some photos

my little trip north. 

in the forest i made my home

i'm taking a trip upstate for a week or so filled with relaxing, shopping, and being a beach rat. i was good this time & didn't overpack & am throwing in a book, my plants, & hawaiian tropic oil (seriously, they've bottled the smell of summer). see you on the flip-side.

photo taken on my parents' property, upstate michigan

from the market

sunday i went out for a quiet morning on my own, and checked out the flea market just west of here. 

i found a gorgeous pack basket that holds two bottles of wine to take on our rare drives out to the water. i also brought home a large picnicking basket to use as my beach bag, a coffee bean sack that i'll stitch into a pillow covering, and a wire egg basket.  

made for a splendid first summer outing!

dreaming, thinking, and planning for a...

husband and i are waiting for a piece of property to call our own. it's been four apartments & three cities since the day we came home from our wedding. there's unpacked boxes in our would-be office corner, and more possessions in husband's parents' basement. renting is a drag, and we're plum tired of the same four walls & a leasing company telling us what we can and cannot do.

i'd much a like a real garden, and a real home with a real front door. i long for that homestead where family comes to gather & tradition fosters.

so as our hunt & wait continues, i snip plans into my spiral book, pin to my nesting board, and continue daydreaming of hammocks & door knockers. 

sigh.

WEEKEND ESSENTIALS: to the flea market

i don't get to as many flea markets as i would like, but when i do make it across town i dress comfortable for a long afternoon of wandering & loading up treasure. these leggings are a favorite of mine because they're a more structured & put-together version of their basic sister without sacrificing that unparalleled comfort. surprise feature: if you're taller like me, they hit just above your ankle which gives the pant a very jo stockton appeal. (plus, they're a steal. buy three.)

blouse  |  straw tote  |  legging  |  ballet skimmer

the drawing board: my 1st bathroom

ok so husband and i are looking at houses. ohmygosh! a house?! we're looking near the capital, where there's a lot of brick homes with fireplaces & serious cabinetry. so far my favorite is a tall historical house built in the early 1900s. not surprisingly, some baboons embraced the 80s and laced the place with heinous carpeting & wallpaper. then the 90s hit and so did the neon green paint.

no matter where we settle, the bathroom will be ripped apart first. feast your eyes on my plans to pull it off.

1. benjamin moore paint in stone white, $68 for one gallon

2. victory pendant lamp, $149

3. victorian hex mosaic tile, $69 per 9 square feet

4. wire basket, $12

5. clawfoot bath, beginning at $1,200

6. glass jars, beginning at $3

DRESSED: new wooden sandals

they're the perfect height for replacing flip-flops.
they're so comfy it's nuts.
i can't stop wearing them.

straw hat gap  //  maxi dress a&f  //  wooden sandal aeo

WEEKEND ESSENTIALS: exploring small town usa

there's times when the air is right & the agenda's free to take off & find new ground.

this weekend's one of those times. here's what i bring when the wanderlust strikes.

field notes  |  iphone cover

stanley thermos  |  ankle bootie