this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...

• 5/8 - National Teacher Day
• 5/13 - Mother's Day

SWOON.

Let's Frolic Together via Intimate Weddings

• This at-home California wedding looks so joyful.
• A roundup of modern, elegant card box ideas.
• From A Burst of Beautiful, a pretty centerpiece.

SMILE.

• Desktops: the Everygirl, Cross Cards, Inkstruck.
• Fun: Monica's Friends apartment updated for 2018.

REWIND.

• 2015: TV flashbacks, lemon yellow and rustic wedding inspo, and a day in my life.
• 2014: I shared my past and made predictions about my future.

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
SWOON.

Earnest Home Company

• A modern, sophisticated nursery from Earnest Home Co.
• A romantic bridal inspiration shoot with dreamy colors.
• This Iceland destination wedding is rainy-day perfection.
• This cute fox nursery would make Wes Anderson proud.

SMILE.

• Kristen Bell has a new web series about motherhood!
• Just finished Trevor Noah's fantastic Born a Crime.
• Have you seen Alex + Ani's Harry Potter collection?
• The White House got trolled by the Guggenheim...

FLASHBACK.

• 2016:  reading challenge ideas and my OTPs.
• 2015: dressing up a white tee, my TBR pile, V-Day style, and a "never have I ever" list.
• 2014: fave Grammy looks, January entertainment, a blended family wedding, Sunday Social all about the 4's, red picks for V-Day and easy party ideas.
• 2013: wedding dresses with full skirts, our wedding album, and a Super Bowl party.
• 2012: inspiration for a neutral wedding with pops of pastel pink.
• 2011: why and how I used wholesale flowers for our wedding.

What's coloring your life this week? Share your favorites in the comments!

This post contains affilitate links. Thanks for your support.

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

Up to Date Interiors

• Kathy's global-inspired holiday home decor feels fresh.
• A fresh blue Christmas home tour from Lilypad Cottage.
• Cozy Christmas e-shoot inspiration from Style Me Pretty.
• An attic turned cozy guest room with Wes Anderson vibes.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Mospens Studio, Oh So Lovely, Pop Goes the Reader.
• Apt. Therapy's tips for (actually awesome) holiday gift baskets.
• Loved this story about preschool besties who say they're twins.
• Excited to take my mama to see The Greatest Showman soon.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: my treat yourself wish list, decoupaged world map ornaments, and a mini home tour featuring a glam woodland tree.
• 2014: my holiday home tour.
• 2013: my favorite account of Christmas, wrote to Santa, showed off my chalkboard ornaments and shared a holiday home tour.
• 2012: a Sunday Social all about favorites, gave a holiday home tour and ideas for displaying cards, and rounded up my blog loves and my own most popular posts of 2012.  I also shared my December in Instagram.
• 2011: my favorite things in our home. 

currently... [december 2017]

Two of my favorite bloggers, Anne from In Residence and Jamie from Perpetual Page-Turner (who became a mom while I was on hiatus! Congratulations Jamie!), have features on their blogs with what they're currently up to, so this month I decided to join in now that I'm back to blogging. 

lighting: an Advent candle every Sunday. One candle, because I went super minimalist this year/never got around to buying additional candles or making a wreath. I ended up popping a pillar candle into an empty glass jar, adding some Epsom salt and glitter "snow," and calling it good - it's the prayer and spiritual preparation for Christmas that count. Ann Voskamp and Tsh Oxenreider have some great Advent resources on their sites if you're interested in starting this spiritual practice but not sure where to begin.

spending: my mornings wondering if I'm going to be sick and late for work or if I'll make it there on time. Thanks, Baby Q. My nausea and morning sickness are definitely less terrible now that I'm in my second trimester, but every now and then the floor tiles start swimming, or I'll start gagging for no apparent reason, and apparently my heartburn is never going away #hairybaby

choosing: Dirty Santa gifts for upcoming celebrations with my Bible study and co-workers. I don't know why a simple party game that's meant to be playful and funny causes me so much anxiety, but I never know what to buy! I don't really want my contribution to be THE gift everyone fights over, but I certainly don't want it to be the one no one wants.

