HAPPINESS IS...

Destination Charleston, SC

I'll be doing the Charleston for the next 5 days! My girlfriends and I are meeting Chucktown for our southern adventure. And an adventure it will be, since the weather forecasts thunderstorms during our entire stay!

We have quite the itinerary, thanks for your suggestions on what to see, eat and do. We'll also be squeezing in time to discuss our last-minute book club selection, The Prince of Tides, themed to our destination, of course.

I didn't have time to schedule posts while I'm away, so I apologize in advance for the radio silence next Monday through Wednesday. I'll be back in action on May 2nd with a full recap of our escapades.

Have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are in the world! Enjoy the links...

Inspired by Tuesday's post? Try DIY flower bombs.

7 ways to look better in photos.

This guy is one cool dad.

The anatomy of a cheese plate.

How to make your flowers last longer.

Grilled nectarine cups filled with mascarpone.

A very good motto to live by.

Hi, cute swimsuit.

A fun way to brighten up your closet.

This is how I wore my hair the day Hal and I met, 11 years ago yesterday!

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Pincurls & A Turban
• Ulala Collars
• DIY Teeny Tiny Houseplants

{Pre-edited image via Refashion}

Cheer

I know it's hard to remain cheerful with distressing events occurring in Boston. But I really think it's important to focus on the love in this world, which far outweighs the hate. Let's continue to root for the goodness in others.

Enjoy your weekend, my dears. Here are your links...

How we can help the people of Boston.

A true and beautiful post on energy.

Brighten rainy days with this DIY umbrella.

The entire Simpsons intro recreated with humans.

Grapefruit and brown sugar muffins.

Remember playing with parachutes as a child?

Awesome vintage photos of summer art school.

A colorful hexagon room makeover.

Would you wear map-print wedges?

Wish I could attend the Festival of Books at my alma mater!

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Wildfox White Label
• Astronauts & Butterflies
• A Timeless Pursuit

{Images via TypeToy by National Geographic, August 1960}

A Mother Daughter Day

What are you up to this weekend? My mom is coming up to Seattle for our friend's baby shower and we're planning to spend the rest of the day together, maybe taking a stroll along Alki Beach. Doing mother-daughter things. You know, like skipping rope in the sand and such.

Have a wonderful time, sweet peas. Please enjoy the links...

A build-your-own mimosa bar.

Green boxes delivered to your doorstep every month.

Beautiful split-grain wooden lamps.

What do you think of the  hold-the-hair-back strap?

The girl who lived in a billboard.

If you've ever wanted to go on the Sound of Music Tour...

3 sauces to dip artichokes in.

Make a music video for Ok Go.

Would you ever draw on bottom lashes?

A fun April Fool's explosion.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Long Pleated Skirts & Gowns
• Pogo Sticks
• Turning 70

{Images by Sven Türck}

Vintage Inspired Science Posters

I have a big time crush on these vintage-inspired science posters. Aren't they charming?

After moving into a cabin in the woods, artist and fellow Washingtonian, Jessica Rose turned to nature for inspiration. She began digitally illustrating images found in old text books and school charts. They're printed on textured canvas stretched between two slats of wood.


{Images by Vol 25}

My Wedding 12: Bridesmaid & Groomsmen Portraits

After our first look photos, I regrouped with my gals to take wedding party portraits. It was decided to do them before the ceremony so we could spend more time with our guests later on. Since we were walking to the beach, we slipped off our fancy heels and changed into comfortable flats. And me, into my beloved motorcycle boots.

I asked my bridesmaids to pick out their own vintage dress and hair accessories in the green, mint and gold color palette. I'm pretty sure they were each under $100. Don't they look fabulous? I wasn't quite sure how it would all come together, but I have to say, I couldn't have asked for a better mix of styles and shades. And their baby artichoke bouquets seal the deal!

The men were asked to find their own vintage (or vintage-inspired) suit and hat while Hal provided the green and gold ties he picked up at local thrift stores, including his own. The Harley Sportster was inherited from Hal's father and is his most prized possession. Makes for good tough-guy groomsmen pics, right?

This series cracks me up. I think Jon asked them to do something funny. So Hal apparently busted out a musical number. They look like an an all-male a cappella group.

We led the entire wedding party through a neighboring trail down to the beach. My brother and I used to spend our summers down here as kids, swimming in the Sound, building driftwood forts and searching for hidden treasures.

These walking shots made us laugh. We had to pretend like we were strolling at a normal speed. It felt like we were in a slow-motion movie scene. I loved how they turned out!

Next week... Hal and I alone on the beach.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

Mod Radio

This is how talented Jon Almeda is. Not only does he make up one-half of One Love Photo (our wedding photographers), but he's also a musician, makes pottery and most recently, revamps extra rad mod radios.

He finds them in local thrift shops and flea markets, guts them, and rebuilds each one with new high-quality speakers. They're converted from mono setup to a stereo configuration, so both left and right channels are heard, as music was originally intended. I adore them. I think my shelves at home would too.

I bet he has a few more projects under his belt that I'm unaware of. Jon, my friend, you're an inspiration! What's next?  :)


{Images via Mod Radio}

Get Happy 03: Tell Your Story

Did you know that telling someone about your troubles leads to greater happiness? I always thought woe-is-me talk led to negativity. I couldn't have been further from the truth.

According to a controlled lab experiment at Winston-Salem State University, our memory has a "natural bias to keep tabs on the good stuff and gradually lose the emotional intensity of a bad event". In other words, telling your story makes the memory fade faster than if the event was never recounted.

