{ Where Do Liars Go? }

Gotta love that whole First Amendment free speech thing.

{ Why 09.09.09 Is So Special }

Remember last year when I celebrated THIS date? Well, today I'm celebrating another one of the world's rare calendrical anomalies known as 09.09.09. So what's so special about this date? Well, if you're a number nerd like me, you'd know it represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we'll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101). Though technically there's nothing special about the symmetrical date, I find it interesting that September 9th also happens to be the 252nd day of the year (2+5+2=9). You've got to admit, that's kind of cool.

Need another reason to like the number 9? Did you know that the sum of the two-digits resulting from nine multiplied by any other single-digit number will equal nine? Check it out: 9x5=45 and 4+5=9.

Multiply nine by any other two, three, or four-digit number and the sums of those will also break down to nine. Example: 9x31=279 and 2+7+9=18 and 1+8=9. I'm loving the number 9. Hope you all enjoy today's calendrical anomaly!

PS- I posted this at 9:09am...just for fun!

{ He's Baaaaack!!! }

You heard me right! Reid Rosenthal, my favorite bachelor from last season's The Bachelorette has moved from ABC on over to HGTV as the newest real estate agent on My First Place.

And don't worry, he brought his sexy glasses with him! Thanks again Jacki for the tip. I owe you one! Now if you'll please excuse me...I need to go and set my DVR.

{ Vintage . Affordable . Eco-Friendly }

I'm currently obsessing over a new clothing site called Ruche, an online based boutique that features modern pieces with a vintage feel. Moderately priced too! I found it while browsing wedding bouquets on THIS site. Quite lovely. So, after a little "window shopping" this is the outfit I picked out:

And I'd buy it, but...everything I picked out is OUT OF STOCK. Grrrrrr! Guess I'll just have to settle for this one instead:

Go ahead...pick out an outfit for yourself! And don't forget to check out their amazing homemade jewelry. Love. Love. Love. I'll take one of each please!

:: Laguna Beach Spa Day ::

Saturday was uh-mazing! I slept in, ate a delicious spinach and cheese omelette for breakfast, enjoyed a dip in the pool, and napped in the sun...all in preparation for my relaxing day at The Spa. My friend Lisa, whose wedding flowers I did a few weeks ago, sent Shauna and I to Athena Day Spa in Laguna Beach for the most incredible full body massage as a special thank you for volunteering to do her wedding. She loves us! After our personal pampering session we met up with Lisa in Newport where she gifted us with a sweet little treat from Anthropologie. Finally, it was off to Corona Del Mar where we were treated to a mani/pedi in vintage red! Definitely one of the best days I can remember in a long time. Thank you Mrs. Ashton for your love! It was well-received and greatly appreciated!

{ Anthropologie Inspired }

Finally! A design client who loves Anthropologie as much as I do. Several weeks ago a family friend approached me to assist in the re-design of her teenage daughter's bedroom. Both she and her daughter adore the urban and eclectic look of Anthropologie, so it's been fun to help search for vintage pieces with lots of style and character. I can't give away too many details because the project is a surprise and I'd hate to spoil it, but I'm excited to see everything come together!

:: Love Happens ::

Have you seen the previews for this movie? Umm, I'm pretty sure I NEED to see it. Can this be my story, please?

Synopsis: Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston star in the romantic drama Love Happens. When a se-help author arrives in Seattle to teach a sold-out seminar, he unexpectedly meets the one person who might finally be able to help him help himself. Dr. Burke Ryan (Eckhart) is on the precipice of a major multimedia deal, but the therapist who asks his patients to openly confront their pain is seetly unable to take his own advice. Eloise Chandler (Aniston) has sworn off men and decided to focus on her floral business. However, when she meets Burke at the hotel where he's speaking, there is an instant attraction. But will two people who have met the right person at exactly the wrong time be able to give love another chance? As each struggles with the hurt of love and loss, they realize that in order to move forward, they need to let go of the past. And if they can, they'll find that, sometimes, love happens when you least expect it.

:: "It's Better To Hot Tub..." ::

Someone somewhere once told me "It's better to hot tun than to not tub." So true! However, somehow our relaxing night in the hot tub evolved into Exhibit A below. And if you look closely you might just recognize THIS. That's right. I bought it, and couldn't me more in love!

