Free Photo Download for Earth Month!

Maybe it's the Eco conscious, earth loving side of me that really stops and thinks about ways to be kinder more gentler to the planet especially as Earth Day is fast approaching! Besides recycling everything, using reusable water bottles, using real cutlery at work for lunch, shopping second hand for furniture, taking the train to work, and buying organic/local when possible what else would you recommend I add to the daily earth friendly rotation?

As a reminder to stay green and to do your share for this beautiful planet that gives us such enjoyment I'm including this free moss heart print as a free download today. Click here to find it in my flickr album. Continue to live green lovelies!

Current State of Mind

quote found via Pintrest

This weekend I took a trip over to my local floral shop Larkspur to pick up some of these beauties to do a mini photo shoot indoors. I was in need of a mood boost, since the skies were grey and my heart was a little down.  Nothing to do with recent family health events, they are all fine and well, thanks... I think this quote  just speaks to how I've been feeling lately.  

It's the Weekend!!

LOVEly Day

What are you and your lovies doing to celebrate today?  Joe and I are treating ourselves to a special night out on Friday at Boka but tonight we are staying in and making a yummy chicken curry in coconut milk with soba noodles and unwinding with a glass (or 2) of vino! I always like to write a few sentiments in a card too...yes I'm a card person, but I don't really need a holiday to inspire me to pick up a pen.  I just enjoy capturing the moments through words.  After all, words are all we have, right!  To show those we love that they really matter and that they are enough.  And when words aren't enough we can always rely on crafting something sweet like this paper projects above!  How great is that giant pom pom heart!  May your day be a most lovely one indeed!

DIY Hearts/ Crayon Hearts/ Love Pom Pom

Engagement Session- Annie & Steve

I finished my editing late last night and couldn't wait to share my favorites with you this morning!  Yippee! Here they are!  Joe and I had so much fun running around the Old Town neighborhood to capture these shots.  Love and Fall were both in the air, mixed in with some great light!  What more could we have asked for? Thanks Annie & Steve for a great afternoon!

Photography: Coach House Pictures

Flowers: A New Leaf

Meet Joe

EVPhotography & pumpkin print

Hi everyone! Today I want to introduce the special person in my life that gets me going, calms me down and puts a smile on my face every time we are together (which just happens to be a lot these days). The funny thing about our relationship is that we went to college together, took the same classes, yet never even glanced in each others direction. It wasn't until he started freelancing as a photographer that our lives crossed paths again. We were work friends for close to 2 years until we started hanging out outside of work. Our relationship grew and developed over our love for tennis (that's what we did on our first date), and since then it has grown to include the outdoors, camping, cooking, and music. The thing I love the most about him, is that he just gets me, in all my silly and goofy ways. I don't have to cover up any parts of who I am when we are together. I get to be me, for good, bad or sad.

We've been living together now for 5 months (and dating for over a year) and although there have been some adjustments and compromises, I still can't believe that he hasn't gotten sick of me. I know that may sound like an odd thing to say, but it's true. Don't you find it fascinating to know of people that have shared there lives together for years or even decades? It's something that sounds so out of reach these days, but I look up to those who can work through issues and come out stronger in the end. Here's hoping :)

Meet Josie

Name: Josephine Penelope (Josie for short)

Birthday: May 2005

Breed: Dachshund

Bloodline: German

Color: Red with black tipped tail

Home: This sweet pup lives with my mom and dad in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Where she has plenty of fresh air to take in and lots of land to freely chase rabbits and birds.

Likes: Sitting on the stairs for you to greet her when YOU walk in, taking naps on laps while under a blanket, walks around the block, carrots, running, carpet, laying in the sun, sleeping in beds, belly rubs

Dislikes: Rain, small children, baths, getting her nails clipped, peanut butter, other small dogs, exercise balls, crowds, fireworks, being carried around, vacuum cleaners

Characteristics: playful, sweet, snuggle bug, moody, loner, calm, happy, bashful

Most likely to travel: to a warm sunny place where there is plenty of low grass to run in and shady trees to cool off under.

Blog Button Submission

One of my daily reads, Creature Comforts is calling for blog button submissions to be part of her link love gallery! If your ever in the mood to seek out art, decor, design, and crafty inspiration this is by far the best place to go! Browsing through her collection of blogs all nicely catalogued stirs creativity and feeds the artful soul :) Click here to find out how you can submit yours.

Save me a piece

I couldn't think of recieving anything more pleasantly sweet than this cake for my birthday. This cake was created by a husband for his wife. Almost too good to eat!

Cake found via Design for Mankind

Loving: Flowers in May

Happy Monday everyone! It's cloudy and on the verge of storming in the windy city which is why I needed to find myself a cheery pick-me-up to start off the week. I'm currently loving these illustration posters by Flowers in May. My favorite is the baking set and lazy Sunday! Click on each poster to find out more. Enjoy :)

Loving: Happy Poster

Are You Happy?

Room to Grow

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I am entering a new phase in my life. I'm looking forward to coming home to someone who's company I wholeheartedly enjoy, where we can create a meal together and end the day sharing in daily stories. A few of you requested to see some photos of my place when our things are mixed together. But we are planning on living at my place until my lease is up at the end of June, in which then we'll be relocating to Chicago! So we are planning on saving to decorate our new apartment in the city together! Which I am so looking forward to because we share similar design aesthetics. We are drawn to modern mid century pieces with industrial, naturalistic, and cozy accents. (okay, the cozy part is mostly me :) This is totally new territory for me, so I am mixed with overwhelming emotions.

