The McGees

The Great White Kitchen

2012-01-19T16:22:00.001-08:00

It's official, the house projects are just about to be in full swing. These things take time and prep! I've been running around like a crazy person comparing subway tile, pieces of marble and choosing bevel details on cabinetry. If you don't want to hear about house projects and decor, I suggest you stop reading this blog.

We're starting at the heart of the home. The kitchen:

Yes, it is a perfectly good kitchen, but there is a lot of brown and I hope to lighten it up a bit.

Well, a lot actually.

Here is a snippet of what it will look like in about a month:

Did I tell you about the time?

2012-01-08T21:53:00.000-08:00

We moved into our house a week before Christmas and our cute little tree was a casualty in the process. On December 23, at 8 p.m. Syd set out to find a replacement. After all, what's Christmas morning without a tree? 3 lots later, with a little bit of begging at the Home Depot, and we had ourselves a tree. We set it up and began trimming. Meanwhile, Syd took a few shots of NyQuil and I found him fully clothed and immovable. And then our tree fell over. Dirt clumps and needles were everywhere. It took all three of us (mom, dad, me) to get it upright again. In the end, all the ornaments were removed and the only things keeping it partially upright were the wall and a piece of plywood. Merry Christmas!

Home.

2011-12-29T13:43:00.000-08:00

When Syd and I were first married, we set a goal to have a little piece of California to call home. We saved. And we saved. And we saved some more. After months of looking, waiting and saying many prayers...we did it! We feel so blessed.

So here she is at the end of a cul-de-sac, deep in the heart of San Clemente suburbia.

We moved in the week before Christmas and are still in boxes, but I can't wait to show all the "befores"...and believe you me, I have a lot planned for the "afters".

This year

2011-11-16T23:22:00.001-08:00

This year, our Christmas tree is going in a basket.

I already have the basket, now we just need to get the tree!

Images from an old issue of Cottage Living.

Au Revoir, Paris!

2011-11-16T10:12:00.001-08:00

Did you know that the Eiffel Tower sparkles at night? Neither did we! Every hour the entire structure twinkles and people cheer. It is magical. We just sat on the steps across the street, ate crepes and maybe stole a smooch or two.

Around the city

2011-11-16T10:06:00.001-08:00

A peek inside The Louvre

2011-11-16T09:37:00.001-08:00

The Louvre was definitely one of our favorite adventures while in Paris. We scheduled a guided tour and then they left while I was in the bathroom. The museum is so large and there are so many people we thought it would be impossible to find them again...luckily we did.

The entire experience was awe-inspiring.

Jardin des Tuileries and the Musee du Louvre

2011-11-16T09:33:00.001-08:00

What can I say?

2011-11-16T09:25:00.001-08:00

What can I say about Paris that hasn't already been said?

Notre Dame

2011-11-16T09:19:00.001-08:00

Notre Dame did not disappoint.

I'm convinced

2011-11-11T12:36:00.000-08:00

Today I put on red lipstick and a sweatshirt, and then I cleaned our house. I'm convinced it's the best way to get things accomplished.

Very high on my Christmas list

2011-11-11T09:31:00.001-08:00

They're practically perfect in every way.

Syd and Shea Go to Paris

2011-11-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

Paris was incredible. I just loved being able to take it all in - I would always run into things because I was too busy staring at the beauty surrounding me. Everything they say about Paris is true! The architecture, art and food lived up to the hype.

People keep asking me what my favorite meal was. Everything we ate was delicious, but my favorite meal was late one evening when we were wandering around the city. We saw locals literally running into a little pastry shop and grabbing baguettes like there was no tomorrow.

Well, my friends, those Parisians had it right - the baguettes were fresh out of the oven and truly the most incredible thing I have ever tasted. We ate bread and butter for dinner that night, and I have never been happier.

More pics to come.

Liberty of London

2011-11-06T21:59:00.000-08:00

While Syd's dreams came true at the soccer game, all of mine came true at Liberty of London. I thought it was going to be a little shop with fabrics and things with their signature floral prints. Nope, it's an entire department with all of my favorite things. If I had a cargo container to ship back, we would be broke. Built in an old library, it has entire floors dedicated to paper goods, furniture, rugs, fabric, clothing (think Stella McCartney and Tucker), kitchenware (anthro-esque dishtowels mixed with Wedgwood china) and even an entire section dedicated to Christmas!

I see London pt.2

2011-11-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

We went to the tower of London and followed a tour group within listening distance.

Marveled at the decadence surrounding Buckingham Palace:

And rested our legs from all that walking.

I see London pt.1

2011-11-06T21:29:00.000-08:00

There is so much to tell, but I'm going to try and narrow down the highlights. After our flight into London, we took a train to Liverpool to catch a football match. It was all of Syd's wildest dreams coming true. Lot's of Brits swearing, fun cheers and plenty of joyous fist pumps.

