City of Dionne

Lattes and Caramel

2012-01-15T22:00:00.000-06:00

My Dad is a coffee fanatic.

I enjoy a good cup of joe too, but one cup a day is fine for me. I drink coffee like a dessert - for the sweetness and creaminess, not for the rush. Brian usually makes me a nice cup every morning, and even though he doesn't drink coffee himself - he knows how to make it just how I like it.

And I like it even better with a sweet pastry.

I love the simple things in life...

(PS. I've already announce the Facebook winner of my Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway, and here are the two other winners - Jus & Kat and Samantha Oh. Please email me at cityofdionne@gmail.com to claim your prizes. Congrats!)

Much Ado About Orange.

2012-01-10T10:00:00.004-06:00

I hope that you all had a lovely Christmas and are having an great 2012 so far!

We are finally moving to the new apartment this month and we bought a new sofa for it the other day.

The sofa that we currently have is orange. Yes, orange. I actually love it, but we wanted a new one so it wouldn't be so lonely and Brian was convinced that we wouldn't be able to find anything to match an orange sofa. I had said that I wanted an off-white or ivory sofa, but he just couldn't imagine it matching.

We ended up finding a lovely ivory leather one that we were both really happy with, and I pulled up these images for Brian to see that orange can indeed work with white/ivory. We also bought a grey rug from Crate and Barrel earlier, so I also wanted to show him that grey and orange could harmonize nicely too.

What do you think? I will be sure to post pics of our place when we're all settled.

(images from Design Sponge, Coco Cozy, Decor Pad, and James Geer).

Chick Flick Marathon!

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Brian has been in Florida for the last five days, so it's been a big chick-flick fest at our place.

In the past five days I have watched 15 romantic comedies. FIFTEEN!!!

What are some of your all-time favorite romantic comedies?

Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway

2011-12-16T07:40:00.002-06:00

Happy Friday, friends! It's that time of year again - it's my Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway!

Over the last few years, I've found myself getting more and more of my gifts online. The crowds at the malls drive me insane, and only add to stress at this time of year. I love that I can just sit in my PJs and click on a mouse and within minutes, I can purchase my gifts.

This year I've found some really great places for gifts that I want to share with you.

You can never go wrong with calendars - especially beautiful calendars that you'll want to keep even after the year is through. I LOVE the calendars featuring the whimsical photography over at Alice B Gardens. I love the nostalgic colors and retro images.
Of course, being a fan of all things vintage and retro, I am also loving online vintage stores - a recent find being Wise Apple. Nikki carries such lovely barware, home decor and kitchen items. Her favorite thing about this time of year is all the time spent with family and friends, along with family holiday traditions. Her love for vintage is reflected in her love for family traditions - so even if a family member isn't there for the holidays, they are kept close by carrying beloved family traditions of years gone by.

The Black Spot Books make these darling book necklaces over at Peg and Awl. Aren't they precious? Peg and Awl has a great range of treasures made from reclaimed materials. From Bathtub Caddies for your friends who like to read in the bath - to lovely chalkboard tablets, they've got something for everyone on your gift list. Another store that has a great range of repurposed materials is Seelamade. I LOVE her quirky ideas for cakestands - repurposing pie tins as cakestands, and I also love her silverware garden markers!

Petek Design is a Tel Aviv-based store and I LOVE their artistic point of view. They offer fantastic wall art, and I am especially in love with the "spooning" series. A perfect gift for a newly-wed couple, or your parents - so lovely! Another store with a great artistic point of view is Mama's Little Babies. Cheri sells lovely jewelry with a quirky twist. I love that she is able to mix beauty and fun all in the one piece. Her jewelry would make such a lovely and thoughtful gift. Speaking of thoughtful gifts - her husband each year gives her what she considers the best gifts - mainly because they are funny and seemingly unthoughtful, hahahaha - barbells one year, a Joe Montana autographed football helmet another year, American Indian Leggings another year... so funny!

Nomoi Koru is a great stop for modern, minimalist jewelry. I love statement pieces, and this store has a lot of great ones. The owner, Maarit is in Finland, and you can see that great European vibe in everything she makes. Gorgeous! This time of year, along with making her lovely jewelry, her favorite way to spend the season is with her family. Another great store that shares her family sentiments is Sometimes I Swirl. Sarah owns this whimsical store, packed with swirly, gorgeous artwork. Her work reminds me of nostalgic classroom doodles - but only waaaaay better than anything I ever did! I highly recommend checking out her embroidery hoops - I want one for my apartment! So awesome!

Uncommon is a great stop for iPhone lovers. They sell awesome iPhone covers in three different styles with a plethora of different artwork, or you can even customize it with your own. Such a great gift - every third person I know has an iPhone, so it's definitely a gift a lot of people on my list will love!
Spunk by CM is pretty much awesome. This Canada-based store is so awesome that this is their second time on my blog - I love these guys! They have a great range of really unique jewelry for the lads and the lassies in your life. I love that they carry for men too, and not just women. A great stop for your holiday shopping!

Erin Flett is a graphic designer who made her mark on textiles. Her pillows, bags and wall art are all gorgeous and would make such a gorgeous addition to any space. Her favorite gift that she has ever received was a handmade cushion for a vintage bench that her mother made for her out of vintage bark cloth. It sounds like it runs in the family! :)

These generous stores are giving away one of their goodies to a lucky reader! There will be three winners - two randomly picked from the comments, and a third winner from the City of Dionne Facebook page fans. Three prizes each will go to the two comment winners, and the Facebook winner will receive five prizes. I will announce the winner in the first week of the new year. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me which of these goodies you have your eye on, and also connect up with my Facebook page for a chance to win there. Good luck!

Help Me Decorate!

2011-12-12T10:51:00.005-06:00

We are moving next month.

The commute to BHLDN each day from where we live now takes about an hour, and can sometimes take me TWO HOURS in traffic, so we're moving to an apartment closer to work, and I CAN'T WAIT!!! :)

This is our new apartment - an empty shell, just waiting to be decorated.

I've been looking around, trying to find some pieces for our new place that will mesh well with my two favorite pieces that we already have. Most of you know about my vintage library card catalog, but my latest addition is the Kansai Bookcase from Anthropologie that Brian got me for my birthday.

Here are some goodies that my research has lead me to - I like mixing and matching different styles, nothing too matchy-matchy - just an eclectic mix ranging from mid-century to even touches of shabby chic. I am open to anything!

I spotted the two mid-century pieces in a post at The Designer Pad, featuring the home of photographer David Delfin and fell in love with them - I want them! I am also loving the Amelie Blazing Poppies Sofa at Anthropolgie. It would make such a fun pop of color, don't you think?

At BHLDN every day, I see the Budding Oleander Backdrop, and while most people would consider it to be used as a wedding backdrop, I can totally see it in our new apartment bathroom. It's even more gorgeous in person than it is on our website!

Another sofa I really like is from Crate and Barrel - it's the Silhouette Sofa. I love it in this ceylon color too. I think it would look great paired along with these mid-century bar stools at the kitchen counter from ZoModern.

So guys, you all have great taste - I would love if you'd give me links to any pieces you think would work well in our new space, or give me feedback on what you think of the pieces I'm eyeing. I am excited to see it all come together!

(PS. Apart from our apartment photos and my vintage library card catalog photo, all other images are from the stores they come from and are linked above).

Holiday Eats

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-06:00

Since I haven't posted since Thanksgiving, I am kind of behind in finding about all your Holiday Eats.

What was on your table over the Thanksgiving week? Here are a few of the goodies we had.

Brian loves turkey and I love lamb, so we had two main meat dishes this year; we each prepared the protein that we selected to make it just the way we like it.

In addition to this, our menu also included Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli, Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole and Cranberry Sausage Stuffing.
Now it's your turn, I want to hear about yours!

(PS. I will be posting the two dessert recipes pictured here on the City of Dionne Facebook page.)
(PPS. The winner of the Curate & Love Giveaway is Kate. Congrats!)

A Mini Almond Pistachio Lemon-Cream Cake

2011-11-16T10:21:00.000-06:00

I love slicing into a layer-cake and seeing all the pretty work that has gone into creating it.

But I don't like how big and monstrous they are - whenever I make them, they end up being far too much cake for me and Brian to eat without feeling overloaded with sugar. So this time I decided to make a mini layer cake.

A mini Almond Pistachio Lemon-cream Cake.

The great thing about this cake is that it doesn't take us much work as a regular layer cake - I wanted to keep it simple. So it's a great little cake to me if you have a few girlfriends coming over - just enough for 5 or 6 small slices.

If you'd like the recipe, you can find it here on the City Of Dionne Facebook page.

Social Beverages

2011-11-15T09:09:00.002-06:00

Beverages can be so social, can't they?

The stirring of a latte as I listen to a friend tell me a story, the dunking of a teabag as we recount our workweek, or the clinking of crystal champagne glasses as a jovial toast is made... beverages, even moreso than food are the quiet participant in most social occasions. Sure, food is a great way to share and get together with friends - but beverages are always part of the story. Sometimes we'll have get-togethers where a ceramic mug of latte is more than enough - the stories exchanged are so rich and detailed that there's no need for anything more than quiet sips, or appreciative slurps from a straw.

I would have to say that lattes are my go-to social drink, while Brian's is beer - especially Shiner.

What's your social beverage of choice?

(PS. My Amelie get-together was featured here at Project Wedding. Hooray!)

Curate & Love Giveaway

2011-11-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

Brian and I have been apartment-hunting.
We're looking for a place closer to my work that we both really like, which has been harder to come by than I thought.

I've noticed that the last time we were apartment-hunting, I also was on the hunt for new pieces to decorate. This time it's been much the same. My search this time lead me to Curate And Love.

Curate And Love is owned by the lovely Ivy. Her store is a beautiful collection of vintage pieces - just browsing through it makes me feel like I am at a Vintage Art Gallery. Everything is so carefully put together and flows so well - it's like she's telling a charming story.

She adores nature and living in Portland, OR, she is surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Portland boasts amazing wineries, great restaurants and a great art community, so in addition to natural beauty, it also has a lot of great man-made contributions. She loves capturing all the details of Portland with her camera, and also enjoys history. This helps her stay connected to her lovely vintage findings, and she has been collecting for ten years!

Along with collecting antiques and photography, Ivy enjoys painting and collage, as well as reading.

Ivy is generously giving a reader a lovely piece from her collection. To enter, please visit Ivy's store and give me three words that you think best describe Curate & Love. The winner will receive their choice of the last three items featured in this post. I will announce the winner next week.

An Amelie Party

2011-11-07T10:15:00.001-06:00

Amelie is one of my absolute favorite movies. Have you seen it?

If you haven't, you really must. Here are one of my favorite scenes.
I love it so much that I decided to plan a girl's get-together with Amelie as the theme. My friend Ashley kindly let us use her lovely studio - Recollection Vintage - thanks, Ashley!

If you haven't seen the movie, a lot of these decorations might not make any sense to you - but I do highly recommend you see it. It's such a beautiful movie!

Amelie is a French waitress who appreciates the simple things in life. The movie involves remembering your childhood, love, travel and adventure.

I watched a documentary about the making of the film, and the director said that he intentionally used lots of red and green in the film - he wanted it to be saturated with color. So there are lots of scenes in it that are all red or green, and then with pops of blue or yellow. So for this party, I included red tulips and dahlias, green kale, some lotus pods for a touch of brown, and then included some yellow tulips, and some touches of blue and pink.

It was a fun afternoon with some of my favorite people.
Now go watch Amelie if you haven't seen it! :)

Dear Friday

2011-11-04T08:47:00.003-05:00

To my dear, lovely, Friday...

Tomorrow is the weekend, so thank you for being the last day of my work week.

The weekend is the time where the toughest decision I need to make is if I want to relax or play.
It's when I can sit back for as long as I want with a nice coffee or I can run around shopping at Farmer's Markets until I'm ready to sleep.

It's when I can play goofy games with my darling husband and have a big breakfast that I may or may not regret afterwards.

So thank you Friday for being the day before I get to relax or play!

(Which do you prefer to do over the weekend? Is your ideal weekend one of relaxation and rest, or is it more about playing and being action-packed with fun activities?)

Thai Iced Tea

2011-10-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you tasted something that completely blew your mind (or should I say, tastebuds?)??

Mine was today at 11.15am.

Today I had the best Thai Iced Tea and best smoothie of my life.

Brian and I decided to take some books and magazines to a quiet coffee shop in our area and just sit and relax. There's a little hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese coffee house near us that I wanted to introduce him to, and I knew it would be quiet because it's near a Starbucks that seems to attract all the attention.

Thai Iced Tea. If you haven't had it before, it's a black tea flavored with tamarind and star anise and mixed together with condensed milk. Yes - you read correctly - condensed milk. But that's not news to me, I've had Thai Iced tea many times before and always thought it was really good, the perfect blend of refreshing and sweet, but today's was different. It was a Thai Iced Tea Frappé. So imagine all that sweet thai goodness blended. With a ruffle of fresh cream on top. Divine!

And as if my Thai Iced Tea Frappé wasn't amazing enough, Brian's smoothie was the best smoothie ever! Have you ever heard of soursop? I'd never heard of it until Brian ordered a Soursop Smoothie. Apparently, it's a tropical fruit - and it has a sweet, tart flavor to it - the makings for an incredible best-ever-in-your-life smoothie! :)

After this little cafe visit, I spent ages researching soursop and how to make the perfect Thai Iced Tea. When was the last time your taste buds were blown? And I don't just mean a yummy meal. I mean a "I need to have this every day of my life" type of impact. Do tell!

Countdown 'til Christmas

2011-10-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

There are too many months that have slipped by so quickly, aren't there? How can it already be almost November?!

When I was a little girl, the countdown to Christmas begun in mid-October.
My parents would begin their Christmas shopping, and I would begin my coordinated snooping in drawers and other hiding-places for any gifts. I was a very stealthy child, and made sure to conduct my searches when they were occupied doing other things.

Christmas-time is in the summer back in Australia, so while searching for gifts, I daydreamed about pink snow and candy canes. The closest thing we ever got to snow were pink flowering trees. And during one of those little daydreams I got sloppy. I had found a big shopping bag in my parents' bedroom and it had staples all along the top. I knew that I would have to pull them out carefully and replace them as soon as I'd peeked inside. So after unpicking each little staple, I was greeted by a bag full of colorful toys and books. My mind started wandering, and I guess I must have forgotten to replace all the staples, and only realized my mistake an hour later when my mum's stern voice called my name from her bedroom....

Did you ever get caught peeking at gifts before Christmas? For some people it might not be an issue, since a lot of people tend to do last minute gift-shopping just a few days before Christmas. Are you an early-shopper?

I still can't believe it's almost Christmas!!!

Outstanding in the Field

2011-10-24T08:30:00.002-05:00

Imagine one long dinner table for 200 guests perched atop a hill on a farm, overlooking a lake.
Imagine eating a sunset dinner with new friends - with great local food and lovely wines.

You just imagined the dinner I had this weekend.

I have been wanting to experience an Outstanding in the Field farm dinner for three years now, and this year Brian and I finally were able to snatch up tickets before they all sold out. They tour the country (and now the world, with the addition of Euro tours this year, and Australia and Africa next year) putting on farm dinners with local chefs and vintners. Outstanding in the Field aims to unite foodies to the land that their food comes from. And we sure did!

Brian and I were first attracted to this idea because we love good food, and over the last few years have really become interested in the background of what we eat. Outstanding in the Field gave us the opportunity to have a wonderful five-course meal and meet all the farmers who grew/produced/raised each element of each course, and see the land that the animals were raised on. We were also excited about sitting at a table with 200 people we'd never met before with the same passion for food as us, making new friends with fellow foodies. How often do you get to eat a great meal with a table of friendly strangers? Funnily enough, a couple we know had the same idea, and we didn't even know they were going and just ran into them at the event. Great minds think alike!

It was such a lovely evening. We met people who were 3-year veterans at these dinners, and then a couple who came all the way from Boston for the Outstanding in the Field Experience in Texas. We met a couple who had lived in Australia for a few years, so it was great talking with them about Australia and all the great food we missed from out there.