{ Las Brisas Birthday Breakfast }

Saturday morning I celebrated my friend Christa's 27th Birthday with the girls at the most beautiful place in the world for the most delicious breakfast buffet ever. If you've never had Las Brisas' $13.95 "All You Can Eat Breakfast" in Laguna Beach you haven't lived. If you ask me, it's the best kept secret in Laguna. Their omelettes are mouth-watering good! But more than the food, it's the view! Are you kidding me? You just can't beat the location. I hope it was a very happy birthday Miss Christa! Welcome to your late 20's. You're gonna LOVE it!

{ Surprise Engagement Dinner }

Saturday night I was able to be a part of the engagement celebration for Roselyn's surprise wedding proposal. She had no idea Ben would be proposing, nor did she know that all of her friends would be waiting next door at The Wine Gallery just waiting to celebrate the heck out of them. It was so fun to see the look on her face when she walked through the door. Almost as good as the look on MY face when I got a good peak at the new rock on her finger. Holy guacamole! Good job Ben. Congrats to you both!

{ We're Making Progress People! }

You may not agree, but to me, this is a gorgeous sight to behold. It's the look of progress! Here's where we're at with the Hobbin's home remodel in the California hills. Demolition? Check. Electrical? Check. New windows? Check. Dry wall? Check. A place for Mark's new flat screen TV? Check.

It's so exciting to see this project take shape. Stay tuned for more updates. It's time to pick paint! Why does there have to be so many colors of beige???

:: Sitting Pretty In Provence ::

My friend and ex-co-worker Briana over at Fari International recently had the unique opportunity to design the interior for this adorable French Provence playhouse constructed by Rodeo Homes. The rest are cute, but this one was by far my favorite!

"The success of Project Playhouse is attributed to the incredibly generous builder teams who donate their time, talent and resources to construct each fantasy cottage. These whimsical playhouses contain working electrical systems and include such amenities as flat screen TVs, entertainment systems and video game players."

"For six weeks the playhouses will be on display at Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine, California where millions of people will view the elaborately landscaped playhouse villages. The entire event culminates with an exciting live public auction."

"Project Playhouse debuted in 1992 and has become HomeAid Orange County's signature fundraiser. In 18 years, the event has raised more than $5 million to help the organization fulfill its mission to build and maintain dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives."

I highly recommend stopping by and taking a peak inside. Village tours run every weekend from noon-6pm until Sept. 12th for the price of a $5 donation. Enjoy the tour!

{ Happy 500th Blog Post To Me! }

To steal a line from the adorable movie Adam, "Look how far we've come!"

{ Lacey's Succulent Bouquet }

Remember THIS post? Well, here they are! The promised pics of the beautiful bouquet I created for my dear friend Lacey back in July. Many thanks to friend and photographer Mike of The Digital Orange for being so awesome and taking such incredible photographs!

{ Shop. Shop. Shop. }

The other day while doing a little online shopping I happened upon this great fashion website called ModCloth and instantly fell in love with their vintage-inspired dresses. I love dresses. Love. Love. Love dresses. These are just a few of my faves. I want them all.

{ Wedding Sneak Preview }

Apparently Lisa's cousin Katie is a genius behind the lens. She managed to snap a few gorgeous photos during Rodney & Lisa's Wedding reception this Saturday. So glad she thought to take a few of the flowers. I'm sure these pictures are not the last you'll be seeing of her citrus creations. Aren't they pretty? I think so, but then again, I'm a little bias.

:: Messick Family Vacation 2009 ::

Who says you have to fly 6 hours to find paradise? Not me! Mission Beach was an absolute blast!!! Our days were mostly filled with swimming, surfing, tanning, bike riding, shopping, eating, and of course lots and lots of Baby D. It was pretty much the perfect week. Here are a few pics from our fun-filled week in San Diego...











Wednesday we took Little D to the San Diego Zoo to meet a monkey, a lion, and a bunch of other wild animals. He was such a good boy and loved every minute of it! He especially loved his ice cream cone and the gift shops! I just love that little munchkin to pieces. How could you not with a face like that? So cute! See what I mean...

















Thanks Mom & Dad for such a fun summer vaca! I'm already looking forward to the next one. Where do you think we should go next? Mexico? Santa Barbara? Carmel? I can't wait!