{Spring Threads}...Wedding Edition Part Two

The last wedding style post we looked at easy, breezy evening weddings. For this wedding, we're going to the pretty typical wedding. The one where the ceremony is at a church at three o' clock in the afternoon, the reception is at a country club with beautiful flowers and green lawns, and the DJ plays only classics. It's refined, fun, and lovely. Wearing a simple, bright dress with fun accessories is a great way to mix up the preppy look a little. Everything from the cut of the dress to the pattern of the necklace is traditional, but the candy hues keep it funky.

A sweet papaya toned dress that will look great with manicured lawns and oak trees. 

Neon sorbet baubles that scream, "I'm preppy, but fun!"

Avoid the lipstick and go with a simple gloss that is effortless and playful.

Crazy blue nails that pick up your necklace and remind you to go a little wild at the dance.

Basic, but not bland clutches are great for when your jewelry does the talking.

Metallic pumps for dancing the night away like the glam 80s bands that will definitely be played.

P.S. Can we just go back to the April wedding?

Dream Sun Room

Lately, I've been dreaming of a summery sun room. After our family trip to Florida last year, beach houses have been on my mind, and since I'm nowhere near the beach, I'm longing to turn our sun room into a chic, calming oasis. I would, of course, need Abby's blessing, but I don't want anything literally nautical. Here's how I would incorporate the beachy scene, while keeping a little city chic. 

Instead of navy and white stripes that scream sail-boating, I'd choose a beautiful light turquoise couch that has a wavy back and arms. P.S It's from Target––how awesome! It's the color of the ocean, and would be beautiful with the white wood work we have in the house. 

To pick up the white wood work, I'd introduce white accents, like this furry stool (so glamorous!) and tall white floor lamp. (It's stand reminds me of a seagulls foot.)

We have a lot of windows in the room (three out of four walls!), so I'd bring in gorgeous bronze and gold that mimic the sunshine glow of the beach. It's sophisticated and fun, but still warm. The bar cart is beautiful, because of the glass shelving, which keeps it light. 

Finishing everything off, I bring in woven baskets and stools that recall a more nautical theme, but are much more modern. Mixing traditional braided woven baskets, with brightly colored stools help keep it interesting. 

With a base of sea-foamy turquoise, gold, and white, I can introduce any accent colors I would like. The stool has a beautiful lime, and I would also bring in a papaya pink, both of which remind me of summery drinks.

New Smyrna Beach

Do you have any dream rooms? When you travel, do you prefer hotels, or do you like to stay in rental homes and apartments like a beach house or city flat? Are you ever inspired to change your house after your travels?

P.S. The perfect beach towel, a killer swimsuit, my summer playlists.

Constellation Earrings

How incredibly beautiful are these constellation earrings? Handmade by Kristy Highness in Australia, these earrings are part of her Dreaming Tree Creation line on Etsy. You can request any constellation that you choose, so it could be the one you see every summer camping, a patch of star from your favorite bedtime story, or just one with a beautiful group design. They're simply, interesting, and handmade. So much beauty!

P.S. She also makes personalized bracelets (I'd put my favorite book quote on it.) and state or country necklaces. 

Would you were earrings with constellations or initials? Do you like personalized jewelry?

Dreamers

Do you dream? So often I would wake in the morning with vivid stories from that night: magical travels with vibrant characters and perplexing places; mixed up realities that made you question the one to which you awoke; dreams I watched but did not act. 

And very rarely did I have nightmares. I just dreamed. 

Recently, though, I find I dream very little. Or at least I don't remember my dreams. I remember asking my mom when I was a child if she remembered her dreams for the night before as I told my crazy tales, and she often said that she couldn't recall any for the life of her. I'm wondering if as we age, our dreams are either less vivid, or less important to us? I believe I dream at night. Every once in awhile I wake up with something amazing, or I remember just one bit of information: the mint green cell phone, the singing library card, the multiplying scones at breakfast. 

