autumn is here!

Today is the official first day of fall, and I am so excited about it! I absolutely love the changing seasons, and autumn is definitely one of my favorites.

I love everything about it: the crisp air (even though it's still 76 degrees in Nashville right now), the color and smell of autumn leaves, sipping on apple cider (hot or cold, I love it both ways), pulling out my sweaters and scarves from storage, baking apple crisp, making caramel apples, going to fall festivals, lighting my pumpkin spice candle, roasting marshmallows over an open fire, pumpkins and mums decorating the doorsteps of houses down every street, and having an excuse to dress Max up in his hot dog costume. :)

What are you looking forward to this fall?

{images via marthastewart.com}

Also, a couple new things I want to experience this fall: carving a pumpkin (that's right, I have never done it...and I think this is the year to change that!), and making these delicious pumpkin patch cupcakes!

i heart maps.

To me, there is just something whimsical about maps. I love looking at a map, seeing all the places I've been to, and dreaming of all the places I want to travel to someday. A few months ago, I came across this blog post by Jordan Ferney over at her blog "Oh Happy Day!" She shares a neat idea of mounting a map to some foamcore, hanging it up in your house, and marking all the places that you go to. She gives the complete tutorial here.

I am all about finding new traditions to create with husband and later on carrying those traditions out with our kids. This could be a great new tradition to start!

Also, I have been trying to find a map of Nashville somewhere...but am surprisingly having a difficult time of it {if any of you know where I can find one, please do share!} I would love to hang a map of Nashville up on our wall and mark all of our new favorite spots.

{images via Oh Happy Day!}

nothin' says summer like the sno biz.

Last night we got to go to Sno Biz with these lovely folks, Thorne & Laura.

{you may recognize them as one of our favorite couples}




Nothin' says summer like colorful sun umbrellas and flavorful shaved ice.





Jonathan got the raspberry and I got the lemon meringue pie. Yum!


Fun was had by all.

i heart pens & paper.

There's just something magical about having a new notebook full of blank pages with dozens of colorful markers at your fingertips. I absolutely love it. The possibilities are endless.

{all photos by me}

a season for everything lovely.

One of my favorite things is experiencing the change in seasons. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. Each new season brings a new set of possibilities...and potential memories made. When asked which time of year is my favorite, my answer is all of them. I am equally excited to see each season arrive...full of potential and overflowing with opportunities. It is exciting, to say the least.

As spring slowly comes to a close and the summer months are upon us, I look forward to these things:

• cookouts on the grill {husband makes the best grilled chicken!}
• taking naps in my hammock {which we just bought a stand for, so we can actually use it now...yay!}
• the smell of freshly cut grass.
• the feeling of sunshine on my shoulders and in my hair.
• sipping fruit tea with husby as the sun goes down and talking about our present and our future together.
• fireworks.
• picnics in the park.
• summery music {i.e. the beach boys, the beatles, jack johnson, etc.}
• my wildflower garden blooming.
• fairs and carnival {i have a thing for cotton candy and ferris wheels}
• buying fresh flowers and quality produce at the farmer's market.
• painting my nails bright, fun, colors!
• taking lots of photographs in the lovely weather.
• going to the drive-in movies and munching on yummy treats.
  
• husband's senior recital.
• husband's graduation.
• our two year wedding anniversary.
• vacation together.

{photos taken in 2006 during "the dating years" at the fair}

What are some things about summer that you are looking forward to?

it's the simple things in life, really.

• coffee in the mornings
• checking things off my to-do list
• warm, clean bed sheets straight out of the dryer
• a letter in the mail
• fresh flowers
• reading a good book
• getting just the right amount of sleep
• water with lemon
• making things with my hands
• my new gray marker
• taking pictures and preserving memories
• being with the people i love most in this world
• laughing so hard my tummy hurts
  
• evenings walks
• smoothies
• hammocks

It's amazing how much joy can be found in the simple things in life. I think it's so important to take a moment to stop and appreciate these things. Take time to enjoy them. :)

What are some of the simple things in life that make you smile?

Here's a list of more simple pleasures to brighten your day.

the bunny, the bunny, oh i love the bunny.

This past Saturday at the Eggs Benefit we had a live bunny there for the kids {and...eh hem, me} to pet. He was the cutest little thing ever! Oh, I definitely wanted to take him home with me...but then husband quickly reminded me that we have a little dachshund who keeps our hands full as it is.

Seeing the bunny, however, did bring back many memories from childhood. When I was about 10 years old we bred and raised mini lop bunnies. It was a great experience as a kid, and it helped me learn a lot by running my own bunny business.

In addition to it being a good business learning experience for me as a kid, I just fell in love with this breed of rabbit. When one of our mommy bunnies had a litter, one of the babies was sick and was kicked out of the nest. We ended up reviving him, fed him by bottle, trained him to walk on a bunny harness, and he became the sweetest bunny ever. We named him Blessing, because it was a blessing he survived.

Aren't bunnies the cutest? I'm determined that we'll own one again someday {later down the road, maybe after we have kids}...I just have to convince a certain someone of the same.

thank you, husband.

thank you, husband...

• for comforting me when i was scared during the big storm on friday.
• for taking me to see "Little Shop of Horrors,"one of my favorite musicals, this weekend {and putting up with me singing songs from the show on the way to and from the play.}
  
• for helping me with my big work event and calming my nerves during the whole thing.
  
• for buying me an easter dress.
• for making me breakfast this morning.
• for being my best friend.
• for everything you do.

i love you.

{pictures taken on Easter day by my sister Alycia Turpin}

writing letters.

