sweet and salty

It would be fascinating to take a census of the number of picnics happening simultaneously around the country this weekend and what they would be serving. One thing I know I will be making is a watermelon feta salad. If you haven't tried this combination of flavors, you don't know what you're missing. The recipe is extremely simple. Just cut up a seedless watermelon into cubes or square slices...add some crumbled feta. I like to lay it out on a platter and drizzle it with olive oil and some fresh lime juice. Then sprinkle some fresh thyme over the top. I've heard where people add black olives or sliced red onions or even basil. I like to serve it next to some greens.

image Martha Stewart....her recipe is here

What is the one thing you know you will be serving?

star spangled celebrations

I imagine I am probably one of the first....if not the first.....to post pictures from a fourth of July celebration. Don't ask me the reason, but a little town in our area always has their fireworks the weekend before the actual holiday. I love a good fireworks display....I'll tell you why soon.....and these did not disappoint. They were quite spectacular really. I found this quote and really like its sentiment.

Did you know that fireworks date back to 12th century China where they were used to scare off evil spirits with their loud sounds and also to pray for happiness and prosperity. If you are looking for a little way to add some star worthy sparkle to your fourth celebration, don't forget about our star sparklers. What do you enjoy about fireworks?

chocolate...my drug of choice.

I'm trying to appreciate this and even understand it. Have you seen it? Whiffing...am I getting that old that I think this sounds like something kids should NOT be doing? If you haven't seen it, it is the new way to eat chocolate, by breathing it. Le Whif was developed by a Harvard professor and a biomedical engineer (I swear)...and is the first inhalable chocolate.My normal test for a product is could I plan a party around it? I'm not sure when chewing became such a nuisance, but I know I could plan a party around it. I have to know your thoughts on this.

first discovered here

wrap it up....

This image makes me want to skip all other obligations for a day and just wrap wrap wrap. Sometimes it's nice to color coordinate the wrapping with the gift. I have a hard time not thinking of food when I look at these.....like cotton candy wrapped in the pink paper or oranges in the orange paper or just ripe strawberries with the red paper. Oh, and dark chocolate for the brown and lemon drops with the yellow. What would you wrap in these?

wrapping paper from here

we got one....

A few days ago, I showed you the fairy houses my daughter and her friend made. I knew they would open up the possibility for a fairy to visit, but I didn't know it would be the fairy that flits about our blogs that we all know and miss so much. The imaginary friend that mixes words magically wherever she goes. You see....she must have quietly flown in and hid out amongst the mushrooms for a moment. I didn't even know she was there until tonight when technology interrupted the magic and showed me some of the flurries she left behind. Thank you....thank you....thank you for the kirtsy.....and for allowing me to see your magic again if only for a moment.

fairy flurries found here

survival cases

My kids are going on a major road trip in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking that a travel case filled with all sorts of snacks and activities would be a fun surprise. I'm even going to sneak in some little love notes. One of these travel suitcases from etsy would be the perfect jumping off point for a road trip survival gift.

found here

found here

found here

I love a good road trip....are you a flier or a driver? What would you include in your survival case?

magical mushrooms

Tonight Lily's friend is spending the night....one last hurrah for awhile. The two of them....and one other friend.....have spent this whole school year talking about capturing fairies. They have spent time in each other's yards gathering tree bark, berries, and leaves to attract fairies to their make shift homes. So, tonight they made real fairy houses. We started with some sculpey clay and made mushrooms. I had them place long pins in the stems so they would stand up later. They painted them and placed them in pieces of moss in jars. If one of them is lucky enough to have the rare opportunity to possess a fairy, I think they'll be very happy in their sweet home.


By the time they finished the sun was setting and it was hard to get enough light without getting too much.

These would make a magical party favor for a girl's fairy birthday party. Tie a ribbon around the top, make custom round stickers for the lids, and include a little bag of glitter for fairy dust.
Hope your weekend is filled with magic.

butterflies galore

By now, you must have seen this very creative bouquet. If not...check out this wedding. One of Lily's best friends is moving away next week. We will miss the whole family terribly. Lily and her friend have gone to school together since preK and we even live in the same neighborhood. This bouquet gave me an idea to fill a box with silk butterflies for her and have Lily write on the tag.....like butterflies, things change, but we'll always be friends.

photo via Martha Stewart

p.s. okay, i think i'm channeling butterflies....i just took a quick break to tuck lily in for the night and she had on her butterfly nightgown that she hasn't worn in a long time. but then she says to me, it's butterflies galore tonight....i'm thinking yes, yes it is. (i hadn't told her anything about the idea yet and she hadn't seen what i was writing) does that sort of thing happen to you....it does to me...all the time.

to ourselves

This morning I got up before everyone...including the ball of fire sun that says summer has arrived in South Florida...and took Newton for a 2 mile walk. We used to do at least that every morning, but lately with school getting out and life, we haven't been able to fit it in. I enjoy this little gift. It is so easy to forget to do things for ourselves. What little thing do you do for yourself? You know, the thing that gets forgotten the minute life gets hectic. The little thing that should be front and center, but is most likely back off to the side.

no this isn't my walk...my superpowers have yet to take affect....photo credit

p.s. Thanks for your sweet comments for Drew yesterday. I think he was shocked I said okay....

