The Door Book & Michael Dobson Photography

I love a great coffee table book, I am in awe with amazing photography, 

and I am quite fond of a beautiful or unique entrance.   

I especially find doors quite interesting and revealing.  

That is why I was so excited to learn about a project of an old friend of mine from high school, 

Michael Dobson.  He became an amazing photographer and has been busy traveling the world 

and photographing his journey. He has taken a special interest in photographing beautiful, 

interesting, and unique doors from around the world.  

Michael Dobson has  made several calendars and now has a beautiful book called

  The Door Book.

These are just a few photos that I loved.  

Quite honestly, it was hard to narrow down to a few faves.  There are so many wonderful 

and interesting doors, and the photography is just beautiful.

There is also a calendar of New York doors that is just fantastic! 

I wonder if he'll make a calendar of doors from Boston, or for that matter, New England?

  I think that New England has so many doors with character and charm.  

Then again, so does the south. I know I've photographed many charming doors in Virginia, 

Mississippi, and South Carolina.  Oh! and Italy.  Now there are some beautiful doors in Italy too! 

What a fantastic project Mike!

 I can't wait to see where your journey takes you next, and what doors you'll be finding along the way. 

 And this beautiful book is now at the top of my Christmas list...

Hello Santa! Are you taking notes? 

thinkThin Protein Bars & Products

I am such a protein bar lover.

I feel like I'm always in a hurry and always on the go. I try really hard to eat well though, and sometimes it is just hard to stay on course if you're always in a hurry.  That is why I am a protein bar lover.  It is a good thing to eat if I need something fast.  My only problem with protein bars, is finding one that is as nutritious as they claim they are.  

I want one that tastes good, low in sugar, low in carbs, high in protein, natural, 
and is nutritious.  Is that too much to ask? 

 I was so excited to find thinkThin a few months back! 

The answer to my long hunt for the perfect protein bar. 

I'm sharing my find with you, just in case you're a protein bar lover as well, 

and you're trying to find one that is exceptionally healthy too.

I met the founder, Lizanne Flasetto, at the EVO conference a few months back. 

We discussed my new shop, Modern Palm and her company thinkThin products. 

  She is beautiful, darling, sweet, and amazingly talented! 
She created this company because she too was a busy mom, 
concerned about health, and saw the need for healthy snacks.  

Bonus: these bars are really good! For reals! I love them. 

I think I have tried all of the flavors and I love them all! 

I just ran out of my supply and realized how much I need them, and then realized I should probably pass on my good find with all of you lovely readers!   

Here is what the thinkThin company is all about:

"thinkThin® creates deliciously natural food for consumers who “think about what they eat” while living a full and energetic weight management lifestyle. The thinkThin® brand was born when its founder Lizanne Falsetto recognized an unmet market opportunity to marry the natural and weight management categories.

Fast forward to today and thinkThin®’s flagship protein bar is the no. 1 ranked weight management bar in America, experiencing unprecedented growth as the only natural, 0 grams sugar, high protein weight management bar on the market. The company continues to break ground, launching the industry’s first natural low sugar, high protein nut bar called thinkThin® Crunch.

All thinkThin® products are based on three key nutritional principles: 

low to no sugar, high protein, gluten free."

My Babyroom

My babyroom won't be much of a babyroom soon.  In fact, my baby is not so much a baby anymore. I wish I could slow down time because he is growing up just too fast.  Baby G has been such a surprise to us in so many ways. He is the loudest baby I've ever heard! He is so full of energy, personality, curiosity, and love. He is such a cuddlier! I love to snuggle with him and receive his slobbery kisses. His favorite word right now is mine.  In fact, he reminds me of those seagulls on Nemo that continue to say, "mine! mine! mine!" Baby G tries so hard to keep up with all the older kids. He will jump off anything, tackle anything, pick-up any animal...basically he thinks he is 7! He LOVES his blankie and demands to always sleep with it. He is such an animal freak and will just squeal at the sight of any animal. I could go on and on with how adorable he is and how grateful I am for him my life. Here is Baby G's babyroom...Oh! and he loves horses as well. 

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The changing table was found at a local overstock store. I think it was originally a gardening table, but I thought that it worked great for a baby changing table.

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I had a really had time finding boy bedding that I liked, but instantly fell in love with the vintage cowboy baby bedding. Sadly, I can't remember where I ordered it from. It was from a store online that did custom baby bedding. I purchased it a few years back when J boy was born.  My mother made the three different amazing quilts for my babies.  I love that she makes all of my babies a special quilt and many baby blankets!

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Fall Favorite Recipes

Here are a few of my Fall Favorite Recipes.  These are ones that I turn to as soon as the leaves start to change colors. 

One thing is for sure... I love me some caramel popcorn.  Not just any popcorn.  I love soft, gewy, yummy caramel corn. This is a great and simple recipe for my criteria.


Caramel Popcorn

30 big marshmallows or 3 cups mini
1 cup margarine or butter
1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup corn and 3 Tbsp. oil
or
2 bags of the low butter or no butter, fat free popcorn.

pop the corn, then set aside.

melt marshmallows, margarine/butter, and brown sugar over stove on medium heat.

when melted pour over popcorn and stir.

Thoroughly enjoy!

Click on the next titles if you'd like to view these recipes:

Tortilla Soup 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Zucchini Bread

Jill Rosenwald Tableware in Modern Palm Boutique

She is known for her creativity and talent in the design world. 

