bridesmaid luncheon

My awesome cousin got married about a month ago, and I designed some Bridesmaid Luncheon invitations that were in keeping with her purple-hued wedding theme. Oh, I love how they turned out – fresh and modern, but still elegant, just like the lovely bride! I used super-thick cotton paper, which really made it special. It was such fun to do this for her – she's about the sweetest gal I know.

{Photos by beth perry DESIGN}

hello, springtime

Spring definitely feels like it is here in full force. In celebration, here are some flowers for you – Ranunculus from Trader Joe's – my favorites!

latest kitchen favorites

Some things I'm loving right now – really just because they either look or taste pretty, and kitchen gifts always make good hostess gifts. You never know when you'll need to have one on hand! Ok, so here's a little wishlist:

Cute picklin' jars from Terrain by Burgon and Ball. They also have jars for herbs and jam.

And, speaking of jam. I really like this one's name: Bonnie's Black and Blue. It's made with sun-ripened blackberries and blueberries. Yum.

Another find on my wishlist at Terrain is this Opinel knife set in cheerful, mid-century inspired colors.

Cute cherry-themed melamine tray by Rice dk from Huset.

What's that? You want some more jam? Well, here ya go: Slow Jams, Jams for the People. Love the packaging, the name. All of it.

Ok, see, I have a little thing for kitchen towels, and Leah Duncan's designs are awesome. May have to scoop up a few at her etsy shop. Ok, confession: I already got this one! I think I have a problem. A kitchen towel addiction! Either way, this design is really sweet.

Here are some beautiful blue glass tumblers (made from recycled Franciscan wine bottles) from the Brook Farm General Store.

They also have this fun folding knife. I'm liking that little anchor inlay.

Some nice horn servers from Jayson Home and Garden.

So, this is Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix. What the what? Bacon AND Chocolate? Don't mind if I do! (I think this and the Slow Jams were in a recent DailyCandy together. I almost lost it over the breakfast-food awesomeness of it all.)

This delicious pizza is from The Pioneer Woman. Have made it several times recently for my guy and others, and have gotten some seriously rave reviews. Yay! It's yummy and super easy to make. You must try it. That's an order!

{All photos above are from the shops/designers/chefs listed with each item.}

spring!

In honor of spring finally being here at last, I thought I'd get you these pretty flowers. (I heart Ranunculus + Hydrangeas together – two of my most favorite kinds.) Hope you are having a happy spring so far! All kinds of new designs are in the works, and I'm still sprucing up the new office space. Can't wait to share with you!

unpacking blues

Well, I've moved and I love my new place + neighborhood! But, unpacking is taking a while. Although fun to figure out where everything should go, it's kind of overwhelming, too. Above are a few shots of the chaos, which is soon-to-be transformed into my new studio + office space. Stay tuned for the "after" photos sometime soon!

lonny

 

New and fabulous online magazine Lonny is live! If you've been looking for a replacement for Domino or the late-great Blueprint, you must check it out. Beautiful photography spreads and great lists of must-have items for you and your home. I love the gorgeous dining room in the first photo. Check it out here. {Photos: Lonny Magazine}

happy 4th of july!

Old pictures always make me smile. I love how the corners on the older ones are always rounded. Wish they still came like that! Anyway, that's me in front with my sister and Dad at the helm. I remember just loving that bright yellow thermos. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

small cool

Apologies for the scarcity of posts these days - I'm hard at work on lots of new and exciting projects. Stay tuned - I'll definitely share some photos when things are ready. In the meantime, voting has begun for apartment therapy's annual Small Cool contest! Readers can vote and decide on the year's smallest, coolest homes. The photos above are from various entries in the contest. Based on the ones I picked, I realized I'm starting to be a little obsessed with different ways to layout framed photos and pictures on walls. And, as usual, since I'm knee-deep in my own office makeover, I can't get enough of the home offices. Head over to apartment therapy and vote for your favorites! {Thanks to the lovely Meg and her tumblr blog for the inspiration!}

april elle decoration

The UK-edition of Elle Decoration is always a great read, filled with good inspiration and beautiful spreads and photography. The April edition has become one of my favorites. From top: loving the cover image, especially the wild and branch-y flowers on the table, gorgeously shot by photographer Tom Mannion and styled by Faye Toogood; cheerful plastic and melamine home goods, shot by Diane Hendrikz; wonderful prints: 'Upside Downside' bird print by Charlie Harper, 'We Not Me' by Christopher Cox, 'Hexagon I' print by James Brown, 'New England' print by Sharon Elphick, and 'My Home...' print by Rob Ryan; beautiful tabletop from the "Living Masterpiece" spread of English designer Mark Chalmers' Amsterdam home, produced by Frank Visser and photographed by Paul Barbera; last image is of a simple but stunning NYC loft, owned by architects Solveig Fernlund and Neil Logan, photographed by Verne/Owi. Love this loft and especially the clean, open spaces that still feel comfortable and truly lived in.

there's no place like home

I went home last weekend to see my family (and my Mom’s doggie, Jake). I really wanted to take time to get some photos of our house, which my mother is planning on selling soon. (She’s moving to a great 1930s-era home, and as a widow, the smaller space will be easier to deal with.) But, before the house my Dad designed, and which we moved into 2 weeks after I was born, goes on the market, I made it a mission to capture it in pictures. Well, I hadn’t been home in a while and my mouth just dropped when I saw the garden. My mother is the epitome of a green thumb and her hours and hours of work really show. She cried when she saw these, but she said they were happy tears.