Then as the sun sank below the trees, we made our way back down the hill, armed with flashlights they'd supplied us with, and a bag of cookies. A lovely end to a lovely evening.

Fashion Week Houston

2011-10-17T08:30:00.001-05:00

I didn't think it was possible to top last year's Fashion Week here in Houston.
But they did. Big time!

Audi sponsored an awesome event from Monday through Thursday last week, showcasing the some of the best designers you'll ever see. I attended the show on Wednesday and Thursday nights, and was so impressed with everything I saw. Here are some shots of some of my favorites over the two nights I was there.

Chloe Dao was the opening designer for Wednesday night's show, and I loved seeing her designs last year and was definitely excited to see her collection on the runway again. She had lot of pops of color with fun retro silhouettes. Her clothes are so playful!

Next up was Aussie designer, Camilla - who had lots of flowy kaftans and dresses - things you expect to see in a whimsical african safari dream. With each new design that came out, the audience gasped and clapped - her collection was stunning!

Fabiola Arias was definitely the break-out star. I loved all the textural elements to her designs, and the amazing headpieces. She was another designer that had the audience all oohing and aahing as each model appeared on the catwalk.

It was such a fun two nights! It was also fun to see what the audience was wearing - some people wore chic dresses, some wore loud, statement pieces. On the first night, I wanted to have a more vintage look - so I wore one of my favorite BHLDN dresses - the 1920s inspired Tulle Era gown with a fun hairpiece, and then on the second night, I wore a long, fuchsia maxi-dress (another BHLDN dress) designed by Aussie designer, Fleur Wood.

Such a fun night out and I can't wait for next year!!!

Sunday Wedding

2011-10-04T10:30:00.001-05:00

Our friends got married this past Sunday.

I love weddings. Brian and I always find ourselves extra sentimental at weddings - I cry and he gets super affectionate. Not that he isn't an affectionate person, it's just he's extra lovey-dovey at weddings. I think it reminds him of when we got married.

I was the Maid of Honor (I know technically, I'm a "Matron" of Honor, since I am married - but I don't like the word - it makes it seem like an elderly war nurse should be walking down the aisle), and Brian was a groomsmen - so it was fun for us both to be in the wedding party. It's the first wedding other than ours that we've both been in the wedding party.

How are you at weddings? Do you cry? Do you fall asleep (yes, believe it or not, I know people who've FALLEN ASLEEP at weddings!)? What was your favorite wedding that you've been to?

(the photo on the bottom right of me and Brian was taken by our friend Prashant at MFL Photography).

Donuts and Flowers

2011-09-28T09:26:00.000-05:00

The past few days have been full of donuts and flowers for me.

I went to a lovely event with Recollection Vintage the other evening, and it was full of gorgeous eye-candy and inspiration. Beautiful flowers and vintage furniture. What is it with our connection with flowers? Is it all the petals that we like? The graceful folds? Is it the scent? The softness? I don't know - but I am such a sucker for fresh flowers.

After all that prettiness, I was craving sweets - so I decided to make donuts for the first time. Lemon ones with a light vanilla glaze. I had baked 36 of them with the intention of them lasting the week, but within two hours they were all gone. I had eaten six, with Brian polishing off the other 30, hehehehe.

If you'd like the recipe - check out the City of Dionne facebook page.

Out to the Farm

2011-09-26T16:37:00.000-05:00

I am so excited!
In a few weeks, Brian and I are going on a farm tour where we'll have dinner with produce directly from that farm! I can't wait!
I love the rustic, self-sustaining nature of farms. Everything is so simple and pure. From the way of life, to the food, to even farmhouse style in interior design. I love it all!

I recently came across an etsy store called Old School Farm that specializes in lovely vintage farmhouse wares.

Owned by the lovely Kristen, Old School Farm is inspired by the 1700s and early 1800s New England with what Kristen loves "the quintessential towns with the village green and white church, stone walls, red barns, and lots of big old maple trees." She loves that when people back then needed something, they hunkered down and made it themselves, or found a friend who could make it. The quality of items back then were made to stand the test of time.

Kristen appreciates that back then - one was enough. She is inspired by how they lived their life back then with "one wooden bowl for making dough, one dress for special days, one blanket for bed. Absolute elegance and beauty in simplicity." And along with her appreciation for simplicity, and making things yourself, she loves to bake. Her baking repertoire would rival any pastry chef with cookies, muffins, pies, breads, brownies, cakes, cobblers, scones... I think I need to make a trip to Kristen's place! She also has a wonderful garden, with 100 strawberry plants and over 40 tomato plants. With all that produce, she also enjoys preserving and canning - and at this very moment, she has 40 batches of pesto in her freezer!

Kristen is generously giving away a prize to one lucky reader. The winner will have their choice between some lovely vintage kitchen tools, a perfect vintage plate for entertaining, or a charming vintage pie plate. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me what you'd simplify in your life if you could, and which of the three you'd like for your prize. I will announce the winner next week.

Mad Men

2011-09-21T15:22:00.002-05:00

So who watched the Emmy Awards this weekend? I haven't watched an award show in at least three years, so when I finally did this weekend, I was excited to see that my favorite show right now Mad Men won Best Drama.

Have you all seen it? It stars the awesome Jon Hamm (who I first had a tiny crush on from his days on What About Brian), and is set in the stylish 1960s in an advertising agency. I absolutely love everything about the show - from the characters, to the clothes, to the set design. It's really interesting to catch a glimpse of the writers' perspectives of 1960s America; where it was OK for kids to run around playing with plastic bags over their heads, or for people to drink endless supplies of alcohol during the morning meetings at the office. So much has changed since then.

It makes me think about things that have changed since I was a little girl. While I wasn't born yet in the 60s, it's interesting to see how much has even changed since the 1980s. I remember a milkman would always come to our door to bring bottles of fresh milk, and then when we were finished, we'd leave the empty glass bottles at the door. I remember using type writers in early high school (which turned to computers in my last three years of school).

What are some things that you remember from your childhood that are almost unheard of today?

(The last two awesome images are from the Mad Men DVD set and Annie Leibovitz).
(The winner of the Revived Vintage Chalk Board is Kristen. Congrats!)

Chalkboard Love

2011-09-01T08:51:00.001-05:00

Blackboards, chalkboards, whatever you want to call them - I have a thing for them.

I have a world globe that has been repurposed and painted with chalkboard paint, so now I can draw the countries in wherever I want. I also have a gorgeous black scroll chalkboard from Revived Vintage.

Revived Vintage is a lovely store run by Amy Weaver. She revives old vintage frames and transforms them into amazing chalkboards. My black one is a statement piece in our home, everyone comments about it. She has also started carrying vintage replicas because of the high demand for her pieces, and I can see why everyone is so eager to get one of her chalkboards - they truly are beautiful.

Amy's favorite color is white. It's the most prominent color in her home, and she even painted her children white for fun one day, hehehe. Her style is definitely Shabby Chic, and has reupholstered a lot of her furniture to give it that lovely feminine feel. From her home, Amy has been able to successfully quit a job in the medical field to sell her frames online full time.

Amy is giving one lucky reader their color choice of a Hollywood Regency Chalkboard! To enter, leave a comment here telling me what you'd do with the chalkboard if you won and what color you'd like it in (see the color selection here). I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Eclu giveaway is Kari. Congrats!)

BHLDN Houston

2011-08-29T13:33:00.002-05:00

Are you ready to come on a tour of BHLDN with me?

Houston, TX is so fortunate to be the chosen location for the world's first brick-and-mortar BHLDN. I am surrounded with so much eye-candy and inspiration, it pretty much blows my mind on a continual basis.

Coming from a Wedding Planning background, I can see that BHLDN has pretty much blown the roof off the typical wedding gown vendor experience. Normally a bride would walk into a room with racks of dresses lining the walls, and have to fossick through them like trying to find a $5 bill in a sea of bills in a wallet - tightly packed, and impossible to see without fishing it out. When you walk into the Bridal section at BHLDN, it's like walking into a European museum. Everything is thoughtfully and beautifully displayed on mannequins, so you can walk around it to get a 360 degree view and see how everything hangs. Walking into that space will make your jaw drop - I see it every day. It's amazing.

I am IN LOVE with so many of their event dresses. Kiss the days of one-use bridesmaid dresses goodbye. The dresses here are DEFINITELY something that you'd want to wear again - so much attention to detail, and designed to be just as comfortable as they are pretty. I will have to post some pictures of some of the event dresses soon. And don't even get me started on the accessories and decor items! I've already bought, this, this and this.

Aside from the products and the way the store is so impeccably and beautifully fitted and designed, I love that everyone on the team is excited to work there. No one is just working there for the sake of employment - they are all so creatively focused, and genuinely happy to be part of this team. I have several coworkers who moved to Houston from outside of Texas just for the privilege of working for BHLDN - so you've gotta know that they are gung-ho for this brand!

So if you're looking for a place to find the perfect party dress, decor for a party you're planning, or of course a gown for your wedding - come on over to BHLDN. And even if you're not, come over just to check out the store - it's like a gallery - you'll want to look around for hours!

*last image of me and some of my coworkers taken by j. cogliandro photography.

Green and Purple

2011-08-25T08:50:00.003-05:00

When I was little, I saw a small chapel. It was green and purple, and I'd never seen anything like it. To this day, I don't know if it really was green and purple, or if my memory is just painting it that way.

Part of me thinks that I was imagining it. When I was 14 I wanted a lime green convertible with a purple interior - so who knows if I just imagined the chapel, or if the chapel influenced my desire for such a bizarre convertible? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? :)

My first job was in the 11th grade. I worked as an interior designer's assistant on weekends. I would help them put together their mood boards (which back then I just called "picture boards", for lack of a better term). One time I had put a swatch of purple next to a swatch of green, and the designers looked at me like I was crazy. Ever since then, my dreams of green and purple getting married died. I actually grew to dislike the color purple. It's only in the last few months that it has grown back on me.

What about you? Are there any colors that you used to dislike that you're now changing your mind about?

Carrying Femininity...

2011-08-23T08:52:00.000-05:00

I love being able to wear layers and pleats and patterns and lace and silk... women have so many options when it comes to what we wear.

I was talking to a coworker the other day and she reminded me of that quote "You wear your clothes, don't let your clothes wear you." I love that what we wear is an extension of our personality - what we wear tells a story of who we are.

That also applies to what we carry. Our totes, purses, bags, clutches... we all express ourselves by what we hold. When looking for clutches online recently, I stumbled on this lovely etsy store called Eclu. It's filled with gorgeous, feminine purses - frill and flower, simple and detailed - it has a lovely variety. In addition to purses, Eclu also sells charming handmade home decor items, along with other beautiful gifts.

Eclu is owned and operated by Jami, who's work is inspired by the subtleties in nature. Her ideas are constantly born where she least expects it, especially living ten minutes from the beach, and living in a serene wooded neighborhood in Boston.

As a child, Jami would create decorations for her family home. She would delight in the details of making paper purses and accessories, and even constructed paper houses. Then when she had her own children, she was able to create those projects all over again with them, which then extended into her etsy store. Creating at home for her Etsy store meant she could spend more time with her children, so it was the perfect solution to keeping her creativity in action and sharing her favorite pasttime with her loved ones.

Jami is generously giving away a customized clutch to one lucky reader! Whoever wins will be able to design their own clutch with Jami, so you'll be able to carry an extension of your personality with you everywhere you go. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me four key words that describe your personality and what goodies you like most from Jami's shop. I will announce the winner next week.

Dreamland...

2011-08-15T08:28:00.001-05:00

I sometimes wake up with fragments of stories playing in my mind. Remnants of dreams that weren't fully grasped as I wake up to greet the morning light.

I love that we never fully know ourselves the way that we think we do. We are constantly learning new things about ourselves. Even our subconscious has a "mind of it's own" - telling us stories as we sleep. We wake up and remember ambiguous scenes and try to fill in the blanks. Sometimes I wake up remembering a dream, but then when I go to tell my husband about it, it floats out the window and I can't remember it's face anymore.

I've had dreams that were so bizarre that even in the dream I knew I was dreaming. Then I've had dreams that have seemed so real that I was truly surprised when I woke up to discover they weren't. Recurring dreams are the strangest to me. It's like we're trying to tell ourselves something over and over again so that we don't forget, or that God is reminding us of something important.

What's the weirdest dream you've ever had? Or the most vivid?

Sweet Shakespeare

2011-08-10T08:32:00.002-05:00

"Kiss me, Kate."

I only just found out the other night that this famous quote comes from the Shakespeare play, "Taming of the Shrew".

Shakespeare had a way with words, didn't he? He could tell such elaborate stories and paint such pretty word pictures. Brian, some friends and I went to see "Taming of the Shrew" the other night at Miller Outdoor Theater. It was a balmy Houston night, but there's something so almost other-worldly about watching Shakespeare, that the humidity didn't bother me as much as it normally would. I'd read the play back in high school, but had forgotten how fun it was. Definitely a comedy, and definitely something that would rile up any woman if it were to be taken seriously.

I came back from the play inspired. And usually when I am inspired it leads to: a) a wild session of drawing, b) baking or cooking moments, or c) planning a party. This particular time it lead to a baking moment. Just like I'd revisited Taming of the Shrew after so many years, I was determined to tweak a classic recipe and make it my own. It resulted in a delicious Blackberry Lychee Cobbler. I will be posting the recipe up on my Facebook Page shortly.

What is your favorite Shakespeare play? My favorite two would have to be Hamlet and Midsummer Night's Dream.

BHLDN for Dessert

2011-08-05T07:03:00.003-05:00

Being a stylist for BHLDN means that I am surrounded by eye-candy all day long...

I was looking through some of my past food photography and as I was browsing, I caught myself thinking "that dessert kinda reminds me of the Fondant Tea Dress"... so I started playing a little game. I started thinking about what desserts particular BHLDN gowns reminded me of. You all know that I LOVE desserts and I adore BHLDN, so it was a lot of fun to see what I could come up with.

Here are some of my results:

The lined detail on the Fondant Tea Dress reminds me of these pink sugar cookies I made. This bride is girly and enjoys simplicity, like the simplicity of a sugar cookie. I had pressed lines into the fondant on top and the delicate lined pattern definitely reminds me of the white-on-white lines on the skirt of this dress.

The Burnished Organza Gown is so rich and decadent to me. The gold top, the layers of organza - OF COURSE it reminds me of my Chocolate Caramel layer cake! This bride is dreamy and likes the blend of vintage and glitz - just like this cake. A classic concept of chocolate cake, glammed up with layers and chocolate ganache icing.

This Blushing Crinoline Sheath is so delicate and rosy. The soft pink layers of the skirt remind of the the pink ruffles on my pink ruffle cake that I'd made for my niece's birthday. The bride who wears this is romantic and what's more romantic than a ruffle cake?!

Pinwheels are so playful and fun. The Pinwheel Tea Dress reminds me of Apricot Whoopie Pies. Playful and fun, but still small and feminine - perfect for the sassy bride.

I love the Confetti Rush Dress. Up close, you can see little confetti-like flecks in the skirting that reminds me of the shredded coconut of lamingtons. So cute! For the bride that wants to kick her heels off and party.

The Panes of Lace Gown is so refined and feminine to me. Demure and pretty, just like my Champagne Grape Charlottes.

The bride who wears the Greenbow Lace Gown is a free spirit. She likes to shop at Farmer's Markets and live the simple life. I think this dress is a perfect match for a simple sweet brioche with marmalade.
The Metropolis Dress is for the City Girl who likes looking chic and feminine. She's active and likes experiencing the sites and sounds of the city, so my Double Chocolate Panna Cottas with Fig and Pistachio seems like the perfect match to me. It's more exciting than a regular baked dessert, and the blend of cream and fruit correlates nicely with this bride's blend of dainty and modern.

What do you think? Are there any other BHLDN gowns that remind you of a particular dessert?

Lace & Lattes

2011-08-02T14:01:00.001-05:00

My favorites lately are Lace and Lattes.

