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The first day of spring has finally arrived!! Spring and summer are ultimately my favorite months, hands down. I am able to emerge like a bear who has been in hibernation for five months, able to finally feel the sun on my face. Somehow every year, it always surprises me when the birds finally come out to sing. To realize how silent winter has been and having to adjust my ears to the noise as it sounds like a bird convention outside my door. The crocuses follow the birds with their dabs of color throughout people's barren lawns. The "peepers" in the pond follow the birds with their songs at night. I can now finally smell the salt from the ocean. The new grass emerges, soft and sweet ready for cutting. It is finally time for my ladies to bloom, fragrant white lilacs and pink peonies, just in time for Mother's Day. As Mr. Rip says, (he lovingly cares for the Island),"Spring is a 100 shades of green."
This past weekend was the Annual Fundraiser for the Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut at Ocean Beach. It was such an enchanted evening, where designers came from across the state to decorate the ballroom in the theme of a fairy tale of their choice. The room was filled with an incredible energy, and the creativity that came to life on the tables just blew us away. As you entered the ballroom ladies were transformed with sparkles, jeweled crowns and boas, everything a little girl dreams of playing with growing up. And in the corner of the room was a photo booth, supplied by Photobooth Planet, that was filled throughout the night. This is such a great addition to any event, especially at your wedding. The pictures come out instantly and are personalized with the date and your logo or monogram. We had way too much fun getting our picture taken in the booth! So for a night, we got to get dressed up, cocktail and mingle with guests, raise money for children and live in our own little fairy tale world. 
True & Wesson's Frog Prince Table at the Fairy Tale Ball(Photos by the incredible Anna Sawin)Each Guest Received a gift bag that included a frog chocolate truffle, and custom designed sugar lip balm from Jennie Fresa's makeup line. The bags were tied with a personalized tag, each one with a different quote about being kissed. 
Guests had a hand made mask at their place setting that Lucinda custom designed to make up a table of 5 princesses, 4 frogs, and one prince. The table Linen is one from the new collection at Rentals Unlimited which helped to create the illusion of water. (I am so in love with this linen, can't wait to use it on cocktail tables for a wedding on the water)
Gold Chargers sat on top of Leaf Placemats, via Grandin Road, with custom designed menus by Chocolate Creative Design.
The prince at the table had a crown of jewels to wear. 
Frog Mask, Lucinda used ping pong balls to build out the eyes, these masks were truly amazing.
In the center of the table we created a pond, that glowed softly in the center of the table; built up with a wall of 3 different kinds of moss.
Wine of the Week *
Alto Tierruca Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2008
$7.99
This wine is delightful! A great addition to my Friday wine collection and perfect for a warm spring or summer evening. With all the attention that the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs from Marlborough get, it’s easy to overlook the terrific values that can come out of Chile.
Tasting Notes: The Alto Tierruca has terrific intensity of flavor with juicy citrus, white peach and kiwi without the overtly grassy and herbal elements that sometimes come with New World Sauvignon Blanc. (via Westside Wines)
*To order this wine call or visit Country Roads (Marlborough, CT)
We have gotten so much better over the last couple of months of really paying attention to giving credit for the images used in our boards. Unfortunately with this board there are a number of images that we had in our library of images collected over the years, that we don't know where they came from. So if any of the images are yours or you know the source please let us know so we can provide the credit. We just thought it was way too pretty not to share with you all. And perfect for our fairy tale theme and first day of spring, inspired by the Little Mermaid.
1. Cake-The Cakegirls
2. Bottles-Style Me Pretty
3. Candelabra
4. Seaglass votives
5. Dress
6. Flowers image- Absolutely Beautiful Things
7. Silver shell-Geoffrey Sokol
8. Blue tinted glass, Party Rental Ltd.
9. Mermaid napkin ring- Bijoux de la Mer
10. Hors doeuvres
11. Blue tinted plate, Party Rental Ltd.
12. Candy bar, Brides.com
13. Wedding dress- Carolina Herrera
14. Watermelon drink, image from Domino Magazine, via snippet & ink
15. Present-Julie Flynn
16. Blue bottles
17. Orchid-Modern Day Design
18. Pink arrangement
19. Chairs- Michelle Rago
20. Invitation- Ceci New York
21. Pink Roses-Stylecourt
22. Place setting- Brides.com
Since the launch of TRUE event I really couldn't ever imagine not having my own company and working for someone else. There is just something so amazing about having my own business and running it exactly as I see fit and following my philosophy in business and life, never compromising my vision. But yesterday on my Facebook page I posted that I miss the 9-5 but what I really meant was this.
