Personal Style, Defined.

The lovely Paloma from La Dolce Vita asked me to be part of her Personal Style, Defined series and lucky me I got to share today.

Check it out here.

Get your 4th on

We've decided to have a little fireworks watching party with family for the 4th, you can see them from our back yard. Since we have been on vacation I haven't had much time to think about it but today thanks to Etsy I've found what I needed. In comes Paper and Cake.

Easy as pie PDF's to print up some holiday cuteness, all I have to do is the printing and assembly.

Looks like I know what I'm going to be doing tonight.

Soliciting

It's almost July and we're hot and bored at my house and I'm in need of some new tunes and eye candy so please comment with the following:

Labeled by Alicia Bock

1) New music, my ipod is feeling very neglected so any good artists or songs that you love please send them my way.

2) I'm dying to do some Etsy shopping and it sure is a pain to sift through it all. So dish all of your favorite Etsy shops.

Please don't be stingy with the comments ok? I'm needing some inspiration. Thanks in advance.

Lemon Blueberry

Ever since I came home I've been plotting on how to make time to head to Sprinkles for their seasonal Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes. They're gone after July 3rd and I must have one. How pathetic am I??

[image via Sprinkles]

Carats please

I'm home. Waaah. Lots of laundry is waiting for me and it's hot, like Hades hot. So I think in lieu of doing laundry I'm going to eat some popsicles and pretend I'm back in the dreamy weather we had in San Diego.Although I think a ring pop popsicle would be much more fun than the usual don't you think? And then I could make my own...something yummy like mango. Mmmm.

[image via Country Living]

What up?

Good afternoon lovelies. I'm enjoying my first day at the beach. Well the little bit I had so far. My beach babies are worn out so I get a minute to myself. Yesterday I had a quick trip home to meet my darling new nephew that joined the family. My brother's first son Baby B was born yesterday so I flew home and came back last night. We celebrated with champagne and a chocolate birthday cake it was the perfect (but so busy) day. How was your weekend?

[image from flickr via Mary Ruffle]

Beach bound

Busy girl here, tomorrow I'm headed to San Diego for my annual beach trip. Getting the kids packed and house ready for the house sitter all the while making sure I don't go crazy is a pretty tall order.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be in some enjoying some cool weather and a cold beverage! Any big plans for you this weekend?

[image via vi.sualize]

Get Back

When I feel like looking at eye candy I hit the web and check out Get Back. I often find myself fantasizing about browsing (and buying of course) their delicious vintage furniture.

Doesn't this place just shoot you that come hither look?

Love the table, love the file, love the light...but I really have a thing for the metal cabinet.

Seriously, I die.

Nighty night

Ugh, I'm tired. Coffee is in the works, I'm waiting, waiting, waiting. Hurry up coffee! What I would really like to do is crawl back into bed, especially if it was this one.

Am I the only one who can't go back to sleep if it's light outside? It's like some odd internal clock I have that I wish I could turn off.

[image via House to Home]

I'm over here

Today the darling Sarah from La Jeune Marie asked me to guest blog while she and her husband are on vacay. I was flattered that she would ask me and decided to share what makes my summer.

What makes yours?

[last days of summer by alicia bock]

Dreaming of...

While my day has consisted of a lot of driving and teaching at present you can find me dreaming of a rooftop garden in Paris.

I would have a good book (naturally) and a coffee too.

[image via Marie Claire Maison]

I found them!

I never updated you all on my light hunt, after much searching I ended up going with the original one that I liked. (Of course right? Isn't it always like that).

I received the lights as birthday gifts, they are from a local store called The Willows. Every time I go in there I want to just move in.

It's one of those stores where I pretty much adore everything and I love how they style their vignettes.

It was decorated in with some festive summer holiday merchandise so lots of blue and red accents. They have gorgeous linens, lots of slipcovered furniture and they carry my favorite Christoper Jagmin glasses and dinnerware.

The best little surprise is the burlap upholstered walls in their powder room complete with a galvanized industrial fixture. I wish I had snapped a better photo but I felt weird taking pictures in the WC, so I thought I should be quick.

They have a website and a blog too so if you get a minute check it out, or better yet stop by in person.

Happy Weekend!

