Pippa purseday

One of my dear friends is a huge fan of the Royal Family and ever since the wedding of Price William and Kate, she's adored Pippa Middleton... along with the rest of the world. :) Just the other day said friend was mentioning the ever popular Pippa Purse by Modalu {have you seen this?!} and I was instantly intrigued the moment I laid eyes on it:

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Gorgeous, isn't it? If this color scheme isn't for you, the Pippa purse comes in a range of colors and even different types of pretty leather. Happy purseday!!

Constructing a beverage bar

For the big day we're putting together a beverage bar, so naturally I've been looking for ideas and inspiration on how to spice it up and make it special. While it never occurred to me to put an emphasis on non-alcoholic drinks, going this route will create a balance between our friends & family members who don't drink at all and those who do can obviously enjoy something from the other bar. :) Everyone wins, right?! In searching for inspiration, I've been obsessed with this picture ever since my eyes met it:

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So if we brought it to life, this is how it would all go down:

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Whether you're planning a beverage bar for your wedding, a shower, a birthday party or a summer picnic, consider spicing up the presentation to make guests feel extra special.

Pink bows + peep toes!

When it comes to picking bridesmaids shoes, I'm all for the approach of every gal for herself. Between comfort and keeping costs down, it's hard to rationalize the maids having matching shoes... until photos like this pop up:

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A mess of bright fuchsia peep toes with sassy bows?! I'm pretty certain that every one of those gals was thanking the bride for the opportunity to own such adorable shoes. Don't you think?

Color Crush!

Over the last couple of weeks, my man and I were talking quite a lot about honeymoon spots. We're aiming for somewhere in the Caribbean and I am SO EXCITED because neither of us have been somewhere tropical. Crazy, right?! All this talk has made me dream of serene, bright blue water and pure relaxation. You know the kind of water I'm talking about...

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Well it's gotten in my head and I've been drawn to all things reminiscent of the tropical blues- teal and aqua- that I've only e ever seen on postcards. Hence today's Color Crush... :)

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What color are you dreaming of?

Weekend inspiration

Happy friday, friends!! What do you have planned this weekend? I'm looking forward to a weekend at home sanwiched between New York {last weekend} and Seattle {next weekend}. It's high some for some beach time... and I don't care what form that comes in. This girl is ready to relax alongside the water with book in hand...

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Be on the water...

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It's been way too long since I've been sailing and to say I'm craving it is an understatement! But at this point, I'm also game to get  in that water and go for a refreshing dip. A little crazy perhaps, but sometimes the feeling of the warm sun soaking into your skin after being in cold water makes it all worth it. :)

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Sooo now that you know what I'm up to this weekend, it's your turn!!

Hammocks & High Tea

If you've been following us for awhile, you know how I LOVE clutches. Well today friends, get ready to see something amazing!! I can hardly believe it's taken this long to stumble upon it, but I'm in love with this reversible fold-over  clutch by Hammocks & High Tea!! Completely adorable, isn't it? And the fact that it's 2 purses on one makes $199 price tag seem a little more reasonable.

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If you're not digging the gold & black chevron, here are some of their other colors & patterns:

Happy purseday!

Pretty Paper: Kim & Dan

When it comes to setting the tone for a formal wedding, you can't go wrong with simple black paired with bright white. Kim & Dan fell in love with the idea of an "icon heavy" custom map Save the Date to introduce Newport, RI to their out of town guests. Sent in a black envelope with white calligraphy, it was elegant yet still a little playful!

We set the tone for their Belle Mer wedding by working with a hand calligrapher to write out the entire invitation. Incorporating icons, stripes and the blind impression of a rose throughout their royalty sized invitation gave way to some of the details that were to be seen for their wedding day:

What do you think of the diagonally written text?! I know it's not for everyone, but we're kind of loving it!!!

* All photos courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography

Sassy sandals

With all of this hot weather we've been having in Boston, I'm reminded that it's pretty challenging to stay simultaneously stylish and cool. We're talking temps in the 90's WITH humidity... yea, that's not quite the summer weather I've been longing for. While we're forced to devote our efforts to covering odd tan lines and cooling off from stickiness, the thought of cute summer sandals gives hope to at least having chic looking feet... :) Check out our recent round up of some neutrals that we're crushing on: black & gold!

{1} Steve Madden

{2} Isaac Mizrahi

{3} Dolce Vita

{4} Miz Mooz

{5} Cynthia Vincent

Sweet, sweet caffeine!

Monday is upon us once again and I don't know about you, but I'm ready to carpe diem every single day of this week! Naturally, we have to start things off with a healthy serving of coffee to kick start the week. This photo reminds me of the cafes in Seattle, where foam art {an art medium that is far too overlooked in my opinion} is a regular occurrence.

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I hope your week is off to a lovely, energized start! Hope to see you tomorrow!!

Weekend inspiration

We're all sunkissed and relaxed after yesterday's festivities! How was your 4th? Hopefully you're not working too hard today as you head into the weekend ;) Here's a little inspiration to get you going!!

Embrace tourism

The man and I are heading out of Boston this weekend to meet up with some friend in New York! Since it's their first time visiting the city, we get to play tourist as well and I couldn't be more excited. Whether you're headed out of town or staying in your 'hood for the weekend, be a tourist! Take lots of pictures, visit museums and soak up the intricacies of wherever you're at.