I've always been a fan of coffee, but lately I've been having it a lot. Perhaps it's because BHLDN has a Starbucks across the street (PS. I don't like Starbucks hot coffee for some reason - but I love their iced lattes and fraps!), or maybe because I really like using my milk frother at home - I've just been a little coffee nuts lately - especially for lattes. I don't like it strong, I like it milky and sweet - pretty much like a drinkable dessert. :)

Coffee Macarons are my favorite, and I've been making Cappuccino Ice cream a lot at home to combat this nasty Houston Heat. And then there's my lace obsession. I've been designing a lot of wedding invitations lately, and a lot of brides have wanted textiles and lace incorporated into their design, so our place is packed with spools of luscious vintage lace.

I am off to go sit down with a glass of latte and get back into the invitation groove. I will be adding additional albums to my City of Dionne Facebook page soon which will include pictures of invitation design, some of the party styling I've done and other prettiness.

PS. How do you like your coffee - short and black? Macchiato-style? Cappuccino? I really like Affogatos - which are replacing the creamer with vanilla ice cream. Such a treat!

Summer Living

2011-07-28T10:00:00.003-05:00

Summer is always such a kaleidoscope of color. The clothes, the activities, even what we eat.

Summer color is so inspiring to me, it makes me want to get up and do something. I always find myself setting resolutions in summer. I don't actually make New Years Resolutions at the start of the year like seemingly everyone else does, but for some reason summer just spurs me into action. One of them was to finally start a City of Dionne Facebook page, so I finally set one up and would love for you to stop by! I will be posting extra content on there too - like recipes, and tidbits that I like from around the web.

Another thing you all know I love to do in summer is eat outside. In gardens, in parks, in fields - any open space where I can just eat and relax with the people I love. Brian and I like to go to random gardens and nurseries and check out all the gorgeous summer plants that we know we could never take proper care of in our apartment.

A great summer treat that I made last week were some yummy Lemon Lime Bars. They'll go great with any summer menu. I will be posting the recipe up soon on my Facebook page. Come see!

My New Home

2011-07-27T08:01:00.000-05:00

I have a new home that I am excited to share with you about...

It's bursting with creativity and inspiration and is right here in Houston, TX - officially opening it's doors AUGUST 18...

I am now a Bridal Stylist for BHLDN!!! I have been wanting to tell you about this for a while now - it's so exciting! They have such a gorgeous aesthetic, and I am really blessed to be part of such an exciting new company with so much on the horizon.

So all you Houstonians-- actually, all you Texans (yes, even those of you in Dallas and Austin) - make the drive out for the opening on the 18th. The space is going to be GORGEOUS, and you will love everything inside!

*BHLDN product photos are taken from their website - they are not my own photography.
(PS. Lillian from Unstitched featured my awesome library card catalog today at in an awesome "blogger's bookshelf" series she's doing. Check it out!)
(PPS. The winner of the La Boom Giveaway is Natalie Nicole - congrats!)

Three Things

2011-07-18T08:46:00.001-05:00

I have three completely unrelated things to talk about today.

1. Summer heat.

Houston is like a big ball of summer. Hot, humid, muggy, it's not for the faint of heart.

Brian and I went to a small amusement park on the water the other day, thinking it would be a fun way to celebrate the summer, but it seems as though the rest of Houston had the same idea and it was PACKED. The normal heat of the season was combined with the heat of thousands of bodies watching a summer concert that day. So we exchanged the amusement park for the air conditioning of a restaurant where we had a cool and relaxing seafood dinner. Do any of you ENJOY humidity?

2. Dogs.

In addition to not being a fan of humidity, I need to make a confession. This might make some of you stop reading my blog, it's THAT earth-shattering. Here it goes. I am not a Dog Person. It's not that I hate dogs, I just don't want to own one. I am completely fine with a dog so long as it belongs to someone else and doesn't lick or bite me, hahahaha. But lately Brian has been contemplating the idea of getting a dog. I know he never will though - although he thinks they are cute and loyal, ultimately the time and attention a dog requires will not work in their favor.

3. Macarons.

Can any of you make successful macarons? I have tried three times and none of them have turned out right. My lovely friend Jenna bought me a macaron cookbook and I tried one recipe in it, and I failed miserably. What am I doing wrong? So since I can't make real macarons, I decided to make some pancake ones for breakfast. Didn't they turn out cute? :)

(PS. Check out my guest post on Dancing Branflakes. Tiffany has one of my favorite blogs, so it was great fun writing over at her place!)

Whimsical Worlds

2011-07-08T09:28:00.002-05:00

Do you have a whimsical world that you escape to?

I love children's books because they take you to some faraway place that doesn't exist in the crevices of this earth. Books like Alice In Wonderland.

When I think of Whimsical Worlds, I think of magical tea parties, ever-blue skies, and clear streams. And recently I discovered a store that sells the most charming little goodies that take me to these faraway places - La Boom.

Tatiana's gorgeous store is a treasure trove of tiny handmade "worlds". From delightful shadow boxes, to enchanting nightlights, there is something to take any of us back to our favorite childhood stories.

She is inspired by nature, and most especially the sea. From her home in the Greek Islands (I love it there!), she has the optimal view of it every day from her verandah. She is also inspired by animal homes like nests, and also the spectacular - like circuses and carnivals, which is obvious when perusing her store. Other inspirations are the Victorian Era, 1950's childhood, nursery rhymes, toys and games.

Among her favorite colors are black and greys, along with the green of the grass and the dusty pinks and aqua on circus wagons.

Tatiana is generously giving one of her lovely pieces to a lucky reader! To enter, please leave a comment here telling me which of these three (1, 2, 3) you'd like if you won, and please tell me a little bit about the whimsical world you like to escape to every now and then. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Junie Babie giveaway is Jrsygurl4life - congrats!)

A Guilty Breakfast

2011-07-06T09:11:00.001-05:00

OK, cuff me and take me away to prison - I'm guilty.
Right now I am typing a confession to you, in the midst of committing the crime. I am eating Crème Brûlée Pie for breakfast.

I made some Pavlova and this Crème Brûlée Pie for a 4th of July Party the other day, but made enough crust for two, so I made an extra pie to keep at home. It keeps calling out to me, and it's been quite hard to ignore. I had found a recipe for it on the Food Network website, but didn't have all the necessary ingredients, so I decided to make one on my own. I make regular Crème Brûlée often, so I decided to just make some pie crust to hold my usual Crème Brûlée goodness.

Follow me after the jump for the recipe.

Crème Brûlée Pie

PIE CRUST INGREDIENTS:
- 3/4 cup cold butter chopped into cubes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 whole eggs, and 1 extra egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- seeds from half a vanilla bean (optional)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup golden syrup

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees farenheit.
2. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar until combined.
3. Add the chopped butter and mix until it all has the texture of breadcrumbs.
4. Add the vanilla essence and the water and mix until it combines.
5. Shape the dough with your hands until it forms a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerating for about 45 minutes.
6. Roll the pastry into a flat circle and then line your pie tray with the dough, and prick with a fork.
7. Cover the pie with wax paper and fill with rice and bake for 15 minutes (this is called blind baking. You bake the crust ahead of putting in the filling so that the filling doesn't make it soggy. The rice weighs down the dough so it doesn't rise or bubble up while baking).
8. Beat together all the egg, sugar, vanilla essence and golden syrup and then set aside.
9. Boil together the milk and the cream (and vanilla bean if using), and then gradually pour it in small amounts into the egg mixture. You must do this slowly and gradually so that the egg doesn't scramble. Whisk.
10. Allow the cream mix to cool and then pour into the pie crust (after having removed the wax paper and rice, of course).
11. Bake for 30 minutes or until set.
12. Sprinkle the top with sugar and then blow with a blowtorch to make the hardened sugar top. I think you can also do this by putting it under the broiler for a few minutes.

Enjoy!

Pretty Little Girl

2011-06-29T14:38:00.001-05:00

Flowers and sparkles and ponies and pink...

A few of my friends have had babies over the past year, and a lot of them have been adorable baby girls.

While Brian and I are not quite ready to be parents just yet, we've been loving seeing our friends' babies grow. We're pretty much surrounded by cuteness.
I would like to introduce you to baby Ruth. Isn't she adorable?

Every time I see her she is giggling and wanting to snuggle, and I can't stop taking photos of her - she's just so darn cute! She is one of the most affectionate, social babies I've ever seen!

I pretty much have baby fever right now.

For those of you who are parents - what's your favorite thing about being a parent? And for those of you who aren't, but want to - what are you most looking forward to about becoming a parent?

Childhood Favorites

2011-06-27T10:02:00.003-05:00

Laughing at happy movies with a hot chocolate in hand...
Scrambling down the beach with bucket and spade in tow...
Picking fresh herbs from Grandma's Garden...

I have a lot of fond childhood memories.
This is our niece and nephews last week visiting with us, and we are hoping to create some happy childhood memories for them. I want them to think back to this summer with fond memories - "remember that fun summer we spent at Uncle Brian and Aunt Dionne's place back when we were little?" I would love for that to be something they say to each other some day.

In addition to taking them to lots of fun places, and teaching them lots of fun new activities, we're also introducing them to some of our favorite childhood movies. The movies that they're used to are Transformers and Pixar movies, so we want to introduce them to some old favorites. Mary Poppins, Lady & The Tramp. Last night we watched Home Alone 2 (I know this isn't necessarily a classic, but I loved it when I first saw it, and knew they would too).

What are some of your favorite childhood movies?

Weekend Bliss

2011-06-21T09:50:00.001-05:00

What do you do on weekends to relax?

Our apartment complex is a pretty good place to unwind. They have built a mini beach jutting into a pond with little tiki huts and beach chairs, and the swimming pool has a fun little swim-up bar. We often don't really use these amenities, but with our niece and nephew staying with us for a few weeks, we've been spending a lot of time there.

We spent the weekend relaxing at the pool, making parfaits, having breakfast in the outdoor kitchen with friends, and just enjoying an uncluttered weekend.

What's your favorite way to relax?

June

2011-06-16T09:18:00.001-05:00

I love bags. Handbags, clutches, purses, pouches - basically anything pretty that can hold my things.

My love for bags seems to reach it's pinnacle every summer. I guess it's because there are more colors in the warmer months, so there's a lot more to choose from. I also find that I use more bags this time of year. I have pouches in my car for change, since I am out and about more and need change for parking. I also use a pouch for my sunglasses, or my little mini sunscreen bottles. I recently came across the store Junie Babie, and it has cute little pouches, just perfect for my little summer extras.

June's store is filled with her textile handiwork - from bags to pouches to pillows, all with fun summer colors. She has been sewing since she was a little girl, learning on her mother's old, heavy sewing machine - making little dresses for her dolls and then moving on to making scrunchies when she outgrew playing with dolls. In high school she made herself a skirt made of men's ties.

June tells me that her inspiration is her children who help her to embrace the color in her life. Part of why she opened her Etsy store was so that she could follow her love for sewing, while still spend time with her girls. In addition to sewing and spending time with her kidlets, she also likes reading, watching movies, gardening, hiking and biking.

June is generously giving away a pouch to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment here telling me that your favorite summer color is, and which of her pouches you'd like if you won (non limited-edition). I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Celina Mancurti giveaway is Tender Branson, congrats!)

Let Them Eat Cake

2011-06-14T09:03:00.001-05:00

I have had a LOT of cake the last few days.

We have our niece and nephew staying with us for three weeks from Florida, and it was my niece's birthday yesterday. Needless to say, I baked a cake. A Neapolitan cake with lots of lovely ruffles.

And a few days before that, I went out for dessert with a friend and had my cake fix then too.

What is your favorite flavor cake?

Lovely Vintage

2011-06-07T09:53:00.001-05:00

Cotton and burlap and buttons and embroidery... Vintage lace and antique linen...
I really love the artistry and handiwork of vintage textiles, don't you?

Celina Mancurti is a fabulous textile artist who gives vintage linens an updated touch - I love how she blends the old and new.

Her pieces have this nostalgic feel to them, but yet also have a whimsical quality to them. I would love to adorn my table with these - they're all so gorgeous! Her love for bright colors is evident when you look through her store - warm colors like reds and yellows, and the contrast of pure white.

Celina is inspired by everyday simple life and the stories that she has read and heard. From there she translates her thoughts or feelings into her journal to preserve the freshness of that moment that can then be carried across into her work. She is also inspired by her many hobbies - visiting galleries, checking out craft shows, frequenting coffee shops - and she keeps business cards from all the places she visits!

Another one of her favorites is a dessert called "Mil Hojas", which means "A Thousand Layer Cake". It is a circular cake made of thin puff pastry and filled with dulce de leche and then covered in Italian meringue. Doesn't that sound heavenly?!

Celina is generously giving away something from her store to one lucky reader. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me about a nostalgic item you own, and which out of the last three items pictured in this post you'd like if you won. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winners of the Thank You Card Shop giveaway are Kris, Jess and Kaytee. Congrats!)

Typewriter Love

2011-06-06T10:54:00.001-05:00

Brian thinks I am collecting too many things now.

I collect teacups, and vintage plates, and now I've decided to collect typewriters. I guess typewriters are a bulky thing to collect, and they take up a lot of space - but I love them!

They remind me of old love letters, and I love the dainty yet mechanical look to them.

I only have two so far, and can't wait to collect more! My latest one is this cute blue one that I found at The Krickett's Jewel. My first one is here if you want to check it out. My plan is to eventually get a bookcase with cubbies like this (but with thicker wood and in a natural farmhouse brown color) and put a typewriter in each space, so I am on the lookout for typewriters from different eras in different colors. So much fun!

Vintage Frills & Flowers

2011-06-01T11:12:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that I'm a freak for vintage.

So of course when Ashley from Recollection Vintage invited me to their Open House, I was thrilled!

They have a GORGEOUS collection of vintage furniture and accessories, and it's all set up in a beautiful old house in Houston.

At the Open House there were lots of pretty desserts and delicious appetizers - I wanted to stay all day! Such a lovely little soiree, and a really great group of women who worked behind-the-scenes to bring it all together.

They've been collecting for years and now have their lovely collection available for rent for parties, weddings, photoshoots - whatever you can think up. I am so glad that they've opened up in Houston!

Thank You Cards

2011-05-26T08:42:00.001-05:00

This month I have received a lot of Thank You cards.

I love the idea behind Thank You cards, whether it be thanking someone for helping you move, for a wedding gift, for being a friend... Not to negate the importance of a voiced expression of thanks - it's just that a card has that tangibility about it, where you can record your expressions of thanks and it can be reread for years to come. I recently discovered a new Thank You Cards shop by that very name.

The Thank You Cards Shop is run by Amy, who has the same thoughts as I do about the humble thank you card. She is a talented artist, and what better way to put her creative gifts to use than to use them to depict gratitude and thanks? She tells me that her husband is the king of cards, putting so much effort into every single card that he writes, always finding the perfect words to say - and her beautifully designed cards are the perfect canvas for his eloquent words, or any words of thanks that you would write in yours. When creating her cards, Amy just lets herself relax. She'll take time out to go for a walk for inspiration, or to drink a comforting cup of tea - she likes to spend time doing the things that she is thankful for, and then naturally the ideas come to her. One of her favorite movie scenes of all time is the Feather scene in Forrest Gump. She loves the beautiful simplicity of that lone feather floating into the scene. She showed me this link explaining the meaning of this scene, and it's lovely.

Amy is generously giving away a thank you card set each to three lucky readers. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me something that someone has done for you that deserves a thank you card, and also let me know which set you'd pick if you won. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Gold-hearted Girl Giveaway is Dancing Branflake. And more good news - Gold-hearted Girl is holding a special for all City Of Dionne readers through until April 1st. Just use the code CITYOFDIONNE15 to receive 15% off your order!)

Engagement

2011-05-19T00:21:00.000-05:00

I love hearing people's engagement stories, don't you?

Our friends Jenni and Adam got engaged and will be getting married in October. They asked me to take their engagement photos recently, and here's the lovely couple:

Along with Jenni and Adam's engagement pics, this engagement video that has been making the blog and facebook rounds has made me reminisce about when Brian proposed to me.

