Around the Interwebs and What *You're* Loving...

Some fun happenings in the past week that I had to share...first there was the surprise of seeing a couple of our rooms featured in the d*s series, "simply color". Thanks for including me Lauren!

Next, the fab ladies at (the equally fab) tada! shop asked me to be a part of their "guest editor" series. You can check out my picks here. I had a blast doing this!

And finally, there's a full peek of lovely cousin Erin and boyfriend Ben's amazing house over on Apartment Therapy for your viewing pleasure...



And last but not least, you guys are rocking my world with all the things you're "loving" in the comments of yesterday's giveaway post. I've loved reading through these...herewith some of my favorites:

• Molly is loving her new ombre hi-lites.
  
• Nerissa is loving snowy days, silver nails and the aroma of baked sweet potatoes.
  
• Lex is loving kale, Rebecca is loving homemade granola and coconut milk hot cocoa and Maggie is loving fried eggs (you guys love your food!)
  
• Kirsten is loving making progress in learning a new instrument.

I am loving you guys...just sayin.

The Zen of Calligraphy, A Wise DJ and An Outfit (aka My Alt Summit Recap)

pretty business cards gathered at Alt...

There are so many fantastic Alt Summit recaps floating around the interwebs, filled with all sorts of goodness, so rather than rehash what's already been said (and likely better than I could say it), I thought I'd just share the things I can't seem to get out of my mind since coming home:

1. Calligraphy is akin to meditation -- On the first day of the summit, I took a calligraphy class from the lovely and incredibly talented Melissa Esplin, and it was a revelation. Let me just say, no matter how easy Melissa made it seem, calligraphy is hard. It takes work, and I'm not very good at it (not surprising given my DIY track-record), but the act of working at it is quite possibly one of the most relaxing things I've done in a long time. You can't really think about anything else while you're trying to get those letters just right; it sort of puts you in a trance. Incredibly therapeutic that calligraphy... I'm hooked.
   
   (I also had the pleasure of sitting next to the totally fantastic Alexis in the class... we've been blog friends for a while, so it was the sort of surreal experience of meeting someone for the first time, but having the most natural, "I've known you forever" conversation.)
   


2. Creative geniuses know when to unplug and use their hands -- On day two I attended a session on events for the sole purpose of getting inside the brains of event super-stars Jordan, Ashley and Britney (of my rainbow cake inspiration). I wanted to know how they come up with all their brilliant ideas. I was heartened by Ashley's tales of making lots of "ugly" things along the way to coming up with the final perfect execution of an idea and her declaration that to foster creativity you have to "walk away from the computer and make things with your hands". Obvious but so often (by me) ignored.
   


3. Green hair is not stupid -- I expected a lot of things out of Alt, but one thing I didn't even remotely imagine would happen was that I would get some spot-on parenting advice from a wunderkind DJ. On day two, DJ Spooky gave the lunch keynote and was fantastic and brilliant and a little crazy (in the best possible way, as most brilliant people are).
   
   During the Q&A, an attendee asked him how his parents influenced and cultivated his desire to learn, and he shared a bit about his upbringing (his parents were academics and political activists) and how he was constantly challenged and expected to "challenge back", to form arguments, to know what he believed in and why. He also said that his mother told him, "Dye your hair green but don't ever do anything stupid"... Quite possibly the best parental line ever. It's all about putting things in perspective. Thanks DJ Spooky.
   


4. I believe in women -- I am heartened by what I saw go down last week. There was a palpable energy, an amazing sense of rooting for each other and the genuine feeling that there are more than enough opportunities available for everyone to get in on the action. It's a powerful thing when women bond together and support each other like this (and the men too...there were a few men in attendance). It reminds me of a post I wrote last summer and specifically this Michele Oka Doner quote originally found by my beloved Karey (my Alt roomie and partner in "crime.")
   
