thoughtful day

Infinite Color + Play

2012-02-01T09:45:00.003-05:00

I've loved Yayoi Kusama Dot exhibitions ever since learning of her work back in art school. This past summer we visited the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh and I was excited to see her Mirror Room.

But this particular exhibit at the Queensland Art Gallery might be my favorite yet. It started off as a completely white room and she allowed kids visiting the exhibit to become artists themselves and completely cover the room in colored stickers. Absolute amazingness.

{top 3 images for Queensland Art Gallery by Mark Sherwood
bottom image by Stuart Addelsee}

all via inspiration lab

Sculptural Function

2012-01-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

I really love the new pieces by Stephen Antonson at West Elm. My favorite is definitely the sculptural ledge. It's a nice little decorative surprise for a wall shelf.

{photos from west elm}

Purple Power

2012-01-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

Lyla's favorite color is purple. It's funny because, while I've never disliked purple, it's never been a favorite color of mine. Don't get me wrong I like it, but Lyla loves it. So I bought her all purple bedding and accent pillows.

I went with Serena & Lily's Delphine Duvet (It's on sale right now!) and their Heather Bloom pillow as the base.

I bought the purple Pillow Pal by Blabla (we've been fans of them for a long time). It's super cute.

Possibly one of my favorite purchases for Lyla recently was the purple robot pillow. Leading up to Christmas, all Lyla wanted was a robot. I'm not sure where she got that from but she told everyone she wanted Santa to bring her a robot. The last thing I wanted to buy her was some cheap, plastic, annoying thing that makes noise, lights up and will break after a week. So I started researching robots and found this wonderful brand called Kauzbots. Every robot has a cause and dedicates 10% of the sales price to their particular cause. Kourage, the purple robot, supports childhood cancer. Lyla loves it, and it's absolutely adorable and comes with a little pink heart that fits in it's back pocket. I highly recommend these robots, they are a great price with a great cause. A wonderful gift for future occasions.

{photos top to bottom}
top two photos from serena and lily
pillow pal from land of nod
robot from kauzbots

New Year, New Baby

2012-01-23T12:08:00.005-05:00

Above photo is Lyla at 8 months and the following are from this past Summer & Fall.

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and wish you all the best this year.

2011 was a crazy, wonderful year for us. We traveled a lot - I was away for 4 months throughout last year so I wasn't able to devote much time to my blog (as many of you have noticed). We were in Venice, Ca for June, Maine in August, Florida, Minnesota, London, Chicago, Arizona throughout other times in the year. Traveling is fun of course, but can be very exhausting, especially with a 2.5 yr old. But I can't really complain because I know how fortunate we are to be able to get on a plane and head somewhere fun.

One amazing little tidbit that I haven't shared on the blog is that I'm pregnant and due in less than a month! It's always such a miracle to get pregnant and I feel very blessed. The last month has been busy getting ready for the baby and more importantly, making sure this shift is easy for Lyla, my 2.5 year old. Everyone says how important it is to make sure Lyla is happy during this time and when the baby arrives. I've been told not to open presents for the new baby in front of her and for close family and friends to buy Lyla a little gift instead of the baby. From friends and family alike, everyone says you'll realize how easy a healthy newborn is to take care of and how hard it is to take care of a toddler.

One big question I had for friends that have gone through this before is what if I have two crying kids at the same time? Who do I console first? Lyla. The toddler will remember and the newborn won't.

This pregnancy has been similar to my last but more extreme - more tired, more sick, but I think it's because I'm already a mom and don't really have much time to myself or rest to begin with. We don't know the sex of the baby - like last time, everyone thinks I'm having a boy. I go back and forth between boy and girl. We finally figured out a boy name that we both love and have had a girl name picked for a while so we're set on that front. I recently finished up all my design projects for a good while, so it's nice to not have to think about work (well sort of) and just focus on my kiddos.

I'm also experiencing a different type of emotion this time around. Last pregnancy I would get sad that it was no longer going to be just me and Patrick. But now, I feel guilty that Lyla's life is about to change more than she'll ever know. I feel sad that I won't be able to devote all of my time and energy towards her and that she'll have to share Patrick and me. I guess it's normal to feel this way. To Patrick's point, he almost feels guilty for the new baby that it'll never get total focus and devotion like Lyla had for almost 3 years.

And my biggest question of all is - Will I love this baby as much as I love Lyla? I can't imagine loving anyone more than I love Lyla but everyone says you do. Just like how you have no way of comprehending a love for a child pre having a child, I imagine it'll be a similar feeling. I just can't wait to experience that burst of love all over again.

One of the biggest differences in this pregnancy is preparing for labor is ALL about logistics with Lyla. To be honest, I haven't even thought about mentally and emotionally preparing for labor like I did last pregnancy, because it's all about logistics in making sure Lyla is ok and taken care of. We have about 4 different back up plans if I were to go into labor pre-family arriving. We can only prepare so much but it helps to know we have neighbors in our building that could help out, babysitters that'll be on call and friends who live in Brooklyn that are willing to head over to our apt. to help out.

It's all overwhelming, but like everything else, you just figure it out and do it.

photos:
Going through Lyla's personal blog just makes me so sad & amazed at how quickly time has gone. The top two photos are from less than 2 years ago and the rest are from this Summer and Fall. It's amazing how quickly time goes in two years in the life of a child.

Mirror, Mirror

2011-10-19T10:54:00.003-04:00

I've always loved Jonathan Adler's apple mirror. I think I'm finally going to buy it for Lyla's bathroom. It's such a fun and colorful piece.

And speaking of mirrors, I recently bought this one from Jayson Home and Garden. It's quite lovely and I was sold on it's hanging attachment.

However I have to say my favorite mirror right now is this one by Grain, but it is very much out of price range.

photos top to bottom:
{apple mirror by jonathan adler}
{freeman mirror by jayson home and garden}
{bound mirror by grain design via remodelista}

Little Style

2011-10-13T13:58:00.003-04:00

I'm looking for a cute little winter coat for Lyla. These Max & Lola jackets are high on our list.

They sell them at Les Petits Chapelais, one of my absolute favorite children's clothing stores in NYC. It's right on Thompson Street in Soho, across from a playground, so I shop while Lyla and Patrick hang out in the park - it's super convenient.

{photos from max & lola}

Colorful Living

2011-10-11T09:08:00.004-04:00

This is how I want our apartment to look and feel. While we don't have all of the lovely period details of this fancy home, we do have the potential for color. The pattern, color, and overall fun feeling of this apartment is just pure gorgeousness.

{via curbed}

Little bits...

2011-10-07T10:58:00.005-04:00

So here's a little bit of what I've been up to personally. Lyla is getting so big - she's already 2.5 years old! I can't believe how quickly she's grown. Even looking at photos from 6 months ago, she has changed so much.

