Cape Cod

Right now I am on Cape Cod visiting Shauna's family and enjoying the architecture. I have no way to upload photos so I thought I would share some lovely vintage Kennedy ones, as the family's history is everywhere here and each time we pass something like a church they went to, there's another little story. I have always been fascinated with the Kennedys and am interested in any place they ever went.

Today we saw this same lovely marsh and talked about this picture.

LOVE seat

What's this enormous box on the front porch? Is it a Mini Cooper? A lifetime supply of Cape Cod Potato Chips? A fishnet stocking leg lamp with a tassel shade?

No! It's an outdoor loveseat for the front porch! How pretty!

Triscuit sits safely in the flower pot while all the scuffle occurs during unpacking.

And voila! Finally a place to sit on the front porch!

It's The Little Things

This week I have been extremely busy- but it's my favorite type of work: on a movie set! I have been assisting the indomitable Dwight and the tireless Shawn in the props department on Van Wilder 3. I love working for these two and I adore being on set. 

Right down the street from where we were filming is a store I have always wanted to visit: Victory Vintage Home. A great store in Decatur, VVH is stocked with amazing classroom charts, beakers, metal furniture, the list goes on. They also fix lamps and have a great shade selection. I picked up a shade for my aladdin lamp and a great bottle opener for the kitchen. If you're ever in Decatur make sure to stop by this great store.

Scenes from the store- worth a trip for sure!

Here's my shade: it's a bit big after all but I'll find something perfect for it.

And the bottle opener finds a great home in the kitchen above the recycle bin- perfect!

More of the store- great selection of vintage art and posters.

Party Spotlight: Halloween

The first annual Spooktacular Halloween Party was held in 2005 in Savannah. I finally decided I wasn't ever going to receive an invite to the type of Halloween Party I wanted (apple bobbing, cupcakes, cider) and the only ones that existed for my age group were not my style (kegs, slutty devil/angel girls, debauchery) and the only way to solve that was to hold my own. Behold, the first party! This is actually how Shauna and I became friends. I was talking about my idea in class when she volunteered to help. I was hesitant at first because my party standards are often higher than most people's and I didn't think she would understand that, but lucky for me she did. This first year was a little crude and it gets better each year, and I can't wait for the 2008 party!

                    Of course we had cupcakes. I'm clearly obsessed.

Shauna made these awesome witch finger cookies.

The puking pumpkin makes his debut! A welcome salsa dispenser from now on.

Martha Stewart had these great wine labels that year- her Halloween issue is not to be missed!

Here we are- a terrible pic but I am Nintendo's Princess Peach and she is Jessica Simpson's Daisy Duke. It was 2005, people.

Here's my chandelier that I found in the Salvatian Army parking lot! It now hangs in my dining room in the new house.

Blythe even dressed up for the event!

Going for the Gold

I absolutely LOVE the Olympics. The entire world participating in a single event is such an amazing concept to me. Nothing is more unifying than athletes from all over the globe getting together for the same sole purpose. When I was a kid, we didn't have cable and only got it for month when the Olympics were airing. Our favorite: the Winter Games, as my dad used to teach figure skating and is the most graceful scientist you'd ever see on ice. We followed figure skating like some people follow the Presidential Race. The Olympics are personally meaningful to me, as they recall days of sitting in the basement with my dad, watching the competition unfold, and talking all about everything that was going on somewhere else on the globe. We watched the movie Nadia and of course loved gymnastics during the summer games. 

I grew up on the Olympics and so this year I wanted to celebrate the opening of the Games with a little party, which I decided THAT MORNING to have. Here's proof you don't need a whole lot of time to throw a party together. I waited until Shauna got home at three and the two of us ran off to the grocery store, where I bought snacks and drinks and balloons in the colors of the Olympic rings. Eleven people in all enjoyed my impromptu Opening Ceremonies party, and we watched the entire thing- all four hours! It was SO much fun to watch with everyone as we all laughed and joked and told stories about past Olympics. If you ever feel like throwing a party for things that are important to you and need a little more attention, it really doesn't take much, just great friends!

Of course I had Olympic cupcakes!

The balloon centerpiece- one color for each ring and only .99 each.

We tried to dress like athletes. Each guest received a gold medal- the plastic party favor kind.

Ah, cupcakes! Always make any party a success! Shauna baked and we decorated together.

Showing off some team spirit with red white and blue paper products.

I just printed out several copies of the rings on cardstock and placed them around the house. 

I think we'll leave this one up for the entire games!

While I patiently wait for a new camera I thought I would upload some pictures of a beautiful place that inspires me. The fabulously civilized Arizona Inn in Tucson is one such place. 

It's been family owned and operated since 1930. It reminds me of a Wes Anderson movie set. I always go with my aunt when my mother and I visit her in Tucson. Here we are below with a friend we met at Canyon Ranch. Enjoy the pictures of this wonderful place.

Wedding Belles

My friend Jenn recently got engaged to Skip (you might recall- he's the handyman around here) and I am helping plan her wedding. Weddings have become a passion of mine, so I love to help out a friend and share everything I've learned from working for The South's Premiere Wedding Photographer. I thought I would put up some pictures from my friend Anna's wedding in Seattle last year. I did the flowers, decor, and was a bridesmaid to boot! It was a hectic time but it turned out to be such a lovely wedding, and on a very tight budget too! Would you believe I did flowers, favors, bridesmaid accessories and decor for $500? Anna found her beautiful dress for $100 so all in all, we were able to take care of everything besides the food, invitations, and venue for a pretty decent amount, especially compared to some weddings nowadays.

The bride's bouquet- I used white roses, gardenias, and white ranunculus. I found some beautiful satin ribbon at one of my favorite stores, At Home, in Savannah, and brought it all the way up to Seattle to tie off these pretty flowers. My very first time making one, and I'm looking forward to doing Jenn's!

The space was already so lovely, we just sprinkled some flowers throughout.

I hot glued a hot mess of pearls onto the base of this candle!

I did all the bridesmaid bouquets, smaller versions (minus gardenias) of the Anna's. We also found shoes for $20 a pair on ebay and had everyone wear a black dress they already owned. We tied an aqua blue ribbon around the waist and voila! Instant bridesmaid for not much cash.

The favors were simple tealights with floral ribbon and stickers I printed out at home. The other side says A & B, for Anna and Bryan.

Ok so it isn't the most fabulous balustrade drapery you'll ever see, but wait'll you hear what I did it with- IKEA curtains! I found some aqua fabric for $20 and purchased white gauzy ikea curtains, $5 for two. The whole thing cost $30. 

To delineate an aisle, I simply stapled floral ribbon in her color to the carpet. The china cabinets couldn't be moved, so more IKEA curtains came to the rescue, along with a wooden A and B painted white and hung from more floral ribbon.