Happy Weekend!!!

Image by Chocolate Creative Design

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

What a wonderfully fulfilling week it has been!!

The Monster started school mid-week...

Brand new teacher, cool new friends and FINALLY the BMOC!

(ok..as a Mom..it was hard and I still haven't gotten it through my thick skull that this is his LAST and FINAL year of 

Elementary School..

Honestly..where did the time go?)

This is THE absolute best time of year here in MY neck of the woods..

Tourists have gone home

Beaches are empty

The weather is to DIE for

No sports practices

and

the best yet..

NO homework...

So... 

WE are taking full advantage and continuing our Summer in full Wesson fashion!!

Late afternoon beach trips, homemade ice cream and lobster rolls...

As If it couldn't get ANY better..

This weekend, we will be in full swing at the Island

for our Labor Day festivities!

(just a mere 150 cousins)

Kick the Can, Hail Over, Pass the Shoe, Sardines, and Baseball are high on the list...

Then

the infamous Island 

French 75

(only 2 allowed as they will knock your socks off!!)

followed by

Smores, Hot Dogs and Hamburgers...

Seaweed Corn...

Silliness..

and last but not least..

chocolate cake...

Be Safe, No Laboring and Have a Great Weekend!!!!

all images by chocolate creative design

Chocolate Therapy #95

 Poster by Tom Chalky at Society6

Go get em Monster...

Tuesday Typeface........Back to School.....

That fabulous team over at The Land of Nod always seems to rock it out of the park when it comes to designing their catalogs.

The artwork, the layout and the products just make me ooh and ahh..

Even though the Monster may be too big for their Yeti for Bed sheet set, I will forever remain a fan.

Soo...when I got their Fall catalog, I fell in LOVE with their Letter Collection. 

Check it out here.. 

(pg.91)

Just in case those wee ones seem to forget their ABC's and 123's over the Summer..

They have the perfect "crib sheet" Lunch bag...

Don't they just think of everything?

a little glitter to start the week....

For my sweet little L.A. Frenchies heading back to school......

Gap's Paris Graphic T

Happy Weekend!!!!

Image by Margaret Durow

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

The word on the street is that since the first day of school begins next week, that this is officially the last weekend of Summer.

Well folks..I couldn't disagree more....

Until that bell chimes midnight on Friday September 21st,

I will be soaking up All that is good and summery!!

Be Safe, Put Your Toes in the Warm Sand and Have a Great Weekend!!!

5 creatives, 2 magazines and 1 book........

Image via Sannah Kvist

Over the years...

I have been very very open and honest about one of my addictions..

magazines...

There is even a post dedicated just to that subject.

So when it really comes down to
MY idea of the perfect vacation
these are just a few of my favorite things..

1. a caffeinated beverage
2. a comfy seat
3. some cheese & bread
and
4. being able to read an entire magazine cover to cover.

Sooo.
When we headed to the Green Mountains this summer..
The first thing I did was...
make a snack consisting of bread & Vermont cheddar.
Barista my own scrumptious glass of iced coffee,
carefully line up the stack of magazines in order of preference
 and then...

Image by chocolate creative design

carefully plop myself down in this wonderfully well-loved sunny orange chair
so that the reading may finally commence!!!

I began with the September issue of

House Beautiful

What I found was actually sitting right in front of me on that gorgeous cover.

 It was none other than my friend Karen Connell's artwork!!

I have known Karen for a very long time as her husband Tuey grew up with the Tall One and his amazing band played at our wedding. 

I have been in utter awe of her work and it has been in many many magazines over the years and I only hope that one day I may win the lottery and own one of her gorgeous pieces!!

Needless to say, I jumped for joy when I was able to spy a Karen Connell piece in my beloved magazine! 

on a side note...

This is what this creative couple have been up to...

Besides creating amazing works of art, Karen started the website

A Child Grows in Brooklyn which as become THE go-to site for NYC parents!!

Tuey, who still is my favorite crooner, now owns Carmel, which is an entertainment agency based in Chicago..so any brides or coordinators out there...

hop skip and jump over to his site if you are looking for THE perfect band!!

With a smile on my face and now having read through a magazine from cover to cover, I broke for some sandwich making and then quickly picked up my September issue of 

Country Living

 

Well..

they they were...my absolute favorite coolest creative couple EVER..

Shauna Alterio and Stephen Loidolt

I know I know..I am a complete stalker when it comes to them...but they are soo worth it!!

They teamed up with Country Living and Barbara Kurgan to create the Home Office for the 

Country Living House of the Year 2012

 

On a side note...

Besides being the most creative dynamic duo out there..

