SARAH STYLE

no guilt cookie

2012-01-31T17:40:00.000-08:00

thank you to Autumn for introducing me to this amazing Quinoa cookbook!

i am so excited to make my first recipe from this book! this cookie is sooo good! and i love knowing it's healthy. i shared them with some friends and family and they all asked "what's quinoa"! here's a little bit of info for y'all to catch up on this amazing grain. (think fight cancer, complete protein, prevent heart disease, antioxidant...)

Healthy Cookies
2/3 c water
1/3 c quinoa 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c butter, softened 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 c packed brown sugar 1 1/4 c quick cooking rolled oats
2 large eggs 1 c flaked unsweetened coconut
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/3 c sunflower seeds, unsalted
2 cups whole wheat flour 1/3 c flax
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/3 c sesame seeds
1 tsp baking soda

bring water and quinoi to boil. reduce, simmer, and cover for 10 minutes. turn off heat and leave for 6 minutes. fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
preheat to 350 degrees.
cream butter with sugar. add eggs and vanilla. mix thoroughly.
combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt. add oats, cooked quinoi, coconut, sunflower seeds, flax & sesame seeds to the flour mixture and stir well.
combine with butter mixture. mix well.
cook for 8-10 minutes.

what i like right now

2012-01-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

i got the kindle fire for christmas with a gift card. i don't read! so naturally i got some magazine subcriptions and bought some movies. it was the perfect companions flying to and from florida this last week. here are my top 3 highlights from bon apetiet and southern living!

circa lighting wow this lamp is gorgeous! i fell in love with the site as well. hoping i can get a trade account with them!
bon apetite cookware really?! so cool! i know the regulations for selling product on HSN are cuhrazy so it has to be great. might have to get the immersion blender cuz i don't have one yet!
potlikker noodles these look sooo good!

my day with executive chef darrell mizell

2012-01-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

can i tell you how excited i was to get to wear a chef's jacket?!
this is me with Chief Executive Chef Darrell Mizell. with over 45 years experience as an executive chef, he has a local following, knows his spices, and is funny as heck! (not to mention he trained with the best including the likes of Morimoto & Mario Batali). he was kind enough to let me give inspiration for the special of the day. i mentioned braised short ribs were a favorite of mine and he took it to a level that was out of this world! here's what the menu read today:

Braised Short Ribs a la Ragout

French style short ribs presented in a burgundy herb and tomato essence with a rich french red wine sauce

Served with chef's three cheese au gratin potatoes

'chief', as GM Muhammad refers to the chef, used onions, tomatoes, lots of wine, and spices to create this masterpiece. what's amazing about this staff is that the key players we're all in on this project from the moment Mr. Patel (who also joined us for lunch) decided to build it. chef Darrell got to hand pick this kitchen where he makes his magic happen.

the special sold out within 20 minutes! luckily they saved 2 portions for ben and i. it tasted amazing! i'm still drooling looking at this photo even though i'm sooo full!

peek here at the special soup du jour, Spicy Shrimp Chowder!

taking notes as fast as i can to try and get all of his 45 years of knowledge in!

i was so sure we got along great until he met ben, took his hand, and moved in near his ear to say "i'm sorry"! lol! whatever! chef is married to a redhead italian woman so i can't be that bad!

chef Darrell taught me how to do the incredible design on the plate. you layer dots of dessert flavorings and drag a toothpick through them

Chef Darrell's Amazing Award Winning Key Lime Pie
Crust *makes 10 crusts so adjust accordingly
5 lbs graham cracker crumbs
1 lb melted butter
incorporate - grab a handful and squeeze it to see if it holds - add more butter as needed
hand press into pie pan - pack and pat it down
run your finger along the top edge to give it a lip (see pic of Darrell doing this trick!)
bake for 4-5 minutes at 350 degrees
freeze for 1 hour before filling

Filling *makes 6 pies so adjust accordingly
1 gallon sweetened condensed milk
1 quart egg yolks
1 quart key west lime juice
8 peels chopped very fine lime peel - don't get any white from the peel!
mix yolks on slow for 5 minutes (do not over mix or you'll make cheesecake)
add key lime juice and sweetened condensed milk and blend another 5 minutes
add zest and mix 1 minute
let stand in fridge overnight
stir air back into your mix before filling the crust (or you'll make cheesecake)
bake 225 degrees for 45-55 minutes. check it at 45 - it should not jiggle

where i am right now

2012-01-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

yesterday: in hotel room - hotel gym & work work work

today: lunch at my favorite cafe Station 400 with my amazing husband, stroll along Lido beach then St Armand's Circle, & some french pastries

later tonight: amazing dinner at our usual spot Epicure

tomorrow: spending 1/2 the day with the hotel chef who is showing me his famous key lime pie and preparing the special of the day i got to create!!! braised short ribs in an herb tomato fondue over penne with potatoes au gratin

all day every day: counting my blessings

stay tuned for pics!

things i like today

2012-01-16T21:51:00.000-08:00

CB2 pendant lamp ~ Room & Board canopy poster bed ~ Eurway set of 4 dining chairs

ready for the architect

2012-01-15T22:24:00.000-08:00

we're moving along with plans for living in Waxahachie!

the realtors are coming tomorrow and the condo is going on the market feb 1

i have plans to get designing started with the architect

we keep talking to more mortgage brokers

soo all this doing has got me thinking even more about the house. here are some things i've been getting together to discuss with the architect...

i would love this in stone at the front door but it would be cool painted into the floor there too

spring preview

2012-01-12T23:32:00.000-08:00

here's a peek inside what's about to go up on etsy! each of these styles comes in 6 delicate, bright, and spring toned color options. along with semiprecious stones and color we have another collection using parts ordered from motorcycle manufacturers! i designed this season just before Christmas and we've been working really hard to get the sample set ready! we're making over 300 pieces to get this sample set done and will finish just before dallas market starts the 26th.

the last 3 days has consisted of shooting product and finding a nice spot on the couch to work on all the edits. with my self-diagnosed ADD i need something going in the background, so i've gone through all seasons of Nikita and now I'm working on Army Wives on Netflix! oh and fighting whatever version of the flu i got.

peek into food for a day

2012-01-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

i get so excited when i go to whole foods! i am so in love with the ingredients i bring home and i can't wait to use them. i got some more interesting ingredients for smoothies so i'll try and post more. this one was good and made the perfect amount (what's in the glass is exactly how much it made!). i was inspired by this pinterest post. i have the hardest time sticking to a recipe so i didn't use one in there exactly but it gave me some ideas to help me branch out.

i've now taken 2 jam classes from Garden Inspirations in Waxahachie. i LOVE their peach jam so much i have only 1 tbsp left. i made crepes the other day and filled them with peach jam and nutella. loved it! my favorite thing about their farm: they have a small shed with a tiny fridge with fresh farm eggs on the 'honor system'. anyone can stop by, take their dozen of colorful eggs, and they trust you to leave the $ in the envelope. brilliant! i can't wait to live in Waxahachie!

i'm obsessed with this sandwich right now and crave it every day. i use the Salata herb vinaigrette with mayo as the sauce and it tastes so good - i ate a whole piece of bread dipping it in the sauce to "test" the flavor. lol.

new year's resolution

2012-01-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

sleeping beauty

2012-01-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

restoration hardware

anthropologie

ballard designs

pottery barn

crate & barrel

american drew

ben has a simple request for the new house. a new bed. our costco bed is great and pretty but he wants something sturdier so we'll move that bed into the guest room. i love 4 poster canopy beds and after a week or two of leisurely searching here are my top choices. there are only 3 on this page that will actually help my credit score and allow me to get a house. so that narrows it to #1, 4, & 5. i'm not sure the iron bed will be that sturdy. the pottery barn bed seems to be the most heavy duty so i'm thinking after a trip to C&B and PB we will be able to come to a decision! too bad it will be going straight to storage...

i somehow just came across this bed. i did so many searches and haven't seen it yet! it just showed up on decorpad. wow i think i'm in love! it's just about double the price of the other beds. maybe they will have a big sale coming up or i can get the designer discount. we shall see...

self professed addict

2012-01-07T15:16:00.001-08:00

i've spent all day going through my closet-it has been really fun! 1 trash bag is going to storage with all the items i don't necessarily need now but i'm not ready to say goodbye to yet. another bag is going to buffalo exchange then to the donation drop off.
the last thing i went through was my purses. these lip glosses showed up! looks like i'm addicted!
my favorites from this group are the buxom and sally hansen lip inflation. you can probably tell by this pic I'm also scared of color! love my nude glosses :)

luv me some foo dog

2012-01-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

can you spot the pair of foo dogs in each of these rooms? foo dogs are the perfect unique small accessory to add punch to a space. i love the idea of these little ancient chinese guardians adorning a shelf in the waxahachie house! i'm always on the look-out for a pair. it's not so easy to snag emerald or white stone for a good deal...

hill country anniversary

2012-01-02T22:10:00.000-08:00

okay so maybe we were eating at a chillis in marble falls for our anniversary as the year turned to 2012. and maybe i wasn't too happy about it. BUT after i got over my snobbiness we had an amazing time traveling from Hunt, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, and Marble Falls. it was absolutely gorgeous! i shopped at my fave store down in Fredericksburg called Root. i'm a bit partial since they've carried SB for 8 years now! but seriously, she had an insane amount of amazing tory burch dresses discounted :)

i can't believe it has been 2 years we've been married already! it feels like maybe 6 months. i seriously love every minute married to this guy. not kidding when i say he's the best man i've ever met.

i only got my camera out as we were driving home, but take a look and enjoy the view we were lovin'!

