adoration for alkemie...

have you found something that draws you in so deeply that you find yourself needing to know more? and then... as you learn more you become even further engrossed,impressed and in awe?


well that's what happened to me when i came across alkemie's collection of jewelry. 


it all started when i slipped this wolf ring on my finger. fierce & bold but with ladylike class. next thing you know, i had the sting ray cuff on my wrist, the bat cuff on the other, layered with a couple of their necklaces, walking laps around the store, feeling overly adorned but not wanting to give any of it back.


i raced home to find out more so that i could share this amazing find with all of you and what i ended up finding out  just blew.me.away.


things like:
a) the l.a. based company was founded by a husband and wife team
b) they use mother nature and all her wonder as inspiration for their line
c) their entire collection is forged from 100% reclaimed metals
d) they give back. 5% of each sale goes towards one of the charity organizations that they support.
e) the motive for their responsible actions is to exemplify responsibility to their daughters and be an example for future generations


amazing, right? talk about intention...selflessness...the greater good...environmental awareness...  


and on top of it all, their jewelry is hand-crafted, well made, and incredibly beautiful.

i am beyond impressed and hope you will be too.

falling for fall...

check out that rainbow... soft, subtle, yet invitingly colorful.  that's what fall's going to be all about.


cozy neutrals with pops of soft warm color...more muted than the bright and bubbly colors walking the streets this spring & summer, yet colorful enough to give you a lift on the grey-est of winter days.


i love fall and now i've got reason to love it even more... i'm so excited to see how everyone looks dressed in this palette of perfection, moving like little dots of color against the cold gloomy skyline or crisp white snow.


i'm on the hunt for a pair of skinny jeans in emberglow...and a few chunky, cozy, poncho-ey sweaters in nougat & orchard hush.


what are you fancy-ing??

hanging out...

W O W. could you imagine tucking yourself into this beddy-bye every night?


it is a bit intense and yes...i'm pretty sure your friends and family might look at you and wonder weird things about you if you had this hanging in your bedroom...


BUT


...imagine it hanging from a big, sturdy tree. then picture you and your mc'dreamy cuddled up watching dusk turn into a starlit night...


... music playing softly somewhere in the background


... a warm breeze gently swaying the two of you back and forth, side to side, as you lay... counting shooting stars together & growing closer with each passing moment.


pretty nice, right? 


...talk about rock-a-bye baby!

summer simplicity...

the other day a friend of mine told me that she and her boyfriend were headed to the park to grill corn.


when i asked her, "are you going to grill anything else?" there was a slight pause and then she said, "nope. just corn."


i loved the innocence & simplicity of it...


a boy. 
a girl. 
a grill. 
and a boatload of corn... 
chatting, laughing, basking in the sunshine, winding down the weekend by grilling up some corn on the cob (with lime + cayenne + spices), and spending the last moments of the weekend... together... with corn all up in their grillz.


i hope you're enjoying your weekend and soaking up a simple summer  evening with someone you love.

three.

meet my favorite number. it has been since i was about eight and had a massive crush on then super stud dodger 2nd baseman, steve sax... ah, steve. 

i like how 3 looks... i like how 3 sounds... i like how t-h-r-e-e is spelled... it's just a super awesome number, the open end welcoming in all things and the double bumps/half open circles holding in all that is good. 

and i love it when my dearest friends know me so well to send me things that, in her words, i need to have... and of course she's right... 

i do need. this. ring. but first i need the $$$ to buy it. 

once i have it i will wear it in a stack and keep wishing on that three... for three.

wrist wrap...

i sure am glad that bangles and bobbles, wrap bracelets & friendship bracelets, lucky charms & chunky chains have all made their way out of the drawers and onto our wrists...together. 


i love a wrist stacked with goods can switch from a bohemian air to rock n' roll swagger based on the accessories you choose.


i saw this look today and loved the preppy classic vibe of the watch and bandanna combo. it's neatly put together and clean looking. 


... perfect for the polo fields, a day sailing the seas, or for one of those office day jobs where they make you dress professionally.

you dip, i dip, we dip...

bare with me while we transition from color dipped hair to color dipped utensils... totally different yet still offering that eye-popping "W-O-W" factor to your everyday knife, fork, and spoon.


it takes the charm of an older set of cutlery plus+ a quick spray of your desired colors and voila, you've got yourself a totally hip, dipped set of eating utensils...


this simple little project is sure to add a little "umph" to your next gathering or make a great gift for a favorite friend!

now THAT's what i'm talkin' about...

entertaining is truly an art form. 

entertaining can be for your indulgence only or for a few of your favorite people, but the elements are always the same...it takes thought, inspiration, time, preparation and creativity to pull off a wondrous event. 

it's hard to capture the essence and energy of the togetherness that entertaining brings,but when done well, you feel whole. you feel connected to people. your soul smiles. relationships are strengthened and you cherish each moment, not wanting your time together to end. 

there's a new online collaboration that has captured, and beautifully brought to life, all aspects of the joy of entertaining. 

from the photos, to the recipes, to it's easy relaxed vibe, the thoreau & winnie the pooh quotes, to the music rec's, kinfolk has created a masterpiece. 

may it spark a small gathering in your home soon... i know it has in mine.

from their manifesto...

" Kinfolk is a growing community of artists with a shared interest in small gatherings. We recognize that there is something about a table shared by friends, not just a wedding or once-a-year holiday extravaganza, that anchors our relationships and energizes us. We have come together to create Kinfolk as our collaborative way of advocating the natural approach to entertaining that we love.

