black tie affair?

I have a wedding to attend in July, and it's black tie. Not black tie optional, but black tie. In Georgetown, the swankiest part of DC, at a fancy-pants hotel, at the end of July. I've never been to a black tie wedding! I was under the impression that black tie means long gown, but to me, most long gowns look like bridesmaid dresses. I don't want to clash with them (I should find out what color their dresses are, eh?) and I am just not sure what to wear! I love dressing up, but am paranoid that I will somehow dress wrong!

I saw this dress on Nordstrom's website and am really liking it. The price isn't so bad either! It comes in navy or gunmetal. I am liking the gunmetal, actually, and also, my sister's bridesmaid dresses are navy, and I probably don't need two long navy gowns....

What do you think? Could I wear this dress to the wedding? Have you been to a black tie wedding?

 What did you wear to it?

death by chocolate?

German chocolate might just be one of my biggest downfalls in life....this cupcake was beyond amazing!







What's your favorite kind of cake?

Thursday's thought

Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara. People rave. It's a classic, they say.

I've tried it several times over the years, but have never been impressed by it. It just does nothing for me. I bought it again this week, thinking I'd try it again. There's a new brush! Fun!

Yeah, same old. No good for me.

Someday I will find the perfect mascara.





What about you? Do you like Great Lash? Does it make your lashes great? What is your go-to mascara for greatness?

current loves

Happy Tuesday, friends! 

Picture post, and some of my favorite things at the moment!

Butter of London's All Hail the Queen. Perfect brown, with the right touch of sparkle!

My first ever pair of TOMS, in classic navy. I'll post a photo of them later too! Do you have any TOMS? What do you think of them? I've been wanting to try them, as everyone raves, so I finally ordered a pair!

Peonies. 'Nuff said!  :)

I've heard lots of things about this book, so now I'm reading it. I'm only a few chapters in, but it's good so far! No babies for me now, but eventually  ;)

Goodies from a local farmers market on Sunday!

Peach wine from Virginia...mmmmmmm hmmmmmm!

New-ish cupcake shop! This is a blackberry cupcake, and was amazing.

What are you loving this week???

well fiddle dee dee!

While I was home in NH this past weekend, I saw fiddlehead ferns everywhere! I'm not kidding, in the four days I was home, I think I saw them half a dozen times!

Now I am intrigued, and want to try them. I saw a recipe where they were sautéed with potatoes...now I just need to find them in DC!






Have you had fiddlehead ferns? What's the best way to prepare them?




-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

the best boys

I'm home in NH this weekend (flew up Friday morning, back to DC tonight), and spent Saturday with my favorite boys!

Jackson, my godson, had just seen Avengers with his father, so we played super heroes, and Owen, his baby brother, is a cuddle monster!















Love these boys!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sliced Apples Quilt-a-Long!

I'm so excited! I've joined my first ever Quilt-A-Long!

This is hosted by Pam, of Mama Spark's World. Basically, this just means that a group of people are all working on the same quilt, at their own pace, in the privacy of their homes. I've thought about joining a few, but it's never happened, but then I saw this one. The pattern doesn't seem too tricky, which is good, since I am still an advanced beginner quilter, in my opinion, but it will be good for me to be working along with others, who are more experienced, and will be able to both help and motivate me!

This fabric, called Little Apples, is by a British designer called Aneela Hoey. She blogs here, and has the most lovely fabrics that she's designed! Her other two lines are called Sherbet Pips and A Walk in the Woods. I love all three, but Little Apples is my favorite, as it reminds me of Ramona Quimby! Remember when she ate a bite from every apple?  :)

This is what the finished top will look like-

Isn't it lovely? It will measure at 56" x 68," which is the biggest I'll have ever made! I mostly make baby quilts and smaller, so naturally, this makes me a little nervous  :)  Still though, it will be good for me, I need to do things like this to stretch my skills.

I'll post here about my progress, so check back!

Also, please join in the fun, if you are a quilter, or pass the information along to your quilter friends, as we'd love to have lots of people participating! Apparently there are prizes involved, and who doesn't love a prize once in a while?  :)