Bowled Over

This past weekend, we celebrated my son's 9th birthday....with a bowling party! Many places, including this one, offer pre-packaged parties. Their invites, favors, food and cake. While this can make things turn key for a parent, it can feel a bit generic.

To turn up the volume just a bit for Carter's party, I turned to Alexis Murphy of Jac'olyn Murphy.  

Alexis is so creative and easy to work with. She emailed me a couple of options for the invitation, I let Carter choose, and I had them within 4 days. What makes this all the more impressive is Alexis and I live on opposite coasts.

Alexis also came up with a clever, inexpensive idea for a party favor. We had a large group of guests, so keeping the costs low per favor was the goal.

She tied everything together by wrapping up black and red gumballs (resembling bowling balls) with small trophies for our bowling champions! 

Alexis also created custom water bottle wrappers along with the instructions so I could put them together myself. The whole process took about 10 minutes.

Now it's time to get the ball rolling on Carter's thank you notes!

Do you need a little help with an upcoming party? You'll be bowled over by the ideas for invitations, party favors, stationery and more from Alexis. Her prices are so reasonable and she is lightening fast on delivery.

Friday Flowers - Hope for Women

How chic are these greeting cards, handcrafted with dried flowers, by artisan women in El Salvador?  Pretty petals on paper!!

In 2001, massive mudslides and a devastating earthquake, in the highlands of El Salvador, left many families homeless and jobless. Many citizens traveled long hours to low-paying factory jobs in the capital.

However, one enterprising group of women formed Arte Comasaqua, an artisans organization that handcrafts stylish designs with native flowers and plants. The women are working locally, caring for their families and saving for their futures.

These women are just one group that is aided by Hope for Women, a fair trade, eco friendly, sustainable business, founded by Evan Goldsmith.

The primary mission of Hope for Women: 

To provide retail and e-commerce opportunities for products made exclusively by women so they can take control of their lives and their future.

Visit the Hope for Women website (or click the video above) to see more hand made products by other talented artisan women and learn more about this fair trade company!

I just love it when good design meets good business meets good cause! Don't you?

Calling All the Fashionistas

It's time to tap into your inner Rachel Zoe!

New York Fashion Week is just a couple of weeks away...and Bergdorf Goodman and Polyvore have teamed up with an amazing opportunity...for someone to style Linda Fargo.

Not only will Linda wear an ensemble inspired by the winning entry to one of the shows, but the winner will get to accompany Linda to that show. Of course you couldn't wear any old thing...so the kind folks at BG are giving you a $2500 shopping spree so you will look Fashion Week chic. They'll also gussie you up with hair and makeup, courtesy of the John Barrett Salon and Trish McEvoy.

Contest ends Monday, January 31st, so you'd better hop to it!

In case you're the lucky winner, here's a peek into Linda's survival bag for Fashion Week, so you'll know what to bring with you. 

What's inside? Click here to find out.

Like many little girls who liked to play dress up, attending Fashion Week last year (Tory Burch and Michael Kors shows), was definitely a dream come true for me. 

Have you been to Fashion Week before? Would you go if you could?

The Printery at Half Price

The Printery 

has just announced 

Engraved Dies & Plates are half-price

Now until March 31st

If you've ever wanted to splurge on elegant, customized stationery....this is the perfect opportunity. For information: 516.922.3250 or info@i-printery.com.

Do you still write handwritten notes...or do you prefer to press SEND?

Frozen

Frozen pink cheesecake...topped with flowers and berries? I think I've gone to dessert heaven.

This is just one of many delicious recipes from David and Luise (and baby Elsa) of Green Kitchen Stories. If you love vegetarian dishes or just want to eat healthier, check out their blog. Fair warning....the pictures are as amazing as the recipes, which are all organic and green.

How about you? Are you Vegan? Raw? Gluten free? Or, like me, just doing the best you can?

images: Green Kitchen Stories

Slip Sliding Away

Do you ski? I do. I used be a fairly decent skier. That was before I went slipping and sliding down the back bowls of Vail. I tore my ACL (which is a ligament in your knee), a rather common injury for women. Surgery. Rehab. Good as new.

Except, now I've lost the edge. I never want to go through that experience again, so I stick to the blue slopes and am a really adept apres skier!

My son has been begging to learn to snowboard, so when we hit the slopes soon, that's what he'll be doing. And, after I saw these fashionable boards, I'm thinking that may be the way to go.

Or not.

I'll keep you posted. For now, I just seem to be slip sliding down my driveway.

images: Burton Snowboards

Friday Flowers - Lela Rose

Texas native, Lela Rose, has been designing finely detailed, feminine silhouettes since 1998. Favored by Jenna Bush Hager and Celerie Kemble, these are comfortable clothes with a nod to glamour.

Her Spring 2011 Collection is such a bright spot for those who love classic with a whimsical twist.

Here's to having one of these in my Spring bouquet! What will you be wearing when you finally get to put away those winter coats?

images: Lela Rose

The Kennedy White House...

began 50 years ago today, with the inauguration of JFK.

January 20, 1961

And, our country gained not only a handsome, young President, but the incomprable Jacqueline Kennedy. 

Her style. Her beauty. Her grace and poise. Her time as our First Lady ushered in an era of elegance in the White House that elevated how our country saw itself. 

When she arrived at her new home, at the age of 31, Jackie worked tirelessly to restore, not simply redecorate. I think if she were alive today, she would have been an ardent supporter of 1st Dibs.

Jackie also entertained with ease, yet it was her tireless attention to detail that made it seem effortless. 

She gave great thought to what she wore and how it set the tone for her events. As someone who prized her privacy, I think she would have been a fan of Net-A-Porter and Bergdorf online.

To learn more about how Jackie orchestrated memorable occasions as First Lady, read  In The Kennedy Style ~Magical Evenings in the Kennedy White House by Letitia Baldridge. 

It is worthwhile to have in your library for both its historical references and lessons on hospitality.

After her husband's death, Jackie dedicated herself to the establishment of the JFK Presidential Library. I think she would have been proud that the entire John F. Kennedy Presidentail Archives have now been digitzed and made available to all. 

Though she may not have had a Facebook page of her own, I think she would have enjoyed that we can all sign up for Tweets, Facebook updates and Podcasts from this body of historical significance.

Including this video on how she entertained in the White House. 

So, on this anniversary of Camelot, think of the woman who helped shape our history, our fashions and how we aim to entertain. Jackie, you were one of a kind!