My friends coffee table

Fresh flowers, mimosas, rad sunglasses, a jar of lemondrop cookies

& perfect antique espresso cups...all on a rustic treasure chest turned coffee table?

Looks like a sunday afternoon to me. Big love to my Brooklyn girls.

Namaste

Join me at North End Yoga on Hanover Street

www.northendyoga.com for the schedule

They just added massage & accupuncture to their studio

Namaste all day :)

Local love

I'm completely intrigued by these unique handstamped leather necklaces.

She also does luggage tags, ornaments, bookmarks, etc.

Some have inspirational quotes and others can be personalized.

Even better is that she's a local Bostonian!

Her shop is on Etsy and it's called "Of The Fountain"

Go check it out, they make great gifts and are completely reasonably priced!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OfTheFountain?ref=top_trail

Blocks

For all you mommy's out there, like me, you might just fall in love with these precious and hip blocks. They're designed by Alexander Girard and you can get them at the momastore at....

http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay_Girard%20Alphabet%20Blocks_10451_10001_61145_-1_11480_11481_null_shop_

SoWa halloween market

As you may or may not know, for those of you in Boston Proper, SoWa market Sunday's go on from May through October. Their last market of the season falls on Halloween and they're celebrating with costume contests, pumkin carving and live music. Go here to check out their official website http://www.southendopenmarket.com/

The New York Times says,

"This is Boston's version of London's Portobello market, with vintage clothes sellers and young fashion and jewelry designers rubbing elbows with artists and cheese makers and antiques dealers. What's exciting about this market is that it changes each week. So, some Sundays you'll discover a local artist who is there only that day. Everyone sells from tables beneath white tents."

Candy corn cupcakes

Brilliant. For the recipe, go here:

http://thecurvycarrot.com/2010/09/20/candy-corn-cupcakes/

I adore white pumpkins

Five more days 'till our move, and I'm so ready to start decorating with white pumpkins, they have such a rustic feel to them and they'll go perfect in and around the house!

Next project...

Handmade soaps with my specialty tags and ties :)

Stay tuned...

Chalkboard everything

I am moving into a new place in 8 days which just gives me the automatic permission to re-decorate. One of my newest, most affordable obsessions is chalkboarding EVERYTHING. I just purchased a roll of chalkboard contact paper, aka I can stick chalkboards all over the place scribled with lists, inspirational quotes, etc. You should chalkboard something in your living space too!

Have a great day

This inspires me to have a great day, I hope you do too

Not your average cheesecake

Cakes made out of cheese wheels. Amazingness.

Get 'em here

http://www.thecheeseshed.com/cheese-wedding-cakes-16-c.asp

How to: Distress a dresser

I'm pretty much completely obsessed with the distressed look, and I just picked up two dressers that I've been thinking about distressing but I wasnt confident enough to do so, but I just stumbled upon this tutorial and it looks like a distressed dresser or two is lurking in my future... go here to learn how!

http://cottageinstincts.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-i-paint-and-distress-dresser-in.html

Chairs? what chairs?

Just imagine this: you're at your best friends wedding and while they're walking down the aisle and exchanging their vows, you and your loved one and friends are sprawled out on a blanket, snacking on goodies from the picnic basket, celebrating love and fresh air.

Love this idea.

I just love cheese

Cheese table at Salts

An inspirational, outdoor cheese table

I'm starting to think about my fall dinner party and I think I will have a cheese table and I'll create description tags similar to the ones above

SALTS

Sous-Vide Lobster, Vanilla-Infused Sea Salt, Tempura, Carrot Foam

Kasu Salt-Cured Oysters, Pickled Cherries, Sea Water Foam

Liquid Pomegranate Truffle, Fennel Pollen Rose Salt, Orange Fennel "Eau de Vie".

