I fell in love with Sugar Paper long before I knew anything about the women behind it. As a young 20-something living on the west side of Los Angeles, the Brentwood Country Mart was always a favorite destination for lazy weekend mornings filled with window shopping and lattés. But while many women went there for the fashion and beauty staples, I always preferred to peruse the beautiful paper goods at Sugar Paper. I could literally spend an hour in there, thumbing through thank you notes (these are my signature ones) and lingering over the little details in everything from the design of the cards to the serene, chic space they lived in, and often thought the same thing…”I wish I could have my own little shop like this some day.” Well, Chelsea Shukov and Jamie Grobecker do. The close friends and graphic designers founded Sugar Paper in 2003 after falling in love with the simplicity and nostalgia of letterpress printing. Their mission was simple: to custom-design exquisite social stationery that would be a distinctive stamp of style for their chic clientele, and shine a spotlight on a beautiful and underappreciated art form. And it worked. Having been featured in publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, VOGUE, InStyle, Lucky, Vanity Fair and Domino, Sugar Paper is a trusted resource for their upscale, stylish and celebrity clientele. But of course the most important clients in their lives are their young kids (Chelsea’s three-year-old son Owen – number two is on the way in a matter of weeks! – and Jamie’s two-year-old daughter, Kate) who undoubtedly know how to say “thank you” with some serious style. Here is how they do it, in Chelsea’s words:

What time does your day start and how?

A typical weekday begins at 6:30am when our kids pop out of bed.  Our kids are not yet in school so our mornings are spent with them until we get them out the door to a play date…and then Jamie and I typically chat on the phone, which is ironic since we share an office and sit in the same room all day.  We’re in the office by 10am checking emails and getting started with our to-do lists.

What time does your day end and how?

Jamie and I are in the office until 6pm when we race home to relieve our nannies and get dinner started.  The day ends in both of our homes in a very similar fashion.  There’s dinner and bath time and bed…  and then a little time spent on our computers either finishing our work from the day – or scouring Pinterest for the newest thing we want to “re-do” in our respective homes.

Do you work from home or in an office? What is the set up like?

We work out of a studio/warehouse space in West Los Angeles.  We find that it’s really hard to be as productive as we need to be when we try to work from home now that we have little ones.  Plus, Jamie and I are very “hands on” when it comes to Sugar Paper products and design.  We work closely with our team to ensure that everything we make is a representation of the Sugar Paper brand and that the quality is impeccable.  Our company culture is rooted in that.

Our studio consists of our pressroom where we house working vintage letterpress machines, our design studio where we design and assemble our products, our stockroom which holds the “vault” of inventory, and our office which Jamie and I share.  The majority of what we design is printed and packaged in our LA studio.  We’re very proud of that.

Do you see/speak to your kids throughout your work day? If yes, how/when?

We do speak with the kids during our workday. We just started using Facetime more to say hello here and there, but they are young so the conversations are pretty limited to “hello” and “mommy loves you.”

What is the best thing about being a working mom? Hardest thing?

The best thing about being a working mom is having something that is yours, something that you’re passionate about that speaks to a part of you that motherhood cannot fill.  We also agree that it’s really good for our marriages.  We can relate to our husbands in that we can appreciate a hard day at the office or the financial obligations that go along with running a company.

The hardest thing about being a working mom is leaving the kiddos.  There are days when we just want to sneak off to the beach with them, but a scheduled conference call or deadline prevents it from being possible.  It’s heartbreaking to pull out of the driveway with a little one crying for you.

Be honest, what is one thing you envy about stay at home moms?

The flexibility of their days.  We feel like our weeks are so structured in order to make it all work.  I played hookey recently and ran into a friend in tennis gear getting a blow-out on a Wednesday at noon.  That looked awfully nice…

Answer the question “I don’t know how you do it?” in ten words or less.

Neither do we, but somehow it works.

And here are some of the Sugar Paper ladies’ sweetest finds:

We both love Jouer Cosmetics.  Some of our favorites include the Jouer Lip Enhancer – I’m not sure what it does exactly, but it’s amazing – and the Jouer Tinted moisturizer.  It has a light-diffusing mineral formula that makes your skin look amazing.

