Gatherings

A dusty indigo and teal mood board
Design

Sunlit Siesta

I can still remember looking out the window of my childhood home and recognizing a certain quality of light that meant my mother would come looking for me soon. It was naptime light — the hot, still, mid-afternoon light of a Texas summer. As a child, this specific lighting would often inspire me to hide […]

Little bites were provided by Launderette
Hosting Tips

My House Party with WhoWhatWear

Y’all may have noticed a few #HousePartyInTheHills Instagrams last week as we prepped for the biggest party I’ve ever thrown at my house. I teamed up with WhoWhatWear for a poolside fête during sxStyle, inviting tastemakers who were in town for the festival to join us for snacks off the grill by Launderette and beats […]

Bright and light hues are perfect for spring
Hosting Tips

Cheetah is the New Black

Effortless style. It’s fascinating to observe those rare women who truly have it as they throw on their favorite worn-in white tee shirt and instantly look incredibly chic. Alicia Lund, Cali-based blogger behind Cheetah is the New Black, is without a doubt one such gal. She has the type of pedigree you might imagine: former fashion […]

Beauty

12 Best Off The Shoulder Tops

If you ask me, off-the-shoulder tops never went out of style. Much like wide leg jeans, I’ve always thought the cut to be ultra stylish and flattering, and even though mainstream fashion is just telling us to love them right now, I’ll forever have a place in my heart for the look. Not only does an off-the-shoulder […]

Margot Blair puts together beautiful floral arrangements
Hosting Tips

10 Secrets of Stylish Hosts

When our brilliant friends from Margot Blair Floral and Mint & Maple joined forces to host a workshop on the Art of Hosting, we begged them to share their secrets here on the blog, too — these are the pros, y’all. Even the best of us can get stressed at the thought of hosting a dinner party, so any inspiration for making […]

the happiest spring brunch ever
Hosting Tips

The Happiest Spring Brunch Ever

Why does the color yellow get such a bad rap? Most of us don’t think we have the right complexion to wear it, and when it comes to designing a table, well, even we’ll admit it’s never the first (or third) hue we turn to. Even in our color-driven Monochromatic Monday series, yellow appears least frequently of all. […]

St. Patrick's Day Dinner Party with Natasha Lawler
Gatherings

Natasha Lawler

When Natasha Lawler admitted to us that friends from all over the US fly in to attend her annual Saint Patrick’s Day party, I have to admit that even we were a bit skeptical. We love a blowout as much as the next person, but seriously, who travels across the country for an event that’s […]

spring on our minds
Design

Here Comes The Sun

Only one week left in February, and even though we have cold and rain on the forecast for the next few days, I’m hopeful that once March 1st rolls around, we’ll have turned the corner to warmer weather. Any other optimists out there? To add to my impatience, I’ve been stumbling upon tons of gorgeous images that instantly fill […]

Art Studio Inspiration Board
Design

Seeking Sanctuary

Hello, dear readers, and happy Monday. I hope that Saint Valentine visited each of you this weekend and left you with a bit of chocolate, poetry, or perhaps a flirty text from the cute guy at the office. Michael and I decided to jet off to Jamaica for a long weekend, and I’ve returned to […]

Macaron Making at Elizabeth Street Cafe
Food

How to Make Macarons at Elizabeth Street Cafe

Anytime out-of-town friends come to Austin, one of the first places I take them is Elizabeth Street Cafe. I know I can’t go wrong with what is arguably the cutest café in town (I mean, have you seen the bright pink and turquoise exterior?!) and treating them to the fresh mango and cucumber salad or a warm bowl of bún accompanied […]

Sarah Contrucci Smith of Ara Collective
Hosting Tips

A Blue Valentine Party with Ara Collective

When a friend tipped us off on Sarah Contrucci Smith’s online textile shop, Ara Collective, we couldn’t get over the gorgeous indigo and white pillows, rugs, and bags. And the blue icing on the cake? Sarah’s company is socially responsible, and by that we mean they pay their artisans above fair trade wages to produce beautiful textiles from […]

garden party cake topped with roses
Hosting Tips

Brunch in the Garden with kate spade new york

Now that the holidays are under our belts, it’s officially acceptable to start dreaming of al fresco entertaining with light, fresh flavors and the sun on our shoulders. To celebrate the first hints of spring, we teamed up with our friends at kate spade new york for a fresh and flirty brunch in my garden — thanks […]

Gorgeous video featuring Jenn Rose Smith of Camille Styles
Design

A Valentine Video from Us to You (and free printables!)

When we had our first shoot day with director Eve Tarlo back in January, I couldn’t wait to work on this assignment. While Camille and Chanel were busy in the kitchen, I was in the studio getting my hands dirty with calligraphy ink. My mission: create a dreamy valentines story using three great quotes on […]

a girly valentine's day gathering
Hosting Tips

Chocolate & Cheese “Galentine’s Day” Party

How do you guys feel about PDA? I’m not personally one to put it all out there when it comes to my love life, but when I spot another obviously in-love couple who can’t keep their hands to themselves, it’s kind of sweet. Up to a point, of course. Valentine’s Day is the one exception […]