spilling beauty

in between ballet lessons

playing the piano

and drinking tea

in her 200 year old house

lovely julia of rennes-le-chateau

has been creating beautifully poetic

new clothing and handbags

for fall

each piece is romantic and modern

and

although she lives in boston

i swear each time i look at her work

i feel like i'm in paris

(it's happening a lot these days..)

you can find her sweet new items

in her etsy shop

rennes le chateau

ohh la la

how i love you so.

*all photos via rennes le chateau

memories of eating truffles in paris..

2009-09-14T12:04:00.008-04:00

we stepped out of the chocolaterie
onto the cobblestone street
just below montmartre
just as the rain started falling

laughing and looking up to see the dark clouds
old iron work from the old metro
curved and gorgeous
caught my eye
between trees hanging low with drops of rain

windows boxes filled with soft flowers
just beyond
and stone walls filled with time
smiled down at me with their stories
of life and love

maybe it's because it's been almost 4 years to the day

that i was last in paris

(much too long if you ask me..)

..or maybe it's because i have a serious case of wanderlust

but

lately i've been dreaming remembering and fantasizing

about paris (a lot)

and

have been making jewelry and plotting photographs

inspired by these *dreams*

it's just an indulgence i happily allow myself..

going there in your mind (and heart)

is *almost* as good as being there..

n'est-ce pas?

***one of the little creations inspired by memories of beautiful old

historic dreamy paris

in my jewelry shop

hope you have a happy and inspiring monday!

into the trees

2009-09-08T10:37:00.005-04:00

and now we interrupt our regularly scheduled program

with a moment of utter gorgeousness..

i love how relaxed and inspired this makes me feel..

i want to dive right in to those images.

ahhhh...such a nice way to start the work week after the long holiday weekend

(you have to ease back into these things sometimes..don't you think?)

and now, off to translate some of these images into clay..

happy weekend

2009-09-04T14:39:00.004-04:00

wishing you all a very happy weekend

full of adventure

rest friends food and all the things you love best.

postcards from sweden..

2009-09-02T09:18:00.010-04:00

oh the lush greenery..

(so wild and still somehow kept and not messy..a perfect combination)

the quaint houses and lanes..

the bright cheery colors..

the adorable signs and packaging..

so perfectly and sweetly designed

oh the utter charm and quaintness

all brought to us in the form of photo postcards

by the lovely chelsea over at frolic

while she travels through sweden

(..chelsea is also one half of urbanweeds..one of my daily haunts..)

how lucky are we??

and she's promised a tour through a swedish house..

oooh i'll definitely be there for that one!

won't you join me?

wishing you a happy wednesday!

*all images via frolic

(tack så mycket, chelsea!)

*ps. a big huge blitz of new work is coming to my bead/jewelry shop over the coming weeks..

sneak peeks to follow..

(heheh..i love building anticipation..)

yellow whispers

2009-08-26T10:07:00.002-04:00

with a light gray rain falling today

there's a gentle first hint of fall in the air

a certain stillness hangs lightly

as the days get a little shorter

and all of the green loosens its hold

slipping into whispers of yellows and reds

i love this quiet time just before the explosion of fall color

there's a certain dreaminess

as summer drifts into memory

......................................

olive juice kids

2009-08-24T11:33:00.006-04:00

how adorable are these clothes??

so paris chic..

i can definitely imagine sipping coffee in a cafe

while wearing these

or visiting galleries

and walking down the champs-elysees

boating on the seine

browsing through books at shakespeare & co

just pretending i'm in france..

and they're making me really excited about dressing for fall

(it's right around the corner..can you believe it?)

oh if only they came in adult sizes.

(via abby sharp)

happy monday!

down the rabbit hole

2009-08-20T11:22:00.013-04:00

she looked into her dreams

where her good friends lived and played and decided

the day had come to join them

and so

into the sun we ran

letting fears fall away

stopping only to see that this place

in all its gorgeousness

with all its newness

had really been ours all along.

sketches and notes from an adventurous day

(with many more to come..)

wishing you a happy weekend full of dreams and adventures of your own.

*these photos are a small part of a collaborative series that my bf sam and i are creating

i think the word for this one would be..sweet

2009-08-19T11:11:00.004-04:00

this animation..

the music..

the words..

her voice..

it all just tickles me inside

a little bit 1930s

a little more 1940s

some 1960s

and slightly edgily modernish too

..a nice combination i'd say

hope you're having a happy week.

joi de vivre

2009-08-17T12:55:00.016-04:00

have you seen it yet?

you must you must you must.

i'm telling you.

you must.

within the first minute

i was dreaming of living in paris

(even more vividly than usual)

and by the fifth minute into the film

i was starving

(despite the fact that we had just stuffed our faces

at the farmer's market 30 minutes earlier)

..oh those endless images of melting butter and bruscetta and souffles ..