beautiful chinoiserie

2012-01-01T23:11:00.000-08:00

i had the pleasure of meeting this artist at the last Dallas Flea event. i LOVE her Asian inspired colorful pieces. they're so happy! i plan to do a large yellow vase with two graphic elephants on either side. now i just need to find me a pair of foo dogs!

shameless

2011-12-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

if you don't like Glee, Bachelor, Grey's Anatomy, Days of Our Lives, or reading US Weekly then you will NOT like this post. it's shameless and indulgent and would really embarrass my husband!

why my husband is the perfect man!!! he's the perfect combo of all these HOT men...

he has the great smile and muscles of The Rock. not to mention the shaved head and MAN i wish those tattoos...
he's got the street cred and cool factor of Pitbull. not to mention the deep voice and shaved head.
he has the ability to heat up the room like Vin Diesel. not to mention the muscles, shaved head, and deep voice!
he has the body and good nature of Ben Cohen (famous rugby player who raises tons of money for good causes). we have a neighbor who told us about him and he really does look a lot like him!
he gets told all the time he looks like Daniel Craig - i'm not too hot about that one but i thought i'd add it in!

well that's all my shameless dirty nonsense for today! love you benny boo boo boo (2 years tomorrow!)

wingback twin

2011-12-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

found these pics last night and got so excited! Virtually the same chair used by a famous Brisbane based interior designer and blogger Anna Spiro for her own personal dining room! love how she used mismatched chairs...

wingback what

2011-12-29T21:03:00.000-08:00

today was such a fun day!

yoga with an incredibly 'expressive' male substitute
dermatologist (to shop for product!)
sunflower farmers market for sandwich and smoothie farm fresh ingredients
wooden house to pick up merchandise i left at a trunk show... where i bought a dining table!!!
which means yep i just had to secure they wingback chairs i'm in love with from the previous post
DMA jean paul gaultier exhibit with some of my favorite girlfriends
chuy's tex mex with even more of my favorite girlfriends!

ben was curious if it's 'ok' to put wingback chairs at a dining table so here are some images i love to give you a visual. it's kindof crazy how similar the bottom middle image is to the chairs and table i bought!

now lock me away or i might spend more!!!

oh darn i have to shop

2011-12-26T16:07:00.000-08:00

moving forward with my journey to build our dream home!

following the recipe for making a credit score... i now have 2 lines of credit with Best Buy (they gave me $2000 which is a good sign!) and The Gap. now my bank has instructed me it would help my credit score to get a line of credit for something like furniture and finance it. THEN i can apply for a bank line of credit (if i apply to early and get denied it's a BIG ding on my credit score for 2 years). THEN i can get a pre-approved mortgage and THEN i can get a construction loan!!!

so when i look at my floor plan, i have already allotted where all of the current furniture we own will go (oh yes i even did it all to scale). the only furniture i don't already have for the house is dining table and chairs (and guest room stuff). off to research dining furniture!!!

table

i love this rustic table under $500 from World Market

chairs

i almost didn't give a link to these chairs because they're one of a kind and i really like them! but i don't have a way to get to NC soon and the shipping could be outrageous. anyways.. i love the idea of wingbacks like these for dining end chairs!

as for the other chairs here are some options i love

i love bucket cane chairs!

from left to right:

yellow cane chairs found these on decor pad - not the color combo for my dining table but love them!

white cane chair great redo on a vintage piece from etsy. not cheap though...

set of white cain chairs another image from decorpad - these would be ideal!

global views cane chair i've had my eye on this guy for a while now. their white version is beautiful too. doesn't hurt that i have an interior design wholesale account with them! (still not cheap!)

i also love bamboo chippendale chairs!

from left to right:

white pair of arm chippendale chairs found this awesome bathroom pic on decorpad love them as a pair

black desk chippendale chair love this with the bamboo desk and the white seat

white and turquoise chippendale breakfast chairs great combo for a kitchen!

teal chippendale armchair wisteria's version - they have them in multiple colors and armless - not too crazy about the pattern change they did

black and white chippendale these Jonathan Adler ones are done perfectly to respect Thomas Chippendale. you'll pay an arm a leg though...

macaron happy place

2011-12-24T22:45:00.000-08:00

i blogged a while back about a macaron place in florida i frequented this summer LE MACARON

so for this christmas i decided to attempt them...

i got so excited and went to Sur La Table and Whole Foods to pick up a stainless steel piping tube similar to this one and a bamboo cooking scale!

now to start the work....

all recipes are from this adorable book

i made the fillings first: vanilla bean, lemon curd, lime curd, and white chocolate ganache

then the shells: pistachio, raspberry, lemon, lime, and cocoa

here's a little peek into the beautiful process that made me so happy!

ingredients for the pistachio shell: almond flour, shelled un-salted pistachios, organic confectioners' sugar

beautiful farm fresh eggs from the garden inspirations booth at the waxahachie farmers market

aged egg whites (yep - out of the fridge & uncovered for 24-48 hours)

whipped egg whites with food coloring paste and caster sugar

lime curd: lime juice and zest, butter, caster sugar, egg yolk

the citrus variations were my favorite!

i had such a blast making these i decided they are going to be my Christmas thing. i plan to make them every year and discover and perfect new flavors! i'm officially addicted!

sarah briggs 2011 overview

2011-12-21T00:56:00.000-08:00

i love looking at my year at a glance! here's a peek into some neat facts i'm pretty proud of with the jewelry biz:

shipped over 70 packages this MONTH (not excited about that UPS bill)
traveled to over 30 trunk shows and events this year
opened over 30 new store accounts this year through my amazing showroom Aqua
kept another 50+ current stores well stocked around the world
hit the over 400 sales mark on Etsy!

of all of this plus the launch of sbhome - what a year! i have not worked this hard since the first 2 years i started this business almost 8 years ago. for a few months straight now i literally wake up around 9-10 am (normal for me) and work all day until 2am in the morning. even relaxing on the couch means grabbing my laptop and updating online or photo-shopping the newest pics. i never even got the holiday collection online in november because i was so busy shipping packages! at least stores got to see it at market (and it got a great sell-through!)

next year i have some changes coming!!! instead of getting 100 new pieces on etsy at one time, i will load new pieces every 2 weeks or so. this way, every time you check the site there will be new! we will continue photographing on our amazing model catherine (no that's not me on Etsy - something people ask all the time!). spring 2012 is already designed and in production so look for new pics coming...

well overall i am extremely humbled and grateful. i have been blessed with an incredible year not only in business but with my amazing husband and the most adorable one-eyed dog i ever saw. we have more than outgrown our 800 sf condo but there is so much love in these walls i can already sense how much i will reminisce about our time here in these cramped quarters.

i can't say it enough. thank you so much for every bit of support along the way. every sale, "like" on FB, and friendly face at my shows fuels me and makes this all possible. i am so blown away by the sb loyal following that i am launching a new years resolution with give-aways every month to our deserving customers! stay tuned for the deets :)

christmas shopping

2011-12-12T10:54:00.000-08:00

i always need good Christmas party options and here's a few i cam home with from my oklahoma trip!!! i've already worn the grey sweater jacket and the black and gold sweater to Christmas parties! i had such a great time at the trunk show and love this store! go in and shop if you get the chance :)

peek into spring

2011-12-07T06:53:00.000-08:00

we officially have a 4 piece collection in-the-making of Sarah Briggs fine jewelry. after hours and hours of making the decisions and coming up with these computer renderings (i LOVE photoshop!) and meeting with the jewelers the final adjustments have been made and the pieces are expected to be here January of 2012. the stud earring and necklace are 1/2" in diameter with a black sapphire stone in the middle. The hoop earring will be 1 1/2" and the cuff we are SO excited about will be 1/2" tall. stay tuned for the real images!

we just ordered these stones yesterday for spring 2012 and can't wait to get them in! think you can picture what we'll come up with?!...

trip splurges

2011-12-03T04:20:00.000-08:00

both of these companies are incredible! i got some white truffle oil for the first time and while i was there i thought i'd try one of the featured combos "lavender balsamic & meyer lemon olive oil". ummm.... INCREDIBLE! i bought the combo on the spot. perfect for tossing on potatoes or drizzling over a salad - heck i'm lucky if i don't just drink it all! check them out, they ship everywhere - we got a bottle of truffle oil for our amazing friends that watch Munchie for Christmas! Mountain Town Olive Oil Co.

waffles & frites? YES! these waffles aren't made from batter but dough and let me tell you i haven't stopped dreaming about it since i had it! this tiny dive makes you feel like you're actually in Belgium for a moment with the creme fraiche and all. and the frites... amazing! they have, of course, the most unique dipping sauces and i was in heaven with my perfectly seasoned aoili. i will be visiting here every time i come to SLC now! check them out - they're around the corner from Gateway shopping! Bruges Waffles & Frites

i need a party

2011-11-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

the last etsy fashion email i got featured amazing holiday party looks that got me really excited! here's some of my faves!

fur coat
metallic zebra dress
yellow dress
blue dress
gold top

updated floor plan

2011-11-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

i've ignored work completely for a few days to gain my sanity back and it has been completely medicinal! (sorry if you are expecting an order - i promise we will start busting our patooties again first thing mon am!)
it's given me a chance to think about the house we want to build again!
i updated the floor plan a while back and i've been staring at it so i thought i'd post it!

