behind the scenes Archives - Page 30 of 49

April 9, 2013

Luxury 3 Ways + A Contest

Some things never go out of style, they just seem to have a staying power that doesn’t ever say goodbye. As in luxury. That quality of sleek sophistication that makes others stop and take notice, things that you’ll hang onto for years to come. The thing is, there are different ways to define luxury. Maybe it’s the ubiquitous form-fitting LBD, or an outfit that makes you feel so much like yourself that you don’t ever want to take it off. Perhaps something you love so much you take it with you everywhere. I’ve created a few looks inspired by something equally sleek and luxurious – the HP Spectre XT Touchsmart Ultrabook™. What’s your idea of luxury?

Ruched Georgette Maxi Dress by See by Chloé // Box Earrings by PICO Design // 18k Gold Diamond Stick Necklace by Jennifer Meyer Jewelry // Kenneth Jay Lane Basket Weave Cuff Bracelet // BCBG Max Azria Palace

P.A.R.O.S.H. Sequin Dress // Faceted Teardrop Earrings by Erica Weiner // Wave Cuff by Dream Collective Jewelry // Predictable Foldover Clutch by Nine West // Quetu Sandals by Nine West

Blue Sequins Dress by Mango // Mithras Ring by Palomerie // Snake Bangle by Catbird // Mina Cage Clutch by BCBG // Entreat High Heel Sandal by BCBG

And our idea of luxury doesn’t stop there! Just like Project Runway contestants show off their personal fashion every week, HP and Intel invite you to Pin Your Style. Want to participate in The HP + Intel + Project Runway Pin Your Style Contest? It’s easy and I promise you – worth it!

Pin a photo of the HP Spectre XT Touchsmart Ultrabook™ via the Pin It button on the Pin Your Style contest page. Then build a board that represents that week’s theme (in this case luxury). Check out the weekly Pinsetter images on the site for inspiration.

Submit your board’s URL into the site to enter, then share your board with friends to earn the most votes!

Win prizes like an HP Spectre XT Touchsmart Ultrabook™ and a gift card to bring your style to life by getting the top votes for your board.

This post is sponsored by HP and Intel. Pin Your Style with HP + Intel + Project Runway to win chic HP products. Pin now.

Posted In bags, jewelry, shoes, sponsored post, technology, wear it

April 3, 2013

A Pete Update: The Next Step

PHOTO: Clare Kelly

Last Monday the inevitable happened, we moved Pete into a memory care facility.

It’s only a few minutes from my house which is nice, and the building itself is just a few years old. From the outside it’s pastel and cheery, and once you walk through the front doors rather welcoming. Hardwood floors throughout, a smiling staff, and only about thirty residents. It has all the conveniences of home without the physical obstacles Pete had to face every day living with my mom and stepdad – stairs, high bathtub edges, etc. They also have a fantastic security system that keeps the residents from wandering out, a major risk for anyone living with memory issues.

My mom and I wrote Pete’s name in his clothes last Saturday and dropped them off along with some of his belongings. Thankfully this place is fully furnished, including bedding, which made the physical move much easier. Then my stepdad took Pete on Monday. We had all prepared ourselves for the worst, but so far the transition has gone smoother than anyone could have hoped! (I think this probably has a little to do with the fact that Pete believed he had only been at my mom and stepdad’s for a few weeks, and most definitely did not believe he lived with them.) We were asked to refrain from visiting for a few weeks so that he could get into some sort of routine, so no one has visited just yet. I’ll be the first tomorrow and I’m looking forward to seeing how he functions in his new home and giving him a huge hug.

After living with my mom and stepdad for the past 15 months, we believe this is the best move for everyone. Pete now has the chance to interact with more people on a daily basis, participate in small activities, and regain a little bit of his independence. Meanwhile, my mom and stepdad can get back to a more normal way of life as well. They both agree that the house already feels lighter and their relationship less strained. While it’s an incredibly selfless gesture to care for a loved one, I think it’s important to think about how the situation is effecting you as well. And that’s something I reminded the both of them of every few months when things felt extra high strung.

