In My Mailbox: September 2011

Books for Review

• The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
• Black, White, Other: In Search of Nina Armstrong by Joan Steinau Lester
• Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
• The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks
• Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
• Saving June by Hannah Harrington
• The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski

Home Palette Thursdays

{image source}

Corgi Tuesdays

The Mopey Corgi

Inspired by...

I'm not even gonna lie, I kinda wish we had cable to see the E! special of Kim Kardashian's wedding O_O But since we don't, I did enjoy the photo highlights from E! and US Weekly.
She definitely had some very beautiful elements and here is my inspiration board for how you can channel her style as a budget bride :)

{image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12}

inspiration to wardrobe: Green with Envy

Love this wallpaper... what a wonderful dress would that pattern make!
inspiration
name it and win it $50 * daytrip pointella flyaway cardigan sweater $21* asos floral metal keeper detail satchel $16 * kvoll printed slingback wedges $38 * blue/brown feather earrings $4

Luke's Nudie Jacket

When Luke and I were first dating back in '08, one Saturday night we were on the phone while watching tv and he told me to flick to SNL to see Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy's awesome Nudie suit. I had no clue what a Nudie suit was but I couldn't deny the coolness of that rose embroidered jacket. At that moment I knew one of the coolest gifts I could ever give him would be a jacket like that. 

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

Cedar Fort (12/8/11)

ISBN-10: 1599559250

ISBN-13: 978-1599559254

YA Audience

280 Pages

Buy Here for $15.19

My Rating: 5/5

A Touch of Sun

This week's I Heart Faces challenge is "A Touch of Sun." This photo was from an engagement session in the early summer. We went to Nasher Sculpture Gardens, but it was swelteringly hot and very sunny. This was one of my favorite shots from that day.

Corgi Tuesdays

"Can we roll in the grass incessantly, particularly after a bath?" -famous Corgi words

inspiration to wardrobe: Mad About Ikat

My feeling towards ikat have fluctuated but i have to say, i am really digging on this combination...
inspiration
Full Tilt Smock Maxi Dress $16 * The Mojo Sandal in Red $28 * Aeo Wavy Ikat Scarf $19.50 * Sequin 'Brights' Small Enamel Bangle $28 * Kimchi Blue Trifle Checkbook Wallet $10

Book Review: The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski

The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski

EgmontUSA (5/10/11)

ISBN-10: 1606841297

ISBN-13: 978-1606841297

YA Audience

336 Pages

Buy Here for $13.13

My Rating: 3/5

Corgi Tuesdays

When I was 12, my parents agreed I could get a dog. It would be my first pet dog in 6 years and I had my heart set on a Beagle. But we knew we wanted an adult dog instead of dealing with the puppy training phase. And our family has adopted every dog we've had since we feel there are too many homeless dogs to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a specific breed.
Well around that time there was an ad for a loving family to adopt a 2 year old corgi named Coco. I had known people with corgis and I thought they were such odd shaped and ugly dogs. But as soon as we met Coco it was love at first sight and we fell for the breed as a whole.

inspiration to wardrobe: Soft Nudes

Who says you can't wear white after labor day? Especially here in texas where it's still HOT!
inspiration
x's and o's romper $50 * large ribbon women's hat $10 * frolick butterfly ring in coral $43 * cross stitch cord bag $16 * white leather gladiator sandal $24

Book Review: Saffron Dreams by Shaila Abdullah

I still remember every single detail from this day 10 years ago. Although I was still a little girl, the events of that day have lingered with me throughout the years. Now exactly a decade later, I feel it is a perfect time to share with you a review of a book that delves into the after effects of September 11th.

Saffron Dreams by Shaila Abdullah

Modern History Press (3/4/10)

ISBN-10: 1615990259

ISBN-13: 978-1615990252

Audience: Adult

Buy Here for $17.96

My Rating: 5/5

Week 1 of Pioneering as a Couple

Love these photos of service group in Terrell!

