happy weekend

{image via the cherry blossom girl}

Lovelies,  I am always ready for the weekend, but after this week, I am especially happy.  It was one of those weeks where you demand the universe tell you, 'what is going on!' and I am glad to bid it adieu.

What will you be up to this weekend?  We have a f.u.l.l. schedule which includes shopping for a new car and franticly preparing for Dylan's birthday party.  I am really excited about my little man's 3rd birthday festivities, but didn't realize that I would only have one weekend to plan it when I set the party date for December 4th.  Whoops!  Darn December birthdays...there really isn't an easy way of doing one.  But, I can't wait to share the party details with you!

Some link love...

It's my sister, Katie's, birthday today.  She was going to amputate a patient's leg on her birthday, but that got cancelled.  So she did fat injections to the buttocks of another patient instead.  WOW. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!  You are truly a special duck.

If you think the feathery purse above is gorgeous...wait until you see the wedding.  Oui! Oui!

Beautiful polaroids.

Oh, wouldn't it be amazing to spend a day here.  I don't know if I'd ever leave.

A pretty Thanksgiving paper-chain. Free template download + instructions!

More pretty Thanksgiving decor!

This is my kind of library.

The pesky coat closet organization solved.  At least, it's something to think about doing.

Speaking of coat closets...check out this glam entry way.

How to properly warm up.

The perfect striped shirt. 

A gorgeous calendar.

xo,
steph

happy birthday katie!

happy, happy birthday to my partner in crime, my little katie-bunker!
love you and hope you have a wonderful day!

blue lily photography

I recently snagged a very cool thing.: a time slot with Wendy + Tyler of Blue Lily Photography!  This adorable, fun, crazy couple sets up photo sessions in cities around the world, and they are coming to Austin in May. The location is a horse ranch and I am so excited!  I can't wait to meet the creative force behind these beautiful photographs and see the photos they take of our little family!  See more photo goodness, here.

xo,

steph

An escape...

{images via pia jane bijkerk}

Today was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  I just want to scoop up my little one, grab Paul's hand, pack up Django and go stay in this quiet, little tree house for days and days and days.  

When (if) we decide to come back, I'd like to return to a clean home.

xo,
steph

Royal Love

William and Kate are engaged!  A royal wedding is in the future, friends!  Is it shallow that I can't wait to see her dress?   I think they are adorable and who doesn't love a princess wedding?

Maira Kalman + inspiration

{image by maira kalman via inspiration boards}

Maira Kalman is an amazing, amazing illustrator, writer and creative.  This morning I read something she said in an interview:

"I do everything I do because I love to do it, even when I worry or am confused or slightly in despair. Those feelings usually pass. And then the next day is there.  
Always a good thing. The next day."

To me, a good quote is like those yummy Flintstone vitamins I took when I was little:  I can never have enough.  

If you haven't already read Maira's book, The Principles of Uncertainty, you should.  It's just a fun book to own.  And keep out on your coffee table to thumb through and then realize you just spent an hour thumbing through it.  Dylan loves her children's books, too.  We have this one and this one.  Whenever I pick up her books I think: "I want to be her friend," and then, "I wish I was good at drawing."  And, really, I am a terrible drawer.  It has happened, on multiple occasions, that I have drawn a requested 'thing' for Dylan and he simply looks at me in confusion.  It's as if he is 32-years-old and thinking, "Mom, what the hell is that?  Because I asked for a monkey."

Sigh.

xo,

steph

tea-length

These pictures have already popped up across the blog world, but every time I see them I think happy thoughts.  Classy, pretty, vintage and modern all wrapped up in one.  Love.

{image via wit + delight}

p.s. the cream, knitted sweater is a boys' sweater from crewcuts.  genius.

xo,

steph

Pretty Flags DIY

{all images courtesy of Project Wedding, Oh Happy Day!}

I saw this Flag DIY by Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day! a while ago, but was recently thinking of making these for Dylan's birthday party next month.  Of course, these flags are great because they would look good for any event really.  You don't need much of an excuse to make them! 

Flag Sculpture DIY

Materials Needed: 

Dowels (strong enough to place them in the grass), Fabric (we chose varying hues of yellow) 

Sewing Machine, Scissors, Elmers Glue, String, Tape, Large Bowl

1. Cut out the shapes of flags that you want. The shorter flags work better than the longer lengths. 

2. Fold a flap of fabric over on one side and sew a space big enough for the dowel to fit in.

3. Taking the large bowl, add about 2 cups of Elmer's Glue. 

Then mix in 1/3 cup water and stir until it is completely mixed in.

Step 4. Dip Flag into the glue mixture (with dowel already inserted) until it is completely covered. 

Remove some of the excess glue with your hands but make sure 

it still has a generous amount of glue covering the surface.

5: Hang the flags to dry by taping the dowels to the string. 

Make sure the string is level and is in a place that isn't windy (somewhere like a garage is best).

Line the area below the dripping flags with newspaper or scrap materials to prevent mess.

Flags should dry and harden within 12 hours and you'll have yourself some cute flags to decorate your event.

♥ ♥ ♥

Jordan always comes up with the best DIY projects!  This sweet flag project was posted on Project Wedding, which offers an endless amount of DIY's that can be used for any kind of party, plus it has beautiful wedding things-something I never tire of seeing.

Have a happy Monday.  I don't know about you, but I'm kind of fighting the Monday blues.  I want to be at home!

xo,

steph

p.s. Don't you covet that dress the model is wearing?  I seriously love it.