Happy Friday!

Friday!? Is that you?? Where have you been all this week? As I exhale into the start of my weekend I'm having thoughts of flocking in a field of green grass, splashing into a puddle with my umbrella for two, and calming the clutter in my ever expanding closets. The brink of Spring is upon us and change is in the air! And what a great feeling it is!

Tonight I am looking forward to spending time with my sister, along with niece and nephew while sharing our day over delicious fish tacos, yum! I've been looking forward to date night on Saturday because Joe and I are celebrating 6 months, woo hoo! We have been looking forward to dinner at The Bristol restaurant. There locally sourced (partnering up with 4 independent IL farms ), seasonal menu is rooted in Mediterranean flavors. A modern vibe and rotating chalkboard menu round out the reasons for my continued enthusiasm! Oh, and to make the night even sweeter, I hope to go to Hot Chocolate to share a yummy treat!

What about your plans for the weekend? Anything you have been looking forward to all week?

{A BIG Thank You to all your sweet comments this week, they have helped to make my week even brighter.}

Wednesday Wishes

My blogger and real life friend(we went to college together),Courtney from you will. won't you?
started a Wednesday wishes post last week and asked her readers to join in on the fun. I think it's great to set goals (it's something that I have to do better this year), but to see it on paper or in this case online is a great reminder to help turn goals into the real thing! No matter how small or large they may be, it is the first step that motivates me to take the next leap! So here are my wishes on this rainy Wednesday morning:

1. Take a new approach to working out. These days it's hard to fit fitness into my schedule. So I wish to find new creative ways outside the gym to help me stay healthy and keep me interested.

2. Create a network of blogland friends. I love finding new blogs and reading about the creative people who run the show! In an effort to establish new connections, I signed up to partake in this!3. Collaborate with other creatives! I love sharing my thoughts, insights, and ideas with other people to help them solve any design, crafty, or photography dilemma or to just get a second opinion on a project.

4. Be a better sister. My sisters, (I have two) are so special to me and I feel like lately I haven't been acting like they are. Making time to spend an afternoon together with them soon is my final wish for today.

Be sure to check out what Courtney and Kellie have in store for their wishlists today!
Wanna join in on the fun? Start your own Wednesday wishes installment on your blog. (and send a link to Courtney or Kellie via the comment section. Click here to find out more ;)
Happy Wishing!

Etsy Showcase

I'm all about the Esty love today, which is why I decided to sign up to be featured in today's art showcase! Check it out, plus so many other fab creative works ;)

Sunday Photo Shoot

My stylist friend, Victoria asked me to take photos of her two beautiful babies to sign on with Lily's Talent, a model/talent agency in Chicago. Her kids had both been in our photo studio before, so I knew they'd be great in front of the camera. We had a lot of fun with outfit changes and poses. Here are some of my favorite shots. How was your weekend?

New Blog Header

Horray! I made the time this week to finally redesign my blog header! It was in need of a major redesign and I just felt like I needed to spruce up my look a bit. I love the way it turned out! The bird is my Springtime inspiration. What makes a good header great? I think color, simple design, and a dose of the bloggers personality included in their header makes the biggest impact. Below are some of my favorite headers being featured now in blogland.

Sweet Tidings

Josephine Kimberling

sfgirlbybay

On the March

I can't believe we are already in the beginnings of March! Which means that Spring is right around the corner ;) This morning I could almost feel the warmth developing. I think the sunshine and wool cap played a part, but I can tell by the sounds of the birds singing in the morning that warmer days are not far away!
I had fun playing around during a Walgreens Easter photo shoot a few weeks ago with these gals from Lily's Talent. They were a bit shy at first, but as soon as we brought out the Easter baskets full of sweets and treats and cranked the tunes, I had a great time capturing them having fun. We were rocking out to Hanna Montana and Selena Gomez (apparently these two ladies are not friends in real life- goes the rumor mill)! You learn so much from hanging out with two 7 year olds for an afternoon!

Ferm Living

Living in an all white apartment (I cannot paint my walls) can have its advantages, but lately I've been craving a shot of bold wallpaper. Hanging on just one wall can impact the feel for an entire room. For now I'll settle for the dreamy wallpaper found at ferm Living. Check out there online video tutorial on how to hang wallpaper too! So beautiful and graphic, all your walls could ever ask for ;)

Photography by ferm Living.com