Today is the end of the first week of my Big's foray into his new school. It's been kind of a rough transition so hopefully this Fall when he's actually in Kindy it will be a breeze. After I pick him up we're taking him to his favorite place for lunch to celebrate what a great job he's done with his first week of school.This weekend I have nothing planned, I'm hoping to make it a fun one though. This whole week the temperature hasn't hit 100 so everyone in Phoenix is whooping it up in the good weather. What's up your sleeve?

My job

Currently my employer is myself. House B*+%h, Face wiper, Laundress extraordinaire. You know Mom. (Pilates doesn't count that's only a few hours a week). If and when I go back into the work force is it too much to ask to be employed by someone with an office like this?

[Stylelab Shanghai found here]

Grill it up

Lots of my July magazines are full of grilling recipes but none have caught my fancy more than the ones in the July issue of Bon Appetit. I can't stop reading the recipes (and drooling over the photos) because I'm dying to try a few of them.

Grilled Shrimp with Fiery Lemongrass-Chile Sambal

Turkey Shawarma with Tomato Relish and Tahini Sauce

And for good measure toss in the Grilled Nectarines with Feta.

Love you too!

If I were to find one of these it would most definitely put a smile on my face.

[found here]

As if I need another reason

I love kitchen gadgets and my latest fave is my new Vinturi. I got it this weekend as a gift and even though it makes your wine tastier I really wanted one because I liked how it looked and it's fun to use.

As if I need another reason to drink a glass of wine!

Mary + Yellow = LOVE

I just spent all morning looking at every single image in Mary Ruffle's Tumblr. Adore. All the cheery yellow that I found makes me happy.

So thanks Mary for cheering a girl up!

Packaging Lust : Tea

My lust for pretty packaging rears it's ugly head. I have no idea if this tea is good but I love how it looks. I'll take one of each.

Orange is my favorite flavor.

So I've been a bad, bad blogger. But I'm back! The boys and I had lots of fun pool days last week and I had a fun weekend whooping it up old school style with dinner, drinks and a super late night.

Today I dropped my Big off at Kindercamp, a little summer school sesh that will get him ready for next year. Even though it's not officially the first day I had major butterflies this morning dropping him off at this new big place. Cross your fingers that all goes well and he loved it.

[Popsicle Pond print]

Camp Mom

Sorry for the interruption in the regularly scheduled programming. It's officially Camp Mom at our house.

Be back with goodies soon, promise!

[print from Etsy]

The pool

I spent the morning with the boys at a local municipal pool. Something about the excitement of the kids and the sweet smell of sunscreen makes me happy and nostalgic.

I love remembering the feeling of being a kid giddy with the anticipation of the whole summer ahead of me. No plans, no school work just lazy days filled with Popsicles and swimming pools.

[end by Alicia Bock]

The sewing machine's debut...again!

About a month ago I spotted this adorable doorway puppet theater in Country Living. Immediately cue the "I could do that" thoughts.

I suddenly remembered that I had several yards of natural cotton duck for who knows what project from years past that would be perfect for the big part. Next I Googled other doorway puppet theaters and decided that making a pole pocket curtain with an extension rod would work best for us. We went and picked out fabric to decorate our theater, got the extension rod but don't get too excited, I haven't even started it yet. Because here is my sewing machine.

Not a place of pride is it? Shoved in a closet underneath extra pillows with all sorts of extra what do you do with stuff. I do know how to sew, I can make simple things and sew a straight line but that's about it. Honestly I don't use my machine too often so I usually forget how to use it by the time I need it again. So I have to bother my mom to come and show me for the 100th time how to thread the bobbin. I'm hoping all my practice on my machine will turn me into a sewing gal because I really want to make one of these for the front of my ugly office desk.

Cute huh? Good thinking from Laura Casey. Between this photo and Erika's hidey spot for her stuff I think it would make an excellent solution to my desk dilemma. Cross your fingers that my I want to sew crusade doesn't fizzle before I finish my projects.

Father's Day

Do you think it will appear too obvious that this gift is for both of us if the hubs gets this for Father's Day?

Oh Cameo

What do you think one in every color?

I wonder if they have room for me?

I want to move in here stat! Take a look inside.