Style Me Pretty Inspiration Boards

Hello! Remember me? Yeah, sorry I haven't posted in a while. But you know how summer goes, first volleyball started on Tuesdays, then softball on Fridays, then people got married and needed paper stuff like 28 handmade table tents, then I bought a condo, then I'm moving into that condo this weekend, then I'm going to L.A. for 5 days. Then I shouldn't be busy at all, right? Anyways, I specifically emailed this to myself so I would put it on here....so here it goes.



Style Me Pretty was having an inspiration board contest and even though I'm no where near getting married, I couldn't help but look at every single one. Maybe it's because I've been doing stuff for people's weddings finally and starting to love people's different styles. The one above is my favorite and more towards what my own personal inspiration board might look like. So go vote for your favorite!

Dresses

This past Friday my friends and I threw our friend Erika a Tropical Bachelorette Party (she's getting married in Punta Cana in about a week). She wore white and the rest of us dressed in tropical colors and most of us wore dresses. I am telling you these dresses made our whole night. And now I am obsessed with wearing dresses. I want to wear one out every time we go out now. Mine (the yellow one) was from Old Navy - only $30. Kara's (in the green) was only $22 from Body Central. Flippin' changed our lives and worth every penny!

So since I have dresses on the brain, I've been spotting cute ones everywhere. Most recently on Oh Joy from Delia's:



How cute is that little get up?? Anyone else seen some cute dresses out there?

I'm a Winner!

So most of you know I developed the bad habit of constantly reading design blogs at my now old job. It was basically my job. One of my favorites, Hostess with the Mostess, frequently posts Surprise Giveaways, which I frequently enter. Guess who freakin' won one out of 246 people! Me! And a chick named Janice, won "75 customized note sheets & a cute acrylic clipboard, packaged with grosgrain ribbon in a decorative box" from Whitney English Paper.

This is the comment that I left when entering the contest (at 9:01 am Central Time):
I guess this is a sign I need to start running the show. Thank-you Hostess with the Mostess! Soooooo happy. After having strep throat for the first day of my new job, having strep throat period, and being trained on data entry today this is very good news. Oh and after watching the LOST Finale too. Can anyone tell me who's funeral that was?? Anybody?

p.s. I'm not supposed to be doing data entry with me new job, I'm just being trained in it. And I hate it. Where is this show I need to be running??

Just What I Was Thinking

Frecklewonder: night owl plaque
The rain this morning made me want to stay in bed. Then I found this plaque today while browsing the Frecklewonder shop (she has a blog too). Already sold - for only $6.50, what a deal!

Etsy: HELLO May by ashleyg

HELLO May by ashleyg

One in stock and I want it! Ashleyg is also the Etsy Featured Seller at the moment. A very talented girl who pays her rent and then some off of Etsy. Me too, please?

UPDATE: I just purchased the HELLO May print! It's my first Etsy purchase and I think it's a really really good one (it's even featured on Design*Sponge's "Around the Web" sidebar, so of course it's famous). I'll let you take a peek at it once it arrives in the mail. Speaking of sidebars, I now have an Etsy Mini in mine with my favorite Etsy finds. How cute! Down the road, it will feature what is for sale in my Etsy Shop.

Smallest Coolest Apartments 2007

#19 - Laure's Sparkling Space

This is (so far) my favorite entry in Apartment Therapy's Smallest Coolest Apartment Contest this year.



There are many others to browse - so have fun! A couple of my other favorites:
#30 - Ron's Hotel "Sweet"
#22 - 42anderson's Love, Eat, Party

I will be posting my freshly painted bay window wall later this week. I am getting ready for a little Cinco de Mayo Cookie Lee Jewelry Party (long name) this Saturday and the goal is to have all my spring cleaning done by then.

The Daily Puppy

You just have to go to The Daily Puppy right this second. Just go. And if it doesn't make your day better in .5 seconds, then I just feel sorry for you. I can't get enough of the cuteness!!

This little guy, The Colonel, is my favorite today. Look at that face!

Poster Addiction

If you've been looking to order a screen-printed poster from Aesthetic Apparatus, now is the time! Right now, you can receive this FREE Yo La Tengo poster with your $30 or more order.


I was lucky enough to receive a $15 gift certificate to Aesthetic Apparatus (thanks, Kurt!) for my birthday and was able to purchase these two posters:



I am definitely putting the Submarines poster in my living room because the colors go so nicely with my Volante Farewell poster (also from the wonderful Aesthetic Apparatus). The Gomez poster I will have to live with for a little while and feel out where its place in my life will be. Happy poster shopping!

