our NEW COUCH?

Happy Monday! Well, Ashley of Kitty Genius has introduced hubby and I to what may be our next home purchase: the Crate & Barrel Lounge Sofa in gray. We decided it might be better to invest in a long-term couch rather than spend money on an IKEA couch that will likely last only a few years. This couch comes in a nice long 93" size and is microfiber so it is easy to clean. The reviews all say it is incredibly comfortable. I adore the color and love that the shape can lend itself to just about any style.What else can we ask for in a couch? Now to find a store nearby to try it out in person...

THREE years of marriage

3 years ago today hubby and I got married in what has to have been one of the most backwards weddings ever. Everything went wrong and I was crying before the dinner reception even started because the florist failed to deliver the centerpieces and gorgeous floral topiaries from the ceremony to the hotel. We can look back on the wedding and laugh (while still grimacing a little) and even have fun shocking friends with each painful story from that day, but I still don't count our wedding day as the happiest day of my life. Don't feel sorry for me because every day since then has been the happiest day of my life. Our life has been far from what we expected and this last year has been especially challenging, but I wouldn't be able to survive it with anyone else. Hubby never fails to make me laugh and smile, encourage me in my creative endeavors, and take care of me beyond my greatest expectations. This last year as I have been sick, he has been the cook, the maid, the launderer, the grocery shopper, the breadwinner, and has somehow managed to shower me with love and laughs and time together on top of it all. He is truly my other half and I wouldn't trade 3 years of twists and turns with him for 3 years of perfection with anyone else.

I love you, hubs! Happy anniversary!

smitten with GOLD

Hubby has long made fun of me for my obsession with gold. He likes to send his impression of Austin Powers my way: "I like gooooold"... not because either of us like that movie, but just because it fits my gold obsession. I barely ever wear silver and always prefer my jewelry in gold. And I prefer gold in the house for decor except the bathroom or kitchen. I'm not sure when the gold obsession started and I don't know if it will ever end, but it continues in this post- for you.

24kt Gold Quartz Necklace

Calligraphic Collection Platter

Blue Nymphea Ring

Mint n Gold Masking Tape

DIY Gold Leaf Rocks

Kimchi Blue Peeptoe Flat

Minox Leica Mini Digital Edition Camera

Little Birch Jewelry Stand

Carmenes Curtain 

Gold Fringe Flats

the doctor prescribes RUCHING

West Elm's Organic Cotton Pin-tuck Duvet

Anthropologie's Rosette Bedding

Pottery Barn's Ruched Voile Duvet Cover

Anthropologie's Cirrus Bedding

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful and well weekend. I haven't been sleeping well lately and I have finally figured out why. My bed is definitely lacking some ruching. I am sure that if I was covered in deliciously intricate ruching, I would settle into beautiful ruching-filled dreams so much easier... 

in BED

-Flickr-

Hi friends! I've been sick for a few days so far and just wanted to let you know I'll post when I can. If I'm not posting, then I'm likely in bed. I'll get back into action on here as soon as my body allows. I hope you are all having a wonderful week! 

ALL MODERN PILLOW giveaway

My real life friend, Jess, is doing an All Modern pillow giveaway over at her blog, Cute & Cozy for Two. We could all use a new pillow, and there are so many cute ones to choose from! Head on over to her blog and enter to win by Friday the 21st.

smitten with ROOST

Roost appeals to all of the nature, animals-loving bones in my body--- which are all of my bones. Made with wood, stone, glass and fashioned after things in nature... I could fill my home with Roost 's goodies, well, way too easily.

link FRIDAY

Ruthi Auda: Ruthi is a friend of a friend. She is one of the stylists for Anthropologie. You know those amazing and ridiculously detailed displays within the store and behind the storefront windows? Yeah- she does those. Best job EVER. I have always said I could live in Anthropologie... but maybe I should just have Ruthi come and design my home.