She is quite the active little girl. Last weekend my friend and I took her up to Outhouse Orchards for some apple picking, pony and haystack rides. As you can imagine, she was more into the pony rides than anything else. And the food! I'm still thinking about their apple cider donuts. They were soo good. So much so, I'm considering go up there again this weekend.

Lyla is in school for a few days a week which allows me to work but on our days together we keep ourselves very busy. On most days you'll find us at our neighborhood zoo or riding the carousel. Yesterday we happened to ride it 5 times. Yes, you read that right and she wanted to keep going. To her dismay, we (I) had to take breaks in between each ride. This carousel is super fast, or maybe it's just me getting old. But 5 rides was enough to cover me for at least a week.

It's beautiful Fall weather up here in NY, and we are enjoying every second of it. I hope wherever you are, you're having lovely weather as well.

Have a wonderful weekend!

{photos by me}

Bird Love

2011-10-05T10:24:00.003-04:00

I love these bird photos by Leila Jeffreys. Her life has been full of travel and a deep love for animals which she shared with her family. She really brings to life the personalities of these birds through these loving and charming photographs.

I'm excited to see Jonathan Adler is starting to show and sell her photographs in their stores. I'm looking forward to checking these out in person!

{all photos copyright of leila jeffreys}

Sweater Letters

2011-10-03T09:50:00.003-04:00

These hand embroidered letters are quite lovely. The patterns & colors that make up each letter are perfect.

MaricorMaricar is selling the letter 'B' here.

{photos from behance network, artwork by maricormaricar}

Radiohead at Roseland

2011-09-30T12:03:00.005-04:00

Patrick and I were one of the lucky people that got to see Radiohead in an intimate concert at Roseland Ballroom. The show was unbelievable and we were fortunate to sit on the side of the stage with completely unobstructed views. Since they aren't officially on tour, it was a great mix of old and new. Some highlights for me were OK Computer's "Subterranean Homesick Alien" and a nod to REM's "The One I Love" into their "Everything In Its Right Place". It was definitely one of those amazing performances, where everyone in the venue knew how lucky they were to be there and appreciated how special it truly was (definitely a pinch me moment).

This show was definitely on top of my list of amazing performances, but nothing will ever compare to an Arcade Fire show we went and saw almost 5 years ago at a small church in the West Village. Check out this video, we were within feet of this performance. There is nothing quite like the acoustics in a church.

{photos by me}

Wonderfully White

2011-09-28T10:17:00.002-04:00

I often admire homes with beautifully painted dark rooms and heavily patterned wallpapered walls. The rooms always look so sophisticated & together. But for me I love white. But white alone is boring, and we tend to fill up our walls with lots of colorful artwork, books, etc. When I saw this home shot by Patric Johansson, I kept going back to it and thinking how beautiful it was. White, clean, yet colorful and organized. Exactly what I strive for in our home.

Back when we were renovating our apt. I tested out 5 different whites for our walls! And not just on one wall, I literally painted each wall throughout the rooms to see how each white looked with that particular room's natural light. It was an arduous (but worth it) process. I ended up going with a greyish white (Ben Moore - Winter White) for most of our walls, and for trim and ceilings I went with Ben Moore - Simply White. The two look beautiful together. I definitely tend to lean more towards the greyish/blue whites than the yellowish whites. When I'm ready, I look forward to showing you photos of our apt.

{all photos by patric johansson via desire to inspire}

Floral Realism

2011-09-26T10:27:00.002-04:00

A beautiful series of paintings of double exposed photographs by Pakayla Biehn. Very lovely.

{images from pakayla biehn}

Rows of Color

2011-09-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Pretty, pretty sea glass postcards from my favorite state in New England, Maine.

{designs & photos by quercus design}

Tiny Bunnies

2011-09-21T12:02:00.003-04:00

I really love the jewelry of Emilie Thomas. Often, animals in jewelry can come off a bit juvenile, but these are beautifully sophisticated. I happen to love, love, love the tiny bunny rings - so very sweet.

{photos from emilie thomas via twbe}

Back to School

2011-09-12T10:43:00.003-04:00

It's no secret I'm a fan of Meghan Whitmarsh's work, so I was super excited to see her line of "School Supplies".

This week is Lyla's first week of nursery school and while these supplies aren't the most practical, they are beautiful and will look lovely mounted in some shadow boxes. Lyla's bedroom is full of hot pink artwork and these will be a great addition to her growing collection.

{photos from grey area}

An extended break

2011-08-16T17:15:00.002-04:00

Hello! I've been totally MIA all summer long. I took a longer than (actually a total surprise) break from blogging. It's been a busy summer with lots to share. I'll be popping back in here soon, towards the end of the month. The break has been good and I look forward to sharing more with you soon. I hope you've all had a wonderful and lovely summer.

Here's a little snapshot of our Maine vacation from this year. I'll be back soon (I promise).

Beautiful

2011-05-09T09:24:00.003-04:00

Beautiful, surreal, and mystical photos by Alexander Binder.

{photos by alexander binder}

Small Fashion

2011-05-03T13:20:00.003-04:00

I just can't help myself with these little dresses from Ode. I'd love to wear them, let alone fill Lyla's closet with them. Pure preciousness.

{via small}

Feminine Fall

2011-04-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

One of the couples I'm working with sent me this gorgeous photo of bridesmaid's dresses as color inspiration. I'm in love with these colors as well as the entire story at Martha Stewart Weddings. Absolutely divine.

How amazing are these jewel shaped cookies by the always amazing The Jewels of New York!!!

{photos from martha stewart weddings}

Summer Style

2011-04-20T09:00:00.002-04:00

I'm super into Built By Wendy's new Spring collection. I haven't been this excited about their clothing in a couple of years, so I'm looking forward to spending a little extra this year on my summer wardrobe.

{photos from built by wendy}

Lasers of Color & Soft Embroidery

2011-04-15T09:22:00.004-04:00

I'm super excited to see this new print by Megan Whitmarsh. It's an 18 color screenprint with hand embroidery. I've been proudly collecting Megan's work for the last 6 years and to be able to own a screenprint with that many colors & embroidery for $225 is a no-brainer to me. Megan's been a favorite artist of mine for a while now, and I can't wait to get this gem framed!

{photos from paper monster}

Lyla Belle's Birthday

2011-04-12T10:09:00.004-04:00

I can't believe our little Lyla Belle is two years old! This past weekend we celebrated her 2nd birthday with a raging house party. It was good times had by all. We had 25 adults and 12 little kids running around our apartment. The biggest highlight of the party was the guitar player I hired to entertain the kids. She was awesome - and at this age, that kind of entertainment really helped with the party flow. We set the party at 2 hours, which was perfect. Any longer and I think it would've been too much.

