catch up

Well, clearly I didn't blog from the South.  I'm sorry!  We were so busy that I didn't even turn my computer on.  I have so much goodness to share with you...I can't wait!  While I work on getting settled back into daily life here in LA, here are a few sneak peeks at our incredible Thanksgiving Weekend.  More detailed posts to come!

up in the air

The only person NOT sleeping on this red-eye.  Nice headphones, I know.  

This is a first for me.  Blogging from 30,000 feet in the air and somewhere over Texas, according to the little map on the chair in front of me.  When I look out, all I can see is a sky full of stars, so I guess I have to trust that little map.  

Not an exciting post, I realize, but exciting for me because I'm blogging from an airplane.  That's just crazy to me.  I mean, imagine if ten years ago I told you that you'd be reading a blog post written from an airplane.  You'd be like, a what?  A when?  

So, here we go...South Carolina or Bust.  I simply cannot wait.  I can't wait for Mamma and Daddy hugs and to see where they've settled and how happy they are in their new home.  And to cook Thanksgiving with my Mom.  And to spend time with my Nanny.  And to go fishing with my Dad.  And to share it all with my husband.  

I hope to blog as much as I can while I'm down South, but I might be too busy eating deep fried foods and drinking sweet tea.  

XO 

anywhere

If you could wake up this morning and go anywhere in the world to spend this Friday afternoon, where would you go?  

I'd go here...

Ok, ok, I know it's already been taped so I can't really go there.  But that's where I want to go.  

That, or Paris with my man.  

Where would you go?  

crush

I have a rotating list of women that are constantly inspiring me for various reasons.  Some are fictional and some are not.  Some are friends, others are people that I know I will never meet.  This week there are two women that I have on my list that have moved up from inspirational to full on girl-crush.  

I know the whole world is pretty much a buzz about Miss Kate Middleton, but I mean, how could you not be?  What a way to come out and announce your engagement.  That dress, that waistline, that ring (hello!), that gorgeous hair and that perfectly youthful and dewy skin...total girl-crush worthy.  Never mind that she's going to be a real life princess.  I'm trying not to get too excited yet about their wedding, but my thoughts are already a flitter with what gown she will wear.  I just can't help myself.  

Tammy Taylor, played by the fabulous Connie Britton, on Friday Night Lights.  I'm sure Connie is an amazing woman, but my girl-crush is on the character she plays in MY ABSOLUTE favorite TV show.  If you haven't watched it, do yourself a favor and make it happen.  It is beyond words good.  Tammy Taylor makes me want to move to Texas so I can be friends with her.  She is strong willed, honest, takes no b.s., family oriented, unconditionally loves and supports her husband, challenges the norm, stands up for education and the children in her community, as sensitive as she is tough...and she loves football.  What's not to love about that kind of woman?  I have a definite girl-crush on her (yes, I know she's fictional).  She makes me want to be a better woman.  

I'm telling you, get Friday Night Lights on DVD and catch up so you can watch the final season as it airs this winter.  You won't be disappointed.  

Do you have any girl-crushes?  Who inspires you?  

Wedding Wednesday - harry potter 7

I picked up Harry Potter 7 this week to refresh and remember before the movie comes out this weekend.  I had forgotten parts of it since I read it so long ago, and one part that had me giddy with anticipation for the movie is the wedding that I had totally forgotten about!  The wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour takes place in the eighth chapter of the novel and it's going to be so fun to see a Wizarding wedding on the big screen!  I'm clearly used to Muggle weddings only...so bring on the magic!  

As with everything in the book, J.K. Rowling does an incredible job of setting the scene for us.  I took a few notes from her detailed description of the wedding day and created an inspiration board for what I expect Bill and Fleur's wedding to look like in the movie.  

What proper British wedding would be complete without gorgeous, fun hats?  And no Wizard wedding would be any fun without butterbeer!  Here are a few other Wizard wedding highlights according to the book:

- a wedding cake topper of two model phoenixes that take flight when the cake is cut 

- champagne bottles that float through the crowd unsupported by anything 

- a shower of silver stars that falls upon the Bride and Groom as they are pronounced husband and wife

But my favorite part of the wedding chapter is a line that I think perfectly sums up every Bride (Wizard or Muggle) on her wedding day...

