there's stars in my eyes & there's sun in my hair.

last night, I was thinking about my sweet little niece, who is currently in the hospital with severe burns, and this drawing kind of just spilled out of me. It's not a portrait of her or anything, but I think the lyric is perfect for her: she is a starry-eyed and sunshiny-haired kind of a girl.

Get well soon, Lydie!

i made some fonts with my handwriting.

that's right! after reading the post on A Beautiful Mess on font-making, i decided to give it a try. I used an iPad app called iFontMaker and the Targus stylus for iPad. it was really easy & fun! the app guides you through it step-by-step, and voila! homemade fonts!

i made two fonts this weekend- nothing fancy, just playing around. the first one is my plain ol' handwriting: 

the second one is a bit more cursive-y:

click the links below to download them, if you'd like. (for free!)

font one (my handwriting)

font two (curly)

on my autumn mind.

Ooh, it's freezing today. There's rain, and maybe even a few snowflakes.

I'm sitting in the library drinking orange spice herbal tea. Happiness!

Today, I thought I'd share a few autumn-y products that I'm loving right now.

 

1. pines by a fine frenzy. a cozy, woodsy sound- perfect for cold weather. 

2. a perfect patterned cardigan. if this one weren't so pricey, it would definitely be in my closet right now.

3. a pretty book to read by the fire. i'm in the process of collecting these gorgeous clothbound classics, and Middlemarch is one of the next ones I plan to buy.

(have any of you ever read Middlemarch? did you like it? i can't wait to read it!)

4. a mug for hot chocolate, tea, and cider. mmm.

5. i love these flats. i wear them almost daily... the perfect fall color.

what's on your autumn mind?

Doodles

In the warm glow of happiness that ensued after taking my history midterm today, I decided to take a little time to draw- a luxury that tends to fall by the wayside during exams.

No pencils, paints, or markers. Just me and a pen.

Happiness.

on the table: a simple french dinner.

when i lived in the Loire Valley region of France,

i used to dine at the home of a lovely lady named Odile.

she would give me a cup of my favorite tisane (herbal tea) and sometimes there would be lunch.

on one such occasion, she served us this dish.

i took a bite, fell in love, and asked her how to make it.

i remember she smiled slyly and said, 

"first, you heat the olive oil, then perfume it with garlic."

you perfume the oil with garlic.

french people talk so pretty.

this is one of my favorite french dishes.

and today i thought i'd share the recipe!

haricots verts au vinaigre balsamique

serves 2.

12 oz. green beans, steamed

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 chicken breasts, cubed and cooked

1 tsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. creme fraiche 

salt & pepper to taste

heat the olive oil in a large skillet; add the garlic and perfume the oil. add the mushrooms and sautee until coated with oil and garlic. add the beans, chicken, balsamic vinegar, and creme fraiche. stir and toss to coat- a light brown sauce will form. salt and pepper to taste.

*this is traditionally served over pasta, but i think it's delicious (and filling!) on its own.

*if you can't find creme fraiche, you can substitute sour cream.

On my bookshelf: the Library Book.

A twist of fate (and googling) brought me and this obscure little British book together. And let me tell you, it was love at first sight (the cover alone!)

It's a collection if essays and short stories, all dedicated to the love of libraries. Famous authors share memories, history, and stories, and all of them are perfectly charming.

"There's something of the importance and power of books that doesn't come from anything else. Nothing else has that magic, that combination of ink and discovery."

"The great unsold truth of libraries is that people need them not because they're about study and solitude, but because they're about connection. Connection with other worlds and different views, even if that's no more than being among other people thinking and breathing."

"Writers, I discovered, were not to be bowed down before and worshipped, but embraced and befriended. Their names resounded through history not because they had massive brows and thought deep incomprehensible thoughts, but because they opened windows in the mind, they put their arms around you and showed you things you always knew and never dared to believe. Even if their names were terrifyingly foreign and intellectual-sounding, like Dostoevsky or Baudelaire, they turned out to be charming and wonderful and quite unalarming after all."

 happy reading!

images via google; last one taken by me.

ooh, it's october.

it's chilly outside, the leaves are changing, there are pumpkins everywhere.

my favorite time of year is this time right now.

the september resolutions went well. 

so well that i'm going to keep a few of them for october

(like taking a photo a day)

i am also going to read a book that's not for school, take evening walks in the park, 

and try a new recipe or two.

these resolutions aren't very serious. they're small.

and awesome.

and you know what? i have discovered the magic of the tiny, somewhat silly resolution.

you should definitely try it.  

october is the month of

reading

fresh, crisp air

sweaters

libraries

candles

&

happiness!

"there is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on,

and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings,

as now in october."

-nathaniel hawthorne

happy thursday!

all photos by me.