Pillow Passion

So, I have a bit of a pillow problem.  

I simply can't stop purchasing them.  

And now that I have an apartment in the back of my mind that I know I will have to decorate for Cam and I I have a whole new reason to enable my tendencies. 

I try to think of myself as a pillow curator.   

My most recent pillow acquisition is my octopus pillow from Paper Source.  

I've been hankering for a little something octopus-inspired with a bit of beading and my favorite navy & red combo.

Sold.  

Teacup Invites

I couldn't wait any longer!  

I just sent out these lovelies last week.

These are watercolor invitations to an "Avonlea Tea."

I painted five little teacups to send out to five lucky little misses!

I don't want to spoil the surprise, so stay tuned!

Snapshots of Cumberland: A Proposal

Sorry for taking the entire month of June off from blogging.

I'm back!

This post could be poetic, romantic, humorous, or vague.

I'm just typing.

Cam took me on an impromptu day trip to Cumberland Island four weeks ago. 

Or so I thought.

I'm so glad that I snagged so many shots of the little details of that time and place, because I'm told that most people forget anything that was said or happened of the day they got engaged.

There were beautiful twisty live oaks like I remembered. 

We'd climbed on them when we were 14, speaking about our hearts for the first time, opening them for the first time, knowing for the first time.  

A fluffy, cloud-filled and sunny sky on a day miraculously sandwiched inside of a week's worth of hurricane rains.    

 The ruins of Dungeness and the Park Ranger who made Cam pretend to be a Native American chief.

 A quick picnic lunch as we plot our trajectory across the island.  

I have no idea that had I reached into the other bag, I would of grabbed hold of the socks wrapping the secret.

 A hike that turned into a trek that turned into a nervous trot, that I would not allow to turn into a full-out jog down the beach, consulting our watches as Cam says, "We have to get back to Dungeness!"

 The turn we should have taken that would have trimmed out travel time.

My confusion and naiveté regarding Cam's sudden passion for a spot half-way across the island.

 The field where Cam told me I was beautiful, and I told him I that I loved him.

 The many things that happened in between that field and this little box: the baby colt, the four hundred year old trees, the bended knee, and my numb, exhausted, joy.  

 The ring that is practically perfect in every way, a piece of treasured history, and a genuine surprise.

 The stories he unraveled of how he'd prepared for this day, asked my parents permission, and sneakily carved into my calendar this special day like the jewelry box he'd been carving for months.  

The absolutely overwhelming sensations of calm and rightness.

The sparkling new word fiancée, glittering like my ring, and the joy of hearing it from my father's mouth for the first time.  

Luxurious Papers

I'm moving into a new season with my work, and I can't wait to share with you what I've been cooking up!

Trucks & Pops

One of the rites of passage in becoming a true Atlantaian is a trip to the Atlanta Food Truck Park.

However, this can hardly be a harshly enforced prerequisite, since this Park only just celebrated its first birthday.  

A more strongly enforced rule would definitely be to visit the rainbow umbrella'd King of Pops carts, as they have been a more long-standing tradition.

Both the Food Truck Park and the many King of Pops carts that dot the Atlanta landscape are near to my heart.

Both bring a wheeling change of flavors from visit to visit.  

My favorite food truck is Masala Fresh, and I can hardly pick a favorite pop.

There are dozens of flavors I have yet to try.

So, whenever a friend comes down to visit, it is absolutely perfunctory that we stop by the Food Truck Park and sit at the sunlit picnic tables, slurping on some pops.  

 Above Photo taken by Erik R. Pearson

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: Saying Goodbye to Mike

These past few weeks in Atlanta before I begin my internship have been deliciously unbooked.

This has given me ample time to spend with the people I care about and explore the city I love.

One of those most important to me is my friend, Mike, who just accepted a job in San Francisco and left this Monday for a road trip from East to West.  

We've had a Goodbye Mike Party, many prayers have been laid upon him, and he has now driven his blueberry car far, far way from me.

But, I never felt discouraged: like my new hanging sign says, every cloud has a silver lining.

