YES! It's finally Friday. Don't some weeks seem like they drag on forever?

This week had its merit but I am so excited to greet the weekend. Ainsworth and I spent last Sunday shooting our engagement photos for Green Wedding Shoes (eek!) and the rest of the week seemed to follow suit where busy-ness was concerned. On top of fun projects, our household was hit with a little bug and we're just starting to feel better after a few yucky days.

On a brighter note, wedding planning and bridal gowns are calling for a trip to Los Angeles! Ginny from Sleepy Fox Photography, Aissa of Aislerchic and I will be in sunny California during the second week of May and would LOVE to collaborate on a styled shoot. If you're an interested artist or friend (or both!) please feel free to reach out via email so we can start planning!

A Daily Something feature in Domicile magazine
Free People's gorgeous vintage loves collection
a peek into The Cream Event via Green Wedding Shoes
an incredibly inspiring video Kids On The Run
Fox Meets Bear's beautiful perspective on what it means to share our lives in little squares
& the sweetest tiny home

zara dress, z gallerie succulent planter, haws plant mister, shannon south ipad envelope, wheat & co fedora, kaufmann mercantile dust pan & hand broom, copper scissors & folding stool, southwest plants, madewell instant lomo camera, birkenstock sandals

I'm finally getting into the swing of Spring (say that five times fast)! The windows in our space remain open throughout the day, my sweaters have found temporary refuge in the back of our closet and I have been itching to do a little nesting. These days, it seems like my wishlist is full of fun home accents (you NEED the perfect pair of cooper shears, right?) and easy throw-on pieces to be worn celebrating the return of sun. Also, I've made it my personal mission to nurture my black thumb and pour a little love into growing things. So far I've managed to completely kill an unassuming dill plant and watch ALL of my succulents slowly wilt away. Maybe this sweet mister would help me get in touch with Mother Nature...

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I still can't get over our happy wedding news! Just in case you missed it, Green Wedding Shoes is chronicling our wedding planning journey with a "real-bride series" on their site. We're sharing on post per month and for our introduction, I chose to share an easy DIY and a fun way to ask my favorite friends to stand by me on our special day. See more from the inaugural post below:

Naturally, the journey starts with assembling our wedding party. Choosing your bridesmaids is such a fun and important step in the planning process! I don’t think I’d be able to juggle all of the frenzy and special moments without my favorite friends by my side. One of my girls recently put it like this and she couldn’t be more right, “Bridesmaids are the people you’re inviting into your marriage. They are the people who hold you accountable, who you can be vulnerable with and who join you in the life you walk.”

I wanted to ask my six closet friends to stand with me in a special way. I created these fun gift boxes and wrote a little note telling each one how much they’ve meant to my fiancé and I during the course of our relationship and how much their participation would mean to us. There are no rules in this DIY and everything is super simple! If you’re on a budget, one thoughtful gift and a note from the heart is just as special!

What You’ll Need:

• wooden crates
• dark wood stain
• paint brush or rag
• crinkle cut filler
• a cute card
• air plants
• gifts for your girls (I used small-batch beauty products, a candle and a pretty jewelry box)

Steps:

1. Prep your crates by removing any price tags and cleaning off the sticky residue.

2. Next, apply stain with either a brush or rag and allow to dry for 24 hours.

3. While you are waiting for your boxes to dry, work on the cards! I love calligraphy and had the talented Linen & Leaf customized these for my girls!

4. To add height and texture, fill your crate with kraft filler and then add in your gifts!

I chose a selection of small-batch beauty products, a yummy candle and a pretty jewelry box that reminded me of the sweet women in my life. Feel free to tailor the gifts to your bridesmaids. Asking a fashionista to stand by you? Personalized jewelry would be perfect!

• sage smudge stick
• sleep spray
• bath salts
• candle
• facial mist
• jewelry holder
• custom cards from Linen & Leaf

Be sure to add a little green. We went with air plants but succulents or a small arrangement would also work. I love how customizable these boxes are!

5. Finally, ask away! Your best friends will be happy to help no matter how you ask them. This is such an exciting time and it’s even better when you can share it with your besties!
hint: If you’re going to be mailing your boxes, don’t forget to account for weight.

styling: Hazel + Scout
photography: Sleepy Fox Photography
hair + makeup: Amber Hudgins
calligraphy + paper: Linen & Leaf

p.s. We're getting swept up in wedding planning (I hope you don't mind following along!) and I'm going to try and share something wedding related each Wednesday. #weddingwednesday?