this. lots of this.

 

 

Guys, if you are also getting to enjoy a three day weekend, I hope that you have a great one!  There is lots of relaxing to be had.  This weekend my Mama is coming to visit on Saturday (I'm homesick and nothing cures that better than seeing my mom for a little bit) and on Sunday B's best friend, Sean and his adorable wife Anna are coming to stay with us for a couple days.  All of that makes this weekend one of the best in my books.

 

See you on Tuesday!

my happiness project, vol. 3

I hope that you'll join me for your own Happiness Project.  Whether you  have pictures or just a list of a couple things that make you smile, link up with me below!

Drinks with my husband and his parents at a winery on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Beautiful architecture at the Hoyt Institute of Art.

Selfies with the husband.

An awesome mail day thanks to Harper's Bazaar and RocksBox.

Pretty tulips to brighten up a room.

A delicious dinner in a really cute place.

Pretty hanging flowers.

This guy.  Always this guy.

Link up below!

gallery opening.

Don't forget, tomorrow you can link up with me again for the Happiness Project.  You don't have to show pictures, just tell me in your post what makes you happy!

 

Over the weekend we attended a gallery opening at the local Hoyt Institute of Arts.  One of the new exhibits was about clothing- so of course it caught my attention.  While checking out the craftmanship of the pieces, a woman that had come into the room walked up to me and asked if I was also an artist.  I told her that sadly I wasn't, but I wished I was.  She then turned and walked really fast away from me.  She must only associate with artists...

Shirt: J.Crew Factor | Denim: American Eagle | Bag: School of Leather (Italy) | Shoes: Forever 21

Necklace: Forever 21 | Sunglasses: c/o Firmoo

 

 

B took these photos using my Samsung Galaxy Camera (http://bit.ly/vzwvoices).  I do love that it takes such clear, pretty pictures- even if it won't ever replace my beloved DSLR.  I also love that I got to turn the camera on my handsome photographer for once (even if he didn't appreciate it)- and that he took a picture of his shoes (yes, they are awesome, and yes, I bought them for him).

 

 

               

after venice.

I haven't worn this dress since we were in Venice on our honeymoon (I bought it in Rome).  This time I wore it to go out to dinner with B's parents while they were visiting.  The food was amazing and so was the company, but needless to say, I was definitely missing wearing it in Italy.  There are so many days when I really miss being there, and on our honeymoon.  Does everyone feel that way after their honeymoon?  And how long does it last?!  I feel like for the rest of our lives I may be saying "So, when can we go back to Italy?!"

You can see the pictures we took in Venice when I wore this dress here.  The pictures are much prettier :)

 Dress: Tezenis (Italy) (similar) | Shoes: Forever 21 (similar) | Bag: School of Leather (Italy) | 

Necklace: New York & Co | Sunglasses: c/o Firmoo | Ring: c/o RocksBox | Bracelet: Forever 21

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I mentioned earlier this month that my pal (and sponsor) Marianna was going to be showing at the Tulip Festival and I'm so excited that she was willing to share her experience with us.  Plus, extra input from her "assistant" Kelly- who I'm sure you know from her blog Enter Kelly.

From Marianna: I went into the show really not knowing what to expect. Sure enough, the day was full of surprises. Some good some bad. The good: meeting and networking with other vendors, getting to see client reactions to the jewellery, and best of all, spending time with the friends who came out to support me. The bad: the long hours, packing & unpacking everyday, and realizing a little too late that my target customer was not in attendance at the show. It all sums up to having an experience that I haven't really had yet as I sell almost exclusively online. I do have a new appreciate for the work that goes into organizing an event this size!

Special thanks to Kelly for stay positive and being the quickest product restocker I've ever worked with!



The display table.

From Kelly: Working with Marianna of Castellammare designs to sell her jewellery was a lot of fun! It made me realize how much I truly enjoy interacting with the public, and helped me to appreciate the time and effort it takes to work behind the scenes of a craft show. I loved being able to make a new friend, and Marianna is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. I think what I was most surprised about was how many people would browse, make comments about how nice the jewellery was, but not buy. I guess it's a lot like blogging in a way - so many people stop by to read, but not everyone takes the time to interact. Still, it doesn't mean you're not getting your name out there! She had business cards to make it easy for those who didn't want to purchase that day. Super smart move. I actually had such a great time, it was hard to come up with anything I didn't like! Except maybe standing. I am generally pretty lazy if I can get away with it, and I definitely needed a few sitting breaks. Thanks Marianna for letting me join you! It was a great way to spend a Saturday :)



Much deserved relaxing after a long day.

see, want, buy.

For awhile now I've been a Harper's Bazaar Style Ambassador (which I may or may not have mentioned here on the blog).  Last week they sent me this t-shirt that they had used during their Coachella party.  So even if I couldn't be at Coachella, at least I got to pretend I was there.  This shirt was super comfy (I love that it's a bit oversize on me) and was perfect for sitting at a winery on Saturday afternoon with my husband and his parents enjoying the drinks and company.

Ps... I have a sponsor offering you a pretty sweet deal at the end of this post, so you'll want to check it out!

Top: c/o Harper's Bazaar || Bottom: Banana Republic

Bag: New York & Co. || Sunglasses: c/o Firmoo

Necklace: Forever 21 || Watch: American Eagle

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I'm sure by now you recognized the name Dreaming Leo Designs around these parts.  I was really curious to get to know the girl behind the shop so I asked her a few questions...

1.  When did you start your shop?

I started my shop in 2011 but I have been beading since I was a little girl. My creativity and style have come a long way since then.

2.  Why did you start your shop?

I wanted to turn my growing hobby into a business. I have clientele through the twitter-sphere and a lot of them told me that I should start selling on Etsy. I realize it is difficult at times since there is so much competition. I have at least 200 pieces made sitting at home. I haven't uploaded them all to Etsy because I don't want to overwhelm my customers!

3.  How do  you come up with your designs?

I come up with them a lot of different ways. I either see a design I'd like to recreate and put my own spin on it, draw up a design or I stare at my supplies until something jumps out at me. I have 13 containers filled with beads/pendants/findings so that process takes awhile. I will also buy beads I like and then create something with them. I can't wait until I move into my house because I'll be able to come up with designs a lot easier. I'll have more space!

I love asymmetrical pieces, circles and color. All three of these factors can be seen in my pieces.

4.  What do you hope for the future for your shop?

I hope that my hobby can become a stable small business. I hope that people will buy a necklace from me and want more! This is why I don't mind doing giveaways of any pieces in my shop. It allows your customers to choose what fits their style. I just have to get my name out there and keep sponsoring amazing blogs like yours!

In honor of an upcoming rebrand, Rachael is offering you 25% off her clearance items!  AND a coupon code for 10% off orders of $30 or more!  Just use code 10OFF30!

VISIT THE SHOP.