warm september

crisp crumpled linen, cool and fresh. beautiful shapes, simple lines.

lolling about in dresses and skirts, sun warming my shoulders, sunglasses on.

when it's this gorgeous + hot in september, i forget that we had a cold + dreary start to july.

woffle linen dress :: pamela tang

organic denim jean skirt - wrap cargo - hemp & organic cotton :: pyxus passion project

sage linen tunic dress :: larimeloom

oh hello there

i've been away, spending my days here

and my evenings here

gazing at amazing sunsets every night

and spending a whole lot of time with these two incredible kids.

i will be popping in and out of the blog this month again, i do hope you'll bear with me and these extended breaks. those two little people have five more weeks of summer vacation, and i plan on taking full advantage of the sunny weather and spending it outside. they grow so fast, don't they? i just want to enjoy them.

inspired by a scarf

seafoam. can be interpreted as different shades of aquamarine, turquoise, palest green, or a hint of blue. all i know is that i saw july's scarf colour of the month from scarfshop today, and was instantly smitten. i can't wait til it arrives!

this collection of goodies was inspired by that most gorgeous shade of seafoam.

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom.

listen - original painting on wood panel :: deermayor

aqua clutch :: shibang designs

foggy morning. wishbone stitch hand embroidery :: the merriweather council

flock ceramic wall art set of three flying ducks :: prince design uk

swallow and lace on aqua messenger bag :: track and field designs

it's a tough job

life's a beach. at least it is this week! my little man is in sailing camp this week {cutest thing ever} and so we are destined to be here every day. i know, difficult, right? this week, those two chairs will be inhabited by a great friend and myself, as long as there is sunshine + blue sky.

iphone photos by me

had to include a pic of the little sailors in action. in that photo, they are being tethered along, but right from day one they were out, three to a boat, on their own, learning the ropes! these are 4-6 year-old kids. seriously cute, and completely awesome.

directly above was my first view of the bay this morning. those two specks on the deck are the 3-year-old girls, best friends enjoying the sun. shaping up to be a pretty awesome summer.

{now i know it all sounds pretty fantastic, but yesterday there may have been a bit too much sun, as meltdowns and overtired-ness were rampant when we got home. life as a 'fancy-free' mama isn't always sunshine + daisies, right? heheh}

pretty paper rainbows

i saw these zigzag streamers {above} on ohdeedoh today. aren't they adorable? they're made by jordan from oh happy day, who is pretty much a genius with paper. i also love the other streamers she made earlier this year {bottom}. lastly, her hack of those not-so-great cheap confetti poppers which she turned into invitations {middle}. they're so clever, and way cuter.

i foresee a very pretty rainbow paper birthday coming our way in june!

all images are by paul ferney for oh happy day.

fringey streamers, confetti popper invitations, zigzag streamers, all from

oh happy day.

cardigan.

i love a good cardigan. yes, it's still august, but the evenings could start getting a little chilly, and fall is just around the corner. right?

madewell :: boden :: j.crew

one week away

solitude, quiet company, insightful chats, smooth sand, expansive ocean, crisp air, skim boarding, beach volleyball, roasted hotdogs, fresh conversation, incredible friends.

a view that never gets tired, and wonderful people to share it all with, year after year. refreshed.

if you need me

i'll be here. for a whole week.

impromptu getaway

these dreamy pieces by lisa golightly perfectly illustrate the relaxed summertime feel of our quick getaway to whistler this weekend. lots of time spent at the lake, by the pool, and generally having fun in the sun. somehow, 36 hours feels like a whole lot more when it's spent being completely carefree.

images via kiki & polly on etsy

visit lisa's amazing etsy shop and kiki & polly website to find more beautiful pieces of art like the ones above. i have always been enamoured by her paintings, and i think you'll love them, too.

summer colour week :: red + white

happy canada day!

jan + earl of poppytalk are hosting summer colour week again this week. today's theme is red + white, very fitting as we celebrate our nation's birthday. here are my pics for today. check out the awesome photos in the flickr group here.