Jamie’s daughter is all girl and looks darling in her Tucker + Tate dresses.

We’re both borderline obsessed with J.Crew & Madewell.  In our book, they can do no wrong. This striped linen blazer was a recent must.

I’m totally smitten with Lands End right now.  Their monogram polos are affordable and so gosh darn preppy.  I love them!

This is the perfect summer sandal from Madewell. (editor’s note: great minds think alike)

So last year, I was obsessed with panzanella (see recipe in this post).

Any time we had a BBQ or an al fresco lunch or a potluck to go to, I made panzanella and I loved it.

Well it looks like I have a new favorite summer salad for 2013: grilled corn, avocado and tomato salad with honey lime dressing.

I found it on Pinterest via here and after tweaking the recipe for the dressing ever so slightly, have officially declared it my go-to for the warm months ahead (though I am sure I will sneak another panzanella or two in there as well).

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 ears of fresh sweet corn
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Honey Lime Dressing

• Juice of 1 lime (I used three)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp honey (I used two, maybe two and a half)
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Dash of cayenne pepper (I used a few dashes)

How darling is this collaboration between French childrenswear brand Petit Bateau and Paperless Post?

I already love both companies so the two of them paired together is definitely a must-have on my list.

Here are my favorites from the new line:

(above) This pink hand-stitched style owl graphic is too sweet.

I love these stylish waves for a pool party invite — even if it’s not in Cannes

The backdrop on this photo birth announcement is sweet and chic.

Finally, these simple thank you cards for baby gifts and well wishes are the perfect signature for your new arrival.

Even the envelopes are amazing.

See the whole line here – available in paper too.

What makes a father?

I think it’s love, first and foremost. A love you probably didn’t even know could exist.

I think it’s sacrifice. It’s early mornings, late nights, and lots of playtime in-between.

I think it’s work. In the home, outside of the home, everything done to better the home.

I think it’s humor. It’s finding the light in dark situations, making silly voices during bathtime and cutting animal shapes out of pancake breakfasts.

I think it’s dedication. The most important job you will ever have, that never pays a dime and insists on overtime every day. Even Sundays.

I think it’s strength. Supporting those around you, big and small, even when you are the one who may need it.

I think it’s gratitude. Learning to appreciate the small things in life, teaching those around you to do the same.

I think it’s discipline. Being a voice of reason so that lessons are learned and values are formed.

I think it’s you. And everything you do to make our family a happy, healthy, strong one.

Happy Father’s Day, Chris.

Love,

Us.

*photo above of us with Little D when she was first born, circa 2007. We were BABIES!

It’s official: I have a new girl crush on Blake Lively.

I have seen exactly one half of one episode of “Gossip Girl,” so it really has nothing to do with that.

But her seemingly flawless foray into the fashion world, her under the radar personal life, and now her lovely domestic demeanor have me thinking she’s going to be the new Gwyneth Paltrow when she grows up.

Watch her bake a brie puff pastry tart with model Elettra Wiedeman on Vogue.com. And then try to tell me you don’t love her, too.

Happy Saturday ~

My husband can call up his love for Jerry Garcia and friends on Pandora any time he wants (and does!) and it appears the fashion industry has been singing the same tune.

Tie-dye looks are bringing peace and love to the summer of 2013 and I am a fan. The prints are so pretty and bring a haute spin to everyone’s favorite hippie style.

Here are my favorite tie-dye fashions for a summer filled with peace and love:

(from left) I love how easy and casual this Antik Batik tie-dye dress is for hot summer days.

For those of you who just want to dip your toe in the tie-dye pot, these fun hair ties are a perfect option.

These Tory Burch tie-dye shorts definitely dress up the trend for days when you are lounging at the office instead of in a field of grass daydreaming.

Leave it to Isabel Marant to take an old look and make it new again.

This Free People scarf makes it easy to embrace the tie-dye trend without going too far back in time.

And finally, for those of you who would rather keep your hippie feet planted firmly on the ground, this tie-dye beach towel from PB Teen will have you California dreaming nonetheless.

