The Time has Come....

Image via Anna Sawin

9-18-11

Over the past several months, my dear friend Anna Sawin

(you know..that fabulous photographer extraordinaire)

has been bugging the heck out of me...

Why you ask?

Well...she wants to either take our family portrait or at least one of me and The Monster...

Sounds great right??

Well..not exactly because honestly I'm not feeling too great these days...

In fact this is exactly what I feel like..

 So I have been making excuses after excuses to get her to stop bugging me...

Back track to this summer, Miss Sawin introduced me to another photographer extraordinaire, Miss Nicki Griffith...

We met in hopes to work together on a little project for her business.

What happened...

was purely magical...

In a mere 20 minutes we were gabbing and laughing like we had been friends our whole lives..

Nicki is one of the warmest, sincerest and funniest women I have ever met.

Her laugh is contagious and it is obvious when you meet her why she is such a great photographer..

She makes you feel comfortable and special..

That is a true gift..

Over the past month, Nicki has been putting her gifts to use while helping out a dear friend.

She wrote a post about it on her blog yesterday..

So before you read anymore of my post..

READ HERE!!!

Did you read it? 

I did...

I cried..

I emailed Anna Sawin, who just so happened to have the last image taken of The Monster and I, which was exactly a year ago..

I pulled up my big girl britches and am now challenging my dear friend, Anna Sawin to bring it on...

There may be a few layers of spanx...

but...

It is important...

To quote the lovely Miss Nicki...

"it is important to capture those moments..

to roll around in the grass with your kids..

because you can" 

Huge hugs to Nicki, Michele and to that wonderful pain in the neck..

Anna Sawin.

Chocolate Therapy #101

Created by Jereek Jason O. Espiritu

Tuesday Typeface...N is for Novogratz.....

Image via The Novogratz

I LOVE me some Novogratz... 

I lOVE their style, their banter, their ability to break the rules and of course their gorgeous brood...

Luckily for us, they have teamed up with CB2 to design a little line of home goods..

If only The Monster was a baby...I would definitely scoop up this 

A to Z rug for his room..

 

a little glitter to start your week.....

 Did you hear??? Starting October 9th,us Americans will be able to shop online at

Zara Home!!

Yippee!!

Just in time as the weather turns to add a little glitter to our lives while we sit by the fire...

Orna Blanket

Seo Blanket

Angel Cushion  

Mint Cushion Cover

Steele Leather Cushion

Happy Weekend!!!

Image found via Ruffled Blog

Photography: Jaclyn Davis

Floral: Lemon Blossom Designs

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

It's been a slow moving week in my neck of the woods as I have been battling a very persistent and rather annoying cold.
Being sick as you get older definitely is a drag...
BUT...
Thankfully the weather has been super deliciously delightful today...and Saturday seems to be the last HURRAH before we get a serious cold snap and things start to feel a little bit more like Fall.

Isn't that floral arrangement above to die for??
Thumbs up for Lemon Blossom Designs!!

Today when the Monster gets off the bus...
We shall be cutting away in our garden for the last of our blooms before the potential frost hits..
This way we can bring the last of Summer into our home as we sit snuggled up by the fire..

Be Safe, Pick some Dahlias and Have a Great Weekend!!!!

A little Spring in my step....


French's Point, Maine Wedding of Spring and Silas - "Summer Nights" from meg simone on Vimeo.

Early this week, I received an amazing little gift in my email box.

Meg Simone, filmmaker extraordinaire, sent me a link to the film she shot for Spring and Sila's wedding for whom I had the great pleasure of creating their wedding paper. 

As a paper designer, many of us get lost in the mix. So the fact that the Lovely Miss Simone was generous to not only let me preview the film but ask my permission to use the artwork that I had created... 
purely warmed my heart and soul. 

Being able to watch Spring and Sila's wedding weekend was absolutely magical for me. Working and collaborating on their pieces for a year to finally being able to see their big day was BEYOND inspiring. To hear their story, meet their parents and see the love in their faces was a true gift.

In fact...it was so inspiring that I dug out and dusted off our wedding tapes to watch. Yes..you read that right...wedding tapes..
Thankfully the Tall One had found a VCR for us to watch them.

I'm not going to lie...
I cried..
I cried so much that there was no more tissue in the house..
Why all this sobbing you ask?
Well..so much has changed in the 11 years that we have been married..
Friendships that have come and gone..
People that have come and gone..
My waist that has come and gone...
It was All too overwhelmingly beautiful.

Back when we had gotten married...
videographers were just that...videographers...
clunky cameras with lights
I wanted none of that..
I was hoping my brother would dust off the old super 8 and film it
but guess what...
He, my sister-in-law and 2 year old niece were all in our wedding party..
so that wasn't exactly going to work...

So instead our AMAZING Aunt Wendy filmed the ENTIRE weekend...
When I say ENTIRE...I mean she absolutely and positively didn't put that camera down...
and being the social butterfly that she is..I was undeniably touched by her committment and it was truly THE best wedding gift EVER!!

So when The Monster came home that day..
I had a little surprise for him..

He has spent 9 years of his life watching other Island Brides and Grooms get married...
He has seen countless kisses and gowns...
But to actually see his parents stroll through the hay fields..
Boy was that ever magical...
So many wonderful questions.. 
So much pride and joy in his eyes..
A realization of how special that day was and without it..
He wouldn't be here..
To look at his parents and feel lucky that we both were still together and sitting by his side..

Priceless...

So all you Brides and Grooms out there..
listen to an old married lady...
GET YOUR WEDDING FILMED!!
There are so many amazing filmmakers out there..
What are you waiting for? 
It is worth EVERY penny...

So thank you Miss Simone for inspiring me to dust off those tapes..
Thank you for your gracious professionalism and kindness..

Thank you Spring and Silas for including me in your AMAZING and thoughtful wedding..
What a wonderful family you have and I hope that you too will be sitting down with your little Monsters and sharing with them the best of all days...

Chocolate Therapy #100

Image found via weheartit