Friday Feature

"New" idea popped in my head- every Friday I will try to feature something related to my Etsy shop, either a real client's event showing S&S product, something new added to the shop, or just a rotation of what Sweet Peas and Seashells has to offer.  I think it will be a good way to incorporate product without filling the whole blog with it (which I know I have done a lot lately while trying to play catch up with taking so many breaks).

Today I'm featuring a lovely Bride Shelley, who I worked with to create a natural table runner for her cake table.  She was referred by Sweetgrass Social (thanks Meredith)- her event planners, to consider this added touch for her wedding decor.  I was thrilled to stumble upon the photos on their blog:

Loving this color palette for anytime of year!

Congrats Shelley and Greg, you two are a gorgeous couple and I wish you all the best!

Fall Glam Inspiration- A Touch of Gold

It's no secret that I haven't really favored the look of gold accessories, I'm more of a silver girl.  Lately I've switched my tune- I still rock the cooler tones, but have been warming it up a bit with either gold or bronze accents.  There are so many fun Fall fashions out right now, and I've got my wheels turning as to what I can swing on a budget:

Gold Glitter!

photo via Yuna Leonard Photography

Gold ring with shell detail:

photo via Star of the East

 

Gold hardware drop necklace:

via Nordstrom

(scored for $16, free shipping- def. in the budget!)

Gold glitter nails (I really want to try this):

photo via The Looks for Less

Metallic gold flats with suede toe (scored these during the Summer @ Banana Republic

retail was $98- scored them on sale for $28!!!

Photo via Banana Republic

What are your thoughts on Gold, do you rock it?

S&S Item featured in Martha Stewart Weddings

I have the absolute pleasure of sharing this amazing news with all of my readers (some of you may have seen the original post on FB), that one of the Just Married banners I designed for the lovely wedding of Courtney and Chris, landed the pages of Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine in this Fall 2011 issue.  I feel like it's a true honor to have made it this far in my little Etsy shop's success in under 2 years of opening!  I'm still beyond floored that this opportunity even came about, which never would have been possible without the amazing work of Katy Higgins of Cosmo Events.  Katy is an amazing event planner who I've now worked with on a few of her stunning weddings, as her gorgeously designed shindigs continue to amaze me over and over.  Thank you Katy for making this all possible!

Doesn't Courtney look stunning in her Vera Wang gown?

I also made a few other signs as well, here was another, it read

C + C  Just Married:

Thank you to everyone involved, special thanks to Katy of Cosmopolitan Events, Schnack Studios for the amazing photography, the lovely couple, and Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine.

Easing Back

Gosh, I guess I ate those words "be back soon".   Not soon enough I guess.  Things got a bit busy with work and orders, but I'm glad that they are easing into a much more manageable state so that I can get back to blogging more frequently and share all the exciting things that I still have to post!

Lately I've had a few friend's weddings pass (not ones I attended, rather Brides I've worked with on design elements) and I absolutely cannot wait to share photos when they get them back.  These are going to be some lovely events to share with you all.  Another sweet client has her Maui nuptials next week- another soon-to-be AMAZING wedding.  Best wishes to Jocelyn and Frederick!

I've been keeping on with Etsy orders (the usge).  I've also proceeded with the initial design plan for my Husband's Aunt and Uncle's beach pad, what an exciting process.  We just went over the initial Master Bedroom remodel designs and they were quite pleased with the plans and proposals.  This will be an amazing project- and my first outside of the design firm I work for- which makes it even closer to my heart that it involves family.

Aside from work, D and I have been on the down low.  I've been feeling a scratchy throat these past few days and I'm praying it wears off without full fledged sick status.  I'm enjoying the change in weather lately, feels much more Fall-like, and it puts me in a domestic mood.  Maybe I'll bake something again?!

