SHOP THE SHADES: purple & gold

After writing last week about the arrival of some pretty magnificent shades of purple and gold that are taking over the landscapes around here, I couldn't help but start to notice these colors popping up in everyone's wardrobes!  It seemed that everywhere I turned, the colors I had seen on the mountainsides were also on people at the grocery store, in the downtown shop window, playing at the park.  So I decided to put together my own shoppable and wearable version of last week's fall inspiration:   

Erickson Beamon earrings / Karen Walker sunglasses / 

Zara printed blouse / Madewell jeans / 

Emerson Fry d'orsay heels / H&M wool coat 

Shades Of: Purple & Gold

With the onset of fall happening right now, I'm really drawn to the combinations of varying shades of purple and gold that are happening all around us.  The aspen trees are bursting into flames and the hues of gold are leaning toward almost flourescent, while other trees are tending to go out a bit quieter, their green leaves turning darker and then over into the side of purple and eventually to brown and away, gone, into winter.  And every once in a while, you see a rose losing some of it's pigment, changing a once rich shade of wine into a lighter blush.  The combinations of these varying shades--the bright metallic golds with the rich deep indigos or light muted comfortable purples--are helping me to find inspiration in the now, instead of dwelling on the cold winter to come.     

(clockwise from top left) 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 

Do or Don't: Book Clubs

 

When I first moved to CO, some co-workers of the Mr. had a book club they had been hosting for a little while, and invited me to join in.  Seeing as how I knew practically no one here yet, I was excited to hopefully find others who I could see myself hanging out with "on the regular".  I had never been in a book club before so I figured I'd give it a shot.

When I touched base with all the women involved, they let me know that they were just finishing up Fifty Shades of Grey, but would be starting a new book soon.  Yes, I'll admit it, I definitely got a little scared when I heard that title.  What was I getting myself into?  A group of people who were seriously interested in not just reading, but actually discussing in public soft-core porn "novels"?  Was the next book going to be something from the Twilight series? 

I feel okay saying all of this now because a- in actuality (spoiler alert!) they are all now my good friends, and b- they had picked that book as sort of a joke to see what all the hype was about. Which, by the way, is exactly the sort of thing I would have done myself. In retrospect, I really wish I had been there for that particular book club meeting. I'm sure it was hilarious.

Anyway, the next title they chose was Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson. At the time, I had never heard of the book or the author, more infamously known as "The Bloggess". After reading the first few pages of the book and almost peeing my pants more than just a couple times from uncontrollable laughter, I knew I had found a group of women that I could absolutely relate to. 

I felt so confident, in fact, that I agreed to host the next book club gathering.  There were only a couple people in the group that I had actually hung out with socially at that point, but the book title that they chose spoke so loudly for me, I felt absolutely sure that we would all get along just fine.  Sure enough, just as I had hoped and expected, these women became my closest friends here in CO, and I have that initial book club to thank for it.

So, tell me my dear internet cosmos:  Have you ever been involved in a book club?  If not, would you consider it?

(images from here and here) 

Alfie Design

How beautiful are these watercolor invitations from Alfie Design?

Even though I have absolutely nothing remotely important enough to justify having such stunning works of art act as invitations for coming up in my life, I'm still pretty tempted to commission some anyway.  How about an invitation for coming over to help me fold laundry?  Or a nice evening of binge eating chocolate chips while listening to a very determined 1-year old protest about having to go to sleep?

See, I knew I could come up with something.

See more of her beautiful work here, or purchase one of her cards, invites, or paintings here.

 

         

Big + Little: Back to School

Well, folks, summer is officially over.  Finito.  Donzo.  Gone with the wind.

Not only does Labor Day usher out the sweaty sunny days of summer, but it also has always represented the official beginning of school for me.  Even if we hadn't started classes again quite yet. Or if we had already started classes, it always seemed a little ridiculous because we'd go to school for a few days and then get a day off for Labor Day.

"Wait, we've only been at it for like 4 days and already we're getting another vacation?!?"

You know that feeling I'm talking about, right?

Anyway, as crazy as it seems, a little part of me still wishes that I was heading back to new classes this time of year again.  Buying new supplies for all the dozens of papers I would spend hours researching and all the sleepless nights spent banging away in practice rooms and all the weekends I would spend partying excessively instead of studying like I should have been.  Or as a line taken from an old favorite movie most perfectly describes it:  "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address…"  Man, what I wouldn't give for some pencil dust right about now.

Even though neither my daughter nor myself are heading off to school this year, there's no reason we can't enjoy the perks of getting some new supplies to see us through whatever learning adventures this new year will bring.

BIG:  Chris Van Veghel minimal rucksack / Public-Supply notebooks / 

Zuzii womens suede oxford / Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger   

LITTLE:  Duluth Pack child's envelope pack / Etch A Sketch / 

Zuzii kids suede oxford / An Awesome Book of Love! by Dallas Clayton