"While her radiance usually dimmed everyone else by comparison, today it beautified everybody it feel upon."  

thankful table

Since I moved to LA, a little over six years ago, I have not been home for Thanksgiving.  We always celebrate here with our CA family, the new traditions and new family to celebrate with has become a part of our fall.  Well, this year is going to be something entirely new and incredibly special.  

I told you briefly about my parents moving from Wisconsin to South Carolina, and for Thanksgiving this year, we are going to be with them in their new home!  There are no words to explain how excited I am!  I miss my parents so much and I am excited to see their new life and spend time in their new home.  Plus my Nanny is going to be there with us!   

My mom and I spent an hour on the phone this morning setting the menu and making shopping lists.  Meanwhile, I have been busy finding inspiration for our Thanksgiving table.  I want to use what my Mom has and create a unique and memorable tablescape for our first Thanksgiving together in years.    

The goal is to do it for as inexpensively as possible, yet make it remarkable and blog-worthy!  This is the challenge that I've set for myself.  I plan on sharing the final result with you.  For now, I wanted to share my inspiration board with you.  

My parents have these Blue Willow dishes that my mom inherited from her mom, so I want to use those.  The challenge is to incorporate blue into a holiday table that traditionally doesn't include blue.  I'm going to pair orange and gold with the blue to create a table that I can't wait to share with you!  

I hope you are busy gathering inspiration for your Thanksgiving table and meal.  Delicious food and drink deserve a beautiful table, so get busy brainstorming!  Look around your kitchen and find something that inspires you and build around that.  And remember...have fun doing it!  

changes

I felt like making some changes to the blog color...this is just suiting me more right now.  Inspiring me more. Thoughts?  Keep it?  Or go back to the gray?

Would love your input!

XO

what's more fun

than drinking champagne?  

Drinking champagne out of these...  

photo from: hiphipgingin

Nothing feels more fun and fabulous to me than sipping champagne out of a champagne coupe.  (did you know that's what they're called?  Even the name is fab!)  We have two incredible sets of champagne flutes that I absolutely adore (one was a very special engagement gift and our wedding toasting flutes) but the champagne coupe makes me feel extra festive, which is how I'm feeling in preps for the Holiday season.  

Here are a few pictures that pretty much tell the story of what it feels like to drink out of a coupe to me.  

photo from: kaufmann mercantile

photo from: camille styles events

photo from: hiphipgingin

THESE are incredibly adorable and would be a wonderful addition to anyone's collection of glassware.  They look pretty good on my Christmas List too!  And THESE would be a fun wedding alternative to the traditional flutes.  

Cheers to feeling fabulous...whatever that is for you!  

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday everyone.  The sun is shining and it's going to be a fabulous weekend.  What fun and exciting things do you have planned?  Here are a few things I've got on the brain this sunny Friday.  

  

-Going to see this later today.  

Can't wait because she can do no wrong in my book.  

Ever.  

-My husband is out of town.  

 I'm sad to wake up Saturday morning without him.  

THIS is all I want for Sunday morning when he returns.  

It's speaking right to my heart today.  

-Thinking of picking this back up.  

Want to take the beautiful journey again, 

before the movie comes out.  

- Why didn't I get invited to THIS?  

Would pretty much sell my soul to be there.

-Thanksgiving is coming.  

Thinking of beautiful tablescapes.  

And Mom and Dad.  Cannot.  Wait.  

- DO this.  It's fun.  

It's challenging. 

It's dance like.   

It'll give us arms like Gwyneth and Madonna.  

- Met this incredible woman this week.  

I cried a little.  She looked into my soul.  

Thinking about it still.  (full post to come on this!) 

Thanks for letting me spill all that's on my mind!  

I hope you have this kind of a weekend...

Enjoy!  

