randoms.

so, i'd like to throw some things i've found recently, out there.

just in case you think they are neat.

like this:

is this where posh, grown-up games of beer pong happen?

i would give lots of stuff for this to wind up being in my backyard.

i love it in lots of ways. for lots of reasons.

and because i'm nothing if not predictable, i have a photo i snapped this weekend of the bouquets strewn around my house. this one is on the front table, as soon as you walk in the door...

so sorry it's messy. i didn't clean up before i took it.

it's where the mail goes to multiply and then die.

i hate mail. i hate mail. i hate mail.

most of it is junk and it gets thrown straight into recycling.

i wish there were a spam filter for real mail.

can we just switch everything to email from now on?

except for fine paper goods, like love letters, christmas cards, baby announcements with squishy babies on them, and wedding/party invites.

OH!! and MAGAZINES. duh.

and anthro catalogues.

thank you.

back to the flowers. my whole house smells divine. no jokes here.

and i have some on my desk right now, too.

everyone comments on their perfume.

heavenly.

but all these peonies live in my backyard. and i have to cut them and bring them inside, and donate to grandmas and neighbors, so that i can enjoy them, and others can enjoy them, because they are so fleeting.

and i'm officially finished with my ode to peonies 2013.

if you follow me on instagram, you're probably gagging by now.

sorry about that.

and then there's this:

you guys.

its the new maybelline colorsensational lipstick, in their new 'vivids' color line.

i have been searching the world (not really) for a fierce, bright, super saturated, not fully red, not fully orange lipstick since last summer. i've tried a few but i'm such a loyal to my fuchsia fever pink, that i kinda gave up.

until last night.

i was at walgreens and i bought this.

'vibrant mandarin'

i wore it to dinner.

i am wearing it to work right now.

i am a new lady (not really).

i love it.

i might buy another tube in case they discontinue it in the next 5 years.

you can get it online (cheaper!) here.

seriously though, i'm really happy with this brand/line of lipsticks. they last a good long time. both fuchsia fever and this vibrant mandarin. they last all day. i'm a cheap drugstore lipstick convert (if we're talking this kind).

and also.

i can't get this lamp outta my head: 

it's rita konig's.

i like her, you've seen me say this before.

i even remember when she bought this in an old domino magazine.

at a thrift/antique/junk store in some cool city.

anyway.

happy tuesday.

JILL

this summer.

this summer you'll find me in a mixture of stripes, florals (who's surprised?), and a dreamy combo of earth's prettiest pastels.

3 reasons why it's the coolest:

JILL

floral supreme.

this is my ode to this season's florals.

i am maxed out in love.

looking for the perfect floral jeans.

last month's lucky mag had a cute pair from aeropostale of all places.

it looked adorable in the magazine but online.... question marks. but super cheap.

i just need to make it to the mall. i usually kinda avoid that place ;)

but i don't discriminate.

i love granny florals.

mini florals.

giant florals.

bright florals.

muted florals.

i like em all.

i'd even take this vintage granny chic chintz ballgown.

where would i wear it? don't know but i'd find a place.

love.

JILL

{coco+kelley, dustjacketattic, gadabout, kendieveryday, greyandscout, sincerelyjules, shopsweetthings, and the vintage dress is from adorevintage}

spring.

i wish our spring would get here and then decide to stay here.

it gets warm and gorgeous, then laughs in our faces with cold.

then warm, then cold.

enough already! at least there was no snow. i know some of you northerners got some of that junk in the last week, and i'm not sure how i'd mentally handle it ;)

anywho...

these photos dazzle the photography lover in me.

for lots of reasons. the warmness for one, all her floral prints for two, and the scenery for three.

thought i'd share em with you.

from marie claire netherlands, april 2013.

happy monday.

JILL

i wish...

yesterday was the first day of spring.

and i wish i could say we here in kansas city get to join in on the good-weather-flowers-are-blooming festivities, but we. are. not.

the high of 39 degrees yesterday, was the average for the end of january.

not the average for the middle of march. today it's only supposed to be 34.

and for the next 4 days..... snow.

so while i'm dreaming of these things:

my reality is still this:

(i would totally love myself a giant blue fur coat. that might make it better!)

i hope your spring has gotten off to a better start than ours.

sorry for the light posts this week.

same old stuff ;)

JILL

...and purple.

did you know red/coral/orange/persimmon is best friends with purple?

they get along like peas and carrots...

maybe you like lamb and tuna fish better?

{name that movie ;)}

JILL

{rug from esale rugs, photo of florals by rachel a clingen, earrings by lauren hope, petra}

boho

from one nature lover to all of you...

this american indian inspired, feather and desert colored wild flower bouquet

is kinda perfect for me right now.

and so are rocks.

did you know i love rocks?

i do. most kinds. especially of the crystal, gorgeous variety.

inspiring my monday:

bouquet via 100 layer cake.

crystals found on more design please, but i don't know where it comes from originally.

i wish i did. i'd love to have it as a print.

reminds me of carly waito's paintings.

anyway, my bedroom would be alot better were this hanging on its walls.

happy monday.

