Movie Review: Rachel Getting Married

image from here.

Rachel Getting Married is a seriously good movie for people who like darker, more intricate, kind of sad movies. The story is about the family dynamic surrounding a girl who has been severely addicted to drugs and alcohol, and has received a weekend pass from her rehab facility to attend her sister's wedding. The main character is Kym, played by the brilliant Anne Hathaway, who returns home a few days before the wedding to a house full of family, strangers, and people who are all hopped up on wedding happiness, including an annoyingly saccharine bridesmaid. For a recovering addict, like Kym, returning to a family setting can be extremely difficult and presents its own challenges, but the addition of the wedding proves to be an exceedingly taxing and emotional experience for both Kym and her family.

image from here.

Anne Hathaway takes her character to new levels and is hauntingly realistic as a narcissist who is in constant need to be the center of attention, but makes you feel sorry for her in the end. Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays Rachel, is stunning and sad in this role as a sister whose numerous accomplishments, including her wedding, have been overshadowed by the negative actions of her sister, yet still upholds the tight bond that is sisterhood when push comes to shove.

image from here.

The movie is rather long, and the wedding scenes toward the end can get a bit boring, but for someone, like me, who has had experience with difficult family dynamics such as the one pictured in this film, it was a welcome reprieve from movies that typically have the word "married," or "wedding" in the titles. This is not your typical Anne Hathaway, Ella Enchanted-type movie; it's a striking portrait of family life that makes you feel like you're actually a part of it.

Plus, it doesn't help that Jonathen Demme, of The Silence of the Lambs fame, directed it.

Etsy Finds: Somnambulant Art

Somnambulant Art is probably one of my most favorite finds on Etsy, not only because the artwork is rad, but because the person behind the shop and its wonderful creations is one of the most funny and interesting people I have ever met. I first stumbled upon the shop when I was very new to the Etsy scene... I hadn't even opened my own shop yet. I was looking for something really funny to get people for Christmas, and luckily, Erin had exactly what I was looking for: Serial Killer Christmas Cards!

I know that some of you are thinking that it sounds a little strange (and most of you are thinking, "How awesome is that?!"), but anyone who knows me at all, knows that this discovery was my Holy Grail. Anyway, I purchased quite a few of them and my family (and new in-laws) all received the weirdest Christmas Cards they had ever received. I think that they were all genuinely terrified of me for a whole week after Christmas, but it was definitely worth it. The reaction I received was better than opening a big box full of rainbows on Christmas morning: a nervous laugh, an exchange of nervous glances when they thought I wasn't looking, then a big hug with a, "you're so very special," pat on the back. It was, in a word, Awesome.

Recently, I requested a custom painting of "Facetious," from her "Vocabulary Series," paintings and I'm completely in love with it. I bought it as a set with "Pernicious," and have yet to hang them in my office (which, as you all know, is a work in progress).

One of my favorite features from her shop, is that each painting comes with it's own, unique story.

click here to read about Nicholas.

I have had the pleasure of getting to know her a little bit outside of Etsy, and she is an amazing person. Etsy is a fabulous community, where it's possible to meet some of the nicest and most interesting people you might never meet otherwise. I'm really happy to be a member and to have met and done business with all of these fabulous people. So, if you haven't opened an account (even just a buyer account) I highly recommend it. At the very least, it's an opportunity for people who wouldn't make friends otherwise to buy things from people they are intrigued by and weasle their ways into their lives. just kidding. that's totally not what i did.

So, go visit Erin's shop, and if you buy something really expensive, tell her that I sent you! Also, go check out her photography shop, Appledale, and her blog, Oh Honestly Erin (it's hilarious, and a must read for me every day). Oh, and p.s., if you stop by before noon today, you can enter for a chance to win one of her awesome bathroom plaques (I already have one, but am considering trying for another one, so it will have a friend to play with).

Etsy Find: sarahseven

So, since there's a lot of buzz today about her, I thought I'd put in my two cents:

all images from here.

