Birthday Wishes 2015

Hello!

July is my favorite month of the year by far. I find that schoolwork is not as much of a concern with summer vacation in full swing, I have more free time to read and see friends, and I have my birthday to celebrate towards the end of the month! With my b-day only three weeks away, I’m following Ciao Bella tradition and sharing the items that top my wish list this year; clearly, my list-making love extends to all aspects of my life.  Of course, this round-up is just for fun, as birthdays are special, no matter what gift you receive.

[1] Grace’s Sightseeing Outfit from American Girl Nearly every item in Grace’s line has won my heart {her storyline revolves around Paris and baking – can you say love at first sight?!}, but I think her most recent product, this adorable black and white ensemble, would be most at home in my collection.

[2] Campus Backpack in Parisian Paisley from Vera Bradley My current Campus Backpack is showing tears in its straps, so I would love a new bag before I head back to school. All three patterns in Vera Bradley’s fall preview are stunning, but this brightly colored print is my favorite.

[3] 2015-2016 Lilly Pulitzer Agenda in Wild Confetti Planner that I am, a new Lilly agenda for my junior year is an absolute must! I adored the one I used this past school year, so I have little doubt that the 2015-2016 edition – dotted with speckles of pink and green – will please this frequent organizer.

[4] How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful by Florence and the Machine The last few weeks of the school year were so crazy that I never made the time to order Florence’s newest album. Fortunately, I’m not the only Florence and the Machine fan in the family – it’s practically a present for us all :)

[5] Boden Giftcard The release of Boden’s fall line is a mere three to four weeks away, a fact that is both exciting {I could browse for hours} and distressing {their autumn items come out only weeks into my summer}. Nevertheless, spending money would come in handy for back-to-school shopping.

[6] Big Eyes Tim Burton’s films are certainly interesting, even if they are not always my cup of tea! One of his recent works, Big Eyes, came out on DVD in the spring, and I hope to watch it myself as I didn’t get the chance to see it in theaters. The movie, a look at the artistic couple of Margaret and Walter Keane, sounds so intriguing.

[7] Emmy & Oliver I could never let my birthday go by without asking for a new book! Robin Benway’s novel, Emmy & Oliver, recently celebrated its release, and I have heard a continuous stream of positive praise. It sounds like such a good read – I’ll be sure to have a place ready for it in my bookshelf.

[8] Back in the Day Bakery: Made with Love The first cookbook by this baking duo is amazing; I have tried several recipes since I checked it out of the library, and they have stopped nothing short of delicious. I would happily own their second cookbook, released in the spring, if it is even half as good as the first!

[9] Sharpie Ultra Fine 24 Pack Finally, for doodling and hand-lettering alike, one can’t get any better than the classic Sharpie marker. Much of my current set is drying out, so I’m asking for another pack to replenish my supplies. Just look at all of the vivid hues included!

Have a fantastic Thursday!
Bella

loving >> week 126

Hello!

I’m loving…

1 ♥ Badminton We set up our badminton net a few weeks ago, and ever since, I’ve been playing quite a bit! I’m still honing my serves, but I love it as a summertime activity :) Despite my lack of playing for a few years, it’s easy to get back into; I say try it out just for fun.

2 ♥ Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese I am very late to the food truck trend, but for my first time, Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese was an excellent choice! My mom, sister, and I spent our day out in Boston, and after wandering around the city, nothing was better than a delicious sandwich {followed up by ice cream, of course}. If you’re ever in the area, Roxy’s is perfect for lunch. More importantly, do you have a favorite food truck?

3 ♥ Citrus and Mint Finding any quality free clipart and fonts can make my day, so you can imagine my excitement when I found the gold mine of freebies over at Citrus and Mint! From colorful scrapbook paper backgrounds to well-designed clip art, I am in complete LOVE. I’ve already bookmarked the site for future reference, and I recommend checking it out for yourself as well.

4 ♥ American Idiot Seeing musicals and plays, whether on a professional stage or in a school auditorium, is one of my favorite things to do, so I jumped at the chance to see a local production of American Idiot next week. I’ll be attending on opening night, and if the buzz from my friends that are involved is any indication, it’s going to be an outstanding show. Have you ever seen American Idiot? I have heard that it is fairly dark; I’m curious to see what it is all about! :)

5 ♥ Clarisse’s Closet’s Vintage Pretties Line Finally, Clarisse’s Closet remains one of my favorite doll blogs, and regular blogs for that matter, so I was happy to see that she released a new line of historical outfits in her Etsy shop yesterday. I’m still debating over whether or not I should buy one of the ensembles still for sale {my favorite is shown above}, but, as I’ve always said, online browsing is almost as fun!

Have a wonderful weekend!

B

loving >> week 114

Hi!

This week flew by, did it not?! I do apologize for not getting this up yesterday. Anyhoo, let’s get to it! I’m loving…

jones design company graphic design week

I have been a fan of Emily’s work over at Jones Design Company ever since I found her seasonal essential art freebies, but her most recent posts focusing on graphic design have been informative and helpful to read about! All week-long, she has posted about fonts, images, and graphics; each one made my little graphic design heart happy :) Definitely take a peek if you enjoy anything having to do with graphic design!

clarisse’s closet spring collection

As usual, I try to keep doll stuff to my other website, Doll Mag, but my newest Etsy obsession is too adorable not to share. I really like Clarisse’s Closet and all of her original clothing items, so I was beyond happy to learn that an Etsy shop was opening too! It opened last week, my sister and I were able to snag the Floral Tie Blouse and the Chambray Ruffle Dress – hopefully they come later this week! {You can read more here, if interested.}

boden’s special occasion items {specifically johnnie b}

I look forward to Boden releases like a kid looks forward to the holidays; they make my DAY! :) Even though the latest Johnnie B release only had five items, it was enough to make me happy, especially the two items shown above {The Katie Dress on the left and the India Skirt on the right.} . The “Special Occasion Shop,” as Boden calls it, is, of course, meant for special occasions, but I am also sure that a few of the pieces can be dressed down. The skirt, for example, would look oh-so cute with a tee, cardigan, and flats, but when the time comes, it will also look just as good with a nice blouse and some jewelry.

the way way back

I received this movie for Christmas, as I had wanted to see it during the summer, but never got the chance. I finally sat down to watch it last night, and I do wish I hadn’t waited so long to start it! It was fabulously done, and I really enjoyed the work of the cast and crew. Set in a beach town, the film is about a fourteen year old, named Duncan, and his summer job at a water park. This movie was particularly fun to watch because I have been to Water Wizz multiple times, so it was quite cool seeing it as a movie set :) Have you seen this one? I highly recommend it if you haven’t!

st. patrick’s day

I’m don’t really get into St. Patrick’s Day, but I will never be one to turn down a day of festivity! Here are just a few things that caught my eye this week, all of which are perfect for spreading a little St. Patrick’s Day cheer: Leather Shamrock Keychain | Rainbow Flower Wreath | Chocolate Mint Cookies

Have a terrific rest of your day!