blueheart ♥

jessica chronicled

2011-11-30T21:24:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to give you all an update.

I have moved my blog to jessica chronicled so that I can redefine the things that I blog about. It is a much more personal blog and focus a lot more on style, photography, and my faith. You might also have noticed that my shop was closed for much longer than I planned. Well it is in the works of re-opening with a lot more items and product styling, so don't forget to keep your eye on it in the next few weeks.

The I'm Getting Married Sale

2011-05-19T06:12:00.004-04:00

Because I'm getting married this summer and going to be moving into a new place, I decided to have a sale in my etsy shop in hopes of reducing the amount of items I have to pack up and move. The shop will be closed for the month of July and possibly the month of August, depending on how quickly we get settled in. Just enter the coupon code: BESTWISHES and receive 10% off your entire order before shipping. Spread the word! :)

popped the OTHER question.

2011-05-16T23:00:00.000-04:00

In case you didn't know, I'm engaged! and the wedding is a little over two months away. Plans are completely underway and I'm a little behind on sharing this post with you {like it happened in January, behind} but it's really the only wedding planning I have pictures of so far.

Back in January, I decided it was time to ask my girls to be my bridesmaids. But of course, I couldn't just bluntly ask them, "Hey, wanna walk down the aisle on my big day?" so I came up with something they could keep.

I have two Maid of Honors, four bridesmaids, and on junior bridesmaid. {Gasp! That's a lot of attendants, Jess! I know. But it was hard to choose.} I made each of them a little book with a short sweet note talking about our friendship and asking them to be my bridesmaid. I even included rings for them to wear at the wedding if they accepted. So it really kind of was like popping the other question.

I put pretty paper on the front with a turquoise blue dress. Unfortunately the dresses looked more like dresses when I sketched them on paper than when I cut them out. My mom said it looked like a bow tie. Either way, I think it got the point across.

In the end I tied it altogether with turquoise ribbon. Then I slipped them in kraft paper bags, each stamped with their names {forgot to take a picture of those}. Thankfully they all said yes and I'm so excited that they will all be there to celebrate mine and Ryan's big day!

Friday's Fancies #3

2011-05-13T22:48:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh you guys. How lame am I for not posting for almost two weeks? So sorry about that. I had finals week and then some catching up to do on wedding plans. Good news is that I have an update on wedding plans coming to you on Monday! Excited? Me too.

So with all the mishap with Blogger yesterday, I didn't get to create my Friday's Fancies post on time, but I'm knocking it out right now. Better late than never, so as long as I get it in before midnight I think I'm safe to still call it Friday's Fancies.

I have a fitting for wedding dress alterations tomorrow and then my mom and I are going shopping for some engagement clothes for me. I've been trying to think up some outfits for Ryan and I so I decided to create this Friday's Fancies as if we had no budget to spend on engagement clothes {the true splurge is the boots}.

engagement shoot by blueheartlove featuring leather suspenders

Butterfly dress, 22 GBP
V neck tee, $24
Golden Goose low heels, $1,164
Dorothy Perkins crochet hat, 16 GBP
Mayashalev leather suspender, $85
Creased Classic Jeans, $22

10 Things I Love About Summer

2011-05-02T09:45:00.001-04:00

This week is Finals week (yes, I used the F-word!), so naturally all I can think about is how ready I am for summer.

10. Free time (especially for dates). (Pinterest)

9. Wavy hair. (Pinterest)

8. Fun nail polish. (Pinterest)

7. County fairs (and cotton candy and ferris wheel rides). (Pinterest)

6. Lemonade (its so much better in the summer for some reason!). (Pinterest)

5. Summer Lovin' (Pinterest)

4. Peep-toe shoes. (Pinterest)

3. Open windows and breezes. (Pinterest)

2. Moments like this. :) (Pinterest)

1. Weddings! More specifically, mine and Ryan's wedding this summer! (Pinterest)

*all images via Pinterest, click the (Pinterest) after each image to follow the source.

Friday's Fancies #2

2011-04-29T06:02:00.000-04:00

I debated getting up early this morning to watch the Royal Wedding television {it comes on at 4am here}. Then I decided that was a bad idea. So I debated I debated staying up all night to watch it. Then I decided that was an even worse idea. I have to get up for class at 5:30am anyway, so I am hoping to catch some glimpses of it while I get ready.

For some reason Ryan isn't quite as excited as I am about the wedding {I don't get it}. I'm no where near as obsessed as some people have gotten, but I am a little addicted to reading The Royal Wedding blog. I found out Kate sometimes calls Will, Mr. Darcy as a cute nickname {fitting, right?}, that everyone has to stop eating dinner whenever the queen is finished {better eat quick}, and that I am all to excited to see what Harry's date, Chelsy wears to the wedding!

Even though I won't be attending the wedding, it's a Friday's Fancies post, so that means I get to pretend I'm doing whatever I want. So naturally, I'm going to pretend that I am among the other wedding guests, at Westminster Abbey, in my lovely wedding attire.

via long distance loving

{av} is the host of Friday's Fancies and she did her research to find what type of dress one should wear to a royal wedding. Her recommendations include a pretty purse, the perfect pair of pumps, possibly a fancy hat, and tasteful jewelry. In the process of creating a look from scratch, I "re-stumbled" upon BHLDN and I fell in love with their looks, which surprisingly would be perfect wedding attire, headpieces and all. Here are my faves:

The Twirled Sweetheart Dress and Velvet Cocktail Hat.

The L'Appel Palette Dress and The Voluminous Silk Headband.

Limoncello and The Del Sole Comb.

The Starburst Pleated Shift Dress and Peony Hairpin.

The Backrun Sheath and The White Meidland Sunner.

It's really hard for me to choose a favorite {good thing I'll be watchin' in my jammies} but after looking at them all, I definitely want everything from BHLDN.

So what will/would you be wearing to the royal wedding?

inspiration obesession

2011-04-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

This girl is my newest fashion inspiration (reading her blog is my newest obsession). Kendi Everyday is a girl who moved to a small town and started a fashion blog, and goodness am I thankful for that! :) She's the inspiration behind the 30 for 30 challenges you might have seen going on throughout the blogosphere. So I am thinking that I am going to start a 30 for 30 this fall, you know, after all the wedding stress is over. What do you think? Have you done any 30 for 30 challenges? I'd love to see them! Link up!

Friday's Fancies

2011-04-22T06:30:00.002-04:00

Hello lovelies. It's been such a long week for me. One more week left to the semester and then a week of finals, and I am definitely feeling the pressure now. But on to a happier subject! This post is the first of what is going to become a fairly frequent friday feature (that's a lot of f-words!). The feature is called Friday's Fancies and you can give all credit to this pretty girl for coming up with it!

The idea of Friday's Fancies is to choose an outfit for Friday or for the weekend that is unlimited to spending! So you're imagination can run wild! Sound exciting yet? I thought so too, but there's even more creativeness. If you really have a weekend event to create something fun for, you can go with that. If you don't, or you just want to get creative, you can create what you wish you would be doing in the outfit this weekend. So here goes nothing, er, something.

Dress: Halston Heritage Sandals: Alaia Earrings: Charm and Chain
Bangles: Velcenza Scarf: Jill Sander Hat: Nordstorm
click here to go to Polyvore and find direct links

The Story: With all the rain and random cold weather we have been having here, all I can think about is being some place warm. So I am dreaming that Ryan and I are just going to drive on over to the beach (and pretend it's a short drive away) and attend a gorgeous party on the beach. There will be a bonfire and roasting of marshmellows, candles will be lit everywhere (because it will already be dark) and a few of our friends will be singing and playing guitar. So naturally my first thoughts for planning this outfit were: flowy and sparkly. So this pretty floral maxi dress will work perfectly, and I can picture me wearing it while Ryan and I dance on the beach! And of course, any occasion with some candles and music requires a girl to be sparkly. So golden gladiator sandals, bangles, and dangle earrings will make me glisten. Then, just because I'm still feeling cool from the cold weather here, I had to include this scarf for later that evening. And my favorite accessory to the outfit is the fedora hat. I've been in love with those babies lately! And best of all, that hat is the one part of this Friday's Fancies outfit that isn't too fancily out of my budget.

So who's with me on the sparkly beach party?

vote ♥

2011-04-13T20:45:00.002-04:00

So remember my entry for the Design Your Look Challenge? Well it's time to vote! I'd appreciate it if you went over and voted for me...or any of the other submissions! There are over 113 looks submitted and it is so hard to choose a favorite! I haven't decided what I'm voting yet! Did any of you enter submissions?

If you want to view the submissions and vote, go here and if you would like to vote for me, you can post in the comments "Jessica - Blue Heart Love" and I would appreciate it very much! ( psst, I really want the dress! ;) )

Design Your Look Submission

2011-04-07T22:07:00.004-04:00

So you might remember that last week I asked you all to help me choose which look to submit in the Design Your Look Challenge hosted by Jess LC. Thank you so much to those of you that gave me your opinions and advice.

I ended up choosing Option 2: Just Peachy. It seemed to be the favorite and it is my favorite, too. I did make one change to the look however, by switching out the oxford flats for some wedges, thanks to a suggestion from one of you lovelies. But I think if I were to wear this outfit, it would definitely be hard to choose between the two shoes because I really loved them both with the dress.

Just Peachy by blueheartlove

Dress: Birdsnest Tote: Anthropologie Jewelry: JessLC
Cardigan: Warehouse Shoes: Rag & Bone Scarf: H&M

You can view the Jess LC facebook page to see a lot of the other submissions. And don't forget to check out the Jess LC site for some prettiness. ♥

5 essentials for spring 2011.

2011-04-04T00:15:00.002-04:00

Time seems to be flying by these days, but spring has definitely not snuck up on me. I have been waiting for the day when it's warm enough to ditch the heavy jacket and closed toed shoes. Not to mention, pastels are so much more my color palette than dark blacks and navy shades.

So with the anticipation of spring finally arriving, I have been thinking about the essentials that I need to be adding to my wardrobe this season. I came up with my top 5 list, but believe me it was so hard to narrow things down because there are so many amazing styles out there.

The Top 5 Essentials for Spring 2011,
according to Blueheart

Essential 1: A floral dress.

1 Ruche 2 Delia's 3 & 4 ModCloth
5 Top Shop 6 American Eagle 7 Top Shop

Essential 2: A pair of oxford shoes.

