just until next week!
i'll miss you (but not as much as my dogs)
hopefully will return with lots of goodies to share (and a sick tan).
stay awesome.
buy-byyyyeeeee, blog. . .(as C would say)
i'll miss you (but not as much as my dogs)
hopefully will return with lots of goodies to share (and a sick tan).
night owls: beach house
obsessed with this home featured in coastal living.
bunks + ocean view= swoooooon
throw in a porch swing and i'm a puddle. i've almost swooned to death.
these cute jammies (available here) scream beach vacay!
our first and fave blabla (shhhh. . .don't tell the others) is mermaid. i'm thinking she would dig the porch swing, too.
recap your fab day at the beach with this cute bedtime story.
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| available here |
happy tuesday!
(extra happy for moi because vacation starts tomorrow)
naptime treat: clownin' around
we were lucky enough to attend a fantastical birthday bash on saturday. it was such big fun to be guests, and i was beyond humbled my mama n's brilliant execution of the 3 ring details!
unfortch, i can't carry meredith nelson around in my back pocket. i would love-love to have her in there, not only because she provides tons of smiles at all times, but because she captures every event a hundred million times better than i ever could. so please forgive these very amateur shots but i just had to share some of the fun. . .
joyfully greeted by the fabulous birthday gal, miss m!
the awesome spread. . .
mmmm, sweet potato fries and hot pretzels. delish!
mama not only baked and decorated the cake- she also whipped up the precious bunting about 15 minutes before the guests arrived . . .
the clown noses were a hit!
super-cool circus favor bags with giant lollis, circus stickers and tattoos. . .
and the best CDS with miss m's fave tunes.
(and yes, i do keep finding myself jamming out to the this WITHOUT c & p in the car. 'free to be you and me'. . . swoon)
this cotton candy was legit!
mama n had about a bazillion other thoughtful details that i didn't capture.
i was too busy devouring the ten different yummy barefoot contessa recipes and admiring the adorbs pom poms- all lovingly created by mom!
we totes felt the love and no doubt the b-day gal did, too.
lucky duck.
and lucky us, getting to experience a real-life party with heart.
thanks, m & n.
you rock.
monday punday: pool-lease enjoy
mah.
headed on vacay this week so pools are on the mind. i hope you enjoy these images of some of my faves. . .
this might be my favorite pool ever.
we were lucky enough to honeymoon at las ventanas.
we were lucky enough to honeymoon at las ventanas.
swoon much?
i vividly remember planning my return trip for my 35th. . .
guess what is this june? and guess what is TOTES not happening!
i''ll just have to eat a vat of guac and drink 17 margaritas and pretend i'm there.
another pretty pool is at the raleigh in miami. isn't it gorge? my likey.
one of my favorite places on the planet is the llao llao resort in patagonia. (bariloche, argentina)
how 'bout that view? glorious.
the wine and 'proveleta' {slabs of grilled cheese} aren't bad here either.
don't cry for me, argentina. i'll find my way back to you someday. . .
in the meantime. . .
next week i'll be dividing my time between mimi's and here:
next week i'll be dividing my time between mimi's and here:
pretty sure it might make the list of favorites.
and i'm just filing this baby away under dream home.
those twin beds would be perf for c & p.
or maybe my future grand-daughters is more realistic. . .
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| image via traditional home love-love this image, too. that cute lil pooch looks a lot like mimi's pup, nugget. we're coming for ya, nug!  image via pinterest can't wait to see you, mimi! |
saturday smiles
we are very excited to attend a very special lil gal's birthday party today. c & p don't fill out their party dresses quite as well as this lovely lady does.
A-mazing.
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| image via meredith nelson |
happy birthday miss m! let's have FUN today!
and thank you once again meredith nelson for providing THE most delightful images and always bringing us saturday smiles.
{vino on me tonight}
owl take two. . . in green!
yes, it's march 17th, but these green goodies would look cool any day of the year.
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| available at old navy |
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| available at pink chicken. swoooon. |
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| fleece pullover on sale at kelly's kids |
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| personalized sweaters available at saks fifth avenue |
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| terry sweatshirt available at mini-boden |
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| cute T also available at mini-boden |
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| this adorable tocca dress is available at gilt groupe for a steal right now. run, mama, run! |
love, love this image. . .
happy st. patrick's day everyone-
may we all wear green as fabulous as this cutie-patootie!
fun-do on amy atlas!
i am thrilled to see some of meredith nelson's awesome images from our fun-do party featured on entertaining goddess site, amy atlas events, today.
yup, my heart beat still.
here are some of the details i sent in to amy . . .
and a few of the great shots that didn't make the cut.
yup, my heart beat still.
here are some of the details i sent in to amy . . .
and a few of the great shots that didn't make the cut.
party details
based on my new party planning company, lil hoot’s, premise, ‘parties with heart’ - i believe every party should be highly personalized, and hopefully have a sense of humor. the inspiration for our fondue themed party was the fact that my husband made me fondue for our first valentine’s day together.
