afternoon.

i'm currently sitting in a comfy chair and the rain is pouring down outside. i decided it was time for a little break, so i brewed a pot of decaf and watched this amazing video. if you're in the mood to be inspired, check it out. 

my favorite line is: "i collect bad wines. because if the wine is ready and the person is there... i'm opening it. " isn't that great? :)


(photo credit: stephanie cb)

a good week.

this week, i...

• taught two yoga classes: one to a group of fabulous ladies who sent me home with banana bread, and one to a beautiful woman who happens to be my sister. (after this class, we partook in some whitewineasana.)

• skyped with a dear friend in germany. it made me just a teeny bit nostalgic for the year that i lived in munich. the holiday markets and snowy roads were incredibly picturesque.

• took a field trip to ikea and stocked up on a ridiculous amount of scandinavian holiday goodies. i swear, i will never tire of pepperkaker (ginger snaps) norwegian mulled wine, and kitschy scandinavian decorations.

• found some new places of inspiration on the web: a beautiful yoga podcast, wee textiles, and an inside garden diary.

• and last but not least, finished this book. highly recommended.

have a nice weekend, everyone!

gorgeous wedding inspiration.

oh my goodness. this wedding took my breath away. the bride's hair is adorable, her shoes are divine, and frankly, i am completely jealous of the paper flower installation. it looks like an anthropologie store!

they also look like a fun couple. i think we could be friends. kelsey and brett, if you're reading this... you rock. wanna hang out?

(photography by kyle hale via oncewed)

home inspiration.

i adore these photos and would move right in if i could... look at that kitchen table! and that lamp! and that night stand! and isn't that throw just the perfect muted rosy pink? swoon.

i think i need more pink in my life. (simon? what do you say?)

(photo credits: norwegian stylists krakvik and dorazio)

letterpress candles.

it's still raining cats and dogs in boston, so all i can think about is hot tea, candles and curling up with a good book.

these lovely little beeswax candles from bee and bird are made out of vintage letterpress blocks. aren't they so sweet? i can just imagine how romantic they would look on a table at a wedding.

ideas worth spreading.

last night i spent over an hour catching up on new ted talks. 

ted, which stands for technology, entertainment, design, is a small nonprofit devoted to ideas worth spreading. ted.com features incredible videos of lectures from the world's most inspired thinkers. they believe in the "power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately the world."

if you've never been to the site, you are in for a real treat! but i warn you, hours seem to pass very quickly when you're watching.

last night i was very moved and inspired by the lecture called the opportunity of adversity by aimee mullins. aimee was born without fibular bones, and had both of her legs amputated when she was an infant. she has gone on to model, act, and break records in the paralympics. her energy, grace and voice are incredibly powerful. i highly recommend it.

have any of you been to the ted.com site before? if so, what's your favorite lecture?

thursday giveaway!

okay, so maybe your big toes are poking out of your socks, or you are in the midst of healing a broken heart. sometimes the answer is just to "make do and mend".

this gorgeous poster (printed on archival paper) is being given away by the generous farouche from california. isn't it lovely? it is also available in green and grey.

to win, please visit farouche's store and then leave a comment below telling us which color you prefer. the winner will be chosen on monday. good luck!

crocheted flower coasters.

ever since i stumbled on these coasters, i can't stop thinking about them. they are whimsical, sweet and simply perfect for my cup of tea or coffee.

and so it's official: i absolutely have to learn how to crochet. do any of you crochet and if so, how did you learn? any tips?

(photo credit: chizuru-bis)

a door desk!

door desk noun. [dohr desk]

1. a door taken from the architectural remnants of a north carolina plantation home, then topped with glass and placed on wooden stands.

2. a genius and sustainable idea.

3. the place where our lovely wedding photographer edits her magic photos and sends me sweet emails.

isn't this just the coolest? i'm inspired.