(i didn't find any stills of those online..just trust me)

and about an hour in

i had made up my mind to turn my wish list on ebay

(for the entire le creuset set of pots and pans)

into a fedex delivery to my kitchen

gather a good girlfriend or two

come armed with loads of snacks

(maybe sneak in a basket filled with french bread and cheese and wine..

i'm going to do just that next time i see it..oh and i will see it again soon)

and get ready to smile

and laugh (outloud)

and cry a little bit

and laugh some more

and simply become filled with julia's contagious joi de vivre.

(meryl streep absolutely channelled her)

if i had to sum up julie & julia in just a few words,

i'd say exactly what my new sweet friend beth said after it was over..

'that was just lovely'.

it really was.

happy monday

and bon appetit!

ps. and if you become as obsessed with julia and her food and life as i did

(i think you will)

you'll love this website

fffffff friday

2009-08-14T11:44:00.019-04:00

'f' is for...

...freedom...

...flowers...

...following...

...finding...

...it's for friendship...

{gnomeoftheeast}

...fun...

{bomobob}

and best of all

...'f' is for friday...

wishing you a fabulous weekend!

big jumps

2009-08-12T12:10:00.017-04:00

a catchy little ditty

for a bit of mid-week inspiration..

i'm going through lots of creative changes right now..

(completely self-inflicted changes)

..pushing myself to explore my photography

in new and exciting ways

(oh so new and exciting to me)

and i find that the words to this song

are really inspiring and just right there

where i am

right now

because to me

truly living a creative life involves

taking chances

going on explorations

(inside and outside ourselves)

and

moving (jumping) beyond that comfortable place

and into the place

that gives you goose bumps

(you know the one..the scary one..where you feel most alive)

hope to see you there.

al fresco

2009-08-10T11:09:00.007-04:00

if i could have it my way

i'd eat outside each and every day

..and bathe too

(it's true)

everything's more adventurous out in the fresh air.

don't you think?

*images via vogue living

(merci mrs. french)

happy friday kids!

2009-08-07T11:45:00.006-04:00

{jessjamesjake}

there have been

lots of parties and gatherings this summer

and they have me thinking of themes for one that i'd like to throw

(besides my 'game day' for which i am gathering the likes of

bocce ball, badminton and croquet..but more about that another time..)

{calloohcallay}

{beautifulliving}

{verhext}

something old fashioned..retro..with vintage hats..

maybe with piles of them at the front door

for guests to choose from..

{littlegreensquirrel}

with good old fashioned refreshments..

singapore slings, gin fizzes, mint julips,

(and maybe a few shirley temples)

out in the garden

{postroadvintage}

under strings of paper lanterns

{ameliasretrovogue}

with lots of ella and louie playing

{goodeye}

which hat would you pick to wear?

{yestreen}

it's summertime

it's friday

here's to doing something festive..

and wishing you a happy happy weekend!

so many uses for a teaspoon

2009-08-04T12:07:00.008-04:00

***

people can be just so amazing...

a little something to put you in a happy mood

on this tuesday

hadley hutton...so much gorgeousness

2009-07-31T15:09:00.010-04:00

airy sweet light rich imaginative

dreamlike

fluttery feminine

fairytale-ish

modern vintage

are a few words that come to mind

when i look at hadley hutton's work

gorgeously inspiring these make me so happy

and i want all of them

are a few other words i can think of too.

for all you (luckies) in portland oregon..

you can see her monoprints in person at tilde august 7th

(reason #4579 i want to move to portland)

and

for the rest of us..

we can always find her beautiful pieces here and here.

hope you have a fabulous weekend

full of things that make you happy.

kind over matter

2009-07-29T11:23:00.022-04:00

i have a new happy habit

of visiting this website each day

for a dose of inspiration

and a heaping helping of good feelings

miss amanda oaks and miss jenn gibson

have created a beautiful world over at kind over matter

where thoughtful artwork and handmade is celebrated

and a good feeling is always guaranteed.

enjoy your visit(s)

miles and miles

2009-07-27T09:23:00.015-04:00

50 of them to be exact...

and

when the weekend was through

we had explored 40 of the 5o miles

of the crazy flea-market

running along route 90 this weekend.

rolling through farmland

linking villages to farms

and people to people

it was such a great way to slow down

and stop in all the little towns

and take closer looks at houses

and cafes and barns

(i have a serious thing for barns..

i'll show you my ever-growing photo collection one of these days)

people came from all around the northeast..

i met ladies who drove in from rhode island

who started the 50 mile drive (crawl)

on thursday.

i didn't know what to expect

and now i do.

it's a big party for people who love antiques

(and junk too)

who love history

and who just love to dig

and roam.

i was in heaven

we couldn't have stuffed much more into the jeep

and i still spent

less than $100.

