Welcome Spring!

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Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is one of my favorite design elements of any wedding. 

The cake can be a snapshot of your wedding style in one tasty piece of art. Thankfully, my wedding cake was exactly what I hoped it would be: pretty and understated. My husband wanted a "tall cake" and I wanted something that fit our wedding style. Hence, we received this beautiful piece from Beaux Gateaux:

Photo by Vivian Sachs Photography

Book Review

I spent a couple of hours this weekend reading Kisses from Katie and so far so incredible! In general, I'm partial to inspiring stories about Africa and this book is just that. It's amazing how much good one person can bring to a group of children just by being open to God's calling. With Kony 2012 on our minds, it's so encouraging to hear about brave people who are doing what they can to bring hope to the kids of Uganda and who are making a positive change for future generations. I recommend a viewing of Katie's story on YouTube and maybe a visit to her blog. It may become one of your favorite stories too!

Shoe Love

Seychelles is one of my favorite shoe companies. They have such stylish footwear...girly and classic with a big twist of excitement. Here are some of their latest designs.

Pretty Rose

Happy Monday! I saw this super interesting ombre lampshade in rose and was inspired! Here are some other rose-colored finds. A girly collection is one of my favorite ways to start a new week.

Lamp  |  Bedding  |  Eye Glasses  |  Drinking Glass  |  Wrapping Paper  |  Necklace

Pinterest Favorite

I saw this spring coat on Pinterest and fell in love with the bow on the back. A perfect mix of girly and preppy. So very cute!

Happy Birthday Dave!

My favorite (and only) brother, David, would have been 31 today. I miss him and would have truly loved to bake him a birthday cake.

Photo Credit: Oh Happy Day

Wearable | Sunday Brunch in the City

I had fun using Polyvore for the first time! I entered an outfit for the ModCloth "Style It & Win It" contest and it was so easy! Polyvore may be one of my new favorite sites.

Sunday Brunch in the City by amanda-gomes featuring metal jewelry

Printable Valentine Card

We put a free Valentine's card download on the Rufflewood blog today. Head on over for a bit of cuteness just-in-time for the 14th! 

Pinterest Favorites

Ahh...Pinterest makes me dream about beautiful spaces. Here are a few light and airy favorites that make me excited for spring.

Design Within Reach | Better Homes & Gardens

Pinterest | Blondiensc

Small Rooms Tumblr

Urban Outfitters | Caitlin Creer

Music Monday

Happy Monday! 

If you like "whisper rock", then you might just enjoy some tunes by one of my favorite musical artists, Joshua Radin. You can listen to his music on his website or create a Pandora station. Give him a listen!

Condiments

I had a veggie burger for lunch today and was reminded why I love condiments so much. They turn plain into tasty. Let's just say the veggie burger would have been pretty dry and bland were it not for the ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos and pepperoncini I piled inside it. I've always been a big fan of the goodies that make sandwiches taste better.... I take after my dad on that one. His sandwiches were always a work of art. I thought I'd compile a list of some of my favorite sandwich additions. Obviously these shouldn't all be added to the same lunch, but whatever works.

1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7

Magazines

Who doesn't love thumbing through a beautiful magazine to find inspiration, knowledge and a bit of entertainment? It's got to be one of my favorite lazy day activities and Martha Stewart Living is one of my favorite magazines to peruse. I bought my first copy of Martha Stewart Living in January of my senior year in high school and that summer I hosted my first summer garden party thanks to the inspiration I found in those beautifully designed pages.

In college I would get so excited each month when I found a new issue in my mailbox. I actually disciplined (tortured) myself by waiting until the homework was done before I allowed myself to peek inside. Alright, maybe I'd allow myself a little sneak preview, but no more than a few page flips. Poring through the photos and reading pretty much every single line was my sweet reward. Those were the days. I think I might just revisit a few of those past issues (yes, I still have quite a collection) and start thinking about hosting another garden party...