Good words

Spring Fever

Flowers always inspire me.
They can capture a mood, remind you of a special moment, celebrate a worthy occasion - or my personal favorite - just be beautiful gift for absolutely no reason at all.
With spring now in full swing here in the city local florists are gearing up for wedding season with lush and beautiful petals. Here are a few of my favorites from my neighborhood shop Not Just Flowers.

Pink Ranuculas

A beautiful assortment of roses, hydrangeas, dahlias and some irises

Gorgeous yellow tulips

Stargazer lilies

Bright yellow ranunculas

They were just so beautiful I had to get some for myself! I decided upon the burgundy and pink ranunculus and mixed them together in a handy water pitcher when I got home.

combo of burgundy and pink ranunculus

Being Authentic

New Girl is such a great show for so many reasons. 

One of which being the funny and ever so adorable Jess. 

She is quirky and silly and undeniably her authentic self 

It got me thinking about how sometimes in life we may unintentionally change little things about ourselves for others, and how amazing it would be if more of us really embraced our authentic selves and all our little quirks.

I like to craft, and there is nothing that makes me happier than making something. I have "creative ADD" and I love it.  I may have a ton of projects going and sometimes it takes me forever to finish them, like years. Or I might not finish them at all. I buy things at Britex for no other reason than they inspire me. I say words like putter, shwoop and wicked. I get extremely excited about great stationary.

And you know what - I like all those things about myself.

Cheers to being you and no one else.

- Quote from New Girl, Image credit unknown. Found on Fairy Tales are True

Visual Merchandising Goes Green

I took a trip to one of my favorite inspiration stores, Anthropologie, this weekend.
How could I resist those beautiful window displays? They just lure me in every time.

Anthropologie on Market Street in San Francisco 

                            

This time I noticed something new when I went in the store. My first thought was - Wow check out all the live plants in here! Upon second glance I realized that only half of the plants were alive. The other half had been created using various materials such as felt, rope, cloth and some sewing magic.

The visual merchandising team really outdid themselves this time.  

I was amazed at how easily the real and crafted plants blended with each other. It was such a great experience to see and touch the live plants and then touch the hand crafted elements.  

This was also a great marketing tactic that really got their customers wanting some spring and summer apparel. The displays of plants, warm weather shorts and dresses, and brightly colored apparel & accessories really screamed "Warm weather is coming! Gets your outfits ready now!" The desert design with the cactus elements can't help but make you want to be wearing a nice summer dress.

Don't mind if I do Anthro! 

Is it real plants? Nope - it is cloth, rope and felt!

These guys are real

Can you spot the real plants and the crafted plants?

Is that a desert oasis? Nope, just another display in Anthropologie.

Happy design inspiration!

Austin Adventure

Recently I took a weekend adventure to Austin, Texas and it was filled with inspiration. 

I loved the metal detailing on the railing on the walk way at Lady Bird Lake. 

Such a beautiful little accent to an object people use everyday.

Check out the view from the Zilker Park side of the trail. 

That is downtown Austin and the South Congress Bridge

                             

I loved this outdoor bar/ venue, they had tons of live music going on at night!

Domino Magazine is making a comeback!

One of my all time favorite home design magazines is coming back to print! 

Photo via curbed.com

When the economy took a turn a few years ago Domino was one of many magazines to be taken off of shelves.  Myself and many other decor junkies were very sad to see it go. It will be coming back this Spring reincarnated as Domino Quick Fixes and "will be full of Domino’s best home decorating stories, focusing on easy, often inexpensive changes that make a big difference – from quick spruce-ups of dowdy furniture to more involved DIY projects like painting stairs or reorganizing a home office." The issue will be on newsstands April 17 through July 16 and a second edition is planned for the fall. At $11 for each issue it is more than the original Domino, but I have a feeling that the quarterly sold issues will be jam packed with even more great details and will be well worth the price.  


To read more about Domino's return to the press check out the Curbed article here.
I can't wait to read the issue for myself!

A lovely weekend

My perfect afternoon

I spent a great part of the beautiful day reading the Design*Sponge at Home book looking for design inspiration, drinking tea out of my new Jonathan Adler mug and admiring my new mini succulent garden. The Design*Sponge blog is such a great resource for DIY projects and I always feel like I can build almost anything after reading their posts. The book has proved to be just as amazing! I am bursting with inspiration.

A close up of my adorable succulents. Love them!

I hope you all are enjoying a great weekend and the sunshine here in the city.

By Definition

I've been thinking a lot about the things I want to build in my life lately. Career choices, friendships, romantic love, and family were all swirling around my head. Which lead to some random internet surfing... For some reason I found dictionary.com's definition of the word "create" exceptionally inspiring.

create -
To evolve from one's own thought or imagination, as a work of art or an invention.
To cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes.

It made me smile to think that the lives we all create for ourselves can also be thought of "as a work of art." For me life often feels like I am constructing some elaborate flower arrangement, slowly adding each bloom until suddenly I see a beautiful bouquet.

What are you trying to create in your life?

Good words

Image Via Sacramento Street

Think Global

44 days, 18 flights and 11 countries. Sounds amazing right?

Rick Mereki, Andrew Lees and Tim White took their adventure and captured it on film for STA Travel Australia.These videos really caught my eye and got me thinking of all the places I want to visit and how much you learn about yourself when you travel. I am planning my next adventure!
                                          
Definitely watch these in full screen view.

