{P}inspirations

Some of my more recent inspiration images...

{for my home}

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{for myself}

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{to eat}

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{just because}

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xoxo

all can be found here

Long Weekend Escape {Standing Indian Campground}

Sometimes I just need to get away from it all - work, social media, the million things that need to be done around the house, home improvement projects, all of it. I need to recharge, to spend time with my best friend, to enjoy creation and connect with the Creator.

That's what we did this past weekend. It wasn't fancy or even that well planned, but it was perfect. Strong coffee in the cold morning air, a day hike to the top of Albert Mountain and an old fire tower, wading through the streams that meet the Nantahala river, telling stories and making plans by the campfire, snuggling down with husband and our pup under mounds of covers and sleeping soundly. 

xoxo

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A Surprise Sixty

 A few photos from my father's surprise sixtieth birthday party we threw a couple weekends ago. It was a low-key celebration filled with old family photos, all his favorite foods {including the peanut butter chocolate cupcakes from my wedding}, lots of friends and family, and plenty of laughter. It was so much fun to try and surprise that guy. We actually had it pulled off until he pulled into the driveway!

{^^blueberry bushes from me and my sister with sweet notes from my nephews^^}

 {^^suprise! and the year I dressed up as my father for Halloween^^}

I'm a lucky gal to have such a great dad.

xoxo

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2013: Finding Contentment

Contentment (n.): a quiet, inward disposition that freely submits and delights in its communion with the Almighty Father, the strengthening one

Lately it seems that deep inward contentment in my life is an elusive and intangible thing. I feel it lacking my in daily life, bringing the weight of guilt and shame for my inner discontentment. I am truly so blessed, but I often let my circumstances define my attitude and let negativity steal my joy. And while gratitude journals are a wonderful outlet, I believe that true contentment comes from something much deeper.

I listened to this podcast a few months ago and find myself continually returning to different portions, reminding myself and refocusing my heart on where true contentment comes from. Yes, I am blessed with an amazing husband, a job that provides for my family, incredible friends, and a million tiny worldly joys, but even more than that, the creator of the universe believes that I am precious. So precious that He would crush His Son with the weight of a world of sin, solely that I may be reunited with Him and commune with Him. And focusing on that fact... that brings be true, heartfelt down-to-the-soul contentment.

{link}

Some days are more of a struggle than others, my attitude is far from perfect, but I am growing. I pray daily for a restful mind and a peaceful heart, for a change in circumstances, but most importantly for a change in my heart. And praise the Lord that His grace renews daily {or hourly, as I often require}. I hope you will take a few minutes to listen to this podcast -- in your car, on your lunch break or just for a time of quiet reflection. I promise it will be worth it.

xoxo

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*I struggled with whether or not to publish this post, but in the spirit of transparency and complete honesty, I hope you find it beneficial.  God bless.

Praying for Boston

Monday was one of those days that will forever be burned into our memories. We will always remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news. For me it was at 7:30pm as husband and I finally sat down to dinner and turned on the television.

In times like this it is so difficult to find peace and understanding. Anger, confusion, hurt and heartbreak are tangible as we absorb this new reality. And yet, out of such deep, heart-wrenching pain we see the presence of love for one another.  It has always been there, manifest as a smile or someone holding a door. But now it is in the spotlight as we hear stories of strangers reaching out to one another. A man using his belt to stop another man's bleeding leg, race volunteers frantically helping people to safety, Americans around the country donating money to people they have never even met, and millions upon millions of prayers.

In the face of such a tragedy, I hope we can all focus on the prevailing spirit of love, lifting up our fellow citizens in prayer and supporting them through this time.

xoxo

{What I'm Wearing} Easy Like Sunday Morning

Lately I've been all about simple pieces, especially a white tee... paired with a long skirt, distressed denim, grey skinnies, neon shorts and a chambray. The list for me is endless.

Details: (old) Abercrombie denim jacket (new version,  similar), Loft tee, F21 skirt (similar), vintage belt & bangles, Gap aviators, Clarks wedges, Michael Kors bag (similar)

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Also, a note about these posts....

My style isn't fashion forward or groundbreaking, and I'm okay with that. I enjoy dressing up and often ogle over runway shows or fashion magazines, but in reality, cocktail dresses, gowns and even the most amazing, detailed peplum just don't fit into my daily life. I'm a simple gal, leading a simple life. I like pretty clothes, big jewels, and heels, and I like to share them with you.

xoxo

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This Young House: Building a Hairpin Leg Bench

Our master bedroom is one of the only rooms in our home that is close to being finished. Aside from large projects like exchanging our horrid green carpet for hardwood floors, painting the trim and upgrading our nightstands to something more our style, the room is just what we wanted -- a {headboard-less} low bed, industrial lighting, unique and meaningful artwork. One of the few remaining projects we had was to build a bench for the foot of our bed. We were originally looking for something at our local antique and thrift stores, but nothing was exactly what we wanted, so we decided to build the simplest version of our vision.

You will need:

1 - 12 inch x 5ft x 1&1/2in board*

a small can of stain or polyurethane**

4 - 17inch hairpin legs***

12 - 1&1/4 inch screws

Sand, stain and seal the wood to your desired color and let dry overnight. Assembling the legs is quite simple. Lightly attach two legs on opposite corners, then turn the bench over and place the remaining legs underneath to see if and where they are uneven. {This step requires a second pair of hands!} Use the supplied spacer on the leg that is uneven. Attach the remaining legs and secure tightly. Viola!

xoxo

Other considerations...

*Our bed is about 5feet wide so we chose to make the bench the same length. If you want something longer, use a longer length board

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**If making an outdoor bench, including one you may place on a deck or front porch, be sure to use indoor/outdoor or outdoor stain to protect against rain.

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***Obviously, the height of the legs will depend on how tall you need the bench to be. We wanted ours just slightly lower than our bed, so 17inch legs worked perfectly. 

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{What I'm Wearing} Blues

 DETAILS:
H&M blazer (similar) & neckalce (similar), Loft top, J. Crew pants (similar), Seychelles booties (similar here & here, but I like this open toe version as well), Michael Kors bag, H&M faux fur stole

Land of the Living

The past few weeks have been challenging, both personally and professionally. I feel as though I am being sifted, spiritually and emotionally. I suppose it's all a part of moving forward, and I know that seasons of self reflection and change make me a better person because they always have. When I look back on difficult times of my life, I can see the changes and the character flaws that prompted them. 

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And while I think this season is coming to a close, I don't believe it is over quite yet. There are changes yet to come, but I am trying my best to keep my heart and mind open. I am surrounding myself with encouraging friends, a steadfast husband, and a sweet {but stinky} pup and allowing time to disconnect -- time for trail runs, weekend coffee on the porch, and long phone calls to friends.

Have a happy weekend. It's good to be back.

xoxo

*This post is in the interest of full disclosure. It is so easy to look at the lives of others through the lens of the internet and assume that other women live such perfect lives. My life is wonderful because of so many things, but it is far from perfect.  

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