Going Solo

So I have made the executive decision to go solo with Doug, Jack and Me. I love my dear friends Allison (Allijack) and Rose (LadyNoble), but am ready to take the blog and idea of Doug, Jack and Me in another direction. Since I do most of the posting anyways, I don't think either of their feelings are getting hurt too bad.

As for the future of Doug, Jack and Me, be prepared for a new identity, which will include an actual header!

The Yvestown Blog

The Yvestown Blog

I was routed to this blog through Decor8 this past Sunday and I've been going to it everyday this week. I find myself just staring at her beautiful pictures. Click here to learn more about Yvestown. I definitely suggest adding her blog to your bookmarks or del.icio.us.

Breakfast

Breakfast, originally uploaded by Doug, Jack and Me.

Having breakfast last week and decided to test out my new camera. I enjoy these bowls so much and I think the light turned out sort of nice.

Speaking of shopping...

Speaking of shopping (and buying birthday presents for myself) I got this adorable Tommy Hilfiger Clutch from Younkers last week. After seeing my friend Kelly carrying it on my birthday dinner night, I had to have it. So the next day I get a call from Kelly and she put the last one on hold for me at Younkers. How nice! And on sale for $20 - even beter! There is something, wait, everything about his bag that I love: madras print (a weakness of mine in the summer), the best shade of blue on the inside, dark wood frame and coin purse closure. You can count on me using this as my "going out" purse about 200 times in the next few warm months.

JCrew, why must you taunt me?

The bottoms I lusted over in January are now on sale! Why JCrew? I told myself I wasn't getting a new swimsuit this year...and then you have to do this. It helps that you are out of the matching top, but then you have these two options (also on sale!):


Which could be cute, too. I just bought myself like one million birthday presents this year, so I'm trying to hold back, but those bottoms are just so darn cute! And since I'm already on your website I start browsing your super cute spring dresses:





Swimsuit and spring dress shopping and it's back down to 30 degree weather today. I must be dreaming. Sigh.

My Mates of State Poster

Mates of State (San Francisco)
two color silkscreen
19" x 25"

The Small Stakes

I paid four times the amount this poster cost me to have it framed, but I just stare at it sometimes because I love it so much. So I guess it was worth it. It's in my bedroom above one of my heat registers. Someday I would love to have it directly above my bed, but a window occupies that spot right now. Check out The Small Stakes for a ton of other amazing silkscreen posters.

Apartment Therapy New House Tour

Apartment Therapy House Tour: Melissa and Matt's Design Lab

Apartment Therapy Chicago posted a new house tour this month and I would suggest looking through the slideshow for some small space living inspiration. No clutter, outstanding color choices, and just clean spaces.

My Birthday Party

I'm throwing myself a 25th birthday party and worked on the invitations most of yesterday afternoon (yes, at work) and all of last night. Above is a sneak peak of the left hand side. I'm die cutting half of the circle and the right hand side folds under it. I'm mailing them in kelly green envelopes I got for super cheap from Kate's Paperie.

The colors of the party are going to be kelly green, black and hints of bright yellow. I'll post the final invite when I'm finished. Hopefully they will be in the mail Saturday morning. (Watch for yours lady noble!)

Stripes in the Wind

Maditi Photography

I found Maditi's Etsy Shop (via Bloesem's Blog) and love her Polaroid Greeting Cards. This photo specifically caught my eye. I'm a complete sucker for striped shirts and the green bead necklace is such a great touch.

Hostess with the Mostess

Hostess with the Mostess is my new favorite blog. I'm still a loyal fan to Design*Sponge, Decor8 and Oh Joy!, but with my new love of playing hostess at my apartment, I just love the content on Hostess with the Mostess. Give it a look! They have some great giveaways too.

Om Home's Home & Spring Cleaning Itch

via Design*Sponge

Gawd, I love love love this bedroom from sanjeev and oorbee of om home! I could never do a white bed spread, but isn't the contrast with the hot pink pillows fantastic? I've been looking for a new, but old nightstand too, but they all seem so expensive for what they are.

This photo also contributed to the itch I'm getting to spring clean already. I want to paint my entire apartment bright white, including the bathroom medicine cabinet and kitchen cabinets. I have a feeling painting cabinets is a pain in the butt that I might not want to tackle. I also liked the light blue/grey color they painted Blueprint's Editor-In-Chief's tiny apartment - I think I remember reading it will be available in Martha Stewart Paint this April.

