here comes the bride

one thing is for sure in 2010--we definitely have weddings on the brain!..and as april approaches, i am reminded of almost one year ago when my sister herself wed. i thought i would share this lovely photo of her right before heading down the aisle. she is wearing a silk chiffon flower in her hair, embellished with a vintage crystal button, that i made as a gift for her. i think that flowers, feathers, crystals, or brooches are a beautiful alternative to a veil for any modern or casual bride; or if you are more the formal type, these things can also be a great addition to a veil! share with us, what kind of bride are you??

heavenly

last weekend i treated myself to a getaway to lake tahoe. i learned to ski on heavenly mountain, ate a few delicious meals, and saw some pretty amazing things not only while i was there, but on the drive to and from. it was so beautiful there, and incredibly peaceful. it's one of those places you go that's so different from the one where you live.. it really helps to clear your head, relax, and remind you of what's really important in life. definitely makes the list of one of my top 5 most wonderful places i've ever been.

going bonkers for bonzie

obsessed, period.

"BONZIE is an Independent Irish Fashion Label with romantic vintage appeal. Scouring for thrifted trinkets and vintage inspired fabric, Aunt and Neice Design Duo, Bonzie and Ger infuse each piece with an artful blend of tattered chic neovictorian,steampunk and deconstructed elements!" shop BONZIE.

the sky's the limit..

"There are two kinds of people, those who dream at night and those who dream during the day--the latter are the ones who make their dreams a reality while the others sleep their dreams away."

what a wonderful world

last night we treated ourselves to the new movie, Avatar in 3D. at first, i must admit, i was a little hesitant. typically, i am not big on sci-fi/fantasy type flicks...however, Avatar proved to be an amazing experience, and a truly beautiful story. the music is moving, and the vision of their world, called Pandora, is captivating. the story really reminds us that being in touch with nature and its history is much more important and meaningful than material possessions and power. if you haven't already, i highly recommend seeing this film. it is definitely worth the ridiculous movie ticket prices to see this one in the theater and experience the full effect. i'm predicting plenty of award buzz especially for special effects, and direction...GO SEE AVATAR!! :)

benvenuto 2010!

happy new year be lovely readers! we are quite excited about everything that this year has in store for us! lots of great changes and celebrations lie ahead..we are looking forward to much hard work and success, as well as new homes, marriage, and relaxing vacations.. :) what sorts of things are store for you?? please share with us your exciting plans!

the search begins

i have slowly begun the search for bridesmaids dresses for my upcoming wedding in september. since it will still be warm and not quite fall i think dresses that are a mix of golds, ivories, and dusty pinks might be pretty. when i saw the above photo in martha stewart weddings i fell in love.

below are some options i've found which are a little closer to my price range. the 1st one is from Forever 21 and is only only $22.80! the 2nd from anthropologie is on sale for $100.00

suprise!

i was surprised the other day with an early christmas present! my plan this year is to give cookies to all my friends and family. Next on the list is to stop admiring it and start using it, i've got work to do!

cupcake love.

even the worst day can suddenly become better when someone surprises you with a box of these when you get home.

a new addition to my christmas list

when i was little i used to have a crayola fashion design kit. it had stencils of different bodies and pages and pages of clothes that you could trace on them. my favorite was always adding the shoes and hair and coloring in the finished product. that kit would keep me occupied for hours and i still think about it to this day, needless to say i was so excited when i saw this on cup of jo this morning.

From the company's website:

"Our fun, functional and one-of-a-kind Fashionflat Sketchpad is the must-have tool for aspiring and professional fashion designers. This 40-page pad contains preprinted, proportional female croquis outlines that disappear on photocopying or scanning so you can effortlessly create professional, accurate flats of your imaginative designs. With the Hokey Croquis Fashionflat Sketchpad, you can design your prom gown, fashion portfolio, college application, or design project efficiently. Effectively. Gorgeously".

pretty pastels

color has been on my mind all day today as i spent my day at work writing about winter color palettes. when i saw this color story on once wed i fell in love! it is so soft and pretty and could really be used all year round.

girl crush

we love natalie portman, doesn't she look amazing in lanvin on the january cover of marie claire?

winter wonderland

In order to get further into the Christmas spirit we spent sunday night wandering around beverly hills checking out all the amazing window displays. since we both work in visual display it is always so exciting to see what has been created for the holiday season. we didn't have our camera with us but are lucky enough that our amazing friend from Lolita Loves It was there to capture our favorites. check out her blog for more photos and lots of other pretty things.

this one's for the boys

saturday i spent the day milling around the century city mall, here in los angeles, shopping/doing research for a few christmas gifts. now, i know sometimes men can be hard to shop for...especially the ones that seem to have everything already...so if you're looking for something classic and timeless, here it is! this shaving set from the art of shaving will last your man practically a lifetime. the engraved shaving set is the most luxury one they offer..however, there are other sets and kits that are priced more reasonably and still incredibly nice. the tools are nickel-plated, and the brush is made from silver tip badger hair--which i learned is the best hair for shaving brushes, as it retains heat & absorbs the least amount of water than any other hair. interesting fact of the day. :)

christmas cupcake

so one of the things i love to give for the holidays are ornaments..sometimes i wrap them up as a gift, and sometimes i attach them to a ribbon to tie around a pretty package. i wanted to find a cupcake ornament for my friend who loves them--to make and to eat. :) there were so many choices when i did a google search, but i think these ones in the little glass cases are adorable!! definitely my favorite so far! i found them at shelleybhomeandholiday.com.

new store alert!

rifle paper co. has just launched its new online shop. i love their holiday cards and can't wait to see their wedding announcements and invitations. these holiday postcards are my favorite but i think i would have a hard time giving them up.

i love bright red lipstick on other people but i have always assumed it wasn't for me. well i took the plunge this weekend, marched up to the mac make-up counter and got a tube. i wore it for my engagement photos last night and am now sold. above are photos from the rockstar diaries and wiksten made that inspired this risky behavior :)

merry making

so i realize that it was just thanksgiving but i can't wait any longer to start getting ready for christmas. kate spade items are always on my gift list and i couldn't resist posting their 20 ways to merry-make

i think i will make my own list this weekend.

the most wonderful time of the year

the holidays are officially here! and we have officially started our Christmas shopping. we are not big fans of crazy crowds, so needless to say, we avoided the brick and mortar stores this weekend. but that's one of the best parts of shopping online..no crowds!! this year we are all about giving original, handmade gifts. if you've read our blog in the past, you've probably noticed how much we post about artisan entrepreneurs and their creations. so in support of them, and as fellow entrepreneurs, their amazing talents will be the gifts we give this year. this plate, by clay artist rae dunn, is one that we just ordered for our sister. we are so in love with it, we may just be tempted to keep it for ourselves...but we won't :)

much to be thankful for

happy thanksgiving everyone! today we are most thankful for all our friends and amazing families. life has been good to us this past year, and we feel so blessed for all our successes and for the special people who have come into our lives. and thank you to all of our readers. we hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving day, and if you're elsewhere in the world, just a wonderful day! :)