XO

Wedding Wednesday - little ones

There is nothing as beautiful as a Bride on her wedding day.  Nothing.  But that doesn't necessarily mean that she is the cutest thing in attendance.  Like pinch your cheeks, steal your heart kind of cute.  That spotlight is saved for the little ones.  

I love little ones at weddings.  (As long as they stay far away from the cake table!)  I think one of the best ways to include an important child into your wedding day is to allow them to express themselves.  Don't feel obligated to make them a mini-bride or a mini-groom.  If they are old enough to have an opinion, ask them what they'd like to wear or what they love to wear and try your best to include it.  This will help them feel like a part of the day and I think it helps them cooperate when you really need them to.  These kids are a perfect example of that...and they'll melt your heart!  

image by: Caroline Tran 

image by: Boutwell Studio

image by: Gabriel Ryan Photographers 

Another good tip for having little ones at your wedding is to leave them with a basket of goodies at their seat.  Pack a bag or basket with items that they'll love to play with, this way they stay entertained during speeches and first dances and other times when you don't want little ones running all around.  Plus this will allow their parents to be able to enjoy themselves, so every one's a winner!  

photo by: Hazelnut Photography

gold friends

"Make new friends, but keep the old, some are silver and the others gold," do you remember that song from your childhood?  Well, this week I have been blessed to be surrounded by old, new, silver and gold friends and it's been such a wonderful reminder of how special friends make your life.  

Sunday we spent my husband's birthday with twelve wonderful friends running around Magic Mountain.  

Last night I had dinner with my friends from my first job in LA.  We get together about once a year and laugh and talk until the valet brings us our keys because he's closing up shop.  

Tonight I get to see a friend from high school, the man behind this inspirational blog and story.  I cannot wait to get my arms around him and hear the stories of the journey that he's been on.  

And I'm thinking of making an impromptu road trip to Arizona this weekend to see some family and their new baby.  

I'm feeling full of love and incredibly blessed to have these people in my life.  It's a great reminder of that childhood song I remember so well.  

Wedding Wednesday - black and white

I recently realized that it's been a while since I shared one of my inspiration boards.  I have dozens of ideas just floating around in my head at any point during the day, so thank you for letting me share them with you.  I was inspired by a traditional cameo for this board.  Traditional and elegant black and white done in a modern and chic way.  The blending of traditional and modern is what I feel I am really good at and this board is an expression of that.  So, enjoy!  

On a side note, I recently learned a very important lesson in inspiration boards.  Less is more.  Because I have so many ideas on how I would execute each vision, I tend to include every little thing down to the chairs and linens that I'd rent.  This isn't necessary.  For those of you who also like to create inspiration boards, remember that they are just that...inspiration.  As the designers, we know exactly how we would go about achieving this vision and we can express that to the client in detail meetings, but for the inspiration board the goal is to evoke a feeling.  So try (and trust me, this is hardest for me) to edit and keep it clean and simple.  I encourage you to make a board for yourself if you've got ideas swimming around in your head.  It's wonderful to be creative and you don't need to wait for someone to ask for a board, just make one for yourself.  Get out there and create!    

addicted to love

I know it's a little late, but I still wanted to share our Halloween costumes from this past weekend.  

"The lights are on, but you're not home..."

 

and every one's favorite serial killer...

Only on Halloween would a Robert Palmer Girl and Dexter be together.  Love it.  

If you don't know who I was, it either means that your mom didn't let you watch MTV as a kid, or you are still a kid, which makes me feel old.  If you need a reminder, enjoy this and this.  

I hope you had a fabulous Halloween!  

flower power

Do you ever buy flowers from the grocery store?  Or are you a farmer's market flower buyer?  Maybe a stop at the florist on your way home from work and get some flowers kind of girl.  Well, sometimes I buy from my local grocery store.  I just can't believe the deals they often have.  For example, I bought these gladiolus for $3.33.  That's the cheapest bunch of gladness that I've ever seen!  Don't they just make you happy?  Also, enjoy the sneak peek from this and this.  

I say, go to wherever you like to buy flowers and buy some for yourself.  In my opinion, there's nothing quite like fresh flowers to brighten a room...and a spirit.