Afterwards, we stayed in London for a few nights and did lots of sightseeing.

This is only part 1...

View from the London Eye:

Big Ben:

Rode Bikes through the city and ate fish and chips:

Homework

2011-11-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

Design school is more intense than I expected, but there are no complaints here - I love every minute of it. I have been working all semester on sketching the blueprints for a house...everything down to the lighting and electrical. But now we're to my favorite part! The pretty stuff. Here is the living room...

Clockwise from Left: Basket and Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree, Side Table, Navy Velvet Sofa, Lamp, Entryway Rug, Leather Chair, Trunk, Pillow, Jute Rug, Mirror, Quadrille Fabric, Navy Ticking Stripe, Linen Slipcovered Chair

...and we're back.

2011-10-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

We made it home and now we're trying to get caught up. I can't thank you all enough for being our tour guides and giving us so many great recommendations. Now I just need to take a midterm tonight, turn in 2 projects tomorrow and sort through 700 photos. But really, those are what we like to call "princess problems". Our trip was incredible and I can't wait to share the highlights. I know you're on pins and needles to see more pictures...stay tuned.

Just can't wait

2011-10-12T10:34:00.001-07:00

(A photo I fiddled with by Alicia Bock on Etsy)

For quite some time, Syd and I have daydreamed about taking a trip to Paris. Well, it's finally happening. For our 3rd anniversary we will be spending time in London and Paris! We are newbies and have never been before. Do you have suggestions? Your favorite things to see, eat, do, etc? We'd love to hear! In my opinion, trips are always better with recommendations from friends.

Glimmer of Hope

2011-10-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Glimmer Tunic,

I know you are still in the "New Arrivals" section, but please go on sale soon. I really need all of your sparkly, modest, hourglass figure-flattering glory in my life.

Love,

Shea

The thrill of the hunt

2011-09-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

My family used to take day trips out to a tiny town called Brenham, Texas for burgers (that came in a cardboard car) and Blue Bell Ice cream. In addition to some good ol' Texas eats, this is where I first discovered my love for thrift and antique stores...I love the funny smell, thrill of the hunt and story each piece brings:

I found this chest a while back and fell in love with the little gold details...a perfect match for my old armillary. One day I found a $10 bill on the ground and walked over to the Salvation Army to find this vase for $5...it was meant to be! The painting above it is one of my favorite pieces of all time; I found it on Etsy about 3 years ago and just love that it came on a jagged roll of butcher paper.

I would like to get a different lamp and replace the sportfishing book, but hey, sometimes you've got to work with what you've got!

Shower

2011-09-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Alex, a sweet girl in our ward, went int0 pre-term labor on her way up to Utah and had to miss her baby shower. My friends Jenni, Megan and I went into action and helped plan a last minute party. So fun, but now I am ready for a weekend-long nap!

27

2011-09-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

Syd turned 27 yesterday! I love celebrating his birthday because he truly deserves celebrating. I met Syd 5 years ago while he was helping load up my brother's car outside of Helaman Halls. And that pretty much says it all - he has a heart of gold and has changed my life for the better ever since. Usually I have to beg him for months to tell me what to get him, but this year he was very clear - a new surfboard, dinner at home and peanut butter cookies for dessert.

Done and done.

UWC

2011-09-09T00:15:00.000-07:00

Although UWC may sound like a wrestling match, it actually stands for Ultimate Couples Weekend. Thanks to the Larsens, we had a lovely time catching up with friends (both old and new) soaking up the sun in Emerald Bay, eating tacos and playing Catch Phrase.

We have a really tough life.

Lessons from the community

2011-08-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

So it turns out that community college is a little different than BYU. Who knew?
Yesterday I saw a guy wearing a tracking anklet with his cargo shorts.
Hilarious and frightening all at the same time.

On another note, I'm truly enjoying my design classes - they are so interactive and it is fun to see a direct real-life correlation in everything we learn. This week our assignment was to make a large collage exemplifying our taste and how our background has influenced it.

Did you hear that? My assignment was to glue pretty pictures together!
I promise it's harder than it sounds.

SF from the iPhone Perspective

2011-08-31T22:13:00.001-07:00

Still Full

2011-08-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

We went to San Francisco this weekend. It went a little like this: eat, walk, eat, shop, eat, sightsee.

We needed a little vacation...as in 3 days little. We decided a road trip up North for the weekend fit the bill. And thanks to the wonderful Sarah Cowan Larsen, our entire trip was based around her restaurant recommendations. In an effort to balance things out, we walked 'til our feet were sore and backs ached. We arrived like ignorant southern Californians in sandals and t-shirts. I have never felt a colder August chill.

