What is it about tents that are just so cool?

Not so much a 'tent' as these are 'forts of love and adventure'. I love how nostalgic and romantic the notion of indoor fort-building is. Like, as if once inside; you're safe where you belong.

(apartment therapy)

(hooked on houses)

{Indoor tent from The Holiday. That movie encouraged three significant moments of self-discovery for me; that I love Jude Law, that I want to be English, and that I want to live in a tent like this one. With all the glittery stars.}

(happines is)

And you know, anyone can make one. A variety of sheets, old curtains, tablecloths or unused fabric remnants in mixed color and pattern are all great for adding whimsy and interest to the 'walls'. Hanging birdcages, lanterns, fairylights and homemade streams of  paper hearts make it lovely. And tea, of course. Lovely cups of tea...

 

(favim)

To Do:

(Free People)

Rules of a Creator's Life.

(Free People)

An old time favorite.

Dasboard Confessional; Stolen.

"I watch you spin around in your highest heels- you are the best one of the best ones. We all look like we feel."

She dreams of a world...

LOVE= Tracy Porter's Poetic Wanderlust.

I have many inspirations. All of whom I admire for many different reasons, and have influenced me in many different ways. From Dolly Parton and Martha Stewart to my dear mother, or the girl who sat beside me in class when we thought we knew it all. My daddy always taught me that you can always learn something from everybody, and I think he's right. But with some people, I definitely learn a lot.

As I've gotten older, I've started to appreciate the commitments women make in order to enjoy a balanced family life and career-- and for struggling everyday to make it possible for themselves, and for proving it's possible for others is, itself, something that amazes me. About a year ago I came across a homeware/ fashion designer, business woman, author, mother and wife named Tracy Porter whose charm and bubbly personality draws you right it to her world, and before I knew it, Trac (yep, I just nicknamed her 'Trac'. I just went there.) and I became imaginary BFF's (well, I felt the connection anyway. She may not have known of my existence but whatevz, still counts!) I LOVED reading her blogs, watching videos and drooling her designs that- as a broke-ass student on a whole other continent- were a tad out of my reach. But man did I wish-list! 

One can only imagine how excited I was the other day when I saw that Tracy had commented me on her site telling me that for a twenty-one year old I had "a lot of soul", and that she was "proud of me already". *Tear* Nobody ever writes sweet things like that anymore, but I think that's just Tracy's generous nature. Like seriously, it might sound lame, but I am a very excitable person, and when I'm a fan, I'm really a fan. Damn, I was like an eleven year old at a Biebs concert. I went back later to, like, FRAME the comment and hang it on my wall (I kid. Well, sort of...) and I was so upset to see that a bunch of the comments had got lost. Maybe it was all just a figment of my imagination... If so, my life has dropped to a pathetic new low.

I was beyond excited to hear that Tracy and her company have evolved and re-branded under the name of Poetic Wanderlust. A pretty name, yes? The line is all so beautiful that there is, literally, not one thing I don't love. It's all so bohemian and quaint, and looks like it has traveled both geographically and through time. I'm so inspired by how her designs are so well-studied and how she embraces all parts of the world, and of life in her collections. I can't wait to see this line grow, and I wish Tracy and her wonderfully talented team every success. But y'know, as a young woman and a design hopeful, on a personal level, I appreciate the trail Tracy has set. It's no easy feat to mastermind both a company and a family (and as I'm learning oh-so difficultly keeping one boy happy is a freaking achievement; nevermind five!!) She's an inspiration to me for that. It's lovely to see it can be done.

{all images http://www.poeticwanderlust.com/}

A pretty little video. With some pretty little lyrics.

Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter; 'You and Tequila'.

"One is one too many. One more is never enough."

*Sidenote* Just me, or is that a really nice tequila bottle?! Decorative- would make a nice vase. I'm not much of drinker, but I think I get me a bottle of that bad boy...

Do what you love, love what you do.

(via Volume 25)

"...Leave this world better than you found it."

(via blanaid)

'The Delicious Miss Dahl''s delicious kitchen.

I first discovered the BBC six-part cookery series 'The Delicious Miss Dahl' channel-hopping late one night. And my, oh my, it was love at first sight. The kitchen... 

(via the Kitchn)

(via Sanctuary)

(via Sanctuary)

(via POPARTPISTOL)

(via POPARTPISTOL)

(via POPARTPISTOL)

Perfectly shabby chic, grandma's cottage-y, it serves as the perfect backdrop to English rose Sophie Dahl's romantic, nostaglic approach to cookery. Each recipe is prefaced by the most charming little anecdote recalling her childhood (which is all the more interesting when you remember that the grandfather she speaks so fondly of is children's author Roald Dahl). Granted, I am a cookery show obsessive, but this one really stood out. Even for non-chefs, the show was beautifully filmed, and had a lovely, rainy day soundtrack. A curious new little ritual of staying up until 3am on a Wednesday to drool over a yellow KitchenAid oddly began...