so sometimes this blog serves as a random collections of thoughts, an outlet for design inspiration, or just as a source of energy to communicate with the outside world. while i love having my own company, i miss the interaction of having people to talk to over your morning coffee...at my old firm, i had four other girls that i still consider great friends...we knew every aspect of each others lives (literally b/c we had been together for five yrs), we would vent when things were going wrong, we would laugh until our bellies hurt, we would drink wine together when the clock hit 5:00...i miss that part... if i was in an office this AM, i would pour a cup of coffee and then go sit on the desk of a fellow coworker and say "did you see the city last night...jay's crying looked ridiculously fake" or "i hate random white vans...they totally crept me out whenever i see them in my neighborhood" or "gosh, i hope the teachers at tay's school don't think i am a degenerate mom b/c i put a white skirt on my child before easter".... instead, i'll think those thoughts to myself...sip my reheated coffee and pray it doesn't get cold before this post ends.... (via pink wallpaper)
Last week I was invited to share in one of the most precious moments an expecting mother and father could have with my best friend Marissa and her husband Joe. The amazing Anna Sawin met us Sunday morning to do belly shots of Marissa and to capture the nursery prior to the arrival of their baby. I was just blown away by the nursery and the attention to detail that they had put into it and the color story they chose. Everything in the room is yellow, black and white, inspired by the Sadie collection from Pottery Barn Kids and True Event of course. We had such an incredible morning with Anna, you would never have known that Marissa and Joe were meeting her for the first time. She is so genuine, patient and kind, immediately putting everyone at complete ease, which is a rare talent. Anna has shared a couple of the images on her blog with many more to come. I can't wait to see the rest!
This board was inspired by the fairy tale Cinderella, but also a board we designed for one of our brides getting married on Island Farm (Elihu), Stonington, CT this coming September. It is going to be an enchanting affair! I am totally in love with the clear tent.Row 1: Pink taper table setting, source unknown; Table setting by Lisa Vorce, of Oh How Charming; Flower arrangement, Brides.com; Solid silk garland cami in light pewter, J.Crew.Row 2: Wallpaper, Jocelyn Warner; Paper flowers in tree, soucre unknown, Donna Karan Dress, Elle; Marie-Antoinette the movie.Row 3: Centerpiece, Martha Stewart; Wedding gown, Oscar de la Renta; Mount Street Sandal in Light Pink, Christian Louboutin; Petite crystal and satin headwrap in pewter, Jennifer Behr Strapless Beaded Bodice Dress, Maggie London Row 4: Clear Tent Image, via Brides.com; Slippers from Marie-Antoinette the movie; Dahlia bouquet, Hana Floral Design , image by Adeline and Grace Photography
Row 5: Table setting by Wildflower Linen, via style me pretty; Wedding cake, Cakegirls; Chandelier, via Skonahem.
In an ode to my Irish heritage, my grandfather would be oh so proud, I am toasting to all of you the Luck of the Irish and a very Happy St. Patrick's Day, with Green Bagels and Irish Beer.
A Guide to Irish Beers (via Epicurious)"Joe's Bar down the street may be serving green lager this St. Patrick's Day, but in Ireland the color of beer year-round is black—as in dry, roasty stout, the Blessed Trinity being Guinness, Murphy's, and Beamish."
Guinness Pub Draught
It might look intimidating, but this famed stout is fairly light in body, dry, and roasty. It finishes with a hint of burnt toast.
Beamish Irish Stout
Fairly full-bodied, this stout has a roasty character with a pleasing hint of smoke and gentle coffee notes.
Murphy's Irish Stout
The softest of Ireland's Big Three, this is a malty, softly chocolaty ale, without the appetizing dryness of Guinness or Beamish.
The Latest and Greatest
O'Hara's Irish Stout
Some chocolate sweetness up front is followed by a firmly malted yet dry and roasted character, then an appetizingly bitter and faintly tart finish.
The pitch-black color and complex, roasted, almost wine like aroma are the first hints that O'Hara's is bigger and bolder than most of the competition. It's dry enough for oysters, but sufficiently robust to be enjoyed with meat and cheese dishes.
Red Ale
Smithwick's Irish Ale
Lightly sweet and butterscotch on the nose, medium-bodied, and gently fruity, with a drying note of bitterness on the finish.
The color of Irish beer is not a uniform black; there's a parallel, though much less celebrated, tradition of Irish red ales, as well. Probably the best known globally is Smithwick's—pronounced "Smid-ick's"—a toasty, faintly caramel-like ale from the folks who brew Guinness, and a relatively recent arrival in the United States.
Pairing Beer and Food
Traditional Irish cuisine is rustic and especially delicious when you use quality ingredients and the right ales to complement the hearty dishes. Some of the best salmon in the world is fished off the Irish coast and gently smoked in the south. As an appetizer, it partners beautifully with a glass of cool, though not cold, dry Irish stout.
Traditional potato-based side dishes like cabbage-rich colcannon provide a fine excuse to break out a bottle or two of gently sweet, caramelly Irish red ale, especially if served alongside a roast leg of lamb.
A hearty Irish stew would benefit from the popular half-and-half mixture of ale and stout known as Black & Tan.
The first day of spring has finally arrived!! Spring and summer are ultimately my favorite months, hands down. I am able to emerge like a bear who has been in hibernation for five months, able to finally feel the sun on my face. Somehow every year, it always surprises me when the birds finally come out to sing. To realize how silent winter has been and having to adjust my ears to the noise as it sounds like a bird convention outside my door. The crocuses follow the birds with their dabs of color throughout people's barren lawns. The "peepers" in the pond follow the birds with their songs at night. I can now finally smell the salt from the ocean. The new grass emerges, soft and sweet ready for cutting. It is finally time for my ladies to bloom, fragrant white lilacs and pink peonies, just in time for Mother's Day. As Mr. Rip says, (he lovingly cares for the Island),"Spring is a 100 shades of green." 
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