Some of my favorites included driving down Lombard Street, admiring the houses in Pacific Heights and the following eats:

Pizzeria Delfina
Multiple stops within the Ferry Building
Tartine
Tacolicious

Swift

2011-08-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

Taylor Swift, that is. Oh yeah, you heard me. For girls night, a few friends and I drove up to the Staples Center to see what all this Taylor Swift fuss was about. Coming from someone who knows her hits, but isn't a devout fan, I loved every minute of it. There was hair tossing, a glitter guitar, numerous costume changes and even a few pyrotechnics. The true sign of a good concert? Today I just keep singing "you belong with meee-eee-eee..."

An excellent time to be had by all.

Contrary to the message the wrinkles in my shirt are sending, that is not a baby bump.

It's about dang time

2011-08-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

I finally joined Pinterest! For a while there, I just perused other people's pages. However, I realized that I have an inspiration folder on my computer with literally hundreds and hundreds of home decor images. Why not share the love? I have only just begun uploading pictures from my living room file and it took me several hours...stay tuned for more!

Happy Happy

2011-08-17T11:35:00.001-07:00

First of all, thanks for all your nice comments on my last post - it made my day and I feel very blessed.

Speaking of being blessed, I am lucky to have wonderful parents! It was their anniversary on Monday and my Mom's birthday on Tuesday! Happy happy to you both. Sure do love you guys.

xoxo

It's been a while

2011-08-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

We've been busy, but "good busy". The kind that makes you say prayers to ask for more minutes in the day. Because of this, our blog has suffered immensely. Is it bad luck to post your Christmas Card photo in August? We only have about 3 pictures that aren't at the "took this of ourselves" angle. Thank you, Justin Hackworth.

Did I mention I'm going back to school? It's true. I've decided to go get my Interior Design Certification. It's been a long time coming - years of feeling a little lost, but knowing deep down what I really wanted to do. I just didn't have the guts. I used to be terrified people wouldn't hire me or like my style, but I just needed to get over it. Perhaps it's selfish, but I am doing this for myself. And with a little encouragement from family and friends, I've decided to just freaking do it.

I've got my satchel all ready, I pick up my books tomorrow and my first class is on Monday. I will still be working for the ad agency while going to school, but I figure, "how hard could it be?"

Probably really hard. But I'm so excited I don't care!

Life is good. We are happy.

US Open

2011-08-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

We went to the US Open last week. We had great company and did our best to maneuver the crowds. To put it mildly, it was a whole lot of bikinis and martinis. The event could be summed up in the following:

It was my birthday weekend.

2011-07-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

2 weekends ago. We spent the 4th of July weekend in Santa Barbara which was absolutely lovely. Good food, good people watching and the perfect distance for a drive up the coast.

On my birthday I was called "miss" and "ma'am" twice. I almost cried. Then Syd surprised me with a bow wrapped around a diet coke and dinner at the Montage. The Montage was a little outside of our fancy comfort zone, but the view was breathtaking. He also surprised me with several other goodies I had pointed out on a recent shopping excursion. I thought for sure he was tuning me out at the time. That Syd, he's always been good at surprises.

A and L's Wedding

2011-06-27T15:59:00.001-07:00

We're back from a whirlwind trip to Utah for my brother and sister-in-law's "love story" wedding. They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple, the same temple my parents and Syd and I were married in. My mom and I had the pleasure of planning the reception, and although it seemed that Murphy's Law was in full effect, it turned out to be a beautiful summer evening. A lot of love went into the event - mom sewed all the banners and runners, Laura collected vintage Reader's Digest books, cousins helped assemble hundreds of s'more boxes and Syd was the yes man the entire weekend. I'm excited to see the professional pics, but until then, here are a few shots I took from the celebration.

The most wonderful time of year

2011-06-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Peony time that is. It's a good thing Trader Joe's only sells them once a year because they start to smell weird after a few days, and replenishing them is quickly becoming an expensive habit.

In other news, I just thought you should know that this swimsuit is on sale for $34. I know from personal experience that it lifts, sucks and tucks all the right places.

Man Cave

2011-06-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

If Syd is not at his computer or in the ocean, he is in the garage. Although I have definitely encroached upon his territory, making this picture a candidate for a good game of "I SPY", he has the garage completely set-up to be his man cave. I never tire of sneaking down there to find him blasting tunes and watching surf videos while sanding, sawing and waxing whatever new project he has up his sleeve.

Mormon Hangover

2011-06-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up to find an unfinished board game, empty soda bottles, piles of shopping bags and a half-eaten pan of these. Evidence of a good weekend?

I think so.

Asking the Duplex

2011-06-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

Remember how nice it was in college when you were trying to get ready and had a bunch of roommates for help? Sometimes husbands get tired of being asked which shoe looks better - which is exactly why my friends Monica and Whitney started Ask the Duplex. And well, today I had a question! You can check it out here.

Whoopie!

