Autumn Action

With the leaves falling and children back to school for some time now, I find that there is a renewed focus in our industry. Summers are often flooded with design photoshoots and busyness. Now, it’s a different mode of execution. As such, I thought with the tightening of routines and sharpening of Autumnal efforts before the holidays sneak up on us, I’d share a few actionable C&C tips to help double down on hitting the pavement. Here’s “Tip #1” for you to ponder. I’ll plan to share more in the coming days and weeks.

TIP #1: STOCK YOUR STATIONERY
In the spirit of learning from the best, when I worked for an AD100 Designer on the west coast, she would keep a box of her chic stationery with her coveted floral design studio. When she’d send arrangements to her clients, they would receive a lovely note on her stationery to accompany the delivery. Brilliant and so simple. If you tend to gift from a routine vendor or florist, consider doing the same. Be sure to also communicate to your florist your specific preferences — for example, I loathe square vases, and anything clear! My florist knows I prefer certain varietals — you’ll never catch me sending an orchid.

Or, maybe, now is the perfect time to replenish that stationery stash for client correspondence...give it a thought!

Get Your Greens

We spend the Fourth of July Holiday tucked away in the Green Mountains, a place I reference often as it’s a landscape that unifies our family and recharges our minds and bodies. I find that I struggle to truly sink into relaxation in this season of life — reading a book feels like a major feat these days. However, being in the natural world, hiking, exploring, breathing in the mountain air, getting a little gritty while disconnecting from my inbox and overscheduled life, it is a feeling that brings me great comfort. Luckily, we’ve introduced our son to this way of life at an early age and he thrives in this environment, too. It makes my heart happy. Especially when the outside world feels so heavy, to be able to nourish ourselves in a pure landscape…it’s our comfort food.

In a way, I have a different identity when we are in Vermont. In the winter, I live in leggings and oversized sweaters. Casual city. In the summer, I’m usually outdoors, in hiking pants, a bandana and dry-wick top. I look like a glorified troop leader. With the summer season front and center, I thought I’d share some of my favorite go-tos for life spent questing for mountain time.

HIKING PANTS
The key is to wear pants in the summer given the bugs and ticks. These lightweight Patagonia pants are perfect.

BADGER BUGS
We are big on the natural products and have troves of this natural bug spray at the ready. I do think the natural products make your hair and skin a bit more oily, so a proper bath is required post-endeavor!

TRAIL SHOES
I have traditional hiking boots and trail sneakers. I do like the ankle support the boots provide, however I recently switched things up with these Solomon Thundercross shoes and have been quite pleased. A good summer alternative when you don’t want to wear a clunky boot.

BANDANA
I have a large assortment of bandanas, from gas station finds, to Pucci prints, and more. A recent score from Nickey Kehoe has been a constant. Load them up with bug spray before tying around your neck or in your pony tail.

BACKPACK
We are big fans of OSPREY products — from their baby packs to kids packs and adult packs. They do a great job of designing their products that adapt to the body form, be sure to invest in a pack that is for your respective gender. I fill mine with a banana and the essentials like keys and trail maps, but I’m mostly in it for the water supply.

MELAMINE PLATES
I scored these incredible faux-bois wood grain plates at a chic shop years ago. They are impossible to find online, however they have been so useful for outdoor picnics at home, at concerts in the mountains, and at campsites. I highly recommend having a stash!

Farewell!

Saying goodbye to this funky cabin brings so many unexpected emotions. It’s gone through iterations (some questionable), and a place where we’ve shared countless memories with friends and as a growing family.

From dance parties, to Fort Fern quests, birthdays, New Years Eves, Troop Misty Moss endeavors, champagne in the snow, après ski, winter R&R, shooting fireworks off the deck — there are so many fun moments to recall.

Affectionately known as The Eagle’s Nest, it was imperfect and ever evolving. It played host to some pretty significant milestones in various seasons, it was a place where our dog Bear spent his last vibrant days, where our son was introduced to Vermont just a few weeks old, and our first home project as a newly married couple.

We are so happy to pass it on to another ski family and have already loved making new memories in our log cabin, not to far away…

Birthday Flowers

As a parent, there are often unexpected, random moments with your child that quite literally melt your heart. Last fall, my four year old son and I were planting Allium bulbs in our front garden. I watched with delight as he took charge digging each hole, positioning the bulbs correctly and smothering the surface with its dirt.

Toward the end of this task, he paused and looked up at me with his big brown eyes and asked, “But Mommy, when will they bloom?” I responded, explaining that while we are planting now, they won’t bloom until late spring, closer to his birthday in June. (The concept of time is still very much a learning endeavor with young children). He then joyfully squealed and said “let’s call them Birthday Flowers!” My heart exploded.

What I particularly love about flowers is the sentimentality that is often attached to them. For example, Black-eyed Susans and Bleeding Hearts will forever remind me of my Grandmother, and her Adirondack Garden. Foxgloves and Queen Anne’s Lace will conjure visions of our mountain wedding, and peonies always illicit thoughts of my sister.

Below, may I present said Birthday Flowers, a little joy we can all look forward to year after year.