C & P's 3rd Birthday

terribly sorry for being so MIA on the blog.  sickness got the best of me over the holidays but I simply cannot enter 2012 without acknowledging my fave event of 2011.  C & P's birthday bash {which was featured on amy atlas last week-- yay!}

The party was for my twin daughters and meant to reflect their individual personalities but celebrate who they are together.  Since they learned to talk this past year, a frequent conversation has been ' i like pink!' and 'i like yellow!' {I even did a post about it last summer}

So it seemed fitting to have a pink & yellow party!  

Charlotte, Phoebe and I discussed every aspect of this party at length and it was so. much. fun. to have them be part of the process and make their vision come to life.  And obvs the amazebalz meredith caught their reaction on camera.

Phoebe likes polka dots and Charlotte likes stripes so we carried that throughout, as well.
The invite was two-sided - one inviting you to phoebe's pink party and the other side to charlotte's yellow party.
The party was held at You & Me studio where mama hoot also plans other parties.  Owner Sarah Junk is awesome to loan out her fab space for soirees.  It's a blank cheerful canvas that kiddos love-love to enjoy!

I did two dessert tables with all of their favorite things.  Charlotte loves baseball hats so I made a baseball hat garland with all the guests monogrammed hats to take home. {i even painted those teeny clothespins to coordinate - very unlike this non DIYer} 

All of the food was what they really like in their favorite colors.  Charlotte likes fruit so we did pineapple in yellow cups. P loves everything sweet. . .

Phoebe loves hearts and Charlotte likes stars so we served wand cookies in hearts and stars.  Sugar on top made these as a gift- worship her!

  

C drinks apple juice and P guzzles chocolate milk.

And so on and so forth. . . you get the idea. . .
Basically Jayme Marie Designs created a blurb for the invite and all the paper goods, meant to voice their likes and favorites.  Love-love working with Jayme!  She's wonderfully pleasant and talented.

For activities, they both like play-doh so each child got pink and yellow play-doh to play with.

They also both like coloring so I ordered a custom box of Crayola crayons in pinks and yellows and each child had a bundle at their personalized place mat with a custom coloring book, featuring all pictures of pink & yellow things to color! {ducks, hearts, poodles, etc.} Both girls love stickers so I had a big bucket of stickers of their fave characters.

The custom pinata was a giant 3 in pink & yellow with custom sign.

The cakes were a "baby" yellow cake and "BIG" pink cake, per their requests.  A custom banner by nice exclaimed 'we like cake!'  Pickwick Baking co. was phenomenal at accomodating my three year olds ever-evolving requests.  Phoebe's eyes lit up when she saw her 'biiiiggggggg' flower painstakingly crafted by Ali herself.  And C was all too pleased by her baby flowers.

{case and point}

and ummmm - delish!  these were truly the yummiest cakes and cucpakes evah.

Personalized CDs were given as additional take home treats with all of their favorite songs.  Oh yeahhh, we totes jammed out to 'party in the USA'.  {hoping C & p refine their taste in music in 2012} 

and it ain't a party until baby june in the hizzy!

The girls wore custom mongrammed jumpers in their designated colors and mom couldn't help join in the fun! {yup, totes dork.} 

oh and my FAVE part if the party was the adult beverages 'mommy likes champagne!' and 'daddy likes beer!'

Endless gratitude to Meredith Nelson who not only captured the details of the party but took the pic that we used as a backdrop for the entire event! {and our Christmas card . . . would be lost without this woman in my life}

me and my birthday girls.  happiness.

Paper goods: Jayme Marie Designs

Photography : Meredith Nelson Photography
Venue: You & Me Studio

Cookies: Sugar on Top

Cakes: Pickwick Baking Co.

