ahh london. it seems like it was all a dream. this trip was somewhat of a last minute thing but i’m so glad i ended up going. i tagged along with some of my close friends and we went to colour conference which was pretty amazing. after a few days at the conference in london i headed south to worthing to visit my british bestie, maggie. maggie and i have been friends for almost 20 years. on my very first trip to england i stayed with her family and we’ve stayed great friends over the years. i spent time with her sweet family, drank lots of tea and chatted and chatted and chatted.
+the colored houses get me every single time. made a super quick trip to the portobello market with a friend. could have spent hours wandering about
+we stayed right in the piccadilly circus area which was perfect. with paul + laduree near by my taste buds traveled to france.
+i brought along my baggu pouch which is my new favorite thing. it was perfect to slip on my wrist and it held all my essentials. i have the medium gold pouch and the neon strap. i’ve been using it almost everyday since i’ve been home too.
+maggie’s mom, Pam Weaver, has written several books and it was fun to see them at the bookstore
so, i had a bit of money saved up for a new couch and i spent it on this trip instead. usually, if given the choice, i’ll take the trip every time. things come and go but memories last a lifetime. my sister, who kept pushing me to go, said i should be able to live on this trip for a good 6 months and i believe she is right. i shared a bit about why i went and i can’t tell you how happy i am that i did. now instead of geting annoyed every time i look at my mangy old couch i just smile.
if there is the slightest chance you don’t know camille than it is my pleasure to introduce you! camille is the founder and lady behind camille styles (and yes that is her real name) which happens to be a favorite stop for all things entertaining, food and beauty. if you want to know how to throw a beautiful party than camille is your girl. she has mad entertaining skills and doesn’t miss a detail. her site is one of my go to’s and i’m pretty sure it will become one of your’s too. thanks for sharing your mess, camille!
I’m a major card-sender and letter-writer, and I’m a total sucker for beautiful stationery – (if it happens to be letterpressed, even better!) The only problem? Organizing my growing collection and keeping it from getting out of control! I’d like to setup a system for corralling cards by occasion, so that when I need a birthday, thank-you or congratulations card, I can easily see all my options. I’m thinking that a file system might be my best bet…
Since the CamilleStyles.com office is on one side of my house, our dining room table often becomes my team’s “conference room” (or photo studio, or break room, depending on the day.) A typical Monday morning brainstorm session usually ends up with magazine tears, stacks of books and lots of coffee cups strewn about, and I actually kind of love it. This photo (above) is a visual illustration of all the creativity and productivity that is happening!
i’m curious … does anyone else collect stationery and cards? i do and, i have to say, my supplies are all squished in a drawer and i always find myself buying double because i don’t first check my disorganized stash. thanks to camille, i’m definitely thinking about a filing system now too. how do you keep your stationery and such organized? i’d love to know.
images : 1 + 3 by Suzy Q / 2 + 4 by Camille Styles
hi lovelies. i’m back from england with a tired body but rested heart. i can’t wait to share photos and stories with you next week. but, before i begin that i suppose i should start with, at least, one of the reasons why i traveled across the sea. a few weeks ago i wrote this in my journal :
i am tired. inside and out. the list of to do’s (mostly ones i’ve brought upon myself) is pretty long and i want to blow them off, almost, as much as my high school geometry homework.
all i want to do is read and write. write and read. look at words. hear them. ponder them. and think them. all the while, making making my own with an inky pen or the punchy click of my computer keys. stringing words together to make sense of my soul.
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Hi everyone! Kirsten from
Simply Grove here, filling in for Trina as she travels the world!:) I’m a huge LaLa Lovely fan so of course it is an honor to be guest posting for Trina!
When it comes to designing your dining room or even just simple decor, grey chairs are a perfect way to go. They are neutral enough to match a style of decor and are just a really good staple piece. If you are a vintage lover, a rusty grey medal base would be great.
Maybe you are one who likes the modern look. Find a chair with a sleek and minimalistic look. These Hay chairs are such a striking choice. Pair them with a wooden dining table for an eclectic look.
However, if you are one that doesn’t know what kind of chair would look great in your space, a simple grey choice with a wood base can make for an easy decision. They are stylish to the eye and will certainly wow your guests.
In the end, grey chairs are always a nice design choice, at least in my book.
imags / one / two / three
Now, if you don’t know, over on Apartment 34 we have a thing for neutrals, and we’re especially smitten over anything white. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite white kitchens that all had a little something extra: black! Adding a few pops of black and white patterned towels or black and white stoneware is a great way to mix up an over saturated white kitchen while still keeping it primarily monochromatic and interesting.
1// 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6
The great thing about adding some black and white accessories to your kitchen is that they go with any color palette that you already have or might decide to change it to in the future. It’s not a trendy color palette, so you don’t have to worry about buying out a whole store in fear that the color won’t be back next season. It’s timeless and classic and looks great in any kitchen. I hope you will enjoy some of these modern and fun updates in your own kitchen and you can check out more installments of Tasty Tuesday over on Apartment 34, where style lives happily ever after! Thanks for having me!
image 1 via // 2 via // 3 via // 4 via
i recently did an interview with the lovely laura tremaine, aka the hollywood housewife (love her blog), about mom’s who blog for all parenting. it was pretty fun!
so . . . if you’ve ever wondered what a normal day looks like for me, when + where i blog, how i met my husband and few time management tips than it’s all right here.
image / noelle ann photography
LONDON! i didn’t want to make it so obvious with an obvious landmark, that is. and, really, because my eyes are going to be looking here and there and everywhere to seek out this type of inspiration. the last time i was in england i was totally mesmerized by all of the colored doors and went home and painted my front door a bright color.
anyhow, i’m here attending a conference and then taking a few days to visit my english bestie on the south coast. i’ve left my computer at home and plan to have a personal retreat of sorts. i can’t wait to fill you in when i return.
you can follow along on instagram and i also have some really great posts lined up right here!
cheerio, loves!
image / Neals Yard
sometimes the messier the better? yes? i love a space that looks worked in. especially when there is creative work involved. my eyes find no offense or annoyance in this kind of chaos. i’m only left with curiosity and interest. i’d like nothing more than to comb over every little bit of something or anything in this space. i’m certain there are a lot of stories hidden in the papers, the paint and the piles.
do you think you your papers or piles say anything about you?
images / loveology
