Cute Lunch Totes

Say "good-bye" to the brown paper bag and go green in style with a lunch tote that insulates up to 4 hours.

Top: French Bull Gourmet Lunch Totes, $25; builtny.com or containerstore.com

Bottom: EZ Freeze Ice Block, $1.99 each; containerstore.com

Lunchtime

I feel like I could go to the grocery store with a blindfold on and make it home with everything that I need because I buy the same items every time...kinda' like a "food rut". I have really made a concious effort since school started last week, to "shake things up" a little at dinner time and I have found 2 good new easy dinner ideas that are kid tested and approved with flying colors. I'll share those recipes with you tomorrow. Today, I'm breakin' out of the same 'ole thing food rut with a few new lunch ideas that I found in Country Living Magazine (Sept. '09).

Elsita

Don't you just love it when you find a new blog that makes you smile? Last night I found one that definitely did just that...The Hidden Seed is a blog dedicated to the personal style of artist Elsa Mora. The photographs that she shares of herself dressed in all different outfits that she pulls together after shopping at places like J. Crew, Anthropologie, Forever 21 and H&M are creatively fashionable. She's even pictured wearing an adorable top that she found in the children's department at Target! (Now, I'll admit, I have purchased a few things myself in the children's department at Target...but I have never managed to pull it together like she has!) I just think that she has a great sense of color and style. I love the backgrounds that she chooses for her photographs as well. I will stay tuned to see what new look she comes up with next...Elsita...I love your style! You amaze me!

Dream On

In my next life when I live at the beach, you'll see me on one of these pale blue Madsen bicycles carting around children and groceries. It'll be my sole mode of transportation and I'll always be ready for bikini season. (just dreaming)

Make a Wish

I spotted this on lmnop's blog the other day. Such cute birthday candles from manufacturer TAG. They make me want to have a birthday party just so that I can use them! I can see them on a white frosted cake with jelly belly's bordering the top...too, cute!

Horoscopes

Click here to check out your yearly horoscope: Town & Country Magazine

School Portraits

I just love what Brooklyn-based company Stomping Ground is doing with the traditional, boring school photo...They're "shakin' it up" and it's about time. Their concept is to let the child's personality and individuality shine through in their school pictures. The children wear their favorite costume or bring a favorite toy on picture day. The kids get to be themselves and I think it puts a whole new spin on boring school photos. Love it!

Back to School Treats

Chew on your Pencil (credit: Family Fun Magazine)School Colors Cupcakes (credit: Woman's Day Magazine)

This week was "back to school" time for my children. So far, so good...everyone is happy. I never know when I'm going to be called on to send a class snack to the elementary school, but if I am... I'm ready with these 2 cute school-themed ideas.

My Etsy Loves

Here are a few of my favorite Etsy sites for you to enjoy. This is a random list of sites, but they each have such great, unique items. I like to order special little things like this to have on hand, even if I don't have a specific use in mind. When I need it, I have it...whether it's for a party or a school project for the kids...this kind of stuff is always useful and I'm always glad that I have it.

Happy shopping!

Top: Colored Paper Masking Tape and Business card stamps from NothingElegant's shop

Bottom: Checkers Big muffin cups and Polka Dot small cupcake cups from CuteCup's shop

Get Organized

Credit (below): Better Homes & Gardens
Credit (below): Real Simple
Credit (below): Better Homes & GardensI am all about anything that organizes and "makes pretty." I can't say that I ever really manage to get myself there, despite the best of intentions. When I do get things looking good and functioning well, the projects come along and mess it all up again. I can't ever seem to keep the organization after I've got it in place (I hate it when that happens.)

Here are some nice situations that will inspire me to "get my act together".

