Happy Friday everyone! What fun do you have planned?

We are off to Virginia this evening for a weekend of fun and hopefully some relaxation. We're going to meet our new niece, Lena Sadie, and also see some family we haven't been able to visit for several months. I'm super excited to be seeing them but truthfully not looking forward to going into even colder weather. Oh well.

I hope you have a relaxing few days and as always, be good.
Image via flickr

Not long ago in a supermarket not far away....

This is a cute video about the realities of the food we buy at the big box grocery store.

I am so completely in love with Amy Butler's fabric.
Images via Amy Butler

Chill by geisha

I seriously love long, thin, soft scarves. I hope she stocks her shop back up soon! Thanks Chelsea for the introduction.
Image via Organic Giraffe

I love this piece on New York's Chapel of Love. It's super sweet and the multimedia accompaniment is great too.
Image via The New York Times

Did you hear the news coming out of the nations second largest employer? The USPS asked Congress to bring delivery down to five days in order to help with a huge budget shortfall. I'm okay with this, but it certainly will be hard to get used to. I seriously get so excited retrieving the mail each day!
Image via flickr

Untitled by Yvette Inufio

A close friend of mine lost someone near and dear to her on Tuesday. Although death is as much a part of our lives as life is, it certainly doesn't make it any easier.

I just couldn't start the day without acknowledging this and I can only hope she knows my thoughts are with her.
Image via flickr

I just heard the news that Domino is folding. It's my favorite and I'm so bummed. I literally read it front to back the day it arrives on my doorstep. As much as I love the Internet there is just something about holding the magazine in my hands and tearing out pages to put in my inspiration binder. March will be the last issue. Damn this economic downturn...
Image via Domino

What a beautiful high-waist skirt. Very dramatic and film noir-esque.
Image via Desira Pesta

Lavender Light by my whimsy

Inspired by Ez over at Creature Comforts, I've decided to start sharing one image a day that inspires me.

It seems that in the middle of winter and with bad news abound, sometimes we all just need a little pick-me-up and what better way than with a pretty image.

I hope you enjoy!
My Orchards by Mrs. French

I think these lets get straight to the point notecards are perfect.

Image via Bird & Banner

Love this cheeky shirt stating the excellent news.

Image via Print Liberation
Via For Me, For You

Cute clean-dirty magnet for the dishwasher. Knock-offs to come to Etsy soon, I'm sure.

Image via Please Hello
Via Cookie

This scarf is amazing.

Image via Flutter

I think this might be the perfect travel bag.

Image via J.Crew

I'm loving these super cute flats my mom emailed me about. She originally read about them in Real Simple and when she purchased them realized that in addition to being super inexpensive and stylish, they're also really comfy!

Image via Target

Good Monday morning to you! How was your weekend? Great, I hope!

Mine was relaxing and filled with a lot of contemplative thoughts. You see, I'm not professionally anywhere near where I thought I'd be five years ago or even two years ago. I wasn't sure where it would be, but I know it isn't here. I'm not getting any younger but I'm also not so far along that I can't change directions. So I've been doing some research, brainstorming ideas and feel like I'm beginning to make some headway. It's starting to feel like I'm on a path.

I hope you have a wonderful week!
xxoo-Sarah

Image via flickr

Happy Friday everyone! What fun do you have planned?

There's nothing really on our calendar which feels great! We're taking the weekend off from home improvement projects and just going with the flow. Sounds wonderful to me! I hope you have a relaxing few days and as always, be good.

Image via flickr

Over Christmas I spent some time admiring my grandmother's collection of family silver so it's of no surprise to me that I'm completely obsessed with this collection of work.
Image via Kari Herer Photography
Via Design*Sponge

Love these smart work shoes. Even better they're Naturalizer so you know they'll be comfortable!

Image via Piperlime

I just stumbled upon this new feature offered from Apple online- iPods that you can personalize with a message! How fun and what a great way to jazz up the "it" electronic of our generation.

Image via Apple

My friend Tiffany emailed me earlier in the week asking a question.
What makes a friend a good friend, a great one even? What are the traits that separate them from someone you like just not as much? What qualities make you always think of them in fondness and want to share good news with them, have them at your next shindig, keep up with what is going on with them and they with you?

I gave it a lot of thought and this is my definition.

A great friend is someone who understands my weaknesses and accepts them, even celebrates them because they make me, me. They are a person I trust secrets with and want advice from. They are easy to talk to, offer an interesting, sometimes different opinion. They make me laugh and even silence with them in conversation is comfortable. Around them I don't feel like I need to keep something in because my opinion might make them feel differently about me. They make me celebrate friendships and when I leave their presence I feel more enriched.