A friend gave me good advice and told me to avoid chocolate icing on cupcakes for 2 year olds. She learned the hard way on her white sofa. It was great advice and I felt the need to share it with you. But I did use chocolate on the cake pops I made and those were a big hit. And they were delicious. I'd never had one before this weekend and now I see why they have a cult like presence on the blogosphere. And they weren't that hard to make. They are really tasty and so much fun for the kids and adults alike.

I didn't really have much of a theme going on - we used pink and orange balloons as decorations. Boy do balloons go a long way when decorating! The hats and goodie bags I bought for the kids were from Kelley Cards and they were a huge hit! I loved them. All of the characters were made from stickers, and they were all so cute.

Celebrating Lyla's birthday was a lot of fun, but it was also really emotional. It feels like yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital. Time really does fly. I can't believe she's already 2. And she's a really sweet kid. I can't begin to tell you how lucky and blessed we are with her. She's the most amazing thing in our life and it's so much fun to see her blossom into a little person.

{For the party I made Martha Stewart's perfect macaroni & cheese recipe & it really is perfect! It's a huge recipe - I was able to make two large casseroles out of it.}

{photos from me}

Tiny Pattern & Color

2011-04-05T11:12:00.003-04:00

Spring is here and so is my shopping bug for Lyla's summer wardrobe. Sweet William is definitely one of my favorite stops in Brooklyn for Lyla and other special gifts. I often feel very lucky that I get to buy clothes for a little girl. It's just too much fun!

{all photos and product from sweet william}

Waterproof Style

2011-03-28T10:23:00.002-04:00

I just bought a pair of these waterproof shoes from Opening Ceremony. I love the colors and style - perfect for a relaxing New England summer vacation.

{photos from opening ceremony }

Happy Home

2011-03-16T11:40:00.003-04:00

Everything about this home makes me happy. The interior design and lifestyle of Alexandra Angle is soft, colorful, happy and welcoming. The pops of color they've used in this Fire Island home might be some of my favorite color usage and product placement I've seen to date. The rainbow hanging chair is incredible and I love how they painted the ceiling a sky blue while keeping the wood beams white.

{photos from alexandra angle interior design via remodelista}

Beaded Simplicity

2011-03-14T12:13:00.002-04:00

I love the simplicity and sweet colors of these beaded rings by Izabel Designs.

{photos from izabel designs}

Inspiring & Refreshing

2011-03-04T12:01:00.006-05:00

I wanted to share some inspiring images of my husband and his partner's studio that they've had here in Brooklyn for the last 6 years. Thankfully TWBE captured some fun shots inside Faile's interesting world. It's always fun to take Lyla to the studio and let her run wild. Art is a huge part of our life; we make it, collect it, and are surrounded by it in our home and daily lives. It keeps things exciting.

But by far the most famous and treasured art in our household is by Lyla. Her use of color and shape is really quite brilliant. See below - she's awesome.

Have a wonderful weekend!

{faile studio photos by the world's best ever and photo of lyla's masterpieces by me}

Thoughtful Day in Utterly Engaged!

2011-03-01T11:12:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone! I haven't been around much on the blog, but thank you for continuing to stop by. I'm excited to share a spread I created for the latest issue of Utterly Engaged! They asked me a while back to pick out some of my favorite bridal fashion and decor for a modern and white wedding, inspired by the photo of this amazing boutique. {boutique photos by nathalie bearden}

It was perfect timing because I had just designed a custom invite for a couple with a similar aesthetic, so I started with the invitation and picked out a few things that would pair well for a modern and hip wedding.

fashion
The dress is by Alix & Kelly and I love the simple and slim silhouette of this dress highlights the most beautiful features of the bride; her face and upper torso.
{via kristina of lovelymorning wore an alix & kelly dress for her wedding and ever since i've loved the simplicity of their dresses.}

Under every wedding dress there should be a pair of rock star fluorescent green strappy sandals by Loeffler and Randall.

For the bridesmaid's dress I chose a short and tailored dress by JCrew in a fun punchy (yet subtle) color like lime green which compliments the bride's dress (& shoes!).

decor & sweets
Sarah Magid's cakes are always organic and delightful pops of maximal color.

And how perfect would they look on these modern cake stands by Iacoli Mcallister.

And last but not least, the soft and feminine florals by Quatre Coeur are beautifully refreshing. Remember this shoot? I've been fortunate to work with Quatre Coeur before, so I immediately thought of them. {floral photo by allan zepeda}

X&O Hearts

2011-02-14T09:22:00.003-05:00

I love these Valentine's Day stencil cookies by The Jewels of New York. They're cute, modern and fun. Check out their step by step tutorial on Opening Ceremony. Wouldn't you love to receive (and eat!) one of these today?

Happy, Happy Valentine's Day!

{photos by the jewels of new york}

43 years of Marriage

2011-02-04T10:47:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was my parent's 43rd wedding anniversary. They were married back in 1968. Boy how times have changed. Looking at their wedding photos they both look cautiously happy and a little nervous. At only 19 they were getting married, expecting their first child and shortly after their wedding my Dad was drafted to Vietnam. I couldn't imagine dealing with all of that at my ripe old age of 30, yet alone at 19. But lucky for them (and my sisters and me!) everything worked out the way it was supposed to. They've had an amazing and solid marriage and I'm thankful to have them as my parents.

I Think You're Beautiful!

2011-01-31T10:19:00.003-05:00

Nearly 10 years ago, Patrick bought me Mirror, Mirror by Joop Steenkamer, Jr. for Valentine's Day. It is one of the loveliest and most thoughtful presents I've ever received. Although Patrick didn't write these sweet and over complimentary words, I knew he felt them. Today we have the mirror hanging in our Lyla Belle's room. This is one of those presents that every time you see it, you feel special. It's a simple piece, with such an overwhelming and heartfelt message.

{photos from theo}

Feather Love

2011-01-19T10:47:00.002-05:00

I've been considering one of these mobiles for a while now... We desperately need something behind the wall of our bed and I'm not really interested in going the headboard route or big photo route (the latter which my husband wants). I really want something light, romantic and pretty. A feather mobile would be perfect, I think.

{photos from after all}

Pink & Sweet

2011-01-10T08:23:00.003-05:00

My friend Greta's amazing shop Layer Cake has some of the cutest baking supplies out there. Here are some of my favorites for Valentines Day. I'm in love with the heart twist ties!

{images from layer cake shop}

Underwater Beauty

2011-01-06T09:27:00.004-05:00

I'm completely enamoured by this underwater photo series by Howard Shatz. Absolute perfection.

{photos from 20 ltd by howard shatz}

The Dull Diamond

2011-01-03T10:45:00.002-05:00

Hello! I hope everyone's 2011 is off to a fantastic start!

Here are some super cute ways to fancy & color up your 2011. The Dull Diamond is a new and fresh shop by Jen Murphy (bear and cake topper fame) and Emily Saunders. I'm loving the the pops of color and geometric feel of all of the pieces.

