halloween part II

there simply are no words.

{go here to see the entire post about parker's costume, it will be the best five minutes of your day, via her mom me melodia & esb}

halloween!!!

this morning i had a chai and a pumpkin spice muffin. for lunch it was lentil soup. for dinner i think we will head over to flatbread for one of many fantastic fall options. and then after we gorge ourselves we are heading to our first halloween party in what seems like ages. the costumes have not been decided, which is slightly worrisome, but this is how it goes for us.

have happy weekends enjoying the fall and/or the halloween festivities ... you know if you aren't a curmudgeon.

{image found here}

my new carry all?

i'm not really sure i'm ever going to part with my canvas los alamos bag, which holds everything AND groceries, but i'm tempted to consider this one for things like, um, travel?

{found on refinery 29}

it's ok my dear

i think it would be nice to have a few of these in my pretty much non-existent arsenal of ridiculous hair pieces. i really, really want an arsenal of ridiculous hair pieces because when i say ridiculous i mean fabulous.

{it's ok my dear available here with more information here - and by more information i mean a link to her clothing}

it is maybe that time

you know, the time where little things start sticking for different reasons, gift giving reasons and nearly holiday time reasons. i love the holidays. the brisk weather and even more, the ridiculous amount of delicious food. this next month is maybe my FAVORITE month of the year, with the following month coming in at maybe 3rd ... though maybe second, depending on what mood you catch me in. any way, i've started to think of things that people i like might want, and also have started a wee list of my own. it is wee, mostly i would just like snow, but since i can't really ask for something like that i would happily take something like this :



yes a visual dictionary of curiosities. honestly i could think of nothing better ... ever. and an octopus on the cover ... my next set of cards is illustrated with an octopus.

this is on the list as well.

{found via unruly things, available here}

last weekend

we had a surprisingly not fall like weekend ... surfing saturday morning, which was, well cold. but also fun, and i think i managed to stand up once or twice before my feet turned into ice cubes. i would hands down go for another little adventure, maybe with neoprene booties though ... and a hood, yes definitely a hood.

then there were a few happy celebrations (hello one year of marriage!! for us and some friends).

and the meeting of a pretty fantastic emilia.

over all it was lovely, and very hot here (90 degrees YUCK). but i've decided it is about time i should embrace this weather we have, because one day i will find myself back in a world with seasons and i am sure i will then yearn for at least a little of this non-weather weather.

{fall leaves found here}

this weekend

mas went surfing for the first time ever last weekend and he is itching to go again. he swears i will not notice the cold water, i am hesitant. but he got me a surfboard and a wetsuit so i guess i'm going, tomorrow morning, before work, when it is cold both in and out of the water.

{image found here}

pass it along

cevd is hiring! if you or someone you know appreciates paper, doesn't mind retail sales, and is dying to work in los alamos* (you guys the bull above lives in los alamos and he is so sweet! you can feed him carrots and apples and celery) then it would be best to contact me, christine, at the following email address : christine@cevd.com.

*i'll speak to those that are merely willing to work in los alamos as well.

alice ritter

this girl steals my heart with every one of her collections.




it all started about four years ago when i came across (and refused to let go of) a delightful houndstooth suit type thing with a red(ish) poofy kind of sleeve button down. i pull the tops out of my closet to stare at them every once in a while. they make me ridiculously happy.

{images above from her SS10 collection by way of refinery29}

etsy shop update

new in the shop! a canvas bag, some thank you notes and a frances *inspired* journal.

incense

so i'm not the biggest on incense and when you couple that with my LOVE for candles you get a girl that only burned incense in 7th grade "secretly" in her room when she knew her mother would kill her for it. until yesterday. i came across the most wonderfully packaged and beautifully scented sticks by juniper ridge that now burn in the nest.

i nabbed juniper and white sage, and think they are both lovely.

um, yes

we could use a new blanket for our bed (well actually no, really we couldn't, but that doesn't mean we don't want one). and while i was looking at this pendleton blanket i began to wander, and then came across this collaboration, and well...



... it turns out we need a banket, and i need that jacket.

{pendleton meets opening ceremony more available here}

.cevd. custom invitation studio - paper goods + miscellany

and a few before pictures :

three things

i want these three things.

the nest

i'm a little late, and there is only one picture of the yard. turns out the nest was a shithole when my parents came and took pictures as opposed to just messy as i originally thought but perhaps you will forgive me, allow me to clean, and get back to you? soon?

our yard, and the garden we can start using ... if we ever get it together ... i know we are HORRIBLE.

coming attractions

i have pictures! and goodness there are a lot. so i will edit, and you will see ... on monday*. happy weekends!



*if you check back tomorrow you might even get a peek into the nest (a dirty nest, but the nest none the less).

delicious flags

did you see the ad campaign for the sydney international food festival? i.love.it. see more flags here.

{found on wide open spaces}

cake stands

we had custom cake stands made for our wedding by the lovely clara french and still have them. in fact i am a big fan of cake stands. if we had more room in the nest i would fill it further. but we don't and our wedding is over ... so how about one of you brides to be grab a few of these iacoli & mcallister stands, decorate them with scrumptious treats and love them forever?




{cake stands by iacoli & mcallister found via a thoughful day}

ps - i wouldn't say no to one of their corian or walnut rings either.

in love

love the soft pink. love the illusion of ruffles everywhere. love this wedding.