Brian and I both lived in California, but then he moved to Houston for work - so for two years we had a long-distance relationship. For the proposal, Brian had set it up about a month in advance. One of our friends had a boss who had recently broken his back in a car accident, and while it was terrible for him, it worked in conveniently for Brian's plan. Our friend called me up telling me that since his boss had broken his back, he could nolonger use his two massage tickets that he had, and he had given them to him. He asked me if I wanted to go. I had never had a professional massage before, so I jumped at the chance.

A week later, off we went. I was expecting him to take me to some dinky little hole-in-the-wall place, but instead we ended up at at the amazing Montage Resort in Laguna Beach (Laguna Beach happens to be where Brian and I met, but I didn't take notice of that detail right then). Immediately I called Brian to gush to him about how gorgeous the place was and how I couldn't believe that I was able to get a free spa day there. We had gotten there a little late, so when we got there I asked if there were any other massage spaces that day. The lady looked down the list and said to me "What name is your reservation under?" I looked at my friend and then said to the lady "Evan Winter."

She looked down the list and said "oh yes, there you are. No problem, we can move you back half an hour." My friend had a weird expression on his face, but I made nothing of it, and excitedly went in to the women's side for my massage. When I was done, I came out all relaxed in my robe, and standing there was Brian, all dressed up in a tie, and all the people in the spa were watching us with excited faces. I knew right then that he must have planned this whole thing and was about to propose.

But no, he didn't propose right then. He whisked me off on a lovely wine and cheese tasting, and then we went to a couples cooking class. After making a beautiful dinner, he took me down to the beach where we first met and pulled out a ring that he had custom designed for me. We were the only people on the beach, and light from the hotel above was shining down on us, and that is where he proposed. It was soooo romantic!

*The reason why my friend had given a weird look was because Brian hadn't put a reservation under Evan Winter, so he was worried that the surprise would be ruined when the lady didn't see his name. Coincidentally, ANOTHER Evan Winter was scheduled for a massage that day! What are the odds?!!

*Another weird thing - Brian had picked up the ring the day he was flying out to Cali, but it was taking longer than expected. By the time he got out of the ring store, he only had ten minutes to go until his flight was meant to leave. He hurried to the airport and didn't get there until 45 minutes later, thinking he'd have to try and get another flight. But lo and behold - when he arrived, he saw on the monitor that his flight had been delayed. As soon as he boarded the plane the captain announced that they were ready for take off! God must have REALLY wanted Brian to propose that day, hahahaha!

Do you have any engagement stories you'd like to share?

Kitchen Endeavors

2011-05-17T10:09:00.002-05:00

What are your favorite things to cook?

I have some favorite recipes, but I also like to experiment, so rarely do I have time to cook my favorites because I am always looking for new favorites.

My husband Brian is half Korean, and his mother introduced me to the world of Korean Food. I love all the flavors and all the little side dishes they have. Have you ever tried Bi Bim Bap? It's a Korean street food. Basically it's white rice in a sizzling pan, topped with piles of different vegetables and beef, and then topped with a fried egg, sunny-side up. Before eating, you just break the yolk, and mix all the vegetables, beef and yolk in with the rice. It's soooo good!

I decided to try and make it for the first time last night, after finding this recipe here. I highly recommend it. Soooo good!

Something that is also relatively new to me are grits. We don't eat grits in Australia, so I never knew about them until moving here to the US. I don't really consider them very exciting, so I decided to make it my mission to make them yummy - so I made some the other night along with shrimp and bacon. If you'd like my recipe, meet me after the jump...

If you have any links to some recipes you think I might like to try, please leave them in the comments. I am always on the lookout for new and interesting things to cook/bake.

SHRIMP & BACON WITH CHEESY GRITS:

Ingredients
- 1.5 cups grits
- 3.5 cups water
- 4.5 tablespoons butter
- 8 sage leaves
- 2.5 cups grated fontina cheese
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 lb shrimp
- 1/4 chopped up bacon
- juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 minced garlic clove
- assorted microgreens for garnish
- salt & pepper
- paprika

Directions
- Fry the sage in half a tablespoon of the butter until stiff, then set aside on paper towels.
- Boil water, and then add the grits, salt and pepper and whisk so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
- Lower the heat and and cover for 7-8 minutes until all the water is absorbed into the grits.
- Take it off the heat and a stir in the rest of the butter, the cheese, 1/2 a teaspoon of the cayenne pepper, and crumble in the sage leaves, then set aside.
- Fry the bacon bits until it's how you like it, then set aside on a paper towel.
- Add the shrimp into the bacon grease, along with the garlic, salt, pepper, the remaining cayenne pepper and lemon juice.
- Place the shrimp into a bowl and stir with the green onions, parsley and chives, and then spoon it over the grits to serve, and garnish with microgreens and a sprinkling of paprika.

Breakfast Bonding

2011-05-16T09:10:00.002-05:00

I love finding quirky little breakfast spots.

Breakfast is my favorite meal to socialize over. It's fresh, it's a great start to the day, and the food is delicious. There's something special about sharing that first meal of the day with friends.

My friend Jenni discovered that this weekend there was a Fashion Market being held here in Houston, so she bought us tickets, and off we went. Before checking out all the lovely fashion stalls, we had a lovely breakfast at Boheme. While we ate, there was a constant stream of lovely music - alternating between spicy flamenco and beautiful French - it really put me in the mood for shopping!

What were the highlights of your weekend?

Teal, Coral and Gold...

2011-05-11T08:03:00.001-05:00

These are my three favorite colors for the summer season coming up. Teal. Coral. Gold. I love the how the teal and coral manage to hint at pastel, and yet are bright and vivacious like the summer sun. And of course I love gold as a metallic accent. So you all know what jewelry colors I will be sporting over the summer.

Have you all checked out the Gold-Hearted Girl blog? Michelle is one of my favorite Cali bloggers. She is always posting such inspiring images, and gorgeous finds from across the net. Well now she has opened an Etsy store selling her jewelry creations, and whaddya know - a lot of her colors are my summer color must-haves!

Isn't it unique? I love finding jewelry that has character, and isn't everywhere. Michelle actually first started selling jewelry when she was a little sprout at 11 years old! Her mother always encouraged her to explore arts and crafts, and now Michelle's jewelry is available to us on Etsy.

Her inspiration comes from nature - from the trees, flowers, summers in Yosemite Valley... all the natural beauty in this world. So of course it's no surprise that most of her favorite hobbies involve the outdoors, like running, hiking, biking and kayaking. Secondly, she inspired by art. Viewing art, art history - Michelle is a self-confessed Musuem Junkie. And this lovely blogger also has the Travel Bug. Having been to China, Costa Rica and Canada, her next stop is studying abroad in Rome.

Michelle is giving one lucky reader one of her creations. The winner will have their choice between either an Indian Summer Bracelet in black or ivory, or a Little Turq Necklace. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me what your Summer colors will be, and which piece of jewelry you would like if you won. I will announce the winner next week.

Berries & Greenery

2011-05-09T10:22:00.000-05:00

I love the colors that this time of year has to offer.

Shades of green in mint and sage. Sprigs of berries with their bright pops of blush and deep blue. Shiny blacks and cheery yellows.

Some must-do field trips at this time of year include pretty nurseries, farmer's markets, roadside berry stands, and sprawling flower fields. Going hand-in-hand with these trips are some lovely activities - planting your own little herb garden (it's so lovely to be able to use your own fresh herbs in your Spring table concoctions), learning how to arrange flowers, baking with berries - Spring offers such a wealth of beauty, doesn't it?

What are some of your must-sees and must-dos for Spring?

The Teacup Drawer

2011-05-04T08:49:00.000-05:00

A lot of you know by now that I collect tea cups...

I have 20-something cups, a mix of new and vintage, and I keep them all in my lovely library card catalog. The drawers are the perfect size for holding two teacups and two saucers each.

In this earlier post, I told you about my vintage plate collection, but it's my teacup collection that I like the most. Here are some of my favorites:

Most of them I have found at antique sales or on Etsy, and some I have found at Anthropologie.

Tea, anyone?

Cooking up a Storm...

2011-05-03T09:55:00.002-05:00

Dinner, lunch, breakfast, desserts... The last few days have been a major cooking frenzy for me.

I like to consider myself a creative person, and with all my creative pursuits (whether it be my graphic design, illustration, cooking, etc.), I have sudden bursts of creative inspiration and find myself needing to work on it that exact moment. Well this weekend I was in cooking/baking mode, and was creating faster than we could eat. Our apartment was a cooking machine this weekend!

I had never prepared a whole fish before - I had only ever cooked with fillets, so this weekend I was determined to try a whole fish, and found a gorgeous Red Snapper at the market which was calling my name. It was so simple to prepare and so fresh and delicious. All I did was slice some incisions along both sides of the fish and stuff them with lemon slices, and a mixture of fresh herbs and olive oil. Then I just brushed the fish with more olive oil and sea salt and pepper.

Another thing I made was an awesome Miso Soup. Whenever I have Miso Soup at a restaurant, I always enjoy the flavor, but find the soup a little lacking in content. So I decided to add buckwheat noodles, pork, onions, shallots, and lots of fresh herbs to mine, making it a perfect warm-weather soup with all the fresh cilantro and green onion.

Then there was dessert. I had mentioned in an earlier post that I was participating in a Bake Sale fundraiser, and decided to bake something simple and classic - nothing too out-there or different - I wanted to make sure that it was something that most people would like. So I settled on vanilla cupcakes filled with vanilla yogurt and topped with a fresh blackberry buttercream. Then on Sunday I felt like meringue, and found an awesome recipe in a Donna Hay cookbook for Lemon Curd and Raspberry Mini Meringues. Divine! I tried finding a link online for it, but couldn't - so if any of you want the recipe, I can email it to you. I don't feel right about publishing her recipe on my blog, especially since she hasn't posted it anywhere online.

So as you can see, I had a big weekend of food. Did you make anything yummy this weekend?

(PS. the winner of the Simply Objekts giveaway is Regina. Congrats!)

Seeds & Sorbet Potting Party

2011-04-25T10:52:00.002-05:00

Flowers, herbs, seeds and sorbet. The ingredients for my weekend.

On Saturday, I hosted a little party at our place to take advantage of the gorgeous Spring Weather. I had thought about planning a little party about a month ago and was trying to think of the perfect theme to capture the upbeat nature of Spring when I came across the Ruche Spring Lookbook. I was so inspired by all the lovely Spring images, and as soon as I saw this image, I knew that I wanted to throw a party that involved potting our own plants.

Once I had the potted plant idea, the rest came from that. Since it was going to involve soil and dirt, of course I had to have it outside, and what better way to cool off outside than to eat lots of lovely sorbet? Hence the "Seeds & Sorbet" theme.

It was a lot of fun spending quality time with some girlfriends, sharing in desserts and getting our hands dirty. I made four different sorbets, along with two savory snacks to balance out the sweetness of the sorbets.

Each girl got to choose a packet of flower seeds, herb seeds, pots, and mini garden tools, and then from there we set about potting our plants.

It was such a lovely afternoon, and as usual with all my little parties, Brian was sooooo helpful with all the setup and packing away. He's such a sweet and supportive husband!

How was your weekend?

Farm Living

2011-04-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

Back home in Australia, my parents had some friends who lived on a farm.

Even though they were really busy taking care of the animals and cultivating the land, their lives seemed so much more laid-back, and so peaceful. They had everything they needed right on their property, and life seemed so simple there. I was only eight years old when I stayed at their farm, and even at that age I was able to notice the calmness of their farm lifestyle.

I am reminded of their rustic farmhouse in the middle of a green expanse, with a crate of milk bottles waiting to be filled with fresh cow's milk when I browse through the vintage store Simply Objekts. Hanlie has created a store with a nostalgic feel, featuring simple but beautiful vintage pieces that remind me of a simpler time, where life was really breathed in, and people knew how to admire their surroundings.

Hanlie is captured by the beauty of nature, simplicity and women who earn their own living - success stories where they start small and with pure passion, go out and accomplish their dreams. When she is not on the hunt for lovely vintage treasures, Hanlie enjoys making soy candles and natural bath and body products. Her way of life is very organic and respectful of the earth.

From her home in a small town in rural Kansas, Hanlie can really appreciate the quiet beauty of the simple life, and that is reflected in the timeless treasures in her store. With such gorgeous surroundings, she is exploring the art of photography, and hopes to take a photography course in the near future.

Hanlie is generously giving away this planter and vintage table runner to one lucky reader! To enter, leave a comment here telling me what you like most about living the simple life. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Sharing Bliss Giveaway is Misty. Congrats!)

Tea Tasting

2011-04-18T09:53:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday, my friendlets!

How was your weekend? I hope that it was full of gorgeous weather and lovely treats.

Last weekend, my friend Jenna won a Tea Tasting party for herself and some friends, so I went along to taste a lovely collection of delicious teas from different parts of the world.

The hostess explained to us the health benefits and natural healing properties of the different teas, and it just reminded me of how amazing our planet is. I love that God created little gifts for us on this planet that we can enjoy the taste of, hold social engagements around, and yet also find healing benefits from.

I think that White Teas are my favorite.
Are you a tea drinker? What is your favorite variety of tea?

Sheer Spring

2011-04-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

Spring is an awesome name for this season - everything really does spring to life.

Not only with nature; the flowers blooming, the grass growing - but even our attitudes, the way we dress... it definitely adds a spring to our step.

"An optimist is the human personification of Spring." (Susan J. Bissonette)

Decorative Relics

2011-04-06T10:19:00.005-05:00

I've been coming across some great vintage stores in my local area recently.

A friend of mine, Lauren, likes to restore old furniture, and she does a great job of giving each piece of furniture a new lease on life, without taking away from it's character. So I went antiquing with her to look for inspiration. I always come across such lovely vintage vases and plates, and books - I just wish our place was bigger - then I would get a lot more of it!

I came across a great vintage store on Etsy called Sharing Bliss. It's owned and operated by Jenae, who has filled it with so much character and charm. She has a great eclectic mix of goodies that would liven up any space.

With her eye for great finds, it doesn't surprise me that Jenae loves interior design. She grew up in Washington, near the pebbled beached of the Puget Sound, and draws a lot of her inspiration from the gray stones and the blue sky there. Nature is calming to her. Of course she is also inspired by yesteryear - with a special place in her heart for all things mid-century modern. Vintage items make her happy, and sharing that with others definitely gives her bliss - hence the name of her store - Sharing Bliss.

Among her favorite hobbies (aside from vintage treasure-hunting) are things like reading, cooking, Bikram Yoga, weightlifting, skiing and swimming. She enjoys the outdoors and loves that she gets to experience all the changing seasons in her home city of Salt Lake City.

For all my vintage-loving readers out there, Jenae is giving one lucky reader a $15 gift certificate to her store. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me what is your favorite vintage purchase ever. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Ruggles Stitch giveaway is Katie. Congrats!)

Confection Concerns

2011-03-30T10:39:00.001-05:00

Sweets are so bad but so good.

My aunt is not supposed to eat many sweets, but when she was here on vacation with my brother, she insisted that she have a lot. She said she was on vacation, so she wanted to live it up. Part of me wanted to allow her that luxury, but the other part of me wanted her to take it easy. What would you do in that situation?

;;;

Speaking of sweets - our apartment complex is having a Bake Sale to raise money for a local shelter, and I am one of the "bakers", so I am trying to come up with some fun desserts to make that will hopefully sell. Any suggestions?

Here are some of my recent baking endeavors.

For the recipes to these, meet me after the jump...

S'MORE CUPCAKES

Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 1/3 cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- dash of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup vanilla soy milk (you can use regular milk if you aren't a fan of soy)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- a bag of marshmallows
- a bar of chocolate that has breakable little rectangles (I used Hershey's because it was leftover from the s'mores we made on our recent camping trip)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the butter together in a bowl.
3. Pack this mixture equally into the bottom of your lined cupcake tins. This is your cupcake base.
4. Bake this mix for 5 minutes and then remove from oven and set aside.
5. Beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla essence and vegetable oil until combined.
6. Sift in the dry ingredients and then whisk until incorporated and smooth.
7. Add the boiling water and stir together carefully.
8. Pour the mixture into your cupcake molds and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until done, then set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
9. Put your marshmallows into a microwave proof bowl and heat in microwave for about 30 seconds or more if not softened.
10. Spoon this softened marshmallow mixture onto each cupcake, and if you have a blowtorch, you can shoot the top of each marshmallow dollop to give it that toasty campfire look and texture.
12. Add a piece of chocolate to the top of each piece.