sending: what feels like a million Christmas cards. We did a photo card for the first time ever with one of the pictures from our pregnancy shoot, and I may have gone overboard on the order. I saved money with a coupon from Motherhood Maternity, but as someone who usually just grabs two boxes of cards from the store, there was definite sticker shock.

singing: Hanson and NSYNC Christmas songs - those were the first two holiday albums I ever purchased and they're still the first ones I play every year!

reading: The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines - not super into it so far. I feel like I'm reading a boring e-mail exchange between a married couple.

eating: cookies Mr. Q made with the leftover Halloween Kit-Kats and Reese's we still had in the kitchen. 

wearing: a LuLaRoe Carly dress on a regular basis - it's so perfect for pregnancy, but I still look like I put some effort into my outfit for work. 

watching: Brooklyn Nine-Nine - I started streaming it on Hulu and watch a few episodes a week. Why has it taken me so long to catch on to how great this show is? Also, I think I am Amy Santiago.

waiting on my DVR: several episodes of Saturday Night Live - I haven't been able to stay up very late recently. I think the last SNL I watched was Gal Gadot if that tells you anything.

texting: my sister-in-law and her girlfriend about family Christmas plans.

on my library holds list: Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon - I tried to read it once before and failed, but I really miss the characters so I'm going to give it another try.

on my book to-buy list: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones for the Creating & Co. virtual book club - have any of you read it? Is it worth paying for?

waiting to be released: Maggie Stiefvater's Dreamer trilogy (the follow-up to the Raven Cycle with Ronan as the main character).

looking forward to: winter break, even though ours is very short this year (our last day of school is December 22nd, and we go back January 2nd).

craving: Cheez Doodles, Doritos, nachos, Amy's macaroni and cheese, etc. - for reasons I will probably never know, powdered/fake cheese seems to be my number one pregnancy craving. Is there some mineral in "cheese product" that my diet is missing?

griping about: our standardized testing schedule. As if testing in and of itself weren't bad enough, we never seem to be very organized ahead of time, and there are two days when I'm going to end up basically babysitting the students who aren't testing. I have put together an awesome activity for the first day, but for the second I am super tempted to pop in a movie.

need to do: finish my Christmas shopping, especially for Mr. Q (does anyone else find that husbands are incredibly difficult to shop for? Why is that man so self-sufficient?)

style: favorite 2017 golden globes looks

It's become something of a tradition for me to do a post-award show fashion round-up. I'm no expert, of course, just a regular girl who loves pretty dresses and trying to spot trends. There were definitely some common themes at the Golden Globes this Sunday that can inspire our own spring looks, as well as some fresh looks the likes of wish we haven't seen gracing the red carpet in the last few years. [Image Sources]

The Cutest

The cast of Stranger Things, obviously! Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven on the show, is twelve years old and classier than I have ever been, and I just want to squeeze the little dudes. Their rap/Barb tribute in the show's opener was EVERYTHING.

My Favorite Looks

I'm probably being super predictable with my picks, but I think the two most elegant looks at the Globes took the cake. Emma Stone's star-spangled blush pink Valentino gown was the stuff my fashion dreams are made of, and I've got the Pinterest boards to prove it. I also thought Michelle Williams looked fantastic in her off-the-shoulder lace Louis Vuitton gown. Chokers are a big trend right now and both ladies put their own spin on it.

Honorable Mentions

Plunging necklines were popular on the awards show red carpets last year, and were even more of a Thing this year, with stars like Kristen Bell and Jessica Biel pushing the limits of Hollywood Fashion Tape. My favorite takes on the trend came from Mandy Moore, whose navy dress included a glamorous cape, and Gone Girl's Emily Ratajkowski, who also slayed in the hair and makeup department.

The Hollywood Princesses

Lily Collins could wear a garbage bag and look gorgeous, and her embellished Zuhair Murad Couture dress in a dusty rose hue was one of the most popular looks of the night. I have to admit that I'm not a fan of the ruffle on the train, but the gown looked amazing when she spun around on the red carpet. Hailee Steinfeld was also giving off Disney vibes in lavender Vera Wang cut in a trendy cold-shoulder style. Both starlets kept their hair sleek, brows and lips bold, and wore pastel eye makeup to match their gowns (Lily's was actually lip liner and blush, according to E!)