fonts for peas: Have you ever wanted to see your handwriting as a font? I'll admit, I've considered it, but part of the fun of using fonts is that they are so much prettier than my inconsistent chicken-scrawl handwriting. If you are willing to share your handwriting, great or small, with the world, head on over to Kevin and Amanda's blog to participate in fonts for peas. (found via oh, hello friend)

Lukas VanDyke Fine Art Photography: Lukas and I went to college together and I have long been a fan of his photography. I wish I had him shoot my wedding, but we won't go into all the things I wish I had done for my wedding... My little sister, on the other hand, has gorgeous wedding photos from Lukas. His photography truly is art. He captures all the little moments and details others may not notice and manages to make any person he photographs look 100% photogenic. Someday, Lukas, I will find a need for your photography- even if I have to pull one out of thin air.

Indie Fixx's 3rd Anniversary Contest: Happy 3rd anniversary to Indie Fixx and happy contest to us! Jen has four amazing prize bundles ready for the giveaway, donated by some amazing artists. You can comment four times a day and the contest closes on August 20th, so get on over there and get your comments in!

DIY Baby Food Jar Chandelier: Thank you, Natural Home Magazine. With all of the DIY chandeliers floating around the internet these day, you'll never have to buy one again! This is one of my favorites so far because I love the two levels. I'd definitely make it without all the little wire curlies though.

Happy Friday, friends! Have a wonderful back-to-school weekend!

inspiration: KIM CORNELISON

I want to live in Kim Cornelison's photographs. Each of her shots is rich and full of simple pleasures. Every single photograph inspires me to no end. I'm especially stuck on the ironing board shot. I don't know what the rest of the house looks like, but I am sure I want to live there and I am sure ironing has never been so fun as in that photo.

madewell & BATHROOM INSPIRATION

You never know where you will find inspiration. When hubby and I were on the East Coast many months ago, we saw this scarf in Madewell. Immediately I knew that it was the bathroom color scheme I was looking for: white, gray, black, aqua, chartreuse, and you can barely see it but there are accents of a pale peach. It's just perfect. Hubby agrees. And someday we will actually have a constructed bathroom to decorate. Madewell: providing us with fabulous clothes and bathroom inspiration since 1937.

HOMAKO makes me smile

Homako is filled with beautiful and inventive fabric necklaces and other little tidbits. I can just imagine this sweet girl smiling at her sewing machine in Japan as she creates each item. And as her Etsy shop says:

To create stuff make me so Happy..

I want my friends(=my creations) makes you happy too!!!!!!

If you have any question,free to ask me!(even if you just say HI! to me I will be happy!)Iwould love to talk to you!!hehehe

See? Now hasn't she already made you happy?

whimsical WEDNESDAY

1.) The Gardener Bookmark: I love these bookmarks. Instead of having the usual bookmark tassel sticking out of your book, you can create a little gardening scene. You can then enjoy looking at the book as much when it is closed as when it is open.

2.) Squirrelcup Mini-print: Just because it would be cute, and a little frightening to find a squirrel staring up at you from the bottom of your coffee cup. After the initial scream, I would probably ooh and aah and feed it a crumb of my toast.

3.) Charles Eames as a Log Print: The answer to our burning question of what Charles Eames would look like as wood.

4.) Put It Here Hook: I picture this as the last hook you pass before leaving the house. It could hold keys, an umbrella, or a lunch sack. "Hey! You forgot this!" yells the disturbing hand poking out of the wall. "Wow, thanks, Mr. Hand. Where would I be without you?" you say as you grab the forgotten item, flash the hand a smile and wink, and head out the door to your salsa lesson.

smitten with LACE

Soft French Lace Bag

Lace Peach Porcelain Buttons

Lena Corwin Wallpaper

Doily Rug

Tikrani Lace Vest

Vintage Lace Letterpress Note Card Set

Memories of Summer Set

DIY Paper Lace via Project Wedding (introduced by Knack)

Sepia Lace Lamp Shade

Juliette Lace Necklace

Lace Fence- yes, please!

"I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin."          Coco Chanel ~ April 29, 1939