i need a break from california

we are approaching the one year mark in our california home, which means we have been in this state for an entire year now. i still look at the license plates and think "really, i live in california?" it has been a fun year, don't let my post title confuse you, but i am in desperate need of greenery and weather. i miss trees (actual lush trees), and rain, and snow and heat (well maybe not heat). so in two weeks i am heading east for some much needed scenery change!!! new york, portland maine, and asheville north carolina are on the docket, and did i mention i am EXCITED?

oh and for the record, i am aware that i will miss the vineyards and beaches very, very much. i have grown quite attached to our little piece of the west coast here even if i still want to escape every now and then.

{picture from pia jane bijkerk taken in the netherlands ... which isn't exactly the east coast, but very pretty and green}

i'm thinking i'm late to the game, but i don't care

i found a new blog and i am in love. i discovered her by way of flickr and spent a bit more time than i had reading her archives. i love the way she writes, the photographs she takes and the fact that she likes peeps (i LOVE peeps, i mean L.O.V.E them and i feel alone in the world sometimes because of that). so if you haven't been reading hula seventy i would highly recommend doing so ... like right now.

{bicycles are nice photograph from the etsy shop of my new virtual crushee}

going green

twigs and honey is a favorite over here. if i could have a closet filled with pretties from myra i would maybe be one of the happiest girls on the planet. anyway she is coming out with an eco-friendly/vegan line and the pieces are just lovely. i mean really really really lovely. they are made of hemp and organic cotton and come from portland ... 'nuff said.

you are the bouquet.

i kinda like this idea. and i kinda like this dress.

{*alice temperley dress* found here}

brides : check this out

free photography by a fantastic photographer and perhaps a feature on east side bride? you know you want to be on esb ...

check it out here and here.

ps - this comes from the ridiculous treasure trove of engagement shots for auburn and ivory ... where is my citing etiquette today?

i want one

so myra is the lucky girl that gets this one, but maybe, just maybe i need one too? it is not really a question is it? no i didn't think so. perhaps mas would understand if we didn't eat for a month or two ...

{shrug by ... elizabeth dye ... who else?}

is it going to come to this?

i went on a mad search for gocco bulbs today for a last minute project that kinda needs to be done now. and ... it was depressing. i ended up paying $20 for four bulbs (including shipping). i probably should have gone the $55 for 20 route because they apparently aren't going to get any cheaper but i just couldn't do it.

so now what? what happens when all of the bulbs just disappear? i like my gocco, no i LOVE my gocco. am i really going to have to find a replacement? and if so, is this going to be it? has anyone used a yudu? yudu isn't as much fun to say as gocco. i am sad. the picture above, however, makes me a bit more happy. oh and so do these.

{image found here}

just saying

i can now be found here. and if people actually purchase my goods, they might just ask me to come back.

{image via sandra juto's flickr stream}

smiles for a monday

i received a link to this over the weekend and nearly died. perhaps frances needs a little mustache?

{via ffffound!}

statement rings

way back in the day, ok not that long ago, just a few years back i was working in the fashion jewlery department of nordstrom ... don't ask ... and i found the best giant ring EVER. it was so wonderful and i wore it everywhere (despite the fact that it was just about as big as my head). anyway one night i was out with friends enjoying a few glasses of wine when i headed into the bathroom with my ring and out of it without it. i took it off to wash my hands and just forgot to put it back on. it was towards the end of the night and it took me a while to realize what i had done. then by the time i did, it was gone. i was sad. and now i am hoping it is on the finger of a very loving (though obviously kind of cruel) person.

these days i have a few new rings that i wear on a regular basis, you know since the wedding and all, but still i kinda have been looking non-stop for a replacement of my once beloved gigantic only for fun ring. could this one be it? i'm still on the fence, but loving the branch.


{branch ring by species by the thousands available via supermarket}

flowers for you

because you deserve them and they are so pretty and it is thursday morning.

{both images from moxiee's flickr photostream}

happy earth day!

i really love our earth. it really makes me sad that we seem to be shitting all over it. do something nice for the earth today ... or maybe everyday?

