I'm 20 weeks along in my pregnancy and our ultrasound shows that we will be having a boy! We are so thrilled! The baby is healthy and was moving and kicking the whole time. We even saw him roll over! Watching the heart beating was also so amazing. This photo shows him holding up a fist, lol! Baby Power!
For Father's Day, my husband decided that instead of our usual BBQ and Hamburgers we would make Carne Asada and virgin pina coladas! So of course we had to make it a fiesta! Plus the weather was so dreary I definitely needed some color therapy! We learned how to make Carne Asada (thin marinated skirt steak) from our Mexican friends who also showed us how to eat it with "agua-mole" which is a more liquid version of guacamole (lots of limes, avocados, water, liquified in the blender). We bought corn tortillas and Spanish Rice from our local restaurant and filled up our bellies! Here are some recipes you can try for the Carne Asada and virgin pina coladas. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the food and drinks! But it was sure tasty!!! (I made the arrangements from grocery store flowers and found red linens and an orange rattan runner at Ross all for under $45.)
This image is courtesy of Rooted in Style a most amazing design and style blog! I just love the look of this room! I don't know the source of the image however, I will check back when I find out.
I'm enchanted by the idea of "Lotus Bambou" organic perfume! I wish you could smell through the internet! Check out this perfume and other wonderful scents by Acorelle at the Nimli Eco Boutique.
I was looking for some modern rugs with flair for my soon to be master bedroom/nursery for my first baby and was directed to a wonderful selection of literally thousands of contemporary rugs at CSN Rugs! The styles shown here are from the Chandra Avalisa Collection and the Surya Dharma Collection. Other noteworthy designer rugs that I found at CSN are from Calvin Klein, Thomas Paul, Karim Rashid, and Koko Company (for funky outdoor rugs). What a great decorator resource!
Happy Monday! We DJ'd a beautiful wedding this Saturday at Hotel 1000... The florals were done by Bella Rugosa and they were amazing! Vanda orchids, pink peonies, orange tulips, lime green hydrangea and gloriosa lillies! I was lucky enough to take home some blooms from the wedding and make a happy arrangement of my own with a ceramic mug of the laughing buddha (there is a hole in the front for a straw and an opening in the back for the drink... tres kitschey!). I found this figurine at the thrift store but you can get the same one at Perpetual Kid.
“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky” ~ Buddha
Via 100 Layer Cake, I discovered The Crane Chandelier Project by The Wedding Co. To celebrate their 10th Anniversary in 2011, the Wedding Co. has created a global DIY craft project that involves creating a chandelier made from 10,000 origami cranes submitted by engaged couples from all around the world.
For each crane they receive, 50¢ will be donated to cancer research. I love this concept! For more info go to: TheWeddingCo.com
Who doesn't love a cupcake dressed in a scalloped gown and covered in sprinkles? Carrie Middlemiss from Seattle started Bella Cupcake Couture after being laid off by Washington Mutual Bank. These fun and stylish cupcake wrappers are inspired by textile patterns and made from recycled paper and printed with soy inks! So as far as green weddings and parties go, you can have your cupcake and eat it too! For favors, you can use these wrappers with cupcake shaped bath bombs! (Instructions here). This post was inspired by The Soap Queen!
A Bloom A Day looks like a wonderfully inspiring birthday gift for the floral enthusiast! It has 365 gorgeous flower photographs for every day of the year, each with a
corresponding birthday fortune and the meaning of the flower.I found this via Snippet and Ink.
I think this pink and green scheme for indoor/outdoor living is simply divine... add a stone Buddha, a ceramic Kuan Yin figurine or a Thai Temple house and some carved teak wood panels and I'm all set!!! Check out more stunning photos by Pierre-jean Verger. Via Desire to Inspire.
I'm liking the Yoshino Collection of Fabrics by Villa Nova from the UK. For a closer look at their many inspiring textile collections, download the catalog here.
Ok seriously, do you want to be utterly inspired? Check out Utterly Engaged, a stylish new online wedding magazine from my friends D*LSH Design and their partners! It's a gorgeous read and quite a luxury for the price...ahem, it's free! The zine features real wedding couples and their real budgets, plenty of swoon worthy DIY tips and lots of fresh ideas and fresh wedding vendors! I especially love the diversity in their features!!! I think it totally fills a void in the wedding market right now! Thanks for the link mention on the floral resources page! You ladies rock!
