springs!}

Warm desert winds, swimming, shopping and great girls - count me in. On Friday I'm headed to Palm Springs for a bachelorette weekend - it's my first time leaving the littlest so I'm a bit freaked, but all the sunshine and sleep might do me some good! If you have any tips on shops, food, fun...send them my way! 

{happy friday!}

Have the very best weekend, my friends! Sorry I've been a bit m.i.a due to the little munchkin (she can't help but steal all my attention) - will try to be a better blogger next week! xo, amber

the wedge {is back!}

Around this time last year my hunt for spring shoes began, but all I came up with was a sea of flats. Cute flats, sure, but flats on a shorty like myself just don't bode well when going for that just -stepped-out of a-Lancome ad-look (you know, the one where she's walking her puppy in a path of blooming flowers?). These spring wedges are all good - with a sundress, with a bevvy of jeans, and gauzy summer skirts. yellow cork wedge, wooden wedge w/ medallions, strappy silver, daisy cork wedge (love!), 

urban garden {terrain}

Ooooh...take a gander at what those geniuses at Anthropologie have been up to! I've posted about the garden wonderland Terrain before, but now it's gone to a new level - our level that is, we can now get it (drool over it) online. Woo hoo! Field-to-table furnishings? check! strawberry jam and fresh honey? check! Greenthumb or not - you'll love it.

{easter} crafting

It's spring break around here, not the girl's gone wild style though, more like DIY project central. I promised Ruby we could do something crafty each day of her break - so far, so good. Today it's dogwood branches w/ little paper flower & leaves, but here I found these pretty fabric eggs which we can tackle tomorrow. It's a far cry from Daytona Beach, but I'll take crafting with my daughter over bikini contests anyday...

a {woodland} fairytale

Ribbon streamers and actual family trees - you will looooooove June + Paul's wedding!!

{mixed} media

I can't get enough of this artist - love the way her pieces fit and flow together - just beautiful!

{happy friday!}

Priorities...this week was a doozy with work, kids, life - just wasn't feeling super inspired. I'm hoping a bit of sunshine and weekend wanderlust put me back in the swing of things, xo amber {photo of sweet Layla, 4 months yesterday!}

{happy friday!}

This pretty much says it all! Happy Spring weekend all of you lovelies - ! xo, amber

cupcake kits

Fairies, mermaids, aloha...these cupcake kits are beyond adorable and I want them all.

dollhouse {with a twist!}

My dollhouse wasn't super fancy, used and purchased at a garage sale and in need of TLC, but I spent many hours just imagining & decorating. The walls were wallpapered, the floors carpeted, and my weekly allowance was spent on teeny tiny furniture - a porcelain clawfoot tub, frilly canopy bed, a kitchen hutch filled with dishes. This post brought me back, and what a simple way to add some beautiful color than with fabric or scrapbook papers. This is a project I will definitely be doing for my littlest.

yarn wrap {simple+sweet}

Using yarn over pretty gift wrap or over a plain box is just about the sweetest surprise - big shiny bows begone! And, of course, these would make great party favors (for all ages!). image:marthastewart

{happy friday!}

Have a great weekend, my friends! These two girls are the key to my happiness, xo amber

Kell it {like it is}

She scares me, but I like it. It's real, dirty + a bit anti-glam - I can't get enough of the Bravo-drama-rama Kell on Earth. The show follows Kelly Cutrone as she runs her uber-successful fashion PR company - all the while instilling her raw sense of sensibility and real-world rules. If she knew stationary design the way she did fashion, I'd hire her in a hot second. Are you watching??

inspiring tiling

We need some {inexpensive} pizazz in our super run-of-the-mill kitchen. We've begun replacing the appliances with stainless (l o v e), next comes paint, and now I'm thinking a simple backsplash could be really fun without being a huge extra cost. I can't stop looking at Ann Sacks collection of glass and ceramic tiles - the colors & textures are pure inspiration!