1 Kohl's 2 Nordstorm 3 Top Shop 4 Ruche
5 Forever 21 6 Anthropologie 7 DSW 8 UO 9 ModCloth

Essential 3: Feather jewelry.

1 UO 2 Fossil 3 ModCloth 4 ASOS 5 1928
6 Wet Seal 7 Need Supply 8 ModCloth 9 UO 10 H of H 1960

Essential 4: A spring cardigan.

1 Anthropologie 2 J Crew 3 Ruche
4 Buckle 5 Delia's 6 ModCloth

Essential 5: A bag with a bow.

1 Top Shop 2 Betsey Johnson 3 Tillys 4 Nordstorm
5 Ruche 6 Lori's Shoes 7 Nordstorm

So I've shared my favorites with you, now what are your favorites? What are you thinking is a 'got to have it' for your spring wardrobe?

Design Your Look Challenge

2011-03-28T22:39:00.006-04:00

I am going to be entering the Design Your Look Challenge hosted by JessLC in the beginning of April and I am so thrilled. I can only submit one look, but I have created three ensembles that I love, and I just can't seem to decide which one to enter. This is where you come in. I need your help! Leave me a message in the comments saying which look you think I should enter, I would really appreciate it!

OPTION 1: Lavender and Cream
Dress: Delia's Clutch: Anthropologie Jewelry: JessLC
Jeans: H&M Shoes: Rag & Bone Bolero: H&M

OPTION 2: Just Peachy
Dress: Birdsnest Tote: Anthropologie Jewelry: JessLC
Cardigan: Warehouse Shoes: Steve Madden Scarf: H&M

OPTION 3: Earthy Tones
Top: H&M Clutch: Fossil Jewelry: JessLC
Skirt: Rue 21 Shoes: Merona Scarf: Rue 21

love list: etsy jewelry

2011-03-24T22:32:00.003-04:00

vdeux

StitchFromTheHeart

bluemoss

monkeysalwayslook

Byrdferth

ofmatter

tinadee

BCGirls

AdziasJewelryAtelier

MySelvagedLife

acommonthread

my apology.

2011-03-22T23:31:00.002-04:00

As you all may know, I have been somewhat absent from the blogopshere lately. I have been under so much pressure with taking 18 hours, working, and trying to plan a wedding and unfortunately at this time I felt that the blog needed to sit on the back-burner for a while. I'm not promising lots of post in the next few days, but expect to see a little more activity, and then I will return completely in May after this semester is over.

However, despite my busyness, I felt there is an issue that I need to address. Several months ago I wrote a post about an Etsy shop called Miss Violet Lace that sold handmade wigs. I was so impressed with her work, and I am sure many of you were too. This post has now been deleted because of some recent uncoverings about a scandal.

Apparently all of this has occurred while I have been taking some absence from the blog, and I apologize for not being aware of it sooner. I personally have very little knowledge of the scandal, but you can read more at Kaelah's blog if you would like the full story on the scandal.

I think it is so sad that someone would abuse innocent people in a such a way. I think in this society we have come to expect false advertising from large corporations, but whenever it happens in the independent industry, with such a personal setting, it is much more disheartening. I hope that this scandal doesn't influence anyone against buying from Etsy, there are many honest independent artist's out there and I still fully believe in supporting them.

Once again, my apologies to anyone that was affected by the MVL scandal.

hurry and sign up for this lovely thing

2011-03-03T11:17:00.004-05:00

If you have a collection, of anything, you should definitely check out this trade hosted by Dannie from oh, hello friend. I just signed up and I am so excited about it. It's such a fun way to add a memorable piece to your collections, plus I am going to love the hunt for finding something for someone else! :) If you want to be a part of it, hurry on over and sign up because she is only taking 100 participants and her trades usually fill up fast.

Here is a list of my collections, maybe I will share photos one day.

-owls
-mismatched vintage plates
-mason jars (I'm actually collecting these for my wedding!)
-business cards
-paper with pretty patterns
-the letter 'T' (or 't') in all sizes, shapes, textures, etc.
-vintage (or vintage inspired) keys (mostly skeleton)

dinner date ideas with Mattie

2011-02-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

--Hey there!

It's Mattie again over from Odelma to share with you a few simple and sweet date ideas!

{source}

Last time, I focused on outdoor date ideas, so I thought I'd switch it up and talk about a few indoor ones. These are also centered around something I'm sure all of us enjoy--food!

{source}

ONE. This one is such an easy, throw-together-last-minute night. Chunk some big blankets and pillows on the floor of the living room, grab your dinner, and enjoy! A picnic in the living room of sorts. Such a cozy and laid back atmosphere. Definitely a favorite of mine!

{source}

TWO. One word -- FONDUE!

{source}

THREE. Another simple thought. One of you cook dinner while the other cooks dessert! Great way to both get involved with the preparation of a meal. Fun times, for sure.

{source}{source}

FOUR. Getting tired of the same ol' food? Switch it up and throw in some themed meals every so often. Mexican, Italian, Indian, Chinese. So many options! Heck, even decorate the table based off of your theme and make a mini-party out of it.

{source}

FIVE. Not into cooking? Go grab your favorite fast food meal, bring it home, and break out the fancy china. Such a lovely contrast you'll create and it turns your average, everyday fast food night into something a little more fun and special.

As always, thanks for having me!! Such a pleasure. What's your favorite at home dinner date?

x.o.

awkward & awesome

2011-02-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

If you have ever read The Daybook you probably already look forward to Thursdays because you know Sydney will probably be doing an awkward & awesome post and you just can't wait to read it. Well that's how I feel, anyways. It cracks me up to read some of her awkward situations, those are definitely my favorite. I had enough situations this past week to come up with my own post, so I am doing just that and I hope you will sit down with your favorite drink and share the awkwardness with me.

awkward

- Trying to open the door at the same time that someone on the other side is trying to open the door, and then not being sure who should go through it first, so you stand there hoping the other person will move already!
- Walking into class late and half the people in the room turn and stare at you until you sit down. (Ouch! That happened twice this week...my bus was late).
- Halfway through class you just happen to look down and notice that you have lunch crumbs all over your blouse. Even more awkward when you have to brush the crumbs off.
- You know, the thing where you had a late night and you just can't seem to hold your eyelids open and you feel your pencil drop out of your hand, but you can't really stop it, and then your head falls and for a second you come out of the doze and your head snaps back up, and then you have to blink a lot to wake back up. And then you look around the room to see if anyone saw you do that (oops! they definitely did.).
- Being in a restroom with three other ladies who are talking to each other from the stalls. Even more awkward when you have no clue what language they are speaking.
- When you are walking down the sidewalk and you hear someone coming up behind you quickly, then next thing you know they are walking beside you, in stride. So you slow down to break it, then when you get to the building they wait and hold the door open for you. Uh, thanks?
- Telling your mom this awesome story about the shoes you bought her for her birthday and how you almost couldn't find them in her size in the right color but then because of some miracle...Huh? Oh. You wear a 6? I could have sworn you wore a 6 1/2. Are you sure?
- The granny in the checkout line in front of me taking forever because she has to ask all of the nearby cashiers if they think this top will fit her 7 year old granddaughter. Um, probably, because I hear they are making 7 years old in standard sizes these days, so the one size fits all rule applies here.
- The fact that my english class requires me to give a powerpoint presentation about myself, explaining why my classmates should want to pick me to be in their group for a project. Um, I'm really shy? Oh wait, that's a negative, never mind.

awesome

- Scoring a pair of sparkly gold shoes from a going out of business sale. woot!
- The fact that the weather here just might get above 50 degrees this weekend. Have I ever told you I hate wearing jackets?
- My boss sending me an email after I left work on Wednesday, just to tell me that she doesn't say thank you enough for the things I do. No, thank you. ;)
- I'm putting away my Christmas decorations this weekend. No, sillies, I haven't had them out this long, I took them down a month ago. And then the boxes sat in the living room, which is actually where they still are right now. (scribbles on her to do list).
- The fact that I had a really stressful Monday and when I saw Ryan that night he immediately went and got a piece of paper and scribbled a coupon for 'one free back rub' that supposedly has no expiration date and can be used any one day that I want it, no objections. (We'll see how that one pans out, haha).
- Southern sweet iced tea. Yes, I mean the kind that's loaded with sugar. It's so addicting.
- The fact that wedding planning is really coming together now. We have our locations for ceremony and reception, our photographer, bridal party, and my dream dress :) And we officially have a date: July 30, 2011. That's 165 days friends. (No, I don't have a countdown programmed in my phone. Psht, that would be crazy.).

so what were your awkward & awesomes this week?

just to be cliche...

2011-02-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

♥

Happy Valentine's Day
If you don't make a point of it, every other single day, then at least make a point today to tell someone you love them. Sometimes we forget tomorrow is never promised.

Anyways, hope you all have a lovely day. My fiance's family has their own florist business, so this weekend has been crazy with all of us working up there hours upon hours trying to prep for this day. And to top it all off, my fiance's dad, the main florist, is a twin and their birthday is today. So is their mom, (my fiance's grandmother) who is the one that started the floral business. It's all very busy and things is rather crazy, so we will all be a little less stressed when this is over.

p.s. how amazing do those cupcakes look? yum.

date night, movie nights, redefined.

2011-02-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share a guest post that I did over at Odelma Vintage last week, in case anyone needs any last minute valentine date ideas. These definitely work for year round, though. Ryan's family owns their own florist business, so valentine's is never a big holiday for us, plus this year I have an exam on the 15th, so I will be studying on Vday. Isn't that fun. Ha!

Sometimes Ryan and I go through these stages where we just have like a mental block, and completely lack creative ideas for dates. With Valentine's coming up, I've been trying to think of a cute idea for a date night and I ended up making quite a long list (I know, he's a lucky guy, what can I say). The dates actually have nothing to do with Valentine's day, so you could easily make mental note of these and use them all year long.

I started thinking about movie nights, first of all. Usually that consists of staying in and watching a rental, or going out to eat dinner and then going to the theater (um, hello, that gets expensive after a while!). So I came up with some different ideas that are basically 'redefining' what I think of as a 'movie night' and definitely won't break your wallet.

{source}

one. be the stars in your own romantic comedy
Instead of sitting on the couch and watching a movie, get out your video camera and write, produce, and star in your own movie. You can always just record yourselves talking about why you love each other, describing each other, or answering fun questions about the other one. Or if you and your lover are really creative, come up with your own story line and create your own scenes to put together and make your own short film! These videos will not only be something fun for the date night, but will be a keepsake memory for you to watch (and laugh at, or cry) years down the road.

