Have you guys seen the Spring 2012 collection by Falcon Wright?? I know I'm late to the party because everything is sold out, but DANG. 
I WANT. 
Here are a few shots from their Spring 2012 lookbook:

Here are some of my favorites:

Ivory Leather Clutch with Peach Lines Green Leather Change Purse with White Triangles Ivory Leather Card Holder with Pink Loops Ivory Leather Change Purse with Pink Triangles Ivory Leather Wallet with Black Haystacks
Now. If someone could just tell me where I can get my mitts on one (or more), I would be totally fine.


Lookbook images by Tim Smith. All images found on FalconWright.com or on their shop website.

Views from Colorado at Christmas. 
Man, do I wish it were cold here.

Back in the day, before I was chained to a desk, I was a floral designer. I started from the bottom – scrubbing and hauling buckets, cleaning coolers, cleaning the shop, processing flowers… basically doing the grunt work so that the designers could focus and do their job.


I would watch the designers with wonder, awe-struck that they could be creative on demand. I'm the kind of person who geeks out over comics about map projections. This stuff baffled me.


A lot of times I would stop for a bit and just watch, eager to learn their secrets. They would point things out to me and I would soak it all in, methodically categorizing the information in the creative desert that is my brain.  


Eventually, I weaseled my way into designing. If the shop was clean, I'd claim the teensy corner of a counter, fill a vase, and start arranging scraps, asking questions with each step, because I was CLEARLY not doing it right.


And you know the beauty of it all? It's a SCIENCE. It's a perfect blend of science and creativity. It's no small wonder why I adored it so much. Still adore it, really, and would totally love to do it again.


Especially when I saw Jamie's post about the Tend Living Pop-Up Shop. I've heard of Tend before, but never really investigated what is the clear AMAZINGNESS of their floral designs. It's times like these that I wish I were back in a shop, wearing grubby jeans, blasting hip hop, and cranking out arrangements.


The work is hard. Honestly. You'd be surprised to know that when you work in a flower shop, you don't stand around and play with flowers all day. While the rest of the world is celebrating or mourning, you're there in the background, making the world beautiful.


One thing in particular that stuck with me is Sarah Rhyanen's interview in "The Makers," a photo project by Jennifer Causey (check it out. seriously). When asked how she relaxes, her response is "I don't." Girl doesn't lie. I mean, in her "down time," she's remodeling a crazy-old farm house and planting THOUSANDS of bulbs. THAT'S dedication.


Florists are some of the hardest-working people I know. They get up early, hit the flower market before dawn to get the good stuff, run around all day, haul 45-lb buckets as if they were 2-lb aerobics weights. They stay late, making sure the tear-down is done right and everything returns to the shop. If there's a funeral at 8 pm on a Sunday, even after working 4 weddings the day before and 2 the day of, they're there. All on top of making and delivering standard, everyday arrangements. There is no such thing as a weekend for a florist.


It's rough. It's amazing.


So anywho. Enough about that. I guess where I was going with this post (before a major digression) are the awesome arrangements I've been seeing around the interwebs. They make me all giddy & shit to get back in the business.


Here are some that have made an impression lately:


If you don't already know my proclivity for South African flora (ahem), then these next couple arrangements should create a picture for ya. PROTEA 4 LIFE.

via Tend Living

her bouquet? AMAZING.

via Tend Living

Saipua's yellow and pink bouquet, although not my two favorite colors, totally rocks.

via Saipua Blog

And citrus?? YES.

Amy Merrick for Design*Sponge

This is a post about resolutions.

(I know I know… everyone is doing this, amiright? Feel free to skip this one.)

I've never *really* had resolutions, besides the standard, "Be healthier! Lose weight!" blah blah blah crap, which we all know is an empty facsimile of a sham for 99.9999% of the population.

But this year, I need goals. I need direction. This funk I'm in isn't going away, and I need to take more action.

