{ cookie jar }

been a long time

2010-07-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

oh my goodness, it has been three months since i've posted anything here. my only explanation is a mix of laziness, lack of inspiration and obsessively cleaning the apartment. not to say that i haven't done anything; i've finished projects, started new ones (almost done, i promise...) and have made plans for more in the future. oh my.

here's a super quick view of what i have been up to:
{ birthday banner for husband's 30th - tutorial for stringing pennants together here }
{ the husband LOVES coconut so i made him macaroons dipped in dark chocolate...yum }
{ horrible lighting! my birthday treat, a homemade strawberry milkshake, and a homemade napkin }
{ jedi robe for the nephew's 5th birthday - too busy rushing off to mail it when done to take photos }
{ my new project: i bought this chair for $15 (marked $35) at a local neighborhood garage sale and am going to reupholster in a sunny, anthro-like print }

lullaby

2010-04-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

i can't stop listening to she & him volume 2. how perfect would the track "if you can't sleep" be as a lullaby for a baby? it's dreamy, like something in a disney princess film.wouldn't the album cover make a perfect inspiration piece for a nursery?

parisian style for tots

2010-04-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

spotted this morning on black*eiffel: super sweet french pieces for kids from noro.

{ photo from black*eiffel }

walk to 40 weeks

2010-04-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

i'm loving photographer ryan marshall's maternity series. what a great, creative way to keep far-away family updated on your bump's progress. i also like the mom's vintage style, so cute!

{ photo from ryan marshall photography }

happy easter!

2010-04-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

{ photo from dana made it }

rifle design

2010-04-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

i've long been a fan of rifle's stationery and wedding invitations. today they posted an absolutely lovely custom design on their blog, hand sewn wedding invites anyone? yes, please!

{ photo from rifle blog }

freezer paper diy

2010-03-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

i've never tried freezer paper stenciling but this how about orange tutorial looks so easy i might have a new hobby on my hands.

{ photo from how about orange }

diy flower pots

2010-03-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

aren't these fabric covered flower pots {featured on creature comforts via crescendoh} cute? these pots would make great gifts or amazing centerpieces for easter/mother's day brunches. maybe add a little liberty fabric for a super fancy pot?

i love ez over at creature comforts, she always has amazing tutorials like this one to share and inspiration photos that are too perfect for words.

{ photo from creature comforts }

so. freaking. exciting.

2010-03-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

i cannot wait for this book to come out. for reals.
it took all i had to not title this post "sew freaking excited"...oh boy, i crack myself up.

stephen's 30th

2010-03-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

my husband's 30th birthday is coming up next month and i'm just starting to plan things. i know three things: he wants barbeque, coconut cake and there's a fairly good shot he's going to see this but i don't care.

i also know it would be awesome if i could incorporate these too-cute lego candles i spotted over at party perfect.
let the planning begin!

{ photo from party perfect }

simple 3rd birthday

2010-03-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

detailed, elaborate kid's parties are adorable but not necessary. don't get me wrong, i love the coordinating bunting, candy buffets and outfits as much as the next girl but this 3rd birthday party from two ellie {via party perfect} is just perfection.
i love this mom's take on her son's love of the movie 'cars.' instead of going super theme-y and buying everything disney, she took a more homemade 'movie theme' approach that really shows how much she loves her little man. a party like this is so simple, it's for a kid afterall, and would be easy to recreate or throw together last minute. i love the cupcakes with tiny marshmallows on top made to mimic popcorn!

{ photos from two ellie via party perfect }

pottery display

2010-03-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

ask my husband and he'll tell you i love dishes. pretty patterned bowls, plates, cake stands - i love them all. in my mind i want a wall like this one from re-nest. the wimp in me would never do it, what if it fell? ack!

i love this room for other reasons: gorgeous mantle, built-ins, moulding, great cushion cover and even better curtains. file this one away for when we have a home we can alter how we want.

{ photo from re-nest }

milk and cookies

2010-03-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

this milk and cookies party is absolutely adorable! i love the milk bar and the cake is just too cute. the birthday girl's dress is perfectly sweet, brown and white polka dots!

if i had the chance to throw this party i'd probably make the color palette brighter, something more like this tee. while this party's brown and cream palette is completely posh, i'm drawn to brighter colors, especially when it comes to kids' parties.