I wrote this round up of my favorite “books for parents” for The Chalkboard Mag a while back, but wanted to share it here as well:

From the moment you find out you’re pregnant your nightstand takes on a whole new look, piled high with pregnancy books to tell you what to expect, when and how.

Well, it shouldn’t stop there. And it shouldn’t always focus solely on the kids.

Here are five books for parents (not just parenting books) I recommend for the months and years after the expecting phase, to keep you both informed and entertained:

Simplicity Parenting: You can read my more in-depth review of this parenting must-have here, but in a nutshell, this book by researcher and educator Kim John Payne talks about simple tips and techniques to raise happier, healthier kids in today’s decidedly not-so-simple world. His advice is easy to follow, straightforward and left me rethinking how we approach parenthood in almost every moment, big and small.

Bringing Up Bébé: I loved Pamela Druckerman’s insight into European parenting practices absorbed during her time in Paris with her newborn. She offers practical advice on everything from sleep training to picky eaters, and whether you love the French or not, it all makes “le perfect sense.” My full review is here. I will say, however, that her follow up, Bébé Day by Day, is not worth the investment. It essentially recaps the first book in a shorter, less entertaining format.

Dinner: A Love Story: This is a must-have cookbook for moms and dads, no matter what stage of parenthood you are in. Food blogger Jenny Rosenstrach reinforces the notion of “family dinner” and gives you simple recipes and ideas to help implement it in your life, no matter how busy it may seem. I am a strong believer in family dinners and this book truly makes you fall in love with the notion…and some darn good fish tacos, too.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child: There are a ton of sleep training methods and beliefs out there and ultimately, you need to find what works for you and your family. Dr. Marc Weissbluth’s worked for us. He walks you through the science of sleep, our bodies’ natural tendencies and techniques to help your whole family get some rest… even colicky babies, like my first. And he does it all in a manner that is not extreme or stressful, which I loved as a new, exhausted mama.

All About Us: This last book is less about parenting and more about parents. Nothing shakes up a relationship like having kids and I truly believe that nourishing your partnership post-baby is more important than ever. This is a fun journal that you and your significant other can do together (I recommend doing it with a glass of wine…or two) to reconnect, remember your pre-baby life and get back on the same page on those days when you feel like you are hardly on the same planet.

What are your must-read recommendations for moms and dads? Share in the comments!

Annika Krausz is an amazingly talented interior designer who lives in Montreal where she and her partner Ethan run a mini culinary empire (Lawrence Restaurant and the soon-to-open Boucherie Lawrence) and a thriving, creative home for their impossibly adorable kids Oscar, almost 4, and Eloise (Lou-Lou), 19 months. After a long career in set design and art direction, she now works in both residential and commercial interior design and is the visual eye behind some of my favorite go-to spots in Montreal, including Sparrow and Cocoa Locale. I’ve known her for years as an ambitious, hard-working fellow Romanian and watching her transition from a busy, independent career gal on the go to a busy, independent career gal/working mother/entrepreneur/taste-maker/partner and now blogger has been inspiring, to say the least. Here is how she does it:

What time does your day start and how?

My crazy mama radar has actually been waking me up even earlier than my babies around 5-5:30am. My youngest went through about a month of early wake ups and my internal clock has not bounced back from the trauma. I will lie in bed thinking about the busy day ahead, and sometimes manage to fall back asleep for a bit, though this is rare. Then I’ll get up physically with the kids anywhere between 6am and 7am. We go downstairs for a cuddle on the couch and some “curated” TV. I then make breakfast and I eat with the kids. We then wake daddy up and he throws on some pants and takes one or both kids to daycare. Once they are out of the house, I clean up the morning tornado that hit the living room, dining room and kitchen, then shower and get dressed. At this point my love comes home with a much-needed coffee and I start returning work calls and emails. Generally by 10:30am I am out of the house and either meeting or shopping with clients.

What time does your day end and how?

