When I was at the grocery store earlier this week I was immediately met by the friendly faces of these beautiful tulips. I had to purchase them; I had to take them home.
It's funny how a quick trip to the market for butter can spark such an unexpected inspirational find.
Aren't they lovely! So full of beautiful color!
(Left) A simple Sketch of the flowers | (Right) Water color and Ink
I stumbled across this beautifully written article, Women vs. Women, and a little thing called “self-respect” from Wit & Delight. To the point, and very thoughtful - this piece examined why women should build one another up and not tear one another down. We have our own strengths and our own path to walk as individual women. We will always benefit from support from each other on these travels. Great food for thought.
Handwritten By Caroline Hutchison of Linalulu Paperie
I took a recent trip to Florida to celebrate a dear friend and her now husband for a fun and relaxing wedding weekend. Coming back to the snowy Midwest made me long for the sunny colors of Florida to appear again both outside and in my wardrobe. Which colors better represent such a colorful state than a dreamy orange and a bright, sunny yellow? I can't wait to add these small pops of color in my wardrobe this spring. Till Spring arrives, I'll keep seeking out this bright and fun colors!
With Spring (hopefully) around the corner, I'm looking into more projects with fun motifs and colors. Here are little glimpses through moodboard's I have put together of somethings I have been working on!
Plates | Chair | Table Cloth | Fish Bowl | Lounge
I have had a fond love for Paola Navone's collections at Crate & Barrel since they started collaborating. Her gorgeous patterns, whimsical shapes, and Mediterranean influence place a joyful and easy air to each piece that would enhance any space. Her three new collections exclusively through Crate & Barrel are: Pic-nic Collection, Party Collection, and Fish Collection. Being a sucker for the black and white combo lately - it was love at first sight for me. With the strong accent colors varying between deep blues and vibrant teal, with watermelon patterns thrown in- I'm head over heels for all three collections!
Check out more about the collection and her process with the video on Crate & Barrels page.
To celebrate my sister-in-law, mommy to be Lindsay and baby, my mother-in-law hosted an adorable baby shower in their honor! I was so excited to add my calligraphy to the (already) wonderful decor and joyous celebration.
Beth out did herself with her theme "She's about to Pop!" by including all things "pop" worthy including cake pops, blow pop champagne "poppers", poppyseed muffins and so many other delicious treats!
I’m nuts about flowers, and with Valentines Day tomorrow I thought I put together a little collection of some of my latest Pinterest finds for you about the days most poplar gifts. I can't get over the paint shaped chocolates by Nendo or those red poppies! Which is your favorite? I know, it's hard to choose...
Romantic Flowers & Chocolates | Playful Flowers & Chocolates | Whimsical Flowers & Chocolates | Bohemian Flowers & Chocolates | Traditional Flowers & Chocolates
Arrows & Flowers | Water Bottles | Large Planter & Hearts Planter | Confetti Pops | Pizza | Bags
I'm always ready to dress up and go out for a special occasion, what girl isn't? Although I love receiving gifts and flowers, I'm finding the gift of experiencing things ( like concerts, activities, places, ect. ) with the people I love are more special to me. Instead of planning the typical one night dinner this Valentines Day, why not take a walk on the wild side with these fun ideas:
A Day at the Museum : Whether its the museum of art, science, or local history - you will find a variety of ways to spend your day learning, interacting, and enjoying being with your loved ones with a handful of options that everyone will enjoy. My favorites include the Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry. Find out what museums are near you with museum link.
An Activity Together : Chocolates and sweet treats are great, but with the holidays over and the New Years resolutions holding on by a thread, why not get out and do an activity together? For those in the warmer states - rent bikes, go hiking, or go to the batting cages. For those states that are still covered in the snow ( like mine ) enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities like skiing, ice skating, indoor go-karting, play indoor bocci, or find an indoor swimming pool.
The Conservatory or Gardens : Fresh cut flowers are great! I will always be the first to buy flowers, but with your flowers give the promise of spending the day at the conservatory or local gardens. Getting out of the house and walking around in the beautifully kept gardens will be a cherished memory long after those flowers fade.
Are gardens not your thing? Try finding a local forest preserve and go hiking for the afternoon. Whatever you do, just go soak in the fresh air and rays of sunshine!
A Party With All Your Friends : Why not celebrate everyone you love in your life? Throw a fun themed party - like 80's prom or murder mystery - and celebrate with fun themed treats. You could go big by creating your own decorations, have a card making station, and even set up a cool photo booth backdrop for your friends to remember the night by! Check out some creative and easy backdrops here, here, or here!