This is difficult for me, because I don't like to sound like I'm complaining all the time. Do you tell your stories to others, or do you keep all negative thoughts to yourself?


{Pre-edited images via Good Night Day by Gordon Parks}

Favorite Recipes On A Tea Towel

I baked these num num cookies a few weeks ago and received a few requests for the recipe on Instagram and Facebook. So here it is: the best vegan chocolate chip cookies EVER.

My mother adapted the recipe from Daily Garnish and wrote it down for me after I gobbled up her entire batch. So I wouldn't lose it, I scanned it in and had Lindsay from Small Home Designs print the hand-written recipe on a tea towel. She did an awesome job. It now hangs sweetly on our vintage oven.

To get the cookies soft and chewy, there's a secret ingredient that replaces the eggs... banana!

SOFT & CHEWY VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or regular butter if you're not vegan)
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (or 1/4 cup - they're pretty sweet)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed (or 1/4 cup)
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (almond, lactose-free, or regular milk works fine as well)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (or 3/4 cup if you like more chunks)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine dry ingredients (flours, baking soda, salt) in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), cream together Earth Balance with brown and cane sugars.
• Once the sugar mixture is light and fluffy, add the banana, vanilla, and milk and beat until combined.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet, beating just until mixed.  Fold in chocolate chips.
• Put 12 cookie dough balls on a greased cookie sheet. Press each cookie down a little to flatten, so they aren’t so round (I didn't press, because I like them super thick).
• Bake for 10 minutes until the bottoms are browned and the tops are slightly golden.
• Set aside on a cooling rack and let them cool before eating.

TIP: My mom and I love eating the cookies COLD - they taste amazing when you store them in the fridge or freezer. Does anyone else do this too?

My Wedding 07: The Website

For this week's wedding post, I'm revealing the website! My brother and I worked really hard on this puppy and it was one of my favorite parts of the wedding planning process. Because as you can see, it ties everything together. Our colors, our engagement photos/art, the vintage nostalgia theme from our save-the-dates and the movie theme from our invitations, now all make better sense.

I definitely could have made things simpler by using one of the many pre-designed wedding websites available. What, Shannon takes the easy road? Never! Christopher built his own wedding website many moons ago, so I was thrilled when he agreed to help with mine. I shared my design ideas and with his expert coding skills, he manifested a playful and interactive website for me and Hal to enjoy for life. Yay for big brothers who happen to be photographers AND web programmers!

The coolest thing he did was the randomization code for the main photo on the homepage. I asked him to animate our head-shots so that one of us was always looking at the other at the wrong time. (This is something silly Hal and I do together for a laugh). But Christopher thought, and I now agree, that we should eventually look AT each other. He made it so we catch each other's eyes... sometimes! You have to watch for awhile to even realize our heads are turning back and forth.

For the PLOT header, we told our story. How we met, fell in love, broke up, got back together, broke up again, and reconnected for good. I don't think I've ever shared with you our full history before. So if you'd like to read up.. pour yourself a cup of tea and kick back. It's a long one!

The CAST & CREW part was extra fun. Since I already knew we'd be premiering our Amelie-inspired movie at the wedding (the video was added to the site later), I dug out our toddler photos and came up with a few more likes and dislikes that didn't make it into the movie.

We asked our bridesmaids and groomsmen to do the same. The result is a hilarious and quirky mix of cutie pie childhood photos and personality tidbits of our friends.

Christopher made a nice horizontally scrolling gallery of our engagement photos/art. This was the first time they were revealed, so I'm sure our guests were somewhat bewildered!

Hal had been collecting songs for our wedding soundtrack since before we got engaged. Combined with my own list of tunes that remind us our relationship, the list was 50 songs deep! We only wanted to give out one reasonably lengthed album as wedding favors, so we majorly cut it down to 20, plus a hidden track. It's an awesome sentimental-to-us mix of old soul, classic jazz, 90's rock and hip hop.

To save some stamps, we asked our guests to RSVP online. Christopher installed a clever form box that pulls down from the top.

As you click on each header, the body scrolls down to a new section of the site. At the very bottom of the GIFTS page, we put in a secret photo of us dangling from monkey bars. Some of our guests told us later they never knew it was there. Surprise!

So that's everything. What do you think? Are we nuts or what? To fully experience the entire website, visit:  www.shannonandhal.com

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

{Images by Christopher Bachmann}

Custom Vintage Photo Drawings

These pieces make me smile. Aren't they sweet?

If you send Lauren a vintage photograph, she'll extend the scene as a detailed drawing to a place where the past and present meet.


{Images via Spencer Studio by Lauren Spencer King}

Vintage Picture Books

Swoooon! Mid-century illustrations get me every time. And these are the real deal. Mallory collects vintage children's books and sells them from her Etsy shop, Elwood & Eloise. They're all out-of-print, so each one is super rare.

Do you own any awesome picture books from the past?


{Images via Elwood & Eloise; Illustrations by: 1. Adrienne Adams; 2. Rosalind Welcher; 3. Robert E. Barry; 4. Fritz Kredel}

My Wedding 06: The Movie Premiere

Loves, I've been dying to show you our wedding movie!

Last year, I gave you a sneak preview with a few film stills. At the time, I hadn't seen any actual footage and was nervous about the final product. But Katia Herrera, our fabulous director, proved I had nothing to fear. She knocked it out of the park!

Hal and I are pretty big movie buffs. We loved the idea of setting up an outdoor screen at the wedding for our guests to watch classic flicks from blankets on the grass underneath the stars. A true green carpet premiere. But rather than showing full-length features, we landed an opportunity to make our own 3 minute, 28 second movie instead.

