Summer Collection 2014

I'm back!!!! It was kind of nice to step away for a few weeks and take some time, plus I've been extremely busy working on my new summer collection. Here are a few photos from the shoot we had a few weeks ago. My inspiration for this collection came from Palm Springs in the 60s and is full of tropical and feminine patterns that are perfect for summer. See the collection here if you'd like...

and more photos after the jump:)

Mother's Day Giveaway

With Mother's Day this weekend, I thought it would be fun to celebrate mothers and host a little giveaway. I've been crushing on mint green for a while now and one winner will win all of the minty items shown above. The winner will receive: one striped mint pillow cover from my shop, a colorblock infinity scarf c/o 9th & Elm, an 8.5x11 inch ice cream print from my shop, a lip balm from eos, mint candy apple nail color from Essie, and a geometric wood necklace (DIY coming to the blog)!

To enter: Follow Ali Henrie on Instagram and post a photo about anything to do with motherhood using the hashtag #iedesignmothersgiveaway and tag me (@alihenrie). If you're private, you can email me the photo at alihenrie@gmail.com One winner will be selected sunday night:)

*GIVEAWAY is now closed*

   

Quilted Sweatshirt: 2 ways

Lately I've been into sweatshirts. They are so comfy and easy to wear, and I like that they can be dressed up or worn with jeans and sneakers. I love this short sleeve version with the quilted sleeves. Wouldn't it be great this summer worn with shorts or white jeans? Here are a couple of other ways to wear it. 

What are you wearing these days?

look 1: quilted sweatshirt / linen skirt / pendant necklace / spotted clutch / block heel sandals 

look 2: quilted sweatshirt / coral tote bag / tropical jeans / oversized sunglasses / converse sneakers

       

Weekend No. 17

Happy Friday friends. What are you up to this weekend? I'm finishing up the final designs for a few new patterns coming to my shop this summer (including this pineapple pattern). I can't wait to show you more. Will is back into swim lessons and after our trip to Mexico I can't believe how much he has already improved. Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Here are a few links from this week.

Love these pictures of Will and Kate (and George too)!

Adorable clothes for little ones.

Puts things into perspective especially if you're having a bad day (via Cup of Jo)

Love this  nail color for spring.

This entry makes me want to paint my front door.

Cute and fun coloring book for kids (or adults:)

Whale piggy bank

Mother's Day gift idea.

A stranger captures photos of a proposal. So sweet.

Prettiest dress

It's tulip season!
   

Do You Make Your Bed?

image

This week I read an article titled "Does It Really Matter If You Make Your Bed?" I found it interesting because as a child I used to make my bed the second I got out of bed in the morning. It became a habit. Karen Kingston made the point that making your bed in the morning can create a more structured start to your day.

"When you begin your day in this way, it sets a certain structure in place for everything you subsequently do, and creates a clear and welcoming space for you to return to each night. When you leave your bedding in a messy heap, you can tend to muddle through the day until it’s time to fall back in to bed again. "

She also goes onto to say.

"Taking this to an even deeper level, people with structure get things done. They are able to navigate life’s challenges, find solutions, and achieve great things. They are people of will. Conversely, people who lack structure can often be buffeted about by the winds of change, and tend to wonder how to find more fulfillment."

While I'm not as faithful at making my bed as I was when I was a child, I still strive to make my bed almost every day. I do feel like it makes a difference in the way my day plays out. How about you? Does making your bed change your day?
   

Make your own tortilla chips

We eat a whole lot of chips and guacamole at our house. I think we picked it up while living in Arizona. We always make our own guacamole, but until recently, I had never thought to make my own chips. They taste soooooo much better than store bought chips and are simple to make! Plus, I can control the amount of salt I want. 

Basically it's corn tortillas (I like the white corn ones) cut into triangles, sprinkled with sea salt, and baked on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until slightly brown. I also brush some olive oil on the cookie sheet to get the salt to stick, but it's not necessary. Do you ever make your own chips or have you ever? 

   

A Spring Dress: 4 Ways

With it starting to feel like spring (YAY!), I'm excited to start wearing more skirts and dresses. As many of you know, I love to mix and match patterns and Boden makes it easy to do with their bold colors and variety of patterns. I'm a huge fan of the dresses at Boden for their classic styles and long lengths, which is why I've partnered with them to show you 4 different ways to wear the Seville Dress. This dress is stretchy and comfortable, yet still flattering (not easy to find) and I plan to live in it this summer! Plus, the pattern is so versatile and goes with almost any other color. Here are a few different ways to wear it...

Outfit 1: This dress is perfect on it's own. To keep it casual, throw it on with a pair of simple sandals, a cross body bag, and a straw hat. 

See 3 more looks after the jump...

Summer bags

With summer approaching, I'm in need of a good bag I can use for the pool or park, but can also double as a purse (or diaper bag). Lately, I've been super impressed with the bags on Sole Society. I've shopped for shoes in the past on their site, but never thought to look at bags until recently. Here are a few of my favorites. They also have pretty jewelry!

reversible bag

lasercut bag

printed bag