Ben & Mason

Last month I got to second shoot with Heather for one of my best childhood friends! Mason and I were inseparable from kindergarten through 5th grade, when we got put in different classes. It was so awesome (and a little crazy) to get to be with her on her big day. The wedding was so classy and beautiful, and of course Mason looked stunning! Since I was second shooting, these are mostly candid, but I thought it would be fun to share them anyway.

Some desserts for the groom and his groomsmen before the wedding.

I never tire of the groomsmen acting like they're being poked by the boutonniere pin. 

Dad's first look at his daughter.

This was taken while Heather was getting a shot of them together without seeing each other. Mason got a little emotional, and it was the sweetest thing. 

The buffet centerpiece was pretty spectacular! I'm so happy for Ben and Mason. They are such a sweet couple. Hope you all enjoyed the pictures and have a wonderful week!

Flowers and the Feline

Today's post is going to be really simple...like most of my posts are I suppose. My aunt asked me if I could take some pictures of flowers for her to print for her home, so I took a few on Saturday. I love to get fresh flowers from the farmer's market when I make it out there, so I picked some up. I think some of the pictures look nice, but I'm going to take a few more in the next few days.

I like the second and third ones best. I also took the opportunity to snap some pictures of my little Dudley lounging on the table. Don't worry, I never eat at that table anyway. He actually sat there and let me take several of him! He usually skitters away. And yes...I know he's abnormally large. I'm convinced he's half panther. This was pretty much what my whole weekend looked like. Just lounging around the house, besides a few hours where I helped my step-mom prime some closet shelves. It was nice to get stuff done around the house!

Ok, moving on from fine flowers and feline friends, I'm going to Little Rock for a conference in a couple of days! My friend, Gabrielle, is coming along, and we'd love some suggestions for where to visit. Any antique/vintage/thrift shops would be great, or some fun eateries. We're up for exploration!

Sweet Blue Rain

I've made reference to my friend Margaret being my Goodwill good luck charm, and this skirt is definitely proof of that. It's a tad too small, but I couldn't say no to the cool details on the waist and the soft, pretty color. It would probably be more flattering if it hit at the knee, but I already know it would sit in the closet waiting to be altered. Most of my other skirts are knee length, so I suppose a little variety is always good. Of course I stuck with my typical plain top/necklace combo, then wore my new favorite wedges AGAIN. Whenever I find shoes for really cheap, I end up wearing them way more than the pricey ones.

Margaret and I took these pictures on the first day of rain in at least a month. We were in desperate need of some rain, so I was more than happy to take my pictures in it! After this day we had rainy weather for about a week. It was so needed! You can tell from the last picture here that I was pretty excited about it.

details:

top- Target

skirt- thrift find

shoes- Ross (Wanted brand)

necklace- flea market

I hope you all have a great weekend! I don't have plans, so I'll probably try to get a lot of wedding stuff done. It's getting closer. Only 78 days to go!

Christmas in July Sale

In the spirit of Christmas in July (this is a big thing on Etsy), I decided to do a little sale for the last half of this wonderfully sweltering month. If you buy any print in any size in my shop, you get a print absolutely free! All you have to do is let me know which print you want free when you check out. The standard rule of "free item must be equal or lesser value" applies. A lot of folks buy my images to display in sets, so this would be a perfect time to get yourself a cute set of 2 for that blank wall in your home!

Fourth Stitch Fix

Remember how I posted about Stitch Fix (back in April)? Well, I've been getting a box each month since then, and for some strange reason haven't shared the other two! I just get so excited about ripping open that box that I forget to photograph the items. Fortunately, I remembered this time! I kept an awesome blazer from box 2, and nothing from box 3. I was pretty pleased with this box, but I only ended up keeping one shirt. Here's a rundown of what I got...