2011-05-31T13:58:00.000-07:00

After a few days in Utah, and a sunny afternoon at the beach, BBQ and Whoopie Pies were the perfect way to end our Memorial Day weekend. After all, it's pretty hard to have a bad day with marshmallow cream frosting sandwiched between chocolate cake cookies.

I recommend using this recipe.

Syd lost a bet...

2011-05-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

and therefore, he lost his hair. He looks so tough now!

The Quiver

2011-05-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

Barrels, tides, groms and quivers, being married to Syd has opened my eyes to a whole new world (and vocabulary). Until then, everything I knew about surf culture I learned from The Endless Summer 1 and 2. But now, I have a quiver in my garage.

Okay fine, I changed my mind

2011-05-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

Until this point in life, all encounters with baseball players have led us to believe that most of them are tools. We just weren't raised in "baseball families".

But last night, things changed.

We went to an Angels game, had great seats and a great time. Even though they lost, we loved kickin' back, drinking soda and taking it all in. Next game, Syd will just need to trim his beard into a goatee - then we'll be real fans.

The Great Expedition

2011-05-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

Well, that's enough about Syd. Let's talk about mirrors and lamps. I recently went to a sample sale where women were stocking up on lamps like food storage. I'll admit, I now have a few sitting in the garage for the "one day" house, but my trophy from the sale is most definitely my new expedition mirror. I only saw one at the sale and it was in a woman's pile, so I waited and watched. Thankfully, she decided against it at the last minute - I literally sprinted through rows of lampshades to grab it. Mission accomplished.

Pirate Board

2011-04-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

My areas of interest usually dominate this blog's content.

But today, this one's for Syd.

10x better

2011-04-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

At our house, we go through chocolate chip cookie phases: classic, oatmeal, chunks vs. chips. However, as a lover of all things both salty and sweet, one thing remains the same, sprinkling a little sea salt on top (right before you pop the dough in the oven) will make your cookies 10x better.

I hear the train a comin'

2011-04-14T18:18:00.000-07:00

When we first moved to California, I was utterly entranced by the ocean - this Texas girl just wanted to touch, see, smell and hear it as often as she could. I promised myself I would never take that beautiful sight for granted. True to my promise, I do my best to run (or walk when I'm too lazy) along this trail everyday. Sometimes I have to pinch myself we're so lucky. And sometimes, that pinch comes in the form of house prices and taxes.

Chopped

2011-04-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

Well folks, I did it.

No More Monkeys

2011-03-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

Growing up, in the Miller household, Sundays were dessert days. I have since carried that tradition - whether it's cookies, cupcakes or a handful of Cadbury Mini Eggs, I am a firm believer that Sunday evenings should be filled with sugar. Tonight, I made Monkey Bread...because really, what could be better than biscuits, butter, sugar and cinnamon?

Very few things.

There are many wonderful variations of this recipe, but this is the one I usually follow:

Monkey Bread
1/2 C. chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
3, 10 oz. cans buttermilk biscuits
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. melted butter

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees. Put pecans in the bottom of bundt pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut each individual biscuit into fourths and roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Layer pieces in bundt pan. Combine brown sugar and melted butter and drizzle over the top of biscuit pieces. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate and serve.

Family Night

2011-03-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when I choose the activity for family night. When I saw my friend Kristina's cute spring wreath, I knew exactly what I would be roping Syd into this week. Grapevine, moss and a few burned fingers later, we're happy with the result. As for next week's activity? I'm pretty sure we'll be trading in our glue guns for xbox controllers.

Have I Done Any Good?

2011-03-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

In church we sing a song that begins with,

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.

I recently found myself happily humming the tune, quickly followed by guilt-ridden thoughts. While I was about to order more pillow fabric for our house, I thought about the thousands in Japan who no longer have a house.

The devastation is so immense that quite honestly, I feel anything I donate is measly in proportion to what is needed. However, I pray feelings of inadequacy never stop me from trying to help.

For me personally, the tragedy has been a wake-up call - a reminder to not gloss over each day, but to relish the sunshine and live my life so that when asked, "Have I done any good in the world today?"

I can answer, yes.

Steal of the Week

2011-03-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

Please don't ask me how I found myself at Charlotte Russe perusing the jewelry section last week, but I guess it was worth fighting my way through polyester zebra print corsets to find this necklace. For $12.50, it's a steal. And although it has only been 3 days, it hasn't even fallen apart yet!

It's official

2011-02-18T11:52:00.000-08:00

My little brother is engaged! Honestly, I can hardly believe it. Who knew that little brothers eventually grow up and get married? Well, they do. June 25 in the Salt Lake City Temple to be exact. His fiance is a gem, she's really sweet, but has just enough sass to keep Austin in line - a perfect addition to the Miller fam.

