{everyday beautiful life: tea for joy}

Could I be luckier? Really, I’ve had such fabulous guests in this series. Today our guest is Lynne of Tea for Joy. Lover of tea shops, typewriters, sustainability {yay!}, and design, Lynne is a writer based in the UK. Her list is simple and personal, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. {Am jealous about this whole Wandsworth Commons walk though!}

1. Wandsworth Common Walking through the common on the way to the train station everyday is an incredible blessing. I love being able to absorb some of nature before I start the working day. When I work at home, I try to go for a walk on the common every morning.

2. Small styling touches. I love to buy one bunch of flowers and divide them into lots of tiny arrangements – one flower in a milk bottle, another in a vintage teacup in the bathroom, and others in jam jars. It makes me a lot more cheerful. These flowers are out of season – but any yellow flowers are my favourites.

3. Shiny shoes. Anything glittery or shiny makes me happy – I love patent shoes and my favourite handbag is in a cracked silver.  I just bought these. and I recently saw this Nicole Farhi bag – just my style, if not my budget.

4. Good food. Although I still have a lot of progress to make, I try to eat healthily using seasonal food. When I’m working at home, I often make a Friday soup with any leftover vegetables. I am working hard on reducing my food waste.

5. Challenging myself about what is really important.  I recently watched an incredibly inspiring interview with Jessica Jackley of Kiva. She is the same age of me, but has co-founded an organization which makes $5 million loans a day to small entrepreneurs all over the world living in poverty. Shiny shoes and fresh flowers make me happy – but they are pretty insignificant.  Life is not worth much unless we help others make their lives more beautiful too.

photographs: {via} Lynne Robinson and weheartit

{Other posts in this series}
+ I am a Greedy Girl
+ Frou Frou Fashionista
+ Woolgathering & Miscellany
+ Life in a Venti Cup
+ Coco & Kelley
+ Sweet & Low
+ Design Crush
+ Daydream Lily
+ Concrete & Honey
+ Simply Seductive
+ How to be Sensual at Home
+ 6 Ways to be a Wild Thing
or click on the category at left to enjoy them all.

{lyell}

Aren’t the photos from the Lyell Fall ’09 line lovely? Love the pouty, chubby cheek model. She reminds me of Lykke Li a bit. And, the silver shoes?! I have a pair of unknown Louboutin’s I was thinking of selling because I couldn’t figure out what to wear them with, but after seeing them paired with something so conservative, I think I might need to pull them from their dust covers. Oh, I’d also like to know where that building is. The paintings all over the windows and the walls are so dreamy.

You can buy Lyell on Refinery29 or shop their other line, Fletcher by Lyell for Urban Outfitters.

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{kate towers}



I die. I think the photos speak for themselves. You can see more gorgeous creations by Kate Towers on her etsy shop and website. Or if you are in Portland, you can visit her shop, Seaplane.

Photography by Peter Van Beever and John Mulligan

{Paying the bills}

Want to find gorgeous fashion accessories, pieces that will take your breath away? Don’t want to shell out massive amounts of cash, just to give your favorite outfit a little shimmer? Don’t worry hop online and check out chic jewelry for affordable prices. Find every thing from bracelets, necklaces, even diamond engagement rings, all for reasonable prices.

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{random acts of beauty: martin sobey}

In my opinion, street art always feels like you’ve been given a gift. It’s like someone cared enough to do something beautiful where you could see it, free of charge, free of expectations. If they aren’t commissioned by the city, I always wonder if some of these artists get caught and get in trouble. Either way, I’m thankful. It makes me smile.

art by martin sobey, originally seen on black*eiffel

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{watercolor in motion}

I got an e-mail this morning from Stina Persson telling me that her watercolor’s have come to life in the video below. Also, if you visit this website, you can turn yourself into a Stina-esque watercolor! That should provide for a nice distraction, no?

Enjoy my beauties!

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{building forts}

A few favorite forts from the Where the Wild Things Are fort building contest.




And of course, my favorite…

This was actually a practice run, but within a few hours of this construction, the munchkin was running a 102 fever. We were unable to construct his dream contest fort by the deadline, but will do it when he feels better just for fun.

You can see more at Booooooom and We Love You So.

{All photos from Booooooom, except the last which is by Ms. Jenn & the munchkin}

{to be a beccaria girl}


I first took an interest in Luisa Beccaria while reading a feature in Glamour a few years back, which the photo above and below are from. In that feature, Beccaria and her family revealed beautiful and easy touches that could be added to the everyday ho-hum. That feature was filled with light, florals, and femininity. There’s something girlishly sensual that can be seen in both Beccaria’s home and dresses.

It’s quite obvious that she has a soft spot for pale pastels and florals. The dresses you dreamed of as a little girl? Yup, these are them. I don’t know why that last dress reminds me of a romantic film starlet who just fell into the water in her innocent floral dress that is no longer so innocent, made transparent and curve hugging by its wetness.


Oh what I wouldn’t give to be a Beccaria girl. Who wants to go live in an italian villa and where gorgeously feminine dresses with me?

Photos: The Beccaria girls by Fabrizio Ferri for Glamour & SS2010 RTW looks from Style.com

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