I saw this wire momentum bowl in the Crate and Barrel catalog and just love the idea of an organic style wedding centerpiece using orchids, spongy moss and a see-through basket (that you could give away to guests). For a rustic look you could make your own basket out of chicken wire. For a modern look, scout your home improvement center for mesh you could spray paint and mold into your own shape. You can purchase the orchid potted plants in bulk at Aloha Orchid and the reindeer moss at Save-On-Crafts.
Featured Floral Designer: Flower Design, UK
I really love the freshness of these floral arrangements by Flower Design! I especially love the crisp modernity of the martini designs and tall centerpieces using orchids, anthuriums, curly bamboo and calla lilies! See more photos here.
I LOVE KATE QUINN ORGANICS! Check out the new summer collection of sumptuous organic cotton options for you and baby!!!
I saw this lovely bedroom inspiration at Living Etc! You can find the geisha pillow at Teo Jasmin!
Check out these amazing photographic prints and home decor options at Teo Jasmin from France! Teo Jasmin is an interior design company based in Paris and they specialize in digital printings on canvas, cushions and furniture.
Here's an arrangement I donated for a friend's church auction... (The photo is a bit overexposed, sorry! My good camera is out of commission, wah)
Ok this is pure modern genius! The 4-in-1 Vase by Konstantin Slawinski is a two-part vase... a glass cube that fits into a silver metal frame with 4 different opening sizes ranging from single stem to bouquet! Perfect for a mod centerpiece display!
These would be sleek and modern centerpieces! Grown your own grass in these luxe Chlorophylle grass planter boxes! Via Totally Tabletops.
I think living in this well designed space by Albano Daminato would feel so very relaxing and calming... I especially love the floor window with a view of a bamboo grove. Via Design to Inspire.
I'm loving the colors and details of the Witt Istanbul Hotel Suites designed by Autoban. Check out the laser cut flowers, the pointellist styling, the organic woods and the blend of warm modernist design. I can see envision these elements as the basis for a great party or wedding theme! Via the Contemporist.
Via Decor8 I learned that Amy Butler has designed a line of 100% organic cotton bedding for Welspun that will be available in June! See more photos here and a slideshow here.
It's a wonderful miracle when you discover that someone you know has been honing their creative and artistic talent right under your nose! I have known Junko Yamamoto for a few years now in the Seattle event industry, but I had no idea that she was an artist! Junko will be having a solo show featuring the "Shunyata Series" at Gallery IMA during the month of June. Shunyata means "emptiness" in Sanskrit. To learn more about the inspiration for this body of work, make sure to read her artist statement... it's very inspiring! I'm definitely loving the one with the talk bubble as artwork for our nursery... the empty talk bubble is asking me "Will it be a boy or will it be a girl?" hee hee!
These porcelain wall bud vases by Etsy seller Ryan Takaba are way too cool! I saw these over at Jenn Ski's mid century modern design blog.
These metal light panels are gorgeous inside or outside! I really love the chrysanthemum designs. Learn more about these beautiful works of art at Napa Home.
I saw this lovely bedroom photo over at An Indian Summer. I love the calm neutral colors, the stone like walls, the carved lantern, and the framed Asian advertisement art/poster. You can find a smaller version of a lotus teak panel like this one at Viva Terra.
As an Ikebana practitioner, when I saw this Grid Vase by Spanish designer Jaime Hayón my eyes grew wide with the possibilities! These vases are beautifully formed and the grid patterns are so intriguing... so beautiful just by themselves... but picture branches and single blooms punctuating the grills... "grid
is an eye-catching vase collection manufactured by turkish artisans,
bestowed with hundreds of years of experience in copper craftsmanship.
it combines contemporary design with turkish sensibility."
If my posts have seemed a little light and infrequent it's because I have embarked on a new journey! After almost 6 years of marriage, I am finally pregnant and will be expecting our first child in November! So this Mother's Day has new meaning for me as I reflect on my childhood and what kind of mother I will be. I have started a new blog called LotusHaus Mama which will be a light documentation of my thoughts and finds related to my journey through pregnancy, natural childbirth and into motherhood! Check it out if you are interested. In the meantime, you can also check out some past baby related posts here at LotusHaus. Thanks so much for joining me in this journey!
Everyone loves fresh flower pomanders! Finally, I remembered to snap some shots of the girls in my St. Luke's Class. We made some really cute mini pomanders about the size of a large grapefruit.
