invitations are d o n e! {melissa & bryan}

The invitations for my cousin Melissa and her fiance Bryan are finished, resting soundly in a tissue-filled box headed overnight to NY. M&B dreamed of something fancy, and similar to an invite I'd done and posted here. I used a vintage flourish, cleaned it up a bit taking out the flowery parts and replacing them with more scrolls and swashes. The layout is one I love; it's a tri-fold that folds into a neat 6x6 square and the r.s.v.p is an attached (perforated) postcard (love that). This is the third yellow & grey invite I've done in the past few months - I think this may be the wedding color theme of the year!

Honeydew Lime Popsicles

We're having a bit of a heat wave here in northern California - last night it was 90 degrees at 8pm...needless to say, I'm craving popsicles, fruity and refreshing. I went to the farmer's market on my lunch break today and bought the makings for these frozen treats. Mmmmm. Here's the recipe, if you want to give it a try!

petunia faced girl

My good friend Susannah had the unthinkable happen - her blog was accidentaly deleted (eeek!). So, for all her readers, please see her new blog at Petunia Faced Girl.

coming clean {corners I don't covet}

The word "perfect" is not in my vocabulary, in fact, I've never been a fan of the word. At times in my life when I've caught myself thinking "wow, things are just perfect", something goes very wrong to knock my life out of whack, and so, no more perfect.

That said, I think I may have misled you. I received a comment the other day on post I'd written about fresh flowers I'd just picked. The comment, which has been resonating in my head for the last 3 days, said "wow, your life seems so perfect!". And I literally laughed out loud and wrote back that it wasn't the case. But then it hit me, this blog of mine is such a small snippet of me, a "pretty-things" blog without all the nitty gritty that makes up real life.

Last night I saw Sex and the City with my friends Rosalie & Susannah - it was fantastic by the way - but why I'm bringing it up is the closet scene. The big, light filled closet that Big had built just for Carrie. It made me think, right then and there - could I even keep a gorgeous closet like that clean?

And so, I've decided to share with you my dirty little secret, the corner of my home that I really don't covet, that I'm actually pretty embarrassed about- my closet. It's a mystery to me, how I can keep a clean, organized home, but then refuse to clean my closet...even my friends agree!

* Please note, not even one item was moved in order to create a pretty picture. The mess & disaster you see here are real, it's a real mess that I'm sharing with you.

Ruby's 5th {garden of butterflies}

Ruby's butterfly birthday party was too cute - all those little one's clutching their butterfly wands, pitching bean bags through the butterfly toss, and mmmmm those delicious butterfly cupcakes. Happy 5th Birthday, to my little flutter-fly! xo

corners I covet {my home}

This corner, on the ledge above the kitchen sink, makes the daily dish debacle a bit less of a chore. I usually find myself spacing out during this time, or meditating if you will, but it's usually a nice quiet time. The beachy bottles were a gift from my husband, after I'd blogged about them a while back. Sometimes I stick flowers in each bottle, but mostly I just leave them as-is, each one is a little different and neither one is perfect.

fresh cuts {from the garden}

I went on a little "chopping spree" in my garden this morning and made these colorful arrangements for every room in the house. I love the garden.

happy anniversary {daisy chain}

It's been a whole year since I sat down to write my very first post here on Daisy Chain. Joining the world of blogging has opened me up to so much beauty and inspiration, it's kind of like being in a really creative art class with the best feedback.
So, dear blog friends, I've confided in you, showed you my silly side, confessed a few things, talked food & recipes, delighted in everyday beauty, shared my clothing wish-lists, and even opened my home. And now, I'm hoping you'll share your thoughts with me by letting me know what it is you like (or dislike), love, or want more of in your daily dose of Daisy Chain. Constructive criticism and me go way back, we're like this (fingers crossed)!
Thank you for reading, and for sharing a little bit of you with every comment, I really do take each one to heart!
xo, Amber

garden luminaries {magical}

Let's take a trip, shall we? Close your eyes and picture this: it's a balmy summer evening, an occasional cool breeze makes the trees rustle, the palms sway, bringing out the scents of the gardenias, plumeria, and jasmine. A glass of chardonnay gathers condensation while you lay reading a magazine filled with pretty little things. You take your time looking at the stars, each one different, trying to connect the dots to find the little dipper. It's quiet and peaceful, the garden is magical, you can open your eyes now.
images by David Tsay

mexican garden neckace

This necklace by Tortilla Girl is so so pretty, and has a very sweet story about peackcks and weddings to go along with it.

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.