pretty picture: strong dancers

there are no words to describe how moved i feel after seeing this photograph.  wow.

taken by the incredibly talented marcus roy hoffman

pretty pictures: jennifer lawrence for flare

she is just so gorgeous.

shot by max abadian for flare, june 2011

via fashion gone rogue

one more look at my fave pic:

etc: leaving on a jet plane...

...don't know when i'll be back again.

well, that's a lie.  i'll be back on the 15th.  and i'm actually leaving tomorrow, not today, so i don't know if that lyric quite fits.

but anyways. 

i'm writing this post because i'm going to be MIA for the next week and a half and i want you all to know that i'm not forgetting about you!  i have really come to love this blog, and to love all you sweet readers and your great comments, and of course - your own great blogs.  so this is my fair warning that it'll be a bit before i'm back.  until then, i've done something i really really don't like to do: schedule posts.  only a few, and only because i'd love to come home to some comments from you all!  typically i don't do this but i'm making an exception for china.  forgive me?  and promise to keep reading?!

that's it for now -- time to do many loads of laundry, some last minute shopping, and then manic packing!  i won't look quite this vintage-lovely and effortlessly chic and put-together when traveling tomorrow, but this fabulous photograph is still worth viewing as some packing inspiration ~

oh yes, maybe one day!

completely beautiful image from we heart it, via the simply luxurious life

wedding wednesday: balloon engagement

yes, i know that my segment is titled wedding wednesdays, but engagements precede weddings, as do engagement photo shoots, so it's all good.  actually it's all very, very good.  because it's simple and sweet and playful and whimsical and.... and filled with BALLOONS!  and we all know how much i love balloons!  so take a gander and enter the magical world of balloons & the beauty of love ~

and my fave ~

it's very sixteen candles... but with balloons.  so it's even more awesome.

beautiful photo shoot brought to you by brittany esther

pretty pictures: holiday

it's no big secret that i love audrey hepburn.  i even went through a stage where i watched breakfast at tiffany's multiple times a day, for roughly 2 months.  not just because of audrey but let's face it - she is the one that made holly golightly holly golightly.  i loved her before this time, but after she/holly got me through such a difficult time, i began to adore her on an even deeper level.  maybe that sounds strange or slightly idolatrous but it is what it is - i love audrey hepburn.  i idolize audrey hepburn.  i aspire to be like audrey hepburn.  audrey hepburn is grace, compassion, intelligence, talent, and natural beauty, in the purest form.  someone to look up to, someone to emulate.  oh, audrey, audrey, audrey...

she is an original.  often copied, never reproduced.

so i'm not always the biggest fan of audrey as a halloween costume, audrey look-a-likes, or celebs doing photo shoots trying to replicate traditional "audrey" poses.  [remember emma roberts in glamour?  no offense little emma, but no thank you, i'll stick with the original]  so just imagine my surprise when i saw this editorial, published in tatler magazine, and liked it! 

and the craziest part?  the model who i actually think captured audrey's fun and carefree spirit is phil collin's daughter!  crazy unexpected.  and crazy cool.  can't wait to see what she does next!

credit for this beautifully shot editorial go to photographer robert erdmann.
from tatler uk, june 2011; images found on tfs, first discovered on dustjacket attic

pretty pictures: one fine day

adore this 1960's-esque family themed photoshoot.  not just the styling, not just the background, not just the modeling or fantastic photography... but mostly because i see it & have MAJOR lifestyle envy!  i want to be the subject of the shoot - i want her life!  just take a look ::

fave fabulous photography:  pictures in the field - lovely; the title image by the pond - adore the wind effect
fave modeling:  that great pose against the red car where model eveline is putting on her shoe - great "caught in the act of something completely normal while looking completely glam" shot;
smiling, smiling, smiling!  we all know how i feel about models who are allowed to smile!! {exhibits: A, B, C, D ... wow my collection is growing!  awesome.}
fave fashion: long sleeve lace dress by lisa ho - in second pic (as well as the kissing-in-the-field one); unbelievably gorgeous burberry (obviously!) coat in that last image.
and... major lifestyle crush pics: well other than just saying "all," i suppose i can narrow it down to mostly the last two.  i'd love to be the lovely young model with the sweet husband, lil dog, and completely a-dor-a-ble daughter! 

all-in-all -- this photoshoot gets the "kait stamp of approval."  major time.


editorial published in madison magazine, april 2011.  photographer nick scott, styled by nicole bonython-hines.  models eveline & charlie. [via the always great dustjacket attic]

pretty pictures: imaginary fantastic bizarre

incredible photography tim walker shot an editorial for vogue italia and i really couldn't be more in love with it's surreal, whimsical beauty ~

lotsa, lotsa love for this photo shoot, *especially* the first.  what's your fave?

tim walker for vogue italia; images via

pretty pictures: harpers bazaar uk april 2011

just a couple photos from a gorgeous photo shoot in harper's bazaar uk, april 2011, featuring the gorgeous - and pregnant! - eva herzigova ~

 a natural goddess, indeed.

photographed by the talented michelangelo di battista

see the whole editorial here

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