(link to the old one)
updates:

changed the master bath entry and closets to be one door with a hall. it made ben's closet smaller (he says it's still plenty big for him and i researched master closet sizes - it's on the small side but still on the charts of normal) but it gave the utility room a bit more space.
in this floorplan i am showing you the furniture and rugs (to scale) we already own and how they would fit in the house.
the study is now called the office and will be where i run my business. it's a huge space (especially compared to the 64sf i have it in now!) so i will be able to store everything and even have display space for appointments!
when you walk in the door to your left - i called that 'dining' before but planned to use it as additional living room space. i have now made it another office for ben to have whenever he is in town! it actually made the great room a bit larger. my sister has a room this size and it feels nice for a small office. i thought it could be a great space for a potential play area someday as well depending on our needs at the time. this also made the entry a little smaller which i'm happy about as it was so big before!
the morning area is now the official dining area. i took away the bay window that was going to have built in seating. turns out those things are expensive! i like clean lines anyway. this makes the covered patio a bit roomier too. i showed the dimensions of a potential dining table hear but i do not own one yet. i do have the arch lamp though!
the 6x10 space that leads out to the patios will have 2 doors - one leading to the covered patio and one to the screened in porch. there will be a door outside connecting the two as well. this leaves plenty of room for bar stools along the kitchen counter.
i pushed the outside wall of the kitchen and dining rooms out another 2 feet. it changed our total square footage which i was trying to stay away from but after talking to people who have built their homes it sounds like we won't regret it.
i moved everything around in the main guest bathroom. i got good feedback that you want to see the pretty sink and mirror first thing when you walk in. i'm happy with the layout now.
the guest bedroom used to lead into a hall to the other bedrooms as well but i took out the other entry. it made the closet bigger and more importantly i decided the guest suite is going to be permanently just that and not an additional potential kids bedroom. being in waxahachie will make us a destination to visit and it will be valuable to have designated guest quarters.
i changed the closets in the 2 kid bedrooms to be the same
the garage now reflects proper dimensions for a 3 car garage so sorry ben there isn't a workshop space any longer! i figure we will still line the walls with tool cabinets and he can just pull his car out to have workshop space.
it is now roughly 2700sf air conditioned space and 4000sf under roof (including porches front and back, & garage)

cold day hot food

2011-11-26T14:45:00.001-08:00

I'm sooooooo happy and cozy. Decided to toast some ciabatta topped with gruyere and made some Parmesan tomato basil soup to dip it in.
Couch + blanket + comfort food + husband + Hulu plus = happy

depressed day

2011-11-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

after weeks of traveling and doing shows i was spent! saturday was the super bowl of my career. after not doing well with the SBHome launch and putting that much heart into it, there was nothing i could do but break down on sunday! i started the morning with krispy kreme donuts while i cried to my mom and sisters and got to see sweet baby Olivia. then i went with another sister to see Breaking Dawn. after that, i got in bed and slept a lot!
do not feel sorry for me! i absolutely embrace the ups and downs. i was due for a reality check! i realized i have spent 8 years building a jewelry clientele and i can't expect to have that immediately with SBHome. i am going to take some steps back and approach it from a beginner-artist perspective and price it accordingly. i am going to take out the retailer and sell it direct only which means it will be much less expensive. this is a fun hobby that i am going to keep just that - FUN!
now i look forward to getting a life back! that means hitting the gym and cooking again! not to mention spending time with my loved ones. life is good :)

teaming up

2011-11-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

we have our first store carrying SBHome! and it couldn't be a better one!!
check them out:
blog
shop
studio
look for updates when we our merchandise will be available on this incredible site! for now check out their booth at the Chi Omega Christmas Market through the end of Saturday!

one of a kind

2011-11-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

every now and then we get to do a really special piece. this is a genuine Chanel vintage sterling drop on vintage Chanel chain. the lucky owner of this piece saw this chain on our owl piece that her friend bought and asked if i could do something for her with it. i told her i had a Chanel piece i could wrap on it and she bought it sight unseen! we're really happy with how it turned out and even happier it went to such an amazing client!

wreath time

2011-11-14T13:56:00.000-08:00

etsy shop feature for WildRidgeDesign
first of all i like their photography (i can picture the waxahachie house already...)
second i love the natural and wild look to the wreaths
and best of all they're scented!!!
i might have to get the one with the texas stars...

more shots

2011-11-07T22:48:00.000-08:00

4 hours on saturday was spent on shooting the original paintings for the etsy shop (another 8 in editing and loading). my poor condo was in ruins. i moved my bed, pictures, all vases/plants/ceramic items were out of place; it was hard to walk! but i got some cool shots. check out the original paintings section of the new shop to see the rest here.
today i worked on 25 new pieces for the vintage line and we bulked up our trunk show stock. i'm almost ready to hit the road for austin! first i have to get the fabrics in for the house shoes and get those in production, ship some orders, and finish laundry!
i'm starting to miss having balance. i actually cooked this weekend and it makes me so happy! i made some braised short ribs with sweet and sour red cabbage on sunday. tonight i had a german pancake with bruleed bananas and threw some greek yogurt, strawberries & bananas into the Vitamix then the ice cream maker for some fresh frozen yogurt. i'm misisng the gym so bad that i'm squeezing in planks, squats, and situps into a quick 15 min regimen before bedtime.
in craving balance, i look forward to life in waxahachie every day. i picture a slower pace and more outside time. i picture bringing in whatever is growing in the garden and basing dinner off of it. i hope to build online business enough to not have to hit the road so often. i would love to have a little place in downtown waxahachie with SBHome and the jewelry along with refurbished vintage finds, potted herbs, and my mom's packaged sweets. ben and i are looking into more creative lenders to help make this a reality sooner than later! wish us luck!

shooting art

2011-11-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

we got the reproductions canvases in! we've already sold a bunch too. great for business, but now i'm worried about stock! lol.
the canvases come printed with the images of my paintings rolled up with a bunch of sticks of wood. i wasn't actually aware i ordered them like that. so i have now learned how to stretch canvas and build the stretcher frames! after that i gave them each 2 coats of varnish so they have a nice paint-like luminous sheen.
today i am working on shooting them for the etsy shop. you can start peeking at it if you want - it is still quite a work in progress... www.sbhome.etsy.com.
i wanted to cover pricepoints for people so that's why i ordered these. i realize not everyone is going to be interested in spending a couple benjamin franklins on an original so these will cost from $40-150 (they get as large as 30x30!)

equestrian home and fashion

2011-11-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

some equestrian style i love:
(left to right)
Ravi the Racehorse from artist George Wilcox found on ShelterPop
Lord Denver's prize horse from the same artist found on Decor Pad
High Fashion image found on Meg Hibberd's blog
Carla Brune, France's leading lady found on this blog
Ralph Lauren look found on RidingAside blog - I love her happy ending to being adopted!
Francisco Costa piece found on La Dolce Vita
Hermes photoshoot horse found on Habitiually Chic

building my booth

2011-11-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

since SBHome is showing for the first time at the Jinglebash, i really wanted to display it well. i taped off a 6x8 area in my living room and i am building the booth to fit it. i made these 4 shelving units out of pvc pipe! it was really fun actually - like legos for big kids! i am going to paint it all a metallic matte silver and the shelves will be white. product is still being sewn and shipped so they shelves will all be filled soon enough! the site is being worked on and we will have a page of coupons you can bring to the show to use. it's coming together people!

another fabric preview

2011-11-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

i just got another 9 fabrics in yesterday. first i stared at them with excitement. then i took them off to the seamstress and spent 3 hours taping off each of the pillow measurements. i also picked up all of the inserts in bulk and let me tell you a box of 25 20x20 pillows is HEAVY!!! Why does Ben have to be out of town when I do stuff like this? I had to get them into the condo because i loaded up the car 2 more times with trips to Lowes & Home Depot. I have now built the 4 shelving units to display all of this. Tomorrow will be all focus on jewlery! I need to ship, make the new catalog, load Holiday on Etsy, take care of some customer requests, review current stock and order more of what has sold, and restock the vintage line! Sheesh!

ridin planes

2011-10-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

caught a quick iphone pic out the airplane window on my last trip. the second pic was the exact same just moments later as the sun was setting. i never thought an airplane would be a place of solace for me but it's the one of the few places i am forced to slow down and relax these days. this view is representative of exactly how i felt; relaxed, happy, clear, and at peace. a feeling to hold on to when i have a freak out moment wondering what the heck i'm doing putting so much money into SBHome!

slum around the house in this

2011-10-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

i ordered 5 fabrics all based off of the paintings last night to be made into house shoes/slippers. here's the peacock print! we'll have a logo, greek key, miami, and chevron slipper too :) can't wait to start posting some finished product!

leopard

2011-10-26T23:56:00.000-07:00

this is the piece i'm working on now. i've taken the equestrian tangent and made it into an animal tangent! this leopard is a challenge in a way that is very exciting to me. i wanted to go for an almost comic book-like look with the outline and selective detail. i just finished the outline of the silhouette on the first half of the tiger and next i am painting the spots. yes this is where the gold leaf comes in!! i did the first 2 pics before i left for florida and it was actually really hard to leave a piece at home undone (it's big! 24x24). so tonight i was really excited to get back to work on it! i usually start painting around 10pm and have to make myself stop usually around 2am. at that rate, this piece going to take me many more nights - and i have one more piece to complete before the weeks end to stay on schedule for my 30 paintings by Nov 19th!

preview

2011-10-25T10:49:00.001-07:00

sneek peek at holiday! can you tell i'm loving that i finally bought photoshop?!!

working on a piece

2011-10-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

here's a peek at the mess i've made in this hotel room. the housekeeping staff is used to me now and they are so sweet, they say they look forward to see what i'm working on next! well i'm taking a new approach with this one and spent a few hours taping off the kaleidoscope design. now i'm doing rounds of thick paint in soft tones. the last 2 pics on the right you can see 4 colors i used to make this silvery blue. the hardest thing for me on this painting is waiting for the paint to dry to work on the next color! this piece will not be nearly dry enough for me to fly home with on Tuesday so i'm thinking i'll have my now good friends on staff here hold on to it for a few weeks to let it dry thoroughly. it will be so hard to not go home with it!

