Self Portrait: Design Lovely

Good morning! I'm so pleased to announce that this weeks Self Portrait is from Miss Rachel over at Design Lovely and Dwellings and Decor. Her taste, her sense of style and the treasures she finds on a weekly basis are all out-of-this-world! Go see, I know you will love her!

I am a true believer in packing lightly because you never know where life is going to take you so the items that mean the most to me are small ones. I haven't been able to acquire many large things because I have moved back and forth to Maui for a large portion of my life and shipping things is not cheap. So here are some things that have made it through:

1. This is a handkerchief my late grandmother gave to me and there is an R which is actually originally for Roberts which I think was a last name of someone in the family but she wanted me to have it because I was the only one with a name that started with an R. I will be making a new memory with this item because I am planning on using it around the bottom portion of my bouquet for my wedding on April 18th.

2. These are pieces to the last puzzle I did with my grandfather. It was by far our favorite thing to do and I think it really shapes who I am today.

3. I have had this rock since I was little and I still to this day don't understand how there is a picture on it. There seems to be a deer running in a forest and I always thought the rock took a picture like a camera. Wouldn't that be cool?

4. This Swedish wooden horse was given to me from a woman who I met while working in a Fabric store in San Carlos, CA. I was getting ready to go to college for Interior Design and she taught me a ton about fabric so this horse somewhat symbolizes the beginning of my career.

5. This is the top of the champagne bottle that Ryan opened the day he proposed to me. He was trying to find a way that I would be surprised so he was on one knee on the side of my bed and woke me up gently and popped the question and the champagne bottle! The rest of the day was amazing.

6. Lastly this is a little flute that I got from the Renaissance Fair in California when I was young and I have always loved the design and it reminds me of the time that I played a larger real flute. I was never very good but I kept trying and trying and it reminds me that I need to continue to persevere and keep going.

A hoot!

This weekend was a hoot! I purged my apartment and ended up with three loads of goodwill donations. I made chocolate chip cookies. Had fried plantains at the Great Dane. Made a trip down to Chicago to meet Callie and Vana for coffee (what a delight these two are--thank you girls, you made my Sunday). And watched the snow melt!

What did you guys do this weekend?

Images found here

Friday Favorites

1. Sans titre by audfild
2. Russian tea cakes from FortuneCookieCafe
3. Pink frosting wrap by bonzie
4. Imogene tags by fieldandsea

It's Friday, happy day! It feels like it's been a long week and I'm very excited to have the weekend waiting in the wings. It's like an oasis, shimmery and filled with possibility. Yesterday the beautiful Tina from Luphia loves gave me an award *does a little dance* thank you so much, deary! The honest award requires ten honest tid bits about myself, so here it goes:

1. Cadbury fruit and nut chocolate bars are my favorite
2. I used to work for an educational childrens book design company
3. The oldest of three girls
4. Lived in OK, MI, IL, WI, MN and OH
5. Hate the feeling of cotton balls
6. Owned a Backstreet Boys CD *gasp*
7. Cab Sav is my favorite wine
8. Was diagnosed with hypo-thyroid at 15
9. Bite my nails during scary movies or stressful road trips
10. Dream of attending a yoga instructors school

I'm nominating these wonderful people for the Honest award :) I love your blogs, your shops, your style and your love for life:

Heart of Light
Mint
Quaint Handmade
Paper Schmaper
Design Lovely

Spring Cleaning

Sometime this weekend I have plans on starting a major apartment purge. It's inevitable, the "spring cleaning" bug starts pestering me the end of every March. I think there's also something to be said about living in a very minimalistic environment (our condo down in Florida) and coming home to all your "stuff." I have a lot of stuff. So, the plan: start in one section of the apartment and sort through the things that are really important, the not so important and the things I just need to toss. I'm clapping my hands with excitement, such a dork, I love this type of activity!

Images found here

Genius Gray

A week ago the very lovely Mary Jo from Trust Your Style sent me this preview of her new collection! The soothing gray mixed with the soft pink makes me swoon - my attachment to pale pink grows and grows. There's nothing like a beautifully constructed outfit to make you feel elegant, refined, sophisticated.

I would wear this outfit on my coffee date this weekend with the girls, dressing it up or down depending on my mood!

Thank you, Mary Jo, you are genius!

