inspiration for a blush and pewter winter wedding.

By now, we've had some time to adjust to Pantone's unprecedented decision to name two colors of the year for 2016, and I'm currently obsessed with rose quartz. Just in time for Valentine's Day, I'm envisioning soft blush pink wedding details paired with lace and pewter for a perfectly romantic winter wedding.

Jodi Miller Photography via Grey Likes Weddings

Classic letterpress stationery will never go out of style. I love the idea of a bride using a family heirloom cameo or lace from her mother's wedding dress as her "something old."

BHLDN | Elizabeth Fogarty Photography via Style Me Pretty

For "something new," BHLDN's collection of vintage-inspired chandelier 

earrings is full of stunning pieces to complete a bride's look.

 

Elizabeth Fogarty Photography via Style Me Pretty | Gemma Clarke via Style Me Pretty

Lovely floral robes would make the perfect bridesmaids' gift, and if your girls are 

up for it, a centerpiece making party can help ease the pre-wedding jitters.

 

Gemma Clarke via Style Me Pretty | Jodi Miller Photography via Grey Likes Weddings

Abby Grace Photography via Southern Weddings

Buffy Dekmar Fine Art Weddings via Snippet and Ink

Jenny Wohrle via Every Last Detail

Abby Grace Photography via Southern Weddings

The silvery leaves of dusty miller add a perfect wintery touch to a 

blush and ivory garden rose bouquet.

Elizabeth Fogarty via Style Me Pretty | Kayla Barker Photography via Wedding Sparrow

Which of these Pantone-inspired details is your favorite? 

Let me know in the comments!

2016 blog loves.

Three years ago, Ginger from Literally Inspired asked us to share our "blog-mances" - the blogs we were absolutely, head over heels, gotta-read-every-post obsessed with. I still love rounding up the impressive blogs that cover a range of of my favorite topics - art, lifestyle, home decor, cooking, DIY, reading - and that I think you should add to your reading list ASAP! This month, the topic for The Circle link-up hosted by Kiki from In Its Time was "Blogger Valentines," so it's the perfect time to share an updated list of blogs I've fallen for.  Here are five blogs I'm loving right now...

You Are My Fave

You Are My Fave - Melanie's blog is dedicated to diy projects, decorating and party ideas, gift guides, and other fun, quirky, and colorful finds. I fell in love with her blog thanks to her creative "in a box" series, like these TV shows in a box.

Oh Happy Day - If it involves parties, DIY, neon, interior design, larger-than-life photo props and backgrounds, or balloons, Jordan and the other creators behind Oh Happy Day have found ways to make it new and fun. My favorite feature is the weekly round-up of clever party ideas from around the web.

Camille Styles - Reading this lifestyle blog is like reading a fabulously glossy magazine about a well-lived life. The team features recipes, beauty tutorials, and wellness tips, along with sneak peeks at amazing parties, and pulls off sponsored posts in a way that isn't cloying.

Still Being Molly - Molly posts about her life as a mom, her love of essential oils, tips on how to manage money, real-girl fashion and wardrobe picks that support good causes.

Allons-y Kimberly - Kimberly seems to be on a bit of a hiatus right now, but I hope she comes back soon! Her lifestyle blog was one of my inspirations to share more of my geeky side (I love her "Weekly Wonders" posts) and join in the #5FandomFriday fun.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still freaking out over:  Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, Nine-Thirty to Five, Putting Me Together, Un-Fancy, A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy!, Sacramento Street, Oana Befort, Sarah's Scribbles, The Everygirl, Fabulous K, Note to Self, Yes and Yes, My Life as a Teacup, The Perpetual Page-Turner, The Life of Bon, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Trash Is For Tossers, Everyday Occasions, City Farmhouse, A Thoughtful Place, {Ella Claire}, The Lettered Cottage, Earnest Home Co.,  6th Street Design School, The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, SkinnyTaste, How Sweet It Is, Shutterbean, The Recipe Critic, Dinner, A Love Story

Which blogs always put a smile on your face?  Do you have any recommendations this month?

PINspiration: An 80's inspired Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner... and for some reason I'm feeling an '80s vibe! Bring on the sparkles, hearts, and NEON! Whether you're watching John Hughes movies with your girlfriends or roller skating with your boo, I hope you're all getting pumped for a totally radical Valentine's Day.

this week's clicks: wherever is your heart, i call home.

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

• Brandi Carlile has come so far since I saw her perform in a crowded little club in Charlottesville in the early 2000's. Her new stuff is simply amazing.

SWOON.

