featured artist: hello halsted

Every once in a while I come across something on Instagram or Etsy that really just kicks me in the teeth - because of its originality, beauty, uniqueness, or something akin to I wish I was that creative. It's the best kind of shock envy because it both surprises and inspires. I love supporting other artists, and sometimes I find something so spectacular that I just have to share it with others.

This week I stumbled upon Hello Halsted on Instagram through another Instagram account that I love, Poppy and Fern. Both of these ladies create stunning floral jewelry, but in very different ways. I long to have something from each of them; they're perpetually on my wishlists. Rachel of Poppy and Fern hand stitches her jewelry, and it's all amazing. She also has an affinity for poppies (as evidenced by her shop name), and I love everything she makes, especially this necklace.

Stephanie of Hello Halsted, on the other hand, uses real flowers - Queen Anne's Lace - to create her masterpieces. She dries, cuts and dyes them to create these stunning miniature watercolors trapped in resin. She typically makes a variety of necklaces and earrings, with occasional extras like rings. My favorites are the large circle, square or hexagon necklaces. Gorgeous! Did I mention she's only 25? Makes my year's to-do list seem a little underwhelming. She posts new batches of products in her online shop every 8-12 days, which sell out really fast. I love this method, though, because it means that she's constantly preparing fresh and exciting designs for each new batch. Follow her Instagram to feel fragrantly inspired by her sneak peeks and new batch posts, and definitely take a look at her shop - her new batch posts TOMORROW, November 7th, at 11am!

valentine's day eve

Happy Valentine's Day Eve/Friday the 13th! Whether you're celebrating relationships or scary movies today, I hope your weekend is full of love.

Here in Arizona it's already starting to warm up and feel like springtime, so I thought it was fitting to give my blog a little facelift! I always try to use my own photographs for my blog backgrounds, to keep it personal and avoid stealing anyone's photos. In the floral spirit, I went back through my photo archives to almost a year ago (how is that possible!?) to our last springtime in Lynchburg, VA. We took these photos as a way to cherish our little apartment there, when our magnificent tree was blossoming with its delicate pink blooms. They usually only lasted for a week or so, but then we got to enjoy a pink-splattered parking lot of petals. I'm a big fan of the way the blog turned out, thanks to some very happy captured memories. 

We have a pretty laid back Valentine's weekend planned, including going to see Kingsman: The Secret Service (#colinfirthforever) and going to a fun, late night Valentine's Day dinner tomorrow at a new restaurant. 

We will dress up, hold hands, and be merry! 

sisterhood

I have always wondered what it would be like to have a sister. 

My mom and I went to Home Depot last night to run some errands, and I wandered around in the garden section for a while, eventually stumbling upon the two gorgeous pink roses pictured above. They were growing side by side. Rosy sisters. Something struck my heart in that moment. Perhaps it was longing, or a little bit of remembrance for my younger self, who always begged and wished for a sister. Or maybe it was a little twinge of something else entirely, a nameless emotion tied to seeing something simple and beautiful. 

I grew up with 3 marvelous brothers whom I love deeply, and friends and cousins that I attached myself to as a surrogate sister. I always envied my friends who had sisters, and would chide them when they fought because I couldn't comprehend fighting with a beloved sister. As I've grown up and my siblings and siblings-in-law have gotten married, I have even gained sisters-in-law, which is such a delightful bonus to my collection of siblings.

Funnily enough, every sister-in-law I have is just like me: we all grew up without any sisters. It strikes me as very strange and kind of lovely. What are the odds? We are a gaggle of sisterless women who love each other all the more because we are each other's first experiences with sisterhood. 

Dress (remixed 1, 2): Ruche

Star Sweater: remixed

Don't get me wrong: many of my friends have been like sisters to me over the years. I do not belittle those relationships in any way. I had several "sisters" growing up that I still love and cherish. They allowed me to share my room and giggle over secrets. And my sisters-in-law expanded that realm of relationship even further, filling up our family and making it more of a girl's club!