Materials:
Instructions: (also good instructions here)
1) Prepare wet floral foam.
If you can find a floral foam orb in the size you want, simply soak in water and then set out to drain. Or else you can take a small block of floral foam and shape it by cutting it down and sculpting it into an orb. I used an apple for size comparison. Optional: Wrap the orb in chicken wire for a more sturdy structure.
2) Assemble ribbon.
There are different ways to do this. If you have wrapped the orb in chicken wire, tie a ribbon with a loop handle through the wire at the top of the orb. But this is what I did because I used a green poly yarn i/o ribbon: Take a chopstick and stab it through the center of the orb. Push a double strand of yarn through the hole with the chopstick. Cut a stem about 2" and tie it with the yarns so that when you pull up the loop the stem creates a stable stopper for the yarn.
3) Cut kermit mum heads.
Cut stems to about 2" and insert into foam in a row that circles around the entire orb. Then make another row that circles the orb so that it creates quarter lines. Then fill in the rest of the quarters with mums.
4) Add any other embellishments.
You can add another bow to the top loop if you like. I attempted to make a chinese style knot with the excess yarn at the bottom of the pomander.
5) Experiment with your pomander and enjoy!
You can use your pomander as an centerpiece too by placing it in a glass cube or on top of a cylinder vase.
Whoa, how do I contain my excitement? I finally found a career inspiration that closely matches my lifestyle, my experience and my aesthetic! Today I discovered the story of Kate Fujimoto... a fashion designer - turned wife - turned event designer! Kate Fujimoto worked as a fashion designer and product manager for labels such as Trina Turk and Betsey Johnson. She was getting frustrated with the corporate structure and
felt that her aesthetic didn’t necessarily match up to some of the
companies she worked with. After planning her own wedding, Kate began to consider a career in event design. She took on small
events at first, but with a growing client list, the budding designer launched Kate Fujimoto Event Design in November 2007. With an emphasis on color, texture and trim, she treats events as landscapes similar to fashion designs, and applies her expertise to every aspect of presentation. Kate often looks to the venue first— much like she used to look to the human form—to find ways to enhance its features...Kate, you are my she-ro!
Ok, so I was like totally sucked into the Home Shopping Network (HSN) on TV today because entertainment guru Colin Cowie (his accent is South African) was showcasing his summer collection... and let me say that it's off tha hook and if I had extra loot I would buy up all the pieces and use them for events. Here are my favorites:
Beverage Server with Ice Receptacle: This is the most modern and versatile drink dispenser EVER! Watch the video footage and you will be a sucker too! It's genius! First of all, it's made of sturdy glass. The ice receptacle keeps your drinks cold without diluting them. When not in use you can use the ice holder as a glass flower vase (genius). The bottom bowl is a separate piece and you can use it to display the beverage ingredients or create ambiance with flowers or other themed items. When not in use you can use the bowl for salads or layered desserts (genius). The lid fits perfectly on top of the bowl as well (einstein). At the HSN price of $74.95 I was seriously considering picking up the phone. But alas, times are tough and my glass pitcher is just gonna have to do... but isn't it just genius, lol! Here are some other nice items:
From left to right, top to bottom:
Chip and Dip Wood Tray with Porcelain Bowl, Bowl in Rattan Base, 7" Appetizer Plates, 3 part Stackable Storage Jar, Square Rim Dinnerware Set, Square Bowls in Wood Tray, Double Wall Glass Set.
Check out this really unique and well designed flower shop in Greece! The name of the shop is Aktipis and it was designed by Point Supreme Architects. Discovered via Laissezfaire and Dezeen.
I'm loving these arrangements and overall table top display found over at Head of the Table! The horsetail or equisetum look so fabulous with the black ribbon and rhinestone buckles atop charcoal polished river stones!
Today, via Style Court, I discovered the beautiful artwork of artist Annie Kammerer Butrus...check it out!
Look at these beautiful Brazilian wedding favors from Pezzi d'Amore available in Seattle! I discovered these from the wonderful Bella Signature Design blog. These wedding favors are called "Bem Casados" or "Well-Marrieds" and they are the most traditional sought-after dessert at weddings in Brazil. Each Bem Casado is artfully made and is light, soft, airy and filled with smooth, home-made caramel bathed in a special sweet sauce. Each treat represents two united parts sealed by sweet love, support and mutual respect. According to legend, everyone who tastes them will be blessed with the happiness of newlyweds, so make a wish before you take a bite. Amen to that!