Every element of Kinfolk – the features, photography, and general aesthetics – are consistent with the way we feel entertaining should be: simple, uncomplicated, and less contrived. Kinfolk is the marriage of our appreciation for art and design and our love for spending time with family and friends."

basic on top, party on the bottom!

when it comes to dining, i prefer a simple plate that lets the food be the star.

i like the idea of a fun, colorful and decorative plate but in the end always opt for a basic white; allowing the colors of my meal to pop off the plate. 


richard ginori must feel the same way, except he had the genius to figure out a way to have your plate and party too!  he created three versions of his metroquadro dining sets that are a classic white with blue rim on the front of the plate and a mix of colors, prints and patterns on the back.

every plate looks like a match, but when turned over their individual personalities sparkle & shine.

he's genius and the plates are brilliant.
i want them...i just wish i had the $$$$ to have them.

tie-dow...i'd like to have that now!

there are a ton of fun hair trends that are adorning the locks of ladies around town this summer.

it's good to see girls lightening up, reddening up, shortening up and/or adding feathers to their tresses... treating their hair more like an accessory rather than a staple. 

...but it's lc's new tie-dyed tips that are just coming in screaminnnnnng hot. i think it's the perfect way to stand out and add a little somethin-somethin to those gorgeous long locks.

...and, as a brunette who recently chopped her long locks off. the combo of long hair + sandy blonde beach bombshellness + fun tye-dyed tips has me thinking that maybe those blondes do have more fun... at least with their hair.

oh..and p.s- if you haven't already checked out thebeautydepartment you should. lc+kristin+amy just make you want to go and get dolled up. me likey!

trade you places...

it's monday...and to top it off, it's a fogged-in dreary version of a monday.

while catching up on mr.schuman's latest street finds i came across this italian bella and wanted to be whisked away to florence, slipped into her casual yet beautiful outfit, and plopped onto that bench where the biggest dilemma of her monday morning is probably debating which gelato flavor to gobble up.

photo by: the sartorialist

queen of the screen...

screenprinting is awesome. i love the thought + brain power that the printing process demands... the slow cathartic multi-step journey of building each layer, and the satisfaction of seeing your vision build and come to life.

there are several great artists who are genius when it comes to the screen, but my favorite local lady is hilary williams. she rules.

keith and i discovered her a few years back at the fillmore street fair and now have two of her lovely prints hanging at home.

hilary mixes together collages of her photos, drawing & stencils to produce dreamy, surreal prints with local flavor. something about each print puts a smile on your face and makes you want to hop in to the scene.

each print is beautiful. the pops of color immediately draw you closer, but as you stare you become more and more impressed at the layer, upon layer, upon layer of time, love & energy printed onto each piece of paper. it's incredible. and commendable. plus++ she's super sweet and exudes this pretty incredible hip-creative essence.

if you're in town (san francisco, that is) this weekend, she'll be at renegade. so go... check her out... maybe, just maybe, you'll find something to make your walls happy (and hilary happy, too!)

mid-summer love affair...

bright orange & hot pink are not your average duo, but can't help but be noticed when paired together...

and as of late, i'm completely enamored with them and trying to find the perfect way to mix them into my mid-summer wardrobe.

i've got just the perfect purse, now if i could just find something orange to go with...

this duo would also add nice bright pop's of color on your table for your that brunch, dinner or whatever it is you've got coming up on that social calendar of yours.

...test it out and let me know what you think.

throw a few my way...

while quickly flipping thru the latest serena & lily catalog this herringbone print throw brought my fingers to a hault.

i haven't decided which color yet, but ONE of these cuddly cotton throws will be keeping me and my honey warm & cozy on those chilly summer nights and all thru the cold harshness of winter.

and because i like you, here's a little tip: serena & lily are offering five color choices but if you go directly to brahms mount you can have your choice of EIGHTEEN different colors options! plus++, they've got an amazing assortment of linen towels, day blankets, and the cute cuddly baby blankets too... yikes, i could get into trouble here!

entertain-tip #7... icy, cold, deliciousness

it's july...the weather is warm... the sun is shining...and america is about to turn another year older.

this means that it's basically our duty to take the afternoon off, slip into something a little more skin-bearing, pump up the jams, and get out to enjoy the sunshine with an icy cold beverage in hand.

i swore i wouldn't do another drink post, but these two dolls are just too good not to share...plus, you can whip up a big batch of each for this weekend's festivities and smile big at the super-sized praise you get as your friends sip themselves silly.

first to the party, is miss dizzy palmer... introduced to me by the lovely lass whom i trust to cut & shape my locks. we enjoyed these on her back porch post hair-cut and could have easily stayed there until my next appointment.

she's almost too simple to make, impossible to mess up, and adds the perfect bit of sunshine and laughter to any day.

dizzy palmer:

- sweet tea flavored vodka (preferably seagram's)

- your favorite lemonade (i choose simply lemonade)

- orange or lemon slices for garnish.

- ice cubes

directions:

pour 1.5 parts vodka to 3 parts lemonade and mix gently together. pour over a glass (filled to the brim with ice). garnish with citrus wedge and serve with a straw.

...next to the party is a classic beauty from the 50's, the moscow mule. i had heard of but never tasted this delight until one of my most favorite people on this earth insisted i try it. it took just one sip and i was hooked.

she's incredibly refreshing and adds an element of surprise that will keep you coming back for more.

moscow mule

- vodka

- simple syrup

- ginger beer

- lime juice (fresh squeezed)

- lime wedges
- mint

directions:

pour 1.5 parts vodka to 4 parts ginger beer, a splash of simple syrup and lime juice to taste and mix gently together. pour over a glass (filled to the brim with ice). garnish with lime wedge, mint sprig and serve with a straw.

the key to both is a lot of ice... and that fancy straw that makes that drink ready for the sippin'

now go, grab these ingredients on your way home, and ease into your three day weekend... just be warned that these babies go down easy, so sip slowly and be safe.