Friday flowers

From Green City Market a couple of weeks ago. Dahlias are my new obsession.

Have a great weekend! Don't eat too much candy and don't forget to set your clocks back!!

Cosy

Anthropologie

Betsy Johnson legwarmers

Tatine candle

Its that time of year again and some of these rainy dreary days make me wish I could just take a bath and curl up with a cup of tea, a book, and a candle in a cute, comfy outfit, legwarmers included...

Recipe card

Well, its just about Halloween, so of course, I am now thinking about Christmas cards. I feel like I'm a little early, but if I don't do it right now, all of a sudden its Christmas Eve and I end up sending out Happy New Year cards. Or like 3 years ago when I sent out Valentine cards. So here I am and look what I found on Minted. Such great card and it can be done and ordered online. I can put in my fave recipe holiday recipe and fave photo from this year. So hard to choose...

ok, update, was cruising Minted some more and I also really like this one. And this one is pretty cute too.

Stella for gap kids

Gap is lauching a 70 piece collection of children's chlothing by Stella McCartney on Nov 2nd. The designer said "Its quite a good thing to have kids when you're designing a kids' collection, to be aware that they actually have their own point of view." This means t-shirts with superheroes, no "scratchy" fabrics, white high tops sold with markers to decorate them, and tulle tutus in varied neutrals. Sizes are newborn to 12.

*via WWD

It's a girl!

This past Saturday, I attended my friend Amy's super cute luncheon baby shower. As you can see from the color palette, she is having a girl! The party was thrown by her friends Betsy and Sarah, at Betsy's gorgeous home. The beautiful rosebud china is Betsy's mothers and went perfectly with the theme. It also looked great on the sage tablecloths, which were in keeping with the mother-to-be's pink, brown, and green color scheme for the baby's room. The hostesses finished the look with pink and white roses, and scattered silver baby cups, toys and teething rings on the table. The menu included a salad with walnuts, dried cranberries and blue cheese, quiche lorraine, vegetable quiche, curried chicken salad, smoked salmon with tomato, onion, lettuce and cream cheese and (just in case I was not already STUFFED) breads and pastries to complement all of the above. It all paired very nicely with the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc that was served in Betsy's fabulous crystal goblets. The adorable pink and green dotted cake from Sweet Mandy B's was chocolate on the inside. All in all, yum and adorable, yet a decidedly grown up party. As they left, each guest was given a candle favor, finished, of course, with a pink ribbon.

Crisp whites and kumquats

Love this inspiration board on Snippet & Ink today. The whites paired with the dark greens is simple but has its own drama. I am not usually a huge fan of orange but the tiny splashes of fruit as color are quite chic. And the floral Reem Acra dress.... gorgeousness!

Friday flowers

Happy friday! Its a little rainy here, but this gorgeous bouquet by Nicolette Camille posted on Once Wed yesterday is making me feel much better. Love the dahlias and dusty miller. Love love love.

It looks like Nicolette Camille and Sapuia are launching a flower school!! I want to go!

Gourds under glass

Image from Country Living via Ritzy Bee. Love the white paired with the glass.

Glassybaby goes coastal

On October 29th, glassybaby, based in Seattle, is opening a store in NYC at 555 Hudson Street. I received a glassybaby votive as a gift a couple of years ago and adore its deep color, the simple roundness of its shape and the way it glows with candlelight. I also use it as a pretty vase for a small bouquet. This company's history is a memorable and touching story. glassybaby came about when Lee Rhodes, a mother of three, began a 7 year battle with a rare form of lung cancer. She sent her husband to glass blowing classes to help him relieve stress and one day he came home with a small cup which Lee used as a votive. He brought more and Lee placed them around her home with candles. Lee eventually learned how to blow glass herself and glassybaby was born. To assist those who have or are fighting the battles that she herself has faced, glassybaby goodwill designates select colors to benefit cancer research and patient care. Look here for all of the pretty colors and here for the current goodwill group. I have the one called True Love.

images via glassybaby

Free fallin'

Thought I would post something to get your heart racing on a Monday morning! Our friends Kelly and Chris, along with Chris's mom (it was actually her idea), decided to go to Arizona and jump out of a "perfectly safe brown plane" a couple of months ago. Watch Kelly's video. Besides the actual jumping out of a plane at 10,000 ft, there are a couple of other things that impressed me. First, why/how is Kelly so calm?! My legs and hands (and possibly the rest of my body) would have been visibly shaking and I would have been maniacally giggling the entire time. Kelly gave the thumbs up before the pilot opened the door. I might have peed. And how does the guy who is on her back manage to jump out of a plane with another person strapped to him and also shoot an entire video of it? The whole thing is pretty awesome.

If you have trouble with the video, click here.

Savannah wedding

This wedding has been all over the blogosphere, but I could not help posting these details after seeing it in the latest Martha and then the details on the bride's blog Design Sponge. The wedding was in April, but I guess if Martha wants you to wait to post it until it comes out in the fall issue, then you just wait! 3 dimensional paper flower vines with button centers, wow!! Plus, more things I love- non-matching bridesmaids dresses, pocket squares and spanish moss!

Japanese maple branches

We used to have the most gorgeous Japanese Maple tree in the front yard of the house we lived in when I was little. I used to love that tree for all of the color and its pretty pointed leaves. Plus, it was the right size for my 4 year old self to climb. Maybe thats why I love this maple branch centerpiece from Martha's Fall issue so much. Its so minimal, yet brings color, height and fullness to the table. The bouquet is just fabulously fall. *sigh*

Friday flowers

*from Sapuia

Gourmet

I was so sad to read the news that Conde Nast is closing its magazine Gourmet along with Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride. It seems surprising, given Gourmet's rich history and status that it would be on the chopping block. Conde Nast says they plan to continue the Gourmet brand and Epicurious website (phew) so we will see. I will especially miss the December holiday issues....

One of my all time favorite and most used Gourmet recipes is their Basic Butter Cookie Dough. It can be used as the base for many other types of cookies. As butter cookies, sometimes I like to frost them when they are cooled. Sometimes I like to cut them in fun shapes and add sprinkles. They are delicious plain with a cup of tea. When I am really feeling it, I like to cut them out and make sandwiches out of them with a layer of jam between. And if they are especially good, I like to dip the sandwiched cookie in melted chocolate and let them cool on parchment paper. My mom taught me that trick. YUM.

Recipe here.

Wild pillows

As my excitement for the movie Where the Wild Things Are continues to build, I may run out to Urban and check these out. Subtle but definitely makes me think of Max and friends. Love the claws and spooky eyes peering out. If you are really feeling it, today's crispy fall weather is perfect for wearing these.

Fat witch

Just in time for Halloween! We received some Witch Babies as a gift recently and they were delicious. Just the right size and intensely chocolate. I was cruising the Fat Witch website and am very happy to see that I can buy the mix and make my witches at home! Can't wait!

Thirty one ways to keep your desk clean

I really like this organizer from Pottery Barn. It has 31 slots, perfect for bills to pay and birthday cards to send. I love thinking about my future organized life...