Simply the Sweet Life Magazine Spring 2011 Release Party!

The Spring Issue No.2 of Simply the Sweet Life Magazine is going to be released tonight! It will be released tonight at our twitter party. We will also be having a wonderful giveaway just in time for Mother's Day. Be sure to join us.

@SweetLifeMag

@SweetLifeinThe

I'm Back

I'm back to share my love of design and Living the Sweet Life. I am also working on a wonderful NEW project- Simply the Sweet Life Magazine. Please have a look.

We have some great blog post for Valentine's Day as well

Handmade Chocolate Truffles
Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes
Sewing Cards Valentine's Craft


xo
April-Living the Sweet Life

Christmas Time is Here

 {photo from hgtv}

" Christmas time is here. Happiness and cheer." I love Christmas time. I also love vintage glass ornaments. I collect new ones every year to add to my holiday decor. They remind me of my grandma's house and all her pretty mid-century glass balls. What do you collect?

Cake Stands * Love it List

I love Fishs Eddy. What I love even more is their wonderful selection on cake stands-milk glass, jadeite, vaseline, and enamel, scallops, shells and transferware. A girl or boy could spend some money. Of course you would want to search out the finest cake recipes to display on your new treasure too.

A Perfect Table

{click image to have a closer look}

I love this table from Pieces. It is just the sort of table I would love to sit down to every day with my family. From the distressed oak wood plank top, to the mahogany base, to the cross bar supports it just announces itself as a character piece in your home.

Cupcake Stands * Love it List

These pretty little Cupcake Stands from FarmHouse Wares have made my Love it List. I can just imagine the lovely luncheons or tea parties or holiday gatherings complete with these cupcake stands on the table. Oh the possibilities!

Wire Baskets

{Vintage Basket from Blue Bell Bazaar on Etsy}

I love pretty baskets, bins and containers of all kinds. Wire baskets are wonderful for so many things from holding potatoes and onions in the kitchen to organizing files at your desk to holding a set of your child's blocks to holding towels in the bathroom. Here are a few that I have found. What do you use your wire baskets for?

{Vintage Wire Metal Market Basket from Old Crow Farm on Etsy}



{Vintage Wireware Egg Gathering Basket on Ruby Lane}



{Wire basket holding pies from Country Living & The Farm Chicks}

Cannelle et Vanille * Beautiful Blogs

{click for larger images}

I just found this beautiful blog Cannelle et Vanille by Aran Goyoaga. She is a food stylist & photographer. Take a look at her complete portfolio you will be inspired.

{all photos are courtesy & copyright of Aran Goyoaga}

La Vie en Rose Letterpress Print * Giveaway

This week on my other blog Sweet Life in The Valley we are giving away one of these lovely La Vie en Rose letterpress print by Sycamore Street Press

Flowers

These are the flowers we picked on our way home from our mini-cation to Salt Lake City this past week. I love fresh flowers on the table even if they are just a bunch of sunflowers that were growing wild on the side of the road. August in Utah means sunflowers. I put them in a French lemonade bottle. They are perfect! Perfectly summer.

Project * Green Kitchen Island

I am working on a project. It involves the most beautiful fresh color of green. I just had to give you a quick peek. We are making an island of sorts for the kitchen. I will keep you posted as the project progresses.

Vintage Scales * In the Kitchen

Vintage scales have been on my mind for a while. Now that I have the space in my new kitchen I am looking for one. Even a vintage hanging scale would be lovely hanging in the corner. I love the orange enamel on the children's scale above. An old candy scale could be fun too. There is a beautiful cast iron green enamel scale at a local antique store I would love for my birthday that is coming up in a couple of weeks. Have you found any vintage scales lately?
You can find these scales here here here and here.

Looking * Velvet Sofa

{English Roll Arm Sofa from Restoration Hardware}

I am looking for a beautiful deep seated traditional style velvet sofa for my living room remodel. Something in a nice rich taupe color would be perfect. Similar to the one pictured above.

John Hughes

{photo from Pretty in Pink}

Though this is a couple of weeks late I have been thinking over it for a little bit now. I am so sad to hear that John Hughes passed away at such a young age. His wonderful movies defined my teen years. I remember seeing The Breakfast Club with a friend of mine in the movie theater. We would watch Sixteen Candles over and over again. Some of my favorite actors started out in his movies such as Joan and John Cusack. I love Duckie from Pretty in Pink. I had a huge high school crush on Regan Packard who just happen to be very duckiesk. I would even sew my own skirts for dances. I started off my teen years in the Chicago burbs where most of John Hughes movies were filmed. I could relate in so many ways. Christmas Vacation is a family tradition in our home as well as the Home Alone 1 & 2. It really does amaze me how much influence his movies have had in my life. Rest in peace dear old friend I never really new.

Sweet Housekeeping * Mrs. Meyers, Caldrea and Farmhouse

One thing I will spend extra money in is Mrs. Meyers lemon verbena glass window cleaner. Since I wash my glasses every morning. It is a special treat to have the heavenly fresh scent of lemon verbena in the air while I am doing it. I love washing all the glass in the house because of the lemon verbena that is wafting in the air after words.
Another great money investment is good quality tools. No matter the job a good quality tool makes the job more enjoyable. I just order on of these pretty natural counter brushes from Caldrea to sweep away crumbs off the counter top and table top. I can't wait for it to arrive.