Foie Gras "Torchon", Native Strawberries, Salts Farm Rhubarb, Lychee, Almond Crumble, Brioche

So, there's been a lot of talk lately around my restaurant about SALTS, a Cambridge based restaurant. A co-worker of mine is moving on from our restaurant and onto to SALTS. These photos inspired me to make my birthday dinner reservation (for November). Yum.

Cupcake skewer contest

Enter the cupcake skewer contest!

http://www.pizzazzerie.com/recipes/cupcake-skewer-contest/

Candy bouqet

I'm a sucker for a good theme. Having a candy theme at your wedding and flaunting it via your bouqet? Love it. Found it on the insanely creative & inspiring Austin Wedding Blog... check it out!


http://www.austinweddingblog.com/

46 down, 129 to go

175 gift tags in 5 days

So, putting "project-dinner-party" aside for the week to work on a last minute special order for a bride! I work with Megan, the bride at Lucca and she decided last minute to do salt water taffy favors, wrapped in a cellophane bag. Only thing she needed was personalized tags to attach to it. She needs 175, by Friday. I told her I was the woman. So, I went to Paper-Source and purchased 10 scrapbook decorative sheets of paper, a McGill multi tag paper punch, decorative twine, a hole punch, black embossing powder and special ordered a stamp reading "megan & mike, september 18th, 2010" So I spent all of yesterday and most of today just punching out the tags. Then, I will punch holes into the top where the golden twine will go. Then I have to impatiently wait for the stamp to arrive! Stay tuned for photos and project updates!

Fall dinner party invites

Fall is definitley in the air and I'm definitley itching to throw a small dinner party. Combine my crafting itch with that and you have a very busy girl considering all the projects that go into throwing a dinner party. I'm not so focused on the menu just yet, because that will come, but instead, I started with step 1: the invitations. I'm handmaking them. I'll share a photo of them with you when they're complete, but I'll give you an idea... They are fall themed with leave and acorn stickers. I made fall wine glass charms that feature a big leaf with rust and orange beads surrounding it. The wine charm will be applied to the front of the card with a small message that says "bring with you". On the inside I used a "you're invited" stamp to describe the event. Excited to show you the final product as well as the progress of the dinner party projects!

All mommys

If you're a mommy like me you'll LOVE this blog, Hip Hip Hooray! hiphiphoorayblog.com

Little kids, big celebrations...

be inspired to get creative and make EVERYTHING a party

Creative cupcake toppers

A very clever cupcake topper...

The Lone Baker, a blog I've frequented has the "how-to" posted on it's very last blogging entry, so I thought I'd celebrate their success with a recipe & link

http://www.thelonebaker.com/journal/2010/8/28/last-post-and-isomalt-bubble-sugar.html

Cupcake Onesies

There is a new addition to our family & she's a beautiful princess named, Ariana. Since Ariana & mommy & daddy live in the Florida Keys, we sent them this adorably perfect and quaint set of four, onesie CUPCAKES... this clever young lady, that goes by "babycakesanddecor" on ETSY rolls up little onesies and tops them off with crocheted cherries! They're then placed in a bakery box and sent off! If you know anyone expecting or that just had a baby, these are a MUST give!

Oh yeah, my dessert table

Amy Atlas Obsession

If you dont know who Amy Atlas is, you need to. She is absolutely amazing. Amy Atlas’ unique stylized dessert tables and chic style have made her a sought-after event planner. I would kill to have her creativity, it's amazing. I attempted doing a dessert table at my son, Jack's Baptism... it was no Amy Atlas, but it was a start! Definitley check out her blog for more pictures and inspiration, its absurdly gorgeous. http://blog.amyatlas.com/

Handpicked Jams

As you may or may not know, I lived in Georgia for a little while and while there, I worked at a great restaurant and met some great people. One of those people has since, moved on from Atlanta and is back to her heart in New Orleans where she is producing jams. She handpicks her poison and creates these crafty jars with scrumptiousness inside. Shown here is her Spicy Mississippi Peach Jam... they're only $6, definitley a must have and a great gift!

