Happy Holidays and wishing you an awesome New Year!!!!  It's time to finish up some last minute work before heading out to a much needed vacation.  I sincerely thank you all for your support of my tiny little blog and my S&S Etsy shop- it's been a productive year of creating a dream and I only hope it continues to prosper with time.

Much Love
xoxo
M

Photo via Flea Market Style

Fabulously Returning

Hello lovely readers- I'm returning from that awfully tough week of struggling through a nasty sick bug.  So glad to be back, so glad.  How is your December progressing?

Hubby D and I were able to get out this weekend to enjoy some holiday shopping and festivities and it was a nice break to catch some fresh air- especially since the weather was in the 80s.  Yes, it's true.  California December.  Today's forecast?  Mid-eighties again.  Nice.

We did a bit of decorating this weekend, yet kept it minimal this year since we'll be traveling out and about and won't be spending as much time at home.  We wanted just enough pop of red and sparkles to put us in the holiday mood.  I think it worked, as I'm feeling the desire to stay in slippers and wanting to lounge around the house while eating fudge.

We added a wreath and a red cable knit throw to the bedroom- yep, that's it.

Enough to get a feel of the season.

We added a few touches to the living room as well, however my photos didn't turn out too hot, maybe I'll try again this week.  Hope you're all getting in the holiday spirit.

I have to share a tiny bit of my excitement.  Santa (in the form of hubs), brought me an early gift this year, my very own pair of Tom's.  If you're not familiar with these shoes, I'll share a bit of awesomeness about them later this week!   xoxo to D!!!  I chose them in natural burlap:

 

Photos via Google

Falling into the Season, Coastal Style

The holidays are always kickin off with festive decor in our home.  We enjoy surrounding ourselves with warm colors and cozy decor, while keeping our beach inspired look throughout the year.  Usually I leave out some shells (and rotate where they are placed), keep our picture frames out year-round and change out the matting colors, and work in the holiday accessories right along with them. 

Here are some photos (including some of our new pillows cover purchases)!  :

Our entry (darn sign makes the loudest noises when you open/close the door, but it's so dang awesome):

Living Area:

Loving this candle that's lasted us forever:

Our coffee table contents remain the same year-round.  Who doesn't love them some surfing books with holiday decor embellishing the table top?

My photo of our black side table didn't turn out too well for my "pumpkin story," however, I can assure you that we decorated with real pumpkins a few years back, and those suckers got moldy underneath and took the paint right off of our table top.  Grrrrrrrrr.  California holidays, too warm I guess.  So nothing but faux now, at least in the living area.  We did score some awesome faux black and white pumpkins this year and I'm hoping to come up with a black and white theme for next year!

We typically bring out more comfy pillows and throw blankets in abundance just in time for Thanksgiving- can't wait!

From our home to yours- Happy Spooky weekend...................hope you have something awesome planned?

Sweet

Photo via A Good Affair

Photo of Sweet Peas via Flower Art Garden

Photo via Google

Back in the Groove- For Real!

Ok, ok, ok- so I've been MIA and now I'm back in full force.  That darn computer mishap almost 2 weeks ago got me spinning like crazy.  Lots of catch up was needed and it's quite the long boring story that no one wants to hear, nor would they ever want to happen to them.   A computer crashing in any "normal" circumstance is annoying enough, but a computer crashing on a designer causes chaos of all proportions, with the simplest of things needing attention (such as reloading fonts, reinstalling programs, etc.).  Lame.  I'm still in the process of getting it all running again, but am just now feeling the end to the catch-up-crazy-madness  (crossing fingers I didn't just jinx myself).  The past week and a half has been a blur.  Did you notice my last post said Tuesday Tunes, but the post was on Wednesday??!  Um ya, it's been kinda like that.

So, moving along- there are tons of exciting things to post, although I need to get snapping with my camera to document these fun happenings.  Here are a few things that have been on my mind:

-Looking forward to getting back some real photos from the recent weddings I've designed for- some of them will be out-of-this-world!

-Faith:  please call me out on the lack of project completion, because yes, neither project has been touched. My new goal- this weekend!

-I got some new threads a few weeks back (before our computer crashed) when I felt it was acceptable to spend money on new clothes since it had been a while.  Maybe a clothing post is well overdue?

