Summer Slumber: partie deux

Hey there little loves.

Now it's starting to get good. 

You've got your new duvet cover. You've got your fresh white sheets (Clean sheet day is fo sho one of the small things thats actually a big thing). You're ready to get sleepy with whatever or whoever you get snuggly with.

And here's what you're wearing to make you feel like a professional sleeper with the #nofilter.

1. This bright and sunny robe makes it easier to wake up, or at least get up to turn on the coffee. 2. The go-to. For when you're probably going to spill your Special K on it, but want to look super great doing it. 3. I have 3 pajama sets like this, and I'm a huge fan. Also comes in lobsters and tulips! 4. Duh. Look at those sleeves, and the length is nice and flirty.

5. This is the rainy day, eating popcorn and catching up on 3 seasons of Mad Men sleep shirt. A little sassy, but still grants some coverage in the rear. Rawr. 6. In the summer, there's not a whole lot thats better than a pair of sleep shorts that you're proud to walk the dog in at 6 am. 7. Cozy summer loungers for warming up in the cool evenings at the beach or just laying around on a rainy day and finishing some summer reading. 8. "Dream all day Sleep all night" Couldn't have said it better myself.

9. Comfort with just a wee bit more coverage. Also, coral looks good on everybody. 10. Easy, sweet and seductive. 11. All right, this is the piggy bank buster, but just look at it. I'm bananas for rompers for any occasion, and plus, its coral. Everyone looks good in coral.  12. This sweet little chemise is the perfect balance of comfort and coy.

There's part 2 of the summer slumber series! Get ready for tomorrow when I debut my picks for naughty summer knickers!

Summer Slumber: part 1

Good Morning lovers!

This is the first of a three-part post on (come on, lets face it) our favorite part of the day.

Bedtime.

Over the next few days I'll show you my picks for absolutely fabulous bedding, sleepwear, and naughty wear to get you through those suuuuhuuuuummmmmmmerr

naahhhhhights!!!

So good.

Now bring on the stunning summer cloud-like bedding!

1. This beautiful coverlet is adorned with little lovebirds to lull you to sleep. And by you, I mean only those with a queen bed- this is one size only! King bedders are crying around the world at this loss. 2. This fun fiesta of a duvet cover has the cloud feeling everyone wants for a summertime bed, but the tassels give the perfect touch of sass. 3. This is for my Heathcliff and Mr. Darcy lovers out there. This bed looks out of a romantic Bronte unicorn dreamworld. Darling. 4. Linen and summer are like peas & carrots, hot-dogs & mustard, and beer and baseball. Whats one without the other? Gotta admit- this is the direction I'm leaning this year. Clean, simple, confortable, timeless. 5. You might even be able to talk your man into this one. It's a beautiful sky blue that will make your bedroom feel not so girly, but still welcoming.

For those who still need some color...

6. Adorable, unpredictable, fun, but not juvenile. Brilliant! 7. These blankets from Target are an inexpensive way to change up your summer bedding scheme whether you want color or not. 8. I am and probably will always be (thanks, mom) bananas for botanicals. This duvet is whimsical and feels exotic, and HEY! King bedders! It's on sale! Woot.

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of the summer small things bedthings extravaganza!

Colorful tunes and colorful hues

Believe it or not by the bareness of my poor little bloggy lately, but I have been very inspired lately. 

I've also been really stupid busy! Work, ish, etc. is in overdrive right meow.

One of the things that has been transporting me away from reality into a creative wonderworld lately is this album.

Good grief this is a fantastic album. I wont even dare to make comparisons of lump her into generic category nothingness. Every song is magic and electric. I can't stop listening. And that song you find when you first hear an album and you can't stop listening to is EVERY song. 

This is Morgan Fink. She is an artist local to the burg and I have loved her work since I first saw in in the Sawhill Gallery at JMU. I love how she embraces color and makes a saturated neon cow pasture look so natural. Prints of her work are currently being sold at Mint in downtown Harrisonburg. You can also visit her blog here.

These two ladies are rocking my world right now. What is inspiring you?

My whole life is in bloom

I am finally an auntie. 