Miss B Encounters a Child

B had one of her first encounters with a small child at a Labor Day pool party. Think she handled it pretty well :)

inspiration to wardrobe: Sheer Grace

I love these soft fabrics and muted tones. So feminine and pretty!
inspiration
plait strap cami $42 * bartus high-waisted cotton shorts $35 * cream embellished cover up $59 * stone floral sequin pumps $37 * neutral mix chandelier $34 * la regale 24182 clutch $20

August Reflections & September Intentions

So let's just say I only accomplished 5 of the 17 intentions I had for August. But I am not disappointed in myself because it was a month of transition and my intentions kept me motivated to stay busy. That was the point after all. If I stay busy I am less likely to slip into a "funk".

So I will continue with these monthly intentions :)

• Design a nudie suit jacket for Luke to wear to DOMA
• Make 4 anniversary gifts for the Fisher family anniversary dinner
• Sort through all our belonging and decide what to get rid of, store, or move with us in Nov.
• Label and organize all our get rid of items for the yard sale
• Get back on my diet
• Have company over
• Pick out my fall assembly outfit

{image source}

inspiration to wardrobe: Turquoise, Red, & White

I love love love the stark contrats of this color combination!
inspiration
Matt & Shine Full Hem Skirt $35 * White Embroidered Bid Shirt $32 * Red Pleat Front Clutch Bag $16  * Qupid Drama Pump $50 * Antler Earrings $12

Our First Wine Tasting

Landon Winery here in Greenville offers a great deal where you can taste 5 wines for $5. My favorite was their Chocolate Finale which is basically a chocolate syrup port. So yummy! They have an incredible Yellow Rose wine as well :)

(Editor's Note: I do not have a double chin in real life!)

In My Mailbox: August 2011

Over the last couple months, I have had quite a few authors and publishers ask me to do reviews and while I hope to get to them all it's hard to address each one in a timely fashion. Therefore I have decided to follow in the way of The Story Siren and start a monthly In My Mailbox feature. This is where I will mention the various review copies I have received along with books I have picked up for personal reading as well.

My Memories Suite Giveaway & $20 Coupon

As pretty much all of you know by now, I am a graphic artist and am trained and have access to the full Adobe suite. Their software is unparalleled for professional applications. However, only a small amount of the population "need" to use such programs as Illustrator or Photoshop. But like most people when you see a pretty design or digital scrapbook page, you probably think to yourself, "If only I had the money and time to learn how to do something like that in Photoshop?"

Interested in Getting your own Custom Header?

I have added custom  Blog Headers and Blog Templates for blogger to my Etsy shop! Check it out if you would be interested in something like this :)

Custom Blog Header

Custom Blog Template

inspiration to wardrobe: The Artist

I've always loved this craft room and it fully inspired this cozy winter outfit!
inspiration
jamie solid peacoat $50 * daytrip libra stretch trouser $50 * three dots scoop neck tee $48 * h&m shoes $13 * shiny scarf $11 * nordstrom slouchy eco tote with pouch $22

inspiration to wardrobe: Funky Mix & Match

For those who see me day to day, they know i can put together some pretty weird combinations. So it's little wonder how much this set speaks to me :)
inspiration
bke boutique ruffle lace tank top $38 * bke long strappy tank top $12 * the happy bunch skirt $50 * dv by dolce vita toni $45 * zebra handbag $13 * silver pink cuff bracelet $40

I Won a Design Contest :)

As a long time follower of Sara Cotner's blogs 2000 Dollar Wedding and Feeding the Soil, I knew I had to jump at the opportunity to design her new header.
Since Sara has often admitted to gaining inspiration in life and motherhood from Amy of Progressive Pioneer, I wanted to give her a similar illustration style header but with my own design flare. It needed to fit the name of her blog and reflect what is most important to her - being an amazing mother.
I perused her past entries to find the perfect photo of her with her son, Henry. Then taking key elements from the headers and logos from her other endeavors, I was able to create this.

