Elopement gowns by Saja

These filmy, ethereal dresses by Saja are what I imagine Flutter's brides would wear... each one is simple, elegant and flattering for any body-type.

Does anyone know where you can find them in California?!

Healthy Beauty: True Food Kitchen

Dr. Andrew Weil is one of my heros, whose health philosophy is best summarized by the following quote:

His book Eight Weeks to Optimum Health is my bible, and adheres to healthy habits including these highlights:

1. Buying fresh flowers for your home and work space every week

2. Walking outdoors for 45 minutes a day

3. Using virgin olive oil instead of cooking oil

4. Drinking green tea religiously

5. Eliminating processed foods and fast food from diet, and replacing with fresh food, herbs for flavor, butter instead of margarine and lots of beans and sweet potatoes for protein

6. Red wine and cheese are okay daily in small portions (YAY!! This one is my favorite)

7. Avoiding negative influences including horror movies and the news (However, this is no excuse not to vote it is a national responsibility to keep our politicians honest)

8. Avoid white flour and eat more grains such as brown rice and bulgar wheat

9. Eat foods rich in Omega 3s and antioxidants such as salmon and broccoli every week

10. Avoid polluted air or at least minimize exposure by having a home air filter

I highly recommend picking up his book below for more information.

I recently dined at his new restaurant in Newport Beach, which is a certified green restaurant. The dishes we sampled included Chicken Panang Curry, Organic Ricotta Lasagna, Halibut Tacos and Lemon Olive Oil Cake, all of which were healthy and guilt-free

Here is a Dr. Weil's food pyramid which I nabbed from the True Food website.

Back in the saddle

This summer brought me the rare freedom to travel and explore my lovely home state of California. The economy is challenging for everyone, and travel can be expensive. But if you embrace the power of the roadtrip, it's truly amazing to discover so many beautiful and inspiring places close to home. Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Murphy, Lodi, San Francisco and Venice Beach are just some of the places I've had the good fortune to explore in the last few months. I took a break from blogging to seize the opportunity for adventure, reorganize Flutter and reevaluate life itself. I will relay more details of my adventures, but to start with, here are some photos of my most recent trip to the pumpkin patch. Happy Fall!

Inspired place

I have an obsession with twinkle lights, lanterns and paper parasols. I am surprised this fact hasn't surfaced sooner. Right now I wish I could escape to this happy little room full of my favorite things. Nuturing your inner child is always healthy, yes? Mark my words, someday I'm going to have my own little retreat full of what some may believe belong in a street market.

Domino Magazine archives are back

I have taken a little break from blogging to deal with life-in-transition. I have been juggling numerous projects and potential plans, but I am jumping back into the saddle next week.

However, I couldn't resist sharing some exciting news. The beloved and departed Domino magazine will have archives available on Brides.com. Domino magazine, which is, was, and always will be very dear to my heart, is the reason I started blogging. I find that so many of my favorite blogs share the same creative vision of my favorite publication. Flutter Inspired is an attempt to channel that spirit. Right now there are only a few of the original articles up, but Brides.com promises to add to the collection. Here is a snippet of inspiration pulled from the site.

How to Arrange Flowers for a Creative Centerpiece

Thai-inspired feast in tiny space

Domino creates a healthy home for Katrina surviors

{All Photos from Brides.com}

I am hoping there will be a such a cult-following demanding more Domino, that maybe the old team will get together and bring us new content -- online?

Herbs and Wildflowers

Maybe it's summer, or the recent trip to the family flower shop, but I've got wildflowers and herbs on my mind. Here is a little visual treat for the eyes - the following flora is so pretty you may want to eat them. Best part: you can!

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Eco-lifestyle: Vertical gardens

Vertical gardens are all the rage these days in the modern sustainability circles. A vertical garden is the perfect solution for apartment dwellers who don't have a little plot of land to toil or a rooftop to transform into Eden.

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The benefits includes reducing noise, cooling a building, filtering and oxygenating the air and of course, producing delicious organic food. Vertical gardens can consist of herbs, vegetables, ferns or whatever you fancy. I found the best pictures of succulent vertical gardens so I think if I were to tackle this project, I would go the succulent route first.

I found instructions here.

1. Build a frame with a 2'' depth and cover with wire mesh. Or buy one at Succulent gardens

2. Place soil over screen and run your fingers over the screen and soil to move through screen. Make sure there is very little air space between soil and screen.

3. Snip some cuttings from mature plants. Make sure the stems are 1/4 inch in length or smaller. The cuttings will need to heal and form a scab for about one week before planting. Store cuttings in a cool shaded area before planting.

4. Poke the cuttings’ stem ends through the mesh and into the soil. Leave the frame lying flat in a cool, bright location while plants take root, about 7 to 10 days after planting, then begin watering.

Once plants are securely rooted―this takes between 4 and 12 weeks―display the frames upright in an area that gets morning or filtered sun.

Water as soil approaches dryness, about every 7 to 10 days. To water, remove frame from the wall, lay flat, water lightly, and let soil drain before hanging up again.

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