What's your definition?

Image via flickr

I think it's so cool that President Obama has his own blog!

In keeping with his Change Has Come theme, it seems that long gone are the days when the government has a we'll-tell-you-what's-going-on tone. Promising that the White House will post all nonemergency legislation to the site for five days and review all comments that come in before the president signs or vetoes the bill, I definitely think this is a breath of fresh air.

Image via The White House

I'm a HUGE Michelle Obama fan. I think she's classy. I adore her independence, how she seems so family oriented, her individuality and also her fashion sense! And now, there's a whole blog devoted entirely to that fashion sense. So fun!

Image via Mrs. O

I'm feeling so inspired by these soft, pale pink flowers Anna over at Absolutely Beautiful Things posted yesterday. I think the next bunch I purchase will look something like this.

Courtney posted a link to a New York Times article about creating a fresh start in the kitchen for '09. I found it very inspiring and along with my resolution to try two new recipes each month, I'm going to try and change my way of thinking in the kitchen {buy less prepackaged items-beans, salad dressing, chicken broth etc.} and start cooking in a more European fashion with fresher foods. It's how my mom does it and it's how I'd like to do it too.

Image via The New York Times

Love this French Directoire Dresser. It seems so regal yet simple.

Image via Wisteria
Via Domino

Lovely, lovely pencil pouches by Made by Hank. {Perhaps another option to hold the essentials in my purse.}

Image via Made by Hank

With today being a historic date in U.S. history I can't help but feel excited! I'm thinking about civil liberties and human rights. I believe in the dream and I'm ready to live it. I hope you are too.

This past weekend we watched the newest West Anderson film The Darjeeling Limited and both LOVED it! It has my fav Adrien Brody in it as well as great performances from Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzmen.

The film is filled with tons of dry humor as it follows the three brothers as they set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other. I definitely recommend.

{P.S. Erin at Elements of Design is the one who recommended the movie. She did a great piece on how you can take the Indian desingn and bring it into your home. Definitely check that out too!}

Simplesong Design has started to post new work to her Etsy shop! I love these fold-over mailing labels. They'd make any letter or package seem more finished!

Image via Simplesong Design

We had our first snow here in Charlotte! I know it's not unusual for some of my readers, but here in North Carolina it only happens about once a year. Because the city doesn't have snow plows or ice machines, everything seems to shut down. Here you can see views looking out from my front porch. {P.S. Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures. Although my iPhone takes great quality images, I was shivering and I'm afraid you can see that in these pictures!}

With the current economic state spending money on decorating is probably not at the top of many peoples to-do list.

That's why I think these pieces over at Style Court are so appropriate. Taking advice from Vogue's Book of Etiquette, 1969 the four tips, personal warmth, sincerity, understatement and consideration, are universal and relate mainly to the concept of home, rather than decorating. Most importantly they apply if you have endless resources or a tiny budget.

I hope you find them as helpful and enjoyable as I did!

Image via Domino

Did you hear the biggest news in the art world today? Apparently Polaroid has been saved! An Austrian artist and businessman has purchased Polaroid for the sake of art and to "fight against the idea that everything has to die when it doesn't create turnover." New film should be available by December, just in time for when original supplies were anticipated to run out!

Image via flickr

This past weekend we made my stepmom's pesto recipe. Now I know I've blogged about it before, but I wanted to share it again because this time around we followed her recipe perfectly and it was SO MUCH BETTER!. The secret ingredient we left out the first time? Anchovies! Gross, I know. But seriously this pesto tastes just like hers. {And I might add she's 100% Italian, from Italy, so you know this is good!}

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/3 can anchovy fillets

Combine first 4 ingredients in blender. Blend until paste forms, stopping often to push down basil. Add cheese, salt, pepper and anchovies; blend until smooth.

Yield: Approximately 1 Cup

Image via Greg's Food

Good Monday morning and Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

How was your weekend? Mine was short! {But really, aren't they all!} We didn't end up seeing Revolutionary Road because I wanted to work on house projects, but thankfully we finally were able to tackle some that needed to be done. Luckily the weekend wasn't all work and no play as we did end up trying the deli down the road, planted some beautiful pansies outside our back door and watched some football!

I hope you have a great week and if you're on a long weekend I hope you're enjoying your day off!

Image via flickr