what?! event inspiration from gilmour girls?!

I really have never been much of a fan of the Gilmour Girls. I know people really really overly love the show but I could never quite get into it. BUT...and there are always exceptions...I did see it this one time and they had the most amazingly beautiful event idea. I've often thought of it since and so I decided to see if I could find anything on it. I'm not entirely sure what was going on but Rory went with her boyfriend to this secret society Yale party in the woods where everyone slept in these beautiful, old-fashioned, white canvas tents and people carried lanterns, wore old-fashioned white clothes and there was fresh fruit everywhere and wood furniture. I thought my what an amazing idea for cottage weekend wedding Melanie Bloomer...I digress...don't get any ideas...Melanie Bloomer isn't planning a wedding!

It was a beautiful idea and I've managed to find a few pictures {thanks to Gilmore Girls News} of this particular episode. I can't quite find any pictures that capture the amazingness of my memories though...I'm sure there were more lanterns and the old-fashioned clothes seemed more bloomery in my mind...but I am after all a Bloomer so that makes sense. I don't remember when they changed into these fancy clothes either. But anyways...it would still make for an awesome event in the woods!!

Built by Wendy

Enjoying by these looks from Built by Wendy. Don't they look French inspired?

Salt Lake City - Design Sponge Guide

For all the SLC locals check out the newly added Salt Lake City guide over at Design Sponge. Most of my favorites are on there!

Like...

Les Madeleines
Tulie Bakery
Cafe Niche
Cactus and Tropicals
Liberty Heights Fresh

and more....

Little Circus

The boutique Little Circus, pretty much blows my socks off, it is incredibly charming and unique. Aren't the patchwork radishes and onions by Sian Keegan remarkable?



I also like the new items added to their collection including the Darling Clementine cards, Toby car, Numbers book, and Enzo Mari panels.

Sponsor: Hello! Lucky

Welcome Hello! Lucky as a new Black Eiffel sponsor.

Ever since I learned about letterpress, my eyes have been drawn to the beautiful work of Hello! Lucky. Sisters and best friends Eunice and Sabrina Moyle co-founded Hello!Lucky in 2003 in Eunice’s garage and five years later their success continues to excel with hundreds of satisfied wedding and custom invitation customers and their greeting cards can also be found in shops across the globe. Check out their stunning collection of wedding invitations, stationery, greeting cards, and gifts, and not only do they offer letterpress options, but more affordable digital printing as well.

If you would like to become a Black Eiffel sponsor -- email blackeiffel@gmail.com for details.

I know what I like...

Isn't that what people always say about art? I have a particular weakness for certain forms of art (screen printing, lino & wood cuts and photography).

Buying art is not exactly easy when you're living on starter salaries, but we've managed to pick up some pieces we love, and many of them are from Self Help Graphics.

{my first art purchase ever, by an unknown artist}

SHG is a wonderful organization located in East Los Angeles, started over 30 years ago by an amazing nun. It has evolved into a community organization that offers classes and work space to the local community, with a strong emphasis on Chicano art. They've been sadly plagued with financial problems and for a while it looked like we might lose them altogether, but so far they've pulled through.

{one corner of last year's purchase - Chavez Ravine by Vincent Valdez}

Every year they hold a print show, where you have a chance to buy pieces from resident and visiting artists. There are lots of limited edition screenprints and lino cuts, which makes it affordable. Last Sunday was our fifth year to attend the show.

I fell in love. Madly in love. I am a very, very practical person and I can spend hours deciding whether or not to indulge in a $30 pair of shoes. But I found this giant piece of art and I knew I was buying it. There was no thought process, no evaluation of the cost, no consideration of where in our tiny apartment it would fit, just an instinctive reaction. And really, I think that's how it should be, with art. I mean, this is why I'm practical the rest of the time, right?

