The Perfect Girls' Night Out

"Girls' Night Out" can be described in a multitude of ways, but the ultimate includes a viewing of Yves St. Laurent designs. 
After hors d'oeuvres and drinks at a fashionable downtown restaurant, my oldest daughter, several girlfriends and I walked to the Denver Art Museum to peruse the creations of Yves St. Laurent.  They were breathtaking and I was in awe of each and every exhibit.  But I think what I was actually most in awe of was the fact that that my daughter was also enjoying something that is very near and dear to my heart.....

 

 

Dreaming of Summer on a Snowy Day

This morning we woke up to a "snow day".....work and school were canceled for all of us!  As I looked out the window at the foot of snow that buried my wrought-iron furniture,  fountain and vines, I found myself daydreaming about what my garden/deck looked like last summer.

Knowing at my age you shouldn't wish your life away, I decided to appreciate being inside my warm and cozy home with my family.  It didn't stop my daydreaming though about the many ways we can dine alfresco when it is warm....

Which one is your favorite?  : )

For the Love of Vintage Vogues

For the majority of my years I have taken Vogue magazine with very little interruption in subscriptions....it's a fashion lover's best friend.  Occasionally I even pick up a vintage Vogue just for the heck of it....because I love vintage fashion even more than modern fashion.  Here are a few of my favorite vintage Vogue covers:

  

Heaven Sent

My daughter belongs to K-Life which is a ministry group focused on mentoring and coaching today's teenagers. The group further breaks into smaller groups of 5-6 people so that the teens can get together easily at someone's home or to go to the movies, etc.
A couple of weeks before Christmas, my daughter's small group, led by a delightful. energetic young woman named Kelsey, got together for their usual meeting, but this time they made a point of inviting the parents back a little early to pick up their daughters...."for a surprise" they told us.
When we arrived, the girls took us to a nearby field where they opened large paper lanterns.
They held the large lanterns while lighting a small piece of paraffin-covered cardboard which was secured in the center at the bottom of each one.

 One by One, as the heat filled the lanterns, they lifted weightlessly......

 disappearing into the dusky sky.

 They floated  farther and farther away.....

 until they were so high you could see only a speck in the sky....then nothing.

 It was an amazing evening filled with awe and dreams for the future.....for each daughter had written their favorite scripture, New Year's resolution or a note about someone/something they were thankful for on the outside of their lantern so that it could be lifted closer to God in thankfulness.

A "Link" to My Past

Not very long ago I was searching for some pictures of early oil wells in Oklahoma, and in particular, near my hometown.  I sifted through lots of images, but one really caught my eye.  It was a picture of my mother, the baton twirler, marching with the Drumright High School  Band in their Christmas Parade....probably around 1953-1954.
I sent the picture to my mom and she couldn't believe that it was floating around "out there".  She wasn't even positive that the twirler that I thought was her WAS her (the one on the far left by the brown car), but I blew the picture up and am 99.9% sure that it's her!

  I love finding treasures like old photos of my family....it put a huge smile on my face and opened a whole new book of stories for her to share with me.  It was so much fun.....

Letting You in on One of My Favs - Betsy Martin of Reign Denver

I haven't met Betsy personally, but she seems to be the "Girl in the Know" for Denver.  She sends out a weekly blog with the latest and greatest goings-on locally, so I thought I would share it with all my Denver Buds.  Here's her latest post....enjoy:

 http://www.denverreign.com/

   

Old Favorites

Admit it, ladies. You watch shows like Pan Am and Mad Men and daydream about the costumes. You throw in your Audrey Hepburn DVD collection only to covet her orange Givenchy overcoat and mink hat. You, sweet fashionista, are an old soul. You prefer a little story behind your wardrobe, and a bit of history in your home. And you get giddy as a schoolgirl when you stumble upon hidden gems like South Broadway’s Chic Antiques. Proprietress and Vintage expert Sabine McCurry scours the scene, giving Denver women a chance to step back in time and dress in authentic clothing from 1890 to 1980. Each piece is hand selected for authenticity, quality, condition and style, so that your nod to Jackie O is one of which the icon would undoubtedly approve. Located in the heart of Antique Row, Chic Antiques also offers unbridled goodness by way of luxury bath goods with vintage-inspired packaging, accessories (McCurry’s hat collection is hovering around 1,000) and furnishings that would make any glamour puss go gaga. We loved the 1940s vanity chair that looked like it would be just as charming in our boudoir as it would the bathroom. While there, check out the metallic French wallpaper that adorns the plush dressing area. It’s tres chic. Chic Antiques, 1487 South Broadway, Ring 303.325.5108

Champagne Bubble Clutch

Just sold one of my favorite clutches on Etsy!

   The bride needed a green clutch and was so excited about finding it!

Hope it fits her wedding colors and is more than she expected....I always LOVE to hear something I designed is even better in person!

Many hours were spent hand-sewing the various-sized, ivory pearls

on to liken it to champagne bubbles.....

I think I may have even been drinking a glass a champagne

when I was making it....don't you dare tell!

Twenty Years Ago Today!

I can't believe it!

Twenty years may have gone by, 

but a million memories were created.

Here's to the next twenty, my Love.....

Fall Table Centerpiece

I love fall! The colors are so rich and beautiful, the leaves shimmer and shake like jewels, and the cool, crisp air is just perfect for bundling up in your favorite sweater and scarf....or next to your hubby/boyfriend. And decorating for fall is just as much fun as decorating for Christmas....well, almost.

Several women at my church take turns bringing two centerpieces to decorate the alter at the front of the sanctuary. I don't actually do it as often as other women do because my assigned Sunday is the fifth one, which only comes around five times a year. This year October has five Sundays, so I will be bringing the flowers for our October 30 service.

I wanted to find something creative to take because I'm among so many talented floral designers....they set the bar pretty high sometimes! So I turned to Youtube and found something that I think will be perfect! So perfect, in fact, that I wanted to share it with you for your fall table decorations.

One side note....it would probably be a good idea if you actually knew the neighbor whose yard you are plucking your pieces from!

Day Tripper

I haven't blogged in ages, but definitely DO check in on all my favorite bloggers.  You keep me going....helping me remember that there is a whole world out there of creative people, writers, designers, crazies just like me,....I love you all and thank you for your inspiration!!!!

We took a trip to the mountains this weekend to see the aspens turn (something all Coloradans do just becuz....). but by the time we got to Conifer, my youngest had a 102.5 fever.  How does this happen ONLY on days we are leaving for a trip????  All I can say is that it must be innate.   Bless her heart, she was not giving in and asking us to go home though....she took some pain medicine and put on a happy face so she wouldn't miss a thing!

The aspen trees were gorgeous!  They appeared to be ablaze with fire until you got right up to them.

Then, when you stood next to them, their tiny, heart-shaped leaves shook like little sparkly jewels in the wind, giving them their nickname "Quakies". 

  

Luckily, kids are resilient and we ended up having a wonderful day even with her feeling "under the weather".  She didn't miss one drop of God's sunshine, rain, lightening, wind, and even snow! that was provided for today's viewing pleasure!

If you've never seen Colorado's "turning of the aspens", you must set aside time to experience it.  It's something you'll never forget...... 

Depending on the end-of-summer weather, the best times to go are September 15 though October 6 or so.  You really must......