Mother-Daughter Flower Arranging

HOMELIFE

My mother has always loved arranging flowers and it was so nice to be around at a young age. Recently, I’ve been sharing this tradition with my own daughter. I love that creative time with her – combining colors and textures to create bouquets for our home and for our friends.

LesleySignature3

 

LesleyFlowers

Glitter and Gold

INSPIRATION

I went to see Beyonce in concert this week and not only I was blown away by the spectacular performance (obviously) but her stage outfits were so sensational and sparkly. It reminded us that glitter and gold can be very fun. Like the lovely Queen Bey we’re not afraid of a little sparkle at A Day in May.

Beyonce

 


AB Productions

IN THE STUDIO

Years ago we worked with photographer Annabelle Breakey to brand her production studio, AB Productions. To bring a little fun and whimsy to the identity, we brought in a bumble bee ilustration to represent the “B” in the title. It remains one of our favorites.

AB_Productions2

Photos Printed on Canvas

HOMELIFE

I snapped a quick picture of our shadows one late afternoon when I was walking into town with my family. I brought it into photoshop, fiddled with a few details, and then sent it to a place where they transfer them onto canvas into any size you want. It was so easy!

photosprintedoncanvas.com

EveSignature

 

photo

Maira Kalman

INSPIRATION

From her covers for The New Yorker to her books for children and adults, Maira Kalman, spirited illustrator, author, artist, and designer, is as prolific as she is inspiring. Her work is wonderfully whimsical. Below are some of our favorite illustrations by the creative artist.

mairakalman.com

MairaKalman

Blue for Two

IN THE STUDIO

We love a good design challenge. So when we were asked to create an invitation for a B’nei Mitzvah, we wanted to be sure it was a perfect balance of the two children – they were sharing this day, but they also needed to be individualized.

We chose two different shades of blue to represent the two names. We alternated using the two blues for the text and for the colored edging of the various cards, but our favorite detail was combining the two blues into the ampersand. We loved the combo!

LustigBneiMitzvah

Hopewell Workshop

INSPIRATION

The art of quilting goes back for centuries. Every stitch tells a story and has a rich history of family and tradition. Hopewell, a design workshop in Los Angeles, has transformed the tradition of American craft into textiles for modern living. Their inspiring, US-made designs are beautiful and versatile – use it for a day at the beach or as an accent for any room in the house. They also make for thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gifts.

hopewellworkshop.com

Hopewell

Behind the Scenes

IN THE STUDIO

This year we’ve redesigned our logo, and we’ve redesigned our blog, and now it’s time to redesign our website.

Over the last few months we’ve been working on a new layout for adayinmay.com, and just last week we held a photo shoot to photograph all of the work – new and old – that we’ve been working on. We found a fabulous photographer, Carol Vaziri, and had a blast experimenting with backgrounds, textures and embellishments.

Stay tuned for the official launch later this year!

carolvaziri.com

Photoshoot

Marin County Fair

HOMELIFE

I took my girls to the Marin County Fair over the July 4th holiday. I loved seeing the visual cacophony of the carnival. It was a feast of crazy color and design!

marinfair.org

EveSignature

 

EveCarnival

Ann Street Studio

INSPIRATION

Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg are the incredibly talented photographers behind Ann Street Studio. Together they unfold tales of fashion, travel, truth and beauty. Their work is beautiful and inspiring.

Visit annstreetstudio.com to get lost in their world of visual storytelling or follow them on Instagram for a daily dose of beauty.

AnnStreet2

Feather Quill Design

IN THE STUDIO

We love the different representations of an ornate feather quill in this wedding invite. From the silver and bronze combination on the folder to the subtle blind hit letterpress on each card to a bit of flair on the return envelope, the simple use of one single design element really brings this invitation suite together.

Briehler

I Love SHED

HOMELIFE

Everytime I am in the wine country, I insist on taking a detour to Healdsburg to visit SHED. Just off the main square, it’s a beautifully designed building with a warm yet industrial feel. I love going for lunch and a glass of local wine, but I also love wandering around the space, tasting and admiring everything from the homemade vinegars to the gorgeous housewares and books to the array of gardening tools and supplies.

healdsburgshed.com

LesleySignature3

 

LesleyShed

Gold and Red Patterns

IN THE STUDIO

It can be hard to pair patterns together and make them work, but this wedding invitation successfully combines several ornate designs into one cohesive suite. The combo of gold and red keeps the design elegant and elevates the entire feel.

Sucharitha

The Bejkr

HOMELIFE

At the Sonoma Farmer’s Market last Friday, I met “The bejkr” – The baker. He has a mobile bread oven and makes the most delicious bread around.

He had me at first nibble, but what really roped me in was his design. He brands his bread! He lays a stencil (of his logo, a pattern, a message, etc.) over a loaf, sprinkles flour over the stencil, and into the oven it goes. Whatever has been covered by the stencil comes out lighter than the rest of the loaf. It’s fantastic.

Wrapped in butcher paper and tied with string, my warm-from-the-oven loaf felt like a little work of art. A scrumptious one at that.

thebejkr.com

EveSignature

EveBread 


Happy Fourth of July!

IN THE STUDIO

We love the playful approach to the American flag for this pre-wedding weekend barbecue invitation. Such a fun and patriotic design!

USFlag

Glassybaby

HOMELIFE

I love to pop into the Glassybaby store on Sacramento Street in San Francisco to see the hot new colors. These handblown vessels are great as votives, vases, drinking glasses, or simply as a lovely design accent. I just recently bought Hudson, Thank You, and Frog Hunting, and love them together on my shelf. They come in every color imaginable – see for yourself HERE.

Glassybaby is very inspired by giving as well. A portion of the proceeds from every purchase goes directly to cancer research and other fantastic organizations that support people in need of help and healing. You can read more about their giving history and partners HERE.

I love supporting good design and good causes.

glassybaby.com

LesleySignature3

 

LesleyGlassybaby2

Color Our World With Pride

INSPIRATION

In honor of Pride Weekend across the globe, we celebrate the rainbow. From the Capitol building in DC to the bakeries of San Francisco to our design studio in Cow Hollow… Volunteer, Donate, Inspire, Celebrate!

sfpride.org

Pride4

Lake Tahoe Wedding, Bears Included

IN THE STUDIO

I’m up in Lake Tahoe this week enjoying the crisp mountain air and gorgeous blue water and remembering this fun invitation from last year. Thankfully I haven’t run into any bears yet, but love it as a design element…

Tahoe2