 
This bracelet was almost too beautiful to say no to, but I'm trying to be good about my spending...or at least better...so I passed on it. Maybe if I knew I would wear it, but I know it would just sit on my dresser and collect dust because I very rarely sport bracelets, especially fancy ones. 

 

Lucca Couture - High Low Floral Tank Dress

I absolutely love the high-low hemline that has been getting around lately (though Rhett informed me he thinks it's ugly). I was pretty pumped about this dress, but then it was way too loose in the bust area. You can see from the picture that I was having to hold it up. I could definitely adjust the straps, but even then, it's not the most flattering. The waistline is all the way up under the bust, which isn't a great look for me. If they made a dress with this print and material with a cinched waistline, I would definitely scoop it up! 

 findersKeepers Carousel Shirt

I like the color of this shirt a lot, but it was way way way too loose fitting for me. I just don't like the cut of it. It happens! It definitely has good qualities, like the pleating and the cool buttons...it just isn't right for me. 

 jaloux (sorry can't find this one online)

This is a lot more my style as far as blouses go, but I wasn't a fan of the fabric. Of course it's going to be wrinkly when it comes out of the box, but I've had shirts that felt similar before and they don't iron well. It was like a silky fabric, but not as slick. Not sure what it's called!

Ark & Co. (can't find this online either)

Last, but not least, is the top that I'm keeping! While it's probably not something I'll wear too often (because those laser cuts are just ASKING to get caught on something and rip), I loved this too much to send it back. I don't have anything in this coral color that I know of, and I thought the laser cuts were really fun. I think it will look best with black under it, and I got some great gray jeans this weekend that I might wear with it.

Overall, this box was just ok. I love all the colors/prints they sent, but I didn't care for the style of most of the items. I think I might be too picky about fit, but that's not a bad thing, is it? I'm sure my Stitch Fix stylist is scratching her head every time I pick apart an item thinking "WHAT DOES THIS CRAZY WOMAN WANT?!" Well...I just want to try new things! That's what's fun about it :) Even if I only keep one item, I still have fun going through the box.

If you haven't tried it out yet, you can sign up here! I highly recommend it, even if you only do it once. You pay $20 up front, but it counts as a credit toward an item if you buy. If you don't keep anything, you do lose that $20, so it's always good to keep at least one item!

Organizing the Chaos

I was planning on posting a recap of my weekend in Nashville today, but since it rained ALL DAY LONG on Saturday, I took exactly zero pictures. Despite the rain I did have a great day. Alanna and I met Libby for breakfast and had pleasant conversation. We braved the torrential rain and traffic and went out to Opry Mills for a bit of shopping and to see the Katy Perry movie. I'm a Katy Perry fan, so I very much enjoyed the movie! I thought it was very well made, and it didn't have the silly, pointless vibe I was expecting. It was really cool to learn more about her. After all that we went to Local Honey, Thriftsmart, Grimey's, and Urban Outfitters. None of those places are really close to each other...so we drove a lot...and got rained on a lot. I managed to not spend a small fortune though, and for that I am grateful.

On to the point of this post: jewelry organization. 

I have quite a bit of jewelry, but I'm sure I don't have near as much as some of you. It got to the point that I needed some sort of organization without spending a ton on a jewelry armoire (maybe in the future though). I found these hook shelf things from IKEA and had my friend pick up a few for me and they are perfect! I use the top one for shorter necklaces, the middle for earrings (only one hook on each end with string between them), and the bottom one for long necklaces.

For the earrings that won't hang, I put them on the ledge. I haven't lost any down the vent in the floor yet, so that's a plus. I don't really wear bracelets so those are in a box in my closet, but I do have a few on display along with a bowl of rings and a headband on my dresser. My next step is going to be organizing the necklaces and earrings by color instead of just randomly hanging them.  What do you guys use to organize your jewelry?