While writing the screenplay, I was inspired by one of my favorite movies of all time, Amelie. I wanted to tell our story in a similar fashion, to reinforce an emerging theme of our wedding: vintage childlike nostalgia and simple pleasures.

And here's where I gush. I watched Katia's save-the-date videos and immediately knew she'd be able to bring our vision to life. She is talent, folks. If you're a future bride looking for a super creative wedding photographer or videographer, Katia is your gal. She's based in Mexico, but is expanding globally and loves to travel. I adore working with people who get as excited about a project as I do.

So now, ladies and gentlemen, your feature presentation... 2G4E (together forever).

Sit back with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy!

Director & Cinematographer: Katia Herrera
Assistant & French Voiceover: Samuel Catherine
Editors: Katia Herrera & Marcelo Hdz
Music: Amelie Soundtrack by Yann Tiersen

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

My Wedding 04: Tahoe Bachelorette Weekend

Last February, I gave you a teaser of my bachelorette with photos of the incredible Lake Tahoe house we stayed in. If you missed that post, make sure to go here and see Stonehenge in all its glory.

Exactly one year later, here are the photos from the rest of the trip. Me and my best girlies, playing the role of retro snow bunnies.

Upon my arrival in Reno, I was greeted by my friend Jenny's handmade bachelorette banner and a private SUV to take us to the house in style. My sneaky maid of honor, Robin, stocked it with bottles of champagne on ice. We arrived at Stonehenge giddy to meet the rest of the gals. As soon as I walked in the door and saw all of my favorite faces together in one room, I burst into tears for reasons mentioned earlier. It was such a beautiful and surreal moment. We spent the rest of the evening catching up, feasting on fondue, sipping bubbly and singing a cappella. This is what happens when you put 12 singers in a house together.

The next day, Robin made us my favorite mac n' cheese for lunch. It was gorgeous out so we decided to eat outside and soak up the sun.

Before the trip, I asked the gals to bring a retro bib overall snowsuit. You know, the kind you wore when you were 5? I found my super 70's bright green one, with a matching striped jacket, on eBay for $20. 

We thought it'd be fun to wear them topless in the snow. There was no one around except us, and hey, it was hot out! My bib artfully covered all pertinent lady parts. Others, however, did not.

Once it got dark, we nestled around the fireplace to open gifts. My gals got me a massive amount of lingerie for the honeymoon. And I got my gals hot chocolate on a stick and hand-crocheted mug cozies. I wrote about those cuties here.

Then we got glammed up for a night on the town. Like a good maid of honor, Robin took note of my aversion to typical bachelorette paraphernalia and surprised us with classy masquerade masks to wear instead. We ate latin fare for dinner and went dancing at a nearby club. This is normally not my scene, but I was feeling rather adventurous underneath the mask. Definitely in the mood to dance till I dropped. And dropped a few times, I did! Pictures not included. We came home and relaxed in the outdoor hot tub until the wee hours of the morning. 

On Sunday, I said goodbye to some of the ladies who had to leave. The rest of us lounged around the house in our pajamas for most of the day. We watched the Oscars that night and had a Little Mermaid sing-a-long slumber party.

And then woke up to this. I got my snow! Piles and piles of it.

My grade-school friend, Shawn, and I strapped on our matching Sorel boots for some outdoor play.

Don't ask why we attempted to do the splits. Bad idea.

All good things must come to an end. Have you ever tried to roll out luggage in a blizzard? It's quite comical. We were flying out that day and our airport ride's car broke down. After some panic, we thankfully made it in the nick of time, all planes departing on schedule.

And to finish with a bang, the Red Hottie slot machine spewed out $180 for me at the airport! I couldn't believe my luck.

The weekend was one I'll never forget. Big thanks and mad crazy love to my darlings, Robin, Kate, Tara, Jenny, Shauna, Tiffany, Alissa, Melanie, Lauren, Valerie, Shawn and Nicole, for going out of your way to make it happen. xo

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

Red Lips & White Snow

Admiring this beautiful photo of Katie, taken shortly after she got engaged. She reminds me Snow White and this girl. Don't you love how her red lips and pink cheeks just pop?

Have a special weekend, dear ones. Please enjoy the links...

Super Bowl entertaining essentials.

Incredibly creative business cards from Alt Summit.

Do you stress when hosting friends?

This bride & groom made abstract art during their ceremony!

Cute black cat nails.

Makeup tips for girls who wear glasses.

My favorite color is the Pantone Color of the Year!

Funky tattooed bananas.

Get your man a broquet for V-Day (the Woodsman cracks me up).

Sweet pics of Obama with his mama.

 

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Under The Waves
• A Birthday Party In A Box
• Studies In Landscapes & Wardrobes

 

{Image by Katie Louise Ford}

Words To Work By

Such great 60's-inspired designs by Asia Pietrzyk to kick our bums into gear and be more productive at the office. The inspirations really work! I just put down my coffee cup and obsessively saved this post.


{Images by Asia Pietrzyk}

My Wedding 03: Bridesmaid Proposals

For today's wedding Wednesday post, I'd like to share with you how I proposed to my darling bridesmaids.

I debated long and hard about whether or not to have bridesmaids at all. I know how girls complain about being one. Let's face it. It can be expensive, awkward, and there's always a chance of drama. But ultimately, I realized I needed their support.

