Mardi Gras Masqerade Masks

Hi friends!  It's been a wild couple of weeks.  Equal parts awesome and awful :/  Life can be really, really difficult sometimes, but God always sustains me and brings me to a place of joy.

One of the awesome things was this pretty purple Mardi Gras photo shoot, recently featured on Green Wedding Shoes.  My dear friend Christina of Simply Modern Weddings orchestrated this romantic, burlesque inspired shoot.  She asked me to create some male and female masquerade masks in shades of black, white, gold and purple.  I've never made a male mask before (kind of intimidating) but this was my chance.  It's tricky to make a mask masculine and luxe at the same time, but these handpainted masks with gold leaf accents worked out perfectly. Beautiful photos by Krista Mason photography.

Does this model look like Michelle Dockery from Downton Abbey to you, too?

All masks from this shoot recently listed in our Etsy shop!  

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Minimal Wardrobe Spring Update

Remember that one time I took pictures of each and every item of clothing I own and posted it online? Well, most of those clothes I still wear constantly.  In fact, many are literally worn out.  In anticipation of Spring (it already feels like summer here in the OC!) I purged again.  I got rid of tops and sweaters that were looking shabby, a few tops that shrank funny, and some of my dresses that look a little too "junior department."

 I'm lucky here in California- my wardrobe doesn't change much from season to season, but it does require a little tweaking.  I'll move my sweaters and jackets to the back of my closet, and bring the sundresses to the front, because I basically live in sundresses in Spring and Summer.  Because I purged a bit, I'm allowing myself to replenish.  Meaning, I get to shop :)

But shopping means something very different to me now.  Here's how my shopping strategy has changed.

2.  I only go into my favorite stores.  Much of my new wardrobe comes from Zara, Loft, Nordstrom Rack, and Max Studio because they usually have items that fit my subtly feminine vacation style and they are affordable.  I hit those places first. I steer clear of Forever 21 and similar stores because the clothes don't last.  Surprisingly, my Target clothes hold up really well, so I still shop there sometimes.

3.  I only buy things that fit me well.  This means I have to try stuff on.  If I'm too lazy to lug Sisi's stroller into the dressing room and try it on, then I obviously don't need it.  I don't shop on the internet as much for this reason.  Even with free returns, I end up keeping items that don't fit me perfectly because it's a pain to send them back.

4.  I avoid clearance racks.  Ever notice how the stuff on clearance is usually very eye-catching, but a little weird or colorful or kitschy?  For example, I bought a pair of khakis with lobsters all over them because they were on clearance.  Guess what?  I wore them twice and then donated them.  I don't live in the Hamptons and attend clam bakes on a regular basis. But they looked so cute on the rack!

The classics, like a perfect black blazer, can rarely be found on clearance.

5.  I take my sweet time.  Since I'm already content with my wardrobe, there is no pressure to buy quickly.  I'm checking off my list one by one over the course of many many mall trips.  If I don't find my perfect skinny jeans or sandals right away, who cares?  I have a closet full of items I really love.  No rush.

6.  Self-awareness. I know my body and what looks good on me.

• I am fairly pear shaped- I wear a small on top, and a medium on the bottom.  Therefore, patterned jeans, short skirts, and white pants can look awful on me (much to my chagrin! I LOVE patterned jeans and white pants.)

• I have a small head for my body. V-necks, scoop necks and boat-necks tend to balance out my small head and even out my pear shape.  Sometimes I do buy crew necks, but I usually regret it.

• I have this in-between half-Asian skin tone.  Soft pastels, especially lavender, just don't look great on me.  I'm not sure why.  I'm also coming to terms with the fact that gray is not my best color. 

• I am short.  5' 2" to be exact.  So crazy patterns, layers, and ruffles seem to overpower my short frame. I get a little jealous of my tall skinny friend Angel who can literally wear 5 layers in all different patterns and not be swallowed up in them. 