scored a laptop

2011-10-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

what people notice:

'You don't have a laptop?!" says the hotel clerk, Junior league volunteers, flight attendants, etc. Yes I travel for work all the time and all these years I have not had a laptop. I've done everything my iPhone would let me (receive faxes, send paypal invoices, run etsy, charge credit cards, post blogs, etc) but it was time! I need to be able to use photoshop to edit pics for etsy, to order business cards and postcards, and I need it now more than ever to set up SBHome! Also I use carbonite.com to back up my computer which means I can access files from my desktop from any computer. That way I can email images stores need, access previous catalogs and stone colors for clients, and so forth even when I travel. It was a much needed purchase!

what they don't know:

you may have noticed i like nice and pretty things and i like to shop. but not everyone notices I AM CHEAP! look at everything on my shopping blogs - yep I either traded with a store/client or used my AMEX or airlines points. i don't like to spend money. *for those of you now laughing, this era started as soon when we decided to build a house

what makes this laptock rock:

it's only $399!! (click here to see it) i added a 2 year warranty that covers anything - even accidents for an additional $179-ish. then i got a swiss army laptop bag (target gift card), a mouse ($14), and the newest photoshop edition ($99). i'm ready to work on the road!

what made me do it today:

because i love my husband! i've seen him 24 hours out of the last 2 weeks with both of our traveling. i told myself i could come on this florida trip with him only if i got the laptop and photoshop so i can photograph the new line and have access to my files to work on SBHome.

what i've done with it so far:

this blog entry! yay! i've never actually used photoshop before - i've always had Microsoft Digital Image Pro. it was time to advance. so i tested the system a bit combining these laptop images and yes i added a textile from SBHome as the background!!!

what i plan to do with it next:

tomorrow i will photograph and edit the 2011 Holiday Sarah Briggs collection! oh yes, there is a new line and it is extremely fesitve and exciting - expect some sneak peeks tomorrow! i bet you thought i forgot about the jewlery with all this SBHome stuff - but the more i am designing anything, the better it all gets! guess my painting teacher in college was right about creative types needing to create every day or else they won't know when the good juices are flowing and could miss out on something incredible.

did i just interview myself?...

fabric on the brain

2011-10-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

i've officially ordered over 15 original fabrics based off of my paintings now! here's my favorite one of the day based of the painting named Beach. and yes, i painted it on the beach! this might look super computer-ized in this view but what's cool is when you see the fabric in person you can see the brushstrokes and imperfections which makes it a little more unique. i'll have enough fabric to make 90 pillows once it all gets here - we'll see how many get done for the show!

time for a new face

2011-10-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

i traded some reward points for sephora money and got to refresh my look! i had my hands full with what i needed and then i met an employee who totally knew what he was talking about regarding quality and what i wanted. so everything in my hands changed and thanks to his extensive product knowledge, here's what i ended up with.

hadn't heard of hourglass before - but it's a great brand!

primer - i got the small one - you can do without this if you want, it just love how it gives a flawless start and makes everything stay longer. i got the .3oz and plan to make it last!

eye liner - i had a more expensive one in my hand but he led me to this one that is just high quality (Sephora brand is the same parent company as Dior) and much less expensive! the felt tip is reversible so you can have a fresh end if you bend it up.

bronzer/blush - this is what i am MOST excited about. it is a creme bronzer so it stays longer and leaves you with a fresh dewy look instead of a dry powder or cake-y finish. he uses the foundation brush in the pic to apply this - first dip the brush into the creme, dab the mirror a bit, then apply.

foundation - nice coverage and weightless feel - perfect! i like this better than the last 3 i've had. he had me squirt it onto my hand and dab the brush on my hand before applying on my face. basically you never want to directly apply to your face unless you have an even distribution of product on the brush.

brush - great soft brush that won't shed at all! wash with a gentle shampoo with circular strokes and let air dry or you'll get bacteria and fungus from using non-dry product with it. could last you 10 years if you take care of it!

fabricating

2011-10-18T01:43:00.000-07:00

i decided to push myself a little more to not make the fabric exactly what the painting is but to be inspired by the painting. here's a little preview of what i came up with today! it took me quite a while to figure out how to set the pattern and make every line add up but i'm really happy with the outcome.

oklahoma success

2011-10-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

just returned from the junior league event in oklahoma and it was a huge success! i LOVE my Oklahoma SB shoppers!! i can't tell you how many people came to the booth who said they've bought with us before and love what they got. many said they returned to the event this year just to shop our booth! we more than doubled our total from last year which is amazing and totally unexpected! the 'it' item at this show was the LOGO earring. we brought 6 pairs (at $176 each) and sold out of all of them in the first 30 minutes of the preview party. the DOGTAG necklace was the next to go. i have to give a huge thanks to the junior league staff and volunteers - what an incredible and fun group! can't wait for next years' Mistletoe Market!

i get to stay with my amazing friend Christina and her family while in oklahoma which is a nice treat for me. i got to meet their new addition Michael who is the cutest!! he was so sweet and fell asleep while i was holding him at dinner. that's his little budda face in the pic above :)

another huge thanks goes to the incredible Autumn who flew down to work the event. her passion and knowledge for the jewelry was so helpful to our shoppers finding the perfect piece to take home. couldn't have done it without you! (she'll be working the CHI O market as well if you catch us there!)

i'm happy to be home and grateful for the few hours i got to see Ben last night. he's gone to CA this week and now all i can think about is getting ready to launch SBHome. just dropped off 8 more paintings to get scanned! i also just finished the newest collection for SB so stay tuned for pics! you can expect large bursts of color with faceted semiprecious stones and jewel toned crystals as well as a line based off of studs that resemble bullets! wish me luck - tons to do!!

this is my season

2011-10-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

our first batch of fabrics came in and i couldn't be more thrilled! i seriously freaked out like a little kid - this has been a dream of mine for a LONG time. i laid the fabric over a pillow to get the idea of what it will look like. picture gold rope piping and black velvet backs.

take a deep breath cuz here we go!
i have shows 23 out of the next 63 days! i will be traveling to Austin, Sarasota, Houston, Oklahoma City (twice), & The Woodlands.
along with trunk shows i have dallas market and the launch of SB Home coming up so my calendar is crazy and i will not have a social life anytime soon.
i couldn't be more motivated and excited! thank you to everyone for your amazing support and feedback - i would never be going out on this limb without love and positive reinforcement from my family, friends, and loyal client following of 7 years now! love you guys!

no time for food

2011-10-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

after living in a hotel room for almost a month combined lately and trying to launch SB Home i have no time to cook! here are some of my staples i have with me everywhere i go to live off of until i split a dinner somewhere with ben. i'm loving my hummus - just tried the lemon variety from whole foods - amazing! love the fage (pronounced fa-yeh) yogurt with the honey - it's the only one that the special flavor lasts all of the serving for me. i love the strawberry goji but i always wish there was more of it! i have tried every single fruit and nut bar out there! no joke! this one is my favorite above any other. which surprised me cuz i'm not necessarily an apricot fan. oh and i love my applesauce on the go - first thing i open every morning!

don't be dissapointed in me! i've literally been working from 10 am - 2 am without even breaking for the gym! i am getting closer to my goal of 30 paintings by Nov 19th. i have about 20 now. they take anywhere from 7-30 hours each so it's a slow moving goal and every spare second i have i'm painting! as many artists know, it's not always a good idea to work when you're not in the 'zone' but luckily i already have the next 20 in my head - my fingers don't work fast enough! i just got the first batch of fabrics in for the pillows and they're AMAZING! more photos to come :)

benefits to never leaving your hotel room

2011-10-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

as many of you know, my husband travels a lot for work. so i'm here with him again, making this something around a month total i have spent in Sarasota Florida. i could get used to this...

so here's why i haven't left my room and why it's awesome. i've made friends with the managers who upgraded us to a suite bigger than my condo. they also treat me for lunch when they catch me in the computer room (the restaurant here has an excellent culinary chef who makes amazing food!). i have also gotten to work on my goal of having 30 original paintings finished by the november etsy show. here is one in progress i've worked on until 2 am last night and most of the day today. it is a 24x24 large canvas and the harness is actually gold leaf! i just have to finish the black background and add my logo. all of the pieces from this trip have been equestrian themed. one with horshoes, this one with horse silhouettes, and the next one will be horsebits!

making my way into your bed

2011-10-01T00:29:00.000-07:00

i am so thrilled!
this is a sneak peek of some of my original paintings i had professionally scanned & submitted to a fabric house with samples headed my way!
if it's not on your calendar yet, put NOVEMBER 19th JINGLEBASH on there! at this one day etsy event we will launch SB Home and not only will we have paintings, canvas gallery wrapped reproductions, stationery, decals, and prints but now pillows as well! which of these can you see as a pillow in your home?! i also plan on launching the new etsy shop SBHome before the show so everyone who can't make it can see it all online. cross your fingers all of this gets organized and completed in time.

great news - sold my first painting tonight to a client (and great friend) who flew in and got a sneak peek at the goods!!! she was moved by the piece "siesta" that is done with rich reds and golds using greek key and linked chain designs. she is allowing us to have it at the show but there will be a 'sold' tag on it :)

necklace of the day

2011-09-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

this is THE necklace this season. we've shipped a ton of them this week and our own etsy model, the beautiful Catherine, wore it out to the theater last night while the group of 8 girls swooned over it. we never know what is going to be the "IT" piece each season. and we rarely have a necklace outsell in units over all the earrings but this puppy is soaring above all the rest this season!
(click on the photo to link to it on etsy)

why my day rocks

2011-09-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

remember when i bragged on how amazing my etsy clients are?i'm so grateful for the positive feedback! i'm still in shock i'm able to create things people have an emotional reaction to and enjoy wearing. thanks for making this possible for me! well here is why they make my day:

This is my second purchase from Sarah and I have to say I am quite thrilled with the customer service I received. In the feedback I left on my first purchase I mentioned a small issue with my order. Based on this Sarah contacted me and went above and beyond to fix the issue. This was unexpected and I was very happy with the service I received. The earrings I purchased were gorgeous, so unique and original. I am definitely going to continue to order. Thank you Sarah!

