2.28.2012

it's always ourselves

image via

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day) 

and maggie discovered a shell that sang 
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,

and milly befriended a stranded star 
whose rays five languid fingers were; 

and molly was chased by a horrible thing 
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and 

may came home with a smooth round stone 
as small as a world and as large as alone. 

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me) 
it's always ourselves we find in the sea


{ I <3 e.e. cummings for having poetry that is also visual art }
       { and I heart poetry in general, for that matter. more on this soon. }

2.13.2012

Happy Valentine's Day!

I can happily admit that Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. No, it's not because I now work in the gift industry. And no, it's not because I'm happily married and will always have a valentine (well, maybe it is). I love this day because it's more than about showering your significant other with kisses and chocolate. For me, Valentine's Day is about reminding everyone that you love- your friends, your family, your pets- that you appreciate them, care for them and love them.

I know for a fact that the man that I married would literally do anything for anyone that would ask. I've seen him completely change his day around, on multiple occasions, just to help out a friend or family member. He makes other people a priority before thinking about himself, and although I always thought I was pretty good at that, I've learned from him that this can be accomplished on an even greater scale. One of my goals for the upcoming year is to focus a little less on what I have to do (freelance projects, housework, laundry) and a little more on what I should do (spend more time with girl friends, relax, call my little sister). 

Ideally, showing appreciation and love for the small victories and blessings in life would be a daily occurrence. We all know that days are busy, hectic and stressful. Often times, I find myself at the end of my day even before I took a second to realize that it had started. So, with this Valentine's day, I vow to take a step back and really think about and appreciate not only my husband, but all of the other people in my life that I love, and would do anything for. 

"The great difference between voyages rests not in ships but in the people you meet on them." [A.Barr]

In honor of this romantic day, let me share with you one of the best and most thoughtful gifts that I have ever received thanks to my wonderful husband: 

If you know me well, you know that I have a pair of earrings and a bracelet to match every outfit. My collection has grown significantly in the past two years thanks to the expanded jewelry section at Target, the existence of Forever 21, and New York and Company's clearance jewelry rack. My organization methods were sad, to say the least. Bracelets crammed into tiny drawers, a pile of necklaces tangled on a command hook. Then, a few weeks ago, a giant box arrived at our door. A few days later, this transformation took place. (THANK YOU JUSTIN!!) 

Jewelry Chaos

Aaaaaamazing jewelry storage mirror!

TA-DA! Perfectly organized earrings, bracelets, rings & necklaces galore!

Thank you, thank you, and thank you again to my wonderful husband for this awesome Christmas gift. Every morning when I open it up to grab a necklace I'm remind of how lucky I am to have such a thoughtful person in my life (for my life!)  Happy Valentines day, friends, I hope that you are able to take time to appreciate the love that you are blessed with, in little ways or big ways, today and every day!

Xs and Ohs, 


2.07.2012

Music Monday: Coffeehouse II

image via. loooove anchors.

Today was a really hectic day in the office. A few meetings. A few projects. More than a few landing pages. I always get stressed when the end of the day is near and a task that I have to learn to do comes along. Luckily, today I kept my focus, applied what I knew already, and figured things out quickly. One of my coworkers has a very similar taste in music to me, so I'm happy to report that the web pages that I had to crank out at the end of the day were finished much more easily thanks to the playlist that I could faintly hear from across the cube. I started out my busy day with my trusty 'Coffehouse' playlist that I first posted about here. Below is a list of a few more track suggestions if mellow singer-songwriters are your thing, too.

1. Arms of a Woman - Amos Lee [Amos Lee]
2. Nothing I Do - Jamie Cullum [Catching Tales]
3. Jolene - Ray LaMontagne [Trouble]
4. In Your Atmosphere - John Mayer [Live at the Nokia Theater]*
5. Turn Me On - Norah Jones [Come Away With Me]
6. Bend in the Road - Donovan Frankenreiter [Donovan Frankenreiter]
7. This I Know - Sam & Ruby [The Here and the Now]
8. Always - Forest Sun [For The Story]
9. Electric - Tristan Prettyman [T w e n t y t h r e e]
10. A Beautiful Mess - Jason Mraz [Live On Earth]

Chill tunes and chilly days,

I think that everything in life is art. 

What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. 
Your smile 
and your personality. 

What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. 
How you decorate your home. 
Or party. 

Your grocery list. 
The food you make. How your writing looks. 

...And the way you feel.



2.06.2012

It's a good day to have a good day

via modified by moi

I've been feeling sick for the better part of the week, so this image on Pinterest really struck a chord with me today. Who says that it has to be a bad day even if you aren't feeling 100%. The important thing to remember is to be thankful to be able to take it easy for a few days and recharge your batteries. Usually, when I get sick it's a sign that I've been running on empty for a while and I spend hours catching up on the sleep that I don't get with my 5:40 am wake-up-call. So today, although I do not feel well, I am thankful for having a fluffy purple blanket to keep me warm, a comfortable chair to support my achy body, and a profession that allows me to still have a productive day without over-extending myself physically.

What are you thankful for today?

Tissues and thank-yous,