Read a Book a Month: May

Who knew I'd be so bad about posting these on time? Oh well, at least I'm reading! It's July and so far I have actually kept my resolution of reading a book a month. I haven't kept many of the rest of them, but as long as I have this one, I feel good. The second installment of Veronica Roth's series came out on May 1st, so I bought it at the bookstore that day. The first half of it was a little slower paced than the first book (Divergent), but it picked up about mid way! Once the action started, my nose was in the book all day until I finished. I love the way she has ended both of these books. She does it in a way that I am definitely looking forward to the next one, but I am not going CRAZY waiting. Does that make sense?  Anyway, if you haven't looked into this series, check it out here. You will not be sorry!

Since I've read quite a bit of young adult fiction, I decided to read a classic that I've had in my pile for a while. I really enjoyed The House of the Seven Gables. It was of course hard to adjust to the writing style, since it is quite flowery and descriptive...more than I'm used to. I would get lost in a paragraph and have to re-read a lot, but the story was so good! I love love love Hawthorne's way of creating characters. I was really invested in the main characters, which I don't get in a lot of the modern books I read. Anyway, it was a good read! If you like classics, or just want to branch out, I highly recommend it.

I'll try to post the June books pretty soon! I just wrapped up one of them, but I'll include it anyway, even though I finished it in July. Have you guys read any good books lately?

Bedroom Wall Display

A week or so ago, I pretty much emptied my bedroom to make room for a new bed and a new wardrobe, both of which are HUGE. The only other piece of furniture in there is my dresser (also huge) so I actually have a nice, simple bedroom now.  I actually enjoy it being kind of minimal in there. Anyway, the point of this post is to show you the wall next to my bed, which I've been gradually adding things to. I have some larger prints that used to be on there, but I'm going to put those elsewhere, because I like the look of smaller pieces all grouped together.

I see these gallery walls in lots and lots of homes online, and I love the way they look. The great thing is that it can constantly evolve. If I get a new piece, I can either add it on the side or completely re-arrange everything. I have tons of the paint that I used on that wall, so re-painting is no biggie. Since a lot of these pieces came from Etsy, I want to share links so you can create your own gallery wall!

The top right Twin Pops image is by annatillettdesigns on Etsy, and she has tons of adorable things! The PB&J print is another one of my favorites from her. Right below that is an embroidery piece by ItsAStitch (Malarie), whom I've gotten to know through twitter and Etsy. She's incredibly talented, and has many many more gorgeous pieces in her shop. The piece right below the muscle embroidery + the one to the right of my engagement picture both came from this website: Feed Your Soul. They haven't updated in a while, but there are still lots of free downloads available from some wonderful artists (like Leah Duncan).

The two round embroidery pieces came from another friend of mine, Devin, who runs OooohStitchy. It's been really hard not to buy like 20 things from her shop, but I definitely couldn't pass up "I know, right?" and the crazy cat lady :) The piece on the clipboard is from the Etsy shop Jellybeans. I love the print, but honestly it took forever to ship from Canada, and the seller got snippy with me when I asked about it like a month after ordering it. Oh well, still her work is cute. That cat print at the bottom there was a gift from my wonderful friend, Gabrielle. It came from tinyconfessions, which is one of my absolute favorite Etsy shops. I can't even tell you how much I love that print, and I know that is totally something Dudley would think (it says "I am concerned about my own unstable behavior").

The photograph in the tan frame and the one with no frame both came from Etsy, but they were free gifts so I don't remember what shop they were from. The one between those two is a piece by a photographer in Charleston, SC. I picked that up as a souvenir when we went there. Of course that one on the far left is an engagement shot that I framed.

I hope to add more pieces to this collection, and maybe even start a gallery wall in my studio upstairs if I ever re-floor and re-paint it!  Do any of you have a wall like this in your home?

