An Arrival

This morning my sister gave birth to her first baby, the adorable, perfect, don't-know-how-we-ever-lived-without-him Evan. My heart is so full of love for him and happiness for my sister and her husband. What a truly wonderful day.

Photo by me.

Frothy

Good morning! Happy Monday. Did you watch the Oscars this weekend? I did for a bit, and I was eager to see what kinds of gowns would come down the red carpet before the awards. After all the sparkle at the Golden Globes earlier this year, I wondered whether actresses would switch things up. The pretty theme seems to be going strong -- and I love it! Mila Kunis's lacy purple Elie Saab dress was my favorite of the night. And Halle Berry, Mandy Moore, Hilary Swank and Florence Welch all looked stunning in gowns that were flowy, feathery, sparkly and just very, very pretty.

Photos from here.

A Moving Experience

Today, I am grateful for inspiration and the many places it can be found. Recently, I had the chance to see a Parsons Dance performance. During the show, I was completely mesmerized by the athletic and expressive dancers, the music, the imagery on a large backdrop screen -- and the way all three worked so beautifully together. I've long been a fan of dance, but this performance moved me in a new way and left me incredibly inspired. If I have an opportunity to see them again, I'll do it in a heartbeat.

Here's wishing everyone a weekend full of inspiration!

Photo from here.

A Gesture

I've been thinking a lot lately about how people show their love for one another. An ongoing issue between my husband and me is that we misinterpret -- or miss altogether -- each other's signals. He think he's being expressive and I think he's being cold. I believe I'm giving him space and he wonders if I'm mad about something. It's hard!

But one gesture he offers that I actually pick up on is when he makes smoothies. He takes bananas, yogurt and frozen fruit and turns them into delicious concoctions that are the best things I eat. I realize they're sort of a pain to make, so when he surprises me with one in the morning, I know it means something. And I take it as "I love you."

The February issue of Real Simple has some creative smoothie ideas. Check 'em out here.

Photos from here, here, here and here.

Little Things

I'm often reminded of the big impact of small things: the power of a smile, a hug, a letter in the mail, a good meal, a great hair day. And I believe the same approach can be applied to homes. Living with a few items -- and people and pets -- that I love matters more than the size, style or cost of my house. But it's neat to see how much difference a print, pattern or other detail makes in a room.

This Los Angeles home, featured on Apartment Therapy, made me think more about this. The rug in the living room, curtains in the dining room and shower curtain in the bathroom add a lot of impact and interest. And, seriously, how adorable is their sleepy dog?

Photos from here.

Spring Ahead

Okay, that's it, I'm ready for spring to be here! I'm going to ignore the fact that we had another snowstorm today ... and the reality that it's only February and spring's a ways off. No matter. I'm at least going to start thinking about spring fashion. I'm obsessed with the Chloe spring 2011 ready-to-wear collection, showcased on style.com. The flowy skirts and streamlined tops are perfection. The white looks will surely inspire me as the weather warms. But I have to believe the darker, warmer blush tones could work a little sooner.

Here's what I'd love to be wearing now ...

... and wearing a bit later.

Photos from here.

Happy Weekend!

It's Friday at last and the weekend is nearly here. I'm hoping for a few days of relaxing and getting caught up in a new book. Have you read anything good lately? I always love suggestions.

Have a great weekend!

Photo from here. (Isn't M.Fayre's work stunning?)