   "Evolved women have begun to form a collective awareness of how to support one another. It goes way beyond 'what dress am I wearing tonight?' I really like women. I've learned how to negotiate a world filled with intelligent and attractive women, giving everyone their due."
   

from left: danni, melanie, me, liz and amy after our panel ...


And now (as promised in the post title) a little bit of an "outfit deconstructed"... Since I forced you to take a peek into my pre-Alt packing process, I thought it only fair to show you an outfit I wore last week in its entirety.

Here's what I sported on day one...


(Note how much attention I'm paying in the calligraphy class. I really, really wanted to get it right... oh and look at how lovely that sweet Danni is in her fab yellow skirt...)


The Details:

• Striped "dress" -- Chance
• Skinny grey cords -- Gap
• Black "paperchain" necklace -- J. Crew
• Heels -- J. Crew
• Nail polish -- Chanel Particuliere

Some Outfits...(Being Constructed)

It's no secret that, for the most part, women dress for other women... And given the fact that I'll be headed to Alt Summit in less than a week (a design/blogging conference that will be packed with, yep you guessed it, women), my brain is stuck in a sort of sartorial overdrive.

I have pretty much been thinking about outfits non-stop.

And despite having a closet full of perfectly good clothes that very few (if any) of the women I'll encounter next week have ever seen, I have been lamenting the fact that I have "nothing to wear" for days. But matters of the closet are rarely logical. My poor clothes, I put so much pressure on them...the expectation that they'll make me feel a certain way or impart importance on a particular (possibly totally un-important) occasion. That's a lot to shoulder for a swath of cotton.

After much consternation and a little bit of shopping, I *think* I have things figured out. (I had to get a head-start on the process, as I have a work trip from Sunday-Tuesday evening and then leave for Alt the very next day...oh who am I kidding, I am a major advance packer...it's an illness.) I laid out all my outfits with shoes and jewelry and whatnot (+ calling cards and books and magazines and my camera...the whole enchilada) and am feeling pretty good about how things are shaping up. I also think I can get it all into a carry-on suitcase, which is key to the whole enterprise since I never check my luggage.

We'll see how it goes next week. Wish me luck!

p.s. -- Just wondering...does this "what to wear" stuff make you guys crazy too or is it just me??

* a few of you have asked for details of some of the things in the photo...here goes:

• clutch on chair -- Clare Vivier from Pretty Mommy
• gold and colored thread necklace -- Madewell
• black necklace -- JCrew
• gold brass necklace with gold chain -- Laura Lombardi from Pretty Mommy
• Striped shirt -- Chance
• Grey t-shirt dress -- C&C California
• Shoes -- Both JCrew (tan heels, black heels)
• Bangles -- Kathryn Bentley, House of Harlow, F is for Frank, Ariel Gordon
• Scarf -- Missoni from Gilt Group

Scenes from The Weekend A Day Late (aka Millie's Party)

I have to say, Millie's festive little soiree was a pretty great way to spend the first day of 2011.

And, surprisingly, it was a pretty mellow enterprise considering the slew of sugar-fueled littles running amok... We tried to corral things with a few structured games like pin the tail on the uni-donkey (a donkey with a taped on unicorn horn, of course), clothes-pin drop and musical squares (think musical chairs with less potential for injuries).

Then there was the pinata... What it is about watching a bunch of four-year-olds trying to bust open a pinata that's so funny? Oh and it's possible (but I'm not saying for sure) that the pinata may have died at my completely overzealous hand.

Pinata smashing = major satisfaction. Just sayin.

As for the rainbow cake, all told, it turned out ok. It tasted good, and it was pretty, but man that sucker was TALL... So tall that a single slice wouldn't fit on a dessert plate, and I needed vats of frosting to hold it all together. It was pretty insane.

Let's just say we're seriously detoxing from all that sugar.

Hope you guys had a fantastic weekend! So happy to be back in the swing of things.

Four...

Today is Millie is four.

Four.