{these days in french life}

what a great weekend.

hope you had a fun one too.

what did you do?

dear summer, please slow down

2009-07-24T10:47:00.022-04:00

{shining egg}

is it just me

or did this week fly right by?

i can't believe it's friday already

(not complaining!)

but really

how did it get to be the end of july?

{catherine...}

{lifelovepaper}

it's just that

this summer is turning out to be so gorgeous..

{mywhimsy}

i want to slow it down

to hang on to

each and every second of it

{catherine...}

each and every summer stroll

(especially those late afternoon-and-into-the-evening ones..

aren't those the best?)

{bethretro}

every drop of sunshine

{catherine...}

those lazy summer naps

(mmmm...aren't THOSE the best?)

each and every delicious bite

of all the amazing summer produce

(and eating it outside..

that's most definitely the best)

{tja'sha}

and just soak up all the gorgeousness

of this sweet season

while it's still here

wishing you a beautifully summer-filled weekend...

what are you going to do?

..tomorrow there is a 50~mile long antiques/flea market

here in upstate ny..

(i don't think i'm going to be able to sleep tonight

i'm so excited)

see you next week

with lots of pics!

*thanks to all of my flickr friends for these beautifully quintessential summer moments*

a quiet post

2009-07-22T11:57:00.011-04:00

clean

simple

handmade

vintage

and

all from etsy

today

some of my favorite things

on a quiet wednesday

wishing you a happy one

a different path

2009-07-20T11:11:00.037-04:00

so we left the house

all excited about going berry picking this weekend..

ready to take a million photos

and pick a billion berries

with visions of making tarts and pies

and filling our mouths with piles of them

fresh from the bushes

...strawberries, huckleberries, blackberries and raspberries..

just like i did when i was a kid

(i still remember the very first blackberry i ate right from the vine)

only to find that the farm

was already sold out of all of its berries

for the season

(what? how can this be..so early in the season?

well..then again, we're talking about organic berries..

which are sadly, very hard to come by around here)

darn. i was so super disappointed

..mad at myself really..

for having put off our little berry adventure again and again

(we'd been talking about picking them ourselves for months and months..)

then i remembered something i had read that morning..

a little thought of the day

(yogi teas come with small phrases, words of wisdom

printed on their tea tags..)

which most of the time

really do make me atleast think for a moment

during the day

this one said

'empty yourself and let the universe fill you'

(something more poetic, but along those lines)

and suddenly

i realized just exactly what this meant

and just exactly how it could help the situation

(yogi tea..you are my personal guru..yes you are!)

so i threw away my expectations

(mainly my disappointment)

and

we just set out exploring the countryside

with no plans at all

to see what we could find

..we discovered all sorts of great things..

a sweet little nature preserve

sortof hidden and tucked away

with a beautiful pond

and

all sorts of overgrown paths

(not scary overgrown..)

just sweet and smelling of chamomile

and begging to be explored

and

we played like kids

and snapped a million photos

and found strange little spaces

that sparked a billion creative ideas

and

realized we had found a really great spot

to come back to again and again

for more exploring

and for portraits

(i'm dreaming of doing some self-portraits and also using models..)

no berries this weekend

(but believe me..i'm thinking of driving out to the catskills..i hear there are still plenty there)

and funny enough

i can whole-heartedly say that it was one of the best i've had

in a very very long time.

hope you had a great weekend too..

happy monday to you!

a yellow day

2009-07-17T11:25:00.010-04:00

my dear friend the sun came for a visit yesterday

(a long long awaited visit, i might add)

it blanketed everything

with it's beautiful

*warm*

yellow glow

i decided to celebrate its return

with a bundle of sunflowers

fresh and sweet

from our little farmer's market.

they're just about the happiest flowers on earth

don't you think?

i love the way they capture the sun

and throw it right back at us

laughing with yellow happiness

and although our little visit was short and sweet

(it packed up and left this morning)

the sun left me with just enough sweetness

to last me until our next visit

i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be back again soon

and for

a much longer time, next time..

(don't get me wrong, i love rain

but

it is summer afterall)

wishing you a happy weekend

full of warmth and sunshine

(and if you do see it, please tell it to come back my way for a while)

random sweetness..of the very best kind

2009-07-15T12:26:00.007-04:00

imagine opening your mailbox

and getting a

hand-decorated

*hand-written*

letter

from a complete stranger..

an entire village in ireland did.

and if all goes according to plan,

you eventually will too.

how sweet and wonderful people can be.

(this last one really makes me smile)

wishing you a beautiful wednesday

full of sweet surprises.

ps. do you think it would be cheating if i mailed them my address?

..just a thought..

soft seafoam seashell dreams..

2009-07-13T15:37:00.008-04:00

where do mermaids frolic..

seashells glisten..

and starfish sleep?

in my dreams. that's where.

maybe it's all the rain we've had this summer

combined with my love for the sea..

because

i'm filled with thoughts of water

glistening pools, deep oceans and sweet shorelines

soft colors

rich pearls

and

delicate details.

