The Colorful Living Project

Alexa Chung

2012-02-16T09:14:00.000-08:00

I like Alexa Chung's style... she has a classic, modest chic look that appreciate. Don't you think so?

Be Mine

2012-02-14T15:11:00.000-08:00

2012-02-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

Andrei D. Robu

My Kind of Valentine Candy, Cards & Flowers

2012-02-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

Have you ever splurged on something completely random? This is not my usual tendency, especially when it comes to online treats, but one day I was reading a blog about Big Picture Farms Goat's milk caramels.... and I COULDN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD. So I ordered a pack on a whim. And preceded to eat the entire box in two days (in my car). that was having self control and I didn't share!

So if I could re-do the traditional Valentines gift, this is what it would look like! Please, please dear boyfriends, stop getting girls overpriced, long stemmed roses with baby's breath for Valentines day! There are so many other beautiful, affordable options!

And I'd prefer a home made card too... I just love to look at anything Rifle Paper co.

Hey Baby!

2012-02-09T19:04:00.000-08:00

Cupcake Topper DIY

2012-02-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

I love these Cute Cupcake Toppers by Fiskers. You can make these yourself using their tutorial!

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

2012-02-06T04:26:00.000-08:00

This recipe was made completely on the fly with the mood of experimentation driving. Meaning, I made this up.

I started this recipe by sautéing cubed butternut squash in coconut oil and a little bit of onion. I didn't have chicken stock so I added coconut milk instead. I sprinkled curry, and some dry herbs (sage, basil, thyme...) a splash of soy sauce and let simmer until the squash was soft. I pureed the soup in a blender pouring a little cream in with the mixture, put back in the pot and splashed with chardonnay, salt, curry powder and water. I let this cook a little and garnished with a stir of greek yogurt, apples, shaved pecorino cheese and dusted curry.

The only thing that would have made this better was a little bit of stock and some bacon on top. next time!

Messy Days

2012-02-02T01:44:00.000-08:00

Some days are just messy. Messy hair, random clothes, dump everything out, color, play, destroy... and it's ok. And yes, I still have Christmas and New Years drawings and snowflakes on the wall. It's the play room... and sometimes we just play and nothing else. (oh except blog and work on the computer during naps)

Rouge

2012-02-01T07:08:00.000-08:00

Shoes! 5th/58th, Asos Scarf, Mystery

Wedding Feature

2012-01-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

Photography news! Yesterday was a great photography day. I woke up to see a feature on 100 layer cake of the Cowboy Mountain Wedding I photographed not to long ago, which always makes me feel great! So exciting! (and that cake photo is from a cute little Sprinkles Bakes.) And I have a lot of exciting new travel locations for weddings this year! I really love my job(s).

Kale Chips

2012-01-30T05:42:00.000-08:00

Good Day to you, projecteers! Here's a healthy snack you can make!

Baked Kale Chips... so good, so easy.

+ Preheat oven to 350F

Ingredients:

Kale

Sea Salt

Olive Oil

+Spread pan with parchment paper (for easy clean-up)

+Take the leaves off the stalk of the Kale plant and tear them to a rough, large "chip" size.

+Toss kale in olive oil

+ spread oiled leaves on paper-lined pan

+sprinkle with sea salt

+ bake for 15-20 minutes

Every oven is different... so I have learned that I tend to overcook things. So DO NOT overcook! You want to pull them out when they are still green and little chewy and crisp. They will crisp up when pulled out... but if you wait for them to be really crisp- they'll quickly taste burned... You might even want to do a small batch first to see how it goes before cooking all of it. (Below is my burned Kale)

What a great snack! I'm so excited to add this to things to make regularly. (even babybel ate them!)

WARNING DO NOT BURN.

BURNED!!!!!

Let's go out!

2012-01-27T07:14:00.000-08:00

photo by John Day

Is it time for picnics yet?

Design Find: iphone love

2012-01-26T08:32:00.000-08:00

I have been on the HUNT for a cute iphone case for a while... and now my only problem has been choosing my favorite! Society 6 is a design house for some of the coolest designers that now feature their work on everything from iphones, ipads, computer cases, decals, skins, prints etc... If you are looking for a cute skin for your electronic you HAVE to check them out. They have so many cute things! You can look up these designers by style.

And that mint green: "You is Smart" design featured above was created by my friend David Stanfield. You can see more for sale here: Cool Stuff.

Can you guess which one I ended up with? I'll take a picture and show you when it arrives! It was a VERY close call.

Things I want to eat! Curry Fries

2012-01-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

Recipe here: Curry Fries, Joy the Baker

Insta-life

2012-01-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

1. vegetable scramble over arugala. 2. rum soaked brownie & latte 3. giveaway letters 4. isabeans 5. business meeting game face.

2012-01-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

Recently I found some cute clothes at Madewell during their after Christmas sale, so I thought I'd make a little board of some of their new looks I'm into. I am loving the bright colors that have finally entered into fashion. (Although I'm pretty sure we're a little behind in this) I am such a sucker for bags too, always have been. I love this leather one!

2012-01-23T12:36:00.000-08:00

April & May Studio Photo

I'm updating my site design... so it will look crazy for a moment! Here's a cool studio for inspiration!

Apple Carrot Ginger Muffins

2012-01-23T06:19:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite breakfast items is a good glorious morning muffin. So I thought I'd combine a delicious combo of gingerbread and morning glory items and came up with a new spicy muffin. You could use any gingerbread recipe... but I cut corners and used a gingerbread mix from trader joes and then added:

Shredded Carrots
Pecans
Apples
Shredded Zuccini
Coconut

It was very moist and a wee bit heavy- so I am going to try again to make the batter a little lighter. But the bright ginger flavor was a great punch to the recipe!

Charleston

2012-01-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

Pretty even in the winter.

My husband's side of the family lives down South in Charleston... and I have to say I daydream often about getting a little flat downtown and opening up a shop there. We visit there maybe 6 times a year (sometimes I do more because of all the Charleston weddings I photograph). I was on an architectural adventure when I took these photos... I had little baby carriage and husband following me around downtown while I snapped away... Can't wait for Spring! My first wedding of my season is at the beach. But I promise I won't get ahead of myself... I'm still here, enjoying the bud of winter, and the quieter side of life.

Snow Drift Music Mix (free gifts for everyone)

2012-01-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas isn't the only time for giving! If you were around this summer, you experienced the music creation Blake & Dan created: a sizzling summer soundtrack for all of you to enjoy. AND now that it's winter... they're at it again! I still listen to my summer mix, so I am so excited to have a new winter one to share with you.

Check out the details below. It's a great day for winter music and it's all yours for free!

