i HAVE been known to rock a graphic pant every now and again, so i’m considering going for these seriously cute joie shorts. instant west coast vacay every time you wear ‘em. i like the sound of that.

1 // milly iphone 5 case
2 // martinique wallpaper
3 // tropical palm pillow cover
4 // joie merci shorts

for some reason, the warmer weather really lights a fire in me to start making plans and getting things accomplished. it also helps that i have a lot of really good things to look forward to in the next few months. traveling is something i love so much and starting this weekend with a mini road trip to visit my sister i’m going to be doing a whole lot of it.

i’ve also been looking for places to live recently due to my current lease ending soon and i’m a little embarrassed by the amount of excitement it’s bringing me. mostly because i just can’t wait to decorate a new space and make it my own. i’m hoping to find a place that allows a little more creative freedom than i currently have. i’m ready to buy some pretty paint and go to town, you guys.

i’ve always had a love for home design and often post about it here, so i figured, why not make it into a regular column? ‘this home’ will be an ongoing collection of homes that i personally would like to move right into.

i thought i’d start with a designer i admire, angie hranowsky. her rooms are always modern and very put together, but in an effortless sort of way. i’m not usually drawn to so much color, but the patterns and textures and that beautiful gallery wall completely stole my heart.

it’s finally spring! although we are supposed to be getting some snow today, i can see the light at the end of this cold, dark tunnel.

i’ve been bunny-sitting for a friend while she’s on her honeymoon and i’ve learned several things from this experience: 1. i never knew how great bunnies were as pets. they’re basically just incredibly low maintenance dogs, who knew? and 2. i’m going to need either a roommate or a pet of my own after this little bunny leaves me because i’ve really enjoyed having another life in this apartment of mine.

i recently started reading this book and it is awesome, you guys. i don’t eat many grains or legumes to begin with, so i decided to cut those, sugar and dairy out of my diet cold turkey for 30 days. i’m on day 10 and while i know my body is still feeling a little funky because it’s adjusting to this new way of life, i feel mostly good. the sugar is definitely the part i struggle with the most. donuts have been on my mind 92% of every day so far. hoping those thoughts go away in the very near future. have any of you successfully completed the whole30 or 21 day sugar detox? i would love any tips and tricks you may have to offer on how you dealt with the sugar cravings.

on a different note, are you familiar with home and delicious? it’s an online publication created by an icelandic husband and wife duo with the most GORGEOUS home design and food images. it has fast become one of my favorite e-mags.

lastly, i’m sure you’re all aware now that google reader will be no more starting july 1st (sad). if you haven’t decided what road to take to continue reading the blogs you love, i have two great options for you.

1. bloglovin – i’ve used this platform for years and it has never let me down. you can follow me on bloglovin right here.
2. feedly – i recently switched over to feedly because it’s just a clean and beautiful way to read blogs. see what i mean?

both are user-friendly and easy on the eyes. are there any other rss readers you use and love?

i’m going to spend my morning running errands before the snow hits and after that i plan on cozying up on my couch with a cup of tea and my sketchbook. wishing you a relaxing weekend, friends.

i’d give just about anything for that 10-minute 10 pm walk down lover’s lane (that was the street name, no joke!) to my empty studio space. death cab for cutie and copeland carried me through many late nights in the studio and still remind me of charcoal stained fingers, 32 ounce diet dr. peppers and sheets of newsprint the size of my body. i’ve romanticized those moments in my head and can’t help but long for an extra bedroom to turn into an amazing space for getting my hands dirty.

these still life shots by photographer kristofer johnsson remind me of one of my very favorite classes i took in college. i’ll be honest, still lifes weren’t exactly my forte, but that was where i fell head over heels for canvas and oils.

so much of graphic and web design is inspired by others’ design work on the internet these days. anyone can buy the adobe creative suite, watch a few tutorials and take a stab at designing a logo without any kind of degree. and many succeed in doing so.

this may be stemming from too many long, consecutive days in front of a computer screen, but i’ve had a hard time feeling completely fulfilled with the graphic aspect of design lately. it was those uninterrupted moments in the studio that i was creating, making a mess, staying up until 5 am, sketching and painting and repainting that i felt most inspired and alive.

with that being said, this weekend is for:

• experimenting with my new lens (!!!)
• dusting off my gauche
• disconnecting from the internet + getting outside + getting inspired

my jewelry collection has grown into a bit of a nightmare over the years. i actually combed through it in hopes of finding one of those tattoo-like chokers, you know the ones. thankfully, i had nothing that dated that far back, but i did find a whole lot of interesting and bold pieces from my teenage years. i went through a bohemian stage in my late teens. lots of wooden beaded necklaces and over-sized earrings.

my jewelry style has evolved into something a bit more classic recently. i’ll be honest, i sometimes forget to put jewelry on at all and when you have a closet full of neutral clothes, things can start looking way boring. so i stick with simple, no hassle jewelry. the kind that i can throw on in 30 seconds and get out the door looking put together, but not too put together, you feel me?

studs are so versatile. they pack well (you should see how many are currently hiding in my purse), they’re generally less expensive than their larger, dangling relatives and they are the perfect accessory for spring.

kansas weather never ceases to amaze. i’m choosing to look past the flakes falling outside my window to celebrate the fact that it is now one of my most favorite months of the year. march is hopeful. after months of dark + cold everything, march says put on some pastel skinnies and eat some sugar-covered marshmallow bunnies, why don’t you, it’s spring!

it also encompasses three of my very favorite holidays – easter, daylight savings and my birthday (it counts). daylight saving time is always to be celebrated as a holiday. let there be light!

i’ve posted about my love for toast lookbooks before, and i probably will again because they are perfect. the march looks have me wanting to jetset to a coast with nothing but a cotton dress and some sunnies.