My day ends around 11-11:30pm. I have dinner with the kids around 6pm every night and if my husband is not working nights at the restaurant, he plays/wrestles with the kids while I clean up. Next is bath time and then I put Lou to sleep while Ethan starts story time with Oscar. Once she is asleep, my son gets ONE last story with mommy and then the long falling asleep process begins. This is an area in our life that needs work for sure. Our son has had a rough time sleeping for the last year and half, basically since the birth of his sister. Coincidence? Nope. Anyhow, I usually manage to escape his room by 9:30-9:45pm. If the hubby is home and not asleep himself by this point, then we cuddle and watch a show and have a glass of wine and ideally some chocolate. If he is working at the restaurant then I’ll usually end up doing work on the computer, research or return emails until around 11:00pm. Or I’ll do my nails. Or all of the above.

Do you work from home or in an office? What is the set up like?

I would say I have two offices: my car and my bedroom. My car is my main office as most of my time is spent going to client’s homes or businesses, shopping with them, and heading to various renovation sites. So my office is a Subaru Forrester that I love dearly even though it is littered with crumbs and raisins and tile samples and paint swatches. These go nicely with the cases of booze or bags of coffee that my husband transports to the restaurant when he borrows my office. I think my father is revolted by the state of my car (editor’s note: he’s Romanian, I can practically guarantee he is revolted).

My second office is at home and my desk is our old, round teak kitchen table. It sits in our large bedroom between a window and our balcony door. I love this room: it is white and calm and bright. This area became my home office kind of as a fluke but I really enjoy working here. I work with a large black and white photograph looking down on me that an artist took of my very pregnant belly. Really, when I am at home working all I need is the desktop and my iPhone. Not much. One day, we’d like to build a master suite and office on the roof. I’ll probably design it white and bright and calm and bring my belly and my old kitchen table with me.

Do you see/speak to your kids throughout your work day? If yes, how/when?

My youngest has been going to daycare only occasionally until her full-time spot frees up in July. So if she is home, I do speak to her. Unless she’s at home with a sitter (twice a week) in which case I avoid home like the plague. My son is at daycare all day so we don’t see each other until I pick him up around 4:45pm. Their day away from me is barely enough time for me to get everything done, though I know it feels long to them, especially for Lou-Lou (sad face).

What is the best thing about being a working mom? Hardest thing?

I really enjoy the work I do and get lots of satisfaction from it. I want both my children to see me liking what I do and striving to do better. I can complain about things in life in general but they rarely ever hear me say anything negative about my work. Also my job is ever-changing. No two contracts are ever alike and I enjoy that aspect of my work.  And my job is pretty flexible which is great with young kids. If someone is sick or has a dentist appointment, I can work around it or postpone my work to the next day. I am still small enough in my business to be able to shift things around, for the most part. And due to the nature of my work, I can always do school pick-ups and play dates and we have dinner together every night.

The hardest thing about being a working mom is that my partner works so much and is away six days a week and sometimes up to three nights a week. This means that I do a lot of single parenting and though I manage, it isn’t easy schlepping two kids to and from activities, putting them to bed solo, taking care of everything. And we miss him. Another hard thing is that feeling that I think many mothers have of being pulled in a million directions by work, children, partners, friends and family. There are days when everyone wants a piece of me and I feel like no one gets the good Annika or the whole of me. Everyone ends up with teeny bits and I worry that no one got everything they needed. I hate that feeling. Also the lack of sleep is killer. I don’t know that I will ever sleep deeply ever again. That’s hard too. So many hard things!

Be honest, what is one thing you envy about stay at home moms?

I suppose the thing I envy is that they can get everything done without the kids around and then when the children come home from school, they can fully focus on each child. On the increasingly rare days that I have no meetings scheduled, it is amazing how much I can get done around the house. And I love having dinner ready before school pick-up. When they come home, they want all of my attention. I find it hard to give it to them when I’m rushing to get food together. And I’m so tired once they are asleep, I don’t want to have to clean or fold laundry. After their bedtime is my very brief personal time. No laundry, no cleaning.

Answer the question “I don’t know how you do it?” in ten words or less.

I adore my kids, husband, family and friends – wine helps.

And here are some of Annika’s must-haves of the moment: 

1) I want this wedding band from Nora Kogan.

2) We are going to Cape Cod in a week and I ordered this bathing suit from J. Crew.

3) My kids love books and Oscar really likes books by Oliver Jeffers. The stories are so great and whimsical and the artwork is so lovely.