Her work has adorned the shelves of Barneys and Neimans and was featured on "Sex and the City". 

Many magazines have featured her products including:

Oprah, Elle Decor, Coastal Living, and countless other design magazines. 

Who is this amazing talent? 

Jill Rosenwald. 

Not only does she have her very successful line in beautiful handmade ceramics, 

but she has now expanded her colorful and whimsical style to other items in home decor: 

such as bedding, furniture, and rugs. 

Modern Palm 

is lucky enough to have some of Jill Rosenwald's 

ceramic tableware in our store. 

We also have a great selection of of other dinnerware and tableware.

I don't know why, but I have such a weakness for beautiful and creative tableware. 

These are perfect for entertaining this holiday season!

 

 

Psst!...J.CREW Factory Outlet!

Psst! Have you heard yet? J.CREW  has a Factory Store open only on the weekends!

I'm excited to go check out what is in this factory store.  I have become such a fan of online shopping. 

It is just way to hard to hall around my rambunctious little ones.

Happy Things~Guest: Uber Chic for Cheap

I'm so excited to have Madeline from Uber Chic for Cheap as a guest today! 

We met a few months back at a conference and I instantly loved being around her. 

She is a complete sweetheart and a fun-loving, low-key fashionista. 

You are going to LOVE her and her fantastic blog! 

We all love fashion, right? And we all love a great-deal, right? 

Well then, Uber Chic for Cheap is such a great read.

Madeline loves to research and share good fashion finds. 

She also shares how to look Stylin' on a budget. 

In fact, "Look for Less" is my favorite post that she pulls together. 

I love to see "look-a-likes" on great fashion designs but for a better price.

Dream Job: I would love to work in fashion merchandising. It would be so fun to be a fashion buyer or a creative director of a small apparel store.
Product you can't live without:
Dry Shampoo! Now that I have bangs I needed to wash my hair every day because they looked stringy after 12 hours. I can now wash every other day, which is so much better for my hair because I am blow drying and curling less often.
Favorite Vacation:
When I was 16, I went to central Europe with my brother and parents. We saw Budapest, Vienna, and many other beautiful places. It was fantastic. I also have a big place in my heart for Alaska, specifically the Kenai Peninsula where my husband and I have spent 4 summers.
Dream vacation:
I would love to live abroad. I think there is something so fantastic about the idea of moving somewhere completely different and immersing yourself in entirely new experiences. I would love to do that. 
Favorite Restaurant/Food: I love Chinese food!
Favorite TV show:
I am a big TV watcher, and I love TV on DVD even more! Some of my favorites are Felicity, My So-Called Life, Veronica Mars, Mad Men and Friday Night Lights.
Favorite movie: 500 Days of Summer
Favorite treat: Cookies! I can pass on cake or pie or ice cream, but cookies get me every time and I end up eating at least 10!
Favorite Book: Hunger Games (If you haven't read it, you should!)
How do you like to relax or what is a hobby you enjoy:
I really like to sew. I am no master seamstress, but I love having time to just sit down and sew for a few hours.
5 Loves: My Husband, Chapstick, Cardigans, Sleeping In, and Shopping
5 Dislikes: Early Mornings,Being Insincere, Migraines, Paying for Shipping, and Being Embarrassed 

Thanks Madeline! I loved learning a bit more about you. 

I have yet to read this Hunger Games book, but it is the talk-of-the-town... 

I should pick it up soon.  

I love that you've lived in Alaska, but please don't tell my husband that bit of info. 

He'd try to get me to do it too! ;)  He once spent a summer there fishing on a boat.  

He'd like to live there. I'd like to live in Hawaii. 

Oh! And I'm so with you on lovin' dry Shampoo. I am an everyday fan! 

I even use it on my wash days to give texture to my fine hair. 

Giannetti Design

I was checking out the Giannetti Home Design site and found this beach house in Hunington. 

I am really quite fond of beach homes and really wish I could enjoy one on a regular basis. 

In fact, while I'm dreaming... I really wouldn't mind this fun beach home! 

I like how open and beachy this home is, without being TOO beachy.

Wow! What a dream master bedroom. 

I adore that headboard & that gray office chair. 

I also love the fresh and open the feeling of the room.

And what unique and whimsical lighting.

Love the statement that painting makes in the room.

After seeing this home, are you itching for a week at the beach like me?

Essentially Fall Fashion

Here are a few essentials for fall that you can add to

your closet,  pull out from storage,

or just continue to use.

It's all about the feminine frills with an edge.

Faux Fur Vest: Mod Cloth

Leather Bomber Jacket: Oli Co.

Vers Blancs Printed Tiered Skirt: Maruione

Washed Army Jacket: TopShop

Jojo Waxy Strappy Boot: Juicy Couture

Bernardo XRay Clogs: Piperlime

Turquoise Jewelry: Stella & Dot

UGG Australia + JIMMY CHOO= FALL FABS

I am really loving all of UGG Australia's new designs. 

Their handbags, outerwear, and accessories are all amazing. I wish I could enjoy them all. 

But their new boots are top-notch! These are a few of my faves! 

Oh, and they teamed up with  

JIMMY CHOO-- 

yes, you heard me! Who would have thought UGG & JIMMY CHOO? 

But from their little partnership came these lovely....

FABULOUSLY FANTASTIC BOOT!

i'm so in love with these... i simply adore boots! 

more yummy boots here and here.