Lucky number thirteen...

On our first anniversary, 

we celebrated our brother and sister-in-law's beautiful wedding in Disney World,
our second in Cape Cod  and our third in Edinburgh, Scotland.

We've been fortunate enough to slip away here and there for many of the anniversaries that followed.

Today though, on our auspicious thirteenth, Todd headed off to work, I bought new tires and had an impromptu brunch date with the little man on our cold walk home from the mechanic.

It's not how either one of us really pictured spending the day. As much as we had a common vision for our life when we started out together, we never really could have imagined the day-to-day of right now.

Honestly, some days are uneventful, messy, expensive and frustrating. Many are fun, exciting and really productive.

All of them though are filled with love, family, friendship and usually laughter.

So tonight, we'll toast to tires that are safe, a steady paycheck, happy, healthy kids and a lifetime of more days like today.

We are blessed and I am lucky.

Thanks for asking, TA, with all my love.

Erin

Design School Diary: Lost in Scandinavia

No. I didn't have the good fortune of visiting any part of Scandinavia over the holidays. I spent the weeks of Christmas and New Year's trying to avoid my family's stomach virus. Thankfully I did and while they were sleeping, I was lost in my most recent project for school, a fictional restaurant inspired by Scandinavian Modern design.

I chose this style and period because I thought it seemed completely off my radar. Through my research, I came to appreciate so much about it. Its unfussy nature  and simple, clean lines really show off the wood and I imagine, anything else you'd really want to highlight in a space. I thought I would recreate my actual presentation board on Polyvore to show you what I came up with.

My clients:

• Wealthy restaurateurs and brothers who bought a former barn-turned-restaurant on Block Island.
• Their goal was to maximize the dramatic views of their perch overlooking the Atlantic.
• The aesthetic had to be clean and natural, chic and current. Nothing could detract from the view. 
• The menu highlights local vendors from beer and wine to oysters. 
• Oh and since this is pretend, they had a ridiculously large budget. Vintage Danish modern furniture is found throughout the space.

Scandinavian Modern inspired restaurant by eecandrews on Polyvore

History board: Bar area by eecandrews on Polyvore

All in all, a fun project that forced me outside my comfort zone. I could even see some of these pieces in my home, particularly the gorgeous credenza I chose for the bar.

Do you ever find yourself drawn to a style you thought wasn't you?

A big thank you to my husband for not complaining once about the major slack he had to pick up so I could finish this project!

Have a great weekend!

Erin

A First Grader's Heart...

First grade is a big deal.

It's innocence, earnestness and candor,
curious eyes and open minds.

It's the first step towards the land of big kids: exciting for children,
bittersweet for parents who wonder how their babies got so big, so fast.

We worry, wonder and encourage at the start of each new milestone.
We beg Time to slow down as we savor these waning little kid days.

First grade puts the world of books and language in their very own hands and opens
the door for new friends and experiences. Their perspectives stop us in our tracks
and remind us of how happiness is not tied up in things.

I met my own lifelong best friend in first grade.
Thirty years later, we are the mothers of daughters born one month to the day apart.
They are first graders.

I see their faces each time I think of those beautiful children.
My heart hurts at the thought of their parents' awful reality.
I want to wrap them up in my arms and cry with them.
My head can't help but go to a place that is brutally sad, where innocence is lost.

I want to make sense of this senseless horror, but
there's none to be had.

Perhaps if we all lived our lives with the heart of a first grader, our
world would be a kinder, safer place.

Perhaps the best thing I can do to honor their memories is to encourage
the peace in my own children's hearts and go forward each day with
more gratitude and pray that it's enough.




May they find the peace they so deserve.
May their parents feel our collective hearts in their time of unthinkable grief.

Erin

Design School Diary: Creative Juices

Since I've begun design school, it's fair to say I've been sporadic at best at blogging.

I've been channeling so much creative energy into my projects

and what I'm learning, that it's been a challenge lately to have any left for the blog. Wrangling and refining my thoughts to share seems exhausting to me in the dark early morning and late night hours.

Like going to the gym, the further away from it I get, the harder it is to return and refocus.

So today, this is my attempt to do just that.

Here's a little view into what I've been

working on these days: my color harmony project.

Our task was to design a space around a postcard we randomly selected and create the back story for a fictitious client. The objective was to choose textiles and finishes that blend harmoniously with the palette the card inspired.

Who were my clients? 

