larajanepark

Scarlett Darling

2012-02-22T22:32:00.001-08:00

February 20, 2012
age 14

Paris Gray is 18.

2012-02-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

On Memorial Day, 1993, it was as if you whispered into my ear telling me it was time for you to live. I remember it as clear as anything. It was that day you came to me. Like magic, you wished to BE and put yourself here to be born exactly 9 months later...

Happy 18th Birthday to my beautiful child Paris Gray. February 19, 1994 you were born...

You were the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen...

You brought exponential love to our little family.

Your brother adores you...

Due to your seriously early morning inner clock, you are the reason your mother is such a prolific quilter. You used to sit under the dining table sorting buttons into cupcake tins at 5am while mama sewed. We were the only ones up for hours!!

It is your love for everyone that makes friends our family...

and family come together...

You've known terrible sadness, heartache, loss and disappointment. And through it all you have loved unconditionally, trusted, learned and not let the bad get the best of you.
You've made life wonderful for those around you, even in unbearably close quarters- and maintained a smile through it anyway..

You are the best of both your parents.
Adventurous and smart...

beautiful...

peaceful and creative...

You are the happiest soul I have ever known!!

You can find the fun and the funny in everything!

You make me laugh so hard I cry...

You can cook better than me!

And most of all, the greatest gift to Scarlett I could ever give. The best sister to your sister...

I'm really humbled and proud to be your mama. Happy 18th Birthday my beauty girl.

It's been the great pleasure of my life to watch you grow up.

I think you're ready for the big time, Paris Gray Mijatovich. xoxoxox

I'd love to be wearing this....

2012-02-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

to a Friday night cocktail party.

From Ralph Lauren's Fall/Winter 2012 collection:

or this silver dress from Michael Kors Fall/Winter 2012 collection:

(above images thanks to www.thesartorialist.com)

Or this... this coat...

Source: emersonmade.com >

My weekend style...

I'm crazy for- Loving Atlantic Pacific

Her look is PERFECT! I had to force myself to resist purchasing this Kate Spade pullover fur when I saw it on sale here last week. Not very practical for the office...

Best I can do is probably this:

with sunglasses (from Target since my favorite Coach ones now live at the bottom of the ocean), Hudson jeans, and cowboy boots, toting around my Valentine's present to myself: My new Kate Spade Windsor Square Angeline in Palomino.

and inside my lovely palomino (thats what I'M callin' it!), is this, my most favorite book that I'm reading again.

PS Garance Doré posted some hospital shirt thing from Proenza Schuoler's show, but all I could see was Anna Wintour sitting on the sideline in her leopard skin coat. *sigh*

Tuesday Obsession- Quotes

2012-02-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

I really, really love quotes. I am obsessed. I'm not a writer and words don't always come easy to me. I can always find a quote that says exactly what I mean. One of my favorite reference books is Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.

The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves—say rather, loved in spite of ourselves
-Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.
--Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

I love her and that's the beginning and the end of everything.
--F. Scott Fitzgerald

Love is something like clouds that were in the sky before the sun came out, you cannot touch the clouds, you know; but you feel the rain and know how glad the glowers and the thirsty earth are to have it after a hot day. You cannot touch love either; but you feel the sweetness that it pours into everything. Without love you would not be happy or want to play.
--Miss Anne Sullivan to Helen Keller, The Story of My Life

Make me immortal with a kiss!
--Christopher Marlowe

If you have it [love], you don't need to have anything else. If you don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have.
--James M. Barrie

Tuesday Obsession- Laundry

2012-02-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

I'm sure this is not at the top of everyone's list, but I have always loved the chore of doing laundry. I love that I am doing it for the ones I love. I love washing, drying, folding and ironing. There are few smells that "get me" like the smell of freshly washed clothes (in TIDE). Only the smell of Coppertone suntan lotion (my mama) and Shalimar (my grandmother) hit me like newly washed clothes. The one thing that tops them all is the smell of clean sheets dried by the sunshine on a hot summer day in the sun. Pure sunshine to sleep with. The best.

Not ever having had my own washer and dryer has affected me in a big way. I feel so deprived, I crave them. I haunt the appliance stores like a 20 year old scouts out engagement rings....I have an entire category on Pinterest called "Laundry Room Envy"!

I can't even imagine what it would be like to be able to do laundry whenever I felt like it...I still get great pleasure from hanging clothes out to dry in the sunshine.

Don't we all have a chore that really should be on the simple pleasures list? Mine is laundry. For sure.

3 little things.