{found on once wed this morning}

and then there was a calm, a surprisingly normal and relaxing calm.

the store is done, the opening has occurred, and now i can concentrate on work. this weekend was fantastic and for now i will have to leave you with that, because i have so much to catch up on. i've been ignoring emails and blogs and work for the past few days and all of the good pictures are on my dad's computer which is currently en route back to the east coast. so later this week i will catch you all up on both the studio and the house ... yes full owl's nest footage.

the paper goods

{postal press}

i was excited about the candles and chocolate, but you guys, the paper goods (or rather the creators of the paper goods) that have agreed to be a part of this store are so freaking incredible i am kinda having a hard time believing that they are here ... i mean really alyson from postal press? jamie from a desert fete? peonies from peonies and polaroids (ok she is sticking to photos but those go on paper too)?

{peonies and polaroids}

i know, i know. i am one lucky girl.

{a desert fete - ps she will be opening up her own shop soon, but if you want to buy now just email me or her}

and there is more to come! mobiles from frazier and wing, more cards from suitor (the line of my old boss ... the one that ran an invitation studio in chicago and convinced me that it was maybe the best job ever ... site coming soon, i'll keep you updated). plus a few lovelies from peach press and of course pretty pretty paper will be represented.

ok, it is way past my bed time now and i fear that if i write any more it will all turn to nonsense. so farewell and come back tomorrow (or later today for everyone not on the west coast ... oopsie) for pictures of the store!!!!!

the goods

first up the miscellany. this is pretty exciting you guys. along with stationery and paper goods *which will be revealed later today* i decided that it would be a good idea to have some of my favorite things around. you know those things i used to be able to pick up in my every day life that i now how to order on-line or venture to la for (because if i like them other people must like them too, right?).



first up candles. i am kinda a candle FANATIC and this made the decision of picking a candle/candles a bit difficult. but in the end i could not have picked a better line to carry. malin + goetz have a pretty fantastic and slightly whimsical line of scents (with pretty killer packaging if i may add) that look oh so perfect on my new shelves. i am starting with vetiver and dark rum, but will soon be adding a few more.

second chocolate. and not just any chocolate, my most favorite chocolate combinations from my most favorite chocolate maker ever ... vosges! did you see that one coming? it was hard but i managed to limit myself to bacon and chocolate, peanut butter and chocolate and toffee and haven't eaten more than one for myself (a feat considering i'm alone with them all day long).

for now that is about it. i didn't want to dive too heavily into the miscellany without knowing what my client base was looking for, but i do have my eye on a few more items for the very near future. i'll keep you posted.

oh,oh please come back later for a look at the paper goods. you guys they are fantastic, i simply cannot wait to show you what i have in store.

the reason and the benefit

i already mentioned the food that drew us in and kept us here, but there was another reason for the move : the owl's nest. the cutest smallest little house around. coming in at about 550 sq ft this old, wood floored, poor septic system house MADE us fall in love with it. you see, it is chock full of charm. and now that we have our mouse problem taken care of we have found ourselves expressing our love for the nest at least three times a week.

(i will post more pictures once i have them but for now, just a peek into our bedroom)

and with the teeny tiny little house came absolutely zero room for me to work. mas was highly concerned about this and so on his way out of town after the very first visit he happened upon a for rent sign in a window of small retail space and well, the rest you will see later this week.

and now on to the benefit :





besides being able to have my very own space, carrying a few paper and non paper brands that i love, i also happened to have space for a press! it is small but it is mighty and now, all items produced by both cevd and pretty.pretty.paper are all printed in house! i cannot tell you how happy this makes me.

and tomorrow ... the goods. yes, everyone the miscellany that resides on the retail shelves. ohhhhhh i'm so excited about this part!

the food

it may sound crazy but, for a couple of people who more or less live for food, moving for a restaurant (or a restaurant and an amazingly wonderful and tiny nest) wasn't exactly a hard sell. in fact after our third dinner at full of life flatbread we began scanning craigslist for new homes.

you guys this place is phenomenal. everything served comes from farms and vendors within a 300 mile radius, it is all organic, and all ridiculously delicious. they have one solid constant menu of pizzas (friday and saturday only) but to call this establishment a pizza place would be crazy because they also have a constantly changing menu (and i mean constantly.changing.) of salads, entrees and desserts. on sundays they pretty much scrap their flatbreads and serve supper with some of the best pastas and meats i have ever had.

and now that we are so close (1.5 miles yay!) we eat here almost every day they are open ... almost. so, if you are ever in the area ... stop by for a bite and scan the room for us because we will most likely be partaking.

{photo via flatbread}

going local

so, as you all know i'm opening a studio/shop in a very few days and in honor of the efforts put in to this little rectangle i'm devoting the rest of the week to the story of the new beginning. and where better to start than with the city that started it all? (actually it was a restaurant that started it all, but that will come later in the day)


los alamos. a booming metropolis of say ... 500 or so people and the home of two fantastic restaurants (1&2), a few antique shops, a couple of art galleries, lots of cows, four chickens that cross the street in the middle of the afternoon, a tasting room, more than lots of grapes and one invitation company.

next up : the food, oh lord the food.

baja {dolphins, seals, jellyfish and whales}

i saw all of them ... a lot. it was fantastic. the first day on the boat we came across a pod of dolphins that consisted of (and i kid you not) at least 500 jumping and frolicking porpoises. then on the second day we swam with seals by a rock about a quarter of a mile from our anchorage. the whales came on the second to last day and the jellyfish (tiny but quite prevalent) we our constant companions. on our journey we saw about seven other boats, and about 6 other humans. the only thing that was missing was the appropriate amount of mexican food for a week long stay in mexico (though we did gorge ourselves on shore before we left). but please don't take this as a complaint about the food, we (or, um, rather a friend of mas' father) caught our dinner the majority of the nights and there was also an ample supply of avocados.

now on to the store opening...

ps - a mighty thanks to chelsea and erica for the guest posts, it is hard to keep a blog alive while in a total technologically black zone, and i appreciate your help. xoxo.