a rainbow birthday party

we celebrated karoline and rory's 4th birthday in rainbow style on wednesday at a local playground in newport. it really makes me happy to bring all our friends together for a fun and celebratory occasion. 

i made the number 4 pinata from jordan ferney's tutorial right here. and the rainbow cake recipe is from this recipe right here. i didn't tell anyone there was going to be a rainbow inside so it was fun to hear people's reaction when i cut the first piece of cake. and josh was a huge help with wrapping that grand tree with the crepe paper from blick art supplies. that tree has such a personality. i thought it was going to start talking to us at some point or reach out a take a cupcake. 

the girls had fun with their friends and they kept coming up to me and giving me kisses. i think that has to be the best part of motherhood. the unsolicited kisses. and making birthday rainbows is pretty fun too.

around the house

the girls and i have been enjoying some quality time together since their camps ended the beginning of august. here's some of the places we have been:

-providence children's museum

-third beach

-the newport library summer fair

-seigning at sachuest wildlife refuge

-crabtown in middletown, ri

-the new h+m store that opened in warwick mall

-buttonwood park zoo
- wading in the water at king's park and finding jelly fish that aren't poisonous
- mommy's yoga classes at fort adams

-playdates with friends

-and lots of down time around the house as you can see above. 

also, that is my new magical mug. i got it at charlie barmonde's open studio tour last weekend in little compton. i can't stop staring at it.

weekend

these are pictures from our adventure over to the ninth annual southcoast open studio tour. we made it to one studio and then had to bribe the girls with a french vanilla muffin from lee's market when we passed signs for an estate sale in little compton, rhode island so they would hold out. the bribe worked. 

we also discovered the dedee shattuck gallery in westport, massachusetts. so excited to have an excuse to head over there every month to see new artists exhibit their work. the artists on showcase this month were sculptures by joshua enck and photographs by reenie barrow. it was an arty weekend, but we balanced it out with a stop at the just beer brewery in westport, massachusetts. muffins, art and beer. strange blend of things, but it worked for our family.

all about the kids

here are some children's rooms that are heavy on creativity and the unexpected and light on the ho hum. enjoy!

image sources: 

1. stefan boublil, co-director of new york interior/graphic design company the apartment, chose timorous beasties euro beasties for his five-year-old son zoel’s loft bedroom. via style carrot.

2. stylist petra bindel via a merry mishap.

3. merrilee liddiard's pinterest page.

4. michelle @ pretty mommy's pinterest page.

5. interior design by jenn hannotte/ russet and empire interiors via houzz.

6. lonny magazine august 2012 | photography by patrick cline; interior design by wendy schwartz design.

rainbow birthday party invitation

karoline and rory's 4th birthday is coming up so we decided to have a party before school gets in full swing and everyone's schedules are packed. here's the invitation we made with a pencil eraser and paint. i have a thing for small multiples and the girls have a thing for rainbows so that's what we came up with. more pics to come from the actual party.

pretty mommy

such beautiful and well curated items from pretty mommy's shop. you can see the owner (michelle leblanc's) home featured on design mom right here.  and check out all her clothing, accessory, and home decor loveliness that is for sale right here.

summer c.s.a.

we have been picking up our simmons organic farm c.s.a.(community supported agriculture) share every week for the last year now. it really is the simple things that make me happy. i take the girls to the farm and they feed the goats, talk to willow the pig and help me pick out our vegetables for the week. we also get eggs, and a share of meat.

does the area you live in have a farm that you can participate in a c.s.a.? if so, what is your favorite vegetable to bring home?

here are some of the recipes i have been making quite often with our c.s.a. vegetables. 

garlic swiss chard

lasagna primavera

athena's watermelon and feta salad (with kirby cucumbers, red onion, and mint)

 

the stuff that cottage dreams are made of

i'm stealing some of carly simon's lyrics for the post title. i just saw an old school picture of her and james taylor together and it's still in the frontal lobe of my cobwebby brain.  and i can't stop thinking about it.

anyway, i spotted this danish cottage on automatism's beautiful blog and couldn't help but share it with you. the current owners are architect per buchardt and stylist and artist nicoline olsen. totally digging the while painted floors, interjections of black, their choice of chairs (thonet, tolix, and sling chair), and that japanese lamp in the bedroom. what's your favorite thing?

see more of this fabulous cottage at bolig. via automatism. 

photography by damian russell.

newport folk fest 2012

   

i am by no means a music critic. the last concert i went to was hootie and the blowfish in college. i have been singing along to my twin girls music together cd's more than any music intended for adults in the last year. however, as much as i am out of the loop with music, i might have just heard a performance by a musician at the folk fest that can catapult me back into the musical realm. ben sollee and his cello have put a trance on me now i am hooked.i guess you could say i have a bit of crush on ben. music crush that is. like a design crush that i usually talk about, only with music. he moved me to tears. and josh actually digs him too.

and if being a musical genius doesn't impress you enough, you may respect the fact that he and his band are on a "ditch the van tour". transporting themselves and their musical instruments on bike. starting in newport, rhode island with stops along the way up to portland, maine. whoa. now that is what i call respectable. commendable. and bow down on the ground worthy.

if you want to get your dose of ben check out the following:

-ben sollee's website

-ben sollee on twitter. 

-get his inclusion's cd for only $5 at amazon for the month of august. 

-hear his song premiere, "unfinished" from his new cd half-made man coming out september 25th. 

the second photo down is a picture i took of ben sollee and the apache relay band members jamming together.