Ordered these as a gift and when I saw how beautiful they were, I had to order myself a pair!! Gorgeous!

Yayyy :) I love how both these items arrived so quickly

Really prompt shipping. I get so many compliments on these earrings, it's not even funny! : )

Excellent seller!!!! Beautiful earrings!!!! AAAAAA++++++

Absolutely in loveeee with these earrings! So pretty and very comfortable to wear!

Love the sparkle!! Cant stop staring at it when I wear it!! Thank you so much Sarah!!

Beautiful and amazing - so light as well. I am a VERY happy girl indeed :) Thank you!

The pictures really don't do the jewelery justice. I was so pleased when opened the package.

These earrings are gorgeous! Met seller at a show and she is the cutest, sweetest woman and does beautiful work!

Gorgeous earrings! The stone was stunning & the craftsmanship was very unique. Love them.

I LOVE these! Everyone notices them and loves them also! Sarah is great about getting my orders to me really fast.

all clad round up

2011-09-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

my goal is to someday have a complete set of All Clad stainless cookware. free. well i guess i'm actually spending $30 today on this item. friends, meet the 5 layer 4 quart deep saute pan with splatter sheild. i'm affording this by trading my business AMEX points for Williams Sonoma gift certificates. i got $200 in the mail today and I already have this puppy on hold at the HP Village store. time to come home to mommy!

etsy grey day

2011-09-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

i love grey and i love etsy! (click on the links below to see them on etsy)

quilt throw how brilliant! love the idea of a modern quilt and in a smaller size to add layers to your bed. love the overlapping squares.
wrap fleece i love anytime a cozy fabric can look this nice! this would be perfect for all my running-around-town-in-my-yoga-pants days! wait until you see how many ways you can wear it...
arm warmers i wore a shorter pair of these all the time last year and and got a ton of questions on how to get them! they're perfect for when i'm running out to walk my dog and the weather is medium and i don't need to grab a coat. they're also great for when i'm in my workout gear and it starts to get chilly. they're the perfect piece for in between weather! and great to use when your steering wheel is cold but you still want to use your iphone! and they're only $8! (yes they come from hong kong but don't worry - i ship and order internationally on etsy all the time!)
midcentury modern chair really wish i could buy this chair. love it!
military jacket great coat at a great price. she will even customize it to your measurements for $22!
perfect trench this might be my favorite item on this page today! what a perfect trench. i'm in love. seriously - her work is amazing and so well priced.

step one to building my house

2011-09-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

i spent the last year perfecting a floor plan for my future house, found a builder and got my condo ready to put on the market. as you know, that is now set back as i found out i have no credit score. so i was told that GAP will give a credit card to anyone so i applied a few weeks ago online and never heard anything. well today i got the call and they are giving me a credit card! yippee!!! i feel like a school girl that just got asked to prom! i know it's silly but what i'm excited about is that it's step 1 to building our home on our cute 5 acres in good ole Waxahachie. i was approved for $400 (makes me want to laugh a little) so i'm told i need to purchase near the limit and then pay off 70-90% of it immediately and let the rest be a balance for a while.

now i'm told i need to get to the bank to get a small loan using cash in my savings as collateral. i'm feeling a boost because of GAP so i'm gonna go for it!

please message, leave me notes, or email me if you have an credit building tips! i'm grateful to all the advice people have given me so far!

what i've been up to

2011-09-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

so i went a little crazy a few weeks ago and started blogging just about every day and then suddenly stopped! well i was in florida for a week and after i got back i had a titanium screw put in my jawbone (yep an implant) so i got a little behind. but the main reason i wasn't blogging is because i did 6 more paintings while i was in florida! i'm really shy about these so this is the first i am showing of them at all. so please don't laugh!!

i came up with this kaliedescope series through the art camps i did for kids in the summer. i had one student at 5 years old, the beautiful and talented Savannah, get really obsessed with them with me. i did a drawing with her of about 10 of them that took me a few weeks to finish. all of the sudden i had a million ideas in my head of where i could go with it so i bought some canvases. painting is what i started out studying in college and i've missed it! jewlery is a great creative outlet for me, but sometimes i miss other ways of getting my hands dirty!

ben keeps asking me if i'm going to put them up in our condo and he's baffled when i say no way! i was painting them to express myself and not to fill my walls so i hadn't even thought about it yet. i didn't know what i was going to do with them. until now.... i've been denied getting into the etsy handmade bash with my jewlery line so i thought why don't i apply with my paintings and voila! i got in! so on november 19th in dallas at the etsy jinglebash i will be showing my paintings for the first time! my goal is to have 30 and i only have 14 so far. some of them take me up to 40 hours to finish as you can see the details can be very small. stay tuned because i plan to make an etsy site for them and have print versions of them available and maybe even decals!

most colorful delicious meal

2011-09-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

here's what i decided to have for a late afternoon snack/early dinner! enjoy :)

small wedge of

inspiration

2011-09-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

i'm in love with this. completely in love!

i don't exist~reality check

2011-08-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

minor set back in building a house...
i found out from our mortgage broker. i have NO FICO SCORE!!! seriously, no score!
i bet you thought people like me don't exist - but it's true - i don't have a credit score!
whenever business got good i paid things off so i have no payments and no debt which is awesome, unless i want a house.
i'm half laughing and half realizing i need to get serious.
so... what now?!
baby steps.

get a loan using cash as collateral (even if it's only $500!)
get a credit card - i applied for a GAP card because i heard they will give one to anyone! i have a feeling i could still get denied....
make a big purchase on the credit card, pay 70% of it off and the last 30% over a year to show i can have a balance and pay on time
settle all unresolved issues on my credit report

well, seriously DON'T feel sorry for me! i fully expect this to be the first of many challenges building a home. it's just now another year to year and 1/2 further away. more time to decide every door knob, drawer pull and light fixture!

year of design

2011-08-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

people are always asking me how many pieces i have to design every year. this year i have done the following:
26 piece Spring Preview, 65 piece Spring Collection, 23 piece Fall Preview, & 103 piece Fall Collection
before the year is up i will put together a Holiday Collection as well as a Spring Preview for 2012.
include the one-of-a-kind vintage collection and that's over 300 unique new designs by the end of this year.
here's an overlook on the designs so far this year:

here i've highlighted some of my favorites. these are pieces i either got really excited about after designing, sold a ton of, or wear a ton myself!

keep checking on the Etsy page - we loaded the first page from a 7 page catalog today!

homemade sunday night

2011-08-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

using only 4 ingredients we made the simple marina from gwenyth paltrow's cookbook. here's the recipe. it's very kid friendly and makes the house smell amazing! we added fresh organic grass fed beef to 1/2 for a meat sauce and blended the other 1/2 (for anyone who's afraid of 'chunks').

using the pasta dough recipe from the bible of all cooking, The Joy of Cooking, i took a little pic tutorial for everyone who keeps asking how to do it and is still scared of the instructions on paper! it's very simple ingredients - 2c flour (i used organic unbleached), 3 eggs, 1 t olive oil, 1/4 t salt

my niece ella was an amazing helper in the kitchen! she chose aprons for everyone and then grated all the parmesan herself. then she was absolutley key in rolling the pasta and turning it into spaghetti!

my sister in law nikki is modeling the finished product here! we were all scarfing it down when i realized that was the one part of the meal i hadn't photographed yet! my neice addie sat in her high chair taking it all in! we all finished eating when i forgot - WHERE'S BEN?! he was still sleeping and got really lucky there was food left!
my sweet niece annie was so good in her little infant seat - we can't help but all gravitate to her after we eat!

my niece samantha is always devastated when it's time to go after sunday meals - here she was telling her mama BUT WE CAN'T GO!
adorable addie kept posing for me - i couldn't help but appease her!

fun filled photoshoot

2011-08-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

now i am NOT a photographer and don't claim to know anything about it. but because it saves me tons of money i do all our model shots for etsy and shoot all the jewelry every season. catherine morphis is always my etsy model - she is perfect! her coloring is relatable and her features are perfectly editorial. she is also a total HOOT to work with. this shoot started out in my closet (which is yep, my second bedroom) using a linen ikea curtain to filter the bright sun. you can tell in the first 2 rows it gave a nice glow. we also had fun using my mirrored ikea wardrobe which gave the reflection. then we moved outside and wow - the wind was blowing her hair and the lighting was perfect! i seriously didn't have to photoshop anything this time! it took us probably 3-4 hours of shooting to get over 300 images of over 85 pieces of jewlery, not to mention how sweaty we got after being outside in the heat! i was exhausted. well all the images are finished and now i'm working a show all weekend but next week it'll prob take me 3-4 days spreading it out with my regular work load (and down time of course) to get it all on etsy. i'm excited!!

the house is landscaped now - thank you ben

2011-08-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

House changes:

it's white now! with a light colored metal roof
added a small hedge at the bottom of the house - ben you are brilliant (white houses can tend to show dirt & rain wear near the bottom)
gravel driveway - i thought i wanted one down the middle with a circle. ben gave me this as an alternative so i did a mock-up on both and it was clear how much better this one is
entrance pillars with address and lions! the deal was i HAVE to have lions somewhere so ben came up with this and i love it. i love the 'W' too!

