Love to Plan Ahead

It should come as no surprise that I love Target. I love everything about it.

Question: What's better than walking out of a store with toothpaste, a new cocktail ring, a book, cough drops, ponytails, and a cake stand?
Answer: Nothing. Target is just plain FAB.

And to top it off, I am particularly in love with their Hollywood Intuition line that is chock-full of amazing things. Especially their gorgeous handbags at prices that even my measly budget can afford. So currently, I am trying to figure out which bag I want. Not that I need a new bag. But I want a new bag, and sometimes that's just as important as needing a new bag. I'm sure you fashionistas out there understand.


So I am torn between both of these bags, as seen above. Bag A would be perfect for trips to Disneyland, when I want to be hands-free and forced to edit what I actually bring. It's meant to be worn around the waist, like a fanny pack but fanny pack in the COOLEST, HIPPEST sense of the phrase. Bag B would be perfect for a weekend away, when you want to use it like an overnight bag. I can also imagine it as a perfect carry-on bag when flying. And despite the fact that I'm not exactly racking up the frequent flyer miles these days, I just like to entertain the thought of it.

Next weekend, I'm going to a wedding in San Diego and I already have dreams about what I will pack and what I will pack it in, etc. Bag B is looking like the ideal choice! I love the thought of filling it with a magazine, my camera, a scarf, snacks, pens and paper, sunscreen, etc. I love to pack and plan ahead for what I will need. Unpacking is a completely different story, but I digress.

Oh heck, I will probably just get both :)

Happens Every Day

Oh. My. Goodness. Last night I finished one of the most well-written, poignant, touching, beautiful (the list goes on) novels I have ever laid eyes on. In fact, at certain points in the story, I was unable to read because I was crying so hard! And I am not a crier. Not in books, not in movies, rarely in real life. And there I was, just bawling for the heroine of the novel. Happens Every Day is an insanely good read. INSANELY good. I won't give away too much, but I will say it has a very happy ending. I read this book in a day, I was so enraptured. So if you're looking for a gorgeous story to keep you entertained this Fall, here's your book!

In other news, I am hoping to venture to Disneyland tomorrow and make a new mini-book detailing my adventure! Eeeee! So excited to make a mini-book. Haven't done that in quite some time. This excitement all stems from a recent post on mini-book solutions from the always-inspiring Elise Blaha. It is golden, you have to check it out!

Under the Weather and Beverly Hills

Both of my parents have been sick with bronchitis for the past couple of days, so it was inevitable that I too would catch some form of a cold! Luckily it's just that - a cold. And quite honestly, I don't even mind it - it gives me a great reason to wear pajamas all day and take 5 naps! Haha! There is always a bright side...

Yesterday my friend Liz and I ventured to Beverly Hills for her job interview. It was a day to remember as there were several scheduling conflicts, HOT weather, typical LA traffic, and crazy people meandering throughout the intersections. Nonetheless, we had so much fun making fun of the situation. Plus, lunch was delish; iced-blended drinks from Coffee Bean never tasted so good; Liz secured a job; we didn't have to pay for parking; we appreciated God's greatest gift: air conditioning!; we saw Lauren Conrad from The Hills; and we cracked ourselves up over the nuances of the day. So in retrospect, it was fab! Oh! And I am almost positive I saw Rachel Zoe's apartment! You know, the penthouse suite they always show on The Rachel Zoe Project? I am so excited to see things like this, you have no idea! Hahaha...

Happy Autumn!

Lots of happy things as of late. A few things I've been up to...

Working my way back into the creative mode (and making a big happy mess in the process).

Long, wonderful bike rides with good friends.

Finding insightful and inspiring blogs to delve into.

Autumn has officially arrived (and brought along the Santa Ana's)!

Cooking yummy and healthy dinners with friends.

Laughing hysterically over Jimmy Fallon's dance moves during the Emmy's.


Seeing another live taping of our beloved Conan. This time with Charlize Theron and Dave Matthews Band! So. Much. Fun! (P.S. How cute are his wife's red shoes?? LOVE!)

Going with the flow and having faith that this is where we are supposed to be.

Planning a knitting lesson with John's super-crafty Grandma.

Getting ready for a huge garage sale this coming weekend.

Enjoying lots of time outdoors.


Savoring my Fall magazines. Especially Sunset Magazine. Reading about travel immediately sends me to my "happy place."

Trips to Trader Joe's. Stocking up on low-priced produce and wine. Yum.

Planning on going to yoga tonight. Loved it before and can't wait to do it again.

Cleaning the house today. Love the satisfaction I derive from a clean living space.


Finally finishing this layout. It has been in the works for at least a month and I finally decided to complete it.

Have a wonderful first day of Fall! I am off to clean while listening to my favorite podcasts and then hit the gym later for some happy workout time :)

What's Not to Love About Friday?

