Happy 1st Birthday, Aaden!

Happy Birthday, Rosa!

Happy (early) birthday! Hope you have a fun birthday weekend. See ya tonight!

New to Me Blog: The Purl Bee

The Purl Bee has so many fun goodies. I love all the beautiful photos they have on their blog. Even though I'm not into knitting or sewing (maybe I will down the line...), I would really like to visit their Purl Soho shop in NYC. It looks so lovely!

Japanese Masking Tape

Japanese masking tape has been all the rage this year. I was so excited to go Korea this past spring because I thought I'd be able to find them there. But to my disappointment, I was only able to find one store that carried them. And they didn't have any patterns/colors that I liked.

I'd almost forgotten all about them until I was perusing the Inchmark blog the other day. Brooke made the sweetest present for her husband's birthday using Japanese tape.
Aren't the tapes sooo pretty? What's preventing me from ordering some for myself is my indecisiveness. There are just too many different colors and patterns to choose from! What a dilemma...

happy tape
Nothing Elegant
Look at all the cute and easy ways to use the washi tapes. Ohh...the possibilities!
Whisker GraphicsProject Wedding
pint0bean
mint design

J.Crew Catalog: Hello, handsome!

Oh sigh...Josh Duhamel. He was in Chicago filming Transformers 3 for the majority of the summer. Sadly, I did not get a chance to see any of the filming. :( Many of my friends got to see a lot of the action being filmed though. There were explosions, speeding cars, and the handsome Duhamel. Hehe. I was very pleasantly surprised to see him in this month's J.Crew catalog.

"Favorite Things" Party

Brooke from Inchmark shared a great tradition she and her friends have: a "Favorite Things" party. Each person chooses one of their favorite things (that's less than $6) and brings 5 of them to share. Check out Brooke's post to see how it works. Isn't that such a fun way to get together with friends? What's the best is that you each get to leave with a bunch of goodies!
My favorite thing this summer has got to be basil too. I've been making a lot of salads and sandwiches and throwing in a ton of basil. Oh how I LOVE basil!

[image via google]

Happy Birthday, Gloria!

We celebrated Joe & Gloria's 30th birthdays this past weekend at Tampopo. All the rolls and noodles were delicious. Kyu and I shared an enormous bowl of Tampopo Ramen. (I exaggerate not. It was HUGE.) Sadly, I forgot my camera so I don't have any pictures. :( It's Gloria's birthday today. Wish her a happy day!

Party Decor Idea: Paper Chain Backdrop

What a brilliant idea to use something as simple as paper chains (like the ones made in grade school!) for a backdrop. Don't you love how they add an extra oomph to the already impressive dessert table?
[My apologies! I don't remember where I found this photo from.]

To my favorite 4-year old...

Ruche: a modern boutique w/ a vintage touch

I just came across Ruche via Rebecca of The Pink Orange, and I'm already in looove! With their Anthropologie style minus the hefty price tags, who can resist??

Isn't that floaty, ruffly top adorable? Love the back! Ohh...and their dresses! Can you tell I gravitate towards anything ruffly and asymmetric? Hehe. It's really too bad wedding season is almost over. I really don't *need* anymore dresses.

Has anybody bought anything from here before? How's their quality?

Happy Birthday, Cinthia!

InStyle Cover Girl: Courtney Cox

As I was checking out at the grocery store yesterday, I saw Courtney Cox on the cover of InStyle. I never gave her a second look before, but I was amazed by how gorgeous she is. She has aged beautifully. Can you believe she's 46?! I wouldn't have thought she was over 35!

[via InStyle]

YSL New Rive Gauche Bag

Mmm...so pretty! Don't like the price tag though. Can you say, YIKES?!

YSL New Rive Gauche Medium Flap Bag
[via InStyle Magazine]

Here, Piggy, Piggy, Piggy...

I found the cutest owl bank from Urban Outfitters the other day. How cute is that? It comes in torquoise, yellow, and white. It would be perfect as decor for an owl themed party or just in a bedroom. [Just saw this cutie patootie owl themed 1st birthday party yesterday on The Sweetest Occasion.]
Then as I was flipping through a magazine, this adorable piggy bank duo caught my eye. Not only are they cute, but they were created to serve as a philanthropic purpose. "Piggy helps teach kids about charitable giving, with the hopes of inspiring new generations of caring, sharing, philanthropic citizens." Click on their links to learn more about Piggy and Materious, a Chicago-based design studio.

Fomato Cards

This Fomato card epitomizes my shopping excursions to Target. I rarely ever leave there without spending $100...even if I only planned on picking up a couple items! Target is the best, and this card is AWESOME!

[via simple + pretty]

Currently Working on...

Here are a couple more designs I created for Sue & Mike that were not chosen... (Once again, I modified their information.)





Once the invitations are sent out, I'll be posting the final invitation set with the RSVP and map. Can't wait to see the set all print out!

Currently Searching for...Crossbody Bags

I've been looking for a small, casual crossbody bag as a replacement for one that I had. It came in handy in the warmer months when I had to walk the dog or go to the park, and had nowhere to put treats, toys, and poop bags. It's a nice alternative to a shoulder bag for those casual strolls around the neighborhood. Often times, the husband and I like to walk to the nearby restaurants with friends for a bite to eat or to shop. My current clutch just doesn't fit all my essentials: chap stick, iPhone, cards, house key and money. Here are a few that I've found... (My friend has the LeSportsac bag. It's compact, yet surprisingly roomy.)


LeSportsac Kasey

Dooney & Bourke Letter Carrier

Dooney & Bourke E/W Triple Zip

Dooney & Bourke Nylon Crossbody Pouchette

Kate Spade Thomas Nylon Mini Crossbody