friday faves: 5.13.11

before going on to all the other pretty things i found this week, i must share how big & beautiful my tiger lillies have become!

last tuesday they had yet to bloom.  one week ago they were just starting.  and now?  they are the definition of full and vibrant.  by far the best thing about being cooped up in an office on these sunshiney days!

but anyways . . .  a few things that have caught my eye over the past seven days . . .

design/decor

~ perfect way to display coffee mug collection ~

pretty sure i need this type of storage in my life.  yup, definitely need! 

i love coffee mugs (and have a huge mis-matched and totally awesome collection myself!) but hate that they are typically stowed away in a traditional kitchen cabinet with - sigh - doors.  but this solution from a canadian quirky-candyland, a.k.a. amy and keith's fabulous home, is beyond perfect.

 fashion

~ my faves at cannes, thus far ~

karolina kurkova ~ shining in armani privè

salma hayek ~ gucci glam [première couture]

fan bing bing - atelier versace

diane kruger ~ calvin klein

gong li's purple perfection ~ roberto cavalli couture

uma thurman as the feather goddess in versace

can't wait for more!  all images from red carpet fashion awards

etc

~ but i like, really can't wait to see this movie ~

bridesmaids!  hopefully one day next week... pic from the super hilarious site, but you're like really pretty

lovely links

~ a super cool photo series of feet on vaycay [feet first]

~ tree branch + lace + wedding = simply love

~ can someone please buy me the dude's cardigan at this auction??!  if you do, i'll get you princess beatrice's fascinator in return...  deal?  deal.

a weekend reminder...

the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

- eleanor roosevelt

p.s.  sorry for no giveaway tips this week!  i'm sure there's some fab ones going on right now but i just haven't had the time to search around.  hopefully next week all will be back to normal :)

friday faves: 4.15.1

here ya go, friday faves for mid-april day!  lots of pretty things for lots of pretty followers ~

design/decor

~ distressed pink bathroom cabinet ~

just love this - simple as that!  by graham & green [via]

~ suitcase stool & hatbox ottoman ~

 completely awesomesauce.  tons more similar upcycled furniture by REcreate

[discovered on lottie loves]

~ DIY twinkle light headboard ~

 unique, whimsical, seemingly easy to make.
see the directions here

fashion

~ leather & sundresses on marissa miller ~

 love this juxtaposition of hard and soft, and desperately wish i could pull it off - not quite sure i could... the leather would just look too out-of-place on my typically super fem self.  

image via the vogue diaries.

{pssst - want more? check out blake lively in a similarly awesome outfit}

fashion photography

~ circus love ~

*cite previous post on jessica stam @ circus

gorgeous photos from the editorial "magical mystery tour," shot by the incredible ellen von unwerth for vogue nippon.  

found on the terrier and the lobster

{psst - want more?  remember jessica stam at the circus??}

~ mirror-shot-love ~

i'm really just in love with this shot - everything about it, but mostly the awesome angles.  this is definitely something i'd like to try out in our next photoshoot!!

from elle uk april 2011 - model sessilee lopez shot by karen collins

see the whole breathtaking photo shoot here

 ~ elie saab editorial love ~

i'm pretty sure it's impossible not to fall in love with the designer after seeing gowns photographed this beautifully.  

[1. elie saab haute couture photographed by benjamin kanarek, from harper's bazaar china april 2011 - via; 2. olivia palermo wearing elie saab for elle mexico. photographed by steven gomillion & dennis leupold- via]

~ happy model love ~

i've previously expressed my love for happy models {exhibits: A, B, C} and this one definitely ranks way up high.  i mean, a bathing suit model doing something other than pouting or giving some other "sexyface" is a true treasure.  can't say it enough - love this pic!

model marloes horst

[via] 

etc

~ a double decker dress shop ~

woah, woah, woah... i read the story of the bus and now desperately want to find it!  not just to shop what will most likely be one of the cutest collection of dresses ever, but also to meet this erin character, who would most likely be one of the coolest and most inspiring women ever.  see more on happiness is..., where i first read about this bus.

~ paperie: papél new york ~

a little q & a with owner raegan hirvela ::

What is your aesthetic? I always had a vision of the shop aesthetic having a classic concept with a modern edge.   From our store fixtures and window displays to the products we carry, I look for items and ideas that are timeless. 

How does your studio style convey your professional aesthetic? Although the music is fun, the cards on the shelves get more than just a giggle, and Francesca my daughter is constant amusement for the customers, but when it comes to collaborating with a client, it’s all business.  We have a dedicated space in the back of the shop where the bride & groom can sit down, relax and flip through our edited selection of wedding vendors.  We created this space so that it was secluded enough for client meetings, while un-obstructing the flow of the store.   It allows first time customers a sneak peak into the customized world of stationery and invitations that we offer.  We achieved this with our room divider made of reclaimed coffee tables that I picked up at thrift shops and the Salvation Army across the city.  It is simply awesome!

 ~ *--*--*--*--*--*--* ~

must be added to my "maybe one day" file... [via]

- psst : the divider she speaks of is in the pictures i included above -

giveaways

~ lovely green necklace ~

by Friedasophie.  head on over to bijou and boheme to enter (with lots of chances for extra entries!!)

~ free blog header ~

i already have my own beautiful blog header from debby @ inspired design, but if you're in need of one, head on over to HERE and enter to get a gorgeous header of your very own!

