Design on the Big Screen: Twilight's Breaking Dawn

When I grow up, I'd like to be a set designer, art director or costume designer for film (or chief editor of a lifestyle mag). If you look beyond the bright lights, you see in their work the magical intersection of fashion, history, dialogue, and, of course, art. The latest movie sets and wardrobe on my mind were crafted for Breaking Dawn by Lorin Flemming (art direction), David Schlesinger (set design) and Michael Wilkinson (costume design). The wedding scene is like an Impressionist painting of, well, dawn breaking through a cloud-filled sky thanks to a palette of violet, gray, blush and beige against an ethereal canopy of blossoms. The honeymoon wardrobe conveys a sense of union between the newlyweds in beachy whites, khakis and blue-grays. The beach house is decked in rich and sensually exotic hues with accents reminiscent of the 1920s, the decade the heads of the Cullen family were married. I'm excited about seeing the rest of the canvas in November!

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Breaking Dawn movie wedding stills via yahoomovies; Bella & Edward honeymoon stills by Andrew Cooper/Summit Entertainment

{ Guest Post } Kirtsy to A Love Story in Shades of Silver

I had the small but lovely honor of curating two collections of images for kirtsy.com. "A Love Story in Shades of Silver" is the second collection. Here's a storyboard I created based on that collection. Black and white photography has a unique power to move, because its simplicity strips away distractions and differences, leaving only emotion which is something we can all relate to. I crafted this story from a string of memories evoked by beautiful images. I dedicate this story to my favorite kindred spirit, who came home with a rose on Friday and inspired this week's {Food for Thought}.

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girlfriends via catherinecampbell; retro ladies at beach by Nina Leen; chic swimsuit by Jose Villa; chic floppy hat by Albert Giordan via hautedesign; drawing woman's eye unknown via weheartit; hands holding unknown via whatsmineisyours; ballet dancers feet unknown via carolinepeq; scalloped blouse unknown via crushculdesac; marion cotillard unknown via listal; sunlight kiss by unknown via stylemepretty; drawing of couple in bed by B. Vaughn via deviantart; couple laughing by unknown via jennytea; gray beach house for House Beautiful via habituallychic; modern white gray living room by stylizimo; dachshund puppy running by Michal Szydlowski; I fell in love and you smiled because you knew image by natalie @ calliope with flourishes by justlucky

{ Food for Thought } Wearing Your Smile

An ombre-pink rose. Sunny days and breezy nights. A potluck dinner and a movie. A gentle dog making a silent connection resting his chin on my knee. Kind relatives stopping by on their way back home. Above all, sweet, peaceful moments with my favorite kindred spirit. This made me smile. What made you smile recently? (The memory seems to linger longer when you recall and share.)

raised waffles

3/4  7-gram package active dry yeast
1-1/2 c warm milk
6 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp sugar
1-1/2 c flour
1-1/2 eggs
(3/4) 1⁄4 tsp baking soda
1. Dissolve yeast in (3/4) 1⁄2 c lukewarm water in a large bowl and set aside until foamy, 8–10 min. Add milk, butter, salt, sugar and flour and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined, 2–3 min. Cover with plastic wrap and set batter aside, at room temperature, overnight.
2. The following day, preheat an electric waffle iron. Whisk eggs and baking soda into batter until thoroughly combined (batter will be very thin). Pour 1⁄2 c of batter into hot waffle iron and let batter set for 30 seconds, then lower waffle iron lid and cook until waffle is golden brown and crisp, about 5 min. Repeat process with remaining batter. Batter will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
(makes 6 waffles for 2 servings to be shared)

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I'm wearing the smile you gave me quote via sayingimages; stacked waffles and ice cream image and waffles recipe via saveur

{ Food for Thought } Here's to You, Summer

Coming to terms with summer's end doesn't get easier. Every year I wait until I see the first sign of fall - a bough of changing colors - before I accept summer's departure. In the meantime, I'll toast to summer and daydream about its virtues. We miss you already, summer. Thanks for gloriously long days of sunshine and summer-stormy nights. I look forward to next year's parade of summer dresses and floppy hats, ice cream runs, frisbee volleys, pretty cocktails and impossibly messy watermelons. What did you enjoy most this summer? (Comment below, if you care to share.)

watermelon ginger refresher

6 oz puréed watermelon*
2 oz light rum
2 oz domaine de canton ginger liqeuer
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz simple syrup, optional (depending on the sweetness of your watermelon)
watermelon slice, to garnish
1. Puree watermelon*: cut into chunks and purée in blender for 10 seconds or until completely smooth.
2. Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Give it a good shaker, about 10 seconds.
3. Strain into a glass and garnish with the watermelon slice.

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long for salt air image via thewheatfield, watermelon refresher recipe & image via eatmakeread

Today I Fancy: Modern Art Quilt

A stunning quilt concept created by fabrics designer, Tula Pink. This is insane. All fabric pieces are cut on the bias and none are the same size. On the right is a portion of her blueprint. Don't you love modern designs in traditional crafts?

A glance back at the amazing Monster Quilt here.

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space dust quilt by tulapink

{ Food for Thought } Life is Art

Life is so much more enjoyable not when you look at everything through rose colored lenses but when you color everything with a touch of rose. Everyone has their own hue; tint your own space and help others enjoy theirs. At the heart of our Live Exuberantly™ philosophy...

the perfect cappuccino

2/3 c coffee (Colombian medium-roast)

1-1/3 c organic milk (suggest Earth Balance organic original soy)

1 tsp raw organic sugar (or to taste)

cinnamon and chocolate shavings for garnish

1. Brew coffee per directions on package.

2. Heat milk (do not boil) and pour 1/3 c into each coffee cup.

3. Stir 1/2 tsp sugar into each cup. Pour 1/3 c coffee into cup.

4. Foam the remaining milk with hand frother and spoon it into each cup.

5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chocolate.

(makes 2 servings, because it's always more fun to have enough to share or have seconds)

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quote image & recipe by natalie @ calliope,

photo unknown via bonchicbongenre and thisisglamorous; words via 4u-2 and polyvore

{ Guest Post } Kirtsy to Moments in Red

I had the small but lovely honor of curating two collections of images for kirtsy.com. This collection, titled "Moments in Red" is about moments we all experience. Like scent, color can conjure memories both simple and substantial. Red needn't be fiery. It can be exuberant, pretty, playful, uplifting, or just accompany moments marked by those vibes. In case you missed it, here's a storyboard I created based on that collection.

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baby hat unknown, superhero girl by Michelle Tandy, A-line dress with crinoline and red heels unknown, her life was her canvas unknown, girl in red dress leaping by Caitlin Bellah, chevron dress via atlanticpacific, blue-eyed girl with lipstick unknown for Guerlain, dotted skirt and red sandals builtbywendy, red leaf on cobblestone street by Mike Shaw, girl looking out window for gabrielleadamidis, Emma Watson red dress by Mark Seliger for VogueItalia, drink champagne and dance on tables image by natalie  @ calliope and photo by Barbie Hull, bokeh red tea cup by Laura Sici, woman in red gown on grass by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue, woman tossing petals unknown