precious

this is it...my favorite age. she is just the most precious thing. look at those legs and that ruffled bottom. trying to keep up with her big brothers, excited about everything, giving lots of hugs and kisses, starting to talk, backing up to sit on my lap to read her favorite books and oh, the drama! this is something new in this household. i mean the boys threw fits (and still do) but the hands covering the face and just crying when things aren't going her way, too much- I just have to scoop her up and let her know it's ok.

fabric + paper

an invitation i made for a friends shower inspired by the ones anna-maria horner made. this cute fabric is from the heather ross collection. too cute!

what we've been up to...

our night time walks after bath is done. (they put these outfits together themselves, seriously, i could not stop laughing as i pushed lucy in the stroller and watched charlie's cute lightning mcqueen bootie and those socks scootering through the neighborhood)

lots of soccer playing.

royals games.

serious backyard playing.

here is a look at my next article for tastebud. the theme for the issue was salad so i thought it would be fun to create a centerpiece out of planted salad ingredients. i used cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts mixed with non-edible plants such as verbena, coleus and dusty miller. other plants that would work: red and green leaf lettuce, arugala and edible flowers like nasturiums.
the little pots are an easy diy project. i spray painted them with chalk board paint from the hardware store and planted herbs in them. you can then label with the type of herb or use them for place settings and write your guest's name on them.
these great trays are from local designer kathi hardin with traybella. she creates fun trays in various designs and colors. they work great for serving drinks on the patio, taking items out to the grill, containing the piles of mail and paper work that seem to land everywhere and as the base of centerpieces.
the final detail for this table are the outdoor dishes from pryde's in old westport. the look so real that i passed them by until the sales lady told me they were for outdoors. they come in many fun colors and patterns from traditional to modern. i could spend a lot of time and money in this store!these great photographs are from sara farrar. her pictures make even the most simple of ideas look so neat!

the nadine

named after my grandma nadine who started this quilt top. i turned it into a large tote and lined it with heavy cotton fabric. it is listed in my etsy shop but if it doesn't sell it's going to be our summer park/pool bag!

totes

i have recently started writing for tastebud magazine here in kc. it is a free publication about all things food, drinks and local people and places. my first article was about setting a table for special occasions and how it doesn't have to be over the top to be unique. i used the tabletop from my mom's birthday i wrote about on this blog a few months back. tastebud is on the stands now and you can find it at local hen house markets, whole foods and lots of other coffee shops, etc.

my second article for the may issue is on reusable totes. here's a little preview:

paper and plastic are no longer the only options when shopping for groceries at the store or farmers’ markets. according to the EPA, last year Americans consumed more than 380 BILLION single-use plastic bags. the production of these plastic bags requires a great amount of oil and the majority end up as littler or in landfills where they break down into toxins that pollute our earth. an easy solution: bring a reusable grocery tote. this simple action is a way to spread the message of environmental sustainability and show off your ‘green style’ while shopping. there are the simple bags now offered by most stores but I thought I would search KC and the internet for some fun options.

the first pic is a selection from stuff: blue raddish appliqued canvas tote, a recycled plastic bag tote made from crocheting over 65 plastic grocery sacks, and a recycled rice bag from indonesia. the second pic is from bad seed farm: a local urban farmer's market that grows heirloom veggies and has a small shop in the crossroads. third pic is onw of mine that i will hopefully be making more for my etsy shop. the last pic is from it's only natural: printed logo on an organic cotton tote.

Where to find reusable grocery bags:
Locally
Stuff, 316 w.63rd, KCMO, http://www.pursuegoodstuff.com/
The Bad Seed, 1909 McGee, KCMO, http://www.badseedfarm.com/
It’s Only Natural, 407 W. Gregory Blvd., KCMO, http://www.itsonlynatural.us/
Bijin, 71st & Mission Road, Prairie Village, http://www.bijinsalon.com/

On the Web:
http://www.reusablebags.com/
http://www.melissavest.etsy.com/
http://www.delight.com/

also, check out my new blog @ www.designbotanica.blogspot.com. i will be adding photos from past weddings and gearing up to start doing flowers again! i would love for this blog to include inspirations for entertaining and weddings. lots of fun ideas and hopefully someday the time to create them!

good day sunshine

this new design makes me smile! i can't wait for the sun to come out here.

yellow

.lucy's spring shoes from puddle jumper.

.mama's new spring purse.

.inspiration /organization boards

made by topping a canvas with foam core and then wrapping with material.

.daffodils from the garden in our yellow kitchen.

.citrus cupcakes.

recipe:

white cake mix

1/2 cup oil

i can mandarin oranges, not drained

3 eggs or 4 egg whites

mix and bake according to directions

cool whip

i can of crushed pineapple, drained

1 box of instant vanilla pudding, dry

mix and top cupcakes when cooled

these are so light and springy!

a sign of spring

the first buds on our quince bush in the backyard!

diaper bag

this is the diaper bag i made to use with lucy. it was inspired by a picture in country living magazine. now it mostly spends time hanging on her closet door. it's amazing how quickly the baby stage passed, when i couldn't leave home without a bagful of supplies. now she carries her own cup and i throw a diaper and wipes into my bag and we're off...

ice cream

a new design for summer! it's coming, right?!

tabletop

i love this tabletop! we had my family over to celebrate my mom and my birthday's and i get so excited to have an excuse to set the table with more than the usual plastic plates with legos and crayons scattered everywhere.

i head to family tree nursery every year around this time to bring a little early spring into our house. i have been wanting to try a terrarium so i used a cyclamen and baby tears planted in a glass jar and added a few shells for interest. i love this white planter that i bought at the fiddly fig and think it turned out great with the soft fern, angel vine and baby tears. i had to add the little glass bird in my favorite color green.

i used white crackle glaze dishes from pottery barn and fun napkins from anthropologie. they have the best selection of quirky linens and dishes that can be mixed with the white dishes and really make them come to life. the swirl glasses are from anthropologie also and the etched wine glasses from nell hills (a past birthday present from my great friend amy. this year she got me the cutest tea towels from anthropologie. does she know me or what!)

i wrapped the votives in a light green vellum to add the perfect glow to the table.

of course the table wasn't complete until we sat down with family and shared a delicious turkey dinner (my favorite, complete with all the traditional fixings that clay made and cleaned up)!

happy valentine's week - i'm headed for the sunny beaches of mexico!

more onesies with baby's initial. i'm really liking the way these are turning out and having fun using new fonts and fabrics.

friday family fun night

a few months ago we started a new tradition called 'friday family fun night'. it can be as simple as cooking dinner together and then playing games, going out to dinner with friends or like tonight a special event in kc. we headed to the nelson-atkins museum for a chinese new year celebration. we watched a dancing dragon performance in the main hall.

next, to the ford learning center where the boys made their own masks.

and finally a tour of the museum galleries and the new bloch building for contemporary art exhibits.

the kids love whatever we do and i love the time together after a busy week!