Which blows me away for any number of reasons, but mostly because she has always been wholly and unequivocally my baby, and all of the sudden, she only wants to play with the "big girls", she's fiercely independent, and she's taller and leaner -- the little dimples on her hands seem to have disappeared...

Overnight she's a kid, and it makes me a bit melancholy.



It's an honor to watch the person she's becoming though -- this fierce, determined, salty, spunky little creature who also manages to be incredibly sensitive and loving and funny.

I am, suffice to say, beyond smitten with her. She melts me. Every. Single. Day.

Since I started this blog just a few months after Millie was born, I've also had the privilege of sharing all of her birthdays with you (one, two, three). Thank you for coming along on this ride with us...You guys make it infinitely lovelier.


And just for fun, here's some of the inspiration for Millie's big celebration this Saturday... After a bit of consulting with the interwebs and lots of amazing advice from you guys (thank you!), I'm feeling a bit more confident about that rainbow cake. Photos of the end result will ensue!


Unicorn by Andy Warhol...

felt garland via Erin Dollar...

rainbow cake (+ excellent instructions) via one charming party...

unicorn pinata via party city...

The Essential Thing...

lovely painted rocks via Nuno magazine...

I posted this last year at Christmas...it's a passage from an old "O" magazine article that, for me, perfectly encapsulates the magic (and complexity) of the holidays...

"For my grandparents, the essential thing about Christmas is midnight mass, and the birth of a child who shall be called Prince of Peace. For my mother, I think it’s the solstice and the fact that the days will get longer, the light will return. For my father it’s Santa Claus, the spirit of abundance and generosity. But for me, it seems to be something at once simpler and more complicated than all these things…"

So for the rest of the week, I'm unplugging a bit (i.e. no blogging or email) and focusing on the essential things...you know the reveling in each other and the UNO tournaments and the gingerbread house making and whatnot. We also have big plans to drink our weight in hot chocolate and paint rocks and sticks...truly we're livin' it up over here friends.

I am so grateful for all of you guys. Have the happiest of holidays, and whatever is the essential thing for you about this season, take time to revel in it.

Lisztomania

i know, i know, "keep calm" is tired...but this variation was apropos to the post, so had to include... (via this fantastic tumblr)

It's been a little bit of a comedy of errors in my world for the past few weeks...

Projects have imploded, plans have fallen through, ceilings have leaked in multiple places and muffins have been made sans baking powder...twice. I haven't written about it (until now), as I was going on the assumption that if I ignored them, the mishaps would just quietly skulk away...but no dice.

The latest in our string of bad luck? Audrey has a nice hearty case of strep throat, and while I was running into bathroom to grab her medicine this morning, I slipped on our hardwood floors, flew through the air and landed on Millie's metal baby doll cradle, banging up various body parts in the process. Actually it was such a crazy, slapstick fall that had it not hurt so badly, it definitely would have been comical.

Now I know this is majorly cliché, but the thing that's been easing us (me) through these spells of bad juju is to jump into the car with the girlies, roll down the windows and blast music... (The girls are key to this scenario as they dance like crazy in the car, which cracks me up, thus upping the feel-good factor significantly). And our tunes of choice are pretty much anything by Phoenix, but particularly "Lisztomania", or as Millie calls it, "the rhino song". We listen to it non-stop. Heavy repeat. It's a major happy maker.

But this rendition of it by PS22...well, it's feel-good off the charts. Watch this immediately. You can thank me later ;-)

A Few Random Bits...

Apparently (unbeknownst to the other) Bryan and I both had mid-century modern on the brain when shopping for for our anniversary. He gifted me with an Eames House Bird, and I got him (which I really wanted for myself...is that bad?) the Julius Shulman "Modernism Rediscovered" books.

I guess this means we're meant to be...or at least that we have the same taste ;-)

I have some of my favorites over on The Marion House Book today. Hop on over if you want to take a peek...