Congrats Jen & Emily!

{photos from the dull diamond}

The Gift of Rody

2010-12-17T08:30:00.003-05:00

Do you know Rody? He's an awesome little blow-up horse for kids! Perfect for Lyla's age (20 mths) and beyond as you blow it up more as your child grows. Good times all around!

{images from rody}

Lovely Lucky

2010-12-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Ah, the Danish brand Lucky Boy Sunday gets it. Their soft goodies are full of wit, color, happiness and sweetness. Browsing through their site, I smiled and wished I could hurry up and buy something for Lyla, but it appears they aren't available in the US. Please, some fabulous US merchant, hurry and stock these goodies!

{photos from lucky boy sunday}

Rustic & Pretty

2010-12-13T12:56:00.002-05:00

I love these recycled wood trees by Wood & Wool Stool. Rustic and pretty make the perfect combination.

{photos from wood & wool stool}

Small & Good

2010-12-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

I was gifted one of these Comme Des Garcons wallets a while ago. And my friends, it is the perfect wallet. It's small, efficient and easy to keep organized. If you are searching near and far for a nice little gift for your stylish, but hard to buy for friend, sister, brother, etc. this is perfect. And the great thing is they are available in a variety of price ranges.

{from opening ceremony}

Dreamy

2010-12-06T09:19:00.002-05:00

Um, this is someone's home, and a lucky someone that is. Can you imagine living here?! We are overloaded with beautiful homes on the blog circuit, but this one in particular might be the most beautiful I've ever seen. I love all of the white. A lot of times church to home renovations are dark and woodsy, but this is just perfection. And it's for sale. I won't even go there with the cost.

{photos from freshome}

Bedtime Stories

2010-11-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

My husband and his partner (a.k.a FAILE) have an exhibition up right now in Chelsea. It's up until Dec. 23rd, so if you're around you should check it out!

I'm super proud of Patrick. He is above and beyond the most talented person I've ever known. And he's my husband! I feel so lucky and thankful to have him in my life. It's been an amazing journey together since our youthful days in art school. And to witness him become a successful artist has been nothing short of inspiring (and at times, tiring).

A sweet tidbit about us - This weekend marks the 10 year anniversary of our first date. I can't believe we've been together for a DECADE. Whoa. He took me to a jazz club and we drank tea. I wore an itchy turtleneck and velour boots. Don't ask ( I was only 20!)

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. To me Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year. It's about food, family and friends. No gifts, just love.

Happy Happy Thanksgiving!

{fyi - each of the paintings shown is made up of 2" x 2" solid wood blocks. To say each painting is heavy and extremely labor intensive is an understatement!}

Thankful Goods

2010-11-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

Mike Perry and friends (Anna Wolf, Hugo Marie & more!) are having a little garage sale at their studio starting this Saturday, Nov. 27th - Dec. 1st. There will be lots of good goodies, so be sure to stop by!

Fall Harvest Invitations

2010-11-22T10:16:00.003-05:00

This past summer I worked on an invitation suite for this lovely couple. They were married on the bride's family farm. The invitation suite was all hand drawn illustrations and type. All sweetly packaged in a screenprinted burlap sack to fit with their Fall harvest theme. The paper goods were a 3 color screenprint on a thick kraft paper. I was so happy with the way they turned out and I'm thrilled to show you them! I'm very lucky that Thoughtful Day gets to work with such lovely and talented couples.

Check out 100 Layer Cake for the incredible photos of Sarah and Joe's gorgeous wedding! Every detail was perfectly executed by the lovely Jillian of Jillian Event Design and Styling.

For more information about Thoughtful Day wedding invitations, please contact me through here.

{photos by the talented robert sukrachand / check out his blog for even more photos!}

Pretty Sweet

2010-10-27T10:39:00.003-04:00

London based cakestress Peggy Porschen is a masterful genius of hand crafted cakes. Each and every cake on her website is a work of art; they are all truly breathtaking. Pure perfection.

{photos by the amazing georgia glynn smith via peggy porschen }

Thoughtful Day in Brides New York!

2010-10-22T11:25:00.003-04:00

An invitation I designed for a lovely couple last Spring is in the Fall issue of Bride's New York! I'm always thrilled and honored to get into a print publication, especially amongst so many amazing vendors in the wedding industry. Be sure to pick up a copy and thank you Bride's New York!

Please check out Thoughtful Day for more examples of my wedding invitations. And a website update will be coming soon with a lot more of my designs!

Inspired Hope

2010-10-21T20:55:00.002-04:00

This photograph has so much hope and magic associated with it. What an inspiring moment.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

{photo by victor fleming}

Deceptively Simple

2010-10-20T09:22:00.005-04:00

I think this vase from ibride might be the perfect wedding gift. It's a beautiful vase made up of 6 functional bowls with gorgeous patterns. Who wouldn't love to receive this?

{photos from charles and marie}

Hyper-Awesome

2010-10-18T09:54:00.002-04:00

Whenever I visit London, Beyond the Valley is always on my to do list. It's an amazing little design & clothing shop in London's Soho district and it's a favorite of mine.

How awesome is this hyper-color umbrella. Black and white when dry and drenched with color when wet. I love it.

{photos from beyond the valley}

3 years ago...

2010-10-15T12:40:00.004-04:00

3 years ago (yesterday) I started Thoughtful Day as a blog. It's amazing to think of all that's happened in the last three years, and I feel very fortunate. I've met so many wonderful people through my tiny little blog and I'm so thankful for all of the support I've received throughout the years. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit. I hope throughout the years you've been a teeny bit inspired by something I've posted.

This photo by Alexander Girard was the first blog post I ever created. I titled it "Sweet Little Couple" and it's still a favorite of mine.

I don't post as often as I used to. And for a while I felt a bit guilty. Why? I don't know. I'm not on the internet as much as I used to be (thankfully) because of my sweet little Lyla Belle, my stationery work, travels, and well just living life. And I couldn't be happier. But I do try and post 2-3 times a week, so please don't give up on me!

I have family coming in town this weekend and we are going to the Turkish Kitchen which might be my favorite restaurant in all of New York City. We pretty much go whenever family or friends come in town because it's just that delicious. If you ever have the chance to go, try the Manti (yogurt dumpling soup) and the Lahmacun (Turkish pizza - DELISH).

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Sweet Kiss

2010-10-13T13:56:00.003-04:00

Recently a reader sent me a photo of her wedding cake. Her cake topper was inspired from a post I did a while back about salt and pepper shakers as cake toppers. She told me her husband was Dutch and that as soon as she read my blog, she rushed over to the ebay site and snagged these little gems up! I'm always so happy and thankful that people are occasionally inspired from my blog. I've been a long time fan of S&P shakers as cake toppers, and I'm happy to see that others are as well! Thanks Lindy for sharing your sweet cake!

