Etsy Love: Bright Wrapping Paper For Summer

Bright Wrapping Paper For SummerAn incredibly beautiful thing happened this morning: I stepped (well, rolled…) outside…and it was WARM! And the SUN was shining!!! And I smiled such a huge smile as I felt my cold, bitter winter heart begin to melt just a little bit. You know what this means, don’t you, friends? The good life is coming!! And to celebrate, how about feasting your eyes on some bright wrapping paper for summer?? As usual, Etsy is the place to be for this magical magnificence. Here are some of my favorite wrapping paper finds lately…Bright Wrapping Paper For SummerUnicorns, $8.50 | Vintage rainbows, $6 | Cheerful hearts, $10 | Hearts and stars, $3.40 | Sunflowers, $6.69 | Bright stripes, $10 | Bold pineapples, $15 | Pink summer flowers, $9 | Ice cream, $1.70

Which pick is your favorite? Are you a fan of “loud” wrapping paper? I like to think it sort of matches my personality! It’s time to get pumped for summer! xoxo

P.S. An exciting set of Family Photos is coming up this afternoon!

[Top photo via We Heart It]

Family Photos: Lazy Labor Day!

Trying to beat the Monday-on-a-Tuesday blues?? You’re most definitely NOT alone! I’m sitting here in the waiting room of the hospital, nervously awaiting a blood test to re-check my cholesterol, and I’m missing the weekend already.

Le sigh.

We had such a relaxing Labor Day weekend, and it was certainly a great way to end the summer. We met my aunt and uncle for lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch and I logged some quality time browsing Walgreens in my quest to become a verified Beauty Guru! #GoodTimes

Then yesterday, we finally took that summer walk we’d been planning on since, umm, June…haha! Gosh, I love the Midwest!

We ventured up to the gas station for some fountain drinks and classic snacks. Because potato skins and Little Debbie Zebra cakes are required purchases in such places, right?? It was nice to get out on such a nice and sunny day. The blue skies! The green trees and grass!!

I hope you all had a wonderful last day of summer!! Here’s to the fall and plenty of new beginnings!! xoxo

Family Photos: Goodbye, Summer!

Oh, hello there, September 1st…how’d you manage to sneak up on me so quickly? You’re a rather bittersweet day, aren’t you? Bittersweet and a little deceiving. You pretend that you’re just another day, but we both know what’s coming — we both well aware of the subtext that whispers in the changing winds, if you will. It’s a new song.

The song of fall.

I don’t know about you, friends, but I’m not prepared to say goodbye to the summer months. At all. My Facebook feed is already full of Pumpkin Spice talk and littered with the requisite leaf emoji, and it all makes me very sad and wistful. Wistful for yesterday, when it was still August and I could at least console myself by saying, “It’s still August and everyone knows that August is still summer, so…“

Well, I suppose I’ve got to face the harsh realities now. There’s no time left to deny that the seasons are a-changing! BUT!! At least I can comfort myself with these commemorative end-of-summer snapshots. At least I’ll always have the memories of Summer 2016, like my recent hair cut, above…my classic style, of course…

My mom captured her first day back at work, where she got caught in a monsoon of a rainstorm in the morning! Hello, 2016-2017 school year! What a way to kick things off…

Speaking of my mom, her green thumb endeavors were successful this year! She planted these glorious tomatoes and the joy on her face was, I think, even more delicious than the tomatoes themselves…

And these muffins?? A true sign we’re getting back into our breakfast routine. I’m not sure how my mom does it, but she ALWAYS manages to make them even more scrumptious every single time! I’m also back to my classic ham sandwich lunch while at the library…

Finally, no Family Photos would be complete without a couple shots of Harry and Stella, who never seem to let the changing seasons bother them. They’re probably the chillest cats in the entire universe!

Happy September, friends! Are you excited?? What do you have planned this month? Anything exciting?? Let’s chat in the comments!! xoxo

These Vintage Beach Photos Are Everything

I’m getting to that point in the summer where I ask myself at least once a week: “Where did the summer go?“

Sadly, I haven’t been able to come up with an answer yet, but these vintage beach photos are making me smile, at the very least. How cool are they? The sun and sand is calling my name, friends! xoxo

[Via Travel + Leisure]

Etsy Love: Nautical Knot Rings

My obsession with all things nautical is reaching a fever pitch, and the summer months aren’t helping anything. It’s all one giant parade of stripes and anchor bracelets and salty sea air, and, honestly, I just want to breathe it all in.
That’s the alluring power of the nautical vibe.
My addiction is even getting so bad that I find myself surfing Etsy in order to get my fix — and what a treasure trove it is! How beautiful are these knot rings from CastawayJewelryCo and BlueRidgeNotions? Ahh, I can just picture that beach now… xoxo