I am loving the collection of very sweet Saja dresses that are now available over at the Once Wed Boutique.
One of the best parts? almost all of them are under $1000. on left: Collecting Starlight, $925. on right: Orbit, $790. (also: how super great are the dress names?)
Photos: Once Wed Boutique
I am crazy busy right now (weddings! really fun ones. and Holy Week, which is a different kind of fun.) So let’s take a break and look at my friend Shira’s crazily adorable new puppy, Frankie, who I got to have happy hour with on Sunday.
Someone get this dog a modeling contract before she gets too big (Shira – I’m lying. I’m sure she’ll be just as cute when she’s full grown.)
I’m digging these Saarinen knockoffs from Overstock. I have two (vintage) knock off Saarinens that I picked up a few years ago for pennies and use as plant stands. I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking that this is just a killer shape for a table.
Immer White Marble Mid-Century Style End Table and Immer White Wood and Steel Mid-Century End Table. Around $200/each, which is really not bad, considering the real thing will run you $600-1800.
photos: Overstock :: found via: Ashley’s List
speaking of shoes, I just noticed that my favorite flats of all time are back in stock at Zappos.* I spent two years+ searching for the perfect black leather ballet flats, and finally found them last fall in KORS Michael Kors’ Olympia flats. No embellishment. No sparkle. No exterior branding. Just plain, super soft, black leather. And crazy comfortableness. Have you ever had/tried on super expensive, super soft leather gloves? They’re like that, but for your feet.
I like them so much that I bought a back-up pair for when my first inevitably wears out to the point of not being repairable anymore, at which point they will inevitably be discontinued (find a good shoe repair shop – it will change your life for the better.) Yes, they definitely cost more than I would usually spend on such a simple flat, but were so worth it. It is ridiculously hard to find a pair of well made simple shoes these days.
Anyone else have a pair of great, well made, comfortable flats to recommend? I am always on the hunt for more. (it’s not like I have too many shoes or anything)
*no, Zappos does not pay me to link to them. But considering how much I spend there, I really wish they would – feel free to get in touch!
photos: left, Zappos; right, Elizabeth F. Clayton
I picked up this chair from the upholsterer’s for a client today and I am so pleased with how it turned out. It is really just perfect in their space.*
We used Mod Green Pod’s Atticus fabric in Cherry – it’s a beautiful fabric that I’m sure I’ll be using again in the future. A great blend of modern yet traditional.
As you can see below, the chair was in fairly dire shape before (excuse the terrible iPhone photo)
But with new fabric, new cushions, and refinishing of all of the wood? Adorable. Getting things reupholstered is not necessarily (or usually) that much cheaper than buying new, but I find it so much more satisfying. You’re a) saving an existing piece of furniture from the landfill and b) getting something totally custom that no one else will have.
*we’re getting pretty close to done with their house, and I cannot wait to share it. They are *great,* and it has been one of the most fun projects I’ve ever worked on. Look for more photos in the next few months.
photos: Elizabeth F. Clayton
last night I finally started unpacking the last few boxes from my move back in December, and set to getting my closet organized. For the first time in many, many years I have room to store all of my shoes in the same place.* Walking in and seeing this makes me embarrassingly happy**:
It’s not hoarding if you actually wear them, right?
*at my last place they were spread between two different closets and a rack in the front hall. I’ve also heavily edited them in the last few months. Yes, you read that right. At one point I owned close to 90 pairs of shoes. I’m choosing to consider my current count of 60 a victory. **I’m incredibly reluctant to admit to my materialism.
This is my favorite lunch* of the moment. A ripe avocado + good balsamic vinegar (I’m currently really loving B.R. Cohn’s 25 year balsamic) + a generous dose of salt. It’s perfection.
*I’m generally more of a snacker than a meal eater. It works well with my kind-of-hungry-all-the-time-but-not-very-hungry-anytime appetite. And with the fact that I work from home, but have lots of on-site client meetings, which means a) I don’t have a set schedule and b) it’s usually easier to just grab something small every few hours/when I get a chance than it is to try and build times for actual meals into my day.
it is way too late in the year to be shopping for rainboots (it generally doesn’t rain the Bay Area from May through October. hey hey Mediterranean climate) but I love these Hunter Verbiers:
Grey with red laces? yes please. Now if they’ll only go on sale for half off, maybe I can actually let myself think about buying them.
image: Zappos
Have you seen Miss Natalie‘s new line Canoe yet? Featuring vintage American work wear along with hand tooled leather goods, it’s really great stuff. At the moment I’m particularly eyeing this keychain – I think my keys could use a makeover for summer. (what? you don’t accessorize your keys seasonally?)
I miss running into Natalie at Bay Area craft shows and openings (she is a super lovely person,) but am so glad that she’s up to such great things in Austin.
photos: Canoe
I love both of these dresses from Ivy & Aster‘s Fall 2011 collection. Hey, wedding dress designers: please work on designing more non-strapless dresses. I promise that there is a much bigger market for them than you apparently think.
photos: Ivy & Aster
Hey! I'm Elizabeth Clayton, and I'm an event planner & coordinator in the Bay Area. I think that there's little in life that's better than a really good party, although a really good pair of party shoes can sometimes come close. Click here for my full bio.
