fridays in love : beauty & brains

happy friday, loves!

just wanted to share a few new items i have recently acquired to enhance my beauty & brains! ;)

. i love building a fall wardrobe...fall clothes just make me feel so chic!.

..i kind of have this thing for booties...i just can't have enough!..

...was kindly reminded by anna's post yesterday that i needed to pick up a copy of blog inc..

{before i could even finish her fabulous post, i hopped over to amazon & got that baby delivered same day local delivery service...i love arriving home after work to find it on my doorstep!}

i know these are all just material things {well the book is maybe not so much, as i get more out of it}

but i can't deny that they all just make me so happy :)

what's a girl to do?

*le sigh*

what is making you happy right now?

i am off to a mellow weekend, friends...

just taking it easy breezy.

what are you up to?

XO 

brynn

p.s. my post times have been off most of the week...
so in case you missed out and are interested...
wednesday, i shared our wedding soundtrack here & made it available for download or streaming!
thursday, i posted a polka dotty DIY project here...could be a fun weekend project for you DIYers ;)

let's create!: envelope pouch

hello gorgeous :)

so, i thought i would try something new around here...

i have been wanting to do more DIY posts for some time now.

well, i finally got around to putting something together for you all!

i hosted a girls night in / movie night at my place last weekend

{think: mini grilled cheeses, tomato soup, champagne & clueless!}

at the last minute, i decided to put together a little party favor for the girls :)

{disclaimer: i do not recommend this as a last minute project - 

i was up until 4:30am the night/morning before the party making 8 of them!!!}

difficulty: moderate (basic sewing skills needed)

time needed: 1 to 1 1/2 hours 

worth it?: in the name of cuteness...absolutely :)

are you in? 

let's create!

template for envelope: use cardboard, card stock, etc. (i made the rectangle 5"X10")

+ fabric of choice, pressed & ready to go (i used a basic, lightweight cotton muslin) // + scissors

+ pencil for tracing + fabric glue // + round sponge // + glitter in color of choice 

+ buttons & thread for extra detailing (optional) 

+ sewing machine & basic sewing skills (p.s. i am NOT a pro-seamstress in any way, shape or form!)

1. fold fabric in half (folded portion of fabric is bottom of envelope)

2. use template to trace envelope pattern onto fabric

3. snip off one of the pointed sides (see dashed line on bottom left image)

4. repeat steps 1-3 so that you have two like pieces of fabric

(bottom right image - note that this will be inside of pouch in end result 

- flip over to front side before moving onto next step) 

5. use round sponge to dab into fabric glue & create your desired pattern on ONE 'front side' of fabric

6. disperse glitter on each glue dot & remove excess by carefully shaking off

7. allow to dry (10-15 minutes or so)

looking good!

8. once dry, pin both pieces of fabric together so that 'front sides' of both are pressed together 

& not visible - leave bottom end of envelope open (do not pin or stitch shut)

9. stitch a 1/4 inch seam on each of the envelope bottom end pieces first (see bottom left image)

10. then stitch 1/4 seam around perimeter of envelope (excluded bottom end)

it's a little tricky...but i know you can do it! :)

11. snip any excess fabric around seam & flip the pouch inside out from bottom open end 

(use a pencil or chopstick to poke out the points) - press with iron to flatten all seam edges

12. fold rectagular portion up at crease - stitch 1/4 seams on either side to close the edges

all done with the sewing machine...woo hoo!

 if you would like to add a little extra interest...

hand-stitch a button* toward the point of the envelope flap

*mine is non-functioning (just for looks) but if you wanted to get all fancy,

you could sew a button hole on the flap and sew the button onto the rectangular piece...

or you could add snappy hardware...

whatever you fancy ;)

this size pouch is perfect for pencils or make-up brushes! 

what would you fill your pouch with?

it is a bit of a process...

just put on a good movie in the background & voila!

perfect for a rainy day!