And speaking of favorites...here are two of my favorite things from this closet visit (I swear Jeana's closet visits are one of the very best things going on the interwebs of late):

1. Totally genius use of the dining room table as makeshift library...
2. That amazing succulent planter... love.
   
   
   

And finally, lovely cousin Erin's house is in the Apartment Therapy "Room for Color" contest. So fun! Feel free to show her some love with a vote ;-)

Ten

some scenes from our wedding day...

anniversary flowers from my love...

Bryan and I got married ten years ago today...on a Friday...the 13th.

Clearly we were not so skilled in the planning department back then. But it turned out to be an awfully lucky day for me, as I married the my favorite person in the world. Which is as is should be, yes?

Happy anniversary B. I literally can not imagine my life without you.

The Magic Place

all (incredibly lovely) big sur images via arrow and arrow

I’m all caught up in Big Sur lately.

It’s definitely my magic place…the spot I love above all others... the place that somehow represents my happiest moments in life (despite the fact that they didn’t all actually occur there).

Growing up in Northern California, we made pretty regular pilgrimages to this glorious stretch of the state. I think it is by far one of the most beautiful places (perhaps the most beautiful) I’ve ever been. Eager to share this magic with my love, I convinced Bryan that this is where we should spend our honeymoon, which enabled me to experience the most special place in my otherwise highly nomadic childhood with the person most dear to me.

That trip was 10 (!) years ago next week, and I haven’t been back to that particular spot in California since. I’m itching for a visit. Bad. I’m dying to take the girlies to my magic place…to get them hooked on its mojo, to somehow make it just as magical for them too.

So...do you have a magic place?

Timelessness (+ A Question for You...)

I’m a little bit blown away by these wedding photos (spotted here). In fact they might be some of the loveliest wedding photos I’ve seen... so intimate and classic and completely timeless.

And (not unlike that house from yesterday) these images feel somehow untouched by trends. There is nary a paper flower or paper lantern or photobooth or fake mustache in sight. While I’m not against any of those things in theory (if you've been here before, then you know of my immense love affair with the paper lantern), when it comes to weddings, nothing delights me more than seeing something that feels like it will still look just as beautiful and relevant in 25 years.


all (beautiful) images by blue window creative...

Ok now ready for a little tangent?

When I saw these photos (and then read this post), I instantly wanted to shut my computer and well…go sniff a book.

It somehow struck me that the images felt rooted in the real-world -- in travel and museums and books and nature. Despite finding the images online, they felt somehow disconnected to the online world, and all of the sudden I had this burning desire to take a little break from the endless ping of the blackberry and the blogs and the ever-present imagery and rest my brain (and my eyes).

Is it strange that a few wedding photos can do that??

And so with this in mind I wanted to ask you guys, what’s rocking your world from the real-world right now?

What are you reading? What are you listening to? What’s the most fantastic art you’ve laid eyes on, the most inspiring movie you’ve seen of late? (I know movies aren’t exactly the “real-world” but they’re not “online” either.)

I’m feeling an unplug coming on and am in need a good list. Do share…

A Reminder, Some Writing + A Movie...

First up the reminder...The Rikshaw pop-up shop/Little Bean one-year anniversary party that Christine and I are co-hosting is tomorrow(!), and we are psyched...

There will be all sorts of goodness friends. We'd love to see you there.

Next up, my "On Our Radar" column is out in this month's Dallas Child + I also have a piece in it touting the benefits of the "at-home" birthday party...

The irony? In just a few days, I'll be throwing Audrey's first (in seven years) non at-home birthday party.

I know, I know...

And speaking of irony, I also wrote a piece for the fall DFW Edible about my deep and abiding love of the corn dog (and the Texas State Fair). Yes, I realize an ode to a corn battered, deep-fried hot dog in a magazine about local, sustainable, organic eating is weird.

I couldn't help myself. I love corn dogs that much.

And finally there's this movie. I'm intrigued (I like that Katie Holmes...). Anyone planning to see it? I can't decide if the movie looks great or if I'm just drawn to that whole Northeastern fall vibe (and that wood paneled Wagoneer) in the trailer...