spring delights

sweet gifts from my bloggy friend, kerri!

With the nonstop rain over the last week, it has felt like an eternity since I have been outside!! There are, fortunately, some lovely things keeping me sane indoors. First, I recently did a total 'spring cleaning' overhaul and redecorated my room with new DIYs, crafts, art pieces, rearranged stuff, and the best part: decluttering! I threw out about 10 pairs of shoes!

Between Michaels, TJ Maxx and Whole Foods I have been very busy indeed with beautifying my living space. I scored this exquisite pink peonies from Whole Foods (only $12.99 - which I thought was at first expensive, but compared to other places around here, it isn't!) and they opened up BEAUTIFULLY in my window sill. I also have been getting through the chilly rainy days with lots of delicious candles and scents like lavender, hibiscus, and rosemary mint.

But probably the most delightful things here were a completely surprise snail mail gift from Kerri! She sent over a gorgeous tassel necklace and bracelet (she makes them herself - Kerri, where is your Etsy shop!!?!), fun birthday-themed treats (my b-day was this past April) and of course, our common passion, TEA. It was so sweet of her to send this over, and it really came in handy this week to get past the rainy day blues.

I am working on a few DIY projects and improving some crafts I recently bought at Michaels. I got a really nice linen board (functions as a cork board, but cleaner and more crisp) that I want to doll up with some of my favorite photos and some calligraphy work. I am also trying to fix up some shelves to put on my wall so I can start building some sort of gallery wall a la pinterest.

In the mean time, I'll be on the hunt for more peonies...

ciao! happy work week, all!

xo

insta-lately: @ataylorstudio

By the looks of these pictures in my phone, all things are either a) flowers, b) calligraphy or c) watercolors. Here's what is not pictured:

• grad school woes: my stats class (final exam was last week, AHH).
• my birthday! yay 26. i'm getting old.
• AMAZING NEWS about S
• some family hardships, sadly - but immediately in my life, all is well
• a sweet birthday gift from my best blogger friend! more on this soon!
• summer planning and travel dreaming
• my 2nd ever newborn session - eeee!!!
• getting hooked on the office (again, from the beginning)
• obsessed over my new favorite snack: organic habanero bacon tortilla chips :) 
• trying to be consistent by working out 5x a week and eating well (ahem, bullet point above...)

So today is awesome because it is Earth Day AND I have the day off. When does this happen!? An entire weekday Earth Day to spend outside? It is almost too good to be true. Being outside and hearing the birds chirp can do wonders for the mood.  I fully plan on doing this today! Everything outside is so refreshed and new. The fields I see on my morning commute are crisp and green, not a deep or rich green but a sprightly and fresh lime colored green that is newly reborn, grown, and springing to life. 

My birthday was good, too. I had some not so fun things to do (like my evening grad class, statistics, gahhh) but I was surprised with so many pleasant gifts and thoughts. S sent me flowers right to work - I love when he does that and how it embarrasses me (but it really doesn't, I love that kind of stuff). It was so sweet - I kept them at my desk all week and they are still kickin! After my class, I came home to a homemade Funfetti cake (my childhood favorite) and a sweet little party complete with party hats, balloons, and all of my favorite things. We had champagne, chips and salsa, and birthday cake all in the same sitting. It was the BEST, and so hilarious! My family and I had a great time being ourselves and laughing about nonsense. My brother will be home in just a few weeks and we'll all be reunited again.

Speaking of reunited: S is coming home!!! I will post more on this later, but I am thrrrrrilleddddd with the news!

As for A. Taylor Studio, I've been enjoying working on some calligraphy and photography projects in the last few weeks. Especially with calligraphy, I've been so pleased with how my practice has developed. An ideal Sunday morning now consists of a hot oolong tea and a clean piece of paper to practice some calligraphy on. I have been SO inspired and helped out by reading this blog,  which is a great resource for those still learning the tricks of the trade and which tools to use. I love the fine, delicate skill of being able to letter an envelope -  a skill that is unfortunately long gone for most of the world!

Right now I am off to do a little light spring cleaning and work out. Happy weekend and Earth Day! 

ciao, xo

rainy weekend

 dress  / tote / umbrella 

Probably one of the worst things about shopping is finding out that you paid full price for something that is now deeply discounted (i.e. this dress is now under $50!). Ouch. Maybe my pain can be your gain! I had this dress in mind for a drizzly weekend stroll through the streets of Princeton, where I had to stop for some errands over the weekend. The campus is filled with such beautiful landscaping and with the trees in full bloom it was hard to resist snapping a few photos in front of all their pink magnificence!  A lot of people were out doing the same thing even through the fine mist and chilly temperatures.

