Carrie's NY apartment

At one point I dreamed of living in New York City. I imagined renting out a studio apartment in Greenwich Village and being able to step outside my front door and have the Big Apple bustling at my feet. Of course, this fantasy could have been attributed to watching one too many Sex and the City re-runs whereas in reality my salary probably would have put me in a studio apartment with 3 roommates in a questionable neighborhood in Brooklyn. Well, good news for anyone with a similar dream {and about $9 million to spare...} because Carrie Bradshaw's New York apartment is up for sale!

The famous front stoop that was the setting of countless breakups with Mr. Big is actually a five bedroom, 4,000 square foot stunner. The details inside don't disappoint, boasting original crown and ceiling moldings, herringbone floors, and gorgeous white marble fireplaces. Hey, if it's got Carrie's closet {with a few Manolos thrown in for good measure} it might just be worth the price tag.

Top to bottom: Townhouse // Carrie // Interior

cooking appetizers

I'm not much of a cook; appetizers are more my speed. New Years before last Matt and I spent it in our apartment cooking appetizers and sipping on apple martinis {easy on the "tini"}. So I'm loving these recipes from Alexandra's Kitchen which have a bunch of appetizing dishes that I think I can totally make for me and my honey and still be able to spend time outside of the kitchen! {This roasted grape on ricotta spread just made it to the top of my list of dishes to make!}

Alexandra's Kitchen

paper cut city maps

Famille Summerbelle

I pride myself on having a good sense of direction. I never really know street names, but I can usually navigate my way through a city using visual reminders after one go through {things like "turn right at the house with the Christmas lights still up" are usually part of my directions}. Because of this I'm pretty much loving these paper cut maps by Famille Summerbelle with lovely illustrations pertaining to each neighborhood throughout the city. The attention to detail is amazing; I imagine I could study the Paris map and know a thing or two ahead of time about the City of Lights if I ever am fortunate enough to go!

ps. Today is me and Matt's two year anniversary! We're taking a little tip from Joanna and meeting up for a romantic dinner tonight. I can't wait! x

colored jeans

I'm debating whether or not to jump on board with this colored denim trend, which I think is such a fun departure from floral dresses this spring. A girlfriend of mine recently ordered a couple of pairs online and is now worried that she might look like a child in the bright hues {her 5-foot tall stature probably doesn't help that arguement any}. Much like Drew Barrymore, I can easily pass for a 17 year-old and am not sure if purple jeans would look age appropriate on me. Has anyone else made the colored denim plunge?? Here are a few I'm considering...

true red // spearmint // purple // lemon drop

Dreamy watercolor fabrics

If I had any kind of sewing ability, I'd jump at the chance to make some throw pillows from these dreamy watercolor fabrics by Leigh. Available on Spoonflower.

Leigh R.

Toms ballet flats

I practically live in ballet flats; you will hardly ever find me in a sneaker or heel. So you can imagine my delight upon hearing that Toms has come out with a line of sleak ballet flats, with the same comfy sole as their popular slip-ons! Their same mission statement applies, that for every pair of Toms bought, a pair will be given to a child in need of shoes. Their "one for one" tagline is even scribed in the inner sole as a little reminder of the good you've done. I'm going out for those black toed beauties, right...now...

Toms ballet flats

Ruche Wedding Collection

I'm in love. Yes, with Matt, true, but I'm also swooning over this new wedding collection from Ruche! This is the cherry to top the cake right here as this gorgeous collection is right up my alley in terms of styling: 1930's flapper vintage details drenched in lace, brass, and oh so light and airy colors throughout. You can bet I'll be incorporating a thing or two here into our big day.

This coverlet is to die for!! And those pearl beaded gloves??! Simply divine.

To Have and To Hold by Ruche

Lemonade on the deck

So while all of the US are currently experiencing some kind of record high temperatures, here in California we're still oddly enough getting the chill of winter chasing us indoors. I'm dying to put to use our new outdoor dining set and am daydreaming of spending an afternoon doing nothing but basking in the sun on our deck with an ice cold lemonade in hand.

01. // 02. // 03. // 04. // 05. // 06.

Menu to success

Matt's mom came to me recently about designing a graduation card for her niece who recently graduated from San Diego State. She's planning on becoming a dietitian, so my mother-in-law-to-be {yay!} wanted to send her a card that looks like a restaurant menu, something I was more than happy to take on.