& you will be so pleased with your finished product :)

XO

brynn

WEDnesday: the soundtrack

{a quick note: this was posted a little late yesterday due to technical difficulties, so i thought i would keep it up for a bit today...BUT...check back in here at 12:00 PST for a polka-dotty DIY post!!!}

hello lovers!!!

how are you doing on this fine WEDnesday?

i am thrilled to be sharing some of our wedding music with you today!!!

music was a HUGE deal for us in our wedding planning...

so huge, that i was determined to get our dream dj out to our venue for the big day

{quite frankly, wedding djs frighten me!}

well, that dream came true for me...

our very own local morning dj, john richards of our favorite independent radio station -

only the coolest indie station around...KEXP ;)

flew out to california & played the best of the best tunes around on our wedding day :)

it turned out that he & his wife, amy, run a side business doing events & weddings...

lucky us :)

being that music was such a big deal, 

we decided to put together a little soundtrack to give to our guests as favors :)

the beautiful packaging was created by this AWESOME girl, tarah...

who of course was the talent behind our entire wedding suite of invites, menus, etc!

and being that i love you all so, so much...

i am giving you all a digital copy of our soundtrack :)

feel free to download the tracks & album artwork here!!!
or if you prefer, you can stream it here :)

the tracks:

1. indian sun // mean lady {wedding party aisle walk}
2. scenic world ~ long island EP version // beirut {my aisle walk}

3. ceremony {recessional / celebratory / we are husband & wife!!!}
4. true romance ~ gigamesh remix // citizens! {wedding party intro}
5. brand new colony // postal service {cake cutting}
6. ritual union // little dragon
7. kissing you // des'ree {our first dance}
8. la vie en rose // edith piaf {father / daughter dance}
9. more than this // roxy music {mother / son dance}
10. i got you ~ i feel good  // james brown {get you booties on the dance floor!!!}
11. movin' down the line // raphael saadiq
12. i want you back ~ z trip remix // the jackson 5
13. photobooth // friendly fires
14. moi je joue // brigitte bardot
15. good time // brazilian girls
16. let's stay together // al green
17. that's life ~ live version // james brown {last dance}

enjoy! & have a lovely day :)
XO
brynn

on a serious{ly} inspiring note...

hello loves!

as you know, i like to keep things light & cheery around here :)

but sometimes it just feels right to talk about more serious matters...

just keeping it really real.

as a quick disclaimer...

i am only sharing all of this to bring some important matters to light -

not to be preachy in any way, shape or form...promise :)
& it is a lengthier post, i know... but well worth the read, i think :)

i have been inspired tremendously by one incredible man...

that man being my husband :)

today is his 33rd birthday, which happens to be a big deal to him

{you'll understand once you read his message below}

and he has decided that this is his year to GIVE...

he is challenging himself to be selfless & more conscious to put others first 

& he is kicking it off by giving up this birthday in honor of supporting an incredible organization -

charity: water

i am not sure if any of you have heard of this non-profit organization before, 

but if you are open to or looking for a fantastic cause to support

i encourage you to look into it here.

we had the opportunity of seeing the founder of charity:water speak...

we were both so moved & touched by the incredible work that has been done thus far...

& it was definitely one of those moments where we realized how much we take for granted.

i mean, can you imagine not having access to clean water...

& then having to walk 3+ hours a day to only collect swamp water that you filter through your t-shirt...

risking swallowing microscopic leaches...the unthinkable goes on 

& is sadly the everyday reality of many people in this world.

i wanted to share with you what my husband messaged on his fb page...

i think it is quite beautiful :)

"Hey all. It's hard to believe I'll be 33 on September 25th. For me this is a big deal... more than any other birthday. 
(DISCLAIMER: whether you're Christian or not, please don't take the next few words I'm going to write as preaching). 
Thiswas the age Jesus Christ was when he was crucified. I've been thinking about this age for a long time now as the years have been flying by. He was a man who gave everything to show the world the true nature of God; that God takes everyone as they are and loves them no matter what. That no one is special, and yet we all are precious at the same time. Whether you believe what I believe or not isn't the point. However, we can all agree that there are many things in this world that are broken, or at the very least, in need of our attention. It takes action on our behalf to make things change, and that is just tangible reality. That said, I want to take this birthday of mine and use it to help make a change. I am pledging my 33rd birthday to Charity: Water. I saw the founder and I have looked into what he came from, what he did, and what he is doing. All I can say is that I'm inspired and I hope you look into it too."

so, that is it really...

just wanted to share something a little deeper today.

hope you all don't mind :)

have a lovely, lovely day!!!

