bridesmaid dress

i've begun my bridesmaid dress search. though a bit pricey, i though the above etsy find was pretty cute. can't wait to find perfect dresses for each of my unique maids.

chronicle books giveaway!

i love books. so when i discovered the chronicle books giveaway via mary, i had to enter. chronicle books invited bloggers to make a wish list of books up to $500 that they'd like to 'haul' away for the 'haul-idays' (har har). AND if i'm chosen, one of you lucky readers will win all the books too! to enter, simply leave a comment on this post!


here's my list (including all of the above!):

1. Humanity i love photography books, especially those that feature real people in real life.

2. Top Chef: Cookbook i'm no cook (though i'm improving!) but my family and i love to watch Top Chef (i think my mom could take any of 'em!). this would make a nice gift for her.

3. Handmade Hellos i've mentioned before that i love letters, and this book features eunice of Hello!Lucky - love!

4. Allure for a fellow fashionista, my roomy, elise.

5. Garden Anywhere m likes to garden but i'm afraid we won't have much of a yard next year.

6. Paper and Craft this just looks fun.

7. Deep Dark Chocolate for maddy, my pastry chef friend (and the baker for our wedding!).

8. Apartment Therapy Presents i'm addicted to apartment therapy, aren't you? for my aunt carol, the interior designer.

9. The Power of the Invisible Sun my sister, kirby, would love this philanthropy turned art book.

10. Fast, Fresh, & Green lots of veggie recipes. perfect for my farmer friend (now at, ahem, harvard) connie.

11. Little Book of Letterpress for maureen, one of my (many) creative friends.

12. The Life & Love of Trees i've seen this book over at o' suz's for months. it's so gorgeous.

13. This is For You i love paper cut-outs and this book is chock-full. my artist sister audrey would love it.

14. Curiosities a book dedicated to vintage adornments? yes please.

15. Flour for le, who also loves to bake.

16. Polaroid Notes for kate, a great photographer.

17. Creative, Inc. could use this for sure!

18. All for Love i think a fellow avid reader, erin, would enjoy this anthology.

19. Mastering the Grill i think of a dad and brother-in-law who might enjoy this.

and that brings us close to $500! leave a comment if you'd like a chance to win! and if you're a blogger and you make one, let me know so i can comment! you can find the contest here.

his + hers

i'm somewhat new to blogging, but i've really enjoyed the camaraderie i've discovered with many other bloggers. it's been wonderful to see how other women are impacting their worlds (however big or small). alli, of hooray design, is one of those women. alli challenged all of us bloggers to participate in a fun little feature: his and hers.

so here's a little his and hers from my life:


when it comes to exercise, m loves his bike and i love my yoga mat. (yes, that really is a pic of m, courtesy of my phone). while i haven't tested my coordination on a bike trip with him, i think i owe it to m since last night he was sweet and did yoga with me... and since he's letting me post his picture on this blog. i'm sorry, i have to say i think he's incredibly handsome in his helmet.

happy weekend!

happy weekend! this weekend, i'm officially kicking off christmas. i'll be going to the AQ christmas party this evening followed by a christmas concert that m bought us tickets for! tomorrow i hope to make christmas cookies (maybe i'll try these) with some dear friends and then head to a gift exchange party. in the midst of the hubbub, i hope to make this wreath (out of book pages!).

do you have any fun holiday plans?

here are a few fun links from around the web:

just discovered this stress-free, down-to-earth site for all you brides-to-be. her guest post here is great reading.

hilarious gift guide for an ornery little brother.

loving sequins this season.

obsessed with this song. and check out this cute baby dancing to it.

cutest pregnant woman ever. complete with red lipstick.

wouldn't you love an indoor swing?

blush romantic

now that i have my dress, i feel like the wedding finally has a solidified feel. a bit vintage, a bit romantic, a bit laid-back. the above inspiration board encompasses many of the elements i hope to incorporate - washed out colors, cabbage roses, lamb's ear, antique apothecary bottles & mason jars, poms, linen. i swoon just thinking of it!

i can't wait to start the diy projects (and excited to share them with you all here!), hunt for blush pink bridesmaid dresses (i'm staying away from the matchy-matchy look so each dress will be unique!), and help m pick out a snazzy suit!

ideas? i'd love to hear them!

bottles, freckles, flowers, dresses, poms

goosebumps

it's beginning to feel a lot like winter around here! the news is saying it will be cold like this at least through next week, so i think we can safely say autumn has left us. have you broken out your scarves and mittens yet?

the cold puts me in the mood for lounging by the fire, reading a good novel, and watching the twinkle of christmas lights. if only we had a working fireplace in our old charlottesville home. maybe i'll convince m that our place next year needs one.

missing friends

last night, i did something i normally don't like to do. i ate mexican food. i know, i know - mexican is the best thing ever. but... i'm sorry. i fail to see the appeal. beans, rice, cheese, ground beef, maybe some salsa. and then, and maybe i'm alone in this one, after a few hours your stomach begins to throw a tantrum like a child on the floor of the candy aisle. not my fave. but last night, i ate mexican.

i ate mexican because of friendship.

one of my very best friends, beth, was in town for a single night from africa, and she loves mexican. so to charlottesville's continental divide we went. and it was so good. not the food. but the friendship.

beth is one of those rare people whose convictions infuse her life with a consuming passion. she is inspiring to be around because she lives exactly according to what she believes to be true. which is why she gave up everything to seek a life of service in zambia. beth is part of a team called Special Hope. their mission is to address and alleviate the inequities which orphans with disabilities face. in africa (and often in most parts of the world), these children have no voice and are often forgotten, mistreated, and misunderstood. beth is going to change that.

i miss my friend dearly. i will probably never get to call her up for an impromptu coffee date or bike over to her house to watch gilmore girls on repeat. she won't be standing next to me as i say 'i do' or when the rest of the bridesmaids and i celebrate on the dancefloor. and the normal things that sustain friendships - hugs, laughs, shared prayers - may be rare occurrences as an ocean will separate us for the foreseeable future. but i am so thankful to call a woman like her friend at all. and to know that she is exactly where she needs to be. that's worth a thousand mexican meals.

if you are not familiar with Special Hope, please check out their website and consider supporting their cause!