Being that it is Friday and there are only FOUR days left until the first official day of Fall, I decided to put together a little list of things I am loving at the moment.

Exhibit A:
Oh, how I love Rachel Zoe and all things associated with this fashionista. Love her show, love her book, love all the sparkles, love her assistant Brad, love her newsletter, love her style theories, love her over-the-top wardrobe, LOVE her!

Exhibit B:
One late night, while cleaning up before bed, the images on the TV had me double-taking every 5 seconds. Finally, I decided to sit down and watch and became absolutely enthralled by this fabulous show on HGTV called Pure Design. I'm telling you, HGTV really scored major points in my book with this amazing show. I love the host and head designer, Samantha Pynn's shabby-chic/vintage-inspired style and take on eco-friendly design. I also love all the stunning visuals. Be sure to find out when it plays in your neck of the woods...

Exhibit C:
1. { the dim sum dollies }, 2. Untitled, 3. a girl and her camera, 4. Pretty Polka Dots, 5. Untitled, 6. log cabin ttv, 7. autumn day sp 9/17 ttv, 8. winter me sp 10/12, 9. 120708, 10. forsite, 11. bandopola1, 12. Just another Starbucks morning, 13. Concord, Massachusetts, 14. precious things, 15. Introducing "Late In the Afternoon", 16. The absolutely magical atmosphere at Harvard, 17. 77_polaroid, 18. happy love day. 218/365, 19. thursday loves* 2/19, 20. amy seely - singer/songwriter
Love my Flickr Faves! If only there were any hourly pay for finding favorites on Flickr...I would be rolling in it! Ha!

Exhibit D:
Newsletters from Anthropologie in my inbox make me one happy camper. I especially love when they interview their personal shoppers. It makes my style-loving heart skip a beat! And what's not to love about the gorgeous language and sentences like: "the glow of fireflies, hum of cicadas and crunch of sweet corn giving way to sharp air, turning leaves and shiny apples in just a few short weeks." Oh, I should have been an English major...

Exhibit E:
I have been a fan of Samantha Brown since her days as the host of "Great Hotels" and continue to be fascinated by her "Weekend Getaways" adventures. A recent favorite of mine was her weekend escape to Paris. Everything about it was so magical and the real kicker: hundreds of Parisians gather together every Friday night and go ROLLERBLADING through the streets of PARIS! I honestly believe that that would be my dream come true: rollerblading + traveling + Paris + the glow of the city = heaven in my book! If I can't travel myself, I will do it vicariously through Samantha! ;)

Happy 09-09-09!

09-09-09...what a fun date! And today has been fun! I swear, I spent at least two hours browsing through Flickr and being endlessly inspired. Great way to start my day! I also went on a huge bike ride with a friend who is training for the biking leg of a triathlon. We have so much fun and see so much that you don't typically see as you whiz by in a car. It even smelled like fall! Talk about oh-happy-day for me! Haha! I find that the more time I spend outdoors, the happier I am. For instance, yesterday I had a terrible headache that I just couldn't shake but I knew if I went outside for a walk, things would get better. And they did! It ended up being a great way to start a wonderful evening. Now I am off to tutor Espanol! Have a fabulous day!

For the Love of Fall

Can I just say how excited I am that it's already SEPTEMBER? I am almost beside myself with anticipation for fall, so the mere fact that we are in September is really making me happy. I say this as the mercury hits over 100 degrees everyday and fires are raging nearby. Nonetheless, let's be grateful that sweaters and scarves and boots are about to make a comeback. Well, they kind of already are inching their way in. I try to rock a pair of boots at least once a day and scarves are always an excellent piece to the daily fashion puzzle. Sweaters...I'm still holding out for you! It's just too darn hot but I have faith I will be busting you out in no time soon! :)
Speaking of fall accessories, I just listed a bunch of new fall-inspired hair wear on my Etsy Shop, so be sure to have a look! The photo above features one of my new favorite headbands; one that I wear with just about everything (even to my softball games!). I promise you, I only make things that I would buy and wear (and I do wear!) myself. Despite my art school background and all the assignments that were made just to please the teacher, all I can do now is make things that I am in love with. Now I will step off my soapbox and continue on...haha :) Lately, John and I have been going on what we call "adventures." They usually occur once a week and often take place not too far from home. And they are seriously one of our best ideas yet! Two weeks ago we visited Moorpark (oh, approximately 15 minutes from home) and had such a wonderful day exploring places that we have never seen despite the close locale. For instance, how CUTE is this hair salon, as seen in the photo above? Absolutely adorable and right up my alley. This building features the common architectural style as seen on High Street - how dreamy is that? So charming and delightful, I must say. This past weekend we went to Ventura for a magical day of beach strolling, picnic lunching and shopping their gorgeous downtown area. I am in love! I recently had a fabulous dream where I worked at a creative job in Ventura - you never know, it might become reality!
Such happy campers we were! (Sigh...) I love our adventures...