On a different note: I'm currently loving these lace Photoshop brushes that I incorporated into my succulent photo. You can get 'em for yourself here, and they're free! I've included some of the designs in this fresh minty green color that I love. They remind me of old lace remenants that I sometimes find at the bottom of my mom's sewing drawers.


Psst: Wanna learn more? Here's a great link to learning more about how to upload, create, and organize your Photoshop brushes!

Wednesday Wishes (coming true!)

Thanks for joining me, Kellie, Courtney, and Katie for another posting of this weeks Wednesday Wishes! Mine are short and sweet this week, as one of my major wishes has become a reality. I am more than thrilled about my new toy and will be for a long long time.

1. Schooled. I wish to become vigorous about learning new design programs, like I once was when I was in school. Things are a changing and I wish to keep up!

2. Crafty fair dreams. I wish to have my own booth at a local craft fair sometime in the near future. It's always been a dream of mine :)

3.Making room. I wish for patience, love, and making room for extra storage for all of Joe's things. The move (into my place) has begun and I hope there are more hugs than kicks ;)

A few weeks ago, I wished and wished out loud to myself for a new iMac. I've scoured craigslist for the past 2 months keeping my fingers crossed. I was only looking for a 20 inch but the deal on the 24 inch screen was too crazy to pass up :) I'm in love all over again with the sleekness and functionality of this beautiful piece of machinery...aahhh bliss.

Earth Day Love

In honor of Earth Day's 40th celebration head over here for some eco-friendly crafts you can create using materials you might already have on hand!

Loving: Japanese craft books

While browsing online yesterday I came across a most lovely shop filled with paper goods, stationary, wrapping papers and much more. UGUISU SHOTEN is an online shop with goodies that are either made in Japan or designed in Japan. Simple beautiful designs that are within budget too! I couldn't stop looking at these craft book covers that are for sale. Even though I can't read the language, I sure know good inspiration when I see one :)

Clockwise from top left: Craft Making with Masking Tapes.
Masking Tape Ideas. Tokyo Handmade. and Scrapoholic.

Loving: Illustations by Kiersten Essenpreis

For this weeks loving post, I thought I'd share some illustrations from a very special artist (and former middle school art classmate), Kiersten Essenpreis. She is a freelance illustrator/ gallery artist who lives and works from her home studio in Brooklyn, NY. Some of her clients include GQ, The New York Times, LA Weekly, Paper Magazine, Nylon Magazine, and Coach Handbags, to name a few. This gal is such a talent! Her drawings, paintings are so original, fresh, imaginative, and sometimes a bit frightening at the same time. Here are a few of my favorite picks of her pen and ink line drawings which are available for purchase on Etsy. To read more about this artist, check out the interview she did over at Evolve Happy. Congrats on all your continued success Kiersten!

Loving: Earthy Inspired Pattern

Spring is all abuzz in my head which made me even more excited when my findings came together for my loving weekly post! Today I'm loving earthly inspired patterns. Textiles, wallpaper, and photography are all elements that help make a home feel welcoming, worn in, and loved. That's how I hope people feel when they come visit me in my tiny space I call home ;) What is inspiring you this Spring?

{Amy Butler Rugs}

{Ikea textiles}

{Wallpaper from Zeixs Pattern Design book.}

{EV Photography}

Loving: Vintage Luggage

My blog friend Karyn over at Den 10 Studio just scored the ultimate estate sale find, vintage luggage! How great are these! I've been spotting lots of vintage luggage being put to good use throughout blogland lately. Below are some ideas for you Karyn. I also thought you could use these as inspiration for your next illustration? If all else fails they'll make for a beautiful display and serve as extra storage in a bedroom, mudroom, or sewing/craft room ;) I'd love to know what you use them for, keep me posted ;)

{Karyn's estate sale find.}

{My vintage suitcases, placed under my book shelf.
They currently store old issues of my favorite decor/design magazines.}

{ As seen on Design Sponge.}


{Fun decal suitcases.}

L O V E is in the Air

This time of year usually brings the inner grade schooler out of me. I have fond memories of going to the store to pick out valentines to hand out to my friends in class. Fast forward a few years with a big box of craft paper, paints, markers, and stickers and I've got everything I need to create my own. I got started on these the other day for my nieces and nephews and turned my apartment upside down! These days there is nothing like the feeling of sending a little love in the mail!

{ For the Love of....Gadgets! }

Can you imagine what you did before you invited that special piece of technology into your world? I can't either! Here are a few of my most essential gadgets that help make daily life a little more enjoyable, organized, and less hectic. What are your favorite go to gadgets? Have a wonder filled weekend!

{1}. Western Digital 250 GB external hard drive $80
(This external hard drive is an absolute essential of mine.cIt's chic, slim & matches perfectly with my mac!)

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{2}. Nike + iPod sport kit $30
(My half marathon training mate. It even talks to me while I'm running to keep me on pace reach my goals!)

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{3.} Sony earphones $50
(No more lost sound, thanks to these babies. They really stay in your ears and block out all surrounding noises!)

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{4.} Tom Tom GPS $119
(No more annoying U turns and getting lost for me!)