Check Out This Playhouse!

You know me...you must know what I'm thinking. This eco-friendly playhouse was part of the Modern Family Zone exhibit at the Dwell on Design festival in LA last weekend. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of that home tour bus...

A Full-On Half-Birthday

We celebrated Willa's half-birthday on Saturday. (She turned 1.5 on June 27th) Since her real birthday falls 2 days after Christmas, Sean and I fear it will inevitably be overshadowed every year. Not by us, of course, but by the rest of the world. So to make up for our own poor timing, we intend to honor Willa's birth semi-annually, with an unconventional half-birthday bash.

We grilled hotdogs in the backyard, and cooled off in the inflatable pool. Wanda made Green Lizards - frozen cocktails of fresh mint, lime, and vodka, which, by the way, have now trumped the margarita as my favorite summer beverage. Mint and all. Paula made my dad's delicious shell pasta salad. Sean prepared the beans. Sandy made chocolate cake, and my mom provided homemade vanilla ice cream.

How did I contribute, you might be wondering? Scrubbing the house, from floor to ceiling with Mrs. Meyer's All Purpose Cleaner, took up most of my time. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. I don't know if anyone else even noticed how it sparkled or smelled of lemon verbena. But I did. And it was worth it. As you might expect, I also did a little last minute redecorating (future post)because I just can't help myself when I have guests coming over. And for the party decor, I fashioned some Willa themed photo collages for my bare walls and several photo cubes to top the tables.

The party was a lot of fun. It took Willa a while to realize that she was the belle of the ball, but once she did, she made the most of the spotlight. As usual.

Building the Biz

Be sure to check out Root's new website, designed by my uber-talented friend, Seana. http://www.rootfashion.com/. And here's the new ad she whipped up for Tribeza magazine. This is my very first glossy - it's a big step! Gorgeous model + natural setting + professional photography = pretty good, eh? Room 3 of The Roadrunner Inn shows off it's new look in the ad as well. Oh, and the cutest part of all: Willa co-models alongside Camden for the Beulah's ad.

Excuses, Excuses

Well you must think I have fallen off the face of the earth. Nope. Just busy. I'm keeping my priorities in line, and the blog is still at the bottom of that list. I have missed Sprouting Daisies, and the peace of mind I gain from a good, long-winded cyberspace vent. But I miss a lot of other things, too - like naps, television, and lounging by the pool, and eating a home-cooked meal. I haven't been able to squeeze any of those indulgences into the measly 24-hour day in quite a while. May was a doozie of a month for me. As I have explained, business has been tough, and I have been actively (make that hyperactively) trying to keep it intact.

In May, I hosted 2 promotional events, within 10 days of each other. The first was STYLE YOUR SOLE, which celebrated TOMS shoes and the ONE FOR ONE mission the company was built on. (For every pair purchased, TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need.) We invited customers to attend, buy a pair of TOMS and decorate them with paints and other art supplies we provided. We also involved the community by asking a group of retailers, designers, and art galleries throughout town, to decorate a pair to be auctioned for charity. It was different from anything I've ever done at the shop before. The best part about it was finding a creative and fun way to be charitable, and reaching out and collaborating with other local businesses. We have sold a ton of TOMS since STYLE YOUR SOLE. These events always create a buzz, which leads to a residual boost in sales and a very pleasant surprise for me.

The second event was the Summer Soiree and Fashion Show, which we hosted alongside Beulah's. This took a lot of coordinating, since it was a party, and a sale, as well as a fashion show, it involved two different stores, with two separate sets of models, as well as trunk shows from 6 guest designers. As always, with these events, I was stressed to the max, making list after list, losing sleep, and fearing that I was going to forget something - like chairs for the guests or an imperative detail in the invitation...like the date. But once the big day arrived, and the music started, and the chairs filled up, it was such a blast! It's always so rewarding to watch as these events unfold and all of the individual elements and little details fall into place. The fashion show was amazing, if I do say so myself. For many reasons, but perhaps mostly because Willa was one of the models. Sean and I both swelled up with pride and tears as she bashfully took the runway as the littlest of the models. You can see it for yourself on the photographer's website, PortraitsByJenn.com. (Click on "clients" and enter "fashion show" as the password.)