Jessica's Montessori Child Bed for Twins

So you may remember my post on the Montessori Child Bed and the email I sent to my friend, Jessica, who was pregnant with twins...
...well her little ones are 5 months old and are loving their beds!

Beautiful Eyes

I have really been wanting to get back into creative photography to give my business a jolt of new energy. therefore I have decided that the weekly I Heart Faces challenges are the perfect thing for me :)
This week's challenge is Beautiful Eyes and since I decided to participate at the last minute, here is an old favorite for my entry. From here on out though, I plan to use new photos ;)

inspiration to wardrobe: Midnight Glow

Perfect fall assembly ensemble :)
inspiration
Linen-Blend Ruffle Shirt $8 * Canoe Dig It? Skirt $43 * Pumps $46 * Grey Croc Bowler Bag $46 * Light Bulb Earrings $16 * Feather Hair Slide $8.45

Essential Wardrobe List in Action - Tops

Remember my Essential Wardrobe List? Well I have decided to also provide my recommendations for each category if you were creating this wardrobe from scratch. Just a fun little something I wanted to put together :)

Little Black Dress

Like Coco Chanel, I am a big proponent of the little black dress and every woman should have one in her closet. It can be dressed up or down for almost any occasion. Inspired by Chanel's original design, I decided to find a modern version at a variety of price points. Can you pick out the ones over $200 compared to those under $100?

a.b.

c.d. 

inspiration to wardrobe: Quotable

Totally loving this yellow and gray combination!
inspiration
printed ruffled chiffon dress $29.50 * dv dolce vita "pali" wedge sandals $43 * white twist lock purse $33 * petal profusion ring $6 * laugh necklace $38

August Intentions

Just wanted to create a list for myself of all the things I hope to accomplish this month :)

• Update the living growing scrapbook
• Get a duvet cover for the bedroom
• Hang the bedroom curtains
• Organize the office
• Create 2 pieces of bedroom art
• Polish first 3 chapters of my non-fic WIP and query
• Finish box shelves
• Make a curtain for back doors
• Refinish coffee table trunk
• Refinish night stands and headboard
• Collect wooden crates and finish shoe display
• Design new batch of sample invitations
• Send sample invitations to wedding blogs
• Complete business plan
• Finish and mail my pay it forward gifts
• Only spend $150 on groceries this month
• Find a part-time job that supplements the difference in Luke working part-time as well

{image source}

Fauxboutin Pigalle Pumps

Most of my friends and family have witnessed the saga of my quest to make knock offs of thes gorgeous gold glitter louboutins pumps...

{source}

Our New Sofa

no not really... just a new look to it. Remember me mentioning that my mom helped me recover our old couch so that we could ditch the irritating slip covers. Well, I finally finished the throw pillows and can share pictures :)
Here is the before picture of our couch. It was very comfy but a bit dated. What can you expect from your college boy cousins hand me down ;)

From Pin to Perfection

When I heard about the  Pinterest Challenge, Sherry, Katie, Emily, and Lana had cooked up, I knew I wanted to give it a shot. 


I decided to create a mail sorter/message center for my project. Here is the pin, I was inspired by...

{source}

In Home Art Classes

In light of my last post and our current career changes, I have decided to start offering in home art classes for children and adults. This is something, I have considered doing for the past year with how much I have enjoyed my past and current teaching positions. So know is the time to take the plunge!
I am looking to take on up to 8 students a week and my schedule is currently wide open so just drop me an email to discuss a good class time.

Leaps of Faith

So there are some really big and sudden changes going on in our neck of the woods...
. . .
Luke gave his two week notice this morning...
. . .
and he doesn't have another job lined up...
. . .
but I am not worried or scared...
. . .
but 100% happy for and proud of him.

Best Music Video Ever!

Stumbled upon this video last night and was thoroughly blown away by how well it was designed... it's the perfect visual for the song and marvelously capture the psychedelic vibe of the Beatles at that era.