{photo by kimbe photography}

Inspired Love

2010-10-08T08:54:00.005-04:00

I'm sure by now, most of you have seen my friend Brittany's amazing wedding photos. They've been a huge hit on all of the blogs, and deservedly so! Back when I was a designer at Jonathan Adler, Brittany was one of our interns and she is as sweet as can be. I'll always remember our first lunch date. We experienced our first Calexico taco together with crack sauce and all - clearly it's a memory I'll never forget!

All of the Brittany's details were above and beyond creative. Clearly the big design hit of her wedding were the fabulous over sized flowers. Good bye paper pom-poms, and hello over sized paper flowers! A new trend is set! Another amazing design detail were all of the banners her friends and family thoughtfully created. They are all so beautiful and personal. What a pretty little day for a pretty little lady.

Congratulations Brittany & Paul!

p.s. Brittany was one of the designers behind this magical event...

{photos from the very talented ali degraff photography}

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Cover Pretty

2010-10-06T21:01:00.004-04:00

Anthropologie has a few amazingly beautiful shrugs available right now that would compliment any fancy dress just lovely.

{photos from anthropologie}

Southern Charm meets Brooklyn Modern

2010-10-05T11:30:00.002-04:00

Last Spring the ladies from 100 Layer Cake asked Thoughtful Day to be a part of their creative team to design the stationery for a fabulous wedding shoot for Southern Weddings magazine. I was more than thrilled (as you can imagine!) to work with the creative team they put together of Jillian Event Design, Anna Robin, Love, Jenna Calligraphy, Quatre Coeur flowers and so many more!

The theme was a romantic and modern take on the Great Gatsby meets modern Brooklyn. The shoot was full of romantic, southern charm with details like the lovely biscuit bar, and a signature cocktail called the Fitzgerald. And to make the shoot even more charming, the lovely couple was serenaded by Brooklyn's very own Two Man Gentleman Band.

Thoughtful Day designed the invitation to look like a vintage movie poster with bold headline type treatments, surrounded by a romantic, ornate border faming the two loving silhouettes. The talented Love, Jenna complimented the invitation event details with her calligraphy. The typography on the invitation set the tone for the rest of the signage and items that I designed such as the Cocktails and Biscuit Bar signs. But I think my favorite item that I designed for the shoot was the menu fan. The background was a subtle damask pattern with a bold type treatment for Menu which was then delicately complimented by Jenna's feminine calligraphy.

I'm so thrilled to finally show you all of these details! A lot of love and creative thought went into planning this shoot. Thank you so much to the lovely ladies of 100 Layer Cake, what an honor to be included in this issue. And be sure to pick up a magazine for yourself. A couple of other amazing wedding blogs like Once Wed, and Green Wedding Shoes have gorgeous features as well!

{photos by Anna Robin for Southern Weddings dreamed up by 100 Layer Cake}

Shapes & Motion

2010-09-21T10:10:00.004-04:00

I love this identity for the fashion label G T B designed by the fantastic design studio Hort. The colors, movement and subtle graphic shapes are amazing.

{images from hort}

Pretty Placement

2010-09-20T09:53:00.003-04:00

I absolutely love these ceramics from Royal Goedewaagen. They are smart, beautiful and the painted details are perfectly placed. The Dutch are the best when it comes to ceramics, and well, okay, most design in my opinion!

A Sweet Stand

2010-09-15T09:40:00.002-04:00

I love these adorable little cupcake stands from Whitney Smith.

Little Book of Letterpress

2010-09-13T09:52:00.004-04:00

I'm thrilled announce Thoughtful Day is in Little Book of Letterpress by Charlotte Rivers, published by Chronicle Books. Invitations from my Melodie Collection and a custom stationery set were featured. I'm very honored and amazed that I get to be in a book with so many of my favorite designers; it's really quite humbling. And not to mention being in a book authored by Charlotte, who has quite the cache of great design books under her belt. If you haven't already seen the book, it's definitely a must have for any stationery enthusiast.

Oh, and I'll be sure to let you know when I update my site (soon!) with some fun new projects!

Grecian

2010-09-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Browsing through Shop Bop the other day, I came across this dress that would be a nice wedding dress for a more casual, low key wedding. And it's a great price - $233. It is cream, not white, which may not be many brides choice for color, but it is still really pretty and for the right bride, it could be perfect.

{photos from shop bop}

Shiny Happy People

2010-09-09T13:34:00.002-04:00

I would more than love to get my hands on this cookbook by Neil Roake.

{photos from shiny happy people via elements of style}

Inspired Color & Placement

2010-09-07T09:43:00.002-04:00

The photographs by Tara Donne are nothing short of eye candy to gaze at this lovely Tuesday morning. I can't believe summer is over - where has the time gone?

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend!

{photographs by tara donne}

Grandma Lila

2010-09-02T09:00:00.006-04:00

This is a photo of my Grandma Lila and Grandpa Levi on their wedding day, May 17, 1945. She passed away this week and gets to be with my Grandpa again. Ever since my Grandpa passed away in the late 80's, she would talk about him every day and their beautiful love story. It was a tale of true love at it's simplest and most beautiful form. I feel so lucky to have known her for all of these years and finally, her dream has come true, at long last, to be with the love of her life.

Around 1893, my great grandparents came to America from Lebanon and went on to have 10 children. My Grandma Lila was the youngest and last survivor of her family. My grandma had a twin sister named Lula and also within her immediate family were twin boys. Two sets of twins in one family! Needless to say, she will be and is greatly missed. Unless you know me, you would never know that I was Lebanese, I'm blonde with green eyes. But the Lebanese culture was and is a huge part of my life, especially the food. For me, Lebanese cooking is my ultimate comfort food and luckily, my mom has carried on so many of my grandma's amazing recipes.

And as many of you know, we named our daughter Lyla Belle, after my Grandma Lila. I'm so thankful that I get a special little reminder of my Grandma through my daughter every day.

That's it for now. Have a lovely weekend and be sure to give lots of hugs and kisses to your loved ones.

Serious Stitches

2010-09-01T09:00:00.001-04:00

Rebecca Ringquist's embroidery work is amazing. She alternates between hand embroidery, machine stitching and screenprinting. Wow.

Delectably Divine

2010-08-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Aren't these cakes the most delicious creations you've ever seen?! What I love most about Nine Cakes is that they have a flair of fancy and a touch of whimsy. Don't these photos make you want to lick off all of the delicious buttercream and then dive into the cake? Delectably divine!

{photos from betsy at nine cakes}

Delicate

2010-08-19T08:51:00.003-04:00

I love how dreamy and gorgeous this fascinator by Style by Soca is. I think anyone would feel pretty wearing it.

{photos from style by soca}

Brilliant Finds

2010-08-17T09:00:00.004-04:00

Vintage French hat hook from the 1950's - AMAZING.