Flower and Flour

2011-02-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

We are not fancy Valentine's Day people. He brings me flowers and I provide freshly baked sugar cookies with pink frosting. Flower, flour and a simple exchange of love notes is just perfect.

Day and Night

2011-02-02T11:10:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, my mom and I are closing the OSNH virtual doors. Don't worry, it's a happy thing - you can read the story here. We announced the close of the shop and pretty much everything sold within a week. Awesome? Yes. Working day and night? Most definitely. I have drawers and drawers and drawers (and an entire closet) that look like this. So I guess when I say I'm moving on to new adventures, I mean I'll be re-organizing the house.

Just in case

2011-01-05T23:46:00.000-08:00

Just in case you were wondering, yes, the houses really are prettier in Texas.

Pictures taken during a jaunt through one of my favorite neighborhoods to go running/house scouting - Southampton, near Rice University.

Hard to beat.

2010-12-30T13:20:00.000-08:00

Austin's outfit on Christmas morning is pretty tough to beat.

See Dad, technology can be fun!

2010-12-30T13:02:00.000-08:00

Generally a man who prefers the tactile qualities of paper and pen, my dad has a long history of poo-pooing technology. But this year, a quantum leap was made. Donnie Miller received the Kindle. And he loved it! After a few brief training sessions with Syd, he was filling that Amazon cart like there was no tomorrow.

We had a blast

2010-12-30T12:48:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was an absolute blast. We surprised my mom, an incredibly difficult feat. My dad and brother were in on the secret and helped us surprise her in line at Little Bigs. While waiting in line we just walked up behind her and waited for her to turn around. When she did, it almost didn't register. But when it did, she almost had a meltdown and it took her several tries to order her black bean slider.

All in all, we ate, played ping-pong, slept-in, watched movies and ate some more.

Heartbreaking

2010-12-17T12:47:00.000-08:00

photo via Provo Daily Herald

As many of you know, the Provo Tabernacle caught fire this morning. It breaks my heart to see such a beautiful historical building destroyed. The roof collapsed at 6 a.m. taking those majestic peaks and gables with it. Built in 1880, this building stood on a corner in the college-town where both my parents and Syd and I met (and crossing my fingers my brother and a special someone will meet). I'm sad my future children won't have the pleasure of attending its annual Christmas performances, but I'm sure they will have the pleasure of me telling and re-telling during visits to cougar town, "When I was in school, there was a beautiful old building that stood on the corner riiiight over there."

Lucky them.

When?!

2010-12-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

When did I become that girl that uses exclamation points at the end of every text?! And throughout most friend-to-friend e-mail communications?! Even after questions?! Somewhere between being a sarcastic college student, getting married and moving to the 'burbs of South Orange County!

And it probably won't stop.

Skills

2010-12-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

I often find myself in awe at the skills others have either carefully cultivated over the years, or better yet, were born with. And when I say "awe", sometimes I mean pure jealousy. I write for an advertising agency part-time, and that's how I met Ali -- and soon became acquainted with her abundant skill-set. She has this website called Alexandra's Kitchen. And not only are the pictures (all taken by her) good enough to eat, but so far, the food lives up to the images. At our house, we started with the Broiled Tarragon Chicken Breasts and they were a wild success. Now we can't wait to head over to the farmer's market this weekend and try more.

All images and recipes by Ali for Alexandra's Kitchen

Luke 2

2010-12-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

We usually wait until Christmas Eve to read the story of Christ's birth, but this year we decided to read it at the beginning of the month as well. It sure can be easy to get sucked into the whirlwind of wrapping paper and glitter, but reading of our Savior born in a humble stable really puts things into perspective for me.

The bee's knees

2010-12-06T15:12:00.001-08:00

Today I am grateful that my allergies only flare up in the springtime, because I think fresh garland is the bee's knees.

Diamond Head

2010-11-22T09:58:00.000-08:00

(ps. I hate this picture, but as it turns out, this was the best of the worst from our hike)

We headed to Waikiki one day because I had never been there, but now I know what's there and probably won't feel the need to go back. There were hotels on top of hotels and the beaches were slammed. We did, however, hike Diamond head - and as you can see, the resulting views were utterly spectacular.

Waimea Bay

2010-11-22T09:52:00.000-08:00

We spent a day at Waimea bay just swimming in the water and reading mystery-thrillers. The water is so blue, it verges on turquoise. I loved being able to swim way out and still see my toes, pretty fish and the coral-covered rocks all the way at the bottom.

Smooches at Sunset Beach

2010-11-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

The sunsets in Hawaii were so fierce they made everything look as though it were ablaze. Syd and I would just gape at the sky every evening. And although it revealed our "tourist" status, I would hope we never tire of watching sunsets like those. And after a long walk on the beach and romantic sunset, why not top it off with a few smooches?

