Bye, bye new... hello 1991!

Well, we bit the bullet and made what should be our final move for at least 10-15 years. I know I said that last time, but this time I really, really mean it.

In a few weeks I'm going to return to blogging as we finish unpacking and commence on the many fun projects that this wonderful house presents.

Adios Issaquah!

Velkommen Edmonds!

A (brief) hiatus

Dear reader(s), I apologize for the brief hiatus that has already occurred, but I think it might be extended a bit longer. The hubs and I are pursuing another crazy housing adventure and preparing to sell our new house.  Life with two under 5, a husband who travels for work, and the usual demands of life are stretching me a bit too much to keep up with this on a regular basis until we wrap up the hard labor of staging a home.  It should be sorted out in a month or so.

Thankfully, this past weekend I found a bit of "Serenity Now!!" at the beach house once the kids were asleep and the sun was setting over the bay.  Sigh...   Life is good; just need to know when to cry "uncle" every now and then.

Royal Tea Party Details

The Royal Wedding of the Century was lovely, sweet, low-key (as much as it could be by royal standards), reflecting the age and personalities of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  I admit that I teared up a few times, though the singing of "Jerusalem" did provide the most shivers.

Wrapping paper with British themes, used as posters, helped to fill the blank walls (and front door) with cheerful colors.  I was thrilled with this discovery at Paper Source in the 11th Hour.

Handmade Union Jack banner combining navy blue damask and red & gold "glitter" paper

Crisp white vases on the mantle and serving tables filled with red roses, red tulips, hypericum berries, and red alstromeria.  The tea pot (above) is part of the Rosanna Kings Road collection.  Rather than using it in its traditional manner, I decided to fill it with flowers. 

Red wooden beads hanging from our new chandelier (from Ballard Designs).  The two huge holes in the ceiling from the old can lights are finally gone!

A friend and  fellow Anglophile brought along the cream to make clotted cream with our orange-current scones.  I love the jar!  It'll make a terrific vase.

My simple accessories to match my green party dress.  Not exactly a huge, dramatic British fascinator, it definitely did the trick here in the casual Pacific NW.

**Per my usual m.o., I didn't have a chance to take photos of everything set up, including the food table, but I'm going to harass a friend who did to pass along some shots from when the tea party was in full swing.

Dreaming of Summer at the Beach

The infamous beach house is in the final stage of completion before we can actually stay there overnight. Movers are emptying storage units and various vendors are tweaking this and that.

In the spirit of the beach, sand, and tons of sunshine, here are a few things that recently caught my eye :

Fun artwork seen at the Waikiki outpost of the fantastic, Sand People.  I wish I could've got the full list of "Rules" in this shot, but these will have to do.

Adorable bags in various sizes by Bungalow 360.  This Jellyfish pattern is so whimsical, but with a preppy twist.  Some of the other patterns are heavier on the prep. 

Yesterday I swung by my favorite store on the Eastside and spied these gorgeous hor d'oeuvres picks by Two's Company.  I imagine these will make a terrific (and thematic) housewarming gift once the beach house is up and running this next week.

And what about the coordinating wine cork?  A lighthouse, life-ring, sand-dollar and shell are also available.

Return of the Prodigal

We had an outstanding holiday in Hawaii earlier this month, relishing in the constant warm weather (80s every day) and mostly sunny skies.  Being from Seattle, March is a trying month around here.  One can handle only so much gray, drizzle, and mold before going a little bonkers.

My post-holiday return to blogging was also impacted a bit by the horrific earthquake and tsunami in Japan. My heart, like many, has been heavy with the tragic news flowing in every day. We were very fortunate to have little impact on our actual vacation (and safety), besides closed beaches the morning after the earthquake. 

On a trivial note, yesterday I received a little package from Hey Yo Yo that I've been impatiently waiting for since last week - a few more items to add to my party-planning supplies for the Royal Wedding tea party in a month. 

Fabulous red and white striped paper straws and the most adorable cupcake wrappers and toppers made by Meri Meri.  I can't stand how cute they are!! 

The sweet little business card tucked in with the purchase

Now onto my project of making Union Jack Bunting.  I already hit up my favorite craft store for paper products, and now just need to carve time in my schedule to wield my x-acto  knife safely away from the small fry.

Hiatus in Hawaii - Hang Loose... We'll be back soon!

A great birthday weekend & a great meal

What a lovely birthday weekend! The husband and I did get a chance to celebrate by ourselves Sunday afternoon at one of my favorite restaurants, Bastille. Brunch was fantastic: French 75, Croque Madame, Lavendar scented french toast with hazelnuts, and topped off with Caffe Fiore coffee. Sigh...