Pinata: AbitaAchie

custom cake banner: nice

holiday gift guide : c. crowell

ok, folks.  i'm busy cranking these out - hoping to get the rest done tonight and bombard you with 3 or 4 of them tomorrow.  i'm sure miss claudia of c. crowell confections is an even busier bee in the kitchen this week whipping up her divine macarons. treat the ones you love or yourself to her yumminess whenever you can. they are as delish as they are gorgeous! {and i consider myself an expert - read about my love-affair with the macaron here.}

dad - Cozy Ugg slippers for Dad this year. I like these because they can be disguised as real shoes. My Dad wore through his first pair already - time for a replacement! 

Mom - My Mom's birthday is on Christmas Eve so she needs something extra special! The Lalbhai Hermes silk scarf would be perfect. Because my Mom deserves something luxurious and beautiful....and the green/lavender would look incredible on her. 

sister/friend - A Max and Chloe monogram necklace. My sister and I gave them to each other. They're feminine and timeless....I never take mine off! 

hostess - Molton Brown Naran ji liquid hand wash and lotion set - this scent is irresistible! And don't forget to bring a box of C. Crowell French macarons :)

colleague/boss - Pottery Barn Silver Plated Engraved Luggage Tag. I can't tell you how many times I've had to call the airlines looking for a black bag...it's truly a gift for both of us! I'll tie it onto a nice bottle of red :) 

and for the ladies, these Kate Spade airport security-friendly cosmetic cases will be perfect! When you travel as much as they do, an alternative to a zip lock bag will be such a treat!

what's the best gift you've ever gotten? 

Black patent leather Christian Louboutin Very Prive 120s from my fabulous boyfriend. Classic, sexy, iconic and will last me a lifetime...what more can you ask for??

best gift you've ever given?

Last year my sister and I bought a trip for my parents to go to the Caribbean - they still haven't used it but we're hoping they will soon take some time for a little R&R. The most selfless people in the world - they probably wouldn't know what to do with themselves just laying on a beach!

what gift are you most excited to give this year?

My sister's. She hates surprises so she's listed pretty much everything she wants on her blog barefootinboston.com. She's going to be shocked I didn't choose something from her list but I know for a fact she's going to love it! 

what's number 1 on your wishlist this year?

Cartier love bracelet...a girl can dream!

fave holiday tradition

Going to church on Christmas Eve with our whole family. It reminds me of when I was little and my mom would dress my sister and I in beautiful dresses with our matching green velvet coats with fur collars. During "Silent Night" they pass out candles and lower the lights...it's so beautiful and brings tears to my eyes every year. 

thank you, claudia, for sharing!  seems as if you not only create things that taste great - you HAVE great taste. here's hoping the coveted love bracelet graces your wrist in the near future.  merry merry xo

holiday gift guide: LC

since i am insanely behind on the gift guides and we are getting down to the wire i'm keeping it short and sweet today - just like my tres stylish sissy, LC.

happy shopping!

For girlfriends/sisters/mom: 

 *Kate spade gumdrop stud earrings- these are super cute and come in several cool colors...love the purple ones. And the price is good too! 

 *Beautiful floral scarf 

 * This bracelet would sure be nice;) 

 

Little girls/baby girls: 

*These bathing suits are adorable and a major plus that it has snaps for easy changing. June will definitely be sporting one of these next summer

 *Obsessed with this striped tunic- C & P need. 

 *Mini Stuart Weitzmans 

 


Little boys/baby boys:
*down vest- for the child that aways needs his sleeves rolled up 

 * I got these "I spy" tubes for my boys stockings this year...hopefully they will entertain them for at least 10 minutes. 

 *love this for baby boy 

 

Husband/dad/brother (all men in your life) 

 *personalized golf balls.  

 *comphy shirt. 

 *belt buckle. 