My friend Ben's apartment is in the latest issue of Lonny. We used to work together at Jonathan Adler; he's the curator of all JA stores and he clearly knows what he's doing. Ben is just as lovely, charming and full of personality as his apartment reflects. And did I mention stylish and smells good? Whenever I mention Ben, Patrick always asks, "The guy that smells good, right?"

Ben was also my karaoke partner in singing "Island's in the Stream" by (the best music duo ever) Dolly and Kenny. It was the first and last time I will ever do karaoke. And lucky me, Patrick has it all on video...

{photos from lonny mag}

Perfectly Coiffed

2010-08-16T10:10:00.004-04:00

If only I was as stylish or my hair was as perfectly coiffed as these amazing dolls by Beeb Design...

{photos from beeb design}

Blueberries & Lobster

2010-08-13T09:43:00.003-04:00

After our stay in Vermont, we headed east to Portland, Maine. As a family, it was our first trip to Maine (my second, years ago I went to see Phish at the Great Went - a much different experience this time around!). To sum up our trip - beauty, bluberries and lobster. For every meal, other than breakfast we ate lobster and in every meal, we had blueberries. The food in Maine was delicious! From lobster to lobster rolls, to tons of fried calamari, shrimp, and scallops, we ate pretty decadent and unabashedly so. Lyla seemed to like it too, especially the morning buns from the Standard Baking Company (which btw is an amazing bakery!). Seriously the best sticky buns I've ever had - ridiculously gooey and flaky at the same time.

On a Saturday morning we went to the Portland Farmer's market, which was definitely the best farmer's market I've ever been to, and supposedly one of the country's oldest. Situated in a lush park, there were tons of old school and new school farmers displaying their weekly crop. It was so lovely to walk through and see the wood shingled trucks, and the farmers proudly talking about their product. We were staying in a hotel, so buying lots of produce wasn't really an option - but we did eat a whoopie pie or two, and gobbled down a few bins of blackberries and blueberries as we walked the market.

Maine was the perfect way to end our weeklong New England vacation. As cliché as this sounds, it really looked like the "pictures". The coast was pure beauty and the weather was perfect, nice sunshine during the day with crisp air in the evening. And, I have to say, road tripping with a child is definitely the way to go. Lyla's been on over 10 flights since she's been born, and as wonderful it is to travel, at this age, a slow paced road trip of 7 hours, was much easier for us than a 2 hour flight, if you can believe it! Aside from cost, now I get why family road trips are a common summer time mainstay. Oh and another little treat - every morning around 4 or 5 am, little Lyla Belle would make her way in bed with us. This my friends, was a "when on vacation only" deal. I just don't want that habit to become a part of our daily lives. Although, it's pretty sweet for her to snuggle with us, you just really don't sleep. Most of the time she sleeps sideways, pushing both Patrick and I near the edge of the bed. She's made it clear, she is the queen in this household. And she deserves it. It's amazing how a little 25 lb. child calls the shots.

That's it for now, have a wonderful weekend everyone! The weather in NYC today sure is lovely!

Lovely Envelopes

2010-08-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

A lovely collection of envelopes as art by photographer Andrew Bush. The envelopes are just as beautiful by themselves as they are together. Very inspiring...

{photos by andrew bush via another something}

Vermont Fancy

2010-08-09T09:00:00.003-04:00

This summer we've had the opportunity to take a couple of vacations. Once Patrick got back from Portugal, after being away for almost a month, we took a road trip up north to Vermont. We had never been and I have a feeling after our amazing trip, Vermont will be a destination we frequent often throughout the years. We stayed up in Stowe and it was breathtakingly beautiful. Surrounded by lush green mountains, with waterfalls and swimming holes off of hidden paths, just sitting outside and staring at the pure beauty or taking a simple hike through the mountains was pure bliss. Lyla was a trooper as well. She loves being outside running and playing with sticks. On some of our more tricky hikes, miss little independence wanted to walk and climb all by herself which of course was a challenge reeling her in. It's amazing how fearless she can be.

As we were leaving Vermont and heading to Maine (I'll share our pics in a couple of days) I realized I forgot to buy some maple syrup. And lo and behold as we were driving we stumbled upon a little sugar shack where a retired husband and wife have been making maple syrup in the back of their property for the last 15 years. We pulled up to the driveway and Patrick got out and rang the owner's doorbell. The owner, Mr. Rogers, graciously welcomed us and gave us a little tour of his sugar shack. Throughout the years he's been in business, he's won multiple awards for his varieties of syrup and we ended up going with the Vermont Fancy & Medium Amber. Since we've been home, we've tried the fancy and by golly it's delicious!

Have a lovely Monday and I'll post photos of our trip to Maine in a bit.

{photos by thoughtful day}

The Faile Temple

2010-08-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

As many of you know, I went to Lisbon, Portugal this last month to view my husband Patrick's (one of the two Patrick's of Faile) monumental sculpture project. The work is titled "Temple" and it quite possibly is the most amazing piece of art I've ever seen (said with a slight bias, of course).

The Temple project has been two years in the making. It is made up of huge ceramic relief sculptures, cast iron gates, marble sculptures, mosaics, not to mention the 1000's of tiles placed on the interior and exterior walls of this piece. Every single element in this sculpture was custom made and thoughtfully considered. Everything. So much went into this project. The structure itself is made to look like a ruin that has been blasted open to show the hidden beauty that rests inside. And once you're inside, you're blown away by the layers upon layers of detail within the mosaics, the spinning prayer wheels, the marble scuba horse fountain, and well, everything. Every detail was above and beyond breathtaking.

It was a lot of fun to hang out around and in the temple. Tourists would walk up to it with their travel books trying to figure out what was this "thing" they were looking at, old men and their wives would stare in awe at the level of detail in the ceramic and mosaic pieces, while children would run through and speedily spin the prayer wheels. The temple was built and designed for this specific site, Praça dos Restauradores Square, in the heart of Lisbon. What was so impressive is that it felt like it belonged there and had been a part of the city's history for hundreds of years. It was so delicately considered for it's location. It was and is perfect.

As you can tell, I'm incredibly proud of my husband and his partner. Patrick and I started dating 10 years ago this Fall and to witness the progression of his work to this point is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

To view and read more about Faile's Temple, click here.

photos c/o faile

Smooth Brass

2010-07-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

The etsy shop, Secret Base | Bee Alice King has a fantastic assortment of decorative trinkets that could become part of any party or celebration. How amazing would these little instrument gems look stitched on a place card? And solid brass to boot? Okay, now your place cards can also be your favors! Especially if your theme is heavy on the instrumental side. Think Jazz - as in these fabulous photos from The Sartorialist (a couple of weeks ago).

That's it for now folks, have a wonderful weekend! {I hope you all have summer Fridays :}

top two photos from secret base
bottom b&w photo from the sartorialist

Sweetly Stitched

2010-07-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Lovely hand embroidery by Joetta Maue.