{ photos from a party style via party perfect }

anthro wedding dresses

2010-03-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

following in j.crew's footsteps, anthropologie will launch a line of 'heirloom' quality wedding dresses in spring 2011. exciting, right? i can't wait to see all of those lovely wedding blogs afluttter with posts about anthro's journey into the bridal world.

now if only they would hire out their visual merchandisers to design people's weddings, they'd really have something.

{ photo from instyle via anthropologie }

pedal cars

2010-03-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

gilt groupe (a website that offers great designer clothing, accessories and home products at sale prices) is having a sale today on the super cute pedal cars by warehouse 36. how sweet is that little cherry red '65 mustang or the '32 pink roadster?

you have to be a member to take part in the sales. membership is free, sign up here.

{ photos from the gilt groupe website }

to the moon!

2010-03-15T22:18:00.000-07:00

this space-themed birthday party is too adorable for words! i like the idea of adding experiments to the party lineup. i love the wording on the invite and the amazing, hanging moon cake!
{ all photos from here, via party perfect }

gotta have gingham

2010-03-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

i'm loving gingham right now. how great would that bedding be? so springy and bright!

{ top photo from toast • built by wendy top from frolic }

i want to go to there

2010-03-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

as if i needed another reason to want to visit sweden, now i find out that there's a pippi longstocking theme park in stockholm! how awesome is that? the pictures make Junibacken look so fun...i want to take the storybook train from storybook square to villa villekulla and visit pippi.

{ photos from design*sponge }

duck!

2010-03-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

stephen and i are proud UO grads and after 5+ years of working at the duck store we're ducks through and through. we're not big sports fans though and wouldn't want to outfit our home in yellow and green but this simple pillow from bumble belly designs { via ohdeedoh } would suit our alum status perfectly.

i love the rest of the old macdonald pillow line, so simple and classic! find the pillows here.

{ photo from ohdeedoh }

bolt fabric boutique

2010-03-09T15:34:00.001-08:00

today marked my first visit to portland's bolt fabric boutique and i'm in love. i want to move in and live amongst the happy prints that line the shelves. the lady working was super helpful, funny and reassuring when i showed her the pattern i'm working with.

i also bought a super cute doll pattern (more on that later) will be my first attempt at softies. i even found a piece of felt that is almost somewhere between red & auburn, yay for redhead dolls!

{ photo from the bolt blog }

homemade baby gifts

2010-03-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

the year of the baby has officially begun here at cookie jar! this past saturday stephen and i attended the boy-oriented (beer) and girl-oriented (pink!) baby showers of our friends matt and joy; they are expecting a sure-to-be perfect girl in about a month.

i've been busy sewing for weeks in anticipation of joy's shower and now i can finally post images the finished products.

{ project: not-so-plain onesies }
dad matt is the biggest sports fan i know. drawing on his love of the st. louis cardinals and portland trailblazers, i embroidered simple designs on onesies so baby girl will be able to support her dad's teams from the start.
{ project: versatile blankets }
inspired by easy blanket tutorials online i created simple two-sided baby blankets using a cotton print, my favorite folksy flannel and sweatshirt material. i even added the same embroidered cardinal to the polka dot blanket after having no luck finding a suitable 'girly' cardinal-themed cotton print.
{ project: embellished pilot cap }
using a small scrap of the polka dot material i added a yo-yo to one of the hanna andersson pilot caps i included in joy's gift -wearable with either sports teams' onesies as an added fashion statement.

{ photos by me }

gotta love the brits!

2010-03-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

i cannot stop watching the latest bbc adaptation of 'emma' starring romola garai and jonny lee miller. i badly want a wardrobe of empire waist gowns in peaches, creams and strawberry pink.
{ first photo from here • second photo from here • set photo from here }

old book pages made pretty

2010-03-05T07:12:00.000-08:00

hands down, anthro has the best displays i've seen in a retail store. i really go crazy when their designers incorporate old books and book pages into the display in a fun way, like this photo from fill in the blank:
so when i saw this article on re-nest about decorating with old books i was super-duper happy! i've tried projects like this before (sadly was not allowed to use real books, long story, so it -not surprisingly- did not go well) and think some of these ideas would be extra cute in our apartment:{ anthro display from fill in the blank • three photos from re-nest, find article here }

robots!

2010-03-04T12:17:00.000-08:00

i'm sure i've said it before and i'll say it always, my husband loves robots. i'm positive our first child will have their own small army of the mechanical cuties in their room, whether it's a boy or girl. that said, isn't this ferm living robot bedding cute? it comes in baby and kid bedding as well as coordinating pillows! awww...so sweet

{ photo from ferm living }

stickers!