This is miss new mommacita and baby nugget, Annabelle. Little nugget took her time and was born about a week and a half ago on her own time. I drove to the hospital early in the morning to see my little niece-let for the first time, and I could barely hold myself together to even hold her. 

She is just a miracle.

My main men with my number one girl.

I can't wait to spoil this thing rotten.

Sometimes in your life, you wake up and think, "Where on earth did all my dreams go, and why aren't I living them right this second? Everything is all wrong!" This moment is fleeting. There is much you can do, and much you can do that has nothing to do with whoever or whatever signs your paycheck. This life is so much more than 40 hours per week. 

No matter how inspiring you think someone is, they have bad days too.

We are all human.

Last week I forgot that the only one who can influence my life is me.

Go Bloom.

Go do; there is beauty all around you.

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself, and that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams." -Paulo Coelho

Bananas for BaubleBar

Hi all!

Last weekend Mister and I went on a brief, but much needed vacay, and I can't wait to give a glowing review of the B&B we stayed at.

BUT a couple days ago I discovered BaubleBar and I am out of my gourd for their beautiful gems. I tend to dress in neutrals and play up my accessories, so finding BaubleBar and also finding that they're affordable is either the best day or the worst day (for my wallet).

Here are some of my favorites! You can find the sources below or on my Pinterest page.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

seven. eight. nine. ten. eleven.

Mistimorne Plants

In the past 2 weeks I've spent about 8 hours in my gardens. It is a place where I can decompress.

We live our own lives, but there is very little we do only for ourselves. We work for others, and even CEO's and the President work for their stakeholders. We go to school to gain a sense of knowledge that satisfies other's expectations. Even at home, we respect the preferences of roommates or family members, and the demands of kitty cats.

The garden is my place to do whatever the hell I want. For me. Just for the beauty of it. I serve me and what I want for that garden.

Anyway, I finally got the whole damn (front) garden weeded and pruned. Last year I grew some beans, but they were no good so I'm going all flowers in the front. I bought native wildflowers from the arboretum's native tree and plant sale, and the rest of my lovelies will be from Mistimorne Plants in Dayton.

Mistimorne was opened as Mary's Plants in the 1970's and the business was later taken on by Mary's brother Willard. Mistimorne stocks perennials, roses, shade lovers, vegetables, and giant hanging baskets that will blow your mind. They are proud to use only minimal growth regulators in their plants, and Willard and his staff are extremely knowledgeable about what to plant when, where, and with what.

This year I am really into the coleus. It is a low-maintenance plant that can do full-sun or mostly shade. The colors are so vibrant.

These elephant ears also caught my eye as a unique way to bring new color and texture into my backyard.

I am a domestic diva through and through and I can't wait to stare at some of these beauties during happy hour this summer with miss margarita. Viva la small things.

Wallpaper makes everything better

I've found myself retreating into my digital worlds more frequently than usual. I blame the news. Staying informed is a personal responsibility I take seriously, but I haven't exactly been looking forward to turning on my radio 

(We do not have TV, just netflix. Homegirl can't live without Rupaul and Elliot Stabler) 

and hearing about the gun debate, Boston, North Korea...

And one thing that's bound to transport me to my little heaven where everyone always says "thank you," and where men and women overdress just a little for every occaision is  great wallpaper. 

Especially used sparingly, on an accent wall or in a small space like a powder room, wallpaper can make a space just sing. Here are some of my favorites:

one. two. three. four. five.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

Applying wallpaper can also make a rich impact applied to the ceiling. If your budget is really tight, or if you're not committed to a loud print, buy just a little and frame it instead.

Drag Queens make the best role models.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure (indeed, the great pleasure) of seeing the contest for the next Miss Rhinestone Pride. 

I saw nipple tassels, pasties, real boobs, fake boobs, bush, fake eyelashes, and enough padding to insulate the world from the heat death of the sun. 

I also saw my good friend Rachel. She's wonderful.

I also went out with a bunch of work friends and we closed that sorry Applebees down. 

It was so great. We were there laughing and drinking for almost 4 hours.

