Peonies

There is a garden in front of my house that has peonies growing in it. I always seem to forget that we grow peonies so when I see the flowers starting to bloom it is always a pleasant surprise!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!
♥

Amethyst, Amazonite, Snow Quartz

Photos : Johns Hopkins Congdon

Amethyst, Amazonite and Snow Quartz gemstones look so lovely when layered together, don't you think? It makes me smile to look down at my wrists and see them. And despite the fact that I do not use the gemstones for their healing purposes, I enjoy learning about their meanings as well. Sometimes, without thinking about it, I will layer strands of gemstones that have similar or common themes and it makes me wonder if I am unconsciously trying to tell myself something? Here are the meanings behind my gemstone combination from a couple of days ago :

• Although Amethyst is believed to have many different meanings and uses, all can agree that this gemstone from quartz family protects a person from poisons and seduction. The word Amethyst is of Greek origin and literally means 'not intoxicated'. The stone is a symbol of power, protection, healing, wisdom, and piety. It is used to heal headaches, fight insomnia, create calmness within the home, as well as heal negativity in the home.
• Amazonite, sometimes referred to as the lucky 'hope stone', helps balance emotions (as well as feminine and masculine energies) and it promotes kindness and practicality. It is also said to be a stone for artists.
• Snow Quartz, also known as The Observation Stone, makes one have a more childlike or innocent perspective. It is a balancing stone and can be used as a dream stone as well.

I hope you all have a lovely Friday!
♥

Isabel Marant Spring 2013 & Toast Bed Linens

I have noticed that lately I am getting style inspiration from Toast's luxe bedding (first it was their washed lace pillow slips)...or maybe Isabel Marant and Toast are just similar and I really only want to wear Isabel Marant. Either way, it would be lovely to wear Isabel Marant's Eloise dress while falling asleep under Toast's Orissa Kantha quilt.

♥

Red & Tan

 

Top : Isabel Marant // Shorts : Urban Outfitters // Cardigan : Mine // Shoes : Steve Madden // Bag : Dior // Watch : Movado // Sunglasses : Ray Ban // Perfume : Prada // Bracelets : Stilbym //

The sun is finally out and if it was a little warmer out I would like to wear this red, tan, and black outfit! Red and tan are such a classically chic color combination in my opinion.

Unlike white, which amplifies red, making it kind of nautical or clinical (think nurses, candy strippers...who look like ribbon candy or candy canes, which remind me of barbers and barber shops…), tan or nude shades calm red down in the most stylish and elegant of ways. A few images that have been on my mind lately :

 

Lace / Crochet Dress

Photos : Johns Hopkins Congdon //

 

It has been raining endlessly here for the past couple of days and has left me feeling a little stuck and uninspired. It is so frustrating…but I have had enough of being in a creative rut and I am hoping I can just work through it!

A few days ago, before the endless rain began, I found this dress while I was in town. It is a little mod and it somehow reminds me of both the desert and the beach. I think it is perfect for summer's long, sun drenched days. Also, it reminds me of these lace/crocheted pillow slips that I cannot get off my mind (who would have thought?).

Other reasons why I like this dress are :
 

I wish you all a happy weekend!
♥

Red, White & Blue (Happy May 17th Norway)

 

Today is Norway's National Day and it looks like it is a lot of fun. Many of the blogs I follow are posting pictures of beautifully decorated tables and everyone keeps mentioning excited children, which means good times (in fact, I think the children have parades even).

So...am I the only one that thinks that Norway knows what's up when it comes to decorating festively in red, white, & blue? Forgive me if I sound unpatriotic but the USA just does not do it as well… take a look at any American magazine come July and you will be shocked by what you find. The whole thought of using red, white, & blue for decorating kind of makes me cringe but I am taking notes and maybe this year I will decorate for July 4th.

I feel so inspired that I quickly made a red, white, & blue themed table setting. Now I plan to read up on the history of Norway and how this holiday is celebrated!

For everyone who is celebrating today : Happy May 17th!

Happy Friday!

♥

The Importance of Print

Here is what is currently on the wall behind my desk. I love having a place to put images up, even if I have to put them on that unappealing green wall. I do not print out images for mood boards as often as I should. It is so easy to just make online mood boards that sometimes I forget the importance of actually printing out images and cutting them and rearranging them by hand. When I was at Parsons studying graphic design, my teachers would always tell us to print things out and edit that way before going back to the computer. It is some of the best advice I got while I was there!
With any design, it is helpful to actual be able to touch the things you are working on, don't you agree?