{source}

two. watch a cheesy movie.
This one is definitely one of mine and Ryan's favorites. We love finding scary movies (on tv or rentals) that are so 'cheesy' that it's impossible to find them scary. It's so much fun to watch them together and laugh at how bad some of the acting or special effects are (and it's good for me because I usually can't sleep after watching 'real' horror movies). They are usually older movies, so sometimes they are harder to find but it's definitely worth it. The latest one we watch was something like 'Malibu Shark Attack' and it actually is from 2009, but it just didn't turn out that good, although it's great for this purpose, and for laughing at. We've also watched 'the Poltergeist' and then some movie about aliens that look like humans, but I can't remember the name of it.

{source}

three. have a memory movie night.
Dig through all your old boxes and bring out the old videos from when the two of you were kids growing up, or even movies from when you first started dating if you have been together long enough. It's really fun to take a trip down memory lane and you will be able to share stories and memories with each other about your lives. Did I mention that this movie night can cost relatively nothing? Unless of course, you have to search to find a VHS player, which is somewhat difficult these days! But it will definitely make for an unforgettable night, and it's a great way for the two of you to become closer.

Do you have any 'redefined' takes on movie nights? Or have you ever done any of these I mentioned?

the 21 list.

2011-02-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

21 things I hope to accomplish or have happen in my life before I'm 22

[1] Marry my best friend.
[2] Make homemade ice cream.
[3] Create a 'line' of dresses.
[4] Finish Ryan & mine's video.
[5] Paint a piece of furniture.
[6] Design some cute hair accessories.
[7] Find a place for me and Ryan to live with lots of vintage charm.
[8] Buy a Instax Mini
[9] Take a road trip to visit the Red Velvet Store!
[10] Give my blog a serious makeover.
[11] Start sponsorships on the blog.
[12] Make a pom-pom garland.
[13] Go to a drive-in movie (gasp! I've never been!)
[14] Make a video with Mackenzie.
[15] Have a picnic photoshoot.
[16] Start having outfit posts by me on the blog.
[17] Make my wedding veil/hairpiece.
[18] Do another craft show (omg!)
[19] Take Elsie's Dream Job e-course she mentioned here.
[20] Make some lovely bridesmaid gifts (or order them, whatever).
[21] Have a drastic hair change (dont' worry...after the wedding).

p.s. notice the lovely photo above? taken by Mackenzie on a little adventure we took downtown in our hometown.

ahem....

2011-02-03T15:30:00.002-05:00

pin

Yep. Today is that day. I turned ((twenty-one)). Hard to believe, I know.
Hopefully you have already read Mattie's post for today, and don't forget to check out my post over on her blog.

I'm doing a little celebrating tonight with my close family but we are saving the cake eating for the weekend because my mom's birthday is next Wednesday, so we are just having a bday bash together. I'll be back soon with a list of '21 things' for the next year (until my 22nd birthday!).

Have a lovely day, friends.

date night ideas with Mattie

2011-02-02T22:02:00.003-05:00

Hi there!

I'm Mattie from Odelma Vintage.
As if you guys are completely unaware, I just wanted to remind you that Valentine's day is quickly approaching! My boyfriend, Luke, and I wouldn't really classify ourselves as the type of couple that gets wrapped up in the holiday. I do love my fair share of cutesy things, lovely sentiments, and sweet times, but we try to stick to meaningful ways to celebrate us. The way we do that varies from year to year, depending on our place in life, but one thing that we do try to remember is that Valentine's day is no different than any other day in our lives.

Luke and I try to celebrate us and our relationship on a regular basis. Sometimes we have to intentionally take a break from the mundane, and just enjoy each other for no other reason than just because. So with all of that being said, I thought I'd share with you a few different date ideas not only in honor of "The Hallmark Holiday," but also for your every day celebration. Jess and I will be guest blogging fun date ideas on each other's blog in the month of February, and I'm super excited to get to be here.

With this first post, I wanted to give some date ideas that ranged from pricey to cheap to easy to a little more complicated. I also noticed that my ideas for this post ended up all being outdoors, so we'll go with that "theme" this week. ;)

Date 1: Outdoor Movie
I love this idea. Set up some white paper and a projector and you've got yourself your own drive in movie (or picnic and a movie, hammocks and a movie, etc.) Find out how other bloggers set up their version of the outdoor movie on Poppytalk and Oh Happy Day.

{source}

Date 2: Outdoor Dinner
So simple and romantic. Sprinkle around some christmas lights, candles, even flashlights and you have yourself a cosy little setup that turns ordinary dinner into something special. Try to pick a spot where you can see those stars twinkle, too!

{source}

Date 3: Hot Air Balloon Ride
If you're feeling up for an adventure, try out 1800skyride.com. They specialize in all types of sky adventures around your area. My favorite is the hot air balloon. It'd definitely be a celebration to remember!

Well thanks for having me over! I hope you enjoy these ideas as much as I do. :) See ya soon.
-Mattie

my pinboard: pretty hair

2011-01-24T06:15:00.000-05:00

Hopefully by now most of you have heard of Pinterest, and if you haven't, you are most certainly missing out and need to check it out immediately. I feel like I fall in love with Pinterest more every single day. It's the perfect picture book of inspiration and I absolutely love that it keeps reference to the original site it was pinned from. The way the images are laid out and organized is just a perfect visual display, very eye pleasing. And I love that users can create Pinboards on any topic they choose. I have 23 Pinboards now and I can't even decide which one is my favorite because they all have so many beautiful, inspiring images.

Lately I have been obsessed with finding hairstyles I love, and photos of women and girls with beautiful hair. And I discovered that I must have a thing for braids, because they definitely dominate my pretty hair Pinboard. I thought I should share these with you today because I added quite a bit over the weekend and it really is a great source of inspiration.

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Have you started using Pinterest yet? Do you have a specific purpose you use it for or is it just all types of inspiration? I had thought I would make wedding inspiration categories like wedding dress, flowers, guestbook, etc. but I thought I would have to sacrifice my other Pinboards and I just love them too much. What's your favorite thing about Pinterest?

(for more hair inspiration view my whole Pinboard)

ThreadSence

2011-01-18T23:09:00.000-05:00

You might have caught on to this by now, but I've become a little 'cute video' obsessed recently. I just think there is so much that can be captured and so many stories that can be told. The video doesn't even have to be about an important message, I just like something that makes me laugh or feel inspired after watching it. You might remember my video crushes from here, here, and here (and now this one). Well I have decided that I am feeling so inspired by all of this that I am going to make a little video of my own. All I know so far is I want the video to involve fashion and vintage pieces but I'm doing a little planning first, so if you have any ideas or suggestions, leave me a comment!

and p.s. the video of me and ryan is already underway :)

life.

2011-01-17T08:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday when I was browsing for pretty images to add to my pinboards I came across this inspiring message and it really spoke to me so I wanted to share it with you all.

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save the date videos

2011-01-14T06:50:00.000-05:00

This engagement video is so adorable. I love the captions and how they put the whole story together. I got engaged a little over a month ago and while me and Ryan have decided not to send out save the dates, I am thinking that a little video like this one would be the perfect idea. The challenge will be getting him to cooperate for a long enough amount of time to actually make a video. Wish me luck with that one.

girls with glasses

2011-01-12T10:30:00.002-05:00

Honestly, I am not even sure how I came to find this amazing duo. Brooke and Summer from the 'Girls with Glasses Show' are completely hilarious, and so much fun to watch. I love their style, especially the glasses wear (hence the name). And it is so cute that you can understand their friendship just from the show, I love watching best friends take on creative adventures together. It was so hard for me to choose a favorite video to share with you all, but if you would like to see all of their videos, click here.

Train Wrecks & Cat Fights from The Girls With Glasses on Vimeo.

first post of 2011

2011-01-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hope you all are having a great start to the new year. I've been so busy with the Holidays and then trying to get the wedding planning underway. I didn't make a new years resolution list this year because I have too much other planning and list making going on to worry about it. However, I did update my 101 in 1001 List. I think I need to be working on that more, but sometimes I forget to check it. Did you make any new years resolutions? Or just a big to do list or goals list? What do you hope 2011 has in store for you?

Here's a little inspiration for my first post of the new year. As always, click the ♥ for the source.

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pretty little wishlist

2010-12-17T15:32:00.008-05:00

It's so hard to believe that Christmas is a week away from tomorrow (gasp!). I guess I will need to be finishing up my last minute shopping this week and I need to get busy wrapping presents! I made a just for fun wishlist of things I would love to get for Christmas, although I'm pretty sure I won't be getting any of them, it's fun to think about....

these anthropologie sweaters 1 // 2 // 3

this tote from Fossil

a pretty cowl from this etsy shop i love!

these boots from Ruche

this precious ring from one of my favorite bloggers

these dresses form Mod Cloth 1 // 2 // 3

and this camera bag! because just between you and me, I kinda already know that I am getting a new camera for Christmas! shhh! :)

What's on your wishlist year?

a lovely surprise..

2010-12-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

So I just wanted to share will all of you what a special night I had this past Saturday, December 4, 2011.

For weeks my boyfriend, Ryan, and his family had been planning to have a Christmas party with several close friends and family members. This was also going to be my first weekend completely stress free because I have been loaded down with exams and studying for about two months now non-stop. Saturday morning the girls in my family went to a few craft shows in town and then I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and getting ready for the party.

A little side note, the night before (Friday, December 3) was mine and Ryan's fourth dating anniversary and we spent it eating dinner and going to a movie, classic I know, but special nonetheless. I had curled my hair for Friday and Ryan just loves it that way, so with that reason plus the fact that Ryan's mother, Judy, is an awesome photographer (but it's just a hobby), convinced me to curl my hair again. And of course, with it being a Christmas party I felt obligated to wear red, even though it's not one of my favorite colors, but I had a new silky J.Crew shirt in red and black, so it was worth it.

I had some time to kill in between getting dressed and cooking sausage balls for the party. I finally had the chance to paint my nails, something I had been trying to do for weeks but never seemed to have enough free time other than right before bed. Like I said, red is not one of my favorite colors, outside of Christmas time, but since I was wearing red, and with my grandmother's convincing, I used red polish.

Ryan was going to pick me up from my house and my mom and the rest of my family were going to drive separate, that seemed a little weird, but not really any big deal.

