Fashion Friday: Bachelorette Weekend

This weekend, I am going to Florida with some of my girlfriends for my Bachelorette Weekend and I could not be more excited.  I can't believe that tomorrow marks the 8 week mar, time is flying!  If money were no object, here is what I would be packing for the weekend.

See you Monday!

bach weekend by naellend featuring platform wedge heels

beach by naellend featuring summer handbags

Cherry Blossom Fever

I was not expecting for spring to be so pretty (or to have come so fast!) here.  All of the streets are lined with varying shades of pink and white cherry blossom trees, its so beautiful and unfortunately only lasts a brief period- a lot of them have already begun to lose their flowers.  I was expecting to have to go to DC to see all of the cherry blossom trees, but there are beautiful ones here in Baltimore.  And, the USPS is coming out with some beautiful cherry blossom stamps that I can't wait to use on all of my thank you note envelopes.  So in honor of my love of cherry blossom trees, here is my inspiration board for a cherry blossom tea party

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image: invitation, envelope, stamp

cupcake, photo, table, drinks, silver tea, food, candy table, flowers

Pebbled Floors in Bathrooms

This past weekend, I was flipping through my new House Beautiful when I stumbled across this bathroom designed by Barrie Benson.  She had done the "bathroom of the month" and she was talking about how great the pebble floor in the shower feels on the feet.  Now added to my list of must-haves for my dream bathroom is a pebbled floor. 

image via La Dolce Vita Blog

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via House Beautiful

Fashion Friday

I keep seeing scalloped edges everywhere, will you be wearing this trend this spring?

Madewell Dress

Kate Spade Dress

Tory Burch Tunic

J Crew Shirt

Kate Spade Blouse

Kate Spade Top

J Crew Skirt

Chloe Wedges

Chloe Flats

House Hunters International

Seamus and I have very different taste when it comes to television.  I'm more the barefoot contessa, gossip girl, damages kind of girl and he likes swamp people, pawn stars, and top gear (british ed. not the american one) so picking out a tv show that we can watch together can sometimes be, well, a challenge.  Luckily there is House Hunters International.  Seamus and I were watching it the other month and they were doing an episode on a couple with two children and they were wanting to relocate to Morocco for the wife's job.  Originally they wanted to buy a traditional riad, but decided they would rather build (he is an architect).  I remember watching this couple and thinking the were so cool, well-educated, and well traveled and the wife was beautiful and the husband was quite handsome.  See clip below.

Fast forward to yesterday when I received my new Elle Decor in the mail and they had done an article about the couple's (who ended up being human rights specialist Maryam Montague and the very talented Chris Redecke) completed home in Morocco.  They said it took them four years to get the permits, to find workers and to build the house- I don't know if I would ever have that kind of patience.  While the house is not exactly my taste, I do appreciate the couples eclectic style. What do you think?

images via Elle Decor

House Update: Dining Room

I think one of the biggest issues for renters, including me, is that you want to nest, but it isn't your forever home.  For instance, in our house, the half bath is the room that needs the most work, I wish I could cover up the blue paint with gorgeous wallpaper from Scalamandre and replace the sink with something like this.  That's the struggle that I aways have and probably will continue to have until we own: wanting to nest and have my house look just right vs. wasting money on a house that I don't own.   Sensing this, my mom and step dad came to the rescue (I know, I know-I have an unfair advantage because she is an awesome designer).  She told me that they had a beautiful light fixture from Circa lighting left over from a house that she was doing; she didn't need it and she thought it would give the dining room a face lift.  And the best part?? Seamus and my step dad put it up themselves!  I was so proud

Before:

The floors are pretty and the paint is neutral but the window treatment and the lighting could use an update

After:

I still can't believe that Seamus and my step-dad installed this.  I didn't even get a picture of it, that's how quickly they put it up.