(via the Kitchn)

(via Cotton-Hearted)

(via the epitome of quiet)

(via the epitome of quiet)

(via POPARTPISTOL)

(via POPARTPISTOL)

Listening to Dahl speak is like reading a poem filled with whim and delight. It's lovely. You can watch the whole series on YouTube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA3w1rwefDM

(via Mail Online)

(via HOME)

{This is what the kitchen looked like before Dahl invaded with her wild flowers and vintage wares.}

Finding out the kitchen used for the series was not actually her's was a little like finding out there was no such thing as the tooth fairy. Just a little bit heart-breaking. The house is actually owned by a London-based photographer and is available to rent for photo shoots. I've seen it a lot recently in interior design magazines and store catalogs. Not gonna lie; I kind of want to rent it out myself for a shoot just so that I can frame the pictures and pretend I live there. *sigh*

“I ate more cake, read tragic French novels and hated the fields and stupid fences I was surrounded by. I longed for London, a minor Parisian appetite, lithe limbs, complication and Chantal Thomass knickers. Mercifully, the knowledge of how to aquire such things remained totally out of my reach.“
Sophie Dahl 
--It seems Miss Dahl and I have shared the same feeling of misery that being landlocked brings.

I love this band, I love this song...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXqYw_II6Pc&ob=av2e

Parachute; 'Kiss Me Slowly'.

"She shows me everything she used to know

 picture frames and country roads 

when the days were long and the world was small."

"Work is not a job"-?

                    (via James Snowden)

I remember Oprah saying one time that what she tried to teach her viewers was that there was no reason why they shouldn't find a way to make a living off of their passion. God, I hope she's right.

Time to begin...

{Clockwork orange-?}

Have you ever walked into somewhere and thought “Why this is what my imagination looks like!”? I have. Infact, I have been lucky enough to walk into four branches of what I call “MY shop”,  but most of you may know as Anthropologie. I am a self-confessed Anthropologie obsessive. I love it, I need it. Heck, I’m such a fan that I even have a degree in Anthropology! (Real talk, true story, yo.)

{This was so effective! A huge wall display made of random household objects that had been made into clocks.}

It’s wise/ curious, old world/ fresh, cosy/ fantastical. Well spoken and well travelled.
The store displays were just so gosh-darn inspiring; I would approach a window-shopping trip with the same intense appreciation as I would a trip to an art gallery. Is that weird? Prolly.

{A grouping of roughed up mirrors. Can be so easily recreated using flea market finds.}

{Sweet. <3 }

Last summer, I was lucky enough to spend time living in New York. While I was there blogger, author, all-round lovely lady Holly Becker held a workshop and book signing on the wake of her and Joanna Coopstick’s wonderful decorating book (aptly named) ‘Decorate’ at the Anthropologie store in SoHo. I think Holly really changed the interior design world with her blog Decor8. I’m a huge fan and a daily-visitor. I mean, I’m a broke country girl-- I don’t have easy access to the real-life world of design, nor do I have a little black book of designer contacts at my disposal. I’m like most people, y’know. I do, however, have a laptop, an internet search engine and a curious mind. And with that, I can find some inspiration and be a very, very small part of a community I love.

{The mood board Holly used in her demonstration. The board itself was covered in grain sack fabric and bordered with yellow measuring tape.Would make a cute notice board.}

{Even their counters are cool! The frames of distressed furniture is encased in plaster.}

Sooooo, I have wanted to start a blog for a long time, but the only thing that really stopped me was my lack of computer skills. But you know, I figured everything’s daunting until you try it. And with the help of some online tips and advice, here I am. ‘Living. Lovin‘. Eh, Homing‘-?! I saw how Holly’s blog, and the many, many others could brighten up my day and inspire ideas that readers literally live around and thought “I‘d love to do that. I‘d love if some random person in some random part of some random place and randomly stumbled across my blog and it kinda cheered up their day…”

{An autographed copy of 'Decor8'.}

So I’m giving this a try! I think I’m really gonna love it, because hey, it cold be my only chance to get my thoughts out into the big, bad world. That world, however, may be only like five people… :/ But you know, “quality, not quantity”! I would really love to hear your thoughts, so please comment and help me along! Tell a friend! Follow! Make your self a cup of tea, sit down and give me a chance to share my thoughts with you.

{Plate poetry. What a lovely way to cheer up your day than reading a love poem as you take dessert? And this is a total DIY idea. A white plate, ceramic paint, a steady hand and a writer's mind! Or, for those of us who aren't so progressive maybe just copy a favourite song lyric or quote!}

{I loved this idea! Vintage baking tins used as light pendants.}

If you have stayed until the end of this long-ass post, I really appreciate it. I can be a bit of a talker, I’m sorry. But you know; I also appreciate other talkers, so please follow and comment- I’d really like that.

Greetings, love and sparkles, L

{Holly Becker and I.}

Once upon a time...

Once upon a time... there was a girl who started a blog. She hopes you'll like it. :)