The new Living Lavishly magazine is here! I’m so impressed with how this magazine has grown over the past couple of years. I still remember the conversation over coffee with the publisher on how our town was in need of a fun shelter magazine. The next thing I knew Living Lavishly was born. It’s been a pleasure to write and illustrate for the magazine on what I love, DESIGN! Pick one up today or read it on-line here!
What The Hec Has Been Going On?
There is just no way that it's already July! I can not believe how fast this year is flying by. I've been working non-stop with new clients and developing new product (wallpaper!) so excited about it, as well as finishing up my new book; a fully illustrated book about the Art of Home and in between it all, I've continued to be a contributing writer & illustrator for Living Lavishly magazine and the Tolosa Press. Anyone else tired?
This is the link to my recent article in the Home & Garden section of the Tolosa Press. You can check out my 10 Tips for entertaining outdoors here.
I hope you'll stay tuned for what will be a very exciting Fall! For now I'm buckling down on all my projects that need to get done but come Fall... so so much fun! I can't wait! Happy Summer!
Happy New Year's Eve!
Happy New Year's Eve! It sounds like from what I'm reading on everyones blogs that 2013 was a pretty good year! It was for me as well and I'm deeply grateful for that. I'm also very thankful for all the amazing new relationships and friendships that have come my way in 2013. My word for 2014 is "Collaboration". I hope to meet even more wonderful people to work and play with!
Tonight, in between driving kiddos to their parties, we plan on staying home and ringing in the New Year with a few close friends, some delicious eats, and of course, a little Champs!
I'm excited to try this Pineapple-Ginger Sparkling Champagne cocktail tonight! I found the recipe here. One of my wonderful clients gave me this fabulous Chronic Cellars champagne. They are a local winery in my area and I've been wanting to try them!
I hope you have a wonderful evening and may this new year bring us all great health, joy and prosperity! Be sure to check back tomorrow morning for a Fantastic Free way to start your New Year!
Happy New Years!
Happy New Year Everyone! As the year winds down we like to stay home on New Years Eve and celebrate with close friends and family. I came across this clever idea via Pinterest. This idea comes from Fabianna of Ciao! Newport Beach. I loved her dining setting for New Years, especially how she photocopied clocks and placed them under clear plates. Such a simple and cute idea. You can check out all her other lovely ideas for New Years here. May you all have a safe holiday and let's all have a Fantastic 2013! Cheers!
Happy Thanksgiving! Mid Week Mood Board!
It's just not Thanksgiving without Sparkling Cider and as I start to set my table for Thanksgiving, I'm thinking of all the yummy table settings that I wish I had. Take note hubby, these are on my Christmas wish list!
I hope you all have a very wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I have many things to be grateful for. Our year was full of ups and downs. We lost some great people this past year and will miss them deeply. So I don't take the holiday lightly. Everyday I give thanks. I feel very blessed to be surrounded by family and friends and wish you all the same.
1 Mini Chinoise Vase from Zinc Door 2 Chevron Navy Napkins from Zinc Door 3 Les Dessert Beaded Round Pedestal from Layla Grayce 4 Gold Banded Champagne Flutes from Williams Sonoma 5 Gorgeous Chinoiserie Ice Bucket from Layla Grayce 6 Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider from Costco
An Old Fashioned But Thoughtful Gift
Call me old fashioned but I still love to send and receive a hand written note. I believe it's very important to show the people you love that you appreciate them and a hand written note is a simple and thoughtful way to do that. As the holidays approach, a set of note cards makes the perfect hostess gift too! You can find these here. Have a lovely weekend everyone! It's raining here so I'm headed to my studio to paint!
Cheers To The Weekend! Watermelon Blackberry Martini!
It's 5:00 somewhere I'm sure! On my agenda for this Friday evening, Watermelon Blackberry Martini! Recipe courtesy of Watermelon.org.
We have so many berries taking off in our garden right now and watermelon is a staple in our house during summer, so why not add a little vodka and have a summer soiree?
Have a super weekend everyone!
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces of watermelon juice
1 ounce of vodka (well maybe a spash bit more)
1 serving blackberry
1 serving raspberry
1 wedge of lemon
Instructions
Muddle berries and add to martini glass. Mix the other ingredients, shake with ice and pour over muddled berries. I also like to make an infused vodka, if you prefer not to muddle the berries in your glass.
Cheers!
PS I took this photo with Instagram. I am having so much fun with it! If you're on Instagram, let me know!!
Inexpensive Table Decor...My Challenge!
I love entertaining and decorating for a party...any day! So when my husband asked if I would do the table decorations for an office retirement party, I was all on board. It's going to be at one of our favorite local wineries too, so yes, very excited! But then he said, "It's for 10 tables...you only have $50." ummmmmmmm, Ok...let's see what I can do. Eeesh! Of course I went to my favorite inspiration website, Pinterest, to get ideas. Here are some of my favorites. I'm hoping the dollar store will have some vases and candles that will work for me. The party is this Saturday. I'll let you know if I meet his challenge!