Choosing my girl posse was difficult. I'm terrible with decisions, can you tell? I've been blessed with many close female friendships in life, so if bridesmaids were happening, there would be many. I chose 7 women to stand by my side. 3 from high school, 4 from college. There were a few others I would have liked to include, but Hal put his foot down, rightly so. I figured/hoped the gals I didn't ask were confident enough in our friendship so as to not take it personally.

I thought about how I could propose to them in a meaningful and original way. How were we all connected?

Books! We were all readers and 3 of the gals were in my book club. One day, while perusing a thrift shop, I happened upon the sweetest little vintage book: Friendship, by Hugh Black, published in 1901. I brought it home and miraculously found 6 more copies with the same cover through various online used book stores.

Inside each book, I placed a wooden bookmark engraved with their name.

As they flipped through the book, my proposal was slowly revealed in the top right hand corner. Initially, I planned to dog-ear the pages and write on the book directly, but it felt wrong to mark it all up. Instead, I cut off the corners of colored envelopes and placed them over the paper's edge like a slipcover. This way, the girls could take them off and have a keepsake book free of bridesmaid talk.

I don't like the word, bridesmaid, so I changed their title to special lady friend!

On the back inside cover, I glued a matching envelope with a card. In my tiniest handwriting, I wrote down all our shared memories. And asked if they'd like to make yet another.

They said, YES!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

Classic Beauty Secrets From Downton Abbey

I finally jumped on the Downton Abbey bandwagon. And I admit, it took me until Season 3 to fully understand the hype. But now I'm hooked. Oh, the drama!

Like Mad Men, I get a kick out of the ladies' period costumes, fashions, and hairstyles. There are some important, and amusing, beauty lessons to be learned from the show, as discovered by Sharon of Daily Glow:

1. Your complexion always looks better in candlelight.
2. For an instant anti-aging trick, stand next to someone who's at least 30 years your senior.
3. Don't underestimate the power of a red lip.
4. You'll never have a bad hair day if you stick to braids and updos.
5. When in doubt, wear a hat.

Last night, I was feeling under the weather so I went to bed early with my iPad and snuggled up with the Grantham fam. After a marathon viewing session, I'm all caught up. The episode that aired last night had me bawling like a baby!

Have you been watching?


{Pre-edited images via: 1. GriffenStar7; 2. Bronte Queen; 3. Fab Sugar; 4. PBS; 5. My Luscious Life; 6. Becky Renee}

My Wedding 02: DIY Save-The-Date Paper Dolls

I'm thrilled to share with you our save-the-dates!

To get the guests revved up about the wedding, I wanted to send them something unexpected. Something they could play with. Our theme wasn't yet established, but we knew we would ask our guests to come dressed in their vintage best. Racking my brain, I thought about old toys that conjure up nostalgic memories for all generations. Paper dolls? I bounced the idea off my mom and her eyes lit up. Yes!

I tried to draw the paper dolls myself, but failed miserably. So instead, we Photoshopped our heads onto vintage doll bodies. My mom and I scoured eBay for the perfect bride and groom with acceptable underclothes. I scored the perfect retro set! It came with hilarious outfits and accessories for the big day, the wedding night, and the honeymoon. No black kitties, but I found another hand-drawn cat image for Bailey. She had to be included, of course.

Initially, I planned to print on magnetic paper so guests could hang us on their fridge as a reminder. But I discovered reusable adhesive fabric instead. It's more affordable, lightweight, easy to cut, ink jet printer friendly, and leaves no residue. You simply peel off the backing and stick it to any flat surface.

Do you remember the hand-carved face stamp I had made? It was put to good use on our envelopes! I also got a custom address rubber stamp from NoteTrunk and designed a very simple H ♥ S logo for our postage stamps from Zazzle.

We got great feedback from our guests. Even my grandma loved them, which could have gone either way. A few friends sent us photos of the tux on me, the gown on Hal, and the garter around Bailey's neck!

P.S. For this project, a big thank you goes out to my mom, my brainstorm and research partner, my brother, the Photoshop wizard who made sure our heads looked like they belonged on our bodies, and my husband, who agreed to be seen by the world in shorty shorts and black knee high socks.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by Christopher Bachmann Photography}

A Day At The Dinosaur Park

Loving this photoshoot for Rookie Magazine. It's very Moonrise Kingdom, don't you think?

Growing up, we didn't have a dinosaur park in town, but we did have Never Never Land with oversized nursery rhyme characters. I specifically remember a giant Humpty Dumpty. Sounds creepy, I know. But my 5-year old self thought otherwise. Sadly, the park has been demolished and many of the figurines are for sale.

One day, I plan to roadtrip across America, visiting as many random nostalgic roadside attractions as possible. Does anyone know where this dinosaur park is? Does it look familiar to you?

 

{Images by Eleanor Hardwick}

Our Weekend At Wellspring - Part 1

Hi friends! I'm back from my birthday weekend at Mount Rainier. We stayed at Wellspring Spa & Retreat, an easy 1.5 hour-drive from Seattle. This place is unreal. I truly think it's one of Washington's best kept secrets.

Wellspring is a boutique eco-resort near the base of the mountain, nestled within a 10-acre forest sanctuary. The property is sprinkled with with cozy cottages, safari huts, and even a tree house. Sunny, the owner, kindly put us up in the Tatoosh Lodge, the main cabin with a huge stone fireplace, a full kitchen and custom built 10-foot cedar dining table. Al Gore stayed here once upon a time. We suspect his visit was the inspiration behind An Inconvenient Truth.

Upstairs is an 8-person sleeping loft where our friends slept. It felt like camp!

