Tuesdays are for Mood Boards....Summer or Fall?

As we are leaving August behind and entering into September, the East Coast is at an oppressive 90 degrees with the possibility of a hurricane named Earl who seems to be quickly making his way up the coast. The heat doesn't affect me much as I am by no means a Fall and Winter girl..Give me the Spring and Summer any day! Yet I have found that it can be extremely tough on the September bride and groom. Technically it's not Fall till the 21st of September, so what's a couple to do? I say marry the colors of the Fall and Summer palettes and you will be golden. For instance, by taking a summer hue such as Robin's Egg Blue and mixing it with a Rust Orange from Fall, you will have a combination that is both airy and rich. By mixing textures such as a Rust Orange Satin and a Robin's Egg Velvet you have brought it just one step further.

I can't think of anything more luxurious than soft hued velvets and satins.

Now for that pesky hurricane....

Jewelry Box: Country Living, Velvet Dress: Softspoken, Necklace: Anthropologie, Vintage Image:

Votive:Anthropologie, Dining Room:Centsationalgirl, Vintage Dress:Deargoldenvintage, Curtains: CocoCozy

Velvet Flowers: weheartit, Orange Dessert:GoingtotheChapel, Print:FFFFOUND, Vintage Plate:Quatrefleurs, Clutch: ao3designs

Satin Flats: Sundance, Velvet Pumpkins: weheartit, Vintage Purse:Vintagous, Velvet Ribbon:Silkfabric,

Escort Cards: Martha Stewart, Velvet Pillow: Urban Outfitters, Shoes:The Knot, Paisley Tie: The Knot

Board created and designed by Chocolate Creative Design

LSW

Pencils are for learning...

Backpacks are packed, new shoes are tied and yellow buses are filled to the brim as today marks the first day of school for many kids across the country. Last night the Monster and I filled his pencil case with brand new erasers, a pencil sharpener and 7 hand sharpened pencils. It's funny how obsolete pencils seem these days...Until I found these fabulous new ones on Etsy. Created by Paper Pastries, these Know-It-All Pencils contain just the right information to get you through the school day.

How can anyone resist the packaging!!

Thank you Paper Pastries for bringing back the elusive pencil!

LSW

Monday Typefaces...Apples & Back to School...

Apple alphabet by Ana Benaroya

Don't forget an apple for your teacher on the first day of school!

LSW

Friday Wine Tasting... Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2009

Wine of the Week
Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2009
$10.00


This week I can't help but feature a Rose that I recently discovered, featured in Food & Wine, as we go into the last weekend of August. Where did the summer go?! I started the season drinking Rose and think I will continue to enjoy it as we begin to go into the fall. Anything to hold on to summer! This is a real bargain and one you will definitely want to try!

We have a big weekend of events this weekend in Greenwich at the Round Hill Club. Can't wait to share with you all of the fabulous details from Adrien & Elizabeth's wedding! Happy Friday!

What the Experts are saying...

Wine Curmudgeon - The Mulderbosch has always been one of my favorites, and this year it's even more interesting. Would that all South African wines were this well done. This year's vintage is bone dry, with a mineral finish and just enough berry fruitiness. It's very well made and should get better over the next 10 or 12 months.

Bowties..That make you smile...

Uncle Tiege wearing a bow tie at my wedding 2001

Image by Jinsey Dauk

Recently when I was helping Miss True set up for Miss Abby Shaughnessy's wedding at the Ocean House in Watch Hill, R.I., I couldn't help but notice that some of the male staffers were wearing bow ties..I found myself smiling as it was quite unexpected. My experience with bow ties has always been with my mother's side of the family, especially my Uncle Tiege, always dapper and always very Cary Grantish...

Ironically I just came across an amazing duo that has been hand-making bow ties....But not just any bow tie....

Bow ties that have a story...

The duo behind Something's Hiding in Here, Shauna Alterio and Stephen Loidolt, have just embarked into the world of the bow tie. Forage is the name and can be found at The Curiosity Shoppe (One of my favorites!). Grab them up quick as many of them are limited editions!! Inspired by three of their favorites Mid-Century artists, Louis Kahn, Charles Eames and Le Corbusier, each of these scrumptious bow ties are hand made and hand packaged from two very very talented artists.

Words cannot even begin to describe how amazing this couple is....Last September, I was the luckiest girl in the world as I was able to collaborate on a project with them. Hopefully next year I will be able to share the amaziness of it with you but for right now its been quite hush hush (Honestly it's been killing me).

I learned so much from working with them...They are seriously the most creative couple I have EVER met. Not only are they the craziest out of the box thinkers and doers but they have a certain light inside them that makes even the crankiest individual melt into a puddle of happiness...

The branding is so dreamy...I love the little F on the back of each tie..

