One Teaspoon of Roark

This morning I went with my favorite pair of sisters to The New Mart for sample sale, as well as to visit a few old friends. While helping the girls set up for all the clothes for sale at the Kathy Walker Showroom, I found this amazing bleached chambray top from One Teaspoon and magically it fit. (It was clearly meant to be mine) I wore it out of the showroom not even realizing, until I was complimented on it later, that it goes perfectly with my favorite Roark tee.   They are the perfect pair! 

Kate Spade Inspired Fall Wedding

I was truly honored to be asked to make the flowers for Tyra and Andy's wedding in San Diego. I was amazing at how in love I feel with each design my team and I produced. The intimate outdoor ceremony was held in Golden Hill Park with the reception following at the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown San Diego.  The red, blue, black, and white colorway suggested by the bride fit perfectly with the setting and aesthetic she had hoped for. This wedding turned out for be one of my favorites yet.

 Images provided by BREANNA CARIN PHOTOGRAPHY

© BREANNA CARIN PHOTOGRAPHY 2012

Orange You Glad I Did Your Flowers...

This past weekend I had the honor of putting together the flowers for the Point Loma Nazarene University Alumni Board meetings. They chose orange roses and lime green orchids spilling out of glass vases to create a pulled together tropical look. I think they made quite a statement.

New Fins

After a long wait, due to the fact that I don't really live near a surf shop, I was finally able to get some new fins for my board. Unfortunately, they only had white...so I thought I would customized them a bit to match my board. I think the red makes quite a statement. Don't you?

Enough Said...

Painting Painted Deserts

Yesterday I finished reading Donald Miller's book Through Painted Deserts. I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book and was inspired to sell everything I own, buy a van, and set of across the country. If you haven't already read it yet, I would definitely recommend it. 

Captivated by the journey that the two main character, Don and Paul, embark upon, and having just visited The Scenic Journey exhibit at the Pasadena Museum of California Art where a number of painting by artist Edgar Payne are being displayed, I decided to concept out a BIG SKY painting of my own inspired by Dan and Paul's adventures. I hope to get started working on it soon.  

Moonrise Kingdom

Recently I saw Wes Anderson's new film Moonrise Kingdom and instantly feel in love with the story and it characters. Defiance, love, wonder, exploration, and adventure are all well-represented as two 12 year olds escape into the wilderness and find love. In my opinion a must see!

Handmade Gifts...

I was very fortunate to spend this past weekend in San Diego celebrating the birthday of my best friend Amy Gunderson.  In honor of her birth, and because I though her desk at work might need a little extra decoration, I painted there three mini paintings for her. I was very happy with how they came out. I hope she likes them...

I Love It When Best Friends Get Married...

Two of my closest friends from the art program, NYCAMS, that I attended in New York City Fall of 2010 got married almost a year ago at the bride's grandmother's beautiful lake estate. I was honored to be asked to do the flowers for the wedding and although miles away from any of my team and floral suppliers (I live and work in LA) in White Bear Lake, MN, we somehow made it happen. The bride had envisioned a very wild hand gathered look that I had never done before, but after a few attempts the final version emerged. 


Below are images of the ceremony taken by master photographer, Jessica Fairchild. I was one of only 50 guest invited to the ceremony and garden party and felt more than blessed to be there. All of our friends and the bride and groom's family did an excellent job pulling everything together. It was one of the most beautiful and profound moments of my life. 

HACKWITH FURLONG WEDDING | PRIVATE RESIDENCE WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN

Images provided by Jessica Fairchild Photography

© 2011 Jessica Fairchild and Darrinity By Design

Painting Composition

Over the last few days I have been working on composing a painting for a pair of my friends who are sadly, moving back to San Diego. I wanted to incorporate some of their favorite colors, as well as references to the sea. Hopefully the final product with be as stunning and they will love it. 

Mickey Smith and the Dark Side of the Lens

While "surfing" one of my favorite surf art blogs, Club of Waves, I came across this amazing photographer Mickey Smith who also created the short film above, which won the Action Sports category of the 2012 Vimeo Festival Awards. Both the video and the images offer stunning and unique compositions, which only add to the magnificence and  mystery of the ocean.  