Lydia Photography via Swooned

• Swooned features a warm, romantic winter bridal shoot.
• An elegantly rustic winery wedding from 100 layer cake.
• At Elizabeth Anne Designs, a sweet garden wedding shoot.
• Charmed by each detail of this colorful Ojai SMP wedding.

SMILE.

• Desktops from Front Door, Oana Befort, May Richer Fuller Be
• Fashion week is almost here. What trends will prevail?
• Fashion inspiration for lucky ladies going on cruises.
• Lots of last-minute Valentine's Day inspiration on my Pinterest.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I shared a Pin-spired outfit and a business casual V-Day look for the PMT Style Challenge, and wrote a letter to my younger self for the Circle.
• Two years ago I rounded up sporty save-the-date ideas and geeked out about details from the Sochi Olympics.
• Three years ago, I featured inspiration for a poppies and lace wedding and recapped my Cupid Swap experience.
• Four years ago, I shared my first Photo-A-Day Instagram round-up, a couple of snapshots from my V-Day, and my first ever round-up of blog loves.
• Five years ago, table number inspo and some of my favorite poetry in time for V-Day.

sunday simplicity.

Denver Weddings

"When I was down, when I was hurt

You came to lift me up

Life is a drink, and love's a drug

Oh, now I think I must be miles up

When I was a river, dried up

You came to rain a flood" - Coldplay

The Burks Photography

#5FandomFriday: My OTPs!

5 Fandom Friday is a weekly prompt challenge hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick. This week's #5FandomFriday topic is OTPs, a term near and dear to my geeky little heart. The only reason I even know what fandom is started back in 2003 when one of my college dorm-mates shared a Livejournal code with me. I started a blog and gradually started making friends and joining communities - the true highlight of the LJ world. For me, the fact that there were places online to hang out and talk about Harry Potter and other fandoms, share headcanons, and read pretty decently writen fanfic (and try my hand at writing drabbles) was a revelation. Of course, those communities also included a lot of debates about OTPs, which I learned stood to One True Pairing. Geeks like me tend to "ship" characters, meaning when the chemistry is there, we want those characters to hook up, and we mourn our favorite fictional relationships long after they have ended. When you're in actual pain because there's so much unresolved romantic tension, you probably have an OTP. Here are the OTPs, in roughly chronological order, that still give me the feels when I think about them now.

"Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius."

Remus and Sirius, Harry Potter/Shoebox Project - I read the Harry Potter series late until OoTP, and discovered Remus and Sirius through fanfic before I'd encountered them in the actual books. There was so much R/S fic that I actually assumed their relationship was canon. Therefore, my version of Marauders-era Remus and Sirius is almost completely based on their counterparts in the Shoebox Project.

"Great love is wild and passionate and dangerous. It burns and consumes."

Spike and Buffy, BTVS - A.k.a. Spuffy. In the show's final episode, it becomes clear that Spike doesn't believe Buffy was really in love with him, and Sarah Michelle Gellar herself is an Angel/Buffy shipper, but WHATEVS. Angel never did it for me, and Spike did even when the Scoobies had him tied to a chair. Buffy grew as a person because he challenged her, and he proved that he would truly do anything for her.

"I couldn't live without you, I guess."

Tony and Ziva, NCIS - I know, I know, your grandpa probably watched NCIS. I haven't watched it since Cote de Pablo left the show and effectively ruined my hopes for Tiva ever becoming reality. This 'ship suffered from different writers treating the characters' interactions differently, but the spark between these two was always there and turned out to be the actual reason I watched the show every week. Word on the web is Michael Weatherly is leaving the show so I haven't 100% given up hope that Tony and Ziva can still ride off into the sunset and have little Italian/Israeli babies.

"When I win your heart, Emma, and I will win it, it will not be 

because of any trickery. It will be because you want me."

Hook and Emma, Once Upon a Time - Oh. My. Goodness. I did not like Killian Jones, alias Captain Hook, when he was introduced during Emma and Snow's trip to the Enchanted Forest and their run-in with the giant - I honestly thought he was kind of a creeper. By episode 3x5, "Good Form," I was onboard team Captain Swan, and now I'm full of anticipation for Emma to go save Killian from the Underworld. 

"That's in Scotland."

FitzSimmons, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - The science nerds that went from BFFs who completed each others' sentences to badass action hero cursed lovers. This pair gives me mini heart attacks with each of the cliffhangers the showrunners love to thrust on them, from Jemma jumping out of a plane, Fitz almost drowning, and Jemma being absorbed by a monolith and transported to a hell planet, to Fitz going back to the hell planet to save her space boyfriend because it was the right thing to do.