I'm a firm believe in the idea that our dreams sort out our everyday lives. My mom used to call it a midnight filling system, where everything that happened that day was finally processed and sorted into our mental filling cabinets. Mine must be overflowing! 

I would like to remember more of my dreams–wouldn't it feel brilliant to say, "Oh, this idea came to me in a dream..."? Perhaps I could keep a dream journal. Do you remember your dreams? Do you value your dreams or think they're just a symptom of eating before bedtime?

Photo via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram

Arrested Development

I know I'm late to the party, but Arrested Development is pretty much the greatest. After The Office ended, I was feeling a little saddened. One of our friend's visited over the long weekend and introduced us to the series, which Abby and I have quickly enjoyed. It's a smart, funny show that plays up every family quirk we love to hate. There's a perfect mix of dumb humor with witty commentary, and I must say that the best part of the show is the mysterious narrator. 

Also, my favorite line from the show: "No touching!" Jeffrey Tambor is awesome. 

I always get hooked on shows after they've been out a while. Do you do the same, or are you generally on top of the "it shows"?

P.S. Awesome AD posters from Netflix...

Top photo via, posters via.

Cozy Classics

Pride and Prejudice

A brilliant groups of authors and illustrators have teamed as Cozy Classics to bring the world of Classical Literature to the minds of children. Who better to experience these magical stories than young kids with fresh imaginations and zero preconceived notions? Some of the titles include War and Peace and Les Miserables. 

Some may think that these tales are much to woeful and dark, but the beauty is that the books' simplicity allows parents to explain complex ideas like war and death however they see fitting. Ultimately, it introduces the rich world of literature to the eager minds of kids, which is just inspiring.

Moby Dick

Les Miserables - Poor

Would you read these children's classics to your kids? Are these stories too dark or too adult, or is it a revolutionary idea to give kids the power to love reading and learning?

Photos via Cozy Classics Facebook (Like them!)

{Spring Threads}...Wedding Edition Part One

Spring is coming to a close, which means that wedding season is in full swing. Almost every weekend I see limos, veils, and tulle turning around the corner. As we all begin to attend the busiest season of love, here are some of my favorite looks for every sort of venue. Our first type of wedding is the relaxed evening ceremony. Perhaps it takes place on the beach, in a beautiful garden, or in a church. Either way, sticking with a simple, but bold dress is a great decision.

If you somewhat mimic the setting sun in this purple maxi, you'll look great without distracting. Plus, you'll look wonderful in those candid pictures we (kind of) dread!

Let the stars and setting sun set your earrings a glow with glittery gems.

For spring events, I kind of love gold nail polish. It's glamorous and still sophisticated. 

A bright pink lip is all you need for your spring smile to bloom.

A natural woven clutch is perfect for a relaxed, polished look when toting along all your necessities. 

If you're outside and in a maxi, stick with a great flat sandal. Dancing will also be much more enjoyable. 

Do You Write Thank You Notes?

In the age of email, Facebook families, Twitter conversations, and the ever-convenient iMessage, do you still take the time to send out hand-written thank you notes? Even as a little girl, my mom taught me that when someone gives you a gift, does something nice for you, or deserves some heartfelt gratitude, you send a thank you card. To this day, I have a stock pile of pretty blank cards that I can use for thank you notes. (These sweet sparkly ones are actually my moms!) It's quite easy to send a quick text message "thx" (yuck!), or to send someone a little GIF, but it's just not the same. I still get giddy when I see I have post in the mail box! It means a lot to people in this era to write a thank you. 

Plus, stationery is cool! There are so many great paper companies to support in an increasingly paperless world, and I have to think that's pretty awesome. 

