FANCY SHMANCY: WOOD VENEER

Tumbleweeds Wood Veneer Sunglasses // I'm pretty sure Becca and Doug, the creators and masters of wood veneer eyewear, are geniuses. This couple works late nights to create stunning eyewear by hand. Their work is beautiful and has so much heart. These beautiful oversized round shades are definitely on my wish-list this year. One of my all-time favorite handmade shops!

Recover Remedies for Your Technology // A couple weeks ago, I received an iPhone case for my phone from Recover. They are a small business dedicated to making technology look elegant and distinct. I currently have this one and love it. I think there's something about using wood materials that make products like an iPhone case surprising and instantly loved. They also have a variety of products for your iPad and Mac AND do custom laser cut designs!

What are some of your favorite things this month?

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

Just got back from our little excursion to North Georgia. I like to joke with Jon that we are senior citizen vacationers because we LOVE a good lazy and relaxing vacation. Going up to the mountains for an extended weekend with no plans and plenty of groceries to stay in and cook is perfect. Instead of planning each day to the hour, we can just let the day go and do as we please. Take naps, read, play card games, cook, sit in the hot tub, watch movies, adventure outside. Whatever floats our boat. I am a HUGE theme park person, but a quiet trip to the mountains is one of my new favorite ways to vacation.

This week I'm starting back full-swing at my 9-5 job and with Maiedae. I'm a little anxious about transitioning back into everything but I'm absolutely ready to take this year on. I'm especially excited about this weekend because Jenny and I are flying to California to attend a video workshop and visit one of our best friends from college. I can't wait!!

Snapshot(s) of the Week: 1// New vinyl from Christmas. 2// Black and white flats from UO. 3// Jon on our New Years Eve date in the city. 4// Morning view from our cabin in North Georgia.

5 Favorite Posts:
* A Healthy Holiday - Hello There Home
* French Macarons - Tumbleweed
* Hair Extensions - A Beautiful Mess
* Watercolor Series - Jenny Highsmith 
* How to Start Living Your Life Instead of Working It - MindBodyGreen

Favorite Blog of the Week:
Emmadime - I've followed Emma for some time on Instagram, but recently started following her blog. I love how inspirational her space is and how beautiful the photography on her posts are. I also LOVE her design work.

Inspiring Me this Week:
The Study of Light - I just started this e-course as one of my learning points for the year. I really want to challenge my photography skills this year and learn how to really work with lighting. I'm so excited to dive in and start some artist portrait work following her tips from the e-course.

3 Things About Yours Truly:
* I've never been much of a bath person until recently. I LOVE a good bath, especially at night.
* I've worn the same thing several days in a row. ;)
* In my personal opinion, the Doctor (Doctor Who) is the best superhero ever.

LIVING WELL: INTENTIONS

Talking with a lot of my friends over the past couple months concerning the topic of wellness, one major theme we've discussed is the reasons why we choose to exercise and eat right. I can't count the number of times I've heard reasons of wanting to fit into a certain dress or wanting to look good for an upcoming event. Most of the reasons were temporary point "A" to point "B" goals. At first, my idea of being healthy was this perception that someone wasn't happy with something about themselves so they set to reach a particular weight loss goal to be happier. I often thought to myself, "Well what then? What happens after the goal is met? is that the time to stop working toward health & go back to our old habits?"

It wasn't until April of last year that I felt I really began to understand health and why it would be important in someone's life besides just reaching a particular goal. I began to realize that my body is a vessel and I should seek to love myself by giving my body the good things it needs; not to reach a certain goal, but to live a lifestyle of health. We are always told to be good stewards of our possessions and money, but what about being good stewards of ourselves? Is that being self-centered or is that striving towards being the "best you" so we can go out and live fully, do the things we are passionate about, and be a fantastic sibling, child, spouse, partner, and parent? I would argue striving to be our best selves is a way in which we can LOVE and DO more fully.

As the new year begins and as many of us make resolutions for health, I would challenge you to ask yourself what your intentions are for your wellness journey. Let's seek after lives where wellness is a "forever" journey, where we want to build habits that last a lifetime and that inspires those around us. Where we are willing to keep promises to ourselves and love ourselves enough to steward something so precious.

While reading one of my favorite books on health, Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr, I came across her thoughts on self-stewardship and loved how she inspired me to think about it:

“Picture yourself when you were five. In fact, dig out a photo of little you at that time and tape it to your mirror. How would you treat her, love her, feed her? How would you nurture her if you were the mother of little you? I bet you would protect her fiercely while giving her space to spread her itty-bitty wings. She’d get naps, healthy food, imagination time, and adventures into the wild. If playground bullies hurt her feelings, you’d hug her tears away and give her perspective. When tantrums or meltdowns turned her into a poltergeist, you’d demand a loving time-out in the naughty chair. From this day forward I want you to extend that same compassion to your adult self.”  - Kris Carr

So, let's do this thing! Let's care about and love our bodies. Let's be compassionate and caring to ourselves. Let's encourage ourselves with truth and seek to live BIG and fully.

Photo found here and edited by me. 

CAPTURED: LOVING THE CABIN LIFE

This weekend, Jon and I took a little trip up to North Georgia with our good friends Zach and Leah to stay a couple nights in a cabin to enjoy the mountains, rest, and spend time together. Last night on our way here, we got a little turned around on some of the "mountainy" gravel roads. I might have had a couple of those "we are surely in a horror movie" moments, but we eventually found our way to our beautiful cabin in the mountains.

When we got out of the car to start unloading our bags and armfuls of groceries, we looked up at the sky and were completely overwhelmed by its brilliance. Living in the city, the night sky is dimmed by all of the lights and hustle and bustle. There is nothing like the mountain sky. We all stood there, paused, just looking up for a moment before touring our weekend home.

The evening was spent mixing cocktails, playing board games, and laughing. This morning we made breakfast and took a little trip to downtown Ellijay, Georgia. We stopped in a couple antique stores, visited a local potter's shop and ate at an amazing little local restaurant called "Cantaberry". I went with the classic tomato basil soup and grilled cheese on sourdough. It was so, so good. After we got back, I took a little snooze and we have been spending the rest of the day reading and playing pool. So thankful we're here until Sunday!

1// Our view from the cabin in the morning.
2// Setting up a fire in the fireplace.
3// Snapshots from Cantaberry. I loved the lighting in this place.
4// A found postcard at an antique shop. It reads, "Dear Grandma & Grandpa, Don't you like the picture on the postcard, I like bears don't you? Love Gwendolyn".
5// Stopped on the side of the road to grab this shot. Love the sweet pup in the middle.

I'm not sure what our plans are for tomorrow, but I might try and convince everyone to take a little trip to the Wildlife Sanctuary and maybe do a little hiking in the woods?