Louis Vuitton | The Art of Packing

While checking out some of my favorite style blogs, I found this amazing video about the Art of Packing by Louis Vuitton on Cup of Couple. Being a terrible packer myself, I hoped that I could learn a few crucial packing tips...and that I did. Now I just need to get a Louis Vuitton for myself, perhaps that is the trick.

On Repeat...

Since purchasing this CD a few days ago, I have listened to nothing else. Filling my house with an array of upbeat 60's French pop music, one cannot help but feel pumped up and ready to enjoy the summer sun.  Check out the track list below:

Track List:

1. Alice Dona - Amuse Toi Bien
2. Brigitte Bardot - Moi Je Joue
3. Eileen - Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher
4. Claude François - Belles Belles Belles
5. Serge Gainsbourg - Le Sonnet d’Arvers
6. Gillian Hills - Le Paradis pour Toi
7. Johnny Hallyday - Ya Ya Twist
8. Jacques Dutronc - Et Moi, et Moi, et Moi
9. Jacqueline Taïeb - 7 Heures du Matin
10. Clothilde - Fallait Pas Écraser la Queue du Chat
11. Les Chabroll’s - N’y Touches Pas
12. Cosette - Idéalisation
13. Henri Salvador - Le Lion Est Mort Ce Soir
14. Adamo - En Blue Jeans et Blouson d’Cuir
15. Sandie Shaw - Toujours un Coin Qui Me Rappelle (There’s Always Something There to Remind Me)

This One is for Mister Henck

While shopping on Present and Correct, I saw this beautifully designed Berlin Paper Bag and it made me think of my friend Andrew Henck of The Millennial Journey who is currently presenting in Berlin, Germany at a conference. I am sure they are having a great time and he is going to do an awesome job! Good Luck Henck!!!

Definitely Where I Get All My Office Supplies and Other Oddities

I stumbled upon this amazing office supply online store a few weeks ago and thought I would share it.  Present and Correct has some of the raddest stationary and office objects I have come across. Here is what they have to say about themselves...

P and C opened it's virtual doors in 2008.  A place for our own designs, things we love by other designers from around the world and vintage items which we discover around europe, and sometimes further afield. 

It's a showcase for the things we have enjoyed since school.  A long-term obsession with stationery has culminated in a constantly evolving store.  Paper and office objects which are inspired by homework, the post office, and school. 

We are both graphic designers and go on sourcing trips around four times a year with the hope of finding some vintage gems.  The hunt is a lot of fun! For the rest of the time we think of new ideas, eat a lot, and generally have a nice time. 

We hope to spark a distant memory, make you smile or look at the most mundane in a new, and fonder, light.

Give them a look-see would ya and pick-up so supplies on your way out!

High Summer

The wedding flower images keep pouring in from this last weekend's event and I just had to post this one. Thanks to Bethany, one of the amazing coordinators for sending it to me. More to come...

Dawn Patrol

At least once a week my friends and I wake up at 4:45ish a.m. and head to the beach to catch the early morning swell. Sometimes we even paddle out before sunrise. Now I am sure you are thinking that this is crazy, but let me tell you, most days it is totally worth it. No one around, catching every wave right and left, and watching the water change from grey to bright blue with the rising sun. It can be pretty awesome. I am sorry to say that there are no pictures of me in this round, just my friend Peter of TastyFishSticks, as I was subject to carrying the camera that morning, but I hope to get some up of me soon. More inspirations to come...

Modern Interpretation of Vintage Spanish Floral

This past weekend, I had the distinguished honor of designing the wedding floral for a pair of dear friends from college.  Their wedding colors included navy blue, orange, white, and gold and the inspiration for the design was a modern interpretation of vintage Spanish design.  I had a great time interpreting the meaning of that sentence into floral and luckily was aided in this by my design assistants, Tyra and Jenn. Check out the final results... 

A special thanks for Pridmoria for their beautiful images of this wedding, Embellishmint Floral and Event Design for allowing us to use their stunning San Diego studio, and Kendall and Bethany for their organized coordination