{Weekend Update}...Settling In

After a whirlwind week of finals, packing, and moving, I took this weekend to enjoy the very beginnings of summer vacation. We started off with a dinner and movie, followed by a bonfire with family and friends. It was incredible weather, and we chatted for hours about our favorite parts of Star Trek (Chris Pine's eyebrows), past vacation stories, and our recent move to a new church. And on the day of rest we stopped for lunch and frozen yogurt (I know it's kind of a fad, but I'm obsessed!) before picking up all our flowers for planting! Glorious sunshine, a heavy rainfall, and friends and family was a pretty great way to start summer.

When you come home, what is the first thing you want to do? I crave s'mores and bonfires, and afternoon patio reading. 

Photo via @classickitsch Instagram

Do You Work Alone?

Often time when I'm writing, I'm completely alone. During my internship this semester, I found that I was spending hours and hours researching in my bedroom, typing up drafts at a secluded table at Starbucks, or working at my apartment while everyone was at class. While I was extremely productive, it was lonely, and the creativity that I got from being around others vanished! Plus, working in my bed got to be really weird, because it became a place where I worked and slept.

Today I'm going to a "workspaces event" in my hometown. It's being hosted by our local publication Volume One. It's pretty rad, so I'm going to see how it feels to work in an office style. It's a bunch of freelancers, writers, home-office workers coming together to make a hodge-podge office!

Do you prefer to work alone? Are you someone that needs the occasional personal distraction with office buddies? 

Photo via @classickitsch Instagram

The Facebook Family Phenomenon

Facebook is a pretty interesting animal–something that has fascinated me for quite some time. I really noticed its uniqueness this past weekend with Mother's Day. It has increasingly become the norm for Facebook users to change their profile picture on special days, notably on Mother's Day, people post an endearing photo of them with their mom. It's traditionally a childhood picture that implies sweet memories and parental doting of the children. The captions give "shout outs" and words of gratitude to their hard-working moms. It's affectionate, but it's so incredibly public.

And I partake in the public displays of affection, too! (My mom even posted the photo above.) But I think it's a little bizarre.

In the big picture, it seems as though if we really cared about our beautiful moms, we would call them and actually say the things we post on Facebook; we'd go home to spend the day with her; we would make it personal, not public.

For the record, I give my mom a ring and let her know how much I love her. And the funny thing is, she appreciated the little note on Facebook. I wonder, though, how these holidays would be different if Facebook remained the social media platform, leaving us to do the human things, like saying I love you.

(P.S. Facebook gifts are also weird.)

{Weekend Update}...Final(s)ly!

A summery treat to get me through studying. 

Despite some weird, but gorgeous weather this weekend, I spent a significant amount of time indoors as I studied for my finals. Luckily, as an English major, I don't take many sitting exams.
(These days I have lots of papers to write and edit.) I'm also working on my last article for my semester internship with The International. Let me tell you, I'm really sad to say goodbye to such an awesome experience. I never thought as a sophomore I'd get to work on such exciting projects! I'm also in the process of packing up all of my belongings, which is exciting, but our apartment is looking really bare and has gotten very echoey. Only a few more glorious days left in Minneapolis for the school year! Wishing you luck on finals, graduation, or simply a wonderful week ahead!

P.S. Yesterday was Mother's Day. I couldn't spend it with my Mom, but I gave her a call to tell her how much I love her. I think we can all agree: moms are great.

Photo via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram

The Golden Touch

Would you wear metallic gold nail polish? This NARS nail lacquer is really beautiful! With a shimmery summer tan, you'd look like a bronzed goddess. 

Here are some my favorites: NARS, OPI, Deborah Lippmann (Glitter / Metallic)

Photo via

The Sound of Summer

Today is the last day of instruction for me, with a week of finals to follow! Needless to say, I'm dreaming of summer and craving a sunny heat wave. In the spirit of lemonade, hammocks, and sundresses, I've started making my first summer playlist. After all, every good party requires a soundtrack, and summer is just one long, leisurely party. You play music on road trips, as you have a barbecue, sing songs on bike rides. Often times, I hear a song from a previous playlist (I have many for many occasions–some random like an entire playlist for a fun weekend) and think of memories from that summer, or week years ago. Every time I hear this song, it takes me back to spring/summer of high school. So this summer. . .

