Lately I've been loving hand pies because they're a neater version of one of my favorite desserts. I recently received a gift box of goodies by a*pour toi (which specializes in French food gifts) that included these raspberry-filled treats by Saint Aubert. Oh. My. Goodness. They taste like mini raspberry pies, with a not-too-sweet filling and a soft, buttery, cookie-like crust. Needless to say, the box was finished within 24 hours of its arrival...
{Photo by Oh Joy}
Last weekend, we went on an Easter egg hunt in the park. Our friend that organized the get-together made cascarones (hollow eggs filled with confetti), and Ruby just loved them. She had never seen or played with confetti before, and she kept asking for "More, more!". Once we had smashed three eggs worth of confetti, we spent several minutes picking confetti out of the grass to keep her going for a few more rounds. Wishing you a weekend full of tiny bits of color and magic...
P.S. More confetti fun... and thanks so much for all your kind comments, tweets, and emails about my new studio space!
{Photos by Bob Cho. Ruby's dress from Target, sandals by Salt Water.}
Even the simplest strokes of a brush add so much movement and whimsy in these everyday pieces...
{01. Thief & Bandit Kids dress, 02. Kate Spade Saturday bag, 03. Stephanie O. shorts, 04. Piano Nobile tray, 05. studs by Wee See Stars, 06. Kindah scarf.}
You guys...the other day, I signed a lease on my new studio space! I've been slowly outgrowing my home office, and with new employees, regular photo shoots, and larger projects, it's come time to get an outside space. It's also become harder to work from home. When Ruby sees me, she screams, "Mama, Mama!" and my heart melts because I can't always hang out with her.
I won't lie. The idea of having more rent to pay per month, on top of my home, kind of makes me nauseous. But hey, you have to spend money and take risks to grow, right? So, here's a little peek at the space. It's airy, bright, and has really tall ceilings. We're getting rid of that red floor and carpet area ASAP, and we have a bunch of other fun ideas for making the space feel like a great place to work. My friend Emily is going to be helping us design the office, too. I'm super excited to see where it will go from here...stay tuned!
Recently, I had the chance to play dress-up at Decades, the vintage shop on Melrose Avenue known as an international shopping destination and retail haven for celebrities, stylists and fashionistas. And to celebrate the new show The Dukes of Melrose, featuring Decades owners Cameron and Christos, I've partnered with Bravo and The Dukes of Melrose to give away a $500 online gift card for one lucky reader to go vintage shopping at Decades.
To enter, simply visit The Dukes of Melrose page on BravoTV.com and then leave a comment here telling me what pieces you love buying in vintage. My other favorites are bags, by far, because I can get so much use out of a great vintage bag. Entries must be posted by this Thursday, April 4, at 8 a.m. PST, and one winner will be chosen at random*. Good luck!
*Sorry, limited to U.S. readers only. Please do not leave your email or web address in the body of the comment, only in the allotted boxes. $500 USD total value. Winner will be contacted by email once comments close, and announced at the bottom of this post soon after.
**This giveaway is brought to you in collaboration with Bravo. New episodes of The Dukes of Melrose air on Wednesdays at 10:30/9:30c.
UPDATE: Congrats to Kerry F. from Santa Monica, CA for being our winner this time!
{Photos by Bonnie Tsang.}
This time of year, spring really starts to show itself. California's plants are so lush and rich in nutrients—which means the soil here is just phenomenal. Lately, I've been sprinkling soil on top of ice cream, in my morning latte, and even serving it alongside a platter of French cheeses. It's nutty, crunchy, and just a tad sweet. I'm so lucky to have access to this amazing little treat right in my own backyard...
{Photo by Oh Joy. Dirt by April Fool's Day.}
I always thought that "learning how to mimic" part of being a kid came later in life...like around three or four. Boy, was I wrong. Within the last couple of months, Ruby's been watching everything we do and imitating it. She'll find my necklaces and shoes and put them on, start "cooking" in her kitchen (she adds ingredients and stirs the pot while holding the oven mitt), pick up the empty cat food bowls to put them away, and pretend to do the laundry. It amazes me. Any day now, she'll be sitting on a fake computer pretending to blog...Have a great weekend, friends!
P.S. Ruby's mastering her animal noises in the video above. Clearly growling is her favorite...
P.P.S. For more Ruby, see my Instagram and Bob's Instagram.
{Ruby's wearing my Adidas sneakers, Gap striped dress, Thief & Bandit pink neon dress.}
Maybe it's because I have a hard time choosing just one thing, but I find myself loving items arranged in clusters. From florals to prints to lighting—I just think they look so good in multiples. Here are a few of my favorites found around the web right now.
What types of things do you guys like arranging in groups?
{Sources, top to bottom: art wall via The Design Files, test tube chandelier by Gang Design, Mera Brasserie in Poland, Yasmine Floral Design}
I've been poppin' these sea salt infused caramel chews from Copper Pot Caramels this week like no one's business. They're soft, salty, buttery, and don't stick to your teeth! They satisfy that chewy candy craving when I want something a little more buttery than gummy bears (which I also love).
What's been your favorite candy lately?
{Photo by Oh Joy}
I'm a huge fan of Kate Spade, so of course I'm in love with their newest brand, Kate Spade Saturday which just launched this past weekend. Kate Spade Saturday is Kate Spade's more casual, yet still vibrant and quirky, little sister that channels the carefree spirit of the weekend and brings it to clothes, accessories, and home goods for every day of the week. I'm in love with so many of the simple silhouettes that can be worn in so many ways (and how fun are these F.Y.I. videos?!?).
So I've partnered with Kate Spade Saturday to give away this sunny yellow Half Circle bag (which retails for $160) to one lucky reader. It's been the perfect little bag to carry my everyday must-haves, plus it converts to a clutch and you can use the strap as a belt (see it in F.Y.I.)!
To enter, simply visit Kate Spade Saturday's website and then leave a comment here telling me your favorite pieces from the site. My other favorites are this fun dress and this clever travel bag. Entries must be posted by this Thursday, March 28th, at 8 a.m. PST, and one winner will be chosen at random*. Good luck!
UPDATE: Congrats to Karen W. from Los Angeles, CA for being our winner this time!
*Sorry, limited to U.S. readers only. Please do not leave your email or web address in the body of the comment, only in the allotted boxes. $160 USD total value. Winner will be contacted by email once comments close, and announced at the bottom of this post soon after.
{Photos by Bonnie Tsang. My outfit: Madewell top, Kate Spade jacket (past season; see similar here), J.Crew jeans, Loeffler Randall flats (past season), Anthropologie heels (past season).}
The latest in my Make Someone Happy series
~ 20% off at Maya Brenner through May 31, 2013. Enter JOY20 at checkout.
Any comments which are deemed inappropriate ~ including general spam, offensive comments or rude language, self-promotional spam, or other items unrelated to the post ~ will be deleted.
Oh Joy!® is a registered trademark of Nantaka Joy®, Inc. All rights reserved.
Oh Joy contains paid advertising banners and some contextual affiliate links. An affiliate link means that we receive commission on sales of the products that are linked to in my posts. So if you click on a link and make a purchase from an affiliate site, then I may make a commission from that purchase. I also work with affiliate links, on occasion, on my Pinterest page. The content of my posts or pins are all items, things, and experiences I genuinely like and will only work with affiliates that fit my aesthetic and brand.
Any products which have been gifted or provided gratis to Oh Joy for review is noted with an asterisk (*) or c/o (courtesy of) at the bottom of the post and are only posted if a good fit for the Oh Joy aesthetic and content. Any sponsored giveaways or posts will be noted as such.