7.  Picked a base color (black) for most of my core items.  Most, but not all, of my basic items are black.  Most women have an assortment of black, navy, camel, brown and gray basics in their closets.  We feel like we need all the neutrals. That means we also need a bunch of different shoes and possibly purses to coordinate. But I find if I stick to black, I can mix and match just about everything.  My Grandma would roll her eyes if she saw how much black is in my closet.  "Ladies don't wear black!" was her motto.  Her closet looked like an Easter basket, no joke.

So, here is my Spring/Summer shopping list.  I found some of the items already, and some I'm still researching.

1.  TAN SANDALS.  I am tempted to just re-buy these Franco Sarto ones from last year that I basically wore  to death.  They are the most comfy and versatile sandals I've ever owned.

2.  GOLD OR COLORED SANDALS. Corso Como Bronte sandals in mint.

3.  A FEW PERFECT T SHIRTS  Loft linen T's are so comfy, and the scoop neck is flattering on me. Just don't accidentally dry them in the dryer!  They shrink like crazy.

4.  CLASSIC CHAMBRAY SHIRT. Found one at Old Navy with a slight stretch that is long enough to wear buttoned with leggings, but light enough to tie over a sundress.

5.  FLATTERING SKINNY JEANS Paige Verdugo Ankle fits me great!  They are supposed to be slightly cropped, but I'm really short so they look full-length on me.  

6.  BLACK LEGGINGS My old pair has a big hole in the butt, pointed out to me by my toddler.  Gapbody has the softest, sturdiest leggings that I've found.

8.  3 EVERYDAY DRESSES  I already purchased 2, but need one more.  Jersey fabric is my favorite.

9.  ONE COCKTAIL DRESS  Found this at Macy's and will be wearing it to weddings this Summer.  The cutout is cute. I am usually wary of cutouts.  I mean, I don't mind showing off my slender ribcage, but side cutouts near my love-handles?  No thanks!

10.  BLACK MAXI SKIRT.  Something not too flared.
11.  PERFECT BLACK BIKINI.  Retro style maybe? Something I can surf in.  Let me know if you have suggestions.

12.  TWO BRAS I am a huge fan of Gap's Modal Pullover Bra.  I'm pretty flat-chested, so I don't need underwire or even cups for that matter.

And that's about all I need to complete my Spring/Summer wardrobe.  What are your shopping strategies??  

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Strawberry Rock Wall Art

I made piles and piles of strawberry rocks for my friend's "Jamberry" baby shower.  Here they are... 

Now, the minimalist in me knew I should get rid of them after the party.  They are indeed cute, but useless.   I don't like having a lot of tschotskes around the house.  

But I just couldn't bring myself to throw them away.  They make me happy!  I remembergathering the rocks in the garden with Sisi and washing them together with the hosse.  I remember hand-painting each and every one while Sisi proudly painted her own rocks. 

I decided they might make some cute and quirky wall art.  I bought white shadow boxes (one on amazon and two from Ikea) and glue gunned the rocks to cardstock.   That's it!  

These would look adorable hung together as a triptych, but thanks again to my minimalism, I'm trying to embrace the beauty of empty walls.  We hung one up in Sisi's room, and will give the other two to friends. We're spreading the strawberry cheer!  

I just love that particular color of red- red with a hint of fuchsia and coral. Anyone know a good lipstick that color?  

Look at my munchkin all tucked in.

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Sisi's New Yellow Bedroom

I know by now what my daughter is into- yellow is her favorite color, she loves animals, the ocean and cars.  She is slightly girly in that she likes to paint her nails and wear tutus on occasion, but she is a tomboy in every other way.  This room strikes a nice balance I think.

Pale yellow walls, teal blackout curtains (had to double them up because one layer wasn't blocking out enough light), and bright pops of color.  We used mostly decor from her nursery, but it looks so fresh and new against the yellow walls.  It's amazing what a coat (or two or three) of paint can do!

A cute couple sells handmade platform beds on craigslist.  They whipped this up in less than a week and delivered it to us for less than 300.00.  Beat that, Ikea!