First image is from SouthernHospitalityBlog. I figure, I have hydrangeas in my garden and they like to be submerged in water...just have to find the vases and the candles....
I love the simple elegance of both of these. Courtesy of Busybeemn.com and StemFloral.com
Last of all I really liked this table setting for a winery. I have tons of pine cones on our property...hmmm my wheels are ticking. Table setting from 100LayerCake.com
I'm open to your ideas too! Please share!
Featured On Pizzazzerie!!! Thank you!!!
I'm leaving in a little bit to be a judge for the California Mid State Fair Pageant today and I'm really excited to meet all the talented ladies as well as hang out with two of my dear friends who are also judges. As if today wasn't going to be fun enough, I just found out I've been featured on one of my absolute most favorite entertaining sites, Pizzazzerie! This is a sneak peak of a little of what I've been up to with a big launch coming this fall and some even bigger projects along theses lines, in the works...so I'm feeling really excited and blessed right now. Please hop over to Courtney's blog and check it but, plan on being there a while because she has so much inspiration and entertaining tips to share with you!! Have a great Tuesday everyone!
Look for an all new Table Top Collection in my shop this Fall!
Sweet Summer Treats! Pumpkin Flowers...
Wow….this is the longest blogging break I’ve taken in a long time, ever, actually…with due reason. All kinds of things have been happening at the Robeson household….Sweet 16 Birthdays, summer time schedules, graduations, mini vacations, and design, design, design…I’ve been working on a new restaurant, several homes, and refining the details on my new textiles, all sandwiched in between weekends of soccer tournaments….so to say the least…it’s been a bit crazy here!!!
But hey, through it all, we still have to eat right? I was on Twitter (you can follow me @MariRDesign) when I got the idea from the Oh So Inspirational Bellalimento to make some lightly fried and stuffed squash blossoms for Father’s Day. Since my volunteer pumpkins have decided to take over my garden, what better idea but to pinch off the blossoms and cook them up with some delicious homemade marinara sauce.
Well, I could barely take a picture! As fast as I was plating them they were gobbled up. So this isn’t any beautiful photo, it’s the real plate 2 seconds before it disappeared! I stuffed mine with a mix of ricotta and marinara cheese, add a few Italian herbs, and mmmmmmmmmm……. Yummmmmmmmy!!!!
Oh Happy Wednesday!
Oh happy Wednesday! I'm finishing details on new paintings, new fabric designs have shipped, & soon all new and exciting "green" table top designs!!! I've been having so much fun designing some printables to coordinate with my collections, that I think I have the formula down. I've also been obsessing over cupcakes lately and have been playing with all kinds of new recipes. Yesterday I was asked to be a last minute sub for my neighbors Bunco group (a lovely group of ladies!) so I whipped up these cupcakes and toppers to try them out. Since they were all gobbled up, I'd suppose I could say they were a success?!?!
Another Fabulous E-Magazine For Party Inspiration!
I can't believe March is almost over...there is so much going on at our studio, it's hard to find time to rest! If you've read a little of my blog background, I'm a designer by day and home decor product designer by night...add to the mix some new styling projects and a "green" table top collection coming soon, three amazing daughters, a fabulous hubby, well, you get the idea... so the day goes minute by minute...thankfully there are amazing inspirational people all around the internet to keep me inspired! Via twitter, (follow me!) I just discovered, yet another fabulous on-line magazine, created by the very talented Victoria Hudgins. If you like to entertain like we do at the Robeson house then you will love her magazine! Her blog is called A Subtle Revelry and loaded with beautiful pictures and entertaining ideas. I mean, look at this...yummy!
My Day Job & Latest Article For HomeWorkshop.com!
I feel so blessed to wake up every day and do what I love for a living. I thought I'd share a little glimpse of the design process. This is for a client of mine who recently bought a new home and had no idea where to start. They have some beautiful pieces from their travels around the world but needed a few appointments to finish off the space. On this board I make suggestions for furniture, space layout, and color. I chose the color palette of camels, browns, blacks and pops of red for accents. Just thought I'd share for fun.
This project was a little more involved but if you want to start with decorating something small in your own home, check out my latest article for HomeWorkshop.com. There I give you helpful tips on how to set up your dining room as well as some fun accessories to bring a pop of color into your home. Happy Designing!
A Very Happy Elephant Birthday Tea Party?
It hasn't been this busy for seriously a long time...long hours day and night...I'm certainly not complaining, just some things, aka this little blog of mine, have taken a back seat for a little bit. On top of multiple projects my baby....waaaa....just hit double digits! She's 10! How does that happen? I wish I could freeze time...This Sat was her birthday party. It was kind of a mixed theme. 