Hal and I stayed in The Nest, a super romantic room with a hanging bed and skylight above to watch the stars. It felt like we were sleeping on a boat, being gently rocked to sleep.

The first morning, I sat with my steaming cup of tea in front of the fire, feeling giddy with content. No cell phones or internet to disturb the peace. I should go off-the-grid more often.

Well, I do admit. I sort of missed reading Facebook wall posts on my birthday. But that could wait. I was in a gorgeous rustic cabin surrounded by quiet natural beauty. I was more relaxed than I've been in quite some time.

Icicles!

For dinner, we set up a gourmet baked potato bar. Inspired by Joanna's smorgasboard, I went all out with toppings. There were the basics: butter, cheddar, sour cream, green onions and black pepper. And the more unusuals: steak, chicken and bacon (for Hal and the omnivores), goat cheese, gorgonzola, brie, parmesan, balsamic mixed veggies, mushrooms in white wine, grilled onions, sauteed garlic, sweet corn, broccolini, brussels sprouts, heirloom tomatoes, roasted red pepper spread, vodka marinara, artichoke dip, hot sauce, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, black beans, pickled jalapenos, baby cornichons, fresh basil, rosemary, cilantro and parsley. Phew! Best baked potatoes of my life.

In lieu of gifts, I asked my friends to bring a board game. Surprisingly, the most used game of the night was one that we found in the closet. Headbanz! Before you judge, it's harder than it looks.

Tomorrow, I'll show you around the magical snow-covered grounds!

OUR WEEKEND AT WELLSPRING - PART 2


{This post is courtesy of Wellspring Spa & Retreat}

My Huge Collection of Green Vintage Bottles For Sale

The sale of my mismatched vintage china was a big success. A very sweet couple found my blog post and picked them up for their own wedding this summer. I love knowing they'll be put to good use. So I thought I'd do the same with my other collection of 307 green vintage bottles.

Here are the goods:

• 102 small assorted medicine bottles without labels: $200
• 192 antique German beer bottles in their original segregated cases: $300
• 13 large assorted bottles & vases: FREE with the above

At my wedding, each bottle held a single dahlia.They looked lovely lined up along the center of our long tables, catching light from the sun. Green bottles are very rare! I'm asking $500 for the entire lot, much cheaper than scouting them out individually. I'd love to not break up the set, but will consider it, if necessary.

If you're a Northwest bride or vintage rental business and would like to snatch these beauties up before I advertise elsewhere, please email me. First come, first serve!


{Images 1-2. me; 3. One Love Photo}

DIY - Mid-Century Holiday Putz Houses

Have you heard of a putz house? They were miniature dime-store cardboard homes from back in the day. They're called "putz" for "puttering" around. Kate's family has a small treasured collection of them passed down from her grandmother, but she wanted to make her own, mid-century style. Aren't they darling?

If you'd like to recreate your own little retro winter village, check out her step-by-step instructions and downloadable house patterns.

They'd also make a groovy gingerbread house, don't you think?


{Pre-edited images via Retro Renovation}

Our Engagement Pics on 100 Layer Cake!

I'm so honored to be featured on one of my favorite wedding websites, 100 Layer Cake! Have you seen it? They posted our engagement photos. Blush!

A little back story. Hal was very adamant on not doing typical engagement pics. If it were up to him, we wouldn't have done them at all and I'm sure a lot of men would agree. So I tried to come up with an idea he would like, that represented us, minus the cheese. And he was down with retro graphic art.

I turned to Christopher, my photographer brother, for a sibling collaboration. He captured Hal and I goofing around in front of a green screen, doing things we actually do together in real life. Christopher then sent me the cut-outs of our bodies and I arranged them in Photoshop, adding different shapes, colors and other graphic elements.

If you've been following me for awhile, you'll know I was somewhat secretive about this and other details of our wedding. But I'm thinking about doing a new series starting in January: a weekly post about all the stages of my wedding planning, from how I asked my girlfriends to be bridesmaids, to our save-the-dates, to our website and everything in between. This will lead up to our professional photos of the big day.

What do you think? Would you be interested in learning about the behind-the-scenes of my wedding planning process?


{Photography by Christopher Bachmann}

Molly & Morgan of Late Bloomers Vintage

Meet Molly (left) and Morgan (right). This sweet shot was taken at our wedding right before the ceremony began. We had our guests come dressed in their vintage best, and these two won the unofficial 'Best Dressed' award from our wedding photographers!

Together they own the Etsy shop, Late Bloomers Vintage, and I'd like to share with you their story...

Describe your personal style:

Molly:  My personal style is a thrifty mess of girly, cozy, and form-over-function goodies. In the fall I love to wear reds, golds, and olive tones to match the autumn glow. To get through the winter, I love white and pastels- my winter coat is a bold baby teal parka. Warmer weather is all dresses and bright colors. I love anything that is a complete outfit on its own- i.e. dresses or rompers. My footwear is always heeled- boots and wedges entirely. I have an aversion to flats and practical footwear in general. My wardrobe is almost entirely vintage and second hand- this makes it original and sustainable. My style is a solid attempt at showing the true image of my prancing pony heart.

Morgan:  My personal style is very much a throwback to my childhood. Growing up, I was a serious tomboy who loved to shop for collared button downs in the boys department of Old Navy. I refused to wear any of the girls clothing. In elementary school I went through an Adidas sweatsuit phase, planning my outfits in preparation of recess. Even then, I hated the tight fit of girl’s clothing and I knew that more masculine clothing suited my style and body type better. Both of these elements- preppy classics and activewear- are still in my wardrobe to this day. I love having my basics. I’m currently a big fan of straight-leg chinos and button downs with a nice pair of oxfords, but I still have a love for high-tops and t-shirts - so I love to combine them both in unexpected ways.