 

Hostess: 

 *Cheese board 

 *Salted caramels- my friend got me the grey and smoked salt caramels from here and they are to die for 

 

Pet: 

*George would like very handsome in this.

thanks, LC.  appreciate your fab ideas - especially the shout-out to george!

holiday gift guide: sarah PS

so when i was first looking for someone to babysit my kiddos people told me that a qualification should NOT be that i had to be besties with them, but obvi i ignored them and hired the coolest chicks i could find.  hence how i met Sarah PS {my family dubbed her PS -personal slave- after our first vacay together}.  sarah is all grows up now, but still my bestie.  

check out her gift guide and find a little about why.

Stocking:

1) Because Mom needs to jazz up her iPad.

2) Who doesn't love a little Michael Buble? His x-mas album is the perfect seasonal touch

3) Perfect accessory for the game! For Him.4) For Her

 
Sister/Friend/ME!: 
1) Quirky dress, quirky color, but i love.
2) Cooking light subscription for people like me who love to cook with healthy ingredients!
  
g-ma/mom: 1. Gorgeous! It would be the perfect touch in my mom's amazeballs kitchen. 
2. Both my Mom and Mammy are candlestick lovers - such fun colors! 
3. Grace, my favorite fragrance of all time. Perfect stocking stuffer, too! 

4. This blanket - see below.
5. Real Simple subscription - they love this magazine because it has a bit of everything in it!
 
Dad: 1. Nothing screams "Dad" like cozy slippers to drink tea and reading the paper. 
2. Cruising world subscription - he needs to start planning our next carribean sailing trip, right?!
3. Sperrys for summers on Pegasus.
 
Hostess: 

1. Adorable idea!
2. I just love candles, and this is another favorite of mine!

 

 

what's the best gift you've ever gotten? 2 years ago, my mom passed down my great grandmother's amethyst ring - I wear it every day now.

 

best gift you've ever given? This blanket is to-die-for. As my friend says: "It's the gift that everyone wants, but doesn't actually know it exists until they own it or know somebody that does". It makes winters less bearable, and my friend will never forget who gave it to her. 

 

what gift are you most excited to give this year? I got my 2 big brothers tickets to the patriots game (me included) - they love NOTHING MORE than the Patriots.

what's number 1 on your wishlist this year? So boring, but I am obsessed with these new cowls, and it screams cozy. Oh, and a slowcooker - a dream for a corporate girl who works long hours and lives alone!

 

fave holiday tradition - On Christmas Eve every hear we go over to our family friend's house (and my bff). We do a secret santa, have a wonderful meal, drink, and dance the night away (to the one and only Mariah Carey) - last year we had the parents doing peppermint patty shots...needless to say, Christmas Day is a little rough. We have the same family over for X-Mas Dinner, which consists of my mom running around all day stressed because us children are hungover and not helpful. As we have no family geographically close to us, we are so lucky to have such wonderful friends to spend the holidays with!

can't wait until you are home PS - wine and wrapping awaits you.  {and you don't have to change dirty diaps or fetch me iced coffees. . . i mean, you are more than welcome to, but you don't have to}

holiday gift guide: miss rilla

so miss rilla might be lil hoot's number one cheerleader.  i totes appreciate her encouragement, as well as her unique and modern flair - which you can get a sense of in her fab gift guide. . .

Hubs: My husband has officially retired his time with our fancy schmancy camera since he got his iPhone and I think these are a supercool addition. Especially because they will get lots of use when our baby girl arrives in Feb....

My hubs goes along with my Christmas lunacy...ahem, love...every year, and truthfully I do believe he is kind of getting into it too. But that doesnt mean he wouldnt love this ornament tailor made for him...

Stocking stuffer: I have baby girls on the brain and cant stop squealing over all things girlie, after 4 and half years of Monster Trucks, super heroes, and Bakugans. If my girl were here I would be putting this in her stocking...I might have to get it anyway. I also love that its a Danish design.


J will be finding this in his stocking this year. Cant leave him out and focus on only the girly! What kid doesnt love balloon animals?! And they can keep it and play with it forever? SOLD. 

