bring on summer

i know this weekend made me ready for summer in a big way...you too? did you do any entertaining? are you dreaming up any shindigs to come? tell me everything!






images from here, here and here

long weekend

this is the kind of weekend i'm hoping to have. the forecast is finally clear, and i'm smack in the middle of the corrections by jonathan franzen which is undeniably gorgeous and chilling, equal to his other masterpiece, freedom.

i also plan on drinking lots of water, iced tea and iced coffee, sitting on my balcony, watching birds, seeing our youngest friends (she is 2, he is 4) and spending quality time with mitchell, my grandmother, one of my best friends from high school and some good, soon-to-be-clean laundry.

long weekends are amazing...they're just so LONG, and can fit so many things, so many different moods and modes. have an amazing weekend full of as much or as little as you want it to.

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retro innocence in three pieces

 

i love how retro and innocent this childrens' place setting is. it makes me smile when things for kids look like they could have been around when we were kids and in this case, the print was designed in 1975, so it's the real deal. thanks to marimekko at crate and barrel for keeping it going.  

i think this is a great gift for a brand new baby, don't you?

night song

 

how sweet would this night song print be as a wedding gift or a bridal shower gift? i love the idea of giving something a little different for those occasions...you can always shop off the registry and no one ever complained about cash, but sometimes it's special to give something they'll have forever. the lovebirds print here is perfect for that...they could hang it on a wall, lean it on a bedside table, even place it in the nursery of their one-day-to-be baby...i love it.

summer parties are coming!

the coming of memorial day weekend always makes me think of entertaining, parties and time spent outside (hopefully the weather will cooperate). given my love of mismatching chairs (and really chairs in any form), this picture makes my heart sing. i love the tolix style chairs in all their timeworn glory, mixed with the sweet and shabby chic tableware, and even some painted wood chairs thrown in. it seems like this was a party that just came together on its own and those can be the best kinds of parties.

and how about this spread? definitely a little more planned out looking, and charming in its own way. i always love the way a bevvy of glasses look on a table...they bring a certain sparkle and shine that suggests a party and a little elegance. and the potted herbs and plants as centerpieces? yes please!! these would be amazing centerpieces to send guests home with since they won't wilt or die and can add something to their summer garden, kitchen or balcony.

and this...so simple and so sweet. you know i love baby's breath en masse (like here and here), and sticking it in a coffee can that's charming but not too vintagey in an overplayed way...there's that impromptu charm that is perfection all in itself.

are you planning any parties or entertaining this weekend? are you going detailed and planned out or free form and casual? i'd love to hear!

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how does your garden grow?

i have to apologize for my really subpar pictures today, but i do want to share...my garden (aka balcony) is looking lovely and i'm really enjoying sitting out there in the mornings and evenings. i don't think enjoying outdoor space will ever get old. 

i have nonstop red begonias, deep velvety purple petunias, a caddy of the most fragrant lavender and some spikes and vinca vines...all my favorites.

on the vegetable front, i'm growing bibb lettuce, chives and parsley on my front step (i forgot to take a picture of that) and a big container of dill from seed on the balcony since it needs lots of sun. i felt my eyes light up this morning when i saw that all the rain this week brought little dill plant sprouts. so exciting! and i feel especially charmed by the cement boot i have a spike in...though i think i might plant some flowers from seed...it has always been on my grandparents' front stoop, and it makes me smile to think it was my grandfather's boot. clearly, it wasn't, as it's made of cement, but i have always associated that way and when i'm sitting outside in quiet with the birds and the breeze, it makes me smile.