Color Trend: Primrose Yellow

One of Pantone's color trends for this spring, there was a LOT of primrose yellow on the red carpet! Viola Davis shone in bright yellow, Natalie Portman channeled Jackie O, Reese Witherspoon looked every bit the movie star in Versace, and the embroidery on Busy Philipps' black gown was a fun, folk art inspired touch that suited her bohemian style.

The Living Sculptures

Outlander's Caitriona Balfe's Delpozo dress was one of my favorites of the night because it was so unique (maybe a nod to all of her character Claire's amazing dresses in Paris?). I suppose we should expect nothing less from a supermodel, but I thought Naomi Campbell looked especially awesome in metallic lilac Versace.

Yaass!

Sorry for the cheesy category title, but "outfits I love because they are totally true to the personalities of the women wearing them" was too long. I absolutely love Janelle Monae, and her Armani Privé dress was true to her black and white signature style, and her recent string of crafty hairstyles continues with a pearl-pinned beehive. It made me happy, but I'm having a hard time finding a picture of her smiling, so I'm wondering if it was horribly uncomfortable. On the other hand, Evan Rachel Wood looked super comfortable and confident in her Marlene Dietrich inspired Joseph Altuzarra tuxedo. I loved the reason she gave for wearing it - on the red carpet, she explained that she's been to the Golden Globes six times in dresses and wanted to make sure young girls know they don't have to wear dresses if they don't want to.

What was your favorite red carpet look at this year's Golden Globes? 

Are you an awards show addict like me?

If you'd like to add any of these images to your Pinterest boards or blog, please visit my Pinterest board and pin/save from the original source. Thanks!

this week's clicks: happy labor day!

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Yes, this is totally an extended Lincoln commercial, but I love Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, and I don't hate the parting shot of Matthew McConaughey.

SWOON.

• A California wedding with a whimsical Southern style.
• Looks so pretty - a honeysuckle champagne cocktail!
• Loving this classy wedding at Richmond's Quirk Hotel.
• Lovely portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama (goals).

SMILE.

• Desktops: Lime Ricki, By Dawn Nicole, Flipsnack.
• From Domaine: films to watch at each career stage.
• Jeff Bridges is one of my faves - enjoyed this interview.
• Geek girls: MAC's Star Trek inspired makeup line (!!!)

FLASHBACK.

• 2014: my late summer in entertainment, shared a Sunday Social all about my favorites,
• 2013: graphic black and white pieces for fall and inspiration for a Jane Austen inspired garden wedding, recapped my summer in entertainment, and blurbed the fall 2013 shows I was looking forward to.
• 2012: our wedding's thrifted touches, rounded up modern terrariums from around the web and more geometric accessories, and joined an Instagram challenge for book lovers. 
• 2011: our wedding's handcrafted details, a peek at the girls getting ready at the salon, and what the guys were up to.

fall 2016 tv preview!

fall 2016 tv premieres i'm looking forward to

I'm posting the annual fall TV roundup today because one of my faves, You're the Worst, returns tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern. I love my fall TV, and I'm rounding up the show's I'm either looking forward or just plain curious about here.

sundays

Once Upon a Time (8p, ABC, Sept. 25)

My favorite show really went off the rails in the last season, but I'm hopeful that this one will be better. Lana Parilla, arguably one of the most talented actors on the show, will get to do double duty this season as both Storybrooke mayor Regina Mills and the Evil Queen. Emma and Hook are confirmed true love. The Disney shout-out this season will be Aladdin. Let's focus on the positives and not the potential mess that is the Land of Untold Stories.

mondays

The Big Bang Theory (8p, CBS, Sept. 19, Thursdays starting Oct. 27)

Will watch this season for Katey Segal and Jack McBrayer's appearances as Penny's family members, and pregnant Bernadette.

The Voice (8p, NBC, Sept. 19)

Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys. I'm intrigued.