Ryan had told me the party started at 7pm and he would pick me up at 6:45 so when my family left at 6:25 I said to my mom, "You do realize you are going to get there really early, don't you?" She just said, "Yeah, I think Darlene needs to stop somewhere." (Darlene is my aunt, my family is very small and very close!) It wasn't too long after they left that Ryan arrived, and I just had a few minutes left until I could take the sausage balls out of the oven.

My computer was turned off, laying on the kitchen counter. Ryan turned it on and of course I immediately started in on how we didn't have time for him to do that, we were going to be late, blah blah blah. He kept insisting that I go downstairs to my studio to get my new charger (mine died and I had been borrowing his). I continued with the, 'we don't have time' speech and finally Ryan just got up and walked downstairs. Later, he told me he knew I would follow him because I wouldn't be able to stand the though of him accidentally messing something up in my studio...he was right.

We finally leave my house late, and by this point I am of course suspicious that something was going on.

I should have paid attention to the cars parked outside the church (where the event was taking place), but I didn't think about it. When we got in the door everyone else was already there so I didn't really even have time to think or look around before some was grabbing me and talking to me.

Ryan's family is big on playing games, and recently they having been playing a game that they call 'the blanket game' since it really has no name. Everyone divides into two teams of about equal size, and in the center, two people hold up a blanket so that each side can't see the other side. One random person from each side of the team goes up to the blanket and stands and when the blanket is dropped, each person tries to be the first to say the other person's name. They were just starting this game whenever we arrived, and they had divided the teams into girls and guys. I thought that was a little weird because there were so many more women playing than men, but I just assumed I had missed some 'we're better than you' argument that had taken place before Ryan and I got there.

A few people went first and whenever the blanket would drop, I noticed that Ryan was no longer standing on the other side with all of the other guys. I hadn't seen him walk away or anything. Of course I was thinking "What in the world is going on? What is about to happen?" Then Ryan's cousin Suzanna steps up to the blanket on the girls side. All of a sudden Ryan's aunt is grabbing Suzanna and pulling her out of the way and someone shoves me up to the blanket. To most people, that might sound really suspicious, like I should have known something was about to happen, however, that is usually how we play the game, trading and switching people out at the last second.

When the blanket dropped, there was Ryan. He had put on a suit jacket and his cowboy hat (he's a true country boy, and I love it!) and in his hand was a little black box with a shiney ring. I'm not sure when, but at some point I started shaking.

He got down on one knee, and I noticed his hands were shaking as much as mine, if not more.

He said, "I love you so much, and we have been dating for way to long." (pause) "I wasn't nervous before, but I am now. You can take it from here." I just laughed and slipped the ring on my finger. We hugged and kissed and everyone cheered. Most people were so surprised that he never actually said "will you marry me?" and I never actually said "yes" but you know, we really didn't have to. Ryan and I really have that once in a life time kind of love and we didn't need to say those things to know what each other was thinking.

When Ryan hugged me, I finally got the chance to notice the change in the people behind him. Standing there were several of our friends, they had been hiding out in the room where Ryan changed and had come out when he did, just before the proposal. It was so sweet, everything he had done to make the evening special, making sure our friends could be there, and making it all such a suprise. We of course had lots of food, picture taking, and showing off my ring that night. Lastly, Ryan had made a slideshow of our last four years together and played it for everyone to watch. It was so special to be able to share a moment like this with all of our friends and family. It couldn't have been more perfect.

We haven't set a date yet because we are still working out some details. I'm not quite yet finished with school and Ryan will be finishing up this summer. However, you can definitely expect to see my blog getting a little more wedding-ish from here until whatever date we decide on. I promise to keep posting the usuals, but it is a little to hard to resist reading all the amazing wedding blogs out there and searching for inspiration. And I will be keeping you updated on the wedding plans, I am so happy to be able to share this special time with family, friends, and all of you. ;)

a little organizer project

2010-12-13T11:34:00.010-05:00

If you remember the little sneak peek I gave you about a project I was working on a while back, I have finally finished it (yes, I know it has taken me longer than I thought, you don't have to rub it in, not that you would of course). So would you like to know what this little project was? Okay, well I will tell you.

At my house, we unfortunately have a room just for storage. So you will understand that this was the first place I began looking when I decided I needed something to organize all of my jewelry for my etsy shop. I found this vintage organizer for nails, screws, nuts, bolts, and a few odds and ends. There were so many drawers that I just knew it would be perfect. The only problem was what to do with the nails already in there. I dumped them in an old fish bowl, but I won't tell if you don't.

After I cleaned it up a little I discovered that those stubborn little sticker labels were not going to come off. So I decided to cut up pieces of my favorite papers to hide those silly labels, and I actually love the way it turned out.

Now the little organizer is full of jewelry and I have even been able to organize it in a way so that things are easy to find. And I even have pieces separate by what has already been listed in the shop and what is yet to come! I just love it.

And you might be interested to know that I have a huge surprise coming tomorrow. I mean this is really a big deal. It's like a hold on to your knee socks kind of surprise and I cannot wait to share it with you.

seven things

2010-12-09T14:35:00.009-05:00

1. I found a beautiful studio tour with Sadie Olive on the Oh, Hello Friend blog.

2. Here is a super DIY stocking tutorial from Free People inspired by stockings they sold a few years ago.

3. I am so sad that I missed out on this little cutie, but from what I read in Kaelah's post she is going to be listing alot more from her collection (yay!).

4. If you will notice, the tabs at the top of my blog have changed a tiny bit, and they are going to continue having some minor changes. There is now a daily reads section. But do not fret! The 'lovely blogs' section is now in the right sidebar and I will be adding more blogs throughout next week! If you would like to have your blog listed in the 'lovely blogs' please send me an e-mail (blueheart.etsy@yahoo.com) and if your blog is a nice fit, it will be added within 48 hours!

5. I just discovered that this book will be coming out next summer and I can hardly wait for it! (Honestly I had no idea there was a first one, but I guess that would be 'old news').

6. I have this unconditional love for bows. No matter what, I see a bow, and I love it. Right now I am adoring these quilted bows from the Lemon Jitters etsy shop.

7. I've been working on some new items for my shop and they will be appearing in the next week or so. I really love them, the first one I made, I kept for myself. But I'm not telling you what it is just yet! But here are some of the yummy yarn colors I used.

my little blog book

2010-12-09T00:23:00.005-05:00

I probably can't count on two hands the number of times I have been inspired to write a blog post at the most inconvenient times. It will happen at night when I'm just about to go to sleep, while I'm driving, or while I'm sitting in class.

When that happens, I usually don't drop what I'm doing to write down my ideas...which also means that they disappear and I usually have a hard time remembering them later.

Well, no more! I now have the cutest little purple notebook filled with graph paper so that I can jot down, list, or sketch out my blog ideas at any given moment. The little book is the perfect size for my purse and I can carry it anywhere.

I decided to share with you all a few of my pages from my 'blog book' to maybe give you some inspiration for keeping your own book of ideas. Please keep in mind that this is the actual book I keep my thoughts in, so that means it does have a handful of mistakes and scribbles (gasp!) that you will just have to overlook.

Do you have a special way of keeping your inspiration at hand? I'd love for you to share it with me! ♥

fashion inspiration: keiko lynn

2010-12-08T00:32:00.003-05:00

If you have ever read Keiko Lynn's blog, you know she is full of fashion inspiration (and if you haven't read her blog, you are about to find out). Keiko always seems to find the best thrift store treasures, and she knows just how to piece an outfit together with different colors and textures. And at the end of her posts, she usually includes 'outfit details' which include the sources for most of her wardrobe pieces and accessories. Some days, whenever I feel a lack of inspiration from my wardrobe, I like to browse through her outfit posts and the inspiration just flows.

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I love that when I browse through all of Keiko's outfits, I can see pieces that she has repeated and worn with different things that bring out a completely different look. That's what makes her a 'real' fashion inspiration. Are you inspired by her looks as much as I am?

lovely Christmas inspiration

2010-12-07T08:00:00.003-05:00

Christmas is just around the corner, I'm sure it will be sneaking up on me pretty quickly. Here's a little Christmas inspiration from my Pinterest board...

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50 things to be thankful for.

2010-11-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

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some are serious.
some are not.
(in no particular order)
1. sweet iced tea.
2. black and white photographs.
3. my family.
4. my very best friends.
5. the best guy everrr.
6. leaves.
7. home cooking.
8. my creativity.
9. the ability to have an etsy shop.
10. bright colored nail polish.
11. music that changes your life.
12. craft nights.
13. laughter. with others.
14. colored pencils and crayons.
15. my journals full of memories.
16. warm towels.
17. hot showers.
18. hot apple cider.
19. my grandmother's cookies.
20. my church family.
21. life.
22. clothing.
23. having something to smile about.
24. being healthy.
25. a job.
26. being able to go to college.
27. photographs.
28. crafty books.
29. my sewing machine.
30. a good roommate.
31. love that changes everything.
32. people that believe i can do it.
33. dreams.
34. movie nights with Ryan.
35. snowball fights.
36. cinnamon buns for breakfast.
37. fingerless gloves.
38. carmex.
39. hugs.
40. kisses.
41. love.
42. girls nights.
43. over sized bags.
44. Ryan always opening my doors.
45. old friends.
46. fleece blankets.
47. light.
48. my blog (and its readers!)
49. inspirational people.
50. a Savior.

what are you thankful for? it's good to be thankful for both serious and silly things, everything matters.

my gratitude journal

2010-11-23T23:47:00.006-05:00

Last year I bought a gratitude journal from Ashley, the girl behind the Creative Place. Although she didn't sell them again this year, I still wanted to share mine with you because I really loved making it. But you will have the excuse the quality of the pictures, this was seriously a year ago that I took these images, and I didn't realize how much my photography has changed.

all images credited to me

lovely inspiration: red velvet and elsie flannigan

2010-11-16T00:21:00.003-05:00

I'm definitely considering jumping in my car and making the trip to Springfield, just to visit Elsie's new Red Velvet Art store. Elsie is such an inspiration to me and I am so happy for her that she is taking this next step in her life. All of the vintage loveliness and handmade goodness is so amazing when put together is Elsie's creativity and eye for details. The Red Velvet store looks so beautiful, I just had to share some images with you. Part of the store is a sweets shoppe where Elsie's sister Emma makes delicious looking cupcakes and bubble tea.

I hope you feel inspired. xo.

pretty things.