How this project came to be...

What:

Winter music mix collaboration between filmmaker H. Blake Edwards (@hbedward) and graphic designer Dan Romanoski (@DanIsMoney)

Process:

We had fun collaborating on a mix we did together this past summer, so we went for it again this winter using the same process. We flip a coin to see who handles the first half of the mix and who handles the second. Dan won the toss and chose the first 7 songs and designed the “Snow” portion of the cover art while I (Blake) chose the last 7 songs and designed the “Drift” portion of the cover art. We chose our songs and designed our pieces completely independent of one another and then brought everything together this week to see what we had created and to share with everyone. I thought we came up with something really fun and winter-centric. The most pleasant surprise was how we both ended up incorporating diamonds in the center of our cover art halves. Not planned Such a cool design coincidence. Really tied the cover art together.

Dan: I'm not a huge fan of winter. It's cold. My knuckles dry out and bleed, so it hurts. But when I picked out these songs I was in the Bahamas with my family on a Christmas cruise, enjoying the sun and 80 degree temps. My song selection was heavily influenced by that mish-mosh of things.

Blake: I'm not the biggest fan of Winter. To me, the cold weather and leafless trees in Winter represent a process of death and sleep that makes room for the new and different of Spring. It's not the most comfortable process, but is often necessary to bring about change. And you always appreciate Spring more after bitter cold that makes your fingers and toes hurt. My collection of songs follows that process. The last push of Fall, reflection on everything that made the past year what it was, the hard process of dying to self, and the hope of new life that Spring will bring out of that process.

click the link below for directions to your new free winter music mix. Enjoy!

SNOW DRIFT MUSIC MIX

Cocoa Waffles Improv

2012-01-16T06:45:00.000-08:00

I was having a waffle and chocolate craving at the same time. So I improvised, and this is what I came up with.

Cocoa Waffle
1: Make waffle batter, add generous amounts of cocoa powder and cinnamon.
2: Cook waffles (in waffle maker)

Sauce
Mix Maple syrup, Nutella & Cinnamon
Garnish with fruit (raspberries)

It really helps to have the fruit to add a sour dimension to the rich sweet chocolate flavor. So good, I'm sure to do it again!

Breakfast at Tiffany's

2012-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

Gingercake, quiche, conversation and play til you drop. I like this kind of "play-date." This was breakfast at Tiffany's. literally ;) With friends and babies.

Color Block decor idea

2012-01-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

Alexandra Angle

Isn't this a genius idea? Don't have a headboard, or only have room for a small bed... paint a colorblock on the wall for some added color. I love it!

Zara for baby girl

2012-01-11T09:09:00.001-08:00

Zara for baby boy

2012-01-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Zara on sale

2012-01-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite clothing stores is Zara. My first memory of this place was when I lived in Mexico, I had a friend that was obsessed with this store, and I have loved it ever since. They are having a HUGE online sale right now, so I selected a few of my favorite sale items to share.... and their baby stuff...... tomorrow.

Healthy Thai Lettuce Wraps

2012-01-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Day! The weather has been so strangely wonderful. (besides today's rain)

One of my goals this year is to make delicious, healthy food. I mean, I can do some damage in the kitchen with a few sticks of butter and a jar of heavy cream, but I'm on a fitness campaign so I'm pushing myself to cook better.

Sometimes when I'm cooking dinner, I get stuck with the same recipes. So the last year or so I've been thinking, "what do I love to eat in restaurants?" and then I go home and try to recreate it. The only problem, is I love international food the most. Thai, Vietnamese, Indian etc... which can be a little more difficult to navigate.

I had a cooking lesson in Malaysia when I was 18, and I've wanted to brush up on my Asian skills so I started with the basics of things my family likes, Pad Thai, Panang Curry, noodle dishes etc... but I'm taking it to a whole new level. I can't wait to work on some new recipes.

All to say, one of my favorite Thai things to eat is Mee Krob. So I studied a few recipes and created a healthy version with no fried noodles. Instead I added shredded broccoli and carrot on the top for crunch and I didn't even miss the fried noodle!

It's nice to take a trip to the Asian Market to get some authentic ingredients, I photographed the sauces above so you could see which ones I like. I'm sure most grocery stores sell these though.

You are going to see how easy and delicious this is! I'm serious. As you can see above even my little girl loved them sans lettuce. She also loved to eat handfuls of chili sauce. And since we photograph things outside, a lot of other things ended up in her mouth as I was feverishly photographing and styling.

You could eat this for dinner, paired with brown rice, and again for lunch as a salad. AND for those with extra spice in their blood don't forget about the Sriracha.

Enjoy!

lean ground turkey
water chestnuts (diced)
Hearts of Romaine Lettuce (fresh and crispy)
fresh ginger
garlic (optional) - I can't eat a lot of garlic, so I opted not
shredded broccoli & carrot (julienne)

low sodium soy sauce
tempura dipping sauce
teriyaki sauce
sweet asian chili sauce

Directions:
Start with a little oil and cut ginger in a skillet on high for a few minutes. Add the lean ground turkey in skillet with a little bit of oil. Add low sodium soy sauce, splash of teriyaki sauce and tempura sauce as the turkey is cooking. Add diced water chestnuts. Make sure the meat ends up crumbled and not in large masses.

Assemble washed Romaine leaves, trimming bottom ends.

Spoon Ground Turkey mixture in lettuce leaf, garnish with shredded carrots and broccoli, drizzle with sweet chili sauce and tempura dipping sauce.

The sweet chili and tempura dipping sauce are deliciously "necessary" for every individual cup! You can also chop up the lettuce and mix everything in as a salad if you don't like assembling and holding the cups. (but it's so great that way)

Enjoy!

A little relationship advice...

2012-01-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

by piccsy: me-we

Style Advice from IIona Royce Smithkin

2012-01-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

from Advanced Style.

I love this lady, and she has some great advice about need & want (for those with shopping addictions) ;)

Cowboy Wedding

2012-01-03T04:46:00.000-08:00

It's 2012 and I'm finally getting back into the swing of life! Which means weddings are beginning to be on my mind again. Check out one of my favorite mountain weddings! You can see the full post here:

You HAVE to see it, there's teepees and dancing and cowboys!

Mountain Wedding

AND you'll see this wedding again somewhere else soon!!! eeeee!

2012

2012-01-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

Etsy Print by The Big Harumph

New Year's Inspiration!

