When Fall arrives and all the neighborhood kids head back to school, and the leaves start to change (well at least on the few trees that aren’t palm trees), and the air gets a bit crisper, I always think about changing things like my door wreath and my dining table centerpiece to something more earthy, cozy and well, Fall-like. In researching new ideas I came across the “Message in a tree” from Better Homes and Gardens and thought it would be a great idea especially for those homes with kids headed back to school. Instead of hanging notes of thanks to your house guests though, hang notes of love, appreciation and encouragement for your kids as they venture back into the world of math, reading and social engagements at school. What better treat is there as they head off to school to see a new note of encouragement, or when they arrive home from a long day to find a note telling them they rock? Let them take it with them or leave it there for the whole family to see….maybe even put a few up for your hubbie!

Of course I recommend using real leaves and twigs that have already fallen vs the faux version mentioned in the article…and try placing these in a silver pitcher or glass vase you already have in your china cabinet…no need to get something new!  If you use a glass vase fill the inside with chestnuts or acorns to fill the space and keep the branches in place while adding a true woodsy, fall feel!

I recently was introduced to a GORGEOUS paper line called Cartolina Cards, available at places such as Anthropologie, Paper Source, ABC Carpet,  modernpapergoods.com and more, and it was love at first sight!  The combination of the multicultural theme of each design, the brilliant use of color, and the subtle tribute to femininity is what got me hooked initially…of course it wouldn’t be true love if they weren’t printed in an earth friendly way though…so when I read that all “All our cards are printed on recycled paper that comes with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. The FSC represents products produced from well-managed forests, controlled sources and recycled wood. Our cards are printed with vegetable based inks and our printer was named Most Environmentally Progresive Printer in Canada for the last 5 years at the Environmental Printing Awards.”, I knew we were a match made in heaven.

Here are some of my favorites…

If you are anything like me, you wait all year for summer to come around. It’s my favorite season because I LOVE to be outside and I love entertaining! Dinner parties under the light of paper lanterns are complete bliss for me…until the clean up! I have always struggled with what tableware to use outdoors- paper is simply not stylish enough and just wont cut it for any dinner party, plastic and melomine bring a bit more style and color to the table but with a heavy impact on the environment, and classic dinnerware simply is too heavy and too much work when it comes to cleanup. So you can imagine my excitement when I came accross this amazing line of dinnerware that is disposable, biodegradable and totally modern! The company is VerTerra and the product is made from fallen leaves and water, that’s it…just 2 ingredients!  “They’re non-toxic, biodegradable, compostable, durable, lightweight, convenient and downright stylish.”

VerTerra Dinnerware

VerTerra

These plates are simple, clean and modern and will allow for the food to do all the talking! I do recommend adding color to the table through bright linens (table cloth or placemat) and colorful glasses if you have them. I love to keep the centerpieces low and simple with a few hurricane candles thrown in the mix for ambiance. Here are some pics of options to help sass up your outdoor dinner party!

Layer up bright table cloths and runners to create vibrant color combinations!- Photo courtesy of Real Simple

Mix and match bright colored glassware to liven up the table -Photo courtesy of Anthropologie

Use your own garden flowers and glasses for centerpieces

Dress up hurricanes with rocks, flowers or shells- photo courtesy of the young bride's guide

Finding a hostess gift that is not only stylish and affordable, but packaged right and made of natural goodies is no simple task…until now. I recently came across this gorgeous site, Woodsprite.com, for organic soaps and skin care as well as soy aromatherapy. Now usually when I come to these sites I am pretty skeptical about what I am going to find because the  products and the overall brand are typically a bit too, well, shall we say earthy? Not this one, it offers beautiful products wrapped up in high end packaging, and it’s all perfectly affordable. Here are some of my favorite options for hostess and thank you gifts…

By now most people have heard the amazing story behind Tom’s Shoes…which goes a bit something like this…

“In 2006 an American traveler, Blake Mycoskie, befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by caring TOMS customers.

TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we’re all about. The TOMS One for One business model transforms our customers into benefactors, which allows us to grow a truly sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support.”

Metallic Classics $54

The navy striped wedge $69

Newport Cordones in red stripe $69

Linen Classic in light blue $48

Image courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

Chalkboard paint is no longer just for algebra and chemistry class…in fact, we love it in just about any room in the house! From the dining room, as shown above, to the kitchen, to the office and even in a kids room- we are loving the personalized, playful vibe that it adds to the home! Our favorite paint is FolkArt non toxic, water-based paint by Plaid. It comes in 11 fabulous colors and because it’s non toxic, you can be assured you and your family are safe from nasty chemicals. Here are some of our favorite ideas for chalkboard paint…

An adorable way to add beach fun to your kids room!

Photo courtesy of Plaid.com

A more sophisticated approach to chalk boards in the home office.

Image courtesy of Martha Stewart

We love this door sign!

Photo courtesy of Plaid.com

And yes, we too, have a wall in our home painted with chalkboard paint! Our son loves to let his inner artist unleash while I love keeping the weekly schedule visible for the whole family to keep up on.