Thank you all so much for checking up on Pete via email, tweets, and in person. It means so much to me and made a difficult situation a little more bearable.

Past posts chronicling Pete’s journey:
Life Lately
3 Months In
6 Months
9 Months

Posted In my life

March 30, 2013

Top 10 Picks From Our Joss & Main Event

Photos © Bonnie Tsang Images via Joss & Main

I’m popping in with a rare weekend post because we’re moving into the homestretch of our Urban Decor themed sale on Joss & Main! With over 100 handpicked items (from moi) to choose from, it just wouldn’t be fair not to share my favorites…

A few of my original favorites are already sold out – you people have amazing taste! – but it was easy to find replacements because I honestly want it all. Everything in my sale skews toward mid-century modern, but that doesn’t mean a piece or two wouldn’t fit into your space. No matter the style. When everything in a room feels too matchy it can get boring, the only real requirement for making something work is loving it!

01/ Branson Hamper
02/ Ikat Throw
03/ Atom Floor Mirror
04/ Duncan Sofa
05/ Lori Bookcase
06/ Gopala Pillow
07/ Meyer Tea Kettle
08/ Idle Arm Chair
09/ Setay Table Lamp
10/ Messina Coffee Table

Be sure and pop over to the sale before Monday morning when it closes, and also take a peek at Joss & Main’s blog Plume where there’s a little post about Design Crush and my fast and loose design rules.

Posted In house and home, shameless plug

March 29, 2013

InstaMarch

Peanut spent most of the month hiding out under the bedcovers. My wonderful friend Jaime gifted me two of her incredible line drawings! The Day Designer from Whitney English has effectively changed my life (she can never stop printing them). I taught the dogs about the joy of eating peanut butter straight from the jar. We celebrated my stepdad’s birthday – some more enthusiastically than others! Oklahoma sunsets never fail to make me catch my breath. My dear friend Carina sent me this Piper look-a-like postcard! I planted all of my porch pots earlier than ever, thanks to a photoshoot. Bebe finally learned how great it is to sit still and be scratched. Have you ever tried graham crackers with sharp white cheddar? (Do it.) Peanut got up close and personal with my phone. I’ve started to make my home office legit, starting with a filing cabinet.

Posted In my life

March 28, 2013

Our Joss & Main Curated Sale Event is Live!

Photos © Bonnie Tsang Images via Joss & Main

You might’ve noticed that our second post for the day is a bit late, but we have a good reason. Design Crush’s Urban Decor Curators Collection with Joss & Main is kicking off as of right now! Huzzah!

A lot of my inspiration came from the loft Apartment 34‘s Erin Hiemstra first moved into when she and her husband relocated from Seattle. Erin has an amazing eye and the clean lines, neutral palette, and mix of textures sucked me right in.

The beautiful shots of Erin’s loft were taking by photographer extraordinaire Bonnie Tsang. Thanks so much to both of these lovely ladies for allowing us access to the incredible photography and inspiring space!

Our sale will be live for three days only, so hop on it fast! You have until Sunday, March 31st at 11am EST. If you’re not already a Joss & Main member and want to skip the wait you can do just that by clicking right here. Happy shopping!

Posted In house and home, shameless plug

March 27, 2013

Taste Tour: Sara Sara Cupcakes

Photos © Caroline Cohenour

I’ve been a lover of Sara Sara Cupcakes since their doors opened, in fact they’re my favorite cupcakery in all of Oklahoma City. They’ve mastered what few have: the perfect ratio of cake to icing. That might not seem like a big deal, but it’s huge to me. Too much icing and the cake is overshadowed, too little and things can get dry. It’s a fine balance if I’ve ever seen one!

(I’d be remiss not to mention one of the most important parts of Sara Sara Cupcakes, their namesake. Read Sara Brinson’s story here.)

