the next olivia

Last weekend I took a family vote:
TO CUT MY HAIR OR TO NOT CUT MY HAIR…..that was the question…..
The vote was unanimous – everyone wanted me to keep this crazy long hair of mine. However, those of you who know me best know that I function in a vicious cycle when it comes to my hair which of course means that I'm just dying to put some scissors to these long locks. Then the cycle will once again continue and the quest to grow my hair out will begin all over again.

So of course, I still want to cut my hair and I'm thinking I want to model the adorable haircut of my previous fashion idol – Olivia Palermo. So I'm asking my blog readers – yes or no to the Olivia haircut?!?!

a chilling thought

I'm not going to lie….Halloween has never been one of my favorite holidays (although it is the fav of my BFF Nikki). BUT what I do love is that Halloween shares one thing in common with Christmas – the opportunity for tacky or classy décor. Of course we know where I opt to fall in the spectrum, but I will for once and for all vow to never be the mom who puts up colored Christmas lights or gruesome graveyard figures. I've never understood why some people feel the need to go overboard with holiday decorations as though they are somehow

enjoyed more than a few simple, well thought out, classy arrangements. This doesn't mean that every house has to be cookie cutter perfect, but I would encourage you to decorate for the holidays based on your existing home style.

When it comes to holiday decorations I typically think to myself, "what would Martha do?" On a side note, those of you who know me best know that I wake up each morning, open my closets, and think, "what would Rachel wear (previously known as what would Olivia wear)?" Just think, if Martha wouldn't put it on her table or in her yard then you should probably reconsider your purchase or placement.

It's simple really: Does your holiday décor enhance the existing feeling of your home or does it look like the local Walmart threw up all over your front yard? Of course this is all just skimming the surface of how I really feel, but since we are only on our first of three holidays I figured this might be the most friendly way to warm up to my blunt opinions.

Below are a couple of my personal recommendations:

Stay tuned for holiday pics from my own home!

speak now

Upon starting this blog my intention was to keep it simple: places. spaces. design. However, it was also created as an outlet of inspiration and for inspiration. Therefore, I am breaking the pre-existing mold and blogging about what inspires me today….TAYLOR SWIFT.

I might have just lost a few followers due to that comment, but I urge everyone to listen to her new album – Speak Now – it will change your life. Okay maybe it's just changing mine, but still…..I am totally obsessed with it. There is one song in particular that speaks to me the most. You know those songs where you feel like they were written just for you in a particular moment and time in life. Well that's exactly how I feel about her new song....

Last Kiss - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQc2xfA3bFU

Well friends, that's all I have for today…..stay tuned for my Halloween inspirations!

the white house

Well.....a fever, sinus, and ear infection officially leaves me with no inspiration to write. However, with only 10 minutes left of work I figured I might at well try to inspire myself (although I'd much rather be relaxing with sick baby SG).

So here goes.....I've recently become obsessed with white interiors. I find them to be so chic, relaxing, romantic, posh, modern, and euphoric all at once. My absolute favorite white spaces include kitchens and baby rooms. Two places which should be both inspiring and sterile at the same time. I also adore a good bathroom with a ceramic white freestanding tub, subway tile, and of course a dazzling chandlier to top it off.

Check out some of my favorite white finds!

etsy love

Today was supposed to be a great day. I was supposed to have lunch with my favorite girls: Sara, Kristina, Jackie, Haley, and of course little baby Samantha! However, work had different plans for me and therefore I had to miss out on the lunch that I had been looking forward to all week. Therefore, I am now taking a few minutes out of my afternoon to day something that makes me happy…..blog!

As many of you know, I have a crazy obsession with Etsy. Etsy is a platform where individual artists, crafters, and collectors can go and create a personal shop to sell their items. Due to the quaintness of each shop I have found that each seller is so beyond willing to work with you to personalize each item. Below I have listed out some of my favorite shops that I have used to decorate my new home!

My Adobe Cottage - http://www.etsy.com/shop/myadobecottage
For my home – adorable burlap and linen pillows imprinted with the words: beach, sand, and shells

Lucky Bluebird Art - http://www.etsy.com/shop/LuckyBluebirdArt
For my home – darling set of 3 coral prints which I have placed in my bathroom

Keep Calm Shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/KeepCalmShop
For my home – custom set of Keep Calm prints that are perfectly placed in the nook

Black Baroque - http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackBaroque
For my home – antique book pages with nautical prints which are scattered throughout my house

Shorely Chic - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShorelyChic
For my home – this shop is owned by a sweet friend of mine, Liz, who I got my inspiring pillow from

down by the sea

Since the first day of fall I have been begging for rain and cooler weather. Now that I have this wonderful fall weather all I can think about is the beach, afternoons at the tide pools, and Sunday bike rides! These are the simple gifts of life that provide more happiness than a pair of Louboutin shoes (don't hold me to that). They are acts of pleasure that I once considered to be for hippies, but yet as a conservative young professional I've learned to enjoy the simple gifts of life.

Beyond that I've noticed that I pull most inspiration from nature….mainly the sea! In my many trips down to the Corona del Mar tide pools I often find myself saying out loud, 'How can one look at a view so spectacular and not believe in God." It is the place where I not only illegally collect shells and artifacts, but also feel closest to heaven! It is the place where for me……heaven meets the seas.

a brisk beginning

The pressure one feels during a first blog post is unbearable. I can't help but feel like the entire tone of my blog will be determined by this one post. Funny isn't it, that as I sit here with the intention of a brisk beginning all I can think about is the fate of my words in the weeks to come. However, my goal is that you are captivated by what inspires me and not the lack of wittiness that comes from a jaded day at work!

I've recently been through some life change, and although this blog has taken weeks to birth it is in fact part of my new beginning. A beginning where I document my inspirations and the tessallations of everything that God has put before me in life. Like my life, I don't know where this blog will lead me, but I hope that you find joy in the spaces and places that make me happy and the people who make me smile.

About 2 months ago I moved into a beautiful home on Balboa Island that my parents recently purchased (I'm a lucky girl)! In a matter of weeks what was once a house became a home; a home where I feel at peace with myself and content with my life. Although I did not purchase this home it does however provide a sense of accomplishment and pride. It is the space which I desire to be in most, the feeling that only an art museum could previously provide in my life.

And thus the inspiration was born....