water vases

currently obsessed with: "can't help falling in love" covered by ingrid michaelson

last week i made a few flower arrangements as gifts to some sweet people in my life.. these are really simple to make, affordable, and (i think) add a more personal touch of thoughtfulness than your typical present.

here's an easy step-by-step process on how to make them:

1. use clear mason jars*

2. add flower food and fill the water halfway up in the jars

3.  add the largest bunch of flowers in first (in this case it was the baby's breath)**

4. place the decorative flowers around it -- here i used my favorite: gerber daisies**

5. tie a simple ribbon around the jars

* i always keep some on hand from spaghetti sauce, olive, or pickle jars -- just use goo gone to get rid of those labels!

** make sure to always cut your flower stems diagonally

now all you have to do is write a handwritten note on some pretty stationary and you're all set :)

simple pleasures

currently listening to "war of my life" by john mayer

{vegetarian benedict from bread winners}

this week has been all about rest & recovery.. i got my wisdom teeth taken out which forced me to stay at home and just be. isn't it nice to be reminded to just be still? here are a few favorites moments pre-baby food surgery:

{long, sheer maxi skirts -- perfect for summer}

{baby's breath + gerber daisies.. how-to coming soon!}

simple pleasures

currently listening to "colourless colour" by la roux

{summer peaches my roomie brought home}

 summer really is the best. despite the 100+ degree weather we endure here in texas, sitting on a back porch sippin on iced cold beers with my friends last night was probably one of my favorite things ever. it's very simple moments like that that make all the difference in life. hope everyone else has had a wonderful week!

{new toy + smudges}

{added these to my stationary collection}

simple pleasures

currently listening to "smile" by lily allen

{finally got a cape cod bracelet}

being home last week was just so... refreshing. there's something incredibly comforting about being back with family and old friends that causes me to sleep in, eat my weight in food, and laugh till my whole body hurts.

{lindt chocolate truffles as a late night snack}

now im back in dallas and already trying to plan my next vacation because, clearly, i yearn for refreshing moments. 

{grilling with the family on our backyard patio}

simple pleasures

currently listening to "black to white" by felix cartal feat. miss palmer

{all my favorite movies}

as fourth of july is coming up, i know many people will be gathering with friends and families.. and i hope that everyone takes the opportunity to show their loved ones that they are, in fact, loved.

{shoes displayed on a small antique bench in my apartment}

 sometimes all it takes to brightens someone's day/week/month is simply letting them know that you are thankful for them. you'll be surprised to find that these little gestures could make a big difference.

{photo booth at last week's wedding} 

because life is really too short to not share how you feel. 

simple pleasures

currently listening to "wait in the dark" by memory tapes

{taking naps in east village}

sometimes i can forget to take part in relaxing and good-for-you days when back in dallas, but when you visit another city (say nyc), those groundhog days seem far and few. 

{eating lunch at an outdoor french café}

laying out in the grass, overindulging in french onion soup, and taking time to stop and appreciate art coming to life were only a few of my favorite moments from my most recent trip. 

{artists along the streets of new york}

simple pleasures

currently listening to "o leãozinho" by priscilla ahn

went to play with some puppies with kelsee and noah this past weekend :) how is everyone celebrating cinco de mayo? my day's planned with a parade, pool party, dinner, and of course many delicious margaritas. happy cinco!!!

simple pleasures

currently listening to "divine romance" by phil wickham

this week, during yoga practice, my teacher told us to focus on 3 things that we were grateful for while we were holding difficult poses.. and then, as class was ending, she told us to apply this into our lives: to think of 3 things we were grateful for when life gets hard or when we get frustrated. because we can either let hardships bring us down or we can choose to overcome and learn from them, and most of the time, the things we get upset about are -in the grand scheme of things- not worth being upset over. life is just better lived if we concentrate on how lucky we really are. and i, for one, am beyond lucky.

simple pleasures

currently listening to "i don't blame you" by cat power

{making dinner with matt}

happy weekend! per usual this week went by too fast.. im gonna need life to slow down just a teeny bit.. 

{face masks.. sorry if this'll give you nightmares}

{favorite summer grocery items: avocados and mangoes}

{new cocktail shaker from sur la table}

{another purchase from sur la table: spring cupcake cases!}

simple pleasures

currently listening to "hold on" by alabama shakes

{literally the most perfect dress ever}

today is chelsea's wedding (which i cannot believe is finally here!) and although today is going to be pretty hectic, im so happy and proud to stand up there with her on her big day. here a few happy moments from this week :)

{easter goodies make such great decorations around the apartment}

{new magazines... obviously obsessed with lauren conrad}

{wine nights with amanda}

{quite moments at one of my favorite coffee shops}

simple pleasures

currently listening to "somebody that i used to know" by gotye

{cupcakes i made for bub's birthday}

what a whirlwind week! scratch that. what a whirlwind month! i feel like this year has just flown by; i cant believe it's already easter tomorrow. and with all of my traveling/ schedule planning, its always nice for me to look back on photos from throughout the week of the little things that made me smile.

{repeat repeat repeat}

{new favorite snack: roasted cauliflower}

{failed mirror shot attempts in the limo at the bachelorette party}

{new ray ban aviators}

simple pleasures

best cruisin-in-your-car song: "until you're over me" by maroon 5

{view from my balcony on a gorgeous sunny day}

this week, as always, was great.. despite the weather being really weird and indecisive. and since it's saint patty's day today, i plan on celebrating the right way: at the greenville parade. not gonna lie, im only slightly terrified on the massiveness of the crowd that we're going to have to endure, but i hear that its just one of those things in dallas that you have to do. if any of you are planning on being there, well then, try to find me.. i'll be wearing green. 

{new red wines for the cabinet}

{eating sushi literally every day this week}

{finally invested in a dslr camera!!!!!}

{new favorite statement piece}

simple pleasures

this song embodies my childhood -- late night singing sessions with my guitar-playin daddy: "alabama rain" by jim croce.

{lunch date with boo boo}

if its alright with yall, im going to combine 2 weeks of happiness into one post since i clearly failed at posting a simple pleasures post last saturday. also, its pretty awkward hard for me to whip out my camera whenever there are things to be appreciated since i feel like im constantly being blessed at almost every minute of every day... rough life huh? how much more pleasant would the world be if everyone just took some time to slow down, smile at a complete stranger, enjoy the rainy weather, and tell the people in their life that they love them? i think it'd be pretty wonderful. 

{semi creepy, but neat decorative mannequins for the apartment}

{even on a drizzly day, you can still tell that spring's in bloom}

{chelsea, my bestie from high school, is getting married!!!}

{me and little at my favorite bar in dallas}

oh and by the way... i love you. 

... and you.

and especially you.

simple pleasures

currently listening to "you only live once" by the strokes

{new bright additions to my spring wardrobe from j.crew and madewell}

have any of you ever just felt so happy and content with life? like everything is finally falling into place? maybe god really does have your best interest at heart? well that's how i've been feeling lately -- maybe it's the fact that i have serious SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and we've been having gorgeous weather here in dallas. whatever the case may be.. here's to another week of enjoying the little things in life and not taking our precious time here for granted!

oh and by the way, he does :)

{dallas skyline from si tapas}

{girl scout cookies+ tempranillo}

{dainty heart jewelry from f21}

{dinner parties with friends}

 {just one of the amazing interiors of a room at my college church}