For the Bedroom

I love the big, bold graphic on this bed set. A large flower, however, may just be a bit too girly for our bedroom; but I do love the combination of lime + white. So clean and simple.

I'll be back this afternoon with another post. H and I are leaving soon to visit a bunny farm. Do they keep bunnies on a farm? Whatever it's called, we're going to a special place with bunnies today. Just the perfect thing to do right before Easter.

Life Lessons

Today, I'm feeling both reflective and brokenhearted. {I feel like I need to clarify for some of you--nothing terrible has happened. I just had a recent run-in with someone who does not like me and it's caused me to think}. Anyway, I'm sitting here today licking my wounds and reflecting on some of the most basic lessons that my parents and my life experience (thus far) have taught me.

1. Tell the truth. You may get in trouble, but at least you'll have a clear conscience. This is the first memorable life lesson I ever learned, and my parents were absolutely right.
2. Be careful who you trust. Sad, but true. I'm a little bit naive, and this is one I've had to learn over and over again.
3. When all is said and done, all you've got left is your family. One of my grandma's famous idioms. She knew what she was talking about.
4. Miserable people want others to join them in their misery. If they get you down, you'll start making others miserable. I refuse to join in.
5. There's nothing better than the complete, adoring love of a child. I'm going to soak it all up now, because I'm terrified for the day that he finds out I'm not as wonderful as he thought.
6. Nobody's perfect. A little bit trite, but oh, so true. I never have been, I never will be, and I will definitely not pretend to be perfect. So if you're in search of perfection, I urge you to run quickly in the opposite direction from here.
7. Know when to keep your mouth shut. Another lesson I will probably never learn.

These are some of the most basic things I've learned in this life of mine. There are plenty more nuggets of wisdom where that came from, but I'll spare you for a bit. :) This blog is kind of my respite. A pretty place, all for myself (and for you, too!) But I think every now and then, a good dose of reality is healthy. So thanks for hanging in there with me. Now I have to ask, what do you do when someone hurts you?

Ashley Stuart Goodwin

Well, my day has been nothing like I planned, as are most of my days. So I apologize for the super late post...but it's worth the wait. Last night, I was playing around on Etsy's Pounce looking at undiscovered shops, and I came across the newly-opened shop for photographer Ashley Stuart Goodwin.

Her Etsy shop led me to her website, her imagekind shop, her blog, then her flickr page. Ashley is one talented girl! There's not a single photo of hers I don't love. So if you're looking for something to do this weekend, I'm listing all of her information at the bottom...definitely worth a visit! Now I just have to decide which of her photos to buy first. That's going to be a tough one.

Find more Ashley Stuart Goodwin here:

• Flickr
• Blog
• Website
• Etsy Shop
• Imagekind

{all photos Ashley Stuart Goodwin, via Imagekind}

I hope your weekend is as beautiful as these photos!

What I'll be eating this weekend...

I know, it's only Thursday and I'm thinking about what I'm going to be eating over the weekend. Scary. But let me justify this a bit: Bryce and I were given a cooking class for Christmas. That class happened to be last Saturday, and it was amazing! We learned so much, and it made me remember how much I love cooking; and even more, how much I love cooking with my family.

Sometimes, but not as often as I'd like, we have Pasta Sunday. We spend the entire afternoon making homemade pasta. From scratch. And it's good. Really good. But what's even better is the fun we have working together, and then enjoying our labours.

So poking around the web last night, I stumbled across some photos of beignets. Ahh, the beignet. It takes me back about five years. We were finishing up our undergrad degrees, and discovered this great little New Orleans cafe about 30 minutes away from home. For a while there, this became our standard weekend date. After school was out on Friday, we'd jump in the Honda, crank up the Sinatra, roll down the windows and make a beeline for the cafe. Then we'd sit and laugh about our day as we dipped the beignets in powdery, sugary goodness.

So for this weekend at least, Pasta Sunday is officially being replaced with Beignet Saturday. If you'd like to have a Beignet Saturday of your own, here's the recipe we'll be using.

{P.S. I got the photo here.}

Bicycle + Umbrella

I just started reading the first book in The Raj Quartet. I discovered it via Anne's blog, through a guest post done by Stephanie from Even Cleveland. I'm still at the beginning of the book, but last night I read how one of the characters rides her bicycle to church each week. And if it's raining, she simply holds her umbrella while she's cycling. I just haven't been able to get that image out of my head...someone perched upon a bicycle with an open umbrella. Umbrellas and bicycles are two of my favorite things to see in photos, but until now, I've never thought to combine the two. I think it's charming and romantic, but if I tried it I'm sure it would be more on the awkward and ungraceful side. Perhaps it's just best for me to admire these super-cool and super-coordinated people from a distance.

