New Look in Progress...

My blog is getting a makeover!  I have added the new header and changed some of the coloring around.  I am still playing around with the customization tools, but it is starting to come together.  Go ahead and check it out!

Food Inspiration...Mmmm!

I love this time of year, when the weather starts to cool off, with warm sunny days and cool nights.  It reminds me of the coming of the holiday season, and for my husband, it means football season, so we are both very happy people (unless, of course, Alabama loses a game, in which case my husband is not so cheerful).  It also makes me want to say goodbye to fresh seasonal tomatoes, corn and fruit and start eating hearty meals again, like pot pie, beef stew, spaghetti and risotto.  One of my favorites is this recipe from the Food Network for tortellini with peas and pancetta. It is so simple, yet so flavorful.  Some might argue this to be a Spring recipe, but it is so delicious, I say you can eat it whenever you want.  I am getting hungry just thinking about it.  Ok, so back on track, I loved this picture from Veranda magazine and it reminded me of the delicious peas and pancetta recipe I had cooked.  I decided to take this photo from Carolyn Roehm and Veranda and use it as my design inspiration today.  You can find the full article by Carolyn Roehm here.

I love the pasta plate, the food on it and the ticking striped tablecloth.  Like the baby shower invitation I designed to match the cute Serena & Lily crib bedding, I decided to design a party invitation based on this image.  This fabulous and fictitious party ("country supper") would take place at the Barn on my aunt and uncle's beautiful farm where my husband and I got married.  I decided to make the honorees my good friends Holly and Trent who just tied the knot last month.  Here is a picture, so you can get the full idea:

The picture above was taken in September or October, so picture the leaves turning beautiful shades of green, red, yellow and orange come November.  Ok, so now for the invitation based on the pea and aspargus risotto pictured above...which we would obviously have to serve as the entree (or the tortellini).

I used the ticking stripe from the tablecloth as a border, and designed a small leaf motif to go above the copy.  I used Kartago font for the majority of the invite (one of my favorites), and Bickham Script font for the names of the honorees.  I think this would be beautiful on a thick textured ecru/ivory/barely off-white card, with the leaf motif in letterpress, and the brown font printed.  Very simple, just like the recipe.  Let me know if you have any upcoming events...I'd love to help with invites!

Cathy Whitlock: Designer, Writer, Blogger, Book Author...What's Next?

Cathy Whitlock, the talented interior designer, magazine writer, book author and blogger, asked me to work with her on a simple web logo for her newest web site a few months back.  She has just finished writing an exciting new book called Designs on Film, and has a blog called Cinema Style.  Her last book prior to Designs on Film is a great read for anyone considering a career in interior design or anything like it, called Re-de-sign.  Not to mention, it has beautiful pictures.  I am especially excited by one of Cathy's most recent interviews she did with the ever-so-talented and sexy Javier Bardem for the cover of Celebrated Living magazine.  She interviewed him just when "Eat Pray Love" was coming to theaters (and just before the big news officially broke that he and Penelope are expecting!).  Cathy has such great simple elegant taste and her books, writing and style show it.  Here is the logo that she basically conceptualized all on her own, and I just had the simple task of executing:

My Neutral Nursery!

As all five of you who read my blog probably already know, I am expecting.  We are due next April, and I am only really getting into my second trimester, but you can never be too prepared.  Plus, aside from a wedding day, I think this is the next big thing a woman starts planning and envisioning in her head long before the time actually comes.  I am so excited and it has been a bumpy road, but completing the first trimester was a big milestone.  So I decided to immediately start planning everything in detail now that we are past the first trimester.  First thing on my agenda was to start keeping track of all the things I like, so I started with this simple design board with some of my favorite things.  My palette is neutral, but I may incorporate some gray in the room as well.  Once we know the gender, I will probably add a few splashes of gender appropriate color here and there, keeping the overall scheme fairly neutral.  I do, however, love blue, so it may be hard to stay away from blue even if we are having a little girl.  Here is my design board, and everything has price and where it comes from in case you see anything you like.  Enjoy!