A favorite dish soap. If you have to wash a dish by hand the Farm House lemon verbena liquid dish soap is one of the best I have ever used. A very little goes a long way. The dishes clean very easily plus it is a eco-friendly plant based soap.



We also use the Farmhouse Furniture Wax from Sweet Grass Farm in the lavender scent. It is also Eco-friendly with an added mood friendly bonus.
Love them all!

Lighting * Chandeliers

{ Kichler Olde Bronze Halogen Swivel Ceiling Fixture }

{New Growth Chandelier}

I am looking for a kitchen ceiling lighting fixture. I would like something that adds a lot more light to our kitchen and possibly directional light to our kitchen work spaces. I love the looks of both of these.

All Modern * Kitchen * Simplehuman Trash Can

I was asked to review the All Modern site. All Modern is an online shop with modern and contemporary furniture and accessories. It was perfect timing. I am designing a new kitchen and one of the thing I knew I wanted to have in my new kitchen is a brushed steel trash can with a step open lid. I love the Simplehuman trash can I ordered from All Modern. It's durable quality will last for years. It looks great too. Oh and it is finger print proof.
A plus-All Modern offers free shipping on orders over $69 plus no tax which makes most of there items much less expensive than getting them from a local store.




Another item I love are these Skyline Furniture - Armless Chairs in Gerber Surf. I love the color and the style. I am seriously considering getting a set of them for the living room.
All Modern has many great brands like Knoll, Herman Miller, Blu Dot, Dwell Studio, Bliss Living Home and more.

Good Neighbors * Lavender Banana Bread and Helping Hands

This past week we have been moving into our new house. The first day we arrived with our moving truck the word got out that we would be moving in that day. Within minutes of pulling up to the house we had at least ten of our neighbors there to unload the truck. The next day another neighbor brought over some banana bread to welcome us. And the next day a couple of neighbor girls left this little bunch of lavender on our front porch. What a wonderful way to start out living in our new home. I now have this bunch of lavender in my bathroom. It is a perfect reminder to think of others every day and how a simple act makes all the difference.

Happy Independence Day!

{image via here}

Have a Happy Fourth of July Weekend. I love our country!

Botanical Fruit Prints * Redoute

Although Belgian artist and botanist Pierre-Joseph Redoute is know for his rose prints I am in love with his fruit prints. I have been collecting Redoute botanical fruit prints over the past couple of years to hang in my kitchen. Now that I am in the process of a remodel I am trying to decide how I want to frame them. The vintage feel and look would contrast nicely with a modern kitchen.

Modern Pillows * Robins Egg Pink on Etsy

{Tangerine Swirl Pillow}

{Mod Blue Pillow}

{Modern Chrysanthemum Pillow}

A very easy very quick way to add some color and change up the decor in a room is to add some pillows. I love these mod stylish and very affordable pillows from Robins Egg Pink on Etsy found via one of my new favorite blogs The Bright Side Project.

Flowers * Peonies and Roses

{Pink Peonies via Country Living Magazine}

{Vera Wang Roses via FTD}

Anything from a bunch of peonies from the garden to a more formal arrangement, flower always brighten up a room. I love the dreamy pinks in the peonies above. I am so happy to see Vera Wang creating some beautiful arrangements for FTD. Everything Vera does is simply impeccable.

Design Blog Finds * Amy Atlas Interview * Sweet Parties

I love Amy Atlas' parties. Her pretty events filled with monochromatic treats seem like a wonderland that any child would love to live in or even me! Ever wonder who Amy Atlas is? Decor8 has a wonderful interview with Amy. Decor8 -Meet Amy Atlas
Be sure to visit Amy's Site too Amy Atlas Events

Unexpected flowers * Red Geranium Flower Puff

Yesterday was stormy and over cast. My geranium handing basket fell and this pretty red geranium flower puff broke off. I am kind of glad it did. I brought it in the house. It's bright red color is now brightening our table in this dreary weather. Fresh flowers around the house are a Sweet Thing.

Giveaway * Pixie Dust Tuffet

On Sweet Life in The Valley we are giving away this beautiful Lime Pagoda Tuffet from Pixie Dust. It is the very same tuffet I included in my Green Pink & Blue Inspiration Board. Mention you saw this post when entering for an extra entry.

Design Blog Finds * Sunny Buttery Yellow Inspiration

{image via this is glamorous via martha stewart}

I love yellow. It's such a happy color. Just sitting in a yellow room will lift your mood. I am seriously considering a bedroom re-design in yellows, pinks and whites. This is Glamorous has a sunny yellow + pom-poms post for more yellow inspiration.

In the Kitchen * New Flooring

{Cork Flooring}

{Bamboo Flooring}

I am looking for new flooring for my kitchen. This cork floor looks amazing. I love the options in color and pattern. Another great eco friendly option is the bamboo. Now to choose.