-I'm feeling the urge to purchase something on Etsy, just because I feel like it.

-I'm determined to spend at least one evening relaxing on the sofa with hubs, doing absolutely nothing, and not worry about 10 gazillion other things while doing so.

-Can't wait to go running with D after work and feel like I am doing something for myself again.

-I figured out how to save/copy photos on the Mac and pull them into a programs/paste.  This is huge!

Yay!

Photo via House Beautiful

Yay, it's Friday!

Happy Friday to everyone, glad it's the weekend!  I have a special treat coming up next week, as the lovely Haley- one of the special Maui bride's I've worked with- is graciously allowing S&S to feature her gorgeous Hawaiian wedding!  The details, the colors, and the emotions captured truly should not be missed.  Click on by next week to check out this beautiful affair!

Photographer credits: Shawn Starr

Today would be rad if.......

Don't forget to check out the S&S giveaway, details here

Usually in the morning, I sit and wonder how the day could be much more rad if I was going to do ____ instead of going to work.  Usually, the thoughts are pretty realistic like: going out for a lunch date with hubs to get pizza, going to the coast to walk around and get gelato, or staying in comfy clothes all day and doing whatever the heck I felt like.  Well today I have some much more *wishful* hopes, but hey, once in a while it's okay to think this way:

Today would be rad if it started out like this:

Photo via PegandAwl

Then it would be rad to make a breakfast in this awesome kitchen (yes, it's the kitchen inspired from the movie Something's Gotta Give), which hubs and I have decided we will one day create a kitchen just like it when we own a home.

Photo via Google

Then I'd like to walk around all day with this huge bloom on my head because it's just gorgeous!

Photo via Sweetpea and Fawn

Even though I won't do any of these things, I'll still attempt to make it a rad day!

ALL THINGS AQUA!!!!

So, it's no secret that I am addicted to anything and everything aqua colored.  Call it seafoam, turquoise, mint, or robbin's egg- I've officially started calling it "my color".  If I'm out in a store and see something in this shade, I immediately think 'that's my color'!  I have umpteen different paint chips in several different shades looking for what they can be applied to!  Here are some favorites I've gathered:

Front Door: Photo via Twig and Thistle

Handspun Yarn:  Photo via Simply Twisted

Bloom Ring:  Photo via Linkel Designs

Walls:  Photo via Russell and Mackenna

What can I say, I dream in the hue of blue!

FABULOUS-NESS

STOP............whatever you are doing, stop and go check out the new jewelry designs at J. Crew! 

They are so 'purd-dee,' even if you are just browsing and drooling.  Honestly, I think I may want one of each necklace design they offer, they are just that fabulous!!!

Available at J. Crew

And I'm SUPER excited to have worked with Sarah over at Blustarfruit Handmade Jewelry , who has custom-made a gorgeous necklace and matching earring set for me.  It's in the mail today and I can't wait to get it in my hands- they will be loved!!!!  Here's a sneak peak:

Bedroom Design: Thoughts and Wishes

When it comes to the "style" of design that one is drawn to, especially myself, I feel that my likes conflict.  I'm somewhat of a rustic/cottage fanatic, yet I can appreciate contemporary design and clean lines. Is this possible?  It can be a struggle, especially being a designer!!!

My husband and I both have similar likes.  We can go into a store and when we see a piece of furniture or just the right accessory, we are typically in agreement if we feel that it's a contender to be included in our home.  Sometimes if I fall in love with something, it may take a bit convincing on his end.

As we walked into Bon Bon this past weekend, we reminded ourselves how much we adore a bed (headboard) they have on display.  It's a bit more traditional compared to our existing, but the tuffted design, the color, the size, OH *WISH*!  We even were digging the comfy pillows they had displayed, soft, down-filled, cozy.

Our Bedroom Currently:

Our Lovely Find at Bon Bon.........

.....Maybe One Day:

My husband even suggested we add in a third Euro back pillow to our bed..........um........hello, AWESOME SUGGESTION HUBSTER!!!!  It was a fun outing for sure, and what newlywed wife could complain after stuffing her face with pizza and getting to go to an awesome design inspired shop with her husband?  No complaints here.  Hubs is still in agreement that we could use some sprucing up, so yay for that!

More lovely finds at Bon Bon: