inspiration: June 2011

Do you like a bit of nooky?!

Reading nooks, that is.....what were you thinking of? Is there anything more inviting than a reading nook or daybed? As soon as I see one I can imagine climbing onto them with a good book and....falling asleep! OK, I am busy, so the minute I find time to stop it doesn't take much for my eyes to close!!

Warm and comfy! Look at those lovely knitted cushions and that wonderful knitted side table!

How elegant... I probably wouldn't get as far as the tennis court.

Great use of space in a very small area, can double as a guest bedroom. Notice the horizontal stripes around the room, having horizontal stripes visually enlargens the room.

Combined study and nook/guest bed with lots of storage under for blankets etc.

I love window seats, I am trying to find a place for one in my house, I think my little one, who loves to read, would just love to curl up here.

Great for that wasted space in an under-used front porch, a lovely spot in summer.

Two for the space of one...well kid size that is!

You will find all these images on my Pinterest

Challenge of the Month, JULY 2011: Drink More Water

Hello there beautiful naturals! Here is the challenge of the month- drink more water!

We just do not drink enough water. I have been feeling dehydrated, and my skin and scalp are getting drier lately. I know it's due to a lack of water. In the past I was a competitive athlete so I drank water like a fish. My husband was even worse than me. He used to carry around a gallon of water every day- and he would finish it. I have realized that because of this, my body now craves water! However, oddly enough, I haven't had a taste for it. When I go to drink it, it tastes disgusting to me. So to challenge myself, and hydrate my body- I am going to drink more water!

Objective: To drink at least 64 oz of water every day

Long-term goal: To keep our hair, and skin hydrated and glowing!

Suggestions: If you are busy like me, you will want to invest in a nice water bottle that you can tote with you throughout the day. I personally think the tin ones are adorable and they should help to keep your water cooler in the heat.

If you would like to participate, follow these 2 steps:

Post a comment below letting me know you will be joining
Send me an email letting me know you will be joining. I will be sending emails throughout the month to check your progress and encourage you along the way!

By the end of the month let’s see how we feel! This is more than appropriate to make it through the summer hydrated and healthy!!

Les petites choses|L'amour et la vie à New York

Picture taken and edited by me

One year ago in that moment I was picking up clothes and thoughts, being due to leave for New York City.
My summer there, was a reborn.
I've studied art, design and fashion in a summer school in the Upper East Side, I lived the city and its nights, I came back home with the suitcases full of photos, dresses and inspirations.
After New York everything changed.
In some months, I'll graduate in visual arts, then I'll take the first flight for a fresh and alive metropolis (I can't reveal wich one is right now).
Tomorrow I have my northamerican cinema exam.
I'm filling sheets of paper with coloured and illustrated schemes to fix in my mind what I've studied.
I can't wait my exam is done, so I can dedicate a full day to my summer, to write my book, take pictures and breathe.
//
Un anno fa in questo periodo stavo raccogliendo vestiti e pensieri in procinto di partire per New York City.
La mia estate lì è stata una rinascita.
Ho studiato arte, design e moda in una summer school nell'Upper East Side, ho vissuto la città e le sue notti, sono tornata con una borsa piena di foto, vestiti ed ispirazioni.
Dopo New York è cambiato tutto.
Tra qualche mese mi laureerò in arti visive, dopodiché il primo aereo disponibile mi porterà via, verso una metropoli fresca e viva, che ora preferisco non rivelare.
Domani, esame di storia del cinema nordamericano.
Sto riempiendo fogli di schemi colorati ed illustrazioni per fissare nella mente quello che ho studiato.
Non vedo l'ora di fare questo esame per avere un giorno intero da dedicare alla mia estate, a scrivere il mio libro, scattare foto e respirare.

Thanks for reading,

with love.

Sara Ottavia C.

Back soon...

Darlings I am beyond swamped at the moment. I'll be back next week to let you know what is keeping me busy..

Until then, please enjoy this beautiful Swedish house-tour that I came across a little while ago. Just look at the wonderful bones of this place..!

Via. 1. Joner. House tour pictures via Mixr.se

Big hugs to all from Sydney..

xx Charlotta

{inspiration} rustic chic

so very cheesy.

I love to take wedding photos...and I love all my cute couples...and I think all their pictures are to die for. Gush, gush, gush. Yeah, I get that I sound like a total sap. Cheesiness to the max. But it's the truth. Well, most of the time. I'll not be speaking of any bride-zillas here so you can go elsewhere if you think this post has anything to do with the bride I encountered last week that nearly ripped my head off because I merely mentioned she might have to wait one minute longer to take a certain picture. Please, like I'm working on her time schedule. When will these brides learn that their wedding day is MY day? Mine, mine, mine. Where I'm the photog rockstar and they're just a momentary blip in my shot.