The light fixture she gave me is the Six Light Square Tube Chandelier designed by Sandy Chapman for Circa.  Its so beautiful and practical; when we move I can imagine using it in many different spaces.  

The chairs are by Design Masters are upholstered in this fabric by Thomas Paul.

Vase is by Crate & Barrel

There are still some things that I am working on (window treatment, prints for the walls, armoire for china, etc) but I think we have come a pretty long way since June!

Other images of the Chandelier:

Images via Circa Lighting Blog

Wedding Update

I'm back!  Every weekend for the past six weeks I have either been out of town or we have had house guests.  We have enjoyed spending so much time with friends and family recently but it did not leave much time for blogging.  I thought it might be time for a wedding update.  Seamus and I just got back from New Orleans- we flew there for a couples shower that some of our wedding party threw for us.  We had such a blast and we were so impressed with how amazing the party was!  Two days later, and people are still calling/texting/emailing me to tell me what a great time they had.  As you can imagine being 1,100 miles away from our friends and family can be hard at times, so this party was much needed.  The party lasted two hours and I don't think Seamus nor I stopped talking, drinking, laughing and smiling the whole time:)

So here is a recap of the party.   

First off, the invitation from Scriptiva paper: 

My MOH, Laura, remembered these cards that I bought from Rock Paper Scissors: 

So she thought it would be a great idea to continue the tandem bike theme.  I loved the invites!

They threw the party at Hopper's Carte des Vins an adorable wine shop that just opened on Magazine Street.  I was so busy talking that I did not get a lot of pictures of the food or the store.

Seamus, me, John, Mike and his wife Leslie

Mother of the Bride and Maid of Honor

Seamus' dad, my mom, his mom, Seamus, me and his sister Megan 

I can't believe the girls made this cake!

My sister-in-law Eleanor, my brother Ryan, Seamus, me, Dr. Whelton, Mrs. Whelton, Megan, my step-mom Kim, and my Dad, Albert

This is my friend, Alfred Vichot's parents.  Al is one of our really great friends and he was there the night that we met.  His parents, Alfredo and Dagmar, are so kind, energetic and funny.  They are from Cuba - they can do some serious Salsa dancing!- and my mom had such a great time talking with them.  

More party guests: Stephen, Addison, Cassie and Rowen

The girls came up with this really funny game, Laura asked us questions beforehand and at the party she told everyone the question and the answer.  If you thought i said it, you held up pink lips and if you thought Seamus said it, you held up the silver mustache.  My favorite question?

Laura said, "The question is what temperature do you do your laundry? a. hot/cold b. warm/cold or c. cold/cold?  This person answered, D I don't do my laundry anymore!!"  And of course everyone in unison held up the silver mustache :)

Some of the bridesmaids/hosts

Amanda, Megan, Tracy, me, Laura, Ashley and Eleanor

Seamus' parents and his sister were so cute- they didn't want Seamus to feel left out amidst gifts from Williams Sonoma and the silver store so they gave him a bottle of Scotch :)

We received a bunch of amazing gifts but this one in particular was very clever.  Ashley and Laura came to visit me in Baltimore two weekends ago.  I brought them to my favorite store, TROHV.  Ashley claimed to have purchased something for her mom, but it was actually for us- a set of bar glasses with bicycles on them!

image: http://www.etsy.com/listing/69415355/4-bike-rocks-glasses-orange-bicycle

In keeping with the bike theme, we gave the hosts and hostesses frames with a funny picture of the host and either me or Seamus.  I went to TROHV the other day and found this wrapping paper: 

wrapping paper sold here: http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Bikes-Wrapping-Paper/3106.001/464851.html

Thank you so much to Laura, Eleanor, Ryan, Amanda, Michael, Tracy, Ashley, Larissa (sorry you could not make it!), Alfred and Megan.  We had such a wonderful time and we are so lucky to have you in our lives.  Thank you all for being a part of our wedding and we are looking forward to the "BIG DAY"