Strawberry Music Festival Photos

I've been a staff photographer for Strawberry Music Festival since I was 16 and it's basically the raddest job ever. I wander around for 4 days listening to great music, eating cool food, and meeting wonderful people! It's a rare chance to unplug from the phone, internet, and the outside world and just enjoy the space I'm in. It's easy to unwind when you're this close to Yosemite and camped out among the stars and nighttime jams. This Spring Fest was no exception. Thursday it was warm enough for swimming and on Friday it snowed. Saturday was cold and dreary and by Sunday, the warm sunshine was back and there were smiles all around. Musical highlights were the Wheeler Brothers, Robert Earl Keen, Alison Krauss and Union Station and Sarah and The Tall Boys. My son enjoyed the Wheeler Brother and Alison Krauss the most; his favorite cd is the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? and so we kept him up late to see Alison Krauss perform.

It's been nice to experience Strawberry over the ages. I've been coming to Strawberry since I was 12 and have made wonderful friends over the years. I went from making kid crafts to teen dances, drinking too much, and kissing boys. From sleeping just a little to sleeping a lot. Now I'm bringing my husband and 3 year old son and am thoroughly enjoying watching them experience Strawberry. It's so nice to know that my son will also grow up as a Strawberry kid, respecting the earth, good music, and kind people. 

The festival was dedicated to our dear friend Denise Kerner, whom we lost unexpectedly in April. 

Here are my top photo picks from the Memorial Day Snowberry. Have you been? What is your favorite part about it?? If you haven't been, there's another festival in September, over Labor Day weekend. 

Landscaping is a go!

And we're off! Let the landscaping planning party begin! Last night we did some final measurements of our property for the landscape plans. Luckily we're working with the greatest landscape designer around- MY MOM!! I know, I'm super lucky to have a rad mom who's speciality is rockin' out some sweet landscaping! We're looking to have a nice, clean, modern landscape look and I can't wait to see what unfolds. 

While we measured I spotted another fruit tree! I'm seriously amazed at all of the fruit trees we have! And it seems like I discover a new one every week! Remember when I discovered that our "non fruit-bearing apricot tree" actually has fruit!? Last night I discovered that we have a persimmon tree, too! That bring our collection to the following: concord grapes, lemon, orange, peach, apricot, kumquat, and now persimmon! Plus we get apples and figs that generously grow over from our neighbors' fence! JACKPOT. And Fruit Party details coming in a few months ;)

We have a few key things we really want in our backyard. We're super lucky to live in the Bay Area of Northern California and can spend a lot of time outside! Here's our list of must-haves:

•Outdoor Kitchen

•Dining Area

•Kid Play Structure (my slick husband is going to build something similar to the one in the photo below)

•Shallow Water Space

•Daybed/Lounge Area

•Fire Pit

•Veggies in Containers (my slick husband doesn't know he's going to build something similar to the ones below)

I've been collecting pretty things on my Pinterest Outside board for a few months, but it's time to get serious. Here are my top have inspiration photos. 

What's the favorite part of your outside space?

links to sources (did the best I could)

top photo: Play Structure and Modern Landscape

middle photo: Modern Landscape, Deck (warning: tumblr rabbit hole), and Chevron Planter Boxes

bottom photo: Toe-Dippin' Water and Splash Pad

Happy Anniversary: 3 Years

Right now, my sweet husband is presumably reading stories to our 3 year boy while I sit in a coffee shop to hammer out some work. He's basically and absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me. He's kind and honest, devastatingly handsome, and does the dishes & laundry (he's actually way tidier than I am- what a find!!).

We recently celebrated our 3 year anniversary (I'll save you the math… we got married after our son was born) and he surprised me with the coolest anniversary present: yellow leather shoes from Camper. 3rd anniversaries are celebrated with leather gifts. Full list of traditional & modern anniversary gift can be found here. Note: the modern ones seem full-on ridiculous to me (diamonds are suggested on the 10th anniversary on the modern list, compared to 60th anniversary on the traditional list). 

Aren't these shoes rad?! He picked them out himself, because he's smart & stylish, too. I love them to pieces and our son calls them my "fancy shoes." Here are a few photos of them. 

Chris, I hope the boy goes to bed without giving you any gruff. Thanks for letting me have a little evening escape. You rule. I'll be home shortly.

 

Handmade Etsy Summer Beach Trip

Oh, I can't even believe how excited I am for my beach trip next month. It's the first beach trip since our son was born and we're going with a few other families. Did you see the photo of our house!?

I've seen a few beautiful round-ups on other blogs that feature beach round ups. I love shopping at J. Crew, Madewell & Anthro as much as the next gal, but there is something so much more special and unique about handmade goodness (no sweatshops or big company guilt is a major bonus)! To celebrate my beach week, I'veI searched Etsy high and low to find all these summer hits for your buying ease. Let me just say that finding a tasteful, hip bathing suit was darn near impossible; I was thrilled when I found this gem of a bathing suit from Athens, Greece. Some of my picks are from the US, others from faraway as Greece and Australia. And these are handmade! Not vintage or re-purposed.  I'm so excited to share all my finds with you. I'm just crazy about the rings from A Merry Mishap and that rad hat from Bonnie's Knitting! What's on your wishlist?? 

My favorite books for summer reading? Field-Tested Books by Coudal Partners, Dallas Clayton's An Awesome Book & Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project. Dig it (links aren't to Amazon)

Links to all of the Etsy shops: Swim Suit, Leather Sandals, Striped Hammock, Summer Dress, Waxed Canvas Backpack, Sunhat, Play Tent, Rings, Poster, Reversible Quilt, Cribbage, Turkish Towel. <<<Links to specific items on Etsy change when the item is purchased. I've therefore linked to the shop and not the featured item>>>