2010-03-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

i've been a fan of blik graphics for some time and i love this new monster graphic, how cute would it be in a kid's room?
the wee gallery line at blik is equally cute for any tiny person's room. perfect for a baby, high contrast, black and white images mixed with cute details.

{ photos from blik }

fabric choices

2010-03-04T09:53:00.001-08:00

still looking through fabric swatches for my built by wendy top. i adored the thread seersucker dresses i pawed through at the english dept last year while at my dress fittings, i'd love to have something similar for the summer.
red is my favorite color but i don't want to look like a candy striper. hmm...
this gray seersucker is very endearing, much more like the thread dresses. it's maybe a little more versatile, too.
this liberty fabric is my dream but the expense makes me shy away. maybe one day...

{ seersucker fabric swatches via fabric.com • liberty of london fabric swatch, 'la sandra a' print }

built by wendy...sewn by me!

2010-03-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

i've had this built by wendy pattern for about a year now and i'm finally brave enough to begin making something from it. if all goes well this will be my first real (not halloween costume) clothing project made by and for myself! yikes!

fabric selection will be key but i can't decide between a light cotton print or a seersucker (something about seersucker draws me in) in red or gray. using these images i pulled from the web as inspiration, i'm sure the final product could look awesome! i'm ready to start this project!too many fabric choices! i'm leaning towards red seersucker, there's just something so springy about that fabric! how do you decide on fabric for a clothing project?

{ bottom photo from clevergirl • most photos from this flickr group }

geektastic!

2010-03-03T16:46:00.000-08:00

the folks at craft never disappoint, these cross-stitch patterns are adorable and oh-so nerdy. gotta love nerds!

martha has good taste!

2010-03-01T08:33:00.000-08:00

while flipping through the latest issue of MS Weddings (i can't bring myself to cancel the subscription - even five months post wedding!) i saw the above photo and shrieked! ah! a bolero made by elizabeth at the english dept (the same awesome, amazing lady who made my dress) is in martha's magazine!

i love the direction MS Weddings has been going the past few years, it's the only bridal mag to really celebrate crafty and not tulle-only brides with a decent ad space to content ratio.

{ photo from martha stewart weddings online, find it here }

feeling swedish

2010-03-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

after a yummy sunday breakfast at our new favorite spot broder in southeast, i find myself searching for dala horses and wanting to reread pippi longstocking.

broder is a charming café in the clinton street area of portland, decorated by someone who knows their swede style well. it's perfectly modern and homey at the same time, dala horses dot shelves above hipster (ok, just portland guys) cooks whipping up yummy scandinavian fare. husband likes the abelskeivers and any of the scrambles are delicious. i admit, the scrambles are my favorite because they arrive in mini iron skillets with a patterned cozee on the handle - so precious!

{ abelskeiver photo from broder • pippi towel from here • dala horse pillow from here • mjolk poster from here • interior photo from the ever swedish emmas designblogg }

house guest

2010-02-27T13:06:00.000-08:00

we have never had a house guest before. our friends and family have always lived nearby and those that didn't never visited long enough to need a place to crash. how happy we are that my best buddy from eugene is visiting for the weekend. even happier that portland weather has decided to play along (for now, gray clouds keep creeping overhead) so our hike later will be a tad more enjoyable.

i think preparing for house guests has become a favorite hobby, selecting the linens from our tiny collection and getting the place clean enough for company. i even clipped some flowers from the rhododendron-looking bush from outside to make the place even cozier.

baby boom continues!

2010-02-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

yes, another baby post...no i don't have any of my own but they are soooo cute!

how fun would this teddy bear be for a shower gift or kid's first birthday? i'm not sure my knitting skills are up to par for this but it would be fun to try!

{ photo from the purl bee blog }

mini mirror

2010-02-21T21:58:00.000-08:00

i love this photo from ohdeedoh for so many reasons. a dressing table all my own would be lovely and made infinitely more adorable with a mini-me version. this photo tugs at my heart strings for another reason, my husband has red-red hair and combined with my auburn locks i can only hope our kids will have red hair. a girl can dream!

