Jul 30, 2011

My Sister's Soiree

So I took a little trip back to the old stopping ground for my little sister's first party in her new, awesome, gigantic, grown-up house.  First, I stopped at my favesies little consignment shop to catch a bargain, and THIS happened! 
Yes.  If you look close enough, you will see I am sporting my Loft sunglasses sans one side!!!  Luckily they aren't totally bo-bo.  Ok, maybe they are.  Anyway, not wanting to hang around all day while the boys played golf and Ash worked, I started checking out the goods with this little peanut.

Really, it's a trunk show for Stella & Dot, so I ran into these fun finds:
And then I came across this...
Yes, it clearly states she will CUT OFF your HAND if you eat her cookies.  Disturbing much?  Ok, time for me to stop snooping and stay out of trouble.

Jul 28, 2011

Get Some PB+Jellycats!

I don't actually have a child of my own to buy silly little gifts, but I do have Massey! And he was my number one excuse for buying this little guy at a shop in Manhattan Beach. Who could resist? So soft and so floppy. We likey. Massey especially!
 






He is obsessed with licking anything that is super soft. Precious.


Get them HERE.
Can't you just eat them up?! I will take all of them, thanks.
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Jul 27, 2011

We're Hottttt

It's about a million degrees and 100% humidity down here in the south, and we're hot. Daily, I spot Massey catching a breeze in front of the air vents. He's the most genius dog ever. Really.


My new favorite way to cool off is with Herbal Water in lemongrass mint vanilla. Yum and refreshing. Warning: this is a very minty drink, and it would probably be better if diluted.
Which inspired me to take my garden window in a new direction--an indoor herb garden! Just look at these little lovelies!




I think I would really like to start my mini herb garden with some mint, basil, and rosemary.
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Jul 26, 2011

Catching Up

Well I've been completely unmotivated to do anything. And by anything, I mean wash leftover paint off my leg, turn in assignments, clean the dishes, you name it. I'm blaming it on the depressing realization that it is officially the end of summer--my love, my excitement, and what I generally look forward to all year long. Over.  Blah. Ok, well at least I have started this and accomplished something. All in a week (ok, now a week and a half due to pure laziness), I went to L.A. to see my bestie, spent a week at workshops, found a new inspirational project for my house [of course], and the baby came! Let me back up, I went to L.A. to see my very pregnant Margaret who is due around the middle of August. We spent each day going to town, walking along the beach, taking naps, and generally feasting more than anyone should, ever. We also got to set up a car seat and a stroller, which the dogs did not like trying out. Ha ha.  Anyway, not four days later, the baby was ready to enter the world! Wishing much happiness to the proud parents and their sweet baby girl!  So here are a few highlights from my super fun girls vacay to the best non humid, non cold, non awful, perfect weather place, Los Angeles, CA.



The Getty Villa Gardens (Loveliness but not set up like a villa, much more like a museum)


They were growing peonies! Really, everything thrives in this climate. Jealous.



Yes, it's true: they workers here are not good spellers of names. Nope, not even close.



THE BEST almost-as-good-as-a-real-French bistro, St. Amour. Delish!



Thisclose to the beach.



I would be able to find a cottage that entails all of my faves--cedar shade, window boxes, an American flag, two outdoor dining spaces, a white picket fence, roses everywhere, and a dwarf door!!!!!!!!



PS, everyone here is beyond amazingly fit. Gag.



And finally, my new wall art inspiration for detracting from the insanely manly mega television that happens to be the center of my husband's evenings and my living room. We'll just have to see how this turns out. More to come later...

PS, I did have a fantastic dream that Sheridan French made a line at Target!  Yes, please!

Jul 14, 2011

It's a Charmer!

So I wanted to try my skill at quilt making, and I quickly became obsessed with Amy Butler quilts on Etsy [like this one here]. Side note: just buy one... it's probably worth it. Anyway, I figured a baby quilt would be the most manageable, but since I didn't have any friends who were expecting, I thought I'd put that off for a couple of years. Then Margaret announced she was having a baby!!! So, in honor of the upcoming arrival of Selah Grace, I completed my first charm quilt.

I'm pretty sure Margaret was not 100% on this color palette when I bought all of these fabrics!

The hardest part was cutting the strips that formed the outside frames and the inside squares.



(My favorite picture!!!!)  I sewed each square, pressed the seams, sewed each row, pressed the seams, and then sewed the rows to each other. After sandwiching Warm and Natural baby batting between the squares and double sided minky, I stitched it all the way around.
The last step was the real quilting part: hand stitching the quilt squares to the batting so it can be washed without losing its shape. I love this quilt, and I can't wait to see Selah playing on it on the lawn! Ok, maybe not outside with grass all over the bottom but maybe in the living room under a play mat.
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Jul 10, 2011

Bath Time for Baby Bear

How had I not considered the sink as the perfect spot for puppy baths? Massey used to claw the sides of the old stainless sink and misstep into the drain, but this one is big and flat! Needless to say, he is not convinced this is a good day for him.

Just look at this glare. Pitiful! Aww Bear Bear, Mommy will not make you get in there again until you are nice and dirty. Ok, time for the blow dryer. And then cinnamon rolls! Yum!
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Jul 9, 2011

Just Add It to the List

Yes, something else to add to my list of wants.  I have a bad case of the wants--actually, I've had the wants for a long while now.  In fact, I sound much like a five year old describing her Christmas wish list, but add 20 years and make it an I-want-it-now-even-though-there-is-no-special-occasion pouty face and bad attitude.  Somewhere, somehow, I developed this idea that I should be just as accomplished and have all the haves that the adults in my life already enjoy (i.e. my parents or other 40+ year olds).  Where did this come from?  Well, it's time for the big girl pants because I am quickly realizing I am the poster child for impatience.  I once wanted (and mostly got) the shoes, the makeup, the clothes, then for a while it was the dinnerware pattern, the small kitchen appliances, the flatware set.  Later it was the house, the doors, the granite, the tile, the shutters.  I have since graduated to the things that fit inside my house:  rugs, lamps, pillows, linens, side tables, headboards.

Surprisingly, there is only one more piece officially missing from my home.  It's a kitchen table.  Thanks to craigslist, I have the beginning of the table. (yea!)
Soon it will be topped with some sort of round table, preferably with a dark stain.  Unofficially, I have like 15 more house wants.  Enjoy my recent faves while I work on becoming a better person who is not so materialistic.
two of these
with this sofa
and this painting
a guest room with matching twin beds
darling side tables
and even more darling ruffled bedskirts
with sweet pillows

and fresh flowers
a climbing rose vine
and lush window boxes
this room, minus the child, ANYWHERE in my house
throw in a two week trip to Italy
and a presh presh puppy!!!!!!!!!!!!
 And then I would be the happiest of happy until I found something else new to want. 

PS, if I had more than one person read this blog, I may be inclined to do a better job crediting all of these *borrowed* photos. 





Jul 8, 2011

Friday Special: Honey Chicken


Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
  2. Place the flour in a small bowl and the cornflakes in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, mix the honey and milk. Dredge chicken in the flour, dip in the honey mixture, and thoroughly coat with the cornflakes.
  3. Arrange chicken in the prepared baking dish. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until no longer pink and juices run clear. Serve over white rice.
I am a huge fan of P.F. Chang's honey chicken, but it's fried and unhealthy.  Making half the recipe was perfect for two people.  This was a quick and tasty alternative that has just enough crunch and the perfect touch of sweetness!


Jul 7, 2011

Finished Product!

The legs are attached, and the headboard is up! I love that it is girly and tailored at the same time. And I'm so glad I got to use baby blue linen. Thanks, Honey!
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