{via pink olive blog}

Inspired Moments

2010-07-26T09:56:00.003-04:00

The photography of Trine Thorsen transports me to little golden moments. Browsing through her photos, I kept thinking, "I want to be there." If you're looking for a bit of inspiration on this lovely Monday, you'll find it here.

Wouldn't the bottom photo of the flower lined wire basket be the perfect way to hold ceremony programs? How lovely to have a little area like this before guests walk down the aisle...

{I'm going to be sharing photos soon of my little trip to Portugal last week!}

{photography by trine thorsen via trendey}

Summer Travel

2010-07-16T13:20:00.005-04:00

As I write this I'm spending some time in Portugal to celebrate a sculpture project my husband has been working on for the past 2 years. This weekend is the start of Portugal's first ever Art Biennial. I can't tell you how impressive the work that my husband and his partner created for it, and I look forward to sharing many photos with you when I'm back home. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some photos of our family vacation from last summer in Portugal. Lyla was only 4 months old and it was such a perfect time to travel with her (she's the little bean on the sofa). We were here for almost a month, rented a car and traveled along the coast. Portugal is a lovely country with kind people and incredible scenery with some of the most amazing castles, enchanted forests, and small villages I've ever seen in all of my travels.

I hope you all are enjoying your summer and that you, too, get to have some down time.

Have a wonderful weekend!

{photos by thoughtful day}

Perfect Colors

2010-07-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

My heart went a flutter when I saw these magnets. Dear Studio Fludd, these little magnets you have here would make the perfect brooche. xox

{via bloesem}

Pot Love

2010-07-09T09:06:00.002-04:00

Aren't these just the most adorable little planters you've ever seen? What a sweet little face to grace your windowsill.

Have a wonderful & happy weekend!

{photos from mod cloth}

Surreal Type

2010-07-07T09:48:00.002-04:00

Lovely and inspiring illustrations of typography by Alex Anne Mackenzie. They remind me of Dali's work; very beautiful, and maybe a little bit eerie...

{via small mag}

Happy Holiday!

2010-07-02T07:45:00.005-04:00

I hope you all get to have some good ole summer times this weekend! Hopefully a little beach time, run through some confetti, or eat some delicious cake. And most of all, get to spend this weekend with some of your favorite people in the world.

Have a wonderful July 4th weekend and be safe!

{top - bottom}

a favorite photo of mine by christian chaize available here

photos from hello sandwich at the japanese tanabata festival - which is now on my list of must do in my lifetime!

and last but not least, this deliciously, adorable strawberry cake via everything fab

Stitched Porcelain

2010-06-30T07:28:00.003-04:00

A friend recently bought us these salt and pepper cellars as a housewarming gift and they couldn't be any more lovely in person. They are precious and I absolutely love Rae Dunn's botany vases!

{photos from rae dunn }

Sweet Monday

2010-06-28T08:00:00.003-04:00

When it's smoldering hot outside like it is in NYC right now, the only thing I want to eat is sweets. A constant source of eye candy for me is Hello Naomi. I think she creates some of the most original and well designed fondant creations out there. Browsing through her flickr site, I came across some of her most recent creations - the fondant heart balloon atop the simple white cake, held up by stacks of artfully decorated cupcakes is perfection in my opinion. I was also really drawn to her little cupcakes with the cutest liners I've ever seen. And lucky for us, she shared the shop where she bought them! Even though the shop Little Betsy Baker is from Australia, it's still a fun web visit with some great tutorials by Hello Naomi herself! Enjoy!

{photos of cakes & cupcakes by hello naomi}
{photos of decorating supplies from little betsy baker}

Rockin'

2010-06-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Our daughter sure is one lucky little gal. Last year shortly after she was born, our dear friend, and Lyla's honorary "uncle" Mike Perry gave her one of his custom drawn Eames rockers. An Eames rocker is a classic, timeless design, but then add Mike's amazing drawings to it and it truly is a work of art. Luckily Lyla shares it with us. She's just too sweet.

Have a wonderful weekend!

{photos from mike perry}

Lines of Lovely

2010-06-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

Ana Laura Perez's illustrations are beyond lovely.

{images from her site bang bags}

Sunday Suppers Logo

2010-06-15T10:00:00.002-04:00

Have you seen the new Sunday Suppers site? I'm so happy that it has finally launched, and it looks fabulous!

I wanted to share with you the logo I created for Sunday Suppers. Last year, shortly after Karen had her first Sunday Supper she approached me to design the identity. I came up with many logos, but this one was the keeper and I'm super proud of it. I can't wait to show you the rest of her branding materials that I designed at a later time.

Amanda of Hi Design (& 100 Layer Cake - I know, talented lady right?) designed the new Sunday Suppers site and it looks absolutely fabulous! I feel so lucky to be associated with these talented gals!

Layers of Pretty

2010-06-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

Beautiful wedding bits from British designer Jessie Chorley's line called Mon Marriage. All of her designs have a lovely nod to the past, yet beautifully thought for today. I love her way with texture and pattern.

{images from jessie chorley }

A view from the top

2010-06-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

I'm completely enamored with this overhead shot of a table setting created by Birch. Pure gorgeousness.

Have a wonderful weekend!

{photo from birch}

Inspired Space

2010-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Every image and every single detail shot by Rachel Whiting is pure perfection. I've spent many inspired hours on her site - every minute beyond worth it. Enjoy.

{photos from rachel whiting via desire to inspire}

A Seasoned Topper

2010-06-07T09:00:00.001-04:00

It's no secret that I think vintage salt and pepper shakers make the perfect cake toppers (see here & here & here - geesh, I'm obsessed! ). If I told you how often I search for these little gems, well, it'd be embarrassing. I just really think thoughtfully paired salt and pepper shakers are the cutest things ever. So here are a few (more than a few I guess) of my favorites from my latest Etsy search. Enjoy!

in order - top to bottom
the vintage cabin
millie girl vintage
salt and pepper mania
the lovelys
86 vintage
mireio

Wedding Crashers!

2010-06-03T09:00:00.003-04:00

In yesterdays post, I showed you all Jenna & Jon's invitation package. Today I'm posting their wedding crasher cards. What an adorable idea, right? Due to space limitations during the reception's dinner, they weren't able to invite all of their friends. So what better idea to have all of your friend's come and crash the after party! Each of these ticket shaped crasher cards were personally handed out to friends inviting them to come to the after party. So adorable.

If you'd like to make your own, Thoughtful Day designed a bunch of cute stamps for Martha Stewart Weddings that are available to download here. Below are a few of the stamps. Have fun!

Don't forget to check out 100 Layer Cakes amazing post of Jenna and Jon's wedding. It truly was the wedding and party of the year!

