inspired by

image sources:

1. claire cottrell's beautifully edited art book stand via scout-holiday.

2. design with birch trees by piet boon. 

3. love everything from the new general store and community market line at west elm, including these raw wood boards.

4. baby fingers plant by anja mulder via design skool.

5. any artwork done by eduardo chillida really inspires me. we saw his wind comb sculpture while we were in san sebastian, spain here.

horses, surfers, and a pink sky

we headed to second beach in middletown, ri last saturday to have drinks by the water. my bro was in from out-of-town and we thought it would be a way for him to see the best part of newport. we were pleasantly surprised by the horseback riders galloping down the beach. there were also lots of surfers too. i could have sat on our fleece blanket for hours and watched them. and then the sunset that night projected pink and pastel hues our way. if you watch project runway, it reminded me of the colors in fabio's collection. crazy combo of things, but i just closed my eyes and took deep breaths and was thankful for the sensory delight.

nature's beauty

i could not ignore these photos of plants we took last weekend while we were at the farmer's daughter nursery. hope you enjoy the details and beauty in each one. i think being a wife of a landscape architect brings it out of me. can't help but share them.

an autumn weekend in new england

some fun last weekend at farmer's daughter nursery in south kingstown, rhode island and the ballard park pumpkin tour.

periodical love

since we did away with cable over a year ago, receiving magazines and movies in the mail is a real thrill for me. these are some of the latest ones i have been reading. and you should really click here to buy D Moms. the editor is joslyn taylor of simple lovely. she did such a fabulous job with the first issue. you don't have to live in dallas, texas to appreciate her thoughtful, and enriching articles about nourishing your soul as a mother. it is in fact one of the first magazines where i wanted to read EVERY article. inspiring parties, clothing, stories about creative moms, books to read, music to groove with your kids, and healthy recipes. she really rocked it! 

what are your favorite magazines?

it's beginning to look a lot like halloween

some pictures i took last weekend at the trinity church pumpkin patch. i was really digging the pumpkin prayer/meditation garden. and for you wes anderson movie buffs, trinity church was in the movie, moonrise kingdom. hope you are having a great week, my friends.

design in a working waterfront

some pictures i took on a walk around the newport harbor last weekend. i couldn't get over those graphic lobster traps stacked geometrically. so beautiful.

travelogue. casa milà la pedrera. barcelona, spain.

a year ago today josh and i were arriving in barcelona on our spain and france trip. one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture i saw while we were there was the casa milà la pedrera by architect, antonio gaudi. it was built between 1906-1912. the organic shapes, sweeping vistas of the city from the rooftop and curves and undulation of the exterior were breathtaking to see.

i have been home bound all week because the girls are suffering from an awful virus. fever and stomach bug. it has not been pretty. so looking at pictures from la pedrera have definitely put a smile on my face. hope you enjoy too.

cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow cookies

oh, yes i did. i made these pieces of awesomeness. aka if you added one more sugary ingredient it would probably be illegal, cookie. once it turns autumn, my body forgoes all of the healthiness it has maintained this summer and lets loose. no holding back. like a bear beefing up for hibernation. i get the kitchen aid mixer out and go to town. it's like clockwork. last saturday,september 22nd. the first day of autumn the madness began. i started with these cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow cookies and i haven't looked back. 

here is the recipe if you dare.  (it is taken from christina tosi’s cookbook, Momofuku Milk Bar) and is on the momofuku milk bar's bakery menu. 

and no, i didn't even have enough patience to wait to take a bite before the photo was taken. hence, the big gaping hole in the upper right hand corner.

nate berkus + target

i have blogged about my little design crush on nate berkus here and here.to say i like his design aesthetic would be an understatement. using antiques, texture, neutral colors, sculptural elements, and natural artifacts. he gets it right every time. when i found out he is collaborating with target for a collection i nearly spit my cereal out on the screen i was so happy. i have october 21st in my planner and i am setting the alarm, taking my coffee to go and busting a move to a target store. i can't wait. that lacquered tortoise shell is divine and all the gold accessories are making me very giddy.

also if that wasn't enough. nate berkus also has a new book coming out on october 16th titled 'the things that matter most'. you can preorder it here at target. or here at amazon. here is the excerpt describing the book:

     "The Things That Matter convincingly lays out Nate

     Berkus's philosophy that things do matter. Our homes

     tell our stories, they reflect the places we’ve been

     and the people we've loved along the way—and there can

     be no more beautiful design for living than that."

it's fall. my favorite season. the humidity is long gone. i don't have to shave my legs everyday. the slow cooker is in full gear. baking is now a sport at our house. and it's nate berkus month. what more could a mom ask for?