I'm home!

But just doing a very short post today. Lots of unpacking to do, e-mails from clients to catch up on, and a party to plan for a one-year old (Noah of course! I can't believe how a year can fly by).

But while in Atlanta, I got to do one of my favorite things; buy regional wedding magazines from someplace other than Seattle! I love checking out what is going on in other areas. There are always noticeable differences and great new ideas to bring home.

One find I loved from an issue I picked up...the "Wisteria" champagne flutes and martini glasses from CB2. Gorgeous! The price? Totally unexpected. $2.95 each! What a steal for hand-blown stemware with such beautiful etched birds and branches. Hurry now, before I scoop them all up.

A bit and a book...

This is my first ever blogging experience, a warning that it won't be nearly what you've come to expect from Alexa. Her posts are always more than one could hope for, full of witty comments, fabulous ideas and the most amazing flowers. After such a sweet introduction from Alexa, the pressure to come up with all things great, as she always does, was huge but I was up for the challenge. I had envisioned sharing a week filled with posts about weddings and creative ideas and things I love, but I am catching a plane this afternoon, last minute, so there will be just one.



If you're one of Alexa's loyal readers, as I am, you may remember her post about my new company, Unveiled. I've been planning weddings and events for some time now, but only recently decided to dive in head first and start advertising. To my surprise and delight, I've actually got three new weddings for this summer and fall in addition to the three I already had scheduled. To be a part of such a memorable occasion is truly an honor. I am a total planner, addicted to organizing and the office supply store, have an everlasting love affair with design and beautiful things and am bit of a control freak, so this business is a perfect fit.







Upon the launch of my website, my mom got me a book as a sort of congratulations gift. The book has turned out to be such a fabulous read and although I'm not through it yet, I have a six year old, a husband and two other jobs besides Unveiled so getting through a book takes me ages, I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever been married, ever wants to be married or is curious about what women really think about weddings. It is a compilation of short stories about twenty-seven very different women and their actual experiences with marriage and weddings. The book is called Altared, edited by Colleen Curran and written by top women authors. This book is a must read and I strongly suggest you pick up a copy and indulge in the honesty, true love, hilarity and often bitter sweet moments this book has to offer.


With that, I am off to the airport. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read what I had to say and I only hope to be invited back again as a guest blogger and offer the posts that this great blog so deserves.

~Katy Leiser

Welcome Katy!

My dear friend Katy of Unveiled Events has graciously agreed to guest blog this week while I'm away. I left on Thursday to surprise my sister at her graduation from Samford University in Birmingham (Good job Katie Gro! Your generous heart is an inspiration.).

I know you'll love Katy--she has impeccable taste and amazing ideas, so I can't wait to see what she comes up with! And I'll see you all in a week!

Signing off for now...

Alexa

Notes...the last one!

Finally! Thanks for sticking with me on this people. We're almost done. But I had to share just one more thing!

My mom is a very talented quilter, and used mother's day to fill me in on a great new designer that started in quilting world but who is taking the rest of the world by storm as well. Amy Butler is designing super cute casually romantic clothing, accessories, and home decor--and is selling their patterns. She also has a line of fabric out that is fresh and organically geometric. I love it all!


Mom gave me the pattern for the "Barcelona Skirt" shown above...but the best part is that SHE is making it, so it might even turn out ok (and might be done before 2025).


Amy's website also let's you take a peek into her studio and gorgeous home. She's one of those talented people that can make everyday objects stand out as works of art. Have fun, and drag those sewing machines out of the back of your closets!

Notes...part IV

Sunday...Mother's Day! I had celebrated with my own mom a week early (breakfast at Volterra and a lovely morning wandering the Ballard Farmer's Market), so was the guest of honor in my house on Sunday. What fun!

The boys spoiled me with this gorgeous antique armoire (my new coat closet!) with hand-painted faux wood graining. I like to think it began life in a French farm house in Provence.

And then my real gift was several uninterrupted hours in the garden (or "digging the dirt" as Hayes calls it).

The peonies are just about to burst into bloom.

My herb garden is finally ready! I had to wait for things like our late April snow this year. But now it is well stocked with three types of oregano, two kinds of fennel, four basil varieties, thyme, chives, sorrel, savory, rosemary, parsley, several sages, and my favorite scent--lemon verbena.

After hours of garden therapy, I finished off the day by wandering around taking photos. A few...

I couldn't resist taking a picture of my neighbor's little "princess path" as we call it. It looks like the perfect petal-strewn aisle this time of year when the pink camellias are in bloom.