Chyna loves Elephants so I made her invite and little gift bags to reflect that. With 6 little girls in tow we went to see the new Alice In Wonderland... Just Fantastic!!!!! So it was kind of an elephant tea party, but with hot chocolate not tea...weird...I know, but it was really fun. 
We painted tea cups and had delicious cake after the movie. On their own initiative the butcher paper got painted too. 
Happy Birthday Sweet Chyna Doll! We Love You!
More Valentine's Goodies!
How fantastic that Valentine's Day falls on Saturday this year. Yesterday, we did our menu plan for that evening, which we all agreed, (my three daughter's, Bill, and I), that Chocolate Fondue was a must for the evening. It's become a little tradition of ours to have a candle lit dinner at home with all the good linens and china. The girls always surprise me with their entertaining creativity and decor...should be a magical evening! And speaking of magic, I've been graced again with more of the talented Jenni B's artwork. Amongst all her delicious looking faux cupcakes, I now also have Jenny's hand embellished Valentines cards and treats at the boutique. A thoughtful and inexpensive gift for that someone special in your life! Check out how talented Jenni is on her website!
Super Bowl Sunday Yum!
Love, love, love Super Bowl Sunday! Yes, the football is always exciting to watch...but come on, we all know it's about the food and the commercials (they're always the best of the year!), right? I always like to try a few new things as well as my "tried and true" favorites. What do you think about these? I was going to make chili but thought this was a fun twist, so I'm going to give this a try. It's from Paula Deen so you know it will be low fat....ya, right.... Chile In A Biscuit Recipe
So now I'm thinking that I need some yummy guacamole and I can across this recipe. I like the idea of individual servings...think I'll put mine in big Martini glasses.
And what would a Super Bowl Party be without a Super Cocktail...think I'll try these Pomegranate Magaritas...sticking with the Mexican theme....Yum!
Have a great weekend and a great party everyone!
2nd Anniversary Party & You're Invited!
It's really been amazing how fast two years have gone by since opening the boutique. I am so blessed to have met some incredible people throughout this journey. I am deeply grateful for all the support I have received and for all the wonderful friendships I have made. This is my opportunity to thank *you*, so I'm throwing a party! My incredibly creative and talented friend, Christine Mason-Miller, will be at the party signing her beautiful, new book, "Ordinary Sparkling Moments". Christine is one of those people who changed my life. Her constant support and guidance is a gift I will always cherish.
All the merchants will also be open as it is our Christmas In The Village. It's a great time to come down and get a jump start on some shopping while enjoying many festivities. I will have special offers that afternoon and lots of surprise treats. Most of all, I want to say Thank You, for embracing this little vision of mine.
Also, the new Live Artfully Magazine is out. (FYI...A subscription is a fantastic gift idea!!!) I have a fun article in it and there are tons of recipes. This is Jenny's Cook Book Issue and it doesn't disappoint!
My new fabrics are here too...just so much to check out....so come on bye! This Sunday, December 7th, 4:00 - 8:00pm! Happy Holidays!!!
Eye Candy!
Have you ever flipped open your laptop looking for one thing and totally go off on an entirely different tangent? I was actually researching light fixtures for a couple of clients of mine and some how landed on this Fabulous Website! Perhaps at 8:45 at night my mind is drifting to entertaining...(one of my biggest loves in life)...anyhow, I ended up here. Makes you want to live in New York! Amy Atlas is an incredible designer...OK I want cupcakes now. :-) Enjoy The Eye Candy!
Live Artfully Magazine - Spring Issue Out Now!
It must be something in the air... two magazine articles in one month...Wow! This month I had a fantastic opportunity to write an article for a new magazine, Live Artfully Magazine This is an incredible magazine that is the brain child of visionary, Jenny Malott. It's loaded with Inspiration & Color!!! You'll find interesting articles about mixed media artists, textiles, travel, anitques and entertainment! The magazine features local artists from the Central Coast of California. Every page is full of beautiful content, tips, and ideas....OK...and here's the best part...to my utter surprise Jenny has asked me to be the Entertainment Editor...hmmmmm....let me think about it....Yes, Yes, YES! How awesome! Jenny and I both share the vision of supporting artists and bringing beauty into the world. It's such an honor to be part of this incredible venture! We're already working on the next issue. I'll be writing about a garden wedding I'm having at my home and sharing all my tips and secrets. You can get your subscription on line at Live Artfully Magazine. If your local, I have the magazines at the boutique for sale too!
Whimsical Gatherings!
I've decided I'm never going to allow myself to get sick again. Last week I had such a crummy cold it knocked me out. This week I am so behind on all my design projects that I've just decided to never get sick again...besides, it's just no fun! That's my poor excuse for not posting the past few days...
But I'm back, and my friend Crystal, sent me this terrific website. I wish this talented lady lived in California...her site is full of gorgeous settings. What a great name for her site too! Beautifully executed... http://www.whimsicalgatherings.com
