Christmas Decor

It seems like a century ago that I posted last (I tend to exaggerate). Last week was an extremely busy week, and this week is the same story. I'm going to TRY to take today off, being as it's my anniversary, but I'm sure I will be sneaking in some editing time tonight or later this afternoon when we get home from picking up our new puppy! I have two beautiful ladies to edit from my Boudoir Session on Saturday, and a house to prepare for company. This is our (Josh an me) year hosting Thanksgiving. Josh is going all out with the turkey, making a brine of Allspice Berries, Peppercorns, Brown sugar, and Crystallized Ginger. I ran around the grocery store yesterday trying to hunt all of that down while trying to weave in and out of the mess of people that's exponentially growing by the hour, as we get closer to the Holiday. I was successful though! And found everything I needed.

While I was hunting the wine section, I came across the classiest of wines, Lambrusco, and just had to buy a bottle. Lambrusco accompanies some very good memories of the time we spent together in Europe. We couldn't afford anything else, and it was so easily accessible in Germany. It might not be great, but it's very nostalgic, so I bought a bottle for $5 and I will enjoy that bottle of wine probably more than any other!

I haven't written a Thanksgiving post, so I feel a little bad skipping the Holiday and going straight to Christmas. I tend to do that because I love Christmas so much. I start watching Christmas movies around June. Do I prepare and buy gifts too? No. That would be too organized. I've been dreaming about the Christmas decoration theme I'm going to go with. I've always wanted a color theme. I remember my mom always saying that we just have a mish mash of different decorations, and nothing really goes together. She's right, but it holds memories. We still put up the same holiday plate and figurine set. The paper wreaths made from our hands. And Josh and I have taken some of our ornaments from when we were kids and combined them into our own mish mash of things.

This year I'm hoping to add a color scheme. I'm thinking blue and silver. Next year I hope to do a different color, then I can just rotate them as I see fit.

I love how bright and airy this room is. Silver, white and cream are perfect for this room.

Not silver, but of course this use of cranberry red caught my eye. I love red.

Photos via Country Living, and Garrendenny Lane Interiors

Reason 435 For Wanting A Daughter

I've been dreaming about having children from the time I received my first doll. I'm pretty sure that was the bald cabbage patch one that I called Sissy Marie, and the bigger blond yarn haired cabbage patch doll I named Charlie (short for Charlotte). I carried my dolls everywhere. And of course I had 500 of them. The water baby, a dreamland baby, and American Girl doll, a Crissy Doll that was my mom's, a PJSparkles, A Gerber baby doll. Seriously, the list NEVER ends...The only list that was longer was the list of barbies that all looked the same. Finally Barbie figured it out and started offering up just outfits, so I could accessorize with Fifth Ave. clothing without ditching Barbie number 3,254 for a new outfit and a new pair of shoes. Oh how little things change...I loved my dolls, until they creeped me out with their lifeless eyes, and I put them in a drawer never to be looked at again.

Like I said, I've been dreaming about having children forever, and I've been dreaming about having a daughter for just as long. There are a million reasons I want a daughter. I want a couple daughters actually. I always wanted a sister, one that I could scream at, argue about stealing each others clothes, but really having that deep connection with someone that had shared my life, but had a completely different story to tell.

We all know by now that I have an addiction to clothes and shoes. That was apparent when I bought an amazing pair of shoes by Calvin Klein the other day before heading out for a birthday party. They are divine... We just won't tell my husband how much they really cost. I told him the were $40 off. That's all he needs to know;)

I've never taken the time to check out Crew Cuts over at the J.Crew website, because I know that I will fall madly in love, and I just don't know if I can bear to swoon over children's clothes any more than I already do. I had a weak moment, and took a peek and almost died at the preciousness and I'm pretty sure that's not even a word. So I grabbed a couple outfits that I thought were cute. And some that I would want. I hope my daughter likes skirts and dresses. I think the coat is my favorite. It's in a pewter gray color. AH!

I obviously have a soft spot for gray and pink... Ruffles, and rosettes. Can you tell? These outfits are so cute it hurts to think about a little girl with brown little curls and blue eyes. It's just too much!

Crew Cuts Clothing by J.Crew

Quote of the Day

Photo found here

Happy Celebration Weekend!

I'm headed out today to a birthday celebration! The only thing that would get me more excited for today? Sun. It's terrible weather here. Leave it to the Northwest... Saturday night and Sunday are my recoup/prep days for a busy busy week ahead. Have a fabulous weekend! Ciao!

Oh Christmas Tree

I've been waiting to share my favorite Christmas tree pictures until it got closer to the Holidays. I really really really want a white, or pink Christmas tree, but Josh just isn't having it. I purchased a small hot pink tree at Target a few months ago. At the time, that was the closest I could get to the pink I wanted. Now Target has a full size white tree (sigh) for $200. A little too rich for my blood. One day I will have a white tree... or a pink one. I won't give up.