It is a large format serigraph called On Route to County by William Acedo and it depicts the beautiful bridge that leads into East Los Angeles. I am not doing it justice because it is so incredibly detailed that a picture just won't cut it. This is a teeny tiny sliver of it. When you see it in person you just about fall into it - it's intense. I'm going to have to get a custom frame for it because it's too large for any of the standard sizes. And I better do it soon, because right now it is taking up our entire dining room table.

D picked up two amazing (and more reasonably sized) pieces as well. I'll share once we've got them all framed.

i love moon gardens

Throughout the planning of Shayna's vintage circus wedding, there has been alot - and I mean ALOT - of attention going into my father's property, where the wedding will be held. Especially the garden, since the wedding will basically take place in the middle of it - yowzers! Since the wedding is at 8:30pm, the idea of of a moon garden really struck our fancy. A moon garden is a small place filled with night-blooming flowers, especially in white so that they give off a glow in the night. I love the moon garden featured in the Domino magazine a while ago (pic above) - it's really delicious. But because we already had an existing garden there, we didn't go totally moon-y, but basicially we have all yellows and whites, which should still be just as pretty and shiny in the moonlight! We used lots of dusty miller, shasta daisies, some grasses, and a pop of gerbera daisies amongs the yarrow and peonies that were already there. We were inspired by silver yarrow, four o'clocks and silvery maidenhair grass. The whole feat was masterminded by our dear friend and garden consultant Rebecca Perry from Becca's Garden Consulting. She's wonderful, so give her a call if you need help with yours too!

Sara Lov

I hope you had a splendid weekend! Our weekend went by in a flash, the highlight was going to a rodeo (my first time) and it was just as fun to people watch, as to see the show. Have you ever been to one? Here is a music video by Sara Lov that is quite creative, hope you are having a happy Monday. You can listen to and pick up her fairly recent album here.

(image by Bryan Sheffield)

The weekend, briefly (out of town friend edition)

D and I got to play hosts last week! Our dear friend Beth was in town, so we had hours of talking, drinking, eating and active TV watching (you know, the kind where you all chime in to mock the dialogue) to participate in. We've known Beth for 11 years, almost to the day, and despite never living in the same state, we manage to get together at least once a year.

We celebrated our reunion with some bubbly. I love having champagne on hand for impromtu celebrations.

{bubbly & peonies}

We spent a lot of time cooking and then sitting on the patio.

{kebabs}


{fresh parsley dips + pita}

{a moscow mule and some lovely early evening light}

The weather cooperated by being gorgeous.

Not pictured - a delicious dinner at Osteria Mozza, going to see The Hangover (amazing), vigorous debate as to which Golden Girl each of us would be (Beth = Dorothy, Dustin = Sophia, I am Rose), buying some art at our favorite annual show.

happy birthday...

...to my mom. She would have been 62 today. This is a photo of her not on her 17th birthday {I'm guessing we couldn't locate any other candles that day!}. My mom also loved cupcakes, so I bought this pretty one for her. And I will abandon my wheat-free diet for tonight and devour it on her behalf.


Enjoy a wonderful treat for my mom today...and don't forget to give your mom a hug! Happy weekend...

happy birthday momma

Today is our mom's birthday. She would have been 62 today. Every year on her birthday, one yellow rose comes up in our garden, and today there are two, which is extra special. So in Dody's honour, us Bloomers are asking you to eat a yummy cupcake, or a chocolate chip muffin, or if you're on a diet, buy yourself some lovely fresh flowers for her or go for a nice walk. She would love it if you treated yourself.

And just the other day, I remembered a song that she loved so much by Jewel, and we used to sing it at the top of our lungs all together, especially when she was sick. I think she really lived by this philosophy of living a life uncommon, and I think she raised us Bloomers to live this way too. Shayna Bloomer's vintage circus wedding is truly an example of a leading a Life Uncomon - one that is untraditional, 100% personal and breaks all expectations and boundaries. Here's a clip to the song, and the main chorus mantra which I think we should all live by:

Lend your voices only to sounds of freedom

No longer lend your strength to that which you wish to be free from

Fill your lives with love and bravery

And you shall lead a live uncommon

Happy Birthday Momma Original Bloomer - here's to a life uncommon!

