Aloha from Honolulu! Hawaii is such a happy place and the air really does smell like coconuts!
Hope you enjoy following along at #lvtakehawaii on Instagram and Twitter!
Love,
Wife C
TWO FOR ONE
Today is the day!
We took our 7:00 am flight from DFW to LAX, and in a few hours we’ll be island bound!
Claudio is from California, so we’re going to take advantage of the West Coast while we can!
If it isn’t evident…I love Instagram. So I’ll be giving sneak peaks of our trip as seen by my iPhone.
We’re doing a lot of traveling this season and we love going back and reminiscing.
So we had to make a hashtag. (Can you see our kids in 10 years? “Mom, hashtags are so old school.”)
So check out #lvtakehawaii and the ever present #losvallejos for more fun along the way!
I hope everyone finds some time to relax this weekend!
Love,
Wife C
Clare Elsaesser | Etsy
I wish I could have all the wall space in the world. I would fill it with paintings, prints, lithographs and just about anything else I can hang up.
I love finding treasures.
Often I find myself cruising around Etsy and occasionally I find items that I absolutely don’t think I can live without. I found that feeling from this amazingly talented artist, Clare Elsaesser.
Her work makes me think of the soft lines of early European painters. There is so much peace and sweetness in these pieces.
If you go to her Etsy shop, you will see the term “giclee” print. This means they are digital prints of original paintings. How amazing is that? Such beautiful texture captured in a digital format.
I don’t own any of her work quite yet, but I will anxiously await my moment of purchase and the hanging of a new treasure on my wall.
Thank you for such beautiful work, Clare!
Love,
Wife C
Summer Shoes | Under $100
I searched all 48 pages of the Nordstrom shoe section just for you, in search for the trifecta of summer shoe-wear…for under $100.
I had 3 requirements to make this list.
I started by looking for the perfect brown sandal. I wanted something with a rugged feel, but still keeping simplicity of summertime. These Franco Sarto slip ons would be great for going to brunch, running to the market, or even to the beach!
Then I went in search of a summer bootie. (pun intended) I thought about grey or even a minted blue. But when I saw these Topshop white pep toes, I died. They’re fresh and bright without sacrificing the chicness of a trendy heel. These would be great for a summer wedding, seeing as the heel is thick enough, you don’t sink in the dewy grass. You could also pair them with jeans and a slinky tank for a balmy night out.
Last, I came upon these quintessential black braided slings. The double strap gives it a more sophisticated feel, while the simple soul and traditional clasp keep it casual. These are perfect for everyday wear and they will never go out of style.
Happy Shopping!
Love,
Wife C
Styled : Bill and Kathy
I had the pleasure of styling a dear family friend’s intimate wedding reception. Bill has been my dad’s closest friend and confidant for many years. His sweet and absolutely radiant wife, Kathy, is just so wonderful.
They had a small ceremony in Paris, TX earlier in the week and my parents hosted their reception in the backyard. It couldn’t have been a sweeter event.
They wanted a shabby-chic look with a southern charm. 
Just look at this beautiful couple!
They are an absolutely joy!
The florals were light, airy and fresh.
My dad is a photographer and my mom is a hair dresser. I grew up with an innate eye for position and detail. 
Since this was a simple and low-key gathering, it was decided that cupcakes would be perfect. But to keep the wedding theme, we had to have a small cake-topper. Literally, it was a cake that was a topper. Brilliant!
How wonderful is that??
Most of the decor came from our own wedding…including the entertainment!
How can you not love that face? Colin Boyd has been such a great friend and musician to our family. Such joy!
I wish I had more photos, but to tell you the truth, I was just having too much fun with some absolutely beautiful people.
Here’s to Bill and Kathy, we love you!
Love,
Wife C
Hawaii Playlist 003
This time next week we will be in Hawaii, on the beach, sipping piña coladas and sunning.
I wanted to make the perfect lounging playlist…so here ya go!
Also, you can catch Temples T O N I G H T at Club DaDa in Deep Ellum! See ya there!
Love,
Wife C
Precious Stones
You guys.
This was so fun!
I bought a few whole geodes and cracked them open myself…with a hammer. The process of watching a somewhat unsightly rock burst open to find beautiful, crystal-like forms is so invigorating! It’s too bad I don’t have any photos of that…it really was entertaining. (Not to mention a great stress reliever) I used the larger pieces for decoration but I wanted to carry this small nugget around with me, so I made a necklace!
Supplies:
1. Small wire, the size of the wire depends on the size of the stone
2. Your stone, this can vary from a geode or crystal to jade or a rugged piece of flint. Up to you!
3. Something small and cylindrical to help wrap the wire
4. A chain of your choosing (I like mixed metals, so I chose gold since my wire was silver)
Let’s get cracking (pun completely intended)
1. Take a simple piece of wire and flatten it out.
2. Place your geode in the middle of the wire and wrap the short edge around the extra wire
3. Take something small and cylindrical, I used the tip of this mechanical pencil, and create a loop to put around a chain.
There ya go! I chose a vintage gold chain I came across, but you could use anything from leather to thicker chain links!
Enjoy!
Love,
Wife C