What made you decide to open up shop and work together?

Late Bloomers was a complete whim.

Molly:  After graduating college and working customer service for 2 years concurrently, my tolerance for limitations hit a wall. I just had to get into something that I was the boss of, and that would be fun and creative. My frustrations sparked the idea, which had long been an interest of mine. I couldn’t have done it without Morgan, who has the design and detail skills to balance out my big picture, social, and business oriented strengths.

Morgan:  When Molly came home and said she wanted to quit her job and start in the vintage business, I was really excited about it. Even then, I just felt like it made sense. It combines our complementary skills perfectly, and would give me another outlet for my photography.

What advice would you give to others if they wanted to leave their 9-5 and work for themselves?

Molly:  I would say that trying to start your own business is crazy, and also its one of the best ways to feel like you actually have some creative control over your life. I’d say save a little, but mostly just jump in. In my opinion, going all in (at least at the beginning) is the best way to get things off the ground.

After I put in a couple of months solidly on the business, I was able to take on some other paying work to help balance out start-up costs. One of the great things about starting your own business is that you get to decide how big or small you want it to be, and to determine the rate at which you have the time and energy to make it grow.

One of the best pieces of advice I could give is to only do the homework you must do. Before you open up a text book on business taxes, talk to people who have already done the research. I started out by asking everyone I know who is self-employed, creatively employed, has ever worked freelance, or even dreamed of starting a business- how to do it. The advice people in your own circle can give you will save you a lot of time- they will point you in the right direction and help you learn from their mistakes. When you are ready to pick up a book, start with The Anti 9-5 Guide by Michelle Goodman. It’s practical, fun to read, and chock-full of resources.

...

Thanks, ladies! And a treat for you, my dear readers. Molly & Morgan are offering 15% off any Late Bloomers Vintage purchase. Just use the check-out code: HAPPINESS IS.

If you're in Seattle, you can catch them at ArtAche every first Sunday of the month (3pm-8pm) and a number of other pop-up markets around town. Watch them on Facebook to find out where they'll be.


{Image by One Love Photo}

Mismatched Vintage Wedding Plates For Sale

It's time to say goodbye to my collection of beloved mismatched vintage china. I don't have room for them and my mom wants them out of her house.

In the year leading up to the wedding, we collected 118 dinner plates and 67 dessert plates from various thrift stores. They really looked lovely lined up on our long tables. I thought about renting them out to other brides in the area, but I don't want to deal with hauling and storing. It sort of breaks my heart to let them go. But I did sneak out my favorite set to keep!

Are you a Northwest bride or vintage rental business looking for a hand-picked collection of mismatched plates? I'm announcing it here before posting on Craigslist or wedding boards. We are asking $300 for the full lot, which is still cheaper than scouting them individually. And much more convenient.

Please email me if you're interested. First come first serve.

UPDATE: The plates have been sold!

Une Chanteuse Française

Some fun news, friends. In a few weeks, I'll be channeling my inner Bardot to sing a little French ditty for Bellefleur Lingerie's big 10th anniversary fashion show. I don't speak a lick of French, so memorizing nonsensical-to-me syllables is quite difficult, but I'm up for the challenge!

Hint: If you've seen the latest season 5 of Mad Men, you may know the tune! Any guesses? :)

During my inspiration search for performance attire, I came across this sultry photoshoot of the epitome of modern French glamour, miss Marion Cotillard, post La Vie En Rose. Stunning, no?

P.S. If you'll be in Seattle on December 16th and would like to attend the fashion show, here is the flyer for more information. There are only a few tickets left!


{Images via Le Figaro Madame by Dominique Issermann}

Classic Catwoman

How have I never been Catwoman for Halloween? Tragic, really. I think you'll like our costumes this year. We'll be attending a few parties, so I'll make sure to take good photos for the blog. What are you dressing up as? And don't tell me you're not dressing up! :)

Have a wicked Halloween weekend, my friends. Here are some links to get you in the mood...

Catwoman's baby?

Colorful pumpkin string art.

15 spooky treats.

Ghostly potato soup.

DIY cheesecloth spirits.

Bone cookie invitations.

10 books that will scare you silly.

A white Halloween.

Stunning spiderweb eye makeup.

4 last minute couples costume ideas.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Costume Hunting
• Vintage Witches
• Black Cat Auditions

{Images via: 1. Bond-Tastic; 2. Bikes and The City}

Why I Love Him - Reason #1

He wants to spend his life with me! That's why I love him. Through highs and lows. Ebbs and flows. He will be beside me, experiencing the world, hand in hand. And it's the most comforting feeling I've known.

Today will be my last day here, but I won't leave you in the cold. I have daily guest bloggers scheduled for the next 3 weeks while I prep for the wedding and relax on my honeymoon. Please stop by to read their beautiful words, thoughts and advice on the theme of lasting love.

Thank you, my darling dears, for your incredible support over the past year. I look forward to sharing all experiences upon my return. HUG!

P.S. Happy blue moon!


{Image by Christopher Bachmann}

Saying A Little Prayer

My lovely loves, I ask that you do me a favor. When you read this, please send a silent prayer into the universe for a glorious 75 degree day on September 8th in Gig Harbor, Washington.

Reason being? We have no back-up tent! Call me crazy, but they're thousands of dollars. I'd rather dance in the rain than fork over that much dough for something I may not use.

