in the studio

this is what my studio table currently looks like. a happy little mess.

i've been battling a rather long period of burnout...and finally (finally!!) the creative juices are flowing again. and coming on in full force - i've been furiously scribbling thoughts and images as fast as i can. i could not be more thrilled.

what are you battling with or conquering these days, friend?
xxo

dear autumn

our gorgeous produce from the farmers market. hello, dinner! :)

dear autumn,

i could not be more thrilled you are here. 

i plan on soaking up as much of your goodness as possible.

starting today.

i'm soaking up your sunshine rays. 

feeling the light breeze in my hair.

taking a walk through the dahlia garden.

listening to the quiet.

eating pumpkin pancakes.

you fill every part of my being with happy.

xxo

truths.

1. i want to be a hippy. pretty badly. truth is, as much as i can identify with the free spirit concept, i am a planner. to a fault.

2. i am a home body. the perfect evening or weekend, in my eyes, consists of lit candles, maybe a glass of wine, a home-cooked meal, and a neighborhood walk with the hubby.

3. i am an early bird; naturally waking at 6am. often, i set my alarm for 5:30 so i can start my day with a few hours in the studio.

4. i still think of myself as age 22.

5.  every fall, i wish i worked at a produce stand. or as a berry picker.

6. i miss corvallis restaurants. local boys, la roca, shogun bowl.

7. my favorite adult beverage is a lemon drop. it used to be a good gin and tonic...until one fateful night (my brother's 21st) when i may or may not have consumed an entire bottle!

8. i want to live in a cottage nestled in the forest.

9. i've owned the same tired pair of running shoes since my sophomore year of high school! that's TEN years! 

10. i feel like the last person in the world who doesn't own an iphone. truth: i am resisting! i like being able to easily unplug. 

11. even after 6 years of togetherness, my hubby is still on my mind, everyday. 

12. i've never owned a pair of "expensive" jeans. although i did once buy a pair of banana republic jeans for $4 at goodwill! :)

13. i prefer dresses over jeans, anyday.

14. i can't wait to snuggle with my best friends daughter, penny:)

15. some days are a struggle. i've gotten rather good at mind over matter.

16. even though he is my baby brother, he always sticks up for me. i'm the luckiest sister.

what are your truths, friend?

xxo

DIY woodsy necklace!

ever since collage posted about these goodies

to make mini terrariums, i have

been chomping at the bit to get up to portland for the supplies to make a few of my own.

this weekend, my dreams came true! mom and i were in portland for something completely un-related, and what do you know?! collage was on the very street as our original destination. fate? i think so.

        

i just love all things miniature. look at the mini bottles! love. those little hook thingys? just screw them into the cork and you are ready to thread your necklace chain through.

 

the second i arrived back home i cleared off my art table and made these little babies. perfect autumn accessory, don't you think?

have you been to collage, by the way? coolest art supply store, ever. i think we were there an hour, and that was not nearly enough time!

xxo

dreaming of a someday house

at the end of a beautiful grassy path lined with trees sits this abandoned beauty.
it is nestled at the base of a mountain, so peaceful and quiet you can only hear the chirping birdies and nothing else.

mom and i did a bit of exploring a few weekends ago, and this is where we ended up. i love to let my imagination run wild as i picture the hubby and i fixing up this little gem and living happily ever after in the woods.

for now, my imagination will have to do, because we are nowhere near ready to decide where we'd like to settle down. it sure is fun to dream though. :)

what does your someday house look like?

xxo

trip to Spain

good morning friends.
i hope your weekend was exactly what you needed it to be.
we spent the majority of ours driving...good thing i love road trips! the hubby and i have seen so little of each other lately - it was the perfect opportunity to reconnect, and relax a bit from a busy week last week!
it was lots of art, and lots of shipping art.
and just when i start to lose sight of the big picture, and wonder why i'm doing what i'm doing, i see pictures and read heartfelt messages that make me remember why i love what i do so much.

photo taken by Marta Fernandez

photo taken by Marta Fernandez

photo taken by Marta Fernandez

 this baby traveled all the way to Madrid, Spain. i just love its new home, don't you?

xxo

flower shadows

today is one of those amazingly relaxed days, where structure and to-do lists are non-existent. where the crisp, almost-autumn breeze blows through my open windows, and the crickets sing their songs to me. these are the kinds of days that allow me to re-charge my batteries. where i'm able to indulge in any sort of whim my mind may think up. like sleeping in til 8. going for a mid-afternoon run. re-arranging the living room. making a second pot of coffee. organizing my messy studio. it's pure bliss.

i'm loving the slow on-set of autumn. with every fiber of my being. the sun is still so warm, but there is definitely something in the air that warns of a change coming. the best change that happens all year. i'm planning on soaking up as much autumn as i can stand. (is it too early to get out the halloween decorations? haha. just kidding...kind of:))

xxo.

september goodness

magical morning light. where inspiration is born. on quiet walks around the neighborhood.

oh, september. you are one of my favorites. :) i'm giddy with the anticipation of your goodness. crisp, foggy mornings. chilly, sweater-wearing evenings. chirping crickets. gardens full of corn and pumpkins. candles. boots + scarves. pumpkin spice lattes. brightly colored leaves.

autumn, the best time of the year.


xxo