Thought of the Week

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"Aim so high you'll never be bored." -Linda Gibbons

Lovely Long Weekend

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I hope you had a fantastic weekend- I know that I did! The weather here was beautiful, so we spent most of it with all of the doors and windows open to let the breezes pass through. I've gotten really excited about gardening recently, so I spent some time prepping a new raised bed in the backyard (which I hope to share once it's finished!) and shopping for plants, as well as majorly cutting back some overgrown bushes in the front of our house. It's made such a big difference and I can't wait until it's cool enough to plant lots of beautiful bulbs for the spring!

I'm starting a new part-time job today, so posts may be a bit sparse as I get adjusted to my new schedule (I'm super excited, but having a few jobs can be a bit confusing!).

Good luck with this shortened work week- I hope that it's wonderful and goes by quickly!

Eat Pray Shop

The other night K and I had a date to see the movie 'Eat Pray Love.' While I wasn't as inspired by the film as I would have liked, I did manage to fall head-over-heels for Julia Roberts' entire wardrobe. I loved its simplicity, with bright pops of color while she visited India and Bali. Since I'm on a bit more of a budget, I decided to pull together some of my favorite looks for a bit less money than her's probably cost (with a few pricier items thrown in for fun, natch).

Have y'all seen the movie yet? What did you think of it, and her paired-down wardrobe?

eat pray shop by hillaryw featuring crossbody bag

Perfect-fit tees - Perfect-fit long-sleeve..., $25
Embroidered Gauze Tops, $23
Vintage cotton v-neck tee fern, $30
Shawl cardigan, $60
Corduroy-trimmed utility jacket, $90
Cable-Knit Wrap Vests, $35
Linen Cargo Pant, $30
Linen Cropped Pant (Heavy Smoke), $30
The Diva Skinny Jeans, $35
Tennis Lacet, $28
Huarache Duffel Bag, $303
Whipstitch Cross-Body Bag, $38
Lightweight Printed Scarf - Turquoise Congo, $67
Aviator Small Sunglasses, $99
Braided Belt (Dark Brown), $30
Women's Scarves & Wraps, $30
Travel Guide Phrase Book and CD Pack: Italian

Emergency Preparations

Even though we're likely to just get some wind and rain from Hurricane Earl this weekend, the storm has gotten me thinking about how we can be more prepared for emergencies. Other than water, food, flashlights, and candles, I think that this radio would make a great addition. Plus, with its compact size and solar panels, it would also be the perfect addition to picnics and meals on the patio!

Four Years

Dad- Thanks for being such a wonderful father. For teaching me so many things- from basketball to driving to worrying a bit more than I probably should and, most importantly, to be caring and compassionate toward others. For always taking care of me and putting the needs of your family before your own. You were always loving, kind, selfless, goofy, and generally awesome. I'm eternally grateful for having such an amazing person in my life, and I can only dream of becoming half of the person you were. I love and miss you, Dad.

Thought of the Week

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“When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” - Audre Lorde

Backyard Camping

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While I love the idea of camping in the midst of beautiful surroundings (see above), right now I'm smitten with the idea of sleeping in a tent a bit closer to home (courtesy of this article on Apartment Therapy. Now I'm dreaming of having a patch of land bigger than our little concrete patio...

Whirlled

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I'm majorly crushing on this lampshade. Can you believe that they made it themselves... out of yarn? I'm beyond impressed (and wondering if our diy skills could handle this project).

Setting Sail

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Even though I'm already starting to plan our (now) annual trip to Vermont for new year's, these photos have me wondering how I can squeeze in another trip to the beach before cooler weather arrives. I'm thinking any beach would do, but preferably one that has access to an outdoor shower similar to the one above.

Thought of the Week

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Summer To-Dos

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Although summer seems to be dragging on (humidly) here, I have been assured that cooler weather will be here before I know it and I'll be back to longing for warmer temps!

So, following this list's inspiration, here are some of my must-dos for the next few weeks...

-Spend more time lounging at the pool (slathered in spf 50, natch)

-Eat more popsicles

-Drink more iced tea (latest favorite- Yogi's chai green tea)

-Take more trips to the farmers' market (and make good use of its bounty)

-Spend as much time as possible in shorts, sundresses, and/or sandals

What about y'all... what are you looking to squeeze in while summer's still here?