So back to that prayer. I figure if enough people hope hard enough, the heavens have no reason not to comply. Thank you sweet readers. Much appreciated! xo


{Image via LYST}

My Bridal Hair Trial

Tonight, I have my bridal hair trial. I've collected a good amount of photos for inspiration and I'm hoping the stylist and I will come up with the perfect wedding hairdo built around my headpiece. It's an antique German Jugendstil / art nouveau crown! Even more fascinating, it came with a matching corsage and a small pillow embroidered with the names of the bride and groom who wore it back in 1911. All inside the original wooden heart-shaped box.

Have a lovely weekend, honey bees! Please enjoy the links...

Did you know today is daffodil day?

Because I often doubt my decisions, I love this quote.

Stain your lips with Kool-Aid.

What would you tell your 25-year old self?

A cheeky cheese platter.

Is it a bookcase or a garage door?

A big floppy hair bow tutorial.

How to carve more time into your day.

Incredible sea floor sculptures.

Famous album covers recreated with socks.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Chinese Fortune Sticks
• My Love Grub Recipe
• A Chapel I'd Get Married In

{Image via My Daily Glamour}

Heat Waves

We're having a heat wave here in Seattle. Normally, I can't handle temperatures above 90 degrees, but since our summer has been relatively mild, it's a nice change of pace.

Stay cool, my sweets! Here are a few links for your amusement...

Roasted strawberry, brie & chocolate grilled cheese.

40 great literary names for babies.

A fun illustrated movie poster wedding invite.

How to take a road trip with just the girls.

A vintage cheeseboard wall.

Who knew that cats could be trained?

12 pretty stone fruit recipes.

A colored pencil tree.

This talented gal sewed her own swimsuit.

Concrete stepping stones that look like pillows.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Sheet Music Doodles
• Watermelon Balsamic Cubes
• Separated At Birth

{Image via Culture Club by Getty Images}

A Polaroid Wall Collage

It took me over a year to figure out if the vintage Polaroid land camera I picked up at the thrift store was in working condition. But I finally hunted down the proper battery and film and I happy to say... it works! Thankfully, it came with the original user guide. To take just one image, there are multiple levers to tweak, tabs to pull, and seconds to count. It's complicated and fascinating.

At the wedding, we're planning to take a Polaroid of each guest as they arrive and check in. What we're going to do with the photos is still unknown. But how fantastic would a huge wall collage be? Of the sweet faces of our favorite people in the world.


{Images via I Art You by Palihouse}

A Bicycle Bar

Ed and Joe dress up in old English gents attire and deliver cocktails to the good people of London on their vintage butcher's bicycle bar. They call their "pop-up drinks project" the Traveling Gin Co. It's a brilliant concept really. Reminds me of Tiffany's sandwich and cake delivery bike. I hope these boys cycle overseas soon!


{Images via Remodelista by The Traveling Gin Co.}

The Big Birthday Boy

A cutie pie then. A cutie pie now. Hal's birthday is today and although people think he's in his mid-twenties, he's actually turning, dun dun dun... thirty-nine. Not quite the big one, so we'll keep it low key until next year's mega bash. The universe has gifted him a wild summer thunderstorm, so we'll probably stay cozy indoors. He has requested The Dark Night Rises at Cinebarre if the lines aren't too long.

Have a fun weekend, loves! Please enjoy the links...

5 DIY indoor herb gardens.

Gold medal cookies for the Olympics.

Kitty paw earrings and a cat ear ring.

A sweet heart-shaped meadow love story.

These plastic hats were a real thing?

Trying out this taco recipe soon.

Is it weird that I want a hoodie pillow?

A lollipop house.

3 fresh twists on the old ponytail.

People leaning with trees.

Would you wear a gold wedding gown?

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Dapper Men & Dashing Ladies
• What The Sea Said...
• Cracks

Mod Cat Prints

Stylish kitties in retro rooms. I'm always a sucker for mod cat art. Kerry Beary's giclee and gocco prints are darling, no?

P.S. Bailey update: she's feeling so much better! For you sweet readers who were concerned, I took my kitty in for her 1-month check-up after being diagnosed with kidney disease, she gained an entire pound, and both her BUN and Creatinine levels were drastically lower. I don't know whether it's the reiki, the prescription food, the sub-Q fluids, the nutritional supplement, or the herbal Tripsy. But something is working! It's probably a combo of everything, including your healing thoughts and love. I'm one happy cat mama.


{Images by Kerry Beary}

Swinging From A Cloud

Have a summery weekend, kids. Hope you're up to something fun! Here are a few links for your amusement...

Watermelon grilled cheese bites.

My little Bailey would love this.

My favorite film dress of all time.

Would you wear a mermaid tail?

6 apps for date night.

How to build a thumb piano.

Beautiful handpiece jewelry.

Mr. Rogers remixes are the best.

The perfect wavy hair.

Anthropologie's summer playlist.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Custom House Portraits
• Mozzarella Bars
• Roller Skate Dates 

{Image via The Paris Apartment}

Ch-Ch-Changes

It's fairly obvious, but I was ready for some changes 'round here. My old blog design was getting on my nerves. For the first time since starting Happiness Is in 2009, I decided to freshen up this space. Please bear with me as I'm still tweaking a few things.

So far, I'm really happy with how it looks. What do you think? I kept the layout the same, but designed a new header, switched out heavier colors for lighter ones, eliminated the background and changed the profile pic.