Friend: Now I am anti gift card USUALLY. Even if someone claims to not want anything (wish I had that problem ;) ) I like to come up with something! But a gift card to BaubleBar.com would be the most fun gift to give my bestie. The choices and styles are endless and what girl wouldnt like to buy a little bling during that post Holiday depression. I would buy this... or this 

Dad: My dad is impossible. He NEVER wants anything...one of those guys. But he is my Daddy and I always want to do SOMETHING special and he loves to be cozy by the fire with a blanket and a book. And this is the most delicious blanket EVER.

Hostess: I believe that a hostess gift should have some luxury to it, not be something the busy hostess has to "deal" with when she is greeting guests, and have something edible for her to enjoy LATER, not have to share with guests. I usually make a baked good like this biscotti or a beautiful breakfast bread, and place it on a tray like this then I want to add a beautiful tin of tea like this one, and drape or wrap it with a fab dishtowel like this ( I love antlers!). That way its a self indulgent treat for the next day, and she gets some pieces to add to her collection of beauties.

Teacher: Teacher gifts are the hardest. Because you truly love this person who you entrust your child to and want them to see how important they are to your child. But you dont really know them...the baked good always works...a tin of Christmas cookies, maybe.  some paper for her desk that is just a bit cooler than a yellow post-it , a delicious candle to calm her down after a day with children hopped up on extra sugarplums and hearing sleighbells , or this incredible pot with a rosemary tree potted in it. Just something to make him or her feel special.

Brother: For my cool brother, who is a total hipster before hipster became every kid who shops in Urban Outfitters. He also rarely wants anything but appreciates design and function. This very cool alarm clock and iPhone charger combo. I love pretty much everything that works with an Apple product. Why is that? 

Or a print by the ever awesome Sharon Montrose who is a commercial animal photographer who photographs real live animals, raised (and most rescued) by loving, experienced, and dedicated animal keepers and handlers who care for them as their own and ensured their welfare while being photographed (in studio or outside at the facilities where they live, then photoshopped into the backdrop). SO.cool. My bro would dig this one.

Best gift I ever got...My dad made me a doll house one Christmas. He bought the frame but installed everything else...yellow clapboard siding, red, window frames, beautiful pine boards on the floor, cedar shingles, even a little wreath above the front door. To walk downstairs and see this BIG box and realize I was the one getting it...best moment ever. I played with it for years and even decorated it for Christmas every year.

Best gift I ever gave...When I was pregnant with my son in 2006 I was at about 8 mos at Christmas so I decided to give my husband a gift for him and the babe. Jeff was so excited to have a son and to share all his loves with him...number one was the Yankees...but a close second was his love of Pearl Jam. So I went on lalaling.com and personalized a baby shirt. The front featured the album cover of his favorite Pearl Jam album and the back said "My Daddy and I love Pearl Jam". see photo attachment He loved it VERY much and you can tell it meant a lot to him. The company did a great job...its an American Apparel tee and the print job held up really well. I have already been told our little girl will be wearing it too.

Most excited to give...I am most excited for everything my son is getting. He is 4.5 and had a very short very clear list...happily he is getting everything on it...he will be in heaven like only a 4 year old on Christmas can be.

No. 1 on my list...I have been swooning over these (I have a antler obsession) ....antlers, gold and chevron! My dream come true. I also REALLY want the new kindle fire. 

Favorite tradition...All of them! I <3 Christmas BIG time. My mother is Danish and my bro and I are first generation. The Scandinavians really get into Christmas. It is a BIG deal. My mother has made Christmas very special and important my whole life. So now that I am always the hostess to my family for the week of Christmas, I have tried to duplicate the feelings of my childhood Christmases. I especially love when my little family goes to get our fresh tree (always fresh!) and spend an evening listening to Phil Spectors Christmas albums while decorating together. We dont do a theme tree, just ornaments that my husband and I started collecting when we met 11 years ago. My son is starting to remember the ornaments so it is fun to hear his squeals when they come out of the tissue wrappings. He especially loves the white dove of peace tree topper...my parents have had one for years and it was a special moment for me when I found one a few years ago. We always have a "treat" while decorating...usually aebleskiver, basically cardamom scented pancake balls that are a typical Danish Christmas dessert. described and photographed here with powdered sugar and red currant jam for dipping. Then we sit in the room lit only by the trees white twinkle lights and read Christmas books. Bliss. 