Uh, did I just say all thought in out-loud cyber space?

Pardon the serious tangent. The truth of the post is this, sometimes I really do love my brides and grooms to death. And sometimes I shed a tear. Like when I snapped this shot:

Sometimes I cry. (Note: should you mention this fact to anyone I'll deny it. I'm no sissy photog.)

So when my close friend's little sister gets married to an awesome guy, and then she shares a tear-jerking dance with her father...sometimes I get a little misty-eyed. Or a lot.

And it's those times I realize that I love photography even if sometimes I get stressed; sometimes I feel as if I don't have time to pee; sometimes I wish I was writing instead of shooting; sometimes I want to just turn my ringer off and spend two hours taking a hot bath.

Sometimes it's so worth it to be a photographer. And one of those times would be when the awesome father of the bride (pictured above) includes a little bonus on top of my wedding fee. A bonus that's not at all too cheesy for me and my queen of cheese.

When the bonus is a can of COUGAR GOLD, then I say it's pretty darn great being a wedding photographer!

hat's off to you

it's so ridiculously late right now. but I'm wide awake and determined to share today's outfit with you! take that, REM cycle...

dress- topshop // cardigan- zara // hat, belt, + shoes- primark // tights- american apparel

I hate how in most photos you can't tell that this belt and these tights are actually light pink. ballet pink, to be exact. much cuter in person, I assure you.

and this dress is definitely going to be a summer staple. I just love it.

short & sweet! time for bed.

goodnight!

playing: bright lights- matchbox 20

In the deep midwinter

In the deep midwinter, a woman is writing . . . and a new book is emerging.

In the deep midwinter, a woman is reading . . . researching the subject of ageing, with the help of inspiring elders.

In the deep midwinter, a woman is planting . . . garlic for the winter solstice, to be harvested in midsummer.

In the deep midwinter, a woman is growing . . . a hyacinth in a dark cupboard, away from the light.

In the deep midwinter, this woman is smiling . . . at how the imagination flares in the dark and silent days.

Arty Jewelry III on SALE at bn.com!!!

I just discovered—by accident!—that my brand-NEW eBook, Arty Jewelry III, is available for download at 20 percent off the normal retail price of $9.99.
I just released this new eBook, and when I went to www.barnesandnoble.com to make sure it was available before making my announcement, I discovered that they are offering it on sale. The great news is, I still get the same royalty. The bummer is, they never notified me about the sale and I have no idea how long it will last. So, I advise downloading it immediately to take advantage of the new sale price, for a limited time, just $7.99!
To see all nine projects in Arty Jewelry III, click here.
To download it from bn.com, click here.
So you don't own a nook e-reader for reading eBooks such as Arty Jewelry III? No problem! There are some cool FREE e-reader apps available that will turn your smart phone, computer (PC or Mac), iPad, Android, BlackBerry, etc. into an eReader. I use the free nook and kindle apps on my iPhone to read all of my eBooks myself.
To download a FREE nook e-reader app, click here.
Once you start reading eBooks, you may never (or rarely) purchase a printed and bound book again. The advantages are so numerous! Here are a few:
Take your library of eBooks everywhere you go: they're weightless!
No shipping charges!
Saves trees and the environment: no paper used, no printing inks!
A dictionary is automatically built into most eBooks. Just touch an unfamiliar word and the dictionary definition pops up!
You can enlarge or shrink the text very easily! Choose text color, too: You can read black on white, white on black, or dark brown on sepia...
All my full-color photos are close-up shots that allow you to see every detail. If a photo looks small on your iPhone, just use your fingers to "swipe" and enlarge it. Cool!
You'll never lose an eBook! Your library is permanent. Keeps you from accidentally purchasing duplicate books, too!
You can share your eBooks with your friends for up to two weeks at a time!
There are hundreds if not thousands of FREE eBooks available to download from various sources such as bn.com and amazon.com!
OK, I'm running out of breath. Time to order Arty Jewelry III while it's still on sale...
Happy wrapping,
Sharilyn

Chad + Danyelle Video from Crosslink Productions

We had the pleasure of working with Crosslink Productions for Chad and Danyelle's wedding earlier this month. These videographers offer a really cool same day edit where they capture the first half of the wedding day and prepare a short video to be played at the reception. Guests love it! Check out Chad and Danyelle's same day edit that was played at their reception.

Chad + Danyelle - Wedding SDE from Crosslink Productions on Vimeo.