..a few water-inspired treats in my jewelry shop..

oxo

happy holiday

2009-07-04T18:26:00.004-04:00

{darling dexter}

wishing you a happy happy

and very sparkley

4th o' july!

a very soft summer

2009-07-02T11:30:00.014-04:00

{makool}

mist and fog

and drizzly days

and nights

and mornings

and evenings

that's what my summer has been made of so far

but you know

i really love it..

{tuscanystudios}

the moodiness

the lushness

(the plants are exploding with gratitude for all of the moisture)

{countrydreaming}

it's all soft

the air

and the ground

the colors

and the light

{violetjulia}

it's calming

and instead of making me want to nap

(well,..naps are nice..)

it makes me want to go exploring

it sets my imagination rolling with visions

of mysteries and fairytales

{samphoto}

and then there's the cool air..

mmmm...it's a very nice summer so far.

how's your's going?

i'd love to hear.

happy happy weekend

2009-06-05T11:58:00.015-04:00

{irene suchocki}

it's friday (alleluiah!)

it's breezy and warm

{irene suchocki}

and the sky is filled

with

big big beautiful clouds

{labokoff}

they're just so sweet

and full of something special

i don't really know what it is exactly

but

they always send me dreaming..

{jacqleen bleu}

..they make me think of travelling

{alicia bock}

..of long slow days at the beach

{labokoff}

..of long sweet walks

{alicia bock}

..of just laying in the grass under a big tree

and doing nothing

but watching time float by

mmm...

sounds like the perfect weekend to me.

wishing you a happy one.

so much love

2009-06-01T11:02:00.012-04:00

do you know people that just seem to have

extra large hearts..

with so much love to give

as if they have a never-ending well of kindness

and generosity inside?

you know the ones..

they're always giving and giving

and

thinking of others

..taking the time to say

and do kind things

in the most generous

(and usually surprising)

ways..

they are full of life

noticing beauty in everything around them

(and best of all..they share it with the rest of us..)

i have been so incredibly lucky to become friends

with one of those super extra special beautiful people

and when i say beautiful

i mean utterly gorgeous inside and out

(just take a peek at her flickr site

and you'll see what i mean..seriously..you'll be so very inspired)

cori inspires me constantly

with her beautiful photos

and entertaining little journal entries..

(some are so heart felt and some are hilarious)

she recently sent me the most amazing envelope full of love

and sweet wishes

made of her gorgeous photos and postcards

..completely out of the blue..

and well, just because.

somehow she knew i needed it.

(she's just like that)

oh and did i mention

that we haven't even met in person yet??

(the online community is an amazing thing..)

thank you sweet cori.

i'm so happy to call you my friend.

now for a little more inspiration,

please do yourself the favor of visiting cori's beautiful shop

full of her art and vintage goodies.

maybe you can become her friend too.

xox

little gatherings

2009-05-29T09:21:00.013-04:00

i stumbled upon this sweet blog a few months ago

and haven't been able to get these beautiful little bouquets off my mind

(not that i would want to anyway..)

each sweet collection has an ease and naturalness to it

as if jill has been gathering

little gems from her own garden

i love the casualness of the cans and bottles

she puts them in

and the birch wrapped vases..

and her choice of rich colors and textures..

oh i'm so inspired

and

i hope you are too!

wishing you a gorgeous weekend

full of inspiration

and beautiful things.

xox

it's a sale...

2009-05-27T10:24:00.007-04:00

so i'm extra pleased to announce

that tomorrow

a really short, but oh so sweet, sale is taking place on etsy!

marichelle of hearthandmade is hosting a 30 minute sale

in etsy's virtual labs

featuring lots of great sellers

including me

(my very first sale!!!)

as an extra treat

all day thursday (from 8am-midgnight)

i will be offering free shipping

for all of my photos in my photography shop

simply enter 'shoplivepresale'

in the message section of your transaction.

also

during the 'shop live' sale event,

you'll find an even bigger surprise discount

in my photo shop..

(oh, i'll go ahead and tell you..you know how i am with secrets..