{ photo from ohdeedoh }

oh goodness

2010-02-19T15:19:00.000-08:00

isn't this dollhouse from ohdeedoh amazing? made by brinca dada, this truly awe-inspiring dollhouse boasts details that almost excuse the hefty price tag ($299!).

i especially love the real estate ad description on the company's website:
"With its large, open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows, the Emerson House enjoys year-round sunlight. The modern house features many extras including mitered-glass corners, two fireplaces, sliding glass doors, solar panels, and recessed LED lights. Finally, the house is easy on the environment with only non-toxic and lead-free wood stains and paints."

the mid-century furniture is equally adorable, just wish the dolls didn't scare the bejesus out of me!

{ photos from ohdeedoh & brinca dada }

flowers everywhere!

2010-02-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

just yesterday i posted about liberty of london's new line for target (arriving march 14) and today i'm happy to keep the liberty posts coming with the london company's new line with M.A.C. cosmetics. the packaging is adorable, i love the eye shadow compacts with the single flower!

i'm not a big makeup girl but i signed up for the M.A.C. mailing list anyway. good thing, too, since i got an invite to the store's launch for the liberty line. cocktails, canapés and scones? yes, please!

portland weather has been unseasonably warm lately, i'm loving the sunshine and breeze coming in the windows. combined with the liberty florals i'm really looking forward to spring!

{ photos from here }

flower power!

2010-02-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

liberty of london is partnering with target for a line of products ranging from clothing for men (!), women, and children to linens, to dishes and garden supplies. the goods arrive march 14.

here's a link to the commercial, so dreamy and springy! i love the princess and the pea still, yes please!

{ photo from oh joy }

eco-friendly couture

2010-02-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

i follow leanne marshall's (season 6 winner of project runway!) blog and am consistently amazed with her feminine, sculptural frocks. for her most recent fashion week showing leanne offered up some topography-inspired pieces made with eco-friendly materials. these two looks from her blog are her (and mine, too) favorites.

from her blog: "Yes, an excuse to make lots of noodles and layers that I love in plenty of eco-friendly and organic materials. Basically, I made a lot of things that I enjoyed creating and would love to have in my closet."
i love the layers on this dress and the color palette is gorgeous. the long teal dress is beautiful, i love the shape the open back creates, it's so romantic!
p.s. if you watch project runway you know leanne is from portland, go rose city! this season janeane is representing portland, so glad to see the great work people are doing here get attention!

{ photos from here }

nuff said

2010-02-15T10:57:00.001-08:00

this is brilliant.

{ photo from it's better together meet-up } { pledge poster by lure design, get it here }

love bot

2010-02-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

happy (almost) valentine's day! in honor of the upcoming holiday here's a peek at my friend kristin's too-cute letterpress coasters. kristin gave me a set for my bridal shower last year and i love them, they're in almost every room of the apartment.

kristin is the owner of twin ravens press in eugene, ore. her designs are whimsical, sweet and have a sense of humor. check out her blog for her most recent projects and her visit her etsy store for your own set of robot love coasters.

love is...

2010-02-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

...heart-shaped food on valentine's day.

our wedding {the details}

2010-01-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

the kennedy school, once a typical public grade school, is a hotel/movie theater/restaurant/bar(seven times over)/event space combination that is perfect for small weddings. the 35 hotel rooms are the old classrooms complete with chalkboards, some even hide cubby closets behind them. each room has a theme reflected in the room's painted border.

dogs are not allowed at the kennedy school so our beloved cookie could not share the day with us but she was there in spirit and in photos.
coasters to match the stationery suite. not enough people took them home and thus we have a lifetime supply of coasters in the linen closet.
for the coloring book images i chose things that reflected our (very different) personalities. anthro dresses and baking for me, robots and bikes for stephen.

all the flowers came from swan island dahlias in canby, ore. my mom and i drove to the farm thursday before the wedding to pick them up and stored them in her basement until the big day.

my mom and i created the fabric bunting that decorated the ceremony spot and the reception space (the school's old gymnasium!).
the family photos became one of my favorite details. it started as a way to include lost loved ones but became a great visual representation of our larger married family.

emily, our photographer, and her assistant for the day amy (forgive me, never caught her last name) are masters at ring photos, i love each and every one of these.

to make the old school gym fancier looking, mcmenamin's installed these old star lights that really made the space special.
plain white table numbers became mini works of art once the crayons found them!