2012-02-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

1. Nice men don’t like to see women cry. It’s the mean ones who like to see us cry.

2. If you Google someone and you can’t find a single speck of anything about them, they are not trustworthy and probably doing something wrong.

un·trust·wor·thy/ˌənˈtrəstˌwərT͟Hē/

Adjective:

Not able to be relied on as honest or truthful.

Synonyms:

unreliable - unsafe - trustless - uncertain - insecure

* I have heard, if you Google someone and come up with nothing, you should not hire them- because they are most likely hiding something.

3. A hot bath can cure almost anything. At least temporarily.

It was a tough day. But if I'm lucky, I'll get another crack at life tomorrow. xoxox

love,
me

Wish List 2

2012-02-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

An old golden chair to put my slippers upon...

Wish list

2012-02-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

Bedroom.

Tuesday Obsession: GREEN

2012-01-31T22:50:00.000-08:00

Green anything. It's my most favorite color. It makes me happy and speaks to my soul.

All the books I want to read...

2012-01-30T03:00:00.000-08:00

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.
-John Burroughs

Listen to what she says with her eyes...

2012-01-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

When a woman is talking to you, listen to what she says with her eyes.
-Victor Hugo

Be Ready

2012-01-28T12:11:00.000-08:00

The important thing is this: to be ready at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you could become.
-Charles Dickens

Passion

2012-01-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

Overboard

2012-01-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

I ran across this gorgeous bag and it got me thinking....

Wouldn't this be the perfect vessel for a pair of cruise tickets?
Will need a Sunshine departure...

What else shall I bring?
How about this for dinner with the Captain...

Sundress for brunch...

Sightseeing...

Rowboat-If I need one...I hope it's cute like this

...with oars please. And a cute rowing uniform...

or outfit...

If I ever get a boat, I'm going to name her the "TRUE LOVE". And my, she'll be yar.

It can start with anything, like a Kate Spade Steamliner clutch, but it always seems to end with me swimming in the ocean on a tropical island...91 days.
Love, me

Tuesday Obsession- Tufted (velvet, preferably) chairs

2012-01-24T23:18:00.000-08:00

I have no real idea why, (isn't that what obsessions are all about?) but tufted chairs are calling me this week...

mustard...

pink...

pink and a one year old cutie...

blue...

Ikat...

a not quite finished one...

tufted chaise....

green velvet x 2...

sienna...

plum...

canvas...

red...

the pink one that started it all....

rosy davenport....

I guess that's a little bit of an obsession. For a girl that doesn't actually own a tufted chair. Or a cozy chair of any kind.

But once upon a time, I had a beautiful old ratty tufted chair that I kind of fell in love with, that I still miss. This is it:

It was tufted, but rather worn and loved. Guess it inspired me. It was someone's gram's tufted chair. I rescued it for a short time and we loved it. Bet Bessie was smiling about that :)

Tuesday Obsession-Balustrades

2012-01-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

I have a serious obsession with Balustrades, thanks to my other obsession-Pinterest.
So we'll now have "Tuesday Obsession" every week. Don't miss it, I'm never going to run out of obsessions. As I am, a total dreamer...

BALUSTRADE
bal·us·trade noun \ˈba-lə-ˌstrād\

Definition of BALUSTRADE

1. a row of balusters topped by a rail
2. a low parapet or barrier

Balustrade at Versailles:

Clearly beautiful balustrade:

Palais Garnier, Paris, France

If you find more balustrades for my collection while perusing Pinterest (or anywhere on the web) post on Pinterest with @Lara Snydal Mijatovich.

Thanks. Tuesday Obsession is going to be fun. Can't wait until next week xoxoxox
Love, me.

Loved Forever

2012-01-15T23:10:00.000-08:00

Some things, I have simply loved for as long as I can remember....
Houndstooth Coats

Marilyn Monroe:

France and all things French:

Robert Redford:

NY 2012 Update

2012-01-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

New Year 2012 Update

1. Did not drink champagne OR dance on the table. It's on the list still. I have the champagne. I have the table. I just have to get it all together when I'm not driving and picking up the teenage girls...

2. Working on the washer and dryer. Believe me, it's on the top of the list. 43 and never had a washer or dryer. That pretty much sucks.

3. More than one room? May not happen soon, but told the girls the other night: "You know. Someday we will remember these times. All 3 of us. Together in one room. Like a college dorm. And we will remember it fondly. And we will miss what we have now." I know that to be the God's honest truth.