LIME VANILLA YOGURT CUPCAKES
For these cupcakes, you can use your favorite vanilla cupcake recipe, and just substitute the milk with vanilla yogurt, and add 3 tablespoons of lime juice. Then instead of icing, top them with vanilla yogurt and sprinkle with fresh lime zest.

Visitors

2011-03-29T08:34:00.002-05:00

My younger brother and aunt came to stay with us for 4 days last week. So for the two days before they came, Brian and I were busy making sure that our place looked perfect for their arrival.

My brother is 21 and has Down Syndrome. I have such a soft spot for him, I really adore him, he has such unconditional love. And the things he says crack me up! We were at a market that has a live band on the weekends, and my brother noticed that the drummer was female. Apparently he'd never seen a female drummer before, he was shocked. He tugged at my sleeve and pointed. "What?! Women can play the drums?!!!"

We took my brother and aunt to a cute French Brasserie in the antiques section of town, and after eating a lovely meal of Moules Frites (my favorite), we were crossing the street back to the car, when all of a sudden I felt a stabbing pain in the ball of my foot. I looked down, and I had stepped on a screw. A rusty old screw that had probably come from one of the neighboring antique shops. OUCH!!!!

So off we went to the ER to spend the majority of that afternoon waiting for xrays and the screw extraction.

Other than the screw incident, it was a great few days. :)

Ruggles Stitch Giveaway

2011-03-24T09:31:00.000-05:00

A bird had made itself a nest under an awning outside our apartment building the other week. I had seen it fly about gathering things for days. One day, I went to take a close-up peek while it was out finding more things, and realized that the little bird was decorating her nest.

I guess we all like to decorate in some way - some people like things simple and clean, just a few statement pieces here and there, while others like collections - with shelves and shelves of pretties to display.

I had posted recently about how cross-stitch was becoming popular again and came upon this darling shop - Ruggles Stitch.

Owner, Alexia, has an adorable collection of wall-hangings to decorate your nest. With lovely cross-stitched sentiments, and cursive typewriter quotes, her store is the perfect stop for something a little different to decorate your home.

Alexia is inspired by the city of Chicago and all that it has to offer. She also draws inspiration from being in love, her friends, a good book, and of course her cursive typewriter (I want one!!!). Along with soaking herself in inspiration and cross-stitching, she also enjoys watching episodes of Arrested Development, spending time with her family, shopping on Etsy, and planning her wedding (so exciting!!).

Her first Etsy endeavor was listing just one item. It was a needlepoint piece that looked like notebook paper that she'd put in a hoop and stitched "Do you know how much I love you?" on it. It sold immediately, and Alexia was excited that a guy had bought it to give to his girlfriend. It was a great feeling to know that something she loved to make was something that someone wanted to buy and give to someone to show love. That is her favorite thing about her art.

Alexia loves to see people enjoying her pieces, and she is giving one lucky reader one of her creations! To enter, please leave a comment here telling me something that gives you great fulfillment, and also let me know which of the last three hoops pictured you'd like if you won. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Spunk by CM giveaway is Sharon. Congrats!)

Beach Camping

2011-03-22T08:53:00.002-05:00

This weekend Brian, some friends and I went beach camping. It was the first time I'd been camping since the end of high school, so it had been a long time coming!

When I think of camping, I think of movies like The English patient where they set up their tents in the sand (although in that movie, it was the desert), and have packed for months, or even years worth of 'camping'. But their type of camping was a lot more luxurious than regular camping. I guess it's because that's where they lived for years on end. While I do like the idea of camping, long-term camping does not appeal to me.

Our little weekend getaway was a lot of fun. It was beautiful to hear the sound of the waves crashing at night, and to be able to see the sun rise at the top of the morning. And then the simple camping food - brats cooked over a fire, s'mores carefully assembled and devoured, bacon and toasted rolls in the morning... I love the simplicity of camping.

Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE vacationing in lovely hotels and lush resorts, but I do also like the contrast of camping. What about you? Are you into camping?

Woolen Scarves Away

2011-03-16T09:35:00.001-05:00

I don't really wear much jewelry in winter.

All my bracelets get covered up with bulky long sleeved coats, and my necklaces hidden behind woolen scarves. So not only do the birds and flowers come out in Spring, so does more of my jewelry.

Carla Marcey has teamed up with her boyfriend to create a great store for lots of spring jewelry called Spunk by CM. I like a lot of color in my jewelry, and Carla's store is definitely filled with vibrant Springtime color.

The hustle and hustle of city life is a big inspiration for the Spunk by CM creative duo. They admire the fast-paced lifestyle and the structure of city life, and yet also appreciate the independence and freedom of nature. Together, nature and the city inspire them to create pieces that are a fusion of the two worlds. Contrasting colors, materials and sizes are all ways that they achieve this juxtaposition on their jewelry. Living in Toronto means that they have access to the multiculturalism of the city, and yet be not too far from the peace and serenity of the natural world.

The variety of Toronto excites Carla. She loves that she can experience what she calls a "global vacation" in the span of one day. She can experience Korean Bibimbap (one of my favorites), Greek Souvlaki, French Crepes, Chinese Dim Sum, Indian Chicken Biryani and an Italian Cannoli all in one day

Aside from creating jewelry and exploring the international culture of Toronto, Carla likes to surround herself in other forms of art. She enjoys visiting museums and galleries of all different sizes and backgrounds. She also loves to bake. It isn't rare for her to be baking cookies at 1am to quench a sudden cookie craving.

Carla is generously giving away a necklace to one lucky reader. You will win a Swarofski Pearl Necklace in your choice of color (peach, pink or blue). To enter, please leave a comment here telling me which color you'd like if you won, and also what some of your favorite international cultures to explore are. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Simon & Ruby giveaway is Leigh).

Cross-stitch my Heart

2011-03-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

I am seeing cross-stitch everywhere lately. But not your Grandma's cross-stitch, that's for sure!

...............

Seeing all this gorgeous folk-turned-chic art makes me want to find some cross-stitch patterns and make my own little cross-stitch art for our home.

*Cross-stitch inspired mural by Eline Pellinkhof, and cross-stitch necklace from Nea.

*Cross-stitch inspired embroidered top on left from Vilshenko. Top on the right is from Plumo.

I absolutely love that wall mural, don't you? So cute for a girls room, or a parlor or bathroom. And I love how cross-stitch is even making an appearance in jewelry and fashion. Who knew that cross-stitch could be so chic?

What do you think of the Cross-stitch Comeback? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

(*all photography in this post is from the corresponding linked sources).

PS. I am guest-posting at Habibi today about my six favorites for this season. Come by and say hi!)

Breakfast Scene

2011-03-10T09:30:00.002-06:00

Let's have breakfast, shall we?

Since the weather is so lovely right now, we absolutely MUST eat outside. Would either of these spots be suffice?

You bring the juice and coffee, and I'll bring the food.

If you'd like the recipe for this bread, meet me after the jump.

(Eating area images from here at House Beautiful. It makes me want several different patios, I just can't decide which space I like best!)

SWEET VANILLA BREAD

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup chopped up walnuts
2 tablespoons almond meal
2 tablespoons cold butter chopped in little cubes
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
- Combine flour, 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, confectioners sugar, baking powder, sour cream, vanilla, salt and eggs in bowl. Beat until mixed.
- Pour this batter into a loaf tin brushed with butter so the finished bread doesn't stick.
- Put the chopped walnuts, almond meal, the rest of the light brown sugar, cinnamon and butter into a bowl and mix until soft little balls form.
- Sprinkle this mix over the batter.
- Bake for 40 minutes.

For the sandwiches, I just used marmalade as the spread, and then topped it with slices of fresh mango, banana, crabapples and a dollop of maple syrup. It makes a lovely breakfast sandwich! Enjoy

Bohemian Chic

2011-03-09T10:11:00.000-06:00

Braids, beads, flowers, feathers, effortless, organic...

These are all things that I think of when I think of Bohemian Chic.

I love the soft and natural femininity behind Bohemian style. It's pretty without the prissy. A store that I really think has captured Bohemian style well is Simon and Ruby. Lindsay has such a beautiful and raw collection of jewelry, I love her range of gorgeous pieces that look so effortless and natural.

Lindsay's work is inspired by traveling. A lot of her collections are based on the various journeys that she has been on. She likes to adopt color palettes and styles from different places she has experienced, and even derives ideas from old postcards that she has collected. Along with traveling, photography is also a passion that she pursues. She likes the idea that with photography, you can create your own world. Lindsay is also grateful for books. Reading is third only to her family and her art.

A recent trip to Ireland renewed Lindsay's passion for green. Although she loves all colors, the prominent colors in her life are olive green, burnt oranges and greys.

Lindsay is generously giving away a pair of earrings to one of you guys. To enter, please leave a comment here letting me know which of the last three pictured earrings you would like if you won, and also let me know where was the last place that you traveled to that really inspired you. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the RetroNaNa giveaway is Mekkan).

Aged Beauty

2011-03-07T08:57:00.001-06:00

I like the idea of an eclectic mix of details in my home.

......

Right now we're still living the Apartment Life, but when we get a house, I would like to have mainly new furniture, with a few vintage pieces thrown in to keep things interesting. The first vintage piece that we ever got was the recent Library Card Catalog that Brian gave me earlier this year. I am looking for a few companions for it.

On Friday I went antiquing with my friend Lauren who restores old finds. She's always on the lookout for some neglected piece that she can vamp up and give a new lease on life. I had so much fun that I went again the next day with Brian. We found this one store that had books and furniture that were older than the USA. It was such a marvel to see their collection.

I really want to get an old bakers table with wrought iron legs but a thick wooden top, and would also love to have a cute secretary desk.

Do you have any vintage favorites that you've always wanted to have in your home?

Picnic Regrets...

2011-03-04T08:59:00.000-06:00

With this perfect weather we've been having here in Houston lately, I've been thinking a lot about picnics.

Yesterday was definitely patio-weather, and I went to brunch with a friend at a lovely outdoor cafe and talked about organizing a picnic.

.............

I love eating outdoors, and in Houston, there's such a small window of time where it's possible to do that before the humidity and mosquitoes kick in - so I definitely want to take advantage of this gorgeous weather as much as I can this picnic season.

For weeks I have been searching for the perfect picnic basket, and I finally found one about two weeks ago on Etsy. I told myself that I would snap it up first thing in March, but when I went to purchase it yesterday - I see that someone had already bought it!!!! I was soooo disappointed. It was such an adorable vintage basket with flaps that folded out to become a table.

I googled everything I could think of to find one like it: "picnic basket that converts to table", "picnic basket folds to table", "picnic hamper/table", "picnic basket/table"... and many more other alternatives - but alas I could find NOTHING for sale right now like it.

I am kicking myself for not buying it. Have any of you seen where I can buy a picnic basket like this or this? Aren't they lovely?

A Question of Etiquette...

2011-03-02T11:34:00.000-06:00

I was stood up for the first time in my life the other week...

.........

I was meeting up for coffee with an acquaintance in the morning, and I got up early to make sure to get there on time. When I got there it was fairly busy, so I took a table straight away and kept my eye on the door. After about 15 minutes, a man came up to me and asked if he could take the other chair at my table, and I told him that I was waiting for someone.

After leaving a message and texting the gal I was supposed to meet, I never heard back. By then it was half an hour late and I was a little annoyed that I hadn't at least received a text message from her or anything like that. But then I got a little worried that something bad had happened.

The man that had asked for my other chair kept looking over to see when my "date" would arrive, and I was embarrassed, and didn't want him to think that I'd lied to him about my expected company - I ended up going outside and waiting in my car for another ten minutes.

So this got me thinking. What is the etiquette for meeting with someone who has seemingly forgotten about your coffee date? How long is the right amount of time to wait (especially since the other person has made no effort to contact you, and hasn't responded to texts or messages that you leave)?

Cheery Doodads

2011-03-01T11:26:00.000-06:00

Grandmas always seem to have one of those drawers.

The drawer filled with bits of lace, pearly buttons, pastel ribbons, and other cheery doodads.

If grandmas were to ever open a shop selling those mini treasures, it would look exactly like RetroNaNa.

Jessie's store is a darling collection of every little detail you could imagine. Buttons, lace, ribbons, fabric, embellishments - just a gorgeous collection of those bits and pieces you'd expect to find in your grandma's drawer.

Jessie is inspired by being surrounded by strangers in the middle of a busy street - soaking in their energy and watching what they do. Living in China, Jessie is constantly learning new things and being inspired. She told me that even trips to the post office are interesting - especially watching how local post office workers go about packaging a 10 foot pole of hairy crabs! And in addition to people, she is also inspired a lot by bettering herself. Jessie constantly pushes herself to the brink so she can see what she is truly capable of. She feels that it's a great achievement to be able to conquer herself and celebrate her strengths and be compassionate to her weaknesses.

Along with making her lovely buttons and collecting for her store, Jessie loves to collect vintage bags. She is always on Google and Etsy looking for the perfect addition to her growing vintage bag family.

Jessie is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a set of her Newspaper Words fabric buttons. Aren't they cute? To enter, leave a comment here telling me what kinds of little doodads your grandma (or anyone else you know) keeps in their little treasure drawer. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Heartfelt By Aviva giveaway is Nicole Egerer.)

Historical Beauty

2011-02-28T09:37:00.000-06:00

There's something captivating about vintage photos, isn't there?

.......

Frozen moments of people just like us, with quirks and friends and hopes and dreams, but who lived in a different period of history. Sure, these images don't have all the edits and fancy angles like the photos that photographers catch today, but photos from the past have such a rich, historical beauty. They tell such mysterious stories that we will never know fully, and can only wonder about.

I see a lot of vintage photos, but this one is by far one of my favorites. I found it at the Etsy store Clancy's Classics, and can't stop staring at it.

It's an image from a school in Chicago from "Bring a Doll to School Day". Isn't it marvelous?

I wonder what it was like to go to school back then? And I wonder what became of all these girls?

Are you like me? Are you drawn to vintage photographs too?

Apartment Bakery

2011-02-25T08:28:00.002-06:00

I go on baking binges.

.....

Our apartment often smells like bread, or rising cake in the oven. And over the last two weeks it seems like we live in a mini bakery.

The other week I experimented making Brioche for the first time, and decided to make it two ways - a sweet version to have with marmalade for breakfast, and a savory version for fluffy sandwiches for lunch.

Then yesterday I had some leftover pork sausage, so I decided to make Stromboli, which is basically an Italian turnover filled with meats and sauces - it's delicious! For the recipes, meet me after the jump.

SAVORY BRIOCHE
(recipe adapted from Donna Hay)

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon lukewarm water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 2/3 cups flour
2 beaten eggs
1 cup cubed butter
1 tablespoon honey (this is my addition)
1 tablespoon dry basil (my other addition - basil is great in sweet or savory breads)

Directions:
- Stir the yeast and water together in a bowl and leave to bubble for 10 minutes.
- Mix the flour and egg in with the bubble yeast until combined.
- Combine the milk, honey, basil, sugar and salt in a separate bowl and then add to the yeast and flour mix. Mix for about 5 minutes.
- Add the butter cubes and beat until glossy and elastic.
- Place dough in a bowl and cover with a towel. Set aside to rise for 2-3 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
- After the dough has risen, divide it into 4 pieces and knead into balls.
- Place these balls in a row in a loaf tin and cover with the towel to rise for another hour.
- Make a cut along the middle of each ball and then brush with the extra egg and bake for 35-40 minutes.

(To make the Sweet Brioche, roll the dough out flat to about 17 x 10 inches. Stir 1/4 tablespoon cinnamon with 1/4 cup sugar and sprinkle over the dough. Roll the dough into a roll and then trim the edge and cut into about 12-14 slices, depending on how big you want them. Place the rolls ends-up side by side in a tart pan and cover to rise for an hour. Then brush the dough with egg and sprinkle with sugar and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees farenheit).