2010-11-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

i've been so busy this weekend make lots of pretty things. it just makes me so happy when i finally get some down time to just create things for myself. i do love creating for my etsy shop, but you know, sometimes you have to take time just for yourself.

i had bought this pretty vintage journal a few weeks ago and i had been contemplating what to do with it. you can probably guess what i decided to use it for just by the lettering i added to the cover.

and do you also notice this adorable grey felt bow, i made that too. i'm completely in love with the way that it turned out and i can't wait to add it my wardrobe this week. and the lovely yarn in you see here, has already been put to good use as well.

i've been experimenting with my crochet skills, even though they are very basic. i had a wave of inspiration friday night and created this cuff with an adorable peachy pink bow. it fits me perfectly and i loved wearing it yesterday.

i added a little sweetness to the wooden hangers i use in my studio for my handmade clothing. i used a label maker to spell out 'blueheart' and it probably only took me about 5 minutes to prettify twenty five hangers. so simple and yet it makes the world of difference when i see them hanging all in a row.

i added some paper snowflakes to my bedroom door. it's no where near snowing weather here but i'm trying to get in the mood since the holiday season is literally just around the corner. i'm working on a plan for a wreath to add to the door as we speak. :)

i'm also working on a project that i am so giddy about, i can't wait until it's done. all i have to show you right now is a sneak peek, but i will be posting before and afters whenever i'm completely finished.

what did you invest your time in this weekend? crafting? family? peace and quiet?

earn your merit badge

2010-11-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

aren't these badges so adorable. i want about ten of them.

this for pushing the envelope.

this for making a house a home.

this for surviving first love.

this for having a bun in the oven.

this for cutting it close.

this for having your head in the clouds.

all images are from this adorable little etsy shop: leemeszaros and there are so many more merit badges to look at.

I think I would deserve the badge for 'surviving first love' and for 'drawing a blank' because I am awful at remembering names with faces. Which badge do you think you've already earned?

a small little favor...

2010-11-06T20:50:00.002-04:00

I created this little survey for the blog and I would be highly appreciative if you could take the time to fill it out. It's just 7 questions long and will definitely take you less than 7 minutes to complete. It's just to help me out in knowing more about what you like and want from Blueheart.

Thanks so much friends! XO. jess.

free people.

2010-11-05T09:30:00.000-04:00

Free People never fails me. I love their styling and I always love the details they put into every piece of design.

ruffled layers skirt

credence messenger

open circle sweater dress

lacey crochet legwarmer

genetic corduroy skinny

beaded road ring

clara in lace dress

cashmere puff sleeve cardigan

ombre chain necklace

nixxa ruffle boot

military moments sweater

postcards from italy.

2010-11-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Postcards From Italy from ForYouLoveMe on Vimeo.

I am so in love with this video. The couple is just so adorable and I love the styling. It's so romantic too. I can just imagine what a fun day that would be to go thrifting during the day and set up a romantic atmosphere and dinner with all of the finds. So sweet.

Do you have an ideal day or date?

this video found via here.

lovely images : purple.

2010-11-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

As some of you might know, the purple ribbon stands for many different causes. One of them, is Alzheimer's Disease. My grandmother recently passed away and she had Alzheimer's. She was a really great lady, even in her last days she could keep a smile on her face at times. She was greatly loved, too. I wanted to do a lovely images post emphasizing the color purple as a tribute to my grandmother. I hope you enjoy and feel inspired. Click the ♥ for the source.

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CSN Stores Giveaway Winner!

2010-11-01T10:43:00.004-04:00

Happy Monday Morning! It's finally time to announce the winner for the CSN Stores giveaway (here). The winner will receive a $35 gift certificate to use at any of the CSN Store's 200+ websites.

And the winner is...

Comment number 23! Danielle!

Danielle, I will be sending you an e-mail within the next couple days to give you the details on getting your gift certificate! Congratulations on winning! :)

seven things

2010-10-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

1. All this pretty inspiration of journals makes me wish I had a little more time on my hands right now so I could spend time on more than just the journal I write in every night. These all look so interesting and unique. I love the different shapes and sizes.

2. I'm in love with this living room area. Each piece has such a unique feel and so many of them have special meanings. I love all the color and the way vintage is mixed with new. This post is definitely a good read, and lots of eye candy.

3. I found this new etsy shop, Brydferth. I love everything, the colors are great and the styling is pretty too. I think I will be adding something from this shop to my Christmas wishlist.

4. Have you seen these gorgeous yarn letters yet? The Cranny etsy shop is just amazing and I am so glad to have found it through this blog. I would love to have several of these to spell out 'blueheart' in my studio.

5. And I am just so thrilled that it is finally boot season. Boots just complete the perfect wardrobe ensemble for me. (image source).

6. These words have made their way all over the internet, but I've never seen it like this before and I absolutely love it. (via here).

7. And you can read this adorable story about how Ruche was started by a young couple, Mai and Josh Olivio.

lovely giveaway: CSN Stores

2010-10-25T09:00:00.011-04:00

I can't even tell you how excited it made me when I was contacted by CSN Stores to do a giveaway on Blueheart. CSN Stores sells everything from great shoes and accessories, to a cute end table, or even brand name cookware.

The CSN Stores have many sites including All Modern, Luxe By CSN, and Shoes Got Sole. Here's so images of the pretty things you can find at the CSN Stores websites.

Accent Chairs from All Modern

Hobo Bags from Luxe By CSN

Boots from Shoes Got Sole

And beautiful End Tables from All Coffee Tables

Featured in this giveaway is a $35 gift certificate to use at any of the CSN Store's 200+ websites including the ones mentioned above.

Conditions:
1. You must leave all comments (entries) on this blog before 11PM EST on Saturday October 30th and the winner will be announced the following Monday, November 1st.

2. You must be a resident of the United States or Canada because these are the only countries in which the CSN Stores currently ship.

3. You must only leave entry comments on this blog, please do not comment on the CSN Store facebook page, as it will overwhelm their social media team (sincere thanks!).

3 Ways to Enter:
1. Browse some of the links provided in this post. Leave a comment telling me your favorite CSN Store item. If you can't choose just one item, you can just tell me which of their websites is your favorite.

2. Create a post on your own blog explaining the giveaway and include a link to both this blog and a CSN Store website. Leave the link to your blog post in a comment.

3. Tweet about this blog post, linking back to it and including @blueheartlove in your tweet so that I can keep track of it. Post a link to your twitter in a comment.

I hope you are as excited about this giveaway as I am! Don't forget, you have until 11PM EST on Saturday October 30th to enter and the winner will be announced the following Monday. Thank you so much for your participation and feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. xo.

4 simple goals. ♥

2010-10-20T09:30:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is A Beautiful Mess because I just adore and admire Elsie. She is so creative and cute, and she really is going after her dreams. The new Red Velvet store opens near the end of this month and the photographs she posts on her blog look amazing. A while back I read this post on Elsie's blog about 4 Simple Goals and I really felt inspired to create my own goals list. And naturally, like the procrastinator that I am, I am posting my goals two months later.

1. Spend time creating a beautiful space for my studio. A little over a year ago I was so excited that I had found space to clear out an entire room and turn it into my studio for creating. I painted the walls, painted some furniture, and scored this amazing desk from a thrift store. Then I got carried away with all my creating and trying to keep up my shop and the pretty-fying of my space just stopped. I hope to start hanging things on the wall and organizing the space so I can turn it into something inspirational.

2. Keep a journal, with an emphasis on the keep part. I can't count on one hand the number of journals I currently have started and never finished. Life always seems to get too busy. About a week ago my boyfriend was in a wreck and totaled his truck. Thankfully he walked away without a scratch but it was still enough to get me all shaken up. And now the truck is gone and it held so many memories, which are still there, but it's still sad to see it go. Our first date started off riding in that truck. After that happened I realized that I really need to be writing things down because five years from now I won't remember them so clearly and it would be amazing to go back and read about our lives in detail.

3. Craft for me. I hit a little bit of a 'midnight crisis' about two nights before my first craft show that I just blogged about. I got a little stressed out with all the build up and after a long talk with my mom (aren't mom's great for heart to hearts) I discovered that part of the reason I was so upset was because it had been so long since I had made something just for me. I want to start making time for me to craft and create things for myself and for my family and friends instead of always focusing on Blueheart. Don't get me wrong, I love creating for my shop, but I also think it is important to make things for myself sometimes, things I can keep and cherish, things I can keep around and smile at every time I see them.

4. Get personal with my blog posts. I have seriously had this on my to-do list for a few months now. So many of the blogs I read have such a personal side to them with both pictures and content. I love when I can already feel like I know the writer, even if we never have and maybe never will actually meet. I feel really intimidated to take my own photographs and use them in posts because I just have a point and click camera, nothing fancy, nothing lovely. But I don't know why that's stopping me. Maybe I can compensate for the photos with content, or maybe I can work with them to make them better. I just want to plan to post more personal matters than love lists and lovely images posts. That way you can get to know me better and I can get to know you better, too. So be ready for that in the upcoming posts.

If you plan to take on this 4 Simple Goals project too, please post the link here or just comment with your list so that I can read them! I love to be inspired by what other people are doing. xo.

All photos are taken by me so please do not use them unless you link back and give me credit. Thanks. (except the 4 simple goals photo which belongs to Elsie).

lovely images: fall is here loves.

2010-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Fall is my absolute favorite, hands down, always has been and always will be. The weather here is perfect for about the two weeks that it's actually 'true' autumn (I think winter rushes in a little quickly these days). The colors are simply amazing. I love being outdoors and just taking it all in. It's really inspiring. Plus fall just brings me a feeling of love, I can't explain why, it just does. I love these images that represent the lovely season.

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What makes you think of fall? What's your favorite thing about this season?

Feature: Teo Jasmin

2010-10-18T09:00:00.001-04:00

Teo Jasmin is an interior design company which was founded by Angéline Bailly in 2001. They started to specialize in digital printing on wall canvas but later on expanded their range of products with cushions and classic furniture, still using the same digital process on them.

Ever since, Teo Jasmin never stops to amaze us for its creativity. New collections are launched twice a year. The superheroes of DC Comics are the stars of the new collection 2010 with Coca Cola and famous Doggy ridder. Soon the new collection of September will be available on internet with new themes: 2cv, Mini, Skulls or Marilyn Monroe. Previous and still successful collections such as the Beatles, NYC, London and Paris are still around! Sacs à mains, coussin déco, tableau déco Teo Jasmin.

find them on facebook or twitter

All images are via the Teo Jasmin website.