The camellia that caused all this loveliness:

And the two elm trees out front are in bloom with neon green pods. They are huge, and are two of only 500 American elms left in the U.S. They are actually on the National Historic Register of Trees!

Welcome Katy!

Notes...part III

What are we up to now? Saturday? So...wedding day for Lindsay and Erik! At the beautiful new Hotel 1000 (which, by the way, is in the same management group as The Woodmark and Willows, two of my other favorites. I didn't get into any of the guest rooms, but I've heard they have programmable art work so that you can choose what you have on the walls, and that the tubs fill with a fountain from the ceiling. Also, a virtual reality golf club that would be such a fun bachelor party!).

I see a lot of dresses, but I have to say that Lindsay's stopped me in my tracks. It turns out that she works for Oscar de la Renta, and it was a one-of-a-kind couture dress by the one and only. OF COURSE I will be showing pictures as soon as I get some from the photographer.

But flowers...very modern and clean to go with the setting and to let the beautiful bride and dress shine. Pristine whites (hydrangea, tulips, ranunculus, calla lilies) with green cymbidium orchids.

The details...each mother carried a white bouquet with individual accents. Pink cymbidiums; lily grass loops and maroon cones; and lily of the valley, all mixed with "Avalanche" roses.

A close-up of the mother of the groom's bouquet. I warned you that I'm in love with lily of the valley!


Boutonnieres:


The all white bridal bouquet with a few of the bridesmaids' bouquets:


The ceremony area, from a few different viewpoints.

Simple, modern, "glowey" centerpieces. And a great idea for working on the budget-the cylinders that were on the pedestals for the ceremony were moved to the tables for the reception and completed the set of three.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Notes...part II

So, after dropping off the rehearsal dinner flowers on Friday, my friend Katy and I stopped by the Dahlia Bakery for a late lunch and a little chocolate. Now, I've never been a big Tom Douglas fan (yikes! I can't believe I just said that out loud in Seattle), thanks to a night long ago that involved a surprise set of tickets to The Nutcracker, a great room at The Westin, crabcakes at The Dahlia Lounge--yes, this is where the night started to go wrong--and eight hours on the before-mentioned Westin's bathroom floor. Anyway...I'm glad I gave the Dahlia Bakery a chance. Dee-lish!

The bakery has a very French boulangerie feel with beautiful pastry cases full of treats and a full menu of soups, sandwiches and salads. We enjoyed our egg salad with wild truffle oil and asparagus outside at one of their little cafe chairs. And their location on 4th near Virginia is just quite enough to enjoy a meal, and just busy enough for a little people watching. We finished off with the chocolate truffle cookies which were one of the best chocolate cookies I've ever had.

Tom Douglas, let's be friends.

Flickr photo credits: Dahlia sign, red awning, pastry case, bread baskets, chocolate truffle cookie, tarts, berries and seltzer, girly cakes, and cupcakes.

Notes from a busy weekend, part I

Just a few snapshots from a very busy, fun weekend. These were flowers for a rehearsal dinner Friday night at Hotel Andra. If only I could somehow attach the fragrance to this post. The arrangements were composed of lily of the valley and garden roses with accents of hosta and ladies mantle. The result? The most heavenly aroma.


A close-up of garden rose "Juliet", followed by a sweet sprig of lily of the valley. I decided that I will be filling any and every empty spot in my garden with lily of the valley as soon as possible. Such a delicate and sweet little flower, with so much amazing fragrance.




And one quick question, since my mail just arrived along with an interesting little situation. Do you think it's a random coincidence that our IRA stimulus check came Friday, and "special preferred customer offers" came today from Nordstroms, Banana Republic, and Coach? I think not.

My perfect SATC dress...

I'm always freezing in movie theaters, and have been known to carry blankets in with me to top off my usual movie ensemble of jeans, boots, and a heavy sweater. But when the most fashionable movie ever opens, and when a friend is throwing a little party to celebrate (think cosmos to start the festivities, movie screening, and a great dinner at Wasabi Bistro to debrief on all of the fashion and gossip), you can't just show up in a big wool sweater!

So, I found my perfect dress this week, and Mr. Louboutin makes some pretty ok shoes that go with it. My job for the next few weeks? Convincing my husband to sell his car so I can buy all of this gorgeousness. So far, he's not going for it. Even when I pointed out that since Luly Yang is in Seattle, we'd be helping the local economy.

Dress from Luly Yang via Seattle Magazine, April issue. Shoes from Christian Louboutin.