I added a cheap belt (this was from an outfit from F21) to add some structure, but I love this dress without a belt too. It is supposed to be a sheath dress, and while constructed on the top with a ribbed tee fabric, it is drapey and elegant on the bottom. It adds just enough length and is lined on the inside.

 Most rainy days, I don't feel like dressing up - but when I have an awesome umbrella (old school with the wooden hook handle) I feel a little bit more classic Londoner and more inspired to dress the part.

what makes you feel happy on a rainy day? ciao! xo

scenes from my weekend

hello! happy monday! 

this weekend has been refreshing. it felt like a steady and slow wintry weekend, even though yesterday was the first day of S P R I N G ! I could not be more excited for flowers, warmth, pastel, wearing stripes and skirts and maybe even sandals. 

there were long walks outside...cold but refreshing!

a restorative yoga class...

some spring cleaning and updating...

and lots of calligraphy practice! 

lately i have been feeling an urge to completely update my room. A trip to HomeGoods this weekend really went a long way!  I got some crates for organization, a jasmine hibiscus candle, a really pretty golden trinket box (above - how pretty?!!!), and a new bed set with a shabby-chic, crisp white flair. I was feeling this spring cleanup urge after walking through my town's Anthropologie (love that place) and completely obsessing over their store's layout, including the decor. I could pretty much set up shop in there and be quite content with that! 

nothing else much going on, except the sleepy snow falling outside now. Even though I can't wait for warmth,  a cozy night in front of the fire is kind of amazing right now. 

ciao! xo 

scenes from my weekend

a. taylor studio print with some inspo from a favorite! 

Here's what's going on lately!

• in the mood for flowers. obviously, can you tell? It's been slowly warming up here and the beautiful pink magnolia tree - the most majestic in the springtime - has its buds! (!!!!!!!!). I can't wait for it. So in the meantime I planted my own seeds, and they sprouted in under a week! I am a novice when it comes to this, so I'm not sure if that's normal...but I am pumped. My seedlings include some poppies (which aren't going to transplant well, but I don't care), stock, zinnia, and ranunculus.

• coffee diaries of epic proportions coming soon! it was so fantastic and inspiring! I turned a blog friend into a real friend, yay!

• the great outdoors. well, I didn't walk through it - but we drove up through the mountains this weekend and the landscape and scenery were breathtaking. getting some cool mountain air in the lungs is always a good thing. and how about that covered bridge? I love my car's gps system for surprising us with that one along the route.

• falling off the healthy wagon...lately my weeks have been up and down. sometimes, i eat healthy in my head but don't actually do it. does that make sense? {actually, even I don't understand that!?} What i think I mean is that I intend to eat well, especially during the week, but then sometimes the hangriness sets in and it's very hard to control! I have been SO good lately about eating practices, and working out, but I hurt my knee and haven't run for a few days. so mentally, i feel like I have fallen off the wagon. Need to get back on (and stop eating chips and salsa). 

• watched this movie and it's so so delightful.

• springing forward for daylight savings hurts. 

• there is something to be said about old fashioned, slow paced visits. whether it is coffee meet-ups, spontaneous get-togethers, or dinners with old friends, building those kinds of relationships - over laughs, stories, memories, old photos - is the paramount happiness. I had so many of those this weekend with old and new friends, and it is something special. Being in a rush is overrated.

Have a great week! ciao, xo

spring wishlist

sandals / lens for nikon / jeans /  pouf / moisturizer / blouse / dress / socks / earrings 

I am feeling MAJOR, major major spring fever vibes! All I want to do is run through a field of flowers and be outside! I am craving cool spring mornings, sunny afternoons, and having longer days. The school year is almost over, warmth is coming, and I always get this jumpy wanderlust-y feeling about upcoming summertime travels.

This winter I have really found my stride with my go-to shopping picks: the items from above are on my radar to add to the arsenal! There are so many trends I am loving, in particular the marble-white jewelry with gold, flowy hemlines and ruffles, cropped high waisted jeans, and romantic yet minimalist details (like lace, or fluff as seen on that awesome ottoman/pouf!). Anthropologie and Urban have been unexpected favorites lately - along with the usual Loft, etc. 

As for beauty, Laura Mercier is my new favorite moisturizer. I actually own this already but I love it and wanted to share! I've been using this as a luxe weekends-only moisturizer, because it is so rich and nourishing I don't want to use it all up! It is $98/bottle, so it's not something I want to be stocking up on very frequently. Wish it was cheaper! I use this in the meantime as a great weekday choice that is light and super-hydrating. 

