The Lovely Lemon

inspire me monday // plant life in our home

May 13th, 2013

Today Matt and I are working on all sorts of home projects. We are painting, re-arranging furniture, and plotting out a few other building projects in preparation for the lovely Tina Sergeant to come and photograph our apartment next Tuesday for The Lakelander. I have created multiple boards on Pinterest, each filled with inspirations for our home. One of the largest trends on each board is an abundance of plant life. This will be an undertaking for Matt and I, like adopting a few plant babies. We have never tried to keep plants alive before, especially indoors. But I love the warmth and liveliness that plants bring to a room, and I just know we need a little plant love in our apartment for this shoot!

I will be giving myself a how-to-keep-my-new-plants-alive education over the weekend and will also be harvesting some local plant life that grows near our apartment on the property for the project! Wish me luck!

a few of my favorite indoor plant life inspirations:

Any advice for an indoor plant having newbee?

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thriftings….

May 10th, 2013

I have a problem. I seem to be unable to drive past the Salvation Army without stopping. I don’t even always have to buy something, I just feel the need to explore and treasure hunt. I call this condition thrift madness. Madness I say!

I haven’t shared my thriftings in a while because there haven’t been as many of them. I have successfully become a seasoned thrifter, and don’t feel the need to snap up every cheap, cute thing. Only the things that will come into the house and be loved, and used. Those are the rules.

I do , however, still have a very soft spot for dishes and coffee mugs. That will never end.

onto the goodies……

> glassware in many shades of yellow.

> 7 gorgeous coral/gold striped glasses scored for two dollars. Two dollars!…and a fancy pink glass that’s perfect for sangria!

> The Bell Jar. This will be read very soon.

>a lovely yellow bag for my laptop and a red straw bag. Both waiting in the corner of my office to be emblazoned with doilies!

> Big Mac blue and white striped overalls. YES YES YES. Those are happening. In fact, I wore them last night!

>I have had major luck lately with finding jeans at the thrift. The perfect pair of skinnies for seven bucks. Yup.

> stoneware platter with mustard stripe and a funky brass bread basket. I think they were something like one dollar each.

> brass swans. A buck each. Very appropriate since I live in swan city

Lakelanders! Where is your favorite thrift store in town? I’m looking for some new places to explore.

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// 365 //

May 9th, 2013

Thursday has become photography day here on the lovely lemon. One of my favorite ways to share photos with you guys is in my 365(ish) posts! A hodge podge of all my favorite photos the atI have recently taken!

I’m going to be very honest with you guys. I have fallen off the wagon a bit when it comes to this 365 project. I don’t always feel inspired to take photos every day.

I will say, however, that as I have been working my way through this 365 (ish) project, I’ve gotten to much better about paying attention to capturing the little moments of our every day lives, and have begun to notice all the little details in our day to day that I do find inspiring. I have, in the past had a very detached way of looking at things I think. It has always been easy for me to capture other people’s moments, details, and little bits of their lifestyle. But before this project I hadn’t really stopped to look at my own.

I still consider the project a success even though I’m not following it to the T!

The whole intention for me was to start looking at things in a new way, with fresh perspective…and that I have!

….let the hodge podge begin!

> awesome van we stumbled upon while taking photos of recently engaged friends

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> inside one of our kitchen cabinets. I have a slight obsession with dishes….

> a few of the colors/textures we photographed for a feature in the Lakelander

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>when you have an obsession with pretty dishes, even your dirty dishes are pretty.

>lovely purple blooms in a Lakeland alleyway

>self portrait in Ikea cabinet doors

> a little hint of things to come ;)

> a man and his mug

> the space above our kitchen table

> Daisy in black and white

This photo is not a part of the 365 project. It is, however, one of my favorites photos that I took on Saturday when we took engagement photos for our sweet friends Elizabeth and Sean! I can’t wait to share the rest with you soon!

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overalls are awesome.

May 8th, 2013

It’s no secret that I love a good pair of overalls. And believe you me, I have been on the prowl!

I had this perfectly worn in pair when I was in high school. But, after I outgrew them, I had the hardest time finding a replacement pair. Up until about two years ago I wasn’t really into thrifting clothes. Housewares sure. It never occurred to me that thrift stores might have cute clothes that are in good condition. Once I discovered that thrift stores can be a haven for awesome clothes I have been hunting for a glorious pair of perfect overalls!

Last week….I found them! I found them!

Here’s my new favorite item of clothing….is it weird that I feel a slight desire to name these overalls?

overalls 2_002

If you have never had the pleasure of wearing a perfectly worn in pair of overalls….find some.

It will be the most comfortable thing you have ever worn. Promise.

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natural skincare

May 7th, 2013

In the last couple months I have been an avid reader of my friend Katie’s blog, Heart the Journey. Katie is all about eating clean, living healthy, and using as many all natural products as possible. Katie is so well informed about the benefits of certain natural elements when used in hair and skincare. Her blog has become an amazing resource as I have been moving along on my quest for clear skin.

I have had problem skin for as long as I can remember. I thought that when I turned 18 and “became an adult” that my skin issues might magically disappear…wrong, so wrong. Actually , I have to say that at certain times they have gotten worse with hormone fluctuations…..awesome.

I had tried a ton of “fool-proof” skincare methods in the past. Most of them made my skin only slightly better. I was reading Heart the Journey one day, and Katie was talking about the benefits of using honey as a facial cleanser. My thought was why not give it a try! Well, then I figured that there was no use in going all natural in my cleanser if I was still going to be using harsh chemicals in my toner and moisturizer. So I went all in.

My new, all natural skincare routine looks like this:

Step one: Raw honey/baking soda mask. I soak a clean washcloth in warm water and place it on my face to open up my pores. Then , I take about a teaspoon of raw honey in my hand and mix in baking soda to form a paste. I spread this on my skin and leave for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, I rinse the mask with warm water, then splash face with cool water to close pores. Pat dry.

note* – when I first started this natural routine I was only washing my face with the honey/backing soda mixture. I saw great improvements in the feeling of my skin, but was not getting the acne improvements that I was really after. I decided to utilize the healing benefits of the raw honey a bit more. Now I leave it on for 20 minutes at a time, twice a day when possible.

Step two: water/lemon juice/witch hazel toner.

I made my toner using this recipe. After I remove my honey mask and dry my face a use a bit of this on a cotton round all over my face.

Step Three: coconut oil moisturizer! I use coconut oil all over my body. I might never buy lotion again!…which I am okay with because most lotions have all kinds of crap in it that I’m not super excited to have on my body.

I have been using this natural skincare routine for about two months now. And no, my skin isn’t perfect now. However, I will say that even though I am sill getting breakouts from time to time….they are less angry, and they seem to go away a hell of a lot faster.

I have noticed a huge improvement in the “quality ” of my skin. The coconut oil moisturizes so well that it is bringing balance to my naturally oily skin. No more over drying and under moisturizing with three step “solutions”!

I have also noticed a gigantic difference in how well my breakouts “cover” under makeup! So much better!

I feel so excited to be on the road to having skin that I can be proud of! I know that with any skins are switch (but especially a switch to all natural) your skin goes into a period of “shock”. I think I have successfully gotten through that period and am heading towards clear skin now!

Thank you Katie for inspiring me to make this change!