Isn't her work beyond words? I first stumbled upon her thanks to Peonies & Polaroids. I would love the Robin's Egg Dress if I were a.) richer, and b.) thinner.

Etsy Finds

I love this jacket from bonzie:

from here.

It's no longer listed on her website, but I think she could still make one custom if you asked nicely? I ordered a wrap like this:

from here.

In navy blue for the wedding, but didn't end up wearing it. I guess I'll have to find a use for it.

I love her designs and I especially love that she's from Ireland. But that's not why I bought the wrap! It's so beautifully made and ethereal looking. Almost too pretty to wear!

Champagne Wishes and Pottery Barn Dreams...

Here are a few items that I hope to have... eventually.... when we have a house... eventually...

from here.

This is kind of exactly how I imagine our future bedroom in our future house in our future life. I love the dark wood against the light blue walls (p.s. i love blue walls and blue anything). And I think that the billowy fabric on top of the canopy is relaxing, but not too girly. I even like the sconces, even though the cords are not internally wired and are hanging down the wall all messy-like... ok, maybe I don't like the sconces entirely.

Right now, our bedroom is a gigantic embarrassment, which consists of a mattress and box spring on a California frame. I don't even want to say this out loud, but it's even a full size mattress... UGH the horror. I do, however, love the bedding I picked out:

from here.

Which is one of the only things that is keeping me sane. I have the Matine Toile quilt with a Classic Stripe duvet cover in porcelain blue. I bought these great sheets at Target from the Waverly Metro Collection (the sheets have been discontinued) that are ivory with a black Queen Anne's Lace silhouette pattern. The other thing I love about our bedroom is the artwork. When we were on our honeymoon, we stopped at a gallery in downtown Bar Harbor and bought some really pretty prints. We recently had them framed along with a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks, NC (my favorite place for vacation), and a watercolor we received as a wedding gift, and hung them up to make it more "grown up" looking, and less "college" looking. We don't even have curtains up. gross.

And, speaking of offices... this is what I am coveting most of all right now (the pictures are all of the same desk):

from here.

I would be so much more productive if I had this work station. I would just sit there, even when I didn't have anything to do. I am hoping that my father-in-law, who is an unbelievable carpenter in his spare time, will make one for me someday.

The thing is, that I could definitely have all, or most, of these things right now (or maybe in a few months), but we're currently saving for a house to put all of these things in. So, I'm trying to figure out which should come first... the chicken or the egg? The nice furniture or the house to put them in?

Part of me says buy the furniture now, because it's not going to be in stock forever, and buying the house, while sill far off, will prolong buying the nice furniture even further...

The other part of me says, buy the house first, because maybe your wonderful, sweet, talented father-in-law will build you the furniture someday.

Someday.

I say that a lot, considering I am the ultimate pessimist. I guess I'm trying to turn over a new leaf...

we'll see.

Shutter Inspiration

from here.

I love this bouquet shot from Mrs. Cupcake's wedding photos!! Such a stark contrast between the bouquet and heavy machinery... and such a pretty blue!!

*sorry i've been all about photos, lately. i'll return with more of my wedding recap shortly...

that's amore.

stardust from risamay's shop on etsy.

so ethereal...


newly added to my etsy favorites...

Get Clean!

The lovely ladies over at 100 Layer Cake are holding their first ever giveaway, and it's a good one!

from here.

They made some soap from scratch and want to give the bars away as gifts for a bride-to-be's bridesmaids. Head on over and enter if you qualify!

One Picture, One Poem, One Song...

One picture, one poem, one song, one quote, one item of clothing, one place, and one Disney Princess. I'm following along from here.


One Picture:

from here.

One Poem:

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

~ Emily Dickinson

One Song:

Alice Childress, Ben Folds

One Quote:

"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, not small, but valuable. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void."

~Kathleen, Meg Ryan's character, You've Got Mail

One Item of Clothing:

from here.

This is one of my new favorite items in my closet. I also like the Michelle Cardigan.

One Place:

from here.