Keep the Country, Country

2010-11-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

There was something so idyllic about the roosters and chickens grazing along the highways and at your feet - it's no wonder there were "keep the country country" signs everywhere. Those creatures with their vibrant plumes and their little baby chicks following them around were one of my favorite parts of our stay on the North Shore. This guy was running for one of our dropped french fries.

Back for More

2010-11-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

The Ahi Tuna Sandwiches at Shark's Cove Grill were so fresh that we couldn't help but go back for more. And if you're wondering where else we went to eat, there is a long list, but our favorites were the Grass Skirt Grill, Ted's Bakery and all the food trucks.

Much Needed

2010-11-21T20:26:00.001-08:00

It's official, we're back from a much needed vacation to Hawaii - fully rested, bronzed and fed. We stayed on the North Shore of Oahu in Turtle Bay, and the laid-back "surf, sleep and then surf some more" culture was just the cure we were looking for. We did a whole lot of everything and a whole lot of nothing - we ate at all the trucks, bakeries and shave ice locales, surfed, snorkle-d, swam, jogged, hiked, read books, gawked at the sunsets and had a few romantic smooches on the beach. It was the first time in more than two years that we were able to take a vacation free of laptops/internet/work. And one of the best parts about Hawaii (besides the crystal clear warm water, double-rainbow sightings, delicious food and fantastic sunsets)? Out of shape white tourists that make you feel really great about yourself in a swimsuit.

I think we're gonna make it

2010-10-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

A happy late 2 years to us! It's funny how it seems like we just got married, but feels like we've known each other forever. Our anniversary was on Monday and we celebrated by eating - the perfect way to prepare for our trip to Hawaii next month!

Hoarder of love

2010-10-27T14:30:00.001-07:00

I like to "hang on" to things. Well, this past weekend it was time to clean and organize our garage and I was elated to stumble across these little cards Syd had made for me while we were dating. Yes, those are stitched hearts from scrap fabric. I loved looking through the little love notes from different times in our courtship. Snippets inside each read:

"I love your face"

This card read, "I love you to death" ... Well honey, looks like you might have me for a little longer than that now.

This was for the round 2 part of our courtship,
"I hope you're enjoying life, you should be, you're in love."

Sneaky Syd

2010-10-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I texted Syd frantically telling him that Arcade Fire was coming to LA and all the tickets were sold out. I just had to go! I gave up hope after a few hours of searching overpriced craigslist tickets, and forgot about it a few days later. Yesterday afternoon Syd called me and asked if I would go up to LA because one of his friends was being set up on a blind date and wanted to make it more "casual". Thankfully I bought into it, because it wasn't until we were in the parking garage that he informed me that we were not going to the movies, but to see Arcade Fire! Such an excellent night filled with tambourines, the band dancing with streamers, a rowdy crowd and plenty of sing-a-longs.

A Before with an After

2010-09-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

When we first moved into our new place, the office was so lime that Syd and I would not even go in the room because it made us queasy. Too many nails in the wall, DIY pelmet boxes, pillows and 3 coats of paint later and we finally found a set-up that is functional, not too serious and provides a little inspiration when working from home. I can't show you the rest of the room because it is an OSNH explosion of pearls and ribbon, but I can show you the before and after of our desk area:

Mason Jennings

2010-09-17T11:49:00.001-07:00

Last night we met up with the Gardners and Facers in San Diego to see Mason Jennings play at the Women's Club. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint -- a small building built in the 1800s, Mason played in what felt like a school auditorium. We got their early so we were up close and personal -- this was my first time seeing him live, and he sang with as much poignancy and sad clarity as I had hoped. He told little stories throughout the show and even came out to mingle with the audience afterward. All in all, it was a perfect night.

Reach Out

2010-08-31T13:54:00.001-07:00

Today on Facebook it recommended that I "reach out" to Syd McGee.
Thanks FB, but I think we're okay.

Crazy scrunch face from way back when we got back together for like the 5th (and last) time before eternity.

funny picture

2010-08-29T19:42:00.001-07:00

Help wanted

2010-08-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

Blogs are self indulgent by nature, so please humor me by taking the time to answer (honestly) this simple question -- should I cut my hair?

Like this:

slash, this:

I've had it cut this way before and loved it, but have grown, quite literally, accustomed to having a long ponytail. Please help.

Thanks.

1 whole year!

2010-08-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

It's been one whole year since my mom and I launched our little shop! Thanks for your continued support - I can't tell you how much it means to me when I see your comments with the launch of each line - it truly never gets old. This business has been up, down and all around and we are just so happy to be doing something we enjoy so much. So just in case you don't read our OSNH blog, I thought I'd let you know that we're having a big ol' anniversary sale!