Whenever my wardrobe seems to be getting tired, or I just need a bit of personality added to my everyday skinny jeans and ribbed tank, I go for my collection of chunky, bright and playful vintage jewelry to spice things up. I have always loved vintage jewelry for it’s insanely bold colors, it’s unique personality and it’s ability to completely enhance any old outfit. And since it’s vintage, I can feel good about the price as well as the recycled life that it has lead. You can find vintage anywhere from flea markets and thrift stores to high end estate jewelry dealers. I personally love scouring the amazing flea markets in LA for my more casual vintage jewelry, but have also found amazing higher end treasures in some of the best vintage clothing shops in southern CA. In fact, I even found and wore vintage (Chanel) earrings for my wedding (I got the gorgeous gems at The Paper Bag Princess in Beverly Hills)…I was obsessed with ensuring that my wedding day attire, dress included, could never be duplicated or worn by another…and the earrings were the perfect fit!

Vintage Chanel Earrings for my wedding

Here are some of my favorite pieces on the web right now…

Etsy necklace- $34

Robin's Egg Blue Wingback Earrings- $55

Pearl and Peridot Rhinestone Ring- $24

70's bangle by Kenneth J Lane- $80

Vintage Fresh Water Pearl & Gold Metal Cocktail Ring $40

For more vintage jewelry online check out these fabulous sites…

http://www.veryvintage.com/

http://www.riceandbeansvintage.com/vintagedesignerjewelry.html

www.etsy.com

http://www.michellesvintagejewelry.com/index.html

For so long it seemed that the only options for unisex gifts where in green or yellow and came with circus animals all over them. Fine for a traditional, more conservative mom or nursery- but for those of us seeking more modern style decor and apparel for our little ones, we were simply out of luck when it came to preparing for a baby that was going to be a surprise. Now, with chocolate as one of the hottest colors for babies, we have options galore- AND chocolate naturally goes well with almost all shades of pink and blue- so once that baby arrives and you know the sex, you can add accent pieces in dusty or hot pink for a girl, or turquoise or sky blue for a boy.

Here are some of my favorite gift ideas for the momma who is waiting to find out whether she will be blessed with a boy or a girl….

Super Soft Coverall by Kicky Pants

Organic Reversible Blanket by Oscar and Belle

Organic Cotton Footie by Egg baby

Sophie, the famous teether, by Vulli

When it comes to decorating my home, I love the mix of modern and traditional…of sleek and cozy…and of course, I always love it when it’s made eco friendly! I came accross this amazing company, Gus Design Group, who now makes all their products with the environment in mind. They not only make GORGEOUS furniture, but they do so in a responsible way. You can’t buy direct from their Canadian company, but they have dealers all over the US and online…here are few of my favorites!

GT Rocker

Jane Sofa

Yes its possible and I intend to prove it through this blog from here on out…
I know it seems like maintaining a sense of style while schlepping your lil one to and from the park, or to music class, or school or swimming lessons or the grocery store, or soccer practice…(you get the idea) seems like a waist of time or simply too much work. And I know too, that choosing to make a salad for lunch instead of eating a few o your lil guy’s chicken nuggets or string cheese seems like it would take an impossible amount of self control and there is no way on this green earth that you could do it everyday…trust me, I know! It aint a cake walk, (but then again neither is being a parent) but I think it’s completely doable and totally necessary! We are strong, beautiful women who deserve the confidence and second looks that we got just a few years back.

I have always (well, at least since high school when I FINALLY got out of a uniform and had permanent free dress) loved fashion, and over the years have developed my own sense of style that in a way, defines me. If I had to describe “my style”, I guess I would say its a large scoop of the 60’s, mixed with a tablespoon of beachy comfort, an topped off with a pinch of glamour. What in the world does that look like, you ask? Here’s a picture of one of my favorite dresses…I have worn it to weddings, out to dinner, when pregnant, when slim- its an amazing dress that captures the essence of my style in a nutshell. (and no, that is not me in the picture!)

So…you have a glimpse into my style, now how do I qualify as healthy? Well, I do a few things that keep my mind and body feeling fresh and alert and sometimes even toned. 1. I run. First thing in the morning after I feed my little guy his oatmeal and fruit- we hit the strand in Manhattan Beach and I run. Sometimes its 2 miles, sometimes it’s 7…depends on how I feel that day. Sometimes it’s just walking at a brisk pace- but unless there is rain, we are out and about by 9am. Then, on the way home, I reward myself with a Latte or Iced Coffee…everyone deserves a treat after working hard! 2. I eat almost exclusively organic food…and I say almost exclusively because there are a few fruits and veggies or dried goods that do not need to be organic (things like avocados, broccoli, pasta etc), and because I LOVE to eat out on the weekends- and lets face it, not all restaurants serve local, organic foods! 3. I drink tons of water, then a touch of red wine. That’s right, I look forward to my glass of wine each night as I wind down the day and enjoy a homecooked meal. Afterall, like I said before, everyone deserves a treat after working hard…and after a long day of being a mom and business owner, I like to enjoy a treat of red wine.

So is it possible to be stylish, healthy AND a mom? I think so. I think it’s critically important to hold on to the things that made you proud, made you confident, made you who you are before you were pregnant and before you were a mommy. Of course, now that you are a master of parenthood and your life is richer, fuller and more meaningful, things are a bit different and some priorities have changed (lets face it, blow drying your hair takes a distant second to feeding your baby or getting some much needed laundry done)…but keeping yourself feeling great will only bring more happiness and life to your home. I hope that sharing my tips and tricks through this blog will bring you inspiration and new ideas on how to keep your style and your health in fabulous shape! Afterall, you have already taken on the greatest challenge of all- being a parent, the rest is easy…