I love handwritten letters. Snail mail. Mail art. Packaging. Pen pals. etc. etc. etc

Tonight I wrote to a dear friend of mine who lives far far away, and it was so refreshing. I think that letting people know that you care about and love them is so important.

I want to write letters more often.

bicycle love.

Talking about the beach the other day got me thinking about how lovely it would be to ride a bike through a nice, not touristy, beach town {like Pass-a-grille Florida.} I really do miss owning a bicycle.

Here are some bikes that I find to be quite charming:

this.
{I love the look of these beach-comber style bikes, but would love
to find one that also had hand brakes, and possibly multiple speeds...
with still having this look.}



this {i am obsessed with yellow bikes.}

with a little basket on top.



doesn't Ellen Page look chic riding a bicycle wearing a dress and heals?
{via Copenhagen Cycle Chic}

dreaming of the beach.

Lately I have been dreaming of the beach. Oh how I love the beach with its warm sun,
salty air, and sand between my toes.

This past August Jonathan and I went to Treasure Island, FL as our one year wedding anniversary vacation. It was so lovely. Every single minute of it.

I want to go to there.

P.S. Whitney over at Darling Dexter blogged {pretty pictures included} today about going to the beach near their home in Savannah...and this definitely got me day dreaming.

live color fully.

Today really feels like Spring, and it makes me very very excited!

This video from Kate Spade is truly spring-like in nature. I love it. Spring, I welcome you with open arms. We can be best friends, you and I.



Also, I want to wear lots of dresses and get a floppy hat this spring. Yes, please.

Live color fully.

this is tiffany speaking, and i love pretty clothing.

Hello, this is Tiffany speaking. And I am going to take a moment to talk about something very girly: pretty clothing.

I have recently discovered the blog of Kathleen Dougherty: grosgrain fabulous And it really is simply fabulous. The photographs, the clothing, and the stories are all just lovely.

Here are some of my favorite finds:

The Conservatory Coat
As many of you may already know, Red is one of my favorite colors {although I have many different favorite colors, red is definitely up there towards the top of the list.} I think this would be perfect to wear with some skinny jeans and yellow flats.

Sunday Laundry Shirt Dress
Now that spring is approaching, I am very much looking forward to wearing pretty dresses and skirts. More dresses and skirts are on my wishlist for this spring. This one is oh-so-pretty!

Anthropoli-fication Boyer Cream Cardi
This makes me want to spend all day in the the library gathering loverly book to read. I think this cardi is absolutely adorable!

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt
This is a child's Pettiskirt, but I can't help but love this! Now that we have a niece I am looking forward to getting to take many pictures of her throughout the years. This pettiskirt would be perfect for a little photoshoot outdoors when she's a couple years old. :)

I don't know about you, but now I have the itch to go spring clothes shopping...

{all images from grosgrain fabulous.}

sweet dreams, dear friends.

days like these make me happy, because i get to wear my rainboots.

Days like these make me smile, because I get to wear
my polka dotted rain boots.



Getting to wear my rain boots somehow makes any dreary day
just a little bit brighter.

Max, on the other hand, doesn't like the rain at all.
Maybe if he had some puppy rain boots he would feel a little differently about that.

{all images by me}

i love my husband.

i am so proud of my husband and all that he does.
he makes all days sunshiney.
and brings me my favorite ice cream when he knows i want {no, need} some chocolate.

i love you, husband.

i heart photo booths.

I really love old fashioned photo booths. You know, the kind that print out photo strips as opposed to little sketches of a picture of you {and all the other crazy stuff that modern photo booths have now.} I think photo booth strips are so full of life, personality, and love.

We found this little photo booth in Gatlinburg, TN during our recent mini vacation there. Unfortunately, we didn't have any loose change to actually use it, but we did enjoy taking pictures of it.

Back at Christmastime I had the itch to have some photo booth strips on our fridge, so we decided to make some of our own. Luckily I found this template and was able to use it to make some lovely photo strips in Photoshop {you should make some too! they're so much fun!}

These are now hanging on our fridge. They make my heart dance.

{and if you look closely, you can see that Max wanted in on the photo strip action too.}

what i sometimes do during my lunch break.

I am not a huge TV watcher {as I mentioned in this post}, but often on the days that I don't go into the studio and I work from my home office I like to take my lunch break an hour early...to watch the Rachael Ray Show.

I just love her show!

Reason #1: She has amazing recipes that I love to try! {we have definitely found some new favorites as a result of my occasional watching of this show.}
Reason #2: She is funny and spunky.
Reason #3: She often has ideas for inexpensive decorating, fashion, beauty, etc. It's very helpful when you live on a budget.
Reason #4: It sometimes gives me a good break to my day. I often make the mistake of not taking a break at all. I sometimes catch myself working straight through my lunch break, and at the end of the day I am just bushed. Taking a break is good for you and good for your productivity {I have to remind myself of this!}

I also love how they post clips from the episode directly on their website...you know, for those days I'm out at the studio and can't take my Rachael Ray break. :)

looking forward to springtime.

I love all of the different seasons of the year. And I think God knew what he was doing when he created the different seasons...he created them with people like me in mind...I love a good change in scenery.

It's cold out this morning, and I don't mind the cold. But I am looking forward to springtime because:

• I want to plant some wildflowers in my garden.
• Cookouts are my favorite.
• Laying on a blanket in the park reading a book is priceless.
• Going for walks after dinner with husband and Max and it still being light outside will be oh-so-nice.
  
• Sunshine and warmth.
• Skirts and flipflops.
  
• Spring showers {which means getting to wear my polka dotted wellies!}
• Hammocks {we bought one in Guatemala last spring, and I can't wait to actually put it up and get some good use out of it...YAY!}

Those are just a few of the reasons I'm looking forward to spring.

What do you love about springtime?