Snippet and Ink Goodness...

In honor of my 5th anniversary being married to my sweet husband, I'm going to post this sweet at-home wedding. It took place at the bride's parent's lake house in Northern Michigan. My husband's family has a house on Green Bay (but it's in Michigan) and had the logistics worked out a little better (there are no hotels, just no-tell motels and the only catering is the local pasty place), we would have married there and his sister as well. So, in honor of what could have been, I thought I'd post this darling wedding. I love all the sailboat details used without it being too nautical. Also, the invitation is fantastic. I have always wanted a pen and ink of our house. How great to use it on your at-home wedding invitation! All the wonderful photos were taken by the husband and wife team at Jessica Johnston Photography. Hope you enjoy...

{I love that they used plants already in the ground to decorate}

{That looks just like our lake!}

{love the invitation}

{There is no better day to wear Louboutins and JCrew}

{This was added at the request of Lillie, who loves a beach fire}

{This just cracks me up! Looks like the guests had fun!}

la la la laaaaa...

{Anita Calero via here}

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me...

Happy Birthday dear Kaaaaatttttte

Happy Birthday to me!!!

I can't believe that I'm 30! I've been looking forward to this day for a whole year. I'm also pretty excited that we've been married for 5 years today as well. Boy, where did all the time go?

p.s~ if you're still looking for gift ideas, anything that the cake is made out of will do just fine.

 

Isn't this darling?

In honor of the historic moment on Thursday night, I bought this for my daughter today. 

                      {get this here}                            

She is a proud Obama supporter and will tell anyybody who she is voting for if they'll listen. We're fairly active in our city when it comes to politics, but we're the minority considering we live in Alabama. So, I'm sure she'll stand out in the crowd in it and we'll be very happy about that. I guess it's just in her blood. She's grown up going to meetings, etc. and her and her little friend can be heard discussing politics over lunch at the local hot dog shop. I kid you not, they got into a discussion about politics the other afternoon. It was hilarious! I guess it doesn't hurt that the friend's dad was at the convention as they spoke. The woman sitting next to us looked at me like we were all crazy. I'm guess she didn't realize that kids aren't all born Republicans. :) Anyway, the shirt was too cute to pass up! I love Etsy!

ps~I do tell her that it doesn't matter who she supports, as long as she's informed and VOTES. So, I'm not totally trying to turn her into me...not totally. Yet. ;)

Nie Nie Day

If you haven't already heard about it, please go here and read about Stephanie and her husband Christian. After that, go out into blogland and do some shopping. Design Mom has a list of all the blogs and what they are auctioning. Buy a lot! It's practically guilt free and it is definitely going to a great cause. I believe that DM also has a link to an update, so make sure you check back. I can't explain how my heart just aches for their children. I could not imagine this happening to my family, I don't know if I could be as strong as they are. Please keep Stephanie and Christian, their 4 (!!) children and extended family in your thoughts and prayers. 

Are these cute?

{Target via here}

Does the fact that they are $25 change your mind one way or the other? I think I like them, but I'm not sure how much I would wear them, since I don't wear much yellow. I live in the DEEEEP South, so it's warm enough to wear them for the next couple of months, so I think they might be a yes...

Birthday Present #1

Enough with the wishes, I need a present! 

So, I purchased one of those fantastic machines for myself today and I'm beyond excited!

{here}

I know what everybody will be getting for Christmas. Notecards! As if I needed a reason to throw a party, but now I can make my own invitations. Oh, the possibilities. I can make ALL of this now. Yay! If only I could find a free Illustrator/Photoshop disk. :)

{paperandcloth}

{MWilson}

{Orange Beautiful}

Birthday Wish #3

I'll take them both, pretty please with a cherry on top!

Who doesn't need a washed leather jacket?

They finally brought their kitten heel boots back! I've worn mine out!

Now, one of these will be a gift to myself. One of them is probably going to stay on the WISH list for right now, but it's fantastic, isn't it? Being an adult stinks! I'd buy it in a heartbeat about two years ago!

Birthday Wish #2

Another one of my current obsessions are custom books by Good Stock. I'm going to dedicate a whole day of posts to Kim's wonderful books in September, but I'm so excited that I have a call with her tomorrow to discuss a couple of books that I want to make. I found her through Design Mom and I've been in love with her work ever since. These pictures are just a couple of the books she has on her blog and she also has tons of examples on the Good Stock site. Make sure you check out her blog, she posts all sorts of neat little things that inspire her and also old books from her family and others. Book making really runs in her family. You should see the darling book her grandmother made for her own wedding!