4. Road trip with my girls. Plan is being worked out. Santa Clara, Utah. Feb 2012. Pear's 18th bday.

5. Yoga. Still thinking about it. Will need an extra room for this. Or subscription to YogaWorks. asap.

6. Books: Finishing my friend Emily Pearson's book called "Dancing With Crazy". Her life. What a gal. So glad she survived it. Love it. Love her.

7. Beach: Trip planned. Mama in cahoots with me. Girls excited to be with gram for 12 days. Birthday present to my hardworking self. The usual place. Counting down the days....

8. Garden: Having trouble eating enough vegetables, let alone growing them....

9. Pear to Paris: Passport (check), plane ticket (check), she is studying "Parisian Chic; A Style Guide" by Ines de la Fressange. (a Christmas present from her dear Maman) So obviously, she will be ready in time...

10. Grammy Camp. Check. Had to first lure Gram back from HI, but have been successful. Scar will go to Grammy Camp. Whew. Thanks to my buying a ticket to Hawaii :) xoxox

11. Ran. Two days during lunch. Then was awfully hungry at dinnertime!

La Fogata with the girls, thanks to HM, xoxox HM.
(HM also always has great parking Karma xoxox)

WILL UPDATE AGAIN SOON. THX FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME. xoxoxox LASM

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!

2011-12-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

Everybody has some plans. Here are some of mine....

Acquire my own washer and dryer:

Move to a house with more than one room:

Take a road trip with my girls:

Do more yoga:

Read more books:

Spend a week at the beach:

Grow vegetables in a garden of my creation:

Send my daughter Paris to her city all by myself:

Send my daughter Scarlett to Grammy Camp this summer:

Run:

What's on your list???
Whatever it is, I wish you peace and health and happiness so you can achieve your goals. Happy New Year to you all.

Merry Christmas 2011!!

2011-12-26T22:03:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2011!

Our pretty tree (his name is Phillip)...

Christmas bookshelf...

Our Santa arrives....

Me and HWP on Christmas Eve....

Scarlett and Paris just getting started...

Scarlett in her pretty new clothes...

The girls and I got lovely treasures...

Then the girls went to their Dad's and we celebrated again at HM's big house...
He bought Christmas Peonies for me because they are my favorite flowers...

He and the kids decorated an enormous tree!

We have oyster stew on Christmas mornings...

The boys watched funny videos that were completely inappropriate!

We were so busy eating all day long that I didn't take too many pictures, but here are a few fun ones...
Not your average bottle of wine. Just about 3 gallons of one of my favorites!!!

Crab for Christmas dinner was my choice...

And the puppy was very spoiled too!

And mama got beautiful sapphire and diamond earrings....

I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas with friends and loved ones. Family is best. The ones we make, and the ones we share. xoxox

2011-12-17T22:24:00.000-08:00

I told a friend of mine today, "We're stringing popcorn and cranberries on the front porch". He said, "Really? No, really!? I didn't think people did that anymore these days!!" Well, we do. Every year. xoxox Here's my Paris, she helped....

Aurifil is my candy.

2011-12-12T19:53:00.001-08:00

Aurifil collage, originally uploaded by larajanepark.

Alex Veronelli makes the loveliest thread EVER. In Italy. It's all I ever quilt with. Just thought I'd let you know that. Larajanepark loves Aurifil and American Jane loves Aurifil. That's my commercial for the night. xoxox

Dream with HM

2011-12-11T17:00:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Scarlett Darling!

2011-12-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

My littlest chick turned 14 yesterday! She looked so beautiful and grown up for the school dance. I think she was thrilled that the stars aligned so the dance fell on her birthday. Her friends spoiled her and treated her like a princess and then she came home to party with us! Paris cut her date night short, we decorated the table, had a luscious chocolate cake with chocolate mousse inside and 9 candles (mom forgot to buy more, but hey, it was Dec 9th so that's something!) She got loads of new clothes, jewelry, hair products, a new book and TAROT cards. I love Tarot cards. I can't wait until she has memorized everything so she can read my cards.... A grand time was had by all.
Thanks for being born Scarlett Darling. I love you to the moon. You are such a blessing to us all. xoxoxoxox love mama.

Champagne, Christmas Parties, Glamour

2011-12-05T19:57:00.000-08:00

I really want to post about the glamorous time I had Saturday night at the Company Christmas Party. It was at the Pacific Union Club on Nob Hill in San Francisco. But I'm still swooning at the memory of it all, so I'll just post a picture of how it made me feel...

Source: alifeofbeautyandgrace.tumblr.com via Lara Snydal on Pinterest