::collage + illustration // lizzy janssen::

In looking for some help on my new website (with a designer whose work is so inspiring!) I came across another artists, Lizzy Janssen,  with a great eye for color and shares my love of mixed media. Collages make me weak in the knees...

If I ever have dressing rooms in my shop (one day), they'll look something like that up there.

::the perfect little seat::

I love the work of artist Ingrid Jansen for her company Wood & Wool Stool. I'd like a stool for each room, please. She makes them out of recycled wood and crochets the covers. Her space is pretty rad too. I'd love to visit her shop in The Netherlands one day. 
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::would you?::

I'm itching to do something drastic with my hair...but I probably couldn't find the guts to go gray. She rocks it. That mustard mermaid skirt? In a heartbeat.

hair  /  wear

::while i was away::

Goodness! At least this week is almost over. I've been dreaming of new ideas for the 6 petals website, shop and incorporating some videos-- this class would be so much fun! For now, they're just ideas until I find some time to explore. I feel like I've neglected my little blog this week. Hopefully May will allow for more of my creative side to shine. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I'm still trying to find that balance between work life and personal life. It's tricky!

This weekend we're headed to Harrisonburg to celebrate a graduation. It also happens to be a super location for treasure hunting. There are some awesome antique shops that I can't wait to visit. There's one shop that I found last time I visited with a sweet old lady who seems to have been collecting her whole life.

We have this huge shed in our backyard that's a perfect storage spot for all my vintage goods. Two of my old windows are gonna be making their way to California next week. Here's a peek at one of the window seating charts I'm working on for the West Coast couple. 

::rad::

Lynnhaven Oyster Festival, window seating charts, shop update, a morning run, home/office organizing and snuggling with my fiancé – just a few things on my to do list. (fiancé...I like the sound of that. He's such a keeper).

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::travel::

This past weekend I made a quick trip back to Florida. My friend, Nicole, is getting married in June. And what better way to celebrate than relaxing by a cabana with friends?! After a few bottles of champagne we ventured out in black dresses with the bride-to-be. 

On Sunday I drove south to surprise my family (they had no idea I was in Florida). To make it better, they were all on the back porch. I walked in the back door like it was no big deal and they flipped! Mission accomplished. It was so nice to sit and talk with them, play with my nieces, look at bridal magazines with Mom and grab lunch with my Grandmom. I traveled back up to Orlando to spend the night with my sister before my early flight back to VA. She's the best. 

I love family time!

::love is in the air::

Remember this beautiful day? It was a very special moment for us, and we're thrilled to spend a lifetime together...and plan an outta-this-world wedding with our family and friends! Jay and I have been dating over 5 years and we've been together since the day night we met (over a game of beer pong in college– we bonded over our competitiveness ). He managed to get my number from one of my friends the next day, and we were hooked.

I wasn't one of those girls that had a wedding dress picked out or scouted the perfect venue in advance. So it's a little overwhelming to talk to married friends and get on the internet to see SO MANY CHOICES. There's a lot to think about and I better get organized. Any words of wisdom?!

Luckily, my mom's been through two weddings with my brother's and will be a huge help (not to mention the slew of creatives whose blogs I follow). We don't have a date or location yet...we're gonna enjoy this part for a while. But, there are a few things I've been eyeing already.

1 : a simple and classic Save the Date design
2 : my love of vintage tins to serve as centerpieces for flowers
3 : colorful cocktails with fancy stirrers 
4 : the perfect pair of vintage wedding shoes 

::tgis::

Thank goodness it's Saturday.

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::irbw // comfortable::

I have this routine on the weekdays. When I get home, I'm pretty excited to slip into comfortable clothes. But comfortable doesn't have to mean sweatpants and t-shirts (although, it's hard to beat those perfectly worn-in cotton tees). One of my favorite pieces is a cotton wrap-- I have about 4 of these that are constantly in rotation.


If it were up to me, I'd rather be wearing these comfy duds...

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::bunny food::

I sure missed spending Easter with my family in Florida, but it helped having such a pleasant Spring day here in VA. The morning was spent photographing inventory for the 6 petals shop and soaking/cleaning lots of beautiful vintage clothing. My collection is really growing. One of these days I'll get to sharing it!

We had a late lunch planned with Jay's family, and it was only fitting to make a carrot side dish, right? This recipe was super easy and a crowd pleaser.

steamed carrots with ginger-lime butter
peeled carrots (the ones with the stems just look better)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
squeeze of lime juice + some lime rind
salt + pepper to taste


Just steam the carrots for about 10 minutes. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small skillet on medium heat. Then coat onto carrots and serve.


I bought a bouquet of tulips for myself last week and I'm so impressed to see them still going strong. I picked up more to bring to the hostess. They're wrapped in kraft paper and tied with this amazing vintage, ombre satin ribbon-- I found a bag filled with rolls of different colors at a local Goodwill. Jackpot.

::a pair::

A nice pair. Thank you, Pinterest.

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::more flowers::

A peek from our Saturday adventure to the Botanical Gardens in Norfolk. Everything was blooming-- it was pretty incredible.

::it's the little things::

...that make life so sweet.

I'm not sure about you guys, but April totally snuck up on me. Although I love that Spring is here-- it felt so nice to pack away coats and beanies! I've taken on a few new projects and have high hopes to keep things up to date here. I have so much respect for all the one-woman shows out there who manage to keep a good balance on work life, personal life and all the overlap in between. I love having my hands on everything, which means it's sometimes hard to say no. For me, April means productivity and finding that balance.

So, how do you find balance in the whirlwind of work and play?