Sweet Dreams

So, not to be a total whiner but I'm sick of winter. Usually I try to keep these feelings at bay until March, when spring isn't too far away. But it's hard this year. 

No worries, though. I will try my best to appreciate winter. And I'll also placate myself by oohing and ahhing over these Badgley Mischka Randee heels. Don't they just epitomize spring? I'm going to dream about wearing them on a date, sipping champagne at a table outside by the water. 

Photo from here.

A Cut Up

What first struck me about the cut-paper artwork by Angie Pickman at ruralpearl is its stark, graphic quality. I love the sharp black against the crisp white. But on further inspection, I noticed quieter, gentler, more whimsical details. A little coffee cup for a bird. A single key dangling from a tree branch. Stars strung from the night sky. What a delight!

Photos from here.

Rustic Done Right

I'd never been much of a barn person. I guess I saw too many of them growing up, or realized what a hard life it would be living on a farm.

But the structures really can be gorgeous, can't they? I now find myself a little intrigued when I drive by a barn. And attending a rehearsal dinner in a barn decked out in twinkly lights this fall prushed me right over the edge.

If you're at all fascinated by barn style, check out Sunset's Monterey Idea House. It's pretty incredible. Here, take a look at a few photos.

Photos from here.

Note to Self

Remember to buy these Forget Me Not rings from The Future Perfect sometime. They're delightful!

Photo from here.

Style Surprise

This weekend brought about one of my favorite activities: settling in by the window on a Saturday morning with a latte and a big stack of magazines.

Something that caught my eye is Madonna's new ad campaign with Dolce & Gabbana. She looks amazing and I love seeing her in a new way, domestic, earthy and a little bit old fashioned.

Beautiful Reminder

Winter challenges me. You see, I really don't like the cold. It gets to me, it wears me down. It turns me into a person who braces agains the cold and limits time spent outdoors to scurrying from door to door.

It shouldn't be this way. Even though it's cold and dark, there are moments of intense beauty, instances of incredible gentleness. I need to be more open to these elements of wintertime.

This breathtaking photo by SouleMama was a perfect reminder. I'm grateful!

Photo from here.

Sunshine Days

Maybe it's because I just spent a week in the Caribbean sun, but I am majorly coveting this Mexican house featured in Cookie. I love the clean white walls, simple woods and abundance of natural light.

Take a look:

Photos from here.

Charmed, I'm Sure

There is something absolutely sweet and more than a little cool about the jewelry from Under Her Charm. The Etsy shop calls it "mommy jewelry" but I think these charms are ideal for couples too.

Here are a few that caught my eye:

Photos from here.

Home Sweet Home

We're back from vacation, relaxed, tanned and happy. It's truly the perfect balance when you can enjoy a trip but also feel good to be back home.

And the timing of returning-- and being glad to be in our own house and sleep in our own bed and see our pup again -- is special. Today is the tenth anniversary of my first date with my husband. We were young college kids and the experience of falling in love with him is something I wouldn't trade for the world. I love the adventures we've had together and I hope for many more in the future.

Photo from here (you can buy this great AmeliaKayPhotography print).

Bon Voyage

We're off on our annual Caribbean beach vacation. My family has these trips down perfectly: We relax on the beach, swim in the ocean and drink delicious rum concoctions.

Here are some of the other things I look forward to on these vacations:

* Waking up rested and refreshed and running to the windows to rip back the curtains and see what a beautiful day it is.
* Nabbing the perfect spot on the beach and sinking into our lounge chairs.
* Settling into that perfect beach cycle: get hot in the sun, cool down in the ocean, get hot in the sun. Repeat, repeat, repeat!
* Grabbing a round of pina coladas for the group.
* Kissing my husband in the water. (And each year I make my husband do "the lift" with me, a la the lake scene in "Dirty Dancing.")
* Talking with my mom and sister. There's never enough time to cover it all!
* Enjoying an ideal, simple feeling of relaxation as the sun starts sinking toward the ocean.
* Taking a shower and washing off all the salt, sand and sunscreen. This feels amazing!
* Dressing in something special and joining the family for a fun dinner.
* Going back to the hotel room exhausted and happy and sinking into bed.
* And doing it all over again the next day!

I can't wait for this trip. I hope we have safe travels and enjoy our time together. And I'll try to bring some sunshine back with us!

Photo by me.

Simple Chic

I love this outfit, found on the so-stylish Brook&Lyn. Love the high-waisted, cuffed trousers. Love the perfect blazer. Love the gold accessories and slick black bag. I want to be wearing this now!

Photo from here.

Starting Fresh

It's three days into the new year and so far 2010 has been great. We had a fun New Year's Eve with friends and I woke up on New Year's Day full of energy. I cleaned the house top to bottom, which felt great and left me time to enjoy the rest of the long weekend.

I love the idea of getting organized this time of year, as well as the idea of starting fresh. So this bright Charlottetown home on styleathome.com really appeals to me. It's so clean and airy, and the use of white is just fantastic. It's like a deep cleansing breath of fresh air.

Photos from here.