Ends. Begins Again.

Obviously it's been awhile since I've posted. Like, months. I just got to the point where I wasn't really enjoying blogging anymore. It got to feel like a chore, and then one day I didn't post. And then the next I didn't either. And then I just kept right on not posting at all, and here we are two months later.

And I didn't miss it. Not one bit. Running a blog is a job, and I have enough jobs. Really.

What I did start to miss in these last couple of weeks was having a place to share cool.fun.amazing.pretty.interesting things that I'd come across. But every time I'd start to think about writing a new post, that chore-like feeling would creep up, and nothing ever got written. So here's the deal-y-o: from now, I'm just going to use my Tumblr (which I've had on the back burner forevvvvvveeeerrr).

I can share what I find.
No pressure to write.
No pressure to get comments or followers or all of those things bloggers are supposed to be after.
No, "Blurgh" feeling.

You can find it here: Pretty Little World on Tumblr.

To end the post, I just want to add a big "Thank You!" to everyone who's stopped by over the five years that I've been (consistently or otherwise) blogging here. Have a wonderful day.weekend.month.summer.year everyone!!

Early Spring

I don't know what the weather has been like elsewhere, but spring came amazingly early to Michigan this year. While we're normally still dealing with a stray snowstorm or two, last week was filled with 80 degree temperatures and an abundance of sunshine. Today is a bit cooler and more of what you'd expect from the beginnings of the season, though it was still a welcome site to see pretty little blossoms peeking out all over the place.

Three Years In...

I get tired of the way things look very often. Offffftennn. And while a winning lottery ticket would allow me to simply refurnish the house whenever I felt like it, well, I don't have a winning lottery ticket. So yesterday I rearranged all of the furniture in the upstairs so things simply felt new. Here's how it went:

Master bedroom --> What was previously the guest bedroom.
Guest Bedroom + Office --> What was previously the master bedroom.
Reading nook --> What was previously the office (really just a space for a large desk that no one ever used)

I wish that I'd taken some "before" pictures of how it had been arranged, but I almost never remember that sort of thing until after the moving has happened. So I have some "before" pictures of what the upstairs was like when we first bought the house and will have to make due with those.

Hall Space Before:



Reading Nook After:



{ Papasan Chair from World Market; End Tables from Pier I; Antique Rugs; Vintage Chair + Ottoman }

Bedroom Before:




Guest Bedroom / Office After:






{ Bedding, Sheepskin, Rug, Chair, Desk all from IKEA; Floral Prints from a Vintage Book; Vintage Deer; Antique Bird Cage; Vintage Typewriter Table; Lamp from Pier I; Antique Dress found in Prague }

Bedroom Before:




Master Bedroom After:




{ Bed Frame, Bedding, and Cabinet all from IKEA; Antique Wooden Wheelchair; Antique 1800s Irish Framed Print }

I still need some wall things here and there and maybe another plant or two, but overall I'm pretty please with the way that the rearrangement went. Now that everything is moved about, it quite feels like this is the way the house is meant to be. Which of course makes me feel silly that for the last few years that I've been one evening of work away from a much more pleasing space. Such is life...

#Instacats

{ Badger + Atticus }


{ Ivy + Gerdie }


{ Nico }


{ Alice }

...also, no, we are not crazy cat people. Three of the cats belong to my parents. Though in all honesty, I probably would have like five cats if B. would let me. And a dog. Maybe some chickens. Possibly a goat. And a mini cow.

Spring Frocks

{ dress from Luv Stoned Vintage } { shoes from Jeffrey Campbell }
{ curls = two hours w/a teeny little curling iron }

It's so gorgeous out today!! 75 degrees + sunny + birds chirping... it's like a Disney cartoon sans some of the creepy Disney stuff.

Nice weather means that it's finally time to pull out those spring dresses. Unfortunately it also means that my allergies are coming right along with everything else. My seasonal allergies just seem to cripple me at times. I've got a doctor's appointment in the next week, but in the meantime: do any of you suffer from the springtime sneezes? How do you cope with them??

Dream Rooms: Marrakech

{ here }

The room above is about as dreamy as they could come. Of course the wall full of windows helps a great deal, but I like how they've made the room + windows seem even larger by hanging the curtain rod far above the window-tops.

