pinspiration: a farmhouse Easter

Maybe it's the copious amounts of Fixer Upper I've been watching lately (it's the perfect thing when I'm in preggo nesting mode, but too tired to actually clean or work on my own house), but I'm really feeling a farmhouse-inspired theme for Easter this year!

I'm so inspired by the cobalt and terra cotta tones in this very Anthropologie-esque vignette from House By Hoff.

How cool are the Rae Dunn inspired Easter eggs from DIY Beautify?

Using temporary tattoos to decorate eggs is one of those ideas I'd never think of - Lia Griffith is so creative!

To make your holiday extra special, here's a playlist that would be the perfect background music for a farmhouse brunch:

this week's clicks.

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

Paige Nelson Photography via Intimate Weddings

• I can never resist a romantic wedding in the woods.
• A New York vineyard wedding with gorgeous florals.
• Elegant garden wedding portraits in Portland, Oregon.

SMILE.

• The cutest, and most relatable, unicorn cake I've ever seen.
• These serving utensils would be a great housewarming gift.
• A round-up of cute Easter basket ideas that aren't candy!

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: rose quartz pinspiration, loss and reunion, and a geeky wardrobe wishlist.
• 2014: my blog as an outfit, teal and chambray wardrobe updates, watercolor stationery, life in IG, and entertainment picks.
• 2013: garden-inspired wardrobe ideas, inspiration for a French lavender wedding, and February and March in entertainment.
• 2012: I reflected on the course of this blog, and shared my blog loves.
• 2011: we designed our invitations and found our flower girl's dress.

pinspiration: Easter in the garden

What are your plans for this weekend? I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday and getting inspired by floral maxi dresses and full-on garden party vibes. Hopefully it will be warm enough to fire up the grill after church and invite some friends over for brunch on the patio!

If there's one day of the year that a flower crown is acceptable in public outside of Coachella, let it be Easter Sunday.

Love this vintage-inspired garden sign from Ella Claire.

How pretty are these botanical painted eggs from The House that Lars built?

There's lots more Easter inspiration over on my Pinterest boards, and I'm working on a Spotify playlist to celebrate:

this week's clicks.

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

• Heard this song at the hair salon this morning and fell. in. love.

SWOON.

India Earl via Green Wedding Shoes

• A sweet rock climbing gym proposal via Green Wedding Shoes.
• A Fixer Upper classroom is a thing that exists, and I am jealous.
• From Kelsea Holder, a dreamy, slightly boho Arizona elopement.
• A Dutch castle, an art deco dress - this SMP wedding is amazing.

SMILE.

• April desktops: The Blog Market, Lynda Creates, Smashing, Flipsnack.
• Target's next designer collaboration is with Victoria Beckham...
• I bet she knows these secrets of women who never seem to get tired.
• Currently pinning lots of Easter inspiration (book page eggs 4ever).

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: serenity blue color inspiration, spring table number ideas
• 2015: my entertainment faves, Rachel Held Evans' Searching for Sunday,
• 2014: a classic Spring Break wardrobe and a spring and summer bucket list.
• 2013: all about Twitter, citrus prints, and the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure.
• 2012: Titanic dinner party.

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

Topshop via Refinery29

• Topshop's bridal collection is on point with the current 90's trend.
• A sweet casual Colorado ranch engagement session from Jamee.
• From Ruffled, the most romantic elopement in Santorini, Greece!
• A pretty, rustic Massachusetts wedding from Samantha Melanson.

SMILE.

• The Everygirl rounds up of this spring's new wardrobe staples.
• In adorable/political news, Cory Booker asked Mindy Kaling out!
• Currently pinning all the spring home decor/wardrobe inspiration.
• Planning Easter baskets for my team after seeing Joy's post.

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: Literary Junkies, spring getaway pinspiration, book + concert reviews (Elton John!), and my March Stitch Fix
• 2015: I pretty much predicted the Colors of the Year for 2016.
• 2014: Sunday Socialabout ideals and accomplishments, my fave green and black and white picks, and my April favorites.
• 2013: rainy day fashions, white bridesmaid dress inspiration, explained how we save money on groceries, completed my second Liebster survey, and shared my love story with Mr. Q for the Love and Marriage series.
• 2012: I collected inspiration for an April Fool's wedding.

sunday simplicity.

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after Thee

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee

Tracy Enoch Photography via Southern Weddings

You alone are my strength, my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee

- Martin Nystrom

this week's clicks: Sláinte!