White Tree via Apartment Therapy, Pink Tree Via Blueprint Magazine

Color For Love

Just click on the photo to read the quote better!:)

Photo credit: Kittys Yellow Jacket found via weheartit

Birthday

Today is my Friend Beka's birthday. And I'm so excited to celebrate her 21st birthday with her. She is the last of us to turn 21. Almost a year and a half behind me, and before she joined our group of friends, I was the youngest.

Beka is the best kind of friend, one that knows more about me than I would probably like anyone to know. She has seen me at my worst, and she has seen me at my very best, and has never faltered in our friendship. Our friendship comes easy,picking up where we left off, spending hours talking and helping each other through the problems life throws at us. When I need someones advice, and voice of reason, I talk to Beka, because I know she will tell me what she really feels. I can go in to a conversation feeling broken, and ready to give up, but something in her confidence and assurance in who I am, and who I want to be always has me leaving with new hope. Being a friend like that is a gift, an art, and she has it in spades. It has been such a blessing to have Beka as a best friend. Beka, thank you for your kind words, and advice, and most of all your friendship. I am so blessed to have you in my life! Happy Birthday Beka!

Lily Donaldson and Jessica Stam found via Stardust and Sequins

I Love These So Much It Hurts

Before I head out on errands, I wanted to share these pumps I found last night while perusing the Piperlime website, of course they aren't in my size, and my mother told me to leave it alone because I'll only be more disappointed when I can find them in my size and can't have them. I tracked them down at Neiman Marcus, and I'm going to look elsewhere as well. There are no words for these heels. I've never wanted a pair of pumps more than I want this pair, forget about the $350 price tag, I must have them. This is one of those times when I wish I had won the lottery.
The come in black on the Neiman Marcus website, but black does not do these magnificent heels justice. I'm off to sulk for awhile. Have a wonderful morning!

Betsey Johnson Kilburn Suede Booties

Fall is definitely my favorite season, and it's made more so because the fashion for this season is also my favorite. I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many pairs of boots and too many jackets. I only have four pairs of boots and seven jackets (that doesn't include winter coats like Northface jackets), and I'm always on the hunt for a good pair of riding type boots, and lately I've been in love with booties. I have yet to purchase a pair of riding boots, but I have just recently purchased a pair of booties. While hunting down a pair of boots from Piperlime, I found these Betsey Johnson booties that I would love to add to my collection. I can't stop staring.

Clothbound Beauties

I love books. There are only a few things I love more than books.When I was a kid, I would get more excited running through the aisles of books at Barnes and Noble, than I ever did at Toys R Us. By the way, the way Toys R Us is spelled has always bothered me, even as a child I knew it was promoting illiteracy in children across America. Anyway, now that we have that little fun fact, I can go on with my post about books. It's one of my new goals, to read and purchase classics. I am a book buyer. I don't remember the last time I went to the library, sad I know, but I just can't bring myself to return a book after it has been read, so I buy books. And no, it's not a waste of money because I usually read them more than once. Books are comforting to me. Once I'm finished reading a book, I'm so excited, but there is that little bit of sadness that takes awhile to go away until I find another book that I can't wait to immerse myself in. I'm reading a set of books right now, but I'm already dreading the day that I finish the last book. I'm still sulking over finishing The Time Traveler's Wife, and that was like 7 books ago.

But like I said, I'm making it a point to have some of the classics, and while I was on Anthropologie looking for a pair of boots to swoon over I came across these stunning cloth bound books of 6 classics. I've read all or part of five of them. I have 2 copies of Sense and Sensibility and my favorite book of all time Pride and Prejudice. I purchased the Jane Austen Complete Novels Penguin Classic Deluxe Addition when I was a Sophomore in college. I decided that instead of choosing eight poems to dissect, I would choose eight Jane Austen novels. So I blew through eight Jane Austen Novels, not stopping to really enjoy any of them except for Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, which I had previously read anyway. I'm planning on rereading the other six books. So while I already have both of the Jane Austen novels that are available cloth bound, I want another copy, which would bring my total to three of the same book. And like I've said, I just can't bring myself to get rid of the other copies.

The cloth bound books available at Anthropologie are: The Picture of Dorian Gray (one of my favorites as a child), Sense and Sensibility, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Great Expectations.

Great Expectations is at the top of my list because it's the only one that I haven't cracked open, and then maybe Dorian Gray because it's the only other one I don't own.

They are so beautiful! Go take a look!

Adorable

I won't have time to post tomorrow, so I wanted to share these adorable little coffee cups. I want to drink my coffee from one of these. Mostly the hounds tooth one:) These are genius! Have a wonderful weekend!

Designed by: Sarah Walsh

Quote of the Day

Photo found via weheartit

A Little Vintage

I've started prepping for a Boudoir Session I'm doing on the 16th, so again, I won't be posting anything too exciting. I'm so excited for this session, so I wanted to start working on it right away. I've been so busy this week, I haven't really had time to think about it much aside from booking the appointment and keeping in touch with my client. So today I'm taking some time to gather a little inspiration for the shoot. I'm always looking for things to inspire me and this image was tucked away last week sometime in hopes of getting to use it fo another session when it came along. Well I'll be pulling this one out for the 16th. I love the vintage feel:) Have a wonderful weekend lovlies!