20% off of all prints

from 7-7:30 pm eastern)

sound like fun?

well, it will be!

lots of other great etsy artists will be participating as well

so you're sure to find something(s) you just can't resist.

handmade + etsy + sale = happiness

see you then!

xox

sweet shady places

2009-05-25T09:39:00.019-04:00

i've been thinking a lot lately

of how lucky i was to grow up in the south..

oh yes,

it was unbelievable hot and humid for so much of the year

(especially those crazy long summers..)

but that heat and humidity created the most lush surroundings

and

keenly created within us southerners

a highly developed appreciation

for shade.

and now

(some years later..)

i'm just so full of luscious images and memories

of special shady spaces

my sister and i would find

during the hot moist summer months..

we'd create other worlds beautiful and hidden

playing and napping

for hours under big pink azalea bushes..

in caves of dripping ivy..

or way up high in heavy magnolia trees

(the branches were like staircases and just begged to be climbed)

..i can still smell the scent of the flowers and feel the waxy beauty of the leaves..

and find myself now filling my environment with plants

and greenery

and now that it's getting warm outside (at last..)

my eyes and my thoughts are drifting towards shady spots

..for tucking away and relaxing

sketching

and

dreaming

airy spots

open with warm breezes blowing through

and full of natural light..

creative spaces that embody that carefree relaxed feeling

i had as a child.

so many of debi treloar's images take me to that place.

she so beautifully captures

that fresh relaxing hide-away feeling

(that i think is actually very possible to create in our own lives)

i'm so unbelievably inspired to turn those memories into reality.

what are you finding inspiring these days?

i'd love to hear.

xox

happy tears

2009-05-24T12:25:00.008-04:00

hi all!

i thought i would pop in and help sweeten your sunday

with this beautifully touching video

i just stumbled across.

i love bright eyes..their words are so thoughtful..

and i just discovered

the videos are too...

oh and i dare you not to tear up while your watching

(and listening..)

ahhhh, love.

happy sunday to you

full of sweet things!

xox

filling a space..

2009-05-18T10:16:00.012-04:00

back in college..

(a few years back..)

my focus was sculpture.

if you know my jewelry work now,

you might be surprised to find out that my sculptures

were on a very (very) large scale.

...huge welded free-standing pieces, taller than me...

that eventually grew into installations that filled rooms and outdoor spaces.

i was young (ish) and dumb (ish)

and took very few photos of my work.

(just enough to get into grad school..)

and so of course i don't have many to show now.

(but i'll dig some up to show you in the future...promise...)

when i saw this video on my sweet friend mrs. french's inspiring blog last week,

my heart swelled and felt a rush of happy familiarity

(and the urge to create installations again..)

the music is beautiful

lisa hannigan has a great voice

the musicians are so sweet to watch

(check out the red ukulele! i am so going to learn someday..)

and of course,

seeing them all work together is so wonderful.

(that's another neat thing i miss...working with other people)

the room they create is gorgeous too..

oh,

just watch and you'll see..

have a gorgeous monday

full of inspiration!

xox

ps. i'll see you friday instead of wednesday because i'll be in nyc for a few days

taking photos, visiting museums, stuffing my face with great food

and best of all,

visiting my sweet friend christina.

tea for two..or three..

2009-05-15T10:34:00.012-04:00

{edamame at tao of tea}

there are about 567,894 reasons why i love portland, oregon.

(maybe more, actually..)

and

on a recent trip to lovely pdx,

(for my birthday, yay!)

i took my mom and sister to one of my very very favorite places for tea.

(it's also one of my top reasons for wanting to move to portland..)

it's the original location of

the tao of tea

we popped in out of the rain

for a quick cup of tea..

and found that we really didn't want to leave.

it's the sort of place that you just want to linger

and soak up the zen japanese atmosphere

it's so calming and

the beautiful menu is so tempting..

so we stayed

for 3 pots of tea

and edamame

and these delicate little wraps with spinach leaves

peanuts, toasted chopped coconut with almonds (amazing combination),

tiny bits of fresh lime, fresh ginger and onion.

and we were happy.

(and i was especially happy to share this with my beautiful sister and mom.

..thanks for a wonderful birthday guys!)

xox

if you're in the portland area, i highly recommend visiting the original belmont location

or better yet, wait until i'm there and we'll go together.

in the meantime,

have a great weekend full of things you love.

the sweetness of goodbyes and hellos

2009-05-13T08:57:00.021-04:00

hello dear friends!

oh, i can't believe that it's been almost a month since my last post.

believe me,

i have thought about you guys a lot

and thought about writing..

(oh so many things to write about..too many maybe..)

if you could see behind the curtain..you'd find 6 or 7 started,

but unfinished little postings.

the past few weeks have been full

with lots of thinking and feeling

and not a lot of saying.

it was a windy month full of sadness and change.

where i just let my thoughts float and fly away on the breeze..

lots of reflection

and letting go.

i said goodbye to my dear old sweet kitty, flipina.

my little girl who had been my pillow and song-partner for 15 years.

(she would always come and sing next to me whenever i'd sing or cry..

she especially loved 'black bird' by the beatles..you know the one)

i said goodbye to my dear aunt as well.

my aunt who lived in guadalajara

and taught us how to make fresh tamales each christmas dinner.

who loved color so much and is probably the reason i ever started making jewelry.

there was a lot of sadness

and so much beauty in it all too.

there was lots and lots of reminiscing

and reliving so many memories and so much love.

there's a quiet beauty in tucking those sweet memories in safely into our hearts

feeling thankful for them

and knowing they'll always be there.

looking at the explosion of spring flowers everywhere

(is it just me, or are there more blooms this year??)

has me thinking about the nature of change.

seeing buds popping

flowers blooming in all of their glory

and then fading and dropping off so that the trees can grow.

it's an amazingly gorgeous process

when you think about it.

life is change, i suppose.

and i think i'm okay with that.

wishing you a lovely wednesday.

see you friday.

xox

secrets and surprises..

