magical ...

i hope your weekend is magical!

i absolutely love these pictures of a lovely bridal shower thrown in an orchard from the coterie blog. {photos by nicole christensen}

what a lovely party.

enjoy the rest of your weekend!

mac n' cheese ...

my little ezra is a huge fan of mac and cheese. he asks to eat it for lunch whenever he gets the chance. but really, who knows what is in the kind that comes in a box. i mean, how can that be cheese?

anyhow, in efforts to serve my children healthier non-processed foods, i came up with this simple quick and easy mac and cheese recipe.

i am sharing the recipe over on the zupas blog today.

check it out here.

{photo by me}

toddler vans ...

while browsing ebay last fall for some new vans for my little ezra, i came across a shop that has a ton of cute styles of new toddler vans for only $15. {plus $5 shipping}

only catch is that they only have size 5T.

you bet i'll be ordering some for norah when she hits that size. ... which could be a while since she has the tiniest feet i've ever seen.

anyhow, if you order them, let me know how it goes.

just listed ...

a few new items in the armelle jewelry shop.

kendra fresh water pearl necklace with gold leaf charm, $29

aubrey earrings, $22

april earrings, $21

amanda necklace, $29

jenny earrings amethyst 14kt GF, $22

and, a few more.

see them all here.

and, p.s.

for you locals, happy pioneer day!

poppy seed salad dressing ...

sorry for the lack of posts lately. summer is in full swing at our house, and we have been at the pool everyday this week. no time for sitting at the computer i suppose.

i do want to pop in to share with you a favorite recipe.

one of my favorite salads ever is a nice summer salad with berries, nuts, feta cheese, and the best sweet poppy seed dressing.

it is my go to salad for many a special occasion or for an everyday lunch or dinner. i've been eating this salad like crazy it hopes of keeping me cool this summer.

i'm sharing my poppy seed salad dressing recipe over on the zupas blog. this is one you won't want to miss.

click here.

{photo by me}

strawberry, mango, banana ...

we drink smoothies a lot at our house. my little ezra can drink them with the best of 'em.

we love this healthy strawberry, mango, banana smoothie.

i'm sharing the recipe over on the zupas blog today.

check it out here.

{photo by me}

big boy beds ...

i've been on the hunt for a big boy bed for my little ezra.

there are some darling modern style twin beds out there, but they aren't exactly in the budget.
i love the oeuf sparrow twin bed.

especially the grey one.

this argington ayres twin bed is also fun.

i also love the boomer too twin bed

this kid kraft toddler bed [below] is a great look a like for only a $140 price tag. but, unfortunately it only comes in a toddler size. i wish i could find it in a twin for that great price.

so, i guess i'm still on the hunt...

any suggestions that won't break the bank?

i'm about ready to try to make my own. i wish i knew how to build furniture.

shop update ...

i just listed a few new items in the armelle shop today.

lyla necklace, with multi-colored semi-precious stones, $46

elisa necklace, 14kt gold filled chain, pale pink and orange stones, $38

and, a new color of vintage floral mum posts with sterling silver posts, $12

greek pasta salad ...

i posted the recipe for this amazing greek pasta salad i made for norah's tiny party on the zupas blog.

be sure to check it out here! it's soooo good!

a tiny birthday party ...

norah's tiny first birthday party was a success, and a lot of fun! i was happy with how everything turned out, and we were able to celebrate my tiny little girl's big day.

for the menu, we had all things tiny.

the darling flower garland is from the etsy shop, pretty swell, and i made the white doily garland.

tiny bow tie greek pasta salad {made with mini-bow tie pasta}

tiny fruit kabobs

tiny hamburgers and hotdogs {pictured without the meat}

i used rolls from the grocery store, and i had their bakery make me tiny hot dog buns

tiny water {re-labeled tiny water botttles}

tiny cakes + tiny drinks

tiny doughnuts, tiny brownies, and tiny chips

tiny treats

tiny gummy bears, gold fish, and candies

my friend jane let us borrow her fun bounce houses, so we let the kids run wild in the back instead of having games. it was a hit! my little ezra especially enjoyed them!

and, of course the tiny birthday girl

we love this little girl so much! i can't believe she's already one!

p.s. if you have any questions about the party or where i got things, please let a comment and i'll be sure to answer.

also, be sure to check out the
tiny party invitations
and, tiny party favors

let freedom ring ...

happy 4th to all of you! i just love this holiday! i look forward to it every year!

norah's first birthday party was a huge success! it turned out perfect! pictures to come!

until then, check out this darling free download for bunting and cupcake toppers over on creature comforts. click here.

{image via creature comforts.}

s'mores ...

nothing says summer like a good ol' fashion s'more over a campfire.

i am sharing my all time favorite recipe for s'mores today over on the zupas blog.

you won't want to miss it.

check it out here.

so, how do you like your s'mores?