thank you, miss rilla - what a lucky fam you have and baby girl might be the awesomest fetus on the planet.  she'll have a tough time not inheriting the good karma you're putting out there.

oh, and can you please move closer so i can grab one of your amazebalz hostess gifts?  {i'm not cut out for teaching}

holiday gift guide: nancy pants

dear nancy, you sure do like a lot of shiz.  

i could barely fit it all- doh!

 worship you and adore your precious alice and bat cave recipients, too.  obvi.

enjoy another adorbs gift guide from nancy-pants, everyone!

ho ho ho!

word! here are some of my ideas.... this was a toughie this year!

LH: what's the best gift you've ever gotten?

NP: It's hard to say.... aside from my surprise engagement ring, Jeremy gave me an Eames rocking chair when I was pregnant with May. At first I thought.... "um, I can't wear this.... why would you get it for me?" But now I love it. I rocked both of my babies to sleep in it. 

He also gave me the most amazing stocking filled with Tattler magazines, a  generous gift card to a florist, my favorite beauty products and much more... Beyond amazing!

LH: best gift you've ever given?

NP: I honestly never give anything that I wouldn't want to receive myself so I like everything I've given. Nothing really stands out. Maybe a Barbour jacket?!?

LH: what gift are you most excited to give this year?

My tomboy daughter is DYING for this crappy Batman Batcave doll house thing. I can't wait to see her face when she opens it.

I also can't tell what I'm giving my husband because it's a surprise but I'm excited!

LH: what's number 1 on your wishlist this year?

Anything I can wear. It's been forever since I've bought myself anything. I need a wallet desperatly. Mine is resembling George Costanza's (a rubber band keeps it together). I like this one in spice.

I'd also LOVE this statement necklace from Lauren Elan... BUT it's sold out. Boo!

I ask for this every year:

I need a new bag and dig this one in moss.

and of course, what would Christmas be without my yearly wish of a Cartier love bracelet and Goyard bag!

LH: fave holiday tradition?

NP: I am an elf... I love it all! 24 hrs of Christmas tunes on Oldies 103.3, advent calenders, elf on a shelf, making German spritz cookies, our SECOND ANNUAL Christmas Eve beach breakfast, Christmas movies ("Year Without a Santa Claus" and "Love Actually" especially). Trimming the tree, retrimming the parts that Jeremy and May did...

Now on to the tricky part....

sister: I'm probably going to get my sister earrings similar to these.

mom: worship my mom and worship these Roberta Roller Rabbit pajamas.

Also love scarves.

little girls: as I said before, my older girl is not so femme but she does love her bla bla dolls. Getting Alice for the baby. 

little boys: my friend Wink makes AMAZING handmade shirts for kids. 

friend: I'm getting some of my favorite girls (including myself) these.

hostess: can't go wrong with Mr. Adler.

This bee serving board or ANYTHING from C Wonder. 

Inlaws: tervis tumblers are a favorite gift to give anyone! We have three sets!

teacher: I am a teacher. We LOVE gift cards. Especially for visa, calypso, jcrew and spa services!! And a homemade ornament yadda yadda yadda...

stocking stuffer: my favorite candle 

A sleep mask... Very breakfast at tiffany's

And... beauty products, magazine subscriptions and cheap, fun jewelry. 

thanks for your fab suggestions, nancy-pants and here's hoping jeremy gets you that damn sweater so you can stop posting it on my gift guides.  

adore you, jer, CHIT and Lolli.  see you for some beach bacon on Christmas eve - now one of OUR fave traditions!  merry merry xo