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Get some stunna shades

Sunglasses are a daily necessity for summers in New England and I'm currently looking to spice up my collection. Some of these new styles by Kate are catching my eye but I'm also kind of craving some traditional Ray Bans! Any suggestions?!

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Impromptu picnic

In light of our trip to NYC, I'm getting my hopes up for a picnic in Central Park. What could be a better way to enjoy a beautiful summer day?!

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 Happy weekending!

Independence Day party prep

This time of year I can't help but to fall into the trap of thinking that everything red, white & blue is appropriate to buy, make or eat. Seriously, it's what we do in America, right?! Well in honor of the grand celebration tomorrow, I'm finding these easy summer treats pretty irresistible. If you're headed to a celebration of any kind, consider whipping one of these up...

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Whatever you end up feasting on tomorrow, may it be filled with deliciousness!!

Patriotic stilettos

With independence day right around the corner, we've been contemplating the perfect ensemble for the holiday. Sadly, we'll probably end up sporting something more casual and practical {Emily being with child and I'll likely be at the beach} but should the opportunity arise to get fancy, these patriotic heels would be our first choice!!

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Stationery trends: painted edges!

When it comes to spotting trends we usually think in terms of fashion, but believe it or not there are stationery trends too! The beauty of custom design is trying new things and when there's something we've never done before, we love the challenge! One thing that Emily and I have been obsessing over for the past year is painted edges. This "add on" looks best when using double thick stock {so you can really see the punch} and it's exactly what it sounds like... we paint the edges of the paper with a bold, contrasting color. Seriously, few things get me psyched about stationery in the way that painted edges do. Here are some suites we've recently designed that showcase the awesomeness of PAINTED EDGES... enjoy!

Step up the elegance

Bring in a pop of color

 Add some polish to a simple style

Call us nerdy, but it was really fun to read about the process {here} and get the scoop from a printer's perspective. After years of adding these pops of color, it's fun to get a better understanding of the art!

Make your weekend lovely!

Alas the weekend is upon us and we've got grand plans for an office work day, errands and catching up on cleaning. Hopefully you have some fun plans to relax and celebrate the weekend! For now, we leave you with some words of wisdom and a little challenge {should you choose to accept it} for the days of the weekend:

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A little bling, a lot bridal

It was a pretty exciting day when Ann Taylor released their line of beautiful wedding gowns and bridesmaids frocks!! Have you seen it? While I've been perusing all things wedding, I stumbled upon this GORGEOUS feathered bag {shown at bottom} and fell in love. Then I realized, how many other awesome options there were!! Take a peek at some of our textured faves: Check out more of their beautiful bridal clutches & accessories here! Happy Purseday!

At least consider it

Finding a bridesmaids dress that suits all your ladies can be quite the task, especially if you have a large bridal party. This is a challenge that I've recently had to face and while trying to consider budgets, color and styles they'll all feel comfortable and beautiful in, I've come across some helpful options that I couldn't resist passing along in case you're in the market too! Consider the option of renting!!! If this was an option during the peek of my friends getting married, it not only would have saved me hundreds of dollars, but also some valuable closet space. Why did I keep the dresses for so long? I have no idea! #fashionfail Anyway, there are 2 awesome options should you choose to go that route.

Little Borrowed Dress is a site specifically for bridesmaid dresses! You can choose different dresses in the same color or the same dress in different colors!

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Rent the Runway {also great for showers & rehearsal dinner wear!} has some stellar options in a variety of colors and styles. This site is perfect if you're looking for a non- traditional bridesmaid style.

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You can have either site send two different sizes of the dress so each bridesmaid can pick the one that fits them best. They'll arrive in the mail {professionally cleaned and ready to wear} to the address of your choice. Rent the Runway has a 4 or 8 day rental {you pick the arrival date} and Little Borrowed Dress arrives 2 weeks prior. After the big day, your friends just pop their dresses back in the provided return mailing materials! Super simple!

Smart heels

It always makes me giggle when people refer to fashion as "smart". Well, today's Tuesday Shoesday pick is taking that quite literally. Books + shoes... who would have thought that the combination would be so beautiful?! But there is so much to love about this photo: the composition as a whole is stunning and those gold toes are just to die for!! Happy Shoesday, ladies!!

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Pretty Paper: Jenna + Dave

Happy Monday, friends!! What better way to start this beautiful week than with some pretty stationery?! This yellow & teal suite set the tone perfectly for Jenna & Dave's Castle Hill wedding. With a gorgeous outdoor ceremony and a garden inspired tented reception, it was a joy to carry these elegant letterpress designs all the way through to their day of accessories as well. I hope you enjoy the mix of florals, patterns and pops of colors as much as we did!!

*photos courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography

Weekend Inspiration

It's FRIDAY!! Here's what is on the agenda for our weekend... what are you up to?!

Get a bold & funky manicure

Celebrate the weekend by getting a manicure with a color that you've never had... something outside the box. My color of choice will probably be some shade of mint or another variation of green, however these blue nails are pretty fun!!

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Flea merket frenzy

I've been waiting for the perfect weather and perfect weekend to hit up the SOWA market... my first trip of the season. This is a perfect warm- weather activity and simply the thought of strolling, looking at antiques and picking up fresh produce is making me giddy!!

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Add some sparkle

Whether you get crafty, add some glitter to your eyelids or pucker or don some sparkly attire, spice things up with a little extra sparkle. Not only will this lift your mood, but it will likely make those around you smile too!!

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Happy weekending!!