30 before 30

Though I'm well into my 29th year, I was inspired by this post to think about some things I'd like to do before I turn 30. It's one of those birthdays that's easy to joke about and be sad for the end of my twenties, but I'm looking forward to what lies ahead. So, here are few things I'd like to work on/accomplish in the remaining months...

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1. Jump out of a hot air balloon.
2. Go on a girls trip with my mom and sister.
3. Surf in Virginia Beach. 
4. Complete an Olympic distance triathlon.
5. Finally finish reading Atlas Shrugged.
6. Floss regularly.
7. Run a half marathon in under 2 hours. I missed that mark by 9 minutes last year!
8. Be a better plant mom and garden more.
9. Go fly fishing and spear fishing with my little brother.
10. Hike (parts of) the Appalachian Trail. 
11. Volunteer locally.
12. Take better care of my skin.
13. Make a habit of consuming less sugar.
14. Finally take off the ugly wallpaper in the bathrooms.
15. Be comfortable in my body.
16. Be more present for friends and family. 
17. Write more– letters, blog posts, journaling...
18. Work on being a better communicator for my husband.
19. Call my siblings and closest friends more often.
20. Complain less.
21. Cook more meals at home, preferably with my husband.
22. Stop biting my nails.
23. Be a (better) morning person. 
24. Spend more time with my nieces and nephew.
25. Save more money.
26. Be content with saying "no."
27. Get to my goal weight of 135lbs.
28. Start those front end development courses I've been wanting to take.
29. Take Jay to see the trees in the water of the Great Dismal Swamp.
30. Be able to hold a handstand and do 3 pull-ups. I've always been more of a legs girl.

a capsule wardrobe & style muses

Like most (though I'm reluctant to admit), I'm constantly battling my closet in the morning. Rummaging through so. much. clothing. but not a thing to wear. When I finally choose something it's a similar story to the day before. 

Last week I came across Unfancy. Caroline's capsule wardrobe makes so much sense! I'd heard this term thrown around, but never dug into it for clarification. Since I'm usually grabbing the same pieces, this concept would work really well for me. 

So last weekend I grabbed a couple bags and started pulling clothes off hangers, shoes off shelves and accessories outta boxes. A good ol' closet purge. It always feels good. The nicer items I'll be shipping off to my sister, but the rest of it gets donated. I'd like to add items this this to take their place...

As I search for my 'capsule pieces' I'm looking to a few of my style muses. Anna Bond, Emerson Fry, Hannah Henderson, Sophia Amoruso (I could never pull off much of what she wears, she's just a total badass), and others. I gravitate towards basics, in black or white, and I can always dress something up with the right pair of shoes. 

photos via Pinterest

a little lace number

In watercolor...

If I could find the real life version of this lace set I'd buy it. Of course, a watercolor print isn't bad either. A beautiful piece by UK-based illustrator, Abigail Mckenzie.

adventure awaits, let's camp

Now that it's finally warm enough to enjoy the great outdoors, we're taking our first camping trip of the year this weekend. I'm pretty excited to use my new NapSack, too. We'll be outside Richmond with a couple great friends exploring a new campsite, new hiking trails and kayaking. Plus, my husband found a bonsai and estate sale in Richmond, so it's like the stars are aligning. Hoping to score some cool stuff to take home.

Happy weekend, friends.

images via my adventures board

i promise

I've always been a fan of typography, especially handwritten type. I love this one by Dan Cassaro, but his whole portfolio is pretty awesome. 

west elm virginia beach // preview + grand opening party

A few weeks ago, I was invited to take a little behind-the-scenes tour of the new West Elm opening up in Town Center in Virginia Beach. A handful of local bloggers met up with Nicole Sutliff, West Elm's Director or Public Relations, before the shop opened to the public. Nicole told us all about the collaborations they do with other artists and makers, how/why they setup the physical layout of the store and the season's new color scheme.

me, Kristen, Nicole, Jonna and Shelby and George (he's behind the camera)

Following our tour, my friend Kristen and I stuck around for the Grand Opening Party hosted by The Scout Guide. It was fun to be a part of this event and to mingle with other local bloggers.

West Elm is now open, and be sure to check out some local makers goods including Twittering Bird, The Perch Shop and Maple & Belmont.

the sunshine state

We're escaping the cold + snow and flying south to visit my family in Florida for a nice, warm, loooong weekend. GIMME SUNSHINE. We might even get a skydive or two in at my favorite dropzone, Skydive Sebastian. The views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway are breathtaking.

Have a great weekend!

photo source