what a girl wants

This gorge {like that? I just decided to start using it... but I don't think I will anymore} starfish cuff. Anthropologie has a version, Macy's sells a version. One way or another, I will get my bony hands on this.

Jeffrey Campbell 'Mention' Flat

Midday airway asymmetrical dress

Chiffon Full Length Skirt

Rounds and Rounds Top

This H&M fabulousness

Maybe it's the surge of fall catalogs that I've been getting in the mail (Helloooooo, J.Crew! Ruche lookbook? Yes, please!) or maybe it's the shopping freeze that I've been on but something is certainly in the air.

how ya feeling?

Allow me to show you how I'm feeling today:

Even though I made these delicious pineapple-upside down cupcake treats using this recipe and believe me, they were scrumptious.

But then I saw this Rimmel ad and scoffed at the horrendous photoshop job. Have I ever mentioned how I love me some Zooey? Well, I just do.

Also, my 3-year-old niece informed me that all giraffes are jerks. Um... what the what?

let's get serious

I apologize, but I'm about to get serious here for a minute. This is potentially going to be the longest week of my life. I have been waiting all summer for this moment- the moment where I find out if my last chance for a classroom this year is possible. If it is: prepare for some very happy & {possibly} short-winded posts. If not, I'll be posting about the yard sale I had with all of my teaching stuff and my quest for a new career. 3 years is a long time to pour all of your heart & energy into something fruitless. So let's think positive here, people!

Seriousness aside, here are some cute kid crafts that I've been bookmarking lately. Maybe you have an adorable little or two that you could do these crafts with, who knows? Little kids are some of the best crafters and they're much more diligent than some people {me, for example}.

snow globe

aquarium diorama

egg geodes

dream catcher

suncatcher

surprisingly kid-friendly

Nature Walk Bracelet

button bracelets. I think I need some of these!

pasta skeletons

babies r us

Babies are everywhere. 2 of my three sisters are pregnant right now, 2 of my favorite coworkers just found out they're having babies, my friend Kassy is due in October. Phew. So many tiny feet that I'm going to be seeing at the same time! I already have 2 nieces and a nephew { you met them here and here} and I love them tremendously. One might think that with all this baby fever my clock is starting to tick but instead my desire to dress & photograph these little biddies is explosive. Today I'm going to be working on art projects for my sisters for their respective shower & sprinkle {Terri had a shower for Adriana, so she gets a sprinkle} so there won't be a long update today. Instead, enjoy these pictures of various cuties that I found {source: pinterest}:

This would be a nice way for my sister to let everyone know whether she's having a boy or a girl... just saying...

 These aren't really meant for more than to amuse you and they should definitely amuse you because they're ridiculous.

inspire me

You might be getting sick of hearing me rave about pinterest, so if you are you might want to leave now.

Before there was pinterest, there were magazines all over my floor, scissors grazing glossy pages, and glue sticks gliding across the pages of one of many sketchbooks. I haven't given up on keeping my inspiration pages; in fact, I've only gotten more adept at keeping track of the pretty pages that I love.

Collecting inspiration has become a lifelong job. Over the years I've clipped pictures of New Kids on the Block {Joey was my flavor}, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, cute tops from the Delias catalog, abercrombie models, and tips from Cosmopolitan. This led to me clipping outfits from catalogs, flyers, and magazines.

I mentioned in this post that I was going to tell you about my inspiration books and, my friends, this is the day I unearth the beast.

These are some examples of the little gems that I've found. Sorry about the terrible quality, but the lighting in my living room is TERRIBLE.

When I've finally got enough of whatever I want to paste, I organize them in one of my books. I have another book like this and a few smaller ones, too.

Until I'm ready to put everything into my books, I store them in file folders & envelopes. Organizing is a complete obsession for me. It helps that I have summers off.

I organize it just like I do my pinterest- 

crafts, fashion & style, pretty words & images, bridal stuff, beauty & hair, recipes, decor, and education. Did I mention a folder for miscellaneous things? 

Here's the funny thing- in all the time I've been saving these clippings, I haven't once finished an inspiration book. Partway through I come up with a new way to organize or I decide to write something witty to go along with each picture and then I get distracted. Part of my 101 goals is to finish one of my books. It's going to happen!

what studs

Yesterday I gave you a look into my seedy world of crafting. I think it's only fair to show you what sparked my creativity.

Do you see this chaos?! It's not especially easy to find a pair of earrings to wear, so I usually stick to the same few. This, of course, leads me to take them off in silly places and lose one. It doesn't help that my cats think anything not on my person belongs to them and they should treat it like a toy.

How do you keep your earrings organized? I've never had a problem with rings or necklaces, but earring organization isn't exactly my thing. These ladies definitely know how to do it though:

source

source

source

source