A Beautiful 1st Birthday Party

Check out this beautifully elegant 1st birthday party. They went all out for their baby girl with the silver chivari chairs, lush floral centerpieces, and beautiful venue. This would've been perfect for a small wedding! As Candice Olsen (from HGTV's Divine Design) would say, "how divine."
My husband & I are off to Korea for the next 2 weeks. I'll update w/ lots of pictures when I return. I'm hoping to find some of that lovely Japanese tape there and stock up on ultra fine point pens and cute stationery. What we're most looking forward to is the FOOD! My husband hasn't been back since he moved to the States 18 years ago (whoa!) Signing out til next month!

A bag + a tag

I was tagged by Jen of Craftiness Now to show off the contents of my bag. So here goes...

1. Handbag — Lately, I've been carrying around my yellow The Sak shoulder bag.
2. Water bottle — I've always gotta have a water bottle. When Sigg had that BPA recall last year, I traded in my cute bottle for this not-so-cute one. :(
3. Ralph Lauren outlet makeup bag
4. Banana Republic Wallet — it has 2 snap pocket compartments in the front for cards. They make it so easy to get my cards out.
5 & 6. Tissue and hand wipes: 2 must-haves
7. iPhone — I switched to a smartphone last year. I don't think I can ever go back to a regular phone. It's soooo convenient!
8. Prescriptives compact
9. Advil for my many headaches
10. Hand cream — I have a new found love for Eucerin and Aquaphor (not shown). They're so moisturizing!
11. Lip balm — Target petroleum jelly for my lip balm addiction. Seriously cannot live without some sort of lip balm.
12. Tide pen for those annoying stains
13. Lorac Gloss Stick in Berry. I can't find this at Sephora anymore! I was so happy when I discovered this gloss a few years ago. It looks and works like a chap stick, but with a hint of color. Lip glosses are usually sticky. The Lorac gloss stick is very moisturizing. I'm so glad I bought a 2nd stick just in case cuz I think it's discontinued.

To continue the fun, I tag Truly Smitten, The Good Life for Less, Christine Han Photography, Shim + Sons.

Spring was in the air...

Most of last week was gloriously sunny and warm. I really wanted to enjoy the warming temps and eat outside. So a couple nights ago, I bought some flowers, took our outdoor furniture out of hibernation, and grilled some steaks for some friends. Unfortunately, once the sun disappeared, it was too chilly to eat outside. But soon it'll be warm enough though... if only this stubborn snow will go away already!

A Sneak Peek...

Here is a sneak peek of the robot-themed birthday invitation I designed for my friend, Kate. Her baby boy is turning 1 next month! I'm about to drop these off in the mail. But before I do, I just had to take some pictures of them. It's, thankfully, the perfect day for picture taking. The sun is out, (it was actually burning my back!) and it's 60 degrees! Is it really only March?? You could've fooled me today! Off to the post office I go...

For your stylin' pup

Um...how cute are these Mascot doggie collars? Love the bone shaped buckle.
via Duet Letterpress

Colorfully Fun Kate Spade

I really like the playfulness of Kate Spade's latest catalog. It's so bright and colorful. It makes me smile. =) ** Don't forget to set your clocks forward tonight! **
I completely missed this tape installation video on the Kate Spade site. Just saw it on Truly Smitten. They decorated the space with rolls and rolls of pink and yellow TAPE. Talk about creative!

Etsy Finds: Whimsical Bouts & Fascinators

Peppermint Cloud has some über fun boutonnieres and hair accessories (aka fascinators) with cute names for them...like "Everybody Loves Creamsicle" and "All Tied Up I Surrender." They can even work with your color scheme! Add a touch of whimsy to your wedding with some stripes, polka dots, and feathers. *sigh* I wish these were around when I got married!

I get excited when the JCrew catalog comes in the mail. It's fun to see the colors they put together (they're usually not something I'd think of.) Often times, their lucky models get to go to distant and exotic locations for their photoshoots. Last month, they went to Lisbon, Portugal. I really like the geometric pattern of that pavement. Just beautiful.
I can live in flats everyday. They're comfy and stylish. What's not to like? I'm crushing on the orange/gray pair at the bottom. They also have that pattern in shorts and a scarf. Yum! Studs, a few years ago, would've reminded me of tattoos and bikers. But, nowadays, on a thin belt or a few on a top look chic. And of course, I've gotta add a few ruffly shirts. What can I say? I like embellishments! [click to see larger image]I can't believe it's March already. Spring is in the air! Well, it's felt like it for the past couple of days with sunny skies and temps in the upper 30s (woot!) But knowing Chicago, we are bound to get some more snow well into the spring. Seeing all these spring clothes in the stores is such a tease. I'm so tempted to buy them.