{photos by Jenny Ebert for 1.Art Beauty Life}

Thoughtful Day in Martha Stewart Weddings!

2010-06-01T00:38:00.005-04:00

I've been waiting for well over a year now to show these invites I designed for my good friends, Jenna & Jon. Jenna of Love Jenna Calligraphy, and I went to art school way back and have known each other for 10 years! As you can imagine, I was beyond honored when they asked me to design their invitation suite. Being the creative couple they are, Jenna sent me tons of beautiful inspiration, ranging from images of Marie Antoinette to photos of Coney Island. Jon, a very talented copy writer, wrote all of the copy throughout the suite.

I know Jenna pretty well, so when she approached me, I knew there had to be layers and layers of stuff to make up the package. I hunted far & wide for the candy striped bags way back, which thankfully are easier to come by now. Custom designed tickets were then wrapped around the bags, tied by gold cord. All of the illustrations throughout the suite were illustrated by Thoughtful Day. We don't use clip art around here for custom invites! Not only are these invites super fun, but they were printed with some of the finest methods available - Gold foil stamping combined with pink Letterpress all backed with vintage wallpaper. It's hard to get more luxurious (and awesome) than that when it comes to an invitation suite. Needless to say, Jenna & Jon were the dream clients!

And to top it all off, the invitations made their way into the current Martha Stewart Weddings out on stands now. Wait until you see all of the photos of Jenna & Jon's wedding. It was absolutely fabulous & full of love, and I'll be forever grateful that Thoughtful Day was asked to be a part of it.

100 Layer Cake will be posting more photos of Jenna & Jon's wedding the rest of the week, wait until you see all of the details!

Inspired Color

2010-05-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Saskia Leek's use of color is very, very inspiring.

Have a happy & fun weekend!

A Modern Take on Old Love

2010-05-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

I love this photo of Philippe Starck and his wife Jasmine (top photo) from The Selby. I don't know the back story but I'm guessing they recreated the pose from what appears to be his parent's wedding day - he looks a lot like his dad, right?

{photos from the ever brilliant Todd Selby}

Thoughtful Day updated!

2010-05-24T10:03:00.003-04:00

Hello! How I've miss you all!

Well, there are a few things I'd like to quickly stop in to say....I finally updated my website Thoughtful Day showing some of the projects I've worked on in the last 8 months. Please visit my site for lots more photos and projects! I hope you like what I've been up to....

I had an amazing photo shoot with the super talented Jenny Ebert of 1. Art Beauty Life. Jenny was the consummate professional and truly did an amazing job. I couldn't be happier with the results and I have to say, having a professional photographer shoot everything was BEYOND worth it. All of the styling was done by Anne Le Geurn. Do you remember her sweet illustrations I posted about a while ago? Yes, the girl is one talented little lady! Barb of Hatch Creative generously let us have the photoshoot at her amazing loft space called the Nest Event Loft, which you can rent for events. It is an incredible loft located in the Flatiron District - corner building with views beyond your dreams.

Thank you so much ladies!

So, we finally finished the renovations - over 3.5 mths. Stressful, and fun and beyond worth it. I feel so blessed and lucky that I get to call this our family home. I could just pinch myself. I can't wait to share some of the stories, trials and tribulations, and last but not least photos. It was an incredible experience and I'm beyond thankful for it. But I'm still knee deep in boxes and have a ways to go before I can sit down and write and post about everything. So until then, I'll be back to blogging about some of my favorite things and I hope to show you photos over the next couple of months.

Thanks for all of the sweet comments throughout my break - you guys are the best!

A little break

2010-03-14T22:36:00.007-04:00

I've been a very bad blogger lately. As many of you know, we just bought an apt. here in Brooklyn and are doing some pretty fun renovations to it. Plus I have my stationery business, and most importantly I'm a mom, oh and a wife too! Needless to say, we have lots going on. The above photos are just a preview of the renovations I'm "project managing". I have to admit, it's a lot of fun and I feel very, very fortunate that we get to make a home truly ours. Picking out hardware, lighting, paint colors, and every other little detail that goes into a home is a lot of fun to do as husband and wife. And well, a bit frustrating at times too. Throughout our process, and I imagine the same is true for most couples, you really get to see a side of one another you hadn't seen before. Patrick and I were both surprised at how many opinions he has when it comes to faucets, sinks, lighting fixtures, etc. And I never knew he had such a passion for farmhouse sinks and recessed lighting. When it comes to kitchen hardware, he never knew I was a pull girl, meanwhile, I never knew he was a knob guy, and so forth.

So with all of this said, I'm taking a little break over the next month from blogging. I don't think I shared with you all that Lyla started walking at 10 months! So much fun! She walks around like a little frankenstein in a pinball machine. If you can visualize that description, you'll get that she's pretty cute walking around (and a bit wobbly too). But she's getting better and more stable. Today I think she was trying to run in place (she seriously is nonstop). Girlfriend has more energy than I've ever seen before in my life! She turns 1 year in less than a month! I can't believe how fast this year has gone. It is insane. So when I come back I'd like to have a few dedicated posts to my little Lyla Belle.

Oh and I'm in the process of updating my website too. I had an amazing photoshoot last week for all of the invitations & projects I've worked on in the last 8 months - I can't wait to share more details!

Until then, take care and thank you all for visiting my blog!

Salty & Peppy

2010-02-22T09:56:00.002-05:00

Oh dear, these are just too cute! Salty & Peppy, how sweet.

Happy Monday!

{photo from fine little shop}

Urban Wed

2010-02-18T13:27:00.003-05:00

Vané of Brooklyn Bride is putting on a really fun event next month here in NYC! A definite destination if you're engaged - showcasing some really great vendors here in NYC.

I designed the logo, and Minhee of Paper + Cup designed the invite. But that's not it yet, there are going to be some fun goodies greeting you at the event, so buy your tickets now!

Watercolored Porcelain

2010-02-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ruth Gurvich's hand painted porcelain pieces for Nymphenburg just might be the most beautiful pottery I've ever seen. The transparent colors overlapping one another are the most beautiful painted application to pottery I've seen to date. It almost feels like a watercolor painting folded to make a piece of pottery. Oh how I would love to own a set of these one day.

{photos from Nymphenburg via mocoloco}

Threaded Grain

2010-02-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

I LOVE these brooches by Noshii! Simple shapes with lovely threaded color make for a perfect combination.

Have a love filled weekend!

{photos from Noshii}

A little lovely

2010-02-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

This kid's shop makes me really, really happy.

{all products from shak-shuka via fine ting og sjokolade}

Tangerines & Lavender

2010-02-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! I'm head over heels in love with these colors. Orange and lavender go together perfectly. A Creative Mint's photos are above and beyond gorgeous - every photo is perfect and incredibly inspiring. Her blog is page after page, photo after photo, drool worthy.

{all photos from & by a creative mint}