 

 Move

 Eat

  Learn

What is your favorite part of these films? I absolutely love when he is blowing glass and walking through the field of tall reeds.

Just because...

From That Kind of Woman

From Made By Sean

Initiation

Sorry for the intense amount of poetry but this poem has been on my closet door for the past few months. With the s#!t I have been thorough in the past month I feel like I understand this poem even more now than before.

the initiated woman

the initiated woman has bled. 
she's bled from poor decisions that sliced her esteem wide open; and from unguarded boundaries being obliterated; and she's bled willingly because that's what you do when people you love are anemic or have been hit by life -- you give them your blood. Here, I have lot's, it's fresh and warm. I'll make more.

She has gone through the eye of a needle, stripped, shed, pared down to the pure pith of her power. The few people who have seen her so naked will never speak of that beauty to anyone else.

She knows that when people are ready, they're ready, and they're never ready before they're ready. Still, she holds the light for your readiness, because she knows how sweet it is when the time is right.

She's modest, but bold to the depths. She knows that initiations are waiting for everyone to claim them. Courage is key.

She's asked people to leave her house because they were consistently rude.
Now, she asks after the first offense -- she knows where things are going.
If you don't respect her, there's not much to talk about.

It's usually a succession of rigors, (rarely a lightning strike) that earns her the license to teach. Her lessons can be precise, like the diamond that cuts diamonds. Essentially-focused.

She knows that playing nice perpetuates irresponsibility, but that kindness is wildly fertile.
She's mindful of the how and the who in her bed, because it's always more than that.
She doesn't spiritualize immorality, but she understands it.
She has no time for excuses, but all the time in the world for intentionality.
She reveres accountability, which includes using the sword of justice, and singing operatic praises for things done the good way -- or even attempts at the good way.

Scarred. Faceted. Radiant. Wide.

She's so tender she prefers to whisper about her true nature, or write a poem. Abstract. Protected.

When the initiated woman tells you that "everything will be okay," you tend to believe her.

She uses compassion like a a lever to see what's really going on.
She applies willfulness sparingly, like gas to fire. ('cause, she is the fire.)
She awaits, but gets on with things.

She can tell you with calm and certain sympathy that love is the shortest distance between you and me.

And that there are no shortcuts to initiation.


- Danielle La Porte at White Hot Truth

A love story

i want to fall in love in the city.
after sunsets. bar talk.
a spare key to his place to slip in after work.
to make dinner in his tiny kitchen.
my little bag of make up and toothpaste on your sink.

we’d take the subway during rush hour just to puzzle piece ourselves together.
we’d share every park like our backyard.

i’d embarrass you with tourist pictures of us.
peeling oranges with my fingers to feed you on street corners.
we’d stay outside just to watch people passing by.
i’d hold onto your hand anytime i want.

i’d warn you when we meet. I am a selfish lover.
i don’t mean it the way you take it.
i mean i am selfish in expressing my romance.
i love quickly. with any number of things.

i laugh too loud. too often.
i share too much. too soon.
i want you here. then i don’t.

i want to fall in love with you while crossing the street.
during the midnight movie.
when i stumble on uneven pavement.
weaving in and out of tourists in a hurry and bumping against you.

i want to fall in love with you as i stare at the tall tall buildings and fall in love with this city.

- a poem by That Kind of Woman (found via Live Creating Yourself)

Great Words

I would love to kiss you.

The price of kissing is your life.

Now my loving is running toward my life shouting,

What a bargain, let's buy it.

-Rumi

Too often we don't realize what a bargain love it - let's buy it.

A little encouragement

If you have had a rough day, week or maybe just a really awful hour then take a peek at this. It always helps to remind me that there is so much good in the world.

To my lovely ladies

You know who you are, and I love you all. 

To read the rest of Danielle La Porte's "an ode to girlfriends everywhere" check out her blog White Hot Truth. It is an amazing site for creative inspiration, entrepreneurial fine tuning and so much more.

Getting Inked

I have been thinking more about getting a tattoo lately. 

The beautiful work by Amanda Wachob has me thinking big, bold colors...

How amazing are these abstract pieces! 

While I might not get this as a tattoo for myself I can definitely appreciate the beauty and artistry, they actually look like brush strokes from paint.

Stunning, it reminds me of clouds with cutouts of birds.

Now lets see if I can get sketching for my own tattoo....

How to Steal Like an Artist

(Source)

This is a post that really got my mind thinking. Why are we inspired? Why do we think we need to wait until "we know who we are" to be able to create great work? Part of creating amazing things is that we get to see the development of ourselves in everything we make. Is an idea ever really original? In most cases, no it is not an original idea - but that is ok. We are constantly adapting existing ideas to make them our own. I encourage you take a peek at Austin Kleon's blog and check out How to Steal Like An Artist.

Bold Color

It all started with a pen... harmless enough.
Just a fun pen to keep in my purse.
But then inspiration struck and it became so much more!

This pen has just given me the inspiration I have been searching for to redecorate my room after recently moving. The colors of my old furniture are a bit too muted, the feel is a bit too antique centered.

Next stop - bold color and pattern a la Jonathan Adler.
My muses will be Kelly Green, Navy Blue, Citrus Yellow with hints of a Summer Lime Green.

There will definitely be a stop at the hardware store this weekend. Can't wait to start painting the furniture!