STROMBOLI DOUGH
(You can fill it with whatever sauce and meat that you want - I filled mine with pork meatballs and bolognese sauce)

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/3 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon crushed pepper
4 cups flour

Directions:
- Combine the water, yeast and sugar and set aside to bubble for 10 minutes
- Stir in the salt, olive oil, and dry spices.
- Add the flour in gradually and stir until it all comes together (you can use your hands once it becomes difficult).
- Knead the dough until well-combined and then cover and set aside to rise for two hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
- Divide the dough into two pieces (for two separate strombolis) and roll into rectangles.
- Spread your sauce thickly over the dough (the thicker the better, it's nice to have lots of sauce in these), but leave about half an inch around the edges uncovered.
- Place your meat over the sauce and sprinkle with lots of cheese.
- Fold the dough over to seal in the filling and then bake for 25-30 minutes.

A Demeanor Made of Bright, Pretty Things...

2011-02-24T09:47:00.000-06:00

... is part of the opening line to my favorite song right now (go listen, it's definitely a great get-ready-to-tackle the day melody).

"I wear a demeanor made of bright pretty things - what she wears, what she wears, what she wears... Birds singing on my shoulder, in harmony it seems - how they sing, how they sing, how they sing...

I love the idea of that. Treating my demeanor (my attitude and behaviour) like it's something I put on, or wear. And describing my demeanor as being made of bright, pretty things. Our attitude is definitely something that we have control of, and I like the idea of imagining it as a tangible thing, and how it would look if it were visible. Would it be beautiful and sparkly, or would it be sharp and dark?

"I've got halos made of summer, rhythms made of spring - What she wears, what she wears, what she wears... I got crowns of words a-woven, each one a song to sing. Oh I sing, oh I sing, oh I sing..."

Sometimes my whole mood seems to be controlled by what type of hair day I am having. How odd that hair would dictate my whole tune for the day. So this morning, no matter what - I am wearing a demeanor made of bright, pretty things. My mood is looking like some of these outfits:

What is your demeanor made of today?

*photos courtesy of the store in each caption's websites.

Sweet Flowers

2011-02-22T11:06:00.000-06:00

This weekend it was warm and gorgeous in Houston. A gentle breeze and the soft glowing sun made it perfect weather for a picnic with friends - so that's what we did.

While spring flowers aren't quite ready to be in bloom yet, the weather had me excited about trips to flower farms and patio eating - all the outdoor fun that I love about Spring.

For those of you who've read this blog for a while, you'll know that I like to wear flowers in my hair. Especially in Spring, of course. And I have a feeling that this lovely store - Heartfelt by Aviva, will be a Spring favorite.

Heartfelt by Aviva is a garden of hair adornments of all shapes and sizes. Aviva carefully tends to her gorgeous garden, and is inspired by the simple things in life- whether it be looking through her grandma's closet or hearing a random song on the radio - she always tries to keep an open mind and a free spirit.

Aviva loves creating. When she isn't crafting a beautiful piece, she is observing and admiring other crafters, or taking trips to the art gallery. Aviva likes to surround herself with art and the creativity of others. Even her day job encourages creativity - she is the Marketing Director at Dreaming Tree Films, whose mission is to empower youth through film-making (isn't that cool?!).

Aviva's favorite colors change with the seasons. Over summer, she was obsessed with corals and oranges, and right now she is more drawn to emerald green (she says it could be because it's nearly St. Patrick's Day, or it could be because she like Angeline Jolie's dress at the Golden globes, haha).

Aviva is generously giving away one of her pieces to one of you guys. To enter, please leave a comment here letting me know you like to explore art and creativity. Please also let me know which of the last three pieces pictured that you'd like if you won. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the This Year's Girl Giveaway is Sam. Yay!)

Two Hearts

2011-02-16T10:52:00.001-06:00

With this week having Valentine's Day and Brian's birthday in it, I've been feeling extra lovey-dovey and sentimental - so beware, this is going to be a soppy post. I have been thinking a lot about how blessed I am to have found my partner in life.

I hope I don't make any of you sick reading this, but sometimes when Brian says or does something sweet, I well up so much with love that I start crying with happiness. The thought that I just lucked out on meeting him is impossible to me. We seem tailor-made for each other. Brian told me the other week that if he ever feels like God isn't listening to him, he thinks of me and knows that God is definitely taking care of his life.

I just can't imagine a more caring, considerate person that my husbo. He goes out of his way to support me, and care for others, but yet is so humble. He is perfectly content being unrecognized and behind-the-scenes. I feel like he can read my mind sometimes, because I will think something, and then the next minute, he's doing the very thing I was just thinking of.

My prayer for all my single friends is that you find that guy that was perfectly designed for you. It's worth the wait!

This Year's Girl...

2011-02-15T11:28:00.002-06:00

is spending more time treasuring her loved ones...
is going to master how to make the perfect french macaron (my past 3 attempts have ranged from ok to complete failure - i want perfection!)...
is more in love with her husband than last year's girl (which i never thought was possible)...
is inspired by the name of the etsy store "This Year's Girl"...

I recently discovered this charming Etsy store. I was immediately captivated by the name, and once inside, I discovered that it was full of lovely keepsakes.

Melissa's store is a beautiful collection of photography, cards, jewelry, and romantic notions. I am in love with the dreamy way that she captures life through the lens and combines it with a whimsical other-worldly feel. Her inspiration comes from music and film, along with trips to art galleries to see the work of her favorite artists.

In Melissa's first year of college, she took an elective class in photography, and knew right then that it was something that she needed to pursue. As time went on, customers started asking her if she would include her lovely photographs in jewelry pieces. People wanted to wear her art. So after researching jewelry making and lots of tutorials, Melissa introduced jewelry into her store, and now loves creating each piece.

Melissa is generously giving away a $25 gift certificate to her store to one lucky reader. To enter, tell me what you'd want to spend it on, and also what your "this years girl" is aiming to be. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Felt & Wire Shop giveaway is A Different Wholeness).

My Vintage Plate Collection

2011-02-10T08:10:00.000-06:00

All the cabinets and storage in my teeny kitchen are bursting at the seams with vintage plates.

In the past year, I've started collecting pretty vintage plates. At first I collected teacups, but then it segued into plates. Here are a few of my favorites, some of which you probably saw in my French Chocolat Party post.

When looking for plates, there are certain characteristics that I look for.
1. I like plates with a scalloped or some sort of interesting rim.
2. Not too cluttered with pattern. I like to have white space.
3. Nothing dark. Not only do I want pretty plates, but I want plates that will flatter the food that I put on it, and darker plates make food look less appetizing - so I generally prefer base colors of white or cream.

I like scouring the vintage section of Etsy for new listings. And since I can't buy ALL the lovely plates I see on Etsy, I thought I would share some of my lovely finds with you.

- Pretty in Pink and Eggshell plates (definitely tea-party material.)
- Dainty Chocolate and White bowls (begging to be filled with chocolate pudding...)
- Gorgeous Turquoise platter (perfect for serving cupcakes!)
- Pretty scalloped-edge white dessert plates (you can never have enough white!)
- Gold and Luxurious plate (i have one very similar to this.)
- Lovely Lace-edged plates (such pretty detail!)
- Darling Milk Glass dish (perfect for pretty bonbons!)
- Precious pink and white bowls (for yummy ice cream or berries...)
- Perfect Cake plates (such a gorgeous pattern, perfect for pretty slices of cake!)

Saving Pretty Paper

2011-02-08T08:10:00.001-06:00

I am a paper girl.

I used to collect stationery and different textured papers when I was in college- I had boxes and boxes of it, sitting there unused because I thought it was too pretty to mark with my writing. I didn't even make any papercrafts with them for fear that I'd make a mistake. Then I moved to the US, so I ended up giving it all to a friend. All those beautiful blank sheets just wasted...

Recently I discovered a lovely store that reminds me very much of those boxes of loveliness that I had to part with all those years ago. Have you ever heard of The Felt & Wire Shop? It's a gorgeous collection of stationery, notebooks, packaging, prints, everything you'd want in paper; and then it even throws in textiles and other gorgeous goodies. The Felt & Wire shop carries exclusive bits and pieces of pretty from lots of great designers and letterpress gurus from around the world.

The Felt and Wire shop is generously giving away one of their notebooks from their Feedback Loop Project to support youth mentoring. Noted graphic designers were commissioned to design these babies, and 100% of the proceeds go to Design Ignites Change. There were only 50 of each book created, so these are definitely limited edition. To enter, leave a comment here telling me which of these notebooks you would like if you won.

(PS. The winner of the Salt City Spice giveaway is Brandi).

French Chocolat Valentine's Party

2011-02-07T08:53:00.002-06:00

Unlike most of America, I didn't care that it was the Superbowl this weekend.

I had some girlfriends that also didn't, so instead of watching the game, I threw a small pre-Valentine's Day party for them. To me, Valentine's Day isn't just about romance - it's about any love that makes your heart happy - and that includes the valuable friendships I have in my life. So to celebrate, I decided to throw a French Chocolat themed party.

I made lots of yummy chocolate treats, and decorated with hearts and flowers. I didn't want to do the usual cheesy Valentine's red, instead I went with blue, gold, white, brown and little hints of black.

It was a lovely time with some lovely friends.

Anthro, Urban, and their lesser-known Sisters...

2011-02-03T10:05:00.005-06:00

It's not a secret that I'm an Anthrophile. I unabashedly love all things Anthropologie.

Anthro is pretty much my dream outfit, dream kitchen, dream home decor, dream world, and there's nothing that can be done about it.
Have you met Anthropologie's sisters?

I am sure you've met her edgy, hipster sister Urban Outfitters (or as she likes to nick-name herself, UO):

What about Free People? She is their free-spirited sister who loves to explore and roam wherever her dreams take her:

Leifsdottir is the more refined of the sisters. She's very classy and likes to make an entrance.

Then there's Terrain. She's outdoorsy. She loves to get her hands dirty and potter around outside.

And I heard the news that they're revealing to us another sister in their family! Her name is BHLDN. Supposedly she's a real romantic. Totally in love with lace and frills and all things wedding. I can't wait to meet her!

Which of the sisters are you better friends with?

*All photos are from their respective websites.

Spice up your Life

2011-02-01T10:45:00.001-06:00

What would our world be like without spice?

Everything would taste bland - cuisines from different cultures would all taste the same. Food would be so boring! I definitely take herbs and spices for granted. Basil, oregano, cilantro, thyme, dill - these are some of my favorites. Whatever would I do without them?!

I recently came across a great store that definitely recognizes the value of spice in our lives. Salt City Spice is owned and operated by the lovely Katrina. She sells awesome custom made and repurposed spice racks for spice fans like me. She loves creative uses of materials that some people wouldn't think twice about and upcycling them into something new.

Katrina spent far too long looking for a great spice rack when she moved into her first house. WIth her love for cooking, she had an idea for a spice display on an exposed brick wall in her kitchen, but couldn't find any spice racks that fit the bill, and so she decided to create her own. Once she installed it, everyone visiting her home would admire it, and then she realized that if her friends liked it, there would most likely be a lot of other people who wanted a spice storage solution that wasn't just functional, but actually enhanced their kitchen design. That's where her store came in.

Always an adventurous eater, aside from cooking and exploring farmers' markets for interesting and seasonal produce, Katrina also loves going out to eat and trying new cuisine. She considers food to be edible art, and gets excited about any type of culinary creativity.

Of course with her spice rack creations, Katrina loves interesting spice combinations. One of her favorite foods is Indian Chicken Makhani because of all it's fragrant ingredients (garam masala, cumin, ginger, rosemary, mustard seed, sea salt, black pepper, garlic) and because of it's elegant simplicity.

Katrina is giving one of you lucky readers the chance to win one of her lovely spice racks that you can fill with all your favorite spices. To enter, please leave a comment here telling me which out of these two you would prefer if you won (the Chalkboard Spice Rack or the Magnetic Spice Tins), and also tell me your three favorite spices. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Cherry Walls giveaway is Angie).

Artful Food

2011-01-27T10:13:00.002-06:00

I come from a long line of hostesses - I like to entertain, it's in my blood.

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When I cook for people, it's my way of giving a gift to them. I sort of see it like I am celebrating our friendship, so when I invite people over, I spend a lot of time creating food that I hope not only tastes good, but looks lovely also. I guess it's the artist in me - it pokes its head out in every aspect of my life.

One of my friends gave me a lovely gift the other day. A whimsical Kate Spade cup that reminded her of me. I like to wear flowers in my hair, and I love to bake pretty desserts. Isn't it perfect?

As I am writing this post, I am sipping coffee from my new cup and munching on some Lamingtons that I made in celebration of Australia Day. If you've never made lamingtons before, you must be made aware - Lamington batter is DELICIOUS. So if you taste some of the batter before you bake it, be careful, you'll be tempted to eat it all before its even reached the oven!

Belated Happy Australia Day to all my friends back home!

The Last Taste

2011-01-26T09:18:00.003-06:00

I knew a girl once whose mother had lost her sense of taste.

I wonder if she had known ahead of time that she was going to lose her taste, what she would want the last foods she tasted to be?

Taste to me is such a decadent gift. All of our senses are, really, but taste to me is very indulgent. All of our senses (aside from taste and smell) are more needs than wants, so taste is such a luxurious thing to have.

As most of you know, I love to cook and bake a lot - and the more I think about it, the more I am thankful that God gives us not only things that we NEED, but things that really enhance our way of life.

What would you want for your last taste to be? Would it be some perfectly seasoned savory dinner? A whimsical breakfast, perhaps? A rich dessert? Do you have a particular dish in mind?

Wall Stickers Giveaway

2011-01-25T08:47:00.005-06:00

Brian and I live in a lovely but small apartment in Houston.

We've added our personality to the place with accessories and furniture. I had originally wanted to paint a few of the walls, but the thought of having to paint it back to it's original color when we eventually move out doesn't appeal to either of us. Such are the woes of apartment life.

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That's where wall decals come along and save my boring apartment walls from being ignored. It's great that they can easily be removed without damaging any walls when it's time for Brian and I to graduate from apartment life. But something tells me that when we finally have a house, we'll be using wall decals there too. Have you guys ever checked the selection at Cherry Walls?

Veronica is the lovely owner of Cherry Walls, a gorgeous store filled with great wall decor solutions that will add personality and pop to any bland wall. I love the size and range of options available - from an urban forest to a quiet flower field. Her inspiration comes from everywhere; Veronica thinks it's important to have an open mind and be ready for new ideas, that's why her inspirations are so broad. Reading magazines, taking walks in the park, scenes from movies, eating with her family over dinner - these are just a few of the things that set her creative mind into gear.

By looking at her decals, you can see that Mrs Cherry Walls really enjoys the outdoors. She loves going mountain biking, running and hiking with her husband and daughter, and bringing the outside indoors through these wall decals is such a lovely way to bring that love and passion for nature into any home. Like me, Veronica is a foodie. She loves trying out new restaurants, and collecting recipes to cook at home - so even when she isn't outside, she can still feel connected with nature while cooking her favorite meals.

Veronica is generously giving away a wall decal to a lucky reader! For your chance to win, leave a comment here telling me which of the last two decals pictured that you'd want if you win, and what lucky room would be the recipient of this new face-lift (or should I say "wall-lift?). I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. the winner of the Sweet Designs giveaway is ManaRose).

Television Decorating

2011-01-19T09:30:00.000-06:00

I've mentioned this on here before, but Brian and I don't have a TV.

But if we did, I would want to hoist it up on an easle, just like this:

(photographs from Design Lines & Craziest Gadgets)

Wall Messages

2011-01-18T09:44:00.002-06:00

We have a whiteboard at home that I never erase.

Since moving to Houston, we've had lots of visitors come see us from our previous homes of California and Australia, and many of our guests noticed our whiteboard and scrawled lovely messages of encouragement and thanks on it. I love them so much that I can't bring myself to erase them and use the board for what it's actually for - to-do lists. But I would much rather words of encouragement on my wall any day. :)

That's why I was excited to see Candi Winkler's store - Sweet Designs. Her store has lovely wooden wall art, and among them are encouraging quotes and uplifting messages. I love the idea of positive art. Something that not only pretties up an empty wall, but reminds those who see it that life really is marvelous.

