unique new york

a few quick things:

a) I went to see photographer Elliott Erwitt talk about some of his work (including the above photo) - it was incredible. 

So inspiring. Life-altering even.

go look him up. 

do it. 

b) I leave for beautiful New York city in a few short hours!

Im attending Blogshop hosted by Angela Kohler and Bri Emery of DESIGNLOVEFEST and Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo.

imsoexcited.

like literally giddy.

expect a super long post when I return/tackle the mountains of homework piling all around me... sometimes I feel like an involuntary scholastic hoarder... just me?

personal space

When I was a little girl, I dreamt of one day living in an opulent palace/castle thing complete with a stable full of unicorns and a balcony from which I could throw hanker-chiefs down to eligible young princes.

I soon experienced whats known as a reality check and decided I would settle to stay in my parents home. I promptly drew up detailed and proportionally-correct (or at least proportionally-correct for a 10 year old with skewed visions of artistic ability) architectural blueprints to completely remodel my bedroom. 

My renovations included a golden spiral staircase leading up through a hole in my ceiling into the attic, renamed “Kelsey’s Nook,” also subject to myriad improvements such as a built-in easy bake oven. This nook would be the root of the pride and joy of my little scheme – the balcony.

The balcony would house a white wrought-iron table and chair set, rose garden, and piano. My plan was to sit on said white wrought-iron chair and drink tea or perhaps play the piano and sing along (duh) and wait for the neighborhood boys to come a-flockin.

can you say GENIUS?

…….I can’t hear you……

When my my parents nixed the whole operation (my little mind was blown), I decided I would be ok with just the balcony.

The fact that my room was on the first floor was of minute importance to me.

Well. I never got my balcony. But that wasn’t the last of my hair-brained renovation proposals. I tried to install a microwave in my play house, build a bunk-bed nook type thing that necessitated a ladder – the list is endless.

I’ve since taken my desire to gut out every building in sight and toned it down a notch or five. Now I just like to nest.

nesting**: the process beautifying, personalizing, and cozying one’s personal space.

         **as defined by myself

And boy do I love to nest.

I have included some photographs of my post-nested personal space – enjoy!

one more thing - icleanedmyroomforyouguyswoahhashtaglove

 the shiny white surface of my desk reflects light and makes my room feel cheerful and bright. Also, that yellow vase may or may not have been my best purchase to date - 

thankyouverymuchIKEA

mixed prints and textures in vibrant colors create a relaxed, cozy, slightly bohemian vibe - think the magic room in A Little Princess.

(I'm sure you know me well enough by now to have assumed that this movie influenced a large part of my childhood....)

 a photograph I snapped during my travels in Italy - see more here!

my beloved pom pom garland. so much whimsy and happiness in such a tiny little puff

one of my inspiration boards and my collection of statement necklaces.

the quote under the black and white photo says:

 "There is nothing more comfortable than a caterpillar and nothing more made for love than a butterfly. We need dresses that crawl and dresses that fly."

love that. 

 lots of natural light + a sheep skin rug, a happy nest does make. 

its coming.

oh blessed be that very first day when you can walk to class without the texas sunshine beating the l i v i n ‘ daylights out of you, that first day when the crisp, cool nostalgic breeze brings to mind the memories of rusty leaves and worn in cords, that first day when you detect that slightest suggestion that autumn is on its way, when you walk outta CVS with a thick, fat September issue of Vogue, clutching it to your torso so as not to let the brilliant bright pages of fab fall fashion slip out and blow away in the blustery breeze–

i love fall.

clearly.

a few days ago, Austin was graced with a cold front. thats right my friends, today is a high of 95, low of 65; Im sitting outside right now in sub-zero temperatures at approximately 87 degrees. So if you ever doubted my love for you, think of the wind chill and frost bitten appendages I am suffering through to draft this post.

every year about this time, I am infected with an unmitigated itch for fall ready to wear. And believe you me, I am ready to wear riding boots, ready to embrace cashmere like a long lost sister, and ready to encase adorable outfits in equally  adorable outerwear.

I mean, I want to go to an office supply store and buy an economy sized pack of yellow number 2 pencils! And I feel this irrepressible need to order a powerful cup of joe at the local coffee shop with all the hipsters and construct some kind of diagram or read my man James Joyce. 

To conlcude, I’m super ready to go to school and get good grades.

mom, dad, santa are you reading?

And its all thanks to this incredible weather!

so in the spirit of the first day of fall, I give you….

my fall wish list*

*mind you, this is more like a ifiwonthelotteryfivetimes/gettinganyoneoftheseitemsisaboutaslikelyasfinidingaunicorn** kind of wishlist.

**for the record, I still have my fingers crossed about that unicorn. and also Hogwarts for that matter.

hello there, you incredbile, reality defying Gucci dress.

what is up, you sumptious, supple sensational boots – fyi I’ve been admiring you from afar for a while now…. perhaps this christmas is the  christmas.

(mom/dad I hope you’re reading this..)

and what is this? only the most gorgeous coat I have yet to encounter (excepting, of course my princess coat/prized possession at age 12 - similar to this).

 oh to wrap myself up in its sweet, golden (literally, figuratively, etc) embrace would be a toasty, cozy heaven in a field of marigolds. 

god bless you, ms. sander. 

woah nellie. 

NEVERINMYWILDESTDREAMSCOULDIEVERHAVEDREAMTOFSUCHASHOE!

ahh Celine, why do you continue to tease me with your wildly over-priced, yet still entirely covetable, practically necessary luxury items? (Classic Medium Flap Bag in Box Lagoon, im talkin to YOU!)

let's get geeky

Salutations! 

My apologies for the obnoxious jargon, I’m on a bit of an academic kick. The fall semester has begun, I have not yet missed a single class (I’ve made a bratty little habit out of truency…), and I am writing this post after a productive and most definitely possibly premature study sesh. This year (cue heralds and trumpets), I will be the most studious, diligent, responsible, timely, organized, focused– wow is that the new season of Big Love on Netflix?

just kidding. I’m super scholarly, I swear.

There is something about the fall that get’s me all inspired – when I was little, I would wander through the grocery store school supply section, dreaming up ways to color code subjects (red for math, green for Latin, purple for history… you get the gist) and searching for the perfect day planner. I would buy my back to school gear weeks in advance and then organize and reorganize to my little heart’s content.

canyousayOCD?

These days, not much has changed. I still hoop and holler over a superlative pen (Sharpie retractable pens are my faves - Sharpie execs, I would not say no to an endorsement deal - hit me up), tear up as I scrupulously fill out the first week in my monogrammed red Jon Hart day planner, and dream deliriously about one day owning an industrial-strength laminator. 

here are the new pedagogic paraphernalia currently at the top of my list for a successful start to the school year:

bright, cheery notebooks for quick reminders and to do lists (HUGE fan of to do lists - didn't see that comin, didja!)

glossy new Italian books.

be still, my heart. 

everything is better in technicolor. 

nothing says imanadorablegirlwithmyshittogether quite like Cath Kidston labels 

ever wonder what your life would look like squashed into a 9x7x1 inch box? 

it looks like this.

if you ever wanna know what I'm doing, where I'm going, who I'm with, or what I want, steal this book.  

but don't. I'll die.