And...for the fun little tech piece...a new lens! I actually owned this lens at one point and switched it out after having second thoughts. But now I am having third thoughts (is that a thing?) and the verdict is: I wish I never sold it back. This lens has it all! I love the lens' ability to zoom in on the finest details like strands of hair, petals on flowers, etc. The f/2 aperture really blurs the background nicely and adds such a pleasing bokeh effect. So, I am thinking I need to reintroduce this glass into my collection.

what's on your must have list for spring? 

ciao, xo! 

soft details

br necklace / primark sweater / br jeans / tote (old) / shoes (similar)

The first semblances of spring are what make me the absolute happiest. All I want to do is buy loads of tulips, eat Reese eggs, do some major spring de-cluttering, and of course wear feminine and light clothes that are perfect for warmer days. The first day it hits 60 degrees is the unofficial kickoff of spring in my head! This past Sunday was the day, and we made some time for a midmorning smoothie stop to get in some greens with our breakfast. There's an awesome smoothie place nearby and I always go for a berry smoothie made with greens and almond milk. 

For our smoothie outing, I decided to break in my new flats (called ghillies) with my favorite new ankle-length jeans. I love the heavy amounts of detail down by the ankles in this outfit - the cuffs from the jeans have an awesome dip-dye look which I love. I never buy jeans, and I just had to have these for spring.  The shoes are also really detailed, with the laces that go up the leg underneath the cuffs of my jeans. I honestly feel like I am hopping on such an obvious trend bandwagon here, but these were only $19 and I feel like that is a perfect amount to spend on a pair of shoes that a) I probably won't wear often and b) won't be in style forever. To lighten things up, I wore a really comfortable sweater from Primark (new obsession) with a pretty lace detail that ups the femininity of the whole outfit. There's a lot of stuff going on with this outfit, but it pretty much sums up springtime weekending to me.

What you can't see in the outfit is my new fitbit charge hr! S got it for me for Valentine's Day and I honestly LOVE it. I cannot believe how motivated it makes me to keep moving throughout the day. Today alone I had over 14,000 steps! I have been feeling great, which, to me, is the best advantage. It keeps me way more disciplined than I used to be without it, especially when it comes to food logging and making sure I drink enough water. I just feel healthy, light, and consistent with my habits.

ciao! xo

p.s. follow my new creative outlet, @ataylorstudio! 

spring goals

1. go on a mini road trip. this is the next destination: long island. I am so pumped because it's looking like it is going to be a girls' weekend sometime at the end of march - YESSS! i can't wait to see all things long island-y. We are visiting Sagamore Hill (to satisfy my inner history buff), the coastal towns, maybe Fire Island and maybe, just maybe, we will make it up to the Hamptons.

2. shoot three outfit posts with spring-inspired looks and locales! I have picked up some amazing finds from UO, Anthro, and Banana lately...need to style and shoot those soon as it gets warmer!

3. keep up with the fit bit. this is my newest obsession! S got me a Fitbit for Valentine's Day and it is the best. thing. ever. I love competing with him for the most steps (he happens to be winning this week)...but it helps to notice the not-so-obvious things, like peak heart rate and amount of water I drink (see #9). I love it and how aware I now am of my movements. If anything, it makes me want to work out and move. I am hoping that sticks!

4. build the portfolio by adding 2 more portrait sessions before july.  I am thinking one city shoot and one field shoot.

5. get back into the smoothie routine (and add protein).

6.  find a new cafe to add to the coffee diaries!

7. invest in a new prime lens. I bought (and returned) a macro lens last summer and I have regretted getting rid of it. It was awesome. I am looking for a macro lens for super closeups, especially with a lower aperture, to capture really beautiful.

8. practice the art of calligraphy. I have dabbled with it for years, as a hobby, but I would love to get more accustomed to traditional calligraphy as well as the much more relaxed brush calligraphy. it is so soothing!

9. drink more w a t e r . this goes unsaid.

10. be nice to people. i've been noticing myself getting less patient, and i want to stop that in its tracks. I need to relax sometimes, and be nice to people more genuinely. sometimes my goal is just to get through the day - whether its the work day, grad school, whatever - and i think part of my problem is not being present. stress is definitely a factor in this, but continuing to allow myself "me" time and decompress is important to achieving a more patient, calm demeanor.