Each item on her "menu to success" has a food-like description, my favorite being "topped with a meaty salary", that one makes me giggle.

{ Victory Paper Designs }

Thanks Mrs. K for coming up with such a creative idea! x

Lovely loft living

One of the things I love about my new house are the vaulted ceilings throughout. It makes the space look larger than it actually is and makes me feel like we're setting up home in a way cool loft. This studio loft from photographer Jeremy Harwell is pretty much my dream complete with a wall of windows, a pink tweed sofa, and exposed wooden beams to show off those super high ceilings.

Harwell Photography via Decor8

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hope you're wearing green! Happy St. Patty's!

{ Victory Paper Designs }

So sweet

Honest to goodness, I may have just discovered my new favorite shop of all time. I have a serious inkling for all things dessert styling {evidenced here and here} and am overjoyed to have found Shop Sweet Lulu which carries all the little stripey straws and baker's boxes that my heart leaps for! I feel like I need to have a party just so I can buy one of those ornate porcelain cake stands

Shop Sweet Lulu

Instructional prints

This Saturday my family will be stopping by our new house to see the progress we've been making so far in decorating and making it a home. It's so nice to be living closer to both our families now to where it's not a huge deal for them to come stop by and say hi {sure, I say that now, right??}. Since it will also be St. Patrick's Day this Saturday, I'm planning on cooking corned beef and cabbage in my slow cooker and having a little impromptu dinner for them! 

I'm loving the instructional quality of this print by Amy Borrell on how to set a table properly and will surely look to it for future table settings that are bound to be in my future! A few other wonderfully whimsical works from Amy:

Amy Borrell

Spring maxis

Wow, I really fell behind on my blog posts here, terribly sorry!! With our move, buying and building furniture, designing client wedding invitations, and getting swamped at my day job, my entire blogosphere got a little neglected. Sunday was the worst with Matt and I not even realizing there was a time change and showing up more than fashionably late to a party {sorry!} after spending the morning battling with cryptic Ikea instructions.

All that aside, at least it's now {unofficially} spring, I'm looking to expand my wardrobe to include tons of flowy maxi skirts. I have a couple in my closet already, and everytime I wear them I seriously feel like some kind of a beach goddess...except without the beach. I could use a beach right now.

01. // 02. // 03. // 04.

Curious Creatures

I've been clocking some major time on Etsy as of late. I frequent the site on the daily since my own shop is set up there, and will usually log in to answer shopper queries and communicate with clients {wedding season is in full swing, so I'm busy filling orders for our Wedding Belles Collection!}. It's then common for me to meander off into other shops as if I were running errands around town in real life and pop into a store that looks appealing from the roadside; Curious Creatures is one of those shops. If any of these industrial brassy pieces were hanging in a window front, I'd surely smudge up the glass from gazing at their geometric charms {my weakness}.

Curious Creatures

Siiso visual art

I am in serious awe of these paintings by Siiso. Each brush stroke tells a story of emotions in such a beautifully unspoken way.

Siiso

Secret Squirrel

These looks from Secret Squirrel are just so gosh darn pretty. That triangle shift dress needs to find its way into my closet.

Secret Squirrel

Framed tea towels

Awhile back, I posted this photo as part of my pitter patter series, and I haven't been able to get out of my head the idea of that gorgeous framed hankerchief hanging on the wall.

I've been running across so many tea towels lately that really are way too pretty to ever be actually used, and would be better served as a hanging piece of art in my opinion. Can you imagine the sin it would be to soil any of these??? I plan on decking the walls in the following:

From top to bottom: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Free Download: March desktop calendar

For the month of March, I've teamed up with photographer, Mihai Tamasila to bring you a desktop calendar set in a golden morning haze. The snow is starting to melt and the beginnings of Spring are just around the corner, but the chill of winter still looms in the air making snuggling close with a loved one necessary.

Photography by Mihai Tamasila // Graphics by Victory Paper Designs

The couple is my own interpretation of Bob Dylan's Freewheelin' album cover {adorned above my workspace!}. I love the way Cameron Crow uses that image to symbolize dreaming of the perfect love in Vanilla Sky.

{terms and conditions}

This desktop calendar is free for personal use, not for commercial distribution. If you wish to blog about this download please link back to this page and not the downloadable image. Do not sell, distribute, or copy this image. Enjoy your calendar!