Anyway, I am super excited to talk to her tomorrow about all the neat stuff that can be done. I'm hoping to make my daughter a book for her first year of school...and as many of them after that as I can!

 

This "Golden" book was done by a woman for her husband for his birthday(24 on the 24th). It included letters to him from all the important people in his life. How great is that?? 

This is the "accordion" style book that she's introducing soon. I'm hoping to use one or more of these to announce some big news in the near future. It's very hard for me to keep a secret, but I'm going to try really hard!

Birthday Wish List #1

This beauty (or a close cousin of hers) is right at the top of my birthday list. 

I LOVE LETTERPRESS. I love the feel of the paper, the touch of the impression, I even like the way the back of the paper looks when it's pressed! The deeper the impression, the better! I must have looked at Mr. Boddington's website 1000 times in the past 6 months. Not only is letterpress beautiful, it looks rewarding to create. I need a hobby very bad, because if I'm bored I'm useless and I get nothing done. I've got my husband 90% convinced that he should buy me one, buy me Illustrator/Photoshop (already bought me a rockin' Mac for Christmas) and let me set up a studio in our basement. I just need to find a couple of classes to take or somebody in my area to teach me and I'm in business! Anybody have any helpful hints or advice on what kind of press to buy?

30!

Ok, unlike most people I'm pretty excited about turning 30. In fact, I'm so excited (and still too sick to do much else) that I found a montage of fun signs on Flickr that I want to post. Oh, how I love Flickr. I don't actually put my own photos on there yet, but only because I'm too lazy to buy a new cord or card reader for my camera! But, I'm going to change that this weekend. Anyway, here's to a wonderful 30th year and some fun 30s!

(This isn't me, but it's totally something my mother would do to me! In fact, if you're reading Mom....don't think about it!)

(This one is a speed limit sign outside of a sports stadium somewhere in France)

(I think the colors in this photo are amazing. I lost the link to where I found it, but whoever took it is very talented!)

Happy Birthday to....

ME!!

In celebration of my "Golden" birthday week, I'm going to do a countdown of pretty things that I've had my eye on lately. 

BTW, in case you aren't familiar with a "golden" birthday, it's when you turn the age of the date of your birthday. So, I'm turning 30 on the 30th and very excited. I love the idea of a golden birthday, basically because it makes my birthday an even bigger deal! My sweet husband is hosting a dinner for 30 of our friends at our favorite restaurant Chez Fonfon on the Boule Court in the back. 

If I had this room, I'd feel better...

This room would really cheer me up if it was in my house. It's a Maaartha room via Coco+Kelley. So fun and unique. Check out the blog if you don't already, because they just did a inspiration board contest that featured this room and a ton of other great ones. She's announcing the winner tomorrow I believe.

***just a little update***

The board that featured this room WON! Yay! Isn't it fantastic? It was done by Courtney, who also did two more boards featuring different rooms. Check them out at Coco+Kelley. She's on her "honeymoon" today, but she'll be back and fabulous tomorrow!

Party Time...

How cute is this party? Jordan of Oh Happy Day did a post on it and I've got to say I love it! Lillie is in love with all things Chinese lately, thanks to the Olympics and her associate teacher Miss Huini (who they call Miss Whitney), who is here as an exchange teacher from Beijing. This party was for the 8 year old daughter of Andrea from Hula Seventy and it's just too darling. Jordan is right about it being very cupcakey. I love the little cocktail umbrellas as parasols for the cupcakes. 

I know it's going to be a good day when I find a great party idea AND a new blog to read before breakfast. Thanks Jordan (and Andrea!) for your continued inspiration and giving me something great to read about everyday! 

Snippet and Ink Goodness...

How beautiful is this table? It's also quite simple to do yourself if you're the DIY type. This is actually goodness from two of my favorite blogs. The wedding decor is courtesy of Chelsea Fuss from {frolic} and Kathryn from Snippet has the fantastic taste to seek out the pictures and post them for all of us to enjoy. Make sure you stop by to look at the rest of the wonderful pictures by their great photographer, but here are some of my favorites. I don't even like tomatoes, but I'll sure be using more tomato colors soon. I am in love with the color combos and how warm and cozy it looks, but it still has a summery look to it as well. My husband would be in heaven eating their centerpieces! He is quite the tomato fan! Perfect for the humid , but rainy grey day we're having here. Enjoy! 

Where does the time go?

