To our registry that it.  I have gushed about Sweet and Saucy Supply before, and I am back to obsess again.  I just added these fabulous mercury glass pedestal bowls to our registry this week. There are three, and I can’t resist a good grouping.  I almost didn’t post them, because I am selfish and love them so much, but I love you readers too, so here goes.  They are beautiful, romantic, and vintage. Enough said.

Why was I nervous about my wedding makeup and hair trial run?  It is really hard to say.  All of my crazy is coming out right now, in very strange ways.  Determined to not stress or become a bidezilla I keep chaneling my worry into very specific facets.  I was literally losing sleep wondering if airbrush foundation would work on me. It truly is exhausting being this high strung. Seriously. I want to nap on average about every two hours these days.  It could be getting over that sick bout, but I think it is a sick/stress combo.  Back to the makeup and hair.  I LOVE it when someone plays with my hair or does my makeup.  It is so relaxing. My time on Sunday with my mom and Kelly Shiva of Makeup Logic was delightful.  I loved the results, loved the conversations, loved being pampered. Mmm…Someday I would like to have someone do my hair everyday.  When I noticed the Real Housewives fighting over their hair stylists, I too thought it was ridiculous. Now, I could totally picture getting into a brawl over it.

Prep Tips

• Collect inspiration pictures.  Make sure that the hairstyle and makeup you love suit the style of the dress.  If the dress has a vintage/bohemian/glam look, go with that.
• Find someone you trust.  This is important.  You may be in love with a look, but that does not mean it will work on you.  I made it very clear that I loved my inspiration photos, but she is the professional and I was prepared to try something different if I needed to.
• If you are timid (which I can be) bring someone that you can give one look and they will either speak up for you or help you speak up for yourself.
• Enjoy the moment. Hello?  How many times do you get to do this?

Inspiration

I wanted a classic romantic look that definitely included red lips.  Something I learned:  if you get a makeup artists, they will mix up the lip color they use on you, put it on a bush, and leave enough for night-long touch ups! How rad is that?

Moi

Happy birthday to Ruby! Sweetness, I used to nanny for Ruby and her totally rad brother, Tripp.  I didn’t just love the kids though, Yolanda, their mom, is fabulous, loves vampires and fashion.  She is amazeballs.  The fit with the entire family was perfection.  Anyways, we were back in Dallas this weekend, so we went to Rube’s party. I may be seriously plotting working for them again. Would anyone like to rent a house in Houston?

Have you all noticed how my posts are a little lacking recently?  I am so sorry. The wedding has completely taken over and we have been traveling back and forth to Dallas for weeks.  We left for Dallas this morning at 4 am. Yeah. Anyways, these shenanigans will be over in a couple of weeks and I will be back.  And I mean back in an intense way. Original content galore.  I am actually really thrilled and bursting with ideas, I have just been swamped.  Oh life, get out of the way of my blog.  I will be posting next week and then I will have two awesome weeks of guest posts that I am VERY excited about. Seriously. They will be amazing, lovely, and smart. So, links. Here they are:

• Adele. Oh, I love her. Her music, her sass, her look.  Her Vogue feature is incredible. Rock it out, Adele, rock it out.
• Love this peek at the Chris Benz presentation from NYFW. Thanks, Jane!
• These are over the top romantic/floral in the best way. Love!
• Ginny put up a rad post about honey. Yum.
• How adorable is Amy Merrick?  I never get over her.
• Gorgeous ladies, courteous of The Lonely Wife Project.

Did you ever journal?  I kept a journal for years.  All through high school and into my first years of college.  I still have them, because it would be dangerous to leave them anywhere and have them broken into, obvi.   I carted my journal with me everywhere.  I have conversations and notes from my friends scattered throughout my writing.  Honestly, reading back in time is tough.  Some things, like the list I posted today, were funny and sweet.  There is a lot of sadness that I didn’t know how to handle. There are pages of calorie counting and weigh ins.  But my journal was also a place to collage and dream.  They are priceless to me. So, Lissy and I read through them together the other day and found a list we made as sophomores in high school…a “dreamboat” list.  Here are some of the qualities we were looking for in a dreamboat June 14, 2002.

• Crinkly eyes
• Gives and uses nicknames
• Spontaneous gestures
• Very affectionate
• Strong Morals
• No pressure
• A willingness to give in
• Very supportive
• Knows how to give sincere compliments
• Not afraid to get up and dance…or be sweetly shy, but can be tempted
• Sense of humor
• Not too perfect
• Loves to eat
• Never makes you feel like a burden
• Gives back rubs
• Plays with my hair
• Proud of your accomplishments
• Visibly infatuated and in love

And I will leave you with a poem Lissy jotted down on the adjacent page.

Where are you going?
To a faraway land?
Where dreams
and honey and ice cream
all collide?