Even so, I realize that there is a very real question tucked away in the stitches of my being that will never be answered. I'll never know what it's like to have a real sister. Which in many ways is fine, because as they say, ignorance is bliss. I don't really understand the intricacies of what I'm missing. It's not a devastating or a heartbreaking thought, it's just something that I know to be true.
There are positive influences to growing up entirely with brothers, too. I owe so much of myself to them. My interests and many aspects of my personality. I think it's possible that I am the friend that I am because I never had any sisters.

In one of my favorite parts of the movie In Her Shoes, Maggie is trying to explain her sister Rose to her husband-to-be, Simon. The first half of the movie is very dark and sad, illustrating the strain and heartbreak that has wedged the two sisters apart. Maggie is basically telling Simon that her little sister is irresponsible, frustrating, immature, selfish - and that he'll end up begging her to throw her out of their lives.

But I won't. Because she's my sister. Without her, I don't make sense. 

That part always makes me cry, mostly because of the restorative nature of forgiveness and the steadfast love and loyalty that is inherent in sisterhood. I have been blessed to know and love many sisters in the world, catching a peek at what that relationship is really like. I know I get glimpses of it. 

I shall continue assigning myself as a surrogate sister to the many kindred spirits in my life, knowing that sisterhood is a beautiful thing, in every form. 

flutter on by

I love Monday and Tuesday nights.
For the last few months, we've had two of our favorite friends come over almost every single Mon/Tues for The Bachelorette and SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance).
We order pizza, or make crepes, or grab ice cream, and/or make coffee and enjoy some quality television together.
The result is hours of fun conversation revolved around the dramatic happenings of a woman trying to find love and a group of dancers that just want to try and make their dreams come true.
We've had a blast. With the finale of The Bachelorette this past Monday, there was gasping, crying, screaming, laughing, throwing things. It was the best darn 2 hours of television I've ever experienced.
(And by the by, I was #teamChris from the very beginning!)

Dress: J. Crew, Necklace (shop!) (similar!)/Earrings/Shoes (shop!): Ruche
Bangles: Kate Spade

Yesterday's outfit was very minty fresh.
This dress was one of my favorite buys from our local J. Crew Outlet two years ago, our first year living in Virginia.
It has served as one of my favorite go-tos, and has encouraged my love for anything and everything mint in my life.

During Ruche's jewelry sale last week I snatched up one of the very last listings for this layered necklace!
It's absolutely perfect for this monochromatic look, and I can already see it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
(Especially since Ruche included a surprise pair of matching earrings for every necklace I purchased! They're the best! I would highly recommend scanning their jewelry section.)

After my husband kindly took these pictures for me out on the damp rainy asphalt, we wandered back towards our front door when we noticed all of our friendly butterflies happily grazing away at our front bushes.
There are literally hundreds throughout the summer, and I try never to take advantage of how beautiful they are to watch.
We spent the next 15 minutes or so just taking a few shots of our dear friends, watching them live their lives, just fluttering on by.

Our front door :)

pocket full of posies

On Earth Day, I decided to host a great giveaway from Posies by Cait on Etsy.
My little shop has jewelry and accessories that are picture perfect for springtime and all the happy florals that it accompanies.

On Friday, I decided to wear one of my favorite Posies in spirit of the giveaway.

My best friend and Maid of Honor in my wedding threw me a bridal shower a month before the wedding, and Posies were the favors for the guests!
It was such a wonderful idea, and this headband is one of those special favors.

While the giveaway will feature custom-made items specifically for the giveaway gift box, it will include a special spring headband as well.
Don't forget to enter the giveaway!
Today is the LAST DAY to enter, and the winner will be announced tomorrow, May 1st.

The prize will include a gift box full of gifts from Posies by Cait, including an assortment of surprises valued at $40+, and these earrings, which were posted as a "sneak peek" on Posies by Cait's Facebook page and my Instagram.