Woodlake.

2010-10-10T22:55:00.009-04:00

Just wanted to share with you what's been taking up all my time lately, and also the explanation for my absence of blog posts. I've was working hard preparing for a craft show that took place this weekend called Woodlake Days. It was really my first experience being a craft show vendor, and I definitely learned a lot about it. I kept my notebook with me so I could jot down ideas for the next show as I thought of them.

I covered my table with a ruffled light pink bed skirt and a vintage table cloth in pink and white floral that belonged to my great grandmother. I used vintage plates, trays, and a cake stand to display most of my jewelry.

I covered some wooden blocks with patterned papers and used a label maker to display the prices for different items. I kind of like the way they turned out, even though the font was a little small. And the lights over my booth were really putting a glare on the label tape so it was hard to get a good picture. I'm planning to make several label stickers that say 'blueheart' to label my wooden hangers for the next show.

And I borrowed a few earring displays from my boyfriends parents at the last minute and I'm thinking I really need to invest in some myself, the round one was perfect.

I used wooden hangers for all of my clothing. The tags I used for my clothing and some of my jewelry were stamped with a vintage sewing machine that was custom made for me here and I absolutely adore it. I also have a larger stamp that is similar but has a cursive 'blueheart' on it. I love them.

I found this vintage suitcase at a flea market this summer. I loved it but couldn't decide what I would do with it if I bought it. While I was trying to decide the guy came up and offered me a really good deal. I figured it must be meant to be, so it came home with me. I displayed my journals in it for the craft show. I made some doily labels to display the different types of filler papers. And I strung a 'BHB' garland across the top.

I feel like the show went pretty good. I feel like it was a good first time and I'm already looking forward to the next one. I even met another Etsy memeber, she's only had her shop open for about a month, but her fabric necklaces are so cute.

All the photos above were taken by me. Please do not use them unless you give credit and link back to my blog. thanks. xo.

tutorial: fabric pom poms

2010-09-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

I found this amazing tutorial at Once Wed for pom poms. These would be so beautiful hanging from the ceiling at different lengths or strung on a garland. And with winter and Christmas decor season right around the corner, I thought these would be beautiful hung on a mantle or as Christmas ornaments. So many color options too.

{all images from Once Wed. please go there to check out the full steps of the tutorial.}

dancing and promises.

2010-09-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

I love reading the Ardent Sparrow blog (you might remember Rebecca, she has guest posted here a few times). I always find inspiring images on Rebecca's blog with so many great colors and project ideas. As I was catching up on my blog reading the other day I found another amazing Ardent Sparrow post with a music video. I completely fell in love with the song, it just spoke volumes to me and I've been listening to it over and over again ever since.

My favorite part of the lyrics is 'it was harder than we'd dreamed, but I believe, that's what the promise is for...' because I want to live by that everyday. I hope that I can always see my glass as half full. I know there are going to be tough times, but sometimes I find myself looking forward to those times. My first semester of college was a huge challenge, I've never faced any struggle for such a long time, yet during that time I was so close to God that I literally felt Him there in everyday. It seems like when everything is going good, it's easy to forget what we 'need' and the people that are always there for us when things get bad. It's like a promise. ♥

seven things.

2010-09-17T15:40:00.008-04:00

1. I really want this print hanging on my wall. I might as for it to be a Christmas present, but that seems too far away at this point. ♥ (found via here).

2. I'm so excited about this sneak peek.

3. Beautiful piece of knackage and I love the Anthropologie images posted on the wall.

4. Loley's etsy shop is something I never get tired of browsing. Her pieces are so creative and have so many details. She also has an amazing supply shop that I recently ordered from and l-o-v-e-d.

5. Today is the last day to sign up for this awesome mixed CD swap on the Odelma Vintage blog.

6. I love visiting the kara-line blog and I would absolutely love to one day visit their store, Tumbleweed. ♥

7. Saturday afternoon, this lovely from my shop was featured on the front page with many other beauties. It definitely made my day! (screenshot via craft cult).

fall favorite.

2010-08-27T16:48:00.005-04:00

Honestly, Ruche just might have my absolute favorite fall lookbook this season out of everything I've seen. Everything seems so easy going and wearable. I love the girliness and all of the details. Ankle boots are my favorite and I love the cup of tea sweater dress and the it began with a bow belt (which is sadly sold out). Take a look at their lookbook and tell me what your favorites are.

lovely images: my vintage heart.

2010-08-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

i feel like i have been gone for so long even though it was just over a week. i didn't expect moving to be such a long process, i still have a few things to settle in. just wanted to share some beautiful images with you. vintage is so inspiring to me.
click the ♥ for the source.

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seven things.

2010-08-13T06:48:00.000-04:00

1. I've decided I really need to read this.

2. I found Selina Lake's blog and I am so glad because I love her styling and I think she is so inspirational. I can't wait until her next book comes out.

3. I think these vintage spools hanging from the ceiling are just the perfect touch. (via decor8).

4. I found this really cute Etsy shop, Yes Jess, and I am definitely going to order one of these for this fall and winter.

5. I just adore this photo shoot of Danni and Nicholas from oh hello friend.

6. I will be posting about this Goals Challenge early next week. I'm so excited and inspired. You can find out about it from Elsie at A Beautiful Mess.

7. And I am moving into an apartment on Sunday. It will be rather small and I can't have all my things, but my roommate is awesome and I think it will be a lot of fun. I hope to have some pictures. (image source).

featured seller: The Petite Chouette

2010-08-12T06:45:00.000-04:00

Today's featured seller is Eva from The Petite Chouette, one of my fellow members of the Indie Free Spirits Team. From the moment I found her shop, I fell in love with it. It's very girly and kind of whimsical, a perfect combination. Please take some time to read the interview and find out more about Eva and then go on and browse her lovely shop (maybe you can put to use the reader discount she is offering!).

facebook ♥ twitter

Please tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your life.

My name is Eva, I'm 22 and I live in Germany. I love traveling, cats, my sewing machine and my friends.

What inspired you to open an Etsy shop? What's the story behind it?

I opened my Etsy shop in September 2009 because I wanted to see if anyone else but me would love to wear kitten sleeve tees and buttoned tights. So in the beginning 'ThePetiteChouette' was more an experiment than a well thought out concept. I gave it a try and I'm still amazed at how many people tell me that they love my designs. This is what keeps my shop alive I think, all the people who keep telling me that they really love what I'm doing, all those lovely feedbacks from happy customers.

What is the significance with the name 'ThePetiteChouette'?

'ThePetiteChouette' is a name that combines two of my favorite languages, English and French and which refers to one of my favorite stuffed animals when I was a child, a small brown 'Steiff' owl I carried with me everyday.

Is your shop more of a full time job or a 'one the side' thing? What is your typical day like?

ThePetiteChouette started as a 'thing on the side' and is more and more becoming a full time job. I still go to school so it's not a full time job as such but I make use of every free hour to bring my ideas to life. I usually get ideas during my lessons which is why my calendar is filled with little sketches and memos so I don't forget any ideas. Back at home I normally take a look at my sketches from school and think them over or start sewing them right away.

Describe your style. Is it similar to the style of your shop?

My style is quite similar to the pieces I design for 'ThePetiteChouette'. During the day I usually wear simple but unique T-Shirts or dresses and in the evenings I love to dress up and wear fancy mini dresses with bows, lace and ruffles. I'd love to be able to wear pink which is why many of my items are pink, but I don't think that color looks good on me. At the moment I'm addicted to floral patterns and lace and I'm always on the look-out for floral or lacy fabrics.

The Petite Chouette is offering a 10% discount on anything in the shop excluding made-to-order items. Just enter "Blueheart reader" in the message to seller at checkout :)

autumn excitement.

2010-08-11T06:45:00.001-04:00

I'm so in love with EmersonMade. All of their styling and photography is so full of life. The colors are amazing for fall and I just adore all of the flowers. I'm so glad they came out with a clothing line, if only I had the nerve to consult my pocketbook for some major spending.

I love the personality of Emerson that comes out in her blog and all her writing. I love how she describes the ArtistFlowerMakers as going through the Tears of Rigorous Training as ApprenticeFlowerMakers before graduating to become the ArtistFlowersMakers. (here)

And I also love here little post about King Cottonball (here) and the way she adds 'voices' to so much of her photography with her hens and ducks. And this quote: "i promise to never show your Underwears when you sit down." -e.m. OldSchool Straight Legs

all images from emersonmade website/blog.

Do you have a favorite EmersonMade piece? Are you in love with their styling as much as I am? Are you so excited that you have to go check your pocketbook right now?? ♥

pretty fall shoes.

2010-08-10T06:45:00.000-04:00

I actually don't own very many shoes. I tend to keep to the basics. But I'm starting to think it's time to change that because I am absolutely in love with this collection. (found via bliss). chie mihara

love list: child at heart

2010-08-09T18:45:00.000-04:00

I can remember being a little girl and going to the nearest superstore to do all my back to school shopping. I loved everything just like I do now, notebooks, pencils, and the occasional new bookbag. But if I could take what I know now and give it to that little girl I used to be, I think my back to school shopping would be done a little differently.

i would need a cute little pouch to keep my pencils in order.

and i would need this set of pencils to put in my pouch and to help me remember the important facts.

i would need an inspirational ring

and i would, of course, need a friendship bracelet to give my best friend.

i would need some mini notebooks to jot down my homework assignments.

i would need a cute little dress to wear on my first day of class. (oh my goodness, look at these outfits!)

and i would need some oxfords to wear with it.

i would need a girly coloring book to help keep my creativity flowing in those dull moments.

i would need a sweet vintage lunch box.

and i would need a chalkboard slate for taking cool notes.

and i would need some cupcake crayons, even though i probably wouldn't want to share.

i would need a journal to record all my memories and thoughts.

and i would need some nerdy heart glasses to make me look smarter.

what would you need to take on your first day back at school?

happy. friday.

2010-08-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

hope everyone has a really enjoyable weekend.
i'm spending saturday with some friends at an amusement park.
i'm so excited.
what are your weekend plans?

featured seller: creativeplace

2010-08-05T07:20:00.003-04:00

This weeks featured seller is another lovely lady named Ashley from the Creative Place, whom I met via Etsy almost a year ago! I bought one of her paper packs, then started reading her blog, and now we have kept in tough ever since. She is such a sweet and genuine lady so please take the time to read her interview and get to know her. You can also check out her shop and her blog.