Positano, Italy
or anywhere on the Amalfi Coast, or Rome, or Florence, for that matter

One Disney Princess:

from here.

I tag.... anyone who reads this and wants to join in. It's rather difficult, though, I must warn you!

Happy Spring!

Happy First Day of Spring! Hopefully the weather here in MA will cooperate with us soonish, and stop being so damn cold! I would love to get some spring cleaning started this weekend, but my Saturday is quickly becoming very busy, so I guess I won't get as much done as I wanted to. Here are some photos that make me think of spring and the coming of warmer weather:

from here (so what if it's an article on fertilizer... it's a pretty picture).

from here.

Hope everyone is having a happy Friday! I'm so glad that it's finally here. Ta ta for now!

is it weird that spring makes me want to watch Hannibal? it might be.

Passion for Purple.

I really love this color palette that was posted on the SWS Mag blog the other day:

from here.

I've always been a huge fan of purple, and this palette would have been my second choice for our wedding had I not already fallen in love with multi-tonal blue. I really like the different shades of purple. It's a sophisticated take on a girly-hue.

Coming soon to a home near ME.

I couldn't resist any longer... I bought four tiny prints from the Peonies and Polaroids Etsy store!! These are the ones I chose:

all images from here.

I purchased some cork tiles last night at Target that I will cover with some pretty linen (hopefully soon) to make a home for these beauties. I think that this 4 mini print purchase is going to be a common thing for me... It was so difficult to just choose 4!! I had better get going on that linen pinboard that I posted about earlier!!

p.s. I'm starting a new custom project for a customer that I will post about soonish!

Shutter Inspiration

I really want to go back here...

photo by me.

Things I'm loving from J. Crew right now.

I have a problem. I cannot stop shopping at J. Crew. I'm addicted to their clothing, their style, their everything. Here are a few things that I've purchased in the last few weeks that I adore:

from here.

I'm definitely in a pink and gray mood lately. I am just frustrated with their website because it keeps crashing lately. Oh well... I guess it's better for my wallet.

Skylands: I Want to Go to There.

Martha's house in Maine is named Skylands. When James and I were on our honeymoon in Bar Harbor, we did a lot of exploring. While I would like to say that I didn't stalk Martha, I cannot. We drove around Seal Harbor looking for her house. I'm not sure if we drove by it or not, but there were some absolutely spectacular houses up there that were hidden away on the cliffs in the woods. It was kind of surreal, and I really wish that I had taken some pictures, but we were a little scared of the roads because they were so steep! Anyway, Martha posted some pictures of her redecoration of Skylands, and I can tell you that I will have dreams of receiving a letterpress invitation for a weekend away... Don't tell James, though, because he is not an avid fan, as am I (and this is quite an understatement).

Here are some of my favorite images:

images from here.

I really love the way they redid the kitchen. Just small little elements, like painting various sized bar stools the same color, or setting large glass jars on a window sill really make a difference. Check out the rest of the article... especially the "wall of china."

My Next Household Project

I have been coveting this linen pinboard from Pottery Barn for my office for quite some time now...

from here.

The problem is, that I have a serious problem with forking over $129 (!) for it, when I could easily make one on my own...

from here.

Thanks to this lovely post, by Bethany at Emmy Lu: "Pretty in the City, Lovely in the Country," I'm going to have one of my very own for much less!! Yippee! I love the blogging community... so resourceful and helpful! I will post pics when I finish it (which probably won't be for awhile, knowing me).

from here.

Check out the blog... it's really fun! Plus, the ladies just launched a line of beautiful wedding stationery...

I'm on a flower kick....

I am anxiously awaiting spring... can you tell?

It smells like spring outside!! So, I thought I'd start off the morning with a pretty spring bouquet that James gave me for Valentine's Day. I had some extra raffia from a project that never materialized, so I tied it around a vase that we received as a wedding gift (thank you, Kristin!), and arranged the roses in it. I really liked how the light was hitting it this particular morning. It's amazing what a little raffia and morning light can do!!