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

• Happy St. Patrick's Day week! Last week was absolutely awful, so I'm hoping the luck of the Irish will turn things around - my Irish last name counts, right? This weekend (if I survive administering a 2-day standardized test on Wednesday and Thursday), I'm going to see Elton John with my mom and cousin, so music is my lifeline this week. I recently included Lianna La Havas in my roundup of favorite Oscars outfits, and I absolutely love her track "What You Don't Do."

SWOON.

Victoria C Photography via Wedding Chicks

• Colorful, artistic wedding ideas from Wedding Chicks.
• Elli's new succulent wedding suite is so perfect for spring.
• At SMP, a romantic, rustic Tuckahoe Plantation wedding.
• This soiree may be the most Charlottesville wedding ever.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Flipsnack, Garlic My Soul, and Mel Armstrong.
• Fun cake toppers for parties from the Tomkat Studio.
• Anne rounds up stylish sweatshirts (not an oxymoron).
• Plenty of colorful ideas for Easter on my Pinterest board.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: Last year I shared my March favorites (and OUAT obsession).
• 2014: Inspiration for a sweet mint and baby's breath wedding.
• 2013: I shared memories of Ireland and citron wardrobe inspiration.
• 2012: Inspiration for a moody pastel country wedding.
• 2011: Creative ideas for wedding card storage and thank you signs.

currently inspired by:

clicks of note.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

• Maison de Pax is so aptly named - love Rachel's spring tour.
• Love the groom's suit in this romantic wedding from SMP.
• Southern Weddings features a glam gold Oklahoma affair.
• A vintage pastel Easter brunch at The Sweetest Occasion.

SMILE.

• Spring desktops: Design Love Fest, Eighteen25, K. Duke.
• These Ikea hacks from Domaine are pretty unbelievable.
• How cute are these new spring handbags from TOMS?
• 90+ last minute ideas for Easter on my Pinterest board.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year's Sunday Social was about my ideals and accomplishments. I featured some of my favorite spring green and black and white wardrobe picks, turned the blog blue for Autism awareness, rounded up my April favorites
• Two years ago I rounded up rainy day fashion ideas, white bridesmaid dress inspiration, explained how Mr. Q and I save money on groceries, completed my second Liebster Award survey, and shared my love story with Mr. Q for the Love and Marriage series.
• Three years ago I collected inspiration for an April Fool's wedding.

 

sunday simplicity: Easter morning

Karen Hill via Snippet and Ink

sunday simplicity #114 - easter morning

Heart Love Weddings

Awake, thou wintry earth -

Fling off thy sadness!

Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth

Your ancient gladness!

- Thomas Blackburn, "An Easter Hymn"

Spring Craft: Decoupage Easter Egg Wreath

There are a few craft ideas I always come back to.  Making wreaths is one of my favorite crafty activities, and book pages are one of my favorite materials to use in creative projects.  Last Easter, I decoupaged some plastic Easter eggs from the dollar store with pages from a Shakespeare book I picked up at Goodwill.   This year, I got the idea to jazz up those book page eggs with some glitter and turn them into a wreath!

First, let's make some decoupage eggs.  Craft stores sell papier-mâché eggs, which I am sure would make this project a bit more manageable, but you can't beat 24 eggs for a dollar.  Our local Dollar Tree had both regular sized and mini eggs, so I picked up a package of each.  You'll also need gloss Mod Podge, a sponge brush, and a book or other interesting paper (scrapbooking paper, a map, etc.) you don't mind ripping up.

Use your sponge brush to coat the surface of the egg with Mod Podge and start applying your paper scraps.  It's helpful to cover the egg's "seam" first so that it doesn't pop apart while you're working.

Keep going...

Holidays: Easter Egg-spiration

As a kid, dying Easter eggs was easy - we'd buy the PAAS kit at Food Lion, sink the fizzy tabs into vinegar, dunk the eggs and call it a day. When I got older, we'd get creative and use some crayon to do a relief. Bloggers have come up with a lot of new, creative ways to decorate eggs, so I thought I'd share some of the trends I've seen this year before I share my own Easter decorations tomorrow later this week.

Bakers Twine Eggs from Landee See, Landee Do

Chalkboard Paint Egg Placecards from Just So Lovely

Polka Dot Glitter Eggs from Better Homes and Gardens

Ombre Eggs from Ashbee Design