While the room does have a decidedly Moroccan flair to it, they've managed to get away with mixing a few different prints and styles: the folksy floral print on the chair nearest the window; the more modern two piece sofa; and the bright Persian rug that anchors the room.

A Little Grunge Never Hurt Anyone

{ vtg. cardigan } | { vtg. shirt } | { boots }
{ photo }

Current Obsession

I don't really remember how I came across this video now - Pinterest? Could be. Pinterest is good for, like, everything - but I'm smitten with it. I suspect everyone else will be too. It's slow and perfect and you kind of can't take your eyes off of it.

P.S. - I actually had planned on starting to blog again as soon as I got back from Chicago this past Sunday, but I immediately came down with this throat.sinus.cold.thing, so ce la vie to best laid plans, right? In any case, Happy Thursday all!

Radio Silence

From Moon to Moon

Sorry for the long gap(s) between posts recently. There's been a whole slew of crazy stuff going on at work + I've been spending some time catching up with old friends + we've been doing some things around the house + I've been trying to spend a little more free time reading books that I've had on my "Want to Read" list for, like, ever.

In any case - I'm headed to Chicago this coming weekend, and then perhaps Cleveland after that, but I PROMISE that I'll be back to some kind of regular posting soon.

I hope that absolutely.positively.everything is going well for all of you and I'll see you all very shortly!!

xoxo

Dream Rooms: Printed

{ Pinterest/Unknown Original Source } { Home Edit }

Even though these wall (and floor!) prints are quite busy, the neutral color scheme in both allows them to be a bit less noticeable, so that you can layer the room in additional ways without it being too much.

Right now Anthropologie has a few great wallpapers that would help to create this kind of a look brilliantly: Painted Tulip Wallpaper, Block Begonia Wallpaper, and Watercolor Peony Wallpaper.

Love . Birds

This mated pair of cardinals lives very near our house. I love it whenever we can see them out and about, but they're especially cute in the winter when they're all puffed up. The male always lets the female eat from the feeder first, and he keeps an eye out while she gets her seeds! Adorable.

Splurge or Save: The Peplum Jacket

There's something about garments with an exaggerated peplum that I just love. Maybe it's the ultra defined structure. Maybe it's the clothing equivalent of dotting each "i" with a little heart - a perfect flourish.

Some people will probably say that you have to have a narrow body today to be able to pull off this style, but I think that if you pick the right cut and the right pieces to go with it, most anyone can get away with it.

Things to keep in mind when choosing a peplum top or jacket: (1) While the peplum itself is full, make sure that the garment has a slim fit in the arms and bodice. If it's not quite right, take it to a local tailor - it's inexpensive to have clothing taken in a bit, and it makes a world of difference. (2) Go slim with the bottoms as well, as in ultra skinny jeans or a pencil skirt. Any extra volume at the bottom and it will look like you're drowning in your outfit.

Now the question is: which to choose? Splurge on this glamorous jacket from Givenchy, a mere $4145.00, or save on this Tibi striped peplum jacket, $495.00?

Bohemian

{ 1, 2, 4, 5 } { 3 } { 6 }

This incredible unseasonably warm weather (which is taking a slight siesta today - we have snow everywhere) has led me to 100% believe that spring is like, three days away. Every morning while getting dressed, I have a little conversation with myself that involves wondering whether I can wear platform sandals yet. I can't, but I have settled on open-toed shoes a few times.

And since spring is almost surely, very nearly here, I can start thinking about summer too. Summer is filled with floaty bohemian dresses + skirts, and I've begun adding to my collection of 1970s dresses a little ahead of time:



Dress number one was a lucky thrift store find ($5.00 people!!) - it needs mending in a couple of places, but it's lovely nonetheless. Dress number two was an ETSY purchase from the very lovely Sally Jane Vintage.

Weekend homework: Let's collectively wish for spring, and it will be here in no time!!

Cuffed

I just came across these hand-painted and/or hand-wrapped bangles from Aramar this morning, and am already smitten. An armful of bracelets is an easy way to create a focal point for an otherwise plain outfit. And who wouldn't love to have some of these brightly colored, hand-crafted pretties dangling around their wrists?

It's difficult to choose, but I think my favorite is the yellow with the bicycle - it's just so bright and fun!

More designs in Aramar's ETSY Shop