JILL

the look for less.

i'm back!

we didn't get internet at work until last night around 9.

turns out it wasn't our server, it was something something something (i have no idea what i'm talking about), but our entire city block was out and at&t was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

bad visual. but it gets the job done.

they! got the job done.

finally.

try working without the internet. it's like working in the dark. honest.

back to our regularly scheduled programming.......

wallpaper is expensive.

expensive.

but you can get the same look for a little bit less!

i obsess over this room.

like obsess.

i love the black. i love how it's big girl pattern in a little girl's space.

i love how sophisticated it is for a kid but black polka dots bring it right back down a smidge. it's a little unexpected, but i've come to find that i am a #1 fan of the unexpected.

so yeah.

this might be happening in the future if i have a daughter.

more than probable, actually.

it'll happen.

{i'm screaming}

IT'S SO PRETTYYYYYYYY!!!

SO PRETTTTYYYYY.

sanderson sweet bay magnolia wallpaper.

it's a paper made in the uk. i found it online anywhere from $50-60 a roll. (not terrible, but for a room the size of above, there will be lots and lots of rolls.....)

but it's gorgeous and if you can swing it, by all means swing it!

unless you can sleuth out these 2 almost identical (actually, i like one of them better!!) for less:

(this one, i like this one better! throws a bit of pinky-lavender into the mix.)

ashford house, #YV9001.

found it online for about $30 a roll.

that's half folks. half the cost of the sanderson paper.

and it's SO PRETTY, TOOOOO!!!

hooha!

and then there's this one:

strikingly similar to sanderson, no?

york green black AD8202, magnolia vine.

found it between $90 (yikes) and $35 online, per roll.

then we come to the wildly popular, blogged about to death, cole and sons hummingbirds in aqua.

so dreamy, ethereal and whimsical-ly.

and this room below, God i love it with those bright orange/red josef albers prints.

it's good.

cole and sons, hummingbirds in aqua.

this paper will set you back between $115-150 a roll online.

but then thibaut comes up with their similar but everybit as whimsical rendition:

thibaut augustine paper, top in aqua and below in the blue coloway.

this baby will run you around $85 a roll. better than cole and sons, but still not super affordable.

 but it's just so cute!

so like i said, if you can swing it, by all means, swing it!!

i've died and gone to wallpaper heaven with that black magnolia stuff up there.

i'm smitten.

JILL

gold dot globe diy.

we've all seen this image from lonny.

gorgeous rubie green fabric headboard and that kate spade gold dot vase.

i had an old globe vase and some gold paint. so i thought i just might be able to make one for myself.

the original kate spade version is (expensive) but also discontinued.

so i got out my supplies:

gold leaf paint from hobby lobby, small paint brush, my (washed and thoroughly dried) vase, some contact paper and my circle cutter thing, also from hobby lobby.

cut out some circles in the contact paper.

then cut out around those circles to apply to the vase.

did that, and then painted them gold.

the gold isn't as shiny as the original but i don't totally mind that. besides, that's near impossible. that paint doesn't exist, i've come to the conclusion.

some paint genius out there needs to come up with the perfect shiny metallic gold paint. especially in a spray form. i still have yet to find one that i love and i have done my fair share of research/trials.

and the after:

(just got instagram for my droid!)

using peonies from my backyard.

i like it! and what i like even more.... this project cost me absolutely positively $0.

i had everything already. and i took something that i used (especially during peony season) and made it a smidge better with more character and charm.

here's another plain old globe that could use some dots, dontcha think?:

i actually did this diy this winter but have been waiting for my peonies to bloom to show you.... but while i was waiting, i saw this over at things that sparkle blog.

oh the possibilities!!!

i hoard decanters so, hmm.

or this one:

big polka dots with glass etching cream.

seriously.

soo many ideas floatin around in my head.

happy thursday everyone.

i'm excited to say today's my last day of work this week...

i'm headed down to see my cousin's TWINS being born tomorrow!

crazy happy for them and more than excited to hold the little nuggets.

love.

JILL

randoms

2 random things i wanted to share,

although they have nada to do with each other:

1-- i wish we had smellavision so that you could take a whiff.

my mom's lilac topiary took my breat away.

i could have slept with that tree right beside me last night.

2-- i just changed tea companies for my daily work tea-time routine, because of nothing other than the package.

i don't think some marketing people realize the power of pretty packaging.

shoot, there are people on pinterest with whole boards devoted to it.

this lime and hunter and bright raspberry is as pretty as it gets.

and much to my delight the tea is delicious, too.

love.

JILL

spring wedding.

{it's a tie between these two.}

got the cake. the dress (or 2). the setting. blankets for the chilly nights.

the favors. the flowers. can't forget the flowers!!

and of course, the bar. the prettiest bar i've ever seen, actually.

if i were re-getting married tomorrow, this might be what it'd look like.

using all the colors spring has to offer.

tgif.

seriously, TGif. 

JILL

{images via elizabeth ann designs, 1st dress found on weddings of desire, 2nd dress by kevan hall white label, style me pretty, ruffled, and plum pretty sugar}