Because my skin didn’t get the message.
To tell you the truth, even when I’m super tan, I’m really not. My mother would call it my beautiful “porcelain skin.”
Nice spin, mom. Way to make the little lady feel a little better while she slathers on that sunscreen.
Well played.
Jacket: J. Crew / Tank Top: aerie, similar / Shorts: J. Crew / Necklace: vintage
So, what to do with all of those blueberries?
I’m not gonna lie, we made a pretty big dent just snacking on handfuls… but with so much fresh fruit in the house, we had to make something special.
I love to bake, and my go-to favorite for fruit is always a pie. But I really wanted to try something new, and if you’re on Pinterest, you’ll know why I was tempted by this particular treat. In the land of food porn, the rustic tart is king… and there’s a darn good reason for it.
The rustic tart (or galette) isn’t just pretty, it’s also super easy to make. You just make up a pastry dough, throw in some fruit with a little sugar, fold and bake. Done.
I used a dough from Tartine that, as it turns out, is completely worth its more time intensive nature… but if you’re looking for a quick fix you can always run to the store and consult with the dough boy… he makes a pretty rockin’ pie crust that could easily go from zero to galette in no more than an hour.
Because this particular dough really is a flaky, buttery wonder, I’ll share the recipe I used. If you want to use another (maybe this one, doubled?) or buy a pre-made crust, you can skip all the way down to step six.
Enjoy! And let me know if you try this crust. It’s different than anything I’ve ever seen, but oh so worth it in the end.
Okay, so first off — the mr. is a blueberry picking champ. I swear that with just one fully operational arm (collarbone still good and broken), in the 95 degree heat, he out-picked me two to one.
… not that I’m competitive.
Technically, I’ve never been blueberry picking. I’ve been to pick strawberries a ton… but growing up, all I had to do to find a handful of fresh blueberries was walk over the river and through the woods (not joking) to my grandparents’ house. And just like a certain crisp in the air never fails to remind me of summer mornings spent camping in Oregon, fresh blueberries will always remind me of my grandma and grandpa.
Although this experience was a little bit different (we came home with a whole lot more than I ever could have picked growing up) the berries were just the same… and it was nice to be able to eat a few straight from the vine…
Then again, maybe one for me, one for the bucket isn’t the best strategy in a competitive berry-picking match.
(**must remember this the next time Mark decides to show me up)
Let me just say… I am crazy for this shoot.
The beautiful organic details, the simplicity of that amazing location, those beautiful photographs… there are so many things to love.
Thank you to Jillian Michelle Photography for brightening my day by sending this over!
Photographer: Jillian Michelle Photography / Event Venue: Grey Gables Farm
Tucked away high in the mountains at Sylvan Lake Estates in Angwin, California, John and Mary’s gorgeous wedding was packed with tons of personal touches… including homemade jam and pickle favors.
(how much do you love the idea of pickle favors?!)
For the best description of the day, just take a look at this lovely note from the bride:
John and I love having friends over for cozy dinner parties and wine nights, and we really wanted our wedding guests to feel as welcomed and comfortable as they would in our home. I grew up in Napa, and we wanted to share the wine country scenery and hospitality we love so much. As soon as we arrived at the Sylvan Lake Estate, it was love at first sight. The home felt like a hidden garden, and we loved the idea of bringing our guests to a place we knew they had never been before. While grey and yellow was our wedding’s color palette. The white rustic farm tables had a casual elegance and my mom sewed all the table runners herself. Our centerpieces came from the farmers’ market, and my bridesmaids and grandma put them together the day before the wedding. I wanted to do a homemade favor, and jams and pickles were the perfect fit. I wore a necklace with my husband’s initials, as well as my late grandfather’s wedding ring. John’s grandfather and my grandmother, each married more than 60 years, held our rings. My father and stepfather both walked me down the aisle, to a string quartet version of the song “Yellow”. After dinner, my new husband and my dad performed a song that they had written together during our engagement. We spent the rest of the night laughing and dancing with our neon glow sticks. It was a night that truly felt like the best backyard dinner party we’ve ever thrown.