Today I was inspired by Flora Nova Design and their recent blog post letting us know that Plum is a big color for 2009. Check out their recent Plum, Cream and Chartreuse wedding! I have long loved this color combo so here is my Asian inspired version of a plum and chartreuse wedding. As a disclaimer, I usually don't post any images without linking the source, so I sincerely apologize because I don't have sources for all of these photos (boo! I know!). Please email me if you know the source. Thanks and enjoy!
From left to right, top to bottom:
Photo from Organic Style Magazine; Actress Zhang Ziyi; "Origami Crane" invitation by Tiny Prints; "Brilliant Blooms" wedding invitation by WeddingPaperDivas; custom made blooming tea favor; lime bridesmaid dress; chartreuse arrangement in Chinese shallow basket; catalog photo from Smith & Hawken; pink purple arrangement in footed basket; colorful macaroons by Jin Patisserie; and decorative Black Cherry Plum soap bar by MOR Cosmetics.
Finally, this year we were able to catch the Tulip Festival in Mount Vernon, which only happens once a year in April. The drive was about 1.5 hours north of Seattle and the traffic was horrendous, but it was well worth the wait to see so many beautiful fields filled with colorful tulips! I went with my hubby, best friend and godson... Isaiah was more interested in the tractors going by and the airplanes flying over head than the flowers, lol!
This is super funky! I saw this over at Kim Vallee! Check it out! I love the temari-like ball pillows!
I'm loving these shots by LA based still life photographer Carin Krasner! I saw this over at the awesome Algabar Journal for the Algabar Tea Bar in LA.
Wouldn't these animal prints be inspiring for you and your baby! I love Paul Johnson's style with his rough abstraction, colorful ink pen style and attention to patterns in relation to the animal skins and as a nod to geometry and decor. You could definitely build a whole theme for a kids room or nursery around these awesome prints!
I'm loving this collection of intricate and Japanese inspired digital artwork by Yoshika EuphorianChic! You can buy any of these wonderful prints framed, on canvas or as a greeting card! Hmmm, these would look nice for my bedroom redo!
I finally had the energy to change the look of my blog... do you like? Stay tuned as I will also be starting another blog with a different focus very soon!
Happy Earth Day! Our celebration of the Earth took place the first weekend of April when we visited with nature on the Oregon Coast at Westwind. Here is a photo of a lotus mandala sand drawing I did with my husband near the shore in the background. Not a soul in sight... just us and the beach, the sand, and the ocean...
Here are some treasures Mother Nature gave me with the wave of her shore... and here is my most treasured find... my soulmate!
No flowers in the budget for this class, so instead, we made fabric/wood beaded bracelets for my St. Luke's class. It's so easy!
Materials:
Instructions:
1) Start
Place glue along the long edge about 6" down. Fold the strip into thirds and tie a knot. This creates a finished "tie" for your bracelet. You will do the same step when you get to the end of your bracelet for the other tie.
2) Insert beads, apply glue, and knot.
Just past the knot, dab some glue on the long edges of the fabric and roll the wooden bead so that the fabric covers it. Twist the fabric after the bead and tie a knot. Make the knot as close to the bead as you can. Repeat until the length fits around the largest part of your hand.
3) Tie off and finish.
Once you have the right length of beads, tie a knot and repeat step 1). You can make a matching necklace by using a longer strip of fabric and more beads.
4) Enjoy!
Last weekend, our DJ Company Bamboo Beats, had the pleasure of celebrating Kelsey & Kyle's stylish and hip wedding at Pravda, an uber cool NY-Loft like space in Capitol Hill. I want to share with you the beautiful decor details put together by the amazing Michelle from Married with Michelle and Julie from Bella Rugosa. *4/27/09 Update: Check out the amazing pro photos by the awesome Photo Elan team at this link!
I love the lotus capiz shell votive holders from Bella Rugosa and floral silhouette satin linens by BBJ Linen.
Check out the table placecards and simple unity candle.
Next to the ceremony area there was an awesome lounge area with cocktail tables and modern seating complete with bar area and our DJ setup.
I totally fell in love with the lounge area... these rentals are available from Bella Rugosa!
Capiz lotus pendant chandeliers graced the ceilings... so modern and elegant!