Supergirl (8p, CW, Oct. 10)

I'm generally not a huge DC Comics fan, but I just can't quit Supergirl - and neither could the CW, which has taken over the show's rights from CBS. Between adorable Kara Danvers and sassy Cat Grant, it's an hour of fun escapism and goofy villains - plus, Superman will be an actual character this season instead of just a guy who texts Kara a lot.

Fresh Off the Boat (9p, ABC, Oct. 11)

I love this show. Jessica Huang is my role model.

The Good Place (10p, NBC, Sept. 19)

I just love Kristen Bell. The premise of this one is really cheesy (bad girl accidentally gets into Heaven), but it looks cute (because Kristen Bell).

Conviction (10p, ABC, Oct. 3)

I'm not going to lie, I'm not psyched about this show's concept (former First Daughter and lawyer with a drug problem takes a job for the New York District Attorney to avoid jail time), but I love Hayley Atwell too much not to tune in. Emily Kinney from the Walking Dead will also be in this one. I wish they could just be Peggy Carter and Beth forever...

Timeless (10p, NBC, Oct. 3)

This is one of the new shows I am most excited about this year - Goran Visnjic (Luka from ER) plays a steals a time machine with the intent of destroying America as we know it. A team consisting of a scientist, a history professor, and a soldier use the machine's prototype to try to stop the criminal. The costumes and sets look beautiful.

tuesdays

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (10p, ABC, Sept. 20)

Last season was full of WTF moments and Fitzsimmons drama and shipping, and I'm looking forward to what's next for my actual favorite Marvel characters. Jason O'Mara is joining the cast as the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the cast has been teasing on social media that the 10:00 time slot will allow for edgier content.

This Is Us (10p, NBC, Sept. 20 / 9p, Oct. 11)

This ensemble piece about characters who share the same birthday and whose lives are entertwined features Mandy Moore, so I am in.

Drunk History (10:30p, Comedy Central, Sept. 27)

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Dave Grohl will both be on the series this season! That's all I need to know.

wednesdays

The Goldbergs (8p, ABC, Sept. 21)

Wednesday fun.

Total Bellas (8p, E!, Oct. 5)

Will this show about twin sisters who are professional wrestlers and the men who love them (made famous by Total Divas, I guess E! figured out that every other character in that show was annoying) be total trash TV? Yes it will. And I will totally watch it.

Speechless (8:30p, ABC, Sept. 21)

I'm intrigued by the concept of a family comedy centering on a teenager with special needs.

You're the Worst (10p, FXX, Aug. 31)

Season 2 of You're the Worst was surprisingly deep and I appreciated the way the show's writers handled Gretchen's clinical depression, including the tense moment when Jimmy finally shouted at her to "snap out of it!" Anyone who has ever dealt with depression knows why that scene crushed me - I vividly remember having to teach Mr. Q how my depression was actually a medical condition and not a bad mood. Then Jimmy built Gretchen a fort and held her through the night and I cried again. This season, Gretchen will enter therapy and Samira Wiley (from OiTNB) will play her therapist. 

thursdays

Pitch (9p, Fox, Sept. 22)

This series about a female pitcher who gets a job in the MLB looks awesome.

Life in Pieces (9:30p, CBS, Oct. 27)

Last year, Mr. Q and I were surprised by how much we liked this show about a big family. It doesn't quite fill the Parenthood gap, leaning more toward Modern Family style comedy than shmaltz, but it's good. Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally will be guest starring in the opening episode of this season, which should be hilarious.

fridays

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (9p, CW, Oct. 21)

I totally love this show and can't wait for another season of zany antics and weird musical numbers. Now that Josh knows everything about why Rebecca moved to West Covina, but she and Greg are clearly meant to be, things should get really awkward - and that's when this show is at its best.

saturdays

Saturday Night Live (NBC, TBA)

It'll be interesting to watch Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon on a post-Ghostbusters SNL!

streaming

Easy (Netflix, Sept. 22)

I haven't heard much about this anthology series, but the cast includes Orlando Bloom, Jake Johnson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Aya Cash, so I'm going to give it a shot.