Sara Sara’s home base (they have a few other locations throughout the city) is in a simple two story house in Midtown. It can seem unassuming, but once you walk through the front door you’re greeted with an explosion of modern white decor. Not only is it fresh, but also a great backdrop for the colorful cupcakes. During warm weather there’s a perfect wooden porch to catch up on with friends, and a super duper smart astroturf front yard with chairs for lounging.

Sara Sara’s menu features 26+ rotating flavors, those available are individually displayed in small lucite boxes on the wall. I’m holding my breath until Mother’s Day when my #1 favorite – Blackberry Maple – comes back to town.

We started out with six cupcakes (which soon expanded to 8 thanks to the amazing gal on duty), a few new and a few tried and true. You can probably tell from the table above that these are no average-sized cupcakes, each one is about the size of a teacup and I was both excited and terrified at the prospect of taking them on.

Just one more stop before cupcake heaven – the milk bar! Grab a frosted glass from the freezer next to the udders then choose from white, strawberry, or chocolate milk. Or get a little crazy and mix ’em up. (Pardon my weird-looking hand?!)

First up is the Crimson and Cream. A classic red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing and topped with chocolate shavings. (Don’t you love the teardrop-shaped plates and small forks each cupcake is served with??)

Strawberry is Sara Sara’s best seller and it’s easy to see why. Strawberry cake with extra creamy strawberry frosting and a few slices of the fresh stuff on top, if I had to choose one flavor to represent comfort food this would definitely be the one.

Sir Elton John was a new flavor for me and was out of this world. A cakey cherry cheesecake with cream cheese frosting, crushed graham crackers, and cherries. (There was no way we could polish off every cupcake, and this one was my favorite leftover the next day!)

Blueberry Honey is the equivalent of a breakfast cupcake. Fluffy blueberry cake, buttercream frosting laced with honey, and a perfect blueberry perched on top!

The Sheriff was another Sara Sara specialty that I had never tried before our Taste Tour (and the only one that legitimately required a fork!). It’s simple and brilliant all at the same time – chocolate cake filled with vanilla custard and drenched in ganache. Like a tiny Boston Creme Pie!

I even discovered a new favorite, the PB&J! Vanilla cake, a layer of grape jelly, peanut butter icing, and a coating of crushed peanuts. The combination of textures was perfectly amazing.

We were sooo rolly poly by the end of the afternoon that there’s no photo of the Carmello other than this one, that’s it in the lower lefthand corner. Vanilla cake, a marshmallowy icing, and caramel drizzle. I may or may not have eaten the rest of this one over the sink at 11pm that night… the perfect day!

Sara Sara Cupcakes
7 NW 9th St. | Oklahoma City, OK 73102 | (405) 600-9494
17 E 5th St. | Edmond, OK 73013 | (405) 216-3562

Posted In oklahoma, taste tour

March 21, 2013

Design Crush + Joss & Main

I’m pleased as punch to announce that I’ll be curating my first ever event next week with Joss & Main! For those of you who are unfamiliar with the site, Joss & Main is a premier members-only site that offers limited-time sales (up to 70% off!) on the world’s best brands. Each event lasts just three days and then it’s gone with the wind! Design Crush’s theme is Urban Decor and will be featuring 120 items with clean, modern lines that I’d be thrilled to have in my own home (those are a few of my favorites from the sale up there). You can avoid the waiting list to join by clicking right here! I’ll be popping back in to remind you of the sale when it launches Thursday, March 28th at 9pm EST.

Posted In shameless plug

March 21, 2013

First Look: WideAngle

I’d like to preface this entire post with something that’s still really gutting to think about. Five years ago when I got my latest new (now extremely old) MacBook Pro I managed to lose several years worth of photos. It was devastating, and I was angry. Gone were my snowy photos of a winter spent in New York, Chicago’s Millenium Park rising from the dirt out of my office window, and so much more. So when I was asked a few months ago to come on board for the launch of WideAngle’s new app that corrals your photos and videos in one place, well, it was a no brainer. (And also a bit of a how has no one thought of this before?!)