"N" is for Nick

Last week I told you that I'd show you what I bought at Atmosphere. I couldn't tell you because it was a surprise for my girls. The amazing secret was that we got tickets to see The Jonas Brothers in concert. They had no idea and my husband and I told them yesterday morning...the concert was last night. They were beyond thrilled! My friend Jennifer got great tickets for all of us, and we had a fantastic time. My younger daughter loves Nick so I had gone to Atmosphere to buy a cool big metal "N" for Nick. We decorated it with magnets that we made just for him that included his favorite quote, his monogram, his favorite team (the NY Yankees), a picture of my girls, etc... etc...
We thought that it would be a fun gift and we did get the opportunity to give it to him during the sound check, which was awesome. So that was the secret purchase from the little store that I blogged about last Friday. A good time was had by all...the concert was amazing. At the end of the evening, my daughter Annie said that "it was the best night of her life" and Claire said that "her life was now complete". Me...I say "priceless"!

Thank you Jennifer for getting us the awesome tickets and making it all happen. Here are a few of Jennifer's (Jennifer Jones Photography) fabulous photos of the evening.

Atmosphere

This shop in Birmingham, AL is really cool! They have a little bit of everything and it's always changing. Modern home furnishings & accessories can be found in this exciting store located in the heart of B'hams design district. I'm headed over there now to pick up a little something that I have them holding for me. I'll take a pic and post it for you to see on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Jet Set

This just in from Jet Blue...

They are offering an all-you-can-jet pass from September 8 to October 8. You can travel to over 50 cities on more than 600 daily flights. I may have to start planning!

Garden Party

This little outdoor party from the cute blog hey, bubbles looks like a very sweet and creative birthday celebration.

Clockwise from top left: Butterfly Kisses party invitation from SCB, catching little paper butterflies with a net...too much fun, Flower Wow invitation from SCB, cute chocolate mousse-filled cups planted with a lollipop "flower" and green gummy stem, Little Sweetheart invitation from SCB, a jar of colorful butterfly nets for entertainment

Vintage Wedding

I just saw the most gorgeous wedding photos on Style Me Pretty's blog. It is a vintage wedding shoot full of whimsical colors and charming details. If I had it to do over again, this would be my dream wedding. And could there be a cuter couple? This bride and groom are like movies stars from a past era. Congratulations to them on their big day!

Credit: Photos are from the very talented Lisa Lefkowitz and the amazing styling was done by Gloria Wong.

Welcoming Baby

These nurseries are so beautifully decorated...they just feel magical, and that's exactly how they should feel for the arrival of a sweet newborn baby. The beautiful rooms shown above are designed by Serena and Lily, and below are a handful of our sweet new birth announcements from Stacy Claire Boyd.

oooh la la

Thoughtful gift giving is an art...there's no doubt about it. I love oooh la la cadeau's site because they can always make you a hero when it comes to sending just the right thing. The gift, as well as the packaging, is sheer perfection. Click on their different categories and drink in all of the stylish gift-giving choices. oooh la la cadeau is oooh la lovely!

Cooking with Ryan

Yesterday's fig-picking in the garden turned out to be part of a beautiful dinner for my friend Ryan Carlson. He is an artist and musician in his daily life but at night he becomes chef extaordinaire at home in his kitchen. I brought him a few little figs yesterday and he turned them into this lovely meal... Citrus Pork with Mint and Fig Sauce. My little figs were proud to have been part of such a fancy dish... thanks Ryan!

Back to School Supplies

I really can't believe that it is already that time of year...school registration, decorating lockers and buying school supplies. This time of year always gives me a few butterflies in my stomach...just the anticipation of it all...how am I going to get 3 children to 3 separate schools each morning on time, making sure that all the homework and projects are done in a timely fashion (I'm a procrastinator, so this is a real fear), will everyone be able to get in bed on time each night so that we can all get up in time to get out the door with everything that we need. Yikes! I'm a little stressed just thinking about it. Well, at least I have their school supplies in order and mine as well. Just knowing that I've got the things that help keep me organized during the school year is a step in the right direction. Having my calendar, my weekly agenda pad, my stationery, postage stamps and envelopes, my gift tags, notepads, post-its etc... All of that being in place gives me a little peace of mind to start the school year feeling "together" with my "school supplies".