♥

Monday's Moodboard

Source : 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 & 9 / 10 /

I thought I would share some images that were on
my mind today, the last one is of my arm.

I hope that you all had a lovely Monday
and I wish you all a happy Tuesday!
♥

Byredo Candle Cactus Holder

 

source : atelierul-deco

Reusing empty candle holders is one of the chicest types of recycling in my opinion (it is up there with reusing boxes that designer shoes and handbags come in) and others seem to believe so as well. I use my empty candle holders to hold pens and pencils, makeup and make up brushes, or even just to hold jewelry that I take off. I have seen people using them for a variety of other objects too, like fresh flowers or perfume samples. I have even read that people put their empty Diptyque candle holders in the dishwasher and then use them as drinking glasses when they get bored of their regular everyday tumblers.

I h onestly did not think I could be inspired by an empty candle holder holding anything other than a candle until I saw this picture of a cactus planted in Byredo's dark colored glass. I especially like the way the Byredo/cactus combination looks against the white!
 

Happy Mother's Day by the way! 
♥

Byredo & Aeosp

 

photos : me //

 

I do not have much in common with my Father when it comes to grooming. He could care less about which moisturizer I use, shade of lipstick I like, which foundation works best with my skin... we do not even use the same brand of toothpaste; however, there is one element of my beauty routine that I do share with my Father and it is a mutual appreciation and need for a body wash or a body scrub that has an amazing scent (and due to the range of products natural to 'scent' based brands, this goes for candles too). We even go through phases together where we get kind of obsessed with a brand and discuss buying one of their scents online (which is comparable to having a blind date but with a scented candle or body wash) nearly everyday until we actually go and smell it in person.

It started a couple of years ago with Diptyque's 'Feu de Bois' (we now prefer different types of scents from Diptyque, he is not into the floral scents like I am and I am not into the 'Oranger' scent that he likes so much), from there we became fascinated with Le Labo (a brand he discovered), we had a quick interest in Tom Ford's body washes (Neroli Portofino to be specific), but now it is the Swedish brand Byredo (which we both came across in different ways) as well as the Australian brand Aeosp's Geranium Leaf body scrub.

I am pretty sure that my Father's interest in all of this stems from his profession as an aromatherapist, thus making the quality of the product most important to him (which works out amazingly seeing as he is able to tell me things like which brand uses the best quality Rose); however, like me, he also appreciates cohesive branding (packaging, container design, etc.) and likes a product that looks nice on a shelf or table. Both Byredo and Aeosp do not fail to deliver.

At the Barneys in Scottsdale, we finally got to smell some of Byredo's and each got a body wash, I chose Gyspy Water and he opted for Sunday Cologne, although secretly, I plan to use both!

Packing One Carry-On for One Week : Scottsdale, AZ

My moodboard for my recent trip to Scottsdale (Isabel Marant <3)
Two tops and two bottoms that can be mixed and matched

One of the outfits I laid out (inspired by my moodboard).
 Top & Bottom : Urban Outfitters // Boots : Cheap Monday // Bag : Gucci //
The top from the previous outfit worn with a pair of Current/Elliott jeans (also from the second picture).

As I mentioned in my post about Louis Vuitton's Art of Packing, I recently traveled to Scottsdale, AZ for a week of sunshine. It was so nice to be in the warm weather and to be able to wake up and see palm trees out my window.

I also enjoyed being able to wear skirts and dresses again, one of the perks of Arizona's harsh weather (100°+ heat and unhealthy amounts of sun exposure), which is something I was well aware of before I left and took into account while preparing what I was going to bring in my one carry-on suitcase.

I say prepare because I find that in order to pack things that I will actually wear I have to follow a process that prevents me from bringing unnecessary items. I get so annoyed with myself when I end up with a suitcase full of garments that I have no interest in and do not end up wearing, I do not even know how to explain it!

This is how I prevent that from happening :

1. Make a mood board!!! I swear I am happiest with what I bring with me when I make a mood board before hand.
2. Look up the weather.
3. Find out what sort of activities you will be doing and make note of any activity that requires any sort of special attire (a party, hiking, etc.).
4. Make a calendar for the days that you will be away that marks the weather and any special events that you have planned.
5. Make a list of things you know you need/want to bring.
6. Using the mood board and calendar choose and set aside any special occasion outfits.
7. Choose garments/shoes/accessories that you can mix and match so you do not bring too many things. Try to eliminate anything that you know you will not wear.
8. Lay everything out to make sure you are not missing anything!

What is your process? I would love to know!!