...BATMAN

I would like to introduce you to Batman, our new black lab mix puppy! We adopted him two weeks ago and he's gone from shy and mellow to full-blown puppy (read: crazy). He loves to chew on everything, especially any clothing I am wearing at the time, and he loves to snuggle on the couch after he's worn himself out. When he's old enough we will take him to the dog park across the street, which he stares at lustfully on our walks. 

Last Thursday we took him to puppy kindergarten and it was the best hour of my life. 15 pups running around was just hilarious and amazing. I recommend renting a puppy for an hour so you can participate. 

This explains a little bit of my radio silence for the past couple weeks, but as I type I'm in my room with ALL of our furniture while some water damage is being repaired and new wood (read: laminate) floors are being installed! So life is crazy. I'm handling it well I promise. Playing with the cutest puppy ever does help relieve some stress.

...typography

Some gorgeous examples of typography I've seen around the interwebs...enjoy :)

be a deer - be a nice human print  //  reason to read  //  my pinterest

...monthly subscription boxes

Have you guys gotten swept up in the subscription box frenzy yet?! A couple years ago, right when Birch Box first started, I jumped on the bandwagon and I loved it! It was only $10 a month and I got a cute little present delivered to my door! But eventually I actually grew tired of having so many samples laying around and cancelled it. And noooow while writing this post I'm thinking about how I kind of miss it? Its a weird weird place inside this brain.

So during a snow day a couple weeks ago, a friend sent me a whole bunch that she thought were super cute! She was doing some research...on which ones she wanted to subscribe to...so I stole her suggestions! PS - this definitely isn't a sponsored post, just a fun one. i simply love is nowhere near that level (hello to my 6 readers!).

Glossybox is like a more upscale version of Birch Box, its more pricey, but the reviews are consistently high and you get more premium samples.

Wantable Intimates Box sends you four undergarments, socks, adorable lingeries each month. How cute of an idea is that?!

Dollar Shave Club will deliver razors to your guy each month and has the best video on their homepage. Just watch it and you will want to subscribe. Amazing.

Nature Box is featured on Cup of Jo all the time and looks REALLY good. However, I just can't seem to justify spending that money on snacks...a girls gotta save up her ice cream money somehow.

...braids

I am hopelessly terrible at doing anything to my hair besides blowdrying it. I recently forced myself to learn how to curl it so I could keep my girl card (is that a thing, I'm making it a thing). So that was an accomplishment. I keep seeing these awesome pins of braided hair and I want to do it! Someone come help me!

This tutorial has been super helpful, and just some good old practice! 

1. cupcakes and cashmere - and here's the tutorial

2. lauren conrad - I can't find the source, anybody know?

3. boho braid

...the fancy sweatershirt

Are you starting to sense a theme of laziness in my style? Loungewear, baggy sweaters, I need to go buy a freakin silk blouse and some tailored pants. However, I want to marry the person that started this trend, because they are absolutely brilliant and my new idol in life (right behind the creator of samoas). 

patterson maker/madewell  //  cardigannewyork but out of stock so my pinterest 

...a fun freelance project

When the government shut down happened and I was out of work for two weeks (#thankscongress) a friend's mom called and offered me some fun freelance work! It was such a wonderful surprise and ended up being a super great project.

Potomac Arts Academy and Acting for Young People (AYFP) needed a comprehensive brochure of their Summer Arts Programs for 2014. This was the first year they've combined forces to print and send out their calendar and description of programs so it was quite the project! 

I developed some custom icons to use for the types of programs and carried their colors and themes through the publication. I was fortunate enough to work with some AWESOME people and just had a great, creative, challenging time.

Check out the cover and a couple interior spreads below, and here's a pdf of the whole catalog if you're curious :)

...this weekend!

This weekend you could...

WEAR  //  REPEAT (pinterest)  //  TRY  //  MAKE

...design crush - le parcel

"Nature's gift stinks so we'll give you a better one." Hilarious and brilliant. Le Parcel is a monthly subscription box for you monthly...how cute is that?!

All cuteness aside, I am seriously obsessed with the design of this website! Its so fresh and minimal, but girly enough to represent the brand. These monthly subscription boxes are all the rage right now (I used to get birchbox and loved it!) and thanks to my friend Alisa who has discovered a ton of awesome ones, we will be bringing you a couple suggestions on le blog. 

...some good cozy loungewear

I spent the last week with either the worst cold ever, strep, or walking pneumonia - the jury's still out on that one. But I definitely picked the best week be stuck at home because I totes binge watched the Olympics and Veronica Mars (who wants to go see the movie with me, besides Jake?). I also lived in leggings similar to these from Jack Wills (I call them sweater leggings for lack of a better phrase). Like I think I wore them for three days straight, disgusting, I know. In addition to the baggy sweater, something I excel at is loungewear. I can rock some barely acceptable to leave the house in leggings and Uggs boots (I don't actually leave the house like that I promise) like its my job. 

Jack Wills  //  image credit

...Valentine's Day (sorta kinda?)

While I am an extremely sappy human, Valentine's Day has never been my favorite. Though I can get behind a holiday centered around chocolate, much like NYE, it always seemed like mine fell short of expectations. 