A moment in the Garden

Today is an outdoor kinda' blog. I am really not an outdoorsy gal, so this is a rare occurrence...me in the garden is about the only outdoor activity that I partake in. My daughter Annie took this of me this morning picking a few figs in the garden and a pic of Addie in front of the portulaca that I recently planted. Isn't the portulaca beautiful? It's such an easy plant because it doesn't require much water, you don't have to deadhead it and it produces such vibrant colored flowers. Because I'm not such an outdoor girl...I'm all about easy, no maintenance plants.

Sweet Tooth

Above: Tiramisu squares (credit sweetpaul.typepad.com)
Makes 30
1 cup whipping cream
1 pound good quality dark chocolate
1 tablespoon amaretto
8 ladyfingers
Cocoa powder

Place cream in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil.
Place the chocolate and amaretto in a bowl and pour the cream over.
Stir gently to dissolve the chocolate.
Pour the mixture into a small square cake tin that’s covered in wax paper.
Press the ladyfingers into the chocolate.
Leave to set,
Dust with cocoa powder.Cut into squares and serve.
Photo by Studio Dreyer Hensley

Above: Peanut-Butter Parfait Cups (credit: Cookie Magazine)

For the chocolate sauce:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the parfaits:
8 peanut-butter sandwich cookies (such as Nutter Butter)
2 tablespoons melted butter
Peanut-butter-cup or vanilla ice cream
Mini peanut-butter cups or salted peanuts, chopped

Combine the chocolate chips, cream, and sugar in a medium microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 1 minute; stir. Heat for another 30 seconds; stir. Chocolate should be almost melted. Remove it from the microwave and stir in the vanilla. Continue stirring the chocolate until it's completely melted. Pour it into a glass jar. You will have about 1 cup. Store it in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 300º F. Lightly coat 4 one-cup ovenproof custard cups with cooking spray. In a food processor, pulse the cookies and melted butter together until fine crumbs form. Evenly divide the crumbs in the prepared cups. Press them into the bottoms and halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake them for 8 minutes. Let them cool on wire rack.
To make the parfaits, place 1 scoop of ice cream in each shell. Drizzle the ice cream with chocolate sauce and garnish with chopped candy or nuts

Personalized Memory Game

This is a cute deck of cards that I made for my daughter Claire. Each card has a photo of her, her family members, grandmothers, grandfathers, her little dog Addie etc. She really enjoys playing with these personalized matching photo cards. To make them you simply print your photos on one side with an all-over pattern on the back side. I made 36 cards (18 pairs) and cut them out to a standard playing card size and then rounded the edges of each card with a corner punch. This will be a treasured little deck of cards that will become even better the more that they are handled and played with over the years.

Julie & Julia

Julie & Julia opens this Friday, August 7th. It looks cute! I want to go with my mom..I think that this is a movie that we could both enjoy together...should be fun!

What a great recreation of Julia's kitchen by set designer Susan Bode Tyson.

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Hoop Art

I adore fabric. This is such a cute way to decorate...all you need is cute fabric and different sized embroidery hoops. It's inexpensive, clever and so easy to make...instant gratification...I love it!

Credit: Country Living

Cute Desk Idea

I think that this little vanity/desk area is great looking...don't you love it? See how to do it here.

Fresh Veggies

I just love this time of year with all of the fresh produce...it is all so beautiful...the colors are amazing...they smell so good...it's like bringing home fresh flowers, but the difference is you get to eat them!

On Saturday, I made squash casserole, lady peas, fresh asparagus, butterbeans, sweet corn, cucumber and tomato salad and juicy Georgia peaches. There are not too many things that I can think of that make me happier than sitting down with my family to an incredible plate of beautiful and delicious fresh veggies. Now that's some good eatin'!

....mmmm