The packaging is beyond genius...I can't believe they hand printed all the cards themselves and then decided to hand tie little bow ties onto them....I am speechless...Seriously..speechless..

I love that they have been inspired by these creative geniuses...3 different styles of bow ties after three very very talented men..Personally...I think it's because...

Stephen looks so dashing in his..

Now if only my tall drink of water could pull it off...We just might have to try..

Actually, I might just have to purchase one so I can just look at it and smile..

Congratulations Shauna & Stephen..you never cease to amaze and inspire me..

All images by Something's Hiding in Here

LSW

TRUE & WESSON Philosophy # 83

Image found via vi.sualize.us

LSW

Custom Pillows....No carving required...

This is an absolute MUST!

Designed by Cozy Blue on Etsy

LSW

Charleston Crepe Company

Image by Chocolate Creative Design

I am in love with chocolate...but I know that must be obvious to many of you. What you don't know is that I am also in love with crepes. My favorite...crepes with bananas and maple syrup. I married a pancake and waffle man so unfortunately they don't seem to make it into our kitchen that often..I was so obsessed with crepes at one time that Auntie Meg (as the Monster lovingly calls her) gave me a real crepe pan and it sadly has been sitting

in my pantry for the past 18-20 years...

But I have been inspired to take that pan, dust it off and introduce crepes to the Monster.

Where did this inspiration come from you ask?

Well, I have been following a fabulous little company over the past few years, The Charleston Crepe Company, and have watched it grow from a simple crepe stand to an unbelievably successful business. The irony...It is owned by my college roommate, Rachel Osborne Byrne and her husband Jack.

While I was tooting away in Florence, Italy, Rachel was living in Belgium and falling in love with her now husband Jack. So while living in the crepe motherland, Rachel and Jack picked up a thing or two about making crepes. Thus moving back to Charleston, SC (a place where I dream and hope to retire to) Charleston Crepe Company was born. Years later, they have added Holy City Chocolate (YUM!) that has the most amazing toffees and Hot Chocolate and a delectable dessert for all you brides...The Tiered Crepe Cake!

Rachel and Jack Byrne

This Tiered Crepe Cake is perfect for all of you out-of-the-box brides!!

So you don't live in Charleston? No worries..They deliver ANYWHERE!

Check out their recent press as they made their debut in the most recent issue of Brides Magazine!!

So next year marks our 10th wedding anniversary and I believe there might be a renewing of the vows..I absolutely now know what I shall be serving for dessert..Can you guess which one?

Of course..the chocolate tiered crepe cake!!

But what stand shall I put this beautiful confection on?

This amazing hand made ceramic cake stand by Whitney Smith!!

Rachel, Sabu and Me

1990

As I watch people cringe as they say they are turning the big 4-0, I have realized that I am having the time of my life...

I get to watch all my friends find love, start a family and finally find passion for what they love to do.

So a huge congrats to my old roomie Rachel and her husband Jack for being an inspiration to us all..Because if you stick to it and believe..the possibilities are endless!!

Rach..We've come a long way from creosoting miles of cow fencing, Hardees Biscuits N' Gravy and boxed brownies..

Cheers my dear!

I can't wait to see what the next 20 years shall bring!!

LSW

Monday Typefaces...For the Birds...

Bird Alphabet created by Andrea Kalfas

LSW

A Buzz Media Company production... Karyn & Paul

Every time I meet with a new client I am asked about videography and whether or not I think it is worth the money. And I always have the same response, absolutely!! Pictures tell the story of the day through hundreds of images but video brings the emotion of the day, energy in the room, hidden moments that might have been missed, to life.

Recently I had the chance to work with the oh so fabulous Mike Cyr of Buzz Media Company on Karyn & Paul's wedding at Saltwater Farm, and yesterday the video arrived in my inbox. What a treat! This video answers the question of "Should I have videography at my wedding?" better than I can ever express in words. So if you are still debating, take a look at this video.

Karyn + Paul from Buzz Media Company on Vimeo.

Dueling Designers...Part Quatre

Well those crazy designers are at it again and this time the insanely talented Miss Amy Graver of Elements Design, presented me with Pantone 165C for a camping themed board. Little did she know..I had just returned from the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont for a full week of campfires, wool blankets, canoeing and dipping my toes into the cool lake. I definitely surprised her as I whipped out my board in a day...Needless to say, I still had Lake on the brain...

Check out Miss Graver's post on her blog Hello Elements!

Elements Design

row one :: dining al fresco; off to the lake sign; s'more cupcakes

row two :: take a hike poster; campfire badge; hanging oil lantern; boy's orange flannel shirt; Smokey the Bear vintage poster; field flowers in mason jar

row three :: tent in the woods; coleman steel cooler; canoe dockside; twig crayons;"Wherever Adventure Takes Us ..."