{ all photos copyright of emily g photography }

fancy schmancy

2010-01-29T17:29:00.000-08:00

just normal plates? think again!

with the addition of some glass candlesticks and epoxy these adorable plates become something special. my friend annie (who i'm forever in debt to since she introduced me to anthropologie in college) made me these cake stands as a wedding gift. i think i hear some raspberry cream scones calling...

chicken sandwich and milk

2010-01-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

a modern day franny. rip mr. salinger.

{ outfit from anthro • blue bag from whatswear • clothbound classics via dwell • blue stationery from paper source • leather couch from anthro }

pretty little posies

2010-01-29T15:14:00.000-08:00

the last remaining healthy-looking buds on my $7 ikea plant. too bad.

warm & hearty

2010-01-29T14:57:00.000-08:00

i love one-pot meals this time of year. nothing is better than a big, steaming cast iron pot of yummy smelling goodness. the dog loves it and the husband loves coming home to it.

the latest addition to my one-pot arsenal is giada's lentil soup with beef, recipe here. i had the crazy notion of making it healthier by switching out the beef cubes for mushrooms and ta-da, it was amazing! i used regular button mushrooms the first time and mini portabellas the second because that was all i could find. crimini mushrooms would be good, too.
the second time i made the soup i added lean turkey kielbasa chunks to give stephen his meat fix for the day. the salty, slightly spicy flavor of the sausage is a great addition to the soup for added protein.

snowman party

2010-01-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

if only portland had snow i could throw a snowman party for my friends. we still have about one and half months until the possibility of snow goes away until late fall. fingers crossed!
{ read the article here }

these easy to assemble snowmen donuts from party perfect would fit right in!

one day i will...

2010-01-28T17:52:00.000-08:00

make my kids lunch bags like this:{ above photo from the craft blog, find the article here }

or this...
{ photo from design*sponge, find the how-to here }

our wedding {the kiddos}

2010-01-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

i've heard of many brides making their weddings "adult only" and searching for ways to break the news to their parent friends that their little ones may not be welcome at the event.

our wedding was the opposite. stephen and i planned many things with the idea that the kids coming were comfortable and not bored to tears. with the kiddos in mind, we planned the menu (pizza and punch), favors (coloring books and crayons), and ceremony (possibly one of the shortest in history). we chose things we liked and thought would be fun and the opposite of stuffy.

here's a quick look at the adorable kids who made our day so fun:my nephew josh loved finding the boba fett in the coloring book, kept him busy for awhile.
my niece daphne lookin' adorable as always.
we decided to include kids in the wedding as ring bearer and flower girls but we weren't upset when they became more of an honorary title. i don't blame them, i wouldn't have walked down the aisle either if my dad didn't help me.
natalie, flower girl and daughter of groomsman chris. look at those eyes!
stephen's hilarious cousin maddie. i love this girl.
maddie was so happy to dance with the groom she couldn't contain it.
maddie's little brother nolan, munching on some yummy cake.
nolan had a blast arranging table numbers.
all of stephen's young cousins goofing around in their great aunt's chair!
{ all photos by emily g photography }

our wedding {guys & gals}

2010-01-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

before i get into the details of the wedding that i love so much i have to post photos of the amazing guys and gals who helped make our big day so great.let's start with the guys...

{ from left: our friend & officiant harold ; my hubby stephen; best man jacob; groomsmen nick & chris }they look so serious, must be waiting for something...oh yeah, me! one benefit of having a coordinator is that someone can tell you when to start walking down the aisle. my girls and i lost track of time watching everyone sit down from our window.

jacob made the trek all the way from scotland for the wedding. luckily for stephen and the others, so did some duty free scotch.

the above photos are what happens when nerdy guys who like scotch have access to chalkboards. enough said.{my super cute cousin even cuter with her boyfriend eric, our amazing guitar player}eric in action. in his real life he's the guitarist of the l.a. based band common rotation.harold is a former co-worker who agreed to perform the ceremony. gotta love that face!

now the gals...guys have a table of scotch, gals have a table of makeup.
my friend and maid of honor, the lovely carrie. hair flower by elizabeth at the english dept.my cousin and bridesmaid sydney. love her like a sister, even when she makes that face.sydney had many hats. cousin, friend, bridesmaid, guitar player coordinator, makeup artist.

i don't have a photo of our photographer emily on the day since she was, duh, taking all the photos. i grabbed this one of of her and her super cute family on her blog.{emily was visibly pregnant on the day but that didn't deter one of the guys from offering her scotch. yeah, true story.}

thank you to everyone that helped make our day so amazing!