Photo Credits: 1. PhotoA.nl 2. pasotraspaso 3. isado 4. SweRon

If you're still not convinced, I've saved the best for last: ms_air and Amiest. But you'll have to click to make that judgement for yourself. Have a Happy Wednesday!

Decorate By Numbers

Perhaps it's a little touch of OCD that draws me to all these great numbered pieces. But regardless of why I like them, they're pretty fantastic:

Numbered Chairs

It doesn't get more perfect than this.

Toolbox

As my grandpa always says, "A place for everything, and everything in its place."

{via Design Milk}

If I had wooden stairs, you'd better believe they'd be numbered.

{photo via vi.sualize.us}

Numéro

Add some digits to your couch with this smart little number.

Number Print

Never too early to learn your numbers.

Wouldn't this make a cute nursery decoration?

A Challenge

I've been noticing a theme lately: tired, uninspired, bad day, bad mood...you get the picture. I dare say I'm not the only one having been there for a day or two lately. Here are some things I've realized as I look back over the last few days:

• Nobody's perfect. So why do I try so hard?
• It's OK if dinner comes in the shape of a pizza every once in a while.
• I don't have to say "yes" to everything...every play date, every volunteer opportunity, every "can you do me a favor?"
• Uncertainty isn't always bad. I just need to learn to deal with it better...but I can't learn without practice.
• Clutter happens, and it happens to everyone. Well, everyone that I know.
• Taking a few minutes (or hours) to yourself every so often is a necessity.

I'm inviting you all to join me on a stay-at-home spa weekend. Of course, realistically, it will be more like a stay-at-home spa hour (or less). But I'm challenging all of you to take a minute to yourself. It's time to let go of the to-do lists, the guilt, and all of those should do's. Stock up on your favorite movies, good books and delicious snacks. Then whip up some body scrub, check out these home-spa tips and settle in for a little recharge of the proverbial batteries. At the very least, just do something extra-nice for yourself. You deserve it.

So drop me a comment here, and tell me how you're going to be nice to yourself this weekend.

Photo from here.

Pretty Little Cupcake

It's been a while since I've posted about one of my favorite food groups: the cupcake. I found this sweet little site for pretty cupcake supplies. Spring cupcake papers, anyone? To add to my delight, I found bakery labels. Now no baked good will leave my kitchen unlabeled! Another must-have? Little cupcake boxes that you buy in quantities of 6...perfect for the recreational cupcake baker, so you're not stuck with an entire case of boxes! I'm thinking little boxed sets of cupcakes will become my new favorite birthday present to give.

P.S. The mental health day was a success: I accomplished absolutely nothing, and I feel like I may soon emerge from my creative rut. :) Nothing like a good mental health day to get a girl back on track. Now that I'm feeling a bit more composed, perhaps I'll tackle our taxes.

Mental Health Day

I'm taking the day off...my aunt always called it a mental health day. A day in which you do nothing you should do and everything you want to do. A day where you just forget all your worries and enjoy life. I've been trying so hard lately to keep up with the expectations and schedules of everyone around me that I'm losing my mind! So if you've noticed that my blogging has been a tiny bit horrible lately, you're right. I wish I could juggle everything as gracefully as all of you, but I'm just not that good. Hopefully when I return, I'll be newly inspired and refreshed. See you soon!

Photo from here.

Green Doors

For your St. Patrick's Day enjoyment I give you a small collection of green doors:

Keeping up with a three-year-old's social calendar is proving to be time-consuming these days, so I apologize for the light posts. But check back later...I might pop in this afternoon for another little tidbit if I get time between scheduled events. :)

Photo Resources:

1. Pablo 2. idg 3. jason.l.ryan 4. Sebastiano Pitruzzello

And if you're looking for something to do, check out each of their photostreams for more lovely photos.

Yes, Please.

Ylang 23 is my new favorite place to ogle jewelry that is way out of my league. But hey, a girl can dream. Right?

{Photo from here.}

A Random Collection

Warning: there's absolutely no rhyme or reason to this post. Just a few things that caught my eye and captured my heart this week:

I'm still reeling over this necklace.

One more to feed my hoody addiction.

Here's a great way to pretty-up your recipe box.

I've always had a thing with making my own popsicles.

And here's one for the picky eater in the family.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday!

Brick Lane

If you're looking for a good movie to watch this weekend, look no further. Bryce and I watched Brick Lane a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic. I believe it's out on DVD this week, so you're in luck! It's a brilliant independent film about a woman from Bangledesh who moves to England for an arranged marriage. The movie site says it better than I can, "A truly contemporary story of love, of cultural difference, and ultimately the strength of the human spirit." Definitely one of the best movies I've seen in a while.

Sneak Peek: Mary Jo Matsumoto Fall '09

Thanks to Mary Jo from Trust Your Style, this is the one time in my life that I have glamorous inside information. But I can't keep it to myself...it's just too good.

