jen's pick, cottage living

I love this space. I dream of one day having a second house...hopefully somewhere in California...hmmm, maybe in the desert somewhere...oh ya, and it will have a pool that we can laze around sipping fresh pressed lemonade, and munching on homemade guacamole that we brought home from the farmers market that morning....ahhh, I love daydreaming!
I am drawn to the fresh colors, and look of built in comfort...a space that is welcoming and lived in.
Enjoy!....and may you all get a chance to sit back and daydream for a few moments this weekend...it is good for the soul.

Thanks Jen, this suits you to a t!

photos-Country Living.

I love 'jens pick' this week, what a fabulous wedding..

I recently came across these images while perusing my favorite photographer, Orangegirl's blog. She photographed the most amazing wedding at Emerald Lake, BC in July. I love every little detail of the wedding. It was styled to perfection + not missing a thing! I love the mixes of traditional and modern, and a little of the unexpected...like the pinwheel bouquets from Etsy seller Rule 42, and the J.Crew bridesmaid dresses and groomsman attire...simply stunning.We are so fortunate to have had a family photoshoot with Orangegirl, last August....she is an incredibly talented and adorably sweet woman + photographer. I am so thankful for the beautiful moment in time she captured for our family.

orange girl photographs

Jen

jens pick, outdoor space

A stunning outdoor space.
I am daydreaming about gathering a group of girlfriends here for brunch, or perhaps a bridal luncheon....sharing memories from the past + giggling our morning away!....I hope that you too, can take yourself away for a moment to this delightful place....who would you invite + what would be on the menu?....Enjoy your weekend.

images-Traditional Home.

{guest blogger} jen's pick. party planning

I love a great celebration. {~who doesn't love an excuse to bring friends together to enjoy some yummy snacks + lots of giggles!~}. Our sweet baby girl will be celebrating her second birthday at the end of July....so, I have been spending some time online looking for inspiration for her party. I hope you enjoy these adorable ideas that I found over at Juicy Bits (http://juicy-bits.typepad.com/)....they are simply too cute!

jens pick, a practical + functional entry

it is the season of muddy feet, running through sprinklers, rolling in the grass, digging in the sandbox + making mud pies....so, having an entryway that is capable of capturing that little one before they trail dirty feet through the house is oh-so important. I am all about a practical, hard working entrance {..think, pretty pulling double duty....has to look good on the surface but be very practical-lots of storage, a place to sit + a space to strip off a 3 year olds clothes so they can hit a sudsy bath after a long day of playing!}

maybe today is a good day for a picnic?! {ok, well maybe another day here since it is raining this morning!-have a splendid week!}

all images House + Home.

jens pick, laundry

This week I thought it would be nice to step outside of the rooms that get all of the attention, and take a peek inside some laundry spaces that I am loving.
Most of us have our laundry hidden away....I think it is time to give the hard working washer + dryer duo the attention the rest of our homes receive.
I am hard at work coming up with some solutions for our laundry area, which thankfully has great bones....lots of counter space for folding, cabinetry for storage, a double sink and a high ceiling...but it wreaks blah, and screams practical function....I want to pretty it up!

Enjoy these lovely laundry rooms....personally, I could spend all morning in any one of these with a steamy cup of tea and heaps of dirty clothes!

xo.

*photos courtesy of Canadian House + Home.

jens pick, san francisco

san francisco.
one of the places that i adore.
shopping. great eats. unique architecture. wonderful people.
{did I mention the great shopping + wonderful food?!}

one of my favorite spots to hit is the farmers market at the ferry building along the embarcadero. it is open three days a week, so your chance of hitting it even on a short visit is pretty good....seriously, could it get any better than wandering the aisles, taking in all of the fresh, organic + local produce...all the while breathing in the salty ocean air....aahhh, take me away!

jens pick, black doors

I am drawn to these images of black interior doors...I love how grounding they are within neutral decor.
Do you ever wish that you could just start over from square one and design your dream home from the ground up...every little nook...maybe this is why I dream of one day owning a second home...I love our existing home, but there is always something that you want to change {even when you just finished changing it, and swore that you would be happy with it for longer than 2 weeks! lol!}

xo
Jen

Jen, I couldn't agree more! I am this close ( fingers pinched very closely together ) to doing our front + back doors :)

all images, Canadian House & Home

{jens pick} stella + dot

Stella + Dot have mastered the creation of stunning + unique jewelery pieces at reasonable price points....and now they have gone one step further with the launch of their Little Girls line...simply precious! I am thinking that my little Miss H, may be getting a little something for her birthday this summer! {I am thinking I may be sad that they won't fit me too!}
xoxo

{ jens pick } babycakes

if i play my cards right i will be enjoying one of their {babycakesnyc.com} scrumptious cupcakes {okay, more likely 3 or 4} in a couple of weeks....i have been coveting their cookbook, but decided to be patient and buy one directly from the bakery when we visit NY in a couple of weeks. Being on a gluten free diet means that i cannot just walk into an ordinary bakery and pick out a treat...but, at babycakes they specialize in gluten free....oh gosh, i am beyond excited!!

xo.

jens pick { country home }

Oh what i would do if I had an old farmhouse to fix up...I am loving 'sarah's house'--hosted of course, by one of my favorite designers Sarah Richardson.
Her spaces are truly flawless in my eye....I could move into any one of them!
{don't you love the whimsy of the numbers on the stair risers?!}

xo j.

Jen, I couldn't agree more! I"m loving the antlers in the kitchen + the numbers on the stairs.. you have great written font, can you come do my painted basement steps for me?! xo

all images via Sarah's House on facebook

{ jens pick } prints

I love ETSY!

Penny People offer these wonderful prints that provide a bold splash of color to brighten up your child's play space or bedroom...how do you pick just one?!

xo.
j.

( I see the difficulty - these are gorgeous Jen! + sophie the giraffe! I took one of those to Lori!)

{ jens pick } little blue box

Smitten.
I have a special place in my heart {+ around my neck, wrist + fingers!} for Tiffany's.
I have a new found love for pearls...I believe that pearls can adorn any outfit...yes, that means that I wear pearls with my jeans...it is kind of like using the fine china every day....why not?!

Jen, you made me think of this image..
( now we all want to know - did you get a little treat on your holiday? xo