{happy friday!}

hooray! It's the weekend! We're going to a salsa-inspired benefit for my daughter's school this weekend, so I'm looking for a ruffle skirt or dress (yes, totally last minute which is how I operate). xo amber image: i.anton

springtime {dinner}

Well, the magnolia trees are in full bloom, so that settles it - spring has sprung! Give me crunchy colorful salads and lots of it - I'll be making this for dinner tonight, along with some grilled shrimp. Kind of excited. What are your favorite springtime dinners?

a big, beautiful {surprise}

We threw my mom an amazing surprise 60th birthday party last weekend at her favorite restaurant in town. The surprise went off without a hitch, even flying in her brother & mom from the east coast without her finding out. So sneaky! Using her favorite colors orange & turquoise, I made accordion photo booklets which were at each place setting, and cello bags of orange-essence cookies for the favors. We made floral centerpieces using huge bundles of flowering branches in tall glass cylinders and 100 white votives scattered on the tables. Definitely a night to remember!

reupholstery {it's like magic!}

I've been itching to reupholster something, or maybe it's just an excuse to buy some gorgeous ikat or suzani fabric that I can't stop daydreaming about. There's a perfect blank wall in my bedroom for a  settee, so the hunt is on for something old and not-so-perfect that I can fix up. image:house beautiful

{happy friday!}

Those pretty little pink+white buds have appeared on the trees...spring is in the air! I have a few crafty things up my sleeve for the weekend, look for them next week, xo amber image: nick bartoletti

vintage kilims {on the hunt}

Last weekend I wandered into an amazing shop filled to the brim with vintage kilim rugs. All the patterns & colors warmed a usually cold space right up. The prices were over-the-top expensive, so this morning I went on an eBay hunt. I'd love to find one like this, with bits of rich plum and chocolate colors. image via decor8

ruffles {overfloweth}

My daughter Ruby wants a garden tea party for her 7th birthday (not until June, of course, but she's already planning...wonder where she gets that?). Could these tiered ruffle tablecloths be any more perfect for the occasion? And the yellow garden chairs?? Yeah, crazy cute. image via country living

{my} Nepenthe

Have you ever been somewhere so magical that it resonates in your memory over & over throughout your life? For me, it's Nepenthe. The first road trip I ever took with my husband (then boyfriend) was down the rugged Big Sur Coast. I didn't know it then, but a stop in to Nepenthe ("no-pain"), nestled into the side of the rocky cliffs and surrounded by fern gardens would become our yearly must-stop, the backdrop for anniversaries, birthdays and romantic weekend getaways. I'll take a glass of chardonnay and the ambrosia burger on their patio anyday.

My friend Alex bought me this memoir/cookbook written by the grandaughter of the Nepenthe founders. Photos of rich colored tapestries beside recipes like "Day at the Beach Minestrone" woven with tales of beat poets and hollywood royalty, has made this my new favorite read.

{happy friday!}

Have an awesome weekend, lovely ladies...I'll be nursing a cold with some chicken soup, xo amber image: i.anton

{SPILL it!} lovely clusters

Today's {SPILL} comes from sweet Rachel of Lovely Clusters. I've been a fan of her eye-for-beauty for forever now, and I also love that she lives in Hawaii...here's what she's got in there - take a peak! xo

1. My large black "bowling bag" from Ruche

I added some vintage pins to make it more my style. The spoon and fork pin is from Down and Out Chic and the owl pin was given to me by my mom. :)
2. iphone: I love this thing. Twitter, email, google reader on the road!
3. Round Lip Gloss for color to dress it up a bit and burts bee chapstick for casual days. I have about three of these in various places. Cannot live without it!
4. Car Keys to my Jetta. I love my car.
5. Pencil for random sketchs if my phone died and I got really bored.
6. Mini notebook for notes. I still hand write quick notes. It takes me longer to type it on my phone.
7. Mini sewing kit for emergencies. My wedding coordinator had me buy one for my wedding and I thought it was a great idea!
8. Business card holder is a must. You never know when you will meet someone who can use your services.
9. My wallett/clutch. I love this thing because if I dont want to wear my big bag I can just wear this and wear it as a clutch. My husband bought this for me in Rome. Gotta love Italian leather!
10. Tape Measure. I actually need a larger one but I do a lot of measures for houses with an interior designer that I work with. Its always good to have extras in case one breaks.

{budget} love notes

I don't know what's gotten into me, must be all the rain, but I'm on a serious crafty roll. The hubby and I decided not to spend money on gifts this year, but to make something instead (I just heard him using the saw in the garage?!). I went with "teeny tiny love notes", using cool love-song lyrics (think bob marley, ben harper, bob dylan...) and placing them in these tiny little envelopes. Ruby helped me hide them around the house for a bit of a valentine's day caper. Total cost...$0 Total Love Impact...big. xo

{happy friday!}

Friends ~ have a lovely weekend and a cozy, romantic valentine's day, xo amber image by the uber-talented: i. anton

sneak peak {barn wedding invites}

I'm crazy busy today trying to finish up these barn wedding invitations I've been working on. Sewing burlap is officially my least favorite thing to do, it moves and shifts and...well, at least it looks good. I'll have better pics when everything is complete!