Melissa Loves

Closer to home

Hello sweet ones, 

                   Marichelle has created a monster with re-introducing me to Instagram. :) I don't know why I wasn't seduced by it's charms the first time around but, this time? I am hooked. I can't stop adding photos to it! So fun, somehow I am much more apt to add photos there since you don't have to plan or think to much about them. love. 

This one, "morning essentials" sums up what I love about the morning. Checking in on my computer, a cup of coffee...the only one awake. What about you, my friends? What are your morning essentials? And what are your plans for the weekend? Anything fun? As I said yesterday, I am off to D.C. today and so excited! I will see you back here on monday but, just before you go....

~ I am in love with this line of paint, yes....paint. Like this color & this one....see? 

~ beautiful, no? 

~ love, love, covet

~ go visit this gal, this lovely & this sweetheart ( they always bring a smile to my face) 

Until monday, be well. 

xo

Melis

 

Little things & little moments

 

Hello sweet ones! 

              So, had so much fun last night, going out with my gal, Marichelle. We always have a good time, no matter what we are doing. Went out to dinner and continued my never-ending pursuit of the perfect lipstick/lipgloss. I know, I know....it is a rough life. But, someone has to live it. :) These little things make me oh so very happy...I am easy to please (mostly). Which leads me to one of the 3 little things that make me very happy today. 

3 little things: 

~ top here ( love the drape, love the color & love the slight sheen)  

~ lipstick here ( this is the new one I got last night, not the color in the photo but, this one (Aventure #57) it is so lovely, the texture ( so soft) and completely moisturizing ( which is an issue for me, can't stand it when my lips are dry) 

~ Anne Siems book here  ( I love her so much & this collection of her work is stunning....go look, I dare ya) 

3 little moments: 

~ dinner with Marichelle last night (natch) 

~ watching my little ones sleep

~ Getting on a train tomorrow to DC, visiting these 3 ladies and making the next video for my series at Suann's beautiful shop 1511. Can't wait! 

How about you, my friends? Anything that is making your day today? I would love to hear about it. 

I hope you have a beautfiul last few days of the week. I will see you back here tomorrow, until then...be well. 

xo

Melis

2 of a kind

hello sweet ones, 

              Now, depending on how long you have been reading my blog...you will have seen me talk about MK from Miss Capricho or feature her work before. MK's work makes me want to live inside her illustrations or failing that....cover an entire wall with them. :) She is also an incredibly lovely lady & if you receive updates from daily candy in your email or visit the site, you will notice her illustrations throughout. I was strolling through her website the other day and thought there would be nothing better on a cold february day, than dream of spring, Miss Capricho style. Oh, and reuniting them with their long lost loves. :)

~ butterflies here 

~ heels here (via Christine) 

~ girl & deer here (#14) 

~ coat here  (I bought this coat at Anthro last week, it seemed to be the last one in stock...it runs super big but, is so sweet and has the most adorable lining of deer & little foxes peeking out of the woods) 

~ Umbrellas here (#4) 

~ earrings here 

* Don't miss her beautiful flickr photostream as well, right here. 

I hope you have a wonderful day, my friends. I will see you back here tomorrow, until then be well. 

xo

Melis

Cheap & Chic

 

Hello, my friends! 

                 Sorry for no post yesterday, I had forgotten it was a holiday. We had a nice weekend, how about you? A party with some dancing and a dinner with laughter. All in all, a good weekend. Last week I spotted the shoes down below and thought they were adorable. They would definitely lift your spirits wherever you walked. No? So, I thought I would get together an outfit around them. 

~ cardigan (in heather natural) here $49.99

~ scarf here  $8.80

~ necklace here $56.00 

~ sneaker here $38.00 

~ pant here $59.99 

~ top here $49.00 

I sure hope you like it and have a wonderful start to your week, my friends! I will see you back here tomorrow, until then be well. 

xo

Melis

Closer to home

Hello sweethearts, 

                  This is long overdue...but, back in december I received the sweetest care package from a lovely online pal. I am sure you know Miss B. She brought tons o' sunshine into our lives with The Bright Side project & then there is her lovely blog. But, at the end of last year she opened her very own shop with lovely paper products, adorable stamps and all around goodness. Besotted Brand. When I opened my package from her, every sweet thing was nestled in straw in a little hinged box; ink pads ( gold, black, silver & red) and two stamps. One read: "Happy Everything" and the other was a beautiful "M". So thoughtful and sweet, right? Well, I set about stamping everything! :) Starting with the box...it is a game changer when you put your everyday necessitites in a box that reads "Happy Everything". I am a big believer in making the everyday special or beautiful. If you can. Obviously that isn't always possible. You have a sh*t day or aren't feeling well....you aren't necessarily thinking about how to make things special...just how to make them better. On an average day, though, things don't have to be average. In fact, that is exactly when they shouldn't be average. "This moment is your life." Make it count. Enjoy that cup o' joe and that croissant. Use yummy smelling cleaning products, light that candle, put up art that inspires you ( etc). 

In that vein, are the things you give to others. Letters, packages.... and that is where Miss B comes in. I have friends who make every gift they give spectacular (this gal & this gal come to mind) The packaging is so beautiful and thoughtful. Or clever and special. I don't always manage that, although I do try. But, the other day when I sent a package to this lovely friend and this one...you can bet I whipped out my collection from BB and got to work. Stamping galore! :) Also, when Cas and Jennifer have taken out what was in the little muslin bags I sent their gifts in...they may keep them around or use them again because they are stamped with "Happy Everything". Right? More...more thoughtful, more love, more special. So, here is to leaving your mark, in the best way possible. Thank you darling Miss B. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friends. Any fun plans? We are going to a party and laying low. I bet it will be a good one....:) But, just before you go....

