Counting down.
Vintage Beach Babes.
Grace Kelly, MM, Ginger Rogers, Ava Gardner.
The city by the bay is chilly again. Is it summer yet? And where in the blue hell do I get a fringed umbrella?
Flores!
I cleaned, purged and organized a lot of art supplies recently, which meant digging elbow deep into my fake flower stash. I have a bit of a hoarding problem with faux blooms: I buy bushels in thrift stores. I tend to fall in love with the colors, and they are so cheap! Plus, I feel so much better “recycling” them in crafts and decor. So…green.
Wildflower crowns were a staple in my Etsy shop last spring, and have been a huge trend for a while now. Though the boho vibe is always fun to invoke, I love the burst of color they bring to an outfit even more.
Inspired by Frida Kahlo’s fresh flower do’s and the gorgeous haku lei’s Free People used in their May 2011 catalog, I wanted to construct a tropical version of this accessory to take with me on my island vacation. This time I went less structured, more natural and fuller in greenery. I wanted them to feel handmade on a whim, with mixed blooms and asymmetrical configurations.
Still, I do not know if a girl needs upwards of six flower crowns, so I may have a limited run of treats soon for sale. Also, poor Evangeline looks like she needs a good makeover, so mannequin maintenance may be next on the DIY agenda.
Oh Baby.
Not only is Emily the cutest pregnant woman ever (check those neon nails, statement jewelry and the sweet lace dress), her friends threw her the most stylishly delightful fête in anticipation of her new bambino. I was lucky enough to grab some snaps of the festivities…and down my weight in baked brie and champagne in the process.
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for a backyard luncheon peppered with bright flowers, rustic handmade touches, and good friends. Jordan even made a monstrous chocolate cake with a second layer of brownie.
The afternoon was a delight—good job party prep team! And many congratulations to Emily. There is a lucky baby coming into this world!
It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper break. Luckily, that is changing soon. The last week in May and first week of June will be spent with my handsome beau on Isla Mujeres, a white sand caribbean island off the coast of Cancun.
Excited cannot even begin to describe how I feel about this vacation, and I’ve been dreaming of beds on the beach, tropical prints, pina coladas, and sun-kissed shoulders since Stren called to say “Can we do nine days in Mexico? I think I have it figured out…”
Summer Never Dies Playlist
Sounds like warm nights. Songs by Wild Nothing, Beach House, Best Coast, Washed Out, and more. Mostly made because I’m trying to stave off the urge to spontaneously drive down to L.A. and jump in the ocean to make summer last forever.
Nowhere is Where I’d Rather Be
I’ve been lucky enough to go a lot of places, see a lot of things and have many kinds of adventures in the short time I’ve been around. There have been a lot of “best day(s) of my life.” The only downside is all the places and little moments you start missing begin to accumulate in cracks and corners, beckoning during restless days. Wanderlust, they say. Often, it’s New York or the left bank of Paris. But more than anything, it’s the road through the southwest we drove last year. America and summer and what feels like freedom. Dust and diners and speeding tickets. I watched Easy Rider on Sunday and it’s got me itching (I’ll show you the crafty scratches soon enough). I’m gonna lure Jaz back on the road as soon as I can, armed with film, a map and a few fireworks. But today I’m just gonna look at old pictures and wish really hard.
all photos by Jazmin Jones
I’m sunning myself and flipping through magazines with my family on our annual vacation in San Diego. Every year my mom’s side takes a week and rents summer houses–one year in Michigan, the next in California. Last year was spent in Silver Lake, Michigan in cozy cabins on the lake, and rolling down sand dunes. This year we are staying in houses a short walk from the Pacific. Jazmin and I have our own little bungalow outside the main “Pineapple House” with a skylight rimmed in bobbing palm fronds. The backyard is a tropical oasis: stone walkways, birds of paradise, a pool with a waterfall, a smattering of big orange goldfish and one slow turtle, and even a little treehouse. The warm weather is a welcome escape from the wintery summer of San Francisco, and it feels good to not have to be anywhere or do anything other than perfect my tan. This means lazy days in the sand, jacuzzi, nail shop, and company of my cousins. And more Bravo programming than I should admit. Yay for vacation!
