Tons of New Cards in the Shop!

I've been working lately on creating cards for more general occasions...thank you cards, friendship cards, engagement cards. 

These cards are inspired by the recent events in friends' lives––the lovely, rustic engagement of Julie and Mike, the birthdays of the wonderful Joanna and Emily, and the 4820 reasons I have to tell someone/anyone "thank you." 

Here's a sneak peak of the recent additions... click the photo to see all the new cards in the shop. Yayyy!

Unexpected Fall

Ok, so we've seen our fair share of recipes for pumpkin lattes and we know all the 374 ways to tie a scarf (I consider myself guilty for adding to this, evident in this recent post). But there are other faces to fall that we may not have seen yet.

White pumpkins with mod-podged leaves. Genuis. Brilliant. Lovely. Trying to carve anything out of the side ends up looking like a 3-year old's creation or straight out of a horror film. Yikes. This is much more serene and classy.

Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies. Ok. Whoa. Must. Try. These. I must say, chai is a sorely overlooked fall flavor. And combine that with sugar cookies and we've reached a whole new level. The perfect treat for dunking into your predictable pumpkin spice latte with your chunky soft socks on while you look out the window at the cliche changing leaves. 

Sweet potato pie. The secret sister of pumpkin pie. A similar flavor, but yet vastly different. Warm. Dimensional. Smooth. Don't forget about sweet, sweet potato. 

What unexpected things are in your fall world? New recipes? A favorite way of decorating pumpkins? Home decor? Books you like? Do tell...

Sources: 1 2 3

Why "Oak & Sunset"?

If you've been around for a little while you've noticed that some names have changed––perhaps you wondered why? As curious person myself, I understand your wonder.

You see, I designed the "Love, Kylie Designs" brand nearly 3 years ago now. Much has changed since then, namely my desire for my first name to be part of the name of my online shop, you know? I didn't like the name much back then, but couldn't think of anything better.

Fall air brings a spirit of change. So, while all those kiddos buy new notebooks and binders and pencils for school, I worked and made myself a new shop name. Not going to lie, it's not quite as satisfying as a new notebook with college ruled pages, but it's a close second. And I'm happy with that.

So...I digress. Why "Oak & Sunset"?

There's a street here in Chicago, not far from Michigan Avenue and the Watertower Place. Frankly, Oak Street is home to some of the swankiest, classiest shopping in all of Chicago. It's name provides the natural name for one of the most attended beaches in Chicago along Lake Michigan. Oak Street beach is a strange place where fresh white sand and rolling, lake waves are juxtaposed next to the stunning skyscrapers of downtown. Oak Street also runs quite close to my old college; it's the street we'd take in school if we wanted to avoid Chicago Avenue when walking to the beach. Thus, Oak.

But...Oak is also reminiscent of my homegrown California roots––namely, oak trees.

Oh my, when I visit California, the oak trees make me swoon.

With wide trunks, bark like time-won wrinkles, and sturdy branches, oak trees have their own wisdom and elegance. Most of them are well over one hundred years old and will continue on long after I'm gone.

And then there's Sunset. Sunset shares its name with a popular west coast outdoor living magazine and one of the most infamous California streets. Sunset Boulevard embodies a southern California charm. This place on the west coast is one of palm-tree decorated coast line next to pristine white beaches under a crisp blue sky. It's summer in a geographical location (it helps that the weather there is almost always what could be considered "summer weather" anywhere else).

Together, Oak & Sunset is the collision of two places I love dearly––Chicago and California, the places that have shaped me, housed me, and grown me. Together they create a picture in my mind of the golden hour––that sweet, magical time just before dusk when the sky lights up with golden air. When the golden beams from the sunset blaze between the oak tree branches and leaves, I feel as though all is right in the world. Oak & Sunset. 

I have a few projects in mind for this place, so I hope you'll stick around and visit often. This will be a place I share my creative musings, and remind myself that life is meant to be lived a little slower than I'd normally operate. Slow enough to capture those golden hour moments, blazing with beauty and warmth, reminding us to look a little more closely.