11. revive the blog. this is A BIG ONE! i have not blogged since january...and even before that, my blog posts were so scattered ever since I switched anticipation to be a private blog, open to only invited readers. I still feel so torn about that choice.  I have been building a. taylor studio, my creative website for photography, watercolors, and more - and that has been absolutely taking all my attention away from my blog. I haven't spent much time photographing for fun or going anywhere new/noteworthy to document. So I'd really like to change that, and aim to post here at Anticipation a few times a month. I miss it! I feel like this blog is my happy collection of archives - happy and small moments that are nonsignificant but important to me.

ciao! xo

by the corral

Hi, everyone! Happy Thursday [already - this week flew!] The frenetic, crazy, I-don't-even-have-time-to-go-to-the-bathroom days have been getting to me; but somewhere deep down I know that this too shall pass. And when it does, I'll weirdly miss it. Anyway, I am looking forward to the weekend regardless and am so excited for one piece of big news next week: S is coming home for a nice long visit! I've been planning some cool things for us to do, but I don't want it to be a rushed visit filled with to-do lists.

I kind of want a day to look like the pictures above. Maybe a picnic in a dandelion-filled field? (ugh, allergies). These beautiful fields are my favorite fields. It's a long stretch of open land and a horse corral, surrounded by dense maple trees and lots of deer. They're right outside of my grandmother's house, where we spent Mother's Day. I remember growing up and being fascinated by the corral "out back," and watching deer graze around the apple trees in my grandma's backyard. I have the faintest memories of watching for real-life Bambi, going to search for my mom's old tree house near the creek, and going on excursions to visit the horses way out back. Even in my twenties I still look out the window and look for something. This past week's discovery was a lurking cat and an unsuspecting cardinal...there's always something to find.

lots of good things happening!

ciao! xo

insta-lately

The month of April has been ahhhhmazing.

I turned 25, I got to visit S again on the West Coast, had my first lavender honey ice cream of the year, visited new places (hello, DC - twice!) and spent lots of time being a foodie.  For the most part, I've been able to get out and really feel awake, rejuvenated...through running at the park or just simply running errands. I love getting back outside. The entire winter, I felt like most weekends were spent by the fire (and I loved it!) but it is veryyyy good to be in the sun and warmth outside.

A big theme for spring so far: simplicity. Eating lighter, living without excess, getting sun, sleeping well, and making choices that I feel better about (ex. cooking at home rather than eating out). I am in the midst of planning more travels for the summer, so I am thinking this simplicity kick has got to stay in order to make the plans happen. We're thinking a road trip up the West Coast!

Another idea that I've had over the past few weeks: I love being in my mid-twenties. The earlier years  were kinda chaotic - job searching, exiting college, figuring out all that stuff. I feel sooo much more mellowed out and I like it! I think it gets better every year...

ciao! xo
(ps. follow my insta!)

seeing the cherry blossoms

Spring is officially here!!! I was so happy a few weekends ago to finally check 'the cherry blossoms' off of my must-see list - it was right at sundown, the light pinks were accentuated with the dark orange hues of the sky. I love the soothing and cool hues in the photos. I'd also never seen the Jefferson Memorial. It is a beautiful structure, made even more stunning with these delicate heaps of flowers surrounding the Tidal Basin. Confession: I didn't leave the car for any of these photos. While that might make it sound like these are a bit more ingenuine, I think it makes me love them even more.

HOWEVER - the reason we didn't get out of the car was because of the ridiculous traffic and crowds due to the Blossom Festival. If you're like me and just want to snap a few good photos without dealing with crowds (slow walkers are my pet peeve), I'd pop out the window as a passenger like I did, if that is possible. I don't think I've ever seen more people!

I love how much I've been in DC the past few weeks! Check back soon for a DC coffee diaries :) It was such a good, impromptu find.

ciao! xo

quick stop in San Diego

San Diego was one of the coolest places I've ever been to. Very relaxed and chill, with the by-the-bay vibes all over the place. S picked out the best place for dinner that went down in the books as the BEST fajitas I have ever had. I'd also just like to note how giddy I was when I figured out that we were less than twenty miles from the Mexico border (eeee!). So yes, I loved San Diego. I wish we were there longer!

We started out hungry and ventured out for some good eats with zero expectations. We wound up at La Fiesta (simple name to remember) - seriously the best fajitas ever. So fresh and simple, yet incredibly filling and satisfying. I think I could make a hobby out of finding the best fajita places in California. Might be my next coffee diaries. Anyway.... one thing I loved about California was the 100% perfect outdoor seating weather every.single.hour.of.every.single.day. We got a seat right in the heart of the Gaslamp District and enjoyed the people watching. The frozen blended margaritas made it even more fun! I also ate my first ever whole jalapeño (is that weird?)

The sunset was gorgeous. We watched it over the south end of the city, over the Padres stadium and the bay and Coronado Island. I sipped a mojito with S and we just marveled at the view - it was one of our best dates (and sunsets) ever. I love traveling with S and he knows it :) 

ciao San Diego! xo