Shauna & Stephen own Something's Hiding in Here, Forage and the newly fabulous Seed House Stationers.

Their gorgeous work can also be seen on BHLDN

Well...

after I went through my truck load of magazines..

it was time to finally pick up a book...

I was lucky enough to finish Girl Gone by Gillian Flynn..

(which was fabulously disturbing BUT I highly don't recommend reading this on a deserted Island when you have no one else to chat about it!)

So the switch was made from magazine to books and when I got back from the trip it just so happened that on my birthday MY dearest of friends, the insanely talented Amy Graver was having a signing at R.J. Julia for her and Ben Jura's new book, Grids & Layouts!

Hip Hip Hooray Amy Graver!!!

I tell you...the above word "insanely talented" for Amy Graver is clearly an understatement...
I mean the woman runs one of the leading Graphic Design firms in Connecticut, raises 2 small children and a husband, runs in marathons, writes a book, bakes cookies and now has a new Etsy Shop called The Goods Shop...

I have always wondered if she EVEN sleeps...

maybe like a beautiful pink flamingo standing on one leg with one eye open..

but the best part of Amy Graver...

 is that she is one of the most amazing, loyal and supportive friends a girl could ask for..

So go buy her book....

So there you have it ladies and gentleman..

a vacation spent with 5 creatives, 2 magazines and a book..

Best vacation EVER!!

Hoots & Hollas.....

Image by White Loft Studio

Sometimes...

just sometimes..

when the stars are correctly aligned...

the "Geeky Artist" becomes besties(yes I actually just wrote that) with the "Cool Girl".

Luckily for this "Geeky Artist"..
I just so happen to know a "Cool Girl"

and the Lovely Miss Sarah Crawford of Lil Hoot is perfectly just that..

"Cool"

I mean it...the girl is "Cool".

Really really Cool!

She wears Cool clothes

She has a Cool handsome husband

She has a pair of super deliciously Cool twin girls

She has Cool dogs (although one is very very very naughty)

She lives in a Cool house

She has THE Coolest sense of style

and she has the Coolest of Friends!!

Over the years, my secret plan has been to try to stand as close to her as possible so that some of her glittery coolness may just float my way..

Strange yes..

but it's worth a shot.. 

So of course when she mentioned that her cousin Ashly was getting married and if I could create all her paper loveliness..

I jumped, cantored and stampeded at the chance...

Being the "Cool Girl" that she is...

only SHE could make a mermaid bridal shower look 

fantastically, outrageously GORGEOUS!

It is a true testament to the AMAZINGNESS that is Sarah Crawford that ALL the wedding vendors for Ashly & Scott's wedding

jumped on board to help this FABULOUS shower come to fruition!!

And let me tell you...

this is one group of talented women that I feel extremely lucky to be a part of their posse!!

 So it all began with a lovely mermaid...

That sat on the sea wall of her mother's HOME...

Which MAGICALLY turned into a illustration...

that became an INVITATION Suite...

 which brought the most STUNNING of brides...

 and the MOST important of friends, family and sparkly princesses... 

 to a glittery confection of a PARTY!

 Where one could SIP champagne...

smell the GORGEOUS flowers...

 nibble on some DECADENT desserts..

take HOME a mermaid...

and cast a LOVE spell.....

See..
I told you she was "Cool"!!

Seriously...
only Mrs. Cool would get this fabulous soiree posted not on just one blog but two...
Check it out friends..

Classic Bride

&

 Wedding Chicks

To my dearest friend...
YOU truly have the Midas touch as everything you do...
turns to gold!!

Holla!!

event styling: lil hoot
photography: white loft studio
invitation/paper goods/styling: chocolate creative design
flowers: petal floral design
macaroons: c.crowell confections
cookies: sugar on top
holla sign: oh dier
mermaids sign:  by the seashore decor
linens: la tavola
fondant peony: sugar and stripes co.

All images by White Loft Studio & Illustration by Chocolate Creative Design

Island LOVE.....

Julie Morawski, Jasmine Balgobin, and Ryan Lamb for Carla Ten Eyck Photography

I have had one of the most wonderful summers EVER due to the fact that I was able to stick to my guns and make sure that I carved out ME and family time. Luckily what started out as a dream became a reality!

In that wonderful time, I have had the delight in watching some of my MOST creative friends get the cheers that they so deserve...

 

So..In the next couple of days....

I will be bringing out my old pom-poms and cheering from the sidelines for this talented quintet of friends.

Just as I was being whisked away via airplane, The loveliest of lovelies, 

Miss Adrienne O'Connor of Ruffles & Tweed, 

got a seriously wonderful shout out at Style Me Pretty for a wedding she coordinated and designed at Island Farm this past May.