Her store is featured on Etsy, at http://www.etsy.com/shop/FeedMeEatPretty

PAPER SOURCE

Have an itch to get crafty? Join me at PAPER SOURCE on Saturday, Sept 11th from 10-11:30 am on BOYLSTON ST. to learn the "must-knows" of creating. We will be making party favors, holiday cards, etc.


Contact me if interested :)

Suitcase chair

SMORE shake please

This is for SMORE lovers only.

AKA, mi husbando...

Blend 2 cups of vanilla ice cream

& 10 toasted marshmellows (place under broiler for 40 seconds) & 1/4 cup of whole milk

Garnish with toasted marshmellows,

chocolate & graham crackers

Berry ice

Recreate your favorite drink on the rocks by spicing up your rocks! It's simple... just add water! No, really... in an ice cube tray, fill each compartment up with fruit of your choice... kiwi, blueberry, raspberry...even herbs like basil or rosemary, or perhaps a jalapeno pepper then just add water and freeze! Add to the appropriate drink and enjoy :)

Poptarts-on-a-stick

Are these the cutest little poptarts you've ever seen? I think my husband would love me a littttttttle bit more if he came home to these one day. LOVE THEM! Easy ingredients too...off to the kitchen I go...

happy baking!

http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2010/09/01/poptart-pops-an-interview-with-bakerella/

Mama Bird Necklace Giveaway

Enter to win this ADORABLE "Mama Bird" Necklace at

WWW.LOVESTITCHED.BLOGSPOT.COM

LoveStitched is a crafty mommy of 3 that has amazing necklaces and hairpieces that I adore. You can (obv) find them on Etsy and follow her on her blog like I do to learn "how-to" and drool over crafty, quaint pieces that you'll HAVE TO HAVE !

Etsy

If you hadnt heard about Etsy until now, today is probably you're lucky day. Check out www.etsy.com for thee absolute BEST handmade EVERYTHING...
quilts, bedside tables, lamps, clothing, gadgets... Happy surfing.

CUPCAKES

My new obsession is probably cupcakes. Last week, when we threw Jack's Christening, the theme was "Champagne & Cupcakes". We got them at Lulu's Sweet Shoppe in the North End (the best cupcakes in Boston). There is just so much you can do with them, they inspire me to throw a party around them. Cupcakes are the boss of me. Check out http://bellacupcakecouture.blogspot.com/ for some great ideas!

Chloe

Thanks to my amazing friend Chloe, whose favorite color is ORANGE, you can feel inspired by her blog, "Brooklyn Ingredients" http://brooklyningredients.blogspot.com/

Chloe is a photographer,
a foodie
and a lover

Enjoy

Guilt Free

Let's face it, it comes every month and we can't get away from it and every time feels like the first time and every time we complain about it and every time we crave something and every time we give into our cravings we feel guilty about it afterward- welcome to my life. I'm on this brilliant health kick but last night, forget it, I must have eaten a loaf of bread and 3 candy bars. We need to let go of the guilt and just give our bodies what it craves sometimes. Be good to your body by exercising on the great days and having a little indulgence on the not so good days. I suggest chocolate covered almonds to snack on and a sesame bagel with fresh avocado with cracked pepper and sea salt... Enjoy your indulgence :)

Eliptical Love

I'm absolutely in LOVE with this eliptical workout. It takes 30 minutes and you'll feel like a million bucks when you're done...
5 min at level 6
5 min at level 7
2 min at level 8
1 min at level 11
2 min at level 7
1 min at level 12
2 min at level 6
1 min at level 13
2 min at level 5
1 min at level 14
2 min at level 4
1 min at level 15
2 min at level 3
1 min at level 16
2 min at level 2

Fall Cleaning

It's fall and it's time to clean up. Cleanse the house, cleanse the mind, cleanse the body. This means decorating with a lot of color, making good use of space, practicing yoga, eating well and exercising. Let's refresh.