Cheating on Fashion with Furniture

2010-08-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Recently, as we have been getting settled into our new place, I have just been thinking about (and buying) stuff for the house. This is all fun and great, but now my closet needs some major attention - you know it's bad when your mother tells you to go shopping. So here's where I need your help - Favorite pants? Tops? Cardigans? Go-to dresses? Any suggestions are welcome.

As a start, I'm considering the Minnie pants, from J.Crew.

PS. I mainly shop at J.Crew, Anthropologie and F21, but am open to shopping elsewhere.

Do be a cute, don't be a slut

2010-08-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to help my friend Summer, who is David Archuleta's stylist, with his new music video. Cool! Fun! Awesome! Until we saw the extras. They were directed to bring three outfits that were cute, not slutty - i.e. boyfriend jeans, cardigans, and clothes that layer - somehow that message was lost in translation. What did they all arrive in and with? Hoochie mama dresses, tops that had so many cut-outs they looked like Swiss cheese, and lastly, shirts (for surely, they couldn't be called dresses) with no pants! We were running around like crazy trying to make them look like they weren't in a T-Pain video, and after a lot of work and even more editing, here's the final cut! (WARNING: This song will most definitely get stuck in your head).

Uncanny similarities

2010-08-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

Please tell me you watch Bethenny Getting Married, because we most definitely do. Turns out Syd and Jason Hoppy look extremely similar...

Scenes from around the house

2010-07-28T16:41:00.001-07:00

We've been doing a lot of work to get settled into our new place - picture hanging, painting and DIYs galore. Here are a few little peeks around the house...

Fireplace mantle (if you spy a Harry Potter book, you are correct - the reason it's the 6th is because I'm currently re-reading #7, my favorite):

We got grown-up living room furniture! (Currently working on sewing the pillows):

Bedroom...painting the nightstand and replacing the drawer pulls soon (so in about 2 months).

Health Nuts for a Week

2010-07-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

Remember how we had never been an entire week without going out to eat? Well folks, we did it - 10 days without restaurant food! And then my parents came to visit and we went out every single night. But the vacay is over and just for fun, Syd and I have set a new goal (we're all about goal setting around here). For the next 7 days we are attempting to eat entirely organic - this means nothing will touch our lips that is not certified organic, keeping fresh fruits, vegetables and lean proteins as the core and then eating whole grains sparingly. This regimen excludes diet coke and I think I'm already getting a headache (and we're only on the first day). We have absolutely no intention of becoming "those organic people," but I'm excited to see if we really feel better and have more energy, if so, we'll keep it up. If not, Syd will go back to snacking on Goldfish crackers and I'll be heading back to the 7-11. I'll keep you posted.

Syd. C'mon. Just look at the camera.

2010-07-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

Picture taken during Syd's attempt to get me into the fountain outside of the LA Temple.

Dragon Force

2010-07-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

For all three of you who care, this fabric arrived on my doorstep yesterday and I could NOT be more excited. It's just carefully laid out on the floor begging to be cut, sewn and stapled for our office. Syd was a little unsure about a fabric with a dragon in it, but he's on board now (as if that would have stopped me...).

Project Eat at Home

2010-07-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

In the 1.5 years we've been married, we have never gone an entire 7 days without going out for dinner. We are currently attempting to break that cycle (we're on day 2). I like to cook, but sometimes going out is just so easy! However, it's not so easy on my backside (or front side). I'll let you know how it goes - successful or otherwise.

In other news, 25 is the first birthday that you begin to dread birthdays for the rest of your life. I turned 25 on Monday. I feel so-so about it. But just to prove to myself I've "still got it," I signed myself up for dance classes at the community college in the fall. I decided to start preparing early, and after one good stretch the other day I can barely sit down.

PS. I guess 25 also means you lose your mind because I just accidentally posted this on the OSNH blog. Nothing like girls looking for fashion tips only to read about my quarter-life crisis!

1 day

2010-06-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

Syd was gone for one day and night and this is what he came back to:

The good news is during that 1 day, I finished the first area of our new place. Yes, it's only about 2x4 feet of this weird landing area on the stairs as you walk in, but these things take time you know?

PS. We have a goldy-beige wall color that I did not pick and cannot change.

What Happens?

2010-06-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

What happens when it's time for your 4 o'clock pick-me-up and you're still in your jammy jams? Well, instead of going to the 7-eleven, you stay in said jammy jams and go to a drive through.

here comes the bride...again

2010-06-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

I've been missing lately, but for good reason! Today we're launching OSNH Bride! It's funny to see my face next to something that says "here comes the bride", but that's what happens when your job title is owner/designer/model/photographer for a business run out of your spare bedroom. All joking aside, my mom and I have been working so hard on this collection for a while now, I am so excited to finally see it launch! Here are just a few of the many pieces OSNH Bride will now be offering, you can see the rest here!