In honor of Valentine’s day I am posting this video Michelle and I have been obsessed with, which talks about the nature of love.  It is by Andrew Zuckerman and it literally makes me cry.  It is a little long, but I promise it is worth the viewing time. I don’t really want to say too much. Enjoy! xo

…from the mouth of a thirteen-year-old

Yesterday I was perusing Facebook after an entire weekend spent computer-free, and I came across a post that my cousin Katherine had put up.  First of all, this little spitfire is such a cutie.  She is glam, she is savvy, and she is my little mini-me.  So, here is what she had posted up:

Rules of Life

1. Love Madonna forever.
2. Eat fried chicken.
3. Listen to Glee.

Yes! These are perfection.  Do you remember being thirteen?  Oh, it could be miserable at times, but I remember the friendships I had were so special to me.  Sleepovers were divine and the perfect opportunity for writing rules of life.  I had to share these with you.  After I read them I wanted to get into Katherine’s head a little more and here is what she had to say:

Me:  Katherine, what is your favorite item of clothing.
Katherine: Sweatshirts…and dresses.

Me:  Where is your favorite place to shop?
K: Aeropostale.

Me: What is your favorite trend right now?
K:  Probably layering clothing and wearing mix match patterns.

Me: I didn’t realize young ladies your age were into Madonna.  When did you start listening to her and why do you love her?
K: I started listening to her recently.  Well, its more of like a Peyton (Katherine’s bestie) and I thing, I like her new song Give Me All Your Luvin’.  I  just like the lyrics and tune of the song.

Me: What are you reading right now?
K: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan and Z for Zachariah for school.

Me: What is your favorite late night snack?
K: Butterfingers

Me: I know you are young, but what do you dream of doing when you “grow-up”?
K: I want to be a vet for aquatic animals (like dolphins/ whales ect.) or a trainer for them.

Me:  Lastly, why do you like hanging out with me, your old cousin?
K: Because you are amazing, beautiful, and hilarious. Also because I am basically a mini you:))

So obviously Katherine is smart, awesome and totally rad.  Do you have any fun rules to live by?

{Header image and several others by Buckets and Bunches, the rest are family pictures}

I am in Dallas, off to a slew of doctors appointments, and then more importantly meeting up with Molly and then wedding wedding wedding on Saturday.  Oh the food we shall sample. Oh the plans we shall make. xo

• I am so excited about the new “Styled By…” series on A Piece of Toast.  First up was Alicia from Cheetah is the New Black.
• Victoria made it official!  She is starting her own amazing business, Vivaleur.  I know she will succeed, and I am so proud to call her a friend.
• This isn’t so much a link, but I love following @deborahlippman through NY Fashion Week. Deb- I give a mean manicure if you need to fly me up there to help backstage!
• I wholeheartedly trust Joslyn for a good book recommendation and can’t wait to pick up this next read.
• This is exactly the kind of wedding I look forward to seeing on A Crimson Kiss. Nailed it Lena.
• Oh Jessica, if we lived closer and were the same size I would “borrow” this outfit!
• Oh, and this.  The pinkest of pinks.  I can’t even describe how happy Alicia made me with this post.

{All Images from Cheetah is the New Black}

I fell in love with Casey’s work over a year ago.  Last week, when I was in Dallas convalescing, I opened up Hello Love Photography and gushed again over Casey’s photo, this time with my mom. I love how Casey and her husband, Troy, run the business together and seem to compliment each other so well.  On a personal note, when I changed my wedding date because I was so early in recovery I didn’t think I could handle the planning, I was completely honest with Casey, and she was genuine and supportive.  I am excited to have someone photographing the wedding who knows all about the blood, sweat, and tears from the last year.  A couple of days ago Casey posted up a favorite moments of 2011 and they were divine. I also love the sweet way the portfolio is put together.  These photos are from Sami and Nick’s wedding.  I don’t know anything about the couple, but looking at the photos I am guessing they are super fun, fabulous, and that Sami is a girlie girl after my own heart.

You might have noticed I have been knocked off my feet for two weeks sick in bed.  Ah yes, it sounds delightful, right?  Spending all your time watching tv, reading, sleeping, shopping online. It’s not.  I started to develop cabin fever pretty quickly.  When your head hurts and you feel like crap, your book or movie has to be really engrossing to keep your attention off pathetic self-pitying thoughts.  In case you find yourself in this predicament here are 15awesome documentaries to try out.  Most of these aren’t that recent, but they are tried and true. Please tell me, what are your favorites?  Also, these are in no particular order.

