Gifts That Give Back!

Throughout the year my husband & I encourage our daughter to participate in activities that promote her self-awareness, as well as compassion. This year we gave Ava the option of selecting from 3 charities to endorse & she choose, Same Sky. An organization that provides employment to HIV-positive women in Rwanda struggling to lift themselves out of poverty. These bracelets are naturally dyed with Rwandan textiles & adorably adorned with hand-blown glass beads. Ava intends to on gifting these bracelets as tokens of friendship. I couldn't be more impressed with her sincerity or sense of style! ♥

DIY: personalized sneakers

Get inspired:

The shoes above were inspired by Gauguin’s paintings in Tahiti and ikat textiles from Uzbekistan. Check out the V&A museum for more ideas.

Design:

Keep it simple! The shoes have lots of nooks and crannies, and the rough canvas makes detail nearly impossible. Take into consideration the lines of the shoes and consider how your design will fit in with the stitch lines, piping and lace holes.

Color:

Use Prismacolor markers, and buy extra since they run out really fast! You’ll have to go over your pattern multiple times to get saturated colors.

Add texture:

In keeping with your inspiration, find sew-on beads, rhinestones, prong-set studs, etc. (don’t bother with stuff you have to glue). Changing the laces to a unique trim also helps add a custom touch. Each kid’s sneaker takes 1 to 1.3 yards per shoe, and you can find lots of trims and things here.

In love with these one-of-a-kind shoes? This pair and others are available at the Crewcuts University Village store.

Big thanks to J.Crew Crewcuts for the amazing tips & tricks for our little ones kicks! xo

mini moments

All I have to say is this mini is the most! I am head over heels for this Polaroid camera. Sure, it's a pain to lug around, but the end result is well worth the extra baggage & cost of film. My husband gifted me this mini machine for my thirty-first in May & I've been thanking him ever since. We recently celebrated our daughter's 4th birthday & captured some priceless shots using the Polaroid. I got so carried away that I almost forgot to utilize our other memory-making devices. Luckily, my husband remembered! We sent guest home with their own mini Polaroid memories attached to their party favors.

   

bubble machine dance party! 

We included some of Ava's favorite dolls in the festivities.

Dress: Mini Boden - Awesome Pin: Little Bright Studio 

Happy 4th Ava!
07. 30. 2011

A is for Ava

I often come across prints that I love, but when I stumbled upon Editions of 100, A is for rebel print,  I immediately thought of my daughter, Ava. She is the most amazing human being I've ever known. The true definition of joy. We will be celebrating her 4th birthday on the 30th of this month. On her first birthday I gifted her with this print, The For Like Ever poster wrapped up my feelings in a nutshell. What else could describe the unconditional feeling of love I felt for her? This year she will receive the print above. Is she a rebel? Yes. She is her mother's daughter. Ava is also kind-hearted, beautiful, intelligent, hilarious & adventuresome. The best attributes of her father & I were bestowed upon her. 

My hope is she'll love the framed prints she's been gifted throughout the years, that she'll proudly display them in her home once she departs the nest. If not, I'll be happy to hold on to them for her.  

Independence Day

Every American should do these four things on the 4th of July. First, enjoy some quality time with family & friends.  Second, nosh on some amazing Americana cuisine. Third, sing the Star Spangled Banner. Correctly. Fourth, but not least, find a cozy location to watch a fireworks display. My family & I will be enjoying the festivities of Independence Day just blocks away from where the poem, our National Anthem was written by Francis Scott Key.   

As we celebrate our great nation, let's not forget where our freedom comes from. Don't believe all of the stereotypes you may have heard about Americans. Even the ones that are true in general may not be true about specific individuals or a large segment of the population. Free your mind and the rest will follow.......


On that note, God Bless America!  Have a safe & happy 4th of July!

Featured: American girl, magic juice, urban picnic box , stereotypes of America

Marabou Design + 425 Magazine

Just when I thought my week couldn't get any better, my home studio lands the cover of the May/June issue of 425 Magazine!! Available now at your local newsstand. Featured inside is a personal look into my life, my business philosophy & the passion behind it all, my family.

I enjoyed meeting and sharing my story with the talented & gracious, Katy Khakpour. The magic behind the lens belongs to the lovely Erin Vey, her photos are like a breath of fresh air. A special shout out to Mariam Naficy & the entire Minted team, you guys are amazing!

To purchase the personalized stationery "Tied" featured, log on to Minted.com!