This may be a few weeks old, but it’s still gorgeous!  I’m really wanting to try making some of these for my next tea party…

{images shown belong to Project Wedding}

I am terribly sick of the rain.  It’s been raining straight for the last two days, and the flooding has begun again (it occurred just a few weeks ago from more spring rain).  Luckily our house is okay but I know of many people who’ve had damage to their basements.  There’s usually a small stream that runs in the woods, but when we get too much spring rain the entire woods gets flooded out.  Today I woke up and could hear the “river” moving at a fast pace behind our house, and the entire yard is so rain-soaked that it can’t hold anymore.  Puddles of all sizes are popping up (including right next to the front garden beds I just cleaned out).  Hopefully the rain will subside quickly and the sunny, spring weather returns soon!

{for more of my rainy days photos, check out my Flickr}

Last year, a friend of mine came to work with a new short hairstyle and I was shocked to see her long, full hair cut off.  However, she told me that she did it for a good cause: the hair was donated to a program run by Pantene called Beautiful Lengths.  Unlike Locks-for-Love, you only need at least 8 inches to donate (unlike their 12 inches) and all wigs are given to cancer patients for free (unfortunately Locks-for-Love sells their wigs to patients, not donates).  Her act of kindness inspired me to participate.  I’ve never been able to give blood as I’m extremely anxious of needles, and just having my blood drawn for tests has ended up with me passing out and laying for a half-hour with orange juice and crackers in hand.  But growing my already long hair out was something I could do.

For months I’ve been taking good care of my hair, trimming it as needed and keeping it in good condition.  There were plenty of times when I had “bad hair days” or was sick of wearing ponytails, or just really wanted to just get a big haircut.  But I reminded myself of those who didn’t have the luxury of having “bad hair days” at all anymore, and that put it all in perspective.  After all they would go through with their lives being turned upside down, chemo and/or radiation treatments, and the emotions that I could only imagine one would have when they would lose a physical part of themselves… I could completely handle dealing with just another pony tail.  After months of waiting, this weekend my Mom so lovingly helped me (she is a self-taught and fabulous cutter of hair!) reach my goal and made the big cut for me: a total of 9 inches.  It takes a total of at least 6 ponytails to make one wig, so I’m asking any of you to consider donating to the program as well.

I’m so excited to start the spring off with a new hairstyle, a new look and a fresh start.  After months of waiting, I can tell you that it was definitely worth it.  I hope that my inspiration from my friend transfers into inspiring some of you too.

Click here for more information on participating in the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program.

Have you been following Alyson from Unruly Things as she’s been guest blogging on 100 Layer Cake?  She’s been posting inspiration boards for her upcoming nuptials this summer, and they’re right up my alley.  Especially the invitation inspiration board… anything with calligraphy, ferns, and old etchings and I’m totally there.

{images shown via 100 Layer Cake, composed by Alyson from Unruly Things.  Original image owners listed at 100 Layer Cake posts}

This week in the garden, there’s a big clean-up going on.  I managed to rake the front yard and pull out all debris from the front garden beds and it looks so much better.  Next up, I need to transplat the catmint (stat – it totally took over the garden last year and started choking out other perennials) as well as put down fresh compost and mulch.  Even though it’s a fair amount of work, it’s so good to be outside in the sunshine and warm spring air again.  There’s nothing like working in the garden, I really find it relaxes me and I can sort out a lot of ideas while I’m out there.

(the rock garden before the big clean-up)

(the rock garden after!)

{for more of my in the garden photos, check out my Flickr}

I’m currently loving the photography of everyday life from French artist Flora Douville (found via frolic!).  For more of her work, including her illustrations, check out her website, blog and shop.

{images shown belong to Flora Douville}

This roast chicken recipe from Simply Recipe looks too good to pass up!  A good roast chicken is one of my favorite dinners.  This will be on my cooking agenda for the weekend…

Keller’s Roast Chicken ~ via Simply Recipes

{image shown belongs to Simply Recipes}

Taking a peek inside the home of Unruly Thing’s Alyson Graves.  Love the photos of her kitties and terrariums!

{images shown belong to Unruly Things and Alyson Graves}

We’ve had a few days of glorious sunshine and warm weather, and I’ve caught the spring bug – bad.  I’m taking a short break from cleaning out the porch so it will be ready for the “season” (spring until fall).  I plan on having breakfast on the porch Saturday morning and spending the entire day out there as well, working on my design work.  The birds have been chirping like mad, windows have been opened to let in some fresh air (which smells like heaven), and the garden is popping with all sorts of bulbs.  These are the first crocus I’ve spotted so far, and I didn’t even notice them until I knelt on the ground to photograph the green bulbs and saw these little ones blooming under a shrub.  I think I’ll start brainstorming on my garden to-do list this weekend, which includes the big clean up (I don’t rake until spring; I like the dead leaves to act as a blanket on the perennials for the winter) and moving the catmint (which narrowly choked out all other plants last year in the front garden beds).

I can’t believe that spring is already here!  What do you plan on working on this spring weekend?

{for more of my in the garden photos, check out my Flickr}

It’s been exciting to read about the studio move for Anna Bond and Rifle Paper Co., and this latest update on their blog had great images of where all their hard work is going. I love the chalkboard wall and those red pendant lights.  Their big move is so inspiring!

{images shown belong to Rifle Paper Co.}