a rainy day at the coast

I recently posted some samples of my photography on my Portfolio website and was reminded of all of the beautiful places I have been privileged to visit. Last fall my friend, Bethany, and I spent a weekend in Newport, Oregon. This weekend came on the heels of a 3 month drought in Oregon (something I didn't know was possible). But the second day of my visit ushered in the rainy season complete with gray skies, rolling clouds, gusting winds and huge ocean swells. We stayed at a 4-story Victorian bed and breakfast on the coast. Every morning I woke up and lifted the curtains an inch to look at the fog rolling in over the waves. I'm a land-locked-Colorado girl at heart, but waking up to the sounds of crashing waves and the brown and gray misty pallet of the Oregon coast is surreal. Here are a few snapshots of our day.

winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Yippee! I won my first blog giveaway from the talented Vanessa Kruse of Flourish Studio Photography. Thank you so much, Vanessa. The prize is a hair flower made by Buttons-N-Blossoms. The fact that I entered the giveaway every day attests to how much I love their designs. And can I comment on the packaging design as well? Wow.

Thank you again.

These photos were taken by Vanessa — go check out her beautiful photography! Also, I featured her work here.



Doesn't everyone say "winner, winner, chicken dinner!" when they win something? My family does.

photos by Vanessa Kruse
 

a bite of color

 I love Emilie Griottes' variation on pantone color swatches. Mmm. I think I'd like to try PANTONE 1797 C! I'd love to raid her prop box — especially the spoons.

photos by amilie griottes found via anthologie

link love

A few links to love ...

- It's supposed to blizzard tomorrow, can't wait for fuzzy socks and tea
- My friend, Vanessa, is selling her vintage photography props ... for cheap!
- Everybody wants to be a red head
- Looking forward to Gabrielle Blair's live online Alt Summit Wrap-Up tomorrow (you should join!)
- Doughnuts = smiles
- I don't sound like this guy (I'm a loooooong ways away!), but I do feel very civil war-ish when I try
- Possibly the first book I've ever per-orded ... very excited

image via pinterest (original photographer unknown?)

winter flowers

Working in a flower shop for 3 years will undoubtedly spark a love of flowers in you. I miss slipping into the cooler and just standing with the flowers. The smells. The "aliveness" of my job. And most of all, the ladies I used to work with who considered each flower their friend. They talked to the flower heads and made everyone drop everything to come see a sprig that looked like a helicopter or a poppy that was smiling ... it was smiling they said! If I was a flower I would want to live in that flower shop. Robin and Linda never threw a flower away. They simply saved it for an extra special spot and would lovingly "tuck" the little head into an important bouquet just to make it feel special. You think I'm exaggerating, don't you? My flower shop ladies had a complete hold on reality, I promise, but they also loved what they did and made it extra special for my sister and I. We couldn't have asked for a better first job! Plus our aprons had ruffles and we ate m&m cookies from the pizza joint next door every day. :)




Amy Merrick is undoubtedly my favorite floral stylist. Her blog is lovely and her website is chock-full of amazing flowers! Although it's winter, I hope you smell the flowers today.



photos by amy merrick of an apple a day

you can't tame a wild horse

Well this doesn't really fit on a design blog, but it does fit the current spirit of my hometown. Plus the Broncos have a great logo (there ... now it fits :).

Go Broncos!

image by my friend and an amazing photographer, Vanessa Kruse

relaxing

Whew! I guess I really took that "don't have to blog every day" thing really literally! It's been a whirlwind of a week. I'm sure that's true for everyone this time of the year.

Tonight I'm making the world's best cranberry sauce and home-made granola for Thanksgiving breakfast (only the granola ... we will eat the crans with the TURKEY!). I'm hoping to set aside at least one day to relax, read, maybe draw this weekend. I'm highly skeptical it will actually happen. But that's all part of the holidays too!

These are just a few relaxing images I recently pinned. Enjoy!




photo credit: 1 The Pioneer Woman \ 2 Pinterest \ 3 Samantha Lamb

play with your food

To play with your food and call it a JOB sounds pretty grand to me. I'd love to create vignettes like these. Photographed by Andrea Bricco and styled by Casa de Perrin.



[photos by Andrea Bricco via Rue Magazine's preview anniversary issue]

a room full ...

of leaves.





I'm not sure why she created this, but I love it. And why not? Happy fall again.

[photo credit colour my life]

letting go ...

If you want to get warm you move near the fire. If you want joy, peace, eternal life, you must get close to what has them. —C. S. Lewis

Deer reader,
It's the last day of summer! So I thought I'd share Jannelle Althoff's Letting Go photography series. Time to get lost in some beautiful story-telling images!

[photos by Jannelle Althoff]

keri herer prints

I was largely inspired by Kari Herer's work during my senior portfolio. While I ended up veering more to the stippling and, ahem, s'mores, she inspired me to combine illustrations and photography (and design!). Her work is warm and interesting and perfect for this new fall season.




I think these antler prints would be perfect for my married brother and sister. Flowers + antlers = a happy decorating medium.






[photo credit Kari Herer]

floating lanterns

Isn't this image breathtaking? I would love to be sitting next to this photographer at the festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

And here I thought Disney came up with the idea ...



Still, it is beautiful animation, perhaps their best yet (even if it's cheesy).

[photo by Yang Tee Mong]

happy anniversary mom & dad

Happy anniversary mom and dad! We love you and, like Anna said, wish we could have made it to the wedding. ;)



My sister, Anna, took these pictures last month when she was visiting the town where my parents met and were married. It's been 29 years and, amazingly, hasn't changed that much! Mom, you were beautiful. Dad, nice side-burns. XOXO

[photos by anna fritzler \ inspired by dear photograph]