~ Isn't this mirror beautiful? 

~ Gah...this photograph is amazing. 

~ covet, love, love ( source: here) 

I will see you back here on monday...until then, be well. 

xo

Melis

Little things & little moments

Hello sweethearts! 

                 So many things to love, so little time. I am always amazed when I find a shop on etsy that I have never seen before. You too? The bag below was in such a shop and I am deeply smitten. Then there are those sweet little blue oxfords....and the larger than life paper flowers....sigh. Top O' the Wishlist with all of you! Three little things that are making me very happy today....

3 little things: 

~ Paper flower bouquet here ( via Erin, I am coveting a big pale pink poppy!) 

~ flats here ( aren't these so sweet & comfy looking? Love that blue....) 

~ bag here ( oy. this bag is gorgeous- sorry it sold in the meantime, perhaps she will make more? One can hope! )

3 little moments:

~ Watching my little one care for our little dog so sweetly when she was scared( & being so proud of both my girls)

~ loving our home 

~ Made my trip plans for D.C, to shoot the next video for my series with lovely Suann ( guest friends: Brandi & Karey) So excited! 

 Have a wonderful day, my friends. I will see you back here tomorrow. Until then, be well. 

xo

Melis

2 of a kind

Hello my darlings, 

                 So, as promised I wanted to share some of the artists I mentioned on monday. I found all of them via pinterest and fell head over heels with each one. The first one, Lulie Wallace , I can't stop thinking about & am craving one or two( or three) of her pieces for my walls. The second, Akitaka Ito, is just so magical and captivating. I have written to the artist to try to find out more about him. If I hear back, I will be sure to fill you in. The third is a lovely gal on etsy, Stasia Burrington. Her work spans the gamut from realistic figure drawings collaged with fabric from quilts to adorable & cute illustrations. But, as I seem to have a thing for kite imagery- this one sucked me right in. I thought I would pair up these beauties with their long lost first cousins. I hope you like them. 

~ "Flowers for Carrie Beth " here 

~ sandal here 

~ "fox" here 

~ golden stool here 

 ~ ''Tangled" here 

~ necklace here ( via Joslyn) 

Have a wonderful day, my friends! I will see you back here tomorrow. Until then, be well. Ok? 

xo

Melis

Cheap & Chic

Hello my loves, 

                So, my sister in law showed me this adorable top the other day. It looked like something you would find at Anthro, with its shape & tiny pink/salmon birds. But, the price was decidedly Old Navy so....I snapped it up. I thought I would get an outfit together around it. A tiny bit outside of my comfort zone. What do you think? There is also a cream colored one here, also very cute. Oh, and this one....:) 

~ top here $36.94 

~ necklace here $5.80 

~ clutch here ( love) $26.80

~ belt here $36.50 

~ flats here ( love) $16.00

I sure hope you like it, my friends. I will see you back here tomorrow. Until then, be well. 

xo

Melis

Monday monday

Hello Hello! 

               How were your weekends? It seemed to just fly by, no? We picked up some Valentines presents for our girls & had friends over on sunday, which was a treat. My dear friend King and the lovely Grace Kang. Do you know of Grace's shop, Pink Olive, in NYC? One in the East Village and one in Park Slope. If you live in NYC, you should check them out. Or you can visit Grace's blog or shop online. Grace & her sweet hubby came out to visit Maplewood and we lucked out with getting to visit with them. Also, over the weekend, I felt like I was introduced to a bunch of new artists( well, new to me). I will be sure to share them with you this week because I found them really inspiring. One piece, that I fell for this weekend, seems to be vintage so, I am out of luck. Doesn't stop me from coveting it though! Along with the sweet shelf below & the bracelets from Vamoose. I have always loved those bracelets but, fell in love with the pink one all over again. 

~ shelf here ( it is round & sweet, comes in a set of 3, screws straight into the wall & looks like it would be great for just about anything) 

~ vintage painting via Jalouse magazine ( featuring knit work by Kate Talbot via Scout Holiday) 

~ bracelets from The Vamoose here 

I hope you have a wonderful start to your week, my friends. I will see you back here tomorrow. Until then, be well. 

xo

Melis

Closer to home

Hi darlings, 

                 You know, I ended up, after dropping my littlest one off at school this morning, talking with a neighbor. Hearing about how she needs work; to not lose her home, to have health insurance, etc. My heart went out to her. I don't know her well but, I put myself in her shoes and it is heartbreaking. Racking my brain to see if there is someway we can help, connections we have that might lead her in the right direction. Once again, I am reminded of how lucky we are. Putting good vibes out into the universe for her. Going into the weekend, we don't have a ton of plans ( well, our eldest gal does but, we don't) and thinking it will be nice to just be home and be happy. How about you? Any fun plans for your weekend? Thought I would leave you with a little snapshot of the table by our front door, sending a little love your way. 

~ "Love" by Stepanka here 

~ "Hello friend" card by Shanna here 

Just before you go....

~ Isn't this awesome? 

~ covet, covet, love

~ So beautiful ( as a mother of two daughters, it rings so very true) 

~ watch ( this is my niece, so stinkin cute...it will make your day) 

Have a great weekend, whatever you plan to do. I will see you back here on monday! Until then..be well. 

xo

Melis