*note: the header pictured above is just one of the many up for grabs!

~ adorable pink stand ~

loooooooove!  this cute stand is by stands for all seasons and is being generously given away over at moon face.  hurry on over to enter... no really, hurry -- the giveaway ends tonight!

~ a book on social change ~

for anyone interested in something a little more substantial than just pretty things, there is a giveaway going on over at from the right bank for the book, Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan.  i read the excerpt and this is seriously powerful - and way inspiring - stuff.

head here to enter

one last thought... 

“all you need is love. 

but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

- charles m. schulz

hope your weekend is filled with lots of love & lots of chocolate as well!!

~ kait

wedding wednesday: wedding belles editorial

the top models wearing the top bridal designs of the year.  what's not to love?!

jenny packham ~

elie saab couture ~

marchesa ~

alberta ferretti ~

 carolina herrera ~

 

 vivienne westwood ~

 and the piece de resistance - by dior haute couture of course -

just beautiful.

today's bridal & beauty inspiration brought to you by the may 2011 issue of vogue uk (shot by mario testino)

via thefashionspot, discovered on dustjacket attic

friday faves: 4.1.11

as promised - a longer friday faves than last week's brief list! 

design/decor/DIY

~ ruler picture frame ~

 i don't have the actual directions for how to make this adorable clip-frame, but i think i just may be able to figure it out.  let's hope so because it's seriously fantastic!  from the fab blog, the lettered cottage

~ french canvas decor ~

that i super duper want.

these beautiful works of art are created with old french dictionary pages.  my fave is the "je rigole, tu rigoles..." one.  my years of french taught me just enough to know that this is the conjugation for the verb "rigoler" which means to laugh.

fyi - the first print is the conjugation of vivre which means to live [merci, michelle!] and the third print conjugates dormir which is to sleep.  adorable!

[from lily and lime, found on the blog dear designer]

~ framing chic shopping bags ~

but only when they are exceptionally chic and worth showing off - e.g. hermes.  (remember i wrote about my love of this idea here)

 image from the coveteur, via the decorista

~ scrabble pillows ~

i also adore the choice of "cozy" rather than "love" which seems to be ubiquitous.
found here but original source (unfortunately) unknown

~ this little breakfast nook ~

i heart nooks of all kinds, definitely including adorable little kitchen nooks such as this one.  i mean, can't you just imagine yourself sitting on the corner booth, drinking your morning tea and looking out through that lovely window?? i sure can :)

image found here 

fashion/shoes/accessories/etc.

~ turquoise fabulosity ~

at first when i saw this posted on the blog simply designed and etsy finds, i wanted the perfectly practical (yet still beautiful) satchel with all my heart.  then 5 minutes later all i could think of was those comfy-cute moccasins.  so i've decided - both are needed in my life.  simple as that.

available at Boden

~ more of mila kunis @ the oscars ~

yes i know i already declared this elie saab creation to be mila's best dress this awards season, but i just couldn't help but share another pic it.  i mean, she is just perfection.  the dress is too actually.  [image found on the vogue diaries]

~ jamie chung, beautiful in bright yellow ~
gown by giambattista valli.  drop.dead.gorgeous.  'nuff said.
it's no surprise she was voted best dressed of the week by both readers of red carpet fashion awards & the fashion critic blogger herself ~

best dressed of the week, indeed. 
~ michelle trachtenberg = marchesa goddess ~

it's times like these that i wish i were michelle t.  now only is she beautiful & talented, but she is wearing marchesa at a ball about ballet.  life crush times a million.  [from rcfa]
oh wait, she was also voted BDOTW @ red carpet fashion awards, the week before jamie chung!  guess we're all on the same page these days :)

fashion photography

~ a model & an elephant ~

 i mean, come on! - how could you not love this image?!  i just find it captivating.  honestly.  can't stop looking at it...

model samantha gradoville and unnamed elephant model.  photographed by sean & seng for pop magazine.  via.

 ~ b&w portraits ~

stunning.  
the gorgeous model eniko mihalik, shot by lachlan bailey in vogue china march 2009  [via]

giveaways

~ hip, hip, hooray! ~

hey remember back in the day (erm, just a couple weeks ago) when i posted about a fab giveaway from sandy a la mode??

well... i won!

this was honestly the greatest part of a not-so-great week :)

* now onto some great giveaways you should enter *

~ the double whammy giveaway ~

 both $100 for gas money and $100 for clothes??  count me in!

enter for yourself over at shasta ann

~ simply lovely necklace ~

by lisbeth jewelry.  silver & rose gold, the perfect mixture & perfect level of simplicity.  can't help but desperately want it!  this beautiful necklace is being given away over at caroline & the city.

~ say it sweet giveaway ~

in honor of reaching 150 followers, the sweet lori over at penelope blue is hosting her first giveaway.  the winner gets their choice of an 8 x 10 print from the great etsy shop, say it sweet.  my fave is the picture shown above because i just love the english words: "i love thee with the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach."  love, love, love.

anyways, enter the giveaway for yourself here!

now a personal note...

 God is throwing quite a bit at me these days and this upcoming weekend of work will be the greatest test of my patience and endurance.  i am a strong believer that we are not given any more than we can handle, but that doesn't mean the "handling" part will be easy.  i know i will get through the weekend, but i also know that it will take nearly every inch of my energy.

so please, dear followers & visitors, send me some happy thoughts.  that's all - just some happy thoughts please :)