Simply Succulent

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Confession: I wish I had a green thumb. Sadly, I'm not sure this is the case, especially when it comes to indoor plants. I absolutely love succulents, but each of ones that I've owned have gotten awkwardly tall with spaced out leaves. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I'm thinking I may just need to admire these beauties from afar for the foreseeable future.

What about you- what are your favorite house plants? Any tips on indoor gardening?

Radio Silence

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A brief mea culpa: Apologies for being so m.i.a. for the past few days. I passed the time battling with Delta over a canceled flight, finally making to Connecticut for a childhood friend's wedding, spending time with friends old and new and the madre, soaking a gorgeously elegant wedding, doing a bit of bargain shopping, heading back to North Carolina, and getting my life back in order. Phew!

Anyway, I've got some new posts up my sleeves and am looking forward to getting back into the blogging groove!

xo

Thought of the Week

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A bit belated, yes, but a perfect sentiment to get through the remainder of the week!

Pink + Gray = Love

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I'm so inspired by these photos from Design*Sponge's Sneak Peek of Marijke Hukema's home.

Although it's all stunning, I'm particularly fond of the beautiful combination of light pink and gray (oh, and those gorgeous floors). Definitely filing these away in case K ever lets me decorate completely on my own...

Thought of the Week

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“I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.” –Jack London

Have an Above-Average Weekend!

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Happy Friday!

What are you all up to this weekend? I'm not sure of our plans, just hoping that it rains some more to help get rid of this heat and humidity (noticing a pattern to today's posts? :).

Whatever you do, I hope it's as lovely and fun as possible!

Dreaming of Autumn

So, a slight confession. I have a problem where, as a season drags on, I start to feel as though I should already be wearing clothes for the next one. Case in point: this past spring, while it was still in the 50's and low 60's, I had already broken out my tank dresses and gladiator sandals. Some people dress for the job they want; I dress for the season.

A minor glitch in my plan has come up, however, because it is just too hot and humid to start wearing knee-high boots and sweaters. So instead, I've made a Polyvore set of what I'd like to be wearing right now (and will, as soon as it just stops being so. dang. hot.). It includes some of my favorite things for cooler weather: dresses with tights and boots (essentially my winter uniform), plaid, corduroys with flats, statement jewelry, cozy sweaters, and my two favorite clothing colors: plum and a bright, mustard-y yellow. The best part of all? Nothing here is over $90. Come on, fall!

Fall Fashion by hillaryw featuring Old Navy

Lightweight Mexicali Dresses, $30
Ruche-Trim Jersey Dresses, $25
Old Navy Womens Western Chambray Shirts, $25
Lightweight Boat-Neck Tees, $15
Dolman T, $20
Plaid Roll-Up Tunics, $27
Cocoon Cardigans, $37
Corduroy-trimmed utility jacket, $90
Fleece Blazers, $35
Old Navy Womens Essential Cropped Trousers, $33
Skinny Cords, $30
Boot-Cut Cords, $30
Perfect boot jeans (faded dark wash), $70
Basic Tights, $6.50
Kamisse Cuffed Slouch Boots - Grey : Target, $30
Faux-Leather Short Ankle Boots, $17
Kachiri Leather Americana Boots - Taupe :..., $50
Ida Snip Toe Driving Moc, $54
The city flat, $40
Coated canvas tote, $40
Coated canvas wallet, $25
Chronograph Champagne Dial Watch Watch, $125
Vibrant Bead Statement Necklace, $38
Bauble Bib Necklaces, $6.97

What about y'all... anyone else dreaming of cooler temps?

Yo Quiero

This necklace.

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Pretty obsessed with this rainbow look, first spotted here. And a perfect way to celebrate yesterday's Prop 8 ruling!

Office Artwork

Having recently started a new job, I'm facing the new problem of staring at completely white walls all day. I'm thinking that a little buying spree on Etsy (after finally getting my first paycheck, of course!) would be the perfect solution to this problem.

Some of my current faves...

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Because a bit of optimism never hurts anyone.

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Colorful bunting and positive message? Sold.

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Because sometimes we can all get a bit distracted...

