opening.

I tend to go through phases with my photography---and for one reason or another, the current trend seems to be door handles. 

At first, since I'm usually more attracted to bold, bright colors, I wondered why I was tending toward such a melancholy sort of subject... but then I realized that doors are actually one of the most hopeful subjects I could choose---they do represent opportunity, after all.

(Photos: my flickr)

today i believe...

... that the lovely combination of a corner cafe, a steaming cup of tea, and a blank piece of paper are what I absolutely live for.

... that surprises in any and every form are just the best. 

... that tying up loose ends---in your relationships, in your projects, and in your mind---can keep you from getting unraveled. 

... that reality television may be a terrible vice, but it's also a wonderful boost of confidence.

... that the words "I don't know" are some of the most honest in the English language.

... that the hallmarks of summer's end--cooler breezes, crisper air, and that back-to-school, clean-notebooks-and-fresh-starts September energy--seem to put a bit of sparkly pep back in everyone's step. 

... that countdowns (especially ones for best friend reunions!) can keep you going when caffeine fails. 

... and that there's nothing not to love about an afternoon spent people-watching in the park. 

(Photo: daz moston)

happy friday!

It's been absolutely gorgeous in Chicago this week so I'll be soaking up every last bit of these final summer days with plans to enjoy good weather, good food, and good friends.

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

(Photo: marialuce)

golden words.

 Warning: this goes beyond "must have."

We're now in "cannot-live-without" territory. 

Two of my favorite things, of course, are words and anything gold... so is it any wonder that I fell head-over-heels in love with this gold leather dictionary by jayson home & garden?

Oh, and just to add to the whole I'm-meant-to-have-this-dictionary sentiment, I'll also point out that Noah Webster published the first american dictionary on my birthday in 1828. Coincidence? I think not. Fate? Most definitely.

So maybe it's just me, but I don't think I just want this gorgeous book-I think i'm downright destined to have it... just saying.

because sometimes, new is necessary.

For creatures of habit like me, it can be really difficult to step out the safety net of routine--to do anything that veers outside the comfortable, familiar motions of the everyday. For as long as I can remember, I've had a natural tendency to run through my days on autopilot, oftentimes forgetting to fuel the fiery, more adventurous side of myself. 

But every once in a long while, even I can recognize when I'm in a deep, dusty, unbelievably dull rut... this morning was one such time. 

So what did I do? Well, nothing drastic. nothing crazy.

But I did manage to part my hair on the other side. And I ran a different route through the city. And I ate lunch at a corner cafe I've never tried before. And I wore clothes that I've owned forever, but mixed them up in a fresh way. Oh, and I also began a new story rather than adding to my now-seven-chapters-in (!!) manuscript.

And you know what? I feel better already.

Do you get stuck in your comfort zone?

What do you do to mix it up?

(Photo: the cheshire smile)

all aflutter about fall functions.

As I've mentioned before, I'm a big--okay, huge--planner... I like to-do lists, calendars, and date books way more than is probably considered normal (See: my latest post.) 

Sure, it's partly because of my total type A-ness... but it's also because I absolutely live for the days, weeks--okay, months--leading up to a major event. In fact, I'll be honest: sometimes I enjoy the anticipation just as much as whatever it is that I'm looking forward to.

This fall, for instance, I've got three weddings, one vacation, two concerts, and one writers' conference that I'm so, so thrilled about... completely giddy! I mean, I might as well have seven construction paper link countdowns hanging around my apartment. (Actually, not such a bad idea...)

I guess this whole love for preparation and mapping out and envisioning is all just part of that forward-thinking, scene-creating, future-imagining (totally and 100% overeager) writer in me... but what can I say? To me, there's just something oh-so-exhilarating to be found in daydreaming about what lies ahead.


Tell me, what are you excited about these days?

(Photo: azyalg)

because i'm a paper-loving nerd.

I'm head-over-heels obsessed with paper source. As in, I'm struggling not to buy...

This monthly calendar:

This camera wrapping paper:

This date book by Jonathan Adler:

And these crafty paper clips:

Okay, if I'm really being honest--I'm struggling not to buy the entire store. It's a constant battle, really, One I'm destined to lose. especially since I visit the website weekly... okay, almost daily.

Is anyone else a paper-loving organization nerd?

What are some of your favorite shops?

soaking up the sun.

As summer starts to wind down and the breeze begins to pick up, I'm trying to do all of my favorite sun-required activities as often as possible. These next few weeks you'll find me having long and lazy beach days, sitting in bleacher seats at the baseball game, editing manuscripts in the park, gardening, snacking on ripe watermelon, sipping tangy lemonade, dining al fresco, sitting at outdoor concerts, and (of course) reading from sun-up to sun-down. 

How are you filling these final summer days? 

(Photo: giordan.)

dredgetown love.

On one side of Richardson Bay, beautiful luxury houseboats line the shores. Think: gorgeous floating porches with flower boxes and wrought iron furniture... stained glass windows and rooftop patios and elaborate, nautical-inspired design. In other words, think: floating mansions.

But the houseboats I really fell in love with are docked on the other side of the bay in a small community of colorful, artistic boats known as Dredgetown. 

The vibrant colors, the imaginative graffiti art, the creativity... there's beauty in the haphazard. 

(Photos: My Flickr)

like a welcome mat, only better.

I ran across these lovely little words while wandering among the houseboats in Sausalito's Richardson Bay. First I was struck by the colors--and then, the message.