2011-12-29T13:41:00.000-08:00

images collected from: cupcakes & cashmere abbytrysagain print clubmonaco shoes confetti system anthro glitter shoes, glitter

Christmas Day

2011-12-28T13:58:00.000-08:00

My Christmas was filled with Seafood Chowder, brothers, beards, delicious food, children, crafts, horses and stories. My favorite kind of time. Here's just a few snippets, I didn't feel like taking many photos this year... I was too busy sneaking away to whisk through The Hunger Games:). I already miss my family and wish my sister-in-law was always around. ( I NEED MORE SISTERS, if you'd like to be adopted by me as a sister, let me know)

P.S. A few more days to leave your name for an Izze treat to be mailed to you!

Old-fashioned Christmas

2011-12-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

What is it about old-fashioned things that make me want to live in a different world? I want to be that little girl in the red dress with spilling blonde curls and singing Christmas carols. Sometimes I wonder if what appeals to me in the idea of "old-fashioned" is the non-technology of my grandparents. Writing letters, spending time with your family for a sense of enjoyment, going outside... having a conversation without someone pulling their i-phone out and texting or having the temptation to do the same... I guess what I'm trying to say is that somewhere in my heart- I miss the idea of relationship. Of every day conversation, no tv blaring, no computer screen beaming, Just tactile friendship and communion...

Merry Christmas... may we get better at relationship as our technology increases!

Izze

2011-12-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

photographed by: me

IZZE's Make Your Wedding Moment Sparkle Contest from IZZE on Vimeo.

I am so happy to announce new partner, Izze sparkling drinks! Remember this craft I did using Izze bottles? Well it has been a Pinterest hit, so Izze sent me some great products to test out, photograph and get crafty again! I can't wait to get started. But that's not all...

If you've never tried Izze before or you are a big fan and would like to taste some new products, you can submit your name in the comments below and 4 of you will get to try some new flavors for free!

If you don't know who sells this refreshing drink you can type in your zipcode and Find Izze.

Also, if you happen to be getting married, Izze is doing a Wedding Sparkle contest... check out the video to enter!

So if you'd like to try some new Izze flavors or would like the opportunity to get your favorite flavor... tell me in the comments and I'm happy to send 4 of you some stuff... :) to make your new year sparkle!

Cheers!

Happy Birthday.

2011-12-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

unknown source

Today is my birthday. I have officially graduated. I am no longer a wandering 20's. I know what I want, and I'm going to get it. at least that's how i imagine us powerful 30 year olds to think.

I have had mixed feelings about saying goodbye to 20s, in fact it was way harder than saying goodbye to teens ;). I don't feel 30, I never felt 29, in fact most the time when talking to youngsters, I feel like they are older than me and I've been carded to see a rated R movie, and they won't let me taste wine at Trader Joes without an id... so I guess I have never really felt old. But alas, I have to recognize the number has changed so I've got some stepping up to do.

I have a lot of thoughts about 30 that I will share soon. But for now I'll tell you about my day, my lovely birthday.

I have had some hard birthdays in the past. Not because of anyone, or anything, (well there were a few a-holes that broke up with me on my birthday) but according to facebook who's laughing now? ;) just me and my birthday issues.

But this year, I did it all different. I scheduled a day for myself. I thought about what I'd like to do, and I made it happen. This is what I did... (with the cooperation of my sweet husband who took Isabel with him to work ;)

I have a pretty fierce cold with snot bubbles and coughing, but by golly I'm not 20 anymore, the 20 year old me would cry and feel unloved by God that I was not feeling good on my special day, but not this year... I'm 30, and I chose to look at the small hardship as a challenge instead of a breakdown, I was determined to make this day count.

I woke up and stared outside the window into the trees and thanked God for life, and thanked God for my mother who gave me life, and I marinated in the thankfulness of what it means to simply exist. Then I rolled out of bed and went to a massage appointment I booked... (and drooled and snotted during the whole thing) I promise you this isn't normal, but today... I decided I didn't care.

I came home, showered, took my time getting dressed and straightening my hair and got in the car.

I went to Dean & Deluca, and got my favorite sandwich (that I've been eating for 15 years!!!) i started working there when I was 16, with the addition of birthday bacon and a sweet tea. I sat down with my list/journal book and I wrote things that came to me and wrote goals and asked my self who I wanted to be in year 30 and what I wanted to do, and how I was going to do it.

I took a walk. I walked to my favorite paper store, browsed the items I was going to buy for my business, but then decided, nope- no work, only play today.

I went to the mall. I went in every store I wanted to. I stayed in Anthropologie for hours, calculating and trying on clothes, only to return the clothes I bought last week, purchase some bowls for my kitchen and make $53.00. that's a success in my world.

I shopped until my red, watery eyes were tired and my last tissue had been sneezed upon, and came home to my husband giving my daughter a piggy-back ride, listening to her squeal with delight, ate a cheese stick, a cupcake and a glass of sparkling juice.............

and it was perfect.

Girls Mountain Trip Part 2 (via iphone)

2011-12-12T06:13:00.000-08:00

Would any trip be complete without a tattoo? ;) Lauren got the most beautiful set of arrows wrapping around her arm. I still remain a blank canvas.... but her tattoo seriously is one of my favorites I've ever seen, very elegant and simple.

Sunday. pancakes.

2011-12-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

This is what I was doing last weekend... making breakfast with my girls....

have you ever thought about how really a lot of breakfast food is like eating dessert as soon as you wake up? ;)

Girls Mountain Trip

2011-12-07T12:35:00.000-08:00

Recently I went on an impromptu girls mountain trip near Asheville. I almost didn't go (for a million reasons) but I am SOOO glad I did! I am finding more and more experiences are worth every penny. I can't think of a single trip I regret! But I can think of a lot of random things I have purchased that I regret! :)

It was such a wonderful time, but it wasn't close to being long enough. What more do you need on a girl's weekend: fire, hot tub, shopping, chocolate lounge (twice) coffee, good food, laughter, cookies, a midnight birthday party, mountain walks, baby snuggles with Tillie... and my dearest friend Kristina surprised us from Florida!

And no spontaneous trip would be complete without a tattoo ;) up next...

Details

2011-12-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

Wedding Details... more on my site: Anna Naphtali Photography

Lately...

2011-12-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

flea market treasure

Isabel leaves those little orange and strawberry girls everywhere, and I think they are so cute! They smell like fruit too! Something about little miniature toys in my baby's fist makes me so happy inside.