WideAngle is the first app that allows you to view all of your photos and videos from Facebook, Instagram, and your other Apple devices in a single place. You can remix your photos into sets by location, people, date, and do other things like follow trends. But beyond that, now there are more ways to share and save the photos that matter to you most.

WideAngle also makes it possible to have instant access to your photos and videos in one place, which also means you can Comment and Like across all social media platforms from one location – think of the time saved! For me this is a huge draw. It’s a view of your entire social world in photos (phones, cameras, texts, and social networks) all in its own cloud. And the best part – if you lose your phone or camera you still have the important stuff. Talk about this girl breathing a sigh of relief! I’ve been waiting for something like this for ages it seems.

Here’s the rad part, we’re inviting you (yes, you!) to take a first look at the app before its official release March 28th! Initially launching for iPad and iPad Mini (versions launching soon for iPhone and Android), you can download the WideAngle right here for free. The Help screen – seen above – is intuitive and amazing, making everything easy to learn and understand. As you explore the setup you’ll notice a Settings button in the upper right corner, under the Settings button there is a Submit Feedback form. As you encounter questions, problems, or just want to offer feedback you can write the developers a quick note. If you want to include your email they’ll even respond to you personally. Service! I know my life has been changed since I started using WideAngle, and I’m betting yours will too.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post that I am being compensated for, however all words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Design Crush going.

Posted In sponsored post, technology

March 11, 2013

Win It: A Well-Designed Life

How do you stay on top of the things going on outside of your bubble? My world revolves around the web so it’s my obvious go-to for news, events, everything really. I’m especially loving the new MSN site which is really well-designed. The overall site is uber minimal – which you know I love – and it’s perfect for the the touchscreen. As an online publisher one of my favorite features is its ability to share real-time trends, I need to stay on top of so much all of the time that I’ll take all the help I can get. MSN is the best way to stay in the know and the new site design is only the latest reminder. Check out all of its features for yourself right here.

Now here’s the fun part! In honor of all things well-designed we’re teaming up with MSN to do a Pinterest sweeps giveaway. You have the chance to win any one item on the entire A Well-Designed Life board, it’s full of 33 beautiful things that are sure to make your life better designed!

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Elizabeth!

To Enter:
1. Follow the A Well-Designed Life board on Pinterest.
2. Comment below on which well-designed item you’d like to make your own.
3. Do it all before Sunday, March 17th at 11:59pm CST.
4. For an extra entry tweet about the giveaway using the hashtag #msndesigncrush!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post that I am being compensated for, however all words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Design Crush going! Rules and disclosures.

Posted In house and home, sponsored post, technology, win it

March 4, 2013

Win It: Artifact Uprising

Ever since having one of my favorite Instagram photos printed on wood and hung on my wall, well, I’m sort of addicted to finding new ways to leverage the technological art form. My latest experiment comes courtesy of Artifact Uprising, a 40-page 8.5 x 8.5″ softcover book filled to the gills with my favorite Instagram shots. I spent an entire evening going through my 1,000+ photos, paring them down, and then designing my book. I can’t stress how easy they make it. You get to choose from several different layouts for each page, and then it’s just a matter of dragging and dropping from the photos you’ve uploaded, resizing if you’d like, and electing to add text or not. When my book showed up on my doorstep I literally tore off the packaging to see the end result – and you guys, it is so good. It’s printed on the most luxe 100% recycled paper and the ink is perfectly saturated (as a graphic designer this is something I’m always super picky about and notice). Here are just a few of my favorite spreads from the book I created:

I’m really excited about the possibilities of creating these books for friends and family after events, holidays, etc – can you imagine how excited you would be receiving one?! Well guess what. You have the chance to do just that, create one of your own that is. Artifact Uprising (PS: Great name, yes?) is giving away one of the same Instagram books that I made.

This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Rachel!

To Enter:
1. Find your favorite Instagram photo and leave the link in the comments section.
2. Make sure your email address is correct (it’s just for notification purposes).
3. Do it all before Sunday, March 10th at 11:59pm CST.

Giveaway Rules + Disclosure

Posted In create, my life, photography, win it