I've got lots of bubbly tunes to compliment the (hopefully) blissful weather, featuring She & Him, Zee Avi, Mika, and Feist. All classics.

What do you have on your summer playlist? Does your taste in music change with the season? Mine certainly does. 

Photo via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram

Mom: My Biggest Cheerleader

My high school graduation with a proud and awesome mom. 

Who's your biggest cheerleader? My mom has always been the one encouraging me to do my best, but never be too hard on myself. She sat through all my dance recitals, show choir competitions, and cheered when I got my college acceptance letters. And when I have chaotic days, the ones when I'm pretty sure I just can't do it all, she's the one to tell me that I can do it. She brags for me, and reminds me that success is not necessarily the same as being the best. Thank you, Mom! You're the one that makes me feel invincible in the face of challenges!

Bonus: she was a cheerleader in high school! How perfect.

Who's your biggest cheerleader? What does your mom do that no one else can top?

Celebrity Crush Confession...

Bill Hader is the bomb. I can not confirm that he may or may not be my celebrity crush. While he's no hunk, he's funny and has the best faces. With all his impersonations, he could be anyone you wanted! It's most likely short lived, but there is something about his smirky smile when he tries not to laugh live on SNL. 

P.S. Bill Hader is the best thing about Superbad. 

Images via NY Mag, Examiner, Very Aware

What Does Your Mom Do For You?

My mom does a lot of little things to make me feel really special. She has a trick for knowing when my life is stressful, when I've had a bad day, or when I just need a little extra attention. She knows what to say and when, and has a million surprises up her sleeve for me. Here are some totally endearing, motherly things she does for me that I love.


Even if I've only been home for a weekend, she strips my bed when I leave, so the next time I come home I have crisp, clean sheets. "It's just like a hotel," she says.

We talk almost every night on the phone, but sometimes she sends me cards, because she knows I like getting mail that isn't junk or school-related.

Buys my favorite cereal for when I'm home.

Does my laundry, even when I insist that I do it!

Like so many moms, she loves to spoil me on surprise shopping trips. On a weekend visit, what I had hinted at for my birthday (still a while away!) turned out to be a surprise gift just for fun.

Reads every article I write, no matter how busy she is.

Got an Instagram account so we could "follow" each other's lives in pictures.

Scratches my back at night, just like when I was a little girl.

Is brave enough to say, "Yes, that haircut is really ugly." And then in a wonderfully motherly fashion adds, "But you could never be ugly. You're beautiful."

Records TV programs that I miss, so when I come home I can have TV marathons with her. She will re-watch episodes of the Sunday Morning Show or Fashion Police just so she can watch it with me.

Reminds me that a little gloating is good for you. And if I don't, she'll do it for me.

What does your mom do for you that you love? How does she make you feel special?

Ugly Renaissance Babies

This Tumblr makes me laugh out loud every time. Have you ever noticed there are a small handful of really ugly babies in the world? It's unfortunate, but true. And most of those babies are in beautiful art museums!

Sadly, these babies are immortally ugly...the captions are what make it!

Via uglyrenaissancebabies

What Have You Learned From Your Mom?

Move-in day my Freshman year of college.

Inspired by a wonderful post by Joanna Goddard, I thought I'd share what I've learned from my Mom. She is a really spectacular person, someone I admire most in life. I owe so much to her, and this is what I know. Here are ten things I've learned from my fabulous mother!

1. No matter how tired you are, wash your face every night before you go to bed.

2. Nobody cares if your house is perfect. It shouldn't look like a museum, anyway. It should look like people live there.

3. Chewing your nails is gross, but a near impossible habit to break. (I recently stopped! For good, I think!)

4. There's nothing wrong with being a successful, intelligent woman who still goes gaga over celebrities, reads gossip magazines, and loves a good shopping spree.

