Found: The perfect grown-up lemonade stand

Great news, friends: Next week is going to be all about summer on the blog! Think fun! Think sun! Think…guilty pleasures! Oh, yes, it’s going to be a fantastic week. To get us revved up for all things summer, how refreshing does this grown-up lemonade stand look? I love the Gatsby, vintage vibe. Photographer Ola Mirecka envisioned a playful take on childhood dreams. “I invite you to drink refreshing, homemade lemonade from handmade cups, sit on unique chairs, pop lemonade balloons, talk and meet new friends,” she said.

I’d say the result is refreshingly spot-on, would you, friends? xoxo

P.S. Family photos are coming up soon! And, summer posts from last year.
[Via Design Mom]

Family Photos: Hello, summer!

I snapped these selfies last Friday while I was waiting for my bus. It was that perfect almost-summer moment of sitting under a tree in the warm sunshine, a light wind blowing in your hair…

…and my mom captured these early signs of summer last week. So maybe that’s why I had to do a double-take this morning when I woke up to chilling temps and grey skies. Ack! #ComeOnSummer… xoxo

P.S. I can’t wait to do the next Q&A Video Hello, so keep sending me those questions! :)

Do you keep a journal?

In recent years, people have shifted from pen-and-paper to mouse-and-keyboard to record their lives. I used to be an avid journal-keeper (as evidenced by all these entries…), but I’ve noticed that I’ve abandoned my journals since I started blogging. Honestly, I sort of miss it — the feel of the smooth, crisp pages, the way the pen felt in your hand, the fun of choosing exactly the right color pen to use (because it was a very important decision, you know…). I found a stack of my old journal while I was cleaning my room awhile ago, and I got a kick out of reading through some of the entries. Oh, the thrill and excitement of being a kid! Oh, the awkwardness of being a teenager! Oh, the stress of that quarter-life crisis.
 
I once interview life coach Kate Larsen on the power of putting pen to paper, and I love her takeaway: “Journaling is a powerful gift you give yourself. It captures your thinking, helps process life and perceptions and can be used to capture the evolution of YOU.”
I never thought about journaling being a gift to yourself, but Larsen is so right, don’t you think, friends? Do you keep a journal? Why or why not? Has what you write about changed over the years? What’s important to you when journaling?
 
P.S. A Peek Inside is coming your way soon! :)
 
P.P.S. Looking for something to write about? Journal Sparks has some awesome writing prompts.
 
[Top photo of my journals, bottom photo via We Heart It] 

Man-made rainbows

After a decade of experiments, artist Michael Jones McKean presented his findings to the residents of Omaha — in the form of a rainbow! His project, The Rainbow: Certain Principles of Light and Shapes Between Form, used re-purposed rainwater and a small solar-power system to produce magical rainbows twice a day for 15 minutes over the city’s Bemis Center. How cool is that, friends? xoxo
 
[Via designboom]

Dream Vacation: Have you ever been glamping?

Summer is just a few short months away, and you know what that means: Outdoor fun! I’ve only been camping once in my entire life. In the middle of the summer. In the hot, beads-of-sweat-trickling-down-your-face kind of summer. My lack of outdoor sleeping experience should tell you something, friends — I’m not very good at it. But, I’m pretty sure glamping is something I could get behind; it sounds like it’s just my speed. Have you heard of it? Well, apparently, it’s the type of vacation that gives you the best of both worlds: The joy of camping in a controlled environment. The New York Times first wrote about the trend of glamorous camping — it’s origins can be traced back to Africa and Thailand. Here are 3 cool and comfy spots to watch the stars…

Cornish Tipi Holidays is a family-owned company managed by Elizabeth Tom and Alan Berry in Cornwall, England. Staying in a canvas tipi, guest are treated to singing birds, magnificent cliffs and picturesquely clear water. Plus, packing for your stay in these 18-foot-high tipis is a breeze since everything besides food and bedding is provided on-site.
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, bills itself as an “eco-safari destination,” accessible by a 45-minute plane ride. The small resort is home to 20 tents and features king- and queen-sized beds, full bathroom (with heated floors!) and indoor showers. They’re even nestled under rain forest canopies or perched amongst hillside trees.
The Resort at Paws Up in Montana stretches across 37,000 acres and boasts 24 glamping tents. Guests can enjoy private bathrooms and dining pavilions all against the backdrop of the mountains and trees of Montana.

Have you ever been glamping, friends? Would you try it? Are you a camper? What’s your favorite camping spot? Let’s chat! xoxo

[Top photos of Cornish Tipi Holidays]