Chocolate Creative Design

Hammock Image:, Vintage Thermos: Betty's Kitschen, Camper Invite:Modern Classic Kids, Hallway Image: Country Living

Tent Print:Gretchen Mist, Boots:, Vintage Canteen: Projecteur,

Wool blanket image: Country Living, Vintage Chair: Etsy, Tree Print: Old School Stationers, Camping Fabric:Little Swede Heart,

Vintage table: Rerunz Vintage Shop, Marshmallow image: Instructables, Canoe image: Country Living ,Camper image: Flickr, Tea Towel: Leanne Graeff,

Boards created and designed by Elements Design and Chocolate Creative Design

LSW

Interior Design Project... Area Rugs Continues

Well after ordering a total of now 5 different rugs for our living room we are still left without one. I think we have spent as much money sending them back as it would have cost to purchase the more expensive one I wanted from the beginning that is now back ordered until December. UGH! This process has been so frustrating. So today I decided to pick the project back up again and was super excited to see that West Elm had some new choices. I sure hope this will be the one. Can you guess which one I picked?!

The ones that caught my eye...

A Sparkle a Day keeps the Doctor Away.....

I am convinced that a sparkle a day keeps the doctor away. I promised I would show you the fruits of Miss O's labor and now I am delivering. Since I found out this past spring that I would need reading glasses, she and I concocted a plan for her to make me my very own eyeglass chain...So it couldn't be more fitting than to have it made on my birthday.

So we headed over to You've Got To Be Beading in Mystic, CT for a day filled with sparkle, creativity, pink and spending quality time with a person you love.

Miss O in front of You've Got To Be Beading! in Mystic CT.

Little did we know how many choices there would be...

I fell in love with these apothecary jars filled with teeny tiny seed beads!

These 1.5 " beads are made from cotton and are light as a feather!!

How could anyone decide....

Vintage glass and silver bowls are filled to the brim!!!

So I picked 3 different colors and types of seed beads which Miss O quickly started to combine...

How decadent and girly to work under a glass chandelier!!

The first beads are on.....many more to go!!

Miss O had to bead almost 3 feet in length!! She always seems to inspire me!

As a treat, she picked out some beads to make her very own eyeglass chain and we thought the color matched her lips perfectly!!

Tada!! I think she needs to start her own Etsy shop!!!

Thank you Miss O for an amazing day and a gift that I will cherish always and forever!

A huge thanks to Katie at You've Got to Be Beading..your warm smile and patience absolutely made our day!!

All Images by Chocolate Creative Design

I couldn't help but mention an spectacular giveaway by Sparkle and Hay and Sparkle and Metal!!

I am madly in love with the Natasha necklace created by Sparkle and Metal...

Hop on over to Sparkle and Hay for a chance to win one!!

Hurry Hurry as the contest ends this Friday August 20th!!

LSW

TRUE & WESSON Philosophy # 82

Image found via imgfave

LSW

Tuesdays are for Mood Boards.....Lace and Zinnias

Images by Chocolate Creative Design

Over the years I have been strategically trying to plant the perfect cutting garden. Trust me when I say I have tried everything. The winner in this love/hate relationship seems to come out to the Zinnia. They can take quite a beating, magically produce more flowers when you cut them and last from early summer throughout the fall.

I am convinced that if the world came to an end in Stonington, CT that 4 things would survive...

Mice, Japanese Beetles, Chipmunks and Zinnias.

Now that we are nearing the end of summer, I see a garden filled with Zinnias and fields draped with Queen Anne's Lace. They seem to have been forgotten in the world of weddings but I was so happy to see them back in The Grace Ormonde Shoot that we did last week!

I also have had lace and gardens on the brain since I have 2 clients (a wedding invitation suite and a logo) that I have incorporated both of these elements..

I guess you will all just have to wait and see...Soon I promise!!

Vintage Lace Dress: Cornhl, Zinnia image: Gardening Gone Wild, Lace gloves image: Going to the Chapel, Vintage Lace Jacket: Timeless Vixen Vintage, Cake: Going to the Chapel

Fruit Ice Cream: Mary Ruffle, Lace Skirt: Anthropologie, Plum Popsicles: Country Living, Candlestick, Anthropologie, Pillow: Anthropologie

Platter: Anthropologie, Hat: Anthropologie, Earrings: Anthropologie,Dress: Anthropologie, Rug: Anthropologie

Earrings, Anthropologie, Lace Votive: Sunday Suppers, Lace Dress Image: Going to the Chapel, Zinnia Plate: Zinnia Design tc, Zinnia Invitation: Up Up

Plates, Flowers, Lace Bowl: Isabelle Abramson, Zinnias: Mahanandi

Board created and designed by Chocolate Creative Design

LSW