Vintage Floral Scholastic on Renton for Life

Check out Jenny's great post about the party and some photobooth fun here!

Sneak Peek:
Thanks again, Jenny!

Turning 30

Wow, wow, wow.

Sipping Stumptown coffee in my pajamas this morning, I am still in awe of what a wonderful 30th birthday I have had this weekend. My friends are truly such creative and generous people and I am left feeling so loved and celebrated, washed in beautiful settings and meaningful interactions.

I spent yesterday celebrating my 30th birthday. The early part of the day was spent relaxing. I went to yoga at the Y and then met up with a group of ladies at Olympus Spa in Lynnwood, a Korean spa with saunas, hot tubs, elemental heat rooms, spa services, and an Asian cafe. The experience of a public bathing culture was a new one for me, and something I'm sure I'll write more about at some point. After a day spent soaking, baking, being with friends and getting a massage, I rendezvoused with Matt and we went to Jenny's for a birthday dinner with a small group of friends.


Jenny and Alisha had been in cahoots with Matt, preparing a feast for the eyes in Jenny's house. They called the aesthetic something like "Vintage Floral Scholastic." I was so thrilled when this little love tent/photo booth greeted me in Jenny's foyer. I had told her how much I had loved this Valentine's Fort on Design*Sponge earlier this month.


Trophy Cupcakes (my favorite) were waiting to be devoured...

And Jenny and Alisha had transformed Jenny's living room into a magical dinner setting with vintage fabrics, glowing lights, handmade floret streamers hanging from the box-beams, mason jars filled with roses and candlelight, and stacks of hardback books. I also made hand-sewn bookmarks as a favor for all the guests.

Alisha whipped up a signature cocktail for the evening, called the Oxford Comma--a mix of Pimms, ginger ale, and fresh fruit. Notice my own use of an Oxford Comma between the words ale and and in the previous sentence.

Dinner was flank steak and Dungeness crab--absolutely delish.

I'm still waiting to get my hands on some of the photo booth shots and other candids from the evening, but here are a few of my sweet friends who blessed me with their presence last night.

Andrew and Stephanie Platter

Elisa--fresh off a string of night shifts (as in ALL night) and a triathlon training session. What a trooper.

Jenny, Jenn, Jessica, and me

What a lovely, lovely evening. The setting and the company were such a gift. I can't think of a better way to have rung in the next decade than with these people on such a magical night.

Violet Beauregarde

Or, in other words, our little human blueberry:

Ha! I laughed out loud when I saw her in her snow getup this morning. She's wearing a down vest under her suit, making her look extra round.

Also, Matt snapped this last night as the snow began to come down:

I love how magical everything is to a child. I so look forward to the age when Avonlea can express what she's thinking and more fully grasp what is going on around her. For now, I look at that photo and imagine her my little Lucy Pevensie, discovering Narnia for the first time.

Our little reader...

We have been reading to Avonlea every day since she was born. When we were working on her daytime sleep and naptime routines, we built in a story before every naptime. When she napped a lot, that was at least three books a day.


As Avonlea's naps have decreased (one a day now), we find her often reading by herself. Or at least turning the pages of her books. She also will bring Matt or I a book, sit down in our laps and want us to read to her. It's one of my favorite things to do with her.



Having a reader is definitely something I can handle. The other day I was struck with a thought that semi-terrified me. What if Avonlea turns out to be an athlete?! I guess it's a good thing I have Matt around for her to have a parent she can relate to. ;)

Design inspiration from classic kids lit

Look at this lovely illustration from The Travels of Babar:

Isn't that just the sort of thing to get your little one inspired to go on adventures to places with tall cypress, wide bays filled with sailboats racing on a fast wind, and red-tiled roofs? Italy, anyone?

The full spread is even better, and though my camera couldn't capture it as well as I would have liked, here it is:

"The land of the elephants is now far away. The balloon glides noiselessly in the sky. Babar and Celeste admire the landscape below. What a beautiful journey! The air is balmy, the wind is gentle. There is the ocean, the big blue ocean."

This isn't the first time that one of Avonlea's storybooks has got me all dreamy-eyed. Does anyone remember the Little Golden Book, The Color Kittens? As soon as I laid eyes on it again (one of my favorites when I was little), I couldn't help thinking about how perfect it would be for a design theme in a nursery. Image a rose-mural headboard, mustard yellow crib. Owls and comets swooping against a black ceiling, or a teal green river with fish running through it. Could be very inspiring!




And last of all, I can't help imagining, every time I see this illustration from Goodnight Moon, what it would be like to replicate it in real life. Imagine having that gorgeous hearth in your child's room! But even if you don't live in an English manor house, I bet with a healthy dose of creativity, you could go pretty far to create a space as classic, whimsical, and magical as "the great green room."

Happy dreaming!

Latest Avo Pretty

Goofball

Valentine's Day 2011

Although Matt and I had a lovely evening out to dinner last night, complete with our first-ever paid babysitter (!), the early part of our day was very sweet. We woke up early for coffee and croissants together.




Avonlea even had her first Valentine's date! Wesley Gough (and Jenny) met us at Walnut for breakfast and then a play date at our place afterward. The two did pretty well together, actually. Wesley made Avonlea laugh by making faces, and they even shared a potty time together. I love how kids have no shame.




For Matt's V-Day gift, he got some Theo caramels from Avonlea and Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day from me.

I heard about this book from my friend Rachel, when she brought a gorgeous loaf over for writing group one night and then confessed that she'd made it when I commented that it was still warm. After our baguette making class and adventures a few years ago, we've fallen out of baking practice and are certainly in need of a recipe that doesn't require 12 hours of babysitting. I'm excited to try the pecan sticky rolls, the pizza dough, the flatbread, and the basic boule, of course. I know, it was supposed to be Matt's gift, but I'm hoping he'll share the apron with me. :)