Send A Piece of Your City : Not everyone in your life lives close.Tell them you are thinking about them by sending them a care packaged of your home city or the city where you met filled with city themed items! Among my favorite goodies from Chicago would include a tasty pizza from Giordanos! For Valentines week, they are sending their famous deep-dish pizzas in a shape of a heart!
A Weekend Away : Whether it's a weekend getaway to your favorite spot, local downtown hotel, or a staycation watching movies - taking time together is important. Find new places for you and your love by exploring the local shops and restaurants. You will be surprised what you find together! If you could getaway where would you go?
The color combination of white and pink have long been the more youthful pair associated with Valentines Day. Typically associated with loud, overly feminine brands and barbie dolls, I viewed pink as a color for little girls. Lately, with the recent surge of softer pinks - such as rose, blush, and even coral - I have found the color hard to stay away from.
When paired with a soft white or a sultry creme, pink instantly becomes more mature and relatable in the grown-up world while still retaining its whimsical, girlish self.
Valentines Day is Friday and I thought it would be fun to pull some fun aspects of the holiday (like the fun decor, recipes, vibrant colors, and cool crafts) and celebrate them here on the blog.
No, I have never one to go nuts for the holiday, but I do appreciate the aspect of a day to remind those we love that they are special in our lives, and shower them with pink and red candies. Winter is long enough my friends, especially this year. Why not have a fun, festive, but goofy holiday to break up the winter chill?
calligraphy by Linalulu Paperie
Living in the Midwest my entire life you would think that when winter came I would be well equipped to face the cold. Thankfully, lots of hot tea and cocoa have kept me sane and warm through this unusually cold season. It doesn't hurt either when they are served in a pretty or eye catching mug! Do you have a go-to mug or desiring to find a new favorite?
Here are a few I would love to ad to my ever growing collection:
1. Fox 2.Handwritten 3. Monogram 4. Tree 5. Owl 6. Orange 7. Heart 8. Geometric
How simple this quote is from such a great man. It is a good reminder that there is always an end, maybe not in site at first - but there is always an end. An end to each project, season, trip, or feeling.
Looking for inspiration, I strolled into West Elm this weekend. Now, I have received catalogs for West Elm for a few years, but a catalog can not do these beautiful pieces justice like the real life store can! The open show room displayed the modern lines of the furniture and accessories perfectly. I could see each space being in my future home! The store also boasted West Elm's signature "living" wall display (Top right picture). I just swooned over the lush green back drop.
I was most impressed by the cheerful and sensational color pallet displayed for the 2014 Spring season. ( Is it too soon to be thinking about spring admits these chilly winter days? I don't think so) Among the popular choices: Raindrop Blue, Tanager Red, Proper Grey, Parakeet Green, and Lemon Twist Yellow. These cheery color combinations popped against the lovely patterns scattered on kitchen goods and home linens alike. Instant inspiration! Among my favorites on display were the mid-century printed bowls, Hive vases, and basically all their lovely pillows. I snagged my own piece of inspirations with this adorable ceramic plant holder and succulent.
Check out more upcoming color inspiration for Spring & Summer 2014 by Sherwin Williams for West Elm here.
I'm so excited for today! After months of gathering inspiration, talking about wanting to launch an Etsy shop, and finding the courage to finally set a launch date - today is the day!
I'm so thankful for all the people in my life who continue to encourage me and support me on this new adventure! Thank you for joining me - now go take a look around!
The bride was inspired by the mix of antique finds of her own and the bold mix of patterns seen at such stores like Anthropologie and J.Crew. With this in mind, we created a pattern and monogram that was repeated through out the suite.
The finish product was a sweet mix of hand-done elements - like the screen printed booklet cover, and the engraved invitation- with an elegant simplicity to allow the importance of the text to shine through. The mix of the subtle but bold nature of the pattern on each piece gave a modern feel to this classic style of invite.
I came across these beautiful packaging designs for honey. I love the unexpected aspects of each design and package. It makes me want to collect them for my own cabinets.
1. Klein Constantia Farm by Terence Kitching
2. Cosmopollen by Louise Twizell
With a new year comes new beginnings and new perspective. Here is to continuing to work hard, and produce great things. I'm looking forward to what you have to offer 2014!
Happy New Year everyone!
The new year always feels like a clean start. New Calendar, new year, new beginnings.
Looking back at 2013, it has been a great growing year, and I look forward to the year ahead. I'm so excited for the things to come, and this new start that is ushered in with 2014!