{ all photos by emily g photography }

no green thumb required

2010-01-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

since my $7 ikea plant has up and died on me - what can i say, never really had a green thumb - this project i spotted on the craft blog looks ideal for adding color to the apartment.
gift idea: wouldn't these look lovely in a nursery? made of cheery spring hues these yarn flowers would brighten up a room without the hassle of plant care in a baby's room.

{ photo from craft blog, originally posted here }

nerd love - post 2

2010-01-27T21:25:00.000-08:00

these helvetica cookie cutters have been popping up on nearly every blog in my google reader. if my kitchen was bigger i would consider adding them to my collection.
i could see these being a great shower gift for either a design oriented bride-to-be or new mom.
{ photos from beverly hsu }

posies for babies & moms

2010-01-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

here's a gift idea i'm toying with for an upcoming baby shower:simple cotton cap accented with handmade fabric flowers for baby and matching brooch for mom. i love the idea of baby and mom having something that matches, so spring-y and chic. i'd love to find some polka dot chiffon to include in the mix, looks like i have another weekend of fabric scouting ahead of me!

{ pilot cap from hanna andersson • trench from gap • fabric swatches from here }

bundle of joy & cuteness

2010-01-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

my name is emily and i have baby fever. no, that sounds wrong - i have baby gift shopping fever. there, that's better. i can't stop perusing websites dedicated to adorable baby clothes and thinking up cute DIY gifts to give expecting friends at their upcoming showers.

my current favorite for baby clothes is portland's hanna andersson a swedish inspired children's clothing company. (i'm only about 1/8 swedish but i support the swedes every chance i get!) hanna andersson sells primarily cotton clothing that lets kids do what they do best, be kids! from soft one pieces to folk art print dresses it's a great place to find basics that kids will love to wear. here's a sample of some of their newborn girl goods

p.s. so adorable you'll swoon!

{ all clothing images from hanna andersson • fabric flowers from tinsel trading co. }

our wedding {the outfits}

2010-01-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

oh, the decisions. deciding where to begin posts chronicling our wedding has been a challenge. i love all the details we added to the day so it was hard to decide. i decided to start with the clothes as "what did your dress look like?" is by far the question i've answered most.
my dress is from the amazing elizabeth dye, owner of the english dept in portland. elizabeth's designs have a lovely, feminine but not fluffy attitude. her shop is small but the frocks are truly one of a kind. brides can choose from elizabeth's collection, dresses from designers like jenny yoo or simple silhouettes or can work with elizabeth on a custom creation.

i chose the custom route. my dress was an ivory silk/cotton that had a real sheen to it and yes, it had pockets. i fell in love with one of elizabeth's popular boleros and she customized it with fabric flowers in a mix of materials. it's currently hanging in the back of my closet, i could wear it every day. i can't put into words how amazing the dress process was. love.stephen chose charcoal suits for he and his guys. luckily, each guy already had a suit so that process super simple. the week before the wedding we found ties on sale at macy's for all the guys in the wedding party including our fathers.
both girls got their dresses from j.crew by accident. i love that our wedding was in late september but had a fun, bright look and feel. i gave my gals custom flower hair pins from the english dept as their gift.

bride's dress and bolero: the english dept
bride's shoes: stuart weitzman from nordstrom
groom's suit: ben sherman from nordstrom
bridesmaid dresses: j.crew
yellow bridesmaid shoes: j.crew
ties: macy's

{ coming up next: location, reception, the details, the gals, the guys }

{ all photos by Emily G Photography }

tote inspiration

2010-01-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

this tote bag from portland's bolt fabric boutique blog is amazing. i love the colors and mix of prints.
wouldn't this make an adorable diaper bag? i love the pockets on the outside and it's machine washable. i'm starting to lose track of all the great women i know who are expecting right now. i'm constantly looking for cute baby shower gift ideas and this project definitely fits the bill.

{ read more from the bolt blog here }

nerd love

2010-01-20T17:41:00.000-08:00

this serif tote bag is perfection. nerdy, nerdy perfection.

{ bag available from little factory }

adorable x 5

2010-01-20T17:07:00.000-08:00

i'm in love with this illustration and idea that's currently making the rounds on wedding blogs.

{ find more here }

New Sofa!

2010-01-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for our new sofa to arrive in two weeks! Stephen and I ordered it late last year from Ethan Allen after weeks of searching for the right shape in a color besides taupe or chocolate. It's our first big purchase as man and wife and the first piece of non-IKEA furniture we've bought.

