happy halloween.

can you believe this is a real ad?

happy halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm going to be a total loser, not dress up,

sit with my light off at my house working (and watching scary movies).

total loser.

its like the first time i've not dressed up.

but work is callin.

i hope you have a good day/night.

don't do anything i wouldn't ;)

JILL

malachite.

did some etsy shopping this weekend and amongst other things, i found lots of malachite!

i actually ended up purchasing this vintage necklace for myself:

can't wait to layer it into my wardrobe.

from here.

but there were shockingly lots of things to choose from.

{i guess i don't know why i was shocked, but i was.}

still thinking about this egg for somewhere around my house.

from here.

and all of these, too:

here.

to make my own, here.

it was a toss up between the one i got and this little gem.

here.

here.

i hope everyone in the northeast is bearing the winter hurricane as well as they can be.

looking to be quite the adventure.

love you, elle!!

JILL

flowers for friday #117

have a good weekend.

love.

JILL

that bird.

i have become somewhat obsessed with this room.

the lamps. the leopard.

the screen as headboard.

the white walls and neutral curtains.

the blanket and rug.

what i more love is this:

i don't know why but this caught my eye on pinterest and i've been in love ever since.

that duck/goose/bird is my hero and all of a sudden i'm looking for its sister when i'm out... for me. to live at my house.

the flowers are gorgeous (my favorites). that vintage painting, awesome. all of it together. i think it just works.

perfect styling.

but not styled so much that it doesn't look like someone lives there, or gathered all those things on their own through the years.

i found the second image on pinterest and it wasn't until months later that i stumbled upon the shot of the whole room. i told you i loved that bird so i spotted it instantly.

its a room by schuyler sampterton interior design, in west hollywood.

kind of a random friday. my apologies.

but thanks for the birthday texts, emails and the like yesterday.

it was a good day.

i got a new-to-me vintage fur coat. (love.)

a record player!!! and some new records.

actually, a great day, way beyond the gifts.

love.

JILL

today.

today i turn 29.

(there needs to be alot more candles on that cupcake if it's for me!!)

i've blogged before about getting older. how it truly is a privilege.

and i know that. and believe that.

there have been many many people before me/us who weren't lucky enough to reach their 29th birthday. taken well before their time. i know this. and i'm ever so grateful to be here, healthy and happy on my 29th birthday. i thank God for it.

i still can't help but feel a little twinge of something else.

not bummed about being a year older (with a few more gray hairs ((that i still pull out when i find, btw)) or a few more wrinkles)...

its just when i was younger i pictured myself having accomplished a little bit more than i have before this BIG next birthday. and i don't even have specifics. its just a general feeling. maybe it isn't even measured in accomplishments because i like my life, i like where i'm at, i love my husband, and i like what the future holds... maybe i just saw it differently.

this is a feeling i know some of you also feel.

its like where on earth does the time go??? i wake up and i'm 29. i don't feel old enough to be this old. ha.

on monday, i can't wait until friday. and then the weekend. but that means i rush through tuesday, wednesday and thursday just to get to friday. i should be living and loving each day.

when i was little, thursday was my favorite day. for no reason at all. it just was. i want today to be my favorite day again!

its not even the week that rushes by, whole seasons and YEARS do that now. summer's gone before i know it. disappears way faster than it did when i was a kid. so does spring, fall and winter. the whole year for that matter, zips right on by and if you're not careful, same goes for life.

the best part about this feeling (because there is a good part), is that i have the next 365 days to make up for it, God willing. i have a whole year to appreciate and celebrate....

it's going to be a busy year. and a good year.

maybe even the best.

again, i don't even have specifics but if this is my last year in my 20s, i better (and i'm going to!) make it amazing.

JILL

target pillows

i ran into target sunday morning for a few things.

while i was there i saw these on clearance:

they were cute.

and wine.

and cheap!

but as much as i loved the wine and cream, i didn't love the bright red piping.

i'd rather it was magenta.

see more of my love affair with wine and magenta here, here and here.

so thanks to target's cheap pillows and the fact that i just might be able,

i'm going to make my own (just how i like em) for my family room.

i found this organic fabric on tonic living.

(love tonic living. have purchased nurmerous times from them.)

organic linen in scarlet.

for the piping, organic cotton in hibiscus.

and for the creamy neutral side, this cotton in 'organic white'.

see.

cute.

they'll go swimmingly with these guys i made over here.

target been inspiring you lately?

JILL

some pretty people.

these are two of my recent shoots i just finished up last night.

the first is a most adorable little family of two, about to be three.

i had more than too much fun with them.

they are amazing. and sweet. and lovely.

i wish nothing but the best for them, and can't wait to meet the little one due any day now.

(and i am jealous of her lips. she has the best lips/smile!)

next up is a family of models.

not real models but they should be.

we caught the 'golden hour' of sun and took pretty photos of a pretty family.

(i can't help adding this one. looks like a ralph lauren ad.)

JILL

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

flowers for friday #116

love you.

love fridays.

love the weekends like its my job.

JILL

{via poppytalk}

relish.

i plan on doing a little relishing this weekend.

JILL

{via anthropologie magazine}

little bit orange. little bit red.

poppy!

this color is lighting my life right now.

especially mixed with magenta and lilac.

and that perfect shade of teal-green-blue-aqua-mint.

i love it.

