One person's junk...

We had a fun family outing to Second Use a few weeks ago, looking for treasures for the new abode. Lots of fun vintage finds to be had, though sadly none came home. Even the $130 piano I purchased, came back for, and found I couldn't budge. It will always be the one that got away...

This chandelier was literally 20' long!

I'll be going back for some of the gorgeous milk glass doorknobs.

The original piano bar from Canlis, one of the original and quintessential Seattle restaurants. It has an impressive list of alum, both as players and loungers...

The piano that Hayes and I fell in love with. It needed a good refinishing, but the front opened up so that all of the gorgeous inner workings were exposed while playing. If anyone in the Seattle area has a forklift or giant truck, let me know! I think it's still there waiting for me...

(#25) Just a glimpse...

of the new ad that will run in the next issue of Seattle Bride. It features one of the gorgeous photos by Mint and Sage of my fabulous sister. Oh, and also a cute truck, vintage ribbon from Bell'occhio (thanks Milo! If you ever need Seattle errands like that, I'm your gal!), and...



the finished product of approximately 5 hours of work, 6 phone calls, 4 people I had to contact about various things along the way, 7ish cups of coffee, countless outbursts of profanity, 2 bouquets made in a fit of despair as therapy, a completely new design after I gave up on the original idea about 90 minutes before the deadline, and one e-mail to send the whole thing off 55 minutes before the deadline. Hope you like it--obviously, flowers are so much more my thing than this sort of nonsense.

And now I'm off to bed. Hopefully to sleep this time.

Sleepless in Seattle

Mix together a little house selling stress (inspections, appraisals, escrow--it's enough to make a girl like me go NUTS), a few boxes to pack, an ad that's due, a couple contracts to rewrite, a congested husband that is breathing at 3 am as if he is playing the bagpipes, and a little boy turning two today, and you've got me surfing the web at 3 am. And me, LOVING a new blog I found via AT, My Chalkboard Fridge.


The title says it all. A once-a-week visual food diary that took an old fridge to bold fridge. Chichi's writing (very reminiscent of Orangette), along with boyfriend Milo's charming drawings had me at Hello! I'll be back for more once I get some rest...

Sunny side up!

A few years ago, we had a little flock of city chickens that we had raised from babies. We loved our little hens that provided us with an endless supply of wacky stories and pale blue eggs.

There was Pop, the Polish hen that started cock-a-doodle-dooing when s/he turned 3 months old and we were traveling in Thailand. The neighbors loved that one. There was Red, our biggest hen and best layer, probably due to the fact that she adored eating cat food and would attack any cat that dared come between her and the supply. There was Banty, the beakless bird that I brought home as a rescue project, and who taught me that some women will just always play the victim--you can't save 'em! And Snap...the matriarch that ruled the roost in a most regal way, and trumpeted an announcement every morning after she laid a perfect sky blue egg.

We finally had to give up after the stories turned to murder and massacre by a local gang of racoons. We had full on warfare at one point. My husband made many a mad dash out to the coop, usually when dressed for work in slacks and tie etc., swinging a 2x4 at the wild hooligans that had made yet another raid on the flock.

But the new house has me thinking...maybe our local wildlife will be more neighborly. And I did find these eglus...available at Omelet USA. Perhaps the perfect father's day present would be a Polish hen with a gorgeous topknot and a gentle quiet cluck.

Pictures: baby Polish, golden Polish, arucana egg, eglu

Spring blooms

Blue and white from Taryn and David's Saturday wedding. Peonies, gardenia, speckled hellebore, Chinese forget-me-nots, spray roses, and ladies' mantle. Check out my assistant in picture #2. Taryn's bouquet was wrapped in remnant of the hand-dyed silk used in the sash of her dress.

Are you out there?

Wanted: SF, must heart crumbly old mansions, French champagne, and rainstorms. HWP not important, engaged status and flair for the dramatic a definite plus. A love of moss, feathers, mushrooms, branches, seed pods and vines is preferrable. If interested, correspond via letterpress.

Photos by Scott Andrew, first two via Snippet & Ink.

recent work

One of these kids is doing their own thing...

Real Weddings: Katie + Grant {Just a preview!}

Shannon and Krystal from Mint & Sage just sent a few of the early fave pics from Katie and Grant's May 2 wedding. Sorry to the regular readers--I know I'm going to subject you to several more posts about this wedding because a) Katie is my super amazing/kind/beautiful sister, b) I think this is one of the prettiest weddings I've every seen in my entire wedding obsessed life, c) I'm already finding it difficult to pick my favorite pictures because Shannon is TALENTED in a major way, and d) have I mentioned THE TRUCK???

Here are some early releases, more to come in the following days! (and check out the slideshow available here if you want more but can't wait).

P.S. All the girls from Mint & Sage are super dooper talented, specialize in this vintagy, boutiquey, charming style of photography, would be fun to share your wedding day with, and are dying to take a trip to Seattle! Or Boston, or Napa, maybe even France if you begged...

got a thing for bad boys...

In a total frenzy this morning of unpacking, laundry, keeping the house clean in case buyers stop by, and wiping noses (still think my job is awesome?). And in the middle of it, trying to find a house to buy TODAY. Lost the other, and have an offer on ours, so it's got to be fast. So of course I'm wasting time checking out design blogs, trying to acquire inspiration and hope, and even ideas for the decrepit old thing I found this morning that I'm falling more in love with every time I think of it.

You know how some girls just can't resist the bad boys, no matter how many times they've been stomped on and had their hearts ripped to pieces? Apparently I'm THAT GIRL; those bad boy houses are just totally irresistible. And believe me, I've been burned before. And here I am, comin' back for more...


But while I was scouring design and house sites, I found pictures of this converted church in England that is making me want to dust off my passport. (I was horrified last week when I realized that I haven't used mine since I was pregnant with Hayes. That was 2004 people! Do travel muscles atrophy?). I've always wanted to buy an old church, but here's one you can rent for a little vacay time. Maybe when I need a break from my bad boy.

Back in town!

Just a preview of Grant and Katie's wedding! I don't really have a lot to say about it yet--I'm still processing all the wonderful friends, family, and moments of the week. More pictures and details to come.