This fantastic weekend reminded me that no one knows why we are on this earth. Way too much time is spent trying to keep up with the Joneses (and as this month's Real Simple puts it: the Zeta-Joneses), and way not enough time is spent seeing people you love and laughing until you cry. 

The drag queens told me to love me for me and not the me that would look really chic in that $200 dollar dress, or some me that could get a thousand followers on my bloggy.

Me.

I'm already great.

And my work friends let me know that they're friend friends too, and that memories aren't made of nights I got plenty of sleep. I'm tired of thinking that I'm going to start living once I get out of Harrisonburg. I love this place, and the life is out there, but you gotta go get the good times.

I can't keep waiting. 

So mark my words, Coachella 2014 or bust.

(and lots of other fun stuff too)

Little Annabelle...

Annabelle Catherine. That's her name!

I've mentioned before that I am on the brink of aunt-hood, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm not sure if motherhood is in my future, but aunt-hood... thats the stuff.
I can't wait to smother this baby with love and snuggles and tutus and onesies made from egyptian cotton.

I started planning this baby's nursery as soon as they said they were pregnant. Pictures of my sister-in-law's nursery are soon to come, but these are some beauts I've been collecting on my Pinterest board.

Y'all know I have a weakness for neutral design...

Clockwise from top left: one two three four

But waking up 4 times a night wouldn't be so bad in a nursery this glamorous!

Clockwise from top left: one two & four via lonny three 

I'm a big fan of nursery three in the glam collage, but I'm not sure a baby would survive spitting up on that animal print rug. I want to highlight the lighting choices in particular in these spaces. Ignoring your light source is like going out with a cocktail dress, great pumps, and bed head or no earrings. You wouldn't do that, would you? Good. Pull the trigger, and go get your baby the chandy she deserves!

Yay, babies!

New beginnings

One of the beautiful things about Easter is it is all about a fresh start, whether you look at it spiritually or religiously. The snow has melted, the trees and flowers are budding, and it's ready for the earth to being anew. If you celebrate protestant Easter, you have renewed faith that your maker sent someone to let you know that shit happens, and you can learn and grow from life's mishaps. I also learned recently that the first day of Spring (March 20) is also the Iranian/Persian new year. I LOVE this concept of tradition and welcoming earth's coming beauty and bounty instead of Ryan Seacrest and the next Bieber. The moment  the sun crosses the celestial equinox, rituals dating back to at least the third century begin and do not end for 13 days.

For the sake of new beginnings, on Good Friday, after a lifetime of long blonde hair, I got myself a pixie cut. I couldn't be happier.

The before picture is top right of course. I went in pretty fearless because my hair grows quickly, but this haircut was symbolic for me. It means overcoming my own insecurities and stripping away the conventional ideas of what beauty is. 

I am also extremely pleased to mention that this haircut was brought to you by Heather at The Studio in Harrisonburg. I have a lot of friends and coworkers who ask me where I get my hair done, and I ALWAYS tell people that The Studio is the only place to go. Khanda and B have also done wonderful work for me, but Heather is the bomb dot com. She is a great listener and always gives me what I want (even if I don't know exactly what I want).

In other news, today was a big culinary day for me. Mister does not like desserts, especially cake. This is a problem, because I love the challenge and the beauty of baking. He does, however, like carrot cake. A couple months back I made a carrot cake that included coconut flakes and he hated it, but I would not be deterred. Today I made my first 3-layer cake, and the best damn carrot cake in the world.

This, my lovelies, is Pecan Bourbon Carrot Cake; the recipe is too divine not to share.

Ingredients:

4 C grated carrots

3/4 C golden raisins

1/3 C bourbon, rum or orange juice

2 C coarsely chopped pecans or almonds

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1 t nutmeg

1/2 t allspice

1 C vegetable oil

1 1/2 C brown sugar

4 eggs

2 t vanilla

Cream Cheese Icing:

2 packages cream cheese at room temp

3/4 C butter at room temp

2 T bourbon, rum, or orange juice

1 t vanilla

2 1/2 C powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 cake pans

2. Grate carrots by hand or food processor. Soak raisins in bourbon and stir occasionally. Chop nuts and toast in the oven or over medium-low heat on the stove with no oil for 5 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend and make a well in the center.