Last week afforded me the opportunity to galavant across Atlanta with Mike hunting for home goodies.

I sent him on his merry way with three monotypes I had made my Sophomore year, along with a bevy of ideas and little pieces of Atlanta to place in his new home.

We sipped on my favorite bubble tea, explored my new favorite antique and oddities warehouse, Paris on Ponce, and talked about all the adventures he was going to have and of when Cam and I would fly out to meet him for our first wedding anniversary.  

The Lord blesses so unexpectedly and abundantly, and I am so grateful for this season I have had with Mike,  only one year since I really met my dear darling friend and fellow lover of watercolor.  

I will be praying over you Mike, and beginning our own Extraordinary Correspondence promptly.  

My favorite Thai Bubble tea from Atlanta's new Honey Bubble which we cleverly snagged with a 50% off Scout Mob coupon!

So psyched that there is a Scout Mob for San Fran as well: 

now Mike can look like an urban insider and know where all the finest local gems are located.  

Magnets for Mike showcasing some of his favorite parts of Atlanta: 

Tech Tower, The Varsity, The Fox, and Bobby Dodd Stadium.  

Some little Mexican tiles that I convinced Mike to purchase since they were a steal and his favorite color and would make his apartment look awesome.

 Initiate operation Pen Pal.  

Animated Omelette

Omelette from Madeline Sharafian on Vimeo.

I absolutely love this short film by Madeline Sharafian. 

It very sweetly and simply captures the love and pride that goes into cooking a meal for someone.

Being back at Theta Xi this summer, I get to cook again nearly every day--and it is so rewarding to take the time and the meticulous effort to make a delicious moment for someone.

I hope to see more from this budding animator!

Tech Perspectives

I'm all moved into my home for the summer in one of my favorite places: Georgia Tech.  

Today I spent two hours hunting for skylines, views, nooks and crannies on campus.  

I returned sunburnt and very happy.

As You Wish

Since taking so many portrait shots for my photography class, it has become increasingly more important to me to have some record of my adorable parents.

Since my youngest brother, Grant, was born ten years ago, my mom hasn't agreed to pose for photos.

Which is silly, because she is gorgeous.

My dad approached me and asked if I would do a couple shoot for the two of them, because he really wanted photos to capture their relationship.

Which was incredibly sweet.

Thus began the project of convincing Mom.

However, in the end I put on the famous Rachel "game face" and steam rolled her with having everything set up and arranged in advance.  

I find it best to just be bossy with her sometimes.

It turned out beautifully.

She and Dad were their silly, flirty selves, and Mom really seemed to relax when I spoke to her about the poses I had in mind for the two of them.

The trick was looking back at photos of the pair that Mom liked from when they were first married.

I loved this project--it was my favorite kind: a challenge to capture people's personalties, digging through road blocks and arriving at a natural, genuine, and successful finish.  

Story: this past Christmas, my dad surprised my mom with different monster finger puppets.

They were like a silly advent calendar.

Since Christmas, the puppets have accompanied my Dad into surgery, made their way all around the house with love notes and small conquests on neighboring knick knacks, and have even been stuffed down vases when the love birds got into an argument.

I really wanted to remember this time with my parents, when all of our relationships with one another are at their very strongest.  

Tea Time

Today is my first day of summer vacation, and I have eased into this grey morning.

I enjoyed a sweet phone call with my almost cousin-in-law about sewing (I'm finally going to learn!), a beautiful quiet time in the breakfast nook, and wrote a host of to-do lists for this next ten days before I move to Atlanta for my internship.  

Oh, and I finally used my new tea ball and loose leaf to make some grown-up tea that my dear friend, Bowen, got me for Christmas.  

Every break I drink copious amounts of tea, and it always drives my mother nuts the amount of little accessories that I have to leave out on the countertop.

So, I dug through my dowry corner of the basement (totally have one of those now for all of my family's thrifting been doing for Cam and I) and pulled out two antique trays from my grandmother.  

I'm so happy to put them to use: I love when the beautiful can be made practical.