Mother's Day 2013: The Gift-giving Edition

Hello my Framed In The Doorway lovelies!

I hope you have had a nice weekend and have been able to enjoy some of the nice weather we are experiencing here in Minnesota. (I can finally say that without sarcasm!) :)

It is one week until Mother's Day, and although this is the third Mother's Day without my (greatest) mom, the initial thought of, "What should I get my mom on Mother's day?" is still there. This year I even found myself looking at Mother's Day cards thinking to myself, "Mom would have really liked that one...and that one...and that one!"

I always tried to find the perfect gift for my Mom for Mother's Day and to make that day the Best Day Ever. As I got older, I learned that those gifts weren't necessarily material: one year Mother's Day was simply me bringing Potbelly sandwiches over to her place at her request.

We ate and laughed and talked, and I remember waking up that day super excited, but also thinking: "She doesn't want to go out to fancy brunch?" Nope. She wanted to hang out and eat sandwiches. :) (She did love the tarts and tart burner I got her from Yankee Candle, though. )

So in honor of my mom (and yours):

1.  Fresh flowers. I know. Trite, but there is something about flowers that just go right to the happy place. :) (image courtesy of Framed In The Doorway)

2. Fab bracelet from the lovely Kate Spade

3. A nice day for a light read ...

4. For the tech-savvy mom

5. My mom was a huge collector of pretty things. It did not have to be expensive, but it did need to be meaningful. This piece by Lladro makes me think of her.

6. Something homemade. Even after the age of five, the homemade, personalized gifts are the best.

My mom saved every piece of artwork, letter, card, etc. that I made. I think she would have loved all the crafty stuff I have been doing. I painted this piece in her memory. It is called "Newborn." (image courtesy of Framed In The Doorway)

Happy Mother's Day!!

FITD love!

xoxo,

B

Hues of Blue: Spring Loves 2013

A few things catching my eye this season...

1. Loving this very cute top from Anthro.I think it would look adorable with my Kate Spade clutch featured here.

2. Back in Texas, World Market was a focal point of several decorating adventures. They closed the one here in Minnesota, but reopened last year. I found this gem of a rug online. It is a wonderful place for inexpensive, unique one-of-a-kind items. (And, an amazing wine selection!)

3. ASOS: amazing, online deals. I am coveting these shoes.

4. On April 12, T-mobile came out with the iPhone 5! Naturally, I rushed right over to see if I was eligible for an upgrade--but I didn't want to fork over $500 for a new phone. (Sorry T-mobile and Apple.) Having said that, I am wanting this pineapple iphone cover. .

5. And finally, one more piece from J. CREW: scarves are definitely my go-to accessory for dressing up an outfit. The scarves don't have to be expensive or designer--most of my scarves are consignment or thrift-store finds. But I do have to love them. For me, a pair of my favorite jeans, a simple t-shirt, a scarf like this, and a favorite lipstick, and I'm good to go.

Enjoy, my lovelies!

Happy Spring to y'all--especially my Minnesota peeps. :)

FITD love!

xo.

B

FITD Food:: Key West Edition

So, as promised, another Key West update: where to eat.

In many ways, I feel that this post is superfluous--as I did not have a bad meal--everything from the orange juice at Frenchie's to breakfast at the Banana Cafe was amazing.

Oh, given this Minnesota winter, I miss, miss Key West!!

Without further ado, my favorite eats:

1. and 2: The wonderous great goodness that is the Half Shell Oh, thank you, Half Shell, for my amazing oyster experience. Until you, I had never liked them nor appreciated them. Until you. Until I had to come back three more times for oysters. (P.S.: Thanks for the fabbest crabcake sandwich. Ever.)

3. and 4. Oh, you Southernmost! Not only were you just a short jaunt away from our hotel--but you leave me salivating of the memories of your fresh tataki and flavorful mahi.

5: And number five is alive! (Okay, lame Short Circuit reference.) BUT the A & B Lobster House is divine. My filet was done medium-rare just the way I like it--and the potatoes: a proof that God loves carbs. And the mussels? They were just as amazing here.

Thank you, Key West, for feeding me!

(images courtesy of Framed In The Doorway)

FITD love!!,

xo,

Bran

Layers and Layers and Layers

Since embarking upon my painting journey, I have really enjoyed the process of creating something. It doesn't matter if it's any good--or even if no one likes it but me. What I'm really enjoying is layering and texture with the help of products like this. I'm able to create pieces that have depth and (at least to me) are interesting to look at.

Today, I placed one of my larger canvases against the sun, and it was really fantastic to see the previous layers coming through and creating the most amazing shadows.

The best part? Not having any expectation of what I'll end up with.

The beginning; not sure if I care for the end-result...

Likewise: I didn't care for how this piece started, but I love how it turned out!

This canvas is more personal for me as I'm working on a multimedia piece dedicated to my Mom. I'm not sure where I want to go with it--and this initial effort is me experimenting more than anything else. I can't wait to work more on this, and yet, I keep working on other pieces. :)

Sorry for the delayed blog post, and I know I have to post more about Key West!

FITD love!

xo,

B