4) I am really a big espadrilles fan and these Zara ones are super cute.

5) I’m really liking this gloss from Maybelline with SPF 20.

6) My mom’s cousin lives in Paris and she goes to visit her once or twice a year. When she goes I have her bring back clothes from this store Alice à Paris. Their designs are beautiful, simple and comfortable yet so very French.

7) I have art up in both of my kids’ rooms and one artist whose work I really like is my friend Todd Stewart’s screen prints. I have the Montreal print in Ozzy’s room.

8) I love Baggu bags and have a back pack already but I WANT this one.

9) My son is obsessed with animals and I like these figurines from Schleich. We have so many of these in our house, they have their own giant storage bin and I always have one or six on me when we go out to eat.

You know those days when you just wake up in a happy mood and the sun seems bright and the grass seems extra green and you feel alive and enlightened and inspired?

Having one of those.

Wish I could bottle it for every Monday. Here are a few things I am looking forward to this week:

Little D is “graduating” from kindergarten on Wednesday. I say “graduating” because I am not really sure when cap and gown became standard procedure for six-year-olds, but we’re beyond excited nonetheless. This year she grew three inches, learned to read and became a new little girl in so many ways. But part of me knows a part of her will always stay the same, which I love.

Father’s Day! I love my dad and I love my husband and I feel that we don’t celebrate them nearly enough, so I am looking forward to a mellow Father’s Day celebration on Sunday, likely filled with beer and BBQ to honor them. Here are my favorite dad’s day gift ideas for those of you still looking.

Dinner tomorrow night with a dear friend from Montreal who is in town for work. I moved to California ten years ago this month and for a long time, I thought my old friendships back home were impenetrable, but lately I haven’t been quite so sure. Miles and years and life changes are definitely taking their toll on the way some relationships have evolved and I guess that’s inevitable. Hopefully these twists and turns will find their way back to the same old comforting route soon enough.

The pin pictured above (original source here). I am so torn between the whole “less is more, minimal, calm life” concept and wanting a new car and a new handbag and a bigger kitchen with a double oven. I wish I could say I was a true devotee to either side, but in all honesty, I am firmly planted in the middle. But this gave me something to ponder. I can easily reduce by half, that I know…it just won’t be the half with my Goyard bag

Kiehl’s Friends and Family event. I love Kiehl’s and this week, from June 13-17, you can get 20% off any purchase by using the code FAMILY on Kiehls.com. This, this and this are my personal favorites.

Happy Monday ~

There is so much to love out there in retail therapy land these days…so here are some more of my very favorite finds of the moment:

(clockwise from top left, as always)

Sip your Starbucks in chic style with this ceramic travel mug designed by Charlotte Ronson.

These Cover Girl Glosstinis are genius! Fun, bright summer shades in mini bottles for the petite price of $2.99 each. Because seriously…the summer shades always lose their sizzle come September when you go back to Wicked. I picked up Purple Freeze and Pina Colada.

We all have the cute letter necklaces to honor our littles but these Anna Bee pieces are a cool, new alternative. I love the idea of a simple initial and birth date on these gold tag necklaces.

Summer reads have to be sort of frivolous by nature, don’t they? I can’t wait to dig into Revenge Wears Prada, the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, when I am lounging poolside this month. You know, because I have a TON of extra time scheduled for lounging poolside in peace…

I love breaking out of my beauty box and this hot pink lipstick from Stila (shade: Fiore) is my favorite new find. It goes on smooth and lasts forever and gives me an instant punch of color that turns up the volume on any old look.

Trips to the Farmer’s Market don’t have to suffer from a style perspective. This market bag from Aloha Sunday is a fab way to tote your fruits and vegetables in fashion.

My kids LOVE their Skylar Luna pajamas because they are cozy, soft and cute. I love them because they show NO signs of wear…and trust me, they get a lot of wear around here. And they are made from organic cotton. Dreamy. We are going to stock up on their short sleeve styles for warm summer nights.

To-do lists can be the bane of my existence so I like to keep them fun. These “Do or Die” notepads from Rifle Paper Co. make must-dos seem a little less mundane.