Cash is King

Hello. This is Jae's son Drew doing a guest appearance. I jokingly said I would write the post today. Maybe I should be careful what I say. Anyway, if you ever want to give somebody money as a gift (and yes, we kids LOVE that) but you don't know how to present it-here's an idea. Fold it as a shirt and give him a head and legs like Mom did. We've had this guy on our fridge for awhile now, and Mom calls him "cash is king". Here's how to fold the shirt.

i'll take flying...

If you were given the gift of one super power, which one would you choose?

available here

and what would your costume look like?

available here

For all the super Dads out there...there is nothing better than the age when your kids believe you are a superhero.
p.s. if i didn't have such a wanderlust, i would have chosen strength.

a few of his favorite things

There isn't an occasion that I don't think a "favorite things" box isn't appropiate. So, put one together for Dad this Father's Day. If I was helping my kids put one together for the husband, we would fill it with good organic coffee and chocolate, a book or two, some Aussie red licorice (which I would definitely steal from), and some Hennepen beer.

What would be in your favorite things box for Dad?

our gift wrap image

tie away

Giving a tie for Father's Day is hardly a new idea. If you have a Dad who likes ties for gifts...mine did when he had to wear one all the time, present it in a way he will be surprised. Instead of the obvious long narrow tie box, tie it to a balloon and wrap it so that when the box opens the balloon rises out with the tie attached.

photographer credit and photo credit

giving him the world

As promised, I wanted to bring you a Father's Day idea today. Give Dad a globe and a handmade card that says...we could search the whole world, but you'd always be the Dad we'd choose.

available here

available here

artwork by lily a couple of years ago that served as my inspiration

green getaway

Something a little bit different for me today. Instead of the normal gift inspired topic, I want to talk design. This amazing new home belongs to the son of one of my mom's closest and oldest friends.

It is featured in this month's issue of Metropolitan Home. The detailing is so well appointed. The fact that it is a green home, makes me love it even more. It is so evident that nothing went into this home without thought. One of my very favorite little details is the green rug in the bedroom. If more than a dozen sliding doors, 130 feet of glass, a spa-like sunken tub, and a kitchen filled with Calacutta gold marble weren't evidence enough of thoughtful design, you just know that rug was placed there to expand the feel of the grass outside.




Read more about the details and about the architect here.
Tomorrow we'll get back to our regular scheduled programming with Father's Day ideas.

the gift that lasts a lifetime

I'm curious. If you did something wildly unexpected this weekend and got a tattoo, what would it be and where would you put it? Maybe it isn't even that unexpected for you. How do you feel about the gift that lasts a lifetime? Are you too fickle for something that lasts...forever? Is it art? I don't have one, but I have always been fascinated by them. So....let's hear it....what would you get and where would you put it? Oh, and I do hope your weekend is that unexpectedly exciting.

image found here

okay okay..i can take a hint....

I won't ask any more questions that make you really think creatively. I get the hint. I even double and triple checked my readership yesterday. Hmmmm...same amount of views and only one comment. So, I get it....I won't challenge you like that again...even though, I know you could do it.


The color aqua is said to soothe the soul. On the days I feel like it is my first day at circus training camp and I'm the new juggler who keeps dropping the balls, I like to go to etsy and type in aqua in the handmade search. It works.

Having coffee in these every morning would be just the way to drink in acuteness and calmness for all of us aqua lovers. You've probably been asked this by every other blogger out there, but I really want to know...What color soothes your soul and how do you find it when you need it?

mugs available here

out of the box

I'm singing Alice Cooper's "school's out for summer" in our house again this week....much to the dismay of my kids. Can't help myself...it just kind of runs through my head this time of year. Summer time also means lots of weddings. Have you seen this insanely creative wedding invitation? It's packaged in a tin can with string and instructions to tie the can to the back of the couple's car after the ceremony.

It really gets you thinking outside of the box about how to package invitations. Remember these?The card that holds the heart sparkler could have the invitation printed on it with a message to bring the sparkler to light during the eating of the cake. Yesterday's post about the napkins could be done another way by taking plain napkins and writing out or printing the invitation to lunch right on them. Are you thinking out of the box now? Okay, your turn....any ideas?

wedding invitation found here and heart sparklers available here

summer lovin

Summer is soooo close.....only 2 more days of school here. Celebrate the start of picnics, bbqs, roasted marshmallows, and swimming pool parties, with an outdoor luncheon.

Send your friends a vintage napkin....ones I love here, and here. Add an invitation to join you at your table for lunch. You could even tell them to bring it with them and then wrap up an extra piece of cake in it to go back home.

summer panzanella recipe here and lemon pound cake recipe here...both via smittenkitchen