A young family returning to their hometown of New Bern, North Carolina, 

which just so happens to be the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola (and where my parents live).

My vision?

A family room that drew upon the colors of the card  and offered

an updated take on a traditional home near the downtown and riverfront areas.

What did I learn?

• Following my instincts is what it's all about, but also really daunting.
• My classmates are super-talented, supportive and creative women.
• Getting my feet wet in this new world is incredibly exciting. 

Next up?

• Hopefully finding a way to balance my creative juices and get back to blogging more frequently.
• Designing a fictitious restaurant based upon the design of an historical period. I've chosen Scandinavian Modernism. It's rather unknown to me and definitely out of my comfort zone, so wish me luck!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Erin

Thankful November

A friend of mine has been writing Thankful November posts on Facebook on a pretty regular basis this month. Reading them planted a seed in me.

Since Hurricane Sandy hit, I've had a bit of writer's block. 

My head and heart were anywhere but my blog.

It's only in the past week that a bit of normalcy has returned around here, but I know the same cannot be said for so many friends and neighbors who lost so much, so quickly.

Following my friend Tricia's lead, I'm finding that focusing on the positive and goodness in others really goes a long way.

Today, I am thankful for

simple pleasures that are easily taken for granted:

hot showers, a warm house and a cold refrigerator

generous spirits 

(and I don't mean lots of booze, or do I?)

happy, silly kids

hanging hand-print turkeys

a loyal dog at my feet

In the wake of chaos, I know that these little things don't solve the greater problems, 

(except for the generous spirits, the people and the booze). 

but they do remind me of the priceless things that are important.

What are you thankful for today?

Erin

Low expectations...

The good thing about having low expectations is that it's sort of hard to really

be disappointed or at least surprised when things go south.

The past two storms, Hurricane Irene and a freak March '11  storm,

left most of our friends and neighbors without power for days 

but somehow gave my little family a free pass.

That said, I believe in Karma. 

We're due.

I'm going into this storm stocked up and fully expecting to be without power for days. 

We are as ready as we'll ever be, 

(clearly spaghettio's and ham steak will give us sustenance) 

with lots of great friends and neighbors

 who will be in it with us. 

Oh, and a couple of Superheroes who dropped in to fend Sandy off.

If we're lucky, we'll be pleasantly surprised if she's all bark and no bite. 

In the meantime, perspective is a good thing to keep close. 

Things can be replaced. 

Sandy is not Katrina.

Even if she is horrendous, 

we have the resources to recover. 

Mother nature has wielded far worse to those 

in more dire straits.

To all of you in Sandy's path, be safe and hunker down!

Erin

Design School Diary: Adventures of a stay-at-home mom back out in the world...

So I can safely say that I've got three design classes under my belt. Here's a recap of what I've learned thus far. Not surprisingly, much of this has little to do with design.

1. I look forward to my drive each week.

Traffic or not, 25 silent minutes in the early morning is a rare treat.

2. The best laid plans usually go awry. At least in my house. 

I was so organized and prepared for my first morning of school.

Up and dressed and wearing make-up by 5:30,

 (my kids don't see this too often) 

lunches packed, breakfast table set 

and that's about where it all unraveled. 

Just as the hair dryer started to hum, 

my son called me upstairs. Bloody nose. 

Next it was crock-pot juice on my new big-girl clothes. 

Then as I tried to make my escape to beat the traffic, 

my daughter sent our excited greyhound bounding out the front door. 

And down the street. 

After his collar came off. 

He's never, ever done this before. 

Lesson learned? Relax. 

Even though it was a big day for me, 

it was just an ordinary day for the rest of the world.

3. At 36, I am an unrecognizable version of the student I was 

in my teens and twenties. 

Focused, driven, and organized, 

I actually spread my work out instead of leaving it to the last minute. 

I even retyped my class notes. 

Who am I?

I have no idea what kind of grade I will earn or how I will measure up,

 but so far, I am the best student I have ever been. 

Sorry Mom and Dad. 

I wish I knew this twenty years ago.

4. The challenge of something new, something I've wanted to pursue, something I'm not positive I will succeed at is incredibly motivating.

5. Oh, and I learned that I've been misusing the term couch my whole life.

See for yourself. 

http://www.homedit.com/what%E2%80%99s-the-difference-between-sofa-and-couch/

I knew this experience would be an eye-opener.

What kind of student were you? Any life lessons that surprised you recently?

Have a great week!

Erin