... wedding wednesday is on holiday this week, but everyone really should know about this, if you didn't already ...

{photo via nicolasv's flickr}

blog vomit

i'm taking today (and maybe tomorrow) off from blogging because honestly i have nothing of substance to offer. if i try the only thing that will come out of it is a whole lot of crap that i don't really love, and that isn't fair to you, now is it? in the mean time i will continue my third week straight week of production tasks and store my creative energies for later this week ... i do hope they return to me.

{picture above of what i would like to be doing right this very moment by the lovely peonies and polaroids via flickr}

white sneakers

i have been contemplating a purchase. i am thinking i need a pair of white lace-up shoes ... kinda like old school keds, or maybe a pair of vans? so when i came across these i think i might have made up my mind. thoughts?

{flippa k cotton sneaker available here}

summer days call for summer jumpers

and this one is pretty snazzy (though um, quite pricey, what the hell?). i am sitting at my desk right now practically melting so something so breezy and light would be nice. but seeing as though it isn't exactly an option at the moment i suppose sticking with ice water and a jersey knit something is just as good.

{black jumper from catherine holstien available at revolve}

monday funday

it was in the 80's here all weekend long. can you imagine it? we actually got to wear shorts to our beach. it is still in the 80's and i have a serious bike ride that i am putting off because i kinda wilt into nothing if required to be active in any temperatures over 72. oh the hardships of my life these days. anyway, on to a bit of monday morning eye candy. i don't remember exactly where i found this website, but you must check it out. i LOVE it. dynamic navigation at its best, and a pretty spiffy portfolio to boot.

{graphic via johnson banks}

it has been too long ...

since frances has given me the stink eye. i knew it couldn't last. so yesterday she finally came through.
after being thoroughly annoyed with all of my work and biking she just couldn't take it any more. i'm hoping to make it up to her this weekend when the weather is supposed to soar into the 80's, um what?!?! beach time please.

doily sweet doily

i saw this over at design sponge and swooned. i love it. and maybe want it for my cork wall ... which (in case you were curious) is staying attached these days. woohoo! or maybe i am going to use the stack of doilies that are lurking in a dark corner somewhere to make my own version. oh i LOVE doilies.

{doily sweet doily by lisa solomon, oh man i love her, viewable here}

i like this girl

elaine fong is a graphic designer. her work makes me smile, she lives in chicago, and apparently she is having a custom bike made ... swoon. i like finding graphic designers that make me smile. the buttons are a self promotion project ... hmmm maybe i need to start making buttons?

tristan blair

do i really have to say ANYTHING else? maybe ... i want these, really really want these.

{shoes by tristan blair original found at the shiny squirrel}

the hair

i saw the first picture on 100 layer cake and started teasing my hair without even noticing it. then i went to the duston todd website and saw the other pictures. oh how bold, how refreshing, how sick of slicked back up-do's am i?




unfortunately my hair is stick straight and refuses to do anything even half as cool.

brace yourself for some pretty amazing owl action

alright, these save the dates are fantastic. there is simply no denying it. and can you guess the designer? if you think really hard, i bet you can ...


if you were thinking this girl, well you were right. jamie (the almost architect) has been dabbling in the world of paper goods for a while now. you have seen her invites, her amazing paper cuts and now some of the ridiculous work she is doing for her friends.


don't you want to be one of those friends? yeah, so do i. ALTHOUGH rumor has it that she might be interested in doing such things for complete strangers ... you know if you just encourage her a little bit (so, um encourage!).

and ps - the owls on the save the dates were inspired by this guy.

i need more owls in my life.

little jane st

one of my favorite things about having a blog is reading comments and then clicking on their author's profiles to find their blogs. it was just this morning that i clicked on little jane st and found her pretty rad blog and then her even radder (can i do that? i mean i like to make up words but radder?) little shop. i so WANT many of her cards. in particular the patchwork camera card (pictured above) ... so go, look and soak up the awesome aussie and her goods.

i really like this kitchen

and just so you know, ours looks nothing like it. i think it is time to move. good bye slightly tan walls and weird tiling schemes, i never *really* liked you anyway.