{and i want that rug}

{and on another note, that painting is from etsy and i've lost the link. tried looking for it and can't get it. i actually really want to purchase it for myself! its an original oil. the colors are just so perfect. i'll keep looking but if i find it, i might buy it :)}

JILL

{images via: abigail ahern, etsy, hilary inspired}

pom poms

this weekend i think i'm going to attempt this:

a giant pom pom pillow

found the tutorial here.

 maybe 2 euro-sized shams for my spare bedroom.

in white/creamy tones.

i've always liked the small balls trimmed on curtains for kids and stuff.

but these big ones are kinda fun.

big balls.

on pillows.

:)

i know, i'll stop.

but look, big balls on blankets, too!

found tutorial here.

i like them both.

adds some spunk.

JILL

new friend.

this guy from zgallerie is finding his way to my house as i type this.

{i've always had my eye on this one but for $98 i let it sit there... until this friend pops up for much much much cheaper. and i like him better!!}

and he won't get put away after halloween.

so cute.

in my weird way.

he'll look great nestled amongst my books in my living room.

but.....

thanks for letting me take a day off yesterday.

i survived the wedding!

more than survived, i had so much fun.

it rained all flipping day. all flipping day.

 but the bride was goregeous, the wedding was gorgeous and we found a way to take some gorgeous photog, even in the rain.

then sunday i had 3 more sessions!

busy is so great but i was tiiiiiired.

i had a brother/sister (twins) senior session in the morining.

cutest little prego and her husband in the afternoon.

and a stunning family of 3 in the evening.

all different locations.

all awesome.

i can't wait to share but i have a load of editing to do now before any of that can happen.

after this weekend, i was even more excited to let photog be my official job in the near future. it's my 2 year game plan.

can't wait.

i loved every second of it.

happy tuesday.

JILL

flowers for friday #115

i'll be photoging away at my second wedding tomorrow :)

just do me a solid and pray for no rain!

although i have a plan if it gets here.......

i would just feel better for my sweet bride and her sweet groom without it.

have a great weekend.

see ya here on monday!

JILL

{via studio castillero}

nate.

i want to kiss his face.

and his apartment.

he's so beautiful.

have you seen his home in ad magazine? its pretty fantastic, too.




i have another wedding i'm shooting this weekend.
beyond beyond beyond excited for it.

happy friday.

JILL

{video via architectural digest}

waylande gregory.

waylande gregory is said to be the greatest ceramicist of our time.

{yes ceramicist is a word, i double checked.}

he was born in kansas and even lived in kansas city for awhile!

my mother in law works in one of my most favorite home stores, ferguson phillips.

unfortunately she and the store are in wichita, but i try to visit each time i go down there.

the last time i was there, i snapped a picture of this little 5 inch shallow bowl.

i love this little spotted feline

and his orange spotted background.

unfortunately he did such amazing work he's super famous, and his pieces are pricey. but i so wish i could bring this one home.

they have lots of his stuff right now.

each insanely beautiful...

modern and vintage and colorful and.... beautiful.

here are some more i found around the internets.

i can't even pick a favorite!!

except it might be that little square spotted plate.

or the gray and gold bird.

or the orange leaopard above.

yep. can't.

what's yours?

JILL

it's complicated.

one of my very favorite movies is it's complicated.

{it's nothing new, but i stumbled upon shots of the set yesterday and thought i'd share}

when i was painting my whole wall of built-ins and fireplace (that took weeks...) i had this movie on in the background over and over and over again. it has a great story and characters, but the scenery is even better.

the thing that kills me is that this whole movie is set around merryl streep's house. and she's having a giant kitchen added on by her architect, steve martin.

why? because this one is so awful?

i love this kitchen.

i want to add on to my house for this kitchen!

doesn't look like a movie set at all.

looks like a well loved, well lived-in kitchen.

i'm crazy about it.

thank you, nancy meyers.

JILL

{i've already posted about meryl's garden in this movie here.}

penny pincher

i only read one fashion blog, the daybook.

this weekend i upped that number to 2.

i found penny pincher fashion saturday morning and i read back months soaking it all in. i love it when that happens.

she's a stay at home mama, and a contributor to lucky.

that's actually how i found her blog, i was reading the new lucky and loved her outfit and followed over to her blog.

the best part is the 'penny pincher' part.

she and i have the same feelings towards clothes....

i hate paying tons of money for clothes.

i'd rather spend tons of money on my house.

that's just me.

i shop 95% at the local usuals:

target, old navy, f21, hm, gap, and tjmaxx/marshalls.

and some thrift thrown in there.

sure, i splurge, but it's not a habit.

and no one ever seems to be the wiser.

in fact, they always seemed shocked when they ask where i got something and i say target. always baffles me.

i'm not too good for target :)

and neither is this lovely lady:

she and i have very similar fashion opinions, and we agree 100% on the fact that you don't have to spend a ton to look like you did.

i have bookmarked her and will be going back.

head over if you want to be inspired.

hope you had a great weekend.

JILL

flowers for friday #114

happy fall weekend.

JILL

{flowers via oncewed}

salted.

i've recently added some recipes to my caramel arsenal.

my mouth is watering just looking at them.

it's freezing in kc this weekend.

not kidding, 80's last week.... 50's (and 30's at night) this weekend.

and i think one or two of these are happening:

apple and salted caramel focaccia.

banana cream pie with chocolate ganache and salted caramel.

chocolate cake with salted caramel buttercream.

homemade salted caramel sauce.

*this one looks particularly delicious. it's made without the addition

of corn syrup. just straight up goodness.

don't do the corn syrup thing.

just say no.

and anything caramel is better with salt.

it's the love of my life, says my tastebuds.

and although they're seasonally appropriate, its always appropriate in my book.

have a great weekend.

JILL