I'M BACK!!!

Hello everyone...I'm finally back! I've enjoyed an amazing 5 week break, but I'm so excited to get back into the swing of things at Keg Design. Summer is also in full swing in Chicago, and I've been taking advantage of the great weather. Here's a recap of the last month and a half...I've definitely kept myself busy.

In late May, my brother attended his Senior Prom. You better believe Luke and I were there for the pre-party festivities and picture-taking at my parent's house. Don't they make a cute couple? I love the vintage style dress and color coordination.


In early June, it was time for Cody's high school graduation. The ceremony was supposed to take place outside (on the football field), but due to a last minute weather scare, the school moved it inside. OMG, it was HOT in the gym! Really hot. The event brought back many memories of H.S. for me since I attended the same school ten years ago. My reunion is coming up this fall...oh boy!


My Mom and I traveled to Italy for about 2 weeks in June... it was an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. trip! Seriously, everyday I'm at work I dream that I was back in Italy sipping champagne for lunch. I guess I'll just have to keep dreaming. Our first leg of the trip was Florence, my favorite Italian city. I studied there during college, so I know my way around pretty well. We did lots of shopping, eating, drinking and walking... and of course some sightseeing too.


From Tuscany, we traveled north to the Italian Riveria. We stayed in a small beach town called Santa Margherita Ligure. It was absolutely beautiful. We were about an hour north of Cinque Terre, which we visited via the "awesome" Italian train system (insert sarcasm). The scenery in this region is just breathtaking... mountains, greenery, water, flowers and more. More details to follow.


When I returned to the States, Luke and I celebrated our ONE YEAR wedding anniversary. We went to North Pond, a local hot spot for brunch, and enjoyed mimosas and yummy food. Our anniversary also happened to fall on Father's Day this year, so we headed out to my parent's house in the evening for dinner. I'll recap our 1 year old cake "tasting" soon!


I think I've already mentioned how fabulous the weather has been this summer. I mean, we've had our fair share of rain and storms, but we've also had some perfect weekends full of blue skies and abundant sunshine. Luke and I have been taking Murphy, our black lab, to the dog beach as much possible. He loves it!


I've also been fortunate to spend a good amount of time with friends this summer. We've celebrated birthdays, newborns and other big milestones. Here's a group shot from Luke's Birthday party last week.


This past weekend, I hosted a bachelorette party at my house. It was for my dear friend, Kim, who is getting married this August. Her MOH's helped me decorate, and I made some awesome white sangria for the party. We had such a blast (as you can see from the clothesline of lingerie!), that I was still recuperating from the festivities on Monday.


So, what have you been up to lately? I'd love to hear all about it. Comments! Comments! Comments! It's been so long since I've blogged that I think I have a serious case of blogger withdrawal. Keep checking back frequently because I have so many new things to blog about. Can't wait to catch up...

Sabbatical

Hello lovely readers! June is upon us (yeah!) and I will be taking a little time off from the blog. I need to catch up on various design projects and enjoy some much needed vacation time. The hubs and I will also be celebrating our ONE YEAR anniversary on June 20th. I can't believe how fast time flies! I'll be back in a few weeks, but in the meantime, direct all inquiries to kelly@kegdesign.com. I'll respond when I return. Ciao!

The Champions

Just bought myself a classic pair of Keds this weekend! I needed a cute, yet functional pair of shoes for my much anticipated trip to Italy this summer. I bought myself a navy pair at DSW. I haven't owned Keds since 5th grade...I'm in love all over again! Image via Martha Stewart.

Happy

These colors just scream...HAPPY! Who doesn't love pretty shoes and vibrant flowers? These shots came from Butterfly Petals. Amanda is an amazing florist - I've showcased many of her designs on the blog before. She named this bouquet "Mellow Yellow!" Photos by Omari Dickens Photography.




Custom Wedding Menus



Wings + Bling

If you plan on reading any of my recent posts, this is the one you can't miss! I've been in a bit of a drought lately, or at least I think so. A little uninspired. Burnt out. Longing for summer or something good to happen. Well, my blogger's "block" might be officially gone. I picked up a copy of Harper's Bazar Australia this week, and I couldn't get enough of the stories, photos and ads. It's just what I needed - something new, something inspiring, something from down under...

No sooner did I realize I was in love with this April 2010 magazine edition, than I come across these amazing (out of this world, edgy, rock'n'roll inspired, expensive) earrings. If Siena's wearing them, they're definitely cool. I envy her style and fashion sense (not so much her love life). These beauties are from Jessica Robinson's jewelry collection. She has a full line of rings, earrings and necklaces that would make your jaw drop (and your bank account shutter!).
Palm Feather Ring and Earrings.
Scarab Ring; Diamond Infinity Rings (Single & Double)
Beautiful cover design - front and back!
Finally...I stumbled across this ad. I did a double take...was that a ring??? Umm, YES! I still can't believe it. And I don't want to know the price. I'll just wait until Nadri Jewelry Co. (or the like) comes out with a copy. Seriously, I need this ring and those earrings... Forever 21 jewelry designers, I hope you're reading this! Here's an Aussie article about the coveted Cerrone Collection.


A Day at the Races!

I was lucky enough to spend my Monday afternoon attending a "Derby" themed Women's Fashion Show & Luncheon. That's my Mom and I in our "Derby" hats... isn't it crazy how similar we look when I straighten my hair? We had a blast and enjoyed our Bloody Mary's while most people were at the office. Remind me again why the work week is 5 days long and the weekend only 2? Oh well, I think I'll start wearing a hat more often... why did the woman of the 1930's and 40's get to have all the fun?!





A Designer's Brain

I've been working on a lot of fun projects lately. I recently completed the design portion of Kim and Jeff's formal wedding invitation suite. I can't wait to show it to you once it is printed and complete! I thought you might enjoy seeing how my crazy brain works... below are MORE than a handful of different reception cards I created for their suite. The couple didn't expect this many, nor did they probably want to see them all, but this is what my brain does... once it starts going it CAN'T stop! I love to design. One idea morphs into another... horizontal becomes vertical... dots become borders... and so on. Can you guess which one they decided to go with? Which one is your favorite?




Florentine Love

My favorite city in the world is Firenze! My mom and I are planning a trip to Florence and the Italian Riviera this summer. I CAN'T WAIT...I'm counting down the days! During my many searches for the perfect hotels and B&B's, I came across this gem - La Dimora del Centro and La Dimora degli Angeli. Rated #2 of 354 Florence B&Bs on TripAdvisor, these sister hotels are purely amazing. Each room has it's own name and is complete with the finest linens and Florentine decor. Unfortunately, when I called to book they were completely full. My next house will look just like these photos...or at least like Room Matilde. A girl can dream, right?!
All photos from here.

Love you, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day 2010!

Amusing Monday

In lieu of a substantial posting, I'm bringing you some humor. Mondays can be such a drag... so why not laugh at a couple of goofy e-cards? Here are a few of my favorites, in no particular order, from someecards.com. Duuuh, who doesn't ask their significant other about their awesome wedding invitations 100,000 times?!