Ok… so I grew up in Jersey. My high school days were full of Aqua Net and air brushed nails. And yes… I used to measure the height of my bangs with a ruler before heading to school. But times of changed and so have I. And while you can take the girl out of New Jersey but not the New Jersey out of the girl (I can chicken neck with the best of them and cook one mean lasagna)… I have put down the aerosol can and embraced ballet slipper by Essi. So, while I may cringe looking at photos from my prom weekend at the real Jersey shore, some life experience and a little more fashion sense has made me say goodbye to Bon Jovi and hello to Jackie O!
I’m at the time in my life where everyone around me is having babies… no Mom, not me… so hold the presses! And I have to tell you, if I see one more registry at Babies-R-Us I’m going to scream. I know, you need the bottles and burp clothes and all the necessities, but that stuff is no fun. When have you ever seen a mom-to-be open up a gift and scream in delight over the changing pad you just bought her… never, right?! So, I’m always looking for something fun and creative to gift along with the pacifiers and Desitin. Something that the mom and baby can cherish for years to come… pretty sure they won’t be staring at the box of diapers in ten years saying… oh, that Lauren was so thoughtful! So when I was introduced to Bla Bla, a fun and creative kid’s site specializing in knits designed and created by Peruvian artisans, I squealed in delight! And yes mom, I know… the clock is ticking… bla bla bla!
Ok… so I don’t live near the ocean… I don’t have a boat… and my summer house in Nantucket is frankly not even close to being a reality… but I’ve decided to drop anchor on summer. So, while the malls roll out their fall collections, I’m putting my foot down and holding firm on the season! That’s right… I’m digging my feet in the sand and not going anywhere. So you know what J.Crew… you may think you are tempting me with your new Mongolian Lamb Vest and Velvet Ruby Jacket… but you are not! That’s right, I haven’t thought once about how cute either would look with my riding boots or how incredibly chic they would be on a cold crisp autumn day… so take that J.Crew!!! You will just have to wait till September for me to be Hook, Line and Sinker and then we’ll talk!
You know when you have something really big on the horizon… something you are so incredibly excited for that you are all tied up in knots. You know… the kind of anticipation that makes your stomach churn with uncontrollable elation. For years, I have been selling my personalized stationery and invitations to our fabulous clients at the shop and I’ve decided to take a big leap of faith and sell it wholesale. That means, my “babies” will be sold in other stores… a select number of retailers will be peddling my goods! So, as I work on the final details of my line… I am closing my eyes, jumping and cherishing the knots!
Write more… Type less,
Lauren
p.s. If you are interested in selling our custom line of stationery and invitations… give us a ring at the shop!
Imagine the cutest little store in San Francisco, nestled among the rolling streets and fog lined sky… a store that sells exquisite hand detailed invitations and a dress or two. Ok… now close your eyes…. What do you see? It’s Cat Seto isn’t it! I knew it… me too!
I have been obsessed with Cat Seto since the first day I opened the box that arrived at my shop. The daintiest little tins filled with folded watercolor note cards and invitations with delicate crystal accents that would make your heart melt. Lucky for the citizens of San Francisco, Catherine Seto decided to branch out and open up a store front studio. Here she added other items like dresses (not a pair of pants to be found) and home accessories!
I’m so excited to feature Cat’s office space today… because much like myself, it’s more then just an office… it’s a place to see her customers and get down to work! And although it is a bit chaotic running from her desk to the register… she loves every bit of it and wouldn’t have it any other way… a girl after my own heart! And like her stationery, her office has the best little details to brighten the space… like the scarf wrapped around her chair, the water color that hangs by her workspace (by artist Sara Christian) or the painted chest of drawers she uses as her desk… love it all!
Ahhhh… Gertrude… that’s a good strong name! A name you know you can count on through thick and thin… she’ll stand the test of time and is strong “like bull”! So when Sarah and Erin of Haute Papier bought their infamous letterpress, they new exactly what they would name her… Gertrude! I have heard so much about this lovely lady for so long, I was thrilled I could finally meet her the other day… even if it was via video. Gertrude was featured on the local news channel and demonstrated just how she struts her stuff. One view and I guarantee you’ll appreciate the art of letterpress so much more…. it’s not easy work. So enjoy and hey Erin… watch those fingers, you are making me nervous!
P.S. visit us online and get your very own Letterpress stationery by Haute Papier!
The lazy days of summer are here! And as the temperature rises, the more I want to kick up my heels, swing in the breeze and have an ice cold glass of lemonade on the front porch! Now all I need is a hammock… a radio to play some vintage tunes and a day off! A girl can dream can’t she!
Ohhhh… Wiley Valentine, you have done it again! You have tempted me with your new Studio line of digitally printed, eco-friendly invitations… thus causing an instant chain reaction of day dreams. But, since I am already married… I can only hope that I will find this lovely creation in my mailbox one day… and if I do, I have big plans… BIG!
P.S. Call Rock Paper Scissors if you are interested in Wiley’s Valentine line of invitations and stationery.
A fabulous shop, Pieces in Atlanta + infamous designer Jonathan Adler = One fabulous Soiree! Thus is the perfect equation for a night filled with good times and libations and I was lucky enough to attend.
When the ladies of Pieces, invited me to their July 15th Jonathan Adler soiree, I immediately marked my calendar in red and anxiously awaited the event. Pieces, owned by Lee Kleinhelter, is the most stylish design shop in Atlanta… a must for anyone looking for truly unique restyled vintage furnishings and I had been looking for an excuse to visit. Not to mention an opportunity to hob knob with Jonathan Adler sounded like a truly amazing evening that I would be foolish to pass up! So off I went with my husband for an evening of fabulosity… and boy does Pieces know how to throw a party. Sweet and sour cocktails, a quirky photobooth filled with cupid lips and construction hats and handcrafted popsicles by the King of Pops… Banana Puddin’ where have you been all my life… what’s not to love?!
By the end of the night, I was floating on air… I had met some fabulous new friends… Erika Ward from Blue Label Bungalow, Kyle Tibbs Jones from She told 2 Friends PR, Tion Trice from Environment and of course, Lee and Susan from Pieces… just to name a few. Oh and did I mention, I bought an amazing piece of pottery and Jonathan Adler signed it… sigh!
Today is my last post on the fabulous Design House in Seaside, Florida. I’m actually going to miss looking at these photos every day. Not only does it remind me of my vacation on the white sandy shores of the Gulf (thank goodness, oil hasn’t destroyed this beauty as of yet), but the house was so full of inspiration for me. I’m still dreaming of all the ideas I can implement in my house… don’t forget dear brother, your handy skills aren’t off the hook and I’ve been busy measuring and sketching!!!
This blog is a collection of daily musings that inspires me to create, organize, and dream in my paper boutique, Rock Paper Scissors.