I was lucky enough to be on site assisting Miss Adrienne so that I was able to see this gorgeous couple and their wedding weekend unfold into something purely magical.

Now I am going to keep this simple and sweet as I am saving all sorts of jibber jabber for the Peacocks & Oxen blog, which will definitely be starting up again right before Fall wedding season.

 

BUT

I can tell you this much..

That yes their last name is actually LOVE.

Yes, they are actually one of the most gorgeous couples ever seen in real life & on film.

Yes, they had probably one the hardest working and talented group of vendors in the universe.

Yes, there was actually a pig roasting on a spit for at least 10 hours on the Island

Yes, there was a popcorn machine AND a photobooth sitting right under the tent.

 

It was a delight to spend an entire weekend with Leah & Jeff AND I have to say... their families were equally delicious.

 Now

People always ask me..

"What was your favorite part or detail of the wedding?"

This my friends was without a doubt...

the most gorgeous, cute as a button, perfectly impish grinned and Chuck T wearing ring bearer I have EVER seen..

Julie Morawski, Jasmine Balgobin, and Ryan Lamb for Carla Ten Eyck Photography

 

Ok..I know I am biased when it comes to devilish little boys...

but seriously folks..

Can he be any cuter??

 

So head on over to Style Me Pretty to catch a glimpse of the Loves and their amazing wedding day...

 

Vendors: 

Design & coordination: Adrienne O'Conner- Ruffles & Tweed

Photography: Julie Morawski, Jasmine Balgobin, and Ryan Lamb for Carla Ten Eyck Photography

Flowers: Sayles Livingston

Catering: B & M Catering Company

Music: Livewire Entertainment

Paper: Bride and family

Photobooth: Geoff Gordon, Photobooth Planet

Rentals: Rentals Unlimited & B & M Catering Company

Tent: Sperry Tent

Toilet: Country Portables

Chocolate Therapy #94

Poster via Kenise Kate on Etsy

Tuesday Typeface....Papercraft...

Seriously LOVING this Papercraft Alphabet created by Markus Fischer!

Best part....He has templates HERE so that you can make your own!

a little glitter to start the week....

HELLO Jacquard Tweed Editor Ankle Pant from Express...
I think I LOVE you...

Happy Weekend!!!!

 Image via Chocolate Creative Design

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

WOW...it has been one absolutely fabulous week..

In fact.. the week has really been like a weekend!!

On our way back from the Green Mountains last Sunday, we dropped

off the Monster at his Grandparents house to spend a week with them, his Aunt and his 3 cousins.

For him, A week long vacation playing baseball, swimming in a pool, Lego camp and just plain horsing around with the boys.

For me, a week long vacation not being a Mom, having a clean house, spending time with friends, spending time with the Tall One and not making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

This was the first time EVER in 9 years that he and I have spent this much time apart.
I know that every Mom out there truly understands when I say that we dream of this moment each and every day is purely an understatement!

But guess what...
I want him back.
I miss his face.
I miss his singing.
I miss his Solid Gold dancing.
I miss his crazy skipping.
I miss his Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom dioramas all over our yard.
I miss his giant flip flops, underwear, shorts and shirt strewn in a pile by the door in Houdini-esque fashion
I miss his footsteps in the hallway upstairs.
I miss those long legs contorted in any which way on the couch.
I miss his hugs.
I miss him telling me a thousand times a day that he loves me.

Tomorrow is the day that I get to be a Mom again and scoop him up (with great difficulty) and shower him with butterfly kisses.

I guess I have learned that it's definitely a necessity to take a vacation from life..
but 
it's just as important to realize how good the life you have is!

Love you Little Monster!!

Stay Safe, Take a Vacation and Have a Great Weekend!!

And one to grow on....

 Image via Lawrence Schiller

When one hits a certain age..

birthdays take on a whole new meaning..

No more pin the tail on the donkey, goodie bags, party hats

and the occasional pony..

For me...

 the best kind of birthday has these key ingredients...

Wearing a fabulously sparkly necklace and some orange toes...

 Getting a surprise visit from a dear dear friend

(especially if they battled an overrun cesspool and took 3 ferries to get to you)

(LOVE you Egg!)

 Having the Tall-One boil up some delicious lobsters...

 Creating a feast for the senses all by candlelight while sipping Proseco out of delicate Anthropologie glasses

Hoards of chocolate cake all the while being sing-sung by the Monster & 3 Cousins via phone!

Finally... 

a new sparkly clutch

and

about a zillion of the most wonderful birthday wishes via Facebook, Text and Email!

I am certainly one LUCKY lady!!

all images via chocolate creative design