clicks of note: all kinds of kinds...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• Today is the first day of school for my students, so I'm off early this morning to work on seating charts, finish my bulletin board, and make copies before they arrive.  I'm praying that the air conditioning in our building got fixed over the weekend! I'd really appreciate any positive thoughts and good vibes you'd like to send our way.

LISTEN. 

• My current favorite song is Miranda Lambert's "All Kinds of Kinds" - it's cute and quirky.  The CMA Music Fest airs on ABC tonight and I can't wait to kick back, relax, and hear a few of my favorite performers!

SWOON.

Archetype Studio via Style Me Pretty

• Style Me Pretty Texas features a stylish camping engagement session.
• This bright townhouse tour at Design*Sponge is full of budget-friendly ideas for getting modern style.
• Emmaline Bride features a round-up of ways to style birdcage veils.
• Photographer Jennifer Blair shares a classic navy wedding with a crazy-beautiful bride.

SMILE.

• I might be able to remember how to set a table with this guide from Antiquaria.
• Emmaline Bride features a clever mad lib-style RSVP card idea.
• A round-up of wedding guest fashion ideas at different price points from Molly.
• A friend's parents were featured on NPR's StoryCorps about their unlikely relationship.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I reflected on this in-between season, shared coral, peach, and teal wardrobe inspiration that's perfect for vacation, recapped Kate Midleton's Olympic wardrobe and came up with budget-friendly versions of her outfits.  Two years ago, I shared ideas for honeysuckle pink wardrobe and home decor.

sunday social

This weekend I'm linking up with Ashley and Neely for Sunday Social - the questions were interesting and different!

1. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?  I'm pretty sure I went through cowgirl, ballerina, actress, news anchor, and interior decorator phases, but I always played school and wanted to be a teacher.  I'm lucky to be living my dream.  I've also wanted to see my name on the cover of a book since my third grade teacher stamped the words "FUTURE AUTHOR" in my journal.  I'll get there someday!

2. What was your favorite way to kill time as a kid?  Reading, playing school, playing Barbies (I had about 70), and playing outside.  When we got AOL in 7th grade the Internet gradually started its takeover of my life ;)

3. When did you get your first cell phone?  When I got my driver's license.  I still think that's a totally okay policy for parents and my students are scandalized when I tell them I think they're too young to handle having their own phones!

4. What is your favorite magazine to read?  I'm going to be a big nerd and admit that it's NEA Today, the magazine of my professional organization - it is FULL of great tips that I use in the classroom and I also learn about advocating for myself, my colleagues, and my students.  I like Rolling Stone - I love music but I've also learned a lot over the years from the news and politics articles.  I'm also a big fan of fitness magazines like Shape.

5. What is the one random object people would be surprised to find in your purse?  Glucose tablets.  Until I get my blood sugar in control, they are really nice to have when I get stuck in a situation where I can't eat, but every time I look at them I hear Wilford Brimley in my head saying, "diabeetus."

sunday simplicity: her life would change

Live View Studios via Poptastic Bride

"Years later they find themselves talking
about chances, moments when their lives
might have swerved off
for the smallest reason.

C.J. Williams Photography via Bridal Musings

What if
I hadn’t phoned, he says, that morning?
What if you’d been out,
as you were when I tried three times
the night before?

Connection Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

Then she tells him a secret.
She’d been there all evening, and she knew
he was the one calling, which was why
she hadn’t answered.

Weeno Photography via Ruffled

Because she felt-
because she was certain-her life would change
if she picked up the phone, said hello,
said, I was just thinking
of you.

Wesley Vorster via Southbound Bride

I was afraid,
she tells him. And in the morning
I also knew it was you, but I just
answered the phone
the way anyone
answers a phone when it starts to ring,
not thinking you have a choice."

- "Marriage" by Lawrence Raab

style: coral outfits for summer and fall

I like to engage in a little shopping therapy (even if it's just window shopping), but we're entering a weird time of year: I know I should be investing in useful fall pieces, but still feel drawn to summer color.  It's still August, after all!  My goal for today was to find ways to incorporate some of my favorite punchy summer colors into cooler-weather outfits as the seasons change.  There are some fantastic details in this set, so check out the links you like even if they're for higher end pieces!