{via design sponge}

i need my own font

preferably one that looks something like this. you know simple with a ton of whimsy. would it not be just perfect?

{from on the table, via oh joy!}

happy weekend

it is going to be a good one i think. i might even wear a pretty dress.

{photo via abby try again's flickr}

i'm swamped

again. it's a good thing, but it tends to tear me away from the blog, which makes me sad. and when i get sad i find the best way to lift my spirits is to find a gnome. i've done it before ... and will likely do it again. isn't he the best? don't you want him in your garden? i do ...

{hand poured porcelain garden gnome from BROOKLYNrehab}

would you?

dress, yes absolutely. but those tights? i'm not sure. i mean i really, really, really want to say i could totally pull this look of for a wedding, but ...


now what to wear on your head and toes???

{alexander wang dress; falke tights}

i have been waiting for wednesday to post these

it was hard. very, very, very hard not to post these pictures by lillian and leonard wedding photography (aka peonies and her boy) but i started wedding wednesdays for a reason right?



i love those wellies with the other shoes, and hello fabulous headgear. could we maybe try to bring the bold hair adornments into mass popularity here in the states? PLEASE?!

for more images click here ... and there are so many more.

write me a letter

i should write more letters, everyone should write more letters.

apparently there are a couple of people in st.louis agree. secret leaves has made it easy to want to send letters, with their pretty papers and wonderful embellishments, oh my. can you imagine receiving something so pretty in your mailbox?

{found here}

good morning friend

perhaps omar needs a companion? although her cylinder shaped body might prove to be problematic when attempting to hang her on the wall, she is still quite cute.

{found here available here}

i don't know what to say. these are awesome* and i kinda want to start coloring in coloring books again. from timothy liles, available here, found here.

{* apparently awesome is uncool. i am glad i have friends to inform me of such things, but i don't think i can pull off rad ... as much as i so very much want to}

my closet ... now!

it has been a while since i purchased a new coat ... i kinda NEED* a new coat. oh and can i just say hooray for orla kiely goodness over at revolve? available here.

{* need is really a bit strong, don't need and can't afford is a more apt description}

it is almost pool time

i am sitting here staring out my window and feeling the warm breeze wafting in. hmmm wouldn't it be nice to be sitting next to a pool right now? but instead i am going to line some of the most amazing envelopes i have seen in a while.

{image via ffffound!}

ok i'm not too busy

i mean for these i would gladly work all weekend. i really think they would go perfectly with my new prescription ... don't you?

{found via wide open spaces}

i've been ...

absent? inattentive? crazy busy? yes, yes, and yes. this week was nutty and it kinda looks as though next week will be the same. i am happy it is friday but i still have so. much. more. left to do. enjoy your weekend, do you have plans?

{image via heidi furre's flickr}

life lessons

i found this image on swiss miss and had to post it. i really don't think i have ever seen a better list. i might print it out and pin it to my cork wall (which doesn't seem to be feeling very wall like these days as parts of it hit the floor on a regular basis ... need better sticky material.)

{originally sourced here}

fore real? for real?

talk about confections and wanting to jump in ... again. i just saw a sketch for jenna's wedding dress over at 100 layer cake. it's being made by her sister, HER SISTER! i really love pretty dresses.

wedding wednesdays?

whenever i decide to start a pattern in my blogging habits they promptly go straight out the window. so i am not saying this is going to happen, but maybe just maybe i will start collecting all of my wedding thoughts (which seem to be fewer and fewer these days) and post them on wednesdays. you know to keep some order. and to start ...

did you see the pictures from the recent chelsea fuss/lisa warninger/elizabeth dye/twigs and honey shoot? you know i love chelsea and lisa and elizabeth and myra so i am sure it comes as no surprise that i am in love with the few images i have seen. that wall of pages? wow. those dresses, ohhhh. the ace hotel (my absolute favorite) and twigs and honey ... come on.