special sips

 

i'm always a big fan of having a special drink when people arrive at a wedding or another special event. at my sister's wedding, sparkling water with fresh raspberries punctuated the rosy, blushy hues of the day. at my own wedding, we offered guests water and sparkling apple and pear ciders to signify the fall season. 

at a bridal shower i planned at work a couple years ago, chocolate was the theme so i did cups of chocolate and plain milk but made them look more special with bright pink straws, all tilted matchingly to the side. yeah, matchingly. made it up.

so...these wildflower ice cubes are begging to be tried, particularly at a spring party like a bridal shower or wedding, don't you think? they actually seem pretty doable based on martha's instructions, and you could employ the same method with any number of things...fresh herbs like mint to put in a mojito or a long island iced tea, or berries to put in a fruitier cocktail. love. this. idea.

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a summer classic

i'm all of a sudden pining for a pair of jack rogers navajo sandals. i'm ruefully recalling a day before i loved them...a day when i encountered an enormous rack of them, all in gold, all for $10. i could die. do you have a purchase that got away?

but what was NOT on that $10 rack -- because it wasn't yet born -- was the jack rogers navajo jellies! kind of obsessed with this new beach and pool-ready incarnation and at $68, these might be the way to go.

if the jellies weren't by the original designer and were instead a copy, they might be cheesy, but instead, they're a playful, summery nod to what is already an american summer classic. you want to argue with jackie o?

what's on your wish list right now?

images from here and here

time out(side)

 

i've always felt like a special place outside is so important to my mental health. it's huge to me to be able to sit somewhere quiet and enjoy a breeze, a cool drink and watch the trees sway. it's a bonus if there are birds and flowers and a windchime.

over the years, mitchell and i have lived in places with abundant outdoor space and places with less, but i've learned that even when you don't have a lot, it's what you do with it that counts. i'm totally inspired by these pictures which show different ideas with all kinds of spaces...some large, some small, some with everything perfectly matching and coordinated and others that look like they came together at a moment's notice, from the necessity of having somewhere lovely to be.

do you have a place to be outside? if you don't, could you throw one together this weekend? i bet you could do it without spending a dime...

images from here, here and here

here birdies!

how totally special is this hummingbird feeder? is it not the most festive you've ever seen? i'm smitten. last summer, i saw a hummingbird in the flesh for the first time, so this year i mixed up some sugar water with red food coloring, and although i haven't seen any yet, the red red red sugar water is diminishing one tiny sip at a time...

how fun would this hummingbird chandelier be in a spot that gets plenty of sunlight to make it sparkle and shine? it would also be a showstopping gift to a new homeowner or a summer hostess which means a plum spot at the beach or a return invitation.

here birdies!!

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.

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.

holy tulips!

all weekend i was blown away by the huge, gorgeous tulips i was seeing everywhere. i tried to take some pictures to share, but i was going to be risking the lives of other motorists, so i had to lay off the camera. i did get this one and i just adore the vibrant, intense color combo of red and purple. another favorite combination i saw was red, yellow and orange. i'm going to do my best to take a picture of that display so i can post it here. so many color stories to love...

on the subject of tulips, martha's tip of the day is a particularly clever one. she puts the tulips stems in a narrow vase and places that vase inside a larger one. a turducken of tulips. obsessed.

hats off

there's something about sunhat collections that always gets me...they're so casual and seem to suggest a vacation or just a generally relaxed atmosphere.

i also love the feeling that they're there in case anyone needs one...it's a very sharing kind of display, especially in an entry way, don't you think?





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for the birds

there's something utterly charming about birds, isn't there? a few weeks ago, the arrival of the sounds of birds - with their curious chirping and foraging - was a real pick-me-up. i'm starting to form my birdfeeding plan (remember my last attempt?)...definitely included is an abundant supply of birdseed in my standing feeder, or maybe this one which i still think about.

oh, and a hummingbird feeder. i had the pleasure of seeing real hummingbirds for the first time last summer at my parents' house and they are truly amazing looking, aren't they? my mom put red food coloring in the water which seemed to attract them like crazy, moreso than just the red tip of the feeder.


i love all these bird figures for little spots inside and outside the home, don't you? of course as easter approaches we see everything adorned with birds and their nests - cake plates, pillows, serving bowls - but to me, the ones that are most appealing are like those pictured here, made of natural, organic looking materials, because it's in these cases that they actually look like real, live birds. i don't need bird salt and pepper shakers or candle holders, birds pretending to be something else. to me, that erodes at their natural charm. they're perfect, and enough, just as they are - simply as flying, walking, chirping little creatures.

i love their still, quiet serenity here and the sense of privilege i feel looking at these...it's a frozen close-up look at the likeness of birds which never stay still long enough to admire.




i'm also obsessing about the idea of framed bird print like this one or these to lean on a nightable like this one or this one, perhaps on a low stack of books.

yet another reason to be happy spring is on the horizon.

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