So here we go:

1. Do better.

This is a general sweeping resolution. I'm flaky. I'm forgetful. I'm easily distracted. This sometimes means I'm a bad friend, a bad wife. I forget to send photos, forget to write back, forget lots of small things that don't seem like a big deal until it's a mountain of small things and I've alienated the people around me.

2. Feel better.

I realize this may fall into the "Be healthier! Lose weight!" category. However, it's a more holistic view of things I think.

I semi-recently became a vegetarian (in August, I think) after a couple of years dabbling, but never committing. The conversion was easy enough, but there's room for improvement.

Eating out as a vegetarian in this semi-small town usually means grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, etc, which means my dairy intake has become a bit ridiculous. I've consumed far more dairy as a vegetarian than I ever did as an omnivore. This has lead to a series of unfortunate health issues (headaches, stomach aches, etc) that are completely avoidable. So I'm going to fix that.

I also haven't been active in any consistent way since March, when I ran a 10K with friends after a few months of training. I'm not setting rules and a schedule for myself, as I really don't ever adhere to them (unless there's something like a race approaching). I really just need to stop sitting so much – at my desk at work, on my couch at home, in the car, etc. Walk to the store, use my bike more, go for an occasional run, and so on. Move more. Then see what happens.

3. Spend more time alone.

(This sounds terrible. I really don't mean it to be.)

I'm really quite a solitary character – I lived alone, exercised alone, ate alone, saw movies alone. I used to have little rituals, like spending an hour every Sunday walking around Target with a coffee, just to be alone, zone out, and see what was new. I haven't done anything like that for a while.

Since N and I were married in 2009, I've (obviously) not been alone much. With the few exceptions of N's work trips, we're *constantly* together. Don't get me wrong – I obviously want him around. I just also want to be alone sometimes. I've found that when I'm alone I'm far more productive, more focused. Maybe this will help me reset my personality and get out of this funk (and by this I in NO WAY mean that N is the cause for my funk). You know what I mean.

So there. Those are my resolutions.

What about you? Are any of you making resolutions? Plans? How good are you at keeping them?

gratuitous cheeseball tree photo by me, from the farm

I'm in need of some boots. I have some AMAZING Frye Harness Boots (see here), but for general all-weather warmness and comfort, I need something else. 
I've been wearing (something similar to) these Ugg boots forever, because they're simple, classic, and warm (and my parents bought them. ahem). But let's face it: it's time for something else. 
My boots needs to handle a lot: slush, snow, rain, lots of walking, etc. We go to Colorado every Christmas and do lots and lots of walking, snow shoeing, etc, and I'll wear them around Texas, too.
Ok. So.How do we feel about these Sperry Saddlebrook (or "Avon") Boots?

I'm liking everything but the heel - it seems a little... high. 

I really like the Clark's Wallabee, but they're not quite right for what I need them for. Doesn't look like it'd be warm, waterproof, blah blah blah. But they are cute.

And these. Classic.

Obviously, these are far cooler, and are thus an option. 

I *am* concerned about traction, though. These suckers tend to not grab snow so well. And I'm not so sure they'd be great for standard wearing around Texas.
So yeah. I'm in a pickle. Any input would be MOST welcome. 

so, while I was laid up this past weekend, I did a bunch of internet window shopping. while browsing around on pinterest, I came across a lovely little dress, which lead me to an even better website chock full of stuff that I want.

from the top, left to right:

a classic sheer blouse: finley blouse, $115

a more fitted Lebowski sweater: lambswool sweater, $85

with skinnies and a blazer = HOT: theon tank, $30

see above re: tank tops & skinnies: shrunken chevalier blazer, $195

all you need are toggles: cropped deerfield duffle coat, $275 (TOGGLES, PEOPLE.)

 another great sheer blouse, but grey: tinsley blouse, $98

a pretty awesome leather jacket: kenya leather jacket, $575

red jeans are SO out. purple FTW! 811-mid-rise skinny jean in aubergine


check out aritzia for more pretty awesome garb.



(not a sponsored post or anything, I just fell down the rabbit hole.)