a bridal shower for BUNNY!

i'm a girl who LOVES to throw a party!  although the party prep will end up driving me crazy because i stress out about all the details, that doesn't stop me.  A dear girlfriend of mine is tying the knot in a few weeks and i was honored to throw her a very intimate bridal shower reflective of her very intimate wedding coming up.


my Bunny Girl is a sass-machine....she has a fabulous collection of vintage clothing and loves Rock Steady and Soul and I knew i wanted her shower to reflect her vintage and feminine style.  Since i like to make my invites when possible, i searched for the perfect image to set the tone.

this vintage Vogue pattern from the 60's was beyond perfect!

invites ready! who doesn't love a sparkle when they open their mail?!

i'm a big fan of people leaving with "something"....left over food, a cupcake or three, etc...and when it's the guest of honor, I for sure want them taking something floral back to remember the  night.  I love using vases like the ones below (from IKEA) because they are simple and won't break the bank.

too simple for the Bunny Bride though...!  I took vintage, white lace and wrapped each vase (doubles as hiding the weedy stems of the flowers i knew i would use as well) and then finished each one with a pastel, girly bow.  I stuck with the pastel palette of greens, pinks, yellows and blues from my inspiration photo.

Bunnified!

favors

the morning of blooms....i love taking a single, solid color bloom and packing it into a vase.  Its fresh, cute and modern!

home printed menus are an easy and fun way to add an air of importance to your event

carrying the color theme throughout as much as possible

mixing vintage glasses with new 

even Nick got into it with a few purple poms

soundtrack: Ritorna-Me by Dean Martin....this is what I walked down the aisle to - how about you? xoxo

vignettes de casa holiday huff via the CANON 2ti

The happiest of New Years to you!!

I took a super grande hiatus from blogging over the holiday – it was pretty much the bees knees to be able to take a week off to decompress and TCB around the house.  We had an eye surgery scheduled for our little 4.5 pound Chihuahua, “Lu Lu”, that kept us home for the holidays which turned out to be the best decision this year. 

My husband and I spent the last few months really researching what type of “big kid” camera we were going to purchase as part of a household gift for the end of the year.  We decided on the Canon 2ti for a few reasons:

1. I’m a Mac girl and therefore have always been a Canon girl – they are like peas & carrots together.
2. two amazing artists/photographers/filmmakers/etc. friends of ours said we couldn’t go wrong with this camera....that we could go ten years without replacing it.  SOLD.

You can’t really put a price tag on memories and this camera paid for itself in the first two days.

Vignettes are a favorite interior experience of mine.  I think it has to do with my love of calm and constructed composition.  I like it when a “frame” makes sense.  After getting the 2ti I spent a morning framing and capturing favorite frames of my home “waking up” to a beautiful post-Christmas sunrise, and I thought I would share a few of my photos here…I hope you find something inspiring in them.

sunrise in SF

the tiniest paws

my hub via circus banner painting by Johnny Meah

collection of pups found in thrift/antique stores + garage sales

thats "Nick" above the mantle FYI

shadow box by me

i adore a vanity with sparkly things....

"Ballistic Rose" by the late Tobias Wong

Mirror Ball Pendant by Tom Dixon

love me some gerbers 

 fancy ladies

i'm amazed (and grateful)  that no one ever painted over the original veneer doors.

bringing the carnation back...me and Nucky Thompson.

art by Tanner Goldbeck and J.Shea9

J.Shea9

my two favorites

can't get cuter.

Soundtrack: Uprising by Bob Marley……of course.

obsessed with Mark Cunningham's nyc HOME IN THE SKY....

if you have been to my casa then you have probably thought to yourself..."good lord, those two sure do like to hold onto their magazines....wth?"  'tis true.  my hub and i love our glossy monthly tangible mini-books of inspiration.  although i am now at a point of actually RIPPING my Domino collection (gasp!) apart and organizing it per appropriate inspired image...we still seem to accumulate several, small colorful mountains of mags in our home.  what are you getting at, janel?!  well, this all being said, it is VERY rare that i have a mag hang out on my nightstand for longer than a few weeks.....i try to make it a point to change it out....but I have held onto the October issue of Elle Decor for the simple reason below.  I am obsessed with the apartment that Mark Cunningham did for model Hana Soukupova and paper distributer (not your Dwight Schrute) husband  Drew Aaron.  i can't get it off my nightstand because i keep picking it up and looking at the interiors.  I think what i love so much is not only the harmonious color palette and flow from room to room of blue-grays, Hermes orange, charcoal, navy, glossy white, etc. but is the mix of traditional architecture and modern/vintage furniture....mixing new fabrics and textures with custom upholstery and unique vintage pieces and lighting.  the super lacquer painted ceilings are luxe and fresh - perfect for this hip and handsome young couple.  all this genius interior work creates the perfect backdrop to their INSANE collection of drool-worthy art including; jean -michel basquiat, warhol, david lachapelle, donald sultan, damien hirst and numerous others....including scuplture by isamu noguchi....seriously?? AND she's a model?? i know.....right?


on a side note, my office was so inspired by the michel boyer multi-level coffee table in the living room that we actually stalked and presented one to a client that we were fortunate enough to install in their home.  a true gem of furniture that is not seen often in print or in person.  


without any narrative, please find below this beautiful home shot by William Abranowicz with interior design by Mark Cunningham and architecture by Michael Gilmore.

living room.....michel boyer coffee table

living room

entry with andre sornay credenza....swoon...

media room

library

cute couple, right?!

dressing room cuteness...

master

master sitting

soundtrack for this visual stunner:

"pictures of you"....by the cure, of course.

...inspired by Miu Miu for my HOLIDAY table...(in case you missed my guest blog on Stylish Bird)!

For my holiday table this year I am inspired by Miu Miu’s Fall/Winter 2010 ad campaign.  Miu Miu is always forward thinking with their mix of materials, patterns, textures and colors.  always fabulous – always with a surprise thrown in.

1. concise + clear shapes: simple white dishes from cb2
2. unexpected texture: birch plywood trees.  I am loving everything from Lovi right now – a Finnish design company that creates “visually sophisticated and enchanting three-dimensional objects based on a patented joint system”…via DesignStory – where they have an awful good deal going on right now with all things Lovi. I would start off with several of their 13” high birch plywood Christmas Trees loading up the center of the tables.
3. cool color: all light green Miniballs by Lovi would decorate the trees. They look like little felt origami jems and remind me of those great lavender wool pockets above.
4. nod to the past: Rosenthal TAC 02 stemware by Walter Gropius
5. animal-life: Miu Miu used the swallow heavily on their Spring shoe line and I would place these cuties (again, Lovi) on every plate with a handmade place card.
6. sculpture: loads of candlelight with these candlesticks from IKEA.
7. graphic power: these cotton and linen placemats and napkins by Dwell Studio give just the right grounding power and fun element…reminiscent of the cutouts in the Miu Miu dresses.
8. hardware: the knifeforkspoon flatware set by Jasper Morrison for Alessi is elegant but edgy. 
9. one more pop of color: taper candles from Sur La Table.

 

of course, you need some tunes - my three favorite holiday albums: