{happy monday + thoughts for a new week}

. . . another summer weekend may have come and gone, but it was filled with french bread and escargots, nights in silk dresses and upswept hair, and a lingering of early morning breezes laden with a beautiful excitement . . . and over morning cups of coffee, reminded of a favourite winston churchill quote:

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

. . . a wonderful thought for a brand new week, and hope yours is off to a perfect start,
xo

{p.s.} late august, which means a wildly sporadic posting schedule and never quite seem to get into the week until it's nearly over, and so -- many new & wonderful things you may have missed at week's end:
* weekend romance & lovely links
* in the bedroom: only sweet dreams
* photographer: camilla akrans & autumn blossoms
* in the bedroom: crisp linens & scalloped edges

{my wonderworld}

{currently reading: lonny magazine}

. . . hello! an overcast thursday afternoon and how the week has flown, but bright days await, and even brighter dreams & plans . . . dashing out the door, but leaving you with a few favourites from the latest issue of lonny . . .

hope you're having a wonderful week,
xo

{images: photography by patrick cline for lonny magazine; via lynn via twitter}

{have a beautiful weekend}

. . . this weekend is strawberries and sunshine, a glass of champagne {or two} and most of all, summer dresses and sunsets . . .

hope you're having a perfectly beautiful {long} weekend,
xo

{a few lovely links:}
* at the office: compartmentalized
* things to love: butterflies {via lovely}
* fashion inspiration: pretty, fluttery pleats
* instead of plastic: here & here
* living in: pride & prejudice
* warmest, warmest congratulations: joanna & alex
* summer inspiration: softly seafoam
* a lovely look at london: here & here

{as always, a few things you may have missed:}
* nostalgic for: scrapbooks
*colour inspiration: buttercream
* perfectly pretty: shoes, shoes, shoes
* hello & photographer lucas allen
* party inspiration: summertime martinis
* runway inspiration: burberry prorsum, london
* a charming mix of things: three

{p.s.} next week, the winner of the diamond give-away, and a new glamorous give-away . . .

{images: 1, 2 & 4 - scans, style at home, photography by edward pond, produced by margot austin; 3 - j.crew via a glamorous little side project}

{monday, monday . . .}

. . . monday, monday & hello! hope you had a perfectly lovely weekend -- it's a two cups of coffee and strewn books and bright bouquets kind of morning after a beautiful weekend, with many splendid things to look forward to in this sunny and brand new week . . .

hope your monday is off to a wonderful start,
xo

{p.s.} a little late, but the winner of the cable & heart bracelet give-away later today . . .

{images: photography by patrick cline for lonny magazine}

{soft neutrals + pale pastels}

. . . as the days become longer, afternoons are infused with a soft, late-winter light laced with nostalgia, casting hazy shadows and moody hues on everything, more beautiful with glimpses and glimmers of lucite, metallics and venetian glass . . .



{p.s.} shades of blue:
* winter blues
* pale october
* electric
* turquoise waters
* tiffany's
* blue-blooded

{images: lonny & marc jacobs via style.com, more of this collection at the side project}

{how to: driftwood table lamp}

d
. . . wonderfully inspired by what can become of a few pieces of driftwood, bits of string & a little imagination: australian stylist tim neve created this beautiful driftwood table lamp from a standard wood lamp base {below}, sanding down the lacquer to an unvarnished surface, affixed pieces of driftwood and tied everything with string . . .



{images & instructions: tim neve blog}