Candi is inspired by magazines, fabric, ribbon and patterned paper, and most of all her children. I can definitely see how children can bring a positive influence to art - they are so innocent and carefree. Much like the way we all want to be. Among Candi's favorite colors are chartreuse, followed by shades of green, red and purple.
Candi is generously giving away one of her Family Rules subway-style signs to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment here telling me what the best positive quote you've ever heard is. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winners of the Goody Bag Giveaway are Joana and Jaime. Congrats!)

Accidentally Lovely

2011-01-16T21:24:00.000-06:00

Have you ever seen something that was accidentally lovely?

I don't mean days where you had no time to do your hair, so you just threw it up into a messy up-do that ended up getting fifteen compliments at work. I mean things like seeing a little boy give up his seat on the bus for an old lady, an erupted fire hydrant on a scorching day on the poor side of town... moments of loveliness that are unplanned or unrealized by the people in it.

I was making cupcakes for Brian once, and was trying to multi-task and drink my morning coffee at the same time. I ended up spilling my coffee into the cake batter, and ended up with a lovely, unexpected batch of coffee cupcakes. I know this is a less meaningful example than my previous two, but it accurately depicts that lovely things can happen, and oftentimes when we don't force it or intentionally create it.

Here are some "accidentally lovely" photos that I took recently. Shots where I had the focus wrong, or not the lighting I had intended. I love that we can be accidentally lovely. That loveliness doesn't have to be intentional. It just happens.

What's something "accidentally lovely" that you've seen recently?

Dreaming of Springtime

2011-01-13T10:20:00.004-06:00

I am not a Winter gal.

While I do appreciate the snuggling, and the boots, and the lovely layers, my ideal winter would last one month and then be done. I am always waiting for Spring. The flowers, the sunshine, the birds, the green. Ah Spring, you are my favorite.

And doesn't the 2011 J.Crew Spring Collection just make you want Spring to come even sooner?!

What's your favorite season for fashion?

*Fashion Photographs from Style.com

2011 Home

2011-01-11T09:45:00.001-06:00

There's a huge difference between a house and a home, don't you think?

A home to me is where you feel like you can be 100% yourself. Where you feel loved and supported and safe. A house doesn't necessarily encompass that - it's just a shell. I have always been so blessed to find a home no matter where I live. From Australia, to California, to Texas - I have always found a place I can call home.

While I am not a big "resolutions" gal - I would like to strive to make 2011 a year where I help people feel at home. Be a friend to them, be there when they need me. Make them feel at home. I generally like to consider myself a friendly person - but I want to go beyond being "friendly" to new people. I want to be intuitive to them, and genuinely treat them the way that Christ treats me.

Speaking of home, my lovely Brian bought me a gorgeous Library Card Catalog to house all my ramekins, teacups and kitchen doodads. It fits perfectly with our apartment. What do you think?

SoCal New Year's Blogger's Bee GIVEAWAY

2011-01-10T14:34:00.001-06:00

Goody Bags.

In my previous post, I told you about the SoCal New Year's Blogger's Bee that I hosted the other week. It was so much fun, and as always some very talented, generous Etsians made the whole thing happen, with sellers donating lovely items for each guest's Goody Bag. Here is what was in their stash.

You probably saw the lovely bunting from A Fabulous Fete in my last post. Well Lauren designed some lovely little drawstring bags and inside was a little bunting strand for each blogger, along with some ADORABLE little cupcake flags. Aren't you just in love?!

Mates & Rubbish also were bringing their A-game packaging. They contributed the cutest little wooden magnets, each one looked different, and I love the way they packaged them. One of the bloggers that came - Ashley - has lovely red hair, and coincidentally, her magnet featured a girl with red hair!

Another store that had darling packaging was Kallia's Wonderland. She donated gorgeous silver ring pendants, and each pendant came in a cute matchbox. Everyone oohed and aahed over it.

Each blogger also received a lovely set of soap and lip balm from Belle Terre. The soap smelled LOVELY, and the lip balm was perfect for the cold winter weather. Such a great little set. I love that they're all-natural. And another one of the goodies that the bloggers got was a darling rose hair clip from Coco Rose Couture. The colors were absolutely perfect - bright and fun to chase away any winter blues. And they were nice and light, so it didn't feel like your head was being weighed down like you get with some other hair accessories.

Twirlie Whirlies provided each blogger with whimsical pinwheels in two different sizes. They looked so cute peeking out from each goody bag. And the three little children that were there were mesmerized by their colored spinning. They made such a lovely party favor.

Greece-based photographer Steph Mel provided an assortment of stunning photography prints. I was excited to see the lovely still-life shots and imagining what they would look like framed when I got home. And then there were the beautiful textile brooches from Hey Miemie. They were so delicate and soft and well-crafted. Many of the girls immediately clipped theirs on that day. They seem like something you'd see in Anthropologie, but dare I say better? Yes, BETTER!

And what's a Goody Bag without something sweet? The amazing I Heart Tart provided delightful cake balls for each guest. They were truly delicious, and adorable to look at. They also mailed really well, and were the perfect sweet addition to the bags. In fact, I am craving some right now! And then for the boys, we had Zombie Pops. The perfect un-girly treat for the nice husbands who agreed to tag along with their wives. Starling Skies had such a great idea with these - I think they're hilarious. A fun, unexpected treat.

Being a Blogger's social, everyone there likes to write, so I thought that the gorgeous photography note cards from Shannon Blue Photography were perfect! I love the style and imagery she uses. My favorite is this heart tape ribbon one. Isn't it perfect for a Valentine's Day card?

The last prizes were for the Door Prize, and the lucky winner was Tracy. She scored some fun retro-themed kitchen towels from Kitch Towels (don't you love the patterns on them?), a great store for kitchen linens, totes, all with that cute retro vibe. Along with that, she won a charming necklace from Le Petit Foyer, a beautiful store with a great range of lovely treasures.

So as you can see we had some terrific sponsors this year! A big thanks to all our great contributors. And you'll be thanking them too because I have two spare Goody Bags to give away. For your chance to score one of these beauties, leave a comment here telling me how you spent your first day of 2011 (not New Year's Eve, but New Year's day). I will announce the winners next week.

(PS. The winners of the Holiday Gift Guide giveaway are Junebug, Oh My Darling, Cars on the Freeway, and Kelly J.R. The winner of the C.C. Creations Giveaway is Shealennon. You have two weeks to claim your prize.)

SoCal New Year's Blogger's Bee

2011-01-04T11:32:00.004-06:00

I'm baaaack!

I had the best time in California. It was a jam-packed few weeks, but it was full of fun, great memories and lots of delicious food. One of the great things I got to do while I was away was host my third SoCal Blogger's get-together.

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It was a blast! In attendance were ten bloggers, four husbands, two babies, one toddler and one dog. It was at the ever-darling Aroma Cafe in Studio City.

Our decor sponsors this year were fantastic. Such creative people! The silverware place markers are from Jessica N Designs. She personalized each piece with the person's name, and I just popped them into some little pots and filled them with rocks and topped them with moss. They were such a lovely touch to the table. Everyone loved them. She did such a great job with them! Thanks, Jessica! She also has a great blog here - go check it out!

The lovely flower arrangements were conceptualized and arranged by the truly awesome Christina from Flores Del Sol. You might remember the custom arrangement she did for me here. Well after that, I knew she would be the perfect person to approach to sponsor the arrangement for this year's blogger's bee - and luckily for us she said yes! Stop by her shop and check out her gorgeous arrangements, and also say hi over at her blog.

And isn't this "Celebrate" bunting adorable? It's from the awesome Lauren from A Fabulous Fete. Her shop is such a great shop for pretty party bits and pieces, and you can read more about her goodies and fun DIY crafts at the Fabulous Fete blog. I will be blogging soon about the goody bags that each blogger received, and included in their loot were their own little bunting strands like this.

The bloggers that came along to my little New Year's Day gathering were: Ashley, Carissa, Danni, Heather, Kira, Lindsey, Lyndsey, Maggi, Tracy, and me. It was great getting together with them all and I can't wait to do it again next year!

My next post will be about the awesome goody bags filled with items donated by fabulous Etsy sponsors. Keep your eyes out for that, and for your chance to win a goody bag! I will also be announcing the winners of the two giveaways that were running while I was away in that post.

Signing off for 2010

2010-12-17T10:27:00.001-06:00

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This is my last post for 2010. I am off to California for vacation! I am looking forward to spending the holidays with my family and Cali friends, snowboarding, and the SoCal New Year's Blogger's Bee. Hooray!

Thanks to all of you who've peeked into my little bloglet over the year, and who've given me a peek into your life with your lovely comments.

Don't forget about the two great giveaways I have going on (Gift Guide & Jewelry) - I will be announcing the winners when I get back from vacation.

God bless you guys, and I will see you next year!

'tis the Season of Giveaways

2010-12-17T10:10:00.002-06:00

I know we already have a giveaway this week, but why not have another one? This one is lovely!

A friend of mine (Michele), told me about her friend's new jewelry store - C.C. Creations, so I stopped in to visit, and everything was lovely!

Don't you agree that her jewelry would be the perfect extra bit of oomph to your holiday outfit? Christmas Parties, New Year's Parties, it really is the social season - and a girl can never have enough jewelry at this time of year, right?

Shop owner, Chrissy, has always loved jewelry. As a little girl, she would sneak to her mother's jewelry box and wear the prettiest pieces. Then as she grew older, she realized that half the jewelry she was buying at stores she could probably make herself, so thus began her jewelry-making journey. Her Etsy store was encouraged by her sister, who always told Chrissy about the great things she's purchased from there. So Chrissy began as a buyer, and loved the Etsy experience so much that she decided to take the plunge and try selling her pieces in her own Etsy store.

In addition to jewelry-making, Chrissy's hobbies also include decorating and refurbishing furniture, so she is constantly being creative in all her pursuits.

Chrissy is generously giving away one of her pieces to a lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment here letting me know which of the three you'd rather win - the Falling Showflake earrings, the Blooming Flower bracelet, or the Cascade necklace, and what holiday event you would wear it to. I will announce the winner when I get back from vacation in January. So technically you won't have it in time to wear to those parties - but hey, there's always next year ;)

The "Shop Indie" Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway

2010-12-13T10:30:00.005-06:00

Among all the wonderful things that I love about Christmas - celebrating Christ's birth, family, friends, Christmas Carols - can I point out one thing that I DON'T like?

Thoughtless gifts. One thing that I don't like about Christmas is that everyone is expected to give gifts, so oftentimes, people just buy any random item to give, without putting any thought into it at all. Obligatory gifts are never fun. However, thoughtful, meaningful gifts are - and that's one of my favorite things about Christmas. Giving well-thought out gifts.

This year, about 40% of the gifts that I have bought have been from Independent stores, so I thought that I would put together a little "Shop Indie" Gift Guide for any of you looking for great indie goodies for your family and friends.

1. Canvas art by L. Young Studio. Her art is lovely, and each piece pays special tribute to a different American state.
2. Nature Still Life photography by Miles of Light. I am in love with the simple images of gatherings from nature. I feel like I am looking at a beautiful Botany Book
3. Fine Art photography by Sarah Moldovan. Her photography is like a slice of a pretty daydream. Her lovely whimsical photography takes me to beautiful childhood memories, and secret romantic rendezvous'.
4. Home Decor signs from Mooza. I love their quirky restroom signs. They immediately give unexpected character to any room.

1. Ceramic Lovelies by Tracy McEvilly Ceramic s. The ethereal, soft-colored ceramics would be a gorgeous addition to any kitchen or living space. So pretty and delicate!
2. Vintage Homewares by La Bestia. I love her tastefully curated selection of homewares. Her vintage store is full of gorgeous vintage finds.
3. Vintage Knick-knacks from Fabuless Find. The perfect shopping spot for the vintage collector. From vintage perfume bottle collections to sets of vintage greeting cards - this has a great range of vintage collections.
4. Miniature Pastries from Miniature Patisserie. I love sweets and I love adorable, tiny little delicate things - so of course I am in LOVE with this store.

1. Vintage Jewelry from BeJoyful Vintage. Along with other lovely vintage finds, you can also find gorgeous vintage jewelry here for your friends that enjoy personal, hard-to-find vintage jewelry.
2. Artistic Jewelry from A Lost Feather. A whimsical gathering of lovely jewelry, I adore her pieces. They combine the beautiful and the unusual.
3. Laser-cut Wood Jewelry from Vector Cloud. Looking for quirky, fun jewelry for that hard-to please friend? You'll find it in the adorably fun offerings at this store!
4. Textile Accessories from Moloco. Cute fabric animal pins and brooches along with other textile art can be found at this store. A great selection of cute gifts for friends and family.

1. Handmade Paper Packaging from Happy Huismus. What a lovely range of gift-wrapping ideas! Definitely the go-to place for Christmas Gift-wrapping supplies!
2. Children's Papergoods from My Little Jedi. A darling store filled with gorgeous note cards, memo pads, invitations - you must go see for yourself!
3. Ermm... and my little store City Of Dionne. Note cards, postcards, photography prints. It's pretty cool ;)
4. Illustrated art by Atpalicis. Such a charming store where you'll find adorable post cards, prints and note cards.

1. Handmade Plush Toys from Knitting Dreams. The little bears in this store captured my heart. Children and adults alike would be charmed by a little friend from this store.
2. Doll Softies from Goodbye Blue Monday. This store carries beautiful handmade doll softies. They remind me of charming children's illustrations, with rosy cheeks, and endearing over-the-eye bangs. A lovely family of dolls here!
3. Handmade Pillows and Textile art from Dear Adam. Such charming textile art, and huggable pillows. I love the assortment of lovely goodies in this store, all of them perfect pieces to adorn any home.
4. Apartment Decor from Merriweather Council. OK, I realize that this store fits into several categories - Things to Hang, and Things to Display, but the reason I have put it in Things to Hug is because her Hand-Embroidered Hoops remind me of the hugs ( xxx ooo) I used to draw as a child. I wouldn't just draw a circle, but I would fill them with tiny, mini hearts, that looked similar to this. Such a darling store!

Now for the Giveaway. EVERY store featured in this Gift Guide are giving away something!!! For the specifics on the Giveaway, meet me after the jump.

GIVEAWAY PARTICULARS:

- There will be 4 winners, and each winner will receive one item from each of the five Gift Categories I have here (eg. Things to Hug, Things to Give, etc.)
- You have until January 3rd to enter. I will announce the winner a few days after that when I get back from vacation.
- To enter, leave a comment here telling me your absolute favorite store featured here (excluding City of Dionne) so that I can make sure that you have their item in your loot if you win, and also let me know what you think the importance is of buying indie.

PRIZE PARTICULARS:

L. Young Studio: Canvas art representing winner's state of choice.

Miles of Light: One 8.5 x 11 Calendar of the winner's choice, one set of bookmarks of the winners choice, one 8 x 10 print of the winner's choice, and one set of 6 Feathers Blank Cards.

Sarah Moldovan: One 8 x 10 Heart My Book print.

Mooza: One pair of Male & Female WC signs.

Tracy McEvilly Ceramics: One Small Cup.

La Bestia: A set of Geese Glass Canisters.

Fabuless Find: One Owl vintage Perfume Bottle, and one Mushroom vintage Perfume Bottle.

Miniature Patisserie: One Miniature Box of Macarons.

BeJoyful Vintage: One Handmade Vintage Lace pendant.

A Lost Feather: One Framed Fox Pendant.

Vector Cloud: One Retro Television Pin.

Moloco: Two Bird Pins.

Happy Huismus: 10 tags, 10 giftbags, 10 labels, and 7 meters of wrapping yarn.

My Little Jedi: a $50 gift certificate!!!!!!

City Of Dionne: One Snapshots of Life note card set.

Atpalicis: A set of six Happy Postcards.

Knitting Dreams: Bibu the Little Bear.

Goodbye Blue Monday: One doll.

Dear Adam: One City Cow Pillow.

Merriweather Council: $5 Gift Certificate.

Birthday Weekend

2010-12-07T10:45:00.003-06:00

This past week was something I was dreading.

