Show me that smile

I was recently tagged by Milk to complete the 6 Things that Make Me Smile tag. Thank you, Miss Milk!

6 Things that Make Emily Smile:

♥ A tall glass of ice-cold water with a slice of lemon. In terms of refreshment nothing else is superior!

♥ Seeing loved ones happy. Three of my friends are getting married this year. Let the happiness abound!

♥ Waking at dawn to enjoy the morning calm and the chirp of song-filled birds.

♥ Sweet baked goods. Sometimes the aroma from the kitchen is almost as satisfying as taking the first bite.

♥ Spreading a blanket on the lawn in the summertime in preparation to lounge around and read a good book.

♥ Living in the countryside. Sure, it has its drawbacks, but the pace of life is welcoming and I never tire of rural charms. Here is a photo taken in my hometown:

I am passing the tag along to
tis serendipity, Emily Anne and Blair.
:)

Songbook of delightful proportions

I am an avid user of the inter-library loan system my town library is part of. Last week while searching the databases I came across the CD pictured on the left. Oh my! "Jane Austen's favourite vocal music, collected and copied out in her own hand," the cover reads. Inside, the liner notes go on to say, "Music and the social status it expressed was an integral part of Jane Austen's life. Her novels are replete with details of domestic musical activities. Accounts of public concerts and private balls as well as music programs with hired musicians fill her letters. A dedicated amateur herself, Austen ordinarily played at the pianoforte at least an hour a day before breakfast from the 8-book music collection now preserved in her home at Chawton. For nieces and nephews she practiced 'country dances,' a number of which appear in her collections. Austen painstakingly copied and bound music that especially interested her."

I simply cannot stop listening to these arrangements or express how they make me feel. Perhaps it is because of the charm they possess being several hundred years old, or because Jane admired them so. I can sit around all day and read Jane's novels over and over, but listening to songs that she enjoyed throughout the duration of her life supplies a more personal connection than printed words on a page can. And I like that.

Photo: Amazon.com

Floral arrangements

"I love to smell flowers in the dark," she said.
"You get hold of their soul then."
- Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

Cardigan & shoes: H&M
T-shirt: Target
Belt: hand-me-down
Skirt: Gap
Tights: gift

Handle With Care

Vintage mugs are some of my favorite things to collect. My collection to date is quite small, but I am always on the look-out for more. I find it amusing to think of the history that comes with these wares. On what occasion were they purchased? How did the Mrs. take her coffee or tea? One lump of sugar, or two?

I particularly love the color arrangement on these two.
The mug on the left also has a mate.

Look at that roped handle!
I can't recall ever using this particular mug.
Perhaps I shall when I'm feeling a bit nautical.

This little one is my absolute favorite.
It is extremely delicate and had a mate once,
but unfortunately it met with the fate that all fragile objects fear: breakage.

Do you collect anything? Share it!

Surprise

Shirt: J. Crew outlet
Locket: gift
Skirt: Levi's outlet
Moccasins: Minnetonka

An otherwise quiet, commonplace type of day was pleasantly interrupted by an unexpected package,

a sweet little message included on the invoice

and the floral tights I blogged about a few weeks ago!

All of this was the kind work of my older sister. I couldn't believe my eyes at first. So sweet and so thoughtful! Thank you again Sister Sweetness (because I know you're reading ♥ )!

Sweets and treats

With the impending Academy Awards soon to be upon us, I decided to pass along a few awards that I've received recently. Before I do so, I want to acknowledge my choice for Best Actress In A Leading Role: the underdog, Melissa Leo for her superb performance in Frozen River. I first mentioned it here and still feel strongly about the film, not only because it has local and regional ties, but because after watching it it is truly one of those films where you step back and think, "wow," and can honestly sense the heart and hard work that went into creating it. Good luck, Ms. Leo!

Now, for the awards I have to pass along:

Sweet and stylish Ariella gave me the Your Blog is Fabulous award. Thank you, Ariella!


I am passing this award on to Dearilou and The Cherry Blog.










On the subject of fabulous, the always lovely Sam at Daily Fashion Boost awarded me another Your Blog is Fabulous award. Thank you, Sam!


I am passing this award on to tis serendipity and Plain Jayne.










The next award was passed on to me by the adorable and ever-gracious Ana B. Thank you, Ana!


I am passing this award on to A Book Of Blair and Amelia.