2009-04-15T10:42:00.010-04:00

{anna ritskhe}

hi all!

just popping in quickly to say hello.

and to say that i have a secret

(how horrible am i??!)

i honestly love blabbing my secrets

especially when i'm excited about them..

but

this one i just have to keep to myself for the moment.

okay,

i'll tell you atleast this much..

i'm being interviewed by a magazine as a featured artist... this afternoon.

oop. i have to stop there,

because once i get started..

well, you know.

more to come as things develop though, i promise.

in the meantime have a gloriously gorgeous wednesday

full of surprises large and small.

xoxo

(extra x's and o's today..)

just because

2009-04-13T09:00:00.013-04:00

because it's monday

and because it was a long weekend full of sick pets and vet visits

and because that got me thinking about how much

our furry babies mean to us..

how sweet and hilarious

and full of love they always are

no matter what..

and because they can always make us laugh..

and because it's always nice to

start your week off with a smile...

..a few hilariously charming and adorable photos styled by cynthia altoriso

in honor of our little furry friends.

wishing you a happy monday!

*photographed by shaw & leach

backdrops by charles broderson

***photographed by charles broderson

backdrops by charles broderson

green is good

2009-04-10T09:42:00.007-04:00

in my wanderings around the neighborhood yesterday

i spied some things that i've been waiting (patiently?) for

for a very very long time..

tiny buds, little grasses, sweet ferns (life!)

were pushing up and out of the ground, out of tree branches, bushes, everywhere.

and oh

how happy this made me.

i mean really really happy...giddy in fact.

so giddy that i ran home (mmm..probably more like skipping, actually..)

and immediately started working on

new earrings and pendants

inspired by the new glorious green-ness.

these earrings were the first that i finished..

and there will be more sprouting up in my bead shop

over the weekend.

my musings, on wednesday, of far away beaches and romantic things

are still very much alive and will continue to inspire me throughout the next few months..

it's just that i can now happily add to my collection

inspiration from things closer to home as well.

wishing you a gorgeous holiday weekend

full of inspiration and all sorts of things that make you happy (or even giddy..) too.

these romantic things..

2009-04-08T11:13:00.010-04:00

with warm weather on it's way

(it will make it to ny eventually too, i just know it will..)

my thoughts are wandering to far away beaches

{erica tanov}

warm wind and going barefoot

feeling languid and free

{erica tanov}

wearing long flowing dresses and light linen blouses

{erica tanov}

gathering with friends in the garden

dancing under lanterns

hanging from tree limbs

all sorts of romantic images are floating through my head these days

inspiring new earrings..

some organic and flowing

some colorful and festive

all full of spring sweetness

you can find them in my shop now

with more coming over the next few days and weeks.

*many thanks to the lovely mrs.french who introduced me to the gorgeous work of erica tanov

whose clothing and images perfectly captured the mood i'm in these days.

i hope you enjoy!

butterfly dreams..

2009-04-06T10:44:00.018-04:00

{thompson designs}

do you ever have dreams that you can fly?

i used to.

when i was a child i had them all the time.

i could flap my arms really really hard and lift my body up

and i would soar through the sky...

usually just out of the grasp of some scary monster.

i haven't had those dreams in years.

until last night.

the flying dream came back.

this one was different though,

{tuscany studios}

last night i was in a field of wildflowers

and there was a little butterfly there (not a scary monster)

who playfully fluttered around

trying to get me to follow it.

i knew if i tried hard enough

that i could fly with it.

(you know how you just know these things in dreams)

{violet bella}

so i tried and tried

i flapped my arms (just like i used to when i was a kid)

i ran and jumped

and nothing.

my body felt heavy and i felt sad.

my body wasn't responding the way it used to.

more butterflies flew past

almost in slow motion

and i noticed how gracefully and effortlessly

they were flitting about.

suddenly i knew

that i was trying too hard.

i didn't need to flap and run and jump.

if i would just relax

breathe

just let myself become light

let myself lift up

the rest would take care of itself

{irene suchocki}

and so i did.

i breathed really deeply

calmly

i stopped thinking and panicking

and i let myself go.

i started rising up up into the air

floating above the fields

where hundreds of butterflies

were fluttering and diving

all around me.

i could feel soft wind from their delicate wings.

it filled me with utter and complete joy.