Cherry Blossoms

2011-12-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all. Do you remember the pretty family that joined us for Thanksgiving? Well, I just found this video of Andy and his oldest daughter Savannah singing together and it's the sweetest thing ever. And this song couldn't have found me on a better day. Enjoy!

and don't forget to check out all Andy's music on i-tunes or follow him on twitter for more info! @andysquyres

Snickerdoodle Cookies

2011-11-30T06:22:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I think about cookies. I'm not really into cookies that much but my favorites are good old fashioned chocolate chip and sometimes snickerdoodle cookies. The other night I had a dream about snickerdoodle cookies, so I woke up the next day, modified a recipe and made my own rendition of the delicious treat. The key is to not overbake so they are nice and chewy.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Coating:
white sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg

Heat oven to 425 F
Mix dry ingredients
melt butter and wisk eggs, cooled butter and extracts together
stir in wet ingredients

Mix coating in bowl

make small 1 1/2 inch balls of dough and roll into coating mixture
put on greased baking sheet
flatten slightly with fork (for lines)
Bake 7-10 minutes, making sure you watch to make sure they are a little under-done when you pull them out!

Enjoy!

A Mountain Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T14:39:00.000-08:00

the girls.

doesn't my husband's haircut look nice? (i cut it, don't look close)

uncle John in the kitchen (always)

stomping

feeding the horses

the twins

I have a pretty huge extended family. We had 40 people at our Thanksgiving and that wasn't even half of them! We also had sweet family friends join as well, (you can't miss them- the beautiful ginger family seen above) I loved this Thanksgiving. Food, children, horses, fresh air, relaxing, walking... it was so wonderful. Here are some shots of mostly the kids and a quick family photo portrait session for a few of my cousins, and of course lots of my little Isabel.

This year we had a buttermilk herb turkey & a brown sugar, garlic brined turkey. I made a stilton-cranberry, apple, roasted walnut salad (with homemade dressing) as seen above.

My grandparents The Bizzells live on the top of a mountain called, Apple Hill.. with rolling apple orchards, a lodge, a few cabins, a guest house and lots of dogs, horses and deer hanging around. I like to pretend I live on a farm when I'm there... I can't wait to go back for Christmas and this time my brothers and more cousins will be there! I really love my grandparents, they are the most special in the world, I am so thankful for my bright, colorful family this year!

Thankful, Pretty Things

2011-11-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving.
There is so much to be thankful for...
Here's a few for me.

1. My little family.
2. My job(s).
3. New inspiration.
4. My little treasure girl.
5. My little creative corner.
6. New prospects.
7. Health.
8. Sweet friends.
9. Beauty all around me.
10. Time...

and YOU!

We're going on a mountain adventure, so I'm sure I'll have some great photos soon! Thanks for coming over to this blog and finding my world worth your time!

Paint

2011-11-18T05:48:00.000-08:00

painting author unknown

I saw this painting and LOVED the texture and creases, cuts and dimension of color and it reminded me of long ago... when I used to be a painter. In my college apartment, I stayed up through the nights painting miniature squares on the same canvas. Then, I began classes in the design school. Some of my favorite moments were waking up on Mondays and Wednesdays and entering the art halls, sitting in my studio desk and getting to work on my projects. Sitting along side of girls with cute haircuts (always daring and short with flips and color chunks) and painting aprons, we all got to work, feverishly creating... letting each stroke of paint take shape, spread, drip and transform. Then it was color theory, design 101... crafting buildings out of paper and glue, self portraits, study light and dark... value, shade, pencil drawings, charcoal, sketches...

I probably miss these days the most. The days it was me and my creations and the onlookers of other students burning with color. I didn't necessarily love painting alone, I just loved creating... anything and everything...

So, I just might, rummage through my brushes- packed away in my art closet somewhere and eventually start to paint.

A Trip to the Flea Market via Polaroid

2011-11-17T05:43:00.001-08:00

Here are some snippets from a recent trip to the flea market! I LOVE the flea market. Collections of old things are so fun to look through... and Jessie bought that green couch we're sitting on y'all. Thanks to my market friends for joining... Charis, Megan, Kara, Jessie & MaryEllen. Such cute friends.

Design Find: Adore Me

2011-11-16T10:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not much of a lingerie shopper, but sometimes it's nice to have the right undergarments that fit. (One of the most helpful things I discovered this year after having a baby!) Adore me is a new lingerie shopping concept, that emailed me recently to see if I'd be interested in trying out their customized experience to share with my readers, and then offer one of you- a beautiful lingerie set of your own!

You go on their website and take a fun little quiz answering questions about yourself and your style, for them to get a feel for your personal aesthetic. Then one of the stylists who matches your flavor picks out different items for you to try out. Today I'm just announcing their new shop opening up- and soon I'll show you the goods and give you a chance to win some of your own! If you'd like to know more check out their website. What do you think about this idea? You can also follow them on Facebook for discounts, promotions and to keep up with the latest!

Inspired By: Nantucket

2011-11-16T05:46:00.000-08:00

Nantucket Flowers by Once Wed
Bowsprite boat sketches
Rob: Vanity Fair

One year we had thanksgiving in Maine... it was so beautiful and freezing COLD. So I was thinking of Maine today, and wishing I was there... so that inspired this post! (and I'm getting ready for a movie this weekend so I was also inspired by a little someone)

Eat With Your Eyes.

2011-11-14T06:07:00.000-08:00

I love food styling. I found this site, Kwestia Smaku, that has beautiful food and recipes. The only problem is that it's in a different language, so sometimes I browse through and just eat with my eyes and wonder how to make everything! Via: Kwestia Smaku

Inspired By: 50's Style

2011-11-13T09:42:00.000-08:00

photograph: From Me to You
style: Asos

My husband's grandmother gave me a bunch of sweaters and hats recently... and I love them! He says they are the best looking ones I have! I really love the timeless style of a classy lady- so I'm getting more into that era these days. Even though I enjoy wearing messy hair and yoga pants, sometimes I wish girls still curled their hair and never left the house without makeup- just for the girliness of it. Maybe one of my new year's revolutions can be to dress better and do my hair! This picture is a little inspiration.

New Cranberry Recipe

2011-11-11T07:29:00.000-08:00

Let the Thanksgiving festivities begin! I went to my first Thankful event with a BUNCH of girls recently and I signed up to bring cranberry sauce. But I didn't want to bring a can of cranberries and call it a day. So I thought about food pairs that would be delicious with cranberry and experimented with the herbs in my garden... so I came up with this recipe! (and it was delicious)

To make this recipe... (or a variant)

1 can of cranberry sauce (the gelatin kind)

1 jar of whole cranberry sauce (with real, whole cranberries) - i used Trader Joes

flesh & juice of one orange

zest of one orange

chiffonade of fresh basil & mint

1 cup (or so) of red wine, (not a light cooking wine, make sure it's a deep red... I used merlot)

mix and refrigerate

Enjoy!

Design Find: Sweet Pine Soaps

2011-11-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

I found this cool soap maker, Jess Fetzner, who owns, Sweet Pine Soaps on Etsy. I love her little soap styling for these photos too! All her soaps are pure, handcrafted vegan material and I kind of want to try them! This would probably be a nice gift for my hippie brother in Vermont...