Mary Jo is so kind that she's letting me share a sneak peek of her upcoming Fall collection. I absolutely adore her both as a designer and as a friend. Not to mention that she's really one of the nicest people I know. So you can see why it is such an honor for me to present this glimpse from the Mary Jo Matsumoto Fall 2009 women's couture line.

This is the perfect little beaded sleeve of a gray wool dress (which, might I add, is lined with the same upside down heart textile as this jacket). I'm absolutely certain that I need this dress. Don't forget to check out the other pieces she's so generously shared with us via Tina and Anne. More details soon on where and when the collection will be available.

Homework

Here's a little preview of my homework for the photography class I'm taking from the lovely Nicole. Leave it to me to wait till the last minute, so I'm going to be out all day taking photos. Hopefully some of them are good enough to turn in for my assignment! Two things to keep in mind: 1. I have no clue what I'm doing. 2. Part of the assignment is that all the photos be unedited. Yikes!

Palest Pink

What we could use around here is a good, healthy dose of pink. Not that too-sweet, cotton candy version of childhood, but a grownup pink; the palest of pinks. Just a sublte, feminine way to do pink if you're over the age of ten. Here are some wonderful ways you can add a little pink to your life:

I could definitely use this spoon dock in my kitchen.

Pink Pearls. Enough said.

A grown-up, sexy, ruffly top.

Wear it alone or throw a jacket over it for those chilly spring evenings.

A sweeter alternative to the gladiator.

Don't forget your fingers and toes.

Or go all-out and add some pink to your living room.

For the Science Geek in your Life

I couldn't help but smile when I saw this jewelry from Made With Molecules, being that I have a sceince-lover in my life. If, like me, you don't have all the molecular structures memorized, simply wear it if you want to look smart.

Caffeine Necklace

Now you can wear one of your favorite vices near to your heart.

Chocolate Necklace

Or if you're more of a chocolate girl, maybe this one's for you.

{Better yet, layer both necklaces if you can't live without caffeine or chocolate}

This one is for the true science guy in your life. It spells "geek" with amino acids.

If only it came in keychain form...this would be perfect for someone I know. :)

Check out the other geeky-cool stuff at Molecular Muse's shop here.

Clean Up Your Act (or at least your desk)

I re-discovered this photo and article on decor8 earlier this week, and it's inspired me to de-clutter and revamp my workspace. Everyone's office can use a little perk-up every once in a while. Mine is still suffering from holiday projects gone wrong and way too many piles of "miscellaneous" waiting to be dealt with. I love how crisp and clean this room is, and I love the bursts of bright color.

Here are a few more things keeping me motivated at the moment:

Oscar Table Lamp, from Design Public

I definitely need a cute lamp. This might not make the final cut, but I think it's pretty darn cute.

Bin Bin Wastepaper Basket, via jars of cute

I must have this garbage can. It's completely perfect.

Document Clothespins, from See Jane Work
I think a whole row of these in white would be fun to use as an inspiration board, of sorts.

So far, it's been slow going because I've got a trusty little helper with a big imagination. His helpful antics include but are not limited to (and keep in mind, this is just yesterday): constructing a masking tape "spiderweb" around my desk and chair; scattering my entire order of bubble mailers and using them as "leaves" for his "caterpilars" (which were actually bowling pins); and finally, pouring out a whole bottle of water on the carpet. When asked to explain this final maneuveur, he said, "Mom, I'm gardening. You water the flowers and they grow up and up and up. See!"

At least I'm aware that making my space truly me is an ongoing process. For now, I'll just tackle the decluttering and all those miscellaneous piles. At any rate, my workspace will never be boring as long as there are sticky spiderwebs, sleeping caterpillars, and flowers growing out of the carpet.

What's on your workspace wishlist?

Snippets

This late post is brought to you today via a late night and some extra snuggle time this morning at the request of my boy. How could I say no?

Anyway, I finished reading The Witch of Portobello, by Paulo Coelho a while back. It wasn't my favorite book...a bit too New Age-y for me, but it did have some great moments. Here are some little snippets that still cross my mind every once in a while:

"The day is made up of twenty-four hours and an infinite number of moments. We need to be aware of each of those moments and to make the most of them regardless of whether we're busy doing something or merely contemplating life."

"...people can express through their bodies what their souls are trying to say."

"Everything, absolutely everything on this earth makes sense, and even the smallest things are worthy of our consideration."

"When you dance, you can enjoy the luxury of being you."

"...I believe that love is enough to justify a whole existence."

{Photo Credits: 1. Geoff Barrenger, via foto decacent 2. Funambula 3. Leafcutter Designs 4. Giantunicorn 5. samuelcain on red bubble}