for just a little while.

how hard it is, i'll be unplugging & heading up to my parents' home in the country for a week. they own a large old farmhouse near the water and since temps will be hitting the 70s, i'll be dipping my toes back into lake huron & living off of pistachios & san pell.

regular posting will resume as soon as my bags hit the floor back home -- this little getaway is long overdue & i'll miss you one million! hugs.

photo source

wall happiness

shanna murray is a new favorite illustrator; how special are her wall decals?!
she lives in new york.
her blog makes me drool.

(ps. she's the one who designed sf girl by bay's logo)

WEEKEND ESSENTIALS: a visit from mama

this weekend i see my mother. she's traveling on business & always stops by when she's near. i can't wait to just sit out on our patio, breathe in the crisp spring air, and talk. i've picked up a special blend from a coffeehouse in ann arbor for sipping while we knit (a pastime i love sharing with mama) & some local macarons for devouring in bed in front of old steve mcqueen movies.

sometimes it's nice to get a fresh perspective; a recharge direct from your roots. talking with both of my parents is a always a warm reminder of where i come from & how family is so important. i'm all the more antsier for a trip up north.

chair  |  grinder |  footage

macarons  |  yarn |  knitting needles

st. vincent

dear annie clark.

i finally own your debut record.

life just got a little softer around the edges.

above image taken with my iphone

DRESSED: ikat & madewell denim diy

being someone who dresses in muted hues, i love popping my feet with color. a killer ikat print looks lovely with dark denim & i've stuffed a complementing pocket square into my shirt to break up the solid top (which i love).

want a pocket square too? have a looksee below! above i stitched madewell's faux pocket square from the same jean using pinking shears. for the front pieces, i used the opposite side of the jean for contrast & stitched them together with black thread. now go! make yours!!

button-down thrifted F21 // jegging AEO // clutch H&M // flats old navy

weekly to do list

there's a reception tomorrow evening at the kresge art center honoring the graphic design majors graduating this spring. their works will be on exhibit until may & i'm rearing see my predecessors rockin accomplishments. then i'll be traveling to monroe with husband to take care of some business & meet up with my mom-in-law. she knows of an amazing little bistro that serves a mean cherry chicken salad.

enjoy a new week lovelets! and as always, demand yourself downtime. (preferably with a guilty pleasure food where you can feel wind on your face. or in the bathtub.)

photo by becca

WEEKEND ESSENTIALS: recipe swap

with grilling season getting closer, i'm having a good old recipe swap with the girls. the temps have been a bit cooler here in michigan, so we're settling in with a bit of cheap wine, artesian cheese, and the perfect excuse for dousing some herbs with oil & bread.

so here's a sweet recipe for you! i love these in the evening when everyone's just relaxing & conversing in the backyard just before the crickets begin to sing. (used from jonathan king's stonewall kitchen grilling).

recipe box | wooden board | recipe cards

cheese wheel | olive oil | baguette

custom folio inspired by field theories

a few weeks ago my sister called asking if i would make a leather portfolio for her manuscript. she sent me dimensions, a few sketched ideas & i pulled inspiration from field theories' beautiful works.

so here it is, in all its handcrafted glory. it feels so good to work with your hands; it forces you to pull away to create something tangible & brings something quite lovely into being.

and i think she's going to like it.

ipad cases that don't suck

i just refuse to buy the ugly standard stores carry, so i've scoured for something more individualistic that will stand out in a sea of black leather. voila! these are much better.

acase cover $9.90 amazon.com // byrd & belle felt & leather sleeve $48 byrdandbelle.com // 

grove bamboo ipad case $139 grovemade.com

weekly todo list

among this week's tumult, i'm going to slow down. grab drinks at harper's, shop eastwood with husband, and potter around with some herbs in the sunshine. i know i'm not alone in this retreat; so many of us are reevaluating our allotted time for what we love. this girl is rooting for you. 

photo source

introducing DRESSED

introducing a new series i'm nuts for, DRESSED. i plan on posting a new outfit every week sharing simplicity in dressing for life.

most of what i own is very simplistic & understated gamine. i've got a thing for masculine-feminine looks & shop for classic pieces with straight lines.

my favorite thing about this outfit is my jegging! you'll see them over and over. they're my daily staple -- i wear them constantly which means they're never washed. don't judge, you do it too.

stay tuned for the next DRESSED!

sandals H&M // aviators t belt jegging AEO (store's a gem)

weekend essentials

my weekend will be a lot of recentering, refocusing, & bringing my mind back to the basics. there's so much in our daily lives that stacks and stacks and stacks that it's way too easy to become flustered & overwhelmed. my routine feels like a rat race and right now, all i'm in the mood for is living barefoot this weekend & feeding on nuts & berries.

tank // kinfolk // binoculars // shorts

i hate getting shook up.

it's one of those days where the weak surfaces without you asking for it & you find yourself crumbling behind closed doors. i've once read that bravery isn't being fearless, but being scared & still facing your fears. most often in life, once you bite the bullet of something that has you shaking, you'll come out feeling empowered & alive.  and the very best outcome of all? nothing to regret.


now then. i need a wicked cocktail of strength, god, & a wild hare quick.

quote

dog fever

hubs & I have been ready for a dog & all the training & snuggling smothering that a wee puppy needs. lately we've been having fun throwing out names & looking at puppies online in bed. (favorite names include clover, francesca, porkchop, & jaques). what would you name these jolly chunksa love? new parents would love to know! wink

kingsley the bull dog // dalmatian via escapade // frenchie

i need a studio.

there's a black hole in our apartment where unpacked boxes gather. my thoughts on the room include gutting the space & putting in a wooden desk & baller industrial what-nots. (i'm looking at you, hairpinlegs.)

top // bottom

new planner by julia kostreva

i'm so happy there's been enough on my plate again to become forgetful & lose track of some things if not scribbled down. finally i got myself a new planner & chose one by julia kostreva; she's so full of organic talent it's dizzying. it brightened my monday to find her little dandelion package in my mailbox.

high-five to well-rounded datebooks mates.

eggs for jesus

i was a little girl in my parents' farmhouse the last time i dyed eggs. they would set me and my sister down with this sweet rendition of jesus' easter story, which looking back was a fantastic way to acknowledge the season with wee babes.

two of my favorite egg displays for this easter comes from dreamy whites and a daily something.
this will be my second easter with husband & i'm so excited to instill these little traditions into our lives.