feeling a little naked.

{figuring out the figure.}

last year my super talented aunt gave me a box of charcoal and a pad of paper and told me to meet her the following tuesday at her drawing class in downtown napa. she had been asking me to join her for weeks and now that i had materials in hand, there was no getting out of it! boy, does she know me well.

i will say it was such an inspiring class. the teacher, vicki long is beyond incredible and all of the other students were not actually students, but true artists...creating art worthy of a museum. during that first class i experienced a whole range of emotions, starting with frustration, followed by embarrassment (because lets face it, these people were degas and i was a first grader) and ultimately, ending with pride. pride because even though i felt raw and naked and uncoordinated the entire class, i actually was able to create something a little better than a stick figure.

{still need to learn the hands + face.}

the reason why i wanted to share this with the world is because this class reminded me how important it is to try something new and different. i am that girl who has three notebooks filled with big dreams...it is so easy for me to pour a glass of bubbles and curl up on a couch and journal those dreams. then because of my fear of failure, i put those journal away for another day. if it wasn't for my aunt and her encouragement, i honestly would have never tried figurative drawing. so...i hope this post might give you that little bit of encouragement you might need to try something new. if i can do it and then post my work online...you most certainly can too.

{20 minute interval.}

{i could not get that leg right...}

{trying to master different angles + positions.}

{the backside is easier.}

{learning how to use colors...another small head!}

click here to read an article on my brilliant teacher, vicki long.

happy friday.

hope you have a lovely weekend.

{pure beauty.}

{perfection.}

{a glimpse.}

{oh how i wish i knew how to play.}

{hope you stay dry.}

oh how i love anthropologie...

{ruffles + converse = happy}

last fall and all through the winter i was in love with this jacket from jcrew...what i am saying? i am still in love with it! wish i could wear it to bed...but now that spring is here (and we had two whole days of sunshine), i found myself needing something just a bit lighter. or at least that is what i told myself when i walked up to the checkout stand at anthropologie the other day.

{curio collar jacket}

how could i resist with all that cuteness? those ruffles and rhinestones...it was just waiting for me to take it home.

i also fell in love with these pieces below. but somewhere between grabbing them off the rack and walking to the dressing room, images of my basement started to pop into my head. that darn little project, which is no longer little...the one that needs doors and door knobs and waterproofing and window casings and rugs and furniture...well, it most certainly put a stop to me even trying them on.

{rippling pond jacket.}

{lemon squares jacket + all seasons shirt dress}

{gleaming shoots blouse + blue book blouse}

{love this whole outfit.}

{lean lines tunic}

{images via anthropologie.com}

just a small little project.

after living in (and bursting out of) this funky little house for nearly 9 years, i am finally able to renovate my basement...here are some pictures of the project so far. i will definitely write more about this project later in the weeks to come. oh what an adventure it has been. i can not wait for it to be done.

{future office • before + during}

{trying so hard to be useful.}

{love the new closet space under the stairs. my sweet boy is so smart.}

{hammering in little metal plates over the wires before installing drywall.}

{i had no idea installing drywall would be SOOOO messy...

oh + i have a huge appreciation for those who install + tape drywall. talent!}

mad for blossoms.

i am going crazy for blossoms. they make me unbelievably happy! seriously, just seeing a picture of them makes my heart smile. and now they are bursting open all over the valley...with such perfect timing, as i was starting to get a bit sad about the end of camilla season (another absolute favorite).

{lovely cherry blossoms at martin design • st. helena}

{warm + romantic • san francisco}

{happiness on a gloomy day • napa}

{sweet bee • st. helena}

{no words.}

{i can not get enough of this arrangement • san francisco}

napa flea market find.

{new chucks + old favorite nikes...meeting for the first time.}

sweetness.

{loving these spring blossoms.}

craigslist find: w&j sloane loveseats

my amazingly patient roommate came across these love seats on craigslist a few weeks back and i finally had a chance to pick them up in novato this morning. i was delighted to find them in such great condition as you never know from pictures...

{vintage w&j sloane loveseat.}

{love the linen}