2011-11-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

Autumn Inspiration

2011-11-07T05:26:00.000-08:00

collected from: picnic peachdress & orange drink sailboat

List 5: grateful-beautiful

2011-11-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

1. bubbled water
2. the sound of tussled crunching leaves
3. silence in the afternoon
4. letting go
5. dancing trees
6. steamy breath in cold air
7. space to think
8. white, blank paper
9. hand-made card from good friend
10. being paid to look through a lens and find something beautiful

Life Looks

2011-11-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

Production.

This was a scene for a commercial shot in my bedroom.

I witnessed a live "Raid" from the Police task force for a show I photographed, called, "Tainted Love." Even though it was staged, it was still fun/scary to be on the other side of the door when they come busting in. I have a lot more respect for armed forces of any kind that are fighting for something good. This show is all about human trafficking, the social justice issue I am most passionate about. I am excited for the show to air in the Spring. I really hope this issue provokes a movement of real change- it's so sickening the reality of it.

Here I was in the Crosby Street Hotel at a shoot in Soho, NY and I was photographing the paparazzi below, who were avidly waiting for Sophia Coppola to come out of the hotel. They were so sneaky, lined up down the street and in the cars you see.

Play!

cupcakes. (i've eaten a lot of them lately)

perks of the job: I love when I photograph a wedding and get to take home flowers, cake or party supplies! :)

Dress Up!

Indian & friends...

baby gypsy.

Fall & Stay

2011-10-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

Falling and Staying in Love from anna naphtali on Vimeo.

A little video shot on my iphone, following some rough winters... this was the beginning of a redeeming summer with my two favorites... this is my FIRST video ever. Enjoy.

Shot primarily in Charleston, SC. where we fall and stay in love.

Photo Sessions: Peachy-Pink Bride

2011-10-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

Dress: Vera Wang// Flowers: Ginger Hussey// Glam Team: Ellie Schurter// Manual Labor Team: Bobby & Jonathan

I love that this bride (Megan Hussey) chose a sweet shade of peach-y pink for her wedding dress... and I love what she chose for her bridesmaids... (which you'll just have to wait to see...) Don't you love her style? And did you know Vera Wang now does a line of dresses for David's Bridal? LOVE.

To see the full gallery you can here: Peach Bride

Life Looks

2011-10-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

From my life lately... books, babygirl, weddings, wedding weddings, flowers...

And even in the midst of many hardships, when I look at my life in these instagrams... I think, my life is a dream isn't it?

Pretty Things

2011-10-23T07:43:00.001-07:00

This is a blog test! Changes coming soon...

Inspired By: Dreams come true!

2011-10-19T17:23:00.000-07:00

I believe in this fully....

by Zoo

Baby Dance: Polish

2011-10-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

A little dancing... So a disclaimer, it ended up being a little colder than I thought, so the randomness of her outfit is attributed to the layers I had in my car. Music provided from the "rock" by Gloria Estefan. This was the 3rd video of the night... She got a little crazier, and I have no idea where these moves come from.

List 4. Things that make me feel home.

2011-10-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

1. Southern ladies
2. Christmas music
3. biscuits
4. mountains
5. farm
6. hot tea (cream & sugar)
7. rain
8. crisp, autumn air
9. my mom's paint brushes
10. sunny drives

List 3: Reasons to be Southern & Proud

2011-10-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

1. biscuits
2. sweet tea
3. sweet accents
4. fried chicken
5. fried okra
6. fried green tomatoes
7. hot July nights
8. big laughs, big cries and sometimes big hair
9. where else can you be called "Honey" by all the women at walmart?
10. we can make a list about being Southern and over 50% of it is about food.

My husband calls me darlin' and it's one of my favorite things.

Now if the idea of being Southern sends you twinges of pain read this article... I promise, you'll change your mind. ( I almost got a "Southern" tattoo after reading this article.) by the way I looked up images for Southern girls and was NOT proud of what came up... Southern does NOT equal redneck.

enjoy

Redefining Southern Belle... by Garden & Gun

Design Find: Lab Partners

2011-10-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

I ADORE these artists (Sarah & Ryan)... their design firm is called lab partners and this is their Hunt & Gather series... This is the way my design looks like in my brain, feminine, quirky a little whimsy. I love their work!

List 2. (confessions)

2011-10-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

1. i started listening to country music (sometimes)
2. i always take the free things from hotels (within moderation)
3. i sobbed through an entire year of "pregnant and 16" when I had a 3 month old
4. i have let my daughter go 5 days without a bath (just once, i promise I'm a good mom)
5. i stayed in my bathing suit for 3 days this summer at the beach (it just seemed right)
6. i exaggerate but do not lie
7. i have painted my bedroom 4 times
8. after watching top model, have practiced my modeling in the mirror and daydreamed of entering the season "petite models"
9. have always hated the word "petite"
10. kicked my husband's guitar once out of anger.

List 1. (beautiful, thankful things)

2011-09-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

1. unopened tulips & peonies, flower mouths lurching open
2. hungry grunts of newborn babies
3. the smell of sun in clothes
4. soft blankets
5. the hum of the refrigerator
6. unexpected smiles
7. crickets singing
8. salty- the singing songbook
9. crystal chickadees
10. little hands that hold mine tight

Inspired By: Truth

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

via money saving mamma

Naphtali News

2011-09-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

Vol 25

Sometimes I feel caught in the blog world. I began this blog as a personal creative expression a few years ago as I explored what I wanted to be and pursued lots of little creative options including using this blog as a photography expedition and a designer life storyboard, and then it turned into a business venture, then a creative experimental showcase of projects, inspiration etc...

Lately I've been a little overwhelmed with life and I'll explain why the blog has been lagging behind a little.

My husband began 2 new jobs, which is amazing, but a little chaotic and adjusting to our family.
My little babygirl began early preschool and has teeth now! ;)

And I am still a full time wedding photographer and creative projecteer! Book me for your wedding!

You can follow me on Facebook to keep up with this blog and photography projects! FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK! ;)

Not long ago I began working with a few sites doing minor social media consulting etc... and about a month ago I began freelancing with an AMAZING television network that's fairly new... and that has been consuming a lot more of my extra creative time... and I LOVE it. It's opened the door for me to combine a lot of things I do into one place including writing, photography etc...

Halogen TV is a socially conscious, empowering television network who's motto is, "Be The Change."
They focus on exactly that... being the change you wish to see in the world. They cover everything from eco-fashion, cultural awareness projects, injustice issues like sex trafficking & child soldiers in africa, to green living and recycle movements, there's also celebrity (socially conscious) news, travel and artistic entertainment.