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Truly.

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I think this would be nice in a lot of places, but for particularly stressful days it would serve as a much-needed reminder.

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Although this may not do much to curb my mid-afternoon sugar cravings, I think it's a cute play on an old adage.

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Although this isn't exactly work appropriate, I can't help but smile every time I see it. Win.

What about you? Any favorite sources to keep your office colorful and inspiring?

Total Crush

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Love the outfit and the hair. Completely wonderful and androgynous. Although I very much doubt I could pull this off, I think it's such a fun, casual look.

Wonderful Weekend

So... how was your weekend?

Mine was pretty fantastic. We spent Friday night at the movies seeing 'The Kids are Alright', which was amazing. I highly recommend it!

Saturday we took a day trip to two nearby towns. Our first stop was Saxapahaw (which is even more fun to say with a Southern accent), where we had lunch at the fantastic general store.

I love that they're very locally minded and place such an emphasis on supporting the local economy and protecting the environment.

It also doesn't hurt that they have fantastic food. K got a fried chicken sandwich, while I focused my efforts on the grilled vegetable sandwich (above) with olive tapenade and local goal cheese. Magical.

We then took back country roads to Hillsborough, which has lots of historic buildings and boatloads of character. We wandered around and stopped into some cute stores, including a chocolate shop and a lovely vintage store. My favorite place was the local bookstore, which had this adorable bathtub couch in the children's section:

We then stopped at Home Depot to pick out paint samples for a few projects we have in the works...

Here are some of my picks, plus my new nail color (Essie's Playa del Platinum).

It was a great day, made even more fun because we were able to explore new places without having to travel very far.

Some other fun parts of the weekend?

Having it cool off enough to turn off the AC and open the windows and doors!

Making homemade pizza (with a bit of help from Trader Joe's 99 cent dough!) with our own pesto, roasted eggplant, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and parmesan.

 

With my new favorite, a granny smith apple cider. So good.

Also included in our weekend? A night on the town, a triple birthday party, some cleaning and cooking, and sleeping in late.

It was pretty glorious and I'm already making plans for the next one to get me through the week!

What about you? Did you do anything fun or exciting?

p.s. Apologies for the poor photo quality. My camera's doing this fun thing where it doesn't want to upload to my computer easily, so it'll be mostly iphone pics for awhile...

Thought of the Week

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Smitten (with) Kitchens

If I could do anything I wanted to our kitchen, I'm pretty sure it would land somewhere in a combination between these two rooms.

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I'm thinking these stripes would be a much less drastic option, but would still add some much-needed color. (Have I mentioned that our cabinets are approximately the color of my skin at present?)

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Although this is probably more drastic than anything I'd actually do, I just. love. pink. so. much.

Perhaps I'll just have to break out a sander and some pink paint and see what K and our roommate have to say? ;)

p.s. The title is a reference to one of my most favorite cooking blogs.

Portland's Rose Gardens

After our lovely week in Sunriver, we squeezed in a whirlwind tour of Portland before heading back to the airport. The bulk of our visit was taken up by our stop at the beautiful rose gardens of Portland. Although it was one big space, there were distinct spaces throughout, including the Gold Medal garden and a traditional English rose garden.

Not only was it beautiful in and of itself, but it also has gorgeous views of the city itself.

One thing that I loved were how fun visual elements were combined throughout the space, like this flower-laden lamp post...

And this sculpture.

Of course, the flowers were fantastic and, to be honest, a bit overwhelming. Part of the gardens were the International Rose Test Garden, where they create brand new varieties! There were so many to see that we easily could have spent an entire day looking at all of the different varieties.

They also had some phenomenal archways that were covered with roses.

I loved so many of the flowers, but these were pretty fabulous.

Overall, this was definitely worth the stop and was one of my favorite parts of our trip!

I Want to Ride My Bicycle

Now that I live in a town that is much more bike friendly, I keep meaning to use mine much more frequently than I have so far.

Although I'm currently blaming my lack of cycling around on the heat and humidity, I think it would also help if my bike were even a fraction as cute as the ones below.

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I'm thinking that I may need to at least add on a basket to up the cute factor at least a bit!

(Also, can you believe that second bike is from Target?)