A blogging break

40 days. It was an accident, mind you, the 40 day break and by no means has it been a spiritual quest, just merely coincidental. I  happened to notice today that it has been 40 days since my last post and I realized that it's high time I explain myself.

Exactly 40 days ago (the day before my 30th birthday), I traveled to GA to be with my twin sister who was in the hospital after suffering a fall. She was 7 months pregnant and the fall caused some complications and, at the time, I was very worried so I took a week off to be with her. Thankfully, she is doing well and baby is due in September, as expected. But during that week, I took a break from everything to care for her and her family. I stopped blogging and, much to my surprise, I was happier for it.

I never intended to quit blogging. You don't start a journey like this with the intention of quitting or giving up. And yet, the separation from this space has been easier than I expected. Somewhere along the way posting began feeling like a job. The more pressure I put on myself to perform, the less enjoyment I received from the process. I already have a career that I invest a lot of time into and it took a family emergency for me to realize I've been spreading myself too thin and excelling in very little.

I've hit pause on this space in order to find some clarity. Ideally, I'd like to keep to posting but only when it feels right and only when I have something exceptional to share. In the meantime, you can find me on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. And you can follow my Etsy faves here. As always, thank you for your kind words and support. Your readership has made these 4 1/2 years well worth it.

image: Kiko Mizuhara by Anders Edström for AnOther S/S 2012 (via here)

Wise Words: Love you so

Gorgeous hand lettered print by Shannon Kirsten. Words adapted by only one of the best books ever.

Find more hand lettering and typography love right here. 

Art: Sophie Rae

When I was in art school, introduction to printmaking was a class that, no matter how hard I tried, I simply could not wrap my head around. The patience to work through the process is something I really admire especially when the end product is something as vibrant and engaging as the work of Bristol based artist Sophie Rae. Inspired by her time in India, these prints are created from hand cut stencils and oil paint rolled on paper. You can read more about Sophie's unique process here and check out her full portfolio here. Aren't these colors stunning?  

Gift Ideas: Cutting Boards

You can't go wrong with choosing a great cutting (or cheese) board as a housewarming, host, or wedding gift. Here are three places to shop, that in my humble opinion, are a cut above the rest:

Milled Home Good Co. ($40-$70): Constructed by locally fallen maple trees in Michigan and cut and sanded by hand, these cheese boards are finished with a touch of color giving them a fresh and modern feel. I love that these can be displayed on the wall, thanks to a leather cord, when not in use.

AHeirloom ($48): For a more personalized option or for those that appreciate a bit of kitsch, this Brooklyn based shop offers cutting boards in each of the 50 states' shapes. The cutting boards are made in the USA of bamboo. Hawaii would make an interesting cheese display for sure.

Richwood Creations ($48-$56): Operating out of Richwood, West Virginia, Richwood Creations is a not-for-profit wood business "founded...in an effort to create sustainable funding for Young Life Ministries" in their area. I like the laser engraved patterns and the choices of wood (many of the pieces are made from reclaimed lumber) and as well as the different size options. You can read more about this company's mission here.

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6 things

1// linen jumpsuit $148 by les efants sauvages 2// thank you card $4 by honey honey scripted 3// cushion cover $38 by skinny laminx 4// pendant light $49 by junkyard lighting 5// folkland font $20 by shh maker design 6// vintage lettered necklace $22 by diament jewelry

Have you seen the new format for curating and organizing Etsy favorites yet? The layout is similar to Pinterest and I'm digging the ability to sort and view similar items at the same time. You can see all my 2000+ (mostly unorganized) favorites right here.

Summer Color: White

1// shoes $80 2// dress $72 3// wallet $78 4// tank $78 5// necklace $72 6// espadrilles $28 7// shorts $54.50 (sale) 8// belt $42.50 9// jeans $120 10// ring $94

Easy, breezy, way-to-stay-cool summer whites. I'm shy about wearing white thanks to my two dogs and their dirty paws (not to mention my propensity to be a messy eater, especially when wearing white) but if you can manage to keep it clean, what's better than a white sundress on a hot summer day?

Other summer colors I'm loving this year: ruby red grapefruit and spearmint.

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Art: Iris Schwarz

Illustrations by Zurich based artist Iris Schwarz. Prints of her work are available in her shop Maison Paulette and you can see more of her sketches (like the second image) on her flickr page. I'd really love to have this print hanging in the house. 

p.s. Happy July!!!