"s"

for almost a year now, I have had this AMAZING wooden frame just begging to be painted and longing desperately for something amazing to hold.  well, i'm not at the stage of life where i'm going to frame a huge picture of myself (the frame is 11x14) {given that i'm not married, don't have a family, etc.} and even though Madeline is cute enough to warrant a photograph of that magnitude, it is a little creepy to have her as the centerpiece of my wall when she isn't even my child. so i came up with an alternative - since prints are "all the rage" these days, and i'm absolutely OBSESSED with initials, i made my very own print.  i have yet to paint the frame or hang in my bedroom, but i'm pretty sure i'm in love. AND...i've already had a request or two {for a different initial, OF CORUSE!} - which means it must be cute! maybe NOW i'll grow the motivation necessary to finish the project...i'll keep you posted!    

CHEERS to the FABULOUS birthday girl!

this weekend we celebrated my sister-in-law Jamie's 28th birthday with a "wine and dine" party in her backyard.  we chose classy with a taste of rustic as our theme for the evening and let the ideas grow from there.  we put several tables together to create the "family style" effect and then crisp white table cloths with burlap runners to combine our two design concepts. black, white, and red were our color selections for the event, so amber arranged some red roses and white hydrangeas in square glass vases with ribbon embellishments.  the stark contrast between the crisp lines of the vases and the soft feel of the flowers was perfect.  we used as many candles as possible to give the whole backyard more of a romantic feel and created a playlist including lots of jazz and cool tunes.  it was a wonderful evening that was enjoyed by all! 

and in case you wondered, it was a cocktail party - so although you can't see my outfit at all - i was dressed for the occassion!

stamp club {september '10}

I am a part of a little stamp club {i know it makes me sound ridiculously old and lame, but i choose to think i'm AWESOME}.  It is comprised predominantly of dear ladies I work with - and is a great creative outlet for all of us.  We meet every other month and exchange cards as well as making two additional cards while we're there.  I think I usually come home with approximately 10 new cards from each meeting. It is fabulous.  This month's set was "perfect punches" (stampin up) and we each built a card based off that set.  I made a birthday card because I tend to use those more than the others - but I think it turned out really well.  I would be THRILLED to receive that card in the mail - so I'm sure I have a sweet friend who is going to LOVE IT when it arrives in her mailbox sometime next year!

wine nite

friday night i had some of my best girls over to enjoy a little reprieve from the rigors of the week.  it was a very casual affair - everyone brought a bottle and something to snack on - and the night was over before we knew it.  fridays are hard because everyone is EXHAUSTED but it was a lovely way to end the week and i have no doubt we'll be putting another "gathering" on the calendar soon. 

is there anything better than chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling wine?? especially when they are served on a SUPER CUTE white cake plate! that cake plate was a bridesmaid gift from my friend Krista's wedding - what a FAB idea - functional and still super cute!





simple little wine tags i made to keep the glasses straight.  they matched the color scheme of the invitation- and i think added just a touch of "special" to the otherwise fairly ordinary occassion.



wine nite invite

some of my best girls are coming over on friday night after the LONG work week...there will be wine (of all varieties) and lots of tasty treats to coordinate...i'm working on wine tags to differentiate our glasses but keeping it simple - this is an easy deal with an easy invite!

my treasure...

each summer for as long as i can remember {my parents took us for the first time when I was 1} my family has spent a week at Carlsbad State Beach soaking up the sun and enjoying the waves.  my sweet niece M came this summer for the 3rd time {she is only 2...so yes, that means she came when she was only weeks old!} she had quite a tumble with one of the waves and wasn't too fond of "going down" after that, but amber mcgaughey {a dear family friend} was able to capture THIS amazing photograph; which, when coupled with a quote like that from Pirates of the Caribbean just could not get any cuter!
this is ALREADY framed at my house but will be framed for my sweet brother and sister in law's house soon {and ambs has also requested a copy} oh for the love of inDesign!

"Cheers" to a FAB S.I.L.!

my sweet sister-in-law jamie is turning 28 in just a few weeks and i have been enlisted by big brother kevin to help throw her soiree along with my good friend amber of LovelySundayEvents.  we have planned a lovely wine and dine evening with some of jamie's closest friends and family members and hope to spend the evening hob-nobbing over italian food and tasty beverages.  we decided the invites should be simple, understated, with just a touch of class and elegance. CHEERS!

"L" is for lou!

my darling friend lauren {aka. lou} just had a birthday...and we celebrated big time...with appetizers and drinks and BOWLING.  however, on celebration day, the gift was still just a glimmer of hope and imagination.  well, i FINALLY finished it up {and packaged it up} and it will SOON {i hope - i am missing my dear friend} be delivered! 

the final product - just a little something