Not Your Grandmother's Crochet

I mentioned most of the details from our fun trip to the Point Theatre in Ingram, Texas on Monday, but I saved the best for last: the gift shop. It was a totally unexpected little treat.

The Hill Country Arts Foundation has tapped into an obviously able group of ladies who donates their time to crochet blankets, pin cushions, potholders, pot scrubbers (deemed 'the best in Texas') and various chotskies. These goods are then sold in the gift shop where profits go to help supporting the theatre and arts center. Check out some of the gems:

Granny Square Blankets:


Potholders:


Scrubbers:


Crocheted granny square blankets and potholders are certainly not new to the market, but it seems like more and more are trying their hand at modern applications of the craft. Flickr is flooded with images of granny squares, a fact that has certainly been fueled by the recent DIY surge. I selected a very small handful below:


And check out how fellow interior designers, artists and bloggers make use of crocheted items in their real lives:


I feel my inner-Martha being tapped. It kind of makes me want to find some crochet needles and get to work. If you, too, are feeling so inclined, check out this tutorial for instructions on how to crochet your own creations. Good luck!

On Point

There is a point in the Texas Hill Country, amidst tall trees and a lovely landscape, where a part of Johnson Creek merges with the Guadalupe River. Welcome to Ingram, Texas. It is here that a small group of friends, united by their love of this environment and their appreciation of the Arts, created a place for arts education, performance and exhibition some 50 years ago.

Today, the Hill Country Arts Foundation is a thriving organization. With regular theatrical performances, as well as art exhibitions and workshops, this is a place where families and friends converge to enjoy and/or participate in the creation of visual and performance art.

Part of what makes the HCAF particularly appealing is the outdoor amphitheatre. The Smith-Ritch Point Theatre sits right on the River and the setting is beautiful. During the warmer months, regular performances are held, many of which are kid-friendly. (When the weather cools off, performances are taken inside to the Elizabeth Huth Coates Theatre.)

Last week, my parents and I took the GrayBear to see a performance of "Treasure Island." Check out some of those shots:


I have to say, I was impressed with the sets, the costumes and the performances of all involved. Plus, the snack bar is innocently delightful. In addition to the two adorable kids that were selling candy on the side, there was plenty of cotton candy and popcorn to enjoy.

Despite the intense and sweaty heat (even after the sun went down), it was such a fun outing and I highly recommend it.

The Big Day... What to Wear

On our final day of Birthday Week, I'm delighted to suggest some things that a festive Birthday Girl could wear on her big day. After all, she IS the center of attention and she SHOULD be looking her best. Check out 3 different looks for 3 different types of celebrations!

Look 1:


Look 2:


Look 3:

May you always have the happiest of birthdays!

Decor, Decor and More Decor, Part Deux

I'm not usually one for balloons (unless there is something creative about the bunch). That's why I couldn't resist posting this cute compilation (via Black. White. Yellow.)


Balloons always add a nice touch to birthday celebrations as long as (and here, I reveal my snobby design side) they are presented in a creative fashion.

Decor, Decor and More Decor

Today is Day 3 of Birthday Week. We started off with a funky birth announcement on Monday. Yesterday, I reviewed some snazzy cake ideas and today, I thought I'd bring you some suggestions for decorating for a big bash.

There are so many things out there - especially for a theme-y birthday. (You may have noticed that I skipped the themes altogether.) I chose to make things a little more homemade - a little more focused on hosting a party at your house, for example - while still adding a special touch.


1) How adorable is this 'Happy Birthday' banner. Drape it on the wall and voila - you've got yourself a wonderful DIY sign. (Or you could just purchase it here and still have the DIY look without actually DIY-ing it.) 2) Draped under a doorway, felt garland is festive and fabulous. It's also easy to make (in theory, that is... it looks like it could take a lot of time). Why not purchase this one here? (It's on sale, too.)

3) I like to honor special guests with an altar that I've created. (I did the one depicted above for my grandparents during Day of the Dead, but my Mom always did a living altar for me and my sibs for our birthdays.) Include all things that remind you of that person: rememberances of what they love, what they do, who they are. Make sure and load it up with plenty of flowers and candles, too.

4) Gotta love confetti (though it's a bitch to clean up)! Rock the floors, tables and counters with tiny "Happy Birthdays." 5) Following on the DIY road, top off the event with homemade bday hats for everyone. Martha Stewart created those above, but I feel like it would be easy to simplify some steps. HINT: Hats at everyone's place around the table can also serve as placecards. 6) and 7) add a light and colorful touch. Hang a bunch these chinese lanterns or indian stars from the ceiling with string and a nail.

Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too

As we continue on with Birthday Week, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about The Cake! And oh... there are so many delightful options out there from which to chose.