Luke Cage (Netflix, Sept. 30)

Mike Colter has been fantastic on Jessica Jones, so seeing him get to star in his own series will be great. I know basically nothing about this character.

The Mindy Project (Hulu, Oct. 4)

I can't decide whether I even want Mindy and Danny to be together anymore, but I am looking forward to Mindy's real-life BFF B.J. Novak making another appearance this season.

Good Girls Revolt (Amazon, October 28)

Based on the 1970 sex discrimination suit against Newsweek by 46 female employees including Nora Ephron and starring Anna Camp, I'm hoping to read the Lynn Povich book this is based on before the show premieres.

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (Netflix, Nov. 25)

HAPPY BLACK FRIDAY TO US ALL.

Sources: Metacritic, Screencrush

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
WATCH.

• This might be my favorite Carpool Karaoke yet - it's Britney, bitches! I think my all-time favorite is still "Toxic," but I'm going to picture James from now on when I hear "Hit Me Baby One More Time."

SWOON.

• Pretty burgundy botanical inspiration from 100 Layer Cake.
• From APW, a sweet woodland wedding with lush florals.
• A dreamy boho outdoor movie night from the Everygirl.
• A romantic greenhouse wedding from Henry + Mac.

SMILE.

• Happy birthday to America's National Park Service.
• Sweet: a site that lets little girls design their dresses.
• Erin's to-do list system is similar to my lesson plans.
• So cute: an art exhibition designed for dogs to enjoy.

FLASHBACK.

• 2014: My faves for September and shared a Sunday Social all about the 5's.
• 2013: jewel-toned wardrobe picks, ceremony backdrop ideas, a guide to housewarming gifts, my "House United" wreath for football season, and a Southern game day outfit.
• 2012: end-of-summer Instagrams, orange and blue and apple orchard wedding inspiration, kelly green wardrobe ideas, geometric home and fashion accessories.  
• 2011: the cost breakdown of our DIY wedding flowers, photos from our rehearsal, and my favorite peach pie recipe.

lately in entertainment.

lately in entertainment - summer 2016

movies.

Finding Dory - One of my former students invited me and two of her other favorite teachers for a movie date, and we had a great time at Finding Dory. If you've seen the trailer, you know it's about Dory's search for the parents she barely remembers - and the closer she gets to them, the clearer her memories become. The flashbacks with baby Dory are pretty much the cutest thing ever. The teacher in me really loved that Dory's parents are portrayed as being supportive of their daughter's desire for independence and find accomodations for her short-term memory loss. This sequel features some of the best characters from the first movie, like Crush the turtle and Mr. Ray, and introduces new characters like grumpy octopus Hank, voiced by Ed O'Neill, and Dory's childhood friend Destiny the whale. Parts of the movie seemed like they would be very intensely scary or sad for children, and there was real suspense about whether Dory's quest would be successful. Just like the first movie, the animation was gorgeous and colorful. We all enjoyed Finding Dory, laughed out loud a lot (especially at the crazy ending), and our resident science teacher approved of the marine biology elements!

Ghostbusters - Both Mr. Q and I were really excited about this one - the original Ghostbusters movies are some of his all-time favorites, and I was pumped about some of my favorite female comedians (and my favorite Hemsworth) being in the cast. We were also both really dismayed to see all the hate that was directed toward the movie online before it even came out, despite that fact that Dan Aykroyd was an executive producer, original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman was also a producer, and the original cast and new cast have made numerous appearances together talking about how much they love both the original and new movies! At first, I was curious about the new Ghostbusters being a reboot instead of a sequel, but I liked that the female team aren't carbon copies of the original male characters and that the story was unique. Kristen Wiig is Erin, the uptight nerd who has given up her paranormal interests to pursue her dream of being a physics professor. Erin loses her chance at tenure when her department finds out that she wrote a book about ghosts with her best friend, Abby (Melissa McCarthy). She tracks down Abby, who's working at a for-profit college that has forgotten she exists, alongside nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon). When they help subway worker Patty (Leslie Jones) track down a ghost in her line, she decides to join their team and lend her knowledge of New York City's history.

