Buzzzzz

Image courtesy of weheartit.com

I am posting today on behalf of the honey bee. We are all familiar with the little fellas- the incredible work ethic, the nasty stingers, the delicious honey- but I recently came across the Help the Honey Bees website and it made me really think about them.

I guess since I see bees zooming about my mum's herb garden and our lilacs I don't think of them as a threatened population. It seems, however, that honey bees have been dying off at a drastic rate and they are relied on for a lot more than the occasional sweetening of hot tea. The site noted that bees are responsible for the pollination of more than a hundred crops (we are talking about killer multitaskers as well apparently). I suggest checking the site out sometime to read about these fascinating insects, but there is something so simple you can do if you just want to make sure there are always bees buzzing around gardens and orchards...... plant.

The Honey Bee Conservancy has perfect tips for creating a bee-friendly garden. It really can be as simple as choosing native flowers and planning for season-round blooms. That seems to be the least we can do to make those buzzers busy lives a little less stressful!

Bees@Work courtesy of /kallu on flickr

Faux Bois Frenzy

Chilewich textile faux bois courtesy of designawards.wordpress.com

Faux bois, French for "false wood", has been all the rage for quite some time. In design it seems to pop up everywhere and I can't decide if I am a true fan, because sometimes I love the look and other times....not so much. I do know one thing though, once you hear about it- you notice it everywhere. 

Here are some of the "thumbs up" ways to use this wavy, grainy patterning in various schemes.

Bedroom image courtesy of Neha Leela

Faux bois tableware courtesy of athome.kimvallee.com

Gianna Rose Atelier faux bois soap courtesy of google.com

Martha Stewart towels courtesy of Thought Patterns

Inhabit bedding courtesy of designvagabond.blogspot.com

Faux bois planters courtesy of Parker Sims Interiors

Faux bois bathroom courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

Faux bois vase courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

Of course, don't get me wrong...

Though my last post may have expressed a certain anxiety surrounding the hoopla of getting married, I am still very much a girl with ideas of what she wants her wedding to look like and a greediness for all that is pretty. Just in terms of what to wear - here are just a few things that I've bookmarked...

via Once Wed

via {a glamorous little side project}

via sakatagin

by ban.do

via starletvintage

via romantics

via A Cup of Jo

Happy Graduation

In case you didn't get to go to a graduation this year (lucky), here's a brilliant commencement speech to inspire you:

camping can be nice

 via cherry blossom girl

Sorry I've been away from blogging for a few days, but I've gotten caught up in a surprising amount of end of the semester activity. Aside from the usual rush of grading and meeting with students, my dear friend Bootsie was in town which was quickly followed by a visit from my mother. Their visits were wonderful especially because I got to celebrate a little bit of news with them - I got engaged.

Now hold your horses with comments full of glee and joy. It's not that I'm not absolutely overjoyed and filled with glee myself over the promise that the kindest and sweetest man I've ever met wants to marry little ol' me, but I'm just bashful in what follows in the sharing of such news. Let me explain.

The man took me on my very first camping trip a few weeks ago. One of my best friends, Ruby, and one of his as well as their equally as loved significant others joined us on this city girl's first experience sleeping in the great outdoors. And it was wonderful. The fire. The burnt popcorn. Watching a boy scout troop who set up camp near by. Relishing in how dark and quiet it got to be at night. Taking a nap with Ruby, but really listening to a light rain tap against the tent. Being in my bf's element and loving how happy it made him. All that would have made for an amazing weekend, but it was also on this trip in which he decided to ask me to marry him.

After hiking up a mountain (I'm pretty sure this was a test and it seems as if I passed even though halfway up I had to hand him my pack to carry) and snacking on the sweetest of tangelos and the most refreshing gulps of water from an actual canteen, my bf asked if anyone wanted to climb the little fire tower/observatory to look at the view from an even higher point. Since all were in the know, no one seemed interested other than me.

And so that's where he asked. Actually, that's where I answered (and started to cry) before he got the words out. It was so beautiful and special and when we looked down at our friends and he yelled down my answer - they blew party horns that were carried in a backpack all the way up the mountain, hidden under granola bars, hidden from me.

So this leads me to why I am bashful in all of this. I love my story. I love this man. But all that is to follow makes me uncomfortable. I'm at ease with him and in marrying him, but this thing, this wedding thing with all its details and planning feels like a monster. How do I plan a wedding that is within our very modest budget that feels like its about us? How do I also do this thing without making it all about ME, the monster bride, and not also about all the people that we love and love us? Despite how it may otherwise appear on a blog in which I tend to ramble about myself more than my fellow Hiving Outers, I am not a girl who handles the generosity of the spotlight well. I prefer the humbling space of the background, the one who gives attention and not gets it.

