For all of you that want more home decor back in 2ndFloorLiving get ready…I’M MOVING! …AGAIN! But this time its for real. My fiance and I are moving into an awesome 3 bedroom in Kensington, Brooklyn. The apartment features an old kitchen begging for some DIY love, a dining room, an entry way and a terrace. I repeat A TERRACE!!!

We will be moving about a month from now. So you’ve been warned!

Chanel Cosmetics Video Promos

I LOVE these 2 videos. The first is Busby Berkeley meets nail polish. The second makes makeup seem techy and very un-makeuppy. Nice.

This week: Greeting Cards

Every once and awhile I’m going to post some of my favorites. Favorites of what you ask? Well, I’m not sure. Whatever I am into at any given moment. (Blogs are so narcissistic!) So this week its cards! Yay! Now that everything is online…email, texting, facebook…sending an old fashioned card or letter is that much more special. Next time you have to send one, try to think beyond the drug store greeting card aisle. Here are some of my favorites…

From Top to Bottom
“Breanne Thank You Card” Rifle Paper Co
Assorted Hello Cards” Rifle Paper Co
“Floral Congrats Card” Rifle Paper Co
“99 Thank Yous” Kate Spade
“Snail Mail” Kate Spade
“Chubby Dahlia Happy Birthday” Egg Press
“Sloth Hand In There” Egg Press
Ooh-La La from “Paris!” series Darling Clementine
“Folk and Flora” Darling Clementine
Bon Jour from “Paris!” series Darling Clementine

Well, I’ve finally overcome that daunting task of choosing a color palette for the wedding. It was tough but I think I found something that works for our location and our tastes. We are getting married in Duck, NC (I think it is still standing after Hurricane Irene) and while we are going to be at the beach, our wedding is not going to be a “beach wedding.” No starfish or fishing net please.

Our palette is a range of grays, metallic silver, peach, a light orangey pink and a champagne color. I love that the palette is soft and feminine but not too girly (I’m sure Josh appreciates this too). The peach and gray give it a sophistication that I find really refreshing for a wedding palette. And believe it or not, even though I am against having a beach-theme wedding, these colors have been inspired by some aspects of the beach. The grays and silvers are from those great thunderstorms that you get at the beach in summer. And the peaches and pinks are from sea shells. So there! Feeling good about it…yay!

Between the earthquake on Tuesday and the impending doom of Hurrican Irene, I figure we could all use a little bit of a respite. And what better way to find comfort than through food. These roasted cherry tomatoes are so easy to make and soooo soooo gooood.

Here’s a “Before” shot. All you have to do is combine cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, olive oil and fresh thyme on a baking sheet.

And here’s my “After.” All it took was 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  So good. So easy. And healthy too! Meet my new favorite afternoon snack.

Matt and Shana are two of my bestest friends. And they got married! Last June on a beautiful sunny day, they wed at Shana’s parents’ house in Tarrytown. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I helped create the centerpieces and decor. We kept it simple and luckily it all worked out! Not only was I happy to help with their big day, but it was also a great experience for me considering my upcoming nuptials. One thing their wedding definitely taught me is that the memorable parts have absolutely nothing to do with the decor! Ahh, it was such a special day.

Thanks to the beautiful photography of Isabelle Selby Photography (with Fiona Conrad), the magic of this wonderful day was captured forever. Here are some images featuring my small contribution…the painted jars and wish tree as well as lots of other details! More credits below.

Dress
Ann Hamilton Bridal

Invitation Design & Printing
Kassie Arcate, Mother Hen Press

Flowers
Jennifer Banks from Poppies Floral

Photographer
Isabelle Selby Photography with Fiona Conrad,

If you would like to see more photos of Matt and Shana’s wedding, check out Isabelle’s blog and/or Fiona’s blogs.

I love these installations not just because of their weird beauty but also because they do such a great job of bridging the gap between art and commerce. Nicholas Andersen and Julie Ho (aka Confetti System), describe themselves as  “a duo working as artists, stylists, and designers.” Its really awesome when people are able to get paid for doing crazy stuff like this.

All Photographs from the Confetti System website

While I live in a cramped apartment in Brooklyn, my younger sister Amanda is going to school in beautiful Wilmington, NC. She lives a block from the ocean in Wrightsville Beach. WTF! She certainly makes me question my life choices.  Anyway, I am vacationing near Wilmington this week and thought it would be appropriate to get her suggestions for all the cool stuff one would need for a week at the beach. I’ve definitely learned some things from her picks. Thanks lil’ sis!

Links:

Maui Babe Sunscreen & Browning Lotion
Josie Maran Argan Self Tanner
Original Moroccan Oil
Butter London “Tea with the Queen”
Missoni Camberra reversible corchet-knit traingle bikini
Charlie by Matthew Zink Bikini
JCrew Tulle Underwire Suit
Milly embroidered Harbor-Side Tunic
Fornash Stud Earrings
Trina Turk PS Block Ibiza Tote
Vera Bradely Beach Towel in English Meadow

We’ve been having a heat wave in New York, so what a good excuse to make home made popsicles. I haven’t been cooking as much as I would like…mostly because our kitchen is a sauna in the summer. But I figured the payoff of popsicles was worth the sweat.

It all started with fresh cut strawberries (1 cup) and sugar (1/4).

After bringing the strawberries and sugar to a boil (yes somehow they boil) on high heat, I simmered the gooey mixture for a couple more minutes and smushed the strawberries with a wooden spoon. Doesn’t that look awesome! Its amazing what fruit and sugar can do together! Then I put it in the fridge to let it cool.

With my cooled strawberry mixture ready, I mixed together 1 cup low-fat greek yogurt, 1 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup of sugar. Then for the fun part…

I alternated pouring the yogurt/cream mixture and the strawberry mixture into my popsicle molds. Then I used a small knife to swirl it all around.

And then comes the hard part….waiting…But oh its worth it!

Perhaps you saw this article in the New York Times, but just in case you didn’t, here are some photos of a super fancy playhouse built by “artistic builder” Barbara Butler for the Schiller family in Houston.

Built in the same Cape Cod style as the Schillers’ expansive main house, the two-story 170-square-foot playhouse has vaulted ceilings that rise from five to eight feet tall, furnishings scaled down to two-thirds of normal size, hardwood floors and a faux fireplace with a fanciful mosaic mantel.

-Kate Murphy, New York Times

All that and it only cost $50K. I hope that little girl enjoys her damn playhouse!

The kitchen has a working sink and a mini-fridge!

I love the striped walls and ceilings!

For more about this playhouse trend among the rich, check out the NYT article.

(All photos by Megan Thompson Lovoi for The New York Times)