I found the most delicious looking recipe earlier this morning while browsing, I think I may actually want to try my hand at it:

Pumpkin Spice Roll - recipe here

Don't these photos make you want to grab a bite right from the computer screen?  Good gosh!  I know now that I've posted this, Hubby D will hold me to it that this is a recipe must try.  

Happy Fall Everyone!

Olowalu Elegance

I had the pleasure of working with the lovely Elise a while back, for her gorgeous wedding at the Olowalu Plantation House in Maui, Hawaii.  I can now officially say that I've been to this location (as I commanded suggested to D that we stop by during our last vacay so that I could finally see this awesome place where so many brides say 'I do").  It's jaw-dropping, it truly is.  The late morning we stopped by, it was quiet, no events were going on, the sun was shinning, the water sparkled abundant of shades of turquoise, and it was a peaceful experience.  I now know why so many couples choose to hold their weddings at this special hidden location.

Elise contacted me for place cards, and I always jump at the chance to work with a Hawaii Bride!  Her wedding was featured on Destination I Do Magazine's blog here and I thought I'd share in the loveliness.  Congrats to Elise and Patrick!

To view more of this beautiful wedding, visit Matthias Photography

Venti

My husband brought me a Venti Frap Starbucks drink this morning.  If this is any indication of how this week is going, I'm ready for the weekend!

How's your October going?  I've got all kinds of Fall ideas running through my head, but not enough time to creatively execute them.  I'm thankful and blessed to continue to have Etsy orders coming in (just when I thought there will be a slight break in the workload, it fills right back up again).

I still have a super exciting publication to share with you all- coming soon!

Etsy Front Page Love

Someones LOVE sign made it to the front page of Etsy this morning:

So stoked!  This time I didn't actually see it during the time it was running, I just saw tons of favorites for the same item in my shop and thought "something must be up".  Yay!  The burlap LOVE banner with lace is the most popular item from my shop to date.  I hope to have some new styles available soon!

Visit S&S here

Thanks for the LOVE Etsy!

Design Shuffle Guest Post: Bungalow Living

Hello all!  I'm so excited to have my first Guest post today!  That's right, my first S&S Guest was given the rights to her very own feature (can you believe I let go of the reigns, just a little, or perhaps I just loosened them).  What better to share with you all a topic after my own heart, design.  Because I work for a small design firm in San Diego (with confidentiality agreements and all), I'm limited keep all projects and related material at work.  Boo.  But good thing we have the wonderful Susi of Design Shuffle here to share a style adored by not only me, but if I had to guess, many of you too!  I'm thrilled to  have her share the amazing details and photos of Bungalow Living.  Can't wait to read your comments already!



Hi, I am Susi, a writer for Design Shuffle, a community where interior designers and other design professionals showcase their design projects, share inspirations, and network with other design lovers. Speaking of design love, I'm excited to be guest blogging about bungalow interior design style for Sweet Peas & Seashells today.  Bungalows in the Craftsman style have so much vintage charm. Here are eight rooms I'm lovin' bungalow style. Enjoy!



Craftsman style details are something we love about bungalow style. Built-in bookcases that surround a fireplace are classic for a bungalow living room. Love the dark crown molding.



Love the open flow of this dining and kitchen space. The blackboard wall is so charming and really makes the colorful chairs pop. Now there is great, colorful bungalow style.



Bungalow kitchens may not be huge but they are full of charm and style. Love the dark gray cabinet color with the lighter cream rustic island. Vertical space is used to give this small footprint maximum storage.



A small corner is turned into a charming eating area filled with lots of decorating ideas in this bungalow kitchen. Love the horizontal wood paneling in the nook‚ a great bungalow style detail.



One of the best things about bungalows is the architectural charm of bungalow style.  Beamed ceiling, dark brick fireplace and mullioned windows add so much style to this living room.



Millwork is another great bungalow style architectural detail we love. The beadboard on the ceiling and wainscoting on the walls are gorgeous in this living room. Love the mushroom gray against creamy white on the walls.