recognize the lawn? i stole it from the White House :)

i might eat pesto too much

2011-08-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

i got hungry around 9:30 last night so i decided to make one of my fave pasta dishes! i started on the dough first because it has to sit before i roll it out and cut it. then i got going on the pesto with more basil that ben grew for me. then i got the cherry tomatoes going- i believe they're the secret to this meal being so good. i saute them on high heat until they start to blacken and caramelize so they have rich flavor and get sweet to combat the garlic and parmesan. top it with loads of fresh grated parmesan reggiano and sat down with a peach izze to watch some more episodes of Switched at Birth.

peeking inside orders

2011-08-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

what shipped on friday...

everyone's asking how the jewelry biz is going lately and it's GREAT! i was working like a mad woman last friday trying to get these puppies out so i thought i'd let y'all peek inside these 12 orders. from special orders on Etsy to stores from Plano to Florida, here is what people want right now! It takes a lot of time to quality check, bag, invoice & pack over 80 pieces. not to mention on that same day we got orders for another couple hundred. not a bad day for business at all!

there isn't a day i don't wake up so humbled that i get to put my quirky artistic vision into materials and pay my bills doing it! can i take a sec to brag on my customers too?! i have the most supportive amazing clientelle - you guys seriously are the reason i do this! i am friends with most of the stores i work with and have even become friends with people i've met randomly at trunk show sales and online through etsy. so thank you to my customers for your support and friendship - i am blessed!

home improvements

2011-08-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

BEFORE

AFTER

Thank you so much for everyone's helpful advice whether you emailed, called, or sat with me! I'm SOOO grateful for people who have experience being thorough with me - and wow do they have great advice.

I was warned it was a bit like a 'model home' which is true! So I changed the windows to the steel casement look that I love instead of the gaudy moldings (that would've been expensive anyway). I researched steel windows and we cannot afford them, but you can get the same look with aluminum and still get most of the noise cancellation and weathering benefits without paying as much. If we can't afford those either, I will have to go for vinyl painted black but I hope we don't have to!
Ben and I agreed landscaping would help it look more unique and more 'us' so I put in our gravel driveway and took out the ugly landscaping that was in the original photo. After removing the slope by the front door, I added some potted rosemary then a few Italian cypress trees. There will be more - but Ben is still asleep and he's the green thumb with all the amazing landscaping ideas.
The Texas star is now featured on the pediment gable which I love! Texas pride!
Thank you Lauri for noticing the railings were lame! I changed them to the 'X' pattern and it looks so much better.
To add some interest and realistic aspects, I added ceiling fans, a bench, rocking chair, and gas lanterns. Notice I also removed the front door white moldings and widened the front porch columns a bit.
Since the elevation of this house and floor plan were derived completely separately, I extended the right side of the house to reflect where the garage dimension more correctly.

Well obviously there is nothing else I think about right now. I am also working on where every shelf, plug, window, and light fixture will go. That's the fun part.... So the realistic part is we have to get our Realtor over to the condo again for another walk through and then put it on the market. We've done a bunch of trips putting anything we can in storage so the condo looks spacious and un-cluttered. (I've even put 2/3 of my clothes and shoes in storage - I only have 3 pairs of jeans available now! ahh!) We've started the process working with a lender to get pre-qualified for a loan to cover what the condo doesn't. We have selected a builder we are thrilled with but still have one more architect to meet before making that decision. So the ball is rolling people! The ball is rolling...

soliciting good advice

2011-08-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

yes this is the same floorplan! i just flipped a bunch of rooms and moved some things around.

one architect gave us the brilliant idea of putting the garage on the right so it catches the setting sun - thanks Gregory!
the porch is now shorter and more affordable
there is now a 3 car garage instead of 2
all three bedrooms are now on the same side of the house
there is now a bathroom easily accessible for guests off the great room (perfect one to use the sliding barn door!)
another architect gave us the idea to only have part of the back patio screened in porch thanks David!
the kitchen is bigger with an area perfect for bar stools
there's now banquette seating in the morning nook - we will use this as dining and use the dining room as extended great room (good kids play area someday?...)
i'm sure some of my calculations are off but after all the math and remeasuring on this plan i calculate the total slab building square footage is 3608 while the air conditioned square footage is 2645

Thanks everyone who has commented on this or chatted with me after seeing it. I REALLY do want opinions and criticisms. So let loose again people and let me know what you think. Of course I will take this to my builder and architect to perfect and get their ideas, but I like to gather as much information as possible!

running around town today

2011-08-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

got in a great session of yoga and got to catch up with my incredible friend Cathy!
ran to grab wire and stones from my supplier downtown
picked up samples from production in Mesquite
ran those to Neiman Marcus in Irving for a style-out! These are the pieces they chose in the photo - here are the links:

Crystal hoops in Rock Crystal, Carnelian, Blue, and Black/Hematite mix
Wire hoops in Small Silver and Large Gold
Large petal earring in Mixed Metal
Crystal drop earrings in Green, Turquoise, Amethyst, Red, Rock, Smokey, and Black

sweating from the over 100 degree car, i headed to the showroom at FIG downtown to pick up more samples to ship for a Nordstrom style-out and to send to my reps in Miami and LA with Aqua Showroom
got home in need of some comfort treats so i made pumpkin donut holes! it's one of my favorite Martha Stewart recipes i've held onto for a while. the recipe is for muffins but i just make smaller balls and bake them right on the baking sheet to make them more donut-hole like.

another step closer to home

2011-08-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

My own custom photo-shopped home!

saturday we met with a builder out in waxahachie and i've been so excited that i haven't stopped thinking about putting a house out there. so after meeting with 5 architects (and one more still to meet), we've realized how much we can't afford them! there is a company in Waxahachie that will draw out all the plans for super cheap so I've toyed with paying an expensive architect to at least get the outside of the house drawn how i want and have the other company do the floor plan, lighting, plumbing, etc. so the whole time ben just keeps saying why don't i come up with the elevation and i just felt like it was out of my league. but now after a year of researching gables, pediments, moldings, doors, pitches, dormers, columns, and colors i thought 'why not?!'. so last night i put all my favorite images together and photo-shopped this house! it was really fun and i'm pretty proud of it. i should listen to ben more often.

stylish summer day

2011-08-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

peas for dinner

2011-08-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

this is a version of Saag Peneer with tofu i got from a blog from a blog. Hilary is a fellow blogger/health-foodie/dancer who married a family friend and appears on tv from time to time. i saw a link on her blog to this blog where there's a mom who calls herself Mama Pea and posts healthy recipes and family fun things. so i tried this recipe because i was exstatic to see a good tutorial on how cook with tofu which i'm a virgin at! well the tofu turned out fantastic and i will do it again while the sauce was a little on the bland side. i would saute the onions with garlic next time and up the spices and lime. but overall - i LOVE how healthy it is and my body thanked me for getting my veggies.

polyvore

2011-08-10T06:48:00.001-07:00

at least i can say i got cyber dressed today...
i've been meaning to check out polyvore for a while now and i finally registered this morning - it's fun! here's my first arrangement...

By Malene Birger cream shirt
$133 - coggles.com

Supertrash skinny leg jeans
€100 - welikefashion.com

Coconuts shoes
$140 - dsw.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors michael kors handbag
$495 - my-wardrobe.com

CHANEL LE VERNIS NAIL COLOUR | Nordstrom.com
25 CAD - nordstrom.com

Tufted Arch Headboard - Headboards - Bedroom Furniture - Furniture |...
$499 - homedecorators.com

workout wear

2011-08-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

as many of you know, i'm in workout clothes 4-5 days a week. i go through tons of tank tops/bras/pants/shoes per season. i just did another closet cleanse and got rid of everything that didn't hold up. it annoys me when tanks stretch and lose shape. so here are the items that have made the cut.

tank the review from this link says it all. i've had this boyfriend tank from American Eagle for years. It has the best shape, length, and texture! it has been washed over 100 times, no joke, and is still my favorite. it cuts in on the shoulder to mock a little bit of a racer-back which i like. the back cuts in a little too so it's not a wide tank and turns out to be very flattering. the neck line is just right (and i've searched!). it has great stretch and tailoring - it's seriously the first one i grab out of the wash! i tried to buy more today but their site is down. i will be first in line to restock as soon as their site comes back up!

gFast leggings all the pants/leggings in this post are from the Gaps' gFast line that i'm obsessed with. i have the lulu leggings and promise you will be just as satisfied paying half for these! they're a flattering rise, not too tight at the waist (don't want to see no muffin top!), and a great length. i don't have the capri yet, but i want it!

bra i don't know why i've never done this before. let's be honest - i don't NEED a sports bra as an AA! i don't need the support and i definitely don't need the squishing. so i like this super comfy wireless option that also has great shape (my husbands fave bra i own!).

flipy flops you might be surprised to see the most expensive item on this page is the flip flops! well someone told me once they never cheat with the cheap stuff on their feet or their eyes. this spoke to me as i spend 80% of my time in flip flops in the summer. why are my high heels $100 minimum and my flip flops $20?! not to mention cheap flip flops are known for killing your lower back and throwing your spine off. if you're interested in a premium shoe that has an incredibly soft oiled full grain leather lining with a streamlined anatomical compression midsole then this is as good as it gets! they are really pretty on (even my size 10-11 foot!!) - i'm in love with them!

