I want to relax here

Christmas at our house

Not to be confused with chalk board paint!

A few weekends ago I browsed through some of my favorite antique shops in downtown Orange and loved this little exhibit about chalk paint. Turns out my initial post on the use of this paint was wrong. With "chalk" in the name I jumped to the conclusion that this was the same thing as "chalk board" paint...well after using it, I learned that it did not provide the chalkboard effect. Annie Sloans "chalk" paint is the best for painting furniture of any material - wood, metal, etc. The best part about it is that there is no need to sand, strip, and prime. All you have to do is paint!

Chalk paint offers a broad spectrum of painting styles. Painting naturally will give a French patina finish or watering it down will allow it to be used as a white wash and will show the wood grain in your flooring or furniture piece.

Photo taken at Country Roads Antiques



Photo taken at Country Roads Antiques









The chandelier dilemma: Finding a way to create what can't be found

Making the usual unusual...

$95 Chandelier from Home Depot

Hoisted to the garage door motor



Making it easy to spray paint yellow

A nice pop of color to our living room

Creativity abroad

Graffiti Art, Costa Rica, 2011

Because I like the unexpected



Two of my favorites from our engagment photo sesh



My latest work of art: my wedding!



Our wedding was on the North shore of Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point. My dad made signs that lead the guests on a path that meandered through a park on the way to the sand. 

A "shoe valet" awaited the guests at the end of the path

Our Mary Poppins moment

Our reception was at a private residence in Newport Beach which was so intimate and special

Traditional catering is boring and expensive, so I hired Soho Taco to feed my guests. The food was amazing and fresh as it was cooked to order.

I loved all of the different types of salsas they offered...it gave the food a little something special

While toasting, we sipped on champagne garnished with a sprig of lavendar



As the evening came to a close, we brought out the scotch and cigars. It was a special moment for everyone who stayed late and celebrated with us until the wee hours of the morning.



The best day of my life!

Resources:
Photography - Mike Good
Rentals - Baker Party Rentals, Costa Mesa
My dress - Saks Fifth Avenue
Bridesmaid dresses - JCrew
Grooms and Groomsman Attire - Seer sucker suit collection at JCrew.com
Florist - Jerry Disney, Carlsbad
Food - Soho Taco
Hair & Makeup - Salon Beliza, Huntington Beach
Paper Lanterns - lunabazaar.com
Parasols - lunabazaar.com
Place Cards - The Paper House, Costa Mesa

Wedding inspiration

This is what inspired my wedding day: