My love of florals and garlands is well documented so it comes as no surprise that the entire Pretty Swell shop ranks somewhere between peanut butter cups and rainbows on my fave list. I mean really, just look at those photos, could any celebration be complete without a fabric flower garland? I think not.

To enter a chance to win a custom fabric flower garland of your very own:
Please leave a comment on this post before next Friday, June 4th. If contacting you is hard because your anonymous, please leave an email address. All winners are chosen randomly.

And congrats to Laurel, the winner of the Bird in Flight giveaway.

Have a picnic filled weekend chums.

People who are cooler than me:
Oprah
Tim Gunn
the guy who plays Hurley on Lost
the entire Novogratz family (even Major)
my 12-year-old nephew
Lisa, the bride that thought up this Thiebaud cake table

I decided that instead of passing diapers around with various candy bars in them (who thought of that game?!) that we would instead have a photo booth for our form of entertainment. Since I’m not your everyday Bob Villa, I enlisted the help of the new daddy’s daddy. He did an amazing job and even added the wainscoting touch. I gave it a little spray with chalkboard paint and then pulled out my skills from seventh grade art class. Please don’t judge too harshly and just admire the cute new family instead.

Looking to build something similar? There’s a tutorial here.

And yes, I do see the little nails hanging out of the wall in the background. I’m on my parent’s computer and don’t have Photo Shop. Deal with it. I mean that in the nicest way.

My mom sewed these book bags for favors. They were filled with pencils, a bookmark, book labels and little bags of cookies. I forgot to photograph the contents!

I had plans for this shower. Grand plans. It involved long tables in my parent’s blossoming backyard with strings of lights and women in party dresses laughing while sipping lemonade like a commercial for Nair. And then my mom called and gave me the forecast. Fifty degrees and raining. So I sucked it up and with my mom the side kick. We channeled Tim Gunn and made it work. It wasn’t what I dreamed but it was dang good. So good that when it was all finished, I just sat back and smiled and snuggled with Parker. I think my title as favorite auntie has been established.

More to come from the photobooth tomorrow.

After the shower I was sitting in my parent’s den with my best friends, a baby, a photo booth and a good hair day. It only took moments before the polaroid came out. Can you handle the cuteness of baby Parker? He might be coming home with me.

I feel so fortunate to be able to host such lovely giveaways lately. This one hits the top of the lovely list. Nicole creates simple, feminine jewelry that magically makes your disposition sunnier while wearing it. Luckily for those of us needing more sunny she sells her pieces in her Etsy shop Bird in Flight Boutique. Just give that link a little hit, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Nicole has offered to spread her sunshine to one of you readers and is giving away a bird in flight necklace. Hoohah.

To enter:
Please leave a comment on this post before next Friday, May 28th. If contacting you is hard because your anonymous, please leave an email address. All winners are chosen randomly.

And lucky day for Abby (comment 154) who is the winner of the Playing Grown-up giveaway.

By request, here is the recipe for cranberry salsa. I had a hard time deciding to share this or not since it would be my saving grace if I were on Iron Chef and the secret ingredient were cranberries. Although it’s not really a good time to share since fresh cranberries are impossible to find. Sorry Charlie.

2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can jellied cranberries
2 stalks celery
1 red onion (I usually substitute a smaller amount of a milder onion)
1 carrot
1 Tbsp. cilantro
1 Anaheim pepper (long, skinny, yellow)
1 c. fresh cranberries
1 jalapeno pepper, minus seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
2 -3 Tbsp. sugar
2-3 Tbsp. red vinegar

Directions:
In a processor, mix just enough to blend together the tomatoes and jellied cranberries. Chop fine in food processor the celery, onion, carrot, cilantro, peppers and fresh cranberries. After blending, mix in tomatoes and jellied cranberry mixture. Add salt and pepper, sugar and vinegar. Serve with chips or just eat it with a spoon.

Our IKEA duvet cover isn’t really doing it for me anymore. I’m blaming it on PataPri.

via Where the Lovely Things Are

I just packed my first suitcase for my little trip to my hometown. It’s contents? Tablecloths, straws, striped plates, platters, mini chalkboards, garlands and children’s books. It’s going to be fun.

It was hard to just choose just one product from Thief and Bandit spotted on The Coterie