words are artistic

Maybe you can tell that I'm a big fan of words. I string them together, pull them apart, abbreviate them at inopportune times, and sometimes use them incorrectly, and chalk it up to being artistic. no, not autistic thank-you-very-much. You can imagine my delight when I found others turning words into art - and not in the typical prose or sonnet way. Austin Kleon is a writer and artist from Austin, Texas and has taken the oversimplified concept of blacking out works in a newspaper article, and took it to an entirely new level.

....am i right?

For an equally inspiring, yet altogether more light-hearted stab at human emotions and relationships, check out  how Oli from Oli+Alex molds everyday phrases into art.

Too much truth in these statements, don't you think? The best part is.... she's created loads of these internal dialogues.... cleverly titled "i love you, but."

favorite colors aren't normal

After dating for an entire year, Joe and I found it necessary to discover the basics about each other: favorite food, most embarrassing memory, first kiss, and favorite color. In an attempt to uncover the little details that tend to get looked over in modern dating, I realized that I have no pressing favorites...and a very poor memory when it comes to fairy-tale moments that I should, apparently, "never forget." I now know Joe's favorite everything and most embarrassing everything... and what does he know about me? That I am unable to like all colors unequally. That I am a fickle yet fantastical eater, that my entire life is an embarrassing memory, and I have not the faintest idea who planted the first perk-er-roo on me.

Thus, today my favorite color is orange.... blood orange. Edgy.

I can literally feel my immunity increasing just by looking at all that vibrant vitamin C.

Images courtesy of: All the Pretty Birds , The Sartorialist , Pinterest

flower hour

In 125 days, my only sister will be walking down the aisle -- which means I have at least 75 more days to scan flower design blogs and websites to draw inspiration from every corner of the world for her big day. During a recent search I came across this little treat from Barcelona, Spain - and of course, as with anything written in spanish and from suave and sophisticated Europe... I swooned. Immediately. These are by no means a representation of their portfolio, but my God are they unique and colorful.

and now to a cooler palette...

So what's the Spanish secret? Spray paint. Seriously.

Now I realize these aren't your average fluffy, romantic, (even pedaled) flowers, but they're too fun to be overlooked... and might just make a funky little house warming present to my sister and future brother-in-law. Surprise!

Images courtesy of Bornay

here's to a few firsts

This weekend, I should have been a disastrous sight. I should have been a greasy-headed mess, clad in too much Cal Poly gear, jittering from a liquid caffeine diet, and peering out of a fourth story library window -- praying with all my might that Finals Week comes and leaves quickly. Instead, I celebrated my upcoming finals week schedule of two disturbingly simple finals both occurring next Friday by engaging in a series of firsts this weekend. Namely, baking some titillatingly tasty ( yes, I just found a way to advertise my keen sense of alliteration with the verb titillate) peanut-pecan biscotti, sitting VIP at a Cal Poly baseball game, and not crying - I repeat - NOT crying during Pride and Prejudice.

If my weekend were a final exam, I objectively, unbiasedly award myself an A... and will be taking myself out shopping to celebrate asap.

In summation, I present in picture form how I studied for my final exams:

Try this heavenly recipe!

... feeling exceptionally American via a little game called baseball

and finally, the ever quintessential Jane Austin masterpiece ( and every gushing sap's dream come true....)

.... Mrs.... Darcy, was it?

Images courtesy of Joy the Baker and life photo archive