In A Word...

Perfection.

via One Kings Lane

Bingo

I was in search of some color inspiration and I'm pretty sure I found it...

Bug-a-boo

I can't explain it... but I like it.

via Tory Burch

Antiquin'

About the only productive thing I did this weekend was hit up a few thrift stores and antique stores that I hadn't been in yet.  I still need so much stuff for my apartment and I haven't had much luck finding anything I love lately.  Well, anything that I love and can afford.

I did see some really cool stuff at Architectural Antiques and Design on Saturday.  Certainly not anything I'll be picking up anytime soon, but I would find a reason to open a store just to get that cash register.

Best. News. Ever.

Welp... this just made my Thursday.

Factory

I've always loved all things J. Crew, but I've only recently become obsessed with their Factory Store.  I'm fortunate enough to have one nearby, but the online selection is always really great, too.  And they know how to throw a killer sale once in a while, so that doesn't hurt one bit.  These are the looks I'm loving right now.

via

via

Now if only the fall would hurry up and get here...

Ch- ch- changesss

Well true to form, I haven't written in months.  But in my defense, I have been doing stuff.  Important stuff.  Like, I got a new job.  And then I went and got my very own, brand new apartment.  That's right folks, I'm a real live big girl with a place of her own!  It's not much to look at right now, but it's mine.  And while it would be nice to have the luxury of decorating/furnishing the place all at once, it's just not the world I'm living in right now.  So I'll continue to add in a piece or two at the time, and here's a little peek of what's next on my list...

via West Elm

Trellis from Target.  In love.

Gorgeous Faux Agate End Table, also from Target.

Nate Berkus for (who else?) Target.

It's like the Universe is speaking to me...

I posted a little creative inspiration earlier this week and then a few days later I stumbled upon this blog post by Chris Edington of SLANT Media, a creative marketing and design firm in Charleston and Greenville. 
 

via SLANT Media

Lately I've been struggling a lot with my career path, or more accurately, lack thereof.  I have a degree and experience in my field of interest... I even had a job using that degree (a rare feat these days) up until last year.  I traded it in for something else.  For personal and financial reasons, it was the right move at the time but I have spent the entirety of my new employment longing to return to a creative environment.

A large part of my struggle, much like everyone else, is figuring out what I want to be when I grow up.  I have always been passionate about design and I often think that's what I should pursue.  The obstacle at first was limited access to Adobe Creative Suite.  It's not exactly the most reasonably priced program on the market and they only let you download those free trials so many times.  But even now that I have those beautiful little icons sitting on my desktop, they've been clicked less times than I care to admit.  

I know I am the only thing holding myself back.  The seemingly gargantuan task of learning the different keystrokes and techniques intimidates me.  And being the perfectionist that I am, I worry that I won't be great right away.  I've been putting off diving back into it again but reading this article helped me to realize why I shouldn't.

Am I creative enough?
Well, it is a word others have used to describe me before... so that totally counts, right?

Will I ever be good at it?
As with anything, practice makes perfect.  Duh.

I don't even know what to make. 
Fortunately, I don't have to.  Not yet, at least.

It was exactly what I needed to hear and the timing could not have been more perfect.  It's like this guy just gets me.  I mean, he quotes Bob Ross for crying out loud.  Do I really need to say anything more?

For the week ahead...

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is my absolute most favorite time of the year.  Everything about it makes me giddy as a school girl, and the news of Target's holiday collaboration with Neiman Marcus is no exception!

 The always lovely Lela Rose.

OBSESSED with these Jason Wu ornaments!

Perfect set for the holiday season by Altuzarra.

 Let's be honest... probably the only way I'll ever be able to afford Proenza Schouler.

I currently do not own a dog but I know for a fact that I will sometime in the next few years.  Is it crazy to buy an Oscar de la Renta water bowl that far in advance?

 There are not even words for how in love I am with this Tracy Reese top.  None.

 The perfect cocktail dress for a holiday soiree by Robert Rodriguez.

I seriously had no idea how much I loved Tracy Reese until I perused this collaboration, but yeah... I think it's a match made in heaven.

Santa, consider this my Christmas wish list!

images via

Loving These

I want one in almost every color, but these two are my faves...

via

Loren Hope

Stumbled upon their Fall Lookbook somewhere and now I'm hooked... Gorgeous jewelry, even more gorgeous photos.  Love it.

Ya Make Me Wanna...

... run get a Pentax, quit my job and become a professional photographer.  Like, today.

Via these lovely folks

Thrill Murray

Coolest coloring book ever.

Loving These...

Comedians.  In cars.  Getting coffee.

What's not to love?

Smash

The Ardent Sparrow is a blog I have followed for a while.  It's not one of my daily reads, but I always try to go back and catch up on whatever I've missed when I can.  I was in the middle of doing just that last night when I happened upon this...

via

It's called a Smash Portfolio and she found it at Walmart the other night.  I tore apart two Walmarts today trying to find one myself and had no luck, so I ordered mine from their website instead. 

They're made by K&Company and come in a variety of flavors.  I got the orange one, which is featured in the video below.  Cannot wait for it to get here!

Florals & Stripes

Been loving this look for a while and once pay day rolls around this week, I plan on making it mine with this little beauty...

1/2/3/4

Darling Design

While catching up on some of my usual blogs today, I stumbled upon a lovely little shop called Design Darling.  It was just casually referenced in a post on a lovely being and had I been skimming over the post or not paying attention, I would have totally missed it.

But fortunately, I did not.

photos via

i'll tumble for ya

Somehow I had no idea that Target had their very own Tumblr.  It's called On The Dot, and I gotta say...

Mama likes.