capiz shell box

pheobe lamp

barbados pillow

Summer shopping from RSH Catalog. 

It’s a rarity that we get an early start out of the house on a weekend morning but yesterday was an exception. The estimate for this year was that 2 million people would attend the Puerto Rican Day Parade and three of those attendees where me, my husband and my son.

Fred, Graycen, a one dollar whistle, and a two dollar flag = us at the Puerto Rican Day Parade

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Unfortunately, we did not last long enough to see Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez.

Marc and Jenn, 2010 Puerto Rican Day Parade

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However we were there long enough to see Ronald McDonald. Interesting how these things work out. As if to say, My Life on the D List.

image from 2009 Puerto Rican Day Parade

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On Saturday there was the annual, and very enormous, street festival. I’m guessing that about 20 blocks are closed off, but maybe more. I believe there are four stages where artist come to perform and there is of course, food everywhere (!!). Given that I am both Puerto Rican and a resident of the neighborhood where it all takes place I have attended the last several years. Graycen has been attending since he was in the womb but this year was a bit more fun with him having the ability to shout “Boricua, baby.”

Graycen checking out the street festival.

Puerto Rican pride

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This years highlights included watching my son eat 4 coco flavored ices as well as watching him flip out over the man dressed as a green stick of gum. He just kept saying “no like Easter Bunny” which is apparently code word for people who dress up in costumes. Of course, the biggest thrill was attending the parade.

yo soy boricua

Today is a really big day in our house. We’re taking our son to his first Puerto Rican Day Parade.

image via pia ulin

crafts: gift wrap

fun birthday gift wrap

It was an interesting weekend.

Saturday I was making my best efforts to get my family out the door to a birthday party when my sons begins to have a meltdown. It appeared that my beloved child was in the midst of a tantrum. You gotta love those at the age of two and being the fabulous mother I turned to him and began negotiations. It’s what I do these days to get him to shush it because apparently I ended up with a mini-me and my child is whiny as all heck. It’s karma at it’s best I tell ya.

Who knows what he wanted but I wanted us out the front door. Good thing we’ve been singing Happy Birthday a lot because I decide to tell him we’re going someplace where he can sing his song – which worked. I start naming names of his two buddies that will be there and he seemed to understand. And just like that, suddenly out the door we went.

It’s was hellish hot so the instant we step out our front door beads of sweat begin to form. Minutes later I was in the buildings stairwell wearing flip flops and trying to hold my sons hand while juggling two beautifully wrapped gifts. Walking down the concrete stairs was an obstacle that only added to beads forming on my forehead. We make it down one flight and then start heading to the garden. As we approach our destination all I can think is how quiet it is. As in, gee – what a quiet party. And then I turn the corner only to arrive at party central with no party to be found. I was hot, sweating and doing my best to keep the gifts I was holding from falling while sadly watching my sons face go from curious and excited to Charlie Brown wah-wah.

Apparently the party was Sunday and I arrived a day too early. But you agree that the gifts were gorgeous, right?

 

polka dot gift wrap in red and silver with pig gift tag

polka dot gift wrap in red and silver with yellow gift tag

Gift Wrap Notes: The yummy polka dot gift wrap was found at a thrift store just near my house. I paid $1 for an enormous roll. The packaging said holiday gift wrap but it reminds me of a circus so I went with it for this occasion. I did a single looped bow because I cut the ribbon too short. Have I mentioned that I love ribbon with wire in it? You can make that stuff do anything imaginable. The animal cut outs, which I also used here, are by Martha Stewart. I added the yellow horse just as we were leaving which explains why it’d not in the first several images.

spring flowers (it is still spring, right?)

Last summer I took a class on floral design and at the time I foolishly thought that it would lead to fresh flowers in my home on a weekly basis. That idea never took off (despite it being a lovely lovely thought). And though it is embarrassing to admit, I’ll say it, I never made an arrangement after that class.

That all changed when a few weeks back I was finally able to put those lessons learned to good use. How quickly everything came back to me.. even the not so great things like how I had forgotten how slow I am at assembly. Or how I always really like my first arrangement and then think “let me try something else” only to never get the flowers as perfectly arranged as I did on the first try. I’ll have to remember these things for the next time. Needless, I’m happy to have gotten the practice.

End results below.

working it out

via a diary of lovely

I have some important projects I need to wrap up this weekend. The busyness continues.

image via a diary of lovely

colorless

images via pia ulin

bold color

images via pia ulin

hubba hubba

One of everything, please. The mirror… oh the mirror (!!), the rug, the pillows, that elephant.

Yes, EVERYTHING!!

Lusting over this room, K&Co via Elle Interior Sweden.