 

are you growing anything? 

i hope you have a weekend of birds and breezes, beauty and growth. and maybe some festive grilling and drinking.

tag, you're married

 

isn't this luggage tag such a sweet little gift for a soon to be mrs.? for most, the honeymoon is the first time you're ever referred to as mrs. anything, so getting this tag is a sweet little nod to that special thrill. 

i love this as a shower gift idea, with or without the mr. one. i'd love to order a bunch of them and have them on hand for all the showers i go to this spring and summer. even if you want to give more than just a token like this, it could easily (and adorably!) replace a bow or ribbon on the outside of the package. 

do you love?

meet me at sunset

especially if sunset looks like this! i know what my next pedi color is going to be. doesn't essie's new meet me at sunset look like the perfect summer corange? yup, corange - just made that up. coral and orange. beach ready. city ready. everything ready.

why pedi and not mani, you might wonder? because i can't stop getting long stem roses on my hands...it's my favorite color ever. EVER. i want to marry it.

rainy day cocktails

alright so not so much loving this weather today, you? so let's get our minds off of it and think about some fun cocktails i've come across over the last couple weeks...they're a little different than your average margarita or summer ale, and i think they seem worth trying! start making your grocery lists for memorial day weekend and beyond!!

so without further ado...

the junebug - ginger ale, grenadine, oj and sherbet work together to make this sweet, summery blend

recipe here

pisco sour - fresh lime and mint mix with pisco or white rum for the ultimate summer drink you've probably never had.

recipe here

sparkling peach punch - i mean really, how could you not love fizzy, nectary peach flavored drink?

recipe here

and for non-drinkers and kids, try this hit-the-spot lemon water. i know i will be. i've been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to drink lots of water when you throw in some lemon or lime slices, so this recipe calling for lemon and some fresh herbs seems like a no-brainer to try. i might even drink it in a mason jar.

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stripes for summer

fully and completely obsessed with this color combination and the playful stripe. this puts me in the mood for beautiful weather like nothing else.

have a great weekend full of things you're obsessed with.

links of love...on weddings

you have to go see the full gallery of this orangey peachy wedding on the wedding chicks...so pretty. so sweet.

and did you hear missoni will be doing a line for target? what are your thoughts? i'm interested...in a reserved way. bridefinds has some ideas of what it might be like...

b'wed did a round-up of gorgeous white wedding shoes...which are your favorites? mine have to be these.

do you know about burning man? and do you know people get married there? check out the gorgeous pictures on ok, now what bride and see what the weddings look like. i love the vibrant colors against the desert backdrop here, don't you?

and check out the thorough, colorful coverage of the movie bridesmaids on the broke-ass-bride. i so want to see this movie. just seems fun, doesn't it? and i loooove melissa mccarthy. do you watch mike and molly? you should.

don't nod off, part 2

this lamp is such a yes. it's from land of nod (the childrens' crate and barrel outpost) and i'm telling you, these kids' stores are where the deals are (remember this awesome wall art, also from LON?) 

much in the same way "wedding" items cost more than their identical non-wedding counterparts, the same is true for "adult" versions of things...we've discussed that in regards to pb teen here and here. i seriously love this lamp in either color, and for under $60, it's a no-brainer.

you like?

happy hour

our friends kelly and cory have implemented a weekly cocktail hour at their fabulous new place. they bought this bar (amazeballs) and each week, the plan is to try a fancy new libation. if i were drinking right now, i'd definitely go with a lemony champagne cocktail...kelly's going to mix one up in my honor.

isn't this cocktail hour a fun, mod sort of idea? it reminded me of the diner placemats with all the old-fashioned drinks on them...so i had to google image them and look what other tasty fun i found!

how fun and retro! the whole cocktail hour idea also brings to mind a concept i've been mulling over...that of mismatched fabric cocktail napkins. yeah, that's the stuff i think about. i picked up a small stack at a tag sale a while ago...they're cream with a thin border of gold piping. they're calling out to me to be the cornerstone of a new collection...

i love the idea of collecting them as you go, maybe getting some from your mother or grandmother and continuing to add each time you see ones you like. you could buy a few at a store if you fall in love without feeling the pressure to buy a whole set. by sticking with a common theme (flowers, gold accents, solid colors, etc) you can be assured they'll always match. but i also think that they'll match in their mismatching-ness no matter what...make sense?