& to my love...HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU :)

XO

brynn

{a short video, if you are interested}

fridays in love: well, hello fall!

hello, loves!!!

can you believe it??!!

fall is officially here...

while it has been in the air

{that infamous chilly, crisp air}

for a couple weeks or so,

tomorrow marks the first official day of fall!

it is truly my favorite season...

always has been.

perhaps i am biased because i am a fall baby...

perhaps it is because i love fashion so much...

who knows.

i just love the fall.

...and here are some reasons why...

i can't wait to break out the leather!!! and while our days here are cool in the mornings but still warm in the afternoons, i love this look paired with a feminine dress

this hot spiced apple & brandy is most definitely on my fall cocktail to-do list this year! 

doesn't it just sound so perfect?!

taking a walk on a perfect, crisp fall day is one of those little things in life that brings me pure joy...

the sight of the beautiful fall leaves on the ground makes my heart flutter

and how can you resist swishing & kicking the leaves around...

in an adorable pair of booties, of course ;)

what is it about pumpkin anything???!!! i swear, i can't get enough of it in the fall...

this pumpkin crème brûlée has just made the list of a must make desserts :)

and one of my most favorite...with chillier mornings & evenings {and an eventual time change that allows for extra time in the morning} it allows with more snuggling time with my favorite guy :)

& sometimes the kitties, too!

what do you love most about fall?

have a lovely day & i hope you all enjoy the first day of the season :)

XO

brynn

what is inspiring me this september...

for one, this amazing looking pb & chocolate pot de crème

that i want to make for my husband's birthday!!!

pop on over to one of my daily favorites

 the short & sweet of it

...where i am guest posting today...

to find out what else is inspiring me this month!!!

XO

brynn 

WEDnesday : ceremony sneak peek

{all floral designs by april flowers}

well, hello lovers!

i thought i would share a little peek into some of our ceremony details...

{we don't have professional pictures back yet, so i am slowly leaking a few photos here & there...

don't you worry! as soon as the professionals come back, the flood gates will open!!!}

i had a vision for pretty much everything in our wedding day,

but could never truly picture the ceremony...

all i knew was that i would be a weeping wreck...

which proved to be true :)

i entered downstairs from a balcony above and for a moment before i took my first steps

i felt calmness...

but the moment the song {scenic world by beirut} cued & i took my first steps,

i wept the whole way down the aisle...

seeing all of the most important people in our lives standing there for us...

& of course, seeing my {then future} husband standing at the end.

words truly can't express the emotions that filled those moments.

 we kept it pretty short & sweet,

but filled with thoughtful, meaningful words...

the tone was the perfect amounts of weepy & funny...

and saying i do was one of the most exciting moments of my life!

all in all, i would say that

our ceremony was truly perfect :)

have a lovely day!

XO 

brynn

p.s. you might notice that the blog got a mini facelift! i have added some pages for regular features
& you can look forward to some ongoing changes over the next month or so...
let's just call it a bit of a growth spurt for chartreuse & a twist :)

colorFULL : what does color mean to you?

i always love to see how color is interpreted people...

what do you see in each image above...what do the colors say to you?

there is no right or wrong answer of course :)

just curious to see if you see what i see...

that's all ;)

have a lovely day!

XO

brynn

fridays in love : poms & feathers

lately i've been loving poms & feathers...

because really...

what's not to love?!

what have you been loving lately?

well loves,

i am off to a solo weekend...

my husband will be away on a business retreat.

& while i will definitely miss him, 

i have purposefully not made any plans

& have decided to take a couple of days to myself

to decompress & catch up on some projects :)

what are you up to this weekend?

XO

brynn

{image credits: pom crown from ban.dō // hot pink poms // light pink poms // feather crown // 

feather earrings (round background) // watercolor feathers}

WEDnesday: gifts for the girls

hello, lovers!

let's talk bridesmaid gifts today :)

when you ask your girls to be...well...your girls,

they are being signed up for a lot...