The plot of Ghostbusters does have some weak points: the villain is basically Syndrome from The Incredibles and there's no sense that he won't be defeated, I thought Erin and Abby's friendship should have had some tension after Erin had turned away for so many years, and most of the best jokes really were given away in the trailer. In some of the reviews I've read, the reviewers have complained that Kate McKinnon's Holtzmann is over-the-top or distracting, and/or that Leslie Jones' Patty is stereotypical. I think it all comes down to whether or not you've watched these ladies on SNL - Mr. Q and I love these actresses and felt like their characters and performances were in keeping with their styles of comedy. If you saw the trailer, you saw the scene where Holtzmann licks her proton gun. Right after that, she runs into battle with ghosts - and I realized that I was tearing up a little because I was getting to see a woman in a movie be: a.) a scientist  b.) an action hero  c.) not in any kind of romantic entanglement. I thought of all the men who say the female Ghostbusters "ruined their childhood," and how in my childhood I never got to see someone of my gender be those three things at the same time on a movie screen. Then I thought of the whole van-load of little boys in the row behind me and how much they were loving the movie. I really loved the cameos from the original Ghostbusters cast, which were a reminder that this movie was a tribute to our childhood favorite, not a replacement. For anyone interested in seeing this one, I recommend staying until after the credits roll.


books.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - I wanted to read this novel after seeing the previews for the film version, added myself to the waiting list for my library's ebook copy, and read the book in one sitting when it finally became mine. Three things: 1. It's beautifully written.  2. The main characters are adorable and complex.  3. It broke my heart into a million tiny pieces. The main character, Louisa, has low expectations for herself and is content with the safety and routine of living with her parents and single-mom sister in the town she grew up in. When she loses her comfortable cafe job, she becomes a caretaker for a paralyzed man named Will, who is bitter and angry because he has lost his active, jet-setting life. While Lou is determined is to help Will find reasons to want to live, he surprises her by encouraging her to examine whether she is fulfilled in her own life.

television.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - I was so, so happy when Kimmy came back for a second season! Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, and the rest of the writing team are really on point creating ridiculous characters that are still sympathetic. This season, we had Jacqueline visiting her parents and trying to reclaim her Native American culture, Titus falling in love, Lillian fighting gentrification. Guest stars included Anna Camp as Jacqueline's super-competitive WASP rival (basically her character from Pitch Perfect cranked to eleven), and Tina Fey as Kimmy's drunk Uber fare turned therapist. There were jokes about AirBnB, Uber, ADHD medication, Columbia House, the Washington Redskins, creepy show tunes. I just think of the phrase "stoop crone" and start laughing now.

Chelsea - I'm enjoying Chelsea Handler's new late night talk show for Netflix. She says in the first episode that she's getting to do the kind of show she's always wanted to, and it's interesting to see Chelsea and the stars she interviews discuss actual important issues instead of regular celebrity gossip, and she brings less well-known people involved with the issues onto the show as well - it reminds me more of The Daily Show than Chelsea Lately. It's a refreshing change of pace. 

Orange is the New Black - I didn't even try to pace myself with this season of OitNB - I binged! This season picks up right where Season 3 left off, and begins with the fallout of all the new inmates that have come to live at Litchfield now that it's a for-profit prison, including celebrity chef Judy King (when the real Piper Chapman was in prison, the inmates hoped Martha Stewart would spend her time at their facility). The racial hierarchy and tenuous relationships take center stage this season: Cindy distrusts her new roommate, who is Muslim; the Dominican women face off against Piper's underground business and the power-tripping prison guards; Brook makes completely off-base assumptions about Poussey's background; Piper almost-accidentally allies herself with white supremacists. Piper herself is less of a focus this season, which was fine by me - she had become such a horrible human being by the end of Season 3 that as a viewer I needed the time away! For me, the most compelling moments of this season featured supporting characters - Sophia and Nicky in maximum security, and Lolly and Blanca's background stories. When the tension that had been building all season finally broke in the last two episodes, it was heartbreaking - and the seemingly inevitable cliffhanger ending leaves me waiting impatiently for Season 5.