If you want to see if you get Halogen on your tv go here: Get Halogen They're in 14 million+ homes, so hopefully you can find it in yours'!

You can check out a project I worked on featuring a fashionable upcycling enterprise that helps local refugees get on their feet. I was honored meeting them and getting to photograph their story.

Watch that here! Upcycle Project

Here's a few pictures from a fashion feature that I will post soon!

Not trying to be a salesman, I'm just real excited to get to work with such an incredible company for a while, and I believe in their mission so spread the word.

Dunaway Gardens Wedding Shoot

2011-09-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

// Hair and makeup: Jordan Byers // Flowers: Amy Osaba // Calligraphy and Paper Goods: neithersnow // Cake and Catering: Sun in My Belly // Linens: La Tavola’s Tuscano collection // Venue: Dunaway Gardens // Oscar De La Renta Dress: B. Hughes // Tux: Le Tux//Styled by Joy Thigpen & Once Wed team//Jose Villa Photography Director

Here's a recent shoot I did at the Jose Villa workshop in May...

Enjoy!

How to Make a List and find a Vision.

2011-09-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

Etsy Fall Bunting Notebook

Why do I like lists?

For the frustrated creative, homebound mamma, the working mom, the bored, longing singleton or hardworking man...

There is a proverb that says, "a people without a vision will perish."

The times in my life I have felt the most frustrated with myself or my life etc... it has been because of a lack of vision, or I was waiting for my circumstances to change. Now I do NOT have all the answers and in fact this is a complicated problem when circumstances involve other people... still working through those. BUT sometimes a simple, helpful way to re-focus and feel full of vision again is to make a list.

So today is a step by step tutorial how to get vision again and a secret peek into my list-life. Ready?

Finding vision in a good notebook.

Step 1. Product Find a notebook, paper, pen etc... that you enjoy writing on. For me, everything is aesthetic so I have a special notebook that is pretty and has clean pages and I have a favorite pen and I use in this notebook just to make lists and goals. of course you don't have to be that crazy about it if you don't care about those features.

Step 2. Find a quiet time when it can be just you, if you have to make a plan for it, do it.

Step 3. Create a pleasing atmosphere or go to an enjoyable place. Maybe you like coffee and jazz in an urban environment, maybe you like a spot in the woods, or in a park, or maybe all you can do is light a candle when your baby is sleeping and go to your favorite place in your house.

I know this is sounding crazy just for a list? but it's not just a list... ;)

Step 4. Get ready with your pen & hot tea and begin to ponder....

What do I like? What do I want to do with my life? What do I want to be? What do I need to change? What am I like? Who do I want to be? What am I inspired by? What do I really want to do? What makes me feel alive...

and begin to write your list.

Ok, now this is going to sound really ridiculous, but this is my blog and this is my life so I'll share it.

I have 3 notebooks, all hand-picked; spiral bound and pleasing color schemes. I carry them with me everywhere.

THESE ARE NOT JOURNALS, they are my brain catalogs.
Inspiration Catalog
This is a spiritual, personal thought notebook: I write thoughts, dreams, moments of enlightened revelation, things I'm thankful for, things I feel from God, thoughts toward God, special secrets, lists of what I think God is like etc... and I also write lists of things to inspire vision in my life like the questions I asked above... What do I love? What makes me come alive? Sometimes pondering these things connects you to God, because asking a question is an invitation to an answer.

Creative Catalog
I have a creative notebook, this is lists of projects, practical things I'm going to do to accomplish my creative visions, business ideas, decor projects, creative ideas etc... the purpose of this book is so I don't forget what creative things I want to do or be working on, especially if I have an inspiring moment, this way when I have spare time and am in a creative mood, I can look at this list and pick something to work on... it is also projects for my photography business. Photoshoots I want to do, website design ideas, blog ideas, Etsy ideas, goals, traffic numbers, photography series, blog series, book ideas... or practical things like, design new business cards, paint ideas for downstairs, photoshoot detail ideas... i can't give away all my secrets.

*****Secret tip***** I also use this notebook in conjunction with my Pinterest account, so I can have images and ideas connected to my creative lists... This is why I was so upset at first that it became popular because all my secret ideas where in my pinboards... alas it's ok... go find me and get inspired there's so much to do on there!

Everything Book
This book is for everything. It's my weekly scheduling & to-do list. So it's creative, spiritual, daily tasks, what I have to do this week, numbers, ideas etc... but all pertaining to anything and everything weekly related. It will have dinner ideas, grocery lists and "must do" like oil change, tax information, plan something special for Josh, get babysitter etc...

OK so the reason I have so many notebooks is:

Step 5: Categorize
As you begin pondering your life and lists... sometimes your brain goes to things you need to do or I'll forget, so I quickly put them in my "everything" notebook, otherwise if I try to get spiritual all I'll be thinking about is making sure I don't forget to call the doctor back...
And sometimes as you are pondering your life you get instant creative ideas or things that inspire you like, video project, movie idea, sewing project, business idea... so I write those in the "creative" book, and sometimes those lists are therapeutic because you feel inspired with creative vision that you forgot you had.
And then sometimes I get real deep and remember who I am, or who God is, or what promises I have or simply writing a list of things I enjoy brings delight into my heart.

That's why I have 3 books. And when you sit down, there are no rules, you don't have to stick to one thought, you don't have to erase your brain. Sometimes when you sit down to get quiet, it's the first time you've actually had any time mentally to yourself... so of course you are flooded with things to do, that's why you have a notebook it can go in so you feel safe, and then you can move on and ponder the deeper things of life, or the simple things of life.

Step 6:
LAST tip. If you don't know where to start, you don't consider yourself creative or feel cut off from vision. Just start on a piece of paper and write a list of things you like. Even if it's the way the sun feels through the window. You'll be amazed at the power of pondering pleasant things brings life and vision.

There's even a verse about that if you believe in the bible... "Whatever is lovely, whatever is noble, whatever is of good report, think on these things...."

Now go! Go to target and get your special notebooks. Go find a piece of paper, go find a spot in a chair at Starbucks or in the closet away from your kids... and Make a List!

Inspired By: Clipboards

2011-09-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Great office idea via: Decor8 via: Trendneser

I might just have to do this for my office! What a great idea to stay organized or to collect your creative clippings!

Love shoot video

2011-09-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

J+R Love Story from The Why We Love Team on Vimeo.

I really like this love shoot... :)

Make a List: My Autumn Wishes

2011-08-29T05:50:00.000-07:00

In celebration of my favorite time of year swiftly approaching, I decided it's time to kick off my Make a List features with a new seasonal catalog.