5. Clean sheets always make you feel special.

6. Love and hate are very similar, so be careful. Don't waste your passionate energies hating someone, when it's much less tiring (and less dramatic) to simply be indifferent.

7. Family is not determined by blood lines.

8. Wear makeup to enhance your natural beauty; don't use it as a mask, because you are so beautiful already.

9. Men will be stupid sometimes, but that doesn't mean you should give up on all of them.

10. Talk about everything. Especially over coffee.

{Mother's Day Gift Guide}...Spa Day at Home

Mom's work so hard, especially mine! I'm amazed at everything she does, and I know she could use a day just to pamper herself. But instead of shipping her off to some salon, why not turn her house into a beautiful oasis? She could even have it be like a girls' day with some of her friends. To get things all serene, you'll want to have some essentials:

The softest, feather-light robe to lounging. 

A great sea sponge for soaking in the tub or for pedicures.

Insane moisturizing cream that has anti-aging components. Not that she needs it!

Eye cream to relax and look refreshed.

Hand and body lotion that will give her radiantly soft skin.

Nail polish in pretty spring hues to brighten even most dull tasks, like washing dishes. 

Staying true to the spa theme, serve lotus blossom tea. (If she begs for coffee, she can have it. It's her day, after all!)

A lavender candle from Aveda. They donate money to a wonderful charity with this!

Luxurious pajamas, so she feels like a fabulous queen. 

{Spring Threads}...Light Whites

Will you wear white this spring? It's one of my favorite colors to wear when it's warm outside. It looks great with a tan, but I secretly love white with pale skin. It looks so angelic, don't you think? Here are some beautifully crisp white for this spring. 

P.S. We are still wearing sweaters and jeans in Minnesota, so it may be a while until I can wear my favorite white tank top. 

White shift dress that looks like a cloud.

A beautiful white bowl that would look gorgeous with blackberries. 

A string of pearls that is opera-worthy (but would look great with a chambray).

Snake skin belts for the adventurous. 

Doesn't this bracelet remind of you rock candy? 

I'm totally into the white nails fad. 

Lucite white sunnies. I can imagine wearing these on the beach while enjoying fresh lavender ice cream.

Studs that have a nice variety for many occasions.

White flats for a day of picnicking and farmers markets. 

Have an all white party (with brightly colored balloons) using these plates!

Isn't there something so appealing about white stilletos? 

{Weekend Update}...An Early Mother's Day

An oldie, but a goodie from our high school senior pictures. One of my favorites. 

This weekend my parents came over to visit (and start to haul a bunch of our belongings back to our hometown) since school will be out in less than two weeks! Although Mother's Day is technically next week, we decided to celebrate a week early since we'd be with our Mom. Next week, I'll give her a call so we can chat for hours about how excited we are over our impending return home! My mom is one crazy awesome, inspiring woman, so I'll still be talking about her this week, too!

We got our mom a little gift bag of goodies for Mother's Day this year. Abby made it beautifully color schemed and everything. 

1. A BKR, because they're gorgeous and awesome.

2. Pencils that say "You are so beautiful." because she is. 

3. A Baggu bag for all her errands, escapades, and more.

4. Cheeky sticky note pad.

5. A coffee pin for the one who taught us how to drink. Coffee, that is. 

Top photo c/o Genesis Photography

Would You Wear "Nerd Shirts"?

I'm kind of in love with this New York Times sweatshirt, but I know I'd feel like I was trying to be a hipster, or something. Seriously, I've seen a handful of girls on campus wearing shirts that say, "Party at Gatsby's" in anticipation of the new Baz Luhrmann film. I'm convinced they haven't read the book and are really just swooning over Leo, so it feels a bit like a facade.

But as an English major, I'm always tempted to wear some of my favorite books. Literally wear your hear on your sleeve. My big concern is that wearing a book cover shirt might come off as a bit precocious. I think they would make great gifts for book-worms and wannabe hipsters! What are your thoughts? Is it pretentious? Or can I get away with it without looking like a total book snob?