Because sometimes, it really is that simple.

(Photo: My Flickr)

san francisco sneak peek.

I'm back from our whirlwind trip, jumping back into reality and catching up on work and stories and, of course, your blogs. Here's a little sneak peek of the vacation--pictures taken in Sausalito, California... officially one of my new favorite places:

Hope you're having a wonderful start to the week!

(Photos: My Flickr)

off to the west coast!

I left San Diego a little over a year ago... and, well, I've basically missed it every day since. (Seriously. No exaggeration.) So needless to say, I'm very excited to be heading back to the west coast tonight...

First stop: Vegas!

(I may or may not melt in the 114 degree heat... stay tuned.)

Second stop: San Francisco!

As some of you already know, I am moving back to California within the next couple years because--how do I put this?--I just can't stay away for very long. It's impossible. 

See, during my four years in San Diego, I sort of really got used to that whole sunshine-year-round, palm-trees-and-sand thing---and seriously, who can argue with having the beach and the mountains right at your fingertips?

Moral of the story: I can't wait to get back to my favorite state this week.

*All photos were taken during trips to the same places last year :)


(Oh, and I hope you all enjoyed my guest post over at Oh, Mishka this morning!)

today i believe... {over at oh, mishka}

Today you can find me over at oh, mishka where I did a Today I Believe guest post for the lovely Michelle--go poke around her blog a bit and be sure to check out might & main, her second blog devoted to living your best life.

Enjoy & happy Monday!

awake.

I have this tendency to rush things.

I walk fast. I talk fast. I eat fast. I work fast.

Constantly hurrying, constantly racing.

Whether it's flying through a book I love or speeding from point A to point B--always fifteen minutes early--I find that i'm quite literally sprinting through life. 

This is obviously a problem.

Not just because it's exhausting, either---but also because it's blurring every moment as I zoom past it. I'm letting key words and people and memories fade into the distance as I zip by them, always hastening toward the next thing.

Mindfulness.

It's what the Buddhists preach. And the yogis. And basically all the other people with some semblance of peace and calm in their lives---and while there are tons of theories and exercises and meditations about the subject, what it really boils down to is consciousness. Being aware. Alert. Responsive. 

In other words: not rushing or hurrying or racing.

It's a lesson we can all hold on to, I think---learning to turn off our auto-pilot tendencies and to actually tune in, to awaken.

Because if we're not really awake, really alive, then what's the point, right?

(Photo: Philipp Klinger)

today i believe...

... that there is always something---even after years and years and years of being close to a person---that you don't yet know about them, that they still have to teach you.

... that sometimes all you need to hear is: "Yes. I understand."

... that when there's nothing to lose, you need to let go of the insecurities, the nagging reservations, the doubtful voices itching at the back of your mind---you need to just try.

... that in certain moments, there's something to be said for silence.

... that---like an actor trying to delve into character---it's so, so important to be constantly aware of what you want, of what drives you, of what dreams and goals and passions propel your every move.

... that summertime outdoor picnics are wonderful, but sometimes (just sometimes), indoor picnics can be even better.

... and, of course, that it's okay to love The Bachelorette and maybe really seriously be obsessed---because hey, nobody's perfect, right?

(Photo: Martin Labar)

like a race car bed, only better.

It's true that some of the greatest things in this world are simply the genius combination of two already wonderful things. Oh, just to name a few:

peanut butter + jelly = the pbj.

"win" + "some" = "winsome."

shirt + dress = the shirtdress.

wine + carbonation = champagne.

color + peace = tie-dye.

beach + mountains = California.

fireworks + freedom = the 4th of July.

Well, thanks to Philip Hooper of colefax & fowler, we can now add "boat + bath = boat bath" to that list.  

Double the relaxation. Double the fun. 

A genius combination, indeed.

(Photo: elle decor)

oh, just a little celebration.

Nope, it's not my birthday. It's just an ordinary Tuesday.

But hey, why not celebrate, right? There's always something to celebrate.

My mom is an incredibly kind, thoughtful southern woman who has a serious knack for inspiring you to love yourself and the world around you---and I feel very, very lucky to have her as a mother because she taught me from a young age to celebrate the little things... hence, of course, the title of this blog. 

She encouraged me to acknowledge even the smallest of my accomplishments, asking me each night to name what I was grateful for and what I was proud of. But more than that, she encouraged me to recognize other people's accomplishments and the pride that I felt for them. It was a lesson in warmth and compassion that shaped me into the friend, the daughter, the person that I am today.

So today, sure, celebrate a few of your littlest achievements.

But celebrate somebody else's, too. 

(Photo: At a loss for words)

a good start.

I'm a big believer in kicking things off right.

Good beginnings, I've noticed, can lead to happier endings.

Because when you start off well, the rest seems to simply follow suit. Throwing yourself into a project or a relationship or a belief 100 percent from the beginning will help to make it more successful in the end. Giving your all at the outset establishes a certain tone and sets the bar a bit higher. 

This means that for a good week, good Mondays are important.

And today, I'm happy to report, was a really good start. 

(Photo: Donkey)

deepest needs.

"Dreaming is not merely an act of communication (or coded communication, if you like); it is also an aesthetic activity, a game of the imagination, a game that is a value in itself. Our dreams prove that to imagine—to dream about things that have not happened—is among mankind’s deepest needs."

- The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

(Photo: I Travel East)