(from here)

Even though my daughter started school last Monday, this was her first day of carpool! We're sharing duties with two other families who are in our neighborhood (she attends a private school about 25 minutes from our house!), so I'll pick up three on some mornings and a couple of afternoons. The mom who just picked up has three plus the other two, so her car was QUITE full! My only child was very excited to see all those kids this morning. It's so weird that she's growing up and getting bigger. Here's to a great first year of 4k. We love you Lillie.

I am still sick...I just don't have any energy and what little I do have is going to my four year old, since my husband is out of the country for work until Wednesday. I promise I'll be back soon. I've found a ton of stuff over the past few days that I want to talk about, so soon we'll be jumping again!

Home...

We're home from New York, but I'm super sick, so I'm going to take a few more days off. As of right now, I can't hear out of one of my ears or breath through my nose...not much good can come from me blogging. :) I hate sinus infections! Off to pass out now...

Can't help myself...

I'm excited about the Olympics!!!

While reading the New York Times online this morning, I came across an article and these pictures of the new Olympic Stadium in Beijing. It's so cool! It's being called the "Bird's Nest" and I totally see why. It was designed by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, who also designed the Allianz Arena in Munich and is getting rave reviews. The stadium will be used for track and field and most important in my mind the opening and closing ceremonies. I love a parade...and fireworks and just about anything with singing and dancing. Bet you didn't know that! 

I know that there is much unrest over China and having the Olympics there, etc. but now that the Olympics are 3 days away, I can't help but get excited and am looking forward to them. 

(Claro Cortes)

(Doug Miller/NYT)

(Getty Images)

(Chang W. Lee)

Betsy Dunlap

OMG, I got my samples from Betsy today and I'm seriously thinking about trying to convince her to write all of my to-do lists from now on. She is so amazing and super talented! I've always been enamoured with calligraphy, but always considered most too traditional for my taste, which leans to a more modern look. But, thanks to Vane of Brooklyn Bride fame I've found Betsy (go here to see what Betsy did for her!) and I love her work! 

It's been very important for me to find somebody who has a unique style all their own. Betsy fits that description to a T and a well drawn T at that. Hand lettering figures very prominently in my paper plans for our vow renewal (which are in the planning stages right now), so finding somebody that I really love is important to me. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about Betsy and all my dealing with her have been great so far. One idea I have for our VR is having her pen a letter from my husband and I to our guests about how important friends and family are to us and how happy we are for them to join us in Seaside. I'd then like to have it letterpressed and to be part of my STD extravaganza, which will be discussed at a later date! 

Here are a few samples of Betsy's work from her website. The first two are the styles that I loved and got samples of and the third is another style I love, but is a little too open and flowy. I'd love a combo of all three! 

(all photos from Betsy's website)

Make sure you check out Betsy's blog too. She's got some great ideas on there for different ways to highlight her beautiful work. 

I'm going to share some other favorite calligraphers when I get back from NYC. If you have a favorite, please let me know!

~~I'll try and scan my samples when I get back and add them to the post, they are too beautiful not to share!

Takashimaya New York

Takashimaya is at the top of my list of places to see in NYC. It's an amazing department store import from Japan and has been open in NYC since 1958. The store was designed to feel like a home, with stone floors, high ceilings and residental lighting. It looks amazing! 7 floors of goodness just waiting for me. They have a full-service florist and a darling restaurant called The Tea Box as well as Women's and Men's clothing, fun baby/toddler gear and an amazing home and garden shop. Oh I'm in heaven!

Look what I found on their website tonight...

They have a florist right in the store! They do delivery arrangements and they do special events!  I would so have them do my vow renewal if I lived in NYC. I'm sure they're very budget friendly. HA! Anyway, I love arrangements that have more texture than color and this one is no exception. White with just the right amount of the dark green. I'm kinda obsessed with green and white flowers, but you'll figure that out the more I post. 

How fantastic is this? I am a bit of a purse addict and an envelope clutch is at the top of my list right now. This one by Michael Teperson would be great with jeans and a cashmere wrap sweater for a causal date night this Fall. Yummy!

Ok, how cute is this umbrella? It's supposed to look like a bottle top! It looks like half bottle top half parasol to me. It's supposed to rain a bunch while we're there, so I might pick this up when I'm there. 

I don't drink sake, but this pewter sake set is so beautiful that I just might start. They're so raw looking, but very elegant at the same time.  They were handmade in Takaoka, which is apparently an area known for metal work. So beautiful.

I'm sure I'll find 1000 more things that I want, but this is a great start to my list! 

{all photos from Takashimaya's website}