a day in june

this is what a june day should look like. vancouver has had really rotten weather this spring. while i am not a stranger to rain + cooler temperatures

[i choose to live here, after all] i do look forward to some sun in the spring + lovely hot summers. today is the last day of june. it is finally sunny. it may even be warm enough to wear shorts - gasp! and so we are going to the beach. because tomorrow, it will probably rain.

a day in june - 8x8 - fine art photograph :: sherri conley photography

:: edit ::

20 minutes after posting this, there is the biggest, darkest cloud looming over north van. this spring has had the most unpredictable weather. ever.

jam.

sorry i was missing* from this space yesterday. i took the kids to my parents' house for the day, and my mom + i made jam. fresh, farm-picked local strawberries. quick, easy freezer jam. it doesn't get much better than that. i came home with fourteen jars. they may last us till fall, if we're lucky, strawberry freezer jam is a hot commodity in these parts.

though i had the best of intentions to take my camera and get some pics of my own, i forgot. so i've found a few nice photos that represent my day.

images via sources as listed below

summer at the market :: julie davis photo

tis the season :: shannonblue photography

erdbeermarmelade - strawberry jam :: qusic on flickr

*now that school's out, i'm getting into full summer mode. i look forward to a great couple months, spending as much time as possible outside playing with my kiddos! while i don't expect the blog to suffer too much, posting may not be quite as regular. i do hope you'll stick around and keep visiting!

etsy imagery :: up and away

aren't hot air balloons dreamy? i know that typically you might picture brightly coloured rainbow hues when you think of them. but through my search, i was really drawn to the buttery + soft, vintage-looking imagery i've shared below. enjoy!

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

let the sunshine in :: sara norris photography

set of three lined notepads :: sloe gin fizz

hot air balloon ticket tags [5] :: wood and fabric

vintage hot air balloon belt buckle :: arete

penny farthing for your thoughts - fine art photograph :: irene suchocki

i also came across a really fun collaboration as i was browsing around, between arete and irene suchocki. i am a huge fan of artist collaborations. it's always fun to get the best of two worlds with one purchase, but it's also an excellent way to come across new-to-you artists + favourites. do you have a favourite collaboration of etsy shops? i'd love to hear about it.

saffron summer

summer needs a bit of a kick in the pants in these parts. we woke up today to grey skies, once again. i know it's my favourite colour, but not in the sky. that's supposed to be blue. this dress would help brighten things up, don't you think?

saffron dress with hand pleated neckline :: pamela tang

flowers + a sunset

romantic. i love peonies, and must admit that they are part of the reason we chose june second for our wedding day. i absolutely love the delicate pink, the amazing scent, the large blooms. below is the bouquet i made for our wedding. i am sorry i haven't got a better picture handy, but i love it all the same. swoon.

who doesn't love a great sunset? living so close to the ocean, we are lucky to be treated to some amazing displays in our neck of the woods. i love the soft + subdued colours from our wedding sunset. nice, hey?

romance week?

i'm not typically a big romantic, but i certainly wouldn't shy away from little romantic gestures here and there. june second marks my third wedding anniversary, so perhaps i'll take a few days this week to highlight some goodies that bring to mind weddings + romance + love.

with that in mind, here is a [rather romantic] treasury i put together on etsy last night, inspired by an aqua june wedding. it's my first time making a treasury, and it was fun. i just might become a little bit addicted. i've shared a screenshot of the treasury below, as well as a few of my favourite items.

aqua i do :: treasury by smidgebox designs

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom.

small cake stand...azure lace cake plate :: vessels and wares

porcelain tea light delight :: wapa studio

pure white rosette trio hair clip :: brydferth

:: note to hubby. i really really love everything in my treasury. so [ahem] if anyone was wondering about a gift at all, there are a few ideas here. except of course the really wedding-y things. cause we already did that. ::