Model is Jessica Stam

Photo found here

Yes, Please!

I frequent J.Crew regularly... Like every other day. Do I have anything from J. Crew? No, I can't afford anything from there, but that doesn't stop me from dreaming about Cashmere sweaters and $300 purses. There's no hope for me. I saw these in the "sleepwear" section this morning! I don't know how attractive the would be on, because you have to be stick straight to wear these. and, although I'm thin, I don't think it would be flattering to see my hips sticking out. But hey, like I said, I can dream! These would be so fun to wear while reading a book in front of a fire. I need to find other hobbies besides reading it looks like. Anyway! Go here to view more details about J. Crew's Classic Union Suit Pajamas. I want mine in Navy blue!

Photos found here

Fabulous Modern Architecture

I never used to be a fan of modern architecture, but after months of perusing Apartment Therapy, I've come to love modern homes just as much as I love older homes. And I never thought I would read the Twilight books let alone post about the "Cullen House" on my blog. I am in fact in the process of reading the "Twilight Saga."I finished the third book this morning, and will start on the fourth one tonight. I do like them, as much as a twenty something year old can like a book about teen love. I've told Josh I would like it a whole lot more if it in fact didn't involve teenagers. I'm not a fan of teenagers, I didn't like teenagers when I was one. It's a nice love story, unrealistic as it is. It's a little obsessive for me, but hey, it's light reading. I have jumped on the Robert Pattinson bandwagon, he is kind of cute, not cute enough for me to plaster my walls with magazine tear outs, and stickers on the back of my car like I saw today in the Safeway parking lot, but cute in a disheveled sort of way... Not as much in the movie. I like my guys with a little more rugged look. He's way too pretty in the movie for my taste. I like a little stubble.

Anyway, what really took my breath away, about the movie the second time I saw it, was the Cullen House. I didn't really appreciate the house when the movie came out earlier in the year (or was it last year?) I don't remember. Anyway, the second time around, my heart skipped a beat for this not so little house out in the woods. It's stunning. The house is nothing like they describe in the book, but I think I like the movie version of the house better. And since Josh doesn't appreciate Modern like I do, my brother and I have decided to win the lottery, and we figure it's big enough for us to live in without bothering each other. Josh can have a separate house, no biggie.

So if you like Modern architecture this is a dream house! At least it is for me. Enjoy!

Thehe Hoke House is by Architect Jeff Kovel from Skylab Architecture

Photos found here

What I'm Doing Today!

So after I made the trek to the grocery store (yuck) this is what I've been working on for the last few hours... Learning how to customize my holiday cards. I figured it out! So I've gotten alot accomplished today, but never as much as I want to! Here's a sample I've what I've been working on all day! This is one of my all time favorite photos. Erica looks amazing! Hopefully tomorrow I will be posting on some modern architecture I fell in love with! Stay tuned!

Stunning

I do have blog posting that I want to get to, but today is another busy day for me. I'm putting off the wifely duties of running errands like going to the grocery store. Instead, I'm working. Which really is a good excuse, but I know I'm going to hate going to the store just as much later as I am now. This photo totally stopped me in my tracks this morning. It's one of those photos I just can't bring myself to pull away from. Here's hoping you have a wonderful Tuesday!

Found here Photo By: Norbert Schoerner

The Little Black Dress

I love a little black dress....And a collar...And rosettes... I'm a firm believer that everyone needs a little black dress...Or two... Or three. I have four. And I'm always on the look out for another perfect black dress. I found these beautiful black dresses by Jill Lindsey today. I want them all, they are so fabulous!

Spring/Summer 2010 Collection

Fall/Winter 2009

To see more dresses click here

Dreamy

Well I'm secluded to the bed today trying to get rid of a headache that has been plaguing me since last night. I'm can finally feel it start to go away, but it's already 2:30, and that means I've practically wasted the day in bed. It gave me a chance to work on booking another Boudoir Session, and work on some other Boudoir stuff that I've been meaning to do, but took a back seat to all the other stuff that has been going on these last couple weeks. The headache is a result of stress due to something not working right yesterday. It's sad really that things like that ruin my day so easily. Now two days actually. But I wasn't completely worthless as I got a few things done from bed, and then later, I'm going to attempt to get the Christmas card templates downloaded that I tried to get downloaded yesterday with no luck. I need Josh's support for that. Maybe more like someone to yell at when I can't get it figured out. That poor guy is the sweetest husband.

I came across some of these dreamy photos while visiting my favorite blog, Coco & Kelley this morning, like I do every day, numerous times a day. I had to take a look at more of Maude Arsenault's work for myself. Enjoy, and hopefully I will be back in working order tomorrow! Have a wonderful Monday afternoon!

Photo by: Maude Arsenault Found via Simply Seductive