Modern and minimalistic high and low centerpieces with chartreuse table linens created a very dramatic effect in the all white venue.
This is the guest table shown on the left along with a creative way to show table numbers using sparkling water bottles.
And lastly, I was loving the lime green glass hurricane holders on top of acrylic pedestals that lined the ceremony aisles. On the right is a photo of these cool wrought iron candle holders that marked the ceremony alter. All in all, this wedding had all the perfect details and I can't wait for the pro photos from the fabulous Photo Elan team to show you how much fun the dancing was! They kicked it all night long!
To all my floral design friends and event planners... don't you wish this was your flower market?! I do! Via Inhabitat I was whisked away to Barcelona to discover Mercabarna-Flor, an energy efficient and totally design-savvy flower market designed by Willy Mully Architects. The plant market acts as a greenhouse to grow potted plants and its climate is very carefully regulated with both radiant heating and passive cooling - one of the biggest systems of its kind. Passive cooling
helps to introduce humidity and ensure that temperatures stay between
15 and 26 deg C. Meanwhile the radiant industrial floor ensures that
the flowers have enough warmth to grow.The zinc roof and walls are covered with geometric patterns, intended to evoke an aerial view of cultivated-flower fields. A multicoloured band of striped panels wraps around the structure. The building contains three different markets selling cut flowers, plants and accessories. It also includes offices, two floristry education centres, an event space and parking.
Typepad has a new feature that will let you play a song right from your post! You just upload the mp3 just like you would any file and select the "inline audio player." Click here for more info and in the meantime check out my favorite tunes for today:
Transmission Central (Thievery Corporation)
Make Love (Angie Stone/Musiq Soulchild)
I knew there was a reason why I was holding out from doing a bird theme for previous parties... The first weekend in April, my hubby and I had a wonderful mini-vacation on the Oregon Coast. We enjoyed so much untouched nature while walking barefoot on sandy beaches, soaking up the sunshine, drawing in the sand, beach-combing, relaxing with dear friends and eating very well! We spotted a wild herd of elk, many pairs of bald eagles, an osprey nest, a wild bobcat, seals and many other aquatic animals. We even got to kayak a bit. As a souvenir we took home these gorgeous branches from our host's property... they had the most lovely sponge-like moss. These branches became a very economical and sentimental centerpiece for our Easter Dinner...
I placed the branches in various glass cubes with white gravel to support them, and added some lovely feather birds that I picked up at the Dollar Tree store ($8 for 16 pcs!). The aqua blue table runner is just some lightweight dress fabric that I had previously found at a thrift store. Luckily it was long enough to cover the entire set of tables that sat all 15 of us!
I loved how easy and effortless these centerpieces turned out to be! It doesn't take much to make a statement when these little bird friends are smiling at you and your guests!
Chirp, chirp... A little birdy told me to pull out my white vases for
the display shelves! (The pink and purple blooms are Hyacinth from
our garden.)
Here's the view from the other side of the table...
Say hello to my little friends...
For party favors I found these yummy jelly beans (the size of small grapes), that looked like speckled bird eggs. I looked everywhere for small birdnests that would fit my budget but to no avail. Finally, I broke down and made my own. Using wrapped brown wire (found in the floral section at the craft store), I wound it around my hand 4 times, cut a square of brown wax paper, placed the jelly beans in the center, tucked brown tulle around them and scrunched the package into the nest. The brown ribbon held it all together.
We had a lovely dinner and lively conversation... After dinner we were greeted with a full rainbow! It was so big and so close that I couldn't get it all in the photo! Now if only I could find that pot of gold!
Kelly Hoppen: Kelly Hoppen Style: The Golden Rules of Design
Kelly Hoppen: East Meets West: Global Design for Contemporary Interiors
Colin Cowie: Colin Cowie Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas for Every Moment of Your Celebration
Cindy Ng: Girligami: A Fresh, Fun, Fashionable Spin on Origami
Robyn Griggs Lawrence: The Wabi-Sabi House: The Japanese Art of Imperfect Beauty
Thich Nhat Hanh: Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
Maureen Whitehouse: Soul-Full Eating: A (Delicious!) Path to Higher Consciousness
David Kundtz: Quiet Mind: One-Minute Retreats from a Busy World
Michelle Cornell: Ikebana: Japanese Flower Arranging for Today's Interior
Sakul Intakul: Tropical Colors: Art of Living With Tropical Flowers