Her quilt is from Target and it says "Goodnight...Sleep Tight".  Quilts are easy to wash.  We don't do comforters in this house anymore. Also, you can see her magnetic sleep pad which Joe insists will keep her circadian rhythms on track and improve her sleep.  We have one under our bed, too.  Joe swears it has helped him overcome his insomnia.

The bookshelf that I made with my own two hands...

Joe is silly and changed the "SIENA" letters to "IN SEA."  He likes to play word scramble with them.

This is Bella, my mom's boston terrier. Dogs are allowed in Sisi's room only when she gives them permission.  I'm trying to make her room her own private respite from dogs and any future children we might have.

The stamped "quilt" I made looks darling over her antique teal dresser (another great craigslist find!)

The dresser has locking drawers, which is cool.  Until Sisi is a teenager and is hiding things from me.

Souvenirs from Mexico, and Sisi's first portraits :) 

I have a lot more decluttering to do in her closet.  It's mostly office/etsy stuff that I don't quite know what to do with now that our office is basically a kitchen island in the sunroom.  I left her a teeny bit of room for her dresses.  Good thing she has a minimal wardrobe :)

This teeny banner was a gift from Courtney of Joyful Joyful after I told her about my miscarriage.  The banner reminds me of the joy of Christ that fills our household even in the hard times.  I don't mean to bring up the MC all the time, but I can't help but think of it when I am in Sisi's new room.  The reason we got rid of our office and moved Sisi into it was because we were going to give Sisi's old room to Baby #2.  When we lost Baby #2, we decided to keep going on her new room.  It was actually cathartic to use my hands and energy to create and make new. Now her old room is empty and waiting.  We are all waiting...

BTW, Joe bought those Russian nesting dolls for Sisi's stocking.  Made a special trip to Laguna Beach for them.  Love that man so much!

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DIY Drawer Bookshelf

Here is one Pinterest project I actually completed!  We were going to trash Sisi's massive damaged dresser, but then I saw this project online and thought it'd be perfect to store Sisi's books and toys.

One of my resolutions is to be more handy around the house.  I am slowly progressing on this goal.  For example, this project required that I prime and paint, use a power drill to remove hardware, and a socket wrench to insert wood screws.  Before this project, I didn't even know what a socket wrench was.

Basically, here's how I did it:

•  I removed the old hardware
•  primed and painted the drawers pure white 
• glued cute wallpaper in as a backing (I originally used spray glue to attach the wallpaper, but it wasn't adhering well, so I squeezed E-6000 onto the paper instead.)  
• stacked the drawers in a way that made sense and seemed sturdy
• screwed them together using a socket wrench (power drill was just too big to maneuver on this project)
• attached new knobs to the exposed drawers

It's not perfect.  It's slightly wobbly because the drawers were wonky in the first place.  I didn't use spackle to fill in the drill holes or anything.  My wallpaper job is not totally perfect, either. But who cares?  That's the thing about DIY home projects- if you expect perfection, you'll be too afraid to just dig right in and get started.  I really don't mind if my homemade furniture looks a little homemade, and neither does Sisi!  I'm just proud that we were able to upcycle something that would have gone to the landfill.  

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Sisi's Birthday Un-party

I told myself I wouldn't throw a party this year.  So I found a loophole and threw a family "dinner" instead.  The dinner ended up being very much like a party, except smaller crowd, less pressure, and no presents (well, I asked people not to bring presents but some just couldn't contain themselves!)
I'm so pleased with how the evening turned out.  It was low-stress and low-budget and high-fun.

We chose an ocean theme based on our trip to the aquarium last week...

I originally told myself no decorations, but decided that as long as they were dirt cheap, I could do it. The only supplies I needed to buy were curling ribbon, clear balloons, and paper bowls.  The rest I had at home.

Our new sunroom has been wonderful for entertaining.  It opens up the entire space so much.

Our new covered patio also gives us lots more dining space.

Cute little jellyfish garland!