Please tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your life.

I am a 28 year old stay-at-home-mom to a precious 3 year old little boy, and I am married to the most amazing man who is truly my best friend, Rob :) I am a Christian and am so thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I have a love for paper, fabric, anything vintage and thrift store-ing and flea market-ing. I've always loved art, crafts, and being creative (I ended up earning a degree in art/graphic design several years ago at James Madison University in Virginia :)). Growing up, I was always the one who got art sets, markers, crayons, and paper. I remember my mom taking one of my sisters and I to a paper factory when we were little and we got to dig through barrels of all different sorts of scrap paper. I was giddy with delight at all of the paper :) That is my first memory of being excited about anything having to do with paper and crafts :)

What is the significance with the name 'CreativePlace'?

Actually, a very close friend of mine and also a graphic designer and crafty person (Ashlee of Ashlee Proffitt Design) and I came up with the name several, several years ago. We were going to make a little business of it (I still have sketches and notes about it! :)), but life got busy, our families started expanding, and it all got put on the back burner :) Upon deciding I wanted to open an etsy shop, I checked with her to see if it would be ok if I used the name. She's such a sweetie and said "Of course!" and was super excited about it for me :) I regularly email back and forth with her, and she truly understands my obsession with paper and craftiness- so it's fun to have a name that also serves as a reminder of our friendship! :)

Your blog has so many amazing tutorials. If you had to pick one, which would be your favorite and why?

I would have to say the Woven Paper Journal Cover tutorial. I loved developing that tutorial and figuring out how to weave all sorts of paper together. It's fun to be able to look at so many different papers all at once!

What inspires you?

I love to read-- books, magazines and blogs, as well as talk with other crafters. I love coming across new-to-me things-- I usually will have a spark of inspiration and then my imagination will develop new ideas and concepts. I keep a journal/sketchbook full of written ideas I have, or clippings or other blip-its I've found. I am constantly going back through my journal and finding new ideas that I hadn't "seen" before.

You get to be a stay-at-home-mom with your son Jimmy, what is that like? What is a 'normal' day for you?

I don't really have a normal day, ever. LOL! Every day changes (which is fun, but can also be frustrating at times).

I've had a lot of my friends (mostly all who have children) ask me how I'm able to get crafty things done on top of caring and playing with my son and keeping up with housework. It is quite a delicate balance, and I often fail. By the grace of God, I am learning more how to balance everything. I do most of my craft work during naptime hours and during evening hours after Jimmy has gone to bed. My hubby and I have "work nights" when we are both doing our own thing - he has a small business consulting and building/installing sound systems mostly for churches, studio recording, and other audio stuff (that I don't quite understand, lol :)). So some nights we are doing that, other nights he is at church with band practice; so I work, and other nights we have hang out time together.

Sometimes during the day, Jimmy will "help" me in my studio/work area by coloring, playing with fabric remnants or pulling all the scrap pieces of paper out of the trashcan. He is also very good at helping me "clean up" or "dah-ba-dee-ing" (his words for cleaning), and loves to help with cooking, laundry and loading the dishwasher. Also, he is good at keeping himself entertained sometimes so I can clean the bathroom, fix supper, etc. We have lots of play time, though, running in circles around the house, and he loves for me to sit on his ride-a-long Lightning McQueen and he pushes me around the house-- Biz (our miniature schnauzer) barking the whole time at us (I'm sure this would be QUITE hilarious to watch and I often wonder what it would look like if we got it on video ;)).

But like I said, everyday is a learning process, and I'm quite thankful for God's grace with me as well as Jimmy's grace with his mama. I read a great post on one of my fave blogs awhile back, and it was a great reminder to me about how one day Jimmy will be all grown up, and I don't want to regret missing any of the small things with this precious little one God has blessed my hubby and I with.

shop ♥ blog

seven. etsy articles.

2010-08-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

{source}

seven.
of my favorite Etsy articles.
(click the ♥ ).

Thistle & Clover's Tips for Designers: Approaching Boutiques ♥.
Best of the Etsy Forums: Ten Things I Learned the Hard Way ♥.
Seller How-To: Tag-o-rama With Descriptive Keywords♥.
Revive Your Wardrobe: Clothing Swap How-To ♥.
Handmade Weddings: Vintage Wedding Decor With Grey Likes ♥
Seller How-To: Get Noticed by the Blogosphere ♥.
Brooke Berman: A Collector of Images ♥.

Do you have any Etsy articles that you have found really helpful or interesting?

pretty illustrations.

2010-08-02T07:00:00.002-04:00

i found these lovely illustrations by Melissa Chaib via here and here. i feel so inspired. there is something so simple and yet so intriguing about these pieces. they are pretty, whimsical, girly and have that imprefect, hand-drawn quality to them. and it's so exciting to know that Melissa will be opening any etsy shop soon so that we can purchase some of her prints! ♥

all images are from Melissa Chaib flickr and tumblr.

etsy photography inspiration

2010-07-29T07:07:00.000-04:00

Etsy has some really great talent when it comes to photography. Some of the images I find really speak to me and I wish that I could just bottle up the feeling it gives me, or bottle up the essence of the image itself. Click the ♥ for the source.

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sadly.

2010-07-27T07:21:00.000-04:00

source.

well just incase you are wondering where i have been...my hard drive crashed. i was without my computer and all my things for five very long days and while i'm glad it's over, i still can't get all my computer settings back to where they were and it's so frustrating. thankfully the geek squad (love them) was able to save all of my documents and pictures. however. my favorites tab in my internet browser...completely gone. i have a list of all the blogs i had marked as my favorite pages but all of my flickr people and my fashion websites have disappeared. that being said, if you have any to share with me, please do!

featured seller: factorygirlashli

2010-07-22T07:30:00.000-04:00

Today's featured seller is Ashli from factorygirlashli, an amazing jewelry shop on Etsy. I can't even remember how I found Ashli's shop because it has been in my favorites for so long, but I always love seeing her unique creations (I actually own this necklace and I love it). Please take some time to read about Ashli and her shop, take a look around factorygirlashli, and take advantage of the Blueheart reader discount.

Gray Cherry Blossoms Post Earrings

Please tell us a little about yourself. (What makes you unique? What is your background? Your passion?)
I'm not very unique. I'm actually pretty boring. I really like to collect boring things, and sometimes I like to turn them into pretty things. My favorite color is pink, but don't quote me on that because it will probably be different the next time you ask.

Little Boy Paper Doll Adjustable Ring

What is the significance with the name 'factorygirlashli'?
I'm a big fan of Andy Warhol. I love his philosophy, his passion, and his character. I've studied/obsessed over him for awhile. People nicknamed the girls who followed him around "Factory girls" since they partied at his studio called "The Factory". Therefore, I named myself factorygirlashli. Oh, Ashli is my name.

Mini Cards Old Lace Variety

Please tell us about your blog a treasured year. (What inspired you to start it? How do you develop ideas/themes for your treasuries? Why do you love making treasuries? etc
I just really liked making treasuries.... and at the time I didn't have very much on my plate (also about me: I love cliches), so I decided to commit to 365 treasuries in as many days. To keep myself committed, I started up the blog. I don't think I'd have any disappointed readers if I skipped a day, but I would be disappointed in myself.

What inspires you?
romance and old fashioned things inspire me.

Lace It Up Flower Handmade Headband

Describe your style. Is it similar to the style of your shop?
My style is very much like the style of my shop, with an edge of California casual. My style is like JCrew meets Anthropologie meets Salvation Army. I own a twin to most of the pieces in my shop, and whenever I make something one of a kind that I love, I will have to reason myself out of keeping it.

A Stitch In Time Antiqued Brass Necklace

factorygirlashli is offering a 25% discount to all Blueheart readers (not including shipping). All you have to do is mention the code "Blueheart" in the message to seller at checkout!

Upcycled Vintage Tie Blossom Brooch

A few fun q&a about Ashli...

Name 3 living things you treasure: my husband, my mom, and my cat

Name 3 nonliving things you treasure: my Tiffany's engagement/wedding ring, my macbook, and chai

List 3 favorite events in your life so far: my wedding, the Coldplay concert I went to last summer, and the first time I saw Blue Man Group in Chicago

List 3 words that you love: love, hello, anything in French (even though I don't know what it means)

List 3 things you want to do before you die: go to France, run a marathon, be in a movie

Pink Lemonade Daisy Filigree Ring

you can also find Ashli here:
blog
treasury blog
twitter
facebook
flickr

love list: romantic. ♥

2010-07-21T07:15:00.000-04:00

rock star

blush luxe

flower hand diary

rose bib necklace

crystal rhinestone pearl

boutquet (charm)

chippy screwdriver

emma rhinestones and pearls

eskimo fine art

metail mail file

lilac ruffle dress

rose boquet

handy dandy

2010-07-20T07:10:00.000-04:00

i discovered this amazing graphic the other day on the blog yes you maigh and i think it just might save my life one day. or at least save my sweet tea.

i loved her fonts. and i loved her idea of making this into a print for her kitchen. i think it would be so neat to make my own version of this and frame it.

do you struggle with conversion measurements?

my favorite tee.

2010-07-19T07:15:00.002-04:00

so i had been working extremely hard on a tee that i was so excited about. i had great plans to list it in the shop. it was a gorgeous green color (just a hint of mint) and such a soft cotton. i was using a vintage crochet piece that i got a flea market and had been sooo excited to use. it was going to be perfect and sure to get lots of hearts (maybe...wishful thinking?). when it was finally finished, i sat back and looked at it and sadly enough for some etsy buyer, i just could not bare to part with it. i wore it to church yesterday morning with a high waisted floral skirt and gladiator sandals (sorry, forgot to take a pic) and recieved so many compliments. i'm thinking of making some more varities of the same type with different vintage pieces and in different colors. what do you think? (i put my tough skin on, so you can be honest).

and also, you will notice a lot of new things in my sidebars. there is a poll on the right side. and on the left, you can now follow me with bloglovin' or subsribe to posts. and best of all, there is a resources tab that i hope you find both amazing and interesting. i've still got many things to add to that page but i wanted to go ahead and share with you.

i also updated my 101 in 1001 list (it had been like 3 months, oops) and this week i will be working on my much neglected tumblr (shouts of joy).

oh and there are new journals in my shop and new jewelry coming soon. and the answer is yes, i have been really busy.

xo.

bloglovin'

2010-07-18T15:26:00.000-04:00

Follow my blog with bloglovin

grab a button.