I make lists almost every day; things to do, reminders, dinner menus, bills, financial goals, creative goals etc... The list I make the most is for business; marketing goals, photo shoots, wedding features, blogging, re-designing, branding...

And now, I have a new set of lists for my new Autumn endeavors as a social media consultant, marketing intern and a full time business owner and working mamma!

BUT somewhere between the cracks of my EXTREMELY BUSY schedule... which I will get to later on... is my social, spiritual, family, romantic life!

So this list is dedicated to sheerly enjoyable, family, relational, fun goals!

I've got a lot to accomplish in my life y'all.

What's your list like? :) Go make one, it will make your heart happy to have goals.

Today I love...

2011-08-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

Marie Claire March 2011

I love the washed out light in this photo, brilliant!

Kimi & Li

2011-08-24T04:41:00.000-07:00

Just in case you missed yesterday's bikini post... here's more of Lisa's work. I kind of want to move to Hawaii now and raise a little surfer baby! Thanks Kimi & Li! Don't forget to plug in thecolorfullivingproject to the discount code for 20% off your new suit!

Design Find: Kimi & Li Bikini

2011-08-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to introduce a new designer find, Kimi & Li Bikini! Kimi & Li, authored by designer Lisa Dorian, is a baby girl bathing suit line sewn on the shores of Hawaii.

Modeling the "bows" design today is my darling Isabel. When I put this cute little suit on her and went to the beach, she got so many compliments. I can remember when I was little I wanted a bathing suit with side cutouts so badly. Now, my little girl is living my bathing suit dreams and she doesn't even know it.

And for your viewing pleasure I took a little video of her exploring in her Kimi & Li original.

Check out Lisa's store, who doesn't love a little baby bikini? It will be shipped to your door with love from Hawaii. If you are interested in your own Kimi Li, use the promo code thecolorfullivingproject in the checkout discount code area to receive a 20% discount!

Project Monday: DIY Baby Bouquet

2011-08-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing says congratulations to a mom-to-be like a bouquet of onesies! I made this bouquet for a few friends recently having babies as a little congrats gift. The project is very simple and adorable. You just take the onesies, roll them up tightly, wrap them in florist wire to make them sturdy and then stuff a little piece of yellow fabric in the center. Then I wrapped each "flower" in a doily to give it a feminine touch. Then I placed some outdoor green sprigs from our garden and wrapped the whole bouquet in package paper... just like they do in the flower shops. Isn't this an adorable gift? I love it!

Poolside Baby Shower Part 2!

2011-08-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

iphone pics by Jess Gatlyn

Wasn't that a great party? I have such great friends!

Tomorrow I'm going to show you a really cute DIY for a baby present... :)

Poolside Baby Shower!

2011-08-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

Delicious food catered by: The Midnight Rooster You HAVE to visit if you're ever in Hartsville, and any neighboring cities should definitely consider their food for any event. AMAZING.

Event planned, decorated and crafted by: Jessie W. Mathis.

Venue: Camp Canaan: poolside! Also, an awesome venue and camp in Rock Hill, SC.

Do you remember my friend and fellow traveler Caitlyn from my winter excursion to San Francisco? Well she was pregnant that whole time. She was such a trooper that whole trip and now she's getting close to the end of her pregnancy and I'm so excited to be a part of little Matlida's shower recently! We cannot wait to meet this little girl!

So this was the most non-traditional FUN shower ever. We had frozen margaritas, delicious food, cupcakes and cake (my kind of party already), presents, Hawaiian hair flower pins for everyone, and a late afternoon lazy-talk in the pool! What a treat! Jessie did a fantastic job! (duh) And all the little helpers and friends put together such a great party. AND I want my own "margarita man".

Funny story about the margarita man, when Jessie told me she was getting one for this shower I thought, won't that be awkward to have this guy there making margaritas for everyone? Little did I know it's a machine, a wonderful frozen filled machine!

Part 2 tomorrow! We get in the pool!

Today I love... J Crew Jewelry

2011-08-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

Project Monday: A little stitchie

2011-08-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

I have never wanted to cross-stitch so bad! When I was a kid I LOVED doing little cross-stitch projects with my mother, so when I saw these from Miniature Rhino, I got so excited. Seriously aren't these adorable? I want to go make one right now!

Fields of Purple

2011-08-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

photographed in Charleston, SC

Daily Inspiration: Peach!

2011-08-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Summer List!

2011-08-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

You know how I feel about lists! Here's a pretty good summertime list from Oh Dee Doh. I realize there are only a few weeks left to this barefoot, beach summer time; but there are still things to do before it's over!

Its things like this that make me excited for my baby to grow up and do more fun things with her. and maybe have more babies. What's your list like?

Make your own purse

2011-08-09T05:43:00.000-07:00

Aren't these the cutest bags? I can't stand how much I love them. Go to LGB to find out how to make or buy one of your own!

LBG Studio

2011-08-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Today I have a crafty blogger/blog to introduce to you... LBG Studio... which stands for Little Big Girl Studio. Vanessa was kind of enough to share her work here this week! Her blog is so great because it's a lot of sewing tips & tutorials to make the cutest stuff! She shows you how to make the items, gives you the blueprint that she creates herself and then she sells her cutest items in an Etsy shop! I love it. To learn how to make these dresses out of PILLOW CASES- awesome go here:

Pillow Case Dress Tutorial

Vanessa has a cool story about how she got started in her crafting adventures... here's her short sweet little story.

I left behind a brief and not so exciting job as a radiological technologist when my daughter Sydney was born. The original plan was for me to go back to work after a short maternity leave but she had other plans. Born almost two months early at 3 lbs and 10 oz, there was no way I could leave the little squirt with someone else all day. She wasn't ready and neither was I. I told my husband I would scrimp and save and get creative if he'd agree to my staying home. Fast forward two and half years and here I am! Other than dabbling in sewing back in high school, I didn't really get started until last February. My daughter had just turned one and for my birthday, I wanted a sewing machine. It's been non stop since I got my hands on that machine. Shortly after making my first few dresses, I started selling things I'd made to friends and acquaintances. In August of last year, after lots of deliberation, I opened my Etsy shop, LBG studio. I LOVE sewing and tackling new projects and techniques so there's always something new popping up in the shop. I've "met" some amazing people both through my shop and the craft blogging community. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for both!

and here's her stunning little girl...

Check out her Etsy.

Tomorrow I'll show you a little something she's working on that is SO cute.... and she's got a download for how to make your own.

Matrimony

2011-08-05T05:34:00.000-07:00

Matrimony "the wrote and the writ" from ben joyner on Vimeo.