{i had been stuck in traffic and missed a coveted dinner reservation in NYC - he told me to relax and he made me the most delicious beef, cheese AND chocolate fondue. i was swept off my feet}
it became such a meaningful part of our relationship that we actually served it at our wedding
(years ago!) in lieu of cake. (featured on style me pretty)
in past years, we’ve shared this tradition with friends via dinner party and this year, we decided to bring it to a new level with the help of the fabulous paige kepner of paiges of style. Paige truly helped me bring my vision to life. We used a cow theme and kept it all very light-hearted and fun. First came the invite describing the significance of fondue and also using some popular cow sayings, such as ‘until the cows come home’. The “logo” was a boy cow (wearing a red bow-tie) and girl cow (sporting a pearl necklace) with a heart in the middle. The heart says ‘fun-do 2011’. because first and foremost, i wanted our guests to have fun!
(Uber-talented Tallow studio originated this dressy farm animal idea and I had long admired Katherine's work. Here's the link to her handsome cow!)
in past years, we’ve shared this tradition with friends via dinner party and this year, we decided to bring it to a new level with the help of the fabulous paige kepner of paiges of style. Paige truly helped me bring my vision to life. We used a cow theme and kept it all very light-hearted and fun. First came the invite describing the significance of fondue and also using some popular cow sayings, such as ‘until the cows come home’. The “logo” was a boy cow (wearing a red bow-tie) and girl cow (sporting a pearl necklace) with a heart in the middle. The heart says ‘fun-do 2011’. because first and foremost, i wanted our guests to have fun!
(Uber-talented Tallow studio originated this dressy farm animal idea and I had long admired Katherine's work. Here's the link to her handsome cow!)
We carried the heart theme throughout with heart straws, plates, cookies, and personalized tags tied to each fondue fork with pink divine twine.
Each guest was greeted with a cham-cham, my favorite pink drink! (champagne with a splash of chambord) - delish!
Our friends were such amazing sports - they all coordinated their wardrobes with the party’s color scheme.
When it was time to eat dinner, each guest was asked to get in line and grab a tray ( i used cafeteria trays lined with a pale pink chevron stripe) and then their heart plate (from target) and finally their ‘moo-tensils’. Guests then were free to roam the different stations.
The cheese station featured a blue cheese fondue and traditional swiss fondue, and custom pink chevron paper cones, filled with toasted fresh baguette cubes and apple bites. The cones were places in a galvanized boot tray with skewers.
The beef station featured a horseradish sauce and garlic sauce (both my mother in law’s sinful recipes).
Each station was complete with a custom poster. I framed the posters in o’brien schridde frames for a rustic contrast to the more modern design aspects. The beef station had a “keep calm and dip on” poster and our “logo”, The cheese station featured a take on the “got milk?” ad campaign but instead we used “got melted cheese?”
and my personal favorite. . .
was the dessert table and mini-milkshake bar with the poster “my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard” {a line from the popular rap song by kelis}. We served mini-mudslides, along with the milkshakes. Each mini-shake had either a red or pink striped straw or heart straw, with a different coordinating straw flag. {Some of them said ‘moooo’. Some with the logo. some with simple hearts. } We stacked the shakes on a galvanized stand from pottery barn which lent to the rustic aspect. I used cow print ribbon on the stand. There were two banners that said “fun-do 2011” and “mooooo”, keeping with the color scheme, red, white, black and pale pink. And incorporating stripes and chevron stripes throughout.
We hung cow bells throughout the space with coordinating ribbon.
Small posters featured ‘fun-do-mentals’ , some of the basics, in case the fondue experience was new for some guests or just to serve as a charming reminder. They were placed on tables throughout the dining space.
The parting gifts were the white and pink floral arrangements planted in classic cow creamers.
The dessert table featured yummy treats from sugar on top, such as cake balls (with tags that read ‘dip me’) and heart shaped cake pops. Stacey (from sugar on top’s) special rendition of the “black and white cookie” - beautifully decorated sugar cookies with black and white icing, mini-red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and angel food cupcakes with heart fondant decorations. Also, sliced strawberries for dipping in the toblerone fondue and mint chocolate fondue. (served in the actual pots we used at our wedding).
We ended the night with a dance party, largely a result of the mudslides ;)
HUGE thanks to amazing photographer meredith nelson and baker extra-ordinaire stacey butler of sugar on top, who both helped set up the soiree, contributed in an invaluable way, and also managed to dance the night away!
and of course to my dear paige, who wasn't there to dance with us but made the party happen from the left coast! (she better fly out for our "g" party)
and of course to my dear paige, who wasn't there to dance with us but made the party happen from the left coast! (she better fly out for our "g" party)
vendor credit
paige kepner of paiges of style - co-design/paper products
all images courtesy of meredith nelson photography
stacey butler of sugar on top - baked goods
fondant hearts for cupcakes - the lil details
heart plates- target
ribbon - isamay designs
frames - o’brien schridde