'red'y to be red again

2011-08-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

saw this pic and got inspired! blonde is fun but i need to go back to my 'roots'!

happy things today

2011-08-05T11:35:00.001-07:00

the first two images are of the order i am shipping to Shaylula today in Tarrytown, NY. it looks so colorful and happy- she did a great job on this order!
next is once again the banana ice cream i'm obsessed with - i had some for dessert last night. i love that it's so simple and so healthy. you have to use really old bananas or else it won't taste right! i think i'm going to brulee the bananas first next time and see how that tastes!
and last is sweet baby Jackson. i had a feeling early this week i should offer to babysit for my amazing friend Melissa. i loved the idea but i ignored it. well i woke up wednesday and the thought wouldn't leave me alone! so i offered her my services for last night and it turns out that was her husband's birthday and their first date since she had the baby! i was texting her a pic of him while they were out and he made this face - she said it's his first smile captured on camera! love that little guy.

2 ingredient wonder smoothie

2011-08-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

i made the amazing 1 ingredient ice cream last night with brooke and rachelle (love you guys!!!) and we were in shock! seriously. frozen sliced bananas in the vitamix made a creamy decadent dessert that tasted like it was 5 ingredients. i really didn't believe it was going to work. the texture was so perfectly creamy it tasted like it must've taken heavy cream to make it. check out the link i got this recipe from!

so what did i do with the leftovers this morning? i tossed them in the vitamix with some organic acai berry juice (from costco) and voila! it tastes like dessert!

leftovers

2011-08-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

I had some leftovers after a fun family Sunday dinner and decided to make myself a wheat pizza with Greek yogurt, figs, blue cheese, Gruyere, goat cheese and drizzled local honey for lunch. Life is good...

pizza dough recipe

all things small that start with 'm'

2011-07-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

ever had a mochi ice cream or a macaron? and not it has nothing to do with a macaroon! well i'm in love with both and you need to try them. i went to whole foods to get some more mochi ice cream (nikki - totally your fault i'm addicted! lol) and some people in line looked at it and asked me about it and ALL went to go get some immediately! it was like a checkout mochi party. i tried my first macaron in sarasota at le macaron (they ship!) and absolutely fell in love. almond flour and merangue outside with perfect creamy fillings - i couldn't get enough. lemon was probably my favorite along with salted butter caramel. mmmm..... they're so pretty too!!!

promo material

2011-07-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

ordered some new promotional material today. something i am asked for constantly and never have on hand!!! well i'll be stocked for a while now. this is the first time the business cards won't be black - i hope people don't freak out like the time i mentioned maybe changing the velvet bags or the logo. i loved finding out customers had an emotional attachment to the biz. best compliment ever!

house tour

2011-07-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

the floor plan

2011-07-23T09:53:00.001-07:00

we haven't spoken with architects yet but after countless hours of research i've fallen in love with this 2500 sf one-story. as you can see with the before and after, i made a few changes to the layout. i don't like diagonal lines so i took all of those out, added more storage, of course my huge walk-in closet, and a wrap-around porch. i'm really proud of the direct route i fixed from the garage to the kitchen and i feel pretty brilliant that i made my closet have direct access to the laundry room. i'm open to suggestions from you home owners out there!

day in the grind

2011-07-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

9am ~ crepe breakfast with a cooking club at my mom's (recipe)

11am ~ photograph new line (preview)

1pm ~ re-prioritize production queue with in house artist

some store special orders and new Etsy orders are first in line
work on new sample collection that will debut at Dallas market 2nd week in august
keep working on store orders due in august and September

2pm ~ continue editing new images and work a format for the catalog

3pm ~ hit a WALL! we have been expecting some very important stones in for a while only to find out our supplier is out with no comment on when they'll get more. UGH!

5pm ~ hours spent now calling, googling, & searching for a new supplier on this super important stone that goes in the ever popular bracelets many customers have already ordered and paid for

6pm ~ Indian food with my man. anything with him puts me in a better mood! have i mentioned he's hot?... (restaurant)

7pm ~ frozen yogurt with some amazing friends - love you Crystal and Melissa! (pinkberry)

8pm ~ give up and pay exorbitant rates for the crystals i need in tiny amounts from multiple ebay sellers, foregoing my margins on a few sacrificial pieces

9pm ~ awesome walk with my amazing puppy Munchie

10pm ~ got my first online customer in England - as i just happen to be wearing my Union Jack dogtag. Cheerio!

oh what a beautiful morning

2011-07-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

click here to see:

allison's amazing website

my new knife

the best salt out there

the cutest coffee shop

beachin' in florida

2011-07-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

after being in florida for just under 2 weeks i feel like i live there! it was incredible but i'm happy to be home. it's going to take me a while to dig myself out of the amount of work i have to do that's for sure! so apologies if i'm still MIA for a while...

these were all taken on the 4th of July! my mom flew in and we had dinner reservations with a live band and this view. we had the table for the entire night so we spaced out our meal with fireworks and photo ops. it was a perfect night!

the crowded beach at the top of this grouping is Siesta Key - the nations #1 beach this year! it was gorgeous BUT we found one we liked better - that we basically had to ourselves! the still clear waters were incredible and it was the kind of water you never wanted to get out of. this was cortez beach on anna maria. this is the exact location we would like to bring the fam to next year!

we spent another day at cortez beach - we loved it!

clean new office storage

2011-06-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

i used to have my business in my own 5-room office building. then i moved to a 2-room office shared workspace. now it's in my front hallway in my 900sf condo! organization is key! so it was time to get rid of any visible mess and get my front room back to looking presentable. a few trips to Ikea and 2 weeks of organizing, building, with some Florida, gym, and friend time mixed in, and POOF! i have a beautiful new office space! i actually had someone come in and ask "where's your stuff?"! best compliment i could ask for after all this hard work!

exotic moroccan dinner

2011-06-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

i had a blast making b'stilla for some friends who have moved back to texas!

we started with a zucchini vichyssoise which ben and i learned in a cooking class at central market (one of our best dates ever!). good ole Ina Garten (barefoot contessa) scored big time with this one! seriously - try it! click here

then we had the b'stilla - i will use this recipe from now on for sure! click here

you can even watch the video where they make it in Morocco (click on episode 6) click here

last we finished with a cantaloupe mint ice cream which was refreshing after such rich flavors click here

floored for whitewash

2011-06-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

i just had an amazing weekend with my sister lauri! she signed a lease and we had a fun ikea trip to plan for her new place. meeting her realtor and talking floor plans got me excited about building a house in waxahachie. i love the white flooring at ikea and have seen older homes with huge planks whitewashed that i love too. so here's a great pic of exactly what i want!

play time

2011-05-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

it's not possible to have more fun that i had in florida with Ben this last week. i know i shamelessly brag on him a lot but i've never experienced this (and didn't think it existed)!! i had so much fun with that boy - we laughed the entire time, ate amazing food, and of course shopped.

Ben has a client in Sarasota now and flies so much that Southwest has awarded him a Companion Pass which means i can hop on any plane with him for free unlimited!!

so there i was on his work trip to Sarasota, Florida! i spent a little too much time in St. Armand's Circle which is the cutest circle filled with shopping, food, and gelato. i indulged in some shopping at some of my favorite spots. Exit Art is a store i've sold to before so i got to go in and hang out with the staff and of course try on these cargo pants (Johnny Was for Pete & Greta.) not kidding when i say they're the best fit of the most comfortable and perfect pant i've ever put on. they were out of my normal price range but i had to buy 2 because i'll never find something like them again!

links: exit art, perfect pant

another favorite spot was Shore where i got this rockin' Nixon watch i'm in love with. i've been wanting white forever and this little waterproof weightless wonder hit the spot! clean and fresh with a surprising elegance. comes in every color under the rainbow! Shore can special order any Nixon watch you love - the staff was awesome.

links: shore, watch

when i wasn't shopping we were on Siesta Key beach which is gorgeous white sands and turquoise water. ahhh... can't wait to go back in July!!!

galerie d'images

2011-05-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

1 love gatherings of frames objects like this - they make such a statement - the pops of color here are exciting and very well done!

2 love everything about this! the light fixture - appearance of the Hermes throw - clean lines - mmmm... pretty!!

3 amazing kitchen! love the nook and all the natural light.

4 need these windows in my future house!! love the chippendale chairs with the parsons console!

5 ceramic dogs are my favorite! love all the white ceramic lamps and accessories too. the pop of yellow is amazing!

*all images from decorpad

summer uniform

2011-05-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

i hate summer clothes. i don't like little dresses and i don't like frilly silky feminine tops and sweaters. i don't like color.

links:

1)first black v-neck 2)first white v-neck 3)second black v-neck 4)second white v-neck 5)first grey v-neck 6)third black v-neck 7)third white v-neck

i realized i have a uniform. v neck, jeans, and of course my boots!

i realized i'm not wearing them because they're old and the fit is blah. so i ordered these fresh ones today from (hush don't tell....... Forever 21) aghh!!! i know they'll be the crappiest shirts i have but i wear them out and need new ones the next summer anyways. for under $5 a piece i won't have any guilt throwing these out next summer.

another piece of my uniform lately is these infinity scarves (or eternity scarves). candice gave me a Vince grey and black striped one (thank you!) and i wore the heck out of it! i even wear it with my yoga outfits (helps me look more presentable when i keep it on all day). i don't know why but it is so much easier to wear than a regular scarf. i have added a shredded one and a thick beige one since then. today i was inspired by these new v-necks and just had to add these to my collection in all the excitement. seriously this is all i'm going to wear this summer.

links to these Etsy shops:

1) oatmeal crocheted cowl scarf from SandeeKnits. i love how this one has a J Crew nautical aspect to it. it will give the v-neck structure like a pop-collar which i have been known to love.
2) luxe multistrand knit from BabyEtte. glamour has arrived in the scarf world people! can't wait to wear this one.

3) cashmere blend infinity scarf from PurlKnitting out of Canada. i am really excited about how soft this one is going to be! it is simple but has such a refined look.