Pleats and Thank You

Most of the time when I post an outfit, it's because I got something new and I want to share it, but this time I wanted to share something that I've had for years and years (at least since high school). I remember wearing this fun pleated skirt to see Mamma Mia! at The Orpheum, and that was quite some time ago. I got it at Goodwill and for a long time it was the only piece of vintage clothing that I owned. Heck, I didn't even know what vintage was back then. Through all of my style phases (and there have been A LOT of phases...some not so great) this little pleated skirt has remained.

I don't get very adventurous with it, for the most part. I just wear black and let the colors in the skirt stand alone. I've never been good at matching things anyway, so neutral tops are my saving grace. I just love the different color panels and the all-over pleats. The elastic waistband is pretty nice too, because even if my weight fluctuates, it will fit! I also want to give my blackberries a little cameo too. I got them at the farmer's market the weekend before we took these, and I ate them like candy for days. Since I was carrying them around anyway, I just kept them out for the pictures. It's probably silly to buy blackberries when they are most likely growing on the side of the road everywhere I go, but with my luck I would pick poison berries. I don't want to eat poison berries. I want to live.  

details: 

skirt - thrift store

shirt - estate sale

shoes - Ross (Wanted brand)

necklace - Etsy

Earrings- Also Etsy, but not sure of the shop, they were a free gift

I hope you all are having a good Monday so far! It's hard to have a good Monday most of the time, but it's possible. This day is good for me for two reasons. 

1. I just obtained insurance for what is now MY home. The papers were signed today and I am officially a home owner! It feels weird. 
2. IT'S RAINING, Y'ALL!!! Seriously, this is a huge deal. It hasn't rained in weeks and everything is brown. I hope things turn green again, I really really do. Crossing my fingers that it rains longer than 10 minutes.

Celebrating America Lake-Style

As you all know, yesterday was the 4th of July a.k.a. Independence Day in this here country. Since Rhett and his friends have been spending every weekend at the lake, it was a no brainer that we'd spend the holiday there. I got there mid-morning and the day was full of lounging, swimming, riding the jet-ski, tubing, and taking care of a stray duck that we found. I don't know what they ended up actually naming him, but I like Duckenstein. He's adorable! We think he just fell away from the pack when he was swimming with his mom/siblings. Anyway, it was a fun day, and of course today I'm EXHAUSTED. Luckily, the weekend is only two days away.

We tried to show our patriotism throughout the day with various head wear, necklaces, other flag related things. Heath wore that hat all day long, even in the water. We also had some unwelcome guests around the property, these bugs. I have no idea what they are, but they must be akin to gnats. They were on EVERYTHING. Luckily if you swatted them all away, they pretty much left you alone. I guess I'd prefer the gnat things to spiders or wasps though.

This poor buddy is now smashed up on the front due to Rhett and Cody crashing it into the sandbox. I think that was the most exciting part of the day. Luckily, I wasn't riding it at the time. With my luck, I would be typing this from the hospital had I been on it.  I don't know a thing about watercraft, but hopefully it's fixable! If not, they definitely got several thousand dollars worth of fun out of it (and that's awesome considering it was free).

The ribs that we had for dinner were delicious! I'm used to ribs dripping with sauce, so the dry rub was new to me. As you can see from the poochy belly, I ate plenty! We also had some homemade ice cream, which is one of my absolute favorite things about summer. Let me also take a minute to talk about maxi skirts. I've been wanting one forever, and I finally got one to wear on the 4th (because it's red/white striped). Who the crap decided maxi skirts were good summer-wear?! Maybe I got the wrong material or something, but I was burning up in that thing. Unless the wind was blowing, my legs were just dripping with sweat. I just wanted to throw that little P.S.A. out there for anyone that's wanting to wear a maxi skirt when it's 100 degrees out.  I won't say I regretted wearing it though, because I do think it's pretty.

We ended the day with a pretty sunset, and I even saw some fireworks on my drive home. Overall, it was a wonderful holiday. I kind of missed out on the lake lifestyle when I was younger, so spending the whole day there was kind of like fulfilling a childhood dream. I know, I know...so cheesy.