Most of my favorite February 14ths have been spent with girlfriends, cooking, eating burgers, or going out for drinks. Last year, my first with Casey, we had tickets to Mumford and Sons he got me as a birthday prezzie, so basically nothing will ever top that. Ever. 

But we did start a new tradition. Eating cheeseburgers. We grabbed Five Guys before the concert and I love any excuse to eat a cheeseburger so that decided what we will do for the rest of our Valentine's Days. This year we're trying a new burger place (hopefully its not packed with people who stole our idea) and I am pretty excited. It is a nice day to remind yourself why you love the one you're with, no  matter who is it. Though my sappy self does that possibly too much.

So happy Valentine's Day bunnies! I hope its fun, no matter what you're doing. But if you don't have plans, you should watch Crazy, Stupid, Love.

image credit

...the oversized sweater

An oversized sweater and skinnies/leggings/pleather jeggings (yep) has literally been my winter uniform. I dare you to find a more comfortable, cozy, AND socially acceptable outfit. If I'm going out on the town, I thrown on some high heeled booties, otherwise boots or these Frye chukkas are my jam. I learn the hard way at the beginning of each winter that flats quickly allow your feet to freeze...

Also - don't be scared of the men's side of H&M, I've found many a cozy sweater over there.

image 1 //  image 2

...the best waffles

This recipe is no joke. I come from a long line of waffle-makers. I have so many memories of my grandmother making us waffles for breakfast on weekends.

Now, my mom can also make a mean waffle. A lazy, coffee drinking, waffle making morning has become standard for weekends at home in Charlottesville. And then we freeze the waffles and I steal them to eat all week for breakfast. So you see, I come by it naturally, the love for waffles.

I am finally the owner of a waffle iron and have been making this recipe for a couple weeks, freezing them and eating one every morning for breakfast. Casey eats two, because he's fat (just kidding, its because he's a boy and they eat more right?) But the best part is that they are SUPER healthy, like as healthy as a waffle can really get unless you blend up some spinach and throw it in the batter. (If you do try that let me know how it goes.)

This recipe is based off a full on vegan recipe from my fav blog Minimalist Baker, but I changed them a bit to add real eggs and greek yogurt.

The Tastiest Waffles Ever
2 eggs
2 tbsp molasses
5.3 oz (one small container) greek yogurt
2 tbsp coconut oil (you could use canola)
1 tbsp baking powder
5 tbsp brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup almond milk, more if you think its needed (feel free to use whatever milk is your fav)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond meal (I buy this at Trader Joe's, its the cheapest I've found)

Mix together first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, then add the almond milk, flour, and almond meal. It makes a good amount of waffles, and just stick whatever is left in the freezer!

So, oddly enough, I find these better after they've been frozen and put in the toaster to be reheated, but they're just all around delicious. My favorite topping is almond butter and a little bit of maple syrup, Casey's fav is peanut butter and bananas. 

...buffalo plaid

I didn't impulse purchase a buffalo plaid Madewell shirt and I am SERIOUSLY regretting it, because it disappeared 2 weeks later. So for now, I'll lust after these...

coat - j.crew (sold out)  //  image credit

...these current obsessions

Guys this is a nasty cold winter and I'm depending on a couple things to get me through it.

Gone are the days of wearing flats, and now I'm on a constant rotation of boots. These Frye chukkas are a fun way to mix things up without losing any toes.

Coffee. Because it is warm and delicious. Always.

This smitten kitchen warm potato and lentil salad recipe. I want to make it asap, it looks cozy. Can food look cozy?

Bobbi Brown bronzer that doesn't make you look orange at all, just like you saw the sun once this week (did you? because if so, I'm jealous.)

Don't these muffins look all sorts of amazing?

Frye chukkas  //  coffee - my instagram  //  Bobbi Brown & Kate Hudson photo //  smitten kitchen potato lentil salad  //  Minimalist Baker banana crumb muffins

...a plain white t

Nothing says casual and everyday easy fashion like a white t-shirt and a sequin skirt, am I right ladies?! 

But that is exactly why I love a perfect white t, because it can be worn with a full on sequin maxi skirt or sleek linen pants and look so effortless and just beautifully simple. I also still love the look of a white t-shirt peeking out from underneath a sweater. Plus, that's a survival technique for the current frigid temps - layers.

1. pinterest (anyone know where this image is from?)

2. aBree Fashion

...a cute engagement gift

I have to admit I borrowed (or stole) this idea from my friend Ashley, but what a brilliant idea for a fun, easy engagement gift idea without having to deal with any of the cutesey "you're engaged!" stuff floating around out there. For that matter, this works well as a congrats on any exciting life news (except maybe a pregnancy?).

Also - prosecco is always the way to go. Always.

tote bag

prosecco (trader joe's has a great, cheap bottle)

...storefronts

A beautifully designed storefront can literally pull you into their space. I can usually tell if a store will be my style by the outside (totally judging a book by its cover). This easily works with restaurants too! That farm to table, subway tile filled kitchen look will lure me in every time. These are a few that would make me stop...

1 - bryant ross
2 - camille teruin
3 - 70 percent pure

...simple designs

Sometimes (in my opinion most times) simple is just the best.

1. the only mention of this design I could find, but its fantastic

2. take over time