I recently stumbled upon Elsie Flannigan’s creatively delightful blog, A Beautiful Mess and her 4 Simple Goals project. The premise is simple, inspiring and collaborative—just the kind of thing that I adore! My 4 Simple Goals focus on ways to make each day an extraordinary adventure.  If you’re interested in sharing, I would love to read your 4 Simple Goals and support you in pursuing them!

1. Express my style, inside & out.
Graduating from college, living in 3 states and having 2 jobs with very different corporate cultures in the last 4 years has wrecked havoc on my closet. It’s time to seek looks that are comfortable, stylish and indicative of my personality. I’ve been wanting to take on this project for awhile, and I can’t wait to start shopping!

2. Try out new recipes.
I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen, but it’s easy to put cooking on the back burner with so many delicious restaurants nearby. As the cooler months approach, I’m looking forward to getting re-inspired by fall flavors. Who knows, I might even try my hand at baking!

3. Create space for a daily meditation practice.
When I first moved to Raleigh, my best friend gave me the book Sit Down and Shut Up by Brad Warner. At that time, I knew no one and had plenty of time to sit with myself. I really got into meditation, but let my practice slip once I made friends and got busy with work. Like many of you, my hope is to find a middle path.

4. Sweat more often. This one’s extra simple. I believe that wellness is a part of a happy and balanced life. My goal is to get back to an exercise routine that leaves me feeling energized, strong and healthy.

image credit: elsie | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

This time of the year always inspires me to buy new clothes and office supplies. Growing up, I delighted in finding the perfect outfit for my first day of school. Getting my notebooks, pens and highlighters sorted was a favorite activity. My love for this time of year even influenced my decision to study education in college.

Even though I didn’t end up as a teacher, I still think of challenging syllabi, unread books, and that perfect first day of school outfit with excitement. If I were getting ready to start a new school year, the items pictured above would be at the top of my list.

To celebrate my 32 Days of Sparkle, I’m hosting my first ever giveaway. A delightful collection of girlie, organic and sweet goodies are up for grabs. All entries must be in by Sunday, Aug 15th at 8:00 pm EST… Don’t forget to sign up!

image credits: weekender tote | banana republic | jcrew | paper-source | mod cloth | smencils | papaya! | kate spade

Conditions for creativity are to be puzzled;
to concentrate; to accept conflict and tension;
to be born everyday; to feel a sense of self.
(Erich Fromm)

Hello my lovely creative friends. I hope you’re enjoying a productive and inspiring week. On Tuesday I shared my celebrity (girl) crushes and today you will learn about my top 5 celebrity boys. Of course, my mister is always #1—so I guess this list is really my #2-6.

Boy Crushes

Matthew McConaughey
Between his southern accent and boyish charm, Matthew McConaughey is nearly the perfect man. I first fell in love with him alongside Jodie Foster in Contact. I’ve also adored him in romantic comedies like The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Edward Norton
There are so many reason to love Edward Norton. He’s good looking, smart and a super accomplished actor. He has been in so many great movies—a few of my favorites include The Painted Veil, The Illusionist, The Italian Job, 25th Hour, The Score, Keeping the Faith, Fight Club, American History X and Rounders.

Mike Rowe
If you haven’t seen Dirty Jobs, you should immediately record it on your DVR. There is something about Mike’s fearless nature and sarcasm that keeps me laughing throughout the show. He’s also the voice behind Deadliest Catch, another entertaining and boyfriend-friendly program on the Discovery Channel.

Hugh Laurie
Grey’s Anatomy and House are the only 2 shows my mister and I must watch each week. We love seeing how every episode, Hugh Laurie’s character manages to save his patients from rare and nearly incurable diseases, while effortlessly driving his coworkers crazy with his biting wit and practical jokes.

Jake Gyllenhaal
He’s funny, cute and a bit awkward. He has a famous sister and is an on-again-off-again relationship with one of my favorite actresses. I haven’t seen all his movies, but I really loved Jake Gyllenhaal in Donnie Darko, The Good Girl, Brokeback Mountain and Rendition.

photo credit: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

The most beautiful people we have known are those who
have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss,
and have found their way out of the depths.

These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity,
and an understanding of life that fills them with
compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.

Beautiful people do not just happen.

(Elizabeth Kubler Ross)

Micaela from the gorgeous blog Dolce Vita wrote a fun post last month about her favorite beautiful people. Her list included famous girls & boys I adore like Penleope Cruz, Jen Aniston, Jude Law and Clive Owen.

In the spirit of all that’s lovely and fun in February, I’ve come up with a list of my top 5 celebrity crushes. For more celeb-spiration, check out … or so i feel and poprocks & photographs posts on the same topic.

Girl Crushes:

Claire Danes
I first fell in love with Clair Danes while watching My So-Called Life in the mid-90s. She was amazing in Romeo + Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and much more recently in Shopgirl with Steve Martin.

Natalie Portman
A total chameleon, Natalie Portman always looks gorgeous. Closer and Garden State are my two favorite movies of her’s—but I also adore her moments in Hotel Chevalier, the short film before The Darjeeling Limited.

Rachel McAdams
She makes me laugh and she makes me cry. I want to go shopping with her and talk about guys, make-up and magazines. I loved her in State of Play, The Family Stone, Wedding Crashers, The Notebook and The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Ellen Pompeo
Seriously. I’m a dedicated Grey’s Anatomy fan. I watched the first season with my best friend—and even though 2,300 miles separate us today, I feel close to her when I watch the show. Ellen Pompeo is an inspiration, the dark and twisty type.

Sarah Jessica Parker
I didn’t know it then, but my love for blogging began when I started to watch Sex And The City on HBO. I sometimes imagine that I’m Carrie when I sit down to write. Her quirky style and eloquent messages are always in mind when I’m in need of inspiration.

photo credit: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only.
Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas,
the way we live, what is happening.
(Coco Chanel)

A few years ago, a friend recommended I check out a podcast called Hip Tranquil Chick. She thought I might like it since we were both taking yoga classes and trying to infuse the things we were learning into our daily lives.

There was no way either one of us could have guessed that a wave of inspiration would break from her simple suggestion.

It’s funny how life works out that way.

As the months passed, I read Kimberly Wilson’s first book and her blog. I listened to every podcast she put out and even worked my way through all the archives on iTunes.

When I started my blog back in September, I thought about Kimberly and all that she has accomplished. I remembered how she broke free from her 9-5 by starting a yoga studio out of her apartment. I wondered if she ever felt like I did—on the brink of something so exciting, yet so scary.

In October I learned that Kimberly was looking for guest bloggers—to help alleviate some of the workload she had taken on since beginning a master’s program in social work. I was excited and scared, but I applied any way and hoped for the best.

Earlier this week, she unveiled the guest blogger team and placed me amongst a group of talented writers, artists and entrepreneurs. It is really quite surprising to be in such inspiring company.

Starting January 6, every Wednesday you can find me over at Tranquility du Jour musing on all things stylish—from trendy accessories and classic must-haves, to apartment decor and sassy stationery. Please visit me over there and let me know if there’s something about your signature style that you’re dying to explore…

photo credit: Coco Before Chanel

PS. Come back tomorrow for a holiday love gift swap wrap up, just in time for Christmas Eve!