3. Combine oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape into dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. Fold in carrots, raisins and remaining bourbon, and nuts. The batter will be very thick.

4. Divide batter into pans evenly; there should just enough for 2 cups per pan. Spread evenly in pans and bake for 30 minutes. 

5. Beat the butter until very creamy. Add the bourbon, vanilla. Over low speed, add the cream cheese in chunks, one at a time, but avoid over-beating the mixture. Add the powdered sugar in three portions. The icing can be refrigerated for up to one day.

6. Before icing cakes, brush cakes with bourbon. Garnish with pecan halves

Tips from Lauren!

- A cup at a time, wring out grated carrots to avoid batter being too wet. 

- T= tbsp, t=tsp

- No matter what the baked good, it is always important that your eggs are at room temp. When I forget, I run them under warm (not hot!) water for a couple minutes.

Happy Spring, and don't forget that every day brings another opportunity to renew ourselves.

Mwah!

Hoop Art

Living in the country, I have a soft spot in my heart lately for hoop art and needlepoint wall hangings. My grandmother, all her sisters, and my mother (Mister's mother too) all quilt and I have a real appreciation for folk art of all kinds.

These little suckers are perfect for a lonely corner on a bookshelf, in an entryway as a cozy "welcome!" or if you are looking for a little nugget to complete a gallery wall or hallway.

I found both artsy and kitschy in my survey of Etsy's hoop art, and these are the highlights!

one. two. three. four. five. six. seven. eight. nine. ten. eleven. twelve.

one. two. three. four. five. six. seven. eight. nine.

I'd encourage you to visit the rest of these shops as well. Many are filled with other adorable fiber art or stitched goodies. And congratulations for defeating another Monday!

This just got real

I feel like we don't quite know each other that well yet.

So I'll start. 

My name is Lauren, and I live in rural Appalachia. Mister and I are tenants in the house my 3-legged cat allows us to stay in. She's a real killer, so we do what we're told.

I've let you know that I have a strong affinity for neutral home decor as well as cooking. I love trying new things, and I believe I was put on this earth to help people (mister) be more adventurous with food (vegetables). Some of my greatest achievements in this area are discovering these beautiful recipes.

Kale and White Bean Soup

Honey Balsamic Radicchio

Arugula and Ricotta Pizza. This comes straight from the super secret recipe book. A girl has to have some secrets.

I am still beginning to style my habitat but there are a few pieces I'm very proud of. There is a beautiful antique store down the street called The Cottage. Their store is inside of an old bank and there is a gorgeous 8 foot safe in the back of the store. I nabbed a few great gold frames there that hold a Picasso (one of my very favorites) and sketches done by a local folk artist, Fred Cooper. He has done dozens of sketches of historical sites around the Shenandoah Valley, and my desire to learn local history comes from my dad.

The color behind the sketch is Benjamin Moore's Newburg Green. My house is only 495 square feet, but the deep teal color obscures where the walls end, making the room appear slightly larger than when it was painted a lighter color. Such dark walls also give me license to buy lots of white and ivory. I love white.

Speaking of gin. 

I feel the need to stick up for Citadelle. Hendricks is not all that. Citadelle has the same full flavor but with a tenderness that feels like the good friend you would want to join at Happy Hour. Gin and Tonics are my favorite libation, but lately I've been mixing miss Citadelle with POM and it's delicious!

As mentioned earlier in the life of this little bloggy, I've been trying to work out more regularly. I truly believe that good food and physical activity are the fountain of youth and best prevention of nearly all chronic illness. It doesn't have to be in a gym or P90X. You just have to stay moving. 

One last thing. 

I'm not sure I want kids of my own. I know I'm not the only woman out there that thinks this with a little bit of guilt, but the more I say it, the more I realize I'm not a monster.

But I can't wait to be an aunt. 

I. can't. wait. 

Happy Thursday blogees, you're almost to the weekend!

On the streets of Philadelphia I walked the avenue until my legs felt like stone

Pardon my brief hiatus, I was in Philadelphia for a conference. I had never been, and even though I had just a few days, I wanted to make sure I made the rounds.