P.S. Dudes dressing like Gatsby. 

Photo via Pinterest. Anyone know the credits?

{Mother's Day Gift Guide}...The Colorful Hostess

Do you have a mom that loves to throw parties? My family has a tendency to throw impromptu parties for no reason at all. (We're having a "welcome home/summer" party in a few weeks, even though Abby & I live only an hour and a half away and visit often!) My mom has a bright personality, and our parties reflect it, too! For the "hostess with the mostest", here are some summer-fun essentials!

Three section water color serving platter.

Every hostess needs some classy bling.

Perky green nails for everyone to admire while she serves up the ice cream.

Champagne box for easy transport from party to party.

A colorful handbag for when the party moves from home to out on the town.

Beautiful serving bowls for her homemade dip and chex mix.

Spunky pillows funky seating.

Orange lips for those party pics you never forget.

SoulPancake

Do you need your faith in humanity restored? Working as a reporter in investigative journalism, I have dealt with a lot of heavy things, from human rights violations to straight up lying for personal gain. There are so many moments today, in a world where news (and bad news at that) seems to be everywhere, and we simply can not get away for a bit.

Well, here's some good news: You can!

I always joked about starting a newspaper that only featured good news to counteract all the disheartening stories we hear. SoulPancake, with Rainn Wilson from The Office, has done it! And not only is there good news, there's good conversation! Finally, social media is actually being used to say something. I've been somewhat disappointed with how Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and even blogs have become platforms for shouting ideas, and nothing else. I got into social media, because I wanted conversations, thought-provoking interactions with people from everywhere. 

Check out SoulPancake for a dose of heart-warming, faith-in-humanity-affirming conversations. You'll day will get brighter, I promise! 

P.S. one of their most recent, intriguing conversations: What has more meaning? Questions or answers?

Photo via

What to Do When You Have Nothing to Do

The end of semester is quickly approaching, and to my surprise, I'm not extraordinarily busy! Thanks to planning ahead, and an exam-light (but paper-heavy) major, I have the pleasure of a somewhat flexible schedule! After feeling better from being sick, I was so invigorated I finished things for the week! (Yay, me!) But now I'm feeling–gasp–a bit bored. So. What do you do when your have nothing on the docket (and nothing in your pockets)?

I like to...

take a nap. Surprise.

cook a favorite meal.

create new playlists for future jam sessions.

clean my desktop and folders. (Weird, but so satisfying!)

watch an episode or two of my favorite show. (I try not to binge-watch TV, which is a new thing, apparently.)

journal.

read poems, learn new words, browse the "newly released" section of ads.

mindlessly lift small weights to feel semi-productive.

actively day-dream.

Photo via

How Do Tell Your Mom, "I love you."?

With Mother's Day almost here, I'd love to know how you let your mom know she's one special lady. It seems like such a basic thing, we say it every time we end a phone conversation, or leave the house, or go to bed. But then we have a special day, some call it a Hallmark Holiday, just for moms. How do you tell her that she's the greatest?

Here are some of mine:

Sometimes I'll send my mom one of those cute/silly emojis in a text message. Just that. A flower, or sunshine, or a heart, just so she knows I'm thinking about her.

When I'm home on university vacation, and she's still in school (elementary public school and college schedules never align!) I'll surprise her by bringing coffee and breakfast from our favorite cafe.

Making her bed and laying a new magazine on her nightstand.

Lighting a candle and preparing a snack, so the minute she comes home from school she can just relax.

Even if we see her when we leave for school, Abby and I like to leave a Post It somewhere in the house with a little note (and usually a heart).

I let her use, barrow, or keep my favorite lipstick.

Make coffee the same way she does, just so it tastes perfect to her.

Text, email, or even Instagram pictures of everyday life for her, so she can see how exciting or boring my college life is.

Photo via