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Disclaimer:  Links to ModCloth items contain affiliate codes

1. Echo striped scarf from Piperlime  2. Anthropologie beaded hair ties  3. Hazel and Olive sheer blouse
4. Full Tilt hoodie from Tilly's  5. Kate Spade "Live Colorfully" perfume from Nordstrom
6. "Twist and Clout" purse from ModCloth  7. J. Crew Factory belt (similar at Target and Old Navy)
8. Essie nail polish from Target  9. OPI nail polish from Amazon  10. Dior nail polish from Macy's
11. J. Crew Factory shorts  12. Old Navy sandals  13. Michael Kors espadrilles from Neiman Marcus

Linking Up:

View this board on Polyvore

1. Full Tilt hoodie from Tilly's  2. Graphic tee from Target  3. Ray-Ban sunglasses from Zappos
4. Jawbone fitness band  5. Faded Glory cuff shorts from Wal-Mart  6. OPI nail polish from Drugstore.com
7. Michael Kors espadrilles from Neiman Marcus  8. Nike Free Run 2 sneakers from Sport Seasons (the ones shown are the men's, but the link is to the women's)  9. Jonathan Adler water bottle from Modcloth

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1. Echo scarf from Piperlime  2. J. Crew Factory chambray shirt  3. Revlon lipstain from Drugstore.com
4. "Twist and Clout" purse from ModCloth  5. J. Crew Factory shorts  6. Essie nail polish from Kohl's
7. GAP sandals (similar from Aldo)  8. J. Crew Factory belt (similar at Target and Old Navy)   

View this board on Polyvore

1. Dior nail polish from Macy's  2. Hazel and Olive sheer blouse  3. Anthropologie beaded hair ties
4. Ann Taylor stretch bracelet  5. Kate Spade "Live Colorfully" perfume from Nordstrom
6. LOFT capri pant  7. Fossil mini watch  8. Banana Republic bag (similar from DSW)

clicks of note: that's how strong my love is...

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• You cannot, in fact, go wrong with Otis Redding.  Once again, I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.  You better believe I will be rocking the tunes all day as I set up my classroom for the new school year!

SWOON.

Morrissey Photo via Snippet and Ink

• This cute backyard wedding on Snippet and Ink is exactly the right kind of party.
• For currently-planning brides, Emmaline Bride features a round-up of table name ideas.
• Jennifer Blair shares a lovely mint wedding with sunflowers and baby's breath.
• Loving this dreamy lavender field engagement session featured on Once Wed.

SMILE.

• Good news for style mavens:  Anthropologie is reissuing 20 of their classic pieces.
• I think this weekend calls for a cowboy breakfast from Pioneer Woman.
• Ruche offers a cheerful August calendar for your desktop.
• Happy Shark Week, y'all!

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I shared recipes for pan-fried herbed pork chops, hearts of palm and avocado salad, and an avocado-coconut milkshake, posted a round-up of Brazilian-inspired recipe ideas, created an Olympics Ring tie-dyed shirt, and shared my favorite ways to stay active.  Two years ago, I shared orange wardrobe and home decor inspiration, as well as rustic and modern fall wedding ideas.

sunday social: can't live without...

1. What are 3 items you can’t live without on a daily basis (water, food, shelter, and clothes don’t count)  

• My glasses - On days when I don't have to work I stumble around until about noon, which is when I admit defeat.  I have become majorly nearsighted since I started teaching and have gone from only having to wear glasses to drive or see the blackboard, to having to wear them all the time to be able to watch television or to see what's happening across the street when I'm walking around town.

• My cell phone - I don't actually make a lot of phone calls, but I text on a daily basis and love that I can check Instagram, Facebook, and news and weather sites from anywhere, as well as listen to my Amazon music library.

• My rings - I wear my college class ring, engagement rings and wedding band daily and my hands feel naked without them.  Those three little rings hold all the significance in the world to me because they represent the most important parts of my life - my family and my education.

2. What is your all time favorite book? Why?

• The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.  It was one of the first "adult" books I read in college that wasn't a classic, and I've read it many times since then.  I experience a whole range of emotions while reading Claire and Henry's tale - surprise, heartbreak, and hope.  Even though the plot contains a huge science fiction element, the characters feel very much like real people and their voices ring true.  And at the end of the day, it's an incredible love story.  I even used my favorite page from the book as the table number for our wedding sweetheart table.