Happy Heart

(Please excuse the ridiculous sign behind me. My brother is a funny guy.)

Dress: thrifted
Cardigan: little girls' department at Target
Tortoise shell bangles: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Target

I like fun, pretty cardigans!

I hope your day is sweet! ♥

Let's get together and talk about the modern age

An old friend accompanied me yesterday while I was out and about running errands. Rilo Kiley's second full-length album, The Execution of All Things, (released in 2002) has been one of my favorites for the better part of this decade. Every time I listen to it the songs are just as fresh and exciting as when I first listened to them years ago. While I've enjoyed all of Rilo Kiley's releases throughout the years, this remains the one I return to the most with its cheerful melodies and brilliant vocals provided by Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett.

With that said, one of my missions yesterday while I was out was to buy a box of chamomile tea. My supply had been depleted and I had a $1-off coupon for the Celestial Seasonings brand. In addition to having a coupon, this particular brand was on sale at the market - yay! Whilst scanning the shelves for my selection, I came across this box o' tea:

Honey vanilla chamomile?! I was tempted to purchase it and see what my taste buds would think of such a flavor fusion, but instead stuck with my original plan of action. Has anyone ever tried this particular product? Any thoughts on it? I may venture to try it one day as it seems tastefully pleasing.

(Photo sources: Amazon.com, RiloKiley.com, and CelestialSeasonings.com respectively)

I need to renew my passport

Lately I have been immersed in BBC mini-series. Last week it was The Buccaneers, this week it is Wives and Daughters. Not only do I find the story lines refreshing, but they help take my mind away from other matters; I'm not so sure if that is a good thing or not right now, but that just happens to be the way it is. I get so swept away by the idyllic scenery and find myself yearning for the day that I can take a tour of England. Life has become somewhat drowsy for me as of late and I long for a new experience to rouse my senses and heighten my liveliness.

One place in particular that I would like to visit is Efford House near Plymouth, Devon. Used during the filming of Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility, it is another cottage similar to the one of my dreams.

(Photo credits)

The cottage is one of seven properties on the Flete Estate in South Devon. The most charming photo gallery can be found here. If you do decide to check the links, do not be fooled by the page error - just use the navigation bar at the top :)

Where do you dream of visiting?

Sisters taking pictures

I went to visit my beautiful sister this afternoon. Hi Sister! Her apartment is so quaint and cozy. After hugs and greetings, a fun little photo shoot ensued.

^ I edited the lighting further in this photo after uploading it.
I wanted the glow from the lamp to have more precedence over the sunlight coming in through the window.

Shirt with pretty detail: H&M
Cardigan & jeans: Old Navy
Necklace: self made with an antique key
Shoes: Target

I'm winding down after a busy weekend. It is time to crawl under the covers with a book in hand and read until my eyelids succumb to heaviness.

The Right Tights

I came across these beauties while browsing at UrbanOutfitters.com
♥

I love their whimsical array of dancing color and feisty floral wonderment!

It would be appropriate to wear them here, would it not? Yes, yes!
This cozy little structure is akin to the cottage of my dreams.

(Photo courtesy of WikiMedia)

No cottage is complete without a garden.
If I could live in a Claude Monet painting, this would be the one -
The Artist's Garden at Giverny.

(Photo courtesy of WikiMedia)

Goodbye January

I am glad to see January go, as it wasn't exactly the greatest of months for me.

On the 11th, our beloved family dog passed away. She lived a good, long life and would have been 15 this year, which is common of her breed's lifespan (Border Collie/Shetland Sheep Dog mix). The house feels terribly empty without her presence and sweet temperament.


Fast forward a little to about mid-month. It was then that I had to fax my university a semester withdrawal form letting them know I would not be attending the classes I had signed up for. Sigh. I'm just another citizen of the world feeling the recession blues. My plan is to return to university in August, but the fact that I am not there now has me bummed. I'm trying to remain positive by telling myself that this is just a little "hiccup," but sometimes that is easier said than done.

Song for the moment: "Chin Up, Cheer Up" by Ryan Adams

With all this extra time I now find myself with, I have outlined a few things to help fill the hours:

• Enjoy vast amounts of literature
• Start painting again (I've missed this and it might just become therapeutic)
• Volunteer somewhere

I'm off now to make a toast to February with a freshly brewed cup of Lady Grey.