Photographer: 39 East Photography / Event Venue: Sylvan Lake Estates
“There’s a time when a man needs to fight and a time when he needs to accept that his destiny’s lost, the ship has sailed and that only a fool will continue. The truth is I’ve always been a fool.”
Did you ever see Big Fish?
It’s one of my favorite movies ever, and particularly meaningful to Mark and I.
If you haven’t seen it, do it now. I’m serious. It might just change your life.
If you have, I promise I really do have a point… you know when Edward goes to Spectre (the first time?) and it’s so perfect. The shoes are hung on the power line, everyone is all smiles, and the lights in the middle of the town just sparkle like crazy? That is what Anita and Zachary’s wedding reminds me of.
A simpler, more beautiful time.
It stole my heart.
Here’s what their photographer had to say:
Anita and Zach had an outdoor wedding at the family pond, which has long been a location for family picnic’s and get-together’s. They managed to transform the pond from an everyday picnic location into a magical outdoor reception site, complete with candles hanging from willow trees and fireworks to finish off the night. While planning a wedding from out-of-state, Anita was sure to include special details that focused on their relationship as well as their families. Most of the details were either created by Anita herself, or by friends and family members, keeping the wedding as Do-It-Yourself as possible, while still being elegant and enchanting.
Photographer: RGS Photography / Dress: Saja
The Great Frederick Fair just recently left town and I’m already in mourning… it’s a little known fact that I spent a week out of nearly every summer of my childhood at the Coos County Fair as a proud 4-H’er and later, a rodeo queen (oh ya… that’s right). To this day, nothing quite spells summer like the fair. Caramel apples, kettle corn, scones (or elephant ears, whatevs), and those spinning rides I still don’t know how I stood as a kid. The thought makes me so nostalgic. It’s easy to see how someone might want to draw on some of that same nostalgia for their wedding… or maybe even their engagement party? There is so much fun to be had!
Thank you so much to Eventity Inc and Iliana Morton Photography for sharing this fun shoot!
Photographer: Iliana Morton Photography / Event Planner: Eventity Inc / Floral Designer: Sweet Pea Flower Company / Invitation Designer: Nic. Roc. Designs / Cake Designer: Hey there, Cupcake! / Equipment Rentals: Raphael’s Party Rentals / Other: Old Poway Park
This engagement session in Singapore is so much fun I can barely stand it. Since Felicia and Timothy met in college, they decided to style their engagement shoot with a vintage ‘back to school’ theme… they even shot it at a school turned art gallery and theatre called (what else?) Old School.
From their photographer:
The idea behind this photo shoot was to bring out their childhood, with many items they kept from school days such as Old Maid playing cards, the oh-so-familiar recorders they used in school, and even a mini chalkboard. We wanted to keep the photo shoot simple, natural and fun! We had a fun-filled afternoon playing games, and capturing their special moments at the same time.
Photographer: Confetti* Peektures / Venue: Old School
Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a good weekend… I have a super fun wedding for you all this morning. Not only did this couple have a gorgeous outdoor location and tons of cute details, I love how they took their photo booth to a whole new level with super cute costumes and masks… this looks like it was one great party!
From their photographer…
There are a lot of things that I love about Matt and Nicole’s wedding. The outdoor ceremony was set against a lush green backdrop of trees and shrubbery; just perfect for them to profess their love and promises to each other. I love the use of DIY decor giving their wedding a more personal and charming touch. Their dessert station also boasted of various tempting treats. While she looked stunning in her Vera Wang gown, it was her exuberance that completed the look. It was indeed her day!
Thanks Carla!!
Photography: Vince & Carla / Venue: Calamigos Ranch / Dress: Vera Wang
A Thousand Threads 