15 Favorite Documentaries

1. The Rape of Europa
   “The Rape of Europa tells the epic story of the systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures during the Third Reich and the Second World War.”
2. Man on Wire
   “Man on Wire: On August 7th, 1974, a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between the New York World Trade Center’s twin towers. After dancing for nearly an hour on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally released. This extraordinary documentary incorporates Petit’s personal footage to show how he overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges to achieve the artistic crime of the century.“
3. Bill Cunningham, New York
   “The “Bill” in question is 80+ New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham. For decades, this Schwinn-riding cultural anthropologist has been obsessively and inventively chronicling fashion trends and high society charity soirées for the Times Style section in his columns “On the Street” and “Evening Hours” … Bill Cunningham New York is a delicate, funny and often poignant portrait of a dedicated artist whose only wealth is his own humanity and unassuming grace.”
4. The September Issue
   The September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine weighed nearly five pounds, and was the single largest issue of a magazine ever published. With unprecedented access, this film tells the story of legendary Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and her larger-than-life team of editors creating the issue and ruling the world of fashion.
5. Exit Through the Gift Shop
   “Exit Through the Gift Shop follows an eccentric shop-keeper turned amateur film-maker as he attempts to capture many of the world’s most infamous vandals on camera, only to have a British stencil artist named Banksy turn the camcorder back on its owner with wildly unexpected results.”
6. Dogs Decoded
   “Dogs Decoded reveals the science behind the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs and spurs new questions about what this could mean for our relationships with other animal species.”
7. Catfish
   “In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel’s brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.”
8. Born to Be Wild
   “Born to be Wild is an inspired story of love, dedication and the remarkable bond between humans and animals. This film documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them—saving endangered species one life at a time.”
9. Capturing the Friendmans
   “Like most families, the Friedmans of Great Neck took video of themselves in their moments of joy and celebration. Unlike most clans, however, this one would be torn apart by sexual abuse, incest and a criminal conviction. They left the cameras rolling, even as their lives unraveled; director Andrew Jarecki shaped the found footage into a heartbreaker.”
10. Freakanomics
    Freakanomics is the highly anticipated film version of the phenomenally bestselling book about incentives-based thinking by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. The film examines human behavior with provocative and sometimes hilarious case studies, bringing together a dream team of filmmakers responsible for some of the most acclaimed and entertaining documentaries in recent years.
11. Paper Clips
    “As a part of their study of the Holocaust, the children of the Whitwell, TN Middle School try to collect 6 million paper clips representing the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis.”
12. Born into Brothels
    Born Into Brothels is a documentary about the inspiring non-profit foundation Kids With Cameras, which teaches photography skills to children in marginalized communities. In 1998, New York-based photographer Zana Briski started photographing prostitutes in the red-light district of Calcutta. She eventually developed a relationship with their children, who were fascinated by her equipment.
13. Beauty Academy of Kabul
    A documentary following American women (some of whom emigrated from Afghanistan in the early 1980s) who return to the capital city of Kabul to open an American-style school for beauticians. Some of their students are women who maintained “underground” beauty salons while the city was under strict Taliban control.
14. Very Young Girls
    A documentary and exposé of human trafficking that follows 13- and 14-year-old American girls as they are seduced, abused, and sold on New York’s streets by pimps; while being treated as adult criminals by police.
15. Thin*
    Eating disorders affect five million people in the U.S., and more than 10% of those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa will die from the disease. Seeking to put a human face on these sobering statistics, acclaimed photographer Lauren Greenfield went inside a Florida treatment center to tell the stories of four women who are literally dying to be thin. The devastating HBO documentary THIN reveals what she found there – and explores the issues underlying their illness.

3 Documentaries I Want to See

1. Sherman’s March (1986)
   “Ross McElwee wanted to make a feature retracing the destructive Civil War march of General William Tecumseh Sherman. But a traumatic breakup refocused things: He’d still follow the path, but would look for romantic attachment along the way. This strikingly perceptive doc is so intimate, it hurts.”
2. Lake of Fire
   “Filmed in dramatically crisp black and white yet far from didactic, Tony Kaye’s landmark examination of the smoldering battleground of abortion leaves no conviction untested. Renowned libertarians reveal uncertain hearts; pro-lifers squirm in the cool eye of the lens. Kaye shows it all, as well as footage of the procedure itself; we must watch it.”
3. Sans Soleil (1983)
   Chris Marker’s enthralling, globehopping essay is perhaps the finest first-person documentary, one that can leave you rivetingly unmoored. Ostensibly, we’re following a world traveler as he journeys between locations, from San Francisco to Africa, from Iceland to Japan. A female narrator speaks over the images as if they were letters home (“He wrote me…”) even though the episodes play out right in front of us. Each viewer is bound to have their own favorites: The playful, near-subliminal opening shot of three Icelandic girls walking down a rural road; the Japanese temple dedicated to cats (a very Marker place to visit); the illuminating aside on Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The doc feels like a diary that’s being written, reread and transposed to celluloid simultaneously, reinventing itself from moment to moment. You’ll be mesmerized

Here is another list of 50 best documentaries and David’s favorite King of Kong, which I will admit was amusing, but probs more of a guy movie.

*This documentary was very moving to me and a great film, but if you watch it I want to remind you that even at treatment facilities there are girls and women of all weights, shapes, and sizes.  I find the women represented in “Thin” to fit into a stereotype that I would like to break.  On the other hand, it is worth watching because the issues, fears, and factors that lead to an eating disorder are so shared.