Alfresco Please!

It is definitely getting warmer in L.A. Big difference from just 4 days ago when it was pouring rain and my fingers were so cold they could fall off. Now, the weather if perfect to be outdoors....alfresco. Enjoy these outdoor spaces...so cozy, romantic, and just perfect. I could spend hours blogging from any of these gorgeous patios.


























Hope you are all enjoying your week. I am trying really hard to fight a cold that wants to slap me in the face, but oh no, I am not going to let it.

{photos via dressdesigndecor, House Beautiful, modvintagelife, pinterest, mix design, Country Living, habituallychic, loupgarou.tumblr, and style me pretty}

XoXo

Iris

THE Baby Shower!!!

The baby shower was a total success. First off....it did not rain, very close, but it didn't. We set up and did a lot of the work Friday under the tent while a storm was in full force...but we did not complain because the more it rained Friday, the clearer the skies Saturday (or so this was our thinking process haha) . And sure enough, I woke at 6:30a.m. and the sun was coming up and I could not be happier (well not really, it was 6a.m. after all). This baby shower took months in the making...all because I had the brightest idea to hand make ALL of the decorations (craziness on my part), from the billion pom poms, to all of the banners, the coral table runners, to painting the centerpiece branches yellow, also making lemon sea salt scrubs for game prizes, and my favorite...the chandelier. My sister's beach cruiser was also a nice touch and made a great little spot for guests to take pictures.
Despite all of the stress, it was all worth it at the end...my sister loved it!!! So now...it's a waiting game for baby niece to arrive (due end of May). I am beyond excited.
Sorry for the overwhelming amount of pictures you are about to see....but I just couldn't help it.


Here I am with my brother-in-law (and daddy to be) painting the branches in the middle of a storm.








































































And some of my favorite gifts my sister received.

This absolutely stunning mint green knit little dress and shoes. This is just so so so cute in person. It will definitely be framed and kept for years and years.


This adorable grey and white dress with a dash of neon pink.


And these adorable Stuart Weitzman baby shoes I got for my little niece. Aren't they lovely?



So there you have it. Now you all know why I wasn't around for a while. Very tiring, but oh so worth it.

{All photos by me}

XoXo

Iris

My New Addiction

This is going to be a crazy busy week, with my sister's baby shower on Saturday (please don't rain) I just have not had time to tend to my little blog here...oh poo!! Just wanted to say hi...and share a quick photo I took using my new addiction...Instagram. Yes I know, a little late, but I am not an iPhone user and I just found that it is available for Androids (YAY). But like I really need something more to get hooked on...as if Pinterest isn't enough right?

Took this photo in Brentwood...the most gorgeous street I have EVER seen. The trees are just incredible. There is nothing more beautiful than a street full of trees (I once ran out and begged a neighbor not to cut down a gorgeous tree...the asshole still did), now the street is forever ruined (ok a bit much, but thats how I feel about trees haha).



Be back soon...hopefully sooner than later.

XoXo

Iris

Easter Bunny Food :-)

It's almost Easter and there is no better way to celebrate than with a homemade treat to give your guests and the kiddos after the egg hunt. I made this delicious carrot cake this past weekend, and I had to share. My initial idea was to make tall mini cakes with different pastel colored frostings (that I actually did make), but last minute (and with the good natural lighting disappearing quickly) I just dabbed some of the plain homemade cream cheese frosting over one of the muffin cakes...and viola!! I can't get enough of this cake, it is so good.




Ingredients

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar (I only used 2 cups and it came out super sweet, next time I am using 1)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. (I used a muffin pan)
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.
{recipe from HERE}
{photo by me}


Enjoy!

XoXo

Iris

Nursery Sneak Peek & Growing Baby Bump

So yesterday I finally finished a little photo project I was working on over at my future niece's nursery. It involved an impromptu photo shoot of my sister and her lovely growing baby bump. I snapped a few pictures of the nursery to give you all a little sneak peek. Loving the bright yellow all throughout. Take a looksie...

Yellow bookshelf, made by the daddy-to-be. And those are my sister's first stuffed toys, a rag doll and a teddy bear (she also has a giraffe that didn't make this photo shoot)



Owl and birdie crib linen from Pottery Barn Kids.



Inside the closet. I painted the walls bright yellow with metallic gold dots:-)


I've had these pillows from Ikea put away in my closet forever, so found the perfect place for them...a little reading/play corner for baby girl.



Here it is again...so cozy.




And of course, I had to throw in a plant or two.



And here is a sneak peek of the photo project I completed...more yellow. It's a very special wall and my sister and her husband were totally happy with it :-)




Ok, here are a few of the photos taken to fill in one of the frames from above for now. The frame will hold a photo of the family of three once baby girl is born, but for now, it's a baby bump :-) The "real" photo shoot by the "real photographer" will be happen in May, haha.





















Stay tuned for more.

{all photos by me}

XoXo

Iris