It's almost Fall

I know it's still hot and many people are mourning the end of summer but I'm getting excited for the longer nights and cooler days of Fall. Fall is my favorite season. Yay for Fall, you're almost here!

{image via Southern Accents}

This dining room with it's golden palette and warm light evokes that feeling that I'm desperately craving. On another note I got the heads up yesterday from Pittsy that the Pumpkin Spice Lattes are on their way next week. Can I get a hell yeah?! Excitement.

Thanks Jaimee!

Today is a fun one (and not just because both kids will be in school, yippee!) one of my favorite bloggers featured me on her blog today. The very first blog I ever read was the blog of Jaimee Rose. Jaimee is a reporter for the Arizona Republic and she has a style blog on AZCentral. It was there that I stumbled upon Oh Happy Day and Design Crush's blogs and their bloglists then more clicking and the rest is history.

{image via Southern Accents}

She asked me to do a post with some interiors so I decided to build Sarah's Dream House. Many of the pictures you have seen here already but it sure is fun to put them all together. If you're local you should check her out because she's so in the know of what's happening in town and if not she's adorable and a fun read, go there. Thank you Jaimee for the localove!

I want a tea party

I think I have tea on the brain, big time.

{photo courtesy of Rodney Smith}

Anyone else out there love to go have tea besides moi? Where are your favorite places? It's always fun to know the inside skinny on what's cool in other cities. Locally I love to have tea at the Phoenician Resort, you?

My weekend : Austin

I had the best most relaxing trip to Austin. Of course I forgot my camera, please don't hold it against me I always forget something. I'll give you quick recap. Friday we arrived and picked up my friend's girls and immediately headed to San Marcos (the halfway point between Austin and San Antonio) to drop them with Grandma and Grandpa. Fortunately for me San Marcos is the home to some fun outlets. I came out empty handed but there were some brass sconces that I'm pretty sure were WS Home that I would have loved if I had a place for them. Friday night was casual and we had dinner at our hosts home.

Saturday morning after coffee a walk with the dogs and some delicious cinnamon rolls (thank you Matt) we headed to Lake Austin Spa for lunch and pedis. The grounds were gorgeous. My favorite was the pool in a barn, it's so charming! Saturday night we went to Hotel San Jose for a bottle of wine then headed to Perla for dinner. Dinner was delicious and I don't think we stopped chatting once. The hostess's husband was going to join us but I think was stopped cold by all of our inane chatter about what we were going to wear and random old acquaintances that we have run into.

{photo via love/hate austin}

For dessert we crossed the street to Amy's Ice Creams but I have to admit I was very disappointed the ice creamista didn't mix in the Nutter Butters in the Mexican Vanilla (I hope you're reading this Amy...). Ice cream with cookies on top, big deal. Much yummier if it's all mixed together. One of my favorite things that I saw there were all of the vendors selling treats out of Airstreams. Sno cones, cupcakes, crepes they had it all and I wanted something from each one.

{hey cupcake photo via jpg:photos}

Sunday we had coffee then headed to Magnolia Cafe for brunch, more girl talk and then to the airport. It was a quick trip but so, so fun. There is nothing that can beat the company of good friends. Austin you were awesome and hopefully I'll be back soon.

Headed to Texas

Have I told you all that tomorrow morning I'm hopping on a plane to Austin? I'm headed there to visit one of my best girlfriends and I can't wait! I can't wait to go to Austin because I've heard wonderful things about it and I can't wait to have a little girl time with two of my good friends. As you get a little older and throw jobs, kids and new states into the mix it's hard to find time to do things with your friends. This trip is long overdue. I haven't even thought what to pack...you Texas girls, it's hot right? That shouldn't be hard I'm used to that, but it's hard to look cute when you're sweltering. Any ideas?

{image via flickr}

Tonight's TV

Totally excited for tonight, I love Top Chef. You?

{image via EW.com}

Hear ye, hear ye, I need some ideas peeps.

I'm kind of in a blog funk. Nothing is inspiring me or begging me to blog about it, I hate that. What do you all do to stay inspired or get those creative juices flowing? I love that feeling of being on a roll when one idea flows from another, know what I mean? So any suggestions for cool new blogs, tumblrs or flickr pages would be much appreciated. Please, please share with me what's flipping your skirt. Thanks in advance my friends.

{flickr image via Mary Ruffle}

Blog Crush : Pillow Talk

I kind of have a major crush on Kristen from Pillow Talk. Her blog is hip and gorgeous. She reminds of a really cool little sister, you know the kind that always know the latest? Love her.

Monday already?