Popular in today's bungalow bathroom designs, this all white bathroom has tons of bungalow style from the white subway tiles to the original built-in medicine cabinet. Nickel fixtures are period appropriate and add sparkle.



Bungalow meets beach cottage in this living room. The exposed vaulted beamed ceiling is a cool architectural detail. Love all the white and natural materials in the furnishings and accessories. Images ( 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 )

Did you love this post on bungalow interior designs? For more great ideas, check out Design Shuffle, where you can connect with interior designers around the world, including New York interior designers and Los Angeles interior designers!

Decorating with Wreaths

I sort of have an obsession with wreaths.  I'm not quite at the stage of hoarding them, but there are a few piling up in the garage.  I just love having one for each season and also, they've been known to work as a year-round design element as well.  We have this tricky little space above our television that is too small to really showcase anything, and there's been a wreath in it's place since we've moved in (although it's been a bare space for a little while because I got lazy).  I've been admiring some amazing designs on Etsy lately:

Soft and Sweet

via

Fun for Halloween (I may try and craft my own)

via

Glam

via

Elegant Holidays

via

And who could forget the lovely handmade wreath designed from coffee filters, by the lovely and talented Natalie of BHITC

What are your thoughts on wreaths, do you love 'em?

Evidence of a Domestic Housewife

I don't cook or bake as much as a wife should.  Not that I don't want to, or that I don't think I can (I truly believe I can whip up some amazing meals), it's more of a time issue.  During the week, I work on Etsy bright and early when I wake up, then go to the Post Office to ship orders, then off to work, and back home to work on Etsy for the remainder of the night.  The work load always seems insane, so meals get put on the back burner and typically we go for easy, time-saver choices.  I hope this changes soon though.  I have so many recipes saved, gathered (some organized, some not), waiting to be tested out.  It's a skill waiting to unfold.

As promised, I made my husband cookies yesterday.  I had briefly mentioned on Saturday how I wasn't sure if I was going to make them or not (partially kidding), and D reminded me that I had already promised, as did I declare my intentions last week on the blog, and if it didn't happen, he would come on the blog and call me out as a fraud.  Nice.

Without further delay, the evidence of a baking wife:

Have to admit, they were delicious!  I may just have another this morning.

Lots of exciting things in store for blogging this week.  I've realized there have been a few highlights within the past two months that I haven't shared yet, so those will be posted as well as an exciting design guest post from Susi over at Design Shuffle.  Stay tuned, it's going to be an exciting week!

Loving New SC Banner

Shorely Chic has an awesome new banner available in her Etsy shop here:

Don't you love?  I think it's absolutely awesome.  I'm trying to build up enough courage to ask if she'll design a custom one to replace the words "the beach", with "Maui"  :) 

Rev-ing Up

I promised to make D cookies this weekend, and am going to make a yummy batch of these............

photo via

I found the simplest recipe a while back while flipping through a Martha mag, and the first time I made them I was amazed at how delicious they turned out.  Looking forward to Peanut Butter Blossoms!

p.s.- I'll take photos of my own evidence of being a domestic wife, and post a follow up- including the recipe  :)

Randomness X

Wow, it's been a while since a "randomness" post, so why not bring it back  :) Great way to kick things back into gear on the good 'ol blog:

1.  I like to use the "window down, hair blow in the wind" method more than I should to air dry my hair.  Not the best of results, but call it lazy if you'd like.

2.  I'm one of those girls who can tolerate bumping Ludacris's "Rollout" while riding in D's truck, without getting offended.

3.  I don't care for the ease into Fall, I'd rather have a chill in the air and cold weather immediately, rather than a mild day, to a hot day, to an overcast day.  It all feels a bit off.

4.  We bought a new Nikon camera, and I still haven't read the manual.

5.  I don't like leaving the drain stoppers out of the sink/shower, I feel like spiders or creatures may crawl out of the drain.  Is that even possible?