The party lasted until 10pm at Root, but continued into the wee hours of morning as my single obligatory glass of wine with my non-local guests turned into something much more. We celebrated Rebekah's quarter-of-a-century birthday over dinner and talked motherhood and babies over a pricey glass of wine at Lincoln Street. Then, weakened by the relentless pleading of one of the girls, the rest of us took a deep breath, tossed our standards out the window, and made one last stop for one more cocktail of Crown and Dr. Pepper at Red Barron's Bar. I sat quietly at the table, soaked up the ambiance, and watched my friends fend off toothless drunks and lesbian advances. My profoundly entertaining and fearless friend, Lori, danced with a slew of strangers and accused the rest of us of being too uptight. She does have me pegged. It was a very late night, but definitely something I needed - friends, laughter, and a smoke-filled beer joint to renew my appreciation for married life, motherhood, and what some might call a monotonous routine.

A couple of days later, Willa and I, rather spontaneously, headed to the coast to spend a few days with my friend, Tara, and her two girls. It was a perfect opportunity for me to spend some quality time with all of them, and with my own little girl. We were very low-key and lazy, mostly hanging out at the house or on the beach. One night we got a babysitter and Tara took me to a tiny, delicious restaurant for sangria, fish tacos and chocolate cake. On the third evening, we packed up, dressed Willa for bed, and hit the road for home. Oh, but disaster did strike before we made it out of town. Willa had caught a vicious bug and vomited all over the place. We had to return to Tara's house for a second bath and a hosing of the carseat. Eventually, we got back on the road, determined to get home, and it was a miserable 6 hour drive with lots of tears, sickness, and stops for fresh air. My poor baby.

The next day, I caught it. And the day after that, Sean was laid up as well. What a miserable household. Willa got over it quickly, Sean's was a fast and furious case, and mine morphed into a cold and had ahold of me for more than a week!

Once I was feeling better, I dove right back into work, making up for lost time, and catching up on a whole lot of back burner issues: tackling my 2008 income taxes, expanding my advertising, completing my Fall orders, planning Willa's half birthday, revamping the website, filing and cleaning my office. I have been extremely productive and it has relieved a tremendous weight off of my shoulders. I actually feel as though I could go away on vacation...and relax and enjoy myself! Guess I better hurry up and book something!

P.S. Lots of pictures are in the pipes...stay tuned.

First Swim of '09

She loves the sun and isn't at all fazed by the chilly water. She isn't too fond of floaties, though - which is such a disappointment - babies in floaties are just SO cute! Here, Willa had just taken a dip in my mom's pool. I am looking forward to lots of dips in the pool this summer. If I can get away from WORK!

Mothers:

Happy Mother's Day to my dear mother, mom-in-law, stepmom, and Omie! And also to all my friends and momrades out there. (mom+comrades=cheesy made-up word) I'd like to devote this pretty poppy arrangement to you. I hope you're all putting your feet up today, at least long enough to catch up on the many new posts on this here blog.

What Have You Done With Willa?

I think I've mentioned before how Rebekah sometimes kidnaps Willa and returns her to me with a frilly new Beulah's outfit, complete with a Minnie Mouse bow atop her head. My friend thinks it's so funny to clothe Willa in things that are nauseatingly sweet and overtly girly...pink, floral, ruffled, and trimmed in lace. She expects me to loathe these ensembles, but I always LOVE them! Not a love that makes me whip out my wallet, but a love that makes me smile, and laugh, and tear up, and grab my camera, and take a zillion pictures. The other day, I was in serious work mode, trying to juggle customers and about nine different projects I had started. Willa was being her typical nap-refusing, lively self, tearing through the shop, rolling the clothing racks around, leaving a trail of deconstructed displays behind her. In an effort to help, Rebekah whisked her away and then returned a few minutes later with a different child, a demure, proper, genteel little lady. The transformation that occurred in Willa's demeanor by the simple change of an outfit was un-be-lievable. And it's no coincidence, either. I've seen it happen on a number of occasions. I unfortunately do not have any pictures of the before, but here is the after... Ah, here's my girl...