I wanted to simplify and declutter. My goal was for people to land here and feel a sense of calm and peace. I hope that comes across.


{Image via Tenka Gammelgaard}

Independence Day

Happy Independence Day to all my American friends! Are you up to anything exciting? The sun is out so we'll be dressing up in some red, white & blue, hitting up a friend's BBQ during the day, then watching a fireworks show from the dock of my Grandma's old house on the lake. Oh how I love the 4th of July.


{Image via Burlap and Basil}

Marilyn-Style Bathing Suits

Now we can all look like Marilyn Monroe! Or at least pretend. These might be the most glamorous retro bathing suits I ever did see. Ladies, would you wear one?


{Images via Marie Claire Spain by Amaya Arguaga}

So Much Happiness

So Much Happiness

It is difficult to know what to do with so much happiness.
With sadness there is something to rub against,
a wound to tend with lotion and cloth.
When the world falls in around you, you have pieces to pick up,
something to hold in your hands, like ticket stubs or change.

But happiness floats.
It doesn't need you to hold it down.
It doesn't need anything.
Happiness lands on the roof of the next house, singing,
and disappears when it wants to.
You are happy either way.
Even the fact that you once lived in a peaceful tree house
and now live over a quarry of noise and dust
cannot make you unhappy.
Everything has a life of its own,
it too could wake up filled with possibilities
of coffee cake and ripe peaches,
and love even the floor which needs to be swept,
the soiled linens and scratched records…..

Since there is no place large enough
to contain so much happiness,
you shrug, you raise your hands, and it flows out of you
into everything you touch. You are not responsible.
You take no credit, as the night sky takes no credit
for the moon, but continues to hold it, and share it,
and in that way, be known.

~ Naomi Shihab Nye

{Images via The Visually Intriging by Helmut Newton}

Gina & Dan's Save-The-Date

I couldn't resist sharing with you my friend Gina's adorable budget-friendly save-the-date video. She and her fiance, Dan, shot it all on their iPhone, processed it with an app to make it look old-timey, and did a quick edit on iMovie. Their wedding venue is a 1920's-30's docked ferry boat here in Seattle, so it ties in with the era perfectly. And it gave them a chance to involve their beloved dog, Theo. Isn't it darling?

Lounging Poolside

I'm off to Arizona for my maid of honor's bachelorette weekend. Her sister rented a glamorous pad where Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra used to shack up once upon a time. I'm looking forward to lounging poolside. Gabbing with the girls. Lounging poolside. Eating home cooked meals. And lounging poolside. Did I mention it's going to be 100+ degrees? Eek!

I didn't have time to round up the normal weekend links, so please forgive me! Have the happiest of weekends honey buns! xo


{Images via: 1. Kate Spade; 2. Art.com by Lisa Larsen}

Blanket Style

According to the February issue of Vogue 1963, blankets were a fashion accessory. They're like evening wear Snuggies!

Let's bring them back, ladies, what do you say?


{Images via My Vintage Vogue by Gordon Parks}

Movie Making

We did a little movie making over the weekend and had such fun filming. It still needs to be edited, but the plan is to screen it at the wedding.

The whole process took me back to grade school, filming cheesy home videos with my brother over the summer. We thought they were sooo good at the time. I need to dig them out and watch them again for a laugh. Did you ever make home movies as a child?


{Images via: 1. Classic Film TV; 2. Urban Bound}

The Autograph Bathing Suit

Oh the things men invented in 1950. The "Autograph Suit" could be drawn on and wouldn't erase in water. Aren't these photos hysterical?


{Images via Retronaut by Bernard Hoffman}

Lady Perfume Bottles

While browsing eBay, I was admiring this green perfume bottle collection. Shortly after, I happened upon Rebecca's whimsical ceramic lady perfume bottles with atomiser bulbs. Naturally, I take this to mean the universe wants me to start a vintage perfume bottle collection. They really are quite charming and feminine, aren't they?


{Images via More Design Please by Rebecca Wilson}

An Atomic UFO Nursery

This 50's atomic style nursery is so original. Annie and her husband made their own alien felt pillows and painted the wall mural to resemble the Portland city skyline with a UFO beaming down upon the crib. That Victor Caden is one lucky kid.


{Images via AT by Wise Design}

Color Spotting

My latest obsession... color spotting over black and white photos. These are by Alexandra Valenti and almost look as though they've been painted over. They're like playful vintage dreams.


{Images via City Meets The Shore}

Matchbook Sketches

Remember when businesses gave out matchbooks as a form of advertising? Krista finds vintage ones and sketches on the inside flap. She looks up where the business used to be on Google Maps and draws whatever's there now. Some businesses are still going strong decades later, some show a change of name or ownership, while others show torn down buildings, parking lots or empty fields. Fascinating!


{Images via XACharles by Krista Charles}

A Barnum & Bailey Bunny

Circa 1946. She's a showgirl from the Barnum & Bailey Circus. And she's awesome. Don't you wish you could see the rest of her outfit?

Have a special Easter weekend, honey buns. Here are a few amusing links for your enjoyment...

What to wear this Sunday.

Gold chocolate eggs and gold dipped eggs.

6 more crafty Easter projects.

How to make cream cheese pie crust.

A hole to another universe.

Plastic break apart heart-shaped forks.

15 repurposed planters.

Animals made from shattered CDs.

A baked potato bean bag chair. With butter.

Welcome back, Fiona!

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Bunny Folds
• Homemade Cadbury Creme Eggs
• Following The White Rabbit

{Images via Vintage Everyday by The Circus Book: 1870-1950}