Danish prints

Troldebørn

My favorite design site print&pattern just finished up "kids week". I found this site through one of her posts and I just fell in love. It has so many sweet designs for kids. You might get lost while searching because it is in a different language, but the pictures are great. It also lists the prices in Euros so you can figure out how much it would be if you wanted to buy. With patterns like these, matching mother daughter dresses aren't such a bad idea!

A Softer World

via: A Softer World

I blogged about this site way back when I had a livejournal, and I still love going to it once in a while. Reading the blurbs always makes me think differently or evokes a memory even though they usually are super abstract. A little word inspiration is good.

New Blueprint

I bought the newest Blueprint today. I'm pretty excited. Yellow really is so cheery for spring.

Full review coming soon.

ps. be sure to check out Bluelines.

Inspiration from Desire to Inspire

Elle Decoration

I just saw this image posted on Desire to Inspire and can't wait to do the same inspiration border around my closet door, which has actually been door-less for months since the door fell off the track. Please visit Desire to Inspire for tons of other great inspirational design photos.

SCAD Shorts

SCAD Shorts

"SCADshorts is a creative project developed by the Dandy Dwarves and commisioned by the Savannah College of Art and Design. The Dandy Dwarves are a group of students (now alumni) who formed a video production company in 2002 while attending the school. Every aspect for SCADshorts was conceptualized and designed by these SCAD alums as an alternative way to represent the level and diversity of talent and possibilities that the school and its members have to offer. Each month SCADshorts.com will release a brand new video short showcasing the combined talents of some very unique artists. So don't let us down...come back from month to month, show your support, and keep those title guesses coming. And of course, if you like the videos...share the love and link em' anywhere and everywhere. We're not modest; we want to spread our Shorts." scadshorts.com

I have a thing for SCAD and got an email about this the other day. I think it's a great idea and put together in a clever way. Check it out!

It Works!

For Ava..., originally uploaded by Jesse P..

So I love flickr and being able to blog from it. I'm going to have a lot of uploading to do when I get home from work...

London Cycling

london cycling, originally uploaded by lomokev.

I just signed up for a flickr account and am testing the blogging capabilities. I just love this photo. It makes me want to ride a bike wearing a red coat and red shoes.

Mod Pillows

Mod Pillows

I've had this picture on my desktop forever to post. I really want to get these for a friend getting married (which are quite a few as of this weekend). Lot's of other designs and clever word pairings if you feel like browsing.

boys shmoys

paperstories.com
Bittersweet Collection
Here are the perfect cards to send to that special someone.
with phrases like "Suck It"&"What did I ever see in you?"
your message is perfectly designed and most definitely unexpected.

Tulips, Kids, Cookies and Mugs

My Valentine's Day was so fabulous!
Tulips from Mom and Yogi (my real boyfriend)
Adorable pic of her cutie kids from Lady Noble
Pink frosted sugar cookies for the office & friends
Pink & brown heart Starbucks mug from Kara

And then dinner with the mom at TGIFridays, a lovely purple & red wrapped gift propped on my door from the Rounds and then three hours of TV snuggled up on the couch with a piece of Oreo pie. Who needs boys?

Blueprint Magazine, Issue 3

I read the rumor (via Decor8) that the new Blueprint is coming out mid-March. What a wonderful birthday treat that will be! Can this magazine please turn monthly? Just by the cover I can tell I am going to be flipping through this one for quite some time. And, what do you know, it's yellow!

Giving

(outside)

(inside)


Via Better Living by Giving

I had a chance to read about Giving in the new HOW Magazine today. Giving is a "a greeting card company dedicated to better living by giving." So I went to their website and adored all of their cards. I love how the inside is wilder than the outside - a nice spin on card design. And they have the best mission behind their design:

"The beauty of giving a GIVING™ card is that feeling of making someone happy goes a step further. We are committed to helping people live a better quality of life. So if a child needs school supplies or a neighbor needs a wheelchair, it’s our goal to help. Happiness really does come full circle by GIVING™."

Orla Kiely

www.orlakiely.com

When I studied abroad in London I splurged on an Orla Kiely bag similar (not exact) to the one pictured above. I love it with all my heart. Mine reverses to a lovely light pink color. Sigh. If I were to buy an Orla Kiely bag today I would splurge on the one below. Check out the website - I could browse for hours. I might spend part of my tax return on a new wallet, a nice, long wallet where I don't have to fold my money. Always a requirement for me. I'm leaning towards the "stone" colored one below.