I have a small army of pillow forms just waiting for covers in the closet but no fabric as of yet. Should I go floral, geometric, solid? Right now I'm loving plaids and girly florals with handmade charm.

{hyde sofa from ethan allen in gray herringbone fabric, plaid pillow covers from Toast, needlepoint pillowcase from anthro, floral pillow from IKEA}

wedding fun: post 1

2010-01-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

Wedding planning is like a great novel: stressful, funny, tear inducing and sticks with you forever. The day after my wedding last September I wanted to plan another one. Months after the wedding I'm still reading wedding blogs and couldn't bring myself to cancel my MS Wedding subscription. Knowing I couldn't convince my husband to have a wedding every year, I thought adding wedding ideas here would be my best bet.

So here goes, wedding planning tips from a bride who's been there and knows first hand the stresses and delights of a modern wedding.

{ photo by Emily G Photography - from my wedding album }

Upcoming wedding posts: a peek at my wedding, girl's planning weekend

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T12:39:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T23:19:00.000-08:00

I love Thanksgiving. Correction, I love the smell of my apartment around Thanksgiving. I made my first pecan pie today, easier than I thought although my pie crust technique does need work. Thought I'd post a reworked Snippet and Ink inspiration board. These images embody the Thanksgiving I'm dreaming of hosting one day...a girl can dream.

Tinsel

2009-11-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Tinsel Trading Co. in NYC can be described with one word: perfection. I've known about their store and been drooling over their offerings online for some time and today came across this lovely post from The Crafts Dept. I've never been to NYC but could spend days in this store alone.

Look at this window, so festive!

The wall of flowers, need I say more? Wouldn't a present look lovely under the tree adorned with one of these beauties?

Biscuits!!!

2009-11-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

Nothing is more comforting than biscuits. While picking up a few more wedding gifts at Macy's, I found these and knew exactly what we'd be having for dinner. One of my favorite blogs, Portland's Posie Gets Cozy posted this recipe recently and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. So yummy!

Pappa al Pomodoro

2009-11-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Pappa al pomodoro is a Tuscan soup thickened with bread. My husband loves this soup. It's thick, creamy and has great flavor. I've made it twice and can predict making this for many more years to come. I've never used fennel in a recipe but love the flavor it adds to this amazing tomato soup.

From my favorite cookbook, every one should own a copy.

A Rather Blustery Week

2009-10-25T21:49:00.002-07:00

Because the weather forecast looks like this...

I will be making a big pot of this for the week.

Holiday Countdown

2009-10-25T21:49:00.001-07:00

I know, I know it's only October and the leaves are still turning colors but I can not wait until Christmas. The time between November and New Year's is my favorite of the year, everything looks festive and homes get cozy, warm makeovers complete with delicious smelling pine trees festooned with heirloom treasures. I love it!

Since this will be our first Christmas as man and wife, we want to start some traditions of our own. First off, we're in need of new stockings. I made a few using this Martha pattern but I fell in love with these stockings from Portland's own Posie Gets Cozy. Stephen had only one objection, he'd a like a bigger stocking for "more stuff" so I'm improvising on the basic shape. I love the mix of traditional Christmas plaids and vintage-inspired calico cottons.

We've also made the decision to make/bake all of our Christmas presents to friends and families this year. We'll be making a yummy collection of Christmas cookies, mini gingerbread houses and homemade marshmallows and packaging them in simple kraft boxes tied with baker's twine.

I'll be starting the stockings this week, using one of my favorite movies, Elf, to get me in the spirit!

Stay tuned for more Christmas crafts and recipes in the coming weeks!

Here we go...

2009-10-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cookie Jar!
My name is Emily and I'm a kid at heart. I have a penchant for sweet, cute things - everything from clothing, home goods, parties, toys, books, art and baked goodness. After working full-time in the marketing world my now husband Stephen, an IT guy an general nerd, and I moved to my hometown of Portland, Ore. Instead of embarking on another full-time job right away, I'm taking it easy building our home and spending quality time with our adorable and aging German Shepherd/Collie mix Cookie (this project's namesake). Aptly named, Cookie Jar is a place for sweet things. My goal here is to share with you all the cute, fun items and projects that come across my desk. The posts will run the gamut from holiday decorations and gifts (Halloween is fast approaching and Christmas is less than 90 days away, afterall) to recipes, party planning and decorating ideas.

All the best,