Marie Claire Maison

Delightful spaces and eye candy from Marie Claire Maison.

Friday flowers (+ a winner)

At some point, you guys are going to rebel and refuse to look at pictures of peonies.

Hopefully it won't be this week.

{pink peonies in a yellow glazed cup, made by D}

Oh, do I have other news I'm supposed to share with you? Like telling you the name of the very lucky person who won the Shoestring Home giveaway?

Oh, that's right.

Congratulations, Tammy!

For the rest of us, Mandi is kindly offering a little gift. All purchases of $30 or more will receive this beautiful petite handcreme by Lollia.

Just head over to Shoestring Home and enter the code HEARTOFLIGHT when you check out - the offer is good until 7/3/09.

a colour story

My sister holding a cupcake on her birthday on the weekend {did you know that Lollicakes make gluten-free cuppies?}. I loved the colours here.

The most vibrant rainbow I have seen in a long time, while driving to IKEA tonight. I couldn't take my eyes off of it...dangerous when driving! But don't worry, I snapped this pic at a stoplight. Too bad the poles and wires are in the way, but it was a real beauty.

Bold & Noble

I am inspired by these fantastic Bold & and Noble screen prints...

Albrecht Tübke

Going to daily swimming lessons for my daughter the last few weeks has made me think of these photos by Albrecht Tübke, I love the simplicity of his work.

What to pack for Hawaii

I have a bizarre obsession with packing light. I get giddily excited when I go on a trip and I have less luggage than anyone else. It definitely backfires sometimes (exhibit A would be me in Costa Rica on a college ecology trip, washing my clothes in various rivers and shivering because I didn't pack enough layers, but still slightly triumphant because I had the smallest bag of my group).

Luckily, Hawaii requires little in the way of packing (and I avoided the $15 checked bag fee).

{hawaii packing}

Packing list (6 day trip)

4 casual cotton sundresses + 1 pool cover up
1 nice dress for fancy dinners
1 cream colored pashmina (goes with everything)
2 bathing suits
1 pair shorts (for hiking) + 1 pair capri yoga pants
3 tank tops
1 sports bra + 2 regular bras (nude + black)
12 pairs of underwear (there are some things you just don't want to run out of, especially when you are getting in and out of the pool and hiking, which means showering a couple times a day)
2 pairs sandals (my Rainbows for poolside + my new ruffly sandals for dress up)
1 pair running shoes

Plane outfit - trouser cut dark wash jeans + a tank top + a thin striped cardigan from J. Crew. Long beaded necklace that can be worn either as intended or as a pretty headband. Thin gold bangle. Ruffly white sandals.

The list looks quite long, but it's all very compact. Everything fit into a small gym bag, well under the size limit for carry on luggage, and I had a canvas tote to hold my books, wallet and toiletries.

rachel getting married wedding photos

A client (and spunky friend) of ours, Amy, is getting married! And at our meeting just a few weeks ago, Amy mentioned that she loved the eclectic and multi-cultural wedding in Rachel Getting Married. I ran out and rented the movie, as I have been meaning to watch it for months now, and I thought the wedding was really cool. Very carnival-like, but with very unique and eclectic little details that didn't necessarily fit a theme but just seemed plain fun. I did some screen captures, so take a look at some of the decor deets! Thanks, Amy, for pointing it out to us...stay tuned for Amy Getting Married (hardy har har)...

awesome tent and love the lights

the bride's wild and huge bouquet

bridesmaids' bouquets

a better look at the bridesmaid's bouquet

look at the cute elephant cake!

i like the poufy orange boutonniere to match the groom's lei

one of my favourite parts was the little trinkety placecard ornaments

i like the multicoloured lanterns and matching umbrellies

again, awesome tent

look at the graphics on the tent's inside walls ... so amazing!