6.  My husband does so much for me, more than he gets credit for.  He does things without being asked, takes care of things in all aspects of our marriage and household.  If he's reading this, I hope he's smiling and that he knows I love him more than anything!

C + J Real Wedding

Cristina is one of those Brides you know you're going to love working for.  As soon as she contacted me through Etsy, I knew we would hit it off well when I read her note the "The pink rose color is so important to get right, I think I'd like to send you a copy of our Save the Date so that you can be sure it matches."  Details.....details........details, if you get them right, you always have success.  A detailed girl after my own heart.  It was a pleasure working with you Cristina, and even more of a treat when I viewed the gorgeous photos from your lovely Villa wedding.  Congratulations to Cristina and Joseph- their one year anniversary is fast approaching!


S&S worked on table numbers, custom signage, dessert tags, and favor tags:

H+B Real Wedding

I thought I'd share a few details this week of real weddings including S&S designs.  I am absolutely elated when I receive photos back from clients or their event planners of how they incorporated my products into their special days and events.

It's always a pleasure to work with Katy @ Cosmopolitan Events, this chic has got it goin' on for sure!  Her blog is a must read and browsing through her projects will have you picking your jaw up off the floor.  Not only is she an amazing talent, but she's got a super sweet personality to top it off.  Whenever I get a call or email from Katy, I know it's for an amazing event!

I had the pleasure of designing signage for her client's Newport Beach wedding, Hillary and Brad....the two are "just married"!  Congrats!

To see more of this wedding blogged, visit Leah Marie Photography

So Much Ahead

There's so much to catch up on with all of you, and so many exciting things to share!  It's going to be a challenging month of Etsy orders, as my schedule is almost fully booked for September and the shop just reached over 300+ orders since opening last year.  Exciting indeed.

Also, I must share some exciting news this week of my very first publication (and the hilarious comment Hubby D made following my statement of blogging it).  More to come!

And because I just can't let go of summer................enjoy another Maui pic  ;)

One of my Faves

As I begin to compile photos from our Maui trip to share, I've come across one of my faves.  On a day when I can't quite wake up and get going, or days full of stress, or days that may be dubbed as "bummer" days, I will look at this photo and remember exactly where I was with Hubby D.


Also, I love exactly how this photo turned out, not needing one ounce of Photoshop:

Back in Full Force (or a even a little force at least)

Hello out there...........it's been a while!  I'm sure most of you noticed the blogs getting lighter and lighter.  Work was getting more and more stressful, on top of busy schedules and lots of Etsy orders to take care of.  My husband and I took a much needed vacay to Maui for our 2nd wedding anniversary.  It was absolutely amazing, just as we anticipated it would be.  I'll share some fun highlights throughout the next month.

Hope you all are well and looking forward to taking a bit of time to catch up on your blogs.  Stepping back and taking some time for yourself is definitely a must (a small detail that can be forgotten when the stress kicks in).  So glad to be back and refreshed!  How are you all doing?

Blogging more regularly- really?

Ok, what happened to blogging again more regularly?  I don't know.  I really will get my booty in gear again soon!  I've been focusing on clients Etsy orders before we leave for our vacay, and any spare time has been planning mode.

Here's a bit of a week re-cap:

Booked our stay for the first 4 days of vacay, in none other that T-Tams parents condo- Thank you Tami for the 'rents hook up'- we absolutely cannot wait!

Picked up a little white number for photos with D:  (not exaggerating on 'little', I will be stepping up the workout routine until we leave):

Brushing up on reading material:

I've been working closely with a few brides with Hawaii weddings, you all know who you are girls, all whose weddings are within the next 3 months.  If I could make it to all your events I would, unfortunately our vacay doesn't fall in between any of them.  But Hubby D and I are going to rock our 2nd wedding anniversary in the very place we said 'I do'- we are beyond ecstatic!

Hugs to you all!