Clear balloon "bubbles" and paper bowl jellyfish hung from fishing line.  I suggest buying paper bowls that are pure white on top and bottom and painting both sides.  I was bummed that they didn't look cute from the bottom, which is the angle that people saw them from most.  Oh well ;)  I also made paper anenomes/sea urchins.  Basically just made polish star ornaments with less layers.  These are a lot of work, but so geometric and cool looking.

We had blue gak and kinetic sand for the kiddos.  Adults love this stuff, too :)

Paper bag jellyfish craft.  Another practically free activity!  Also, random toys on the lawn for kids of all ages.

We hid glow sticks all over the house, turned off the lights, and sent the kids off on a glow stick hunt!

Always a crowd pleaser!  Berries and chocolate fondue.  I make the chocolate a little healthier by using dark chocolate bars melted with coconut milk and a touch of honey.  The result is a super creamy, not too sweet puddle of chocolate goodness.

No fancy designer cake, just paleo cupcakes with frosting that I squeezed out of a ziplock bag.  I need a real pastry bag, for sure.  That frosting looks too much like dog poop.  Sure was tasty though!

Such a fun evening!  A few lessons I've learned (via trial and error) about throwing low-stress kids parties (er, I mean "dinner gatherings".)

• HAVE IT CATERED.  I prepared a few simple appetizers (bacon wrapped dates, chips and guac, cheese and salami plate) but had our favorite local Greek restaurant cater.  It was delicious, and I was able to feed each person a hearty meal for under 10.00.  I couldn't have cooked cheaper!  Really, catering doesn't have to be that expensive.  Or, don't even serve a meal.  Choose a time when guests won't be expecting a meal, and serve snacks and drinks instead.  
• DON'T GO NUTS ON DECOR.  I didn't even buy flowers for this party, and I'm a former florist.  It felt blasphemous, but really, no one noticed or cared.  Instead, I snipped succulents from our garden.
• DON'T HAVE TOO MANY DESSERTS. There was a time when one funfetti cake got the job done.  Nowadays we serve huge dessert buffets. They look gorgeous, but I learned the hard way with Sisi's 1st bday party that people often don't eat a lot of dessert at parties.  This was evidenced by the fact that we had  no "real food" leftovers, but 6 huge bundt cakes leftover that my mom had to give away to coworkers.  This time, I made a few dozen cupcakes and fondue and that was it.  It was more than enough to satisfy the sweet lovers.  
• DO YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.  If you rush around prepping for the party all day, chances are you'll have no time to freshen up before guests arrive. Everything else will seem more important than primping, and that's just not true :)  
• MAKE ICE AHEAD OF TIME.  The day before the party I made several batches of ice and saved them in zip lock baggies.  
• CLEAN THE HOUSE, BUT NOT OBSESSIVELY.  I didn't mop the floor or wash the windows beforehand because I knew people would mess it up pretty much immediately.  Instead, I deep cleaned afterward.  BUT I did thoroughly clean the bathroom and made sure to have a neat and tidy sink area.  
• ASK FOR NO GIFTS.  Or not, this is a totally personal matter.  I just preferred people come empty handed because we're minimalists and Sisi already has more toys than she knows what to do with.  But many of our sweet guests could not resist themselves, and she got a handful of really cool gifts anyway.  
• TELL YOURSELF IT'S NOT A PARTY.  Call it a "play date" a "dinner" or "get-together".  This was a good mind-trick for me.  It took off so much of the pressure.  I didn't feel the need to make it magazine-worthy or spend lots of money at all.  It was just a special get-together for family and a few friends to spend time with my favorite 3 year old.  
• PUT OUT A FEW BIG TRASH BARRELS.  That will encourage guests to help clean up a little :)
• ORGANIZED GAMES AND ACTIVITIES ARE A BONUS, BUT NOT NECESSARY.  We did have a simple craft and a glow stick hunt, but other than that, the kids ran around the house and made their own fun.  It made my job a lot easier!      
• KEEP IT SMALL!  I really wanted to invite all my friends and their spouses and their kids and their pets, but my house is tiny and that would have been chaos.  Instead, I kept it to family and a few church friends.   

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