So this is the state I'm in - engaged and overwhelmed with the love and attention that comes with it. I know I'm not the only shy girl out there who's gotten married so if you've got any advice on how to embrace center stage - I'd love to hear that. And thanks for reading my extra-long, long overdue announcement too! (And I feel so lucky that I kept my complaining about that killer hike to a minimum...)

Thursday, a library, and Etsy

Library Card Bookplates courtesy of ModernClassicsKids

If I had the good fortune to have a whole room in my house dedicated to something totally frivolous, but also totally awesome, I would make it into a library for my kids. A space separate from their bedrooms or play space where we could go to read and do schoolwork....wow, this really is kind of a dorky dream, but still I love the idea- for this Thursday and Etsy entry - a children's library.

The concept of a whole wall of shelves for storing and organizing books makes me giddy..... I may even have to employ the dewey decimal system!

Custom Bookcase courtesy of xenasdad

I like a table and chairs for the workspace, just like in a real library with plenty of room to spread out and perfect lighting.

Shabby Painted 1940's Dining Set with 4 Chairs courtesy of royaloakcottage

Oh So Industrial Office Desk Lamp courtesy of happydayvintage

For something a little more comfortable- a couple of beanbags and a cool, cozy chair.

Kid's Beanbag Cover courtesy of mookah

Mid Century Marvelous courtesy of thevintagelaundry

On the walls - cheerful, useful, and colorful.....

Best Day Ever (Gold) courtesy of erinjaneshop

Large Cork Bulletin Board- Wood Scallop Frame courtesy of LaffyDaffy

World Map Recycled Collage Poster courtesy of artandphilanthropy

Some decorative touches....

1960's Vintage 10 Inch Replogle Globe

Large- Moon and Stars Paper Chandelier/Mobile courtesy of kismetsunday

The space will also have all the supplies they could need....

Set of 3 Ecological color pencil case courtesy of memegalarce

Let's Play Fabric Covered Journal courtesy of rabbitandtheduck

Pretty Flowers and Monsters glass marble push pins courtesy of MostlyMagnets

Finally, just because it makes me smile every time I look at it...how often do you see a funny clock? This is one great library....

Nancy Drew Book Clock courtesy of SackReligious

Goodnight Moon

Illustration courtesy of google

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is celebrating Margaret Wise Brown Day on May 15th. I think most parents would recognize Ms. Brown's name from the cover of the classic Goodnight Moon and, in addition to that forever favorite, she authored hundreds of children's books and stories. She is credited with changing literature for the youngest audiences by including a level of observation, wit, and warmth that had not been present in writing for children. She also championed for her illustrators to receive the same royalties she did at a time when the artists were certainly undervalued.

In their celebration of the centennial of Margaret Wise Brown the Carle Museum has a day of readings, presentations, and films planned, but if you are not in the area and are curious, the margaretwisebrown.com site has fascinating information about this revolutionary figure in children's literature.

M is for...

via k.james

Love to all the moms out there this weekend especially to the ones I love most - my own as well as my fellow bloggers, Lorelei and Mae! In honor of your day - here's a little round-up of some beautiful mom-centric illustrations just for you...

By the way, love the shades of red and oranges and yellows in these (especially when cooled with touches of blue or brown):

via SurrendrDorothy

via pipnstuff

via ART By MAR

via finsbry

via judibird (animal mothers count too!)

In terms of the next 3, I've got to point out how surprising similar these seemingly very different images are in color (green and a red maroon), composition, and just general sweetness:

by Laura Logan

via Little Cotton Rabbits

via "T"eresa

And here's a really beautiful poem by Hope Anita Smith from her really beautiful collection, "Mother Poems," that will make you want to call your mother today:

Q and A

I never thought to ask my mother
what I was like when I was a baby.
Did I laugh a lot?
Was I fussy?
Did I have a favorite toy?
What was my first word?
When did I roll over? Crawl? Walk?
Did I ever like carrots?
Mothers give us our stories,
at least the beginning.
My mother left before she got a chance to
give me mine,
and I forgot to ask.
God should have made me smarter.
I am remembering less and less about my mother
and wanting to know more and more about me.

{poem found here}

Canvas Classics

Lands' End has debuted a new line called Canvas. They are dubbing it essential pieces for an effortless style and I have to agree. The clothing seems timeless - the type of stuff you can wear season after season, changing up the look with new accessories and pops of color.

As much as everyone loves to be current and with the trends, there is something to be said for the true classics in fashion. 

 

All images courtesy of landsend.com