If you win, feel free to share the prizes with friends and loved ones!
A wonderful choice for Mother's Day, or simply a happy spring treat for yourself!

Happy Spring!

diy: book garland

I've found that I have begun to enter into a new stage of life, where weddings and bridal showers are few and far between, and little ones dominate the scene.

It's an incredibly exciting time, one filled with fairytales and sweets and parenthood tips, joyful laughter and cute pictures and jubilant firsts. 

While I still feel caught in the middle, somewhere between newlywed and baby bump, I can still fully appreciate both sides of the spectrum.

This past weekend we threw a baby shower for a really close friend of mine who is having her first baby girl!

One of my favorite things that I got to make is a little storybook garland.

It turned out so cute, and was incredibly simple and cost effective.

Fashion and decor really do go hand in hand.

I find that the expressions of home and personal style often coincide, as they are both manifestations of personality and individual taste. 

You really get a feel for a person when you enter into their home, just as you do by seeing how they dress and how they carry themselves. It's all wrapped into the network of style.

I love theme parties and showers, because you can take one specific idea or style and run with it!

This particular shower was girly, chic, and whimsical. Very bubbly!

For the book garland, all you'll need are:

1. Cute scrapbook paper, in the color scheme of your choice

2. Book pages (I printed out mini excerpts from Peter Pan)

3. Stapler

4. String/Yarn/Twine

5. Mini clothespins (can be found at Michael's!)

I found a page excerpt from Peter Pan from Google Images, and simply printed that 16 per page, so they were already the perfect size and ready to cut!

You could also use any old children's book (perhaps thrifted) or book pages and cut them to the desired size.

1. Cut two rectangles from your text, and fold each of them in half, to make four book pages. Then place them on top of one another, text-side up!

2. Cut out a rectangle from your scrapbook paper, just a tad bigger than your text. Fold it in half, then open it back up and place the four text pages inside, text-side up.

3. Close the book and staple the back twice (make sure the pages are up against the spine of the "book cover"). 

Voila!

Do as many mini storybooks as you desire, and hang them on a bright colored string or yarn with mini clothespins for the finished product.

I pinned them in the middle so they'd be open, and once they were hanging I went through and stretched them backward a bit to make sure they stayed open, and that the pages were splayed. 

They turned out so cute!

Easy peasy, inexpensive, and oh so darling.

signs of spring

I don't think I've ever been this anxious for Spring to arrive.

Since we moved to Virginia, it seems like Fall has been the season to capture my undivided attention. Fall is the season that is most elusive, most exciting for an Arizona girl like me. We don't have the bright yellows and oranges of changing leaves in the west coast, the sight of crisp apple orchards and bright Autumn hues, and the feel of Thanksgiving around the corner.
I distinctly remember a man telling me last year, "Just wait until Spring. In the Spring is when Lynchburg is truly beautiful."
I'm not sure I believed him, especially since I was mentally jumping into a giant pile of Fall leaves in the corner of my eye.

But this year, I'm paying attention. I'm seeing it. I'm feeling it.

Dress: J. Crew, Cardigan, old: (similar!), 
Shoes: Ruche (shop!), Earrings: Betsey Johnson (shop!)
Bangle: Kate Spade

My new self-appointed Spring trend is small pastel bags.
I found a small rectangle lavender bag, which was perfect for our trip to London and Paris.
While we were in London, I found two more small bags on sale in a great shop called Primark. One is a little circle bag, in a taupe hue with little gold studs. The other is a pretty mint blue with a tassel on the zipper.
I've never been much of a bag person, but I'm starting to be!
These little guys will be perfect for light and Spring-y outfits. All I need are my sunglasses, lip gloss and wallet and I'm good to go!

Bright white and pink blossoms have appeared all over the city, and now even the trees are beginning to sprout their little lime green leaves. It's such a powerfully fresh image, and everywhere I look I'm inspired.

What are your favorite things about Spring? :)