Today is Friday! I'm going to leave you with a little video of one of my local favorites... Ashlee Hardee Brown of Matrimony singing a sweet cover. I love it, it's good for listen this weekend.

Enjoy!

Inspired By: The Sea...

2011-08-04T06:15:00.000-07:00

images collected: girl fffound hello lucky

Photo of the Week: Lorean

2011-08-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

I just had to share these here... Isn't Lorean hot? Check her out here if you want to see more of this shoot! Destination Wedding Series.

A New Recipe

2011-08-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

beet cake from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

I found this video via Design Love Fest recently. But I couldn't handle how much I adored it. Tiger in a Jar is such a cute little art, craft, movie studio/ adorable married couple. Their work is so adorable.

I really want to make a video myself now. now that I have the new mark ii.... :)

Enjoy!

Summer Heat Project

2011-08-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

Has this heat gotten you down? Well if it has, or even if it hasn't ;), I have a cool summer treat for you today and it's FREE for everyone!! Hooray!!!

So here's the story. Two friends and co-workers, a graphic designer and a producer, decided to conspire a musical project together to create a fun summer mix! But what they didn't do is talk to each other about it. Dan seen on left, chose the first seven song of the mix and Blake, seen on right, chose the last seven songs. Then they both created half of a piece of cover art for their mix and revealed their treasure... Voila!

SUMMER HEAT lives! And now they are here, in virtual spirit, to share their awesomeness with you!

So Dan & Blake, tell me about this project...

Blake:

I thought it'd be a cool experiment in creativity between a filmmaker and a graphic designer who both appreciate music and like to doodle, to collaborate on a mix with accompanying cover art together. We would each choose 7 songs a piece as well as individually create half of the cover art based on the title "Summer Heat". We purposely didn't listen to each other's songs or see the other's artwork until the day we threw everything together and released it, which made the final product really exciting. We fervently shook hands in agreement with our success.

Dan:

Blake asked if I wanted to do a mix with him. I really enjoy sharing the music I like with people, and also creating moods by placing songs next to each other that might not otherwise be heard in the same context. It’s a lot of fun to make and kind of helps to capsulate a certain season of life for me. But in the end, I really did it because I thought it would be fun to do with Blake.

What inspired your song choices?

From Blake...

Summer always reminds me of hot car seats, staying up too late, and sweating, so I chose my songs accordingly. I wanted to create kind of a "driving around, ice melting in drinks, having too good a time getting way too sweaty dancing way too close to that one girl in a way too crowded room " mood. I had no idea what Dan would pick song-wise since both our musical tastes are so broad. The more I listen to the mix, the more I really enjoy the juxtaposition we accidentally created between our respective set of songs and the progression of moods they evoke. It'll be fun to see how people respond and what unique things it brings up in them. We hope everyone has fun with it above anything else.

From Dan...

I sort of know Blake’s taste in music and had an idea that he might choose some upbeat songs, so I thought it would fun to do something a little more somber and chill. I had the idea of reflective summer nights on the porch in the back of my head; but picking songs that I had been listening to recently and also flowed together was more important. I was also hoping that it would contrast nice with whatever Blake picked.

Let me tell you all the reasons I love this so much.

1. I love music.

2. I love free things.

3. I love collaborations. I mean really love it. I am such an independent girl when it comes to everything (and a bit of a creative controller) that I so appreciate two creatives coming together to make something!

4. Everyone gets to share the love! It's like Oprah's favorite things!

Now this brings me to the next part... this probably won't be the last time you see Blake here on the project, cause he's always doing cool things worth mentioning.

In the spirit of summer fun and all things creative here's what you have to do to get your free treat!

First you'll probably want to follow Dan & Blake on Twitter...

@hbedward

@DanIsMoney

And then you might want to check out more of what they're doing here...

H. Blake Edwards: Film & Television Director/Producer/Editor

hblakeedwards.com (website)

vimeo.com/edfield (recent fun video projects)

Dan Romanoski: Graphic Designer

http://danielromanoski.com (design portfolio)

http://danielromanoski.tumblr.com (inspiration blog)

You can find your free download link on my Facebook FanPage and you can get your new summer tunes immediately!

Feel free to share with us your favorites on the mix!

Enjoy!

Do you have a cool collaboration or project you want to feature? I'd love it if you sent it my way.

Sea Horses

2011-07-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have always loved Seahorses ever since I was a little girl. They combine two of my favorite things; horses & water. They are such mysterious little creatures. I had a shriveled up dried seahorse I think my dad brought me home from a trip, that I imagined he captured while swimming in the ocean somewhere...

I LOVE this print, but I can't find the artist! It's probably floating around on Etsy, if you find the author, do tell me!

Have a good Friday.... I hope you all swim with the seahorses this weekend.

Surfer Girl

2011-07-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

Print available from Etsy.

I wish I was this girl don't you?

Decorating a Baby's Room

2011-07-27T04:07:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was expecting Isabel, as most people do, I nested like crazy and looked up nursery ideas. Of course since I've had her we've moved on to many other projects! But sometimes I love finding little kid friendly spaces to admire for future possibilities or when babybel gets older or when we move... or eventually in the far off distant future have another...

So here's the beginnings of my baby spaces collections!

Guinness Chocolate Cake

2011-07-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

I want to eat this right now!

The recipe can be found here: Guinness Chocolate Cake.

Cobalt Blue & Yellow Mix

2011-07-25T10:28:00.000-07:00

Sea Horse by EastWitching Etsy, Princess Kate, Zara Purse, Ring, 80's glasses, Once Wed Cake,

Olivia Palermo: Haute-Muse Magazine Debut Cover Preview

Sorry for the delay... I'm at the beach with my cuties. I have some exciting posts coming up soon! In the meantime, here's some fashion and colorful inspiration...

Vanity Fair: Salon Days

2011-07-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

Photographed by Signe Vilstrup for Vanity Fair.

I kind of wish that we took trips to the salon regularly like my grandmother did. I love this little shoot.

Food & Home: Summer Salsa re-vamp

2011-07-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I'm hungry and it's hot, I experiment with what I've got laying around to make a snack. actually this happens all the time- sometimes not so great. So this day I wanted a summer salsa and used the ingredients I had around to make it. I have lots of mint growing in the back yard and I love mint in everything, so I decided to see what would happen if I threw it into a bean salsa. It was great! So here's my concoction. Of course some other lovely additions if I had them around would have been mango & cucumbers.

Just chop and mix. Easy Peasy.

Recipe:

Black beans

fresh corn

(just a little) olive oil

lime juice (if lime is fleshy- like mine was, carve out flesh into bowl)

avocado

tomato

mint

cilantro