Le Cake
1) Naturally Nora (via DailyCandy) is an all natural cake mix (okay, so it would only be halfway homemade). She has a fun yellow cake mix with bits of color. 2) The book "Birthday Cakes" features a number of cake recipes from all sorts of renowned chefs. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and get out your mixer to create any of these fun, delicious treats. 3) Omnomicon (via Hostess With the Mostess) shows us how to make a rainbow cake - talk about things lookin' bright and 4) Bakerella really makes her cakes pop with her cupcake bites.

Or maybe you're feeling a little non-traditional? Why not serve something other than a birthday cake, but equally as festive?


1) A macaron tower from Bobbette and Belle makes a great centerpiece. Those little morsels not only make a great statement, but they are tre chic, too. 2) For the child, or the child at heart, cupcakes are always a winner. In my mind, the Beverly Hills-based Sprinkles was responsible for bringing that phenomena back into vogue, but they don't mail their cupcakes. (If you aren't in market where there is a Sprinkles retail location, you can order the mix online here.) 3) Eleni's is no newcomer, but they continue to create beautiful frosted cookies (my personal favorite). And they deliver all over the good ole US of A. 4) Finally, why not order up a truly personalized cake for you or your beloved? The Louis Vuitton purse created by JustCakes is perfect for the little fashionista.

To top it all off...
Wedding cakes aren't the only cakes that get to have toppers. In addition to a huge variety of cakes (or cake-like alternatives as the case might be), there's also a slew of things to put on top of your dessert.

1) Kill two birds with one stone with these fork candle holders from Fred Flare. 2) Sparklers made especially for cakes are festive and bright. Find them here. 3) How cute are these personalized candles? (I double checked. They don't have "Golly," but maybe you'll have better luck finding your name.) 4) Smarmy Pants has some of my favorite cake accessories - many of which are vintage-y and sweet. (Remember these ballerinas?) 5) A candelabra candle from Fred at Plum Party steps up the chic factor, as do the 6) cupcake sticks from Seven Cupcakes. And who can resist these little numbers? Perfect for little Johnny's bash.

It's Birthday Week

"You say it's your birthday? Da na na na na na. Well, it's my birthday, too. Da na na na na na."

In honor of my birthday, I thought I'd do a series of all things birthday related. Every day this week, I'll be posting something having to do with birthdays. (And just to note, while I love celebrating other people's birthdays, I'd rather just enjoy my day versus having a big hoopla. Don't get me wrong, I love my life, but I just don't find it necessary to make a big deal about another year.)

To start things off with Birthday Week, I thought it would be appropriate to focus on the birth of a baby and how to share the joyous news when he or she has arrived. Rattle-N-Roll was introduced to me by my friends, Clay and Elizabeth, via their adorable baby announcement that I received in today's mail. (Thanks, guys.)

Check out some of the design options here:

Spunky and different, these announcements take "rocking" the baby to a whole new level!

Happy Father's Day

Love ya, Dad. You're the best Dad I could ask for.

Do You See What I See?

Have you ever wondered how to create the same color within different applications - say, create a pink paint that perfectly matches a pink fabric?

You'll likely use the Pantone system, a system that standardizes colors. In doing so, different manufacturers in different locations can all refer to the Pantone system to make sure colors match without direct contact with one another.

One of the more interesting things the company produces is called the PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner. It predicts specific trends 18-24 months prior to a specific season and shows designers how to strategically apply those trends to their products and goods based on color.


Though this was published months ago, I thought it would be interesting to look at what Pantone's summer predictions are since today is the first day of summer. The Spring/Summer 2009 edition focuses on "independence," and is interpreted in seven palettes. One can expect to find these color trends reflected in several design areas including women’s wear, menswear, active wear, cosmetics, interiors, industrial design and graphics (via Pantone):

• Female-ism: medium pastels with a tinge of retro glamour
• Classic-ism: almost devoid of color except for one medium blue accent
• Independent-ism: tart, bold and gregarious colors
• Today-ism: deep, dark shades of reddish blues and brown
• Absurd-ism: combines disproportionate color hues and values
• Fetish-ism: "a carnal inspiration and desire for experimentation"
• Surreal-ism: "plays with scale, combination and expectation to create unexpected, and even strange, creations"

Yes, you say, but what exactly are those colors? See below for a few of the examples.


You can purchase the whole report for $750 (or just enjoy the brief synopsis that I've provided for free).

Geek Chic

Eyeglasses can be a big fashion statement, even if you don't need corrective lenses. There are so many trends, but these days the geeky look is in, even amongst celebrities.


And it's not only the females, either.


Don't be afraid to get in touch with your inner geek... just make sure you are fashionable while you do it. Check out some of these hot looks.

1. Nebb@Moscot; 2. Yukel@Moscot; 3. Risky Business@Metropark;
4. John Lennon@GlassesDirect.co.uk; 5. Faded Readers@UrbanOutfitters

One more thing...

Image via MES Vision