Last fall when I was in San Francisco, I made a point to walk a lot with only a vague destination. My hotel was in the financial district, and I wanted to get to Haight-Ashbury. This really helped me to get my own impression of the city (and a ton of exercise, I had 3 blisters after 5 hours of walking!). I wanted to do the same for my first day in Philly. I was just a couple blocks from the very historic part of town with the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

It was a lovely town! They may sound angry, but the people of this fine town are as friendly as they come, and I was also pleasantly surprised at how much art and stunning architecture there was everywhere!

Philadelphia City Hall

 By the way, these photos were taken with KitCam, an iPhone app that has a lot of editing features, lenses, and options that Instagram left out. I'm a big fan.


There is a "Mural mile" downtown that I snapped a few pictures of.

This little oasis and the rain made me feel soaked in spring.

I have a general rule, even at home, that I avoid chain restaurants at all costs. There is too much amazing food in the world to waste even a cent on predictable bland food with too much salt and no love at all. Forgive the iPhone photos please.

Lets get this out of the way: Sorry everyone, I didn't go to Pats or Geno's. Phew.

I did go to a fantastic mediterranean tapas-style place named Barbuzzo. I had two very nice chaps sit next to me and we had a fine time talking medical devices and grilled octopus.

We had awesome seats at the chef's table. These guys were cooking for their lives and the food was more like art.

Burrata with Grilled Radicchio. Burrata is a soft stringy cheese like mozzarella. This salad was dressed with balsamic, hazelnuts and slivers of citrus.

Grilled Mediterranean Octopus Salad. This plate deserves the "extra-large" picture status size because it was extra-large yummy status. This was my first time having grilled octopus and I found it very similar texture to lobster, and with no briny flavor. I could eat this salad every day.

My last evening in Philly was a time out for me. I love how conferences can reenergize a person in their work, but they can also be very taxing. I felt very mentally saturated and found RAW, a great hole in the wall sushi place that was the perfect place to unwind.

Dragon roll and Spider roll. Beautiful!

I hope I get to go back soon to explore south street and a fantastic gay bar called "Woody's."

Handbag Heaven

I'm a big believer in taking the time to make oneself a priority. Eating right, getting a massage or a pedi, taking a mental health day, and indulging once in a while is healthy!

I buy myself birthday and Christmas presents and I think everyone else should too.

This year, that birthday present will likely be a handbag. These are my best of Nordstrom for spring 2013. What's your indulgence?

music to jump start spring

...and get you through that spring cleaning.

I heart Spotify and the new releases I've been hearing lately are really pleasing me. These are long time favorites in the making, and I hope you great lovers of small things start to really love these small wonders.

I am already a big fan of Kate Nash. We Get On, Nicest Things, and Merry Happy are great tunes, and this tune is peppy but not empty like some catchy tunes out on the airwaves. I know you'll love this one through Summer.

I Love It is an all around fun tune. Perfect for getting in the mood to go out, kick ass at work, or do the dishes. You can expect this to be on the radio and on the lips of biddies in a couple weeks, but you have the satisfaction of knowing you rocked it first.

Macklemore isn't exactly best-kept secret status anymore, but this song is wonderful regardless. So easy to love, and he's a fantastic writer. Same Love is a beautiful song out-shined by its message.

I can't get this song out of my head. I first heard it on the movie "Drive" with Ryan Gosling. It's an awesome flick (not for those expecting Noah Calhoun) with some thoughtfully artistic cinematography and screenwriting. This song is the haunting and hypnotizing theme for the movie, and I've been in love for months.

I had a tough time picking just one song from this album to recommend. Right this second,  Running For Cover is on repeat, but please take the time to check out this whole album. Feel good song with a nice new voice to turn the page on winter. This album is for fans of Mumford and the Decemberists. 

Lastly, I found "Long Time Gone" by the Civil Wars just this week (because I'm constantly listening to them)! It is from the soundtrack for "A Place at the Table," a documentary about the hunger epidemic in America. This film has the  Huffington Post talking among others, so it should be worth checking out. This song is the kind of country song EVERYONE loves. Really, if nothing else tickles your fancy, I know this will.

Bon Appetit!