4) up-cycled t-shirt loopy scarf from CaseySmith211. i'll throw this baby on when i'm feeling like a rockstar with my skinny jeans and some heels. might even put on some leather cuffs. oh - would be a great time to pull out my studded leather wallet chain!

oh and no it's not for keeping my neck warm. i just like how they look!

diversion...

we had a 'soap box' in college people would stand on and go off on tangents. one day a girl decided to attack belts. she mocked girls who wear belts that aren't functional. i always wish i would've given her a piece of my mind. i hope she finds my blog and reads this. i wear belts for looks only and i wear scarves in the summer because i like it!

so happy this morning

2011-05-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

i'm really happy this morning. here's some things that make me so happy!

all clad saucepan

there isn't a meal that doesn't call for my trusty all-clad saucepan. i have a goal to own the entire line someday but for now this is my one piece! the more i cook in it, the more i love it. you have no idea what nice cookware can do until you use it.

munchie

this dog was sent to us from heaven. he has lost his eye, suffered from a virus attacking his body, and lived in poor living conditions the first 2 years of his life but he is the happiest dog you've ever met! we are so happy to have rescued him and love him so much! he is on meds for the valley fever but every now and then it flares up. he couldn't use his leg on saturday so i took him to the emergency room where i was balling so hard i could hardly tell the nurses what was wrong with him. turns out it was just inflamed and they gave him a shot and pain meds and he is doing so much better! it took me literally 2 days to recover but not him!

my father's daughter

i got a signed copy of Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook! it's so interesting and actually touching to read about how she got into organic and even macrobiotic with her father's cancer. i love how much she talks about her kids and add their quotes into the book and gives you suggestions on how to get your kids involved and fix recipes to be more kid friendly. my favorite is how she learned from her dad that serving food wasn't just about a good tasting or beautfiul table, but how nurturing and caring about the food you're preparing is an ultimate way to show love for your family. i love this concept - i've always wanted to be the grandma that has random kids from down the street coming over to have a loving homemade meal made from scratch anytime!

peonies

i love this etsy shop and have bought from her many times now. there is no one out there doing arrangements like this - i have searched! if you're not a fan of faux floral but don't want upkeep this is perfect for you. her arrangements are exotic dried elements in perfect vases.

blood orange

i am happy about blood oranges because they helped make the perfect orange Julius this morning!

3 blood oranges. handfull of spinach. 1/2c almond milk. 1/2 frozen banana. 1 tbsp local honey. 3/4c ice

white tea paperwhite

i have been obsessed with finding white tea scents ever since my Westin stay in Maui. they are known for this scent. since it doesn't make a whole lot sense to spent $60/month on this completely addictive scent, i try out anything that says white tea. this is a good one from Saint Parfum. they had a sale on OneKingsLane and i took advantage of it. anyone who catches a whiff of it compliments it!

Ben

i am very happy after my weekend with my husband home. what would i do without this guy? he is completely made for me. his constant 'impressions' of me keep me rolling in stitches and i'm pretty sure he's laughing 'at' me constantly but i love it. it's ridiculous how much i love even just being in the same room with him.

shopsaplingpress

i love people who are so witty it's intimidating (taylor, lara, kate). they are so fun to be around. these notecards are hilarious! you have to read all of them!

i love whole foods too much

2011-04-28T12:20:00.001-07:00

i need a boss. someone to yell at me and tell me to get to that box filled with jewelry orders out! i'll get tot it eventually but for now i'm still getting back in my groove after a relaxing vacation in a cabin in the woods. yesterday i just had to catch up on all my tv shows - i missed glee, desperate housewives, body of proof, 30 rock, brothers and sisters, and dancing with the stars. today i got back to the gym and even stopped by my supplier. that seems like enough for now. (love my life!!)

so i headed to whole foods!

here's what $100 got me! so worth it. by the way i get soooo tired of people putting "value" into dollars. dollars is not how i measure value in my life. to me it's priceless to not be ingesting pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, antibiotics, or preservatives. my body thanks me!

first things first. i indulged in some sea salt ciabatta with my favorite delice de bourgonne with a bit raw creamed honey i picked up on our cabin trip from some local bee keepers.

next my lovely vitamix i missed so dearly for that week! the taste is perfect - fresh and fragrant! the texture is a bit thick though - i will add some ice or a little more almond milk next time.

drapes are up!

2011-04-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

i finally got the drapes up! I LOVE THEM! it's amazing how much it can transform a space. here's the link to the incredible company that hand made them for me. i am so impressed with her work! the fabric is an incredible heavy linen and the hidden pleat she helped me pick is perfect.

check her out SewCustomDesigns

also did anyone notice my item i ordered from Happy Chic came in? i posted a little bit ago about Jonathan Adler's collection on HSN. well i ordered the blanket and it came in and I LOVE IT!

check it out (again!) Happy Chic

i'm gonna go stare at my house some more now

plane favorites

2011-04-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

i bought the May 20110 House Beautiful mag on the plane to arizona last night here are some highlights i'd love to pass on...

shane ward

check it out - some really intriguing pics!

here, she photographs a scene in Italy. i can hear time stopping as i have nowhere i need to be. i'm soothed by the water gently lapping against the rocks as i taste a hint of fresh ground pepper on the creamy robust goat spread on my crusty sea salt baguette. makes me want to go to Venice...

this textured rug in pearl is incredible! i'm amazed it isn't more expensive. i would love to use this in a client's home or my own. i can see it going so many directions - from country chic to elegant boudoir or even uber modern.

Christian Lacroix for designers guild

this rug is a work of art! what a beautiful way of mixing abstract with control. it's somewhat animal with a hint of floral. love it.

this chair is as beautiful as any i've seen like it with a much better price than is usually next to it! i had a great time browsing this site - i am trying to get a client to have a pair of these for her office... (would'nt it look amazing with that Lacroix rug?!)

vitamix heaven

2011-04-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

i finally got a vitamix!!! we use it probably 3-4 times a day!

ben makes his protein shakes, i do a green smoothie here and there, and we make frozen yogurt for dessert! here are my fave combinations right now! (i just made up the pear/clementine one and was so surprised how good it is!)

by the way i have allison to thank for the last recipe - here's her amazing blog! (thanks allison!)

bluebonnet surprise

2011-04-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

i kept telling ben i wanted to seed our land with bluebonnets and every time we went to lowes or home depot i looked for bluebonnet seeds with no success!

so we decided to drive out to our land today to mow it. we came around the corner and there was a sea of bluebonnets... ON OUR LAND!!! what a nice surprise! i said God must've heard me and decided to surprise me :)

we did not mow today.

some pink buttercups - loved that i caught a bee pollinating one!

i knew munchie would look great against this background!

some random orange/pink flower in the middle of the bluebonnets! gorgeous!

i couldn't beleive it and took hundreds of pics just trying to take it all in. these pictures cannot show you what it was like in person though...

oops got the neighbor's house in the background - guess that what happens when i'm not behind the camera... lol

Ben and I are so happy these will be coming every year on our land - we had no idea because we bought it July of last year when the bluebonnets were already gone. seriously our beautiful home in the country will have acres covered in bluebonnets every spring! can't wait :)

happy chic

2011-04-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

what a nice surprise to run into one of my favorite designer's more affordable collection! HSN has a great Jonathan Adler collection entitled Happy Chic. here are some of the pieces i love from it. i ordered one of these items and it's on it's way to me now!
here i am with the man himself at his book signing! he was so nice! here is a photo of my own JA chaise lounge and marble-topped side table. He's a genius!

*JA website

*Happy Chic HSN collection

*His book out on my coffee table right now :)

swimming in butter

2011-04-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

you won't believe the smell when the sage is thrown in the browning butter and sizzles! i grabbed some freshly planted sage (thank you Ben!) that was fresh and incredibly fragrant. as you can gather from the photo, i grated some parmesan reggiano (don't even talk to me if you use the green can) and threw in some pine nuts. absolutely delicious meal!

*by the way it took me way longer than 3 minutes to brown the butter!

*Pasta dough recipe from The Joy of Cooking

*Filling and sauce recipe adapted from Epicurious

the great outdoors

2011-04-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

yet another reason i'm lovin this season...

ben has gotten really involved with the HOA peeps and every saturday gets really dirty and sweaty working on our landscaping. here are some of the gorgeous plants we have blooming right now! i really feel like we live at the Four Seasons when i look at our lawn. great job ben and awesome gay neighbors!

munchie has a new routine. he doesn't want to go out in the morning until noon or 1pm. then around 3pm he wants a 'social call'. he comes to me and wants to go see if any neighbors are out to give him a treat and then his favorite thing is to sit on the lawn and people watch. it's a nice break during the day to just go and appreciate the great outdoors. thanks munchie!!

fresh start for summer

2011-04-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

with a fresh new season on the horizon i somehow feel like i need a fresh wardrobe. time to hit Zara again! i think i need to wear one of these outfits this weekend to the dallas art fair (click here). i'm thinking the yellow and orange might be my favorite!!!

lovin' life

2011-04-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

life is good. it's spring and i'm cooking a ton! i love filling my cart with fresh produce - it totally inspires me. i got up this morning to do a 6am Pure Barre class (click here) then came home excited to cook! i have to say i'm inspired by Melissa's baby shower i'm cooking for this weekend.

today i cut a bunch of fresh fruit and made a minted quinoa fruit salad (click here). it tasted a bit flat for me so i added more greek yogurt, honey, and some fresh squeezed lemon.

for lunch i made some sea salt ciabatta mini pizzas with a sundried tomato goat cheese spread, broiled basil pesto chicken, arugula, cherry tomato and asiago.

the last image in this series is an image of my inbox for orders. it's part of another reason life is good right now. we have over 50 orders for stores and clients currently in our inbox. not sure yet how they're all going to get out in the next few weeks but it's a great problem to have!