& therefore are very much deserving of a lovely thank you gift!

i wanted to make sure each gift to my 3 girls was individual enough for each yet equal for all...

so i opted for the following:

SOMETHING PRETTY

i got each girl a pretty cami & coordinating panties...

to keep it individual, i got each of them a set that i felt best represented their style

{actual styles purchased are not shown, but you can get the above pieces here}

SOMETHING PRACTICAL

i fell in love with these poppy glass + silicone water bottles by bkr 

i wanted to stay within my citrus themed palette, so gave each girl a different color -

lime, lemon & orange

SOMETHING FUN

this adorable little orange pouch is actually a little snack pack that is a part of 2 

{the other is an apple...but of course chose an orange to stick with the citrus!}

i couldn't resist when i came across them ;)

so, they ended up becoming the packaging for the camis & panties...so perfect!

do you have a favorite gift that you gave to your bridesmaids?

or received as a bridesmaid?

have a lovely day!!!

XO

brynn

a colorFULL life

{images: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5}

don't you think?

i do my best to live my life in full color...being present in the moment...

making the most of each situation & celebrating in the many joys it has to offer...

but sometimes,

the skies turn gray

& i need a little reminder like this :)

have a lovely day!

XO

brynn

fridays in love : a thread of pink

my current loves include...

1. homemade ice cream. it is sort of becoming a terrible addiction...must get help asap! 

2. my floral pj bottoms from anthro...from like a million years ago...still love them, though!

3. pretty cocktails...i am typically more of a wine, champagne or beer girl, but i always appreciate the aesthetic  of a beautiful cocktail

on a side note...
i also love all of your amazing comments on my diy wedding post ... thank you so, so much for your sweet words...it truly means so much to me :)

& of course, i am loving that it is friday!!!

this evening & sunday will be mellow as can be...just working on some personal projects

saturday will be fun filled...aka wine filled!

one of our best friend's father is a winemaker & is throwing a big fall release party that we are attending... can't wait to report back ;)

what are you all up to this weekend?

i hope it is fabulous!

see you on monday :)

XO

brynn

WEDnesday: a handful of diy details

hello, loves!

i have been sprinkling a few wedding photos here & there,

and have been soooooo anxious to show you more...

some of the details!

i have been holding off because I am waiting for the professional photos...

but, i thought that i would give you all at least a little peek of a handful of my favorite diy details...

1. the 'guest book', so to speak... our guests wrote their notes for us on these watercolored postcards that  i painted with my cousins, aunt & grandma...we added some ribbon details & voila!

2. the menu...a beautiful screen printed menu w/stitched details created by tarah, my friend & partner in wedding diy crime

3. with the help of amazing friends, we sewed & hand-dipped 60 napkins & sewed six 10' table runners

4. five 30' fabric banners, put together with friends, strung in between the café lights

& my husband - with the help of great friends & family members - handcrafted six 10' doug fir tables w/ citrus-hued edges

5. tarah's amazing work was threaded throughout the event...from the invitations to these gorgeous wedding favors - a compilation of our wedding music

all of these details & especially all of the help of our friends & family made the whole event feel more special...so many people contributed so much to our day

i just love that.

XO

brynn

highlights of the weekend

how i enjoyed one of the last weekends of summer:

40 mile roundtrip bicycle ride + friends + beer + wine + all around good times

{including a night ride home along side of the stunning blue moon}

getting our lives in order - clearing out the clutter & getting organized!

{it has been an ongoing challenge of cleaning up the residue of wedding chaos!}

movies & dinner at home with some of our favorite people

{it is just what the 4 of us do...our favorite pastime :)}

sunday date day with my favorite boy!

{dexter + lots of cooking + dexter + ice cream making + more dexter...yes, it is a slight obsession!}

dinner & wine with our neighbors, on the deck

{soaking up one of the last weekends of summer}

a sunset picnic with friends at our favorite park with a view of the city

{this was the perfect finale to a perfect, long weekend}

how did you enjoy your weekend??!!

here's to a fabulous tuesday ;)
XO
brynn

p.s. i just have to give a quick shout out to my mom...because it's her birthday!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!! 
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH & HOPE YOUR DAY IS THE BEST :)
XOXOXOXOXO