2010-07-17T03:09:00.002-04:00

you might notice a few new buttons in my right sidebar that you can grab for your own blogs (please feel free to take one). just incase you were wondering how i got them, or how to create your own, i wanted to provide you with this helpful little link: Tutorial: How to get your own grab button.

featured seller: Odelma Vintage

2010-07-15T07:10:00.000-04:00

Shop ♥ Blog

Please tell us a little about yourself. (What makes you unique? What is your background? Your passion?)

Well first, I’m Mattie. I am a 20-year-old, apparel-merchandising student at Louisiana State University. I’ve lived in Baton Rouge my whole life, and that is something I have grown to love and hate every other day. I still live at home with my parents while I’m in school. I have a pretty fabulous boyfriend, Luke, and a funny bloodhound, Boone. I work a few days a week at a little boutique in my hometown, and spend the rest of my days working on Odelma! I started Odelma Vintage just last month as a way to fill my time in the summer in between semesters, and I’m having a blast.

pink candy striped top

What is the significance with the name Odelma Vintage?

Oh! Let me tell you. It’s my favorite story. :) You see, I kind of have a thing for names. I am always collecting unique names that I hear or come across and dreaming about what my future children will be called. I love it! When it came to the shop, I wanted a name with meaning. I didn't want just a fun name I enjoyed hearing. I wanted one that reflected the shop itself. So I started to mull over some vintage words, phrases, names, etc. Then it just came to me! My dad’s mother’s name is Odell, and my mom’s mother’s name is Ethel Delma. And if you didn’t catch it: Odell + Delma = Odelma. Love.

silver owl necklace

How did you develop a love for vintage?

I remember when I was younger (around 8 or 9) my parents told us we were going on vacation and I could choose where we would go. We had just got through learning about plantations in school and I was fascinated. So my parents gave me the option of either touring a plantation or going to a water park. I bet you can guess which one I chose! That probably just increased my lame-o factor by +5, but I can’t deny it. :) When I got older, my fascination with all things vintage grew and grew. There is just something so alluring about the past. I love learning about the way people lived life before us.

floral pitcher

Please describe the thrifting experience for you. (Do you prefer to go alone or take a friend? Do you have a favorite spot you visit? Do you go all day and take a lunch?)

Some days I bring a friend, but mostly I go alone. When I do bring someone though, it’s usually my boyfriend, Luke, because he has an obsession for peculiar and random things AND can put up with me while I’m taking forever hunting through shops.
I try to take a full day and just hunt. I have my thrift store days, and my garage/estate days. I map out (literally; you should see my cartoon maps) where I’ll stop that way I don’t get completely overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s quite exhausting, but then you find those perfect little treasuries that make the hunting all worth the while! And my favorite part is answering the question, “Hey, where’d you get that?!” When I say garage/estate sale or thrift store, people’s jaws drop! It’s pretty funny.

pastel scarf

Besides vintage, what are your other loves or passions?

I always say that if someone were to crack open my heart and have a peak at what’s in there, they would never believe it was the heart of just one girl. I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about. I just am a passionate kinda’ gal. But anyway, let’s say you did take a peak at the inside of my heart, here’s what you would find: Christ. Family. Boyfriend. My Church. Party Planning. Crafts. DIY projects. Clothes. Blogs. Boone (my bloodhound). Polaroids. Truth. Rainstorms. Folk Music. Home Décor. Funny people. Kindness. 3 year olds. Owls.
…just to name a few.

multi jewel ring

Also today, Odelma Vintage is offering a discount to all Blueheart readers! You will recieve 15% off your entire purchase (before shipping and refunded through PayPal after checkout) and all you have to do is put "Blueheart reader" in the message to seller at checkout.

Odelma Vintage Shop
Odelma Vintage Blog

love list: you make my heart sing.

2010-07-13T07:10:00.001-04:00

i love these wings

i love this pretty pink

i love these index stickers

i love this geometry

i love this florapalooza

i love this caged heart

i love these pastels

i love this library card notebook

i love this vintage scale

i love these scalloped edges

i love this collage

i love this wise print

i love this lacework

i love these antoinette earrings

i love these goodie bags

i love this ginormous bow

new things.

2010-07-12T07:10:00.000-04:00

source ♥

it's a new day. a new week. and sadly, i am back from the beach.
it was so sad to leave all the relaxation and think of coming back
home to the chaos. but it was so nice to sleep in my own bed.

i added a little somethin' something' to the blog this weekend.
a little box in my sidebar called 'my pages' that i have been working on.
it's on the left hand side if you scroll down a little.
there's really only one page right now, i'm still working on the rest.
but it is a really good page full of lots of lovely things.
a.k.a. my list of favorite blogs.
hopefully you find some new discoveries there.

also new this week will be a series i am so excited to begin!
a etsy featured seller series.
i've already got the first interview lined up and it will be amazing.
there is so much talent on etsy and i can't wait to share
some of the great etsy shops i have discovered.
stayed tuned for a really inspiring love list coming tomorrow.
i've found lots of new favorite shops.
i was shocked to see that i had 525 favorite shops.
'obsessed' i think would be putting it lightly.

A Picnic State of Mind

2010-07-08T07:30:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! It’s an honour to once again step in for Jessica! I am Rebecca of {The Ardent Sparrow} (Shop, Blog) Summer is in full swing here and we’ve been enjoying every minute... My two year old’s favourite thing to do these days is have a picnic... By that, I mean she loves to eat on a blanket in the backyard! These picnic ideas are a bit more inspirational... But I love sitting on well-loved quilt in the backyard, watching my girls enjoy a meal... That’s pretty close to perfect for me! Enjoy... And perhaps this post will put you in a picnic state of mind.

1. Picnic

2. Lovely Ladies

3. Strawberry Picnic

4. Picnic in a Field of Flowers

5. Pink Picnic

6. Tea in a Meadow

7. Love Shoot

8. Donna Hay Picnic

9. Orchard Picnic

10. Child’s Picnic

link love: photography etsy shops.

2010-07-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

lolasroom

birdandbloke

janeheller

warmwhispers

travel faves. ♥

2010-07-06T07:30:00.003-04:00

Hello! I'm Ashley from The Creative Place. I'm so excited to be guest posting here at Blueheart today! While Jessica is on vacation, I thought I'd do a collection of Faves related to travel :) Accessories, journals, and other fun things - enjoy! :)
1. Madeleine Necklace by tamar
2. Vintage Map Necklace- Your Journey by dlkdesigns
3. Bon Voyage by simplyhue
4. Summer Sandals Wall Hoop Art by AllAboutTheFiber
5. Poetry in Avocado Green by bayanhippo
6. 5x7 Kitchen Sink Journal - Cardinal by spacedogstudios
7. In Touch Snap Pouch by downstairsDesigns
8. Sand Dollar Bookmark by EleganceFarm
9. Take Me Anywhere Suitcase Pillow by Olive

i'll be seeing you.

2010-07-01T15:30:00.002-04:00

(source)

I am headed off the the beach for the week. I am closing both of my shops for the time being and they will open either on July 10th when I return or shortly after.

I had a list of guest bloggers planned for this week but sadly there have been several unavoidable conflicts so there will only be two guest bloggers for next week. I will do my best to come up with some link love posts for you, but I can make no promise for anything spectacular with the time frame I have to work with. Many good things to come when I return and two Amazing (with a capital 'A') guest posts this week.

See you next week :)
xo.

love list: girly goodness. ♥

2010-06-30T07:10:00.001-04:00

a little short and sweet today.
i'm getting ready for a vacation. signing off today and for the rest of the week. guest posts starting monday, some really great bloggers so make sure to stop by. ♥

garden party dress

sweet music box

vintage playing card magnets

sleep boxers

french market ruffle tote

camera pin

whisper white tshirt dress

rapsodie (too bad, its already reserved for someone)

pink mums and chalk earrings

a little romance blouse

ten and under.

2010-06-29T07:00:00.001-04:00

so many beautiful shops with 10 or less sales.

ylseow10

chrystalshop

mysteryandmanners (amazing)

LadyVintique

ElainaLouiseStudios

odelmavintage (amazing)

pinkdiamonddesign

ANSMV

badplatypus

rushcreekoriginals

judahross

AccentsEtc

help wanted. ♥

2010-06-28T07:15:00.001-04:00

source

Sorry for the lack on an interesting post this morning.
But there's a bit of a problem.
I'm leaving for vacation this week and will be gone for 10 days! So the delimma is that I mostly likely won't have access to a computer or internet. So here is an opportunity for you...

I need several guest bloggers to create posts for me so that I can schedule them to post while I am gone. I know several of you that read or follow my blog have very interesting blogs yourself and I would love for you to share something here with other Blueheart readers. I need the final html for your posts by midnight EST on Wednesday June 30th so that I can pre-schedule them to post. If you would like to create a guest post please comment with your name and email address so that I can contact you with the rest of the information and avaliable dates for posting.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!
xo. jessica.

vintage purses. ♥

2010-06-23T07:15:00.001-04:00

vintage purses that once belonged to my grandmother
are now in the shop.
goldenrod.
magenta.
kelly green.
royal blue.

bright. bold. colorful.

prefect to a T.

2010-06-22T07:15:00.000-04:00

this beautiful piece will be coming home to me.
from the amazing knackstudio.
and it's 24 inches tall.
yeah, i'm a little more than excited.

♥ the T

lovely images: i love

2010-06-17T07:10:00.000-04:00

click the ♥ for the source.

♥ i love making wishes.

♥ i love butterflies and soft colors.

♥ i love pink lemonade and drinking out of mason jars. that's what i want to have at my wedding.

♥ i love any piece of floral clothing. i think it goes with anything.

♥ i love pretty storage of pretty things.

♥ i love decorating with unexpected pieces, like a row of vintage clothing on girly white wooden hangers.

♥ i love displaying pretty collections in glass canisters.

♥ i love beautiful pieces of clothing hanging together. it's like an unexpected piece of collage art.

♥ i love finding amazing book titles like this one and this one.

♥ i love the girliness of curly hair and pretty pantyhose.

♥ i love beautiful pieces of vintage.

i wish

2010-06-15T07:20:00.000-04:00

that i could successfully do this. and have enough books.

source♥

happy weekend.

2010-06-11T07:35:00.000-04:00

♥ source

you have no idea how much i wish this was my bedroom.