(all photos and door desk by the fabulous meredith perdue)

a girl can dream.

the past couple of days i have been working in a very uninspired place: a hotel. but if i close my eyes and try hard enough, i can almost pretend i am sitting at a desk like this one and that the shelves above me are filled with my favorite books, all kinds of quirky memorabilia, and photographs of my loved ones.

(and in my dream, i am also listening to miles davis and a dog is curled up at my feet. sigh.)

now i'm curious... where do you usually work from? do you love it or hate it?


(photo credit: jessieroth)

happiness is...

... pumpkin beer and listening to the radio.

... fresh brewed coffee and discovering gorgeous vintage typewriters in second hand shops.

... the smell of clean laundry and bundles of yarn (in our wedding colors no less).

what has been making you happy lately?

(photo credits: the cheshire smile, sandra juto, ta, perfect bound, nevara, and britt - cucumbersome)

life lesson # 4

my dolls, take it from me-- a recovering people pleaser-- it's time to stop worrying about what other people think.

i have to say, one of my favorite things about getting older is that the urge to make everyone around me happy is losing steam. i don't know how or why it happens, but it just does.

one day you wake up and think to yourself: "wait a second! this is MY life."

and from that moment on, you begin the journey of loving your own ideas, your own instincts, and your own decisions.

and in case you were worried... somehow, miraculously, you still end up nurturing, adoring, and taking care of the people you love. and you still want them to be happy... but you do it effortlessly, and without resentment. you do it because you want to.

it's pretty cool.

so, tell me, are you a people pleaser?

i like this quote.

"the irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating -- in work, in play, in love. the act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around like rational hesitation. to commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life."

~anne morris

(photo credit: .thumper)

tuesday giveaway!

recently i've been swooning over these gorgeous prints from lola's room and now i have the pleasure of offering one as a giveaway. thank you, cassia!

to win, please visit the store and choose your favorite 8 x 8 print. a winner will be chosen randomly on friday morning! good luck.

the mantel.

simon and i are getting married in a cozy, beautiful barn, and on top of that... we will be saying our vows in front of a huge fireplace. (this works out extremely well since i am always cold, not to mention, absolutely in love with fire places.)

the only problem is i can't decide how to decorate the mantel. candles? flowers? garlands? branches? picture frames?

i'd love your creative suggestions. and p.s. thanks so much for indulging all this wedding talk too. :) you guys are lovely.

(photo credit: house and home)

wedding update.

hello dolls,

as you know, this weekend i went to try on wedding dresses for the first time and it was so much fun! i didn't pick a final one yet, but got lots of ideas. there are so many gorgeous gowns out there...

i have to confess that since simon reads the blog every day i'm probably not going to reveal it until after the big day. i hope you will all forgive me; some traditions are just too much fun. :)

however, i'd love to share some other visual yumminess related to our wedding, if you're interested! in snippet and ink style, i have created an inspiration board. i can't wait to hear what you think!

mood: casual elegance, playful romance, splashes of vintage

palette: butter yellow, graphite, vintage muted blues and wood

(to see a bigger version, click here)

our venue is a beautiful, rustic (yet elegant) barn. we are envisioning lots of organic-looking flowers, fun splashes of color, and whimsical, vintage embellishments. we are also getting married right before sunset, so i am hoping for pictures with some warm tones...

next up, i'd love your advice on a wedding related matter. please check back later!

my new favorite song. :)

birds and blooms.

i love dutch door's little etsy shop and their limited edition prints featuring all fifty states' birds and flowers. i think the massachusetts print is gorgeous with the black capped chickadee and the mayflower.

do you know what is your state bird and flower are?

(photo credit: dutch door)

for the record.

... and i also like this bag.

(credit: mediumism)

a little wedding inspiration to brighten your thursday...

i have one word to describe this couple: hot! i love her messy bun and the fact that she's not wearing much make-up. i also adore the suit that the groom is wearing.

is it just me, or are they ridiculously gorgeous? :) what a setting... swoon.

(all photos are by the talented, lovely margaret singer)