i miss you.

this is so fitting for everyone who isn't in auburn right now...

i miss you.

amazing photo by jenny houser

i love you.

freelance.

made this for my friend, ally ~ owner of the pink alligator consignment store in my hometown of hanover, nh. 

she needed a poster to attract all the college students... SO just so i can help her advertise - 

the pink alligator has GREAT stuff in stock right now! wish i was in hanover in order to see it :)

so fitting.

i need the little red focus right.about.now.

internship.

this summer i am going to move to washington DC to do an internship in interior design! i cannot WAIT to live in DC ... while it may be in poverty ... i'll be a happy girl. 

inspiration.

a few weeks ago one of my friends got some scary news that really effects her health. while she is playing the waiting game, she has taken life with so much more appreciation and is one of the strongest people i know right now. she also has charged me with thinking about my life, and the things in it i appreciate. what i realized is that i love the simple things: my family, friends, bf, dog, cupcakes, design, a cool breeze, running, laughter, being happy & my memories with everyone in my life who makes my life. 

my animal.

introducing baby pate. 

i'm a little bit obsessed... so i thought i would share. she misses her daddy but is very happy with me, auntie haley and auntie chelsea for the time-being!!

work spaces.

i am studying the work environment and work spaces right now in studio. it has sparked me to think a lot about where i work: on my beat-up futon in front of my tv. that isn't conducive to productive or creative work, now is it? it just makes me more anxious because i get distracted... i need to then repeat the phrase "keep calm, carry on" over and over and over.... this is not good !

i am moving to a new house in august with three other girls, and am getting excited about the new journey ~ not to MENTION the new room i get to design. i really want to think about my work space in my new room, and how to make it more comfortable for me to sit down, and be CREATIVE.

items i want to keep:

my desk

items i need:

comfortable swivel chair

a good light source

creative ways to store my art supplies and samples

inspiring photos

below are a few photos that have me thinking... would i be able to work in this space? i think so.

happily ever after.

this past weekend i got to be a part of one of the most gorgeous weddings i have ever been to. my old roommate and one of my best friends, julia, got married saturday january 15th, to her now husband (AH!), pat. it was a magical weekend filled with love, and i am so happy i got to help the beautiful couple celebrate. below are a few pictures i snapped of the weekend ~ enjoy!

 a few of the bridesmaids at the rehearsal dinner.

bridesmaids, maids of honor and the beautiful bride herself. 

julia ~ the bride. 

me and the bride just a few hours before she walked down the aisle! 

the stunning dress. 

some girls in my sorority and i helping julia and pat celebrate at the reception. 

introducing mr. & mrs. aland! [sorry pat... i only got jules :/] 

father daughter dance. 

 the beautiful menu.

my new favorite city.

i have a new love. washington d.c.   i love everything about this city. the metro is so convenient and easy that even me, small town girl from new hampshire, navigated from dupont saturday night all the way back to clarendon, va which included a metro change and a cab ride. the people are so nice (even the homeless... yes, i've talked to a few - sorry mom & dad), the city is CLEAN and the architecture is beautiful. one of my favorite things about this city is the architecture, which would only be natural being an interior design major. 


i took today to walk around DC and have been swept away by the brilliance of the city. i got lunch with an old friend, and afterwards have just been walking around being a typical tourist and loving every minute of it. i went and saw the white house, walked around china town, saw beautiful brownstone townhouses that i marveled at for a solid 30 minutes and now am sitting at a cute coffee shop on 12th street listening to some cranky 20-something-old girls talk about how much they hate their roommates, and i am the most peaceful, happy girl right now. after i finish my skinny macchiato (i had to get something other than my normal medium dark roast, i wanted to feel "sophisticated")i'm heading to view the lincoln memorial (because i want to continue my tourism) and then i will hop on that orange line and head back to clarendon in order to prepare for the national championship game we'll be watching tonight!


check back later this week for my personal pics from D.C. til then, war eagle!

ikea! ikea! ikea!

ikea makes me happy! i could spend hours upon hours in the town of ikea. below are a sample of my favorite ikea rooms. and hey, it's ok for me to look here because ikea is the king of budget-friendly. so ikea, i will gladly take any of these rooms if you want to give me one. i love you, ikea!

time to design.

sometimes i just want to design. i played around with sketchup this am and this is what i came up with... i hope i'm still loving sketchup this much in one week when i go back to the dreaded studio. :/

admiration.

i admire a photographer who can look at something so ordinary and normal and capture the beauty in it. one of my best friends, jenny houser, and my brother, christian olsen, do this with ease. i envy them. below are a few photos from both of them to get you through this oh-so-bland monday.

photo by jenny houser

photo by jenny houser

photo by jenny houser

photo by christian olsen

photo by jenny houser

new year's resolutions.

what is one of my new year's resolution? spend less money. this goes into everything i do - including my love for furniture/home goods. my apartment at school is filled with hand-me-down furniture from my parents, and a few pieces i bought my first & second year in college.... so needless to say, i am in the market for some new furniture! but since i am going to try my best to stick with my new year's resolutions, i'm looking for only a few pieces with the smallest numbers possible attached. 

 this piece is from one of my favorite stores - world market. 
for only $139.99 you can purchase this austen tufted velvet armless chair in trendy plum. i would scurry to my world market in tiger town as fast as my little saab could get me there, if this beautiful color would match my scheme currently in my living room. sadly my colors are browns, creams, oranges and yellows... i feel like this rich purple would be lonely.

i need this bench. also from world market the eureka storage bench would fit perfectly underneath my three large windows in the front of my apartment, and offer a good storage space for all the odds and ends that clutter my small space. currently i have a dingy futon that has been a cozy bed for many of my friends, but it is time for that thing to GO. and for $119.99, it is totally worth it.

pier 1 is a great resource for fun & flirty pieces to give your room a new life! what else is perfect? it doesn't break your bank. this feminine occasional chair with a modern print and masculine, modern legs is a mere $249.99 and would look perfect in place of my ugly papasan chair my pup has been chewing on.

another favorite from pier 1 is the liliana floral chair. this print is bold and beautiful, while staying modern with the largeness of the print. i love how vibrant the colors are and how the front legs are so detailed. it really plays up on the importance and elegance of this chair. definitely not a manly piece, but for $379.99, i could certainly find a perfect place for her. 

this chair is definitely my favorite, which is why i saved her for last. i love the grand traditional look of a wing chair, while keeping a modern feel with the beautiful paisley print and strong golden tones. found at pier 1, again, i could purchase this one for $299.99. i think i need this. my roommates would benefit from a new chair that didn't fall every time you sat on it, my dog would learn to no longer chew on my furniture... and i would just be pleased every time i walked in my front door to see this beautiful chair looking back at me. i think it needs to happen.