Things I've missed about Texas

2010-05-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

1. When you get off the plane and you can feel the heat seeping through the cracks between the plane and airport.
2. I have a sinus infection, so I went to the doctor - the lady at the front desk was eating fried pork skins.
3. I've been asked "How ya'll doin'?" at least once a day.
4. My parents' fully stocked refrigerator.
5. Brick houses.

If I haven't replied to an e-mail, I'm sorry - we've been working on some top secret stuff half the time and the other half I've been drugged.

Things I miss about California:
1. Syd.
2. Ocean.
3. Syd.

kiss, hug, squeeze...

2010-05-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

an appropriately saccharine title for the most recent wedding I planned, which happened to be this past weekend - the professional pics aren't ready yet, but here are few sneak peeks. A simple, fresh backyard party was the request and if I do say so myself, I think it was achieved. The entire backyard had lights strung across and there were these little globe lanterns hanging in all the trees which you can't see here, but trust me, it was magical.

Here I am doing what I do best - adjusting and re-adjusting everything:

Photo booth session before the craziness began:

Syd was such champ as my assistant the whole day - even when the entire entry table blew over (table and all) and we had to pick up the the pieces and re-do the arrangement ourselves. Be forewarned, if you haven't gotten married yet, know that if things are going too smoothly, something is about to break.

Remember this chair?

2010-05-05T14:22:00.001-07:00

I'm selling it. I have no place for it in the new apartment and although I've asked Syd to keep it, he has informed me I have "hoarding tendencies because I attach emotion to objects" even when I don't need them. Well, he's right.

So it must go. If you know anyone in the Orange County area who wants this puppy e-mail me at shea.mcgee@gmail.com. I bought it for $300 and am selling it for $200 - it has been sat on maybe a total of 10 times.

Please excuse me for using this blog as a garage sale. xo

befores are never fun without afters

2010-05-04T23:40:00.000-07:00

But that's all we've got at the moment. Boasting significantly more square footage than our last place (we can actually take a few steps between getting out of bed and opening our dresser drawers), we are loving our new abode - as for the previous tenant's taste level in decor? Well, let's just say it was low and there is a lot of "sprucing" going on around here. But even with the sprucing, it's got a little way to go. So I'll just give you a heads up on how dramatic this before and after of the office will be:

Yes, that was a lime green room with swirly twirly drapery rods (note the past tense).

Did I mention?

2010-04-23T10:35:00.001-07:00

We're moving! Well, not far...just a little further south to San Clemente - we put our condo up for lease and of course the couple that decided to take it had to be moved in within a week. So we found a place, signed yesterday and are moving in tomorrow.

Crazy does not quite describe the chaos at our house right now, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...and that light includes an office space other than the kitchen table.

We'll be back soon.

Not a Toy

2010-04-04T22:33:00.001-07:00

On Friday night Syd set his alarm for 7:45 a.m. - he woke up at 6:45 out of utter excitement and anticipation for what was to come. What was to come you ask? Only, according to Syd, "the most the revolutionary 8.7 inches of technology ever to reach the consumer" - the iPad. Don't worry, he planned ahead and reserved one, but still waited in line for several hours for the utter satisfaction of being the first of the first. I think he slept with it under his pillow last night. Here he is like a kid on Christmas morning:

I've been replaced...
Oh, and you Modern Family fans out there? Syd stood in line next to Phil's uncle-in-law.

Awesome.

The time has arrived

2010-03-31T01:42:00.000-07:00

I know I've been M-I-Shea lately, but cut me a little slack - I've had good reason! Our spring line is finally here! Yes, it is 2 am, but it's here nonetheless. Here are a few sneak peaks, but you can see the whole sha-bang here.

Where I've Been

2010-03-24T13:56:00.001-07:00

Living out every girlish dress up fantasy under a pile of this:

Don't those colors just make you smile?

howdy ya'll

2010-03-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

I'm in Texas creating spring goodies for the shop! It's the first time Syd and I have been apart for longer than 3 days since married. Turns out I'm not as much of an "Independent Woman" as I thought - quite the opposite actually. The most shocking part is that I don't mind at all - I need him to hang pictures evenly, he needs me to make dinner and we need each other for hugs. It's a beautiful system we have going.

Be back soon.

The chick came out of the cupboard last night

2010-03-05T13:48:00.000-08:00

and she's filled with bundles of choclate-y egg joy.

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.

Hoarders

2010-03-05T01:52:00.000-08:00

Syd and I watch the show Hoarders fairly often - both fascinating and disturbing, we just can't seem to get enough of those crazies. And then we were in the garage tonight and realized, we might have a little problem of our own. Behold Syd's biking shoes:

That's right, I said, "biking shoes," not 'shoes' or 'sports shoes' - 22 pairs not including the ones he just gave away. The good news for me is that Syd doesn't blog, because I would be at high risk for embarrassment regarding my hoarding habits.