{au fil de..}

when i woke up

i was smiling..completely relaxed

as if i had been on a long journey

..a vacation.

my fists weren't clenched (as they often are these days)

and i realized that i really needed this.

it was like a gift from something deep deep inside myself..

(maybe an early birthday gift?..i'm having a big one in a few weeks..ahhh!)

{alicia bock}

whatever it was, it was beautiful

and i'm going to try to keep that feeling with me.

dreams are so fascinating,

especially when they can affect you so profoundly.

do you have any that you remember so clearly?

thanks for letting me indulge myself with that one!

wishing you a very happy and peaceful beginning of the new week..

and sweet sweet dreams.

*all of the beautiful photos i gathered from fellow etsy friends..please pay them a visit when you have time.

and the winner is..

2009-04-03T12:43:00.013-04:00

really quickly, before i announce the winner of the give-away,

i have to say that all of you guys were so great to play along!

your stories were hilarious

and i've been smiling just thinking about all the great silliness out there.

i'm filled with all sorts of ideas for pranks now

(you know, if i ever decide to do something like that..of course..)

so,

i put all of the names in a bowl

closed my eyes

and drew the name of..

congratulations to you

miss ashley!

i'll contact you and get all of your info

and get right to work on your special surprise heart this weekend.

thanks everyone for playing!

it was so much fun,

i will definitely be doing many more giveaways in the future.

in the meantime,

have a beautiful weekend

filled with all sorts of surprises!

april fool's fun..a little giveaway

2009-04-01T16:57:00.014-04:00

hello again!

i thought i would surprise everyone with two blog posts today.

seeing that it's april fool's day and all..

and who doesn't like surprises?

especially when they're

in the form of a give-away..

this is how we're going to play..

just leave a comment on this blog post

and tell me about your most memorable prank..

either played on you or by you

at some time in your life.

for example,

maybe your sister played a tape recording of you

singing 'you light up my life' to your entire 3rd grade class

(oh yes, that did happen..and i have not forgotten it..amy..)

tell me all about yours, don't be shy

i'd love to hear!

on friday, april 3

i'll draw a name at noon (eastern time)

and announce the winner

here on my blogitty blog.

what do you get if you win?

why,

you'll receive one of my surprise hearts

from my bead shop,

that's what.

for more info on what these surprise heart pendants are..

just check here.

i suppose this is a treat rather than a prank..

but it's my little surprise for you.

wishing you a very happy april 1st.

tea with amber alexander

2009-04-01T10:36:00.012-04:00

i don't remember how i first discovered her work..

through my many blissful hours of roaming

through the pages and pages

of talent on etsy..i'm sure.

but i do remember being happy that i had a hot pot of tea next to me

as i found myself journeying along with amber alexander

and her beautiful little creatures

on their travels and adventures.

..some mischievous

some innocent..

and all very playful.

they remind me of a more painterly and rich version

(just look at those colors and brushstrokes..gorgeous)

of the work of beatrix potter,

whose imaginative work i loved as a child (and still do).

amber leads me back to that imaginary place

that i never want to forget

no matter how old i get.

now go put on a pot of tea, grab lots of honey and please join byron and me

for a little journey this afternoon.

*oh and thank you to isabelle who just reminded me of amber's great blog..

check it out too.

monday monday..

2009-03-30T12:07:00.015-04:00

sometimes mondays start with a spark

a flash an energy and excitement to start the new week

and sometimes they start with a whimper

a sigh and a little bit of hesitation.

today it started with a big yawn

and a realization that our sunny warm (ish) weekend

had given way somewhere during the night to

snow.

what??

this is serious news that calls for drastic measures..

as much as i wanted to dive back under the covers

and bury myself deep deep deep down inside

i decided the best way to arm myself for this snowy day

was to take

a bath.

i love baths.

it's a serious addiciton.

(and a very healthy one, if you ask me)

it always has been.

i would spend hours in the tub as a little girl

playing with bubbles and boats

pretending i was a mermaid

but now i don't play in them as much

i luxuriate in them.

i meditate. i dream. i think about the day past, or the day to come.

baths are a place to just be.

they're nurturing, pampering, relaxing

even uplifting.

they help set your mind straight.

really.

they warm you to the bone

on cold nights

(or, ahem, mornings..)

and it's easy to pamper yourself

(an oh so neccessary, i think)

you can also transform a bath (and yourself)

by adding a cup of milk and a few drops of lavender oil..

or a handful of rose petals or slices of apple

or sweet herbs and flowers from the garden

***

a tablespoon of honey (the raw type is the best)

and a cup of oats..

and of course, yummy soaps.

handmade and natural are my favorites

especially from here, here, and here.

..and then a nice pot of hot tea off to the side

is wonderful too..

of course,

if you're like me and you eventually have to get out of the tub

and actually get a little work done..

a nice strong green tea with lots of caffeine is probably a good idea.

what do you do to take care of yourself?

wishing you a gorgeous monday.

