One Year Anniversary Gift

I am a big fan of gift giving, so before our first wedding anniversary in October, I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to give to Jeff. Something meaningful, personal, and preferably made of paper were high priorities on my list and I scoured Etsy for options. I hadn't found anything that I had to buy, until a former classmate shared a project that she had created on Facebook. Jessica Crowell is a fellow Oregon alum who had recently started a new career as a letterer and illustrator. On my first visit to her website and blog, I spent an hour looking through all of her posts and I was sufficiently in love when I reached out to her to inquire about a custom piece of my own.

I knew I wanted to incorporate colors from our wedding or our bedroom - silver and gray with pops of either purples or blues - and the song "You're All I Need to Get By." In my opinion, a duet is a perfect wedding song. It incorporates two voices, two points of view, the two parts that make a whole. Marvin and Tammi sing about love, sacrifice, and inspiration, and the music is guaranteed to get your foot tapping. This song means a lot to me and my relationship with Jeff and I knew I would be happy to see the lyrics hanging in our home every day. We ended up settling on silver and blue to match our bedroom decor and as soon as I saw the depth of color and texture in the flowers, I knew it was the perfect choice.

Jessica was immediately on board with whatever I wanted to accomplish. She had great ideas about how to include the most important lyrics, she was willing to experiment with colors and accents, and she was delightful through and through. She was efficient in sending me samples and answering my questions, and when she sent me her first draft, it was better than I had imagined. I don't think I've ever been so excited for a gift to arrive! I found beautiful blueish gray wood frames at Michael's and presented these to Jeff on our anniversary getaway in McCall. They now hang over our bed and we admire them constantly.

Thank you, Jessica, for this perfect gift! I highly recommend working with her on any custom projects.

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At Home with Modani

If I love anything, it's a good style collage, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to create my dream contemporary living room utilizing a few home products from Modani, a furniture company specializing in affordable modern pieces. I have a few rules when it comes to home decor and fashion - I like things simple, clean, and most importantly, comfortable. I love neutral pieces with pops of color, a little pattern mixing, and personal touches. My living room is filled with beloved books, art, keepsakes from family and special trips, and lots of photographs. I also love curling up with Jeff and our pups, so a cozy and welcoming space is key. For this collage, I tied together the modern lines of Modani furniture with my favorite accessories that turn a room into a home. Check out Modani's modern sofa collection for more inspiration!

Happy New Year!

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One week into 2015 and it already feels like it's going to be a whirlwind year. We spent the holidays on both sides of the country, celebrating Christmas with Jeff's family in Boise and bringing in the new year with mine in New York, and I'm still recovering as I jump back into work. 2014 was incredible - we thoroughly enjoyed our first full year of marriage, bought a house, had lots of mini vacations with family and friends, welcomed Hazel into the roost, and buzzed around like crazy people at work and at play. As 2015 approached like a rocket, I gave a little thought to what I hoped the new year would bring. In an unlikely move, I'm not making any resolutions this year. I usually say the same old things - I'll hit the gym, I'll be a more communicative friend, I'll try a new hobby. While those are all extremely worthwhile activities that I hope to do, I don't want to tie myself down or feel any guilt looking back on a year of my life. In addition to the many blessings that came across my lap, 2014 was a year of loss. As we work through times of sadness, it is gratifying to allow ourselves to believe that there is nothing more important than what is right in front of us. I can focus on the experience at hand, learn and grow from it, feel a greater connection to my loved ones, remember what a beautiful and fragile thing life is. Through these losses, I am reminded how much I want my life to be, while pulsing and vibrate, simple and easy and free of expectation.

I hope, not resolve, to take care of myself, to be patient, to be open, to be true to what I want, to love and laugh with abandon, to not sweat the small stuff, to be adventurous, to be comfortable. Goals will come and go, but I hope that this year, I'll pay attention to all the little things that make up the big things. If it works, focusing on my health, sharing love with my people, and exploring will come naturally and often. Now let's go take 2015 by the horns, shall we?

Happy New Year, may it bring you happiness and all the good that makes life sweet!