Happy Monday dolls! Hopefully your weekend treated you well, just thought I'd pop in to say hello because I'm off to get everyone ready for the Monday rush. What are you tricks for making it a smooth week? Anything that you do on Sunday night or Monday morning to prepare you for what's to come?

Lady of Leisure

Do you ever wish you were an lady of leisure? You know the ones that are undecidedly glamorous, that flit from flower to flower? If I were one my day might look something like this, complete with evening gown of course.

{image from top via: Marie Claire UK, flickr, vi.sualize, vi.sualize}

Total randomness

Some days I lose my blogging mojo, today is one of those days. Anyhoo I was checking up on The Invitation Lady blog (I did manage that today).

{the object of my affection at The Invitation Lady today}

While I was there I noticed that we got a sweet comment so I decided to check out Lauren's blog. Her blog is darling so of course I went to leave a comment and I got a great laugh. This is what she has in her comment form:

If you leave a mean comment I will cyber punch you in the face and feed you to my Hippogriff

Thank you Lauren for saying what we are all thinking.

Creams and Black

I'm feeling a little melancholy today because my Big went to Kindy. So in honor of my mood I thought simple creamy colors with pops of black would be perfect. I don't know where this Henry's Beach Market is but I want to go there just because I love their wall.

{flickr via Mary Ruffle}

{Michele Bonan design via La Dolce Vita}

{Donna Griffeth photography via Desire to Inspire}

{LA Times via Urban Grace}

My weekend

Yes I'm here! Sorry for the no Monday post. I'll fill you in on my weekend and then we can start fresh. This is what we've been up to. Since it's SO hot here, too hot to play outside midday my Big and his cousin set up a tent in the play room made a campfire and grilled up some mini-corndogs.

My little got a new bed. Yes he's three and just got a big boy bed but he never tried getting out of his crib. Honestly it was probably me who had the harder time switching him. He loves it. I can't tell you how many times he told me he loves his big boy bed.

My Big decided that I deserved a nice picture this time (taped to my bedroom door of course).Then last night we went to Big's Meet the Teacher for kindergarten at school. I'm very happy to report no anxiety or worries it was great. I think all my worrying by me was done earlier in June when he went to Kindercamp.

I just wish I had thought to bring some of these darling (and free) printables for Big's new teacher created by my sweet friend Kim at the TomKat Studio. Anything super exciting happen this weekend for you?

Windsor Smith, you're bananas!

Can we just discuss the gorgeousness that is Windsor Smith's home in September's issue of House Beautiful?

I mean really, she shuts it down. Love it all.

[image via Absolutely Beautiful Things]

Apparently it's a goner.

Let's take a moment...

{image via Southern Accents}

I'm sad. Adios Southern Accents.

Summer flavors

Thanks to one of my favorite foodies and all-around stylish Mama, I'm going to have some fun in the kitchen with this list.

[image via NY Times]

Small Spaces to Getaway

Who doesn't always dream about a small space to get away? When I was little I always dreamed about having my own little playhouse for my doll adventures. Is it too much to ask for a little getaway in the back yard now?Awhile back Erin from Villa Pacis blogged about vacationing in a gypsy caravan (so cute you must check it out), it got me to thinking about a book I had read as a child. Since I already had my romantic notions about what it would be like images like this make it even more exciting.
Not to mention the other day I was driving right beside a classic Airstream and I was smitten. So the whole way home I tried to figure out how to finagle one of those into my life.
What's your little getaway fantasy?

[images via Marie Claire Maison & Flickr]

a la Kate Spade

This morning while checking my Facebook I see that Kate Spade has redesigned their website. Love it. So then I browse their Behind the Curtain section (which I also adore) and I see that they have also redesigned their 5th Avenue shop. Ooh la la.

Seeing this gets me to thinking about how I LOVE this bright palette and how when it starts to cool off I really need to get some new family photos taken. I would love to have the fam styled a la Kate Spade. How does one do this with Mr. SFD and two little boys? I know it's August but photos usually get taken in November around here so I need to get cracking. Please, please fashionistas come to my rescue with any ideas because I'm all ears.

Food, Inc.

I haven't seen this yet but plan to. Anyone else seen it yet?


Ok, I will step down from my soapbox now.

Linda & Harriet

Oh lovely Linda and sweet Harriet...how I adore your letterpressed papers. Your cards, tags and notepads are so lovely.

Surely I'm not the only one who covets pretty paper. Can I let you in on a little secret...I'm stingy with this stuff I never want to use it, it's all just so pretty.

Run away?

Are you feeling this way today? I kinda am.

If you were to just run off today, where would you go?