3. What is something you’d like to accomplish before the end of 2013?

• Good question!  I'd like for my students to achieve a higher pass rate on the new state writing and reading tests - because their scores are actually my scores and represent 40% of my overall evaluation.  I just want to feel like I've beaten this test and know how to effectively prepare students for it - which is not how I felt at the end of last year, unfortunately.

4. If you could go back and relive any year of your life which year would it be?

• I wouldn't!  There are definitely moments that I'd love to experience again - being with my dad and my grandmothers, for sure - but I think I'd be to tempted to change the way I did things, knowing what I know now, and it might have some weird butterfly effect on my present life.  I love my life right now and wouldn't want it any other way.

5. What do you wish people knew about you without you having to tell them?

• To get a little deep on you, I wish people knew that I deal with clinical depression and anxiety and that it is a medical condition.  I think sometimes people who don't know think I'm moody or even bipolar, and a lot of people just lack understanding about depression and think people can "snap out of it". or pray it away.  I wish those people knew you can't snap out of depression any more than you can snap out of diabetes or asthma.  I've often wished I could tell my bosses at school so that they would understand why I make a really big deal out of things sometimes, but in Virginia I could actually be fired for having a medical condition that could interfere with my job, so I have to keep it a secret.

• In the same vein, I wish people knew my father had passed away because I can't stand that awkward moment when we're all describing our family's plans for a weekend or holiday and someone asks, "What about your dad?" or when someone I haven't seen since I was a teenager asks "How are your parents doing?"

sunday simplicity: all my varying moods...

Jessamyn Harris Photographer via Inspired By This

"Give me one friend, just one, 

who meets the needs of all my varying moods."

- Esther Mary Clark

summer blog loves

blog loves - summer 2013

I thought I'd take some time to resurrect what used to be a monthly column here - this time in a seasonal format.  I'll be shining a spotlight on a few of my "blog-mances" - some newly discovered, some that I've been reading for a while.  These blogs cover a wide range of topics - lifestyle, fashion, home decor, organization, and recipes - and are certainly worth a follow.

Corilynn in chambray and stripes

Corilynn (formerly La Vie Petite) - I'm always on the lookout for style bloggers who can put together classic outfits, and if they are petite it's a definite bonus because I know the clothes wouldn't look ridiculous on me!  Cori is a fashion designer and sells go-with-everything graphic skirts.  Soon after I started following Cori's blog, she suffered the intense personal tragedy of losing a baby.  Her faith and trust in God has been really inspiring to me.

Long Weekend Packing from Cardigan Junkie

Cardigan Junkie - I'm pretty sure we'd be friends in real life, not just because the title of this blog describes my closet.  I love Haley's practical, often reader-inspired "what to wear" posts that cover every situation from heat waves to multigenerational family portraits to weddings, and her "5 Things Friday" posts are full of personality and humor.

Laundry Room Makeover from The Fancy Shack

The Fancy Shack - I found Kimberlee's blog when her awesome laundry room makeover was featured on several of the shelter blogs I follow.  I suppose it's a sign of getting older that I got TOTALLY EXCITED about a pretty laundry room, but seriously - it had mason jars, and damask, and a fabric-lined basket; what's not to love?  The rest of Kimberlee's house is similarly elegant in a creative, vintage-inspired way.  Fans of Dear Lillie should definitely check out The Fancy Shack.

S'Mores in a Jar from Clean and Scentsible

Clean and Scentsible - I've been following this blog for a while.  Canadian blogger Jenn's tagline is "organize, celebrate, create."  Her posts include seasonal recipes and crafts as well as how-tos for cleaning just about everything- from a wood deck, to a grill, to the fridge. Jenn's also one of the co-hosts of the Inspiration Exchange linkup, which features awesome crafts and projects every week.


Previously featured blogs I'm still loving: Note to Self, Rage Against the Minivan, The Vintage Housewife, Fabulous K, Hip Hip Gin Gin, The Everygirl, The Fresh Exchange, Little Tin Soldier, A Cup of Jo, Two Twenty-One, SkinnyTaste, Along the Lines of Style, The Daily Spark, A Beach Cottage, The Inspired Room, Home Stories A to Z, Post Road Vintage, Perfectly Imperfect, Dandee, Ella Claire, Making it Lovely, The Swenglish Home, Bright Bazaar, Centsational Girl, Rosie Molinary, Geninne's Art Blog, Tiny Twig,  The Gracious Pantry, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, and Everyday Occasions