***please click on the stars to direct you to the photo credits.

time is flying by..i want to ride along

2009-03-27T23:40:00.018-04:00

oh, happy happy friday everyone!

today was such a busy day.

i felt like i was flying around town, racing from here to there.

you know those days

when you have to consciously slow yourself down

to really breathe and enjoy the sunshine.

i had a beautiful story planned for you guys

and then life happened,

my projects today took twice as long as i had hoped,

things really changed..

(in happy and surprising ways, actually!)

so i decided to save the story for you

for next week.

for now, i'd like to share this image with you (above)

it's one i took this week

as part of a little film project i've started.

nothing big, but a new little creative exercise.

it grew out of a realization that's been dawning on me lately.

it's about coming to terms with

living in this small small town.

(after living in austin, houston and especially, los angeles)

you realize that at the end of the day,

you have to make your own fun.

(when did i forget this??!)

so i traipsed into the cemetery next to my house

(it's our little 'park' with huge beautiful trees)

and tried capturing the wind on film.

there were people nearby who i know must've thought

i was a lunatic.

hanging dresses in trees in a cemetery..i can only imagine how it looked!

hilarious now that i think about it.

but,

i was really having fun

and the trees are the only green in town at this moment..

and

the wind was just catching the fabric so gorgeously..

and i had promised myself to stay focused on the creativity

and not worry what people think.

so there it began.

and now it's a work in progress

and i look forward to showing you more as it develops.

in the meantime,

have a really inspiring and lovely weekend.

what are you going to do???

i'd really love to hear.

dream a little dream..

2009-03-25T12:59:00.014-04:00

{colie parks}

somedays, especially breezy days like today

things feel soft and mellow and slow and sweet

{missy pips}

we don't have to say much

the sunlight seems to speak

{colie parks}

it speaks in the prettiest tones

and i love what it says

it sings

it hums

and whistles

and whispers

and it smiles.

*a little collection of dreamy polaroids i gathered for you

on this beautiful breezy wednesday..

it's all about food..n'est-ce pas?

2009-03-23T13:06:00.025-04:00

it's monday. (already??!)

and i'm thinking about food.

(didn't i do that all weekend too?)

while digging through my favorite food blogs this morning,

(my mouth completely watering..

and stomach growling..)

..looking for ideas for meals and introductions to new food to explore..

it hit me.

i wasn't just looking for food inspiration,

but for creative stimulation/inspiration too.

seriously, how can i look at a presentation of scrambled eggs , like this one

and not feel excited by it's originality?

and the cleverness doesn't stop there..

bea at the beautiful blog la tartine gourmande

is filled with gorgeous ideas and honestly,

a gorgeous way of living life

(and avec petite lessons en francais)

her site is a place where you can (happily) get lost for hours

(and i have..willingly..many many times)

bea's warmth and charm are so entertaining.

her stories about each meal..testing new food on her husband (and new bebe )

will make you smile and laugh, not to mention very very hungry.

she offers endless amounts of *hope*

for tasty eating

to gluten-free folk like me..

(and 'regular' people too!)

and oh the journeys you go on with her as they travel..

eating in her native france..

learning about olives and feta in crete..

cycling and picnicking on block island..

all the while bantering, cooking, photographing, and sharing

her beautiful life with us.

making me want to extend my creativity into all parts of my life.

her family, environment, and her food are all connected..

her personal anecdotes make you instant friends.

i especially love her story of making apple pie

with apples from her brother's garden

while visiting her childhood home in france..

i think bea's appreciation of life and food is truly art.

and i am fully completely absolutely inspired.

et vous?

i hope you have a happy and inspiring monday.

i'm off to the market now...

xox

primavera palomas

2009-03-20T14:59:00.029-04:00

it's here.

oh yes,

it's the first day of spring.

we might not be able to feel it quite yet,

but i swear the sun is already shining brighter.

it's almost laughing in the sky

telling winter (along with me) good bye.

there are new little birds singing

all around the neighborhood.

it almost feels like a disney movie..

seriously.

it's a gorgeous day today

this first day of spring.

i thought it would be fun

to end my first week of blogging

with a preview of some spring inspired paloma pendants

that i've been working on.

palomas represent hope and new life

..good things that spring

brings..

they bring

music, color, flowers..

and sunshine.

they remind us

to look at the small things..

to remember that things change and grow

and become beautiful again

in time.

that's why i love spring so much.

it reminds me to keep hoping.

and that's kindof nice.

you'll find 7 new palomas in my beadshop

this sunday around noon (eastern time).

i'm trying to get them in the shop early,

because we're going out hunting (with our cameras..not guns!) for migrating geese.

stories and pics to come next week...

in the meantime, enjoy your first weekend of spring

i hope it's full of good things.

xox

a quick hello

2009-03-19T16:20:00.008-04:00