Honorable Mentions: Celaena and Chaol (Throne of Glass), Daryl and Beth (The Walking Dead), Nick and Jess (New Girl),  Hatter and Alice (SyFy Alice), Arthur and Ariadne (Inception), Sawyer and Kate (LOST),  Hyde and Jackie (That 70's Show), John Carter and Abby Lockhart (ER)

Which OTPs make your heart go pitter-patter?

reading challenge ideas and recommendations for 2016.

Reading challenges have gotten more and more popular over the past few years, it seems. I started tracking my reading progress on Goodreads in 2013 and checked out the challenges from Modern Mrs. Darcy and Popsugar for the first time last year. This year, I have four reading challenges on my TBR pinterest board! I'm also trying to work my way through the previous Newbery Medal Winners and the AP novel list. I don't try to check every single box - I never want reading to feel like a chore - but these lists are a great source of inspiration when I'm stuck in a reading rut or wandering aimlessly around the public library. Here are a few books I'd like to read in 2016 and my recommendations for you (titles link to Goodreads), inspired by these challenges.

From The Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2016 Reading Challenge: A book you can finish in a day

• My pick: The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips (180 pages) - this one was on so many recommendation lists last year and Helen Phillip's writing has been compared to Margaret Atwood's.
• My recommendation: If you've never read The Outsiders, what are you waiting for? S.E. Hinton basically invented the YA genre when she was 17 years old in this modern classic about a group of teenagers from the wrong side of the tracks whose rivalry with the rich kids goes too far, and the sensitive loner who gets swept up in it all. At 192 pages, you can certainly handle this one in a day.

From Popsugar's 2016 Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book based on a fairy tale

• My pick: The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman - it's been over a year since I read anything by Neil Gaiman, which is completely unacceptable and must be remedied immediately. This story blends elements of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and has been controversial because of a female-female kiss; it sounds awesome because this time around it's a young queen who sets out to save an enchanted princess.
• My recommendation: Cinder by Marissa Meyer - I've written several posts about my love of Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series, which takes on Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White in a science fiction setting.

From Stxrybooks' 2016 Reading Challenge: A non-fiction book about something you've always wanted to know more about

• My pick: Life in Motion by Misty Copeland - One of the first biographies I can remember reading growing up was about Anna Pavlova, and as a young dancer it was so fascinating to read about the history of professional ballet. Even though my own days en pointe are behind me, I'd love to learn more about what it's like to work as a dancer and especially Misty Copeland's challenging road to fame.
• My recommendation: Orange is the New Black by Piper Kernan - You probably don't think of minimum sentencing laws, the prison system and its treatment of women as something you actually want to learn about, but I highly recommend Kernan's book - it was interesting to read about the real people the television show's colorful characters are based on, but the book also made me think about personal strength, survival, and the relationships between women.

From Worthington Ave.'s 2016 Reading List: A book from Rory Gilmore's reading list

• My pick: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon - This one's been on my radar since Seth Cohen was reading it on The O.C., and now that I've gotten more into superheroes myself I think I'll appreciate this story set during the golden age of comics.
• My recommendation: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon - An autistic young man sets out to solve the murder of a neighbor's dog and his investigation helps him make sense of the world around him. This was one of my favorites in college.

this week's clicks: there's a chance we can make it now...

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

• I'm obsessed with covers that put a song into a completely different genre, so I fell in love with Branches' version of "I Believe In a Thing Called Love" when I heard it on Spotify. What could be better to kick off February?

SWOON.

Dana Cubbage Weddings via Southern Weddings

• A Charleston wedding that's Gone with the Wind meets Gatsby.
• Jennifer Blair photographed this romantic beach wedding.
• At SMP, an elegant garden wedding inspired by the gilded age.
• From Swooned, a breathtaking cliffside winter bridal shoot.

SMILE.

• Desktops from Design Is Yay, Paper Leaf, Sarah ♥s, SALT Design
• Crafty Pie Press' new cake toppers are so much fun!
• Adorable vintagey printable valentines from Lia Griffith.
• I appreciated Emily's reminder to be kind to myself.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I shared one of my favorite style and beauty inspiration boards for Valentine's Day and made a "never have I ever" list for The Circle.
• Two years ago, Sunday Social was all about the 4's.  I also rounded up my fave red picks for V-Day, showed off some easy party ideas, rounded up my faves for February and reflected on what I learned from 2013.
• Three years ago, I created BTA's Facebook and shared ideas for a V-Day girls night in.
• Four years ago I shared a pretty pink Sunday Simplicity post.
• Five years ago, I discussed why I used wholesale flowers for our wedding.