I turned the big 3-0 last Tuesday. I was NOT looking forward to it, but Brian made it really special for me. He surprised me by taking the day off work, and told me that I could pick any restaurant I wanted to go to for lunch. And then after a delicious lunch at Mark's, he took me on an Anthropologie shopping spree! We were in that store for TWO AND A HALF HOURS (the poor guy)! Then on Friday night he subjected himself to a night of British romantic comedy.

On Saturday, I went out for a Birthday Breakfast at *17 with some of my favorite Houston girlfriends. They really made me feel special, and made turning 30 into something really fun and not-so-scary. An awesome surprise was that among the gifts was a bucket of Lego! I guess you all don't know this - but I am a HUGE fan of Lego - and I love that my friends know that Lego has no age limit, hehehehe.

Hooray for my awesome husband, lovely girlfriends, and turning 30!

To Stash your Bits and Pieces Giveaway

2010-12-03T08:00:00.001-06:00

My bag seems to be the place where I stash all the little bits and pieces that I come across throughout my day.

An old earring that has lost it's partner? I think I will just stash that away in my purse.
The wrapper I removed from my Lindor Truffle before devouring it in one bite? I may as well add that to my bag, too.
A movie ticket stub from the most boring movie I've ever seen? Hey, it may as well keep the earring and wrapper company.

My bags and purses seem to always be a storage place, not just for my money, but all of life's little bits and pieces - the handy and the not-so-handy. But I wonder if I would do the same if I owned one of the cute little bags from Oktak?

Oktak is a collection of lovely and whimsical bags, purses and clutches, created by the talented Aki. Based out of New York, Aki is constantly surrounded by inspiration - from the little boutiques, to the fine museums and bustling restaurants, Aki loves being surrounded by it's diversity. Even the random posters plastered throughout the New York subway have managed to capture her attention. In addition to New York's diversity, she is also inspired by product packaging, kids' artwork, and vintage wallpaper.

Aki's favorite colors gravitate towards the gem tones. She loves emerald green, magenta, and amber - definitely colors that grab attention, much like her favorite desserts - Chocolat Fondant, Coffee Ice Cream and Crème Brûlée.

Aki is generously giving away not one, but TWO of her lovely purses (pictured directly above). So there will be two winners this week. To enter, leave a comment here telling me what random bits and pieces that you keep in your bag right now. One item that you will transfer to your lovely new Oktak purse, and one item that you definitely won't. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. SALE ALERT! Be Joyful Vintage is having a 15% off sale until the end of January. If you like vintage goodies, stop by and take advantage of this deal!)
(SoCal Bloggers - email me at spotty_zebra@hotmail.com if you're interested in coming to a blogger's meetup 3pm January 1st in Los Angeles)

Arrows of the Season

2010-11-30T14:35:00.006-06:00

Food and Fashion.

Those are my two arrows of the season.

Sometimes the weather can be deceiving. Our calendars can say that it's Fall or Winter, but here in Houston, we can't always tell straight away - the weather here is quite schizophrenic. Two places that IMMEDIATELY tell me what season it is are:

1) the Grocery Store
2) Clothing Stores

Now that it's cooling down over here, I am doing a lot of poaching and soup-making. And baking lots of bread!

And then I find myself oohing and aahing over the gorgeous window displays at Anthropologie - they always give me a heads-up on the season before I actually feel it in the weather. I walk in and my heart and wallet are kidnapped by their gorgeous clothes and accessories.

What are your arrows of the season?

(PS. The winner of the Babyjives giveaway is Sabine).
(PPS. California bloggers! The SoCal Blogger's Meetup will be on New Years Day in the afternoon. Email me at spotty_zebra@hotmail.com for more deets).
*Clothing photographs aren't my images - totally swiped from Anthro! :)

The Five Love Languages

2010-11-29T09:41:00.003-06:00

What Love Language do you speak?

This Thanksgiving weekend, I really thought a lot about what God's given me, and I am definitely most thankful for the relationships I have in my life. I've been thinking a lot about the way I show these people my love - how I let them know that I value them and care about them. I realized that a lot of the ways I show love have to do with food. Whether it's going out with friends and enjoying a yummy meal at a restaurant, or cooking up a storm for a loved one - food is prominent. I think I got that from my mum.

Have you ever heard of the Five Love Languages? These five "languages" are the different ways that we express and feel loved. And not just romantic love, even the way we show love to our friends and colleagues. Here they are:

1. Words of Affirmation.
This is the love language of people who need to hear that they are loved verbally. They like compliments and being told that they are loved and appreciated.

2. Quality Time.
This love language is important to people who need to spend time with people to feel loved. They want to sit down with you without distractions and just catch up over a coffee, or have a long phone date.

3. Gifts.
These people like to receive thoughtful gifts to know that they were thought of. It's not about money - they appreciate the fact that you were out somewhere, and saw something you thought they would like, and took the time and thought to get it for them.

4. Acts of Service.
Deed-doing is an important expression of love. These people feel love when you pick up the mail for them when they're out of town, or do the dishes when you come to visit. These people really feel special when you go out of your way to try and help them.

5. Physical Touch.
Hugs, holding hands, appreciative pats on the back - all these things are ways that these people can feel loved. They feel your love when you express it to them with physical contact.

My primary Love Languages is Quality Time. I need to spend time with people to feel like I am loved. I was talking with some fellow "Quality Time" friends the other week, and we all agree that one of the main ways that we can be hurt by others is when we plan multiple times to spend time with people, and they either cancel or never seem to be available. Have you ever met someone that you thought you really clicked with, and then tried to set dates to spend time with them, but they were always busy? After four or five times of that, I tend to give up.

Words of Affirmation are big to a lot of people, but words don't mean much to me. I am often bothered when people say "I miss you! Let's hang out!", but never go to the effort to actually plan that time with me that they said was important to them. Without that Quality Time, I feel like our relationship is being neglected.

So I guess that's the importance of food to me. I use it as a vehicle to spend time with the people I care about. Food to me is about Community. Talking over dinner, cooking with friends...

What about you? What is your primary Love Language?

Stress Melters

2010-11-23T10:56:00.001-06:00

Poor Brian has been stressed about work lately.

It's the usual stuff - deadlines, meetings, getting everything done in time for the holidays. I've been trying to help him relax more and not worry so much about it. So this morning I made Red Velvet Pancakes. I hardly ever do anything more than toast or cereal for a weekday breakfast, but I wanted to give him a nice start to the day.

I know that he likes to drink tea to wind down. And he likes to read when he's stressed - either a magazine, or his Bible - he told me that he really likes reading the Bible because he sees how God moves and what He's done for other people when they've been worried.

What other ways can you suggest he de-stress?

Saved Pretties

2010-11-18T09:57:00.002-06:00

My Dad isn't your average male.

When he married my mum, he had a "Glory Box" full of stuff he'd purchased over the years for the home he was going to share with his future wife. I am not sure if "Glory Boxes" are common everywhere, but in Australia, it's a box where you start putting away things that you would like in your future home. You might see a lovely tablecloth in a store one day, so you'd buy it and tuck it away in this box to be opened after your wedding day. So by the time you are married, you have a box of lovely items ready for your new home. It is definitely not common for a MAN to have one of these boxes.

I never had a Glory Box. I do like the idea of having a similar type of box that you put away things for your future child. I have been collecting Children's books over the years for my future kidlets, but I also like the idea of putting aside other little treasures. Like some of the loveliness I see at Baby Jives.

Jahje, the owner of this lovely, whimsical store has stocked it with darling handmade mobiles and sculptures, crafted with pretty textiles. When she made her first mobile for her son nearly two years ago, a lot of people asked her if they could buy one, and after the suggestion of a friend who was selling on Etsy, she started to put together her inventory to open up her store.

This talented woman also loves to cook. In her home in Philadelphia, Jahje is always concocting delicious vegetarian meals. She proudly told me that the town she lives in is like a small town, with a "front porch culture", where people actually smile at each other. It's good to know that places like that still exist!

As you can tell from her store, some of Jahje's favorite colors are shades of teal and turquoise with splashes of chocolate brown, and you can also recognize her inspiration is drawn from nature. Spending time in the outdoors with her family is important to her - she even grows some of her own food in her back garden, where she likes to sit and relax and watch the sparrows hop around.

Jahje is giving one lucky reader a custom Single Bird Branch. To enter, please check out her store to get a feel for her creations and let me know what colors you would like to see in her future mobiles. You can also check out her facebook page if you'd like to see more of her work. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. Jahje is offering free shipping on any single bird on branch mobiles called "A little bird told me" - just type "City of Dionne" in the message to sender when checking out and the shipping price for the single bird on branch will be refunded to you via paypal within 24 hours. Yay!)

(PPS. The winners of the Margrietje giveaway are Tali and Caroline).

Christmas Memories

2010-11-17T09:26:00.002-06:00

One month until Christmas.

I love Christmas shopping. Not the long lines or the schlepping around from store to store, but finding the perfect gifts for people. And of course, Christmas isn't all about the gifts - it's ultimately about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, but I do love the seasonal festivities and music that pop up this time of year.

I have so many fond Christmas memories from my childhood right up until last year. They are like little video clips in my head that I pull out from time to time and smile just thinking about. Here are a few:

- Watching my brother with Down Syndrome laugh uncontrollably every year while watching "Home Alone 2". This has made it my favorite Christmas movie.
- Brian and I telling each other we loved each other for the first time; this was the first Christmas that we were dating.
- Waking up on a hot Australian summer Christmas morning to "snowy sled tracks" outside that my parents had made with freezer ice scrapings.
- My parents opening up their home to over 30 people each year to come celebrate Jesus' birthday with our family.
- Mum's zany Christmas decorations.
- The day after Christmas in Australia is the big "Boxing Day Test" cricket match. To feel closer to home, my American friends and I played a game of cricket in the freezing cold.
- Perry Como and Nat King Cole Christmas music.
- Visiting old-fashioned toy shops and candy stores back before Playstations and computers were a household item.

What are some of yours?

(PS. My lovely friend Pamela is having an adorable giveaway! Stop by her Acorn Birthday Giveaway and enter!)
(PPS. Thanks for voting for my dessert from the end of this post! Voting ends Friday. If you would like to vote and haven't yet, check out my previous post at the end for details!)

Dessert Contest

2010-11-12T09:35:00.006-06:00

I have now been baking and cooking for a little over two years.

I remember the first time I ever baked in my life was just a few days before my wedding in October of 2008. I can't believe I had gone so long without ever having opened an oven door! I had cooked before, but perhaps only three of four times was it anything more than "bachelor-style" cooking that only required boiling water, dropping pasta, and a jar of store-bought pasta sauce.

Since getting married, I decided that I wanted to really get into cooking and baking - and have fallen in love with it. After photography and graphic design, it's one of my favorite hobbies. I really enjoy coming up with my own recipes, and also like to discover recipes online that have a fun twist to them.

I made the Lemongrass Vanilla Bean Pannacotta specifically for a dessert contest hosted by Cathay Pacific Airlines. I had originally wanted to make it more complicated and detailed, but one of the criteria for judging is that the dessert can be easily served on a plane, so I decided to keep it simple. I would LOVE it if you would vote for my dessert!

To vote, all you have to do is:
1. "Like" Cathay Pacific on Facebook.
2. Go to the Art of Dessert Tab.
3. Find my dessert in the Recent Submissions section and "like" it.

I just entered last night, but the contest has been on for about a month, so a lot of entries have a big head-start over mine, so please vote to help me advance in the contest to the next round. Thanks, guys!

For those of you interested in these recipes, I can't take credit for the Jerk Chicken Chili recipe (i found it here), and the Beef Wraps are easy - I just tenderized some beef, fried up some eggplant in garlic and salt, rolled up the beef with the eggplant and tied it with baker's twine, and then carmelized the beef in a pan along with some onions. Soooo simple and sooooo good!

Lovely Details

2010-11-10T10:09:00.004-06:00

I am a Details person.

When I am at a wedding, usually I remember the little details the most. A strand of bunting wrapped around a napkin as a napkin-tie, little bunches of dried herbs tied with strands of ribbon, lego cufflinks on the groom's wrists. Little details like that really make an impact on me.

...........

It's funny, because Brian and I will go to a friend's place for dinner and when we come home he'll ask me something like "did you see how huge their flat screen TV was?!" And I wouldn't have even noticed it. I would say "I didn't even see that they had a TV! But did you notice the lovely handles they had on their cabinets?!"

I appreciate the effort that goes into little details. A shop that I am smitten with that really captures the beauty of small details would have to be the Germany-based store Margrietje Jewelry.

I am spell-bound by the beautiful whimsical details that store-owner and artist Eva puts into each piece. The tiny hand-appliqued flowers, the charming little birds. Each piece of jewelry seems like a wearable storybook. I am so impressed by her talent and attention to detail. Her inspirations include the natural environment, along with the fun of flea markets, the beauty of song, and even wallpaper!

In addition to creating her amazing jewelry, Eva enjoys reading and decorating. Some day she wants to fill her apartment with re-upholstered, repainted furniture. And with the city she lives in (Herne) being so close to other exciting cities in Germany like Cologne, Dusseldorf and Essen, she has a wide range of antique furniture sources that she can choose from when she's ready to embark on her furniture re-purposing journey.

See these two lovely pieces above? Eva is generously giving BOTH away! This week TWO lucky readers will have the chance to win one of these marvelous pieces. To enter, leave a comment here telling me about a lovely detail you've noticed in your life recently, and which one of these two pretties you would choose if you won. I will announce the winner next week.

(PS. The winner of the Apple Champagne Giveaway is Madeline. Congrats!)
(PPS. Southern California Bloggers, don't forget that I am planning our third annual meetup for Saturday, January 1st. Email me at spotty_zebra@hotmail.com for details).

A Night at the Opera

2010-11-09T09:15:00.006-06:00

Bursts of applause and cheers of "Bravo!"... A stage covered in rose petals and actors taking their bows.

Friday night was my first time at the opera and I loved it!

Three girlfriends and I went to see Madame Butterfly - it was really beautiful. The whole thing was sung in Italian, and I recognized one of the haunting tunes they sung. I had heard it before, but never realized that it was Puccini's Madame Butterfly. It was lovely.

The story takes place in Japan, when a lieutenant in the US army marries a beautiful Japanese girl with a name that perfectly describes her fragile beauty. I won't give away any more details - I highly recommend you go see it!

After enjoying the opera, there was cake to be had. What's the Opera without sweets afterward? So of course I indulged in a rich slice of Black Russian Cake.

How was your weekend, my friendlets?

PS. CALLING ALL SO-CAL BLOGGERS! I am hosting my third annual SoCal Bloggers meetup. Email me at spotty_zebra@hotmail.com if you are free the afternoon of Saturday, January 1st and want more info! Here are links to the previous ones: here and here.

All Dolled Up

2010-11-03T10:42:00.001-05:00

This Friday night I am going with some girlfriends to the Opera.

...
I love getting all dolled up to go out. The dress, the shoes, and of course the accessories. Let me introduce you to Suzy and Luke from Apple Champagne. This entrepreneurial couple sells darling jewelry with a whimsical twist that I think is perfect for me because it's not too dramatic or over-the-top. I don't know about you, but I personally am not a fan of bulky, chunky jewelry - I prefer dainty pieces. What I love about Apple Champagne is that not only is the jewelry dainty and feminine, but it has a quirky side to it.

Living in Los Angeles, Suzy (the creative brain behind Apple Champagne) is inspired by the casual-chi lifestyle of Angelenos, and wanted to reflect that effortless, easy attitude in her pieces. She wanted the jewelry to easily shift from everyday work settings to a night out on the town. Being an accessory-lover herself, Suzy saw that with the economy the way it is today, there was a need for more versatile jewelry out there that could be worn in multiple situations, and hence Apple Champagne was born.

Luke (the business brain of this partnership) and Suzy both favor the color lime green because of it's cheerfulness and pop, and you can see from their jewelry that they like to sell pieces that will add pop to any outfit.

This dynamic duo is giving away a $20 gift certificate to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment here telling me what word you would use to characterize the city you live in. I will announce the winner next week.