frilly, pretty things

although i don't often wear them, i have to admit, i'm a big fan of ruffles and frilly edges. there's just something so specifically feminine about them that makes me feel all girly.

top left: fig and hazel top right: malphi

bottom left: anthropologie bottom right: ruche

i love that little bathing suit! so vintage-cute, it looks like a piece of candy. not that i want to look like a piece of candy in a swimsuit, but it couldn't hurt.

flag garlands

although it's not a new trend, i still love to look at pretty little flag garlands. i'm finally working on one of my own right now, and these pictures are serving as my inspiration ::

by younga park

by lorajean

by cori kindred

by the purl bee

the purl bee even has a wonderful free step-by-step tutorial on how to make an easy fabric flag garland, like the one pictured above. it seems that you could use just about material, in any shape or color, get some scissors, and go to town! the possibilities are endless!

june in portland

oh my goodness, my weekend is booked solid with birthday parties, barbeques, and {hopefully} a little mellow time with friends. i don't mind, it's june in portland :: everyone wants to celebrate in the sunshine. have a wonderful weekend!

image by chacobe

a circus wedding

i know, i keep whining about not really being interested in marriage BUT... i would totally be down for the bride thing if i could have a wedding as amazing as this!

adam and halli's wedding was recently featured on the wedding blog once wed and every detail is gorgeously executed in the circus theme. so pretty!

yep, i could do a wedding like this. an old barn, fun stripes and lovely colors :: and don't you love the bride's shoes?

images by josh goleman {lots more amazing pics on his website!}

sewing, sewing

hey, lookee what i made! i was inspired by {copied} the classic merimekko bag style and made one of my very own! i wanted the outer fabric to be natural linen, but i also wanted to line the inside with something a little fun and colorful. this bag is perfect for bike riders, the strap is adjustable and it can be worn over the shoulder or across the chest. i want to make another before i try to sell any in my etsy shop, but this was a good first try, no?

vintage look :: hair accessories

my hair is getting {annoyingly} long and i'm starting to get in the bad habit of pulling it up and out of my face all the time. the solution? i could either go get it chopped off {i'm kind of waiting until autumn :: i like to change with the seasons :) } OR i could go get some new hair accessories and try some new fun hair styles. and by new accessories, of course i mean new vintage. i found some on etsy that are just too cute ::

by justliv

by myrakim

by kaang

by sparkle candy

by oh hello friend

um, i think i'll take one of each.

blog feature :: the city sage

anne sage of the blog 'the city sage' is truly a master blogger. her voice is personable and her commentary is cheery and descriptive. she uses the most amazing imagery to speak of her love for interiors and style. everything she blogs about tells a colorful story while providing a visual feast for her readers. here a some pics straight from her blog ::

and if all that isn't enought, anne often hosts amazing giveaways, such as these darling sandals...

click here for a link to the giveaway. but be sure to check out the city sage daily, it will probably become one of your new favorite blogs... if it isn't already. (it's definitely one of my new faves!)

new fashion boutique :: luphia

the author of one of my fave little design/fashion blogs 'luphia loves', has just launched an online fashion boutique called, simply, luphia. based in the uk, luphia showcases some darling little dresses, tops, skirts, and accessories. all of these pics are from the "korean fashion" collection, aren't they too cute?

luphia sells internationally and all prices are listed in pounds sterling. but even when converted to american dollars, the prices are quite reasonable. there's even a "sample sale" area that sells some fashion items for super cheap!

check out luphia boutique at www.luphia.co.uk

garage sale treasures

i love garage sales! dx and i just visited the eagerly-awaited annual laurelhurst neighborhood garage sale this weekend. we love treasure-hunting! we didn't find much at first until i happened upon a sweet old lady's yard with loads of antique treasures. i spent about $10 there and got lots of vintage buttons, trim, thread, and cute little paper goods. here are a few pics of some of my favorite finds ::

bias tape and rick rack

vintage thread on wooden spools! pretty colors too...

i got that larger fabric sample for 25 cents

fun little gift tags, tiny cards, and vintage sticky-stars.

and the big find of the day?... a sewing machine for $5! it looked kind of old, but i thought, 'you can't go wrong for $5!' only, it doesn't work. rats. i might take it in to be looked at, but probably won't fix it for more than $30. oh well... all in all, we had a great time. now, what to do with all these treasures...?

hey pretty

ah, i love this photo. i am not the greatest photographer but photography has become one of my favorite hobbies of late, and this one's not so bad, if i do say so myself. i love picnik! if you haven't checked it out yet, do so now : www.picnik.com. in a few minutes, you can change a mediocre photo into a pretty one! photo editing tools are divine.

lovely weekend to you!

tiny terrariums

could anything really be more magical than these darling little terrariums? they look kind of like little green pets. i found a few shops on etsy that create these mini mossy wonderlands and some of them are pretty creative...

by wee green spot

by doodle birdie

by blithe gardens

from what i gather, they seem to require little maintenance and can thrive with some indirect light and water. what a perfect little desk accessory!

good music :: jenny lewis

yeah, i know the latest jenny lewis cd was released last september, but i just picked it up at the music store and, let me tell you, i wish i had gotten it sooner. highly recommended.

check out the jenny lewis website to hear a little sample. a little bluesy, a little rock, and a little country, her music is nicely varied throughout the album and her voice is always lovely to hear.

gift

i just have to share the gift i got for jenny last week- this sweet little handcrafted bowl made by puji sherer. it seems that puji sells exclusively to noun, a darling little SE portland shop, so she doesn't have a website i can link to. but if you find this bowl as lovely as i do, then go straight to noun and you'll probably find a few more, if they haven't sold out. here's a side view...

cute little birdy imprints!

i wrapped the bowl very simply with a few layers of tissue paper and- you may be surprised- the brown paper is actually painting paper- you know, that stuff that house painters use to tape off windows and other paint-free areas. it worked beautifully but it's rather thin (and a bit see-through), so i would only recommend using it as wrapping paper if you double it with a layer or two of tissue paper. i printed 'jenny' using some alphabet rubber stamps and finished it off with some of that candy-stripe string. pretty cute, right?

i copied the alphabet stamping onto the card envelope (i made the card and forgot to photograph it!) and used a little brown paper bag to hold the gift, finishing it off with a little handmade gift tag. i love gift-giving! the packaging is half of the fun!

croquet in the park

jenny's 30th birthday party on saturday turned out to be a fabulous affair complete with croquet, mint juleps, and some impressive 1920's attire. dx and i had loads of fun sipping drinks and socializing. here are some more pics of the soiree ::

that's me posing with a parasol and, um, some fine beverage...

that's dx looking handsome in suspenders and cap...

there's the birthday girl in a lovely dress she picked up on etsy- so authentic! love the hat and green sandals too...

the croquet game that never quite got finished (the park terrain was a little bumpy, ha).

it was a lovely day and we had a wonderful time dressing up. what a fun way to turn 30!