here's what i mean...

i even love the idea of there being random initials and monograms on them...the whole idea kind of lends itself to the idea that cocktail and toasting happy occasions is universal and threads us all together.

do you want to start your own cocktail hour? check out this mad men 1960's cocktail guide. what looks good to you? if i could drink right now, i'd love a lemony champagne cocktail. do you remember the fizzy peach from a couple summers ago? maybe stir up some fun libations for mother's day...

ps. if you think the "cocktail suggestions" placemats are nearly as fun as i do, you can buy them here. 

cocktail suggestions image, cocktail napkin image 1, cocktail napkin image 2, cocktail napkin image 3, cocktail napkin image 4

bookshelf perfection

how sweet is this print, called  ideal bookshelf 101: robert verdi. it's part of a collection of ideal bookshelves by artist jane mount (she creates images of peoples' bookshelves as a form of biography), and they're all sold separately at 20x200. i sometimes think a gorgeous image of something replaces the need to have it...so even if we can't all have the most fabulous collection of books on our shelves, we can have a perfect picture of them. 

do you know about the magnificent website 20x200? here's the deal: they sell numbered prints of all kinds of beautiful and different artwork, and they editions start at only $20. most pieces are sold in four sizes and they also sell originals if you'd like. read more about their story here, and whatever you do, bookmark this site for when you need just the thing...for you, for a friend, or just for some eye candy.

do you love?

for mama

really, where to start with mother's day? there are thousands and thousands of wonderful gift ideas out there so i've rounded up just a handful of my favorites du jours.

for the mom who hates to be late (but doesn't mind if you are), i love this watch from stefani greenfield's line for hsn. want something sportier? check out the soft carnation or the silky lusture from swatch.

for the mom you're always comfortable around, comfy her up in these adorable p.j. salvage tie-dye pajamas. or for a great plus size option i love this anne klein caftan.

for the mom who always love the flowers you bring her, this stoneware vase from anthropologie is a piece of art all on its own, but will take on a special charm with just one or two simple blooms inside. if she'd like something a little more modern, check out this wall pocket vase from jayson home and garden.

for the mom who's just plain beautiful, i love this simple tray in the palest blue/white from jayson home and garden. it would be so sweet on a beautiful mom's vanity or dressing table.for something a little funkier, try the papier watermelon bowl from anthro.

for the fashion forward mom, this silk strand necklace from moma is bananas. or how about this alexis bittar rope lucite bracelet i die over? i die over everything alexis bittar...

for the tongue-in-cheek mom, i love this pill carafe from jonathan adler, made up of a white carafe base and a tumbler in one of six colors (the red looks most legit to me). or how about this modular fish hotel from urban outfitters?

for the mom who makes everything delicious, i love these pretty, flirty aprons from uncommon goods, and it's an added bonus if you have a daughter your mom loves to bake with so you can give her the set (beyond adorable way to break the news she'll be a grandmother, btw)...OR you can always hold on to the mini version for when it does happen. another great option for a perennial entertainer? this outdoor serving cart from pier 1.

for the mom who makes everything grow, i love this old school copper watering can by smith & hawken for target. maybe pair it with packets of seeds to plant together. if you like a more playful pitcher, this frog one from pier 1 is the one.

for the mom who is always willing to hold your phone in her bag so you don't have to bring one, these sets of rebecca minkoff leather and canvas pouches will give her options. if she's more of a throw-it-all-in-there type, consider this tie dye linen bag from old navy.

for the mom who can pull off anything, this woven straw fedora from j. crew is especially cool in an unexpected blue. not so much? then try this saturn sunhat from anthropologie.

for more gift ideas, browse the honey gift files and check out the excellent gift guides at beso and real simple.

top image, all other images from linked sites