Florida

Good morning! It’s time to show you some of the bliss and beauty of Florida. We stayed in a gorgeous condo right across the street from Siesta Key Beach. The sand on this beach is like flour, cool and fine. Incredible! I spent the week making trips to the beach, swimming in the pool, biking down the key, collecting shells, reading books, and generally soaking up the goodness of the exotic atmosphere. Andrew and I were able to make this trip even more special by bringing down my grandmother. After my grandfather passed away two years ago, she hasn’t been able to make it down to Florida on her own, so she joined our merry party. It was such a memorable trip. I didn’t want to come home.

PS Thank you for all the joy concerning my new little niece. Andrew has a nephew and niece, so she’s not the first, but she’s the first on my side of the family, and it’s different when it’s your sister’s baby.

Auntie Otter

Sorry guys, today is all about my new baby niece! I'll show you Florida pictures and regale you with sunburn/ocean/bellini stories tomorrow :)

XOXO

Miss Auntie Otter

Friday Favorites

1. A New Day by zuppaartista
2. Monogrammed Felt Pillow, by alexandraferguson
3. Beauty Queen from kwilson544
4. Linen Flap Bag from KarinBirch

It's Friday! God bless it. With our trip to Florida just a day away, I have a million lists running through my brain - smashing into one another to the point that I feel exhausted by the mess. We'll pack tonight, get everything settled tomorrow and start heading to Chicago for our flight on Sunday. We'll be gone a whole week! I hear that the condo has wireless, so you may hear from me along the way, or I may just post pictures. In any case, I promise to give you a full update when I'm back!

Also, because I think cheesy post cards are one of the best things about trips like this, if you wanted to shoot me your snail mail address here, julia {dot} cumings {at} yahoo {dot} com I'll send you something from Florida!

Sending you guys heaps of love!

XOXO
Jewels

New

One new addition to the shop
Two new* music artists: Bitter Sweet and Emiliana Torrini
Three new* blogs to love: Captivate Me, Knack, and reading my tea leaves

*new to me

Images: day shines, analogicas, ghost pigeon

Self Portrait: Miss Aimee

With greatest pleasure I present Miss Aimee from Mostly Mod. A truly remarkable woman with a gorgeous loving family--I love stopping by her blog every day just to glean some of her perspective on life and to enjoy her fantastic sense of humor! Miss Aimee, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful Self Portrait with us!





PS. if you are interested in participating in our Self Portrait project just shoot me a note at julia {dot} cumings {at} yahoo and I'll give you the inside scoop!

XOXO

Pink

We all know how I love pink! I found a home tour that has me quite delighted! Even if you don't like pink, you can appreciate the beautiful summery sunshine.

Images found here

Over here

Over here today!

XOXO

Being in the moment

A warm gray morning. The cardinals are singing their mating trills. I can see the wet, soggy ground showing through the melting snow. I think spring is finally on its way.

I've been working on "being in the moment" lately. Taking some great advice from Monday's post I'm realizing that even when I have time with Andrew or out on my walks that my thoughts are all over the place. I'm thinking about books that need to be made, business cards that need to be designed, packing that will need to be done, and calls I should make. It's multi-tasking right? Yeah, I don't think so. Half-baked plans fall to mush and half-baked listeners miss out on the little goodies. After so much multi-tasking-listening I'm realizing that it's hard being in the moment. It's like meditating, trying to draw my thoughts back to person in front of me when they start to stray. But, I'm up for the challange!

Images: yvetteinufio, gbaku, bellarosebyliz

Tea poem

When you’re feeling sad & blue
And have no clue what to do
Sit down and have a cup of tea
And a hug or two or maybe three
Feel those troubles melt away
And start you on a better day.

by Paulette, 1998
Found here

Images found here and here

Thank you

Thank you for all your kind words yesterday. I was feeling rather blue about the solo summer ahead of me, but I can't help but be encouraged. There's a lot of understanding and compassion in this community, and I can't tell you how good it is to know you're there. It's true, sometimes it's nice to miss someone!

These images remind me of summer. I'm in love with the pink chair! A little summer list I'm developing:

1. Grow herbs in an indoor window box
2. Take a yoga class
3. Explore new parts of Madison
4. Plan special weekends away with Andrew
5. Join a book club or start one - do people do these any more?

Images found here

Riding solo

I discovered a few things while riding solo this weekend:

1. I sleep at an angle in our queen size bed unless I bolster myself with pillows
2. I eat chippies for dinner regardless of the salad in the fridge
3. I go for two hour long walks without a care
4. I get lonely at dusk, just when the sun hits the trees and the world suddenly gets quiet

All of which makes me wonder what this summer is going to be like when Andrew's doing his law school internship. Riding solo all summer. I may have to pick up gardening!

Images by Claire Richardson